These Fresh Faves were picked by our readers over the weekend – and reviewed by Fresh On The Net’s Louise Toal this week. You can hear all these tracks in a single Soundcloud playlist here.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new year and term of FOTN. I’d like to welcome our new moderators to the team: Joy, Ming, Poppy and Sooz. We hope you enjoy the bedlam, and may there be plenty of creativity to look forward to and no maths!

ALT BLK ERA – Off With Their Heads

Boom! And we are straight in no kissing with this track, if I wasn’t awake, well I am now.

ALT BLK ERA are alternative music sister duo, Nyrobi and Chaya who hail from Nottingham. Off With Their Heads has it all going on, and is delivered with outstanding tenacity. Heavy basslines, electric guitars, tongue twisting rap all blended in to result in some genre bending wizardry and it’s refreshing as hell! What a track to kick us off.

Nyrobi and Chaya have gained support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio Introducing and BBC 6 Music with our own Tom Robinson describing them as “daring, adventurous and wildly original.” I concur.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp

GOOD LUCK ALASKA – Guilt

I’m afraid I don’t have a lot to tell you about Good Luck Alaska, other than they are from Minneapolis (USA). I couldn’t find a bio to speak of. Guilt is a wistful, melodic song with some lovely vocals and harmonies going on. The guitar playing is particularly well accomplished. A very pretty track and I wish I knew more about the artist. If you’re reading this, guys, go update those bios so we can help our readers get to know you a little better.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

HOLLY HENDERSON – The Planes

Holly Henderson was born and bred in Maidstone, Kent and according to her bio, even learned to drink upside down in Maidstone. I’ll take some lessons please, Holly!

Holly defied the school system and was told that a career in the arts was “utterly ridiculous and unrealistic” but went on to study fine arts in the UCA in Maidstone. I found Holly’s journey very interesting when I was doing my research. A journey that began in a punk band, and here we are with this gorgeous Psych-Pop track, The Planes. I hear shades of early Nico in her sound and there’s a stylish and slightly trippy video to accompany the track over on YouTube, which I enjoyed.

The Planes is the first single to be released from the new album The Walls, which is out now on Ivy Records.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp

I’M (FEAT. MATTY) – Thinking Outloud

I’M is a rising creator, also known as Ian Murrock who was born out of lockdown frustration in the deepest parts of South London. Ian takes influence from the likes of Burial, Thom Yorke and Lemonjelly so is clearly a man with great taste.

Thinking Outloud is an ambient, electronic track with spoken word. There’s something wonderfully organic about the sound, it flows easily and fluently, and I’m rather taken with it so if this is but the start of Ian’s journey then bring it on!

LIOTIA – Let Down

Liotia (pronounced Ly-oh-sha) hail from the South East. They are an electro-acoustic duo combining the songwriting and haunting vocals of Abigail Hubbard with the beats and soundscapes of producer Matthew Smyth.

Let Down is a beautiful trip hoppy song that is reminiscent, to me anyhow, of Morcheeba. Right up my street, and I shall be exploring this duo some more! Abigail’s voice is pure and hypnotic and Matthew’s beats are enchanting. Gorgeous stuff.

Liotia have gained support from Huey Morgan on BBC 6 Music as well as BBC introducing, Soho Radio (London) and Today FM (Ireland) to name a few.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp

LIZZIE ESAU – Jellyfish

Lizzie Esau is a London-born but Newcastle-raised musician who has been penning her thoughts to songs for over a decade. She has a strong desire to express herself through music, and takes her influence from the likes of Wolf Alice, Beabadoobee, and Radiohead. She’s only 22 and has already taken the music industry by storm.

Jellyfish is probably the catchiest tune from this batch. When I spend the morning with these songs on a loop there is usually one that lives in my ear for the rest of the day, and I have a strong feeling I’ll be singing this one until bedtime. It’s great!

Lizzie has a long list of upcoming gigs on her website for you to go and get some if you can.

Linktree | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp

MARCH – Hesperides

March is the project of singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Kitty O’Neal. Over the years her story-telling has evolved into a unique pool of sound, transcending the borders between contemporary folk, indie, pop and electronica.

There’s something onomatopoeic about her delivery of Hesperides, “some day, I’ll be weightless” makes me feel like I AM weightless and I can almost hear the waterfalls.

Kitty’s voice is sweet and effortless and I appear to be melting away with it. Sublime stuff. Hesperides is the first single from the new EP Greens And Blues, which is due for release in April.

Linktree | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

POSABLE ACTION FIGURES – Shank

Posable Action Figures are: Gareth Goodlad (vocals/guitar) and John Alexander (drums / samples / backing vocals) a two-piece electrobluespoprock outfit from Edinburgh. Shank is my favourite of the bunch. I was instantly drawn to it from the initial inbox. There’s something a bit Working Mens Club about their sound — dark beats and a heavy bassline with experimental electronica thrown in. Yet another new act for me to explore. It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it!

The duo seem to be well embedded in the UK festival circuit and have done a live session for BBC radio.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp

TAPE RUNS OUT – Souvenir

I don’t know about you, but I’m in the mood for some dusky shoegaze, and Tape Runs Out are here to deliver exactly that.

Formed in Cambridge in 2012, Tape Runs Out combine acoustic and electronic sounds to craft their unique fusion of melodic, dreamy and eclectic sounds.

Souvenir is another incredibly catchy slice of loveliness. I’m comforted to know that the shoegaze genre is still alive and well as it’s one that’s very close to my heart, and I look forward to hearing more from these guys. Excellent work!

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp

THE ILFORDS – Corals

The Ilfords are a raucous, characterful, unsigned, alt/indie rock outfit hailing from Ilford Road, Newcastle. Their sound draws comparison to Foals, Arctic Monkeys, The Macabees and Palace.

Corals showcases some sassy guitar work, melodic bassline and mighty fine drum action. It’s a lovely and playful indie track to conclude this Fresh Faves batch.

The Ilfords have had support from BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio, and have embarked on a promising partnership with Sugar House Productions. I get the impression that these lads have a lot yet to give. Watch this space!

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Bandcamp

PS from TR: If you’ve submitted a track that hasn’t been picked for the Listening Post, our team has definitely listened to it and there’s no need to send it again: feel free to send us an even stronger track another week. The same goes if you were picked for the Listening Post but didn’t feature in our Fresh Faves.

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