This Week’s Top 5 Indie Tracks: “Fastracks” 28

Indie-folk artist Aisha Badru builds atmospheric soundscapes deeply rooted in nature, spirituality, family and homecoming. Her dynamic new The Way Back Home EP is due out December 3 via Nettwerk Records.

The new single “Rooted,” a spacious sound bath of atmospheric synths and meditative vocals, honors the transformation she had to instigate herself. “Plant your feet upon the earth,” she sings. “Know your value, know your worth.” In adulthood, Aisha was a restless world-traveler, looking for the next place to be. These days she lives contently in her house outside of Orlando, Florida, with her partner and twin toddlers (one boy, one girl). “I never really had roots,” she explains. “We’re planting seeds and starting a garden. This is home. I’ve never felt this sense of home.”

Aisha’s humanistic confessionals have won more than 100M+ streams, a fan base in Europe, and the praise of publications such as NPR, who celebrated her “warm and inviting” approach. Lead single and EP title track “The Way Back Home” has earned acclaim spanning Apple Music Country, The Bluegrass Situation and many more.

Since releasing her debut album Pendulum, Aisha relocated from Yonkers, NY to her current home outside Orlando, where she lives sustainably and practices permaculture with her partner and her 1.5 year old twins. She is also using her platform to amplify this passion for environmentalism, teaming up with Nettwerk Records to plant trees with pre-saves of the albums & singles via a donation to the non-profit, One Tree Planted.

Toronto’s premiere buzz band, Wine Lips, have just released their latest full-length LP Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party on Montreal’s Stomp Records. Fans of psych, punk and garage rock will be salivating over this 11 track platter which delivers ferocious performances showcasing the band’s knack for tight beats, slick harmonies, and mesmerizing guitar licks. Accompanying the new album is their rock ‘n’ roll bloodbath of a video for the single In the Clear.

The video, which was directed by Ciarán Downes, filmed by Jamie Gagain and edited by Ciarán Downes and Taylor Lucas is a tongue in cheek look at overreactions and self-diagnosis. Singer Cam Hilborn describes the video by saying, “We wanted to play off a person’s reaction to some bad news but in a very over exaggerated way. The video follows a clown who has just been given news that he is an expecting father on a parody of the Maury Show. The result is the clown having a complete meltdown and going on a killing spree.”

Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party highlights the rhythmic symmetry that drummer Aurora Evans and Cam Hilborn have perfected over the course of creating their acclaimed recording catalogue. The album continues to deliver their brand of high energy, new-school, indie-tinged garage rock. Press have already been keenly anticipating the new album with rave reviews for their teaser-single “Eyes.” Spotify, Indie 88, Exclaim! Magazine, and Brooklyn Vegan have all been singing the praises of their new album, while college radio and Sirius XM have been building the on-air hype.

Inspired by the highs and lows of recent years, Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party sheds light on the band’s coping methods brought on by late nights, alcohol and promiscuity. Discussing the latest video Hilborn says, “In the Clear tells a story a few can likely relate to of feeling like a hypochondriac. When self diagnosis becomes alarming after researching symptoms on the world wide web and the results are of course interpreted to imply that death is around the corner. Then you work up enough courage to see the doctor only to have them tell you that you’re fine and that there was nothing to be worried about in the first place.”

Wine Lips is Cam Hilborn on guitar and vocals with Aurora Evans on drums, Jordan Sosensky on guitar and Charlie Weare on bass. The band’s highly anticipated new album Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party is a collection of psych-rock bangers that’ll surely win the hearts of fans longing for their brand of garage-rock-revival that draws influence from the likes of The Hives, Bad Nerves, Dead Kenedys, Thee Oh Sees, Idles, Ty Segall, Buzzcocks and Parquet Courts. The band spent most of their free time in 2020 writing and recording their phenomenal third full length record at The Sugar Shack in London, Ontario with Simon Larochette.

“The record is crazy! We really spent a lot of time getting the songs to sound exactly the way we wanted. I think this is the best stuff we’ve recorded and I’m super stoked with the end result!” says Hilborn.

Camielle was born in Los Angeles, so it should come as no surprise that she gravitated towards the Entertainment Business. At age eighteen, she had landed a role in her first movie. Over the next decade, Camielle was Featured in more than a dozen films, and TV shows, including NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2010.

She was the voice for several national TV and radio ads, ie: MTV, AT&T, TN State Lotto & Victoria’s Secret. Camielle relocated to Nashville in 2005, signing her third record deal in 2009. Camielle currently writes, and produces for TV/Film projects, and has three singles, (as an Artist & Producer) available for download on Spotify. Camielle plays piano and guitar, and has recently garnered some attention from major labels with her music videos and Remixes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht0yoOR-IIc

Described by Wakeman as “a song of apocalyptic optimism”, his latest single was written about an intense fear of space he developed in the grip of a mental breakdown; a strange two weeks in which he couldn’t physically open the curtains for fear of being overwhelmed by the sky.

As the motion passed in-time, Wakeman began to reflect on the existential meaning of what had happened and left him with the epiphany that: “it’s okay to not understand the meaning of everything…leaving some things a mystery is often where we can find magic in our lives” he says.

