Hello, wonderful community! Happy Halloween! Well, we admit that you can already find some spooky vibes on a lot of blogs and outlets, and we didn't want you to feel overwhelmed. So, as we always love to do things differently, we won't crame a bunch of pumpkins in front of you today. But we'll help to relax, as we love to do every Sunday, with a couple of songs that deserve a listen. All the artists you'll discover today are easily reachable through their socials, so don't hesitate to connect and start a conversation. Their songs are really moving and will make you have a wonderful Sunday by the fireside.

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Southey - Leuven

Southey is one of the best encounters we have had this year. So let's stay a few moments in Australia to enjoy his new single "Leuven". We've made a special connection with Southey, who streams regularly on Twitch. And the time zones mean that he often accompanies our breakfast when he streams in the evening. And it's especially nice to hear this unusual voice singing in your kitchen on Sunday mornings. After the incredible "Run River" he offered us this summer, this new single is a little calmer, and evokes a rather curious childhood memory: When he was little, he often dreamed of an imaginary city. After describing these dreams to his mom, it turns out that the city he imagined could only be Leuven, where he was born. Always with this very strong relationship with nature, Southey paints landscapes in his songs and reconnects us with something essential that we tend to forget: ourselves. That's it. His songs are like chapters, which form a logical sequence, and which will feed your hiking playlists. Southey's music is good for the ears and comforts you as a friend would. Just close your eyes, and its magic will do the rest.

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Dylan Hartigan - Gold Rush

After discovering this song, I must admit that I had a giggle. Because I imagined the reaction people would have if they saw me, alone in my office, with my headphones and my personal subwoofer on my chest ... shouting "yeah", every time a new element won me over in this song. I think if I had neighbors, they would suspect me of making a dirty movie. And trust me, with good quality headphones you can hear every detail. In this song, we even hear the artist's chair creak. So I had to stop listening to it a few times to make sure it wasn't mine. Cause I was surprised to hear this noise even though I didn't move (yes, mine is an old chair too). Let's be more serious, guys! This song is like a surprise cone that we bought at the supermarket when we were kids. The more you dig, the more you are amazed. "Gold Rush" has all of these elements that allow us to call it "High Level Masterpiece". From the incredibly well-mastered vocals to the understated piano in the background, and the divinely written lyrics to the quality production, everything is mind-blowing in this new single, released on October 15th. I think it's no coincidence that "The Voice" judge Kelly Clarkson (whom we appreciate a lot, by the way), chose Dylan to accompany her on tour in 2019. Because a voice like this one is unforgettable and you don't want to miss it. We let you discover this intense emotional crescendo, filled with poetry (if you like talking to horses, you will appreciate it), which is sure to give you huge goosebumps too. Have you spotted those birds singing too?

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Angus Powell - Holding Up The Heavy

This is something that we quickly understood at IMC: the universe often sends us signs. This summer, at the end of August, I had fun. I pulled out old CDs that artists sent me over the years, and I came across "Before the Gray", a wonderful album by Angus Powell. I had missed his music. So I went to see his Spotify, but nothing new. And here is that two months later, he sends us a new single, after a gap of four years! The good news is, he hasn't given up. On the contrary. He worked hard during those four years on new songs. He traveled Europe (Germany, Denmark), and discovered the joys of co-writing. Written and recorded in Berlin, his new single "Holding Up The Heavy" has everything we love about indie-pop sound. A slightly more electronic production but of a very, very high level. I love these artists, like Thomas LaVine or Flo Chase, who we don't see for a long time and who suddenly reappear with new masterpieces. This new track is an absolute success, from a writing point of view first. It has been refined and has become much more precise, more impactful. Every word has its place and every line of every verse is punchy. The vocals have also improved and you can feel the years of practice behind this long silence. The song is taken from an EP to be released in 2022. Angus, it's a pleasure to finally have you on IMC again. Good luck with this new adventure!

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Atli - Halo (Gone)

This pandemic has definitely been very beneficial to artists. Because the song that you are going to discover now is probably one of the most emotional that we have heard. Even though the strict lockdown is now far behind us, it still left its mark and left many people in immense loneliness. We think in particular of the elderly, who already in normal times do not have many people to talk to, and who have found themselves isolated more than ever. For Atli, a young artist from Iceland, this loneliness arose just after a video call with a friend. It's true that the screens have helped us stay connected, but what happens after the screens are turned off? The void. Extreme loneliness. It is this feeling that Alti describes in "Halo (Gone)", a mostly piano ballad with some violin notes. The lightness of this track is fabulous, almost mystical. The reverb on Atli's voice is cleverly dosed, and the thrill is never far away. You'll also find some cleverly distilled production elements here and there, like wonderful backing vocals that reminded me of a wolf spinning in its cage. Good headphones will allow you to appreciate all these sonic details that a smartphone cannot offer you.

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Lucas Laufen - Cabin Fever

Successive lockdowns have given us countless little gems. This period cut off from the world was a great inspiration to artists, and Lucas Laufen was no exception. Prolific inspiration and ideas jostling in their heads, here are the daily life of most of our artists last year, as Lucas confided: "It was a really rainy May and I'd just sit in my room watching people with umbrellas and wonder about the broadest topics. " So as often, in this kind of situation, we take our guitar and start scratching random things. Until we find the words that soothe our minds and help bring out all the torments that may clash there. I think the title "Cabin Fever" perfectly reflects this metaphor. Like a confession of a difficult moment, the song leaves us with a contrasting feeling of melancholy and well-being. All the instruments are played in a very soft way as if the artist wanted to whisper and not make any noise, or not disturb any bird that would enjoy landing on a branch to come and listen to him. Only a cup of tea by the fireside will help you appreciate this little indie-folk gem. Unless a natural landscape does the trick if you are lucky enough to see a beautiful one through your window.

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Written with love by Niko.