Playlist: HITS magazine

To celebrate the release of our first print issues, here's a playlist featuring all artists involved.

HITS x Berlin

We hosted our very first live gig in Berlin - and this is what it looked like.

Cover The HITS

Our latest video series - covers performed by our favourite acts, exclusively for us.

Video Interview: Scenic Route To Alaska

Melting away in front of Stuttgart's castle, we had a chat about touring, band names, Toy Story and a lot more.

Find us on YouTube!

Visit us on the 'tubes for interviews, exclusive performances and outtakes.

7 songs: Savannah Outen



Hey guys!

Earlier this month we started a new series on house in the sand, called 7 songs.
It was created to celebrate the amount of emotions, which are caused by music.

We feel so many different emotions whilst listening to music, and I think that's one of the most magical things.

And that's exactly why we need to celebrate our emotions a lot more often.

In the first episode of this feature, I got to talk about my personal favourites - you can check it out here if you're interested.

Today we have the first guest to chat us through her songs and emotions - and I'm very excited for you to have a read.

I've known of Savannah's music for a few years and am very happy to have her share her seven songs with us.

Savannah Outen is a singer & songwriter from Portland, USA.

Her Pop sound is influenced by artists such as Céline Dion, Adele, Bruno Mars and many more.

Savannah started uploading covers and original songs to YouTube in 2007 and has reached over 118 million views by now. 

Her song "Goodbyes", released in 2008, was the highest rated song an unsigned artist has ever achieved on Radio Disney.

After her success, Savannah took a break to find her spot in the creative industry.
Her latest single "Coins" is her anthem of how she won't change to fit into a certain style.

The wonderful Savannah took some time to chat us through seven songs which cause seven different emotions.


Check it out! 
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

My name is Savannah Outen.

Music runs through my veins, literally plays 24/7 in my life and gets me through anything.
It makes us feel so many different emotions. And there's one language that everybody understands; music.

Here are my 7 favorite songs to fit my different moods and emotions.


1) a song which makes you dance

"Rock Your Body" by Justin Timberlake

There's no denying that JT is the man to make everyone dance. He's got dozens of songs that can get me running to the dance floor, but this one ALWAYS makes me move.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) a song that calms you down

"The Heart Of Life" by John Mayer

Some of my favorite moments are when I come home from the studio, start cooking and blast John Mayer. He has this instant ability to calm me down.
This song in particular is so peaceful and shuts my brain off.
Whenever I'm having a hard time or bad day, I play it and like to think Mayer is singing to me.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) a song with a deep meaning

"Firework" by Katy Perry

The music industry is a tough wolrd and it's hard to keep going and continue to be persistent. This song means so much to me. We all have a spark within us that can make us shine. One of my favorite and most relatable lyrics, "Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed, so you can open the one that leads you to the perfect road".


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

4) a song which makes you feel nostalgic

"For You" by Gavin James

I'll never forget the first time I heard this song... I was in my first apartment in LA, feeling lost, confused and homesick. It was 10pm and I went for a walk around my neighborhood for an hour with this song on repeat. It brought back SO many memories and I couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

"I wish time would slow down so I could keep your heart around. If I can't make you stay another day, I'll wait another days for you."


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

5) a song which has accompanied you for a while

"The Power Of Love" by Céline Dion

This song has been with me for years. Céline Dion is my idol. Her voice, her class, her attitude, her performance... She's my queen.
I remember when my mom introduced her to me and I immediately fell in love. She was more than just a singer, she was one of the greatest voices I'd ever heard.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

6) a song from your favourite genre

"Guillotine" by Jon Bellion

I love big drums. I love great melodies. I love clever lyrics.

There are no words for the feelings this song gives me. I wanna dance, I feel SO inspired to write, I wanna sing at the top of my lungs. I've been rooting for Jon Bellion for years. It's so exciting to finally see him taking over the music scene. He's so smart, talented and knows exactly who he is.

This drop in this song gets me EVERY TIME. Literally, I scream "Oh, dang!" every single time. There's something so powerful about this production. You can't help but move and that's the best part.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

7) a song by an artist / a band which has surprised you

"Tennesse Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton

I appreciate all kinds of music, but country was never really my thing. However, when I heard "Tennesse Whiskey", my whole body was in CHILLS. The soul, groove, story - everything is perfection and I'm so glad this song exists.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

And those were Savannah's 7 songs - let us know what you think! 



