Folk

(Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Jewel)

Lost Tapes: Lost Tapes

Dream pop never sounded so good than from this Spanish duo. The Lost Tapes is a short yet fun compilation you can play while on the road and when chilling on that quiet evening. This self-titled debut comes with only four tracks but it's enough to make you want to listen to it on repeat. It is a gathering of sweet and absolutely charming set of cuts that should be worth the listen. Lost Tapes is made up of friends Pau Roca and RJ Sinclair. Their collaboration is borne out of their love for music and cinema. Even though they are hundreds of miles apart, the two started sharing simple notes as well as computer recordings. Eventually, they started sharing compositions and created a compilation worthy of any indie pop lover's admiration.

Samantha Ray: Royalty

Yes, we’ll never be royals, but we can still play the part. Just ask Samantha Ray. Being ‘royal’ in its conventional sense sounds so trite now that lexicographers need to hold a closed-door meeting to expand the boundaries of considering something as… royal. In case of Samantha, her interpretation (‘riding in cars’, ‘early morning coffee’, and ‘light through trees’) is one good candidate.

Old Bear Mountain: Northwest Hymnal

Indulge in some tasteful folk bluegrass and sublime songwriting in Old Bear Mountain‘s Northwest Hymnal released last June 2013. Filled with 12 tracks, the album stays true its roots, giving the listeners simple, unpretentious tracks stripped from all the kitsch and glitz.

Matthew Koutnik: Straight to the Sun EP

Newcastle-based musician/singer/songwriter Matthew Koutnik churns out an astonishing release titled Straight To the Sun. As remarkable as it is beautiful, Matthew Koutnik has crafted something truly out of the typical acoustic realm. Opener Nestled in the Wings wakes you with an abrupt recurring drums, whistles, and soundscapes that fade through the end.

The Oh Hello’s

Texas-based siblings Maggie and Tyler Heath, better known as The Oh Hellos, offers tasteful eclectic folk rock in their self-titled debut EP. With influences ranging from Los Campesinons! and The Lumineers to The Middle East and Sufjan Stevens, this internationally-independent self-produced musical duo mixes varying styles and genre into one enchanting collection.

Quietly Concerned: Homeless

Being ‘homeless’ is an eternal transitory period; it’s not as much as that of having no permanent residence, but more of a cathartic, endless journey. This is the atmosphere that South African folk musician Quietly Concerned (Kyle Meenehan in real life) evokes in his first EP, “Homeless”. Recorded in a house in Johannesburg and a mountain cabin in Lesotho, Meenehan flits from one form of love to another just like his nomadic lifestyle over the years.

Heart-Sick Groans: Oh, I Can Do a Number of Things

Savor ear-tantalizing melodies with Heart-Sick Groans’ first ever release titled Oh, I Can Do a Number of Things. This free download features four animated tracks that churns cheerful, homespun indie pop. The Sweden-based band is composed of Johan Brännström, Martin Lindström, Henric Wallmark. Gunnar Carlén and Marcus Brännström also helped to make this whimsical offering possible.