This week’s LITM Rock Picks brings vivid musical landscapes that inspire awe through praise-worthy performances from artists Nairolf, Storm Boy, Learn to Surf, North of Tomorrow, and SIR-VERE.
Nairolf - The Veil of Ashes
Nairolf’s rock aesthetic, cultivated over years of exposure and experience, bedazzles the listener in The Veil of Ashes. An artful blend of 90’s alt-rock and grunge energy, the music is evocative and intricate. Nairolf crafts an aural theme that sways between contemplative segments and fervent progressions, taking the listener through a sonically and emotionally intense journey. The rhythm oscillates between slow, gentle strokes and fast, thunderous strikes to accommodate the two themes. The highlight here is the sweltering guitar solos that make a gripping appearance later in the track, inciting the temperament of the music. The lead vocals, angsty and passionate, heighten this mood, like adding fuel to the fire, putting on a grand show of musical prowess. Listen to The Veil of Ashes here!
Storm Boy - the Steam in the Room
Storm Boys set your soul on fire with their hardcore post-punk belter, the Steam in the Room. The music is riotous, the lyrics are revelatory, and the vocals are provocative. From the very first notes, Storm Boy serves us with steaming hot punk energy, in the gritty distortion-drenched riffs, pounding fast-paced drums, and raucous vocals. Set in a post-apocalyptic age, the lyrical tale urges the listener to keep moving forward no matter the situation and to avoid being sucked into ruminative decay. The track is anthemic for most, and thought-provoking for some, especially during the lines “I said I can’t look back to where I’m coming from, Eyes facing forward and feet moving towards home, I’ve got nothing to lose, Everything to gain, Where the fire meets the water…it all rises- steam.” One striking feature is the seamless segue into a spoken-word showcase, which invigorates your already enthused spirit. Listen to the song here!
Learn to Surf - Coming Good
Coming Good grazes your senses like a soft sonic breeze with its hazy vocals, reflective music, and airy rhythm. Learn to Surf, delivers a subtle and sensitive performance in their debut release, displaying impressive skill and distinctive artistry. The music features sharp yet immersive textures of guitar melodies—be it chiming strums, heavy riffs, or resonant chords, a near-Motorik light drum beat, and dreamy atmospheric spreads. Twin vocals intertwine and fall apart in a delicate design, shape-shifting between reverb-soaked hymns and distant echoey harmonies. The song delves into the rabbit hole of rumination over “what could have been” and past promises, one that all of us have fallen into at some point in our lives. As the music embraces your senses in its blankety hug and the rhythm ticks like a hypnotic pendulum, Coming Good lulls you into a comfortable reverie of nostalgia and reminiscence. Listen now!
North of Tomorrow - The Pretenders Ball
North of Tomorrow infuses a mosaic of sonic aesthetics and instrumental textures into The Pretenders Ball. The single is part of their newest album Clear as Can Be. There is an irresistible groove to the rhythm, emerging from the pulsing basslines, deep plucky strums, and soft and airy drums. Melodies take many forms, ranging from synth flourishes, rousing guitar solos, and rock riffs, to electronic chimes, captivating you with its vibrant tonality. Musical influences from Peter Gabriel, Bowie, and Miles Davis are soaked into the soundscape with idiosyncratic flavors brewing in the mix. Blurring the lines between genres, the song’s production is indulgent and imaginative, crafting an experience that feels dream-like and slightly psychedelic.
SIR-VERE, Dan Kanopka - Legion (Dan Kanopka Alternative Mix)
Legion (Dan Kanopka Alternative Mix) is a potent sonic pill, that will jolt you into heightened states, with its punk fervor, rock revelry, and electronic entropy. SIR-VERE and Dan Kanopka develop a myriad of musical layers made up of unique electronic textures and melodic tones to reflect the ominous, mutinous, and futuristic themes and emotions explored in the lyrics. A thumping rhythm pulses with your heartbeat, featuring fast-tempo drums, electronic beats, muted strums, and warm basslines, all while swelling synth waves and warbly angst-infused vocals declare the lyrics with haunting conviction. The soundscape, majestic and formidable, incites you with its animated tunes, to ponder upon the lyrical themes. Listen to Legion (Dan Kanopka Alternative Mix) here!
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