Best New Indie Music Discoveries (7/22/2021) – “Fastracks” 12

Ireland-based artist Gavin Murphy presents his new single ‘Alive’, a ‘chin-up’ anthem for our times when depression has become so rampant in this age of lockdown. The new track comes hot on the trails of the single ‘The Sound of Heartbreak’.

Murphy involved a strong team with respect to both tracks, including producer / mixer Ger McDonnell (The Cure, U2, Van Morrison, Martha Wainwright, Shane McGowan, Sinead O’Connor). While ‘Alive’ was mastered by Stephen Ceresia at Stonyfield Mastering, ‘The Sound of Heartbreak’ was mastered by Frank Arkwright (Elton John, The Smiths, Coldplay, Blur, Arcade Fire) at Abbey Road, London. Robbie Malone (David Gray) plays bass, while Paul Byrne is on drums and Saoirse Kavanagh on backing vocals.

“My new single ‘Alive’ is about embracing the positives in life. To witness the sunrise at dawn is a beautiful heartwarming experience. Appreciating the simple pleasures in life and reflecting upon good memories, can help us through difficult times,” says Gavin Murphy.

“On the other hand, ‘The Sound of Heartbreak’ is a rite of passage that nobody escapes. You suffer from it, you inflict it – don’t kid yourself otherwise. It will keep happening until you learn from it and finally make peace with the scars”.

Hailing from Dublin’s north side, Gavin Murphy now resides in Sligo on Ireland’s north-west coast. Beginning with his debut self-recorded and self-produced album ‘45 RPM (Replay Past Memories)’, Murphy has been honing his sound and harvesting melodic guitar-based Indie pop-rock goodness, characterized by bittersweet lyrics and catchy melodies. Inspired by feelings rooted in nostalgia and moving melodies, Murphy cites Crowded House as a strong influence.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to self release my own music and to hear the songs being played on the radio and receiving such positive feedback,” says Gavin Murphy.

“As a self employed musician it’s been a real struggle throughout the restrictions being unable to play live music, with musicians’ careers having come to a stand still. To help me get through these uncertain times, I’ve tried to focus on the most important things in life.”

Miranda Joan is a Canadian neo-soul and pop singer and songwriter born in Montréal and raised in Vancouver. Joan uses her multicultural upbringing from both French and English backgrounds as well as her reverence of music legends such as Stevie Wonder and Carole King and contemporary artists such as Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak and Emily King to craft a diverse and fresh sound in her music.

Joan recently returned to Vancouver after living in NYC where she performed on national tours and played sold-out shows at venues such as the Guggenheim, Joe’s Pub and The Town Hall and has been a headliner at well-known NYC venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, Rough Trade, and National Sawdust. In 2019 she performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival with the Orchestre National de Jazz, led by Sly5thAve in a tribute to Dr. Dre. Joan is a co-host and co-founder of Brooklyn’s Femme Jam (NYC’s first all-female led jam session) as well as a music mentor with the non-profit SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young where she works with kids 8-18 who stutter.

Miranda Joan has shared the stage and has worked with high-profile artists such as Andy Grammar, Brandon Victor Dixon (Hamilton), Christopher Jackson (Hamilton), Surf Mesa, Lorde and Shawn Mendes.

Dreamy melancholic shoegaze meets alt-pop singer/songwriter Catbells engages her listeners with soft hypnotic vocals, lush soundscapes, and moody melodies that capture her deep, heartfelt emotions in the most intimate of ways. Gifted with a voice like an angel, Catbells gently immerses her listeners into a world of sweet nostalgia and velvety sentiments.

The singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was introduced to the piano at age five, and by the 7th grade she was playing the guitar and writing songs about her middle school heartbreaks. After performing in several bands throughout her early music career, Catbells recently decided to focus on her own solo project.

Catbells is a somewhat enigmatic, shy wallflower type, with her name itself being an alter-ego. Named after the popular hiking spot recited in the famous children’s book The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter, Catbells’ cinematic music is influenced by the vast natural wild. Raised in New England, Catbells often revisits the times of her childhood in her music, where she reflects on fond memories of the seasons changing, swimming in the eastern lakes, canoeing down the river, and working on the family farm.

Her deeply personal and introspective single “Fade – Rainy Day Demo” is an intimate and open-hearted reflection of lost love. “The song really wrote itself and the music needed to match the feeling of how the words felt. There are few people who are lucky enough to escape the feeling of a completely broken heart, and feeling like the person you loved so much just moved on like it was nothing, leaving you left there with a hole where your heart once was” confides Catbells. This emotionally raw and poignant narrative and accompanying music video features innovative illustrations of a sad cat saying farewell in a starry evening background. While on the single “Wilderness” Catbells’ soft-powered honeyed vocals float above stripped down melodies and dreamy lush acoustic soundscapes. The track was mixed by acclaimed producer Ali Chant (Aldous Harding, Perfume Genius, Soccer Mommy).

With influences ranging from 60’s folk like Nico and Donovan to 90’s shoegaze artists including Mazzy Star, Catbells has combined the best of these genres into a potent fusion of lofi “sad girl” indie rock beloved by many.

Kashmira, 21, is from Pune, India. Recently launched her debut single, which will be followed by another single, and sometime soon, an album too! Started off with learning Indian music, however was always inclined towards western. Main influences include: Pearl Jam, Queen, ABBA, Celine Dion, Adele etc

Breakup Films are the outcome of a teenagehood that stands between the days of Myspace and the dreamy, surf-inspired sound of today. Their debut EP “My Head is Always Somewhere Else”, places you right in this tangent, where the pessimistic and optimistic are met to create an ever-pondering mindset.

Breakup Films’ songs are all contrast – warm but polished, hazy but punchy, energetic yet soothing; infusing reverb-filled textures into straightforward, contemplative pop songwriting and vocal delivery inspired by emo and punk.

Originally established as the rising bedroom project of lead singer Ron Herscovici, Breakup Films’ 2nd single “What Would You Do?” began spreading quickly across Latin America and Europe with its release, hitting playlists and radio stations, topped with entering Spotify’s all-genre “Fresh Finds”.

In a series of 4 home-recorded and produced singles, Breakup Films managed to gain a steady fanbase and over 400K streams on popular music streaming services, building anticipation among indie kids longing to hear more of their modern-nostalgic sound.

Ultimately growing tired of writing all alone, Ron gathered new and old friends Shelly Reizis, Noam Debel and Hai Barbi, all skilled musicians helping to shape Breakup Films into something dynamic and fully-fledged, bringing in their personal influences and experiences to create a time capsule of their early-20’s, accordingly titled “My Head is Always Somewhere Else”.