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

Hey everyone it’s the penultimate Fresh Faves before we go into hibernation until January! Thank you all so much for keeping my ears busy this year, and to those of you who sent me your tracks for the show, please keep doing so my email is always open del.owusu@gmail.com just drop me a bio and MP3.

To the Faves!

I have lemon tea today. No reason. Just lemon tea.
Is it hot? Yes.
Headphones charged? Hai.
Keys in the ignition? Si.

Four lit and in the green.

Let’s go.

98 POLY – Earthstar

This has some really tasty synth glitches in there – this is proper electronica and the soundscapes are so good! The vocals are pleasantly vocoded and it’s definitely pleasing to the ear.

I like the synth bass on this, the beat is sped up over the top of it, so the single notes over it fit really well. What a groove! There’s an early 2000s influence to this, kind of reminding me of Madonna’s “Music” as well as a bit of French pop like La Roux. Great work!

According to her bio: “Growing up in the suburbs of London equidistant from city raves and expansive British landscapes, has carved the capricious sound of artist, producer and singer 98 Poly. The artist was tipped as ‘one to watch in 2023’ by Jamz Supernova following the release of her debut single, 360, capturing the attention of radio taste makers and gaining support across BBC R1’s Future Artists, BBC R6, Reprezent Radio and British Council’s Selector Radio.”

Linktree | Instagram | Bandcamp

ARPRAXIS – Code Red In Blue

This made me smile as I’ve just been recapping my blog reviews and interviews for 2023, and it turns out I was the first person ever to review Arpraxis. It is quite fitting then that I’m reviewing his track this close to the end of the year!

When I first came across Arpraxis I believe it was when I was putting a call out for artists to submit to my show, but I also encouraged him to submit to FOTN, and he has a few times which I’m happy to see.

Now, don’t let the smooth 80s sounds fool you, because Arpraxis can drop some hard drum n bass beats on you, just switch it up with a snap of the fingers. This is smooth, that 80s synth bass… “Lately Bass” from the DX7? Maybe. There’s some really good synth sounds here sitting comfortably with the acoustic and electric pianos. Plus there’s a synth sax wandering in and out of there too.

Nice!

London-based producer Arpraxis describes his sound as being across the spectrum, you can expect evolving music twists turned and the unexpected.

Linktree | Instagram | Facebook | X

DINA ÖGON – Det Läcker

Full disclosure: I do not speak a word of Swedish.

Thankfully my browser does and handily Dina Ögon has the lyrics online! The title initially translated as “It Leaks” and I was hoping this wasn’t going to be a surreal Fresh Faves for me — you’ll see why in a few songs, but this is the case in the lyrics – from what I can tell this is about securing your own privacy – plug any leaks in your life…

What I like about this song is that it’s jazzy in vibe — the guitar and ride cymbal are played together in the same rhythmic pattern, the mix is clean too, and this is evident in the way the drums stand out against the vocals — nothing is overpowering! Love the harmonies on this too. Strong track!

Dina Ögon are from Sweden, and are a quartet who have had really cool gigs under their belt including the London Jazz Festival. They’ve been together for 15 years in various guises, and draw their influences from all over the world.

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EROTIC SECRETS OF POMPEII – The Wheel, The Spade, The Stars In Motion

Quirky tunes seem to be the order of the day in this week’s Fresh Faves! I love the bassline on this, it’s perky, and the vocals are very much in the theatrical realm. I love the falsetto on “at last we fall in love.” You could just imagine the live production being an absolute treat. The guitar work is impressive!

Lyrically this song could really form the core of a chaotic video, a wild party. It sounds like one you only hear about in the stuff of rock n roll legends… of course I have no idea what that would be, I’m too sweet and innoc- hahahahaha!

This is what they say about the track…

“A degenerate love song of defiance and acceptance, The Wheel, The Spade, The Stars in Motion thrusts the listener through a looking glass, into a world where everything frays at the seams and burns forever madly.”

My God.

I just looked at Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii’s Spotify bio — they’re supporting Electric Six. That makes a lot of sense, because this fits into that mad cartoon world. I knew this reminded me of something!

I like it.

ESOP for short, they describe their sound as being apocalyptic lounge music.

Indeed.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Bandcamp

GRAHAM GRAHAM BECK – You’re Out Of This World (& Into The Next)!

Another quirky one! This is what makes FOTN bloody fantastic, you never know how the Faves will play out — we’ve had quite a run of different genres, it’s quite a selection box!

Now. Graham Graham Beck does this and he does it well. I loved his track Ken, You’re Just Plain Weird, which I played on my show back in September — that was based around analogue synths mainly. This is very different, but the synths are still there as well as some sonic Easter eggs – the vocoder which makes a cameo, as well as what I thought was a cowbell but I think it might be a layered snare with a bit of a bang on a tin cup. Genius!

Graham Graham Beck has a fondness for the weird and wonderful when it comes to sounds as listed on his Bandcamp – Moogs Junos, it’s all there! Hey I’m a synth nerd and I make no apologies for it! The pictures on his Twitter from his live performances – I love this guy. If the Pet Shop Boys and Lady Gaga can get away with elaborate costumes, well so can Graham Graham Beck.

