Further Listening: Palehound, Omni, Freesh (not to be confused with Fresh), Schande, Whispering Jackie, Seamus Fogarty, Mogwai, Pavo Pavo, Raveen, Dakota, Laura Carbone, Froth, Hero Fisher, Ramonda Hammer, Partner, Frank Rabeyrolles, OHMME, Amy O, Lushloss, The Tambo Rays, EAT FAST, El Ten Eleven, Arcade Fire, L.A. Witch, Kazyak, Josh Savage, Nadia Reid, Humble Fire, Lyla Foy, Gestures & Sounds, Midnight Sister, Siv Jakobsen, Idan Altman, Warm Digits, Matt Paxton, Last Leaves, Sweet Baboo, Colour Me Wednesday covering Demi Lovato, Lost Horizons and the continued brilliance of The National.

5. The Magnificent Seven

Today is the seventh day of the seventh month, and the wiaiwya label is somewhat obsessed with the number seven. For the next seven days the label will release seven, seventy-seven minute long tracks by seven different artists. Forming at the end of it a seven-track album, which, in the labels own words, “you can start listening to at take off in Gatwick, and still be enjoying at touchdown in Havana (allowing a break for the safety announcements)”. Each track is accompanied by a “radio-edit”, which, as the brighter ones amongst you may have guessed, is seventy-seven seconds long.

The seven acts taking part include the likes of Jack Hayter, Papernut Cambridge, and World Of Fox, and two efforts we’re particularly looking forward to come from The Leaf Library and The Great Electric. Drone-pop masters The Leaf Library’s offering embraces all things seven; seven players playing for seventy-seven minutes all in the key of G, the seventh note, and featuring seventy seven lines of seven syllables. While intriguing new comers The Great Electric don’t quite embrace the brotherhood of seven with such enthusiasm, their track, Agamemnon Counterpart, showcases their impressive fusion of sound-art, drone-pop and even a touch of jazz. Surely one of the country’s most intriguing labels, wiaiwya are at it again and seven at 77 might just be their most ambitious and rewarding project yet.

seven at 77 is out today via wiaiwya. Click HERE for more information.

4. Silver Dakota Morning

Continuing the recent emergence of so much good Dutch music, Dakota are a quartet from Amsterdam. Following on from 2016’s critically acclaimed EP, Leda, the band have this week shared their latest single, Silver Tongue.

Lyrically spiky, Silver Tongue is Dakota’s ode to coping with people in your life who play down your dreams and goals. It is a song about not giving into other’s doubts and following your dreams. Musically, put aside the inevitable Warpaint comparisons, because Dakota’s sound shines beyond the sweet harmonies. Resplendent with twitchy guitar lines and fluttering drum beats, Silver Tongue is a complex and intriguing piece of music, and a sound all Dakota’s own. Like the paintings of Rembrandt or the football of Johan Cruyff, Dakota might just be the new masters of the golden age of Dutch music.

Silver Tongue is out now. Click HERE for more information on Dakota.

3. Get Your Just Deserts

Based out of Bristol, The Desert is a collaboration between singer-songwriter Gina Leonard and guitarist & producer Tom Fryer. The pair first met at Cambridge Folk festival, Gina putting aside her natural scepticism of working with anyone else to work with Tom, first as a producer and then as a bandmate.

This week the duo have shared Just Get High, the first taste of their upcoming debut EP, Playing Dead. Just Get High is a beautiful fusion of musical worlds; Gina’s voice is soft and folksy, particularly in the acoustic nodding outro, while Tom’s production moves us into the echelons of modern electronica. While it brings to mind acts like This Is The Kit or Magana, ultimately this is a sound intriguingly all The Desert’s own. A stunning introduction, this band could prove to be very special indeed.

Just Get High is out now. Click HERE for more information on The Desert

2. All Mozer Friends

The music of Lens Mozer couldn’t sound more like it was from Los Angeles if it tried. It’s the music of hazy sunshine, warm evenings and a generally laid-back way of life. This week Lens has shared his latest single, All My Friends.

All My Friends builds around an insistent, and gloriously lo-fi, guitar line, Lens’ honey-dripped, Avi Buffalo-like vocal adding a dose of pure melodic sweetness to proceedings. The track’s four minute run-time rushes by in a gorgeous haze, little changes – little needs to. Nodding to the likes of The Beta Band, Galaxie 500 or Hazel English, All My Friend is a slice of blissful pop-perfection. At the songs peak Lens sings, “take your time and twist a little, take it in and dance in sunlight”, excellent advice, especially when someone’s just written the perfect soundtrack for that.

Lens Mozer’s debut LP will be out later this year via Plastic Jurassic. Click HERE for more information on Lens Mozer.

1. All Back To Devon’s Mom’s Place

There’s sometimes a joy to stumbling across a record a little late in the day. Virginia songwriter, Devon Sproule released her latest album, The Gold String, back in May, but it came to our attention this week with a new single, Trees At Your Mom’s House.

Describing her music as, “North American music with weirdo roots”, Devon’s music is an intriguing interpretation of a classic sound. Trees At Your Mom’s House is a fine example, a cursory listen would suggest a classic slice of Americana, but closer inspections reveals plenty of oddities in the production. In the prominent bass, the ringing electronic keyboards, and layered vocal, there’s a captivating charm, one that has us returning to the play button time after time. As well as her work as a musician Devon is a high school drop-out, a birder, a doula, and a student of Deaf Culture and sign language, if she keeps writing songs this impressive then she might struggle to find time to fit that all in.

The Gold String is out now via Tin Angel Records. Click HERE for more information on Devon Sproule.

Header photo by Paul Curreri – https://www.facebook.com/paulcurrerimusic/