Category Archives: Music

New music by emerging artists.

“Fake It” by Graham Czach
5
Apr

Versatile Chicago-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Graham Czach fuses modern and progressive rock sensibilities with pop-like hooks and socially conscious message-driven music. His new EP Star By Star is rich with atmospherically heavy tones and lush bass grooves.

Having played music for the last 27 years, he is an original, wildly creative, and accomplished composer, upright-electric bassist, vocalist, and guitarist. Citing influences such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Muse, Jeff Buckley, Tool, Coldplay, Mars Volta, and more, Czach effortlessly mixes elements of classic psychedelic rock, progressive, and 90’s grunge into a refreshingly unique sound.

Czach has been a big part of The Windy City music scene for a number of years playing bass with Hey Champ, Chicago Afrobeat Project, the Chicago Diamond Trio, Secondhand Smoke (Sublime Tribute), and many other bands. Czach currently resides in Chicago while making the transition to Los Angeles, where his passion and philosophy behind the music is to touch, unite, and make a difference in people’s lives by spreading lasting universal messages through the only universal language: music.

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“Fake It” by Graham Czach

Graham Czach Cover Art resized

Image and mp3 courtesy of Kyle Pacynski, Radio and Online Publicity, The Planetary Group

“Take My Hand” by Crystal Sister
4
Apr

Crystal Sister is the lo-fi, synth-pop project of Los Angeles-based musician and songwriter, Sonya Bender. The self-titled debut EP showcases the songs “Take My Hand”, “Suicide Love”, and “Inside My Heart.” The tracks were produced by Daniel Luttrell (Sky Ferreira & Nikka Costa).

With a wide array of layered vocals, shimmering synths, and fresh, insightful lyrics, Bender takes life’s darker experiences and transforms them into something redemptive and uplifting. Inspired by 90’s slow jams she grew up with, Crystal Sister “rediscovers the intimacy and vulnerability that music can express and the bond that it can create with the listener.”

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“Take My Hand” by Crystal Sister

Crystal Sister Album Art

Image and mp3 courtesy of Jeanne Beck PR via bandcamp.

“Can’t Take Me Under” by Cable Street Collective
4
Apr

Formed in 2012, Cable Street Collective combine catchy tunes with dance-inspired beats and a whole host of other sounds from in and around their home bases in East London and Brixton.

The band have enjoyed airtime on XFM and played at a series of high profile festivals including Bestival, the Isle of Wight Festival, Secret Garden Party, Boomtown Fair and the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi.

Their debut EP The Best of Times was released on February 16, 2015.

Cable Street Collective are: Dave, Rowan, Tristan, Ash, Fiona and Alex.

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“Can’t Take Me Under” by Cable Street Collective

Cable Street Collective 1

Image and mp3 courtesy of Andrea Lynch of Blue Soap Music Professional Radio Plugging and Music PR

“Always Be With You” by Saint James Band
4
Apr

Los Angeles’ Saint James Band has premiered their sweet folk-pop single “Always Be With You” on The Vinyl District.

The album of the same name was released on March 24, 2015. You may preview the full album via SoundCloud.

George Castrinos, leader of the Saint James Band, was destined to play guitar and was born to a life as a musician. Castrinos explains, “When I was a kid my guitar was my higher power, and when I would play the notes, the sound and tones I would get from it would give me purpose.”

Rooted in this purpose, the Saint James Band’s debut album Always Be With You runs rich with Americana folk-rock, intricate finger picking, roots-influenced slide guitar, and twangy hard-driven blues. Castrinos resides in Los Angeles, and often records in a studio whose walls once housed Orson Welles, which was also used as an echo chamber for classic recordings by Elvis and Bing Crosby.

Castrinos is also heavily influenced by Johnny Winter, Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Mississippi John Hurt, and other luminary players. Tales of redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and love are the subjects of his songwriting.

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“Always Be With You” by Saint James Band

SJB Always Be With You

Image and mp3 courtesy of Jennifer Thorington & Samuel Markus of Working Brilliantly

“All I Need” by The Little Secrets
4
Apr

Indie-pop duo The LIttle Secrets recently released the single “All I Need” on Edge Hill University’s The Label Recordings, headed up by The Farms’ Carl Hunter.

Liverpool’s The Little Secrets are Kevin Dixon and Stacy Jo. Formed in 2010, Jo was singing with another band when Dixon spotted her and decided to ‘steal’ her for his new project. After two years of writing together and experimenting with different line-ups and sounds, the pair hit on their infectious slice of pop, echoing the likes of Camera Obscura and BMX Bandits.

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“All I Need” by The Little Secrets

The Little Secrets 3

Image and mp3 courtesy of Andrea Lynch of Blue Soap Music Professional Radio Plugging and Music PR

“Please Try” by Arthur Fowler
3
Apr

Raised on the east side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, acid-folk jazz-rock singer-songwriter, Arthur (Art) Fowler, keeps mining his sound from his long time interests in Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix, psychedelic icon Jerry Garcia, and Latino megastar Carlos Santana. His songwriting may evoke Neil Young, or James Taylor, but his vocal style also draws on classic sounds like Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday.

