singer-songwriter – Page 7

November 15, 2019

Canadian singer William Prince announces brand new album ‘Reliever’

William Prince has announced his second album Reliever, due for release on February 7th via Glassnote Records.

Dave Cobb and Scott Nolan produced Reliever, a record that showcases Prince as a powerful vocalist and inspirational writer with musical influences ranging from his musician and preacher father to Kris Kristofferson and Charley Pride. It’s the second album for the Juno Award-winning songwriter and performer.

Prince had planned a career as a doctor before turning to music, and the album title expresses his dedication to providing relief and comfort to his listeners. “These songs were born in a time of great challenge,” he says. “Where these songs sound hopeless, let them be a testament to resilience. When they move slow, it is for better observation of the lesson at hand. Where they sound joyous and confident, picture the light breaking like the dawn, just after it was darkest.”

Reliever’s lead track is the inspirational ‘The Spark’, which promises “Don’t be afraid of the fire…I’d never let you burn.”

“The Spark details hope in finding someone who lights you up amidst the darkness you may feel. True love can burn so bright when it finds its spark,” says Prince. “A spark can save you amidst the cold and bring salvation from its warmth.”

Prince goes on to talk about the album’s message:

“Reliever is a series of pieces for healing. Alleviation. As the definition states, something that allows for relief from pain, discomfort or distress…Reliever takes aim at the moments where we as human beings feel we aren’t enough.” Prince says, “Pain doesn’t have to define us…Thankfully there are many things that can combat it” – and with Reliever, it indeed becomes one of those things.

Reliever fulfills the promises of William Prince’s earlier recordings and performances, which have earned him Juno Awards (for Contemporary Roots Album and Indigenous Music Album) and raves for his appearances at Stagecoach, and AmericanaFest. Prince’s trajectory from Peguis First Nation in Manitoba, Canada, to opening for Neil Young, has seen the relative newcomer find esteem and career-changing opportunity wherever he performs.

Prince was recently confirmed as opener for songwriter Yola’s upcoming UK tour (dates below).

RELIEVER TRACKLISTING

The Spark
Wasted
Reliever
Always have What We Had
Old Souls
That’s All I’ll Ever Become
Leave It By The Sea
Lighthouse
The Gun
Heaven and Hell
Great Wide Open

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October 30, 2019

Rock band October Drift releases new music video from the song ‘Forever Whatever’

October Drift has shared the video for their new single, ‘Forever Whatever,’ the title track and latest single to be taken from their upcoming debut album, out on January 24th via Physical Education Records.

A powerful demonstration of the band’s formidable live presence, the video sees the band perform the track in a seamless one-take shot amid the atmospheric setting of an empty warehouse, with thrashing theatrics emphasizing its emotionally charged sentiment.

“Filming music videos usually fills us with dread, and seeing as we filmed this one on the only day off during a three-week tour we were a little pessimistic,” explain the band. “So when the videographers suggested doing a one-shot performance video we were all pleased. We basically just played the song as we would live, once in front of the camera and that was that. No point in doing it over and over again and killing the vibe. We find this kind of thing works better if you don’t overthink it.”

A juxtaposition of calm and chaos, the track combines the brooding emotion of Joy Division and New Order with the volatility of The Bends-era Radiohead. Swelling and anthemic, the track opens to an engulfing explosion of distorted guitars, before hushed verses highlight the track’s elegiac yet hopeful lyricism. Frontman Kiran Roy’s potent vocals are set against resonant instrumentals, before launching into a chorus charged with immersive intensity.

‘Forever Whatever’ follows their previous singles ‘Losing My Touch’ – released earlier this year – and ‘All Broken Down’ and ‘Come And Find Me’, released to widespread acclaim last year. With influences as varied as The National, Radiohead, Interpol and Nick Drake, their heavy, pop-inflected rock is delivering a rejuvenating injection of fresh blood to the genre.

October Drift’s debut album, Forever Whatever, is a cathartic collection of tracks encompassing themes of loneliness, fear and ultimate positivity, and builds on the solid foundation that they have built over years of touring and writing to cement themselves as an important and powerful new presence.

One of the most electrifying, charismatic and formidable live acts of the past two years – with appearances at festivals including Glastonbury’s John Peel stage, Reading & Leeds and The Great Escape, as well as a major European tour with Editors in 2018 and a slot at Liverpool’s Sound City – the band look certain to ascend to even greater heights in 2020.

October Drift appeared in a feature on Indie Music

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October 11, 2019

Singer/songwriter Malka releases a new music video for the song ‘Taking It Back’

Scottish singer and multi-instrumentalist MALKA has released the video for her brand new single ‘Taking It Back’. The video premiered in conjunction with World Mental Health Day and The Skinny who said about the single, “It’s a head-on confrontation with her struggles with anxiety, all wrapped up in a warm shimmer of uplifting of drums and synths as Schlesinger defiantly sings: ‘My love, I never give in / I’m taking it back, I’m taking it / My love, I never gave in / I’m taking it back, I’m taking it’.”

Chris Hawkins championed ‘Taking It Back’ on his BBC 6Music show this morning calling it, “[the] best song of the day”. It joins the already great support for MALKA at BBC 6Music, which has seen Amy Lame say, “It’s absolutely beautiful stuff… I’m a big fan,” when she played the track out on her show. Lauren Laverne is also a big fan of MALKA at the station. Paul Savage (Mogwai, Franz Ferdinand, King Creosote) produced the song, which finds MALKA’s spellbinding voice dancing over a dark bass-laden dream-pop landscape as she celebrates the overcoming of personal fears. The video is a reflection of this and captures children lending each other support to whatever might be haunting them in the woodland.

Regarding the video, MALKA says, “The video was directed by my long-time collaborator Lee Bamsey and playfully deals with themes of overcoming fear, anxiety and complex relationships by pitting predator against prey. It also happens to star both mine and Lee’s children.” Continuing about the single she says, “’Taking It Back’ was written about overcoming personal demons and not letting fear get the better of you. Over the years there have been moments in my life that have seemed so overwhelming, but I have started to feel like I am able to take control of those moments.” ‘Taking It Back’ is the first taste of new music to be taken from her forthcoming third album due for release early next year. More details on the album and live dates will be announced soon.

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October 11, 2019

Singer/songwriter Empara Mi shared new music video for ‘Shine On You’

Empara Mi has released a stunning video for her single ‘Shine On You’. It finds Empara Mi commanding with her jaw-dropping vocals, as she sings about moving on alongside a bold orchestral string section. Regarding the song, Empara Mi says, “Sometimes the most beautiful things are the hardest to keep hold of and sometimes you have to let go of something so it can stay beautiful. That was the sentiment behind this song, appreciating something whilst you had it and accepting that just because you want something doesn’t mean it should be yours. It’s about selflessness and letting go.”

Empara Mi has made a grand statement in 2019. The avant-garde artist has released a string of singles including ‘Ditch,’ ‘Blood In The Water’ and ‘Crying,’ which capture her dramatic and uncompromising vision for magnificent post-pop and R&B. Since emerging in 2016 with her acclaimed debut single ‘Wanderlust’, Empara Mi has gone on to clock up millions of streams on Spotify alone, while she has also collaborated with Kojey Radical on her track ‘Spoon’ Empara Mi is a truly singular artist and she has been hailed as one of the most exciting artists on the scene today.