Video Premiere: Lial – ‘Dirty Little Lies’

Following her last single, ‘Embers’, earlier this year, London artist Lial is back with a haunting new offering, ahead of the release her second EP, set for release this summer.

Reflecting on the theme of betrayal and the thrill of desire for the forbidden, ‘Dirty Little Lies’ oozes a dark melancholy with hypnotic eerie undertones. Propelled by glitchy hooks and the soaring splendour of Lial’s rich vocals, a sweeping, shimmering emotion resonates throughout, creating a majestic slice of brooding alt-pop. Of the track, she explains:

“Connection is an inherent part of being human and so you do anything you can to justify it while you’re in it, but part of the appeal is its forbidden nature. Lies are enough in themselves to create a spark.”

Directed by Wolf James, watch the bewitching new video for ‘Dirty Little Lies’ now:

‘Dirty Little Lies’ is out tomorrow, 17th April. Made To Break, the upcoming second EP from Lial, is set for release on 12th June.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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LISTEN: Emerson – ‘A Longing And Needing’

‘A Longing And Needing’ is the first single from new North London artist Emerson, whose creative spirit is inspired by poetry and rooted in collaboration. Emerson works closely with producers, choreographers, photographers, videographers and artists to bridge the worlds of art and pop together. The single features her soulful vocals against expressive electronic beats, which do not overpower the song.

It has a slow, soft start, introducing a breezy vocal, implying that this is a love song, but it isn’t… “God knows I tried, you didn’t see her lies, it’s plain to see that the Devil has meddled between you and me.” The song is about two friends who have betrayed her trust, and how she deals with the feelings. These range from nostalgia – “I like to think to think that you think of me”, to passionate and confused, where the tempo is increased and some distortion creeps into the sound. The song ends with a self-imposed acceptance, “It’s fine,” but it also draws you in and leaves you wondering if acceptance is the better half of loneliness, and if the ‘friend’ ever cared.

A very promising start from this innovative artist, and I look forward to hearing more.

Listen to ‘A Longing And Needing’ on Spotify now :

 

Fi Ni Aicead
@gotnomoniker

Photo Credit: Jemima Marriott

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LISTEN: CIEL – ‘The Shore’

A gentle, fuzzy, alt-pop gem; Brighton-based band CIEL‘s latest single ‘The Shore’ is a dreamy rumination about seizing the moment, and not letting life pass you by. The single is taken from the band’s debut EP, Movement, which is set for release this spring.

Formed of Dutch musician Michelle Hindriks and the friends she made when she relocated to Brighton, CIEL enlisted the help of Producer Jack Wolter (Penelope Isles) to help them create the atmospheric sounds on ‘The Shore’. Hindriks’ pensive vocals float above beguiling guitars, snappy beats, and blissed out synths, reflecting the waves of thought she sings about.

Hindriks explains further: “The song is about a moment where you feel stuck in your life and are waiting for it to ‘really’ begin; yet at the same time, you realise it’s just an illusion and your life has already begun, and you’re living it right now. Losing the connection with that essence can feel extremely frustrating”.

CIEL have supported the likes of Hatchie, Sasami and Penelope Isles, and are set to play more shows over the coming months. Listen to ‘The Shore’ below, and follow the band on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Jantina Talsma

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Show Boy – ‘Like That’

Trying to reinvent a genre that is already so diverse can be difficult, and yet with new single ‘Like That’, London-based alt-pop artist Show Boy seems to do just that.

Taken from his upcoming debut EP Surreal, ‘Like That’ starts off simple; a gentle kick and snare behind a light-hearted guitar riff, before a short and poppy synth joins the mix. From the get-go, the beat is catchy, oozing perfect summer vibes. Of the track, Show Boy explains:

“It’s about the confusion and panic felt when you realise you have more affinity with a past snapshot of yourself than the person you currently are.”

This juxtaposition of ‘Like That’s uptempo music, with the deeper, more meaningful, lyrics is something extraordinary and wonderful; marking the track out as a poignant, impassioned pop anthem. 

Show Boy, aka Jovis Lane, adds something to his music that we haven’t seen before – a unique and exciting prospect in the industry as a whole. 

 

Surreal, the upcoming EP from Show Boy, is set for release next month. Catch Show Boy live at the EP launch on 11th July at Dalston Superstore.

Bekky Smart
@bekkymays

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