In college town cover bands and jazz jams, while studying literature and languages, Fowler collaborated with the likes of band leader Mark Schlaefer. He joined acclaimed vocalist Eva Denia’s first jazz ensemble as she was beginning her career in Valencia, Spain, and neighboring resort cities on the Mediterranean coast. In Valencia, Fowler also studied with one of Spain’s top jazz guitarists, Joan Soler.

Fowler is now playing jazz, blues, and pop in Tokyo (Shinjuku) in various settings including the acoustic folk and rock band AJA with one of Tokyo’s foremost Irish fiddlers, multi-instrumentalist Jim Ediger, and bassist Alan Gleason.

His album What’s Keeping Me Going was released on February 14, 2014. Have a listen to the original tracks via SoundCloud.

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“Please Try” by Arthur Fowler

Art Fowler CD Cover

Image and mp3 courtesy of Matt Bacon, Intern at Independent Music Promotions

“Sirens” by Hydrogen Child
3
Apr

Shreveport, Louisiana-based, shimmer-pop band, Hydrogen Child (formerly Super Water Sympathy), have released the song “Sirens” as their new single.

Influenced as much by the cypress and bayou surroundings of Caddo Parish as their love of the soundscapes of Sigur Ros and the 80s-influenced alt-pop of The Killers, Hydrogen Child blends electronic sheen with rock n’ roll drive. With “Sirens” as the beacon for their next stretch of long road, the band hopes their music will inspire others to keep moving and keep dreaming.

Members include Ansley Rimmer (Vocals), Clyde Hargrove (Guitar), Chris Rimmer (Bass), Jason Mills (Keyboards), and Hali Kha (Drums).

Have a listen to “Sirens” and “Close Your Eyes” via SoundCloud. Plus, watch the video for “Sirens” via YouTube.

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“Sirens” by Hydrogen Child

Hydrogen Child Sirens Album Art

Image and mp3 courtesy of Alex Steininger of In Music We Trust PR

“Brown Eyes” by The New Southern Electrikk
3
Apr

The New Southern Electrikk, recently signed to Louder Than War Records, have released a the single “Brown Eyes“, along with its video. Inspired by girl groups of the sixties, the song tells the tale of lost love from the perspective of the band’s songwriter and keys player Rikki Turner.

Drawing inspiration from psychedelia, krautrock and post-punk, The New Southern Electrikk craft dark, mesmerisingly beautiful melodies driven by grinding, sexy undertones. Monica Ward’s vocals can be as ethereal as they are deep and soulful. Zach Davies’ flowing guitar shimmers over Steven Tajti’s gritty, throbbing basslines with Rikki Turner’s keys and backing vocals providing a darker edge. Jim Correy’s drumming is brooding and purposeful.

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“Brown Eyes” by The New Southern Electrikk

The New Southern Electrikk

Image and mp3 courtesy of Andrea Lynch of Blue Soap Music Professional Radio Plugging and Music PR

Cover art: “Frida With the Rainbow Tears” used with the kind permission of Femke Huurdeman

“Holy Freedom” by Nadine Zureikat
30
Mar

Nadine Zureikat is an indie songstress, pianist and guitarist. She writes and performs in a variety of genres. According to the 24 year old singer-songwriter by night and architect by day, her favorite thing in life is to “write songs that make the audience see what I saw, hear what I heard , and feel what I felt.” As far as she is concerned, life is a song.

A sample of original tracks can be found on soundcloud. The track ” Sweet Escape” will be released via TronTronic Entertainment.

Acoustic original songs can be found here.

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“Holy Freedom” by Nadine Zureikat

Nadine Zureikat

Image and mp3 courtesy of Nadine Zureikat

“Barrel, Trigger, Gun” by Gayle Skidmore
23
Mar

Six-time San Diego Music Award nominee, Gayle Skidmore, is following up her latest full-length and coloring book combo Sleeping Bear (winner of the “Best Pop Album” in the 2014 San Diego Music Awards) with two new songs, live staples that have been requested by fans to be able to purchase: “Rag Doll” and “Barrel, Trigger, Gun.”

Recently, her song “Paper Box” was featured on HBO’s new show Looking.

Classically trained on the piano from the age of four, Skidmore started writing songs at age eight and, to date, has written more than two thousand songs. She also plays over twenty instruments including guitar, piano, the mountain dulcimer, banjo, folk harp, and balalaika. She also composes parts for her cellist and violinist. Furthermore, she does the artwork for her albums.

In 2014 her cover of “Lola” by The Kinks, a collaboration with Brandon O’Connell (of Singing Serpent), was placed on a national commercial. In addition, she has co-written ads for Facebook, Target, and many others.

Skidmore has opened for the likes of Jason Mraz, Lisa Loeb, Sean and Sara Watkins (of Nickel Creek), Sam Phillips, Grant-Lee Phillips, Coeur d’Pirate, and many others. She has recorded with such artists as The Softlightes, Bushwalla, Jason Mraz, and Tyrone Wells, and branched out into several genres including electronic swing, indie rock, and classical music.

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“Barrel, Trigger, Gun” by Gayle Skidmore

Barrel Trigger Gun Album Art resized

Image and mp3 courtesy of Alex Steininger of In Music We Trust PR via bandcamp