Mike change – Page 2

September 2, 2021

September 2, 2021September 2, 2021 Mike change

Sparkling alt-pop duo Palmaria share gripping song ‘Ocean’

Palmaria are an Alt Pop duo from a small town in Italy, currently residing in London. Members Giulia and Francesco have been making a name for their distinctive sound, poetically transporting listeners on a journey of dreamy landscapes and uplifting experiences. Think The xx meets Sylvan Esso, meets Little Dragon on a field trip to the Italian coast.

Their latest single “Ocean” is off of their upcoming EP, Crystallize. Co-written and produced with B-CROMA (Yendry, Fia Moon), the single stays true to their sound of delicate, hypnotizing vocals with a mix of organic sounds and utopian guitars. Taking sonic inspiration from the drums on James Blakes’ “You’re Too Precious”, the duo re-interpreted the sound through Francesco’s classical guitar.

The song is inspired by the legend of Colapesce, the magical story of a man that sacrifices his life on earth, turning into a fish to save his island, but also highlights the problem of the pollution of the ocean. “Ocean” is a call for help. The duo confides, “We wanted to give voice to our frustration; it’s been hurtful to see what is happening, especially growing up in a town almost surrounded by the sea. The ocean has always been such an important element in our lives, inspiring and healing us everytime we were in need, so it’s now our turn, we have to protect it.”

“Ocean” takes you to a surreal, idyllic, safe place, where you can feel free and you can be yourself, inspiring creativity and kindness. In this particular case, kindness towards nature, in a time where it’s pivotal that we stop ignoring the dangers we are already facing and start taking action. The single release sees the duo partnering with OGYRE – an environmental organization that protects oceans and collects plastic waste from the shores, turning it into products.

Palmaria have garnered acclaim from publications such as Complex, The Line of Best Fit and CLASH and have been playlisted by numerous official Spotify and Apple playlists including New Music Friday, Fresh Finds and many more, amassing over 3 million streams across DSPs to date.

Follow Palmaria:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

August 27, 2021

August 27, 2021August 27, 2021 Mike change

Music producer Olovson explores the inner child with ‘Gyroscope music video

Image credit: Eliot Hazel

Leaving the mind on overdrive with abstract mental images of faraway lands and destinations, music producer Olovson continues to keep us hooked on his minimal sound. Today he has shared quirky visuals to accompany his latest single ‘Gyroscope’. The music video is animated by multi-talented creative Gabriel Böhmer, who also animated the music video for Olovson track ‘Books Are Flying’. Read the full feature about the ‘Books Are Flying’ video here.

Stream / Download ‘Gyroscope’

Olovson is the alias of renowned music producer and collaborator Jacob Oloffson who is well-known for his work with more commercial acts like Dua Lipa and Camila Cabello. He also forms part of the Grammy-award winning duo Jarami. The Olovson moniker has given Jacob the creative room to explore his talent for composing more mellow and ambient sounds with tracks like ‘Gyroscope’ and this video is icing on the cake for the inner child to consume.

Olovson shared that the video was supposed to be about a young mind hungry for adventure. He finds adventure by exploring past inventions in his grandparent’s basement. Olovson finds inspiration for his music in the simple pleasures of life and the endless possibilities the mind can create when you let it flourish with new and old knowledge.

Follow Olovson:

Website – Facebook – Soundcloud – Youtube – Instagram

August 26, 2021

August 26, 2021August 26, 2021 Mike change

Alternative R&B act Laya Laya share picturesque music video ‘Asteroid’

Laya Laya is a collaboration between two 2nd-gen British Indians – songwriter Freya Zai and producer Super Joshi. Having worked together for a few years now conjuring up their own unique blend of pop, r&b and otherworldliness the London duo have released 4 singles with recognition from the likes of Clash and BBC Radio. Now returning with the astronomical track ‘Asteroid’ , the new single showcases Laya Laya’s ability to transport their listeners with their ethereal and captivating sounds.

Freya Zai on how the track was created:

“I liked the sound of the word ‘Asteroid’ and the idea of an asteroid hurtling around space. To me, it was similar to yearning for someone who is hard to pin down and always on the move, physically and emotionally. Although this scenario would be heart-wrenching in reality I kept the lyrics and vocals light, a little tongue in cheek, with a youthfulness about it.”

Accompanied by an interstellar music video to match the celestial vibe of the track, ‘Asteroid’ was written title-first, inspired by Laya Laya’s space influenced sounds of their previous tracks ‘Gravity’ and ‘I Can Feel You’. The duos previous tracks have not just caught the attention of press and radio but have also earned them tens of thousands of streams on Spotify.

Not following trends by any means, the most important thing to Laya Laya is to just have fun with making music and staying true to themselves. With varied influences from artists such as Frank Ocean, Lion Babe, George Michael and FKA Twigs and genres ranging from 90s garage to dance, it’s no wonder Laya Laya are pushing boundaries with their genre-bending sound.

Follow Laya Laya:

Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / Soundcloud / Spotify

August 20, 2021

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021 Mike change

Review: synthpop duo At 1980 create nostalgia for time past

Image credit: Nima Elm

Atmospheric and lighthearted are some of the words that can be used to describe the synthpop band At 1980’s new album Late Night Calls via NewRetroWave. This duo consists of pals Adrian Quesada Michelena and Josh Dally, who have said that the ‘80s will never stop being influential to their sound. They have cited names like Bryan Adams and The Midnight as huge inspirations to the music they create today. The vocals somewhat call to mind a radiant and younger Bryan Adams, maybe this could be the re-incarnation of the man himself?

Stream/ Download: Late Night Calls LP

With track names like ‘Maria’, ‘California Nights’ and ‘We Were on Fire’ we can already sum up that this album has substance and will add value to any playlist that is open to explore an undiscovered love for the ‘80s for some and may just leave others thinking back to simpler times in their life. The album theme of having a lust for life runs through each track like clockwork, whether it’s the sentimental lyrics of ‘We Were on Fire’ or the more upbeat tone ‘Nothing Left To Say’. This album will be a hit amongst those who love ‘80s adventure films in which the hero wins in the end.

Each song on this album is as good as the next, but ‘We Were on Fire’ leaves us feeling as soft as putty. You cannot help but daydream, as you think back to your days as an adolescent and all the adventures that you joined in on with your mates – some memories may make you feel giddy and perhaps cringe for a few seconds. But then you think about all the fun that was had and within an instant, you feel appreciative for those times.