Check out the lyric video for Savannah's recent single "Coins" below:




- buy "Coins" here -
- stream "Coins" here -




Savannah Outen online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit! 












Credits // Words (intro): Vanessa Jertschewske | Words (main): Savannah Outen | Image: Sara Kiesling

Song Title Challenge: Rhys Lewis vs. Josh Savage



Hey guys!

Song titles.
When you really think about it, they are quite powerful.

They're the first impression you get from a song.
They allow your mind to think about what the song may be about.
They can draw vivid images in your head.
They set a scene before the song gets to take the lead.

So, technically, song titles are pretty important.

And there are millions (probably billions?) out there.
Some are brilliant and do their jobs,
whilst others are slightly more surprising - to say the least.

To our delight, there are quite a few odd song titles out there,
which gave us the perfect excuse to challenge two of house in the sand's favourite musicians.

Before you check out the video we shot with Rhys Lewis and Josh Savage, 
make sure to get to know these two brilliant singer/songwriters.


Rhys Lewis is a singer/songwriter based in London, UK.

His sound is going to make every classic Soul lover's heart beat - combining Soul with elements of Folk, Rock and Blues, Rhys has quickly created a signature sound which will draw your attention to his work.

Spending most of the past year in studios in London, Nashville, Stockholm, Los Angeles and Berlin, the young musician has been writing and recording songs for his upcoming debut album.
His debut single "Waking Up Without You" hit #1 on Spotify's Viral Chart and reached 170 000 streams within two weeks.

Follow-up single "Living In The City" was just as strong and has now been streamed over 1.3 million times - a statement which probably speaks for itself.

His most recent single "I Know The Feeling" was written for a friend who was going through a tough time. The song and its music video adddress the importance of men's mental health.


Check out Rhys' latest single "I Know The Feeling" below:





Rhys Lewis online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________________


Josh Savage is a self-managed and independent musician, originally from Winchester, UK - now based in London.

His sound can be described as Indie-Folk with Acoustic elements in it. You'll often find beautiful string arrangements in his songs.
So far, Josh independently released three EPs; "Mountains in Hurricanes", "Spaces" and "Quatre Épines" - the last one showcasing Josh's French roots. 

In 2015, Josh played 79 shows with Sofar Sounds - all across America and Europe, in just 5 months. You can stream the documentary made on the road on Vimeo -> "Living Room Tour".

His single "Whisper In The Snow" ft. Alice Pearl was played on Dermot O'Leary's BBC Radio 2 show by Jo Whiley and has been streamed over 260.000 times on Spotify.

Earlier this month Josh released his latest single "Ghosts" and blew us all away with it.


Check out Josh's latest track "Ghosts" below:




Josh Savage online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________________


So - what do you do when you get to collaborate with two of the finest musicians around?

You read odd song titles to them and make them guess whether they are real or not.
At least, that's what we do on house in the sand.

Please make sure to check out both of these fantastic musicians, if you haven't already.


I hope you enjoy this little song title challenge!




Which song title do you think was the strangest? Let us know!

- Playlist: Odd Song Titles -


A huge thank you to Rhys and Josh who so much fun to film this with.
It was brilliant hanging out and working with you!

Another huge thank you to Heather and Milly for setting this up and helping us out filming.



We have more in-depth interviews with both artists coming up soon, so feel free to subscribe to us on YouTube to not miss out on those video.



Thank you for your visit!













Credits // Words & Video: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image Rhys Lewis: via Rhys Lewis | Image Josh Savage: via Josh Savage

Performance Of The Day: "Bloodstain" by Wrabel



Hey guys!

There are artists you find out about and immediately put on every playlist you ever make.
Reason being that you're just fascinated by their work and their creativity.

Whenever I find one of those acts, I get a bit crazy and listen to everything they've ever released.
Please don't judge me.

Today I'm excited to share a performance of an artist I started music-stalking last year.
I'm pretty sure a lot of you are going to love it!


