"Overgrown" is the result of the meeting of Dom Malin and Luna Keller. Quite funny, this is the second song out today that is called "Overgrown"! Yes, also check out this other post about Whylemin's release!

The first feature on IMC for Luna Keller was on November 11, 2018. The first feature on IMC for Dom Malin on April 15, 2021. Since then, both have joined the IMC Family, where artists exchange tips and grow together. I wouldn't go so far as to say they are "Overgrown", because that's not true. The success they deserve is even greater than that. Besides, wouldn't that be the saddest pun in IMC's history? So I won't.

But on the other hand, I can tell you that it is one of the most beautiful collabs we've heard in a long time. This magical meeting in the Autumn of 2020 between two wonderful human beings was inevitable. They then started writing together remotely. Then met in person a year later. The song then began to come to life for real at Dom's home studio in Birmingham. The perfection of Dom Malin's writing and his incredible talent for creating unforgettable melodies, combined with the perfect mastery of the vocal harmonies of Luna Keller, have made it possible to create this unforgettable little gem. Timeless. Yes, "Overgrown" is quite the kind of song that can go through the years without getting old.

In the past, I've sometimes rejected songs that had vocal harmonies throughout, saying it was too much. Yes, vocal harmonies are a very difficult exercise that should be mastered perfectly. This is the case in this song. No, having harmonies throughout is not a hindrance here, on the contrary, especially when they are well done like in "Overgrown"!

I said the song was timeless, but I would also add timely. Hot on the heels of Luna dropping the song "Wolves," which addresses loved ones who have recently passed away, "Overgrown" is a logical sequel, as Dom explains:

"The song is a metaphor for losing someone close to you (mother, father, sibling, friend grandparents, etc..), and while it never feels the same when they are gone you have fond memories of that time. The inspiration for the song came from my own childhood and how I would spend my weekends with my grandparents. Some of my favorite lines come from the Bridge, these include 'grass beneath my toes', 'dirt on the patio', and 'flowers in the window'. They not only invoke memories but ignite the senses and create a vivid and lasting image."

For Luna, there is also this feeling of uprooting, when she left her family in Tenerife to settle in Germany and start touring all over Europe. No matter where we go, our memories come with us, and Luna recognized herself in the song:

"Dom and I had worked on several songs before but when he sent me his verse idea for “Overgrown” I immediately felt connected to it. Having moved from home this year a part of me feels like the garden, the places I used to nurture and be a part of are now left to grow on their own, without me. From there, the song's story grew into a story of loss and nostalgia. Life moves so fast and as new houses fill with light, old ones fall victim to the dust and weather of time. whether it's a person or a place that doesn't exist anymore, there are memories and moments that tie us to them all our lives."

The magic of these encounters between musicians resides in the fact that they all have experiences in common. Both endowed with an innate talent for writing, Dom and Luna sign with "Overgrown" their most beautiful common memory. Despite quite melancholic lyrics, the comforting and warm light that emanates from "Overgrown" is absolutely divine. A real ray of light for your chill playlists.

Reach out to Dom Malin

Reach out to Luna Keller

Back after a year's absence, the band coming from Virginia, which communicates very little on social media, risks surprising its fans. But in a good way! They come back with a single with a much more melancholic atmosphere than its predecessors. And above all, with a very different mood from what you may have heard previously, and it falls more into indie-folk than indie-pop.

"Halifax" is steeped in nostalgia. As the band says, the song "uses visceral imagery to describe moving back home & reflecting on strange nuances of growing up in a small-town/remote area & how different it can feel from others' childhood and adolescent years".

More generally, the song can speak to anyone who thinks that time passes too quickly, as we can guess from our favorite line in the song: "The more I age, the less I feel, maybe I'll grow up this year".

With a minimalist and atmospheric production, the band succeeds in convincing us with touching writing, delicately posed on a melody that gives shivers, even if it is not ultra-powerful. But each little element, even the most discreet, whether it's the electric guitar in the background or the banjo at the end, contributes to the creation of an inevitable and enjoyable melancholy.

If we had to find a single fault with this song, it might be its length. When you are fully immersed in this very pleasant cotton cocoon, the song is already over. We would have taken an extra minute. But nothing prevents playing it on repeat.

Reach out to Rhineland

Born in Florida and raised in the small town of Blacksburg, SC, Thomas blends the organic textures of his roots with ethereal textures and nuances.

He is just as at home as a minimalist as he is in soaring choruses and driven guitars.

