Delilah

Delilah - Joiners 5th December 

On her first ever headlining tour the lady in red Deliliah wowed Southampton with her show stopping performance.

By 8:30 the first of the nights support acts had taken the mic, simply introducing herself as Kimberly the Amy Winehouse-esque singer serenaded the growing crowd with four Motown style acoustic performances. The stripped back nature of the set allowed for her voice to carry and fill every corner of Joiners.

Quickly following was singer songwriter Charley Macaulay , with a set to rival the headliner, her smooth yet powerful pipes left the crowd’s spines tingling. With three of her own tracks and a cover of Gnarles Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ this lady is well worth another listen.

Then with a sharp change of pace came Influx, the DJ – MC combination failed to wet the audiences appetite further and despite polite woops and claps the only real crowd participation came with a mix of Drake’s ‘I’m Doing Me’.

Accompanied with a drum kit and CDJ-800s Delilah kicked off her set with a relatively unknown tune, with jazzy undertones and sultry vocals it became apparent that there was a raw talent on stage.

The highlights of the seven song set came from ‘Breathe’, orchestral parts merged with understated synths matched Delilah’s soft tones perfectly. Similarly the piano based ‘Syllababy’ was a stunning change of atmosphere, the touching anecdote surrounding an argument between a mother and daughter being the inspiration for the song added all the more depth to the elevating vocals.

New single ‘Love You So’ pulled back the catchy groove that Delilah emits so well, and with the new EP set for release next March this single is set to do well.

The final song and massive crowd pleaser was of course ‘Go’, the poppy glitchy number was sung pitch perfect and ended the night on a high. 

Mikaela Osborne

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Gouranga - Keep Your Colours EP

Gouranga Keep Your Colours

Debuting live in 2010 Gouranga are a young band, so it is impressive to hear this baby taking its first few steps into the musical wildness and manging not to fall flat on its face.

Keep Your Colours is a definite throw back to the glory days of grunge, screaming choruses teamed with overly distorted guitars juxtaposing with soft pulsing verses – the old recipe.

Opening tracks Bile and It came to this offer thrashing, energetic riffs and growling vocals; the choruses are strong and memorable. Rose and Time continues the EP on a similar thread but with a much heavier intro, this intensity seeps through the tune and flows both through the ominous low vocal range and straight into the jumpy percussion. But then Rife Machine comes along, the fifth track on the EP and changes the tone completely, with a mellow guitar piece accompanied by minimal percussion the sound created grabs your attention. Plucky guitars and the simple ramblings of lead vocalist Andy leads you nicely into a melancholic number.

The band have created a sound that wouldn’t feel out of place in early 90s Seattle, there are obvious and prominent grunge influences, the recurrent use of low to high throughout the all of the tracks is reminiscent of early Nirvana. Yet to do justice to the band and besides all the obvious comparisons Gouranga  have a deep and resonating sound, that offers something a little different.

Key tracks, Rife Machine and Bile sum up Gouranga’s sound and range well and highlight their ability to awaken a forgotten genre and fling it into the present – they somehow manage to retain grunge’s self service aesthetics with an electronic current feel.

3/5

Mikaela Osborne

Amy Wyke - Still Breathing

Now really does seem to be the time for strong female icons, with Beyonce cementing her place as a international star, Rihanna getting set to achieve world domination with yet another album release and not to mention the countless other popstresses controlling the charts.

So Amy Wyke's EP is not only well times but well informed. It is clear that this young talent has been influenced by the new music trends: all four songs have a well defined rocky angsty element, cased in very sellable mainstream pop sound.

The title track Still Breathing is definitely one that demonstrates this mix perfectly, with swingy, poppy guitar parts and strong percussion it sits just within the borders of rock, just enough to appeal to the masses of fourteen year old 'misunderstood' teenage girls.

The song is catchy enough, the pop aspect shines through, which all together isn't a bad thing, the sing-a- long factor  makes it memorable, despite it sounding like a bit of a guilty pleasure.

Save My Heart offers a slow and minimalist number, the tone is sombre and the backing track makes this connection with the listener, but it is undoubtedly skip-able.

Track three however, is by far one of the best, musically it's simplistic and professional; the acoustic guitar gives it a raw, almost live sound. The track showcases Wyke's vocal range, and is reminiscent of pop rock icon Taylor Momsen.

Jealously finishes the EP on a similar note, with a slightly more up beat feel. It doesn't quite make the same connection as You And I but regardless of it's cheesy rock ballad arrangement it sucks you in and after a few listens you find yourself singing along.

