[TGIF] Cinematic Avalanches

From spoken word to post punk, these are six modern beauties.

Cinematic Avalanches

The next 6 songs possibly merge almost every indie genre. That’s the great thing about posting about new songs: the number of artists that are still defying genres and building old-inspired but new-sounding songs is not very common. But the ones who are doing it, just come out as modern genius. From the ones that built their one genre like Kate Tempest, to a whole another world of new artists that are just-reiventing the way they feel melodies… How gorgeous is the new world of music?

Kate Tempest – Firesmoke

There are not much more words to be written about Kate Tempest that were not written already. As she released Firesmoke in the last days of April, we’ve found ourselves once again immersed in Kate’s genius capacity of writing poetry and surrounding it with music. Or the other way around. There is no clear definition of what this spoken word is. Except, perfection. True sensibility. Honesty. Good taste. “Kate Tempest is the words” is how usually she describes herself. But that’s not just it, is it? She is something else. A lot of other things. Firesmoke is Kate Tempest in all its nuances. A song we could listen forever, and ever.

Bobby Love feat. Olive B – Why

Catchy is a word that will make a whole lot of sense in Why, the newest collaboration between Bobby Love and Olive B. From the first seconds the track hits us, we are hooked into it. Olive B vocals are almost overwhelming but also familiar, and the amount of indietronic hooks and beats that Bobby Love puts into the track will easily make it one of the most danceable tracks of the year. Sounding like Jamie XX in great part of its variations, but going into the commercial side of pop, Why is a song to sing in the shower, to dance in the beach, and to party hard on a road trip. And of course, a disco song. One of the great ones.

IRAH – Cinematic

Many new acts try to achieve what Massive Attack and Portishead did some years ago: intensity in slow post-punk songs. Some very rare ones can actually do that. But IRAH made it with Cinematic. The video of the track tells the story of the band’s keyboardist upbringing during the Balkan wars using home video footage from Adi Zukanovic’ life. The emotional charge and war-related footage are dramatic and intense. But all those feelings are no doubt intensified by a song that sounds like perfection. Deep and ever-evolving, vocally unflawed, intense, punching, and instrumentally gorgeous. It really makes us think how a duo can reach such amount of sonority. Such intensity. Cinematic is a song we feel obsessed about. And feels more intense each and every single time we listen to it.

ViVii – Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia was written on the same day as one of ViVii member’s was diagnosed with the disease. The band came all together to create a song that could work as a kind message of hope and that could bring joy to a sad moment. Inspired by Fleetwood Mac kind of sonority the Swedish band might have produced one of the most solid songs of the year. As catchy as complex, it always comes through as a happy song that serves both the purposes of dancing and of being an inspiring sing-along indie-rock song.

Niki Moss – Avalanches

Niki Moss is definitely among our favorite Portuguese acts of the year. Song after song he seems to be solid in defying genres and merging beautiful and very well achieved indie melodies all together. With the release of Gooey this past week we could let go from it, but we would like to evidence Avalanches. Sort-of dream pop that brings awesome past 90’s vibes, it also sounds tripping and like a psychedelic voyage. And through it all never sounds less than welcoming and resplendent. Niki Moss definitly has a gift.

Aisha Badru – Prisoners & Guards

Aisha Badru writes and sings about heartbreaks. Vulnerable and intimal she is doing it again her newest EP entitled Road to Self. Prisoners & Guards serves as the perfect introduction to her renovated vulnerability, whispered vocals at first, almost too simple, and a very subtle guitar line in the background, with the static sounding relevant as never. The track grows from start to end, until it conquers us entirely. The piano supports everything and rounds everything as a great songwriting accomplishment. Aisha is unique and genuine. That is so obvious in this.

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