This edition of LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks brings you variations of guitar modes, synth patterns, and — bagpipes! Featuring artists - Paul Martin, Terra Nai, Karen Salicath Jamali, Pete Keating and The Renslow Trestle, and Jackie Bristow.
1. Paul Martin – A Beautiful Thing
If you’re looking for a peppy song to lift your spirits, look no further than ‘A Beautiful Thing’. Written and composed by New Zealand-based artist Paul Martin, the track brings pure summer vibes with its collective of guitars, bass, banjo, and drums—all topped by a rustic set of vocals that together deliver a classic rock and folk blend. There’s also an element of surprise when bagpipes march into the arrangement in celebratory fashion, introducing a whole new texture and lifting the song to new heights. With its joyful lyrics and warm, nostalgic feel, this is one of those tracks you’d want to put on during a family holiday gathering.
2. Terra Nai - Foliada de Berducido
Costa Rica-based neo-folk band Terra Nai offers a wonderful opportunity to explore new music if you’re looking to experience a different culture through a musical lens—without missing out on the beauty of their new release, ‘Foliada de Berducido’. This purely instrumental piece is rooted in traditional Galician music, starting with a folksy guitar and an intriguing strumming pattern before being joined by crisp bagpipes. Surrounding the melody are soft shakers off to the side, backed by a cushiony piano and underlying folk drum patterns. All the instruments diverge and synergize at various points, keeping you hooked with a swirly effect that wraps around the listener as the rhythm moves in a non-standard, semi-waltz, semi-skip pattern. Overall, this is definitely a track worth indulging in—listen here-
3. Karen Salicath Jamali – Wild Birds Flying High
‘Wild Birds Flying High’ is a soul-seeking experience with captivating vocals atop soothing, speckled guitar arpeggiation. The artist, Karen Salicath Jamali, brings a neo-classical influence where the vocals seem almost independent of the instrumentation—like a kite drifting on its own accord while the guitar gives gentle puffs of rhythmic tension to the string. The melody takes off as the vocalist’s singing and satisfyingly velvety timbre evoke breezy imagery of sweeping sunsets on a long journey. The mix keeps the arrangement raw and earthy, giving a gently echoing ‘lift’ to the vocals so there is a wingspan of distance from the guitar base below. This is a great song to listen to during moments of solitude and self-reflection.
4. Pete Keating and The Renslow Trestle - Tenderly
Pacific Northwest-based artist Pete Keating, along with The Renslow Trestle, just dropped their new single ‘Tenderly’—a track with influences rooted in mid-century Americana, blues, folk, and jazz. The song carries a classic, old-school feel, pairing a slightly tipsy guitar solo and a soothing ambient score with a bright yet husky vocal blend. The arrangement provides a captivating soundscape for those soft, glassy vocals, while the mix delivers a crisp, clean sound where you feel twirled around by every hiss of the hi-hat, hum of the synth, and sway of the guitar. It’s one of those songs where you just want to grab a drink, lounge in a hammock, and hit repeat.
5. Jackie Bristow – Believe in the Magic
New Zealand-born, Nashville-based artist Jackie Bristow brings a cozy, escapist track to the indie-pop scene, complete with dimly lit, ambient backdrops. The music holds a deep, enchanting richness in its instrumental tones, driven by a delightfully bouncy bass, feverish synths, and a slight evening char to the guitars. The synths continuously shapeshift with texture, creating a string of warbly patterns underneath the melody. The vocals carry a warm, buttery timbre that fits right into the instrumental deck alongside some soul-healing harmonies. The arrangement creates a whimsical atmosphere that evokes images of twilight hours, hazy fairy lights, and a picnic on the grass, all as you mouth along to the line: “I wanna believe in magic, I feel when I’m with you.”
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