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[GIG REVIEW] Ben Howard @ Eventim Apollo, London, 13 June 2018

Posted by Richard Maver on June 29, 2018

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Conchis shares the cinematic new single, "Under Your Feathers"

Helsinki-based artist Conchis delivers a haunting blend of alternative pop and sizzling textures on "Under Your Feathers". The new song is her second of the year, following on from the June release, "Streetlights". ... a hauntingly atmospheric synth-pop gem that proves Finnish music goes way beyond metal. The track is a stunning example of cinematic vocals and celestial moments that help to make it incredibly atmospheric and ethereal. At its core, it's rather dark, but with the balance of violin strings and the main vocals, it really helps to bring it all together in a night-and-day kind of vibe. The track was written during a period of illness and carries an unusual sense of tension between hope and fear. This new song is a perfect gateway into her sound and is a wonderful example of how strong the music scene is in Finland. It's not just about metal; there are plenty of awesome acts bubbling away within the scene. Be sure to listen intently during the last...

PLAYKNOW shares their nostalgic collab with Kim Rysstad, "Is It So Hard To Be Good"

Hamar-based Norwegian project PLAYKNOW is back with their second song to date, "Is It So Hard To Be Good". An incredibly cinematic track that has incredible nostalgic moments, taking you straight back to the heyday of the 1980s synth-pop scene. ... a jaw-droppingly beautiful, sax-infused synth-pop masterpiece that seamlessly wraps 80s nostalgia in sleek modern production. Featuring the warm, distinctive vocals of renowned artist Kim Rysstad, the track pairs those aforementioned textures with a vocal that feels like a warm embrace after you've had a long, hard day. The shimmering tones in this are only enhanced by the sheer level of production. Even on the first play, I was certainly wowed by how cinematic, nostalgic, atmospheric, and generally jaw-droppingly beautiful this track is. If you love some smooth saxophone on your synth-driven tracks, then this is certainly the kind of cut that you are going to be playing over and over again. Nostalgic and yet equally mo...

KaiserKillers returns with their stripped-back tune, "Isolation"

Colchester's KaiserKillers are back with a new track, "Isolation". We've previously featured the outfit on this website, but what this new release showcases is a bit more on the stripped-back side of things. ... a jangly, catchy slice of acoustic-meets-punk indie driven by unmistakable British charm. One thing that instantly struck me was how jangly and fresh this track sounded, a bit more along the lines of acoustic rock, with the sounds of The Beach Boys even coming through. There's a very memorable riff within the track, but for me, the main vocals were the real draw, with an undeniably British accent clearly cutting its way deep into your mind. If you're the kind of person who loves a British accent whilst listening to music, then this lot are certainly going to be your new favourite band. Another great thing about this track is that it's under three minutes long, so there's a lot of potential for this song to be replayed over and over again, getti...

Broken Colours return with the epic tune, "Now or Never"

Buckinghamshire's own Broken Colours return with "Now or Never". The anthemic new track is a charming example of everything this quartet is all about. It's very upbeat from the get-go and has a smattering of handclaps, festival-ready, driven guitar sounds, and catchy hooks all within the first 15 seconds. ... An explosive, festival-ready anthem bursting with infectious hooks and a powerhouse guitar solo. If you're a fan of the likes of Stereophonics, Arctic Monkeys, and bands from North London, then this is something that you're going to absolutely love. I personally loved the guitar solo at the halfway point of the track, and for me especially, that really helped solidify this song. I am an absolute sucker for anthemic guitar solos, so that was a stroke of genius. As you head into the final third of the track, you are just welcomed by a rush of sounds that feel like they have been written for the festival season. Want us to hear your music? Click here t...

Barndancer releases the debut single, "Open Season"

Hailing from York, England, singer-songwriter Barny Skinner debuts his solo project Barndancer with the strong alternative rock single "Open Season." ... a brilliantly raw and honest lo-fi debut, seamlessly blending jangly indie nostalgia with warm Americana vibes. The single is also the lead track from his upcoming debut album, and I honestly find this track rather brilliant considering it is a debut offering. He is a DIY artist, and you can easily hear that in the track, but not in a way that makes it sound terrible. It's in a way that makes it sound raw and honest, with his vocals especially sounding almost fragile in places, but backed up with a strong backline of instrumentation. It almost reminds me of Pavement in places and those lo-fi rock bands from the late 90s and early 2000s, with a sense of upbeat optimism bubbling away underneath it all. It's perfectly layered, with a smattering of subgenres flowing throughout it, featuring jangly sounds that remind me...

