New release radar - February 2024

Taking a look at some of the best new tracks released in February 2024: 

Rasmus Fynbo - A Summer Day In April

This was released at the tail end of January 2024, but I missed it then so am including it as part of my February releases because it absolutely deserves some attention. Rasmus is a Danish artist with an extensive repertoire of beautiful, varied, melodically rich indie-pop that blends in influences from Balkan folk, cabaret, country and western into extremely rewarding, easy listens. The latest single here is a light, breezy piece of perfect pop with luscious vocals, soft blowing harmonies and acoustic instrumentation that skips gently like a skimming stones across a lake on a warm summer day. Once you dip your toe into this track, I thoroughly urge you to take a deep dive into his back catalogue which is a treasure trove of delights that you will return to time and again.  

True Foxes - Pleasure Has A Sting In It's Tail (Solaar remix) / Higher

Cornwall's True Foxes stand as an excellent example to all DIY musicians about the values of hard work having been dubbed as the "hardest working band" in their native Cornwall and racking up gigs in over 200 increasingly prestigious venues in 2023. Their blend of bluegrass, folk and classic pop songwriting is a winning formula drawing comparisons to the likes of Stevie Nicks quite rightly. As evidence to their work ethic they have released 2 tracks this month - their single "Higher" which is a great example of their trademark sound, but also featuring on a house-infused remix by Solaar "Pleasure Has A Sting In It's Tail" which is something of a departure from their usual sound, but their rich vocal harmonies seem to have been an inevitable target for EDM producers to work with as where else do you source vocals of this quality? 

Marcellus Hall - So Over It

New track from a very interesting character that will certainly not be a household name to many in the UK, but already has a higher profile in the US. Hall is a freelance illustrator and musician. As an illustrator he has worked for Time, The New Yorker, Fortune and The Wall Street Journal among others. Impressive. Hall's music is rife with lyrical mastery and a satirical wit that certainly befits his contributions to the illustration world. The lyrics are visually evocative and cutting and here on this single they are set to a musical backing that reminds me of Evan Dando and The Lemonheads crossed with Del-Amitri - accessible, bright and intelligent fused with strong melody and rich harmonies. 

Bache and The Hitchhikers - You and Me

Another Cornwall artist making waves this month is Andrew Bache, who has a new track out and has been touring across the UK and parts of Europe with the aptly named "Hitchhikers" (although I believe they did hire a van this time!). An entertaining live show has always been the cornerstone of this act due to Andrew's natural personal charm and wit, but this single proves that he is also a strong songwriter and recording artist to boot. You and Me has echoes of another Cornish stalwart Ruarri Joseph's "Until The Luck Runs Dry" with it's rolling acoustic guitar riff, softly sung vocal and rich textures but halfway through the track takes a big upturn heading into an Oasis style solo with a Stereophonics vocal histronics resolution. 

Bad Flamingo - Fast

I was fortunate enough to discover this band through my own promotional efforts on my own latest single, whereby I was shared to a series of playlists placed directly next to this rather brilliant track. When talking about good playlist placements, this will certainly do the trick! Bad Flamingo's Fast has a dark, broody, alt-americana vibe that wouldn't be out of place on the soundtrack to one of the desert murder-burial montages in Breaking Bad. Wolves, Coyotes, The Devil at the crossroads, burning fires, tobacco spitting gunslingers all come to mind when listening to this track with it's slow burning acoustic guitars acting as a bed of ashes for a range of soaring mandolin riffs, power chord pulses and a husky, whiskey soaked lead female vocal that could've come straight from a Bristol 90s trip hop album. 

Bitmap - Do It Right

The once a month music releasing odyssey continues with latest track Do It Right which delivers on the mantra like hook of "Whatever I do I wanna do it right". Epic indietronica soundscape layers of robotic bass grooves, swirling synths, strumming guitars and mantra-like vocals abound from an absolute master in his class.   

Zoe Fegan - Half As Much

Only some very brief words about Zoe Fegan here, as I wrote a bigger review of this here, other than to reiterate that this is one of the stand out releases of February from Liverpool based newcomer Zoe, who blends the lyrical wit of Ray Davies, the pop hooks of Lily Allen into a folk-tinged acoustic masterclass.