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

Life throws up some odd experiences at times but I never thought I would be reviewing this week’s Fresh Faves from a hospital bed where I am receiving treatment for an issue with my foot! But I thought it was worth mentioning this week that, when artists submit tracks to Fresh On The Net, they are not only being heard by our legendary leader Tom Robinson but also a number of others, myself included, who are involved in putting on regular gigs (and, in some cases, small festivals), broadcasting radio shows, publishing blogs, writing for online journals etc. You get to hit all these people with one submission, so you never know who might be considering you for some opportunity, however small. That is regardless of whether you make it to the Listening Post or the Fresh Faves. Food for thought for all you budding artists. Meanwhile, this week I get to review the ten tracks that made it all the way to the Fresh Faves as voted by our ever-discerning readers.

BRYNOVSKY – Half The Dub In The World

Based in Scotland, writer and producer Tim Jones has been releasing music as Brynovsky since 2010. Featured previously on BBC 6 Music on more than one occasion, his work was described by our own Tom Robinson as ‘a splendid discovery’. He has released three albums and the latest sees him recycling older recordings to create a dub set from which he has been releasing a single a month. Given that this process was due to end in January 2024, I am presuming this single is the culmination of that release plan. The new album Dub Section was released in early January. 

Half The Dub In The World sees Brynovsky recycling a track from his 2020 album Future Weather originally entitled Half The Wealth In The World; a commentary on the ‘inequality of the billionaire economy’. It begins with a repeating bassline walking in both directions against lush keyboard chords. A punchy beat kicks in and more sounds begin to dance around the mix, even some lowkey fuzz guitar in bits. It has the feel of a movie scene, dark and shadowy in the back streets of a big City. Literally urban (or urbane maybe) in this respect. As the effects expand, including gorgeous drum echo and rattling reverberant percussion, the picture is complete. 

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COMING UP ROSES – Don’t Let It Break Your Heart

I am so pleased to see this in the Faves. Coming Up Roses originate from Singapore. It is from there that Bass Guitarist and vocalist Emily Sera and guitarist and backing vocalist Darius Oon relocated to London and duly enrolled at ICMP (where I am a tutor). Emily was one of my brilliant MA students there. I didn’t get to teach Darius, but both have become friends of mine. The new London incarnation of the band played an impressive live set at one of my gigs in South East London last year. They were subsequently picked up by Talentbanq who put them on at the Hard Rock Cafe. They have also played the Sebright Arms via GoToBeat and at Retro Manchester; all part of a generally busy live itinerary. They continue to command a sizeable following in Singapore and other parts of Asia and they have previously toured Canada. All this and still so young. Who knows what 2024 will have in store?

Don’t Let It Break Your Heart finds Coming Up Roses in energetic mid-tempo mode. From the moment the driving fuzztone guitar riff arrives, bolstered by syncopated bass and drums and additional reverberant guitar, there is a spacious Post-Punk feel. Emily’s vocals are strong and appealing (as are the harmonies), delivering an agreeably bendy melody. The production is spot on, the dynamics lifting into the chorus. There is a shoegaze undercurrent to this track; echoes of Lush in a jam with NewDad while Bleach Lab bring chops. Their Soundcloud blurb describes their music as ‘… distinctively familiar – yet you can’t put your finger on it’ and that perfectly encapsulates what we have here. The use of major sevenths in the guitars combining with bass and a bending, slurred melody do remind me of past greats but they are hard to pinpoint. To be clear though, this is fresh, contemporary and as good as anything currently being played on BBC 6 Music.

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CRUUSH – Headspace

Manchester’s Cruush have been on my radar for a while now and I have blogged about them previously. They are getting themselves about too with a tour that takes in venues in the UK, France and Netherlands this month. They have been picking up some rave reviews for Headspace including my recent edition of Trust The Doc and others like Blogotheque and Consequence. They were also on the BBC 6 Music Introducing Show with Tom in December.

Headspace is a power-driven slice of Shoegaze-infused Alt Rock. The distinctive female vocal takes centre stage surrounded by crashing, jangling guitars and busy, syncopated bass and drums. The production is kind of ‘wall of sound’ which, combined with the colour the guitar chords bring, reminds me a little of early Lush (which is definitely a good thing) but with contemporary references too, perhaps a little of Just Mustard and a dash of Slaney Bay among others. They keep the little ideas and contrasts coming and the result is a highly engaging and inventive track rounded off by a sweet melody.

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FHUR – Cortisone

East London-based Italian Dark Pop and Synthwave artist Anna aka FHUR is one of two artists in this week’s Faves who have played my live events in South East London. FHUR has been increasing her profile in 2023, getting more airplay and keeping up a busy live schedule. She recently played Femmestival and has had support from Help Musicians UK. Having just passed four years in London, Anna says the city has given her life and she ‘… would not trade it for anything’. Hopefully she has bright times ahead too.

Cortisone has all the key features I associate with FHUR. It begins with some great rumbling, buzzing synth bass and a slightly threatening echo-drum sound while FHUR’s vocals and the staccato synth tones bouncing around the mix have an intensity that reminds me a little of Grimes in a mash with FK Twigs while Purity Ring add vibes, although I should be clear that she doesn’t actually sound especially like any of those artists. There are shades of NZCA Lines too in the octave-apart vocals and quasi-Disco undercurrent. The track underlines the combination of her creative imagination and her mastery of production. Having seen her live twice, none of this surprises me but it’s always intriguing to hear how she puts it all together in a recording.

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FIG BY FOUR – All Seeing A

Another artist who has been on my radar for a little while, Leeds-based Sarah Statham is a multi-instrumentalist and writer performing as Fig By Four. Already featured by Amazing Radio, Yorkshire Post and others and with a performance for Live at Leeds and a new album released back in October, it has been a busy, productive period.

