Manchester

Indie Powerhouse The Redroom, release latest single “Coffee”

31st Aug 2023 — Leave a comment

Like a shot of espresso…

The Redroom by Chloe Dunscombe

What does falling in love sound like? The turbulence of a tentative trumpet player, tumultuous like the trombone? Colourful like the sax? It feels like sipping coffee on a sleep Sunday morning, like a hand waiting to catch you. there is a sense of hope, like the rising crescendo of an orchestra reaching its peak.

Coffee by The Redroom

New release from indie powerhouse The Redroom, ‘Coffee’ explores the effervescent nature of falling in love, through jazz infused instrumentals, new feelings flourish ,the fizz of that first kiss, the grip of the optimistic abyss of not knowing if it’ll happen again, it is the existing of the chrysalis you’re ready to unveil your wings again, this time hopefully they’ll be noticed.

The song itself is metamorphic, showcasing the beginnings of the band and alluding to their future. Vocalist and lyricist Jess Lewis Ward explained that she wrote ‘Coffee‘ when she was 16, during the first lockdown:

“I left it in a back pocket for a few years then circled back to it when the band started to explore a different style of writing. It went through quite a few phases before the final finished product, but I feel like it encapsulates our new sound, alongside my younger self. I guess you could say it’s about young love and feeling love romantically properly for the first time.”

Known for their intricate narratives and roadmaps through humanity, The Redroom release music that boasts a poignant tale, such as their previous release “The Woman From Nowhere”, ‘Coffee’ continues on this legacy with it’s complex portrayal of a first love, whilst also exploring a new avenue for the band, one that sets them out to be the on ones to watch list for 2024, especially with their Headline show on September the 1st at iconic Newcastle venue The Grove, celebrating the release of their new single.

Continuing to mesh the old with the new, The Red Room have mastered the art of creating their own multi-genre sound backed by Lewis-Ward’s talent for colourful, witty and insightful storytelling. ‘Coffee’ is the band’s first step into a form of new age indie-pop song writing, combining the likes of layered brass with the band’s signature acoustic sound.

That signature sound comes through with an explosion of energy, there is joy in each lyric, groove in each instrumental and power with leach layered harmonies all punctuated by the keyboard and the saxophone.  An eruption of emotion, evocative of the rush you feel when your hand brushes theirs, your eyes hold their stare. Exhilarating and optimistic this song is an audible coffee.

Upcoming shows 

Deaf Institute (Headline show), Manchester, Friday 29th September

Gathering Sounds Festival, Stockton, Saturday 30th September

Follow the band on social media to keep up to date with new releases and gigs.

Manchester Powerhouse The Redroom release The Woman From Nowhere.

28th Apr 2023 — 1 Comment

We all have a person like her in our lives, travelling through towns, wandering the streets. Time to listen to her story.

The Redroom by Daniel Murphy

In this world we are all strangers in each others stories. Merely faces on streets to people we will never see again, their lives an uninteresting enigma, their existence barley rendered in our minds. We are all no one to nobody, as eye-catching as cracks in the pavement, a discarded cigarette on the street floor. perhaps that a little harsh, perhaps these nameless faces have an inspiring story underneath their blank expressions. After all, aren’t we all nameless?

The Redroom’s latest addition to their Neo-Soul ensemble explores some of the stories we may never hear from the perspective of a nameless woman.’ The Woman From Nowhere’ weaves an intriguing tale of mystery and woe that moves you like the swish of a skirt in the breeze, captures your ears and gets you wondering about all of the people you see but never really meet.

It is through music that we meet each other, we meet more of ourselves, who we could be and we get inspired, with songs we invite people into our world. Through music we explore ourselves, encourage change and weather internal conflict. Strangers are our friends, our lovers, ourselves, we are all those that we see and that is why the streets are an inspiring architect to pop culture, it is the people that make the art. The have stories to tell, perhaps if we just lend them an ear, and you can lend us your ears by listening to the podcast episode I did with The Redroom.

Podcast Episode

Keen people watcher, lyricist and lead singer Jess Lewis-Ward became inspired to write The Woman From Nowhere explaining how it “is a story based on a short real-life encounter. It’s a complex take on a simple interaction. A passing conversation with an interesting woman at a music festival, led to a burst of inspiration that I had to see through. The song itself encapsulates the way in which my mind works, where I’ll often create whole worlds and stories for strangers that I meet or observe along the way. I think TWFN accurately captures the variety of musical influences (from Louise Verneuil to America) that guide our
songwriting”.

Formed in late 2019, the band consists of the 20-year-old Jessica Lewis-Ward on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Jake Elliot on lead guitar, Dominic Aldridge playing bass guitar, Matthew Dodds on keys and Charlie McDonald behind the kit.

