On her 2022 EP ‘To Go’, Ciao Malz presented some interesting alt-pop sounds. It’s finest three minutes,‘Your Winner’, introduced listeners to someone who appeared to meld the Fleetwood Mac obsessions of Lissie with the pop of Chvrches. By centring everything around a superb bassline, the light pop sound also shared a great groove, creating a sound upon which singer-songwriter Malia DelaCruz could certainly build. The late period Rilo Kiley influence at the heart of ‘Around’, in particular, proved this was no fluke.
Tag Archives: indie pop
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #79
Welcome back to the Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This selection brings the arrival of a couple of familiar faces under a new name, a moody number from an up-and-coming singer songwriter, a noisy reworking of something very familiar, a brilliant acoustic offering…and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #70
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 past few weeks. It’s a proper mixed bag this week, with the return of a multi-million selling singer songwriter, who is contrasted by a sharp edged alternative metal track; something that leans towards country rock, the return of a favourite pop vocalist and more besides…
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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #46
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 previous few weeks. The submissions keep coming, allowing us a broad selection of styles. This week, we bring you some great adult pop-rock from Norway, a singer songwriter with a superbly retro sound, a little bit of country, the return of some legends of German metal, and more besides…
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AUTOGRAMM – Diana / Licht Aus
They might not be household names, but Autogramm have been building a following on the alternative music underground since 2018. They’ve released discs on the Nevado and Jarama 45 labels, and their blend of indie rock, power pop and 80s synth pop often sounds as nostalgic as it does contemporary.
Tracks like ‘Born Losers’ and ‘Hey Allie’ (from their 2023 LP ‘Music That Humans Can Play’) are perfect demonstrations of how to construct a chorus that sounds like a fabulous 80s throwback, whilst ‘Love Is For Fools’ absolutely nails an early 80s, skinny tied, power pop homage, and their earlier ‘Small Town’ conveys a post punk energy with almost just as much ease. Autogramm are one of those bands that, wherever you choose to drop into their catalogue, you’ll find a huge, retro sounding hook that feels massively uplifting.