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

A word from Del: Hello everyone! Big thankyou to all the artists who submitted tracks in the full inbox and also extra special thankyou to those who found time to come and vote this weekend..

I would like to make an appeal to everyone who make the faves. As you can tell, the faves aren’t decided by one person, and I’d love for you to be actively involved, we open the listening post early on Fridays purposefully for this reason and keep it open until 6pm on Sunday evening, please help your fellow artists – it’s not a competition – we purposely ask artists not to tell their friends to come and vote for them as that would defeat the point of what we do here. If you can come and check out the first listening post when we return and vote for your favourite 5 tracks that will be helpful.

Shares and likes are nice, but if we rely on just shares and likes alone we wouldn’t be able to function. I will tag you on social media as a reminder of course. Thankyou!

If you choose to share this, please tag the correct instagram accounts, @fotnblog and this week’s reviewer Neil March and Sherry Sahayaraj whose instagram handles are: @trustthedoc and @sherrysahayra and the official instagram account for FOTN is @fotnblog

Over to you Neil and Sherry!

SHERRY: Hi everyone ! It feels like it’s been such a long time since we last sat down to write a Fresh On The Net review, so it’s lovely to be back doing this again. With winter slowly settling in, darker evenings and colder days somehow make listening to new music feel even better. There’s always something exciting about going through the tracks that listeners have chosen as their favourites. So let’s dive in .

NEIL: It has been a few months since we last jointly reviewed the fresh faves as voted for by our ever-discerning readers and, once again, we have a diverse selection of cool tracks to talk about. Fresh On The Net remains one of the most important and genuinely open platforms supporting grassroots and independent music. So please spread the word. Let’s get more people coming and voting every weekend. The more people who engage, the more exposure that provides to these hard-working, aspiring artists.

AUGUST COOKE – Mountain Down

No links on Soundcloud and a blurb that just says ‘London-based musician’, August Cooke isn’t making it easy for journalists, bloggers etc. to find and write about him. Luckily, us FOTN mods are quite determined. According to his Instagram, Mountain Down is a meditative piece seeking peace amid the turmoil of our insane world. Amen to that.

NEIL: Mountain Down starts off bathed in rich and rather beautiful strings that have an almost late 19th Century Franco-Russian sensibility before Bowie-eque bassline and beat come in and August’s whispery vocals set out the mystical melody, harmonised too. The harmonic language in terms of the instrumental arrangement is clever and takes some unexpected turns including delicious dissonances and expert combinations of timbres. The echoing vocals and harmonies are evocative of vast open landscapes of cliffs and rocks, adding a Celtic (or Nordic perhaps) aspect to this emerging hybrid of influences. We love originality at FOTN and this track is both unique and a compelling listen. What a great start to the reviews. This is captivating.

SHERRY: Mountain Down starts with an eerie sound and slowly moves into this beautiful, atmospheric rhythm. The dreamy vocals and melodies make the track feel like you are being pulled into the song. There is something very calm about it, but at the same time, it has a mysterious feeling. If you’re into dreamy, atmospheric music with a little mystery to it, give “Mountain Down” a listen.

Instagram

BEFORE CLOSE – Circles

Another one that is hard to find on social media and has no links on their Soundcloud but Before Close appear to be a duo from the North East of England consisting of Jodie Nicholson and Joe Ramsey. On Circles, they have collaborated with regular fresh fave Amelia Coburn, Middlesbrough-based artist who we have reviewed in Trust The Doc numerous times. Before Close have also received high praise from Clash Magazine. They have a new collection entitled Oxford Street Circus which this is from.

SHERRY: Circles has a very calm and lovely feel to it. The soft guitar strumming and vocals work really well together and give the track a warm, intimate feeling. The vocals are beautiful and sit so naturally with the music. It feels like the kind of song you could listen to on a quiet, foggy morning in the mountains, with nothing around you but the sound of nature. There is something very peaceful about the whole track, and the simple arrangement gives the vocals space to really shine. If you’re looking for something calm and easy to get lost in, Circles is definitely worth a listen.

NEIL: This kicks off with strummed guitar and soft but assured female vocal that is then doubled, adding a cool effect and, as Sherry rightly says, a calm atmosphere. Strings float into the mix and folky harmonies add to the slightly otherworldly aura. There are definite shades of Staves about this and perhaps a touch of I SEE RIVERS too. The instrumental backdrop remains quite minimal, allowing the spellbinding vocals to dominate. Nuanced and expertly executed, this is truly lovely.

