Fiona Joy Hawkins & Rebecca Daniel Release Album ‘Enchantment’

July 25, 2024

The album release of their latest opus ‘Enchantment’ on July 26th
Classical Pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins and violinist Rebecca Daniel

Enchantment, the latest project from pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins and violinist Rebecca Daniel, follows in the musical footsteps of their previous collaborations. This time the duo pays homage to the great impressionist painters and composers. Throughout the album. works and track titles reference great artists like Satie, Monet, and Van Gogh. The music is impressionistic, beautiful and relaxing as if Debussy’s ghost was in the room.

Click here for the Full One Sheet Here for all the new details

NEW VIDEOS
Midnight Sky

Mountains Ablaze

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Kaiyah Mercedes Releases Album ‘Trying To Hate You’

June 27, 2024

Soundslikecafe has been supporting Kaiyah since her early work and we are so proud to now present this truly excellent benchmark album and outstanding videos (and all at the age of 18)

With songs that resonate beyond their years, Kaiyah Mercedes brings you her sophomore album ‘Trying To Hate You’, a sonic and cinematic exploration of unrequited love and heartbreak. At the crossroads of creativity and self-discovery, the 18 year old LGBTQIA+ artist brings vibrant hues of indie pop through her authentic voice, while connecting with listeners to find solace in her melodies and truth in their lyrics.

Diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 15, Kaiyah uses her songwriting to translate the world around them and draws sonic inspiration from an eclectic array of influences – from the introspective lyricism of Phoebe Bridgers to the infectious melodies of Soccer Mommy.

Music Video for ‘The End.’

Music Video for ‘Trying To Hate You’

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Ryan Judd Releases Album ‘Closer To Home’

June 19, 2024

“It is so remarkable to find that exceptional artist that can create a totally unique musical “voice” as a guitarist. Ryan Judd is that artist.”

– Michael Whalen

Two-time Emmy® award-winning composer, recording artist and producer

‘Close to Home’ is Ryan’s latest album, characterized by music that is heartfelt, spacious, and ethereal. Drawing inspiration from deeply personal experiences of love, insight, and grief, Ryan’s delicate and moving nylon-string guitar playing creates a serene and contemplative soundscape. This album is an invitation to embrace peace, stillness, and reflection. GRAMMY®-nominated sound engineer Tom Eaton mixed and mastered the project ensuring that the artistry of this album has been superbly captured.

Ryan Judd is a Billboard chart topping recording artist, award-winning musician, and internationally renowned music therapist. He is an accomplished fingerstyle guitarist dedicated to creating music that inspires peace and well-being. Ryan’s distinctive musical style on the nylon string guitar creates a warm and gentle soundscape for the listener. His influences include guitarists Michael Hedges and Will Ackerman, and has worked extensively with the GRAMMY®-nominated musician Tom Eaton to refine his sound.

Ryan’s recordings have been streamed more than 380 million times. His music has been featured on editorial playlists such as Spotify’s Peaceful Guitar and Calming Acoustic, Pandora’s Meditation and Spa stations, and Amazon Music’s Relaxation and Spa Stations. Additionally, his tracks are played on SiriusXM’s Spa Station and Hawaiian Airlines’ Soothing Sounds channel. Ryan has also been featured on Hearts of Space, and his last two albums rank in the top 30 on Amazon’s Best Sellers in New Age Relaxation Music list.

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Extra Time Releases Single ‘The Girl Who Rules The Sea’

May 22, 2024

Hailing from Sydney Australia, Extra Time are releasing the new single, The Girl Who Rules The Sea, from their current album Songs With Long Titles on 22 May.

A very worthy addition to our playlist and feature videos

Extra Time’s current double gatefold vinyl release is receiving glowing reviews internationally and they are proud to present the next single, The Girl Who Rules The Sea, beautifully accompanied by a video clip filmed at one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks – Bondi Beach.

As a young immigrant, Brendan tells of his almost fateful swim in the infamous Australian waters, where he was saved by a nearby surfer:
“The Girl Who Rules the Sea is a song about almost drowning at Bondi Beach in Sydney when I was six years old. As a kid from an Irish immigrant family, we were strong on enthusiasm but poor on swim technique. I was lucky enough to get rescued by an Amazonian surfer girl who introduced me to many new obscenities vastly expanding my swearing vocabulary.
The song is a love letter to Bondi where I was born and one of Australia’s best loved beaches.”

