New single from Ed Accura – ‘New Age of Thingz’ brings rap and funk together at last

Full of pop culture references from the pre-internet age, ‘New Age of Thingz’ is a single which will certainly appeal to music fans of a certain age. From Charlie’s Angels to VHS, the song is built from everything that used to keep people entertained before the world wide web was a thing.

Even the format of the song itself blends the old and the new – using the funky 70s guitar riff over the modern hip hop rhythms makes for a very different sounding mix. It’s flourishes like these that make Ed Accura one of the most interesting independent songwriters in the UK today.

His new album will be along later this year. In the meantime, check out the track above and previous single ‘Bear A Witness’ to see two different sides of a versatile artist.

‘Games Non People Play’ single out now from Organisms

A songwriter who actively ‘tears up the rulebook’ can often be one of two things. An instinctive writer who is able to capture something more than just words put to music, or a pretentious hack whose work has little value beyond their own sphere.

In the case of Organisms writer Joe Quinn, the former is the case. Actively eschewing normal rules of engagement, his songs make for interesting mixes of entertaining and sometimes disturbing. It’s all summed up nicely in the funk-soul-indie-rock cocktail that is new single ‘Games Non People Play’.

This isn’t all though. Album ‘Mollusk’ is on the way soon (July), so plenty more off the wall ideas to look forward to.

Blend of genres from Magazine Gap’s new ‘Calling Card’ EP

With a new full length album on the way, now is the perfect time to find out what all the fuss is about with Magazine Gap. Their first album, ‘Light and Shade’, did an excellent job of showing how this trio put together a number of different genres to make their own style. And, before the new album is complete, the band have decided to release a four song funk EP in the shape of ‘Calling Card’.

 

Released on November 25^th, the tracks have been released one by one on YouTube in the performance style of the one above, for title song ‘Calling Card’. If you like what you’re hearing, and what’s not to like, you should check out the band’s website for more information.

Luke Potter – a new name in pop. ‘Something More’ single out now.

With Ed Sheeran currently on hiatus between albums and no feasible alternative available in the charts, the timing is perfect for Luke Potter. A song-writer of simple but effective pop, the iron is hot to strike now for this young man from the UK.

With four years of experience already behind him, he’s shown he’s got the staying power and tenacity to keep writing. Now all he needs is the opportunity to be heard by a larger audience – something helped by being showcased on the likes of BBC Radio 2 and the Record of the Day website.

The single is out now, and an album will be on its way sometime next year.

Max Restaino releases new pop single ‘No’ with new album ‘The Time it Takes’

Straightforward pop in the purest sense, ‘No’ is the new single from Max Restaino. Bringing together a jaunty rhythm, Restaino’s tight vocal and a feel-good tone, it’s strongly representative of the good quality pop you can usually expect from this talented young man.

The single, released late last month, came out alongside new album ‘The Time it Takes’, which is chock full of similarly quality pop tunes. You can support independent music by buying it here.

Luke Potter – ‘All the Same’ single out now

There are many many independent singer-songwriters on the UK scene at the moment, young men and women whose talent deserves far more attention than most will get. It will take a particular amount of talent, tenacity and hard-work to get noticed, and a select few will make the grade in the fullness of time.

One of those with as good a chance as any you’re likely to come across is Luke Potter, a songwriter who specialises in a brand of pop that is as radio-ready as they come. Catchy and immediately singable, his new track ‘All the Same’ clips along at a great pace, drawing the listener along for the ride. The production is also a fine example of what is being achieved these days by independent artists – a huge improvement over what was possible just a few short years ago.

‘All the Same’ is out now on iTunes.

George Montague – ‘Lost’ video & new album out now

Powered by an intense and wide ranging musical talent, George Montague is one of those people to whom music just comes naturally. A skilled writer, composer, producer and songwriter, Montague has also been proving himself as a live act with a big summer tour.

The tour was put together to support the release of excellent 17 track album ‘Curiouser and Curiouser George’, which was preceded by the single above. Exploring several genres but all in his own style, the ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’ element of the album title could arguably be all about Montague’s desire to try new things and expand his musical horizons. The result is an impressive and truly eclectic LP release which you should check out on iTunes.

Francis Groove – ‘Alright (Take My Hand)’

It’s a hard thing to produce a song for the dance genre that could genuinely find a place on DJ and radio playlists. Belgian producer Francis Groove has made it look easy with new remix single ‘Alright (Take My Hand)’.

A four on the floor kick drum, a smooth vocal (courtesy of Tony G), and solid beat and a looping acoustic guitar line to add a deeper layer. Sounds easy right? Trust me, it’s not, which is why this track should be heard by as many people as possible. Download it now at iTunes so you can play it to all your friends.

Creative sing writer Rachel Johnson shines on new single ‘Safe Island’

Rachel Johnson is a young woman from Edinburgh who clearly thrives on the creative. She is both a singer-songwriter and a painter, creating pictures both visually and musically which mark her out as a real talent. She’s the kind of songwriter which gives you the feeling that the music isn’t written for commercial gain, more simply because Johnson needs the avenue to put herself out there.

Sometimes, this approach leads to an inordinate amount of noodling and hand-wringing, which is all very well for the artist, but fails to land with an audience. However, ‘Safe Island’ proves that Rachel Johnson is able to find an audience who can identify with her. The song is out now on iTunes, and has already got loads of local support in her home city. We would recommend supporting her further afield by getting your own copy of this single – there will be more on the way soon too no doubt.

Naomi – ‘Take Back the Power’ video out now, EP to follow

In the internet age, the sheer number of musicians out there able to ply their trade and build their fanbase online makes this perhaps the music industry the toughest it’s ever been. However, if you were to come up with a formula for success, songwriter Naomi could be a great template.

Talented, check. Young, check. Fresh, check. Attractive, check. In addition to this, her song writing is so strong that a song she wrote for her GCSE ended up getting her featured on ITV’s Daybreak. This in turn get the attention of a number of top producers, all of whom are helping her create songs which are winning praise from national press and radio of all kinds.

It all makes for an exciting start to a career with real promise. Her pop mixes the upbeat, pacey catchiness of Taylor Swift with the melancholy edge of Lorde. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but soars when those choruses hit. New EP ‘Take Back the Power’ is out April 22^nd – get on board early and be smug that you did.