- Performance Of The Day -
"Bloodstain" by Wrabel


Wrabel is a solo act from Los Angeles, United States.
He combines Pop and R'n'B elements in such graceful manner.

Stephen Wrabel has been writing music for almost ten years now after discovering his love for music at an early age.
He spent a year studying at Boston's Berklee College Of Music before he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career in music.
Wrabel has also written for many artists such as Adam Lambert, Ellie Goulding and Philipp Phillips.

In 2014, the talented musician released his debut EP "Sideways" and started his solo career.
The song "Ten Feet Tall", a beautiful piano ballad, was then used by Dutch DJ Afrojack which allowed Wrabel to kick off his career in style.

His most recent release, the "We Could Be Beautiful" EP, was exactly what all Wrabel fans have been waiting for.
With five tracks, he proved once again that he's a fantastic songwriter and performer.

Wrabel recently performed his song "Bloodstain" for Mahogany Sessions and we adore it.
The creatives behind Mahogany Sessions never disappoint - they always find excellent artists and create such stunning videos.

"Bloodstain" is one of those songs which make you feel emotions, you didn't even know you were feeling.
It's honest, it's visual, it's hauntingly beautiful.
The beats carefully guide us through the performance, but it's definitely Wrabel's voice which wows us every time we listen to it.


Check out Wrabel's performance of "Bloodstain" for Mahogany Sessions below:




- buy "Bloodstain" -





Wrabel online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!













Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Wrabel via Facebook | Video: Mahogany Sessions

EP Review: "The Apartment Diaries" by City Of Sound



Hey guys!

Do you ever get super excited because there is SO much music out there to be discovered?
I mean, within the past five years, house in the sand has shared a decent amount of new music with everyone who was interested.

But just looking at our email inbox, we know we still have a lot left to discover.
In fact, it's probably never going to end and that's quite exciting.

Not many things in life are certain, but we're definitely never going to run out of great music to listen to and share with the world.

So let's do this!!!

Band: City Of Sound
Title: The Apartment Diaries
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative
Label: Independent
Release: 15th October 2016

City Of Sound are a three-piece from Los Angeles (CA), USA.
The independent band gracefully combines Indie Rock with Alternative elements, creating their very own signature sound.

City Of Sound are:
Jordan Wright (vocals, piano)
Andrew Leigh (guitar)
Lacey Ammar (voilin)

They have recently passed 10,000 streams on Spotify, played a headline show at LA's Molly Malone's and are currently working on an album.
On July 29th, City Of Sound will be opening for East Of Eli at the famous The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles.

Feel free to check out our review of their latest EP, "The Apartment Diaries" below.

 Tracklist:
1) Afterglow
2) I For One
3) Wasteland
4) The Show
5) Animus
6) Wake Up

EP opener "Afterglow" greets you with a stunning piano melody, which - fortunately - stays a part of the entire song. Soon the full-band sound comes alive and gives your ears a big hug, leaving you smiling.
Once the vocals join the gathering, nothing can go wrong anymore.
The song takes you on a journey through atmospheres and feelings, by changing the pace - going from soft and calm in the verses, to being loud and powerful in the choruses.

With "Wasteland", City Of Sound show us that they can also do dark and mysterious. 
The heavy percussions and howling guitar chords, paired with light piano notes and stunning violin notes, create an atmosphere which makes you want more.
The band knows how to draw sceneries with their instruments and manages to grab your attention right away.

"Animus" keeps the heavy percussions, but allows more light into the room. Said light comes in the form of an uplifting piano melody. The track is led by singer Jordan's vocals - varying from warm and soothing, to edgy and raspy.

To sum it up: "The Apartment Diaries" is a carefully crafted EP which shines bright because of all the passion and honesty that's been poured into it. It's an absolute joy to listen to and has left us feeling extremely excited for what is yet to come.


You should listen to these tracks: Afterglow, Wasteland, Animus


Learn more about City Of Sound below:




- stream "The Apartment Diaries" -
- buy "The Apartment Diaries" -



City Of Sound online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram




Thank you for your visit! 













Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: City Of Sound

Release Of The Day: "Bad Luck" by Adam Barnes



Hey guys!

