Leftwich caught our attention with their new single On A Roll (In The Cold). At the root of their attraction is a sweet serene vocal. With a hush under the mix delivery it brings shoegaze sensibility. Adding sweeping melodic runs and an impressive upper register, there’s an element of pop. That combination brings elegant contrast. There’s also a sense of post punk in the guitars tonal design, altogether culminating in a 90s nostalgic reverence with subtle trip hop flavor.
Mixed by Grammy nominated producer Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Leftwich succeeds at committing to an assumingly drenched vibe without devolving to muddy incoherence. The affect is dreamy and retains the singles radio potential.
Enjoy On a Rold (In The Cold) now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
R.D. Thomas is inspired on their recent Sugar Coated Brain. Elite swagger and a swaying groove jive between the flowing musical design, as the artists smoky raw delivery burns with troubadour spirit. Knowing how to utilize his voices rusty textures, Thomas injects feeling and spatial drama into the melodies impassioned design.
The infectious tempo wavers between slow gaze and hip rotating groove. Sugar Coated Brain gets your head bobbing in conjunction with its urban rocking chair sway. The classic writing style brings subtle nostalgia, rooted in the working mans poetry of Springsteen, brought through the indie influence of Phosphorescent and Strand Of Oaks. R.D. Thomas has made a few marks himself as a member of Ben Howards band. Sugar Coated Brain brings NPR appeal and should help give his solo work a timely boost.
Dig in to Sugar Coated Brain now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
About Yesterday drops a dream pop gem with Cosmos Still. An ethereal pop design brings otherworldly intention in the inspiring intro. That cosmic pop appeal will draw immediate comparisons to Tame Impala. About Yesterday break out of that grasp with the contrasting drum drop, bringing progressive surprise that offers an alternative scope of influence.
Cosmos Still is fresh. It has a lot in common with the breakout psych pop taking over the airwaves, but its also brings its own flavor and melodic appeal. There’s evidence of Radiohead in both the tempo design and compositional structure. The artist also embraces influence like Grizzly Bear and Beach House. Reasonably so, we hear a little of all of that in the overall presentation. Cosmos Still is refreshingly unconventional but still retains a catchy appeal with approachable potential. This kind of dreamy melodic juice casts a wide net.
Enjoy Cosmos Still now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 