Track Of The Day: Ailsa Tully – ‘Salt Glaze’

Following acclaim for last year’s emotive EP Holy Isle from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit and Clash, as well as support slots with esteemed bands such as Another Sky, Welsh artist and GIHE fave Ailsa Tully has now shared a tender new single.

A poignant reflection on the time that Tully and her partner spent in her late Grandmother’s house during the January lockdown last year, and the accompanying feelings of nostalgia, acceptance and love, ‘Salt Glaze‘ flows with shimmering layers of instrumentation laying the foundations for Tully’s heartfelt crystalline vocals. Rippling with lilting keys and sweeping strings, it offers a glistening moment of reflection and gratitude as its gently harmonious musicality oozes a luscious heartfelt splendour and stirring emotion. A truly immersive soundscape emanating a comforting warmth and exquisite captivating grace.

Of the track, Tully explains:

“My Grandma passed away a few years ago and the house remained unchanged, it was like a museum of salt glaze ceramics and abstract art pieces which began to absorb into my creativity. This song is about that space and how my partner and I tried to make it feel like home during that period while also knowing that it wasn’t ours. It’s ultimately a song about acceptance, balance and letting things be…” 

Watch the beautifully endearing, home-recorded new video for ‘Salt Glaze’ here:

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Adam Whitmore

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Track Of The Day: Aderyn – ‘Yearning’

Following their energetic pop anthem ‘Scotty’, Welsh artist Aderyn newly adds ‘Yearning‘ to their fresh catalogue with melancholic spirit. Showcasing the project’s diversity early on, the track takes an introspective leap – diving past their pop-hit into a romantic indie-acoustic ballad. 

With a loose feel that leaves ample space to breathe and immerse yourself in the emotion, ‘Yearning’ is an endearingly intimate offering. Slow, minimal drums and cello lay a blanket as Aderyn’s acoustic guitar plays earnestly at the front of the mix. With such rawness, we feel that she is playing the song right in front of us – on her childhood bed where she wrote it. Sprinkled across the track, electric guitar leads romanticise the tone of ‘Yearning’ as Aderyn sings from the heart. There is certainly no shortage of vulnerability here as she sweetly pines for her crush without hesitation. “You’re pretty and it hurts right now”, she confesses as the track spins with a swirling emotional freedom. 

Of the track, Aderyn explains:

“...It is a song that encapsulates the feeling of pining for someone. That exquisite, aching pain. It was the first time I’d felt that way about a girl, and this is without a doubt the most vulnerable I’ve ever been in a song. All those feelings were so new, so raw”

‘Yearning’ is stirring in its simplicity, encapsulating the reality of the experience of wishing for someone with perhaps no resolution, nor closure. It’s sharply realistic, yet warming – a comfort song for romantics.

‘Yearning’ is out now. You can listen/download via bandcamp, along with an exclusive b-side demo track, ‘That Summer’.

Jill Goyeau
@jillybxxn

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Track Of The Day: HOST – ‘Not Alright’

An off-kilter slice of synth-pop that buzzes with unrest, Irish musician HOST has shared her latest single ‘Not Alright’. Inspired by feelings of burnout following a one-sided friendship, HOST combines hazy vocals, catchy synth hooks and energetic beats to reflect the cyclical nature of the expired energy she laments in her lyrics.

Following on from her 2021 EP No Reply, HOST continues to build on her raw, confessional brand of synth-pop with this latest release, channelling her disappointments and frustrations into a sound that fizzes with the desire to break free from a situation that’s getting the best of her. Ultimately, she arrives at a place of acceptance, moving away from the toxic friendship and pushing forwards alone.

“’Not Alright’ is about constantly shouldering your friends’ problems, absorbing their stress and not having anyone to reciprocate yours,” HOST explains about the new single. “While already being in a bad place, this can quickly weigh you down mentally and emotionally. You can read their selfishness like a book, you know their next move because this isn’t your first rodeo and eventually, something’s got to give.”

HOST is set to release more new music in 2022. Listen to ‘Not Alright’ below.

 

Follow HOST on Soundcloud, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Muna Ileiwat – ‘Stuck’

A delicate rumination on the way our self-perception changes over time, London-based musician Muna Ileiwat has shared her latest single ‘Stuck’. Previously releasing through her own record label Galang, which is dedicated to promoting women and non-binary musicians of colour, Muna’s latest offering is a gentle blend of tender vocals, atmospheric keys and soft beats, exploring shifting emotions and articulating a persistent feeling of uncertainty.

Inspired by her experiences of growing up in disparate cultures and spaces, Muna Ileiwat writes songs about love and displacement, looking for a sense of comfort and understanding through her nostalgic indie pop sounds. On ‘Stuck’ she moves through differing states of emotion in a soft, lullaby style, reflecting on the dual nature of trying to move forward whilst you are still struggling to accept what may have happened in the past.

“‘Stuck’ is a song of longing,” Muna explains. “It’s the intangible feeling of sadness and joy in the space between the certainty of the past, and the uncertainty of what is to come. It’s about forming close relationships that disperse and eventually break. It’s about returning to a place that no longer feels like your own.”

‘Stuck’ is the first taste of new music from Muna in 2022 and she will be releasing new songs throughout the year, as well as a debut EP this summer.

Listen to ‘Stuck’ below.

Follow Muna Ileiwat on Apple Music, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Abi Sinclair

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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