Song reviews


  Contagious by Beverly Girl


Contagious cover art


Dancefloor

They love their electro disco throughout Scandinavia and Finnish band Beverly girl gives us a classy addition to that catalogue of songs that will reliably get dancefloors from Moscow to Marbella moving. “Contagious” is the name of the song and, in the hours after midnight, you will consider it well named.


  We Are by Ingrid Lukas


We Are cover art


Intelligent

“We Are” more than adequately demonstrates that Ingrid Lukas is not the kind of performer to imprison herself within the walls of one musical genre and her song grows in scale and power as it moves further from its sequenced start with her voice neatly shifting gear to add the necessary theatrical seasoning.


  Another Day by Merrily James


Another Day cover art


Intense

You could say that “Another Day” is just another example of the midrange modern pop song but the truth is that Merrily James has added enough emotional intensity to remind you that still waters run deep.


Review date:  May 27 2016
  merrilyjames.com

  Sitting Pretty by Iconique


Sitting Pretty cover art


Synth serious

Initially seeming serious enough to be the sons of eighties synth pop, “Sitting Pretty” makes the most of Iconique’s retro influences whilst actually being a considerably smarter song than you might reasonably expect of these melancholic servants of the sequencer.


  Gaps in the Border Fence by Esper Scout


Gaps in the Border Fence cover art


Big rock

Plaintive yet pleasing lo-fi rock from Esper Scout with “Gaps in the Border Fence” stepping steadily up the scale as the song progresses thus providing the kind of big finish that such a song should have. Big guitars, big future.


  International Waters by Zozo


International Waters cover art


Guitar pop

“International Waters” is an example of the kind of edgy guitar pop that seems prevalent in the big city these days with Zozo adding enough in the way of theatrical touches to make the song stand out in a manic, all the way back to the eighties, kind of way.


Review date:  May 25 2016
  www.facebook.com/zozoband

  Meet Me At The River by Reptile House


Meet Me At The River cover art


Upbeat

Surprisingly, this quirky and playful song comes from a Glasgow trio called Reptile House. In lyrical terms, “Meet Me At The River” echoes the established sentiments of country music yet is presented in a way that takes you all the way back to the sunshine days of folk rock.


  Real by Grace Joyner


Real cover art


Uptown

“Real” is the kind of intelligent song of the heart that you would expect of someone like Grace Joyner. City girls might often write this kind of coffee shop song but few do it as well and that’s a fact.


  Sommer by AyOwA


Sommer cover art


Scandi-electro

Scandinavia does seem to be home of downbeat electropop these days and Denmark’s AyOwA do not disappoint with their stylish and, as you might expect, downbeat song “Sommer” with Hannah Schneider’s voice managing to intellectualise torment.


  If You Stay by Vogue Dots


If You Stay cover art


Laidback

“If You Stay” stays locked to the click track for a song of this type yet Canadian synth poppers Vogue Dot squeeze enough laconicism and spiritual indifference between those beats to make even their black clouds appealing.


Review date:  May 21 2016
  www.voguedots.com

  One Sixty by The Silence Kit


One Sixty cover art


Reverential

“One Sixty” is enough of a song to make you feel all sentimental about the sunshine days of punk American style with The Silence Kit having enough reverence to make the song seem more than a mere pop punk pastiche.


  Baboo by Pixx


Baboo cover art


Classy

Pixx adds passion to the cold electronic world where her musical demons reside with “Baboo” having more than enough poetry and pop sensibility to make the song uplifting. Over too soon, as they say.


Review date:  May 21 2016
  www.facebook.com/pixxmusic


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