Tracks of the Week: 5th August 2022
Our writers have been on a mission to find the best new tracks from across the region, covering the most exciting artists from a wide variety of sounds - from indie to punk and R&B.
Camens - ‘Illustrator’
The pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns that stemmed from it affected everyone differently. For bands and musicians, it did one of two things. For some it spelled the end, with many bands fizzling out. For others, they doubled down, using the time to hone their skills and write new music. Stoke band Camens have released new single ‘Illustrator’, which builds upon the success of their last single ‘Poltergeist’ which amassed nearly 30000 plays on Spotify.
Perhaps Camens at their most summery and idiosyncratic, ‘Illustrator’ channels all the aspirational bombast of ‘00s indie and provides it with a distinctly contemporary twist. A refreshing and intelligent take on a tried and tested format; anthemic indie made for festival stages.
Marma - ‘…Who Stole The Sun’
‘..Who Stole the Sun’ is the stand-out track on Staffordshire band Marma’s new EP The Marma Party. Originally formed in high school as a way of killing boredom. As the band grew, new members were found through Stoke’s indie centre- The Sugarmill, through nights out and indie gigs. Channelling serious 80’s vibes, with Stranger Things esque synths, driving bass and romantic vocal hooks, The Marma Party serves as the epitome of Marma’s new nostalgic style. This EP consists of five introspective tracks looking into the different aspects of The Marma psyche.
Rogue FX - Retrobution
‘Retrobution’ is the latest track from synth pop royalty Rogue FX. Andrew Wood aka Rogue FX is from North East England, and was part of the late 80s synth pop group ‘Please’ and the house music outfit ‘Bass Value’, and released records on Reachin Records, Three Beat Records and PWL in the early to mid 90s.
Since Bass Value wound up later in the 90s Andrew moved away from making music until the bug struck again in 2022 and first single ‘We Belong’ was released on streaming platforms under the name of Rogue FX, now followed by ‘Retrobution’, both influenced by synth pop and 80s synthwave.
Panthalassa - ‘Swimming the Surplus (Drifting)’
Hailing from Liverpool, Panthalassa is an indie producer and musician, who creates and performs music ranging from Nu-Disco, trip-hop to indie dance. New single ‘Swimming the Surplus (Drifting)’ is heavily influenced by LCD Soundsystem, Mark Ronson and Louis La Roche. Built around a guitar riff annd 80's shimmering keys, the song tells the story of procrastinating either at home or work, where you end up surfing the internet for hours and achieve nothing.
Rainy Miller - ‘Misery Is As Misery Does’
Preston-based Rainy Miller has released new single ‘Misery Is As Misery Does’, the latest single from his upcoming project DESQUAMATION (Fire, Burn. Nobody), due to drop in November.
The Lancastrian has built a dedicated following based around his ambient electronic production and otherwordly vocals. Out in November via HEAD II – the imprint attached to vital Salford venue The White Hotel - the new project set to line Miller up with some of his key collaborators, including Blackhaine, Rose A, and Moseley.