A song of contradictions and clarity, crippling paranoia and cathartic release, “Cosmic Fear” finds an artist facing his demons through the power of music and succeeding. A journey that winds through wobbling retrofied basslines that crawl up the walls, through enchanting duets with the Dreamstriders’ Charlotte Newman, to a euphoric and expansive climax of space-age synthesisers; “Cosmic Fear” captures all of the undulating drama of the narrative with a score just as unexpected. There’s even time for an pastoral-pop outro; a lush, string-laden coda that sets a drifting course towards infinite possibilities…

Recorded at Whitewood Studios, Liverpool by Danny Woodward (BC Camplight), “Cosmic Fear” was mastered by the legendary Pete Maher (U2).

“Cosmic Fear” is only the second single from experimental dream-pop band Jack Wakeman & The Dreamstriders. With music coursing through his family bloodstream (his grandad was once in a band with Mick Ronson), Wakeman has always known his true calling in life. Forging a successful career of his own in the Northwest of England as a bassist for some of the region’s finest acts, Wakeman notably cut his teeth over an 8 year stint playing sessions with the likes of The Fall, New Order, BC Camplight, Ethan & The Reformation, Granfalloon and Gabriel’s Wish.

Breaking away from his base in Manchester in search of a new sound and solo direction, his relocation to Glasgow soon led him to a band of like-minded souls: The Dreamstriders. Officially forming at the start of 2021, the band comprise Callum Edwards (Drums), Callum Shanks (Electric Guitar), Charlotte Newman (Acoustic Guitar/ Backing Vocals) and Elizabeth Read (Keyboards/ Backing vocals) and of course Wakeman at the forefront.

With The Dreamstriders bringing Wakeman’s visions into a lucid, technicolor focus; “Cosmic Fear” is just the latest in a clutch of extraordinary compositions from a band ready to defy expectations at every turn.

Kansas City, MO singer / songwriter IVORY BLUE has released their newest single, a guitar driven gem with yearning melodies and a challenge to face growth titled “Good Changes.” Exuding both an optimistic hope and hard-won satisfaction, “Good Changes” is the newest revelation from the stunning artist’s upcoming, debut LP, Compound Love.

“This song shows that not only are we prisoners but that it is our own fault that we remain entrapped in a world that controls who we can be.” – IVORY BLUE

IVORY BLUE lived a nomadic existence until settling in Kansas City, MO and becoming part of the local musical community. After winning a nationwide talent contest in 2017 Ivory Blue started having success with some national and international radio play which continues today.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Ivory began refining their performance style, using digital looping pedals to stack harmonies and guitar parts live on stage, giving their solo shows the feel of a full band. In 2011, Ivory settled in Kansas City, MO and quickly began attracting an intense regional following for their strong vocals and incisive, deeply personal lyrics.

By 2013, IVORY BLUE was playing regularly in and around Kansas City and the first EP Ready Get Set was released. in 2015. While the EP helped spread the word and got much attention from regional radio and TV stations, a big break would come in 2017.

Ivory entered NeXt2Rock, a nationwide talent search with over 1800 artists/bands who applied to find fresh and promising rock artists.

The top 5 national bands battled it off for the win in Los Angeles CA at the legendary Viper Room, with judges Scott Borchetta (BMLG), John Varvatos (fashion designer), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols Guitarist and Host of “Jonesy’s Jukebox”), Desmond Child (Musician, producer), Chris Lord-Alge (producer), Ivory Blue won over the judges and became the grand prize winner!

Ivory won the contest and a one-year record deal with BMLG who re-released the song “Ready Get Set” from the 2015 EP. Ivory’s 2018 re-release of “Ready Get Set” undauntedly received National and International airplay within weeks.

In February 2020 and after studying the craft of recording and self-producing, this amazing singer-songwriter with soaring vocals, passionate love for everyone struggling through life, released “Elite Dreamland.” There are no words to describe the incredible artistry behind this song. a single that hits your heart about understanding how it feels to be misunderstood in a world of people that seem to know what they are doing.

IVORY BLUE produces all the tracks except for Drums and Bass. Ivory is currently working with Lester Estelle (Drummer for Kelly Clarkson), Craig Kew (Bass), Kurt Festge (Mastering | Citizen Kane & Violent Femmes) and Nick Poortman (LA based Producer, Engineer, Mixer, and Songwriter). Nick has worked alongside producers including Justin Gray, Gil Norton, Big Tank, and Greg Haver on sessions throughout the USA, UK, Europe, and New Zealand.

On August 18th, 2021, Ivory Blue signed a publishing deal with Sound Ballistics Music & Publishing out of Atlanta, GA.

After releasing “Family Tables” on Sept 7th, 2021, Ivory Blue is releasing “Good Changes” on Oct 26th, 2021, and is currently finishing a full-length album Compound Love to be released in January 2022 as well as the Red Light EP later that year.

Who knows what is next for IVORY BLUE, but so far, every step has been accounted for to reach that vision that continues to push them to success.