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Early March Singles: Anything Goes

Last updated on May 6, 2019

1. “Ever Stay” – Joy Ike. Ike’s blend of funky groove, singer/songwriter nuance, and pop melodies come together in a hard-to-explain track that’s both brooding and exultant, hopeful and hushed. The bridge and final chorus here are a total knockout–get ready for this record, people. Highly recommended.

2. “Do It Right” – Nuela Charles. Charles has a voice that could melt ice, it’s so warm and sultry. The admirably minimalist arrangement puts the focus squarely on her impressive voice, which is a smart, smart move. There’s still some old-school horns snuck in and some low-key funky elements. It’s the sort of soul that appeals to just about anybody–if you’re into indie-pop you’ll hear it, if you’re into radio pop, you’ll hear it, if you’re into soul you’ll hear it.

3. “quartessence” – kerim könig. The insistent piano is the main attraction here, but it’s all the things going on around it (found sounds, distant vocals, snatches of instruments) that drew me in to this. It fills out into a beat-heavy instrumental rumination that sounds like it would be perfect in a sneak-laden section of a spy movie.

4. “Where to Begin” – Ellie Schmidly. A five-minute journey of a song that has some fun interplay between Schmidly’s vocals and the guitars, lots of cinematic moves, and some adventurous clarinet/xylophone/marching band action to close out the song. (Yeah, you read that right.) This daring arranging should make you very excited about Schmidly.

5. “Plays With Fire” – Cloud. Unique, high-pitched vocals lead the way through a chilled-out, low-key indie-rock landscape. I feel like I’m obliged to say that fans of Pavement will be into this, but I think fans of Modest Mouse might be even more into it. Feels a lot like the mid-’00s, when “anything goes” was in style for everything from vocal styles to lyrics to arrangements.

6. “You Got Some Best Friends” – Mateo Katsu. Fans of lo-fi acoustic indie-pop will love this this warm, quirky song about being emotionally cold. Katsu’s confidently warbling vocals are reminiscent of Matthew Squires; the bouncy, fun bass work gives the tune even more levity (to contrast with the dour subject matter).

7. “Restoration” – Grace Gillespie. Gillespie’s voice is recorded high in the mix, giving her song a very intimate, close-to-the-listener feel. The bass-heavy guitar fits in perfectly, as there’s a lot of gravitas in her playing. There are shades of Nick Drake in some of the guitar melodies, too, which is just fantastic.

8. “Lay Me Down” – Ivan Moult. Fluttering, swooping strings provide a beautiful frame for Moult’s compelling, high-drama vocal performance. Yet the track never feels overwrought–it’s a smooth, easygoing sort of drama (if such a thing exists). Fans of Beirut will recognize similar vocal and arrangement touches, making for a strong, interesting track.

9. “Dearest Lovely World” – Simon D. James. Aptly titled, this lovely folk-pop song has the balance just right between folk vulnerability and solid pop melodies. The overall product is a warm, thrumming piece that makes me imagine what the Beach Boys would have sounded like had they been born in this era, or what St. Even would sound like with a punchy bassist. Fans of Belle and Sebastian will love it.

10. “Clouds in Advance” – Jon Durant. A whole whirring, humming ambient landscape created with nothing but an electric guitar: rhythm, pattern, melody, and atmosphere all come from the many different layers of guitar. Feels just like the title says it could: like the sense of mystery and awe that I get when I’m scanning the horizon, watching a storm come in over the prairie.