May 2018 Roundup

Jon Doyle — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:40:16 +0000

We’re creatures of habit here at Various Small Flames, so as usual, here is a mixtape featuring all the bands we covered last month. We think you’ll agree May 2018 was a kind one, musically. Hit play on Playmoss or Spotify and then follow the links to read reviews and buy your favourites.

Tracklisting:

Hop Along – How Simple
Remember Sports – Pull Through
Fresh Kill – San Diego
Badlands – Slow it Down
Foundlings – Misery
Squirrel Flower – Conditions
Valley Queen – Chasing the Muse
Nap Eyes – Every Time the Feeling
wished bone – reasons
Pearl Crush – True Blue
Samia – 21
plant food – baked beans
Gillian Frances – Blue Shit
Luton – Ice Museum
naps – ninth
Allison’s Gate – Traces
Mess – Cave
runner – awash
I’m Kingfisher – Sarajevo
Sam Moss – Snap
The Duke of Norfolk – Dylan Thomas / Bitter Bitter
Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread – Less Than Positive
lung cycles – dcs

You can check out all of our past monthly roundup mixes here, and be sure to follow us on Spotify and Playmoss for all our future playlists.

The post May 2018 Roundup appeared first on Various Small Flames.

Video Premiere: I’m Kingfisher – Sarajevo

Jon Doyle — Thu, 31 May 2018 10:47:21 +0000

The recording project of Swedish songwriter Thomas Jonsson, I’m Kingfisher put out its third record this spring. Released on Stockholm’s Fading Trails Recordings, Transit is Jonsson’s sixth solo release in total, and the experience shows on what is a considerate, expertly crafted record. Ranging from technical acoustic guitar reminiscent of Sam Moss to slow, moody ballads that conjure the likes of Ola Podrida, I’m Kingfisher’s style allows room to explore a range of emotions within a single album. Furthermore, this is managed in an organic, emotive fashion, each track having a certain directness that draws the listener to Jonsson’s lyrics in the manner of the best folk music.

We’re delighted to share a new video for the single, ‘Sarajevo’. Directed by Isac Stridsman with David Stridsman as camera assistant, the film is suitably stark and evocative, the juxtaposition of darkness and light marrying perfectly with the song’s bittersweet ambience. Such a push and pull defines ‘Sarajevo’, with the introspective emotion counterbalanced by a clever self-awareness. However, neither the sincere sentiments or ironic self-reference undercut the other, rather the song exists as a nuanced piece willing and able to contradict itself, and thus appearing all the more human for it.

“Yes, I have time to let this take forever.
Something something something something,
fully defining and droopy eyed is a reminder
there’ll be a time when I’m gone.

Plastic bag coloured and soaking wet but
for now I’m still OK, and this pack of strings,
I said this pack of strings, I said this baby
was bound to come between us,
this pack of strings has got one more rhythm to catch”

Transit is out now via Fading Trails Recordings and you can get it from Bandcamp.

Cover photo by Anna Branhede

The post Video Premiere: I’m Kingfisher – Sarajevo appeared first on Various Small Flames.

I'm Kingfisher Archives - Various Small Flames

May 2018 Roundup

Video Premiere: I’m Kingfisher – Sarajevo

“Yes, I have time to let this take forever.
Something something something something,
fully defining and droopy eyed is a reminder
there’ll be a time when I’m gone.

Plastic bag coloured and soaking wet but
for now I’m still OK, and this pack of strings,
I said this pack of strings, I said this baby
was bound to come between us,
this pack of strings has got one more rhythm to catch”

I'm Kingfisher Archives - Various Small Flames

May 2018 Roundup

Video Premiere: I’m Kingfisher – Sarajevo

“Yes, I have time to let this take forever. Something something something something, fully defining and droopy eyed is a reminder there’ll be a time when I’m gone.

Plastic bag coloured and soaking wet but for now I’m still OK, and this pack of strings, I said this pack of strings, I said this baby was bound to come between us, this pack of strings has got one more rhythm to catch”

“Yes, I have time to let this take forever.
Something something something something,
fully defining and droopy eyed is a reminder
there’ll be a time when I’m gone.

Plastic bag coloured and soaking wet but
for now I’m still OK, and this pack of strings,
I said this pack of strings, I said this baby
was bound to come between us,
this pack of strings has got one more rhythm to catch”