The video features live action drone and underwater footage shot by Leonard Clifford and Chris Flaxman and was edited by Nick Lever. Motion Editing was by French Motion Artist Veronita Va who ran with Brendan’s idea of creating an animated version of a Piet Mondrian painting featuring the bold geometric lines forming the signature grid of the neo plasticist artist. Aside from the aesthetic, drawing the eye to the ‘Girl Who rules the Sea’ as she swims through the crystal blue waters of Bondi Beach, the inspiration of Mondrian for a music video is also fitting as the music loving artist described the challenge of producing his work, saying: “I am searching for the proper harmony of rhythm and unchanging proportion.” His art is described as highly musical and later, Modrian ascribed specific dances to accompany his art.

The album Songs With Long Titles (the second studio recording from Extra Time) is a journey through intriguing stories of life, death, delusion, joy, passion and dreams in classic rock album format along with just enough jazz and blues influences to keep it interesting. Think Steely Dan meets Supertramp if you like references.
Lyricist, composer, and singer Brendan McNamara has been honing his craft over many years and for this record teamed up with ex Los Angeles co-producer and engineer Andrew Beck at Damien Gerard studios in West Gosford. A veritable A-List of session musicians were called in through the 20 plus days of recording and mixing, culminating in a special gatefold vinyl album out now.

MUSICIAN CREDITS

Tim Firth                  Drums
Brett Hirst                Bass
Aaron Blakey            Keyboards
Peter Koopman        Guitar
Amanda Easton        Vocals
Sarina Jennings        Vocals
Paul Murchison        Trumpet
Matthew Keegan      Trombone
Bridget Darby           French Horn
Luke Bartley             Tuba
Jane Stanley             Strings
Andrew Beck            Tubular Bells

The Girl Who Rules The Sea is OUT NOW

Stream/download here

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Julie-Anne Marshall New Single ‘Breathe’

April 11, 2024

Julie-Anne Marshall is an independent Australian singer-songwriter in the Adult Contemporary Easy Rock style with vocals that are earthy yet ethereal. We have been playing her tracks on soundslikecafe for sometime and there’s always a strong and warm response to her excellent feel good songs and lyrics.

Although, she does take creative detours now and then. Her songs are mostly piano-driven and melodic, with a lyrical intent to connect and uplift.

Her latest song ‘Breathe’ was inspired by giving herself the time to reflect, release and renew. It’s a curiously crafted light, but solid and uncomplicated song. The weight of the world released. The rhythm is driven by piano with tight and bright acoustic guitar. Lyrically reminding us its ok to stop, take a moment and breathe. That’s this songs intention.

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Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘Rumba Flamenca Arabe’

February 23, 2024

The rumba is an upbeat & rhythmically syncopated flamenco style, ideal for dancing & festivities. It is an incredibly flexible genre, able to assimilate a multitude of influences such as Latin, Arabic or pop-contemporary. The rumba is arguably the most recognisable & widely listened to of all flamenco music. It’s lively tempo & irresistible groove, make it hugely popular around the world.

Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Bec Taylor and The Lyrebirds – Anchor (New Release!)

November 6, 2023

Out Today Friday November 10 checkout this great new tune on our Cafe Playlist……

Anchor is an upbeat alt-country-pop song co-written by Bec and lyric collaborator CJ Shaw. The track was recorded at Golden Retriever in Sydney, and at ANU Recording Studios in Canberra and was produced by Louis Montgomery (SAFIA, Peking Duk).

(pic by Tony Mott)

Bec Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who has recorded over a dozen studio records while performing on some of the biggest stages and festivals around the country, including BIGSOUND, Groovin’ The Moo, and the Woodford Folk Festival, as well as playing alongside the likes of Gotye, The Darkness, and been on tour as main support for Regurgitator and Shonen Knife in her previous projects Fun Machine and Glitoris. The Lyrebirds, a five-piece alt-country pop band, is her most recent project. Their delightful blend of artful songwriting, tasty earworms and layered harmonies that will leave you humming their tunes for days.

If you happen to be in Canberra go along to the single launch…..

Bec Taylor and the Lyrebirds + CJ Shaw and the Blow Ins + The Burley Griffin at Live at the Polo, The White Eagle Polish Club, Canberra, Saturday 18th November 7pm

Tickets:

https://events.humanitix.com/thriple-threat

Checkout the new single ‘Anchor’ on our Soundslikecafe Playlist

OR Direct link right here

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Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy Release Album ‘The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus’

October 27, 2022

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy follow up their acclaimed album Jupiter 13 with the epic ‘The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus’, a sprawling Pink Floyd-ish concept album that shimmers with darkly beautiful musical undercurrents, oblique lyrics and spooky spoken word pieces. It is the second chapter of an eventual trilogy.