All Seeing A begins with a highish repeating bass note, joined by rhythmically identical snare drum. Guitar joins and adds a contrary motion harmony while Sarah’s distinctive voice seizes the momentum, delivering an expressive performance against this sparse backdrop. Then suddenly everything kicks in big time for a chorus that has echoes of Elastica in a mash with Wolf Alice while The Primitives bring the wine. Again though, Fig By Four doesn’t sound particularly like any of those bands and it is her ability to switch so effortlessly between moods and textures that is so impressive here. That and her seemingly effortless ability to pen great tunes.

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GOOD HABITS – Sunday Ft. Kate Griffin

If you want to be impressed by the activities of a grassroots music act, how about an impending tour with 17 dates in New Zealand, 2 in Australia and 13 in the UK? Yeah, me too! Add to this performances at Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk, Cupa Dupa and others and it is clear that Good Habits — Bonnie Schwarz (Cello & Vocals) and Pete Shaw (Accordion) — are more than simply getting amongst it. Described by Tom Robinson as ‘Musicianship at its 21st Century best’ when he played them on BBC 6 Music, this duo have become an accomplished presence in the UK and international Folk scenes, especially in New Zealand where they found themselves ‘happily stranded’ during the pandemic and have clearly built a special relationship with fans there.

Sunday features Sheffield-based Folk artist Kate Griffin. It kicks off with some lively Cello playing, mixing staccato jumps and legato slurs as well as contrasting bowed figures and bendy pizzicato. The vocal kicks in with an agreeable grittiness that is particularly exquisite as a harmony vocal joins the fray. It sounds like picking banjo playing above the Cello register-wise and taking on a slightly oriental style in between the verses. This is so well executed on every level. Great songwriting, smartly nuanced arranging, punchy earthy production, superb instrumental play and quality vocals. Outstanding on any level.

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HEY CAZALE – Five Films

Hey Cazale is the musical moniker of Stefan Gordon and the fact that his Instagram handle is @cazalefilmmusic tells us something about where his interests lie. He is a big fan of actor John Cazale, hence the name. Five Films has been a long time coming apparently and represents a tribute to Cazale and his work. Stefan spent the summer collecting sounds from around Manchester Airport which were then utilised on an ambient music album entitled Ringway, released in October 2023. 

Five Films mixes spoken word samples with a driving riff and single tremelo guitar chords while other sounds bring a cinematic contrast. This all builds towards a trippy reverse-sounding chord figure before the drums and bass once again drive relentlessly on, now playing what is effectively a single-note drone against the same tremelo guitar and wall of sound production. Atmospheric and individual.

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JOE BEL – The Secret

I had the pleasure of reviewing Joe Bel, from Lyon, when she made the Fresh Faves in November 2023 and she has made it again; bang on the three months (the time period artists who make the faves have to wait to resubmit). As I noted on that occasion, she… “was born into a ‘cosmopolitan family scattered all over the world’.” She interrupted her studies in 2012 to begin performing her songs and, by 2014, was touring Germany. Anyone who lists Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Fela Kuti as key influences is guaranteed to grab my attention, and she continues to plough her individual path as a singer-songwriter. The last single achieved over 100K streams and her social media reveals followings on both sides of the North Sea.

The Secret has an oddly retro vibe in the bouncy bass, sometimes in fifths, and the suspended guitar chords playing on the offbeat although the booming beat and glissando figure bring a different vibe. The elaborate vocal arrangement with lush harmonies and snappy call and response in the chorus is the icing on the cake here, helped by Joe’s agile, appealing vocals. Throw in some unexpected chord changes and a striking melody and this is just a joy to listen to.

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WILL KNOX – Twentysomething

Based in Haerlem in Netherlands, Will Knox seems to spend most of his time there but interspersed with occasional visits to London. He played at the Paradiso in Amsterdam with Neomi at Christmas and before that was in Haerlem at the Patronaat. He also filmed a previous video in Amsterdam but, in between, was playing the Finsbury and recording in a London studio. 

Twentysomething was co-written with Dutch artist Celine Cairo (who provides backing vocals) and also features Cellist Simon Lewis and drummer Chris Maas. It is produced by Ian Grimble. The lyrics are a retrospective look at what life was like in his twenties; something of a period of discovery helped by spending time working with other musicians, collectively inspiring one another. The song has a repeating picked acoustic figure that is slightly folky but the style of the vocals, beat and synths take it in more of a contemporary mainstream direction. Will’s vocals are expressive and yearning and, as the instrumental sounds build around him, it is impossible not to be carried along by its epic pop momentum.

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WOJTEK THE BEAR – Slowly, Then All At Once

No strangers to the Fresh Faves or to BBC Introducing, Scottish quintet Wojtek The Bear have been building a firm reputation as a band on the cusp of breaking into the indie equivalent of the mainstream for some time. Now signed to Ian Smith’s highly successful Last Night From Glasgow label (who previously launched the career of Cloth and these days have an impressive roster of current and legacy acts), they recorded their album Shaking Hands With The NME with legendary producer Stephen Street (whose recent work has also included former Fresh Fave turned big noise Bleach Lab) and they were handpicked by Charlatans’ Tim Burgess to co-host a listening party. They have just announced summer live dates in Scotland and Radio X’s John Kennedy has already given the new single his support.

Slowly, Then All At Once finds WTB in more laid back mood with a semi-mystical aura. It is folkier than some of their recent releases with strummed guitars in a three-time rhythm contrasted by sparky single-note guitar melodies and some gorgeous violin play. The big harmony-soaked vocal hook somehow reminds me a little of Dodgy, perhaps in a jam with World Party. It is insanely catchy too and lovingly performed.

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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.