The Redroom captured by Daniel Murphy

Causing an Indie storm in the north The Redroom combine their distinctive blues, jazz and psychedelic rock elements in ‘TWFN’ with contemporary elements to usher in anew era of songwriting. Songwriting that has seen them hit over 85,00 streams, Air Play on BBC 6 Music and sell out their headline gig in the Night and day cafe in Manchester, now their home base, success that ultimately lead them to open for Stereophonics at Hardwick live in 2022 and then playing the same festival as music giants, Madness at Lindisfarne Festival. This year they’re heading to Leeds Fest! Listen to the tracks that got them there, here.

Love Letter by The Redroom

Last year the band moved from their homebase Newcastle to Manchester,Jess describes how the move has influenced their music career “Life in Manchester is great! We’ve met some amazing people and gained some great opportunities from the move. The music scene here is a lot bigger and more diverse in comparison to Newcastle. It definitely feels like a natural progression for us. We all absolutely love the city and can’t wait to see what’s in store for us over the next year.”

We are all people from nowhere searching for our somewhere and it looks as though The Redroom has found that somewhere; from sharing the stage with industry icons, to sell-out headline shows in both their hometown of Newcastle and their new home of Manchester, it is clear that 2023 is shaping up to be a stellar year for the quintet.

Manchester band cruush release debut EP Wishful Thinker

24th Apr 2023 — 1 Comment

Fall in love with this latest release.

cruush captured by Aneela Siddiqui

The quickest way to regain your youth is to have a crush on someone. The rush of blood to your cheeks you catch a glimpse of your cute co-worker’s eye as they peer through the glass of that Monday morning meeting room, lose the ability to structure the sentence to your usual coffee order as your favourite barista. The thrill of the chase, the hope of planting a smile on their face, having a crush is like sitting in a large walled flower garden that’s slowly beginning to burn, it is enjoying the scenery with the threat of impending doom, or growth and fruition, a crush is there perseverance of possibility.

Wishful Thinker

True to their name, cruush’s debut EP Wishful Thinker explores the themes of having a crush from the thrill, the jealousy, the desperation, and heartbreak. Vocalist and front person Amber Warren explains our music has the sweet elements of having a crush on someone but the screeching of an industrial car crusher”.

Formed from the feral depths of freshers week when Warren met, current guitarist, Arthur Boyd met at some ‘shitty event’ and formed a connection. Fully fleshed out when they were joined by drummer Fotis Kalantizis and bassist Ru Cowl, cruush was set on reimagining the shoe gaze genre for the modern age, by introducing a blend of verbs in crisis to reflect current day sensibilities, resulting in shoegaze by digital natives, a generation whom pluralism is commonplace, defining themselves as half memory and have anticipation. If you are a fan of My Bloody Valentine, Wolf Alice and The Cranberries you will call ‘Wishful Thinker’ your home.

The same titled lead track Wishful Thinker has a whimsical charm, that evokes ethereal, the magical moments you share with your crush as you hope you’re becoming closer, you feel like you’ve mastered a skill with no effort. In reality you’re crawling through sand, burns on your body believing your crawling closer to a cascading waterfall, when really, you’re plummeting to your downfall. The stemming watercolour flow state of guitar is met by mournful utterances on toxicity, physiological decline, Narcissistic behaviours, and pessimistic tendencies. The truth is having a crush is soul crushing, you sip your mind with what ifs, you waste time triple checking your teeth in the mirror and analysing their snap score to see if they’re ignoring you. Logical and intellect are the victim of this haze, this little crush is no longer a phase. Warren’s melodic splendour is antidote-like, a siren stealing attention from the tidal waves of noise with queasy timbres of disillusion, doubt, and confusion.  Wishful thinker is no doubt an appropriate figurehead of this musical ship, preparing you for both smooth sailing and Tsunamis, on the ocean of love.

Meeting each other in Manchester and sharing our time here has shaped our sound more than anything else” explains Boyd.So, no matter if cruush lean into 80s indie, alternative 90s or the Seattle sound, they’re able to plug their rock into the aquatic textures of the city in which they reside.  


The EP was released with the help of fellow Mancunians and tastemaker label, Heist or Hit – responsible for launching the careers of Her’s, pizzagirl, Eades and more – offers cruush the chance to spread this message far and wide. And how widely it already has been received, with standing ovations and radio play in tow crush have received accolades from the likes of  Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1), Steve Lamacq, Tom Robinson & Chris Hawkins (BBC Radio 6), John Kennedy (Radio X), Simone Butler (Soho Radio), Consequence of Sound, Bandcamp Daily, NME, CLASH, So Young and GIGWISE.On the live side, cruush have bagged supports with BDRMM, NewDad, The Lounge Society, Far Caspian, Pale Blue Eyes, Priest gate and Ian Sweet, while selling out hometown headline dates at Gullivers & YES.  

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Head to their website for more information surrounding their next live event on the 2nd September at Manchester Psych Fest.