A singer songwriter with a very old soul, Leon Frear channels various moods on his debut album ‘Wild Rice’. In his own words, his work is more concerned with “strong lyrics [than] sticking to one type of music”, but his singularity of voice and depth of mood throughout the ten songs actually results in a listen that’s surprisingly consistent. His distinctive vocal presence gives the material a sense of unity, but more than that, the themes of loss and of feeling lost create a strong narrative thread.
Check out ‘Focus Deceased’ – the first new music from Vast Pyre
On the surface, Vast Pyre might show off a minimalist set up, since they work a sound centring around just guitar and drums, but there’s absolutely nothing minimalist about the noise they create.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #53
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore the various individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. We kick off our second year at the Singles Bar with one of the most varied selections to date. We’ve got electronica, country, a brilliant slice of synth pop, something retro sounding featuring an indie/shoegaze legend, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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PAST LIFE ROMEO – You Look Just Like Me EP
Past Life Romeo is a musical project from Camila Djadja, a multi-faceted musician previously associated with indie pop band Sugar Pills. This isn’t just a mere side project, however. Since ‘You Look Just Like Me’ was created during a period when they were “going through major changes in their life”, the music here sometimes represents a drastic overhaul from Sugar Pills’ accessible indie. It’s not always as easily likeable, but its many layers often represent something that’s more pleasingly complex.
Come On, Come In: Big Hits From The Real Gone Singles Bar, Year One
In May 2023, Real Gone ran a column highlighting some of the best digital singles that had come our way. We’d always shied away from singles, preferring instead to concentrate on detailed album and EP reviews, but too much good music was falling by the wayside. The column was an experiment, of sorts: it was a departure from what had gone before, but still came with the same enthusiasm. Would people embrace this new feature? Would “quick takes” weaken the Real Gone brand?