Team Freshnet will be taking a two week break over Christmas and New Year. Our dropbox will reopen on Monday 5 Jan 2015 – have a great seasonal break!

These are  our last Fresh Faves of 2014!!!! The round off a brilliant year of new music, BBC Introducing’s Sam Bonham reviews the best tunes, as chosen by you, on the Listening Post. You can hear all these tracks in a single Soundcloud playlist here.

LOUIS ROMEGOUX – In My Room

This tune is much more up-tempo than I expected it to be. Released in May this year, In My Room catapults from one verse to another with no care for any sort of health and safety check. Originally from Sheffield, Louis Romegoux has now migrated to Austria to pursue his music career (half his Facebook page is in German, hahaha). And it seems to be working – the blogs like him, radio likes him, and we like him here at FOTN.

Official | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

PORTRAYAL – Never Adjusted

Never Adjusted is perfectly made and although a little cautious, Portrayal show so much promise with this tune. Perfect. Pretty. Classic. And Moody. This Shrewsbury duo set themselves up earlier in the year with the single purpose of writing and recording a full-length album together. They’re nearly there too apparently – bring it on!

Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOM MITCHELL – Things That I Need To Undo

I’ve supported Tom Mitchell on BBC Introducing since 2013, when I first heard his music. Coming from Bristol, he’s the authentic-60s-influenced-folkster. His music is well-travelled and deliberate. And he knows how to write a song or two. The Things That I Need To Undo is the perfect craft – such a relate-able lyric, a grower, so kind, timeless and classic.

Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Bandcamp

JIM PEARSON – Right Now Is The Moment That We Are Alive

“Right now is the moment that you are alive, so put down your burdens and give yourself a high five”. Wonderful. As we all sit down this Christmas – reflecting on the previous twelve months; thinking through the highs and lows of the year just gone – this is the song to drink to. This is the song to love to. And this is the song to cry to. Right Now Is The Moment is long, a bit too long I think, but then that’s sometimes how long it takes to pour yourself an egg nog big enough to fill your glass. Thank you Jim Pearson.

Soundcloud | Facebook | Bandcamp

LUDWIG AMADEUS – Anamnesis

I love this guy’s music. German-born and London-based, “Mr Amadeus” knows how to write a hook. Anamnsis takes a while to get going, but the payoff is worth it. He’s released a bunch of singles on his own label and he seems to be doing pretty well with it. His music would not sound out of place on one of those Danish dramas too. No surprise then that Ludwig Amadeus writes for film and TV as well as writing his own independent tunes!

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter

MODEL AEROPLANES – Club Low

On a day full of cold and man flu, this song is the perfect antidote. Light, cool, breezy and unadulterated. It’s just simple pop music and it reminds me of early Two Door Cinema Club, before they had a drummer. The future is quite likely to be bright for Model Aeroplanes too, as they ride the wave of new guitar bands hitting the mainstream at the moment. Also, they’re about as young as TDCC were back then, which is no bad thing (happy birthday for last week Grant).

Official | Twitter| Facebook | Youtube | Soundcloud

FIGHTING CARAVANS – Bootmakers To The King

This tune came out last week and marked the end of a successful first year for this Leeds-based band. Having stayed in a mobile home on the Norfolk coast for a week or so last year, I know a thing or two about having fisticuffs with a caravan too. Fighting Caravans has a “pay what you want” deal on this single Bootmakers To The King, so if you like it, go and show them some Christmas love!

Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

HURDLES – France

What happens when the three epicentres of popular music (Dungannon, Bedford and Ballynahinch… of course) get together in a studio? Hurdles happens! Finally, it’s a band which knows how to do sleaze properly! Did you hear that guitar? This is my high point on the Fresh Faves this week. After listening to this tune I felt like I had done something a little bit naughty. Something I couldn’t repeat! At the time of writing, the band has a few hard copies of their EP (which France sits on) left… Catch ‘em while you still can!

Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

THEA PITOGO – How Do You Love

What a wonderful voice. As far as I know, this is the first band I have ever heard that resides in the Philippines. A five-piece, fronted by the very talented Thea Pitogo, they say that they are “creating the remedy”. Remedy for what I’m a bit unsure about, but regardless, this song has provided an incredibly soothing way for me to end my day. A remedy of sorts!

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HARRY EDWARDS – Almost Everybody

In many ways this is the perfect song to end off a brilliant year at FOTN. Dealing with the fallout of James Blake, the XX, Daughter etc, reverb-doused synths and falsetto vocals have been the bread and butter of 2014. It’s such a gorgeous sound too. Harry Edwards’ Almost Everybody is a woven fabric of music, sounds, and crystal beats. Happy Christmas everyone! Feel the love.

Soundcloud | Facebook

ARTISTS: If you’ve submitted a track that hasn’t made the Listening Post you’re welcome to re-submit it another week. If your music has appeared on the Listening Post but not in our Fresh Faves, feel free to send us an even stronger track another week.

But if we’ve recently featured you in our Fresh Faves – or on my BBC Introducing Mixtape – please wait until March before sending us another track, so we have space to help other deserving artists… For more info see Robinson Has A Good Old Moan.