I Really Wanna – Hannah Rose Kessler

INDIE

Hannah invites us into a hazy drunken discussion about becoming disillusioned with a worldview proposed by common media. Various creatives from their own bubbles brought together their own visual takes on the song, creating an eclectic video montage of diverse expression. Hannah talks of just managing to scrape by, but reluctantly acknowledges that we should keep on trying.

We found Hannah in London prior to lockdown with the ‘Loud Women’ collective where she wow’d an audience with a heavy and raw performance. Taking influence from a variety of artists including Nick Cave, Alison Mosshart, Debbie Harry, The Carpenters, Sonic Youth, The Watersons and Queens of the Stone Age, Hannah produces music that is quite special, and delightfully off kilter.

See her music video for I Really Wanna below:

Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp.

Stay – Max Earnshaw

INDIE, pop rock

Max Earnshaw’s latest single Stay has an infectious feel good groove that has you bopping and toe tapping right in your seat.
The track is chocka with tight grooves from reknown Adam Tobeck, juicy guitar tones from Christo Karadjov, James, Fistonich and Max Earnshaw himself, all wrapped masterfully together by a Luan Meaker Mix.
Max brings the same fun and positivity to his tracks that you’d expect from Jet or Franz Ferdinand. We can’t wait to hear this track live when Aunty Cindy lets us play again!

Stay is a Bandcamp exclusive! So find it here.

Make sure to follow Max for future bops. Facebook, Instagram, Spotify.

Weightless Without – Bridges

Indie Rock

Weightless Without by Bridges is a song made to be played in a stadium.
The track is big, the drums are booming, the listener is lost in a sea of guitars and BVs. It’s an epic track that deserves a seat in the climax of a film.

Following her well received debut single Sister, Weightless Without is the second single from Kiwi artists Bridges.
Bridges has built a solid reputation in Auckland city playing in spaces such as Movespace, and playing on the air at RNZ.
Bridges started out in Christchurch known as Rachel Hamilton performing as an acoustic singer songwriter, but made the move to Auckland to study and redefine her sound as an indie-pop artist.

RNZ premiered the cinematic lyric video below for Weightless Without on the 28th of May.

Make sure to keep track of Bridges new music on her Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify.

Superhuman – Fly The Nest

Uncategorized

Stephen Cooper is a rising artist from Dublin, working under the anonym Fly the Nest. Boasting powerful vocals, convicting lyrics and impressive production, Cooper is a force to be reckoned with. 

Fly the Nest’s latest piece released into the wild is an epic dedicated to frontline workers in these uncertain times. Superhuman is a triumphant anthem likening those risking their lives in the pandemic to the heroes we see on screen. The piece begins with an epic guitar solo and driving rhythm section. It melts into the lyrics “I keep on running till my legs give out”, an homage to the gruelling hours medical practitioners face. The line “against the odds we’re still fighting” inspires faith in the health system.

Cooper’s powerful vocal performance is moving. He was inspired by his family, many of which are working on the frontline. His “whole family work in healthcare… nurses, doctors, the works”. He sees Superhuman as “the least (he) could do to support the frontline.” 

Superhuman is a moving release intended to help raise money for the frontline workers in Ireland. Fly the Nest is running a campaign, with all proceeds going to “Ireland We Thank You”. Find Fly the Nest on Facebook and Instagram.

Down Down – Screams From The Sun

Electro Rock, INDIE, Indie Rock, pop rock

Down Down from Screams From the Sun is one of the most fresh tracks we’ve reviewed at Kiwi’s Listen. Unable to be held back by the pandemic, they recorded this pop-rock banger in isolation. The duo blends “emo feels” and “80s Hollywood Blockbuster” into what we hear as a darker Twenty One Pilots. The soundscape is quite electronic and alt-pop reminiscent of groups such as Everything Everything and Linkin Park’s ‘A Thousand Suns’. However this group undeniably has the energy of 2000s emo rock groups driving it. A heavy distorted sliding synth unapologetically supports the chorus line “Down Down”, but really helps provide the key hook to the track making use of the empty space around it.

The Duo Mimi and Francis originally met in 2017 when busking, they paired their skills and spent a year writing and busking around London, getting established with venues and unsigned festivals. Screams From the Sun has successfully got themselves on Rolling Stone France and even played with Jared Leto during a performance outside the BBC Radio1 in 2018.

We’re excited to hear what new music comes from the dynamic duo! Make sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Spotify.

Reminiscing – Sophie Gibson

Easy Listening, INDIE, Singer Songwriter

Reminiscing is warm and nostalgic, within the opening seconds you’re picturing a home movie of your child mishaps. But Sophie is looking back on a slightly different tale.