There are artists, whose music just grabs you instantly.
It's so hypnotizing, you just can't help but listen to it with all your attention.

We find it pretty fascinating whenever we stumbled upon one of those musicians
- and of course we treasure it.

So, of course, when those acts release new music, we reserve seats in the front row to cheer for them on the day of the release.

Today the fantastic Adam Barnes has released his brand new single - and you're going to fall in love with it.


- Release Of The Day -
"Bad Luck" by Adam Barnes


Adam Barnes is a musician from Oxford, UK.
His sound classifies as Folk and soaks you in with the beauty of the honesty, which he expresses oh so gracefully.

Adam has been making music since 2010 and has released a great amount of music since.
Starting with his debut EP "Blisters" in 2012, followed by debut album "The Land, The See & Everything Lost Beneath" in 2014 and another EP, "One Day We'll Be Fine" in 2015.
All those stunning pieces of music have collected over 3 million streams on Spotify.

2017 sees the Adam's return with new music in the works, and we couldn't be more excited about his new single "Bad Luck".

"Bad Luck"
welcomes you with a calm, yet very expressive e-guitar, being strummed ever so gently.  Adam's voice soon takes the lead and immediately proves to be the most powerful element of the song.

Paired with perfect harmonies, the vocals become the heart of the song and teach the listeners, why Adam Barnes needs to be on their list of favourite acts.

The beautiful usage of strings adds more depth to the song and supports the build-up towards the end, giving the song the big and powerful ending it truly deserves.


Listen to "Bad Luck" below:




- buy or stream "Bad Luck -




Adam Barnes online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!













Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Adam Barnes

Video Of The Day: "Breathing" by dePresno



Hey guys!

In our new series, "7 songs", we celebrate those different emotions which are caused by music.
So many songs have the power to make us smile, cry or feel nostalgic.

And it's a lot of fun to think of those songs from the perspective of the listener - because you get to figure out what a song means to you.

But we tend to forget that those artists who wrote those songs, also feel certain emotions and connect them to those tracks.
Some might be written to deal with heartbreak, some might be written out of pure happiness.

And others might be experiments to change things up creatively.

The variety is big and that's what is so exciting.

Today we have a little "Video Of The Day" for you and can't wait for you to see it.


- Video Of The Day -
"Breathing" by dePresno


dePresno is a Pop solo artist from Bergen, Norway.

He was gifted his first ever guitar at the young age of four. Ever since dePresno has been growing a huge love for singing and playing music. Under the influence of his family, the young musician grew up listening to Dylan, Cohen, Marley and co.

His shyness made dePresno keep his love for performing to himself most of the time.
However, one of his brothers gifted him a day in a recording studio.
That day he recorded a cover version of Donovan's "Catch The Wind".

Soon things snowballed and dePresno played at festivals, got airplay from multiple radio stations and signed a deal with Sony Music Columbia Germany, which celebrated the release of his latest EP "Forever" last year.

dePresno is already working on new material and has just released a video for his most recent single "Breathing".

"Breathing" is that kind of song you're going to listen to on a Sunday morning, after you might've had a long Saturday night out.
You might feel a bit exhausted and fragile from the drink of your choice, but you don't regret anything.

It's a relaxed, yet still up-beat track - the dark beats are going to get your head bobbing.
(But don't over-do it or you'll get a headache..)
Modern synths take the lead and guide us through the song, whilst dePresno's voice tells the story in such charming and fantastic way.

His vocals are smooth, yet exciting and powerful. His tone is very warm, but he still makes the high notes sound so effortlessly good.

The video is super entertaining and suits the song so well. You might be able to relate to it, or you'll just have a good time watching it.


Check out "Breathing" now:




- buy or stream "Breathing" -




dePresno online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram







Thank you for your visit! 













Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: dePresno press kit

7 songs: Vanessa from HITS




Hey guys!

What would you say is the most magical thing about music?
For me, it's definitely the fact that it can make us feel so many different emotions.

A song can make us feel happy, excited, 
it can make us dance,
it can make us feel nostalgic,
and sad.
And sometimes it can just help us cope with our emotions. 

And because I think we need to celebrate our emotions more,
I've decided to start a new series.

