Writers block is a curse, a temporary curse inflicted on all those who strive to write things. It happens a couple of times a year : sometimes it’s completely uncontrollable and happens out of the blue. Other times stress can induce a period of brainless numbness when it comes to tapping on the keyboard. For me, I think the lack of vitamin D during these short days of sun has a huge effect. I turn into a shell of a human for a few months in winter and it’s something that seems to happen annually.
Nothing is coming out, my brain is operating at half speed and I’m mellow and dull on the whole when drafting written things. A couple of days ago I bought some Vitamin D tablets – here’s hoping it’s the fuel to reignite the fire within to ensure my fingers get back to work tapping relentlessly again! Here is a writers block version of the ‘post’ lockdown mixtape. Expect short and snappy writing …. unless the vitamin D hits the spot in the meantime… or the music unblocks the block.
Here are some songs submitted to the blog this week that have lifted the mood and brought some joy.
Obi Blanche / Paid/h
We start off in Finland with music from Obi Blanche. Apparently Obi made constructed his own guitar which makes the song all the more impressive. A raw and rugged listen that is the perfect accompaniment for a road trip. Released on Berlin based imprint Ombra International, a label that dapples in the more obscure sounds. Paid/h is a solid inclusion to any indie alternative playlist and it really hit the mark for me. A little bit grimy which makes it all the more wholesome and intriguing.
Omen Moth / Trees Walking
Something for nighttime listening here from Omen Moth. Bringing a chilled atmosphere to the fold with this whimsical and moving tale. Loving Moth’s vocals throughout which chime across like something Angus Stone has been digging into under his Dope Lemon moniker. Trees Walking fuses subtle folk elements and droning instrumentation with an atmospheric vocal performance. Perfect for listening to beside the fire on a cold winter’s eve.
Retro Kid / The Room
Retro Kid have featured on The Sound Sniffer before and their uplifting electro sound is something hard to overlook. This new single titled ‘The Room‘ is wonderful – instantly pulling in my attention and by it’s end, I was bopping my head in unison and quickly looking for the repeat button. A solid offering from an upcoming album this Denmark based outfit are soon to be releasing. It’s sure to be a good’un on this evidence. It’s got a French electronic vibe – I’m thinking Phoenix or Kazy Lambist – so delighted Retro Kid decided to share this track with me as it’s absolutely fantastic from start to finish.
Holly Redford Jones / Affection
A wonderful voice – a brilliant songwriter – Holly Redford Jones is an artist that knows how to knock up high grade tunes. Affection is the new one and it’s a fine display of her abilities. I saw Jones perform a few months ago at The Amersham Arms in New Cross and her live game is also first rate. If you want to read more about Holly, have a skim of a previous article drafted on the site here.
One of the best around and she will sure to be gracing the stage at one of our Community Sessions gigs in the new year. Such a cool woman.
NIHILS / Halfmoon
Good bouncy and catchy Electronic Indie Pop is hard to come by sometimes. To strike the perfect balance within this genre is difficult as tons of artists end up going far too pop oriented on the vocal end and turning me off. German outfit NIHILS have absolutely struck the nail with their latest single Halfmoon. It’s got a vibrancy to it – it’s got the right blend of synths and the vocals are spot on.
The rhythm towards the end had me moving around the house this afternoon – such energy. What a find. Halfmoon isn’t their only gem by the way, delve into their back catalog for more synth magic.
Blake Morgan / Down Below Or Up Above
I was away in Malta last week enjoying a trip away with my best mate. This song came through into my submissions inbox one evening as we stayed in a rural countryside B&B and I spent a good solid fifteen minutes listening to it – non-stop. Blake’s style is refreshingly simplistic and pure and it caught me off guard in the midst of my submission digging. Down Below Or Up Above does exactly what you want it to as the listener – it peaks in the right places, dips back to melodies just where you’d want it to and the whole package works lovely. A worthy addition from a talented songwriter.
The Nerves / Hostage
Northern Irish outfit The Nerves have released a new single this weekend and it’s a hellishly catchy one too. The band has been on the go since the early 80’s and are fronted by Pat McCaul. I was up with at Pat’s studio (Take Six Studio) last week and was absolutely taken aback by the set up he has there. It’s one of the most beautiful and intimate recording studios around. The Nerves are creating high octane punk rock and I love it.
The new one, titled Hostage reminds me a bit of the musical musings of energetic Dublin based trio The Minutes. They were a band I had the pleasure of seeing live in the flesh one NYE night in my teens. I danced, danced and danced. Hostage is a track that would get me dancing too. Rip roaring energy and a song that will be placed firmly in my ‘going for a run’ playlist. I’ll be fit in no time judging by the pace set by Pat and co.
A lovely picture from the archives above.
– About ‘The Sound Sniffer’ –
The Sound Sniffer is a music blog that’s still only a baby – Founded in early 2019 by Kevin Coakley, a music writer and ghostwriter. ‘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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