New Sounds #19 8/12/15

STEPHEN - CROSSFIRE
Fast rising 23-year-old Los Angeles-based artist may have only a few releases to his name, but the producer/multi-instrumentalist is already creating ripples. Following 'Remembering Myself' and 'Fly Down', his latest offering is the title track from his forthcoming album, opening on honey-dripping R&B synths, filling out with live drums, guitars and electronica. Star rating: ****/5





CRUNCH - BLUE
Three girls (Noriyo Hotta, vocals/ guitar; Reina Kawagoe (backing vocals; Yoshiko Jinno, drums) from Nagoya, Japan making very airy, crystalline dreampop - there's even a glockenspiel on it. You do tend to wonder after the first minute here on this recently released track if they're going to suddenly rock out and go mental in Bo Ningen style. They don't. Perhaps due to one of whom they cite as inspiration: Burt Bacharach. Charming and delicate. Star rating: ***.5/5





KING - THE GREATEST
Five years after releasing their debut EP, 'The Story', the LA-based R&B trio (twin sisters Paris and Amber Strother and Anita Bias) now follow with their debut LP, 'We Are KING', set for release next February. This new single is an electro-soul groove of ’80s R&B instrumentation and smooth vocal harmonies. Star rating: ***.5/5





HIGH HIGHS - BOXING
The Sydney pop duo - now based in Brooklyn, New York - release this new single, the first cut from their upcoming second album 'Casades', out February 5 2016 via PIAS.  Dreamy, swooning harmonies work in around a lush production of electronics. Star rating: ***.5/5





PAPERWHITE - GET AWAY
Brooklyn dreampop brother-sister duo, Katie and Ben Marshall, with new infectious track, "the perfect song to start off our second round of releases.” Haunting arrangement of echoing vocals and synths. Star rating: ****/5