The fun thing about a new series, is you never know how it goes.
You never know if you'll enjoy writing/hosting it, and you never know if anyone is going to enjoy it
 - until you test it out.

So that's what we're doing now, we're testing this.
I'm going to need your feedback, so please feel free to test this with me.

The point of "7 songs" is to celebrate different feelings whilst also celebrating the diversity of tastes.
I'm hoping to have more music guests to chat about their 7 songs, so let's see how this goes.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here are my 7 songs for 7 feelings.

I hope you enjoy!


1) a song which makes you dance:

"Rose-Colored Boy" - Paramore

I love songs that make me happy just by sounding fun and inviting you to dance.

However, "Rose-Colored Boy" takes things to another level; the instrumentals are so bubbly and sound so carefree, but the lyrics talk about the numb feelings connected to anxiety and depression.

This clever contrast makes this song even more brilliant to me, because the song is quite literally a metaphor and I think it's genius.
With this Pop situation, you'd think the lyrics would be rather shallow and catchy, but Hayley Williams just hits you with so much depth in such a sneaky way.

"you say we gotta look on the bright side,
I say well maybe if you wanna go blind
you say my eyes are getting too dark now,
but boy you ain't ever seen my mind" 



___________________________________________________________________________________

2) a song that calms you down:

"Stop This Train" - John Mayer

A bit of John Mayer can calm me down whenever I'm freaking out.

This song in particular is one of my favourite songs ever.
Now, I'm aware that the lyrics aren't particularly soothing, but the atmosphere of the song is just so enchantingly hypnotizing.

John Mayer's guitar playing is on another level, we don't need to discuss that.
But "Stop This Train" is one of his most beautiful compositions, in my opinion.



___________________________________________________________________________________

3) a song with a deep meaning:

"Weathered" - Jack Garratt

Put this song on and watch me turn into a sobbing mess.
Okay, it's not that extreme, but the personal connection I have with this song, just gets me really emotional.
I first heard this song when I was on a flight back home from Berlin. I bought the album when I had a wander around Berlin and put it on my iPod for when I was heading back home.
"Weathered" came on and it immediately soaked me in.

I have a lot of respect for Jack Garratt and love the way he crafts his music and also performs it.
 The backing vocals and the beats in this song are so powerful and I adore them.

When pretty much the entire crowd sang along to this song at Barn on the Farm 2016, I might've shed a tear or two.
"Weathered" is one of my all-time favourites and I'm so glad it exists.

"when you go, I'll know I'm old"



___________________________________________________________________________________

4) a song which makes you feel nostalgic:

"When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" - Rooney

Okay... I have a feeling that about 90% of you might know this song.
I knew the song, before I knew the band.

My first proper indie-rock gig was a Rooney show in a sweaty club in Stuttgart, Germany.
I still remember the excitement and the thrill of singing along to this song.
It's just one of those tracks you need to blast in the car and shout the words to - as loud as possible, no matter how terrible it may sound.

I have a lot of love for this band and for this song.
It doesn't take more than the guitar riff, to make me feel like I'm 14 again.



___________________________________________________________________________________

5) a song which has accompanied you for a while:

"Wrong Directions" - Martin and James

This song has been with me for a little more than six years now.

I first heard it when Martin and James supported Taylor Swift. The minute they started playing, I made everyone around me shut up - just so I could notice every little detail.
When they started playing "Wrong Directions", I knew they were going to be my new favourite band.

I've been able to work with these guys more times than I can count and this song has somehow always been involved. (our video intro is a re-arranged version of it which Martin wrote for us)

In 2012, I stole a line from the song and named this website after it.
So, I guess this track has been with me for a while, and I'm sure it'll stay a good friend.



___________________________________________________________________________________

6) a song from your favourite genre:

"Sharpshooter" - The Arkanes

I can't deny it, Rock is my favourite genre and I'm the happiest little person when I'm at a rock gig.
I just LOVE heavy drums, badass basslines and loud riffs and solos.

The Arkanes are without a doubt the most blogged band on here and I'll probably never get sick of their music.