LaVine is a songwriter who loves using captivating metaphors to convey honest emotional ideas.

He has been playing music for his whole life and started to write songs when he was about 16 years old.

He took influences from a wide variety of bands and artists from classics like John Denver to modern favorites such as Andrew Belle and Noah Gundersen.

He has developed a unique and authentic style that creates a space for emotion and honesty to take shape in a new way.

I have to admit it: even if I'm "only" 35, sometimes I feel a bit lost in this new music world where young people discover music from 15-second videos on TikTok and enjoy listening to 90-second tracks on Spotify. I grew up with some vinyls like Mike Oldfield and Vangelis, and I prefer the listening experience to the frenetic consumption of content that will be forgotten in a few minutes. And trust me, you will remember the music that transports you, even in 30 years.

Ollie Dixon is a UK-based artist that is doing that kind of music. By "that kind of music", I mean that you just have to close your eyes and imagine a whole scenery or fictional landscapes. And regarding his new single "Harbour", the listening experience lasts 5 minutes which seems almost too short. Far from TikTok trends, closer to human.

A real invitation to disconnect, "Harbour" very lightly evokes a heavy subject: toxic relationships., as Ollie explains:

"Harbour was written at a time when I lost 3 of my closest friends, people I thought id know forever, sadly it came to an end, and I realized they weren't good for me or my health. Since parting ways I've met so many amazing people that are now closer than family".

Many people will be able to relate to this situation, and I am one of them. The song perfectly reproduces in our imagination the fog that can appear when we are not sure if we should trust or not.

Halfway between indie-folk and ambient music, "Harbour" is a wonderful gem that, from 3:22 to 3:54, will reconcile you with long formats, by suddenly making the fog disappear in favour of a light that illuminates the end of the song, evoking freedom and lucidity. Sometimes we just need the light to guide us to the harbour. And this song is a big help.

Reach out to Ollie Dixon

That's why his new EP is a tribute to South Africa, and his two previous singles "Mzansi Afrika" and "Madiba" were an incredible mix of Zulu and indie folk.

Back to more folk roots for this final single, which reconnects the singer-songwriter with his real self. Even if African choirs hide in the song, we are in a much more acoustic universe with a lighter production. But still so detailed: if you pay attention, you will hear some sounds of African nights at the very beginning and at the end of the song.

More than South Africa, this song mainly focuses on Lesotho. Over 80% of the country is 5,900 feet above sea level, making it one of the most mountainous countries in the world...and also one of the most beautiful. We often hear about South Africa, but a little less about Lesotho, which is actually a country landlocked as an enclave in South Africa. Man has been able to adapt to live on rugged terrain, and nature is much more inspiring there than anywhere else. Africa in general, underexposed in the media, suffers from a somewhat cliché image of landscapes burnt and yellowed by the sun. Just type "Lesotho landscape" into Google and you will be amazed by the incredible green vegetation and dizzying waterfalls of this little paradise.

That's when you become aware of each line of the song and everything becomes more magical. The poetry of Luke Beling mixes these pretty landscapes with his childhood memories. Yes, of course, the song is both full of nostalgia and hope. Luke's writing is truly impressive and very descriptive: just close your eyes and you're in Lesotho.

The artist is our big crush this year, scoring 3 points in barely 3 months. His creativity fascinates us! Even the title of this song "My African Dream" is a bit of a nod to the traditional "American Dream" of which the artist is a part. A discreet way to put things in their place and remember that the United States is not the center of the world and that there are also beautiful things on other continents.

If we add to that the melody which is itself imbued with nostalgia and beauty, this new song by Luke Beling ticks all the boxes. Even if we don't have his memories, because they belong to him, we recognize ourselves in this song. Because we all come from somewhere.

Reach out to Luke Beling

Aasma ticks all the boxes. The artist from Sweden grew up listening to CDs by Sade and Enya. Exactly as I did, with my music-loving father who introduced me to the immersive musical journeys of artists like Mike Oldfield. Often relaxing and sometimes epic music, which transports you just by closing your eyes.

And this kind of artist is unclassifiable. They do not belong to a musical genre. They create their own musical genre! It is for this reason that it is all the more important to support them because the programmers of radio stations or the algorithms do not understand them.

Even at IMC, where we try to make it easier for you by sorting the songs by genre, we weren't sure if we had to create a specific genre for Aasma! So we ended up going for Indie Folk as it has some undeniable folk roots. But honestly, the song could fit into a "wonderful and epic gems" category.

