musomusofm on the radar playlist #46 - Pastel Motel, Paddy Keyes, Michelle Limanjae, Superbloom, Almost Sex, Daay and more....
It’s Saturday, take a well deserved deep breath and know that for most people, they get two days off before their alarm clocks ring again, stirring your bodies from sleep to sit at a desk for another 37.5 hours of work before they can clock off again for the weekend!
What’s that? It’s only been 24 hours since the last playlist came out? I know, but as I said in the last playlist, I am running a couple of days behind so I am doing what I can to catch up…..
This playlist has another 9 tracks from some of the world’s finest unsigned acts and again, I have trawled the globe to bring you only the finest there is to offer.
As usual, the bios and social links for our featured acts are below, go check them out and learn a bit more about them if you have time. In the meantime, buckle up and get ready for the new playlist.
See you on the other side.
Pastel Motel
Pastel Motel are formed of Eric Deleon (bass & synth), Ricky Maxey (guitar & vocals), and Ryan Maxey (drums & vocals). Ryan and Ricky are cousins and have played in a few projects together. Pastel Motel started in late 2011, and Eric Deleon joined in 2015.
The band's influences range widely, covering alternative rock, indie, prog, math rock, metal, jazz, and folk. But, as evidenced by the music, there aren't any bands that Pastel Motel attempt to sound like. While using the same musical building blocks as everyone else, the band tries to stay genuine to themselves.
The new record ‘Confection’ is a cyclical concept album reflecting on repetition and life. However, the group doesn't like to give away too many details, as they believe in the importance of finding your own meaning. While the album is short and concise, the band hopes listeners will find new meaning in each cycle through the album.
The recording process was met with several roadblocks. In 2017, long-time drummer Jerry Gamez left the band. After multiple temporary fill-ins, the band re-entered the studio in 2018 for their overdue follow-up. However, a power failure erased the first draft of the album, followed by tracking issues that eventually lead to a lineup change. Ryan switched from vocals/guitar to vocals/drums, reducing its members from four to three. After the group re-evaluated their direction and rewrote the album, Ryan was finally comfortable enough on the drums to record. But, then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing more delays for several months.
The album production was finally finished in late 2021.
The album was written, tracked, and mixed by the band. It was mastered by Ed Brooks at Resonant Mastering.
To learn more about the band and keep an eye on their musical happenings, head to the socials below.
Socials
Paddy Keyes
Paddy Keyes is another new up and coming Irish act who is looking to make a name for himself.
Having begun his aspirations to become an artist in his hometown of Sligo, Keyes made the move to Dublin to establish his career in music.
His latest offering ‘Tomorrow’ is the total package, a beautiful blend of melodic guitar, heartfelt lyrics and a driving rhythm that wouldn’t feel out of place being played out to 65000 fans in a soccer stadium, a readymade anthem for Summer 22’.
Looking up to artists such as Sam Fender and Holly Humberstone, Keyes uses catchy melodies and lyrics that his audience can connect with. This can be heard in his debut single ‘Tomorrow’, where Keyes tells the story of having a conversation with a loved one discussing what they’ll do once they’re together again having not seen each other in a long time.
Produced by Daniel De Burca in JeJune Studios, the pair took inspiration for the sound of the track with the song “The Way We Say Goodbye” by Circa Waves, creating an uplifting summer bop with feel good guitar hooks and lyrics impossible not to scream back to.
“Can we talk about us when we meet at our favourite spot?”
The captivating debut single ‘Tomorrow’ by Paddy Keyes is out NOW - Get involved below.
Socials
Michelle Limanjae
After previously released a debut single ‘Hey Dear Heidi’ in October 21’, Indonesian-born, Melbourne-based, indie-alt musician, Michelle Limanjae returns with her sophomore single ‘Pluviophile Song’, written, composed & produced by herself.
Pluviophile Song is a feel-good vibe track that unveils the state of joy and peacefulness during rainy days. Even though rain tends to be depicted as gloomy and melancholy kind of mood, Michelle tries to express her feeling of excitement as a rain-lover with a lively & quirky style of music arrangement. The lyrics also tells listener about the experience of finding the pure happiness in it by the smells and sounds that are associated with rain.
It all started when Michelle wrote a few random lines on a cold rainy afternoon, she then found out that her creative flow sparked when it rains and ended up finishing the entire song. She admits that the process was pretty smooth and quick compared to her debut single, it took around 3 months to finalise the lyrics and the whole music production.
In terms of music arrangement & composition, Pluviophile Song is an expressive track with some catchy hooks, hoisted by Michelle’s evocative vocals, breezy-jazzy melodies, rock instrumentation and straightforward lyricism. It offers some easy-listening chord progressions along with bouncy bass lines with a little twist at the end. Moreover, the production itself took place in her humble home studio and was completed by Dimz Mahesha from Drigger Studio as mixing & mastering engineer. The artwork is a combination of an acrylic painting hand created by Michelle and a cut out image of herself, the same concept as she did before and will look to do going forward for subsequent releases.
Michelle Limanjae is continuing her solo project as she mentioned last year and Pluviophile Song marks the first release from her in the year of 2022, with many more in the pipeline.
