Music Scene Wales

Mansfield Release New Single ‘Someone Else’

Feb 17, 2024 — Leave a comment


Danish indie quartet Mansfield reveal a more emotional side to their songwriting on their latest single release; ‘Someone Else’. The song is about a lost and unrequited love and speaks directly to the listener with its relatable lyrics. With a catchy chorus and compelling melody lines, ‘Someone Else’ is a captivating ballad led by heartfelt vocals, acoustic guitars and orchestral strings.

Since releasing their debut album ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’ in 2020, Mansfield have actively performed across Denmark, England and Germany, all the while diligently recording new material. ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’ received 4- and 5-star reviews in Danish and international music press, and it was awarded ‘Album of the Week’ on Danish national radio, generating consecutive airplay ever since. 

In 2023, Mansfield released their EP ‘Come Rain or Shine’ which was very well received and generated a lot of radio play in Denmark as well as internationally. 

With ‘Someone Else’, Mansfield are taking a step forward in their musical development by sharing their most personal and honest song to date. The acoustically led ballad features strings and groovy drums supporting lead singer Christian Stage’s intimate vocals. 

As the songwriter of the band, Christian Stage explains:

“This song is not about bitterness or resentment. The idea for the lyrics comes from the realisation that love may hit you like a hammer, both in a positive and a negative way. But to understand and appreciate love, you sometimes need to get your fingers burnt.”

Drummer Filip Gulløv adds:

“Our hope is that listeners can connect with the lyrics, finding solace and inspiration. It’s a reminder that moving forward often means leaving the past behind, focusing on the brighter path ahead.” 

The music video for ‘Someone Else’ illustrates the song lyrics in a black and white recording. Filmed in just one take with the band performing in the background, the video shows actors Celine Højbjerg and Jens Vinther in a moving and emotional dramatisation of the conflict. Video producer Andreas Valdemar’s portrayal of the song is both relatable and realistic.

Upon the release of ‘Someone Else’, Mansfield will support British indie band All The Young in Copenhagen and Hamburg on February 17 and 18. All The Young paved the way for Mansfield’s recent performance in London with upcoming band Marseille. On their forthcoming album, Mansfield has once again teamed up with renowned Danish producer Morten Bue who has worked with Mew, Kashmir, José González and Tindersticks. Released by DME and available on all digital platforms on February 9th, ‘Someone Else’ is the first single to be taken from the album ‘For All the Right Reasons’ set for release on May 17th 2024.

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

Skylights Release New Single ‘Time To Let Things Go’

Feb 9, 2024 — Leave a comment

Yorkshire’s anthemic rock‘n’rollers SKYLIGHTS release their huge new single ‘TIME TO LET THINGS GO’ out now.

With stunning artwork by Paul Evans (Painted Papillon Smile), the limited 7” Vinyl comes in translucent blue with previous digital-only release REBELLION on the flip side, while the CD comes with two additional exclusive live tracks.

It’s an uplifting but melancholic and emotional song, with the signature SKYLIGHTS sound. Guitarist Turnbull Smith says: “It reflects on life as if every moment has been written in a book; good and bad experiences, pivotal decisions and hard choices where you have had to let things and people go, no matter how hard it was to do, to ultimately change your path in life for the better”.

The release signals the start of another exciting year for these underground indie heroes, regarded by many as ‘the people’s band’. SKYLIGHTS play Magna, Sheffield on 20th April, alongside The Enemy and The Farm, and have an exciting hometown headline show lined up for later in the year at York’s largest indoor music venue, details TBA in due course. More big live shows are in the diary and new tunes are promised for 2024, details to be announced soon.

Infusing Britpop and post punk influences, Skylights have built a strong and unrivalled reputation and a loyal, passionate following through memorable sold-out headline shows in venues across the UK, festival appearances (inc. TRNSMT) and amazing support slots (inc. Cast & Shed Seven) since their debut single release in 2020.

