The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face (Ember Island Cover)
A well done cover released at the right time can do wonders for an artist. Young Swedish trio Ember Island has been hard at work developing their own delicate, almost ethereal take on the indie-electronic aesthetic. Eager to establish a fanbase and reach new ears, they’ve leveraged The Weeknd’s skyrocketing popularity with this cover of Can’t Feel My Face, and it’s working. The result is a melancholic but calm rendition that still provides that same infectious vocal melody, albeit in a form that feels fresh and inviting. If you’re like me, you’re a huge fan of the original but have been afraid to play it to death yourself and get sick of it, especially with everyone and their mother seems to be blasting the song at every waking moment. Well, here’s a refreshing interpretation to sate your appetite.
Check out Ember Island here.
Jaymes Young – What Should I Do
Seattle native Jaymes Young’s ascent began in 2013 after he signed with Atlantic Records and went on tour with London Grammar. September 2014 marked the release of his sophomore EP Habits Of My Heart, which beautifully showcased both his singer-songwriter and production chops. What Should I Do is a standout, laying down funky bass lines, crisp vocals and an irresistible indie rock/R&B-influenced chorus. Listen for the break at 0:56 — you won’t be disappointed.
Check out Jaymes Young here.
Osca – Trumpet
Osca saw the release of their debut EP Blood recently, and Trumpet was our favorite of four tracks. Introspective and wide with reverberated falsetto harmonies that bring Chris Martin of Coldplay to mind, lead vocalist Jack Kenworthy had this to say in an interview with Q Magazine:
Trumpet was inspired by a novel I was given of the same title. The book is about the life of Joss Moody, a jazz trumpeter in the 50s, who was born a female but chose to live his life as a man in order to pursue a career as a musician. It discusses the question of true identity in relation to our own actions – when Joss was playing the trumpet his gender and sexual identity became irrelevant. I really liked this idea of individuality and it became the basis for the lyrics of the song. The idea of telling someone to be who you are and not to be afraid of that. The line ‘It all doesn’t matter, let the trumpet sound’ is a direct reference to the book.
Check out Osca here.
Tom Misch & Carmody – So Close
Carmody (songwriter-vocalist) and Tom Misch (19 year old multi-instrumentalist) have teamed up to develop an EP, Out To Sea, set to drop on December 8th. The single they’ve been pushing is So Close, an intimate duet that showcases the magic that follows when these two get together. Carmody and Tom’s vocal timbres feel very separated and nuanced, but the differences work to support them together as a unit. Beauty can be found in every part of this song and every corner of the mix, but their harmonies bring the emotion, and bring us back over and over again.
Folded Like Fabric – I Tried
I Tried is the first off an upcoming EP from Sussix duo Folded Like Fabric. The pair, Connor Sims on vox and Jay Mooncie on production, bring electronic elements to an alternative-indie sound that isn’t afraid to get a little experimental, while never becoming messy or tactless in the process. Mooncie’s work on I Tried is clean and clear as a bell, laying full-bodied string samples behind a swinging beat, accompanied by effortless bass and guitar parts. Sims, on the other hand, contributes a polished vocal keep all the ear-candy centered. I’m sure the rest of this approaching EP will boast a high caliber of quality and thought like I Tried — it’ll be a unique escape, and I’m really looking forward to giving it a listen.
Check out Folded Like Fabric here.
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