Apollo Junction – By The River
There is no shortage of bands that know how to write an anthemic chorus but few bands manage to grab your hand and take you for that ride quite like Apollo Junction. Having first heard them on the charming Welcome To Wrexham television series, it was a pleasant surprise to find that the band embodies many of the same qualities as the working-class town at the heart of the show. Proudly representing Leeds, Apollo Junction carry-on the city’s legacy of bands, such as Gang Of Four and Scritti Politti, who aren’t afraid to do things their own way.
Embracing social media as a way to bring together people who still love a rock-n-roll band with guitars and browsing the local record shops until something catches their eye, Apollo Junction are the working-class band for those of us with old souls. With the new single, “By The River”, the band delivers on the promise of their first two albums but digs a bit deeper. Call it maturity if you must but Apollo Junction sound like they have learned all they can supporting bands like Kaiser Chiefs at the largest festivals in the UK. “By The River” is the sound of a band embracing the unknown and taking a leap of faith. The third album will be the sink or swim moment for the band and this first single spoils the drama because it’s all-too-obvious that they are about to become one of the biggest bands of 2023.
DASHCAM (featuring Bob Haro) – Look At Me
The third single from DASHCAM’s debut record Sundown On Volcano Beach takes its time to get the details right. Featuring BMX legend Bob Haro, the single falls near the end of the album with only “Sunrise On Volcano Beach” coming after it. It’s sequencing done right as the slower movement of the song hints at the melancholic melodies that Orchestral Manoeuveurs In the Dark did better than anyone else in the 1980s. It’s a song for slow dancing under a setting moon and is one of the highlights of an album that flows confidently through the various possibilities of contemporary synthwave.
The single is out for you to enjoy but Sundown On Volcano Beach arrives complete in just a few days and should be high on your next Bandcamp Friday wish list. Songs like “Lifeline” (featuring Anna Wang) and “Hypnotic” (featuring Clear Pioneer) reveal just how close mainstream artists such as The Weeknd are to the mostly underground synthwave scene. Whereas contemporary radio is gleefully plundering the 80s aesthetic for cheap thrills, artists such as DASHCAM are creating music that promises to delight long after the album cycle runs its course. Keeping this album on repeat for now.
The Last Concorde – Wet Dreams
In a little over four minutes, Spain’s The Last Concorde take us through the experience of being a suburban kid in small-town America during the 1980s. Despite a video that seemingly fits in every romantic scene from 80s cinema, The Last Concorde are far more than just retro merchants. The sparkling production of “Wet Dreams” sounds contemporary while utilizing the electronic drum pads and Nile Rodgers guitar stabs that made the decade such a colorful experience. It’s the perfect soundtrack to the everyday drag that is 2023.
Rachael O’Connor – Sorry Not Sorry
After a memorable turn on The Voice and having stolen more than a few shows performing with Duran Duran in 2022, pop success almost feels inevitable for Rachael O’Connor. Walking into the contemporary pop scene with just the right amount of swagger, “Sorry Not Sorry” is a dance-floor anthem for dancing alone with your feelings. The musical breakdown balances frustration (“don’t put that shit on me”) with empathy (“go get some therapy”) which is a place few pop songs dare tread. In doing so, O’Connor shows that the greatest strength comes from not pretending that relationships aren’t full of contrasting emotions. With a voice that cannot be buried by modern production, Rachael O’Connor sounds ready to step to the front of the stage and become pop royalty.