Down Down – Screams From The Sun

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.

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.

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.

Creeping In – Iduna

Uncategorized

Iduna’s new single ‘Creeping In’ comes in quick and slams you with an off kilter groove and vocals playing with modal change through gritted teeth. The track ramps up into a high energy chorus with the joint vocals of Jason Craig and Trison Boyes. Creeping in keeps you engaged with constant development and a thundering rhythm section from bassist Tim Saulnier and drummer Craig Koziar which has you relentlessly head banging in your seat. The song finishes with blasting rhythmic flourishes and soaring vocals similar to Alterbridge, and that’s not a comparison to make lightly. The track is about letting go and welcoming the loss of inhibitions. The lyrics explore the vulnerable side of attraction and the emotional risk we all experience in putting ourselves out there.

Iduna stated they make “alternative rock music that wrestles with the question of what it is to be and who we should be to each other. Building on the sounds of The Smashing Pumpkins, Matthew Good Band, Biffy Clyro, and Kings of Leon with a political tinge”

We can’t wait to see more music from this dynamic group! Make sure to follow them over on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube.

Die in Time – Las Ritas

Indie Rock

Born from a late night of drinking oneselves silly, Las Ritas take their name from the fabled lager of choice that evening, Budlight lime-a-ritas. Fittingly so, the group writes about drunken sadness, heartbreak and mania. Their sacred message is coupled with dancey vibes and wavy guitars reminiscent of a Mac Demarco track.

Their latest single Die in Time starts slow with dreamy guitars that build into a groove you can happily bop to with a bottle of cheap beer. The sound is strikingly similar to Kiwi favorites Daffodils who strike a similar sound with their music. Hopefully the two can create an international tour of New Zealand and California!

Die in Time is only one track of a stellar EP by the same name of groovy indie rock bops definitely worth tuning into! Check out Las Ritas on Instagram and Spotify.