Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This batch brings the usual eclectic quality. We’ve got a couple of returning faces, but a whole world of new stuff for you. This week’s singles bring together an acoustic work, a remixed slice of electronica, a brilliant debut single from a band who pepper their rocky edge with some great brass, and more besides. Grab a cuppa and dive in!
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Written in the immediate aftermath of a break-up, ‘Tiny War’ by amilost is a number that shares an obvious fragility. Sparsely arranged piano underlines a thin sounding vocal with a perfect empathy, and a few very light musical embellishments hint that this excellent single will veer off in the direction of dream pop. There’s nothing quite so predictable at stake however; the melody grows and creates an early climax where the lead vocal swells against an alt-pop backdrop before slunking back into a world of sadness, showing the protagonist’s uneven state. When the bigger sounds re-emerge, amilost drops the listener into a world of sound that straddles indie, pop, electronica and more to create something that almost feels overwhelming. Vocalist Sigrid lets out a few huge cries against the noise and beats, and eventually everything drops back into a quiet and somewhat sad place. A track more concerned with peaks, troughs and atmospheres rather than immediate hooks, ‘Tiny War’ needs time to work its magic, but once it does, it becomes a electro-pop/alternative treat that really shines.
By opening with a blast of brass that almost conveys a mariachi tone, the debut single from The Wood gives no real clue where it’s headed. Even when the main rhythm rises, the steady beats don’t appear to favour any particular genre. It’s only once the guitar and vocal fills the rest of the space that the listener gets a real feel for the sound of this still brand new band. ‘Let It Loose’ is a superb slab of rock, augmented with a solid funk backdrop, sounding familiar, yet never entirely like anyone else. There’s a pinch of Kravitz here, a little nod or two to the harder edged stuff from the Brand New Heavies debut there, and even the kind of groove The Charlatans found in their later career. The Wood blends all of these brilliant traits into a swaggering number overlaid with semi-bluesy vocals, creating a sizeable sound that bodes very well for the near future. Even as the last notes fade, this single continues to tease with brilliant musical flourishes when the brass leans on something a little jazzier. An absolutely fantastic track.
Back in April 2024, electronica artiste Bobbyy released their single ‘I Was At The Fence’, which shared three minutes worth of pulsing sounds, retro synths and hazy vocals. It sounded like a piece of buried treasure from the late 90s, but it’s older sound provided a huge amount of charm. In an inspired piece of promotion for the original trance inspired track has been remixed by gum.mp3 resulting in something with a very different feel. The new drum loop transforms the track into something harder, with elements of 90s drum ‘n’ bass clouding the once floating melody. Rachel Lime’s dreamy vocal is still there, only now its cutting through something massive, whilst the once wavering synths are joined by futuristic blasts of sound. This feels drastically different from the track listeners have previously enjoyed, but like any good remix, it works on it’s own terms.
There’s a lot to love about ‘Jagged Routine’, the current single from indie rock band Berries. The bass sound is immediately striking. It’s fat, almost post-punk like tones drive the great number throughout and its muscular rhythms have a timeless appeal. What’s more, the tough sound is a perfect compliment for the track’s chopping guitars and sugar-sweet harmonies, which set up a superb contrast. There’s something about this number which will throw some listeners back into a world of 90s nostalgia, yet at the same time, Berries have both a sound and a confidence that feels very much a part of 2024. Throw in a big pop-centric hook to further offset this track’s angular sounds and its altogether a winning musical recipe set to win over a whole world of rock fans.
By opening with a riff that sounds like the ghost of The Strokes in a melodic mood, ‘So Long’ by Red Eye Pariah sets a melodic hook in place with immediate effect. As the number begins to branch out, however, it becomes more than a knockabout garage rocker. The first vocal moments sell the track’s main hook without delay, which is a really smart move considering the mood changes a little further on. The verse is home to a broad but melodic sound which makes the band appear so much more accessible than on their ‘Kamikaze Kid’ single from way back, but this track isn’t about to settle. Following a second appearance of an absolutely killer chorus you’ll find a musical interlude that pushes the bass to the fore and hints at a love of post punk, before a couple of later instrumental breaks really latch onto a huge ringing guitar sound, boosting the band’s indie rock credentials. This single is punchy, but above all, as catchy as hell. It’s very much the kind of track that’s set to win this Northern Irish act a world of new fans.
It would be great to hear someone with Paula Fong’s vocal clarity cover The Byrds’ classic ‘Chestnut Mare’, but this is a tale about a completely different horse. A minimalist number, it opens with soft, finger picked guitar, weaving a perfect folk melody. Then, occasional banjo lends more of a bluegrass feel, but Paula is never tempted to let that interfere with the mellow tempo. With everything in place, she offers a perfect vocal, where she’s able to share the lyric with a feeling of genuine sadness. The end result is understated; forlorn, even, but it’s also rather beautiful. In terms of straddling the country/folk divide, ‘Chestnut Mare’ is pure perfection – up there with the finest works from the UK’s much-missed Worry Dolls.
Sort of like the missing link between Social Distortion, Gogol Bordello and Frank Turner, US folk punks Early Riser whip up a speed driven, riff based monster with ‘Cool’. A tune absolutely loaded with sharp edged acoustic rhythms, it wastes no time in flaunting its punky origins, but a natural and almost brattish vocal sets the track apart from so much other similar fare. The energy conjured by the careening voice and piercing cello sounds gives everything an almost unsettling ferocity, and obviously the presence of cello in place of the more traditional electric elements here continues to set this band apart from their peers. With a chorus dripping with harmonies and a drum part that rattles with a defiant glee, this is a tune that those familiar with the band’s earlier ‘Vocations’ will absolutely love.
Last up, guitar virtuoso Jon Harris offers a welcome throwback on ‘Togetherness’, the second single to be released from his forthcoming LP ‘Parallel Heart’. An instrumental number, its mid tempo and groove oriented base is immediately reminiscent of works by Joe Satriani, but unlike so many fretboard freaks, Harris clearly values a great melody instead of a pure shred. Here, he lays down a semi bluesy tone over a solid rock groove, before branching out to inject a funk derived rhythm with a cleaner tone, and bell like melodies. The arrangement eventually finds room for a few slightly fuzzy sounding harmonics and a melody that could be one of Satch’s best, circa ‘The Extremist’. If guitar instrumentals didn’t do it for you back in the day, this is unlikely to move you – even with a slow, chugging groove offering a very tough middle section – but listeners who still have a love for those old Relativity releases will certainly find much to love here.
September/October 2024