LeftLion's Latest Listens #27: Notts music we're currently spinning

EP: Davoli & Jess Beer - Tarmac Trees

Nottingham based song slinger Davoli is back, and this time he’s brought Jess Beer along for the ride. She made her name in Penny Moon, a group whose abrasive style of pop-rock quickly turned them into scene favourites, but alongside Davoli she’s exploring pastures new (while Davoli is cementing himself as a titan of the indie stage). They say good things come in small packages and Tarmac Trees is evidence of this. Within just four songs, the pair create one of the finest folk projects in recent years.

The project begins with old friend, a memoir on lost love and memory packed within a beautifully  whimsical melody. Charlie follows, a track which feels like a masterclass in musical storytelling. Track three – simply titled Bones – is a standout: this is where the pair unite in an outstanding vocal connection. The final ballad (Flood) creates a beautiful crescendo; the perfect end to an already outstanding EP. @davolimusic / @jessicawaverley (Max Christian)

Single: Vona Vella - Over & Over

We know the indie-rock duo of Izzy Davis and Dan Cunningham make a brilliant pairing, riffing off the potential of their male-female vocal work without letting that define the band. New track Over and Over illustrates the creativity of Vona Vella, as they deftly build and weave together fast/slow, smooth/jagged and firm/soft sections to create an infectious song. A bold, rhythmical introduction from drums and persistent guitars leads to a pushy call-and-response vocal section. There’s then a dizzying layering which builds in intensity in the best garage/indie rock tradition. Irresistible. @vonavella (Phil Taylor)

Single: LYVIA - X

Starting as a vulnerable piano ballad, X’s lyrics paint a painfully authentic picture of domestic unease and hurt, the first verse especially being a showcase for LYVIA’s beautifully soaring, fragile vocals that sell the raw emotion. As the beat comes in, so the track becomes laced with empowerment, words tumbling out, sharp-edged as she grows in confidence: “Your biggest flex is that I’m your ex”  hands down the most satisfyingly savage line of the year so far.

Incredibly well-produced and a smartly judged, confident R&B tune, X justifies and deserves to accelerate LYVIA’s continued rise from busking the Nottingham streets to a sold out headline tour and beyond. @lyviamusic (Kieran Lister)

Single: Hallowed Men - Pretty Purple Is Here Again

Nottingham’s Bassey & co. aren’t content to stand still. Released mere weeks after their debut LP Hollow Man, Pretty Purple Is Here Again indeed stands distinct from that album. Careworn yet sardonic, the vocals recall Blackstar-era Bowie at times; repeated phrases eliciting a feeling of a stream-of-conscious exploration. The buzzing synths evoke early Orbital. Complimented by looping drums, the rhythm section creates a nostalgic undercurrent, standing in counterpoint to the present-day focus of the lyrics. Coming in at six minutes, the duration is maximised by breakdowns, pivots and a restless sense of experimentation, yet these still cohere into a defined, intriguing sound. @hallowed_men_notts (Kieran Lister)

Single: Dirt Bloom - Head Under Water

Evolving from Alice For Breakfast, alt-rock power quartet Dirt Bloom here offer a debut track which is richly enrobed in rock-fuzz and packed with emotional intensity. Rapid-chugging riffs introduce the song; then, the waves part and the deftly-focused, surprisingly subtle vocals begin to soar. As Head Under Water continues, the band paints a rich picture using layered guitars and driven by crashing drums and a superbly forceful bass line. This is a satisfying, cathartic listen which is sure to please on stage. This band are going to make some waves. @dirtbloomband (Phil Taylor)