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 24th April 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/batch485

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 485

Venn Smyth live gigs
3 May / 7.30pm / Pride's Got Talent Semifinals, Phoenix Art Club: https://phoenixartsclub.com/book/?instanceid=130001
12 May / 7pm / Babel Art House: https://www.outsavvy.com/event/14069/venn-smyth-hermes-gig-live-at-babel-art-house

It's been infamously said that queer people cannot experience the same rite of passage in their teenage years of falling in and out of love, finding themselves and being free to explore their gender and sexuality, so many find themselves living out their 'teenagehood' in later life. This forms the basis of Hermes captured in the line I turned 13 when I was 32. 

And why Hermes? One of the Greek Gods that has a very queer storyline and one that I was mysteriously drawn to as a child. I longed to put on my own shoes with wings and just fly out of here... and maybe now I've made that reality.

Hermes

Honeymoon Phase

Written, produced and recorded by Daniel Brady in 2009.

Taken from the forthcoming compilation 'Part Gold, Part Garbage: Before Division Order (2005-2016)'.

All streaming links and other gubbins this way: linktr.ee/divisionorder

Follow us on your favourite information harvesting network for insightful musical witterings, political gobshitery and general nonsense:
twitter.com/divisionorderuk
www.instagram.com/division_order/

Part Gold, Part Garbage - Before Division Order (2005-2016)

I Only Said

5th song from our debut EP To Crash And Burn. Official release 21st April.

There's A Way To Beat This

With raw instrumentation, tight harmonies and bursting positivity, Distant Stars encourages selflessness and how loving another can help us open up to the boundless beauty of the universe. Produced by Steve Cradock (Ocean Colour Scene) and mastered by Julian Lowe (Faithless).

Distant Stars

One More Problem dives into the depths of self-esteem and our seeming inabilities in this day and age to respect ourselves. This track explores the journey of allowing yourself to like who you are, and attempts to dispel the negative thoughts we tell ourselves in order to avoid facing and overcoming the challenges we most need to. It explores topics such as Anxiety, Confidence and our inner demons. This song has already gained traction on Spotify (through playlists and algorithmic placements), with our debut music video being released this weekend (30th April)! We were also lucky enough to have this song produced by Scott Goodrich (Story So Far).

Not J - One More Problem (Clean)

Glove Compartment is the piano laden project from 'The Candle Thieves' keyboard wizard The Glock aka Anthony Shiels. 

Hailing from the suburbs of Cambridgeshire, Glove Compartment makes pocket symphonies centered around the intricacies of Anthony's piano playing blended with dry wit and brutal lyricism. The band name was born from Anthony's habit of recording home demos and housing them in the glove compartment of his small car for reference. 

The musical sound evokes nostalgia of the great writers of the last generation. Growing up with Billy Joel, Randy Newman, Elton John and Ben Folds Five playing on his walkman has evidently left a musical scar. 

Debut release 'The Art Of Pretending' was released in 2019 which saw Anthony because a success story in China clocking up 3.1 million streams which led to a tour of mainland China last October. 

New album 'Shall We Draw Big Love Hearts' was released April 6th and 'Thing About Love' is a feel good 70s inspired anthem stating loud and proud that the narrater knows or cares anything about the enigma of love that everybody else seems to sing about.

UK tour currently being rescheduled for October landing in London, Manchester, Leicester, Birmingham and Stamford. Dates TBC.

Glove Compartment Album 2

Thing About Love

A new song by Tragicomics, taken from our forthcoming record!

Recorded at Vibe Studios.
Produced by Dean Glover and Tragicomics.

Tru Luv

So Bright / Always Goodbye

So Bright

I’m Not Ready’ is a vulnerable story on dealing with emotions and doubt in love.

Lyrics:

I’m Not Ready

Tell me your dreams, I’ll tell you mine
Tell me the reasons why you cry
Do you believe wishes come true
Do you believe in me and you

I’m not a mind reader
I know you need love to love in return
You give, you give, you give
You never learn
I tried to save what we have

I’m not ready
You’re not ready
Just not ready
Ready for love

Open your eyes I’ll open mine
Too hard to see, love is blind
God only knows how close we are
So close, so far

I’m not a mind reader
I know you need love to love in return
You give, you give, you give
You never learn
I tried to save what we have

I’m not ready
You’re not ready
Just not ready
Ready for love

I’m not ready
You’re not ready
Just not ready
Ready for love

I’m not ready
You’re not ready
Just not ready
Ready for your love

I’m not ready
You’re not ready no
Just not ready
Ready for your love

Do you ever think about me
Do you ever think about me

I'm Not Ready

We're back. 

Stream / Download - smarturl.it/kobi

Kobi

Of the Earth - a piece for Earth Day 2020

Music composed by Luke Moore.
Featuring a reading by Ewa Ladkowska.
Original text written by Meng Haoran, Wang Wei & Gustav Mahler.

Of the Earth was written & recorded on 23rd April 2020 to mark Earth Day.  The piece incorporates text from Mahler's six song symphonic work, Das Lied von Der Erde (The Song of the Earth), specifically the final movement, Der Abschied (The Farewell).  