This song looks back on a time where Sophie chased a partner to Chile to live as a stay at home partner to walk the dog and do groceries. The complication was that she didn’t speak Spanish. The song is not a predictable dramatic tale of an ex-lover, rather it takes a grounded look at regular issues that arise even in this distinct situation. Sophie reflects with a mature view, considering what there is to learn from the experience.

The track is a smooth jam with great use of empty space. Melodies shift effortlessly between the bass and keys giving varying texture. The easy listening sound is captured beautifully, a performance of this track would sit perfectly in a cafe or Sofar Sounds. Reminiscing’s tone has fondness and a touch of humour, it seems Sophie’s coming from a place where things are now fine, and we’re viewing this through the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia.

Originally from Scotland, Sophie Gibson is a singer/songwriter who is now based in Auckland, New Zealand. Singing songs of “heart break, heart mending and downright just complaining”. We’re glad she shared this interesting gem with us! Make sure to follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Quirky – Chris Pidsley

Acoustic, bedroom pop, Pop

Quirky by Chris Pidsley takes you in with intimate storytelling and beautiful harmony placing you in a warm lounge by a fireplace with a highschool sweetheart. But true to it’s name the song shifts tone quickly into a positive bop with a bouncy chorus. Charming electric piano joins in to accompany the ensemble and fleshes out the piece into a lovely feel good indie-pop track that leaves you beaming. 

Based in Tottenham, Chris Pidsley has been working on music he calls indie / bedroom pop for a few years. He’s been played by BBC introducing and is now working on putting out a complete EP.

Due to the current Isolation Quirky was put together in lockdown in Chris’s bedroom, and has notably given the track and organic feel which helps show his personality.

There’s an undeniable charm to this track, and we hope to hear what will come of a fully fleshed out EP!

Make sure to keep up with EP progress from Chris on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Radio Silence – Cam Holtet

Uncategorized

Indie artist Cam Holtet is a singer-songwriter and electronic pop artist from Norway. She began writing as a teenager, using music as a way to express herself. She moved to London in 2017 to chase music industry dreams, and has made a number of impressive achievements since.

Cam’s latest single Radio Silence rivals the likes of Tessa Violet and Halsey with its catchy hook line. The track begins with a spacey synth line and “talk-style” vocals musing about being ignored. It drops an 80s bass line for a sassy pre chorus demanding that they “pick a reason and (she) will move on”. The chorus is empowering. Cam’s self worth hasn’t been damaged, but she’s very reasonably expecting an explanation from her would be love interest. 

Radio Silence is charming. It reminds me of some of the imaginative compositions brought to us by Adventure Time. The creative production builds a colourful soundscape, and showcases Cam’s personality. Cam already has an impressive discography of singles on Spotify, but make sure you find her on Instagram and Facebook to hear about what’s next too.

Oblivion – JENKO

Drum & Bass, EDM

Receiving endorsements from the likes of Calvin Harris, Dallas Austin, and BBC Radio’s Dean Jackson, JENKO is someone you don’t wanna sleep on.

The 26 year old electronic dance pop artist has been songwriting from the age of 16 and has built up a reputation with radio stations, online press, newspapers, and big names in the game.

This year JENKO is making waves as an artist in his own right, dropping his latest single Oblivion. It’s clear that JENKO isn’t messing around with a high calibre music video with stunning visuals paired with the professionally put together track that simply put, really slaps.

If you need to have a bit of a rave in isolation, JENKO has the music for you.
Keep up with JENKO on Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify.

Red-Handed Man – Georgia Maria

Uncategorized

Georgia Maria is a musical veteran. With years of extensive experience as a writer and performer prior to the launch of her solo project, she has started with an audible bang. Red-Handed Man is just one of five singles on her debut EP, but she’s already got our attention. 

The track begins with an ominous distorted guitar line before rolling into a campfire folktale. Georgia Maria’s whimsical vocals float over the top of the intro section, spinning a picture of the infamous red handed man. He is “baring (his) grudge like a hammer in hand…” The scene is haunting.

The second round brings a building percussion section and eerie folk harmonies before transitioning into a killer guitar line. Georgia Maria’s use of a repeating melody and the hook line “my red handed man” give the song the feel of a tale that has been passed down through generations. The song has strong undercurrents of celtic folk, driven by its fairytale lyrics and modal melody.

Georgia Maria refreshes the ear with a bridge, and sets the scene on fire with another epic guitar solo. The ashes fall in the soundscape for a final round of the melody. Wait for her next release with us on Instagram and Facebook.