Gold + Grey

F I N L A Y 

https://soundcloud.com/finlay_music/tides-1

One of 2017's rising pop artists FINLAY debuts something wildly vibrant and explosive. Her sophomore single, "TIDES", releasing independently Friday, March 3rd, is an undeniably infectious track. The single enchants the listener with beautifully haunting vocals laid atop energizing synth-based backbeats full of dynamism.

"TIDES began in our small apartment studio (I like to call it “Washer/Dryer Studios”…because that’s literally where our washer & dryer’s supposed to go.) My husband and lead producer, Chris, created the backline beat, and shortly after falling in love with the hook, I locked myself in my closet behind all my clothes and didn’t come out until I finished the lyrics. I’ve dreamt of island waters and vibrant coastlines my whole life, and TIDES serves as a sort of fresh and anthemic summer pop beat, giving the overall message that the most important relationships in life are the ones worth fighting for."

SOCIALS:

SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

S P E C T O R A L   / /   D A Y D R E A M I N G 

Hot off the success of his debut EP last year, Australian singer-songwriter Spectoral has returned to energise 2017. He's just dropped 'Daydreaming', a trip-hop and future bass inspired gem, the first in a string of new singles from the producer.

Spectoral is part of a movement of talented artists emerging from Down Under, forging their own independent successes without the assistance of the traditional label machine. The journey has been long but rewarding and the dark new single is the truest testament to that.

"Daydreaming is definitely a departure from the softer-edged soul of my first EP. This is my love letter to dark electronic trip-hop, flirting with future bass. The song is a total guilt trip, a fight with your conscience," says Spectoral.

Equally comfortable behind the knobs, keyboards and screens as he is in front of a mic, the young producer follows in the footsteps of great singer-songwriter producer idols, from James Blake to Bon Iver to Gotye.

'Daydreaming' is available as a free download on Soundcloud, streamable via Spotify, Tidal or Apple Music, and available for purchase through iTunes.

Facebook.com/spectoralmusic Twitter.com/spectoral Instagram.com/spectoral

D E E P   D A R K   B L U E   / /   M A N L Y   M A N   M A D E   M A S K 

Deep Dark Blue are Jason Ganberg & Bryce Alber. The indie-electronic duo live and produce in East Los Angeles and are currently preparing to release a collection of new music through 2017.

The songs themselves were recorded in various living rooms, closets and bathrooms all over California and Europe. On their new single 'Manly Man Made Mask' Bryce notes, "Man Made Mask was actually mainly written at Jason's Mum's house in southern Spain. She has a really cool little solar powered house in the desert with a bunch of instruments including a Piano and a drum set. Most of the drums and piano you hear on the track were recorded there. We later recorded vocals and finished off the track back in Los Angeles."

Deep Dark Blue are currently playing west coast shows, follow the band to stay up to date with performance dates and more releases:

Website Instagram Facebook Twitter

K I R I    T    / /   I ‘ M   N O T   H E R E

Having grown up in Hong Kong, Kiri T moved to the states and studied at Berklee College of Music in pursuit of her music. It’s been over a year since Kiri's collaboration with Lucian on "Twenty-Something (Lucian remix)”. This year Kiri ventures into production to create dark sultry sonic textures with her co-producer Matt for her moody single ‘I’m Not Here’. 

Co-written with Max Mckellar, 'I’m Not Here’ invites listeners to roll with Kiri on a journey of self discovery; the haunting lyrics in the verse reminds her of past traumas that cannot be reversed, but resolves in the chorus with a fiercer side of herself. The song is also about facing your inner demons with grace and irony.

Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/kiritmusic/ https://twitter.com/kiritse

S H U N Y A   / /   W O N D E R   N   W A N E

Alan Keary is a multi instrumentalist and producer, with a strong musical heritage, writing and producing music from the age of fourteen. Now based in Manchester and performing under the alias Shunya, his sound is an amalgamation of influences, ranging from his early musical background of classical violin to the sounds of Manchester’s electronic music scene which compliment his highly accomplished abilities as a jazz bassist. With influences referencing artists such as Flying Lotus, Bjork and Eric Whitacre.

