Song of the Day – May I Have This Dance

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watch-francis-and-the-lights-chance-the-rapper-and-bon-iver-perform-at-eaux-claires-1471219848.jpgEven though guitarleaves celebrates up and coming music, every so often a record crops up by an established artist with such a fresh feel that it would be unforgivable to avoid covering it. “May I Have This Dance” by Francis and the Lights featuring Chance the Rapper is this very anomaly. Resonating the raw energy present in many debut tracks – the indication that such a musical birth holds a heritage of deliberation and meticulous crafting – I was taken aback to discover who was behind it. Either way it is certainly worth a listen, perhaps accompanied by a sunset hike along a sandy beach.

R1 Big Weekend Coverage

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624.jpegI am delighted to announce that guitarleaves will be providing full coverage of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend Hull 2017. Come rain or shine we will be there on the 27th and 28th May, posting a wealth of reviews, new tracks and exciting artists we think you should know about. All content will be posted here under the tag r1bigweekend2017. 

Song of the Day – Old Soul

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I came across Xamvolo fairly recently, four and a half hours into a painfully long nighttime drive. “Old Soul” started to play in the background, ever so slightly hidden by the patter of soft rain and coffee-resistant tiredness. I remember being compelled to turn it up. As an emerging artist Xamvolo has a remarkable sense of self-identity, staying true to the “dark jazz grooves” he produces, of which “Old Soul”so beautifully represents.

Song of the Day – Alaska

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“Alaska” comes from American singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, who may well be known to you from the longlist of “BBC’s Sound of 2017”. “Alaska” was penned in fifteen minutes (yup, a quarter of an hour) for a music masterclass in the presence of Pharrell Williams. He was visibly impressed and a viral video of the moment made its way around, increasing her fanbase and paving the way for her imminent takeoff. With a particularly organic sound, the track takes its inspiration from a hiking trip – have a listen below:

Hottest Upcoming Gigs

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If you have stepped outside in the last couple of months you will be well aware that “Radio 1’s Big Weekend” is coming to Hull on the 27th and 28th May 2017, at Burton Constable Hall. The line-up has just been released and oh let me be the first to praise it. There really is something for everyone at this free (yes, free!) festival – from Katy Perry to Mura Masa it promises to be an exceptional weekend. Even the elusive Lana del Rey will be making an appearance on the Saturday, and the ‘BBC Introducing’ stage is still yet to be announced. Tickets have sold out but are available to win daily on Radio 1.

Song of the Day – Fifteen

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There is nothing more exciting than when something fresh and intriguing comes from your hometown, and that is exactly what has happened with King Orange. The trio – comprising of Leo Joslin, Oli Witty and Tom Green-Morgan – met whilst students in Hull, and started jamming together informally and at student showcases. From there they decided to branch out to make their own music, on their own terms. The payoff has been respectable, landing them gigs all across the city at its most well-known venues. I suspect that bright things are in store for this band; with the same indie feel as Circa Waves and Royal Blood it won’t be long before their latest single “Fifteen” will be the anthem of UK Summer.

guitarleaves Introducing – milkd

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I’m extremely happy to say that I have managed to see milkd perform live on a number of occasions around Edinburgh’s grassroots music scene, although up until recently they have only been known as friends ‘Will and Andy’. Perhaps one of the scariest things any musician must go through is the leap between playing for fun and taking it seriously, but what a debut single they have gone for. ‘Rosie’ effortlessly blends the sultry keyboard skills of Will Langston and Andy Stern’s similarly-forced guitar. It is hard to believe that they are still only students rather than professional musicians, but with a wide breadth of experience under their belts and a natural talent that exceeds what age can bring, I have no doubt that milkd have a bright future.

Song of the Day – Finders Keepers

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Let me introduce to you Mabel – a talented 19-year-old performer from Stockholm, Spain and London. It is evident from her music that her childhood was based around rhythm, with both of her parents heavily involved in music production and her childhood home being a recording studio. Music has influenced her so much that she initially enrolled to study music theory and production in Stockholm, before deciding to pursue her own musical career. “Finders Keepers” is her explosive new single ft. Dojo Funds, and it is easy to see how she won a prestigious place in the ‘BBC Sound of 2016’.

Song of the Day – deep the water

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I remember when Lewis Watson came to Hull (yes, someone actually did come!) and did a wonderfully low-key gig in Fruit, the warehouse music venue. Supported by firm guitarleaves favourites Kimberly Anne and Saint Raymond he gave an exceptional performance. There is a subtle consistency throughout all of his tracks, which I really admire in a songwriter. He knows his style and he knows his audience, and so any interaction between the two is always harmonious. His latest track “deep the water” similarly conforms with this, showcasing his guitar skills and the vulnerability he manages to capture in his penmanship.

Gengahr Review – 05/12/2016

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As a true guitarleaves resident, when Gengahr announced their UK Winter Tour I was excited to go and watch them live again. This gig was at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh, a particularly intimate stone room at the bottom of a large tenement. It suited Gengahr perfectly, because whilst their fanbase may still be in its early stages, it is certainly a loyal one; and it enabled an up-close-and-personal performance which I doubt anyone who attended will be forgetting in a hurry. Aided by some beautifully mellow lighting design they put their all into their set, leading the sold-out crowd through their unique style of music. The set list was slick, weaving together some more unknown tracks with the classics we know and love from previous EPs. The gig ended (unsurprisingly) with “She’s A Witch” from their album “A Dream Outside” before they dispersed into the crowd to sign merchandise and take photos with fans. It was a really entertaining evening; and great to see Gengahr finally coming into their own. Support from Caro really gave them the long-desvered opportunity to shine – and it is fair to say that they seized that moment with both hands.