All the Latest Music News on Nagamag

Najad’s new single “Ruccine” has various meanings, most importantly the one the listener decides to give it.

“Ruccine” describes a fictitious word – sung and played backwards, it invites you to immerse yourself in your own world of thoughts and perhaps raises or even resolves some questions: “Am I only hearing what I want to hear? Do you hear something different? What’s the truth? Is there even a single truth or perhaps a deeper understanding our brain can’t quite grasp?” The soft, female vocals at the end play into this idea even more, since only imagination could make out the initial message.

No matter from which facet you want to look at the song, there are both mindfulness and a feeling of calmness to Najad’s sound, shaping it so significantly that you won’t get around it. Once again, Najad takes us on a journey from which we can take whatever we need- even if it’s just a sudden craving for some really good Indian food.

https://www.instagram.com/najadmusic

“What Happens Next” is a song about aging, loss, and hope for this beautiful, beautiful world. It’s a single off Paul Weinfield’s upcoming album, Love Songs From the Tree of Life (Fall 2022)

https://paulweinfield.bandcamp.com/

“Rain Orange” is the third single from Sworr.’s upcoming album. Written on a rooftop during a rainy day’s sunset, this electronic/alt pop song’s atmospheric intro with the distinctive vocal bassline and the spoken words, leads to a verse with a uniquely beautiful vocal melody. The dominant vocoder effect in the bridge that follows, leads to the track’s peak. An uplifting second part where the beat gets busier, while the lyrics interpret the restart after accepting our evolution.

After the great success of ‘Berceuse’ — with radio plays from New York’s WQXR, to UK’s Scala radio, film synchronizations and beautiful playlist adds — it only felt natural to re-imagine this piece for my upcoming album ‘Fragmente’. While staying true to the original melody, this rework for string quartet and electronics shines a whole new light onto the quiet timbre of this gentle lullaby.

https://www.facebook.com/felixrosch/

Berlin-based composer Felix Rösch blends his years of experience as a classical composer and his passion for experimental electronic music into colorful, carefully constructed arrangements and contemplative ambiences.

His music is inspired by contemporary classical composers like John Adams, Henryk Górecki, and Anders Hillborg as well as artists like Rival Consoles, Max Richter and Ben Frost.

His latest EP ‘Piano’ — out May 28 — meshes fluid piano improvisations with carefully constructed layers of analog synthesizers and delicate string arrangements. The EP was entirely produced live on YouTube. On Feb 3 the second single ‘Interlude II’ from ‘Piano’ was released. “This track started as a piano improvisation, where I was fascinated by the idea of stoically repeating the most rudimentary two-note chord possible. That simplicity felt very liberating like I just hit the bottom of something I still can't really describe. From there everything else fell into place pretty quickly. This is probably my favorite piece on this EP.” Felix says.

‘Piano’ follows 2020’s ‘MYA’ and ‘str:orchestra’, which were featured in Spotify’s Fresh Finds, Classical New Releases, and Not Quite Classical playlists, and were licensed to a global Burberry advertisement campaign.

Over the past ten years, his orchestral compositions have frequently been performed and recorded by world-renowned orchestras like the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg and the WDR Symphony Orchestra & Choir. He has won several awards and scholarships and his music can be heard in countless theater performances, audiobook soundtracks, and film scores.

https://www.instagram.com/felixrosch/

https://www.instagram.com/ipartywithghosts

Beguiling, alluring and utterly captivating, alternative rock artist and all round mystic Jem has returned with his second cinematic single, the mesmirising ‘Lost’. Following on from the November 2021 release of the spellbinding ‘Secrets’ which marked a rare and enticing debut, Jem partners this initial enchanting entrance into the industry with the next authentic taste of his artistry.

Often writing from the perspective of another and having drawn inspiration from the incredibly moving BAFTA and Academy Award winning film, The Pianist, ‘Lost’ explores the concept of a dystopian world of a man who lost it all. Referred to as the ‘negative realm’ by the artist, Jem shares,

‘The desperation I’ve felt while watching the Pianist stuck with me until recent years, so I’ve started journaling, and the sentiments I’ve felt became real within this song.”

Accompanied again by another visual of momentous beauty, ‘Lost’ is haunting and thick with emotion, directed by Jems older brother Necip Karakas. Taking place in an ancient church, accented with gold and dotted with the warm, gentle glow of candles, a soft spotlight pierces through the windows casting a stream of incandescent rays onto Jem illuminating him against the heavy dark shadows while Jem delicately begins ‘Million years without the sun’.

Almost dreamlike ‘Lost’ is the perfect melismatic blend of Jem’s vocals and the sound of Oud (native Middle Eastern instrument). Layered with undulating electric guitars that call out into the distance as they build and grow into a cathartic release, Jem states that, “Feeling lost is a common theme; it is okay to feel like that; there is nothing wrong with it. When I say it out loud, it makes me feel better. I would want people to take this away.”

Utilising his fluency in vocal registers, Jem travels between them with an unforeseen ease and grace. Pushing the boundaries, both his head and chest voice come together in perfect synthesis creating a tone that speaks to his audience not only musically but also on a spiritual level.

It’s clear that Jem is not here simply to create music; with every release he dives even deeper within himself, each time returning with a new world to bring to the surface. Unafraid to visit places and play with intonations that may be unfamiliar, unusual or even uncomfortable for some, Jem is unapologetic in his authenticity, therein lies the true definition of an artist, one Jem lives and breathes.

“I always felt I was different. I didn’t fit anywhere. And to be fair, I never bothered to be a perfect fit for anyone or anything. Over the course, music happened to be a lens for me to share my alienation.” – JEM

With his debut EP release just on the horizon, ‘Don’t Let Me Disappear’ represents an eclectic medium of transportation whilst showcasing Jems innate ability to display sensitivity within his expression, this project serves as a delicate bridge between worlds just waiting to be explored.

https://www.facebook.com/jemmusicuk

https://www.instagram.com/arnot_music/

https://www.instagram.com/specificcoast/

Specific Coast is singer-songwriter, Matt Dunne. His single "Home" was featured in the penultimate episode of the massively popular Netflix series, Ginny & Georgia. Since then, it's been added to over 11k playlists on Spotify, Shazam'ed 12k times, and earned its first airplay on BBC Radio Scotland's The Roddy Hart Show. With over 1 Million streams in the last year, Specific Coast returns with a melancholy folk track "Nothing Hill". With plans to release a song every quarter this year, Dunne looks to build on a strong debut campaign.