Monday 28 January 2013

New Artist Alert: Friend Slash Lover - Unaware

When We Were Beautiful is happy to introduce Friend Slash Lover, indie-rockers with a haunting undertone from LA, with their single Unaware which is taken from the latest EP 'The Grey Area'.

The video incorporates footage filmed entirely on an iPhone but certainly doesn't have an amateur feel; the black and white visuals of driving through lost streets adds to the mystery and eerieness conjured up by the music which pleasantly plods along with an electro-indie rock feel. The production on the track is great which, although at times slips in and out of your consciousness, has a very late-night radio-friendly sound. There's some lovely piano arpeggios that resonate wonderfully, and great harmonious backing vocals soothing in the background of the mix.

You can see the video in question below, and keep up to date with the guys from Friend Slash Lover on Facebook. Be sure to check out some earlier music and, if you're local to LA, try and catch them live if you can. Enjoy :)




Sunday 20 January 2013

New Artist Alert: Mary at Midnight - Heads Will Roll


It's all been coming up a bit punky recently and every once in a while it's nice to reel things back in, take stock, and refresh. As this current wave of refresh breaks, the water ebbs and leaves behind Mary at Midnight on the shore with her beautiful single 'Heads Will Roll'.

Mary at Midnight is an 'enigmatic new artist' who is pioneering the 'dreampop' charge alongside Mercury Award winner Talvin Singh on Heads Will Roll, the debut single which is set for release on Feb 18th. The single has been described as featuring 'plush sounds scattered with... ambient waves'; this sounds a bit like an Ikea catalogue description to me, but nevertheless I've had a listen myself and can confirm the track is quite lovely.

Heads Will Roll delicately tiptoes into life with a thumb piano and Ellie Goulding-esque vocal harmonies before finding its feet with a simple electric pulse. The lead vocals are as fragile as much as they crystal clear; the production is quite something and the arrangement, although simple is wonderfully effective and current. A musical firework introduces the first chorus with intent before withering into the equally-delicate second verse. It's quirky, it tugs between a straight and swing beat, and, most importantly, it's different. It's a great pop song and the 'dreampop' tag is definitely what comes to mind; a perfectly rounded song with Native-American drifts here and sleepy, dreamlike whispers there which needs to be experienced.

You can listen to Heads Will Roll for yourself below, and be sure to check out Mary at Midnight on Facebook. Enjoy :)