Hard work, relentless gigging, and social media interaction have helped to build their growing fanbase, which includes a surprisingly eclectic array of sports and media celebs including the BBC’s Mike Bushell, Josh Warrington, Guy Mowbray, Gaetano Berardi, and Westlife’s Nicky Byrne to name but a few. Previous singles ‘Enemies’ and ‘Darkness Falls’, and their debut album What You Are have all hit the UK Physical, Vinyl and iTunes charts.

The band are going from strength to strength with each fantastic release, the support from their loyal fans and amazing sell out shows. It’s the start to an exciting year ahead for Skylights.

Check out the fantastic new single out now on all streaming platforms.


Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

Orchids Release Self Titled New Album

Feb 9, 2024 — Leave a comment

Orchids are a unique project featuring some of the best female/non-binary vocalists from Northern Ireland and brings together some of the finest musicians, producers, engineers, mix and mastering engineers to create an album that stands alone as a creative endeavour. This massive undertaking began following the dissolution of a previous project. Songwriter and guitarist Michael Smyth was left with 9 recorded songs, featuring Emma Rose on bass and Matthew Milner on drums, but in need of vocals. Unwilling to let these songs wither and die on the vine, Michael sought a solution that would give the songs the audience they deserved and a way to breathe new life into them. Written with a female vocal in mind, Michael made the decision to reach out to a number of female/non-binary vocalists from Northern Ireland, inviting them to lend their considerable talents to the music and feature on a number of different tracks.

The result is an explorative alt-rock album, each song given its own identity by its’ respective vocalists unique voice and perspective, but tied together by the consistency of a band having spent countless hours in a practice space running songs over and over so they become second nature. The self-titled album is grandiose and questing, songs range from the mid-west emo drive of ‘Memoria’, to the expansive and emotional ‘Run’, to delicate melodic alt-rock of ‘Sins’.

The fantastic new album is out now on all streaming. For fans of Sparta, At The Drive-In, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Wolf Alice, Texas is the Reason, Jimmy Eat World, Thursday, Sunny Day Real Estate,




Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicScenbeWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

Will Pope Releases New Single ‘At Once’

Feb 9, 2024 — Leave a comment

Will Pope is a folk artist from Rotherham, UK whose debut release “Stormy Seas” received acclaim from the likes of Mahogany and Alexrainbird music. Having been declared The Soundsniffer’s One to Watch for 2024 he has continued to release a wave of new material which has been well-received appearing on official Spotify playlists like “Fresh on Friday ” growing in thousands of streams. His signature style originates from a love of Chet Atkins fingerstyle guitar modernised by contemporary folk acts The Tallest Man on Earth and Luke De-Sciscio and a vocal style like that of Jeff Buckley stemming from a love of rock and soul.

‘At Once’, is the label (Revolver Records) debut for Will Pope. In this track, Pope seamlessly creates an atmospheric soundscape that takes the listener on a journey with textural swells and lulls throughout creating emotional points of interest. Pope’s vocal performance echoes this perfectly with emotional delivery throughout the composition. The overall composition is built on top of a delicate fingerpicked guitar which provides the base for all of the rises and falls throughout.





Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com





Charm Release New Single ‘Shadow Of Time’

Feb 9, 2024 — Leave a comment

Charm are an Indie/Alternative Rock band based in Birmingham, forming in the Easter of 2023, they have found local success with their debut single “Roll Against the Tide” and follow up EP “The Live Sessions”. This has helped land them support slots for bands such as The Assist, Spangled, Rosa Caelum, Flake and Sovereigns, ultimately leading to the sell out of their hometown debut headline at the end of 2023.

The roots of the band were established through an organic encounter in a Birmingham rehearsal room, where Matt (Lead Guitarist) and Ky (Frontman) connected instantly. Longing for a raw, driven, and ballad-infused sound reminiscent of the bands that shaped their formative years, they recognised the opportunity to carve out their niche amid the clean-cut sounds prevalent in the UK at that time. After recording and producing a solid collection of “Bedroom Demos”, the pair were able to recruit close friends Tom (Bassist) and Cal (Drummer), completing the lineup.

