In this edition of Up and Becoming, I’ll be exploring songs from artists George Pelham, Younger Hunger, Nightshifts, fern and A Girl Called Eddy. Let’s see why you should be giving these tracks a listen:
George Pelham
Be Myself
A shorter song to start off this edition of ‘Up and Becoming’ courtesy of George Pelham. Instantly this song makes me feel motivated with it’s funky guitar work and a bass you can’t stop yourself tapping your foot along to. There’s definitely a ‘fan-favourite-Eurovision-entry’ vibe and sound that comes from this song, and Pelham’s vocals are a perfect fit for the perkiness and easy-going nature of this track. He promotes a message of self-acceptance, which is refreshing to hear in an industry with a tendency to lean towards love songs and more melancholy tunes. Overall, this is a solid song.
Younger Hunger
Pray 4 U
The intro to this song gave me a nostalgic vibe right off the bat, similar to an 80s summer roadtrip. The strong vocal work in this track just works so well with the laid back vibe provided by the instrumentation, and it reminds me of other bands like Foster the People and potentially The Magic Gang in terms of sound, yet with it’s own unique twist. One part of the song I’m particularly fond of is the drumming, which is powerful yet subtle in a way that it lifts the song from being ‘good’ to ‘great’. The overall sound of this song is amazingly indie, and I recommend giving it a listen.
Nightshifts
Kicks
Yet another track with a vintage vibe to it with the use of subtle guitar. I get a strong holiday vibe from this song with the use of the unique chords, which remind me of chords that other artists of this genre, such as Dayglow among others, are fond of using because of their chilled yet funky sound. The use of an echo on the vocals makes the song sound more like a fond memory of a summer you wish you could return to, or a dream of a fun day out with friends you don’t want to wake up from. I could listen to this song everyday and it wouldn’t lose any of it’s charm, and that’s one of the reasons why you should give it a listen.
fern
Wasting Time
I’m going strong with the rhythmic and funky guitar work today aren’t I? This song feels like it belongs in a coming of age film, with the use of a clicking sound adding a more charming human element to the tune and the quiet and echoed vocal giving it an “overwhelmed” vibe. Although the song itself sounds very cheerful, the use of the higher-pitched vocals towards the end provided me with a more ‘disoriented’ feel which somehow worked with the song very well alongside the rest of its ‘coming of age’ atmosphere. It reminds me of trying new things and going to new places, being initially confused and panicked. The song manages to convey this feeling very well while maintaining it’s perky tune.
A Girl Called Eddy
Jody
The resident ‘odd one out’ of the list. Compared to the four other songs reviewed here, this song has a more relaxed and ‘traditional’ style of instrumentation that sounds like a live studio session. It reminds me of when older bands perform fan favourites loud, showing the more ‘mature’ vibe of the song. The ‘big band’ sound of the song also attracted me to the track due to my own love of the music of artists like Frankie Valli and Stevie Wonder, so when I heard brass, I was hooked. The chill drumming and use of more ‘mystical’ sounds also screams ‘Fleetwood Mac’ at me (think songs like Gypsy and Sarah). The layered vocals also make the song sound more ‘full’ and lively, with backing vocals further adding to this. This is one jazzy and groovy track I think is easy to get behind if you’re a fan of older music.
Summary:
Once again, 4/5 of these songs have the potential to be bigger radio hits and justifiably so. Feel good songs like ‘Be Myself’ and ‘Kicks’ have an addictive beat to them that you jusy want to move or hum along to, whereas ‘Wasting Time’ and ‘Pray 4 U’ have a more desperate sound to them disguised by a happy façade, all the while still wholly enjoyable tunes. ‘Jody’, on the otherhand, is more of a laid-back song aimed more at those who are fans of older music and a more ‘traditional’ and non-electronic approach to music, but still stands strong as a great tune. My personal favourite has to be ‘Kicks’ by Nightshift – the calm and chilled vibe the song provides just makes me feel rather wholesome, and the tune is catchy and I can’t help myself just jiving along to it.
Listen to this week’s Up and Becoming playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6sh3VKaNrjpgYrG5HaKOV9?si=pGN0pkHeToKk56M0nujghw
Listen to the complete Up and Becoming playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1rmB0CbDw6kadB0hfgv3oc?si=x_8UCt37SKSIX3I3Ohlqyw
