LISTEN: Anna Pancaldi – ‘Where Do I Lay All The Love I Have Left?’

London based singer-songwriter, Anna Pancaldi, has now shared new single, ‘Where Do I Lay All The Love I Have Left?‘. The first of a string of singles to come, it marks Anna’s thought-provoking, affecting vocals and musicality evolving into a new chapter. 

A versatile artist, Pancaldi also co-writes on a variety of outside projects (singles, synch, top-lining/features). For example, in April her music was used for the brand new Grey’s Anatomy trailer and has featured on hit US TV shows such as ‘Pretty Little Liars’, ‘Famous in Love’ and the 2022 Paramount film ‘The In Between’ (featured under the pseudonym Beò).

‘Where Do I Lay All The Love I Have Left?’ is a soulful ballad, reflecting on opening up to one’s feelings. It begins quietly with a stirring piano intro, building up to the bridge with an impassioned grace, where synths are added, echoing the emotional turmoil of the lyrics – ‘”I admit I am frightened, scared of being misled…” Although uncertain, the song allows growth with a beautiful catharsis, before paring back to the final question – “Where do I lay all the love I have left?”. A perfectly poignant soundtrack to the uncertainty of falling in love again.

Catch Anna Pancaldi live at Folklore in Hackney tomorrow, 18th May – tickets here.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Curious Rose Photography

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LISTEN: Tina Boonstra – ‘If I Could’

Having received acclaim from the likes of Tom Robinson at BBC 6Music and Under The Radar magazine, London-based artist Tina Boonstra recently shared the beautifully anthemic ‘If I Could’, the third single from her upcoming debut album, Circle Back Start Again. The album is a collection of stories inspired by real-life encounters and tenderly asks; what do we do when life doesn’t go the way we expect?

‘If I Could’ is a powerfully poignant case in empathy, dealing with with the difficult subject of miscarriage. Right from its opening power chords and Tina’s crisp vocals, the story begins. “Can we pick it back up where we left it? Right before we got the message / To come back to the ward / ’cause the doctors want to talk.” We are immediately pulled into the stirring narrative by the percussion which conveys the nervousness of the situation, and the ominous piano note bringing a stirring stillness – “There is no going back from here”.

The sudden burst into the chorus is a like a friend offering a steady shoulder to cry on: “If I could I would build you back / brick by brick / and you would fly”. We can feel the sadness and emotional release, especially in the compelling guitar solo with its effective distortion effects.

Strong yet soothing, this song offers support in the face of a grief which is so often not talked about. A truly heartfelt, musically rich insight into vulnerability and getting through tough times.

Circle Back, Start Again, the upcoming new album from Tina Boonstra, is set for release on 28th April.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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Track Of The Day: Angela Sclafani – ‘How We Meet’

Angela Sclafani is a New York City-based songwriter, performer and musical theatre-maker. Having twice won the Great American Song Contest’s Adult Contemporary category, she has independently released three original EPs, plus Edge Of Seventeen – an EP of wonderfully reimagined Stevie Nicks hits. Now, the first taster of her upcoming debut full-length album, latest single ‘How We Meet’ offers a sonic journey through the playful world of her inner child and past personas.

The song starts off with a country pop twang and delicate backing drum beats, as Angela’s honey-sweet voice takes us back to more innocent times – “Talkin to myself in a voice so sweet… Could I fit inside the shape you made your life?” – as she poignantly explores the older ways of communicating with other people (talking, writing letters, telephone) with a shimmering musicality. A well-crafted and uplifting song from a truly versatile artist, ‘How We Meet’ oozes a twinkling Americana-tinged grace alongside infectious melodies; reminding us with Sclafani’s lilting tones to seize the moment (answering that message in a bottle!) and make the move to form meaningful connections.

The song is the first of four singles leading up to the album’s release in February 2023, providing a representative sampling of its concept; taking classic Americana sounds as interpreted in an innovative way by a New York City theatre kid.

‘How We Meet’ is out now via Pitch and Prose – download on Bandcamp now. Songs Of Other Selves, the upcoming debut album from Angela Sclafani, is set for release next February.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Jules Miranda

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Track Of The Day: Coco – ‘Rough Water’

Formed in 2019, Coco is a collaborative project consisting of Maia Friedman (The Dirty Projectors), Dan Molad (Lucius), and Oliver Hill (Pavo Pavo), and ‘Rough Water‘ is the first new single since their self-titled debut album last year. Recorded in Joshua Tree, California, this new offering is a departure from the dream-pop sounds on the debut, delivering an epic, rockier sound of guitars and drums.

I felt immediately lifted when hearing the song, bringing to mind the energetic and enigmatic sounds of the likes of The Pixies and The B-52’s. Maia’s celestial vocals are in perfect harmony with the others’, as the trio urge us to “be a mirror”, before the pace briefly changes midway – oozing a reflective inner voice. The song ends on a chant to personal demons or talismans, uplifting our spirits like a “phoenix in the wreckage”; empowering us to steer our own ships. Coco is perfect synergy, the sum of their parts carrying us on a delightful trip with blissful allure. 

Of the track, the band explain:

“The open space out there really lends itself to loud music… It brings about a desire to shout into the emptiness. The lyrics are partly a love letter to the angry spirits and partly a self-entreaty to inhale and relish in the chaos of life.” 

‘Rough Water’ is out now via First City Artists. Next month, Coco head out on a US national tour, supporting Kevin Morby, and will be headlining shows on the West Coast later this year.

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

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