When they started playing "Sharpshooter" the first time I saw them, I lost my mind and just had to dance.
It's a shame the band isn't active anymore, but I'm so glad I've got their songs to enjoy whenever I need a healthy dose of rock music.



___________________________________________________________________________________

7) a song by an artist/a band which has surprised you:

"Guillotine" by Jon Bellion ft. Travis Mendes

I have to admit, at first I thought Jon Bellion was one of those overrated artists who pop up every now and then.

But - thankfully - I eventually took the time to check out his work. And holy moly, I'm glad I did.
There is SO much depth and detail in his music, it's quite fabulous.
"Guillotine" has surprised me the most because of all the carefully crafted elements; it's not just a heavy beat - it's a bassline layered with acoustic guitar, piano, samples and even a string section.

I feel like a lyrics nerd, but I just need to quote this bit because I think it's brilliant:

"the secrets you tell me,
I'll take to my grave
there's bones in my closet,
but you hang stuff anyway
and if you have nightmares,
I know that you love me,
even when I lose my head
guillotine"

In case you'd like to learn more about the song, I highly recommend watching this making of video, it's super interesting.





And those were my 7 songs.
I really hope you enjoyed this little talk-through and maybe you even found a new song you've liked.




Come and say hi! Twitter | Instagram




Thank you for your visit!














Credits // Words & Photography: Vanessa Jertschewske

Release Of The Day: "Ghosts" by Josh Savage



Hey guys!

Within the past five years, we have been able to learn a lot about this wild thing they call "the music industry".
It's one of those industries you can love and hate at the very same time. 

You have to constantly evolve, be present at all times and you have to be mega passionate about what you're doing.
And whilst all of that keeps you busy enough already, this mad industry still throws enough sticks and stones your way.

So yeah, it's not easy to keep going all the time - but thankfully, there are those hard working musicians who deserve all the respect and support we can offer.

And today we want to celebrate one hard working artist who just released a new song.
Check it out!

- Release Of The Day -
"Ghosts" by Josh Savage

Josh Savage is a self-managed and independent musician, originally from Winchester, UK - now based in London.

His sound can be described as Indie-Folk with Acoustic elements in it. You'll often find beautiful string arrangements in his songs.
So far, Josh independently released three EPs; "Mountains in Hurricanes", "Spaces" and "Quatre Épines" - the last one showcasing Josh's French roots. 

In 2015, Josh played 79 shows with Sofar Sounds - all across America and Europe, in just 5 months. You can stream the documentary made on the road on Vimeo -> "Living Room Tour".

His previous single "Whisper In The Snow" ft. Alice Pearl was played on Dermot O'Leary's BBC Radio 2 show by Jo Whiley and has been streamed over 260.000 times on Spotify.
 
And on this lovely day, Josh is treating us with a new release - his single "Ghosts".

"Ghosts" takes you on a dramatic ride through emotions.
It greets you with expressive strings, which will walk you through the song.

The verses are kept rather simple, with their focus on the calm acoustic guitar and Josh's warm vocals - a fantastic pairing.
A moody build-up in the pre-chorus prepares you for the big outburst in the chorus; it's loud, it's passionate and it's dramatic - the strings couldn't have been placed better to intensify the atmosphere.

The personal and frustratingly relatable lyrics literally tie you to the song and make you feel emotions, you didn't even know you were feeling.

Leave it to Josh's clever use of subtle backing vocals to underline the dramaturgy of the song
.
"Ghosts" is yet another proof that Josh Savage keeps on taking things to another level.


Listen to "Ghosts" below:



And just because we know you just fell in love with the song,
here's an acoustic version we recorded last month: 




- buy "Ghosts" -
- stream "Ghosts" -



Josh Savage online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!













Credits // Words & Video: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Josh Savage

EP Review: "The Drive" by Ava Rae Heatley



Hey guys!

Going through music submissions is one of those bittersweet tasks which running a blog comes with.
It's so exciting to open an email account which is bursting at the seams.

Figuring out how to listen to all submissions is the tricky part, but that shall be my problem.
#nocomplaints

It feels good to sit down and just write about the wonderful music out there.
Whenever we publish a new post, we know we just helped sharing new and exciting music.