ALBUM REVIEWS
http://bigtakeover.com/recordings/KilbeyKennedyTheStrangeCaseofPersephoneNimbusFoghorn

https://www.backseatmafia.com/album-review-steve-kilbey-the-church-and-martin-kennedy-all-india-radio-are-kilbey-kennedy-and-they-combine-forces-again-to-weave-their-aesthetically-jaw-dropping-sci-fi-sonic-magic/

The album was recorded in Tasmania overlooking the ocean, peaceful and crystal calm one day, dark and stormy the next, a dynamic that inevitably worked its way into the music and lyrics.

Returning to the mixing desk is Simon Polinski (Paul Kelly, The Church, David Bridie, Stephen Cummings, Underground Lovers) who skilfully brings the story of Persephone Nimbus to life.

Steve Kilbey writes: ‘Persephone Nimbus was just an ordinary woman living an ordinary life, with a promising job at Eternity Incorporated. Until one day she was kidnapped by the Plutocracy.
There she reigned for 6 months of the year, a sad cold queen of the dark webbed world. But for 6 months of the year she was allowed to ascend to the Overworld with its marvellous technological illusions, and it’s towers that pierced the very sky. But on the first day of every autumn she must take the long staircase back down, down into the Plutocracy, with their frozen lakes and above them, a sky of iron.’

In 1981 a teenage Martin Kennedy stumbled upon Steve Kilbey and The Church at Tanelorn, an oddball old world meets new world music festival, and fell in love with their look and sound. He recorded their set on a walkman, and the songs helped spark the beginning of his music career. Just a year before, an equally fresh-faced Steve Kilbey formed The Church in Sydney, the very beginning of their public life as accidental hit makers.

Forty one years later Martin and Steve find themselves working together on their sixth studio album, the epic The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus. As ever with these two, the deal is simple: Martin writes the music and Steve writes the words. No argument, no egos, just a matter of pressing the record button. The results are an effective balancing of Kennedy’s haunting and melodic tunes with Kilbey’s mysterious, witty and intelligent lyrics, melded together by his heavenly voice. Martin keeps his teenage love of The Church out of the equation in fear of it skewing his songwriting but it’s there if you listen closely.

“Sumptuous meeting of Australian soundscaper and the head Churchman…Apart from having a voice of characterful cool poise and an imaginative lyrical lexicon, Kilbey can make a strong melodic song out of simple elements.” (MOJO)

“Occasionally side projects can be something really spectacular. This isn’t an album where you pick favorite songs – you simply immerse yourself in the whole lush experience. The good news is they’re recording a follow up” (Reverb magazine 4.5/5).

OUT NOW – on Foghorn/MGM CD and Digital

Vinyl LP to come early 2023

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Darlene Koldenhoven Releases New Album ‘Traveling the Blissful Highway’

October 4, 2022

The New Album is due out OCTOBER 14 with the first single Cheerful Mohana already on our playlist this one is gold for relaxing and chilling in downtime

Travel with GRAMMY® Winner and three time GRAMMY® Nominee Darlene Koldenhoven and her musicians on the blissful highway with her upcoming New Age instrumental album, “Traveling the Blissful Highway”. There are twelve instrumental tracks including four with her angelic, harmonic vocalese, occasionally used as background instrumentation. All of her compositions and arrangements invite us to go out and see the world and have a good rest at the end of an exquisite day. There are 53:46 minutes of colorful timbres and some nature sounds to keep you balanced, focused, refreshed, and joyfully relaxed. Darlene performs on keyboard synths, creating a culture of calm: half the album has ethnic influences to gently keep you going on the road and half lets you exit to the rest areas. Even when real travel is not in the picture, pack these traveling soundscapes for your inner and outer journey. With this album, the only passport you’ll need for these destination cities – peace, calm, happiness and bliss is your own mindfulness to visit them and the album as your tour guide.

Darlene says, “After being cooped up so long in Los Angeles, I ventured to London, Las Vegas and Denver during the spring this year for some appearances and was so excited to travel again that when I came home, I started writing to process my emotions from it all and I just couldn’t stop! I hope the listener will enjoy the musical adventure and immerse in the sonic benefits from Traveling the Blissful Highway with me.”

The first single from the album (and first track), “Cheerful Mohana” dropped July 15, 2022.

“Cheerful Mohana” recently received a nomination from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for Best Ambient/New Age (ceremony 11/14/22 and won Best World Music Recording from the Indie Music Channel Awards.

Mohana means morning raga (scale) in India and is known there to have the power to calm down anxiety and soothe the depressed state of mind. Venugopala Raju, whom Darlene worked with while performing in Bangalore, India a few years ago, plays tablas and an array of Indian percussion. Ron Korb from Toronto, Canada who plays flute and the Indian bansari has also shared the stage with Darlene in Mumbai, India. Using delicate, multi-layered sounds, Darlene performs her composition and arrangements on keyboard synths, adding a touch of her syllabic singing as part of the ensemble, driving it to its cheerful finale.

