Any artist is welcome to send us a track via freshonthenet.co.uk anytime between Monday lunchtime and Wednesday evening (or when we receive 200 submissions, whichever is sooner) - and all our moderators, including Tom Robinson, will listen to every track. This is our full inbox from the week beginning Mon 16 Jan 2023: from Friday afternoon you'll be able to hear our shortlist and pick your favourites on this week's Listening Post which will appear at freshonthenet.co.uk/batch473

If a track you submitted does not appear in this list, it’s probably because another of your tracks appeared in our Fresh Faves or on the BBC Music Introducing Mixtape during the last three months — we ask that artists featured on either wait three months before resubmitting to give others a chance. 

We also don’t accept short previews or SoundCloud Go tracks that can only be heard as 30 second previews, and tracks made private after submission, which cannot be included in playlists. You will be able to resubmit the track in future. Tracks (and remixes of tracks) that have been previously submitted, and tracks from banned artists will also be removed.

ENTIRE INBOX: Batch 473

2009

Sydney indie rock three-piece Crystal Cities are back, this time with the title track and second single from their forthcoming 3rd LP, I Should Have Known That This Was War. The song reveals a more experimental approach to the band’s songwriting this time around, both in terms of instrumentation and arrangement. Geoff Rana’s first lyrics echo this sentiment of change also, “Hold my cigarette, yeah, I think I need a break from the same old song and dance”.

The synth pads underlying the track create a spacey, cosmic bed which instantly take the listener somewhere they’ve never been whilst listening to a Crystal Cities track. Rana delivers the verse vocals with swagger before the song opens up into a spacious and uplifting chorus. The track then takes a Bowie-esque turn, relaxing into an almost free-time bridge where a haunting theremin-sounding synth provides most of the harmonic support. 

"It is a song about the polarising experience of life; when the universe and all the things that encompass it seem to coalesce in such a way that life appears to be your ally, but then quickly turns and appears to become your enemy; when life seems to gracefully surrender to your will, but then in an instant throws everything it has at you. It’s about the unexpected wins and losses that life can deliver at any given moment. The song takes some unexpected twists and turns to reflect this sentiment."
⁣- Geoff Rana (vocals/guitar/keys)

Lead vocalist and guitarist/keyboardist Geoff Rana has been spending days on end in his self-made studio where he’s been writing, producing and engineering the band’s latest material.

While the band’s previous effort - their sophomore album Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight - was an exercise in hard-hitting alternative rock that could rattle a live audience, the band’s third LP, I Should Have Known That This Was War, feels more explorative and colourful (at least from the two singles released from the band thus far, the first being “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”). 

This new single happens to be the last Crystal Cities song previous drummer Daniel Conte performs on, with new drummer Neel Shukla taking over the drumming duties for the remainder of the tracks on the upcoming album.

Long-time Crystal Cities collaborator Paul Lani (David Bowie, Prince) was once again tapped to handle mixing and mastering duties for the recording.

SInce the band’s formation in 2016 they have released a highly praised EP - Who’s Gonna Save Us Now (2017) - and two critically acclaimed albums - Under The Cold Light of the Moon (2019) and Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight (2021). There is no scheduled release date for the band’s forthcoming third album. 

The band consists of Geoff Rana (lead vocals, guitar, keys), Jared King (Bass, backing vocals), and newest member, Neel Shukla (Drums).

I Should Have Known That This Was War

Featuring voice recordings of my cousin Sean, who passed away last year. 

Mixed & mastered by Conor Amos

Cholly - Winter Scarf

New single version of "Headlock" from debut Things That Go's eponymous debut album (out now !). Album available here - https://thingsthatgo.bandcamp.com/album/things-that-go

Things That Go

Headlock (Single Edit)

All Her Plans

Change

Powerful story of a special moment... Super expressive sax from Steve Peck!

MARI feat. St3v3L33

Slogan

Crawl

No. 2

Revealing their first song of 2023, Christchurch based indie rock duo The Response return with new single. Opting to release their album one track at a time rather than all at once, the new song “Over The Moon” is the 8th release in the series. The farcical lyrics about not being able to slow down when confronted with the passing of time, coupled with the angular note choices and ceaseless rhythm make it feel like a chase scene in a thriller movie. Skittering drums and pulsing bass are punctuated by guitar that puts the whole song on edge.

Over The Moon

Recorded/Produced by Greenmount Studios, Leeds.
Mastered at Metropolis Studios, London. 
Artwork by Barnaby Fairley at Livestock Studios. 
Written/performed by about-faces.

Under The Sun

Highway Restaurant

Lose Yourself

Angels / Better Late Than Never

Better Late Than Never

Why do you even want me, I'm such a fuckup  

Jake Gyllenhaal/Silent Voice X Through By 800 Cherries  (Best Part Looped)

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.

2009

Pynch

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