Track Of The Day: Argonaut – ’13’

“Where’s this song coming from?”, my two-year-old shouts excitedly as Argonaut‘s latest single plays through my phone’s tinny speaker, like something magical has just happened. And I don’t blame her. ’13’ has a beautiful, haunting quality.

The song opens with a dark, dirty bass, which makes singer Lorna’s bittersweet, bubblegum vocals and dreamy melodies even more affecting. “Carefree and young, I remember it well”, she sings, as though casting a longing glance back at her childhood. It’s melancholic, grown-up pop music with a real punk rock sensibility, reminiscent of Blondie, The Primitives or The Waitresses.

A fuzzy, downbeat dream of a song, ’13’ feels like the perfect soundtrack for a lockdown winter. As the days get colder and darker, and we spend even more time away from our friends and family, it’s a lush, lovely thing to get wrapped up in.

 

Vic Conway

 

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Track Of The Day: CIEL – ‘All My Life’

A shimmering celebration of introversion, Brighton-based alt-pop trio CIEL have shared their latest single ‘All My Life’. Produced by Iggy B (John Grant, Spiritualized, Ghostpoet), the new track marks the band’s transition into poppier territory with its ambient guitars, dreamy synths and uplifting vocals.

“I have always been quite shy and a very introverted person,” explains CIEL’s frontwoman Michelle Hindricks. “Although I love parties and hanging out with other people, I need a lot of time for myself and to be able to do things at my own pace too. ‘All My Life’ is about finding your way into the world, which can be quite loud and fast-paced when you’re a more soft-spoken person and realising that you can make a difference in a more subtle way, and stand in your power that way.” Hindrik’s patient approach is epitomised in her tentative, clear vocal delivery.

Formed of Hindriks, Jorge Bela Jimenez (guitar, synthesiser, bass) and Tim Spencer (drums), CIEL came together after Hindriks relocated to Brighton from The Netherlands. After releasing their debut EP Movement earlier this year, the trio are now working on new material that showcases their softer side.

Listen to ‘All My Life’ below.

 

Follow CIEL on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Julia Nala

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Tamara – ‘Slow’

In a delicate lullaby of warm and simple guitar paired with silky vocals, Oxford artist Tamara serves us nostalgia and comfort in her second single ‘Slow’. Touching on the lightest elements of indie-folk and the subtle memories its sound brings forth, Tamara shares her own story while leaving room for imagination and relatability. It is with the most gentle melodies that Tamara provides a moment of reflection and hopefulness. 

Compelling acoustic guitar riffs quickly come and go dancing around the intent of Tamara’s vocals, only sounding when just right. Images of the sky seem to float by graciously – “I feel safe when the moon guides me back and the clouds still softly moving…” – and leave her listeners soothed. As smooth as Tamara’s vocals are, she delivers them with a raspy quality that peaks through just enough to be reminiscent of Metric’s Emily Haines. 

The minimal instrumental appears to be the ideal range for Tamara’s vocal tone to shine in a natural way, with a sound that is so gorgeous it needs only a single guitar as an accompaniment. ‘Slow’ gives the impression that there is much more in store for her audience when it comes to elegant tunes mixed with emotive lyrics. 

 

Jillian Goyeau
@jillybxxn

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Track Of The Day: Okay, Bye – ‘Bubble’

A relatable guitar tune about getting tangled in our own emotional safety nets, Exeter-based duo Okay, Bye have shared their latest single ‘Bubble’. Taken from their recent EP Personal Hell, which the band recorded, mixed and mastered in their home studio, the track is a buoyant slice of garage-punk designed to motivate listeners into pushing through their apathy and reconnecting with the world again.

“‘Bubble’ was ironically written before social bubbles or the pandemic came about,” vocalist Grace explains about the single. “It’s more fitting than ever in a time where we feel constant guilt for not checking the news and only feel worse when we do.” Okay, Bye have successfully channelled their confusions about switching off from the world into a cathartic few minutes of crystal clear vocals and fuzzy guitar sounds.

The song’s relatable opening line “When I read the news I just get upset / Or I feel confused and then I get depressed” epitomises the anxieties many of us are currently feeling, but there’s self awareness and reassurance once this ‘Bubble’ has burst. As Grace sings “I don’t want to let myself down / Don’t want to be a stupid girl / Don’t want to be patronised,” she holds herself accountable, with a vocal that’s reminiscent of No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani.

Okay, Bye’s desire to power through problematic times is reflected in their strong DIY ethos and their playful, thought-provoking tunes that provide a light distraction during these uncertain times.

Listen to ‘Bubble’ below.

Follow Okay, Bye on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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