As Shunya notes, “The latest E.P "Mountain Gazer" is loosely based on a concept of someone who is fixated on the top of the hill without enjoying the hike upwards. People often get stuck on starting something new that's alien to them as they feel like they'll never get "there". Whereas in fact nobody ever arrives or gets "there". Stephen Hawkin is still solving equations and Van Morrison still singing the blues. The real fun in this game is to enjoy the hike and take in the scenery because that's where the craic is.”

Live performances display varying arrangements ranging from a duo to a 12 piece band. If you find yourself in Manchester then head to http://www.shunyamusic.com/ and check for upcoming dates, you won’t regret it!

Follow Shunya: Facebook Twitter Website

L O S T C H I L D   / /   L I F E L I N E 

Lostchild is an emerging singer/songwriter/producer from a small town called Banbury in Oxfordshire, UK. He makes emotional electronic pop music with big choruses. Having been influenced by music of the 1980's, his songs often skirt the borders of R&B and dance.

On his new single Lifeline, Lostchild notes:

"It’s definitely the most positive song I’ve written so far. It’s about learning not to listen to that voice in your head that constantly reminds you about embarrassing or shameful things you’ve done in the past. I have to remind myself every day that I’m not defined by the stupid things I’ve done. I’m still learning to not be so hard on myself, but it’s getting easier every day."

The EP is titled “Being Loved When You Know You’re Not Good Enough” and will be out at the end of January. It features four deeply personal, unashamedly poppy songs about dealing with low self esteem and anxiety. A remix EP featuring a colossal piano house remix of “Lifeline” and an extended club mix of “Blind” comes out the following month.

Socials:

facebook.com/lostchilduk twitter.com/lostchilduk instagram.com/lostchilduk

A W A S   / /   B L U E B E R R Y   G L A M

AWAS, the new electronic future-pop duo from Nashville is led by songwriter/vocalist Ariel Hill & producer/composer Aaron Howard AKA Danny Melonz. In 2011 they met for the first time in a small overcrowded Nashville bar. Hill had just finished an intimate acoustic performance and Howard had just brought to attention that she had lipstick all over her face.

Vague introductions and small talk were the only thing exchanged between the pair as they went their separate ways not to speak again for the next 3 years. As fate revealed itself, Hill ended up at howard’s house in November of 2014, having been invited by his roommate to sit in on a session. It was there that she discovered an impressive, lengthy, and semi-secret catalogue of unreleased instrumentals idly sitting on his out of date desktop. Shortly after, AWAS was born.

The pair collectively bring a strong background to AWAS. Howard, a multi-instrumentalist, award winning composer, and noted underground Nashville beat maker; Hill, a seasoned singer-songwriter, international touring artist, and multi-genre collaborator. Upon meeting, the two quickly jumped into the studio and proved the seriousness of their commitment by putting their respective solo careers on hold to spend the following year creating the music and vision for AWAS.

On the new single ‘Blueberry Glam’ the pair say: “We had a period of creation where we tried out a bunch of different sounds to see what direction we wanted to head in next and this one just felt right for us. We wanted to make something euphoric and uplifting so we used our own city, Nashville, as a reference to channel this emotion. Nashville has always been a source of inspiration for the both of us. It's just swarming with creative individuals dying to express themselves and we just love that about it.”

The duo are planning to release a short EP later in the year and are looking forward to expanding their live show. You can follow them via:

Website: www.awasofficial.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/awasofficial Twitter: www.twitter.com/officialAWAS Instagram: www.instagram.com/AWASofficial Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/awasofficial Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/4kz05NkUrlZwdDvzLioGnz

A L B I N   N E X    / /    F O R T R E S S 

Albin Nex is a new pop solo artist from Sweden. He combines inspiration from diverse genres to create a modern and mature pop sound filled with playful components. To do this he uses synths and digital effects in a combination with organic instruments to form an open landscape where he can create and produce without compromises. 