On the first listen to "Going Nowhere", we were seduced by the light vocal performance and the discreet vocal harmonies, but also by the astonishing contrasts of the song. Alternating quiet parts, with an acoustic guitar and birds in the background, and epic and powerful parts with brass instruments, and impressive choirs. Between two powerful parts, a calm part... Accompanied by an... electric guitar! Yes, this artist is surprising and we love surprises.

We couldn't help but listen to more, and we went and delved into her discography on Spotify. We particularly had the pleasure of listening to the album "Daydreams", released in the summer of 2021, and we were impressed by the beauty of the trip and the diversity of the landscapes.

Like a rollercoaster of emotions, "Going Nowhere" is the first single from an album that will be released in 2023. We can't wait to get our ticket for this fabulous trip.

Reach out to Aasma

The haunting vocals of Rosie Robers are carried by magnificent vocal harmonies and by the whole group, where each instrument has its place: the alchemy is felt from the first to the last line.

A warm and comforting energy that contrasts very well with the darkness of the lyrics that evokes a separation, as the band explains:

"This track was written about the ending of a long-term relationship for one of the band members and the realization that sometimes, as hard as you both might work to keep something together, you also have to know when to call it, stay friends and share custody of your Golden Retriever!"

Yes, we can also keep the best of the worst, and that's what keeps us going. The band cites among its influences The Paper Kites, the Lumineers, or Of Monsters and Men, but they have really managed to create their own musical identity. The complicity that shines through every second of this gem is unique. And their positive energy will give your chill playlists that little glimmer of hope that was missing.

Reach out to Axe & the Ivory

Hard to believe that "Saudade", out today on all platforms via CRC Records, is his debut single. What hooked us first was the incredible writing, full of metaphors and imagery that's easy to visualize just by closing your eyes. Besides, we closed our eyes during the whole song and we were literally transported elsewhere, seeing the leaves fall. I actually think that's my favorite line from the song: "The leaves, they look so desperate when they're falling, searching for their loved ones in the piles". That's so brilliant and beautiful!

If we add to that the pure vocals without special effects, and also the few air trumpet notes (can you spot it?), we find ourselves in a marvelous landscape in which we want to stay forever. After the leaves, here we are in the middle of the pines. The images that the artist manages to paint in our minds are so powerful that they almost make us forget the melancholy of the song, which reminds us that things can sometimes escape us, as Tobias confides:

"Saudade is a Portuguese word that can be translated into "the melancholy of missing something you never had", which in itself is a paradox. To me, this song is about that feeling. When the possibility of something coming true that you long for is slipping away. And before you even had it, you start to feel like you've lost that something irrevocably."

If you loved this trip, good news! The artist is preparing a debut EP which will be released in the spring of 2023 via CRC Records. What opens the horizons a little more and transports us for other wonderful journeys. We can't wait!

By the way, if you loved this trip to Sweden, we'll get back there tomorrow!

Reach out to Tobias Arbo

Reach out to Luna Keller

From the intro, we fell in love with Zack Fletcher's guitar picking. And when he started to sing, a few seconds later, we opened our mouths wide and we stayed like that for a few seconds. We wondered if it was real.

A warm voice, magnificent vocal harmonies, poetry and delicacy in the writing, and a simple production but very focused on emotions.

And you can imagine how much we love strong emotions. We found them here! The structure of the song is quite atypical and does not fall into the traditional scheme, allowing to highlight either the guitar, the voice, or the violin.

There are in "The Traveler" all the elements of the perfect indie-folk ballad, the one that raises your arm hair vertically, the one that cheers you up.

The final part gave us the thrills we were looking for. On the other hand, there is something that we do not understand. How can such a talented artist have 12 monthly listeners on Spotify and no more? We are counting on you, dear readers, to correct this. Do not hesitate to share this little gem with your friends, your family, and why not your boss.

Added to our Main Spotify Playlist.

Written by Niko.

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Lyrics

Don't sit around and say leave me be

For the day is a-wasting you'll see

It's already time to fly up above that great big blue sky

And look down, oh can't you tell me what you see

Don't wait around and watch the leaves all fall

One by one you'll never count them all

So show me, my friend, how the days ahead will change me

And where you'll be when you can't stay

So take off your shoes

The places that you've been stick to their soles

And carry with you

All the prizes that modern men can't hold

When their souls are starving for something new

Oh, the wind at our backs blows so fast

Can't turn your head to recall any past

So show me, my friend, where life begins and daydreams end

And where you've always been if not here today

Written by Niko.