Charm prides itself on its large, yet intricate sound. Crafted within the early months of their formation, they relentlessly gigged around the West Midlands, knowing that the more hours they put in, the better their live sound would become. This clearly paid dividends, catching the eye of promoters like The Future Sound Project, This Feeling and What’s Happening Concerts.

Storytelling is another key aspect of Charm’s music, most notably evident in their newly released single, “Shadow of Time”. The lyrics reflect on how, throughout our lives as adults, time seems to slip through our grasp uncontrollably. The way these lyrics intertwine within a moody blend of trippy psychedelia and fierce alternative rock, alongside a more layered and professional recording process, sees the band entering a new sonic dimension.

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

Ventrelles Release New Single ‘Acid Flower’

Feb 5, 2024 — Leave a comment

VENTRELLES are the Manchester-based quartet headed by Phil Knox on lead vocals and guitars, Connor Long  on Guitars/Lead Guitar,  Paul Winny Mawhinney on Bass and Gaykord Knott on Drums/Percussion. They describe their sound as ‘Fleece Pop’ fusing the styles of 80’s guitar groups such as Pale Fountains and Echo and the Bunnymen and sometimes darker tinged edges of The Chameleons and The Jesus and Mary Chain with a punchy delivery, sun-soaked guitars, energetic rhythms, life-affirming vocals and soulful bass lines.

Formed from the embers of past collectives and distant echoes of teenage knock about bands, Phil came home from living in Chicago in 2014 ready to take on the world of music, so with the help of some band mates old and new, the VENTRELLES sound was born.

The unusual band name came about by combining the Chicago Transit Authority ‘Ventra’ card and The ‘L’ train to form what the band admit sounds a bit like a Phil Spector produced female soul-pop group! 

Having previously toured with cult indie favourites Cabbage and having had repeated radio support from Jim Salevson on XS Manchester, the band are now currently putting the finishing touches to what they describe as the first ever Fleece Pop album, the debut single from which ‘Acid Flower’ is out now.

‘Acid Flower’ is 3 minutes and 30 seconds of equal parts pulverising shoegazing wall of sound and shimmering acoustic-led foot tapping rhythms, laced with acid chiming melodious lyricism Perfect for fans of The La’s, Super Furry Animals, Ride and Echo & The Bunnymen.

Front man Phil Knox has said of the track;

“I was listening to Johnny Marr’s solo back catalogue quite a lot at the time, it was definitely influenced by him guitar wise, lyrically, I just scribbled out anything that sounded like it was coming from an indie band in 2023/4. I wanted a more old school direct but not obvious feel. I wanted to leave some space for the listener to make their own mind up about what this particular song was about.  I always try to keep them as open books, keep the magic in there, it’s rare nowadays, a lot of modern songwriters don’t leave any mystery. It’s a disappearing art in a world that’s constantly telling you what to feel.”

‘Acid Flower’ was written by Phil Knox and was predominantly recorded at Vibe Studios in Manchester with additional vocals being added to the track in Phil’s living room!  

Upcoming Gigs/Tours –

Ventrelles will undertake a mini headline tour this year amongst other things taking in Grimsby, Blackpool, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow for starters. Fans are advised to keep an eye on the band’s socials or sign up to their mailing list for updates.  

Next up for the band will be the upcoming release, the soulful stomp of ‘’Sand Crawl’ followed by the promise of the bands seminal album in Summer 2024.

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

Megan Wyn Releases New Single ‘Are You Bored Yet?’

Feb 2, 2024 — Leave a comment

Welsh, female artist Megan Wyn releases another great single ‘Are You Bored Yet?’ Megan’s sound has grown in maturity and as always her voice is spot on, such a fantastic talent for such a young age.

