LISTEN: Teah Lewis – ‘Magnolia’

Sheffield-based singer-songwriter Teah Lewis has released ‘Magnolia‘ – a stunning new single, which blooms as beautifully as the flower it is named after. A perfect addition to your summer playlists, the music is bright and sensuous, blending modern folk styles with hints of electronica. 

Depicting the walk home on the morning after a night out, ‘Magnolia’ combines both the fresh brightness of spring and the hazy warmth of summer as Teah’s vocals flow with a soulful ease. Her music always feels effortlessly graceful and manages to capture something incredibly honest, and this track is no different. Led by her gorgeous vocal melodies and lilting guitar, ‘Magnolia’ builds steadily guiding you with ease along a musical journey. The understated bass and restrained percussion work to guide the journey. Before you know it, you realise you’ve been lifted into some otherworldly place. It’s utter bliss as the banjo, guitar, and harp weave around you, vocal and trumpets shine, hints of synthesisers and synth strings add a sprinkling of electronic ambiance, creating a magical atmosphere. It’s a truly ethereal experience.

The track comes together with the collaboration of Sheffield musicians, each bringing their own flair to the track: folk power-duo Kate Griffin (Mishra) and Manon McCoy (Shivelights) provide luscious banjo and harp accompaniment that flourishes in the spaces between the vocals, and Teah’s long-term collaborator, the composer Emily Compton, plays poignant trumpet melodies which add to the euphoria of the tracks’ crescendo. In addition to these musicians, Philippe Clegg (Oh Papa) plays bass, Josh Knight (I Set the Sea on Fire) appears on drums, and Ben Allen (Life Aquatic Band) features on the synthesizer and slide guitar. 

You can hear shades of legendary artists such as Joni Mitchell and Laura Marling in how ‘Magnolia’ is driven by infectious melodies and reflective lyrics, as well as harmonies as mellifluous as The Staves. If you are in need of a warm hug, ‘Magnolia’ will be able to provide the musical equivalent. It’s a beautifully crafted song that is sure to lift your mood.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

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WATCH: Sophie Kilburn – ‘I’m In Love With My Therapist’

A ’90s inspired indie-pop belter, Sophie Kilburn has shared her latest single ‘I’m In Love With My Therapist‘. It’s the second single from her debut EP, following ‘Movements’, which also blew us away at GIHE. Shades of Americana ring out through the song, with the Derbyshire artist reflecting LA’s Sunset Boulevard. Fans of Haim, Phoebe Bridgers, and Maggie Rogers might just find Sophie Kilburn to be their new favourite artist.

A fiery fusion of old-school rocker and modern pop warrior, Sophie Kilburn captivates and commands her due attention. ‘I’m In Love With My Therapist’ is a display of assured and beautifully crafted song-writing. The addictive vocal hook lingers in your mind long after the song has finished. It’s a euphoric release, both emotionally and musically. Fierce guitar riffs, oozing a stadium anthem feel, interlace with the driven percussion and thumping bass line. It is foot-stomping emotion, displaying the strength that comes from being so in touch with your emotions, as Sophie sings of both being lost as well as knowing that she needs to get out. The musical drive and the honest lyrics create a poignant juxtaposition.

In her own words, Sophie describes how ‘I’m In Love With My Therapist’ came to be:

“It was lockdown number two, and I was annoyed at myself for killing yet another plant and the story of the song just fell from my frustration. When you go to therapy, you are trying to understand your emotions and behaviours. Sometimes that digging causes confusion, you start to project feelings – like your longing to fall in love – onto a person who ‘gives you the time of day’. It is quite a morbid thought that the only person who you feel who gets you and you can share anything with, is your therapist… They know everything about you, and you know nothing about them but the consistency of being emotionally intimate with them causes feelings to grow to the point of breaking point.”

The music video, shot with an all-female team led by Marieke Macklon, has shades of the Truman Show, with the cameras watching Sophie closely. It’s obsessive and bordering on invasive, powerfully illustrating the all-consuming nature of anxiety and depression and perfectly expressing the sentiment of the song.


