Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes - My New Music Discoveries

Hello, my lovelies.

Whitney's album cover. So minimal, but so effective.
I'm practically drooling.

So I'm an easy girl when it comes to music. Put on anything by Bowie, Queen, or Adele and I'd be happy; even though there'll always be the classics, I've started to branch out and discover new bands and new music. A fresh taste in music is the one thing that'll make me happy. You find a song or a band or a singer that not necessarily everybody else knows, and it's the greatest thing. It's like a little gem you can hug to yourself.

Even if you've ever only liked one band or one genre, I think it's important to try and discover and listen to other artists and other types of music. There's a lot of people I've met who immediately tell me their favourite songs and it's almost like they're reciting the 'Top Charts' list. Hey, there's nothing wrong with that, but I just have the urge to grip them by the shoulders and shake them. 'There's more!' I'd say. 'There's so much more beyond what's on the radio.'

Because I find it extremely hard to believe that someone's sole music taste is mainstream pop. Preferred taste, maybe. So I encourage everyone to go beyond their comfort zones. And be patient with it. Many a time, the first time I listened to a new song, I didn't like it; then I listened again. I got comfortable with its rhythms and sounds and I grew to love it pretty quickly.

Despite this whole branching out malarkey, I can still say my taste hasn't so much changed, just grown. I'm still down with any Beyonce song even if I end up listening to opera singers a short time later [some of their voices just make me melt], and I can listen to a catchy pop record on the radio without problem. There's the feel-good, easy tunes that someone like Olly Murs delivers, the catchiest chorus courtesy of the Chainsmokers, and Little Mix, well, they're inventors of earworms.

Nevertheless, here's some of my new finds.

I thought I'd stop selfishly keeping these gems to myself, because all it takes is an introduction. When I was really young, my older sister gave me the gift of Two Door Cinema Club (TDCC, if you don't want the mouthful), and I'm still listening and loving them today. And since that's something I'm so, albeit subtly, grateful for. If I could even begin to replicate that sort of introduction to any of you guys, I'm beat. That would be pretty cool. And if I introduce you and you end up hating any of the listed, that's okay too. But kudos for trying.

My Music Gems

(In no particular order!)

Oh Wonder members, Josephine & Anthony.

1) Oh Wonder

So Oh Wonder's music is a soft synth, alt-pop sort of genre (it's hard to describe, but it's ace), made up of a duo, Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West. I'm very aware they've become more and more recognised, and I'm so happy for that as I discovered them when their first single, 'Body Gold' (star of a song!), was released. I found them through Spotify, but if you haven't found them yet, their Instagram is @ohwondermusic. Check out, and listen. They have videos of many of their songs on Youtube if you can't download them, but please make the effort, they deserve it.

My favourite songs by them at the moment (I love them all though!) are 'Dazzle', 'Livewire' and 'Body Gold', but I have a soft spot for 'Without You' also.

2) Two Door Cinema Club

'Tourist History' album cover, by TDCC.

As I previously mentioned. These guys have been around for awhile, and to be fair they've always been in my music taste, because their music never gets old. It's the perfect blend of indie/rock/techno, with killer beats and riffs, and the perfect sultry tones of voice. They're still making songs today; their most recent being 'Gameshow', I believe, which was released in 2016. My favourite songs by them are 'Sun' and 'Next Year' (from the album 'Beacon'). Plus, they're Irish, and I can appreciate any accent. Their Instagram - @twodoorcinemaclub

3) Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Top guy, top songs. Lovely acoustic vibes but it's not drab or boring; his tracks have enough of a rhythm and tune to elevate the song completely. I'm a fairly new listener, having only discovered him last month, again via Spotify. His Instagram is @benleftwich

4) Keane

So this isn't really a new discovery. I've been loving Keane since childhood! But I thought they deserved a mention given the fact they're often unknown by the 21st-century generation. They aren't making songs much anymore, (with the exception of a one-off song made especially for the 'A Monster Calls' soundtrack, so give that a listen!) but their tracks are the kind that never die out. My favourites are 'Somewhere Only We Know', the classic, (yes, it's the same one Lily Allen covered, but so, so, so much better) and 'Everybody's Changing'. (They do have an Instagram: @keaneofficial but they haven't posted for years, so it's not worth following unless you're interested in some good old stalking).

5) Whitney

A band, not a spin-off Whitney Houston, I assure you. Introduced by my best friend, and how I appreciate her for it. It's definitely a new sound, but in the same way, it's nostalgic, it echoes older times (to me, anyway). The voices are unique but I fell in love with them! My favourite song is 'Glory Days'. Their Instagram is @whitneyband.

6) Foster the People

Yes, they're not 'new', per sé. But I love them. And I think you will too, OUTSIDE 'Pumped Up Kicks', however fantastic that track is. Instagram - @fosterthepeople.

7) Aurora

Otherwise known as 'AURORA'. What can I say. She's like someone straight out of a fairytale. You may know one of her songs, 'Running with the Wolves', which was played in the show Teen Wolf and was most notably her debut single. She also sang 'Half the World Away', the song played in the John Lewis advert, 'Man on the Moon' (2015). If you were searching for her, here she is, and I promise you the outcome is magical. She almost convinced me to get bright white hair, but I think that look is reserved for her. My favourite song is 'Winter Bird' at the moment. Instagram - @auroramusic

8) Sundara Karma

It's the early stages for this rock band. But they had me hooked on 'Indigo Puff'. They've got that nostalgic, pre 2000s vibe, and the references between the lead singer and Kurt Cobain are endless. It's a compliment, in my opinion. Instagram - @sundarakarma.

So there's a few. I'm painfully aware I've waffled but my love for these bands and artists cannot be contained in a mere few sentences. Feel free to comment either on here on my Instagram some of your music recommendations, too <3 If you actually end up listening to any of these and loving them, say that too. It makes me feel fuzzy. :-)

Bye for now and thanks for reading,

Olivia x