This edition of LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks brings you humble but powerful melodies, crafting uniquely cosy spaces with minimal production. The featured artists include Elephant Run, Podge Lane, EJJ Ouellette, River Holland, and Man From the Woods.
1. Elephant Run - Fernanda (Mato Sessions)
Swedish-Brazilian band Elephant Run have just dropped their latest track, ‘Fernanda’, a cortisol-reducing recipe made with succulent guitar strums, soft piano tones, and gently booming basslines. The band has carved its own niche within the Nordic tropical alternative rock genre, and this particular song takes you through smooth sailing yet husky terrain, with breezy vocals drifting the listener gently across the landscape in a ballad-esque rhythm. The arrangement loops a gentle contrast of warm mandolin strums against the soft backdrop of plush instrumentation, slightly more blue and bass-leaning, leaving spaces between the verses to have the listener sit and sink into the instrumentation—almost like watching clouds slowly drifting by.
2. Podge Lane - The Coast
Irish alt-country artist Podge Lane’s latest track is as raw as it is soothing, and listening to it feels like a lived experience, with the crisp detail in the lyrics evoking second-hand nostalgia. Lane creates a small, cosy world within the song with just his vocals and the guitar, giving this raw, earthy tonality. The arrangement keeps it simple, with every feeling being articulated within this framework of rustling strums and vocals, as the singer flips through a scenic photo album of the Irish grasslands and coastlines. The song ends strong with an edge-of-the-cliff moment with gritty, energetic strumming and a glimmer of the coast.
3. EJ Ouellette - Maggy in Majorca
If you’re a lover of instrumental pieces and a fun jam session of various instruments, EJ Ouellette’s ‘Maggy in Marjorca’ will thoroughly entertain you. The track is distinctly Spanish folk with the Phrygian landscape, and is interlaced with Celtic influence along with some sprinkled-in jazz. Though the piece is mainly violin-led, each instrument brings in a unique cultural presence, along with clever articulation and embellishments. The different instrument duos including the fiddle- saxophone, piano-fiddle and the saxophone-piano bring in exciting energy, playing with timing. The solo violin bits are immaculate, expertly balancing phrasing and technique, showing the musician’s technical prowess. Listen here-
4. River Holland, Eadiella – Higher Love
Another soothing folk-tinted track on the list is Melbourne-based artist River Holland’s ‘Higher Love’, a song that will wrap you up in a thick blanket of fuzzy, soft tones and drifting vocals. The song pairs gentle finger strums of the guitar with the vocal duet of Holland and Eadiella, whose voices drift alongside each other, diverging at times, creating fuzzy harmonies that you can sink into. The guitar’s soft and muted strums work to lift the listener, as the two singers act as the guides, floating you through the soft current. The mix keeps it unfiltered and real, allowing the emotion to pour right out. Check out the song here-
5. Man From The Woods – Submerge
This indie-folk piece feels like a slow drip-feed of healing potion, with it’s mesmeric chords, lilting vocals and cottagecore vibe. The song crafts a certain sense of belonging with it’s simple, yet steady instrumentation. The guitar anchors you throughout the track, while the overtones of synth whistle-y tones up above, have the opposite effect, giving you a floaty feeling of being slowly drifted away, and you barely even notice the 8 minute 35 second length. The vocals are a mix of singers, along with textures, and the mix doesn’t overcorrect the track, maintaining that rustic, raw charm. Overall, it’s a great slow-burning song with unique chords.
Follow the playlist for all new artist updates!
If you would like to submit your music for playlist or review consideration, please submit here