Instagram

DOGVIOLET – Black Walnut

On the verge of a short tour, Dogviolet have an EP called Wilting which is ‘… a collection of songs about staying hopeful when life feels too much’, a sentiment I think most of us can very much relate to right now. Their Instagram is filled with striking video footage of the quartet dressing up and acting out fun dramatics in forests and fields and there is a real sense that they see the performance art element of their act as being intrinsic to their inventive musical style.

NEIL: Black Walnut brings an interesting hybrid of spy movie guitars, melancholy moods and yearning passion. In one sense, it recalls some of the early Post-Punk music of more adventurous (or should I say, less mainstream) bands but then the contrasting vocal elements (initially spoken word before harmonies and haunting melody develop) are very contemporary. A track that builds around simple but smartly applied instrumental interplay and passionate vocals, rounded off by nagging melodic lines and a kind of call and response aspect that they do really well.

SHERRY: Black Walnut has a dark and slightly mysterious feel from the start. I really like how the vocals change through the track, starting off more spoken before turning into a more haunting melody. The music builds slowly and keeps adding little details, which makes you want to keep listening. If you like music that feels a little unusual and dramatic, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp

EGOISM – It Takes Two

Hailing from Sydney in Australia, Egoism first made our fresh faves back in 2019. Scout, Olive and Adam are currently touring around Australia to sold out venues. The numbers viewing their videos are impressive too and the engagement on their social media suggests a band who get a lot of love from their fans.

SHERRY: It Takes Two has a really fun and catchy feel to it. The beat pulls you in straight away, and I really like the way the guitar and synth sounds work together. The vocals are easy to get into, and the chorus stays in your head after the song finishes. It feels like the kind of track you would want to play when you’re getting ready to go out or just want something upbeat.

NEIL: This has a driving beat with an appealing bendy guitar figure playing off against a synthpop-infused feel. The melody is poppy and catchy, as Sherry points out, while the harmonies are impactful and the way the guitar ups its game, running alongside the rest of the band in the chorus works well. In some ways, it feels like a throwback to early eighties New Wave but then it also has enough contemporary sounds and production ideas to be fresh and perky too.

Linktree | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | YouTube | Bandcamp

ONYANKOPON – Acorn Maker

The Soundcloud link will take you to the label so you won’t be able to get any info on Onyankopon through that route but we found them on Instagram where we discovered Acorn Maker is part of their Butter Fingers EP. Onyankopon are a duo from St Louis, Missouri in the USA (just in case you weren’t sure!). They played at the Wild West Weenier Festival in August and have been busy with their live itinerary. They have also been featured in 40Mag.

NEIL: This starts off with some picking guitar and an unusually frantic percussion part as if trying to achieve a folk-drum’n’bass hybrid! The intro works in some nice punchy strummed chords and clever rhythmic configurations before a clanging guitar plays suspended chords that take it on a more direct path. The picking, intertwining guitars that ensue are attractive and nicely executed.

SHERRY: This track feels very cinematic and has a really unusual energy to it. It quickly lifts your mood and keeps the song feeling fresh. The guitar riffs are excellent and add so much character to the track. It’s a fun and refreshing listen.

Note from Del: Onyankopon is the Akan word for sky God, I’d love to know how they came across their name!

Instagram

SHOUN SHOUN – Flight

If you are a regular reader of FOTN or Trust The Doc, you will scarcely need introducing to the Bristol band Shoun Shoun. Led from the front by the amazing Berliner Annette Becker, they have been wowing audiences and winning your votes for a good while now. Their latest album Drip is absolutely banging and adds to an expanding CV of touring, getting support and validation from BBC Introducing plus a host of indie media and some cool festival stages. It feels like they are on the cusp of a new level of success and recognition.

SHERRY: Flight has a dark and powerful feel from the very start. Annette’s vocals really stand out and pull you into the song. I love how the music slowly builds and brings in more energy, especially when the guitars come in. The chorus is catchy and makes you want to go back and listen to it again.

NEIL: It is no secret that I am a fan of Shoun Shoun and I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing their new album Drip for Trust The Doc recently. Flight is a perfect example of Annette’s creative imagination and the band’s craft. From the opening triplet figure in the synth and the minimal backdrop as Annette’s vocals march into centre stage, there is an intensity that you know is going to grow as more sounds are added, including fuzzed up guitars, key changes and great textural contrasts. There is always a gothic undertone to their music but they achieve a brilliant balance between imaginative Alt Rock and elements of synth-oriented dream pop. But these are darker dreams, a little disturbing too but you still want to keep returning to them and discovering more. Everything about this track gives me goosebumps and the fact that it has such a killer chorus just says it all really. This is music of such a high standard in every aspect.