Sophie Kilburn’s debut EP, My Room Made Me Public, is set for release next month.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

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WATCH: Bnny – ‘Sure’

Following previous singles ‘Ambulance’ and ‘Time Walk, Chicago-based siblings Jess and Alexa Viscius – aka BNNY – have now announced their debut album, set for release next month. Ahead of the album, they’ve just shared dreamy new single ‘Sure’ – a nostalgic blend of Americana, dream-pop and country music.

Ethereal vocals and lilting guitar are both drenched in reverb that builds into a fuzzy soundscape. The sound is both warm and dark. ‘Sure’ is the kind of song you’d expect to find playing at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks, simultaneously capturing scenes of beer spilling off rowdy customers, a flickering neon light at the bar, a tender moment of young lovers slow-dancing, and maybe even a fight breaking out between crowds of bikers. It’s perfect for your late night, rainy day playlists.

‘Sure’ creates an opportunity for introspection through its repetition and the ethereal space it creates. The waltzing guitar and lilting drums are meditative as they create an effortless dreamy ambiance. Capturing a beautifully understated moment, ‘Sure’ finds Jess Viscius circling around the song’s titular word and testing its meanings and applications: “sure” as an affirmation, “sure” as a guarantee, “sure” as an exhausted acquiescence. This repetition of the word ‘sure’, combined with the repetition of the simple chords, has an hypnotic effect. Viscius’ breathy vocals are haunting, yet, like a lullaby, the gentle whispers also provide a reassuring sense of comfort. Meanwhile, the lyrics contemplate a balance between moments of light and the inevitable contrasting darkness that contrasts it; sunrise versus the night, death versus life. Of the track, Jess explains:

“‘Sure’ is about love and its loss… ‘Sure’ is about apathy and denial. It’s about disillusionment in the wake of death. It’s about finding strength and meaning in the steadfastness of nature.”

The accompanying video is a cinematic vignette set in an uncanny world where people seem to move in slow motion, disassociated. Capturing the same darkness and familiarity conveyed in the song, you can see the musical elements of the song played out visually. The protagonist walks in a dream state to a hazy bar filled with cowboys, Americana seeps through the screen whilst you can picture the reverb bounding between the walls of the bar.

Everything, BNNY’s debut album, is set for release on 20th August via Fire Talk. Pre-order here.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius

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LISTEN: Kristen Merritt – ‘I Don’t Think ABout You’

‘I Don’t Think About You’ is the woozy new single from Brooklyn-based artist Kristen Merritt. With heartfelt lyrics and laid-back instrumentation, this neo-soul groove is the perfect soundtrack for bright summer mornings. ‘I Don’t Think About You’ is positive and light, sung from the perspective of someone who has found clarity and has been released by it. It feels as though each word is sung through a smile, creating a warm and inviting soundscape.

Describing her music as “high-key” (high energy) neo-soul, you can hear the influence of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu in Merritt’s slick and chilled-out arrangements, with lush keyboard flourishes highlighting the soulful lyrics. She also cites inspiration from her contemporaries, H.E.R. and Daniel Cesar.

‘I Don’t Think About You’ comes together magically with live instrumentation, it oozes a sincere human quality and vulnerability. The smooth and spacious percussion is reminiscent of Motown recording, providing a soothing groove. To accent the music, the guitar plays jazzy chords that add to the woozy ambiance. Smooth and sweet, Merritt’s vocal melody meanders up and down, flowing effortlessly as it leads the song. The vocal melodies and harmonies interweave and overlap, creating delicious textures and easing transitions into new musical ideas and sections.

Of the meaning behind the track, Merritt reveals: “It is the song of coming to terms with feelings for someone, feelings that you denied, for feeling as though they were misplaced on that person. In coming to terms with these feelings, I have reflected in the lyrics the ‘five stages of grief’: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. There is also an additional component of something almost happy/joyous in that acceptance, content with the understanding of the situation, even if it didn’t pan out how you wanted it to.”

‘I Don’t Think About You’ is accompanied by a vintage-inspired, artfully created new video, directed by Marissa Yates. Watch here:

Joi, Kristen’s debut album, is set for release 14th September.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

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