ONE of Newcastle’s best new talents, her soulful voice and an instrumental fit for Jamie XX or SBTKRT is all it takes to create an absolutely stunning debut single in Rope Mirage.

Gigs

THIS week’s highlights include some great new band action like the Strawberry Fair Band Competition Final at The Junction on April 27, while ex-Felice Brother, Simone Felice, plays with the Simone Felice Group at the same venue on May 3.

Album Of The Week

Oberhofer - Time Capsules II

AMERICAN indie-pop upstarts Oberhofer release their debut album, and it’s certainly a colourful listen. Opener Heart ends up sounding pretty large, with a nice amount of reverb and a massive chorus. Vocalist Brad Oberhofer’s slurred vocal delivery jutting awkwardly between big hooks. Landline’s plaintive lyrics taint what could have been a great track, but Away From U is reminiscent of Los Campesinos! at their finest.

Although this album has it’s off-moments, it’s still a good debut and signals an even better second record.

Single Of The Week

Bernholz - Austerity Boy

ALTHOUGH this project has yet to garner a huge fan base, early support slots (Citizens! etc.) and a placement of the track on Tom Robinson’s unsigned mixtape suggests that bigger things could be on the horizon. With a looping, sampling feel and sharp, falsetto vocals it feels fresh and interesting and produced brilliantly, quite rare for a band’s debut single.

New Band Of The Week

Lulu James

ONE of Newcastle’s best new talents, her soulful voice and an instrumental fit for Jamie XX or SBTKRT is all it takes to create an absolutely stunning debut single in Rope Mirage. Dark, melodramatic dub step-influenced electronica permeates her tracks giving her a crisp, modern sound; one to look out for.