On The Stereo #70

Richard Fairlie: a dynamic fusion of fierce beats and soulful vocals

It’s time to check out some new music from Richard Fairlie, Julia Jacklin, MOY, Mesadorm, Porij, Butterfly Ali and more

RICHARD FAIRLIE
The Edge
Described by some as “hip-pop”, the music made by Richard Fairlie is a dynamic fusion of fierce beats and soulful vocals. That combination is very much present on The Edge, a carefully crafted song which broods and blazes in equal measure.

BUTTERFLY ALI
5 Minutes
On 5 Minutes Titus Makin (aka Butterfly Ali) puts the ‘fun’ in ‘Funkadalic’. Channelling George Clinton’s legendary outfit, with a little Bruno Mars thrown in for good measure, this is a modern funk song to get toes, young and old, tapping.

MESADORM
Take Me To A Place
The second single to be released from Mesadorm’s forthcoming album, Take Me To A Place tackles the guilt and negative connotations of being White British. That soul-searching takes place under a blanket of dazzling synths and drum loops, but the message is never lost.

MOY
At My Door
Right from the off, with a monster guitar riff stalking the listener with every lumbering stride, At My Door demands attention. This latest single from MOY’s is a grungy delight which ebbs, flows and makes you want to hear a whole lot more.

DREW HALEY
Wildflower
Taken from her new EP, Wildflower, Fool To Remember is a country-tinged ballad centred around Drew Haley’s confiding vocals. Guitars, drums and fiddle are all considerately arranged to provide an ideal accompaniment.

ANOTHER MICHAEL
New Music
On New Music by Another Michael, a finger-picked guitar gently gets things going and is soon joined by Michael Doherty’s brittle and beautiful voice. The song continues to grow from there, reaching a kaleidoscopic crescendo of harmony and instrumentation.

PORIJ
Dirty Love
Dirty Love is the new single from Manchester-based quartet Porij. Though it could be described as ‘electro-pop’ there’s far more going on under its sonic bonnet. So strap yourselves in for this rainbow-fuelled adventure.

MARIE NAFFAH
California
A trippy mood descends upon California as it drifts across from America’s West Coast back to Marie Naffah’s London home. With lyrics taken from her diary entries cities and countries (turned into people) show up to a ball and reveal their true colours.

LIFE ON PLANETS & TAYLOR BENSE
Freq Talk
With a beat drawn from the cosmos and a gravelly vocal that sounds like the after-effects of drinking ground meteorites, Freq Talk by Life On Planets & Taylor Bense has us bouncing in our chairs this morning – who could ask for more.

JULIA JACKLIN
To Perth, Before The Border Closes
The refrain of ‘everything changes’ on To Perth, Before The Border Closes is something of a personal mantra for Julia Jacklin which helps her accept life’s perpetual motion. Similar strength can be taken from the track’s slow build and calming presence.

Words: Duncan Haskell

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

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