folk

filial: filial

Are you filial when it comes to good music? One-act filial is definitely feeling the same. However, aside from the literal connotation of the word, C.J. Bergmen‘s new alias pertains to his devotion to the Being above us. In his best form here, the budding musician has mastered crafting contemplative Christian tunes for the modern times — a bag of songs so irresistibly appealing, even to a cynic or a skeptic.

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.

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.

Daniel Mackley: Just an Ocean

Young prodigies are the thing nowadays, breeding the likes of Daniel Mackley. At only 17 years old, the South Yorkshire native started [months ago] by posting covers of alternative favorites on YouTube. Now, Daniel hopes to expand his horizon even more through his debut EP, Just an Ocean, which collects three original compositions and a cover medley.

Derek Clegg: Head Down Sunrise

Summertime is a super swell time, except for the scorching heat that intensifies each year. To complement (or to aptly put it, “counter”) this temporal climate imbalance, a required listening of Derek Clegg‘s latest effort, Head Down Sunrise, is a must.

Kingfishers Catch Fire: Discoveries

A Brit band is sharing their unique “discoveries” with us. Tristan Irvine, Marcus Mozley, William Robertson, and Darran Paul Smith, also known as Kingfishers Catch Fire, compose an indie-slash-alternative folk band hailing from London. They’ve already won fans with their breakthrough 2012 EP, Ballerina, and the momentum continues as new music pours in next month.