Koastle
Hot and fresh out the kitchen, Orange County duo Koastle appeared on the scene this month with their atmospheric debut single ‘Stay Close’. Submerging its listener in chilled, indie-electronic beats, within seconds of pressing play we’re lying beneath palm trees and sinking our tootsies into warm sand. ‘Stay Close’ has set the bar for Koastle’s next single, as well as their EP set for release this Summer. Without wanting to gush, this is an outstanding debut.
Rachel Chinouriri
If you read last month’s ‘Leading Ladies’ post, you will be well aware that we are big fans of Rachel Chinouriri. Last week saw our neo-soul queen drop her debut album Four° In Winter; a dark and eerie collection of songs that sees her hushed tones zorb through a lush, electronic soundscape. Her playing around with production techniques gives songs like ‘Plain Jane’ and ‘Beautiful Disaster’ an interstellar quality, not unlike the experimental sounds of FKA Twigs. If her spooky music video for ‘Plain Jane’ is anything to go by, her two up-coming shows at St Pancras Old Church (29th & 30th July) are not to be missed.
EKKSTACY
Cards on the table, emo rap or “sad boy rap” is the musical equivalent of listening to someone with a bad case of garrulity. But thanks to rising artist EKKSTACY, his unique folk-tinged approach to the genre is the breath of creativity that it so desperately needs. No mundane drawl or gaseous attempts at punk or hip-hop, the 18-year old from Vancouver takes inspiration from indie artists like Bon Iver and The Drums. Although still truthfully gloomy in subject, there is an inspiring quality to his latest track ‘i walk this earth all by myself’ that drifts away from melancholy into the teensiest flicker of hope.
Annie Burnell
Acoustic indie dripping in sweet, sticky honey; introducing guitarist and singer-songwriter Annie Burnell. Born in Australia but now residing in Paris, Annie fuses the sunny beach-life of Byron Bay with chic sophistication into her music. The result is what dreams are made of (because your sleep matters). Her latest single ‘Come Over’ stands out as a Cowbell favourite with its irresistible bass-line ‘wow-wow’, which Annie attributes to Thundercat, D’Angelo and Childish Gambino in her ‘Come Over’ inspiration playlist.
VC Pines
VC Pines (real name Jack Mercer) has leaped into 2021 with all the funk of a thousand Stevie’s. His two latest singles ‘Smoke Without Fire’ and ‘See You Soon’ are little satsumas of alt-soul; vibrant, full of vitamins and very zesty. Equally talented vocally as he is on the guitar, Mercer is accompanied at live shows by his seven-piece band, the Violet Collective, who – coincidentally – are set to play at St Pancras Old Church the night before Rachel Chinouriri (28th July). Camp outside, fill your Chilly’s bottle with G&T and you’ve got yourself a mini festival.
Picture source:
We Need More Cowbell 