Tag: ALMA

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: London’s deary Shares Lush, Shimmering “Alma”

Rising London-based shoegazers deary — Rebecca “Dottie” Cockram (guitar, vocals), Ben Easton (guitar) and Harry Catchpole (drums) — formed back in 2020 over their shared love of Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.

The band’s debut single, 2023’s “Fairground” landed at #1 on the UK Vinyl Singles Chart and led to opening slots with Slowdive and Cranes, as well as collaborations with Saint Etienne, The Murder Capital and Lush‘s Emma Anderson. Building upon a growing profile in the UK, the London-based trio’s highly-anticipated, self-produced full-length debut, Birding is slated for an April 3, 2026 release through Bella Union.

Birding reportedly sees the band proudly wearing their long-held influences on their collective sleeve, pairing dreamy shoegaze beauty with trip-hop influenced beats, incorporating their unique, modern touch to make something completely their own.

Thematically, the album aims to draw attention to the direct impact that we humans have on the world around us, whether that’s nature or just ourselves. The album also touches upon the importance of protecting the inner child or someone more vulnerable, holding hands and learning from past mistakes. “I was writing the record in one of the worst periods of my life,” deary’s Ben Easton explains. “I was not in a good space at all. Our last EP, Aurelia, was about transition, and how it’s cool to change. And Birding is, ‘Oh no, I‘ve made some really disruptive life decisions.’ The album came from an isolated, almost hopeless space, and you can hear that in parts of the record. But there are also moments that are very self-loving and meditative, and a bit more uplifting.”

Birding will include the previously released, critically applauded tracks “Seabird” and “Alfie,” as well as the album’s latest single, “Alma.” Deriving its title for the Spanish word for “soul” and the Latin word associated with kindness and nourishment, Birding‘s third single is a blend of The Sundays-era dream pop with Slowdive and Cocteau Twins-inspired shoegaze: swirling and shimmering guitars serve as a lush bed for Cockram’s ethereal cooing and some remarkably catchy, well-placed hooks.

“I see ‘Alma’ as an embodiment of our band,” deary’s Dottie Cockram explains. “It has been with us for a long time and changed with us along the way. In the past 4 years, we have grown into ourselves and have a much clearer idea of what deary is. In this song, I am talking to my younger self who made the decision to look after us and become a better person.”

Directed by Limb, the accompanying video features twin siblings Robin and Charly Faye. Appearing as though it was a meeting of past and future selves, the siblings — one initially blindfolded until it’s removed — meet each other with deeply knowing love and kindness.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Amy Kuney is a Tulsa, OK-born, Los Angeles, CA-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as AMES. Kuney began piano lessons when she turned four, and participated in piano recitals and church performances throughout her childhood. The Tulsa-born, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist wrote her first song when she turned 12 and by the following year, Kuney’s father moved the family from their Tulsa home to Honduras to live as missionaries after he saw a video highlighting the destruction of Hurricane Mitch. As a teenager, Kuney taught herself guitar chords off a poster her father bought from Wal-Mart, while grappling with being gay in a strange country — and without friends; however, Kuney spent her time listening to the only secular album she could get her hands on, Fiona Apple‘s Tidal and writing songs.

The Tulsa-born, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist returned to the States to study at a religious college but she dropped out because of their archaic views on LGBTQ and relocated to Los Angeles, where she vowed to spend the rest of her life creating art and helping young people in the LGBQT community much like herself. Since relocating to Los Angeles, Kumey has developed a reputation as a go-to songwriter, who has written songs for the likes of Kelly Clarkson, AKON, Rita Ora, Michelle Branch, Tori Kelly, Lights, Icona Pop, Adam Lambert, Jason Mraz, Jojo, ALMA and growing list of others. Kuney steps out from behind the scenes with the release of the breezy “Hold On,” a single centered around shimmering and arpeggiated synths, strummed acoustic guitar, and a soaring and anthemic hook — and sonically speaking, the song manages to nod at Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Feist but with a much-needed message for anyone who has felt marginalized at any point.