introvertblissin' out – big winner
The verdict
“big winner builds a brilliantly warm slice of diy art rock from classical guitar, sound effects and fatherhood”
'blissin' out' opens with that scratch, and a cheap classical guitar and whole entire vibe. it stacks midi instruments and creative commons sound effects into something that shouldn't cohere but absolutely does. it's the first single from big winner's debut album dinosaur, landing a month ahead of the full record on november 13. the song sits in the gap between domestic routine and private fantasy, a diy indie daydream that feels a little bran van in the best possible way. it's vivid, intimate and brilliant.
big winner is the new project from american filmmaker and musician charles griffin gibson, now based in oslo, norway. he previously released music as chuck on cult label audio antihero, picking up coverage from bbc, diy and the line of best fit before walking away from music in 2019. five years and two kids later, a cheap classical guitar from a neighbour pulled him back in. the rule for dinosaur was no new gear: just that guitar, an egg shaker, and everything else assembled digitally from fiverr musicians and found sounds. we really love this.
thank u for making this big winner 🦕
jack, let's go for a walk (cello whisper) – irona
The verdict
“irona turns the love that stays when life won't let two people close into devastating cinematic folk pop”
'jack, let's go for a walk (cello whisper)' doesn't try to be a breakup song. it sits somewhere harder: the space where love remains even when a shared life can't. piano and an intimate vocal carry most of it, but that cello line is the one that stays, threading through autumn imagery, letters never sent, two mountains standing apart. it's a song about carrying something you never got to live, and finding the strength to walk forward anyway. the pitch says some listeners have been moved to tears, and that tracks. the emotional honesty is completely unguarded, the arrangement stripped back enough to let every word land. it's a beautiful thing
irona is an istanbul-based, genre-fluid cinematic pop artist shaped by time in new york and london. her sound moves from intimate piano and cello through to darker art-pop and electronic textures, and she treats songwriting, visual storytelling and film as parts of the same work. her debut single 'glorious' was written for animal companions, with earnings going to their welfare. she's an advocate for animals, women's empowerment and children's health, and that sense of purpose runs through everything here. there's real emotional weight in this one, and it should do really well.
thank u for making this irona 🍂