introvertmade for me – frank joshua
The verdict
“frank joshua digs out a teenage love song and gives it the lush, swinging treatment it always deserved”
'made for me' is a brisk, romantic slice of modern swing, written when frank joshua was 19 and now finally getting the recording it deserves. out a few days ago, it's a love song, playful, quick on its feet, full of that crooner warmth, but the an interesting and quirky production. jamie cullum, michael bublé and harry connick jr. are the obvious reference points, and the track sits comfortably in that territory without ever feeling like imitation. there's real joy in the vocal, a sense of someone having fun with material they've carried for decades. the arrangement keeps things moving, horns and rhythm section locked tight, nothing overstaying its welcome. it's charming, confident and impossible not to smile at.
frank joshua is a london-based singer-songwriter working under a deliberate 'no face💙just music' ethos, something he's described less as a brand strategy and more as shyness. since his debut single 'panic in the kitchen' in december 2020, he's released over fifty tracks through independent label numen records, including four albums made with producer tony white. critics have reached for talk talk, scott walker and the blue nile to pin down what he does. more than four decades separate the teenager who wrote 'made for me' from the artist releasing it, but the romance and vulnerability remain. great stuff.
thank u for making this frank joshua 🎺
dancing bear – the afterword
The verdict
“the afterword close their debut ep with 'dancing bear', a sweeping indie-pop stunner that lifts into a something beautiful”
'dancing bear' opens with a off-kilter, cinematic pull, a song that takes its time building a world before it lets you see the whole picture. it's a track about memory and escape, moving across centuries and touching on longing, absurdity, hope and all that good stuff. it's a bit like a cinematic belle and sebastian and well, i absolutely love it. it's the closing track on debut ep 'floating up to meet you', out now via fabrique records, and it's the moment that gave the record its title. melancholy and humour sit side by side, never quite leaning too absolutely one way or the other. a real highlight this november.
the afterword are a british duo built around songwriters tom walkden and alex billig, working between london and oxford. walkden has collaborated with boz boorer, morrissey's longtime musical partner, while billig is a classically trained pianist. together they played in oxford band wolventrix, whose songs earned praise from nme for their emotional rawness and immense choruses. 'floating up to meet you' brings together five songs written at very different points in their lives, some recent, some waiting years for the right moment. whatever led to this, we're glad of it, it's beautiful.
thank u for making this the afterword 🎠
plato's cave – robert jordan
The verdict
“robert jordan drags plato onto the dancefloor with 'plato's cave', a joyous, hook-driven slice of indie rock philosophy”
'plato's cave' opens with a riff that announces itself immediately, all indie and insistent, before the track settles into its stride. the song takes the famous allegory and runs with it, urging listeners toward the light with a conviction that feels earned rather than preachy. david snider handles every instrument here, and there's a looseness to the performance that is great, rolling along while the whole thing keeps breathing, particularly in the improvised vocal sections that give the track its lived-in feel. it's from jordan's current album morning sun, and sits comfortably alongside the boulder songwriter's growing catalogue of records that wear their influences openly. great rock hooks, genuine enthusiasm, great boy/girl vocals, and a philosophical edge that never weighs the song down. it's a proper earworm with something to say.
boulder, colorado's robert jordan has been building a catalogue that draws as much from lou reed and the waterboys as it does from ancient greek philosophy. morning sun is his third album, following time will tell and vincent and theo, and it's clear he's found a sound that suits him. working with producer and multi-instrumentalist david snider alongside vocalist rebecca abraxas, he's assembled a team that shares his ambition for music that means something without sacrificing the fun. that balance is harder than it looks, and he's got it.
thank u for making this robert jordan 🔥
christmas party time – dowiai
The verdict
“dowiai drags christmas onto the dancefloor with 'christmas party time', an irresistible electronic reimagining of festive pop”
'christmas party time' dropped in october, which tells you straight away this isn't a record playing by seasonal rules. the track leans hard into vocal dance and synth-pop territory, all crisp electronic production and carefully placed female vocals that lift the whole thing into something club-ready. it was written in an aberdeen home studio during a cold, snowy day, and there's something about that image that makes sense once you hear it. warmth built against the cold, energy made indoors. the final mix came from a producer with serious credits behind them, and it shows in how clean and confident everything sits. it's christmas music rebuilt for a dancefloor, and it works.
dowiai is a songwriter and artist from aberdeen, scotland, and this is the first original single in what's planned as a longer rollout of professionally produced tracks. there's a john lennon influence running through the writing, though you'd struggle to hear it directly here. it's more about the care taken with melody and structure than any obvious lift. dowiai sourced the vocalist and producer personally, keeping a hands-on approach while building a team around the songs. it's a bold opening statement, and this one deserves to do well.
thank u for making this dowiai 🎄