Loney Dear has shared latest single ‘Trifles’ ahead of the release of new album ‘A Lantern and a Flag’, via Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, on 26 March. Described as a central track ofthe record, ‘Trifles’ starts off in sparse, almost ambient fashion with Emil Svanängen’s gentle falsetto gliding over a stripped-back piano sound while…
Gold Baby have shared ‘Dorego’ ahead of the release of their debut EP ‘Rabbits’ on 26 March. The song finds Siân Alex laying bare her feelings about feeling overwhelmed in the overstimulating and always-on modern world. The press says it’s ‘about feeling overstimulated and inadequate, about wanting to smash and crush and grind your smartphone…
Good Good Blood have returned with new single ‘Keep My Powder Dry’. Opening with refined and hushed guitar hooks that recall the mid-noughties cult hero Adem, the song finds James Smith contemplating how ‘You steal my soul’ before blended harmonies end with him asking if anyone knows what they’re looking for. There’s a claustrophobic feel…
Adeline Hotel, the psych-folk project led by Dan Knishkowy, have shared the sublime instrumental ‘Reliable Feelings’ ahead of the release of new album ‘Good Timing’ via Ruination Records on 19 February. Sparse and subtly powerful, the new single is reminiscent of old folk heroes and their music-based storytelling but sprinkled with some kaleidoscopic elements. It’s…
South Carolina singer-songwriter Valley Maker has shared the video for new single ‘No One is Missing’ ahead of the release of new album ‘When the Day Leaves’ on 19 February via Frenchkiss Records (The Antlers, Diet Cig, The Hold Steady). The video was filmed in a coastal marsh preserve that captures the thoughtful nature of…
POSTDATA, Wintersleep frontperson Paul Murphy’s side-project, have shared new single ‘Nobody Knows’ ahead of the release of new album ‘Twin Flames’ via Paper Bag Records on 5 March. Produced by Ali Chant (Portishead, PJ Harvey), the alt-folk song reminded us of Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Old Old Fashioned’ with its bouncing and nostalgic melodies and chanted vocals…
Easypeel has shared the video for ‘Living Off the Land’ ahead of the release of debut album ‘Mother’ on 19 February. The record will further explore the disconnect between ourselves and nature – something that is clearly covered in this piece as the singer-songwriter pleads ‘Tell me the truth and I’ll tell you a lie’…
It’s been a tough year, but so many of us were kept going by the phenomenal amount of music released over the past 12 months. We won’t claim any of these to be the ‘best’ – music is not a competition, especially in 2020 – but the following were all on constant rotation at Spectral…
Kate Davis has shared her take on Daniel Johnston’s ‘Oh No’ ahead of the release of a covers album (called ‘Strange Boy’) on 15 January that will find the singer-songwriter reworking the songs found on Daniel’s seminal ‘Retired Boxer’. The record will be released by Solitaire Records and the Hi, How Are You Project with…
Rosehip Teahouse have shared ‘A Million Times’ ahead of the releas of their ‘Fine’ EP on 9 December. Inspired by Faye Rogers’ battles with anxiety (‘I was finding that I would try and mould myself into what I thought everyone else wanted from me, not realising that I was losing more and more of myself…
Spectral Nights - alternative music, indie music, music reviews, new music, music blog 