Track Of The Day: Aiko – ‘Daughter Of The Sun’

A magnificent storm fills the sky in AIKO’s swirling track ‘Daughter of The Sun‘. With a myriad of sounds too grand to contain, the London-based artist stretches her dark pop anthem beyond a “pop” script, creating an all-encompassing soundscape that is equally as heavy as it is liberating.

Borrowing cinematic elements of electronic music and art-pop, ‘Daughter of the Sun’ allows individual moments to be themselves, sinking low when needed, and soaring up in celebration during others. The dynamics are reminiscent of the Loud-Quiet-Loud songwriting approach made popular in the nineties by bands like Pixies and Nirvana, but in a way that is sonically unique to AIKO and is grounded in the fluctuation of dense synth sounds.

Paired with an emotive arrangement, AIKO’s lyrics revolving around the saturation of love makes for a warm experience. Throughout the track, she shares earnest confessions delicately illustrating vivid moments of profound infatuation. She is “completely submerged into” the sun with what feels like no control, but does not forget her awareness as she paces herself throughout this process: “Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, and let things happen”.

The percussion throughout ‘Daughter of the Sun’ relentlessly strikes until the track’s finale, where AIKO’s voice and its surrounding instruments come to a cathartic climax that feels like a sunbath. A truly captivating offering that beams emotion down from the sky, gently caressing your face with its twinkling splendour.

Jillian Goyeau
@jillybxxn

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Track Of The Day: daze – ‘star signs’

Following a debut EP that raised £240 for Mind, ‘star signs’ is the new track from indie dream-pop duo daze. Written in February, the band say they’ve aimed for a mix of “sparkly guitars and warm synths” to create a perfect summer vibe.

I think they have absolutely nailed that. If nothing else, daze have proven that they are extremely competent when it comes to bringing their concepts to life. The fact that they manage to write, produce, mix and master the track entirely from their bedroom is a testament to their talent.

The different layers of the song fit together so well that it feels a lot more polished than you’d expect from even the most technically proficient homebrew. Having said that, I don’t think it’s lost any of the raw charm of DIY tunes. It has a lot of warmth and energy that only comes from a piece of art that someone has poured their heart into as they craft it.

The song itself is light and relaxed, but upbeat. The strings twinkle over the rich synths, eddying gently from riff to riff in a way that you can’t help but get carried along. Between the sparkles, the flow and the way it eventually fades away, ‘star signs’ captures the brightness and colour of summer sunsets using only sound.

It really is impressive how daze have managed to make such an evocative piece of music; a soundscape that inspires you to close your eyes and completely lose yourself in the scenes it creates. Particularly given it hit me with exactly that sensation on one of the drizzliest, dreariest days of the summer so far.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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LISTEN: Georgia Chanel – ‘Realise’

Balmy and confessional, ‘Realise‘ is the second single from West Midlands born singer songwriter and producer Georgia Chanel.

Revelling in R&B and neo-soul influences, ‘Realise’ opens with mesmerising cinematic instrumentals over which Georgia’s voice glides like butter to warm toast. This is a heady, all-consuming song which not only shines a light on Georgia’s singing talents but her gift for storytelling too – the lyrics are confessional, introspective and intimate. Word by word Georgia takes us through a series of epiphanies about a past love before settling on the truth of the matter: “I never knew you, I never knew you, I never knew you”. It would be heartbreaking if it weren’t so delicately anthemic, cathartic even. 

Where this could easily be a track of defeat, Georgia lifts us towards empowerment instead. That precise interplay between the bitter and the sweet is what makes this such a perfect accompaniment for our capricious British summer time, whether it’s roof down in the heat or raindrops pelting against mismatched fences, this song will weather well. Somewhere in the background synths and saxophones chime like birds warbling into the wild, creating an other worldly atmosphere. There’s a rawness and a heart here: an authenticity – an artist to watch out for and a song to remember.

Tutku Barbaros
@tutkubarbaros

 

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Track Of The Day: Koppies – ‘Hospital Song’

A gorgeous contemplation on passing through the motions of life, indie-folk band Koppies have released their new single ‘Hospital Song’. Koppies, the South African-British collective of five long-term friends and collaborators, all musicians with their own acclaim, are finally united on record and the result is utterly captivating.

There is a spaciousness in ‘Hospital Song’. Victoria Hume’s commanding vocal leads the piece, with soft and arpeggiated piano playing accompanying. The effect is beautifully stark, freeing space in both the higher and lower registers that other artists may feel they need to fill. The choice to keep this composition simple is a sign of confidence in the songwriters – an instinct to hold back and preserve the raw emotional core of the song. Later, minimal, droning, synthesizers appear as well as stuttering, driven drums. These later additions create a sense of urgency, pushing the tempo and pace of the music (perhaps reflecting the growing anxiety of hospital visits) – though that sense of space remains. The rhythm sections seem to become the heartbeat of the song, bringing a new sense of life to the music. 

Koppies blending of traditional folk instrumentation with synthesizers creates a unique ambiance which is both parts nostalgic and contemporary. This combination beautifully represents memories of the past fusing into present experiences, just like when Hume sings “I think of being twenty-one, we were all stoned, everything blows…” 

The vocals are hypnotic and convey a sense of detachment from the music and reality as Hume sings “… a storm broke on your house” with an eerie sense of calm. This creates a beautiful contrast. Though the lyrics are deeply personal, when Hume sings, you may hear your own stories and experiences reflected back at you, providing reassurance. 

Of the track, Hume explains: “It’s a pretty literal song about a period of time when my mother was unwell, and the strangeness of driving to and from the hospital along these beautiful Dorset roads that I’ve driven since I was a teenager, heading out to see friends.”



Once you give ‘Hospital Song‘ a listen and inevitably want to hear more, don’t worry – you won’t have to wait long! Koppies’ self-titled debut EP is set for release on 2nd July via Lost Map Records.

Jazmine Kelly
@surfjaz

Photo Credit: Jacqui van Staden

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