It's a wonderful feeling and we encourage you all to share more music.
Share it online, share it with your friends, share it with strangers.
Sharing is caring and we all care about music, don't we?

Today we're back on the review train and have a lovely little EP review for you.

Artist: Ava Rae Heatley
Title: The Drive
Genre: Pop/Rock
Label: Independent
Release Date: 21st March 2017

Ava Rae Heatley is a singer/songwriter from Warwick (New York), USA.

Her sound is influenced by artists such as Sara Bareilles, Ben Folds and Elton John - creating a Pop/Rock meets Acoustic sound.
Ava started out playing at local coffee shops such as Caffe A La Mode in Warwick and Music at the Mission in New Jersey, where she's the winner of the open mic competition.

She has also been 95.3 DNH's "Discovered Artist of the month" in June 2017 which led to her song "Good For You" being played on their station for the entire month.

Please feel free to check out our review of "The Drive" below.

Tracklist:
1) Where I'm Going
2) Good For You
3) The Drive
4) Two Showers
5) Don't You (Forget About Me)

Opener "Where I'm Going" welcomes you with simplicity - the raw audio file might confuse you at first, expecting there to be a high quality studio recording.
A few notes in, you'll forget all about the technical side of things. Ava Rae soaks you in with her stunningly mesmerizing vocals and harmonies that couldn't be more "on point" if they tried.
This acapella track is the perfect introduction for the EP.

Title track "The Drive" is a well created song; all elements co-exist in a beautiful, yet simple way.
 Throughout the first verse and chorus, the main focus is on Ava's voice which is just accompanied by the calm piano - this gives you time to get into the song, to understand it's depth.
The drums and the bassline give the song more grip and definition, and kindly guide you through the track.

The final track, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a beautiful cover of the Simple Minds classic.
Ava made the song her own by putting a stunning and hauntingly beautiful twist to it - she has focused on creating an intimate atmosphere and has done such a fantastic job. The simplicity is expressive and powerful, it demands all of your attention, which you'll gladly provide.

To sum it up: Ava has created an EP which combines beautiful harmonies, classy instrumentals, autobiographical lyrics, relatable stories and a charming full band pop sound.
"The Drive" leaves us excited to see what Ava Rae Heatley has coming up next!


You should listen to these tracks: Where I'm Going, The Drive, Don't You (Forget About Me)




- stream the EP -
- buy the EP -




Ava Rae Heatley online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!












Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Ava Rae Heatley

Video Of The Day: "I Know The Feeling" by Rhys Lewis



Hey guys!

We probably don't need to mention it, but over here on house in the sand, we all love music.
Everyone in the team, and probably everyone reading these posts, has a different taste - and that's pretty amazing.

However, most of us agree that music with a deeper message needs to be given an extra loud voice.

Songwriters who address social issues and break standarts that society has created - those songwriters deserve a lot of respect.

Last year we've discovered Rhys Lewis, a singer/songwriter from London.
He's been wow-ing us ever since and his latest release "I Know The Feeling" is now excuse.

Make sure to check out this fabulous track and learn more about the reason behind the song below. 


- Video Of The Day -
"I Know The Feeling" by Rhys Lewis


Rhys Lewis is a singer/songwriter based in London, UK.

His sound is going to make every classic Soul lover's heart beat - combining Soul with elements of Folk, Rock and Blues, Rhys is quickly creating a signature sound which will draw your attention to his work.

Spending most of the past year in studios in London, Nashville, Stockholm, Los Angeles and Berlin, the young musician has been writing and recording songs for his upcoming debut album.
His debut single "Waking Up Without You" hit #1 on Spotify's Viral Chart and reached 170 000 streams within two weeks.

Follow-up single "Living In The City" was just as strong and has now been streamed over 1.3 million times - a statement which probably speaks for itself.

To shorten the wait for his debut album, a few weeks back Rhys treated us with a live performance of a new song called "Could've Been" which was filmed at The Round Chapel in London.

And now he's here with a new music video for his most recent single "I Know The Feeling".

Rhys wrote the song for a friend who was going through a tough time. Both- the song and the music video- address the important topic that is men's mental health.