The first single “Fortress” is about finding someone who has a lot more to tell than what meets the eye. And feeling a connection with someone when there is no room for it. Albin Nex has teamed up with producer "Saul" to create a mature but playful pop track. “Fortress” is the first release from Albin Nex’s upcoming EP.

“Fortress has been with me for a while. It started out as just a text and a basic melody. I was playing around with my synth when I came across the sound that came to be the lead for the chorus. After that I felt as if I had I clear path on where a wanted to take the song and started putting it together. I’ve worked with the producer “Saul” on this track and he really made it come together and added his creative vibe to it, refined my ideas and took the song to where it is today!”

Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/albinnexofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/albinnex/

I Z Z Y   F L Y N N   / /   F A I T H 

Bio:

Inspired by Joni Mitchell, Lauryn Hill, James Blake, Chopin & Keith Jarrett.. London born singer/songwriter Izzy Flynn is an artist who draws upon a breadth of influences. Having gained a 1st class degree in Jazz Piano and an award in Composition from Leeds College of Music, Izzy has a stand out background not only in the intricacies of writing music but as a highly accomplished Performer/ Session Musician.  

"Faith" is the lead single from a haunting, dark & ethereal new EP. Due for release on the 18th of November, "Faith" progresses from a minimal piano-vocal structure to a rich, textured piece of electronic bliss. “Faith” is Produced by one half of Majik and the EP includes Dom from Submotion Orchestra’s touch: each musician has brought an element from their own artistic background. 

On the new single, Izzy notes: 

“The verses describe a loss of Faith, whereas the chorus' put forward a sense of hope and remembering strength. The track involves a lot of layered textures and heavy synth/arpeggiated chords, mirroring the complexity of the subject matter.”

“Hopefully I can inspire more young women to get into production & writing electronic music! There's just not enough of us out there.. I'd love to see the next generation of girls in the studio & I hope I can be a part of that"

You can watch the official music video for faith on Youtube by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGVRHA70Ruo

Socials:

https://twitter.com/izzyflynnmusic

https://www.facebook.com/izzyflynnmusic

https://www.instagram.com/izzyflynnmusic

T H O M A S   G A I S T   / /    W O R R I E S 

Thomas Gaist is an electronic singer/songwriter from Denmark. He produces, plays and sings from the confines of his bedroom. Inspired by the UK experimental electronic scene, Gaist was brought on to the label ‘Sound of Copenhagen’ three and a half years ago, but sadly they didn’t make it and he is currently unsigned. 

Gaist spends most of his days as a student at the University of Southern Denmark. As he notes: “I try to steer clear of clichés both musically and lyrically; you can always detune a sound just enough to make it more interesting or make the rhythm a little bit looser to shake up the feeling.”

On his new single Worries, Gaist writes: “The song is a reflection on the panic that can sometimes overcome me when contemplating life and whether or not I’m are living it to it’s fullest. The feeling of hopelessness and meaninglessness can spiral out of control in a way that is inherently very self-centered (navel-gazing gravity), especially because it, at least for me, is something that’s most prevalent when all of my basic needs are covered.”

The Danish beat-smith is working on new tracks and has several unpublished songs in store. 

Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/thomasgaistmusic

M I C H A E L   M C Q U A I D   / /   H E A R T B R E A K E R 

A heartbreak kid rooted with a voice of pain and grit, Michael McQuaid is a Dallas native making a name for himself in Nashville. His sound infuses a clash of blues, soul and heart stopping beats to cultivate a new class of R&B. He deviates from his peers with his innate ability to harmonize the use of production and organic instruments. McQuaid’s independently released single, “VIBES” received radio play due to its popular demand. His infectious style gained him traction all over the U.S. and U.K, leading him as a featured artist at SXSW – making one thing clear, his live shows are as dangerously contagious as his melodies.  

