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

ALEXANDRA LEAVING – Out Of This World

Fresh from playing Fresh On The Net Live in London two weeks ago, Alexandra Leaving is back here topping our readers’ poll this week. Now London-based, the Shropshire native is a shining example of an artiste who has reinvented herself successfully from her comparatively introspective singer-songwriter roots to rock star territory. Drawing inspiration rather than a musical style from the Leonard Cohen song of that same name, Alex has added a rockier, uncompromising edge to her work. She was voted a Fresh Fave in November 2019 under her earlier aegis of Alex Jayne, since when she has featured here twice in her new guise.

A single to follow her May debut EP, An Exorcise in Anger, “Out Of This World” sees Alex bottling the energy of a live recording in a full-on guitar-driven rocker embellished with powerful yet surprisingly nuanced vocals. Hers is a passionate delivery which borders on the theatrical as she weaves an intoxicating web of surrendering to a visceral sense of obsession. Propelled by crisp drums, searing guitars and heavy bass, the song still retains enough light and shade to maintain a distinctive edge. “Can I hold onto this feeling?” Yes, for sure.

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ECHO NORTHSTAR – Creatures

A first time Fresh Fave, Echo Northstar is the agreeably evocative moniker of Paddy Hennessey who sounds like he should come from a racing dynasty but reassuringly is a singer-songwriter and producer of, I feel, rare distinction. I first came across his music in November 2022 via his second single, “Silent Fears”, a song which ponders letting go off an old life in search of something new. At the time he was a relative newcomer to the big smoke having recently escaped two years of bedroom lockdown in a stormy coastal village in the east of Ireland.

‘Clambering from silence to meet the rising and falling tides of unknown undiscovered joys’ is the short poetic description you will find on Echo’s Bandcamp page which features five singles including his Listening Post entry, “Creatures.” It seems to sum up his sensibilities quite aptly. On “Creatures” he uses his filigree vocals almost as an additional instrument offset by insistent beats and highlighted by bass syncopations, concluding with a ghostly coda. The song juggles intimacy with a sense of loss and longing; the words cascading and retreating like those rising and falling tides.

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FRANCESCA EVERLY – Golden Days

Francesca Everly is a surprisingly overdue entrant to the annals of Fresh favouritism, having released some stand-out singles that have narrowly missed the cut. The Rome native and London-based ICMP alumna originally recorded under her real surname Guerra and repositioned herself as Francesca Everly earlier this year; a rebrand that may have been prompted by the odd mispronunciation of her surname. Francesca fuses influences from Italian Pop and British Indie to create a sound that is increasingly her own, with songs that range from soft, introspective ballads to powerhouse pop rock.

“Golden Days” is the title track from Francesca’s debut EP which includes her last three singles too. The song sees her in reflective, mellow mood as she looks back on personal memories while balancing the pressures of adulthood with a desire to recapture the simpler days of childhood. Strummed guitar sets a relaxed mood over which Francesca’s voice caresses, before increasing in intensity for the choruses. She has a fine appreciation of topline melody and the flexibility to power up a vocal climax. Her whispered vocals as the song reaches closure are then a particular delight, topping a wonderfully constructed and delivered song.

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HALEY HOLGATE – Your Madonna

Another making her first Fresh Faves foray is Northern Beaches, Sydney native Haley Holgate, a relative newcomer to recorded music as she released her debut single “A Good Feminist” just shy of 12 months ago. The song challenged conventional notions of what it means to be a feminist and made the case that as a woman you don’t need to be perfect in every way to bring about change. After further single releases, one year on the young Australian singer-songwriter has compiled a 7-track EP out which, according to Haley, has been two years in the making.

The title track to the EP, “Your Madonna” is the closing track to the EP which may well explain its relative brevity, clocking in at just 1:41. It is probably best considered in the context of the full EP which spans empowered indie pop through to increasingly contemplative songs drawn from a highly personal well. Haley has a vocal tone that simply melts on the ear as she appears to give herself up to love, totally: “I’ll do whatever you want / I’ll be your Madonna.” Perhaps, though, all is not as conventional as it seems.

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HYPER SYNC – Solace

Like many artistes working broadly in the field of electronic music, Hyper Sync seems to adopt something of a cloak of anonymity. So, no biog nor revealing interviews are to be easily found. Hyper Sync made his Spotify debut with the album, Night Sky, in 2015 and released singles spasmodically over the past two years or so, with the latest being an EP titled Longing which includes his Fresh On The Net entry, “Solace.” The title track of that EP actually garnered him Fresh favour in May this year and his latest foray is the closing number on the same EP.

“Solace” is built around piano figures, opening with a Japanese feel built around tumbling notes and short choral samples. It builds nicely in the central section with electric guitar scattering little phrases and works through to a gently ebbing coda. All in all, it is a beautifully tender piece of music, perfect for relaxation and meditation. If you need further solace, Hyper Sync has a goodly collection of tunes on his Bandcamp page.