About
GRAMMY® Award Winner and 3 time Nominee, Darlene Koldenhoven is a vocalist, pianist, composer, arranger, lyricist, speaker, and sonic therapist from Studio City, CA, born and raised in Chicago, IL. Her last two albums, “The Grand Piano Spa” and “The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy” debuted on the prestigious Billboard Classical Crossover Charts at #4 and #8, respectively in May & November 2021.

This past May & June gifted Darlene with a Lifetime Achievement Award from One World Music Radio and Outstanding Legacy Award from the Akademia Awards. She was inducted to the Indie Music Hall of Fame at the GRAMMY® Museum in 2019 by the Indie Music Channel Awards and the COVR Award hailed her “Chromatones” as Album of the Year a few months later. Several of her albums ranked #1 on the worldwide ZMR Radio Charts and she has 2 Best New Age Vocal Album and Best Holiday Album from ZMR.

Darlene is best known worldwide as the featured soprano in “Yanni, Live at the Acropolis” and for her role as the tambourine-waving choir nun in both “Sister Act” films with Whoopi Goldberg. Ms. Koldenhoven has authored “Tune Your Voice: Singing and Your Mind’s Musical Ear,” a comprehensive music education book with 7 CDs or downloads. She performs her music worldwide.

Darlene Koldenhoven – Traveling the Blissful Highway is Out October 14

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PG Naylor’s Latest Singles ‘Better Left Unsaid’ and ‘Sensible’

June 24, 2022

Checkout these new tunes for 2022 from 60’s fanatic PG Naylor

PG Naylor brings a new original visit to 60s classic rock music. All songs are written and performed by PG – who was there then in the 60s and is still here now! Although all the songs are new, they slot perfectly into a 60s rock playlist. PG has been playing in rock bands based in Sydney, Australia since the 60s, and after a life in the corporate world he has returned to his first love – 60s rock music. The title track to his album, Sanctuary, was announced as a semi finalist in the 2019 International Songwriting Competition, based in Nashville, USA; the tracks Sanctuary and Hollywood Road were both announced as semi finalists in the 2020 Voyager International Songwriting Competition based in Melbourne, Australia as well.
Demonstrating that there is still great interest in ‘old rockers’, since 2020 his songs have attracted over 80,00 listeners and just under 160,000 streams on Spotify (and still growing every day!)

Better Left Unsaid – Hate to be a name dropper but I was having lunch with Mike McClellan at the Greengate Hotel in Killara (he was an old schoolmate of mine) and he told me he’d just written a song about seeing a lady at the airport and wondering who she was waiting for. He also thought he knew the lady but couldn’t place her till after she’d left. It turns out she was a well known personality but he wouldn’t reveal who.
Anyhow, I was searching through my old songs and I found this song that I’d written 20 years before for my wife’s birthday which sounded pretty catchy. So I adapted Mike’s idea to a railway station – changed my old lyrics to a tale about being tempted to say something to a lady at the station but deciding – ‘better left unsaid’.

Sensible – Was written about 20 years ago about my frustration with people who procrastinate instead of ‘just doing it’. It also started with some more fiddling around that Em7 chord to which I added a sequence of G, Bm and C followed by a C#dim to link to the chorus. It made, I thought, a nice melody with a ‘sing along type’ chorus. But my demo and Kim’s original tracks were all guitar-based. John Roy had other ideas.
He has a grand piano in the middle of his studio and he decided to record a sole grand piano track – he and Kim sent it to me for my reaction and I was blown away. Some guitar, bass and drums plus vocal and harmonies were added and voila! there we have Sensible as you hear it today.

Producer Kim Humphreys(John Farnham Band, Ted Mulry Gang) on working with PG
I really enjoy shaping Phil’s demos and seeing them evolve into what you can now hear, having taken the songs beyond the boundaries PG considered.
His songs all have a ‘’Back to the 60’s’ slant . . . the period which continues to inspire my own approach to guitar playing ,recording and producing.
If this was the mid 60’s he would no doubt have Top 40 hits on his hands!

Recent International reviews

“Sensible is a beautiful, serene piano number with PG Naylor’s subtle vocals. It’s interesting in the 1:00 minute that the song takes a different turn as if we were stepping into a musical and later being embraced by guitar riffs”- TECO APPLE

“Showland ProductionsI really enjoyed the smooth and mellow entrance to Sensible. The instrumental is extremely catchy, and ready for a scene in a major motion picture. The tone and cadence in your vocals are soothing and perfect for singing along with.”

“PG Naylor is able to make something refreshing and retro while staying as clean and crisp as modern music can be. An A+ effort.” James McQuiston, Neufutur Magazine

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Better Left Unsaid

Sensible

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