Gemma Cockrell and Kiah Tooke
Gemma and Kiah review the latest releases from Empty Isles, Bring Me The Horizon, Strawberry Guy and Fuzzy Sun.
Empty Isles – hard to cope (Gemma)
Nashville-based pop producer and singer/songwriter Empty Isles, AKA Zach Lardy, has released his new single hard to cope. It will appear on his upcoming EP of the same name, which is set for release during Autumn 2021.
Lardy has been heavily inspired by Bon Iver, deciding to take Iver’s alternative/indie sound in a more pop-based direction. His exploration of this new sonic territory resulted in the sound that his ‘Empty Isles’ project has today.
The song has a very dreamy sound, with hazy production and lyrics that make it seem that Lardy is talking about someone else’s struggles, when in reality, he is the one who is struggling. This clever song-writing and shifting perspective helps to give the song a deeper meaning.
Bring Me The Horizon – DiE4u (Gemma)
After falling in love with Bring Me The Horizon’s music in 2013 following the release of ‘Sempiternal’, they are one of the few bands that I haven’t outgrown; instead, they have grown with me. I have loved pretty much everything that they have released since I first discovered them, and this trend continues on their new single DiE4u.
The track continues perfectly from their experimentations on their most recent full-length album ‘amo’
The track features a massive hook, with lyrics that almost remind me of the hyperpop genre, a comparison which is heightened by the electronic effects that pop up at various points throughout the song. The track continues perfectly from their experimentations on their most recent full-length album ‘amo’ (2019) whilst also incorporating some of the heavier screams that appeared on their ‘POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR EP’ (2020).
This new song sees my love for Oli Sykes and co. continue to flourish, and I can’t wait to see what follows DiE4u – hopefully a new EP/album is on the horizon.
Strawberry Guy – Sun Outside My Window (Kiah)
Liverpool based artist Alex Stephens, known as Strawberry Guy, has released new single Sun Outside My Window – this song serves as the title track for his upcoming debut album which is due to be released in October. Calming and harmonious, Strawberry Guy takes inspiration from 19th century symphonies to create the optimistic Sun Outside My Window.
Strawberry Guy shared the beautifully simplistic explanation behind his new track – “I remember this day when I was really down…looking out the window, the sun beaming in was beautiful, it made me want to go outside – it was simple but made me so happy in that instance”.
After having success on TikTok with previous 2019 single Mrs Magic, Strawberry Guy has gained a wide audience, with anticipation building for his debut album. The musician already has experience playing the keys in The Orielles, an English indie rock band, alongside also being signed to Melodic Records and having two UK shows planned.
Fuzzy Sun – Morning Light (Kiah)
Indie rock band Fuzzy Sun have released Morning Sun, an upbeat guitar anthem, in support of their upcoming EP ‘Since The Dog Died’. Hailing from Stockport, Fuzzy Sun are a four-piece band that have been releasing music since 2018.
Morning Sun is still underpinned with a sanguine sound
Frontman Kyle Ross explained the lyrics to Morning Sun as “feeling lost and at the same time losing a part of yourself whilst trying to figure a way out of your own mental labyrinth” which ties in with the theme of previous single Fake It. Despite this, Morning Sun is still underpinned with a sanguine sound, making it a classic upbeat indie track.
Comparable in sound to bands such as The Night Café and Blossoms, Fuzzy Sun have found their way into the indie scene with support from NME’s 100 List and BBC Radio 1. In support of their upcoming six-track EP, Fuzzy Sun are due to head off on a headline tour – featuring dates all across England.
Gemma Cockrell and Kiah Tooke
Featured image courtesy of Nina via Flickr. Image license found here. No changes made to this image.
In-article images courtesy of @emptyisles and @strawberry_guy via instagram.com. No changes made to these images.
To listen to all of these tracks, check out the New Releases Roundup playlist on Spotify.
For more content including uni news, reviews, entertainment, lifestyle, features and so much more, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to get involved.
If you can’t get enough of Impact Reviews, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like our Facebook page for updates on our new articles.
