This edition of LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks tunes you into a wide range of genres from classical to country, featuring Andi Jane, Erik Neimeijer, Marty Van Wells, Grey Jacks, and Nicole Issa.
1. Andi Jane – Fly away
This bluegrass track by Andi Jane is pure fun-fuelled chaos with its Americana-infused giddiness and incredibly catchy rhythm. The song is danceable, if you like to dance fast, and has a lot of fingerstyle banjo and mandolin, along with slick fiddle action, creating grooves that test your ability to maintain decorum and not join in on the fun. Other than the danceable beat, it’s also an enjoyable listen to uplift your mood with its buttery smooth, relaxed vocals, pairing well with the high energy levels of the instrumentation. And for the fans of this genre, this track will feel right at home.
2. Erik Neimeijer – Tell Me If I’m Dreaming
Erik Neimeijer’s latest track ‘Tell Me If I’m Dreaming’ takes the rare but underrated route of pairing a country or soft pop vocal style with a Bridgerton-esque soundtrack of string quartets as the main instrumentation. It has the compositional elements of a baroque piece, but with a twist of a modern feel, which makes the arrangement really strong. What makes it work is the artist's faith in relying just on the string instruments without the addition of any modern soundscape, added as a way to not alienate the audience. This is one of those songs that would onboard the listener, no matter whether or not they listen to classical music pieces, as the composition is unique and sublime.
3. Marty Van Wells – Along With The Wilds
Another fresh, instrumentally unique track is ‘Along with the Wilds’ from Folk artist Marty Van Wells, who takes an honest and simple approach. The country-infused song is built with just a good old-fashioned simple guitar with an occasional accordion, giving it a sense of quiet, nuanced charisma. There’s a homely feel to the mix, with the open sounds of the harmonica and vocals, which paired well with the warm tones of the acoustic guitar. Wells’ vocals themselves hit the right spot with his rich, deep vocal range, working as a great contrast to the crisp shimmer from the guitar.
4. Grey Jacks – With Who
One song that features a seemingly minimalist route but surprises you with a soft, satisfying submersion of the senses is ‘With Who’ by Grey Jacks. The song starts with just a two-to-three-piece band with just the vocals and banjo, but seamlessly drifts your ears into a surprising string section, sinking its feet deeper into the slow-growing atmospheric soundscape. It’s a soul-healing mix that feels more vintage 90s than classical era, with its tone shaping, where the arrangement lets it lean into the instruments more towards the end, adding more layers, and uses a creative mix of reverb and dynamics. The striking strings surprise you at the end with a bedazzle, elevating the track even more. Listen here-
5. Nicole Issa – Cliché
This Indie-folk artist takes the listener through a lilting journey of midnight instrumentation and heartfelt vocals in her latest track, ‘Cliché’, a vocal-leaning track with a soothingly cosy arrangement. It’s one of those songs that you would listen to, cuddled up in your blanket with a toasty drink and mood lighting. Nicole’s velvety vocals start the track along with a clink of the guitar, following which the endearing duo of vocalists layer and embellish the track while the instrumentation of soft guitar chords and minimalist beats keeps the flow, spotlighting the lead singers. The song captures an innocence and familiarity that create that cosy space that a lot of listeners would be looking for.