On the new single, McQuaid notes: “Heartbreaker is about a girl who took everything away from me. A girl who enjoyed breaking my heart. She expects everything and takes anything. She's a bad hurricane taking everything standing in her way.”  Currently in the process of taking his brand of sound to the next level, McQuaid is building on future endeavors by teaming up with Nashville’s top writers and producers. With a single set to debut early November to give his fans a taste of what’s to come, McQuaid is hitting 2017 by storm and taking audiences by surprise.

Socials:

instagram.com/michaelmcquaid facebook.com/michaelmcquaidmusic twitter.com/imichaelmcquaidmichaelmcquaidmusic.com

Official music video:

https://youtu.be/fyVTaTeZIfk

E L S I E   A N D   T H E   V I B E   / /   R I V E R S I D E 

ELSIE AND THE VIBE RELEASE DEBUT SINGLE RIVERSIDE

Independent Australian soul singer-songwriter Elsie has released explosive debut single Riverside with her band Elsie and The Vibe. Elsie’s smooth and smoky vocals command each note with a deep, raw emotional vulnerability, and her honest lyrics connect directly with the listener to create a cell-tingling, two-way exchange.

“I absolutely love the gospel element of the song. The choir takes the track to a whole new level and fits perfectly with the spiritual undertones of the lyrics,” says Elsie.

The single is the first track off Elsie and The Vibe's upcoming self-titled EP which will be released November 22 2016. The 5-track EP is a fusion of soul, Motown, R&B and modern pop and sits somewhere on the spectrum of Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone and Alicia Keys. The EP was produced by Robert Upward (emaar, Shelly Segal) and Jonathan Dreyfus (Gretta Ray, Lama), and features a number of talented and accomplished musicians as The Vibe.

Elsie is available for phone or email interview. Please contact alex@goldandgreypr.com to set up a time.

Website: http://www.elsieandthevibe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElsieAndTheVibe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elsievibes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsieandthevibe/

E Q U A N I M O U S   / /   H U M M I N G B I R D   ( F  T .  C Y N D Y   F I K E)

Equanimous, the Los Angeles based producer and songwriter has just released his new beat driven single ‘Hummingbird (Feat. Cyndy Fike). It’s a progressive alt-pop track with Cyndy’s melodies taking centre stage through the verse. However, post-chorus the song opens up into a brash layer of tribal drums - transporting the listener to a new sonic space.

“As an artist, my goal with this track and the future of my music is to connect with others and spread high vibes. I’ve been doing this by combining all of the things I love, (Earth, Music, Dance, Love, Joy) into a fusion of conscious dance music. I love collaborating with others and for this track, I worked with singer-songwriter Cyndy Fike to transform a traditional folk song into a tribal pop hit."

Facebook - www.facebook.com/EquanimousLove /

Twitter - www.twitter.com/equanimouslove

Instagram - www.instagram.com/EquanimousLove /

iTunes - itunes.apple.com/us/album/humming…?uo=4&app=itunes

U N B L O O M   / /   T H E Y   F T .  L A Y L A   M O R A 

Bio

London Ontarian Jonathan Zarola, AKA UNBLOOM, began his musical career as a drummer for jazz, funk, and indie-rock outfits. Enthralled by the chord progressions and rhythms of jazz and enticed by the exuberant energy of the indie-rock, Zarola has made it a point to combine these influences in his music. 

Using lush synthesizers, throbbing bass-lines, dynamic drums, and pleading vocals. In a manner similar to his dance/electronic contemporaries such as Roosevelt, POMO, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, and Mura Masa, UNBLOOM attempts to create an emotional crisis on the dance floor. 