Whilst the piece is a re-setting of the original text, this is spoken rather than sang.  The music does not borrow from Mahler's original work and is instead its own sparser reflection on the text.  Several of the lines resonate more when placed in the context of the COVID-19 lockdown, during which time this piece was produced.

Text:
"The Universal Edition score of 1912 for Das Lied von der Erde shows Mahler's adapted text as follows. 

Der Bach singt voller Wohllaut durch das Dunkel.
Die Blumen blassen im Dämmerschein.
Die Erde atmet voll von Ruh' und Schlaf.
Alle Sehnsucht will nun träumen,
Die müden Menschen geh'n heimwärts,
Um im Schlaf vergess'nes Glück
Und Jugend neu zu lernen!
Die Vögel hocken still in ihren Zweigen.
Die Welt schläft ein!

Translation into English:
The brook sings out clear through the darkness.
The flowers pale in the twilight.
The earth breathes, in full rest and sleep.
All longing now becomes a dream.
Weary men traipse homeward
to sleep; forgotten happiness
and youth to rediscover.
The birds roost silent in their branches.
The world falls asleep."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Lied_von_der_Erde#Text

Of the Earth

Serious mental health issues aside, we spend most of our lives fighting our mortality. We don’t want to think about it, we don’t want to talk about it and yet it is where we are all heading. 

At 98, my paternal grandmother has reached an age where she has made peace with her own mortality. I think deep down she is even hoping to die. I love her so much and although it saddens me, I think there is something undeniably beautiful in these thoughts of woman who has lived her life, had a family she loves, watched her friends die and is now ready to follow them. She is tired. 

Not many of us will be lucky enough to reach this point: most of us will go before we are ready. 

98 is also a reminder that she is still alive and that there is still pleasure to be found while she is here.

When your bones give in and your hair grows thin
There’s more lines than skin in the mirror
When your mind gives up ‘cause your thoughts get stuck
And your words don’t come quite as easy

So you dwell in dreams of dying
Do you think it feels like falling or flying?
There’s a swell in days of hoping
That there’ll be somebody waiting where you’re going

When your Christmas cards came in thick and fast
As the years go past they get fewer
When your friends have gone, still you stumble on
While the younger ones went before you

So you dwell in dreams of dying
Do you think it feels like falling or flying?
There’s a swell in days of hoping
That there’ll be somebody waiting where you’re going

Step outside, there is pleasure yet
In soft spring air; let it fill your chest
So step outside, for the days still left
And feel the life in the power of your breath

So you dwell in dreams of dying
Do you think it feels like falling or flying?
There’s a swell in days of hoping
That there’ll be somebody waiting where you’re going

So you dwell in dreams of dying
Do you think it feels like falling or flying?
There’s a swell in days of hoping
That there’ll be somebody waiting where you’re going

Ohhh ohhh ohhh ooo x2 

Shooting stars, your anemic voice are you waiting now for an astroid 
A piercing sound trembles from your voice as the helpless crowd in your head rejoice 

Chorus 
Are you ready for Summer, 
In the warmth of life 
Are you ready for Summer 
In the heat full nights 
Are you ready for Summer

Verse 2 
Have you pitched your tent at the edge of life and are you fearful of the breeze you fight

Ohhh ohhh ohhh ooo x2 

Chorus 
Are you ready for Summer, 
In the warmth of life 
Are you ready for Summer 
In the heat full nights 
Are you ready for Summer
Are you ready for Summer 

Bridge 
As the grass begin to grow, harness in your soul these words you cannot say come slipping off your tongue x4 

Chorus 
Are you ready for Summer, 
In the warmth of life 
Are you ready for Summer 
In the heat full nights 
Are you ready for Summer
Are you ready for Summer 

Are you ready for Summer 
For summer 
For Summer 
Summer

Summer

Summer by Jack Devlin

Radio edit of Words off my chest, taken from the debut album Conscious

Conscious

Words off my chest

Stream

Words Off My Chest (Radio Edit)

Universe Arrangements’ serves as a statement of resolution and acceptance. Maintaining composure amidst the chaos, adventuring on despite the unknown, recognising that we may not be in control of everything; and so we might as well dance amongst the mystery, and take in the view while we’re there.

Single released on July the 31st

Universe Arrangements (Single Edit)

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.

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Unashamedly pop with a strong message, Venn Smyth writes songs that dance around subjects and stories important to him. These include identity, queerness, community and finding your voice. He currently lives in London and alongside writing and performing, teaches and works with young people, including leading LGBTQ+ youth music projects.

He grew up in rural Central Scotland and found himself captivated by music and words from an early age. More interested in making up new tunes than learning the scales, he eventually knuckled down and went on to study Classical Music at Edinburgh Napier University, with saxophone and composition as his focus. However, song writing always stuck, and he found further inspiration in the eclectic worlds of Rufus Wainwright, Prince, Laura Marling and Erasure to name but a few. Having performed in various bands and releasing music under different guises over the years, this new work delivers a culmination of experience, introducing Venn Smyth at his most honest, playful and clear.

Hermes

Venn Smyth

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