Hayworth: A Process Of Letting Go
Since their formation in 2011, Aberdeen post-hardcore outfit Hayworth have never failed to impress with their musical abilities, growing into one of the finest bands to emerge from the north of Scotland. It’s been quite the long wait for these guys to produce a debut record, but at last it’s finally here – A Process Of Letting Go.
’91 gets the ball rolling nicely, with great vocals and a rocking chorus in a tune that only gets better as it progresses, soon leading into Voice Of Reason which is loaded with energy, courtesy of dynamic riffs and a potent rhythm; likewise with A Fool’s Throne.
After the lead single Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong entertains us with it’s swift pace and memorable lyrics, the EP wraps up with Swan’s Song, an incredibly intense finale highlighted by rapid drum work.
As expected, the band have delivered with what is a really strong EP that makes the most of their abilities and solidifies the growing hype behind them. If they continue down this road whilst building upon their already well-established talents, you can bet these guys will get their big break sooner than later.
Josephine Sillars: Ripped From The Wire Spine
Once again proving that Scotland is home to some of the best upcoming singer-songwriters, we have Glasgow musician Josephine Sillars, who earlier this year released her inaugural EP – Ripped From The Wire Spine.
This is a pretty intriguing record that is very strong from start to finish, delivering a fantastic blend of pop and folk. Every tune features pristine harmonies, really enjoyable writing and superb piano work; Little Footsteps especially stands out as it demonstrates the aforementioned qualities at their very best.
There is little doubt that Josephine is a very talented musician who is chock full of potential, and hopefully she will get recognition for her abilities because she undoubtedly holds something special.
Josephine is hosting her own show at The Jekyll And Hyde as part of the Edinburgh Fringe festival between 11-13th August – “a mixture of song and storytelling about love, life, science fiction and the trials and tribulations of being a teenage touring musician” – so if you’re in the city during that period and would like to be introduced to a bright new talent, we absolutely recommend you head down there and see what you’ve been missing.
How in the hell has it taken us until now to discover Glasgow acoustic rock quintet Junebug? Because judging from their latest EP – Into The Wild – they are a mighty talented bunch.
Wild provides a jam-packed and exciting start with rocking guitars and a ridiculously catchy beat, before quickly following up with the enjoyable Your Flame which presents some fun drum work and great vocals.
The band unexpectedly cranks up the dial with The Mill, featuring amazing electric riffs, before bringing the pace back down for the bass-heavy Like Clockwork and soon closing out the record with the serene By Your Side.
On the whole, an excellent EP that delivers on the variety, and one that made quite the first impression on us. We ought to catch these guys live in the near future.
The Shout: Write-Delete-Repeat
Northern Ireland has produced a variety of really good bands; a class that pop rock outfit The Shout belong in, as evident from their latest record – Write-Delete-Repeat.
Wait For Me serves as a great intro track with it’s enjoyably memorable chorus, leading into the solid When We Were Young and afterwards On And On, which is buzzing with an energy fueled by rocking riffs.
The One may be the highlight of the EP; enticing with it’s bouncy, upbeat rhythm and really addictive melody, before following up with the equally fast-paced The Runaway and soon enough capping off with Where Do We Go From Here, an excellent acoustic piece that ends the EP on a very high note.
This is one we definitely recommend fans of pop rock to check out, for it’s certainly one of the better records to come out in the genre this year.
The Poetry Book: Young Martyrs
All the way from Madrid, Spain hails shoegaze duo The Poetry Book, who have presented us with an EP entitled Young Martyrs, and it’s happens to be really, really good.
Decay gets the listener settled in nicely, being a warm, riveting number with an enjoyable rhythm and faint distorted vocals which really add to the atmosphere. The title track follows and sticks out with a catchy drum beat.
Love Letter is undoubtedly the highlight of the EP, being a more bombastic and energised tune while still retaining the ambience; a theme that continues into A Last Ritual which features fantastic electronic work, before finishing with The Promise, a song personified by an eerie, haunting melody.
Mainland Europe has proved to be home to some of the best shoegaze music in all of the world today, and having produced a high quality record such as this, it’s clear The Poetry Book deserve more recognition for their talents.
Since rising from the ashes of Mechanical Smile late last year, Kilmarnock alternative band Twin Heart have been quick to make their mark. Their debut single Failure Of Another provided quite the first impression, and recently they followed up with a new single by the name of Ghosts, and it’s safe to say this is among their strongest work to date.
A really catchy tune with an intoxicating melody and a tight combination of fantastic guitar work, sleek bass lines and strong drumming. Dawn’s vocals are excellent and crisp, backed up by equally great screams from Owen and Murray. And yet through the energetic rhythm, they are able to retain a somber tone through the unforgettable lyrical work; perfectly demonstrating their blend of rock and emo.
With all these qualities, there’s very little doubt that this ranks as one of the best Scottish tracks of the year, one that cements that Twin Heart are hear to stay, and if it’s to produce music to this standard, then we are more than grateful for that.
Robbie Flanagan: The City Who Forgot
Fresh on the Aberdonian music scene is singer-songwriter Robbie Flanagan, who is set to release his debut single – The City Who Forgot.
It is an entertaining tune with a gentle, genial tone to it. Robbie’s vocals are really warm and polished, the acoustics are fantastic as well as smooth, and the listener gets easily sucked in by the harmonious melody and remarkable writing.
The single will be released on Saturday 15th August, courtesy of Ganbei Records.
SMALL MUSIC SCENE 