Still Breathing is definitely a well rounded EP, it offers strong pop tunes as well as classic pop rock style ballads. Within this genre Amy Wyke could come into her own, there are moments where it's dangerously close to a The Pretty Reckless tribute but with enough tweaks she's a recipe for mainstream success.

Mikaela Osborne
3/5

http://www.myspace.com/awyke
http://www.facebook.com/AmyWyke

Slow Magic

Ever imagine what it feels like in those "My life flashed before my eyes" scenarios? ...  Well, It's Slow Magic. 

Everyone loves an enigma, a bit of mystery and that is what this musical newbie offers. Referring to himself/herself as Slow Magic only and with just three major single releases under their belt there is undoubtedly more to show... more to experience.  

Single releases Toddler Tiger, Sorry Safari and Corvette Cassette offer musical escapism at it's best. 

The scratchy undertones of Toddler Tiger, mixed with hearty beats, plucky guitar pieces and mellow sighs transport you to your favourite beach destination, If the sea could make music, this is what it would sound like. 

Sorry Safari has an all together different atmosphere, beginning with an intensifying intro or whirs and whirls seeping into a quiet piano piece. The fluctuations between the almost alien like sequence of quirky sounds and tinkering piano keys somehow works; offering a summer nights feel. 

But the main protagonist is Corvette Cassette. The infusion of so many tinks, twists and tunes creates a melody that is beyond unworldly. The staggered pace and intricate combinations of so many different elements makes this tune a firm favourite.

Marinating in ultimate trendiness and sitting comfortably within a fresh unkempt genre, Slow Magic is perhaps one of many new musical persona's that are brimming with kooky, chill out expressions. 

With a Bandcamp site (http://slowmagic.bandcamp.com/) and Facebook profile (http://www.facebook.com/slowwmagic) both picking up speed there is hope yet that Slow Magic and perhaps others of a similar taste will soon get the recognition that is truly deserved.

http://soundcloud.com/slowmagic

Mikaela Osborne

4/5

Battle of the bands – Tamworth 3/06/2011

Every band has a story, a past, a struggle. In some ways it has become an old hat rock and roll cliché - the troubled artists striving to make ends meet in a desperate attempt to shed the constraints of their home town. Tonight’s band Scarlett are a little less dramatic, but it is clear to see that this band do have some big aspirations of their own.

Third on stage, the three piece made up of frontman/guitarist Shaheen Shaikh and brothers Greg and Nick Baldwin on bass and drums, do well to pull together a respectable crowd of on lookers in the small town venue. Made up of friends and family there is a real sense of support and admiration within the room, which does well to soothe the bands first gig nerves.

The opening to the bands four song set does well to set the pace of their performance, although not the strongest of the four it warms the crowd up and demonstrates the bands skill and musicianship.  This theme of musical prowess continues with the groups mix of stabby guitar riffs and heavy percussion, edging towards a harder scene whilst still emulating a more classic hard rock style.

A cheeky rendition of Ce- lo green’s ‘F**k You’ seals the deal and has the room singing along, their rocked up version works well and is played to perfection. The closing tracks produce again more applause and show off the bands song writing ability; the catchy chorus makes their penultimate song one to remember and encourages crowd participation. They close on a high and leave with their supporters ready for more.

For a small town band, playing the first gig to close friends and relatives the boys have done well and tonight has set a benchmark from which they can only develop from. Though nerves were a guaranteed the trio looked and sounded tight, and were able to play almost unfaltering. With an impressive and hearty start these three can be nothing but proud.

Mikaela Osborne

I Am In Love - I Want You. Single review

I Am In Love. There have been stranger band names, and to be fair to the quintet from Leicestershire it’s very in keeping with their kooky, edgey, cooler than you persona.

There first single ‘I Want You’ encompasses all of this. From the first initial chords, a stabby guitar riff and electronic beat, you are taken back in time to the glory days of the 1980s. It is clear that the band have been influenced by the greats, Prince, The Cure and of course David Bowie; but yet they still manage to create a sound that marries an 80s throwback with a more modern electronic feel.

The soaring, high timbre of the vocals sets off the track and mirrors their trendy electronic style, reminiscent of the Scissor Sisters vocalist Jake Shears. The vocals flit from flowing highs to a chanty chorus, giving the song plenty of twists and edges.

All in all, this band offer something a little unique; although not enough to make them a complete stand out. Their dreamy electronic pop is a worthwhile listen and a change from the usual indie based sounds of many new bands. I Am In Love are quirky, trendy and effortlessly cool... but it’s not enough to make you fall in love with them.

Mikaela Osborne

3/5