Get lost in the emotive dark folk of aa-legrand. “Keep waiting for the right time.” The sentiment rings on the opening All Your Love before the unsuspecting sonic cascade washes over you. The right times keep coming throughout the 3 songs that make up Pacific Ep. Unfamiliar movements with subtle nostalgic nuances will please indie fans always in search for something both beautiful and unique. All Your Love dissolves like a post rock romance, recalling sacred instrumentals by Explosions In The Sky in the songs closing section. Predated by vocal vibes that share their founding in the soft pseudo punk folk ethos of Elliot Smith, brought through the evolutions of Bon Iver and associated acts.
Shade Of A Giant brings an additional energy reminiscent of Brooklyn elites Grizzly Bear. aa-legrand has the innovative songwriting chops to match their penchant for abstract percussion. Everything is carefully placed to do something fantastic, but not for a flaw, more so because the song in essence rings well on its own. The release of the guitar chords and energetic vocal are alL they need to captivate you.
The closing track Slow, Sleep, Fall is conceptually foreshadowing. Whereas the opening 2 songs are proper singles, the closer is a proper album offering. It suggests what a full record from aa-legrand might receive like. Interjecting offerings of unconventional singles and slow format pseudo soundscapes is all we can hope for. A nice addition to the world of dreamy dark psychedelic indie folk, aa-legrand is true.
Get started with Shade of A Giant now on our Emerging Folk Playlist.
BAYWUD returns with the reflective Lullaby. The track opens with the slow heartbeat of the kick drum as delicate fingers softly caress the expressive strings. The warm vibrant tone of the guitar is treated with subtle delay which gives the strings a bouncing effect. The artist’s serene, contemplative vocal settles in contrast to recent passionate soulful releases. Lullaby is more akin to the indie folk musings of Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver. Sweet and serene throughout, Lullaby is relaxing and soothing in unison with it’s prescribed title. A minimalist production with sparse contributions from strings and various instruments to accentuate the melodic atmosphere. The vocals are stacked seemlessly, almost blending to represent one singular multi layered voice.
The artist admits that Lullaby is an intimate song that’s about letting go and saying goodbye to a love one. The sincere performance imagines the artist bedside, soothing a passing companion to the next world. Lyrically they delve into the difficult details of those final moments. “Kiss me goodnight, close my eyes one more time. Let me sleep by your side and say goodbye, one more time.”
Whether it brings you closure or you just need a relaxing song to calm a hectic day, Lullaby is here.
Enjoy Lullaby now on our Emerging Folk Playlist.
Louisville Kentucky gifts us dynamic songwriter Jack Keyes. Armed with his new album Dissolving In Dusk, the artist drops a massive 10 song release in our modern age of singles. Kicking off with the revealing Twister, Keyes sets the stylistic tone. These melancholy dreamy vibes are lifted by his impressive musicality and penchant for intriguing minimalistic arrangements. The rare addition of the chorus heavy electric guitar over the trademark acoustic is the first foreshadowing clue.
The sentiment is heard again on Gray Balloons and the slow action keyboard that dresses it’s melodic accents. Mostly though, the initial production serves as a mirage. Dissolving in Dusk is mostly dedicated to its simple makings. Keyes impressive guitar playing is enough to draw all the melody he needs out of gems like I Am the Ground and Hymn to the Body. In the spirit of early Bon Iver the production details come in sparse doses, like patient players chiming from silent corners in the room. This is Keyes show, and the players are only allowed to lift the songs true intent. Whether it be the intermittent drums on Dandelion or the steady backbeat and lively sticks on Nowhere, the arrangements breathe with personality and vitality. The music Jack Keyes is one single living breathing organism.
Fans of Elliot Smith and Damien Rice will relish in these melancholy vibes. Ripe with originality, Keyes presents 10 unique pieces that only offer a hint of the inspiration and influence that inspired him. A suspected 10,000 hours behind his strings have awarded him his own unique musical existence.
The whole album is phenom. Get started with Gray Balloons now on our Emerging Folk Playlist
Goodnight Vincent gets real on their new single Graceless. It starts with the records organic making, having been recorded live after a UK tour. In the spirit of traditional folk, Goodnight Vincent knows that to capture that classic feel they need to do it live. It offers them the opportunity to present this melodic novella as a real, living entity. The recording sways with the natural feel of an intimate concert.
Graceless is offered bare, featuring a minimal arrangement of acoustic guitar, lead vocal, and support harmonies. The song transmits a sense of tortured resolution. The group admits that the song is “about loss, love, and missing somebody so badly it hurts.” Knowing it was recorded post tour, we couldn’t help interpreting this sentiment as the post tour blues. Touring can be a trial that leaves so many emotionally defeated, you’ll be changed forever by the wild landscape of the industry.
The brooding vocal of the lead male shines with reserved anger. With conviction it nestles somewhere between the bellow of Eric Burden and the resistant folk of softer Kurt Cobain. A robust voice, it creates a solid bedrock for these harmonies to feel full. Executed wonderfully, Goodnight Vincent offers a convincing impression of their live show.
Get a taste of Graceless now on our Emerging Folk Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 