TRACKS

REVIEWS OF SINGLES AND EPS BY NORTH EAST ARTISTS. WANT YOUR MUSIC FEATURED? EMAIL NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM

(PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)

Earth Farm Pretty Much Living

Words: Lily Pratt

Newcastle’s Earth Farm present a rebellious rock sound on their new EP, Pretty Much Living. The track Praying For The Mantis is both spurring and electrically evocative, typified by punchy drums which reach a crescendo of deafening palpitations. The guitar solos inject a disruptive and angry element which underscore their indie rock influences. The EP is a defiant statement of intent which borders on the extraterrestrial through an other-worldly voice. Their own discontentment for life is illustrated in the lyric to their song Phased Or Bothered: “He looked down at his plate / To see the world was out of date”.

Earth Farm’s stirring and inherently cool guitar riffs, authentic rock rhythms and angry voice make this an electrifying release.

Released: 02.06.23 www.earthfarm.bandcamp.com

The Band For Disease Control And Prevention Come Out And Play

Words: Matt Young

This new track from Gateshead’s Band For Disease Control And Prevention follows on from recent material in its political polemic dealing as it does with the ongoing Ukrainian conflict, and its screams to invading Russian forces to “Go fuck yourself”

The riff-heavy and scream imbued alt. punk rush are aided passionately by vocalist and lyricist Karena Serdecka – who is part Ukrainian. Come Out And Play is as to the point as any anti-war message really needs to be, whilst not attempting to break any fresh ground musically. The band are focussed instead on celebrating the spirit of those who refuse to be oppressed and who defend against it, and that’s a sentiment we can all understand and support.

Released: 01.06.23 www.linktr.ee/tbfdcap

Jenny Lascelles Strange Weather

Words: Kate Relton

In just a few seconds, Jenny Lascelles’ raw and melancholic vocals take you deep into a world of uncertainty and unease. In her latest single Strange Weather, singer-songwriter and pianist Lascelles explores the issue of climate change and how it is affecting our mental health. Opening in a wistful haze, the addition of clashing grungy guitars and dissonant chords introduce a note of threat that illustrates the song’s message effectively. Though her vocals are gentle and understated, there’s an emotional fragility that makes this a compelling listen. Building to a heavier, discordant climax, Lascelles leaves the song hanging in the air – a fitting conclusion for a topic that continues to cause many a sleepless night.

Released 02.06.23 www.jennylascelles.com

Nadedja Daqui Pra Frente

Words: Mera Royle

Flowing through a spine-tingling arpeggiated guitar, the stunning delicacy of Nadedja’s vocals emerge like floating clouds in daqui pra frente. With a song that breaks across language barriers, Nadedja opens up on disconnection and craving for human touch in our increasingly virtual world. “Lost in virtual scenes I can’t escape,” she sings, “I am drifting away…”

Her lulling voice is complimented perfectly by the careful, interweaving guitar of Neto Carvalho, with Nadedja’s own spacious piano chords and entrancing harmonies lulling us into a reflective deepness. As the song grows, Nadedja adds sweet vocal embellishments and synth punctuations, creating a soundscape filled with expression, revealing a lot about herself in its simplicity. Catch her performing at Bobiks on Saturday 29th July.

Released: 01.06.23 www.nadedja.com

Detroit Tourist Board Who Were We

Words: Kate Relton

If you’re looking for a soundtrack to those hazy summer afternoons in the park with friends, look no further than Detroit Tourist Board’s latest single Who Were We. A gentle pop sound that wouldn’t be out of place in a 90s coming-of-age movie montage, singer-songwriter Patrick Lawrence creates a sense of nostalgia without straying into imitation or repetition.

A five-piece musical project lead by Lawrence, Detroit Tourist Board are going from strength to strength after being featured on BBC Introducing last year.

The perfect backdrop for lazing in the sun, summer road trips or nursing a coffee on a hungover Sunday morning, Who Were We is a reassuringly familiar take on acoustic pop that allows you to listen with ease.

Released 15.06.23 www.detroittouristboard.bandcamp.com

Zudz Yellow Chariot

Words: Tom Astley

From its opening angular fanfare, Zudz’s debut track is just over two minutes of unrelenting scuzzy hard driving rock. The bass adds a powerful depth to the deliciously vicious fuzz guitar, and the vocals, with a melodic cadence to them, gives this track a Queens of the Stone Age vibe. Zudz have a history in improv and psychedelia, and it’s easy to imagine this track going off into an epic time travel jam. Though the single is a tight, self-contained beauty, it feels like that wild, unrestrained sound is close to bursting out of the seams of the track, especially by the howling, out-of-control guitar solo at the end. An absolutely gorgeous punch in the face of a track.

