The sun is splitting the skies with spring well and truly upon us. Some bloke is playing a Childish Gambino album full blast down the road in the estate as I type. We are around 10 degrees away from people barbecuing and whipping out the paddling pools. It’s good to get a bit of vitamin D, we need it after the year we’ve just endured. Here are five stand-out songs from the week in the music blogosphere.
Maple Glider / Good Thing
Like all great artists, it doesn’t take long to fall for the enchanting vocals of Maple Glider. Too good to bypass and too pure to ignore, Good Thing massages the ear as it passes through the speakers. Loving the ‘who’s here before she blows up?‘ comment on YouTube below this song. That’s exactly it – Maple Glider is certainly going to become a household name if this is what she is casually releasing these days. Pure talent and nothing over-complicated going on. This Aussie songwriter is the real deal, I can’t seem to fault anything associated with this single.
Sal Dulu / She Belongs To Roth
Sal Dulu is Ireland’s best emerging beat-maker and one to keep an eye on this year. I wouldn’t say instrumental beat-making has been top of the shared list on this site since it’s incorporation, that said, Dulu keeps earning features. His latest offering, She Belongs To Roth, is a whimsical mash-up of Jazz and Trip-Hop infused electronica. Each element works in tandem to create a surprisingly lush and mellow soundscape. If you like what you are hearing here, have a listen to his earlier single Alien Boy 96 . He’s the first artist to boast the achievement of having multiple songs featured in The Lockdown Mixtape so there’s definitely something special going on with Sal. I’m sure he’s had, and will have, bigger achievements to come.
Froots / Twenty Twenty
Ah, I’m liking this. Sometimes all it takes is a good slam around on the piano to nail a catchy tune. Eric Prydz proved this a few years ago with his 2008 global hit ‘Pjanoo‘. Nobody could fail to dance to that release and I’m sure this single from new UK producer Froots would have a similar effect if the masses got hold of it. A euphoric anthem from the rather unknown electronic artist from the South Coast of England. This guy (Anthony Jacques) is producing some absolute gold in his house during lockdown. Using Eric Prydz as a benchmark, who knows, Froots’ music may well venture further and further out from his own four walls in Portsmouth. I’m buying into it.
Charlie Houston / Things
Something a little more pop focused from a young up-and-coming musician from Canada. Charlie Houston‘s new single, Things, blends smooth downtempo beat-work with some impressive vocals. Her quest is to release music that lyrically deals with an array of topics that relate to her peers. Things is a really well-balanced track that never over-indulges or strays far from the main instrumental idea. Smooth beginnings for this talented artist – nice and languid.
Laugh / Wasting Time
Spotted this track a few months ago and thought it was really well done. It’s rough and ready indeed but that’s what makes it stand-out. Gritty and not unlike the early murmurings of The Streets, London’s Laugh combines spoken-word verses with a rugged electronic production. Adopting his ‘no-frills attached’ attitude to songwriting, he isn’t afraid to share his opinions with the world. There are some great lyrical lines thrown into the mix here. ‘Stop complaining about how the radio only plays industry generated crap, You’ve been writing songs for years and I haven’t even heard one‘, being my personal favourites.
Although he is not the finished article by any stretch, the early signs coming from Laugh is that his lyricism and tone is pure. Plenty of work to do still in terms of refining the sound but that will come with time.
About ‘The Sound Sniffer’
The Sound Sniffer is a one-man music blog which is still only a baby – Founded by Kevin Coakley, a music writer and ghostwriter, in early 2019. ‘The Sound Sniffer’ also runs gigs and showcases in London since Oct 2019. The showcases are picked from artists found in the blog’s submission inbox.
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I’m been recently getting into the Lockdown Mixtape work you’ve been doing; it’s a nice collection of music! It’s been keeping me occupied with new works, that’s for sure! Thank you!
Glad you are liking them 🙂 It’s a weird time these days but lots of wonderful music is still being made. Thanks for the comment 🙂