Take the acoustic balladry of Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley and wrap it in a rock ‘n’ roll exterior and you’ll find something close to “gothic folk”: this is what award-winning singer-songwriter Nic Nassuet is all about. The Hollywood artist’s latest record Eleutherios has netted him a plethora of raving reviews, and Nassuet has put his best foot forward with the album’s lead single ‘She Rides Moonlight’. 

‘She Rides Moonlight’ sees Nassuet depart from the gravelly, hard-edged rock ‘n’ roll vocals found on the majority of the album. Instead, he spills out melodies with the same smooth tone you’d hear from Jim Morrison. In fact, the whole song is very reminiscent of Jim Morrison’s era, from the ethereal mandolins to the track’s stretched out six and a half minute-length – swaying with languid paces and never in a rush. A delicate troop of strings work together to give this song its graceful, swelling atmosphere, which is at times enriched by sonorous violas, and at other times brightened by dainty violins; it’s a playful balance that’s also romantic in its idle simplicity. “Rest your weary crown on her alabaster breast / Deep within her now, die the little death” – Nassuet’s lyrics paint a love story that fits in idyllic harmony with the acoustic backdrop, and serve as another element in the song’s subtle but mystical aura.

‘She Rides Moonlight’ is an interesting choice for a lead single – it’s not often these days that singles are six and a half minutes long. But it’s a song that is entrancing in its repetitiveness; Nassuet averts the risk of being boring and instead achieves a peacefully lulling effect.

She Rides Moonlight is available from Amazon and iTunes.

Steve Benjamins’ latest EP Sightlines is an organic take on indie-pop. Compared to the likes of Justin Vernon, Sufjan Stevens and James Vincent McMorrow, Benjamins’ music is poised without surrendering its intrigue.

Title track ‘Sightlines’ eases you into the EP with a magnetizing coupling of ethereal organs and Benjamins’ effortlessly smooth vocals. Although delicate, it’s brimming with emotion and sincerity. The pace picks up on second track ‘We Used To Live’, an electronic number with a buzzing verse and a banging chorus - all the while tasteful and sophisticated. 

At this point in Sightlines, Benjamins trades synthesizers for pianos and guitars, veering the record in an instrumental direction. ‘Devotion’ is a gorgeously melodic interlude of rich piano and featherweight harmonies. The track lulls you into a state of peacefulness - it’s at once gentle and warming. ‘Steamroller’ continues this subdued sound, paving the way for Benjamins’ exquisite upper vocal range to soar freely. Shifting gears once more, ‘Exploding Boy’ kicks in with a subtle but piercing beat that grows into a thunderous gallop by the song’s chorus. The track winds down with Justin Vernon-like echoic vocals, before transitioning into the record’s closing track ‘Later On’. Although a mere minute and a half long, ‘Later On’ is a poetic and heartfelt exit to this EP: “Lit by fading red and orange glow / Like the grip of a knot or the fade of a century.”

Sightlines is a much-needed breath of fresh air for indie-pop, from a man gifted in the art of subtlety.

Sightlines EP is available from Steve Benjamins’ website (for free) and iTunes.

With the theatricality of Florence and the Machine and the ferocity of Muse, Direct Divide’s take on orchestral rock has a powerhouse spring in its step. The Monterey group enlists electric violins and piano alongside a backbone line-up of guitar, drums and bass, and the result is a sound that drives with energy yet flourishes with emotion.

The band’s latest single ‘1000 Years’ is expansive, dynamic and bursting at the seams with momentum. “Darling I know that your bones hurt, you’ve been toiling in the dirt / But I promise you that the work we do is for love” – ‘1000 Years’ opens with an ethereal atmosphere of airborne synthesizers and delicate harmonies, as the heartfelt vocals bleed emotion through each palpably vulnerable line. With the entrance of galloping drums, the track begins to build in intensity and justify its “symphonic rock” label. The climactic chorus is punctured by razor sharp guitar strums and features choral harmonies interwoven in the gaps: it’s a striking balance that creates a larger-than-life sound with a sufficient dose of excitement. Simmering down in its final chorus, the track dissipates to a lulling close, where violins shimmer in the spotlight and flaunt this band’s tender side. 

(‘1000 Years’ is lifted from Direct Divide’s upcoming EP, Own Your Ocean, set for a summer release.)

1000 Years is available from Amazon and Bandcamp.

Heralded as an icon in jazz, Sarah Vaughan wasn’t dubbed “The Divine One” for nothing. Her silky smooth vocals sailed a career spanning nearly 50 years, one that saw her collaborate with game-changers such as Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey, amongst many others. One person who has taken a note of inspiration from Vaughan’s work is Canadian jazz vocalist Delilah.

Delilah’s latest EP Delilah Sings Sarah +1 is a four-track tribute to the late luminary, who has proven to be a major influence throughout Delilah’s career. With production by Academy Award winner Joe Renzetti and mixing by Bobby Brooks (Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli), this record has been put in safe hands to say the least. ‘September In The Rain’ is a soothing start, showcasing Delilah’s subdued, effortless tones amongst lush instrumentation. The orchestration is sublime in every corner of the EP, creating in each track a rich and intricate backdrop for Delilah’s vocals to take shape. Spicing things up with a Latin, bossa nova feel in ‘Whatever Lola Wants’, Delilah gives a fresh lift to the American standard before sinking into ‘Just Friends’, a horn and brass laced ballad that flows with languid grace. Closing track ‘Smile’ (the “+1” of the EP) is the highlight of this record. The famous Charlie Chaplin number - which has been performed by Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett and Barbara Streisand to name a few - is done tremendous justice here. From the gorgeously swelling orchestra to Delilah’s velvety smooth timbre, the recording is brimming with emotion.

Delilah Sings Sarah +1 is a fine homage to one of the all-time greats, and an elegant revisiting of some classic standards.

Delilah Sings Sarah +1 is available from Amazon and iTunes.