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.
Ella Galvin – The Way It Goes
Ella Galvin nails it with her new single, “The Way It Goes,” taken from the forthcoming EP of the same name. Vocal power in every verse, lyrical depth, and a solid pop-rock backbone form a musical triangle that allows Ella to navigate effortlessly and unbound through the borders of all other genres. Musically, the song captures the whirlwind dance of emotion that usually follows when revisiting past relationships. The lyric and vocal approach of Ella on this one is rather raw and very melodic. It just all comes across in a way where indecision for wanting to get back together with an ex-lover, but fearing something that you opened back up from the past, is very well captured. The arrangement is beautiful and supports this, with every strum of the guitar and beat of the drum hitting home the emotional gravity in her words.
Ella’s upcoming EP will have an expansive musical landscape and personal narrative. Harking back to a palette that includes pop, soul, jazz, and rock, Ella seems to have an effortless innovation and knack for vivid, diaristic expression. As is suggested both by its title and by its lead single, the EP offers a brooding approach to touchy subjects of love, loss, and self-identity, creating a kind of time capsule of the life of a young queer artist making it through the thick of the city. Ella Galvin has travelled from her roots in Boston’s eclectic music scene to an emergence in New York, continuing to grow and change, using music as a mirror and map to chart the highs and lows of her journey with grace and grit. Suggested by “The Way It Goes,” this new EP will engage the listener in deep, reflective listening.
Tobias Arbo – Spacecraft
The newest single by Tobias Arbo, “Spacecraft,” is deeply touching on the subject of loss and the emotional vacuum it creates. In a poetic way, through lyrics and free-falling soundscapes, Arbo hits it on the nose just right: what it’s like to have lost a person that important in your life. The song reflects the unbreakable loop of what-ifs and never-to-be memories that creep up tentatively after somebody’s left. Arbo had a good grip on the mental carousel, making it similar to how he’d try to replay but would still be unable to rewind the past. His blend of fragile acoustics with ambient synths crafts a soundscape that, in its own way, is as endless and boundless as the space he sings about.
With his debut record, “Spacecraft,” Tobias announces it as an introspective trip into his signature fusion of sounds—think Sufjan Stevens with a touch of early Bon Iver, soft introspection, and more. This track not only really prepares the listener for what’s to come in the album, but it also introduces Arbo as a masterful storyteller. One can deftly weave such emotions of hurt into fine musical tapestries, a sensitive invitation to the outer reaches of both space and self, with an aching reflection for the listener on loss and the complexities of the human condition.
Axel Flóvent – Wash It Away
In his brand new single, “Wash It Away,” Icelandic alt-pop musician Axel Flóvent shares yet another intimate journey with listeners: this time through the dark maze of a co-dependent relationship. The song is the artist’s third 2024 release, lodged deep in self-doubt and under the heavy weight of unspoken feelings. Axel points toward such a painful awareness that running from these feelings does not work, that the bad ways these feelings are allowed to manifest threaten to scorch the ground they stand on, the ruin of a once-prosperous relationship. His vocal delivery—powerful and fragile at the same time—is fitting to serve as the vehicle for a struggle that must take place against a backdrop of emotive melodies. In turn, his vocal delivery, moving seamlessly from fragile to powerful, mirrors his struggle—one set against a background of emotive melodies. The video, directed by Magnus Andersen, picks up the theme while making a pensive contrast with the stark, haunting beauty of Icelandic landscapes, therefore enhancing the song’s introspective nature.
“Wash It Away” comes from his upcoming album, Away From This Dream, recorded in London with the legendary British producers MyRiot. That record promises an immersive sonic palette that he’s created, blending on an astral plane with delicate synth work, defining his evolution into an artist unafraid of new musical territory. In his musical journey, you can see the commitment to growth and authenticity in all that he does; it is visible in every note and guarantees that the music will at all times feel fresh and deeply resonant. In this presentation, Axel hints at the themes and sounds of his album, but it is here where his music reassures him as an adaptable musician who offers themes in the most deeply felt way possible.
Leah Haworth x Sam The Zoologist – Would You Love Me
Leah Haworth and Sam The Zoologist team up to bring summer to your ears with “Would You Love Me.” It’s poised to be an underground pop anthem this summer. The track, released on Point Blank Recordings, was born of the artistic chemistry of two artists who first met at Point Blank Music School in London. And it didn’t take them long before they were snapped up by A&R Manager Kwame Kwaten after they submitted a track. “Would You Love Me” flows along with a frenetic energy that’s delivered through an ineludible combination of rhythm-driven drums and melodic guitar lines. The two artists’ voices spiral through the instrumentation, layered on top of each other in a way that’s light and carefree, setting the tone to capture the frothy buoyancy of summer.