Megan has an exciting year ahead with her debut EP set to be released and a headline UK tour with a gig in London set for March 13th.

Megan says of the song:
“Are You Bored Yet is a song about holding on to someone who isn’t good for you. It’s a song about that period of time when a relationship is coming to an end and you keep asking yourself if you’re bored of trying to make a toxic situation work.”

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

The Black Vultures Release New Single ‘Never Say’

Feb 2, 2024 — Leave a comment

 Energetic four piece Rock Band The Black Vultures, hail from the heart of the Gwent Valleys, South Wales. They recorded both ‘Treat Me Like an Animal’ and their follow up single ‘Never Say’ with Local Welsh Producer Tom Williams (De’Lour) at Unit 13 Studios, Tredegar. Both singles were mastered by Chris Peet of North House Studio, Ebbw Vale.

The Black Vultures are Huw Williams (Singer & Rhythm Guitar), Aled Owen Jones (Lead Guitar), Mitch Casey (Bass & Backing Vocals) and Brandon Pritchard (Drummer).

‘Never Say’ Focuses on a relationship, whereby one person within the relationship realises that there is a need to move on. Having come to the conclusion that things aren’t working, the party ending the relationship is hopeful that the other person doesn’t present themselves back in their life, in the hope that they agree to walk away in a different direction without further issues or problems, keeping things amicable.

The band plan on releasing their third single in April 2024, the band will also begin recording their debut album during early-mid 2024.

The Black Vultures have played relentlessly throughout 2023 and they look forward to new upcoming shows and festivals during 2024. The band plan to grow their name across Wales and the UK by playing energetic, catchy songs, engaging crowds through their growing stage presence. Watch this space!

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

Dan Patlansky Releases New Single ‘Movin’ On’

Feb 1, 2024 — Leave a comment

Ahead of his album release on the 1st of March Dan Patlansky releases his latest single ‘Movin’ On’ and previously ‘Who I Am’.

With a discography of 10 studio albums and more than a decade of being revered as a global blues icon, DAN PATLANSKY has solidified his status as one of the most exceptional blues- based storytellers of his generation, earning legendary recognition worldwide.

The album comes after the release of his previous album, ‘Shelter of Bones’ in 2022, which was voted #2 Best Blues Rock Album of 2022 by Blues Rock Review USA. Voted the #4 Best Guitarist in the world, DAN – alongside Joe Bonamassa – remains the only artist in the world with two worldwide #1, as well as two worldwide #2, Best Blues Rock albums to his name, as voted by Blues Rock Review USA.

DAN started writing MOVIN’ ON in January 2023, collaborating with a writing trio comprising of himself, Andy Maritz, and Greg Van Kerkhof. Marking a departure from his prior work and opting for a different approach, he consciously chose not to rely primarily on his own solo writing. DAN describes Andy and Greg as exceptional songwriters who introduced a distinctly fresh perspective and approach to the creative process.

The album was produced by DAN PATLANSKY and Andy Maritz and recorded at Andy’s studio in Johannesburg, South Africa called Drumheadz. DAN chose Andy as co-producer because he understood and shared his vision for the new record and was willing to record the new material according to his desired perspective.

“MOVIN’ ON is all about going back to my roots musically; playing and writing music that I love the most. This is without a doubt my most honest and raw offering to date. The older I get, the more important it is for me to play what I truly believe in.” – DAN PATLANSKY.

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com

pMad Releases New Single ‘Opinion’

Feb 1, 2024 — Leave a comment

Solo artist Paul Dillon brings us Gothic, Post-Punk pMad, based in Portumna, Co. Galway in Ireland.
pMad addresses themes of self -survival, personal growth and global concerns. His captivating sound reminiscent of New Order, The Cure and Joy Division.

All pMad’s music is self released on Zedakube Records. If you are into Depeche Mode, Rammstein, Killing Joke, Simple Minds, New Order, Joy Division pMad is the band for you!

Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com