When we get a submission from an artist who scores a point with each release, we are always overexcited. I believe this is the case every time I see Dom Malin's name in our huge queue. And each time, the same thing happens: palpitations and the excitement of discovering a new masterpiece.

Because Dom Malin is one of those artists who has already set the bar for quality very high in his previous releases, whether with the singles "Winter's Home" or "Eye of the Storm" or his "Something Never Said. , Pt. 1" EP. When a musician reaches such a level, one can be tempted to think that the artist has reached the maximum of his potential ... well no.

"Yesterday's Love" hooked me from the first seconds of the intro.

The melody of the first verse is amazing and Dom's voice sends exactly the right emotions at the right time. When the chorus comes, we take another slap and we understand all the genius of this little guy from Birmingham. Then again, the melody is incredibly catchy and the emotion continues to rise, especially when the vocal harmonies make their appearance.

It's already been ten days that we received the song and we can not do without it. “Yesterday's Love” has a pretty supernatural addictive power and will speak to all those who have known a love that suddenly ends and sometimes leaves us in total disarray, filled with questions. And often our first reaction, and it's human after all, is to hang on and still believe in it, even when it's completely screwed up. To stop loving someone overnight is probably the hardest task ever.

And the song wonderfully explores the melancholy and the glimmer of hope that come together in these moments.

The genius of writing, Dom Malin still surprises. The music video is exactly at the same quality level: stunning.

This artist has already been featured in several of our radio shows, including "Why Doesn't Everyone Know These Songs" with Luna, and "Indie Top 39 Selection" with Dov, and is played several times a day, so we have no doubt that our radio listeners will appreciate this new gem. For us, this is already one of the best songs of the year, so far.

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What does the IMC Family think?

"It's the best song Dom released after "Eye of the Storm". I am obsessed with it". Luna Keller.

"Really love it. He's really coming into his sound nicely. This one has a really nice organic feel that was familiar but in a good way. Killer track!". Thomas LaVine.

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Lyrics

Walk with me, in the fading light

Shadows of us dance out of time

Wondering, as if in a dream

oh is there room for us to breathe

I saw the island

I saw the sea

I saw the waves kissing the beach

I saw footsteps in the sand

Walking away from where they began

Caught in the middle, stuck in a rut

Caught in-between yesterday's love

I’m all out of anger, I’m all out of trust

Caught in-between yesterday's love

We had a story, but you had a plan

Every word spoke crushed in your hand

Hope turned to lightning, a flash and we're done

I don't know how we lasted so long

I saw the island

I saw the sea

I saw the waves kissing the beach

I saw footsteps in the sand

Walking away from where they began

Caught in the middle, Stuck in a rut

Caught in-between yesterday's love

I’m all out of anger, I’m all out of trust

Caught in-between yesterday's love

Story of us, not meant to be

Family of two, soon to be three

Watching the roots tangle and tear

All that we have is her love to share

Caught in the middle, Stuck in a rut

Caught in-between yesterday's love

I’m all out of anger, I’m all out of trust

Caught in-between yesterday's love

Jacko Hooper's point of view:

The track is bittersweet, melancholic and speaks of needing to leave a relationship or situation for the greater good having exhausted all other options. It's time to move on but the journey is going to be difficult for everyone involved.

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Biography:

Jacko Hooper is a singer-songwriter from Brighton, UK, who combines mesmerising soulful vocals, beautiful guitar and achingly honest words by seeking influence from the things around him that mean the most. Originally writing in the comfort of his bedroom with just the four walls around him to judge, he first began to venture out after a fortuitous video was filmed by a close friend and uploaded onto YouTube. This led on to the demand for him to head out and start playing shows around the UK to his ever growing and committed following. Jacko quickly caught the eye of French videographer Rod Maurice of Le Hiboo who invited him to Paris to headline the Café De Lanse, quickly followed by a short European tour. Jacko’s tour history includes performances with James Blunt, Michael Kiwanuka, Freya Ridings, Amber Run and many more. Jacko also runs one of the South Coasts leading independent promotions companies and boutique record labels; Folklore Sessions and has released records with Bess Atwell, George Ogilvie, Oktoba and others.