The chemistry between Leah and Sam seeps through the song, giving life to every note and every line. The construction of the song balances really well between pop artfulness and indie touch, with a vein of freshness and familiarity. Easily, one can find oneself lost in this catchiness and danceable beat; such is the guarantee that “Would You Love Me” will be a part of many a summer playlist, exuding that warmth and excitement that all great summer anthems do.
Leah Haworth:
Sam The Zoologist:
Caleb Hearn – Klonopin
It’s an unrelenting vulnerability that Caleb Hearn steps into new emotional ground with his latest release, “Klonopin,” a candid introspection of his struggle with mental health challenges. As always, the narrative-driven songwriter touches on themes deeply personal and universally resonant. “Klonopin” encapsulates his struggle with anxiety and panic attacks over a soulful pop base intermixed with the elements of a folky ballad. This is luxurious, grandiloquent production that feels as though it frames his vocal, which is in a fight between despair and hope, essentially capturing what it feels like to seek a respite from the never-ending struggle of the mind. The ghostly refrain—”When will it end? It never ends, Klonopin”—is repeated over and over with a real mix of desperation and weariness, underlining the cyclical nature of dependency and the search for fleeting peace.
The song was written by Caleb himself and is chock-full of performances by quite the roster, including Charlie Oriain, Colin Foote, and Alex Borel. “Klonopin” is a song that stares panic disorder in the eyes, explaining the struggle and complex relationship with medication that offers temporary solace. On a level very personal to him, through the track, Caleb invites his listeners in the hope of fostering a feeling of solidarity for all who are facing the same battles. The track is an outlet for him and a lighthouse for those who work in the same profession and everywhere else, revealing the issues of mental health and all the hidden hells of addiction.
Michael Bers – Meadow
Michael Bers serenades listeners through a bucolic escape on his latest single, “Meadow,” perfectly mixing the rustic charm of indie folk with a bit of a dreamy pop aesthetic. The tender, reassuring strums of an acoustic guitar already set quite a calming feel on this one, soon to be joined by very ethereal notes from the synth, taking the song to much lusher, more immersive territory. Moving along, the delicate flowering of the narrative within Bers’ airy layered vocals comes to be, much like the slow bloom of spring flowers in a sunlit meadow. The warmth in his vocal cords, coupled with the placid instrumentation, sets up a warm, soothing sonic envelope into which the listener is invited to step out of the noise of their daily lives into a more tranquil, introspective world.
Making an impact on a level with artists as diverse as Hazlett and Riley Pearce, Michael hits all the right highs with “Meadow.” This is a song that enjoys its strength, presenting a melodious appeal but equally good at bringing depth through its simplicity. The music, backed up by poetic lyrics, will sound like somewhat of a dream as one takes a moment to pause and reflect, to become one with their thoughts and feelings. With “Meadow,” Michael Bers truly makes the indie-folk vibe shimmer with classic charm and crackling pop sophistication; it’s a tantalising song and a superb addition to any playlist that calls for moments of peace and reflection.
Alexander Stewart – How Dare You
Alexander Stewart’s new single, “How Dare You,” is a taster of his most recent album, Bleeding Heart. He narrates to raw emotion and vibrant energy. Opening this track with powerfully rhythmic guitar lines, the pace is set dynamically right from the start, and Alexander’s warm pop vocals lay into that energy base. He continues to deliver catchy storytelling lyrics regarding youthful exuberance and emotional depth à la artists such as Conan Gray and Gracie Abrams. The bolder defiance and personal strength conjured by his storytelling make it so much more than a catchy pop anthem; it’s a powerful statement of self-assertion.
Culled from the past three stormy years of his life, Alexander shares part of his journey through each of the songs on ‘Bleeding Heart,’ of which “How Dare You” is a particularly moving expression of challenge and triumph. His excitement around the album—and particularly around sharing it with fans on the road—brings intimacy to the track, allowing listeners to not only enjoy it musically but to feel the emotions and live the experiences behind it. “How Dare You” is a shout of celebration, a cathartic release, and a companion for anyone navigating the highs and lows of their own life’s journey. As Stewart gears up to bring these songs to life on stage, his enthusiasm is palpable and infectious, promising an electric experience for all who join him.
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.