Carly Schorman
Senior Editor
Fingers and Cream
Fair Warning: the emotional power of this track can sneak up and overwhelm you. “Back in Anger” by Fingers and Cream comes to us from the band’s forthcoming EP, John Lingers, which will be released through Kromatick Records out of Paris. The band attaches the terms “folk rock” and “pop rock” to their sound, but those phrases are far too generic for the uniquely breathtaking subtly of Fingers and Cream’s music. At just a little over four minutes, I still feel like this track is too short. I want it to continue endlessly. That’s okay, one can always hit repeat. Give “Back in Anger” a listen below…
Holy Fawn
While Holy Fawn does push the “mellow” boundaries on their new single, “Dim”, the track is just too damn meditative to not fit with list. There is a gently building energy that mounts around the six-minute mark, but not enough to shake the house, just enough to draw you back vivified from the aural soundscape your mind had left to wander. Thick layers of sound, including some unbelievable vocal harmonies, create the distinctive texturing that’s the Holy Fawn signature. “Dim” was released as part of Whelmed Records Holiday Split Vol. 1 which dropped (you guessed it) right before Xmas. Sink into the sounds of Holy Fawn below…
The Bookshop Band
So, obviously to those that know me personally, I would cover a band called The Bookshop Band for the name alone. And, true to their moniker, the band embodies a superb storytelling ability and charming folk sound that will put you fireside on a cold and foggy evening in a coastal English cottage. I guess it’s no surprise then to learn that Bath is the town from whence The Bookshop Band came. “How Not To Woo A Woman” is just a sampling of what waits for listeners on the band’s forthcoming album which is set to drop later this month. Until then, enjoy this early single from The Bookshop Band…
Dan Waszay
New Jersey singer-songwriter Dan Waszay crafts somber folk music that leaves the listener with the sensation of wandering through a dark and unfamiliar dreamscape. On “Come Down Hard”, Waszay writes “about the use of substances to mask feelings of regret and guilt, the eventual come down from the cloud, alive and left to move on.” Despite the gravity of the lyricism, one can feel the resilience of the narrator in the vocals. Dan Waszay sings like one who has been beat down more than once by life and still managed to push through. Take “Come Down Hard” for a spin below…
Kan Wakan
Gueorgui Linev is the LA-based Bulgarian-born producer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/film composer that performs under the name Kan Wakan. His latest single, “I Had to Laugh”, comes to us from the ambient-electropop side of the mellow wading pool. The vocals of guest singer Rachel Fannan move from wispy to syrupy and back again above a piano-centered musicality. Kan Wakan goes for subtle flourishes when flexing his production muscles on this track, giving the song a touch of whimsy tucked away in the orchestral fullness of the sound. Listen below…
Lee N. Sage
And, for the second time this week, I prefer the real name to the stage name. Bobby LeSage, who performs under the name Lee N. Sage, has an earthen sound as desolate as the plains of Nebraska. “Pastures”, the opening track from Sage’s debut s/t EP, fully embodies this sound. Give the single a listen below, then head here for Lee N. Sage, the EP.
Kieran O’Brien
Oh, the sweet ambient folk of Kieran O’Brien… This Irish lad from Galway shapes out a sound that surrounds the listener in a soothing haze on his single, “Won’t You”. There is a touch of melancholy to the music on the song that pairs well with the wistful vocals. “Won’t You” is the second track from O’Brien’s EP, After the Storm, which came out just a few months back. This song is my personal favorite of the four that appear on the EP so I consider it a worthy introduction to the work of Kieran O’Brien. Check out “Won’t You” below or head here for the full EP.