He’s from Hull, but wasn’t born there, an ex-art student. He says two’s company, but three’s an audience if he’s lucky. A theatrical performer with an auto accompaniment keyboard humour and stage props.

He’s also my one to watch.

By the way, did you know that the Hull accent is considered by some to be the sexiest in the world?

Official | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Bandcamp

IDLEWORK. – Willow

The reverse guitar line at the beginning is great! This track has different tempo changes which break it up nicely – first it starts off fast giving off the vibe that it’s going to be a fast-paced indie pop track, but then it drops back and settles into a bit of an indie R&B track. Nice synth chords at 1:10 just before the second verse comes in. And I like the finger picked guitar with the electric piano. You also don’t hear ride cymbals much nowadays outside of jazz, so it was nice to hear that. I like the way it gets stripped back at 1:50 with just vocals cymbals and EP, but then it goes up a notch at 2:16 to what I thought this would be – dirty guitars — and then it slips back to that nice R&B groove!

Idlework. are Ivo and Daisy and they’ve been writing together for years, I’m not sure if the info on their site is out of date but it says they’re 17, and that a song they released back in 2020 was out in the new year.

Note to artists: Keep your online info up to date! Make it a New Year’s resolution. Also, please create a bio if you don’t have one, if I have to make up info about you (and I will!)… well let’s not let it come to that. 🤣

Linktree | Instagram | X | YouTube | Bandcamp

JORGE – Ruckus

This is a rap over an aggressive alt rock track laden with synthesisers – and it works! I like the half-time breakdown at 0:32. There’s a great lyrical couplet in there too: “Lord of the ring like a southpaw boxer” — it just stood out to me.

This could get rowdy live! I also like the vocals at 0:55 where Jorge is talking about the voices in his head and then you hear them in different pitches and effects. Very clever!

Jorge says they made him do it.

Linktree | Instagram | YouTube

NOVELTY ISLAND – 1102

Warped synths bent out of the space time continuum?

Yeah. I’m listening.

It’s all warped and psychedelic, it comes in two sections, the first part being a walk in the park with a glockenspiel and the drums shuffling along from 0:00-0:52, then it goes a little trippy for the chorus. The “We are not here” melody is what I like about this song, it seems like the lights go out and it gets all stormy where the nice and walk in the park changes. There’s a synth solo at 2:21, and it gives it that full retro feel. This is a great tune!

It’s no surprise then that Novelty Island is from Liverpool, the surreal-pop project of Liverpool-based songwriter and producer, Tom McConnell. His albums How Are You Coping With This Century? and Wallsend Weekend Television have been supported by BBC Radio 6, BBC Introducing, Absolute Radio, Shindig! and Mojo. Novelty Island have performed at Glastonbury and supported Sea Power, The Dream Machine and The Pale White around the UK.

This is from his forthcoming EP, Taped Over, out on 2nd February on Nine X Nine.

Chef’s kiss.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Bandcamp

POCKET SUN – Jupiter

This is a band I marked as my one to watch in September 2022, and I stand by this. The synths they deploy are sweet, and the progressions being played have a bit of jazzy soul going on – the switch up in different keys is also a treat. You can’t go wrong with this band, I could see them playing small venues and packing it out – say like the 606, or Ronnie Scott’s. Stick a horn section on this and it would be badass!

I also had a peek at the accompanying video, it’s got a bit of a Doctor Who 1970s feel about it on the external shots – topical as the new Doctor debuted on Saturday! Brilliant, but I digress. Also watching the video, I think the alien is mouthing the universal greeting from Transformers: The Movie.

You have to be a real nerd to get the reference to this…

I’d love to know whether this is the case.

Pocket Sun’s Twitter states they are a quintet from the South West of England, and that their sound is rooted in synth wave and psych pop.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube | Bandcamp

TWAT UNION – UTI

It’s not often that we get songs about bodily ailments on the inbox – at least I have never had to review a song about one. Just as I stated at the beginning of this week’s Fresh Faves it seems that quirky songs are the order of day. So let me just kick off and say that this is my track of the week.

I LOVE IT. Sometimes you take a risk and hope for the best in terms of picking a track, and hope the other mods will agree, and then hope that everyone on the Listening Post that weekend will agree. I took that risk, and thankfully it paid off. This one came away with the most votes on the LP and I’m happy for Twat Union.

Why?

Well, if you kick off a song with the lyric “I had sex now I’m on antibiotics, everything burns, when will I learn…?”

You’re alright in my book.

TMI.

But you’re alright in my book.

Oh and “U and I made a UTI” made me chuckle…

The song does have a serious message, according to their Bandcamp: “This song is for everyone to shout, laugh, cry, and generally express your anger about female and non-binary medical problems (we know some men get them too) and maybe together we can change the narrative around when and how it’s ok to talk about issues down there.“

The feminist chaos pop punk seven-piece from South London are known for their wild, immersive gigs with their trademark provocative humour. Twat Union’s all-girl lineup don’t shy away from topics like period sex, thigh chafe, urinary tracts and people always assuming they are the singer of the band because they are women.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | 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.