New Music: Tyne - Somebodies Something

In the constant shape shifting world of pop it’s not uncommon for artists to change their names; there can be all sorts of creative and commercial reasons for doing so. Here’s one such example. She’s called Tyne but used to be known as Grace Sarah. The last time I wrote about Grace Sarah I suggested that if she continued at the rate she was, in terms of knocking out quality pop songs, it wouldn’t be a surprise if record labels start paying some attention.

Well it would seem that I was correct, for now Tyne has her first song released under her new identity. Somebodies Something is featured on a new compilation called Odd Numbers Volume 1 put together by 37 Adventures (who have released the likes of Jones and Rosie Lowe). It’s a nuanced chill-pop cut coloured with deft and immaculate flourishes of electronic production that draw you in slowly. It’s not a big hitter, it’s subtler than that – but that’s its beauty. 

Tyne - Somebodies Something

New Music: Grace Sarah - Underwater

Dance music doesn't always lend itself to being described as pretty, often concerning itself with banging basslines and going for the drop in quite vulgar ways, but this new song from Grace Sarah is far removed from that. It's a dreamboat of a track that manages to convey much of the singer's first name in its delivery and then some. In fact it's probably wrong to describe Underwater as dance music at all, for although there are beats, it owes as much to pop and ambient music as it does the rave or club. It's light, airy and floats with a sunset beauty that will probably make you want to tell everyone you know that you love them.

Without doubt Grace's finest song to date, and if she continues at this rate it wouldn't surprise me at all if record labels start paying some attention.

Grace Sarah - Underwater

Grace Sarah vs Goldstar - Never Felt Like This

Cast your mind back to March 2014 and you might recall a song called Generics by an unsigned singer called Grace Sarah that we described as ‘sickeningly good’. Now one year on and here she is again, creating all sorts of nausea, but in a good way.

Teaming up with Cambridge based producers Goldstar, Never Felt Like This is an affecting and sophisticated pop tune, the musical equivalent of a champagne bellini being served at the top of a glass penthouse apartment overlooking the city. “I never felt like this, till you walked into the room,” Grace sings and you can almost hear the heart beginning to pulse a little quicker, despite the ultra-cool production and chilled vocal delivery. In places this reminds us a little of recent internet sensations Oh Wonder with its spacious sound and that’s certainly no bad thing.

Never Felt Like This is an expertly executed piece of pop music, the first song from the first of 3 EPs Grace will be delivering in the near future, so keep listening.

(This is the last post on Breaking More Waves for a couple of days whilst we take a short break. We'll be back in a just a few days - in the meantime follow us on Twitter to see what musical activity we're up to whilst we're away - by clicking here)

Grace Sarah vs Goldstar - Never Felt Like This

Grace Sarah - New Waves

Age shouldn’t make any difference in pop. Irrespective of if you’re making it or listening to it – after all we’ve all got ears, senses, feelings and emotions – the stuff that enables us to connect with music. Yet when you become aware of a singer-songwriter who is just 15 years old it’s difficult not to experience some sort of prejudice, simply because how on earth at that age can someone have learnt all the skills to make great music? Of course that prejudice assumes that pop is something that is learnt not innate.

Which is where Cambridgeshire’s Grace Sarah (full name Grace Sarah Shelley) comes in to the fold, for either Grace has learnt quickly or has an instinctive and natural ability, best displayed by her latest song Generics. Introduced to us by our big bad blog-bro Andy from The Von Pip Musical Express earlier today, Generics is sickeningly good, carrying a massive pop sensibility, cute-could-kill vocals and beats designed to carry you to a higher place. Think first album Ellie Goulding with a 90’s dance floor touch and you wouldn’t be far off. “We are generic little children, with generic little lives, just trying to figure out if there's a greener side,” she sings – words that could easily be an anthem for anyone living in our increasingly homogenised and bland society.

Grace Sarah is no one trick pony or Goulding copyist though. Elsewhere on her Soundcloud you’ll find a number of graceful piano ballads – Sunrise in particular is lovely and near spellbinding and many of the other songs possess the bare bones of something pretty special. This new kid on the block has made a mark on us, forget the age and set your mind free with Generics.

Grace Sarah - Generics