LeftLion's Latest Listens #5: Notts music we're currently spinning

Single: Bloodworm - Back of a Hand

Bloodworm’s debut single Back of a Hand grips their listeners with a pensive gothic style that would make Robert Smith proud. Starting with a captivating drum hook shortly followed by the bass, a reverbed and doleful guitar riff then layers and lifts the song’s overall sound. What seals the deal is the moody vocals with a raspy chorus, allowing the band to drive an emotive and gritty edge that fits the lyrics well. Altogether, Back of a Hand pays profound homage to the 80s gothic scene by showcasing influences from bands such as Bauhaus and Joy Division, but with a clear and modern production value that is bound to pique the interest of lovers of the genre.

Like uncovering a hidden gem, Bloodworm entices those with an interest in the dark and mysterious to take a listen to their latest single. @bloodwormband (Phillippa Walsh)

Single: Otala - Everything But The Hate

The eagerly awaited second single from Otala and this is something special. It has a stripped back 3/4 triplet feel throughout and starts with spoken word, warm bass, a metronome-tight drum pattern, jangly guitars and breathless sax, before everything drops and then builds into a mighty crescendo at the 1 min 44 sec spot. With great moments of highly charged emotion and intensity, I wanted this track to last so much longer however all good things must end. Thank God for the repeat button... @otalaband (Bassey)

EP: Marseille - Godiva

Photo (right): Jason Bridges

If you are currently at the height of Oasis Reunion fever, then it’s time to get to know local rock outfit Marseille. Hailing from just up the road in Derby, the rising stars have already gained the attention of national radio stations including BBC Radio 6 and Radio X, making waves with their 90s-nostalgia-fuelled anthems. 

Now introducing themselves with their debut EP, you feel it’s only a matter of time before these young upstarts are filling the country’s biggest venues. With heavy nods to other Mancunian favourites such as The Stone Roses, Godiva is filled with mind-melting, psychedelic guitar riffs, perfect for those hazy early-Autumn nights. Near seven-minute single Monkey In The Middle is a big highlight, with the epic guitar-driven outro sure to leave your jaw on the floor. However, the mesmerising laidback grooves of She Can Fly and If It Hurts Don’t Cry also impress, both songs that could rival the Gallagher brothers at their peak. Due to play Rescue Rooms on 2nd October, catch them in an intimate setting now while you still can. @marseilleband (Karl Blakesley)

EP: #NAME? - N E B U L A

It could be easy to agree with naysayers who believe that ambient music is unworthy of being called music. Even in the Instagram bio of #NAME (pronounced "Name error"), the question is posed; “Is it just noise?” As I write this, a neighbouring building’s fire alarm has now been blaring for twelve hours: and despite it interrupting my evening; my much needed sleep; and this morning’s quiescence, I have grown fond of its whine. From this, I have decided: yes; ambient music has a place in music, and there is no better example than #NAME’s EP, N E B U L A. It is a gorgeous body of work: beginning at a glacial pace, it sounds as if you are working the slowest conveyor belt in the universe; the latter tracks make expert use of the silence, before leaning into the sounds of neoclassical. It is an awesome display of what makes ambient music great. @nameerror_music (Callum Foulds)