Page 51 - 367639 LP248834 NE Volume Magazine (170mm x 245mm 52pp) October 2022
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CORTNEY DIXON 'BIG DEAL' SINGLE
NE VOLUME RATING:
WILL SIMPSON ‘TAPES FROM A TRAILER’ EP
SARAH JOHNSONE 'HURRICANE' SINGLE
Festival season may be over but that doesn’t mean the party has to end. Thanks to Cortney Dixon’s new single, ‘Big Deal’, you can still experience that festival feeling
NE VOLUME RATING:
Taking a mixed bag of ideas and productions, the new release from Will Simpson feels perhaps more like a collection of great ideas than it does one cohesive
NE VOLUME RATING:
Following up some of the spiker indie moments of her February single, ‘I Don’t Wanna be Your Girl’, Sarah Johnsone returns with even more electric guitar
long after the tents have been packed away and the summer sun has turned into autumn winds and rain. Inspired by post- relationship heartache, the song focuses on the fact that although a break-up is
sad, it’s not actually that big of a deal, and when you realise that, then life moves on and a new chapter starts. With big beats, high-energy guitars and Cortney’s dreamy and powerful vocals, this song is going to be a Big Deal for audiences as it becomes loud and proud anthem of fierce and fiery feel-good rock. Yet another out-of-the- park hit for Dixon, this new release shows exactly why she’s gaining momentum within the industry. You can listen to ‘Big Deal’ now on all major streaming platforms. GEORGINA SHINE
SPILT MILK
‘OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND’ SINGLE
NE VOLUME RATING: Featuring a trio
of brothers from Gateshead, Split Milk is not your average quartet, and so doesn’t produce any old average sound. Their latest
single, ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’, is both an introduction for new bassist Zack Halpin as well as a development of their previous indie tones by introducing piano and complex vocals into the mix - and it really works. Not shying away from new things, this year has seen the band move into a flat together, attend Newcastle University and work towards their individual futures as a collective unit. “This is a bit of a new direction for the band and it's one we’re really enjoying,” says Oscar, the band's enigmatic lead singer. “Working on intricate guitar lines and piecing together tight-knit harmonies is the thing we enjoy most about our songwriting”. And with fear that they might be retreating to their books in favour of live appearances, we’re already assured this is not the case, with gigs lined up at The Cluny 2, NE Volume Music Bar and Sunderland’s Independent over
the coming few months. You can listen to ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ now on all major streaming platforms. GEORGINA SHINE
EP. Moving across moments of dark trip-hop (‘Take What is Yours’ and ‘Gigatronic Message’), and into elements of gothic, electro-rock
(‘Arc Angel’ feels like it could be a B-side
from Depeche Mode’s ‘Songs of Faith and Devotion’), with layers of acoustic and metal on the side (the acoustic Stone Temple Pilots feel of ‘Ugly on the Outside’ is a particular favourite), Simpson gives us plenty of insights into the strings on his bow, but perhaps one
of the missing strings is the ability to batch ideas and sounds together. It may be a distant reference, but ‘Tapes from a Trailer’ feels close in spirit with the Michael Hutchence solo album: there’s lots of darkness (whether that be electronic or instrument-based), lots of great ideas and production, it’s just missing a solid structure. You can listen to ‘Tapes from a Trailer’ now on all major streaming platforms. DAMIAN RONINSON
THE INKLINGS
‘THE TUNNEL AT THE END OF THE LIGHT’ ALBUM
jangles on new single, ‘Hurricane’. Starting
off with a minute of delicately sung, almost lullaby-like melodies, ‘Hurricane’ begins with lovely elongated guitar riffs and stretched-out and deliberately slowed-down soulful vocals in the style of Duffy or Amy Winehouse. Picking up the pace and the temp from a minute in, ‘Hurricane’ shifts to interesting rhythm patterns and structures as the tune metamorphoses from a soulful composition into a jangling and spiky piece of indie-pop. Using the ever-increasing tempo as a vehicle to carry the core emotional message of the song, the second half of ‘Hurricane’ sees Johnsone deliver a variety of strong vocal lines before ending with a final climactic electric guitar burst. A strong all-rounder, ‘Hurricane’ takes risks and avoids the obvious and safe route. You can listen to ‘Hurricane’ now on all major streaming platforms.
DAMIAN ROBINSON
CONSTELLATION PRIZE 'PALM SPRINGS' SINGLE
a
NE VOLUME RATING:
All songs were self- written, performed and produced
by the band, and everything to the artwork on the album was itself produced by a local artist, reinstilling
NE VOLUME RATING:
Summer may be coming to a close but that doesn’t mean it has to end as you can keep that summer feeling all year round thanks to Constellation
the need for this band to celebrate and support the North East. Self-described as a music collective, it’s tracks like ‘Staring at the Sun’ that make their strongest impact, especially with the overriding pounding of drum and bass and those thundering vocals. Songs like ‘Judgement Day’ have a sense of playfulness to them, again equally bass and drum-led, with a very clear ‘50s influence. ‘Poundshop Jesus’ could almost be from a different artist with its rap-like lyrical assault telling of a (possibly) fictitious character who boasts of his own self-wealth and virtue. But the standout track is ‘Stop’, perhaps not least as the closing drum tattoo was performed by Tracey Sneddon, a long-time Inklings friend who passed away from cancer just a few days after it was recorded. The album is officially released on Saturday 22nd October at our own NE Volume Music Bar in Stockton.
DAMIAN ROBINSON
Prize. The electro synth-pop dream duo have released their newest single, ‘Palm Springs’ - and it has got everything you could want from a sensational summer sonic escape. This is a sun-soaked treat that will take you to your own private getaway filled with synth, sea and all the good times you could want. Whether you want a soundtrack to your end of summer, or you’re looking for some California feel- good vibes to take away those autumn/ winter blues, then you need to grab your first-class ticket on Constellation Prize airways and fly away with your pilots Rich and Stephie. So kick back, relax, and get ready to head to Palm Springs for all of your feel-good musical needs. You can listen to ‘Palm Springs’ now on all major streaming platforms. GEORGINA SHINE
ALBUM REVIEWS // NE VOLUME MAGAZINE // 51
