Alexandr Marcel – Red String
Alexandr Marcel's 'Red String' is a warm, cinematic pop-folk single from London, built on one beautiful image and delivered with real heart.
There's a Japanese legend that says people destined to meet are tied together by an invisible red string. Alexandr Marcel takes that thread and builds a whole song around it. 'Red String' is about falling for a stranger in a single moment, someone you'll never see again, and what might happen if they stopped. The melody is clear and patient, carried by a warm acoustic bed that lets the lyric do its work. And the vocal? Open, honest, completely sold on the story. Great artwork too. Gorgeous pop-folk songwriting, vivid and tender.
Alexandr Marcel is a songwriter based in London, currently studying music at BIMM Institute. His approach is to build a scene out of every song, something you can picture as you listen. He draws on Hozier, Woodkid, Stromae, Tom Odell and Vance Joy, and you can hear all of that in how he lets a single image carry the emotional weight. 'Red String' is out now. A real beauty, we're very happy to have on the blog.
Witte – Pastell
Witte's 'Pastell' is a gorgeous indie pop single from Hamburg, atmospheric synths and emotional honesty combining for something that will stick with you
Witte open with a wash of synths, soft and wide. 'Pastell' is about the details, the stuff that stays with you when everything else fades. The production is wonderfully washed out, electronic textures sitting underneath without ever crowding the emotional centre. There's a restraint to it, but it also kinda goes for it. The vocals have an almost 2000's indie feel, and the melody moves gently around them. When the chorus lands it doesn't push, it just settles in and stays there. The whole thing has a warmth to it, but really its the atmosphere that shines. Superb indie pop, intimate and perfectly judged.
Witte are an indie pop duo from northern Germany, blending nostalgic influences with a modern electronic edge. Their sound sits somewhere between intimate songwriting and polished production, and 'Pastell' shows they know exactly how to balance both. The lyrics explore relationships and memory, the small moments that carry more weight than they should. It's out now as a single. We'll be keeping an ear on these two.
Ph2 – Something's Wrong
Ph2's 'Something's Wrong' is a rich, layered art rock collaboration from Paris, prog ambition and emotional weight combining into something striking
Ph2 ask the question nobody can answer: why are humans capable of both the best and the worst? 'Something's Wrong' builds that tension into its bones. The orchestration is dense without crowding itself, a lovely vocal intro and guitar chords anchoring things while a melodic bass winds through electronic percussion. Canadian singer-songwriter Jeff Meleras delivers lyrics in a voice that sounds like it might crack at any moment, fragile enough to make the heaviness land. And I love the mellotron. The production gives everything room while maintaining an atmospheric pressure that never lets up. Superb art rock, atmospheric and beautifully realised.
Ph2 are a Paris duo formed in 1998 by two Philippes, Philippe Mercier on drums and Philippe Moati on guitars, bass, and keyboards. They met at secondary school at 14, played in bands together, then decided the studio was where they could really stretch out. Five albums so far, and Season 5 picked up a nomination for Best Progressive Rock Album at the One World Music Awards in 2022. Worth seeking out, this is great.