Released: 02.06.23 www.facebook.com/zudzmuzik

Elephantemple Jungle

Words: Tom Astley

What do you get if you cross Hartlepool with Paris, a nostalgic affiliation with grunge and a passion for reverb-soaked dream pop soundscape synths with 80s electric drums? The answer is Elephantemple. Jungle is the second single from the duo’s forthcoming album Anomalies. And though the sound of Jungle is coherent, the influential elements are anomalous indeed. It’s tempting to focus on the Parisian aspects of the band, the laid-back ambience that evokes achingly cool acts like Between Friends. But there’s a fragile, introverted, day-dreaming Hartlepudlian flavour to the track which elevates it above mere cool aesthetic touches. This offers a depth to the candyfloss ethereality and lyrics just beyond the grasp of the ear. A really affecting track.

Released: 16.06.23 www.elephantemple.bandcamp.com

Neuroleptick The Closed Circuit Ep

Words: Tom Astley

Neuroleptick’s new EP is a minimalist electronic study where tracks work as sound sculptures, as much as tunes. All of the classic drum ‘n’ bass sounds are there; pulsating synths, crackling electric drums, vocal samples. But they are, for the most part, deconstructed, atomised and only occasionally allowed to cohere. The result is a fascinating dissection. With each of the four tracks running to six minutes, every snare sound, each chopped up beat, each carefully designed synth patch, each electronic sound that whizzes from ear to ear, is introduced and allowed to unfold with precision, taking time over their development and delivery, allowing Neuroleptick to construct electronic soundscapes that are engulfing and strangely cinematic.

Released: 30.06.23 www.neuroleptick.bandcamp.com

CRAIG CLARK WE’LL FIND OUR PLACES

Words: Niamh Poppleton

Craig Clark returns with an upbeat, indie folk infused single, We’ll Find Our Places. The acoustic singer-songwriter often bases his lyrics on connections he makes with people whilst travelling, and this track is no different.

In San Francisco, Craig witnessed a young man rise from below a eucalyptus tree and outstretch his arms. To Craig, this symbolised a “break from the old”; through this encounter We’ll Find Our Places came to be. A nostalgic 90s indie feel flows throughout the song; Craig’s overall sound and vocal style are, at times, reminiscent of Gene’s Martin Rossiter. Without a doubt, the fifth single of Craig’s upcoming album (Bite The Modern World) will have you tapping your foot along through its steady drumbeat and peaceful guitar melody.

Released: 23.06.23 www.craigclark.bandcamp.com

SLOBO & AZERE MOONBEAMS

Words: Matt Young

This slowly unfurling track of gentle guitar strumming and poetic vocals meanders through its three minutes like a ghost wandering the grounds of some ancient estate. There’s also an evocative romanticism at the heart of the musical tones, a dreamy scene setting that makes the music seem like some invocation to the wild or subconscious. The breakdown of vocals into a jumble of snipped conversations towards the end is briefly unsettling, but then amusing, as it pulls you out of the bucolic haze. Moonbeams is pulled from an EP of seven tracks due for release in July that mixes folk, downtempo, breakbeat and even Indian ragas, combining Slobo & Azere’s mixed musical loves and inspirations into one cohesive space together.

Released: 15.06.23 www.instagram.com/__slobo www.instagram.com/rowanlees

Ami Mcguinness Taller

Words: Michael O’Neill

A powerful meditation on the death of a childhood friend, Taller is an extraordinary debut single from Ami McGuinness which bravely and profoundly captures the grief that comes with losing a friend at such a tragically young age. Originally written for piano alone, the arrangement is fleshed out further with strings and choral vocals that add further dimension to the emotion and gravity in Ami’s phenomenal vocals and the powerful imagery in her lyrics.

Trying to condense something as complex as loss into a song is a challenge that takes a great deal of courage and grace, but Taller succeeds exponentially in capturing the depth of emotions and anxieties that come with confronting such a tragedy. Incredible stuff.

Released: 02.06.23 www.facebook.com/amixmcg

Cat Ryan Like This

Words: Matt Young

Cat Ryan do seem to have a knack for producing music with sunny summer vibes, as a trawl through their already pretty large back catalogue demonstrates. Like This is a tune written way back in 2017 and reworked again here to great effect, adding fresh colour to the main guitar line as it shimmers brightly, reminiscent of Malian or Calypso picking, providing a complementary shine to Mary-Anne Murphy’s equally chipper sounding vocals.

The inherent rootsy feel, shared with another fan favourite tune Mannerisms, never fails to make the foot tap even when the lyrics run contrary to the happy melodies and deal with darker subjects, in this case the disappointment of heartbreak. Like This features on the band’s upcoming EP release, due soon.

Released: 14.06.23 www.catryan.bandcamp.com