Welcome to “This Week’s Sonic Safari,” where we will be taking you on a thrilling adventure through the vibrant world of independent music. We’ll wander across beautiful lush soundscapes in this sonic journey, looking for hidden gems and digging up musical treasures created by brilliant musicians from all around the world. Our journey promises to be an intriguing investigation of originality and invention, from the busy streets of indie music to the peaceful woods of acoustic folk.
So secure your seat in, set your headphones, and come along with us as we embark on a musical exploration of the highest calibre, ready to experience the amazing variety of this week’s best and newest songs.
Jaclyn Bradley – Hometown
Jaclyn Bradley’s new single, “Hometown,” is a personal odyssey developed within a warm hug. Using her rich and expressive voice, Bradley strings together webs of personal history and deep roots in connection to her home. The song was written in Bradley’s own backyard in Lorain, Ohio, so it is shot through with the warmth and familiarity that comes from a place that has seen her through countless phases of life. Gentle acoustic guitar and soothing piano form a sympathetic background to Bradley’s lyrics of hurt, the soundscape is both intimate and wide. Local friends joined in too, chanting around the campfire behind the nightspot, therefore making “Hometown” an experience in memory and belonging shared.
Produced in Nashville by Austin Moorhead, “Hometown” is authentic to anyone who’s ever felt the pull of their roots. The theme of interconnectedness oozes out of this song: she was able to, in a very strange turn of events, hail a Lyft driver from Lorain on the way to the studio to record the track. This is the essence of Bradley’s return to Lorain, Ohio, where she now operates the award-winning Rock Town Music Academy: sometimes, the most important discoveries are made right in our own backyard. “Hometown” is a lovely reminder that inside places we once called home, we can find any of those pieces of ourselves that we thought were lost.
Garland Kelley – The Waters Of Galilee
Garland Kelley’s new single, “The Waters of Galilee,” brilliantly fuses folk and singer/songwriter storytelling by starting off with crisply fingerpicked acoustic guitar that really does pull the listener in from the first note. And from that same word “go,” one is pulled deep into this world of Kelley, where his lyrical intricacy comes to shine at threading existential musings. The song feels like a journey through time and emotion to explore the depth of human experience, done introspectively but universally relatable. With Kelley’s tender yet resolute vocal delivery, one moves through meditations on mortality, love, and the human spirit in a contemplative and moving piece: “The Waters of Galilee.”.
An outdoorsman, avid adventurer, and singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Garland Kelley infuses his music with deep feelings of place and purpose. His storytelling is nuanced, like the eye of a novelist who dots every “i” with exact detail, creating scenes that tug at the listener into a very pensive world. On this song, “The Waters of Galilee,” he’s working deeply in themes of individualism and mental health from a place of authenticity that really lands. The song’s underdone yet lush production helps centre attention on the lyrics and melodies in showcasing Kelley’s skill of creating a private, immersive sound world. As an indie artist and producer, Kelley keeps breaking boundaries with newer, deeper insights into the most important questions and issues in life through his art.
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Kim Dekker – Talk Like We Do
This probably best spent on a mellow afternoon, listening to Kim Dekker’s “Talk Like We Do”. It gradually starts with the gentle strumming of the guitar setting up a peaceful and thoughtful atmosphere under her contemplative lyrics and delicate melodies. Then interwoven is the intimate voice, clear, over subtle harmonies, and this track inches a little closer toward the really personal stuff. Whether listening during contemplative reading, quiet coffee sipping, or a moment of luxurious peace, “Talk Like We Do” will be the flawless track for it.
Originally from Lucerne, Switzerland, Kim Dekker is a Swiss/Dutch singer-songwriter making headway in the realm of Indie-Folk Pop. Embracing a sense of adventure, she would say, “I’ve never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.” Dekker’s music is a combination of simple sounds with elusive details. Her lyrics carry an intimate vocal and delicate instrumentation, which plunge the listener into an introspective space to allow their emotions to unravel with comfort. In a world of hard noise, the music of Dekker brings back breaths of fresh air—a kind of ethereal congruence that encourages one to touch base with oneself on a musical journey toward contemplation and tranquillity.
Yasmin Sydney – Can’t Wait To Call U Mine
A deft foray into the R&B genre, Sydney Yasmin’s fourth release, “Can’t Wait To Call U Mine,” is all about impeccable songwriting, fluid melodies, and those unmistakable vocal runs. Inspired by her first true love, she embodies happiness, yearning in a way that is both personal and generally relatable. Being backed by some minimal instrumentation, Yasmin gets to show off her storytelling abilities and lets her emotions effortlessly flow through her distinct tone. Co-written with BMI award-winning songwriter Gerina Di Marco and produced by Adrian Lopez, the song is wonderfully produced within the realms of today’s R&B music. Charis Cheung, photography: layers of visual presentation bringing depth to the screen to complement the warm and intimate feel of the song.
Yasmin Sydney hails from Santa Monica, California, and she’s a part of pop and R&B, going through influences with a span from Nothing But Thieves to Ariana Grande to The Weeknd. Her music explores the versatile side, and the upcoming releases will have her delve into genres from indie acoustic to dance pop. If nothing else, it’s an expression of how much she can put those disparate artists together while still sounding like nobody else. Whether you like the soulful sound of R&B or you are after a fresh, new voice in pop, Yasmine Sydney’s latest is excellent; it’s one to be noted.
CYRIL x Dean Lewis – Fall At Your Feet
Australian sensation CYRIL collaborates with his multi-platinum singer-songwriter fellow countryman Dean Lewis for the new single “Fall At Your Feet.” This new dance-pop gem follows CYRIL’s hit “Stumblin’ In” from 2023 and his critically acclaimed remix of Disturbed’s “The Sound Of Silence.” The track has you in a dreamlike soundscape the minute you hear Lewis’s soulful voice chiming in with a wistful piano solo. Here the ethereal melodies sway like a slow meandering river, building into a chorus that is uplifting yet achingly emotive at the same time due to a quiet low-key undulating bass line. Destined to be heard everywhere on breezy summer days, “Fall At Your Feet” is just the latest in CYRIL’s long line of music that is not only instantly accessible but also firmly memorable.
From a small town in regional Australia to being the latest sensation in music, there is nothing about CYRIL that is less than inspiring. Now based in Darwin, this producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist has had to overcome many personal challenges to establish himself as such a powerful force in music. Dean Lewis comes with his own impressive pedigree. Combining earnest lyrics over emotive vocal delivery with production from CYRIL—known for hits like “Be Alright” and his work with Martin Garrix—these two talents bring a very introspective but anthemic track, forging new sounds while returning to the elements that have made each artist successful. “Fall At Your Feet” is the by-product of this merging talent, and a promising highlight to both of their careers.
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Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.