Song Premiere: "This Feeling" by Dylan Cassin

Hey guys!

Well, this is exciting!

Today we're not only premiering a brilliant tune for you, we're premiering a tune by an artist who has been trapped in the HITS gang for six years.

Jokes aside, I am really happy to be surrounded by people who create. Some are videographers, some photographers and others constantly deliver brilliant music.
I believe that having a creative friend group is super important for being creative and staying inspired.

Needless to say, (but I'll say it anyways), I'm excited that we get to collab with those friends all the time and get to be a part of their creative journeys - just like they are a part of ours.

So ladies and gentlemen, here's your exclusive premiere!
You're gonna love it!


- Song Premiere -
"This Feeling" by Dylan Cassin


Dylan Cassin is singer/songwriter from Liverpool, UK.
His sound is walking on the fine line between Acoustic and Pop-Rock before settling down for Alternative.

Dylan used to play lead guitar and sing backing vocals in The Arkanes.
After the band split up, Dylan just couldn't stop making music and soon headed out into the industry on his own.
He has been gigging in and around Liverpool, appeared on a radio show and is constantly writing new material. 

In April 2018, Dylan made his solo-debut in Germany - at our house in the sand birthday show.
He had the difficult task of being the first act to go on stage that night and he killed it.
If you would like to see for yourself, here's the video proof.


"This Feeling" is electrifying.
It's one of those tracks that just makes you wanna get up and move.

The song greets you with a catchy guitar riff which you'll keep hearing throughout the song. Bassline and rhythm guitar bring a funky and lively feeling to the song, while the drums showcase Dylan's ability to craft a song from start to finish, all while also playing with different dynamics in the second chorus.

Every element of the track has its own job to do and they all work together so well, letting the song come to life.

The song also reveals Dylan's talent as a lyricist, allowing his listeners to find relatable words and vivid storytelling.

It's only the start of many more releases to come - but we're already ready for more!


And now it's time for all of you to listen to Dylan's new single before the official release tomorrow.
That's right, Team HITS gets the exclusive listen! Whoop!


Listen to "This Feeling" right here:




Dylan Cassin online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram






Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: John Latham

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Single Premiere: "One By One" by Ian Late

Hey guys!

Do you know that feeling of pure excitement when you hear a brilliant new song?
You know, when you can't believe you've just stumbled upon a track which is so good that you can't help but have it on repeat?

Well, we're pretty lucky to experience that on a regular basis.
But what's cool is that we get to share those songs and therefore the feeling with you.

Today we actually get to share it with you before anyone else gets to share it -
isn't that mega cool?

On this fine Friday we get to premiere Ian Late's single "One By One" and we're all in for a treat.


- Single Premiere -
"One By One" by Ian Late


Ian Late is a musician based in Berlin, Germany.

His sound marches on the fine line between Pop and Indie-Folk and creates beautiful and vivid atmospheres.
His lyrics deal with society's problems and tell personal stories, always aiming to make you feel and think.

Ian's debut EP "II" was released in 2014 and has allowed the singer/songwriter to build a loyal fanbase, as well as tour Germany, Austria and Switzerland and play lots of festivals on top of that.
But he's also been able to travel further than that and play shows in Nashville, New York City, Shanghai and Taipei.

The release of his debut album "Choices" is right around the corner - on May 4th the record will meet the world and we can't wait to hear it.


After already winning us over with his first single "All That I Am", about which Ian told us a lot more in our "Behind The Song" feature, we are now excited to premiere follow up "One By One".


"One By One" describes the chaos we often find or feel in big cities and the restlessness and helplessness that comes along with it.

It's fresh, it's upbeat and it most likely will make you forget about your surroundings and get you on your feet.
The song has something so addictive to it and perfectly fits into the releases of colourful Spring releases.
With Ian's warm vocals, it's no surprise that the song is a joy to listen to, as the vocals carefully guide you through the track. 
 
The instrumentation is uplifiting and controlling, but in a charming and subtle manner - nothing screams in your face, yet nothing hides behind a facade.
Light guitar riffs make the song so addictive, while the drum beat makes sure you're not letting your feelings get you down - and let's be real - that's something we all need.

We think this track belongs on your playlist, so join our dance party and let's keep on moving.


Be one of the first people to listen to "One By One" here:




Loved what you just heard?
Lucky you (if you're based in Germany) - because you can go and hear it live here:


10th May - Other Music Academy, Weimar
11th May - Flowpo, Chemnitz
16th May - Marie-Antoine, Berlin (record release show)
18th May - Museumskeller, Erfurt
19th May - Kukuun, Hamburg



Ian Late online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram



- HITS would like to thank Ian and Christian for letting us host this premiere. -




Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: Patricia Haas via Ian Late

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Game Premiere: "Colin: The Chicken & The Egg" by Bella Loka

Hey guys!

When was the last time you played a video game?
I think it's honestly been years since I have.
But I loved it! The thrill of deciding which path your character was going to take, figuring out the storyline, costumizing the action - wasn't it fun?

Well, at least that was the case until I got to check out Bella Loka's most recent project.

Let me tell you more about the band the exciting premiere we get to host today.

Bella Loka are an electronic indie pop duo based in London, UK.
Members Tea and David Boothby have been making music together for years.

Their upcoming debut album ("The Light, The Mud & The Dark", out April 28th) has been a long time in the making and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

In order to shorten the wait; singer, songwriter and video producer Tea created "an interactive YouTube-based choose-your-own-adventure graphic novel based around two anti-heroes called Colin & The Blue Minor, in a story called Colin: The Chicken & The Egg."
The entire tale was written and animated by Tea herself and is soundtracked by Bella Loka's upcoming music.