Socials
Superbloom
The North London based Alt-Rockers have taken the opportunity of time afforded by the pandemic, and have just released their fifth single. Having shown their versatility with the launch of an acoustic track at the end of 2021, which received high praise from several music publications and coverage on Amazing Radio, the band have hit back with arguably their heaviest track to date. Smile is a Hard Rock song that boasts an abundance of progressive riffs and rhythmic curveballs. Front-man Robert James says, “Smile is definitely the most technical track we’ve written. It was one of the first songs we wrote together as a band, but we wanted to test ourselves by creating something that was rhythmically unorthodox. Our heavier, more progressive influences really shine through with this one”.
The band’s song-writing has primarily been moulded by a desire to modernise the distinct sound of 90s Rock. Thomas Mitchener of Broadfields Studio helps bring this vision to life through the use of chorus, fuzz and other vintage instrument effects associated with iconic bands like Soundgarden, as well as contemporary artists like Nothing But Thieves. Robert says “I can’t praise Tom’s production enough. I’ve never known an engineer so able to develop an idea from raw concept to accomplished reality so efficiently. As Superbloom is made up of two core members it’s invaluable having another creative person involved who gets what we’re trying to do, and has done from the moment we walked through the door”.
Superbloom have 6 further tracks recorded and ready to release, as well as a number of demos ready for the studio. The band plan to continue building momentum over the next year with regular releases, before the launch of their debut album. They’ll also be out on the road later this year to further promote their music.
Superbloom are:
Robert James – Vocals, Guitars and Others
Sam Lidington – Drums and Percussion
Socials
Almost Sex
Brooklyn Based, boy-girl duo Almost Sex return with their second EP, the sensational 5 track body of work ‘We’re Okay’. Radiating nostalgia, encased in a relaxed coolness and jam packed with intimate personality, this is Almost Sex like you’ve never heard them before.
Featuring an eclectic, heady blend of impeccable indie-folk, layers of hazy Lo-fi pop, softly punctuated with moments of alt rock and all topped off with a dash of sweet americana, the project is ingeniously written, expertly performed and perfectly produced. Simply put, ‘We’re Okay’ is nothing short of a modern day masterpiece in the Indie music world.
Having connected on ‘Hinge’ back in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, Nick Louis and Warren LaSota’s music met before they did. In true movie-like fashion they sent demos, tracks and lyrics back and forth, writing via the lifeline of technology, creatively coming together long before physically meeting one another.
Showcasing a sublime balance of electronic and organic in its composition ‘We’re Okay’ conjures a satisfying and incredible duality. Combining soft padded beats and percussions from a 1979 analog drum machine, smooth electric guitar, fuzzy, reminiscent vocal effects and varying acoustic instrumentation on selective tracks.
Alongside the dynamic of the male and female vocals that contrast yet compliment at every corner you have an almost Yin and Yang effect taking place in the musicianship. An ebb and flow, a pure and unique give and take that makes ‘We’re Okay’ equal parts Nick and equal parts Warren.
“The process of writing and recording this EP involved us stripping things back a bit to consolidate the core elements that made up our sound. Our drummer had been away for work for most of the year, so we began performing shows with an analog drum machine from 1979. We decided to take it into the studio with us and it ended up becoming the principal instrument featured on most of these tracks. Much of the lyrical content of the project centres around themes of getting older in an increasingly frightening and hyper-commodified world.” - Almost Sex
‘We’re Okay’ is a sublime slice of lo-fi pop served with a generous dollop of wholesome nostalgia, guaranteed to appeal to fans of all ages right across the spectrum.
Socials
Daay
DAAY was formed in London in 2019 by Alex Barty-King and has taken many forms currently comprising of a 6 piece who regularly rehearse in North and South London. Influences include Julian Casablancas, John Grant, John Cale, Gary Numan, Jonathan Wilson, Alexander Spence, Damon Albarn, Arcade Fire, John Martyn, MGMT, Fat White Family, Moon Duo, Submotion Orchestra, Soft Machine, Holger Czukay, CAN and Pink Floyd, Lounge Lizzards.
The first 3 singles were released with an entirely different band behind Barty-King and the 3 songs cover the theme of birth (of the band). Now equipped with a whole new line up Barty-King aims to challenge more adult themes of philosophic enquiry as the band moves forward.
DAAY use a unique blend of indie rock/pop songwriting layered with jazz undertones and powerful sax parts that cut through with curiosity, whilst using a strong lyrical theme reflecting on the simple and transformative beauty of the journey of life. They have since played at over 20 venues across London including O2 Academy Islington, The Troubadour, Sebright Arms, The Windmill, New Cross Inn and The Monarch.
Golden Tree is the third and final single in a trilogy exploring esoteric ideas. Golden Tree takes us on a journey at the wonder of evolution and what it feels like, with poetic licence.
Symbolised most naturally through the concept of an enormous family tree of consciousness, the roots are the origins and grounding and the branches and leaves are the leading edge of ideas and progression.
DAAY use experimentalism, jazz and rock in this track. The use of a djembe serves as a buffer between the track's two main parts and signifies the grand moment of an awakening of consciousness; the previous singles Dream Kit and Forever acting as a prelude to this.
Socials
SO there you have it folks, another 9 awesome tracks for you to get your ears around. If you liked any of them, please hit them up on the socials and tell them, mention that you heard them on the musomusofm on the radar playlist and they might even buy me a cookie if our paths ever cross!
Please take a moment to spread the word on social media, it’s on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, just head to musomusouk on either platform and give it a LIKE, SHARE, THUMBS UP or whatever you can!
Until next time…..