Lyrically, UNBLOOM's tracks convey the anxieties of isolation and the subtle uncertainties of romantic trust whilst negotiating his own lustful insecurities. The result is an unmistakable aesthetic that is both sonically gripping, and emotionally wrenching.

On the new single ‘They’, UNBLOOM notes:

“I met [LAYLA MORA] at a house-show for a mutual friend of ours. We had an instant musical connection, and, upon further discussion, realized that we only lived about a minute away from each other. What resulted from that chance encounter was a new friendship that has pushed me further in my creative responsibilities as a producer and songwriter. Expect more from the two of us in the future.”

“Recording the track was an emotionally tasking venture, where both of us had to pause, collect our thoughts (and tears), and continue pushing. The experience was raw, cathartic, and absolutely necessary”

“The song itself, in my eyes, is about the negotiation between personal desire and the influence of others over those desires; [LAYLA MORA] and I wanted to explore this dynamic in the context of romantic trust and possible disillusionment”

Socials

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/unbloomsounds

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unbloomsounds

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UnbloomMusic Insta: https://www.instagram.com/unbloom_music/

K E M B E R   / /    H A R D   W O R K 

Kember is the project of an LA native who lives and breathes music. He released his debut EP ‘Love’ just over a year ago and the eagerly anticipated follow up is finally here.  ‘Hard Work’, produced by Sean Phelan, shows another side to the Californian songwriter. Catchy hooks sit atop an electronic / R&B soundscape, carried along by a restrained beat and carefully selected synths. 

“"Hard Work is something i wanted to create for awhile. I wanted to create a track that expressed how difficult love can be. I wanted it to feel just as good on a Monday morning as it does on a Friday night. A real vibe." - says Kember.

Kember has much more new music. With content scheduled for release throughout 2016 and into 2017, with tour dates coming next Spring. 

Twitter // Tumblr // Instagram // Spotify

M I N T   T R I P   / /    B O O K S 

Mint Trip’s debut EP, ‘Books’, was released on August 26th with Blue Elan Records. 'Books’ is comprised of five catchy, moving songs with vivid tales and captivating soundscapes. The final song “Ghosts” reflects on reality, change, and the meaning of home. The Los Angeles based group’s EP was mixed by Vic Wainstein, who won a Grammy for Frank Ocean’s 'Channel Orange’, and mastered by Danny Kalb, who engineered Beck’s 'Guero’.

“We met in music school at the University of Miami and recently moved to LA to play more shows and be near our label, Blue Élan Records. We use our backgrounds in music technology, classical music and jazz to create a unique sound and we try to push the boundaries of pop music.

We released our debut EP, Books, on August 26, and 'Ghosts’ is the final track. The song touches on the feeling of leaving what you know, and the complex, changing meaning of home.  Our recent move across the country and struggle to establish a new reality have brought this song that much closer to us.

We have been playing at different venues around the city and in November we will have a residency at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.”

Socials:

Website / / Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

C O R E Y   C R U M P A C K E R    / /   W H A T   O F   M E 

With parallel passions as both a musician and filmmaker, Corey Crumpacker fuses his background in scoring and creating films with performing his music on stage. While attending film school at Florida State University he moonlit as a live musician sharing his songs with a local and regional audience. Deriving inspiration from bands like U2, Mumford and Sons, and Kings of Leon, Corey combines melodic, cinematic songwriting with deeply personal lyrics.

“What Of Me” is about the choice between idling in victimhood or embracing a life of freedom. It is the first single off Corey’s debut effort “White Fire.”

“For the past two years I’ve been quietly crafting a collection of around thirty songs, five of which have become my EP "White Fire.” These songs embody my personal journey from anger to forgiveness. When I listened to the songs together I realized the reoccurring themes of burning and fire. The concept of being burned by pain yet also formed by it stuck with me and ended up inspiring the title track and ultimately the name of the EP, which will be released within the month." - Corey

Socials:

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // Website