Linktree | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | YouTube

TAKEDA – Lion’s Den

The band Takeda are familiar to us, not least because we share their amazing PR specialist Jade from Memphia Music. They are currently touring the UK and have amazing media coverage including the likes of Clash Mag, Earmilk, Psychedelic Baby and Radio X. They have also been playing festival stages over the summer. We have already reviewed the single once in the September edition of Trust The Doc too so this is our second time!

NEIL: Lion’s Den is in a slowish triplet time and begins with some pretty picking before it begins to develop, adding layers and contrasts including some fantastically fuzzy loud Bass Guitar in mid-track. The drum beat has a slightly syncopated feel and the vocal in mid-tenor range starts off gentle but grows in intensity. The contrast between strummed acoustic and more abrasive lead play adds another vital ingredient in a hybrid of Indie Folk and Grunge with an engaging melody to top it off.

SHERRY: As Neil says, we actually share the same PR team with Takeda, so it was nice to come across their track again in the Fresh Faves. Lion’s Den has a very warm and earthy feeling to it, almost like driving through the countryside on a cloudy evening. I really like the way the track slowly grows and changes as you listen. It feels both calm and powerful at the same time.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Linktree | YouTube

THE ACTIONS – Container

A familiar name both to FOTN readers and to us at Trust The Doc, Bristol duo (doubling the city’s presence in the faves this week), The Actions have had enthusiastic support from Cruze Magazine, Side Line, Wax Music and various others. They also have an accomplished history that includes support from BBC 6 Music, Radio X, BBC Introducing and some prestigious support slots with other acts. Over the time that they have been on our radars, they have been honing their crossover of synth dream pop and ambient electronic atmospheres, always retaining high standards. You can see them live alongside another band we have been writing about, State, and Flag Flen at The Royal Oak in Bath on 31st October.

SHERRY: Container has a really edgy and unusual sound to it. The electronic beats and sharp sounds give it a slightly dark and tense feeling, while the vocals add another layer to the track. It feels bold and a little unpredictable, which keeps you interested. This is definitely one for anyone who likes their electronic music with a darker edge.

NEIL: This is The Actions at the harder-edged electronic end of their stylistic spectrum as colourful instrumental play battles with unsettling ambient sounds. The vocals sound filtered, adding a further level of intrigue. The overall sense is like a strange and trippy dream where you are slightly scared but too thrilled to want to wake up too soon. They do this so well and the track gets better with every listen.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | YouTube

YANA – Breaths

A second consecutive week in which a contemporary classical artist has made the faves even if this particular track is more filmic than strictly art music. This is an exciting development and one we hope will continue. Over the years, the faves have accommodated some fantastic composers and instrumentalists. Los Angeles-based Yana is about to embark on a seriously extensive US tour and she has been building some mouth watering levels of support on TikTok and Instagram. She has a new album, Feelings Are Forever and she has had to add extra tour dates because shows are selling out fast.

NEIL: The track begins like a classical piano piece with triplet time arpeggio figures evoking an autumnal atmosphere but, as strings and percussion join the fray and the main theme repeats throughout while adding subtle changes, it has a post-minimalist sensibility but also feels very soundtrack-like. Either way, it’s a cool track and very musical.

SHERRY: Breaths has to be one of my favourite tracks from this week. It carries such a beautiful fairy-tale feeling, with each part of the music adding something special. The whole track feels dreamy and vibrant from start to finish. It gives you that lovely feeling of being somewhere magical for a few minutes.

Official | Instagram | Tiktok | Twitter/X | YouTube

YELF. – Flesh

We are really pleased that the highly talented and likeable London-based Swedish artist Yelf. has made the fresh faves this time after narrowly missing out with the excellent Brainrot. She has been recently featured on Soho Radio and her visuals are striking and complement her futuristic and versatile musical output.

SHERRY: The vocals on Flesh feel more like an experience than just singing. The backing vocals and harmonies give me absolute chills, especially when they come together. The production is really beautiful, with each sound having its own space without making the track feel too busy. If you’re into haunting vocals, beautiful harmonies and music that gives you chills, give Flesh a listen.

NEIL: From the little I have so far experienced of Yelf’s music, I am already of the opinion that she is both a versatile writer and a purveyor of sophisticated and fresh ideas. In one sense, compared to Brainrot, this is less in synthwave territory with its rich piano chords and alluring melody but then it still makes use of her impressive upper register and ghostly themes while the harmonic language of the instrumental backing is extended and takes unusual twists and turns. All in all, a very inventive and engaging track and a really satisfying finale to the weekend’s faves. Well done to Yelf and to all the artists.

Linktree | Instagram | YouTube | Bandcamp

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.