Our moderators listened to every track we were sent this week and have picked their favourites for your listening pleasure this weekend:

Listening Post: Batch 568

Release date: 20.09.2024

The blending of hip-hop and jazz has underpinned a great many classic releases and this new, two-track, collaborative release from Conscious Route and Chris Greive certainly pulls on this tradition. The first track, ‘Get To Like Mine,’ opens with a sparse, off-kilter break, keys and lilting brass notes that draw from Chris’ jazz trombone experience. The production slowly builds in layers as Conscious Route delivers a captivating rhyme about the struggles of growing up in a society where, as a young Black man, he was pushed into negative situations due to a lack of options, poverty and the expectations that were placed upon him. Drawing from his own experience, Conscious Route speaks on how he overcame and found compassion and self-worth.


Things switch up a notch with the second track, ‘Black’s The New Orange,’ as a crisp breakbeat creates a foundation for a playful call-and-response between Conscious Route’s lyrics and Chris Greive’s trombone playing. Bringing the improvisational and freestyle elements associated with jazz and hip-hop to bear, this funky head-nodder flexes organic musicianship with a bold lyrical swagger that will appease, entertain and intrigue hip-hop heads and jazz-lovers alike

. 
Give this two-track release a listen and you are sure to agree that Conscious Route’s lyrical dexterity and Chris Greive’s jazz-drenched production (plus a little collaborative idea-swapping thrown into the mix) is a formula that you will want to hear more of…

Music Produced by Chris Greive
Lyrics & Co Production by Conscious Route
Artwork Illustration by Lynzie Dray & Lettering by John Thompson
Editorial by Tom Clover

Rasodical Urchin of Inner Work Tings 

Get To Like Mine - Conscious Route & Chris Greive

'Ground Above You' is due for release on April 30th 2025 via Veta Records.


Credits:

Written and arranged by Roisin Lowry

Piano/vocals - Roisin Lowry
Cello/cello drones/double bass - Rob Campbell
Violin - Aisling Bridgeman
Drums - Shay Sweeney

Piano, vocals and strings recorded by Edu Prado in Treehouse Studios, Co. Wicklow
Drums recorded by Edu Prado in Launch Pad, Limerick
Double bass & cello drones recorded by Rob Campbell and Roisin Lowry in Co. Dublin
Mixed by Edu Prado
Mastered by Seán Mac Erlaine

Ground Above You

Ellen Beth Abdi- Sad Chord

Pre-save first single 'I'm In Bed': https://cominguproses.lnk.to/iminbed

Follow Coming Up Roses:
Website: https://www.cominguprosesband.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cominguprosessg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cominguprosessg/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cominguprosessg/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cominguprosessg

#ComingUpRoses

Tired

Recorded live at Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich, ‘Cherry Blossom’ is a rousing, sensual Blues number that cements Nyree’s skill as a live performer. It’s a song for lovers this Spring. Telling someone you love them as the blossoms bloom doesn’t seem half so scary as when you’re waking up to darkness outside. This release is the antithetical follow-up to Nyree’s last single ‘Winter Blues’, a bittersweet song about the numbness of feeling that befalls people in the lead-up to Winter.

'Cherry Blossom' has received radio play and positive attention from LOUD WOMEN, New Music Generator, Recent and Decent, Setmixer and BBC Introducing.

Cherry Blossom

enough

Joe and Matthew jammed and recorded this one afternoon with Joe Marshall and Rob Comer. Additional parts by Nazar Artykula and Sammy Deveille. 
Mixed by Matthew and Nazar. Mastered by Ilan Benitah.

Back Home

For Eden

This song vividly yet tenderly captures the difficulty of taking steps into a loving relationship after brutal behaviour from others has destroyed your sense of self. In a powerful blow to the heart, To Be Known offers the hope that everyone can learn to be valued and seen even if life has taught them otherwise until now.

Producer: Phil Saatchi

Bite Me!

To Be Known

Written about Cumbria, Tulips Pink is about coming home for Spring; about feeling lost and yearning to be back.

Tulips Pink

Deflating doll
Bouncing around
In every direction
I'm fine
Gasping for air
I'm running out
I am slowly running out
I'm fine

Sometimes I want to explode
Into a million pieces
Sometimes I want to explode
Into a million pieces

Will you glue me
Will you glue me back
Together
Together
Will you glue me
Will you glue me back
Together
Together
Together
Will you glue me
Will you glue me back
Together

I'm fine

Riot Act

Sad yet inspirational, this anti-bullying anthem combines acoustic guitar with orchestral strings in an epic singersongwriter style. Born from Amelie's experience of being bullied at school, she hopes to raise awareness of the issue, and inspire others who have been or are going through tough times.

Made It Through (Unplugged Remix)

Michelle Ward and Ed Rome have a great track record of collaborations, and this new take on "What I Wanted" seems like a bold and creative departure from its reggae roots. The mix of drum and bass influences, layered harmonies, and Michelle's distinctive vocals should make for a compelling listen. Brass is by the legendary Jonathan Read .  "The original reggae version of the song was set to be released and I wondered if changing the drums to make it super up-tempo would work and it did. After much editing, chopping, additional harmonies, bass lines and keys, we have What I Wanted (Avoidant Mix). The original reggae mix will be out in June.

