In The Spotlight

Jack Rose – “Birthday Cake”

With a musicality way beyond his teenage years, this multi-talented British singer, songwriter and actor has been entertaining enthusiastic crowds most of his life. Spawning a sound of old-school funk with a modern twist, he dropped his debut single “Lost” in 2015. Playing covers and orginal material, he supported Faith Evans on her UK Tour and is currently also a radio-presenter for HitMix UK.

Driven by a bouncy funkalicious beat, his latest single is filled with delicious old-school vibes. Blending retro Pop, Funk and Disco tones with invigorating, contemporary vocals, he creates a mature sound reminiscent of Bruno Mars and Jamiroquai, while remaining phenomenally fresh. With sparkling synths and shimmering strings, this succulent slice of Nu-Funk is the icing on the groovy cake.

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In The Spotlight

Fox & Bones – “Little Animal”

Portland, OR duo Sarah Vitort and Scott Gilmore write their Folk-Pop music from the perspective of two fictional characters: Fox, a down-and-out ‘it’ girl and Bones, a rootless bad boy with a heart of gold. They met in 2016 and released their debut EP the same year. Using their music as a canvas to paint a picture of their nomadic life experiences, they also founded Portland’s Folk Festival.

The second taster of their upcoming album “Better Land”, to be released on October 19th, is an Indie-Folk song with cheery Pop sensibilities and has a jolly, lighthearted vibe. An upbeat rhythm from both drums and tambourines leads to a jovial burst of musical spice from sprightly strings and luminous horns. Showing off their exquisite storytelling skills, this exuberant tune radiates positivity.

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In The Spotlight

MAWD – “Wandering Eye”

Los Angeles-based Madeleine Mathews, aka MAWD, is a songstress and multi-instrumentalist, who graduated with a BA in Music Industry from CSU. Inspired by the likes of First Aid Kit and Nancy Sinatra, she’s created a modern folk/rock sound with a retro feel. Thriving in the live music scene, she’s toured extensively both in the US and Scandinavia. Her debut EP was released in May 2018.

Kicking off with a groovy retro rhythm, the first taster of her sophomore EP, expected to drop early 2019, takes an infatuating 60s vibe of the classic gritty guitars and adds a contemporary twist. Tackling a powerful subject such as jealousy, her soulful, textured vocals flirt with the potent, blues-dipped, folk-rock melody full of vintage flavor and makes her an exciting fresh artist to keep a close eye on.

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In The Spotlight

Hamish Anderson – “No Good”

This Australian-born singer, songwriter and musician started playing guitar at the age of 12, after listening to “Back In The USSR” by The Beatles. He found a deep-rooted love of blues and rock, with influences ranging from Buddy Guy to BB King and from Keith Richards to Tom Petty. Based in Los Angeles since 2014, he’s released 2 EP’s followed by his debut full-length album “Trouble” in 2016.

On his latest single he blends impassioned classic blues with a fierce rock vibe to spawn an exhilarating sound. Melodic electric guitars dance over the rousing percussion and accentuate his smouldering, energetic vocals, while a howling guitar solo ignites the musical flame. With a touch of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, this track shows off his fresh, ear-tingling blues/rock artistry.

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In The Spotlight

Shuffle Baby – “Feel It”

Jonas Hellesøy, Erlend Aarli, Didrik Hauge and Marius Haarvei are four friends from Bergen, Norway who got together as a band to create an exciting, vintage flavored funk-pop sound. Inspired by  Michael Jackson and Level 42 as well as Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, they have married the retro with the contemporary. Their 2017 single “Get That Gold” hit 100,000 streams on Spotify within a month.

Their new, synth-driven, single celebrates that musical marriage with a tribute to the infectious, danceable tunes of the glorious 80s. With a funkalicious vibe created by energetic drums, bouncy bass slaps and the authentic, retro-dipped analog synths sizzling on a vivacious, melodic hot-plate, their lively, audacious Rock vocals give it a vitalizing gusto, which you can feel deep in your soul.

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In The Spotlight

Swimming Girls – “Asking For It”

This Bristol-based four-piece band was formed purely by accident when they were randomly put together as part of a musical project whilst they were studying in Bath. Given the assignment to write a song, they realized that they all shared a fixation on 70s and 80s pop culture and were similarly inspired by The Cure and Cyndi Lauper. They released their debut single “Tastes Like Money” in  2017.

Returning from supporting Pale Waves and Fickle Friends, their new single is a nostalgic journey back to the neon decade. With a captivating pop-ballad melody, wrapped in all-encompassing 80s hues from the analogue-sounding synths and the ardent, retro-touched vocals of front-woman Vanessa, it’s a dynamic, vintage breakup song with a dream-pop flair and certainly leaves us asking for more.

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