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NOURIA BAH – Sent Age

According to her Bandcamp page, Nouria Bah ‘combines her love of close harmonies, silly puns and catchy basslines to create bricolage-like grooves.’ The diverse elements in her music reflect her heritage and journey; with roots in Senegal/Guinea, Nouria grew up in the USA before moving to London in 2011. Her musical CV includes contributions to a range of experimental/indie projects and performances at festivals including We Out Here jazz fest in 2023. Her songs have had independent radio support plus spots on BBC Radio 6 and BBC Introducing,

Nouria has an EP in the works, Don B4 – yes, that word play again – which she will be launching at Dalston’s Servant Jazz Quarters on 21 October. “Sent Age” is the third track of the four-song EP. Here she contributes kalimba and percussion to add to her softly relaxed lead vocals, supported by a fine jazz ensemble comprising guitar, keys, bass, sax, drums and backing vocals. The song is a plea to find space and slow down when things all around you are moving so fast. It’s a chilled track with Nouria’s melismatic flurries adding to the fast-slow confliction. Two-thirds in, the band even take a short break to chat about star signs. Trying times indeed but… relax!

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ROLLER DERBY – Ready To Forget

Formed in 2020, Roller Derby describes itself as an indie/dream pop band from Hamburg comprising Philine Meyer on lead vocals and keys and guitarist Manuel Romero Soria. They met as students in Germany and began their musical journey together. The band name has a retro feel which works well in tandem with ‘80s influences, mellow synth sounds, effects pedals and a veneer of Americana to the music. Roller Derby is working towards the launch of a debut album in February 2025 with tour dates slated across Europe and over here in Manchester, London and Brighton.

There is a sense of longing about Roller Derby’s music which is evident on “Ready to Forget”, the song that clearly captivated many Fresh On The Net readers. The title though is a misnomer. On the very first listen, I marked this one down as a too-ne as those reformed Manc lads would say. The song has immediacy in spades and a lightness of touch that lends distinction in familiar musical landscape. Philine’s voice reaches the high notes effortlessly and somewhat dreamily adding a soft glaze to her lyrical contemplations on love’s rollercoaster.

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SAM REDMORE – Pride

Sam Redmore doesn’t say that much about himself on his socials and music platforms so a bit of research was called for. Birmingham-based Sam seems to juggle several hats as a music producer, DJ, songwriter and live performer sat at a midi keyboard, headphones on and with a full band around him. Sam’s collaboration with Nigerian Afrobeat star Dele Sosimi made him a Fresh Fave last June while his latest entry means he is now a four times Fave. He has a new album out next month entitled Modulate and seems driven by the common core of dance music though fully able to mix up a range of styles around it.

On Twitter (I’m still not an X-man), Sam describes “Pride” as a disco banger and lets us know that the track started life as the intro music to a stand-up show for comedian, Joe Lycett, called More, More, More! How Do You Lycett? How Do You Lycett? I sympathise with anyone trying to fit that show title onto a poster. “Pride” revives the Philly sound with imaginative, expansive horn and string arrangements that keep things bright, uplifting and fun.

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SARAH BUCKLEY – What’s Going On?

Alt-folk songstress Sarah Buckley from Cork, Ireland is an artiste whose captivating output I have followed since happening upon her single “Always Trouble” last year, which previewed her second EP, Wind Chimes. Sarah’s songs are characterised by a turn of phrase and freshness of delivery that gives air to her inner conversations. Her work has already brought her critical plaudits while she was a first time Fresh Fave in September last year with her tale of misplaced trust in a relationship that went awry, “Puppet Show.”

Noting her return with the single “What’s Going On?” made me wonder whether there might be a Marvin Gaye thing going on in that choice of song title. There isn’t, folks. But no matter. I love the way Sarah sings in her natural accent which brings with it a rare flavour and a grounded reality to her musings; and the way she phrases her lines which seem that they won’t fit, but still do. The song is about the stress and confusion of being in a ‘situationship’, checking your phone a lot yet staying in the dark. It is immaculately voiced and perfectly accompanied by a soft instrumental mesh.

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THUNDERMOON – Stay Alive

From no Marvin Gaye to nothing about the Bee Gees either as we reach the final Fresh Fave of the week with Thundermoon and “Stay Alive.” Formed in 2022, the Edinburgh-based synth pop trio comprising queer friends Kat Messer on synths, Lorna Kelly (drum machine programmes and bass) and Shaz Jamieson on keyboards and lead vocals mixes retro sounds with spacey harmonies. The band’s music straddles uplifting themes of friendship and solidarity with darker notes on mental health and political protest.

There is a hint of Erasure’s “A Little Respect” about the stabbing synth chord pattern that underpins the whole of “Stay Alive.” The track is not a new single but rather the opening one from Thundermoon’s 2023 EP, We’re Still Here, a title which was taken from this very song. It is an empowering piece of music with slogan-statement lyrics delivered as mantras against an intricate soundscape. The intensity is nicely balanced by light and shade in the vocal layers and keyboard/synth flourishes which help maintain a positive, hopeful note.

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PS from Del: 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 – 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.