The Graes's point of view:

This song started as a simple thought process, as most songs do. Our best friends had a little baby girl about a year ago and she's literally become the center of all of our worlds. We had this vision of writing her a "lullaby" type song but one that she could grow up listening to for years. 3 days after we got married, while on our honeymoon, we broke out the acoustic guitar on the beach and wrote Reagan's Song. We hope that when people listen to this song they think about a person in their life that means the world to them. We truly hope you enjoy this tune.

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Biography:

What started out as a friendship bonded by musicianship and late-night car jams to popular tunes, quickly transformed into a love marked with stories of depth, honesty, experience, and fun. With their contrasting, yet complementary backgrounds in music and life, newlyweds CJ and Cassie Grae are a folk-pop duo of honest, compelling lyrics and catchy, soulful melodies.

Luna Keller's point of view:

There are certain stereotypes about love that we grow up with. One of them is the highly romanticised idea that love should last forever and you should fight with everything you have to keep a relationship alive. Even when that means giving up on other things. But reality is different, and I realised that very quickly when me and my friends started having relationships. I saw very toxic relationships held together only by that abstract concept „he’s doing this because he loves me“. I also saw beautiful relationships that just stopped working over time, and ended up being painful for everyone. I like to think that I will have the strength to let go of a relationship when it’s pushing me or my partner down instead of being good. But the thought is scary, and painful. That’s what „Let Me Go Now“ is about - letting go of someone you love because you love them. But taking it a bit further I like to extend that concept too friendships, ideas, hurt or fear. „Let me go now, I’m not afraid of falling down“ - let the things that weigh you down go. It’s not easy, and it can be really painful, but eventually it will set you free. The song was recorded in our home studio in Spain, except for the percussions recorded by Uli Pfannmüller in Germany and the piano recorded by Eric Bay in London. Uli actually used a big flower vase for the main percussion track. I was pretty impressed by it’s originality. Let ME Go Now started as an acoustic guitar based track, like most of my songs. Hence we wanted a change and asked Eric to play a piano track. He nailed it with his first track and everything fell into place.. „Let Me Go Now“ is the third single of my upcoming project „Prophecies and Silver Linings“. It’s a collection of songs I wrote while becoming an adult and learning about live. Letting go is one of the harder lessons for sure.

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Biography:

Luna Keller grew up in a very musical family – her father playing several instruments like guitar, bass and piano, her mother playing the piano and singing.

She has been singing in the local choir with her mum since being 8 and started to try out all kind of instruments at more or less the same age.

However, it took her five years to fall in love with the guitar, which she learned to play with the help of her father.

She started soon to write her first songs on her new found favourite instrument.

Since then she uses her music to express herself and to channel her feelings and emotions – and has found her true passion.

Luna started busking in her hometown on the sunny island of Tenerife and during a brief stay in Ireland and playing small stages and events.

Luna Keller's point of view:

More than two years ago I wrote a song that spoke to me in a way I couldn’t grasp. It felt like a prediction of a future I didn’t know and I called it „Prophecy“. It became one of my favorite songs to play as an encore at my concerts, a bittersweet look forward. Now I’m about to cross the ocean, leave home and move into a big city to follow my dreams. And suddenly the song comes true line by line. I feel like that cocoon from the first line with so much potential. I know it will hurt to leave the people I love and my life behind, even if we stay in touch. But I know I need to go, I have no doubts that my future lies outside of my little world, my horizon. It’s leap of faith I have to take, knowing that it won’t be easy but trusting that the last line comes true and 'You will see me flying'. Most of us need to make a decision like this at some point of our lives: whether it’s leaving our childhood home, moving to another city, starting a new job… we change and we need to move on - expand our horizon and find our place. We’ll always take a part of our past with us in who we are, people we stay connected too, and experiences that change how we see the world, and yet we’ll no longer be a part of our old world. It’s the price we pay to move forward into a different unknown place filled with positive and negative experience that are waiting for us. We all have our own Prophecies, and here is mine. Thank you for listening and being part of my journey.

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Biography:

Luna Keller grew up in a very musical family – her father playing several instruments like guitar, bass and piano, her mother playing the piano and singing.

She has been singing in the local choir with her mum since being 8 and started to try out all kind of instruments at more or less the same age.

However, it took her five years to fall in love with the guitar, which she learned to play with the help of her father.

She started soon to write her first songs on her new found favourite instrument.

Since then she uses her music to express herself and to channel her feelings and emotions – and has found her true passion.

Luna started busking in her hometown on the sunny island of Tenerife and during a brief stay in Ireland and playing small stages and events.