Night Flight - It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas
At the close of a year which seemingly dedicated itself to uncertainty, London-based NIGHT FLIGHT voices the honest, coming-to-terms holiday feeling many of us are experiencing. Leading in with an already ruminative melody of light, bell-driven synth juxtaposed with a more cavernous effect from the electric guitar, “It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas” lives up to its bittersweet name almost immediately. The chorus is wrapped in the subtle, comforting rise of voices joining together, conveying a palatable presence of holiday sentimentality, even in the recognition that there is something different about the season. This track is a commentary on loss binding itself to Christmastime and the desire to once again experience the familiar glee surrounding the season. Photo by Jonny Ruff.
— Laney Esper on December 11, 2020
Henry Jamison - The Wilds
Henry Jamison is a storyteller at heart. It may be in his blood — his father, a classical composer, and his mother, an English professor — but Jamison is a writer and artist in his own right, evidenced by his debut album The Wilds (released October 27th). Beyond writing, recording and arranging the album all on his own, Jamison has a special ability to bring each track to life. Take his song, “The Wilds”: it’s instrumentally rich without being overbearing, letting Jamison’s narrative whisk you away. “The Wilds” sounds like an old-time American love story - unassuming and familiar, but nevertheless, still surprising.
— Natasha Cucullo on January 7, 2018
Moses Sumney - Plastic
Los Angeles genre-bending artist Moses Sumney released his gorgeous and ethereal debut album Aromanticism into the world this September. Sumney has made a big impression on artists like Solange and Sufjan Stevens for good reason. His infusion of soul and folk come together on this album in a way that leaves us begging for more. A prime example of this heavenly blend is found on the third song of the album, “Plastic.” A previous version of the song can be heard on the first season of Issa Rae’s HBO series, Insecure. This new version serves as one of the more simplistic songs on the album, featuring just a fingerpicked electric guitar, a synth and Sumney’s captivating voice. The hook of the song repeats the line “my wings are made of plastic,” each time sung in a slightly different way than it was before, continuing to imbue the phrase with new meaning. This song of vulnerability, self-awareness and secret-spilling is the kind that you can leave on repeat and get lost in for hours.
— Dara Bankole on October 22, 2017