Besides creating music, Michelle also has a daytime radio show on Phoenix FM called Eat my Brunch where she champions independent music, 5 days a week. "There is so much amazing independent music, its just good to open your ears to something new". www.phoenixfm.com 



What I Wanted (Avoidant Mix)

We have a friend called Margo who, during lockdown, suffered severe mental health challenges. It was a very difficult time for her & her friends and family. Margo decided to permanently move from London to a small house by the sea on the North Coast of Scotland to try and heal in any way she could. It was there she started surfing. Soon she was spending hours every day in the cold waves of the North Sea. Every day she felt a little better. In the end, surfing saved her life. This song is for her and all those who have sought solace in nature 

Margo and the Sea

After a standout year, with performances at Glastonbury on the BBC Introducing stage, appearing on BBC News, doing a BBC Live Lounge Session & playing her first headline show; British Indian Independent rock artist Maya Lakhani released her atmospheric alt rock single, "Fall For Me," on Friday 2nd May 9AM to all streaming platforms.

“Fall For Me” is an anthemic alt rock love song. Written, recorded & produced by Maya, a skill she taught herself in lockdown 2020, it’s inspired by 00’s teen movie prom scenes.  A shoegaze inspired alternative love song about 2 people falling for each other simultaneously.  Maya performed it at her BBC Live Lounge session, creating a buzz & anticipation with listeners. The filmed session & official music video will also be released in May. The track has already had its' first radio play from Radio 1's Jodie Bryant, ahead of its' release, with Jodie saying "She's a real rock chick, carving her own niche, her own genre".  Melita Dennett also played it on BBC Introducing.

In her visuals for this track, Maya blends her heritage with her rock style, as a proud Indian woman she wants to be seen & heard in the rock scene. If you can see it, you can be it.  Maya has been booked to play the main stage at the Glasgow Mela & other live dates, where she will perform this track. 

MAYA LAKHANI - FALL FOR ME

'Tabula Rasa' explores the the itch to shake off the past and start again with a blank slate. It's the third single from Bethany's upcoming EP The Story I Breathe.

Tabula Rasa

You are invited into a world between two extremes, a world of immense defiance ("Dišpet").

"Defiance" is the first single of Mimika orchestra's 5th studio album Medzotermina, it is a vision of a world which tries to hold on, yet it is unable to escape the drowning into the sea, the same sea which was there at the beginning.

Music: Mak Murtić
Lyrics: Mak Murtić
Video and editing: Bojan Koštić
© ℗ 2025, Menart label

The video was recorded during the recording of the album Medzotermina in front of a live audience in the concert hall Vatroslav Lisinski, in Zagreb. The making of the album was made possible with the support of Ministry of culture of Republic of Croatia, the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, Menart label and crowdfunding through the Indiegogo platform.

Recorded by: Luka Čabo, Mateo Patekar, Vedran Peternel, Marin Hraščanec
Mix and musical production: Vedran Peternel
Master: Miroslav Piškulić

Artwork: Jiao Guo
______

"Dišpet"  najavni single 5. studijskog albuma Mimika Orkestra pod nazivom Medzotermina vizija je svijeta koji se nalazi izmežu dviju krajnosti te iako se pokušava držati, taj isti svijet polako nestaje u moru samih začetaka.

Autor glazbe: Mak Murtić
Autor teksta: Mak Murtić
Režija: Bojan Koštić Kamera i montaža: Bojan Koštić  
© ℗ 2025, Menart label  

Video je snimljen uživo na javnom snimanju albuma Medzotermina u maloj dvorani Vatroslav Lisinski pred publikom. Album je ostvaren uz potporu Ministarstva kulture republike hrvatske, Koncertne dvorane Vatroslav Lisinski, izdavača Menart te javnog financiranja (crowdfunding) preko platforme Indiegogo.

Zvuk snimili: Luka Čabo, Mateo Patekar, Vedran Peternel, Marin Hraščanec
Miks i glazbena produkcija: Vedran Peternel
Mastering:  Miroslav Piškulić

Dizajn: Jiao Guo

_____

Mimika orchestra:

Maja Rivić: vokal / vocals
Anabela Barić: vokal / vocals
Katarina Novčić: vokal / vocals
Anamarija Žugić: vokal / vocals

Nika Bauman: flauta / flute
Jelena Ilčić: oboa / oboe
Tomaž Zevnik: klarinet / clarinet
Marko Lucijan Hraščanec: alt saksofon / alto saxophone
Vojkan Jocić: tenor saksofon / tenor saxophone
Marko Gudelj: bariton saksofon / baritone saxophone

Antonio Geček: truba / trumpet
Branko Sterpin: truba / trumpet
Valdemar Kušan: truba (solo) / trumpet
Mate Picukarić: truba / trumpet
Matija Mlakar: trombon (solo) / trombone
Miron Hauser: trombon / trombone
Joe Kaplowitz: tuba / tuba

Josip Šustić: el.gitara / el.guitar
Viktor Slamnig: el.bas / el.bass
Nenad Kovačić: udaraljke / percussion
Mario Petrinjak: bubnjevi / drums

Mak Murtić: dirigent / conductor

Skladba i aranžman / Composition: Mak Murtić 
Tekst / Lyrics: Mak Murtić 


Mimika Orchestra - Dišpet / Defiance

Mona Lisa

It's 2016 and THE RAZORBLADES sound like a bastard of Dick Dale, The Clash, The B-52's and High Energy surf rock.

Are You Ready For A Rock'n Roll Weekend

Fresh On The Net is a music blog hosted by Tom Robinson and Team Freshnet, offering independent artists an open door and a level playing field for their music. Our inbox is open at http://freshonthenet.co.uk every Monday to Thursday morning - if you share a track with us there it will be heard by every member of our moderation team.

IMPORTANT: 
Only send ONE track, and make sure the dropbox says "OPEN".  Sorry, but tracks sent while the dropbox is closed - or shared drectly with this Soundcloud account - will not get heard.

Listening Post: Batch 568

freshnet