The Matinee May 17th

We’re sharing eight new songs on today’s The Matinee May 17th edition because of the great submissions we’ve received. Each song is a bit dramatic, a touch cinematic, and completely beautiful to listen to that you might find yourself spinning the singles over and over and over again.

Amaroun – “Fear” (Northamptonshire, England)

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There are no shortage of love songs or tunes about relationships. Many of them start sounding alike or are completely devoid of emotion. The second single from English singer-songwriter, Amaroun, though, defies what a song about heartbreak should be. It is not just a beautiful song to listen but it’s an emotional tearjerker, as Amaroun’s vocals are brittle and vulnerable while the music is serene and breathtaking. This is a song that the great Prince could have written and maybe this is a song for the Purple One.

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Amber Arcades – “Fading Lines” (Utrecht, Netherlands)

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For the past three months, Annelotte de Graaf – a.k.a. Amber Arcades – has been riding a tidal wave of support for her mix of Alvvays-esque jangle-rock and her Courtney Barnett-esque lyricism. The comparisons are clearly apparently on her latest single, “Fading Lines”. The jangly strums of the guitar with the terrific drum work of her bandmate Jaap Bontekoe provide the perfect backdrop to de Graaf’s observations of the social isolation and decay happening all around us. de Graaf’s social conscience shouldn’t be a surprise, as during the day she’s works in human right law. Is there anything that de Graaf cannot do?

“Fading Lines” is the second single and title track from her forthcoming debut album, which arrives June 3rd via Heavenly Recordings. Supporting de Graaf live are Alex Huis in ‘t veld (guitar), Ella van der Woude (keys/synths), Jaap Bontekoe (drums), and Ronald Straetemans (bass).

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Caveman – “80 West” (Brooklyn, USA)

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This tune I’m dedicating to our one and only Hollie Daugherty, who spent the weekend in the heat of Atlanta, Georgia while attending Shaky Knees Music Festival. While there, she got to see and meet in person Caveman, the indie-rock quartet from Brooklyn, New York. Like The War on Drugs, Caveman are taking retro-rock to new levels. On their latest single, “80 West”, they channel the warm breeziness and emotional swell of rock icons The Eagles. With a growing fan base and music as infectious as “80 West” and “Never Going Back”, which we featured a couple of months ago, it’s not too early to predict that Caveman are well on their way to being America’s next great rock band.

“80 West” is from Caveman’s upcoming new album, Otero War, will be released on June 17th via Cinematic Music Group.

Caveman are: Matthew Iwanusa (vocals), James Carbonetti (guitar), Sam Hopkins (keys), and Jeff Berrall (bass).

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DYAN – “St. James” (Winnipeg, Canada & Los Angeles, USA)

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Speaking of a band channeling the past for inspiration is DYAN, a new band comprised of Winnipeg, Manitoba native Alexis Marsh along with Samuel Jones, and Daniel Dorff, Jr.. Last week, they released their debut single, “St. James”, a stunning track that mirrors the intimacy of Mazzy Starr if the legendary group used a drum machine and ambient effects. Instead of me describing what the song means, Marsh offers a detailed account of how her hometown inspired her:

“I wanted a spare sound to reflect the openness of the prairies where I grew up, a community called St. James in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The landscape seemed to draw horizon-long lines of expectation into the future, which I didn’t realize I resented until I couldn’t find satisfaction in success despite my ambition. But it’s not an epiphany so much as a quiet realization, after the heartache of striving, that failure isn’t an end. And the next step doesn’t have to be made in shame. Just understanding.”

Keep an eye out for DYAN’s debut album, Looking For Knives, which will be released on July 29th.

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FURS – “Holy Reviewer” (London, England)

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It would be understatement to say we’re a fan of FURS, who first graced our site back in September 2014 when they first started gaining traction with singles like “Just Kids” and “An Eye On The Vicious”. Their debut, full-length, Just Kids, only arrived last Friday and from the record is the brilliant “Holy Reviewer”. Unlike their previous songs, this new one is slower, more methodical, but equally as dreamy. The combination of the shimmering shoegaze riffs and frontwoman Elle Wade’s angelic vocals is mesmerizing, where FURS are casting a spell and taking us to a place that can only be imaged in our minds. “Holy Reviewer” might be the band’s most dramatic, cinematic, and stunning song they’ve written to date, which is saying quite a bit.

Just Kids is available now via The House Band Co. FURS are Elle, Liam, Olly, and Amina.

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Glass Children – “Undone” (London, England)

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When we use to share remixes on a regular basis (i.e., on Rendition), one remix that was one of the best of the lot was Moonbabies’ take of Glass Children‘s “Undone”. So when the radio edit of the original arrived, it caught me by surprise since it’s unusual for a remix to come out before the original was mastered. However, as singer and songwriter Daniella Kleovoulou explained, Moonbabies liked the demo so much they couldn’t wait for the official version to be shared.

Fortunately for us, we get to enjoy this incredibly beautiful song once again. “Undone” is breathtakingly gorgeous, as Danielle Kleovoulou’s lush vocals and David Fairweather’s brilliant production work take us high into the clouds and allow us to live our dreams for just a moment. “Undone” simply is an atmospheric masterpiece, and one of the most beautiful electronic songs you’ll hear this year. Cannot wait to be blown away by this gifted duo in the future.

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Grado – “Curtain Call” (East Anglia, England)

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There is something immensely captivating about Grado‘s new single, “Curtain Call”. It might be the song’s late ’60s and ’70s psychedelic-folk sound that echoes the Laurel Canyon era. It might be the tender and warm vocals of Grado’s project mastermind Michael Bloss. It might be the story of a loss soul finding his way. It might be all three things that make “Curtain Call” a stellar track, and, as a result, it might have some, including us, comparing Bloss to a one-man version of Woods, the great psych-folk-rock collective from New York City. And just like the NYC band’s music, don’t be surprised if you’ll be playing “Curtain Call” repeatedly in order to soak in every note played and word sung by Bloss. We certainly have.

“Curtain Call” is from Grado’s self-titled EP, which is out now via Wading Bird Records, and it can be purchased on Bandcamp.

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WildCohen – “Jackson’s Son” (Sheffield, England)

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Psychedelic electronica, that’s the only way to describe the music of Jody Wildgoose and Rob Cohen’s project WildCohen. Their new single, “Jackson’s Son”, exemplifies the mad scientist brilliance of the duo. This song about life, death, and everything else sounds like a song that could be the result of a recording session between the Flaming Lips and LCD Soundsystem. So get your dancing shoes on and be prepared to spin uncontrollably while playing this highly infectious track. It is not just an awesome tune but a resoundingly delightful, sonic trip.