NUMBER 1
Leonardo Barilaro - 100 Days
Opening with a mix of major and minor keys we hear the merging of two contrasting elements to this track. We thought that it resembled some form of conflict within the mind or maybe between two characters if it was part of a film score. As the track develops we hear the mist of darkness join the piece to serenade you with a deeply emotive tornado of classical piano based acoustics. Leonardo Barilaro is a Pianist and aerospace engineer who has recently released his piece titled ‘100 Days’. Stating that the piece is part of his yearlong journey project “Space Piano Music Everyday” this piece celebrates the first one hundred days of the release of new music on all main music digital distribution platforms. Inspired by the concept of trusting the process we really feel the nature of cosmology and cosmic existentialism in this piece.
NUMBER 2
MonkeyRat - The Child ft. Anna Sofía Skoradal
'The Child' is a track that showcases the talent of many artists. Anna Sofía Skoradal is the featured special guest singer with beautiful soulful vocals on this track. Anna Iachino is the songwriter and vocalist of MonkeyRat who says that her funk influences consist of the likes of James Brown, Prince, and Meshell Ndegeocello. MonkeyRat is a multi-genre band rooted mainly in Funk. The band consists of the multi-talented Arnold Ludvig (bassist/composer), Alain Apaloo (guitarist/singer), Jens Stoklund (drummer), and Anna Iachino (songwriter/vocalist). Influenced by many genres they told us that their influence stems from legends such as Rage Against The Machine, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder. We loved this track so much that we put it at Number 2 in 'Slowdown Sundays' this week. Click the link below to hear it for yourselves!
NUMBER 3
Emerging From Solitude
Melbourne, Australia
‘Emerging From Solitude’ tells a musical story of a post covid world.." We're all rooting for that right? A story of the time when many of us had been prisoners to four walls for months on end in lock-downs. This story takes you out of that world and into a whole world of imagination. A moment of 'emerging from the solitude' and the isolation that so many of us experienced is ripped away and replaced by the re-discovering of all that the world has to offer. This is a track full of high notes, this acoustic piano masterpiece is a must for your chill time. With a similar feel to the work of Ludovico Einaudi we highly recommend it!
NUMBER 4
Lottie Zttarr - Revealing
London, United Kingdom
Lottie Zttarr takes inspiration from ’60s psychedelia, garage rock, gospel, folk, pop, and choral music from around the world. Opening with a dark-sounding piano synth we're put into a gloomy place. Accompanied by haunting vocal chops which develop into the full earthing of Lottie Zttarr's vocals we're given something full of depth. The feel of the track is enhanced by the slow tempo of the vocals as well as the synths. The choice of using only vocals and synths adds an extra edge to this track. Having produced the keyboard and guitar herself, we can hear the potential for growth in Lottie Zttarr's artistry. The polished finish on this track is credited to Dan Cox at Urchin Studios who mastered the track and mastered with analog technology by Luis Bonilla at Old Street Studios, London.
NUMBER 5
Jason LaPierre - catching feelings 4 u
New Britain, United States
We've already seen Jason LaPierre make our Top 10 Guitar Riffs this week and he's back to make a stand on our 'Slowdown Sundays' page too! This track has a dominant analog guitar riff with a feel of a classy sixties-influenced type of love. A Jason LaPierre told us that "catching feelings 4 u is a Jazz-Romantica record that feels like a pleasant walk through the park. I wrote this song to confesses my feelings for a long-time crush." This track has an old-school romance feel to it, something you could hear in a romantic movie. Enhanced by strings and brass instruments and ending on a piano solo we really got lost in the dreamy nature of this song. Click the link below to hear it for yourselves (especially if you're 'catching feelings' for someone at the moment).
NUMBER 6
Tabi Kate - Sour
Brighton, United Kingdom
Tabi Kate's latest release titled 'Sour' sees influence from modern pop artists The 1975, LANEY, and The Japanese House. Extracting the best bits of pop to transfuse into her creations we can see why she's an artist on the rise. This production puts a sprinkle of 80s seasoning on top of a modern electronic RnB groove, whilst infusing its melodies with pop hooks. This song is home to smooth RnB synths and funky guitar. Supported by her three-piece band, Tabi’s live performances are seeing an increase in attention from her ever-growing fanbase. Definitely a chill-out vibe for your Sunday listening!
NUMBER 7
Aayushi Milan Karnik - Why
Surat, India
Opening with an interesting sitar-sounding guitar progression we're instantly given the taste of India in this production. As the vocals join this piece we're given a soft country/folk-inspired sound. This is a very unique piece of music in the way that it blends western and eastern influences. Receiving praise from the likes of Rolling Stones India they stated the following: "In addition to agile and intricate guitar work, the singer in Karnik leaps out expressively and unfiltered, aided by the depth of the upright bass performed by her schoolmate Gabe Rupe. The duo recorded the acoustic tracks live in single takes, as though they were performing."- Rolling Stones India. This track is one that will add an element of fusion to your Sunday playlists.
NUMBER 8
Thea Lissi - Won't Be Mine
United States, US
American singer-songwriter and dancer Thea Lissi is here with the refreshing song ‘Won’t Be Mine’. Thea Lissi shares, "I was inspired to write "Won't be Mine" while trying to leave my now ex-husband. I tried for years to make the relationship work & he didn’t seem to care. Once I left he finally changed but it was too late. We tried for 2 years to make it work but I just wanted to be free and for him to let me leave. Which then led to me finding my passion for writing music again and writing “Won’t Be Mine”. We really loved the inspiration and strength behind this track. The vulnerability of her vocals really showed her feelings in a way that the listener can relate. Go show some love and support by streaming using the link below.
NUMBER 9
JONATHAN GROW - Le Vol
For those of you who missed our post last week, we'd like to bring back Jonathan Grow - a pianist and composer, who writes solo scores for tv, film, and production. His latest single titled 'Le Vol' is a neo-classical composition written for piano; he told us that it is a story told in three short movements with cinematic movements which aim to paint the picture of loss and the emotions that come with it. We included two releases from this genius in this weeks list of Top 10 Acoustic tracks and we're sure that we will be keeping an eye out for all of his creative prosperities. To hear his work please click the link below, you don't want to miss out.
NUMBER 10
Liad Abraham - Call Of The Sea
Haifa, Israel
Liad Abraham, a guitarist-composer from Israel is back with his latest release titled 'Call Of The Sea'. Opening with a dreamy guitar plucked Spanish Guitar we're taken into a place of peace. Although this piece has no words it very much tells a story through its parts. For the last two years he's been releasing a series of original music on streaming platforms to amazing success. Slowly climbing towards 200K monthly listeners on Spotify alone, it is clear that he has huge backing from listeners. Call Of The Sea is the third single from his upcoming (mostly) instrumental album. He told us that "The track, as most of my work, takes inspirations from folk, cinematic and classical music. The track has a booklike quality, starting and ending on the same page. In the middle, the music moves through a handful of beautiful, magical melodies that keep developing." Definitely check him out using the streaming link below.