With the video series being an actual homage to classic 80s/90s pop culture, I cannot wait for you to have a go.
I know that a lot of you are my age and a bit older, so I think we can all appreciate a bit of nostalgia paired with the excitement of controlling the characters. 


To start the game, you just have to check out the video below - it's going to lead you to the start of the adventure which you will then get to make your own.

I advice you to take some time to check it out properly.
I had the best time making the decisions and watching the story unfold.
Make sure to tell me your "end results" - I'd love to hear about them.

Have fun!!!




- find Bella Loka on iTunes -

Bella Loka online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for your visit! 

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image & Video: Bella Loka

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EP Premiere: "Ghost" by Winter 1982

Hey guys!

It seems like I've been starting a lot of posts saying "I'm very excited" lately.

Well, I just really am excited about the content I get to produce on here.

Today is quite special though, so the excitement is pretty high.

We've got another premiere on house in the sand.

An EP premiere to be exact.

That means you guys are the first people to listen to the EP, exclusively on house in the sand.

The EP we get to premiere is called "Ghost" and it's by Winter 1982.

Winter 1982 is a project of musician Phil Barber from Birmingham, England.

Influenced by acts such as Ray Lamontagne, Jeff Buckley and Kings Of Leon, Winter 1982's sound could be described as soulful folk with sprinkles of alternative and bits of indie.

house in the sand is a massive fan of the incredible vocals which vary from smooth, soft and warm to smoky and soulful, the meaningful lyrics and the atmospheric instrumentals.



Main man of Winter 1982, Phil took some time to tell us more about the writing and recording process of the "Ghost" EP and even mentioned where he gets his inspiration:

"Ghost is about a lot of things but I think broadly it's about human flaws. It's about depression, loneliness, vulnerability, desperation but also maybe finding a certain beauty in those problems and imperfections. There's a striving for complete happiness in the popular media and online, but we should experience the full spectrum of emotions ; it's very human to not be happy sometimes and it's the lows that give you a reference point for the highs. Life is definitely beautiful but it can be painfully dark too.

The songs came together over the last 8 months really. Some of the songs are autobiographical, or at least personal in a sense, and some of them aren't. Not that I'm not invested in all of them, because I am and I think that's important for a writer, but some of them don't describe my own story, perhaps someone else's. I like music that has depth, I like songwriters that seem like they are giving something up to put it in a song and I've tried to do that I suppose.

I write mostly alone, just on a guitar. I record little things all the time, I have hundreds of little snippets of ideas, some that become songs, some that don't. I have to record them so I don't forget them. It might be a small as the phrasing of a particular word or lyric or an entire melody, but I record them when they come and slowly a song emerges.

Once it's fully formed I've been working with Ryan Pinson at RML studios. That's where we build the songs up from their acoustic form. I take an electric guitar with me with ideas of how to build them up. I like things that are cinematic, brooding and it tends to take that direction. Ryan is an incredible producer, a great drummer too and layed down the drums and percussion on a couple of tracks. He is so easy to work with and brilliant at interpreting what direction you want a song to go in."

And now that you know a lot about the EP, you better go and listen to it.

I am incredibly proud to premiere this EP for you because I know that so many of you are going to love this EP. Keep an eye on Winter 1982, you'll soon see why.


NOTE: Due to blogger and bandcamp not working with each other, please click the title to listen to the songs:

1) Ghost
2) So Slow
3) Friend
4) Sometimes
5) Lost At Sea (bonus track, shows when you buy the EP on bandcamp)

Winter 1982 online: Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | Bandcamp

Thank you for reading!

 

More Winter 1982 on house in the sand: exclusive performance | song of the day

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | co-written text & image: Phil Barber

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Video Premiere: "Colin" by Bella Loka

Hey guys!

Sometimes I just need to sit down for a few minutes and realise how much things have changed for house in the sand.
With an audience that grows every single day, I am now in the very lucky position of never running out of good music because there's always a band or a solo act submitting their music.

When I started out things were different and so it's even more special when nowadays bands ask HITS to premiere their music videos. 

The very talented Bella Loka asked me to do so and I'm absolutely excited to show you their music video today.

Bella Loka are a two piece, originally from Bristol, UK, now based in Camden Town, London, UK. 
The two members being husband and wife makes their musical bond even more special than you'd already expect.

Tea Boothy (vocals, guitar, piano, songwriting) and David Boothby (guitar, laptop, production) create an unique indie pop and electronic sound.

Their latest release, "The Escape EP", features their current single "Colin".
Recorded at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, Bella Loka have already managed to create a sound your ears will enjoy listening to.

Now they are here with an animated music video for "Colin", a song inspired by a friend of the band called Colin, a pianist with musical superpowers.

The video sketches were done by Tea herself. The singer/songwriter and video producer drew all characters and then imported them to a visual effects software in which she created the film.

"The video expands the story to an epic tale of two anti-heroes called Colin and the Blue Miner who connect across time and space to fight an epic battle on a higher plane resulting in the exchange of powers and the birth of a star.", is how the band describes their newest work.

Are you as curious as I was now?

I am absolutely impressed by the amount of creativity this piece of art provides us with and am very proud to present you the official music video for "Colin" by the very talented Bella Loka.

Enjoy!






Bella Loka online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube

Thank you for reading!

 

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image & video: Bella Loka

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