Just because we think what Rhys has to say, is absolutely brilliant, we'd like to quote him:
"I think there is a lot of bravado that surrounds being a guy and being 'macho' that stems from a dated idea of what being a man is - brave face, man up, and don't talk about your feelings. 
But in reality, it takes a great amount of courage and bravery to be honest and vulnerable about how you feel. The pressure to be happy all the time and to be living the perfect life on social media is greater than ever, but I think if men could actually feel more comfortable being open in front of people or a friend, then that can change a lot of things."

We couldn't agree more and would like the video to speak for itself.
Allow the lyrics and the visuals to raise awareness and to resonate with you.

Enjoy the music and send it to a friend who might need it.


Check out the fabulous video for "I Know The Feeling" here:




- buy or stream "I Know The Feeling" -



Rhys Lewis online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!












Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image & Quote: Rhys Lewis

Album Review: "Herodias" by The Lunar Year



Hey guys!

Random thought - have you ever wondered what an album would be like, if it were a person?
Maybe this question sounds like I've had too much to drink, but hear me out.

I think albums do have personalities.
Some are brutally honest, some cheer us up with their lightness, others allow us to be (passive) aggressive with their heavier traits and some just make us cry because of how melancholic they are.

So, if your favourite album was a person - would you be friends?

(Maybe this intro is a bit weird, but let's not dwell on that.)

Today we'd like to introduce you to an album, we would definitely befriend!

Band: The Lunar Year
Title: Herodias
Genre: Alternative
Label: Independent
Release Date: 16th June 2017

The Lunar Year are an indie-rock band from Philadelphia, USA.

The band are:
Katie Burke (vocals, piano)
Steve Heine (guitar, vocals)
Zach McCaw (bass)
Kevin Walker (drums)

The origins of the band's sound can be traced back to singer&songwriter Katie's childhood, which was shaped by multiple acts and genres.

With a love for The Beatles, Billy Joel and The Beach Boys, but also a huge interest in the Classical and Romantic era, the band's style is very open minded.

You'll find honest and personal lyrics, as well as relatable stories in The Lunar Year's repertoire.

Their single "Porcelain", aka the most beautiful song you've heard in a while, has reached over 145,000 streams on Spotify so far.

And now, we are so excited for you to read our review of their debut album "Herodias".

Enjoy!


 Tracklist:
1) Parachute Lung
2) Wolves
3) Backyard Deck
4) Hey Mister Gray
5) The Brigade
6) Blue and Orange
7) Heady Love
8) Saturn's Rings
9) Porcelain
10) As Your Own
11) Herodias
12) Sirens

The album greets us with the strong, yet fragile "Parachute Lung".
The dark piano couldn't be more mesmerizing if it tried. As soon as you hear the first chords, you know you're about to witness something great.
The second singer Katie's vocals hit you, you'll feel completely paralyzed - unable to do anything but listen to her and the stories she has to tell.
A dynamic build-up unfolds the song and makes you want to keep it on repeat for days.
D A Y S.

One of the most charming tracks on the album is "Blue and Orange".
It reminds me of a Sunday afternoon, soft sunlight and carefree moments. The vocals lead us through the track, whilst the piano accompanies us the entire time and makes sure we feel comfortable and allow ourselves to dive into the music.

I remember when I first heard lead single "Porcelain" after finding it in our submissions inbox. I couldn't handle the beauty of this track and had to listen to it on repeat. Once we got to celebrate our fifth birthday with Katie's stunning performance of the song (watch here), the tears started to escape my eyes.
It's one of the most beautiful ballads we've discovered in a while; the calm piano paired with Katie's expressive vocals - it just gets us every time. The instrumentation is kept very simple - it's the piano, lead vocals, backing vocals and a light rhythm section. And honestly - that's all that's needed!

To sum it up: There's definitely a noticeable theme on "Herodias" - every track stands out and fills you with so many emotions. This album has easily made it onto our list of favourite debuts - I mean, how could it not?
The Lunar Year are a strong and talented band and we simply cannot wait for what is yet to come.



You should listen to these tracks: Parachute Lung, Heady Love, Blue and Orange, Porcelain





- buy "Herodias"
- stream "Herodias" -



The Lunar Year online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit! 













Credits // Words: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: The Lunar Year