Kavé releases the strong new cut, "Through Waves"

London-based audiovisual project Kavé releases the new offering, "Through Waves". It's one of those tracks that will really hit you from the first play, and the organic opening sequence is a wonderful example of why this artist is starting to turn heads. ... a stunning, atmospheric rollercoaster that effortlessly blends lo-fi dream pop with cinematic post-rock. The song is only their second release since coming onto the music scene in late June, but what you can hear in front of you is a truly expansive track that blends lo-fi sounds, atmospheric post-rock, and some more organic percussion mixed with dark synths. Towards the second half of the song, the tempo certainly picks up compared to the opening minute or so, but overall I would say that this track is an absolute rollercoaster of dream pop mixed with spoken word. I honestly feel like anyone with any music taste can truly appreciate how beautiful this new single is. It's cinematic, atmospheric, and has a slight h...

Untold Jukebox reveals the retro new cut, "Rehnskiölds Fraustadt Strategy"

Based in Lund, Sweden, Untold Jukebox takes an impressively unusual route into AOR, with the artist blending 18th-century military history with the smooth, polished sounds of late-70s and 80s West Coast rock. ... a nostalgic, soulful AOR journey packed with smooth vocals and 70s-inspired grooves. "Rehnskiölds Fraustadt Strategy" is a six-and-a-half-minute-long track with some breezy 70s and 80s tones that almost remind me of Dire Straits in places. I also loved how smooth the vocals were and how this felt like a step back in time for me, as I grew up with this kind of music in the mid-90s whilst sitting in the back of my parents' car. With influences from Eagles, Lionel Richie and Little River Band, there's no denying that this song is very much written in a way that can grip your attention well within the first minute. With plenty of replayability, this is a song that is going to be stuck in your mind from the get-go, especially with that soulful chorus. If you like ...

Martin Kuiper returns with the nostalgic song, "Freak On Fire"

Ruurlo-based Dutch musician Martin Kuiper brings high-octane energy with "Freak On Fire". The new single is the latest to be lifted from his album "Prison of Modesty", and is a wonderful cut that brings to you plenty from that early 90s era. ... a high-octane 90s-inspired rock anthem packed with soulful vocals, driving basslines, and an epic midpoint solo. Of course, this track is new, as it was released earlier this month, and for me, it sounds like one of Martin's strongest tracks this year. With a very upbeat sound, there are elements of indie rock, Britpop, and solid bass grooves drenched all over this track, with his anthemic vocals giving you plenty of opportunities to get stuck into the track. As previously mentioned with his music before, there is an epic guitar solo for you to feast on at the midway point. Once that passes, you are then left with a solid final third that seems to be even better than the first portion of the track. You can really hear ...

The Generation resurfaces with their latest single "When I Tell You"

Hailing from Washington, D.C., retro outfit The Generation is back with its new track, "When I Tell You". According to Spotify, you would think that this band is a new one. However, this act was very much on the scene during the mid-80s and has since decided to release its first song in the digital world. ... a long-lost 80s indie artifact given a fresh coat of Abbey Road gloss. A bit of backstory is that this song was rescued from a London attic and was then remastered at Abbey Road by Geoff Pesche. It clearly has that mid-80s jangly feel with some punky guitar moments and a strong alternative rock undertone. Vocally, it sounds like nothing else from that era, and for me to hear this for the first time in 2026, it almost feels like I have taken a step back 40 years. This track is also the first offering from its new album, which is a long-forgotten gem that apparently has plenty of nostalgic power to grip new and old fans alike. If you like what you hear, then be sure to che...

SAMSARA. drop their big new tune, "IN TOO DEEP"

Coming out of New York is the brilliant and stunning SAMSARA., and the band have recently dropped their big new tune, "IN TOO DEEP". The quintet have a sound that can rival any of the big alt-rock bands that are currently dominating the worldwide music scene, and based off this track they're going to be the next big guitar band to emerge from NY since the likes of The Strokes and Interpol. ... based off this track they're going to be the next big guitar band to emerge from NY since the likes of The Strokes and Interpol The pacing of the track is great, and even from the get-go there is a somewhat danceable backline that'll no doubt have you tapping your feet. The guitar sounds on "IN TOO DEEP" are so infectious, a blend of post-punk and alt-rock with the perfect amount of fuzz to give it more depth. Vocally strong too, you have to admire this emerging band for the smooth vocal approach to the track and its clean melodies.