On The Stereo #68

Justin Llamas: the acoustic arrangement on Growing Up leaves plenty of space for the song’s vocals and heartfelt message.

We’re catching the latest sounds of Justin Llamas, Stats, Savannah Pope, Sam Brookes, Winter, Lucy McWilliams, Psyrena, Margot and more

JUSTIN LLAMAS
Growing Up
On Growing Up by Justin Llamas, getting older means saying goodbye to many of the people we love. Dedicated to his recently deceased grandmother, the acoustic arrangement leaves plenty of space for the song’s vocals and heartfelt message.

STATS
Naturalise Me
Ah Stats, what a treat to have you back. With more pop chops than Katy Perry’s butcher, Naturalise Me distils everything that’s enthralling about this band into one helluva (virtual) dancefloor anthem.

FERRIS & SYLVESTER
Knock You Down
Wistful yet empowering, Knock You Down laments the loss of childhood fearlessness while imploring others to hold onto that same bravery. Stoked by Mellotron flutes and cellos, this is another alt-folk classic from Ferris & Sylvester.

WINTER
Bem No Fundo
If blissed-out and bubbly dream pop is your kind of thing, Winter’s Bem No Fundo is going to make your day. Co-written with (and featuring) Dinho Almeida of Boogarins, the synths, FX and sleepy vocals draw you deep into the cosmos.

SAVANNAH POPE
Freeway
Savannah Pope is firing us into the weekend with some classic rock. That complimentary duo of wailing vocals and crunching guitars serves Freeway well, echoing Pope’s pain as she struggles to exit the road before coming to an untimely end.

PSYRENA
Jedi Master
You can’t help but feel a great disturbance in the Force when listening to Jedi Master. Part electro-pop anthem, part computer game madness, Psyrena throws everything she has at this track… it’s as if the fate of the galaxy depends on it.

SAM BROOKES
Sinking Boats
Sinking Boats by Sam Brookes is a brooding and undulating slice of bluesy folk which damns the uncaring and imagines a world in which child refugees aren’t left to drown on our shores.

MARGOT
Walk With Me
There’s a wistful feel to Walk With Me by Margot which makes it ideal listening on a dreary autumn day. Dig a little deeper and there’s also an important message about depression and the power of talking.

LUCY MCWILLIAMS
Runaway
A cascading vocal which never tumbles out of control introduces Runaway by Lucy McWilliams. That voice is very much at the heart of this song, written during lockdown, with a bossa nova rhythm helping to keep things swaying along for the Irish artist.

KYLE DANIEL
This American Dream
Co-written with Dylan Altman and Will Hoge, there’s a rough edge to Kyle Daniel’s This American Dream which should appeal to fans of everyone from Chris Stapleton to Bruce Springsteen – and the more ears on this message of unity the better.

Words: Duncan Haskell

Listen to these songs and other On The Stereo selections via the Songwriting Magazine Spotify #ONTHESTEREO playlist.

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