Author: Ellis Walker

As a Central Texas native — Natalie Jane Hill began writing songs upon moving to the Blue Ridge Mountains. While Natalie was immersed in the primitive folk scene, she conceived her very own fingerpicking style.

After spending some time in the southeast, Natalie’s performances have ranged from farm festivals to eclectic house shows. Her songs are intricately layered with melodious and descriptive introspective thought.

And now, here is “Emerald Blue” — one of our favorite tracks off of Natalie’s debut, full-length record release.

Nature plays a significant role in the inspiration of Natalie’s album, while also providing melodious depth to each and every track. Natalie’s debut record is a poetic ode to the cyclical changing of seasons, as well as the memories that tie into them.

Using the natural acoustics in the studio space, the vision of the album came together quite naturally. Above all else, Azalea depicts passing moments, subtle revelations, and quiet truths. In short, an overarching truth of nature that seems to intertwine the artist with the natural world.

Natalie’s brother Logan Hill mixed and mastered the record at Hilltop Media in Redding, California.

The London-based Shattercones’ delicious recipe includes an old slide guitar, a viola with some radical loops, a driving drum machine, some pompous tom-toms, an analog synth, guitars, and vocals you’d expect to hear reverberating throughout the underground scene of Berlin circa 2009.

As one walks through the valley of death, and there meets the devil, a bell will toll, and one will remember the haunting vibrations of a sound he forgot long ago.

Indeed, I’m talking of Shattercone’s “Oppenheimer” from the new Oppenheimer EP. The track is the band’s debut video release.

“Oppenheimer” is a song that is brimming with gritty cinematic landscapes, claustrophobic rooms of darkness, and nostalgic images bursting with ultraviolence, regret, and heartbreaking loss… Now here, give it a listen all you filthy animals.

The symmetrical vibrations of Shattercones’ latest track is a sacrilegious homage to the gods of the underground. What was once considered sacred, is nothing more now than a worthless tune, few are able to remember.

As we walk deeper into the darkness of the unknown in search of beauty, may we always remember the melody so many of us forgot long ago.

Now, back to the music. Yes, the psychedelic project has also played the O2 Kentish Town Forum, 1865 Southampton, and SWX Bristol in the past, pre-COVID-19. Oh, how we lament the golden glow of past ages.

The British project draws from the same waters as Suicide, Dirty Three, and John Coltrane.

The underground ensemble brings a uniquely fresh and occasionally unhinged feeling in the deepest and darkest rooms of our being, that feeling that will keep you on the edge of your seat until that final note is uttered.

Listen to Shattercones’ new EP, here. And be sure to give the band a follow on Spotify! We cannot wait to hear what they have in store for us in the near dystopian future that seems to be playing out. Hold on tight, because it’s going to be a wild ride.

Novelty Island is the imaginative mind child of Tom McConnell – an avant-garde artist who was raised between Liverpool and Newcastle – but is now based out of London

Novelty Island’s sound is a mythical conglomeration of traditional songwriting, classic psychedelia, experimental electronica of a warped nature, and psychedelic surrealism.

“…Beyond the tranquil nature of Magdapio Falls, where the Saturn Alarms ring out through the night, there is a much mythicized location. A location so dangerous, so remote, so beyond comprehension – with an image so tarnished that each generation fears it more than the last…” – Tom McConnell

Tom’s new EP, “Welcome To Novelty Island” features the catatonic yet always eclectic Magdapio Falls, Saturn Alarms and Windows.

The live incarnation of Novelty Island also includes Tom’s other-half Frankie Tibbles on keys, David Dargahi on guitar and Harry Carter on the percussion end. 

Tom also creates radical visuals for the never-ending Instagram feed – instagram.com/_noveltyisland. 

Barland Garnett is the alter ego of Brooklyn-based experimental producer, Thomas Murphy.

His unique sound is stained by a combination of circuits, machines, and warped orchestral instruments.

Barland’s music was conceived from the fusion of primitive forest dawns and the creaks of abandoned factories in the late-night hours.

This particular track (Private Paradise) was manufactured from an Organelle, Arp 2600, Minimoog, MOOD, SH-101, Guitar skronk, and features the subtle magic of Sophie Chernin.

Barland Garnett’s track is a shoegaze slow-burner infused with lo-fi elements of dream pop, avant-garde indie, and a sensual sensation that transports one to a faraway beach, with a cloudy cocktail in hand.

The sound is a nostalgic throwback to a warm time of mystery and hopeless romance. A sleepy waltz into the hazy mist of a cloudy room. It’s quite simply, sublime.

Barland has recently embarked upon an infinite stream of singles. Soundscapes distilled from the urban Brooklyn air. Give him a follow on Instagram.

Dissolve in Sepia is an electronic project based out of Brazil comprised of composer and experimental producer, Ramon Fassina.

The project exploits field recordings, tape loops, real-time tape processing, and hardware synthesizers.

The delicate soundscape of the collection diverges, to create an immersive and emotional experience full of a resonating peace that seems to typify the lo-fi element of experimental folk music. It’s a transcendental experience.

“Between Violet and Green” is the beautiful closing track on the project’s new vinyl collective featuring ten other unique experimental producers.

Dissolve in Sepia utilizes synthesizers and acoustic instruments to create beautiful soundscapes and unique rhythms that are infused with feelings of nostalgia and glowing warmth.

The album is an ambient collection of droning soundscapes and beautiful ambient music that seems to shimmer throughout the ocean of cosmic vibrations. You can find it on the creative label’s website Mystery Circles.