Throughout these three years of WTMM, TGIF turned into something really special. Most of the times, these are the songs that get more plays by the end of the year. The ones that more surprisingly become part of us. So, having said that, these are the 8 best releases of the week for us:
Sive – Holding
It’s folky, it’s mysterious, it’s exotic and it’s experimental. This is Sive, aka Sadhbh O’Sullivan, an Irish singer-songwriter who is presenting her new single Holding. This is another song where Sive combines her multiple genres and styles, her versatility and uniquely defines a kind of sonority that can be sometimes identified as Lisa Hannigan’s compositions, but her world music elements and chords immediately prove that this is a different experience. Listening to Sive’s Holding is like traveling around the world in only 2:30 minutes hypnotized by an ethereal voice.
Albee Blue – Good Times
We don’t know how the weather is where you are, but here in Lisbon, Portugal, spring has come earlier so songs like Good Times, Albee Blue’s last release, are the best ones to listen in sunny days like this. The melody remains continuously melodic and captivating even though there are not many variations. The secret is in Albee’s voice and psychedelic elements like a deep bass and an echoing organ. Good Times is some kind of a love song, where the singer explores questions like “what’s gonna happens when I die?” after repeating that “you’re always on my mind” and “I think about you all the time”. Less is more, and this song is a good example of how a simple song can be highly addicted.
Kelsy Karter – Harry
Owner of a sweet and powerful voice, Kelsy Karter is one of the most ambiguous singers we’ve heard since long time. And not in a bad way! Harry is her newest single and is as frenetic as it can be: Kelsy is sweet and naïve at the beginning and even the instrumental help her giving that image, but as she reaches the chorus her power takes care of her body and soul and not even the instrumental can handle it. Harry is a dedication, is a love letter, “Harry, I’m gonna make you love me/You’re gonna make me breakfast”,and who wouldn’t love to have a dedication like this, so intense?
Red Steppes – Leonide
Sometimes an electric guitar is all we need to have a great song. Is maybe the best way to express our emotions; the ones that are right under our skin wanting to come out. In Leonide the guitar merges perfectly with Red Steppes voice: the raw and non-filtered guitar combine with the juvenile and soft vocals and harmonies. The melody, in other hand, is folky and jazzy and simple on its way, it’s almost a lullaby which turns this song into the sweetest one heard this week. This is the first single off of her sophomore album Arcs. We hope the rest can be as exciting and sweet as this one.
Brayden Sibbald – Compass
Twenty-three-year-old Brayden Sibbald produces a mix of beats, synths, loops, samples, guitars, and vocals that from the complexity always emerge as simple but overwhelming. Compass is the latest example of that. In this track, we can certainly recall a lot of our most recent idols (like Chet Faker, James Blake or Foals) but we can also feel something more. Because as much as this is a song about getting lost and the fear of making wrong decisions and stepping into trouble, it always feels calming and like a completing experience. Or like a true compass of the soul.
Franke – Kids
“Writen for a girl I never met”. That’s how Franke introduces Kids to all the listeners. This is a gorgeous pop song that is perfectly merged with synths and auto-tune components without sounding less than natural and less than original. With bits of The 1975 sonority, and with a circular structure, Kids sounds like an alternative trip every time we hit play. This is the second genre breaker track we’ve heard from him since Italy and acts as a great indication for the abundance of pop originality that should be his debut EP released two days ago. One we are expecting to be involved with, in a long-term relationship.
Kathleen – The Longest Year
From Colorado comes what could be another stunner. Kathleen (just like that, an ordinary name like many others) got on our radars with The Longest Year released this week. A pop-folk meets experimental wonder track that is as surprising as a song can get. With her vocals verging from Aimee Man to Frou Frou, the sonority never ceases to sound novel and exciting. As it also sounds familiar but mysterious. With the debut EP just around the corner, she might very well be one of the next big things in pop as her vocals sound immense. And she sounds unapologetic about it. Which makes everything sound even more surreally good.
NKLS – Over
NKLS is the first artist to have two tracks featuring at WtMM this year. And that’s just fair. After the born-hit duo with Andrew Applepie Catch
Have a nice Week!!
WtMM Team