Need to send out a big thanks to Tristan who emailed this hauntingly beautiful cover from a rising YouTube star.

Mree (pronounced Marie) is launching a music career herself via YouTube (a platform that’s being utilised in so many great ways by unsigned artists) and her version of The Middle East’s Blood is so beautiful.

Already watched it about 6 times this morning and I do recommend a decent set of headphones or speakers, a little laptop won’t do it justice.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMe_5O0mYj0

Marie (Paris) and Bruce Driscoll (New York) aka Freedom Fry came together with the pure intention of creating alluring and exquisite music. Using both French and English lyrics, the pair have hit the nail on the head when it comes to their sound which is already distinctive and inspired.

The above stream is taken from their recent debut 5-track EP, ‘Let The Games Begin’, which throughout incorporates their love of autoharps, ukeleles, dulcimers and harpischords and the this next song is a great example of that.

The next song is scheduled for release on Valentine’s Day (14th Feb) and the music video was released just recently. There’s a full length LP on it’s way at some point as well as some live dates due to be announced and given they’re listed as based in LA, you can expect the first run to in the States.

In the run up to the release of the new European Special Edition album and hot off a full European tour, the JVMM camp released a beautiful video and tour montage featuring two of his songs that we here at Mahogany adore.

His audiences all over the world are growing radidly but it’s Western Europe that seems to be very strong at the moment and who can blame them given their amazing selection of great acoustic venues like the Paradiso in Amsterdam!

There is something exotic surrounding Birmingham 5 piece Troumaca; the tropical guitars, bass and percussion give them a fresh feel. The band make dub driven indie music with strong vocals. This track ‘Fire’ shows that off well – the way the bands voices layer over each other on the chorus gives the track some serious power.

Troumaca – Fire

Troumaca’s EP ‘The Gems’ is released December 12th 2011 for free download. In the meantime you can catch the band live at one of the gigs below.

23rd November – The Forum, Sheffield

3rd December – Stealth & Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

London’s Still Corners are a four piece started by duo Greg Hughes and Tessa Murray. There are plenty of bands making ethereal low-fi pop music at the moment, but the debut LP from Still Corner’s – Creatures of an Hour – is more shimmering and dreamlike than most.

The whispered vocals from Tessa make this melodic indie album feel intimate and hazy, even when backed by jangling guitar riffs and echoing keyboards. However the biggest strength of this LP is the song-writing. This is an album of retro-tinged pop songs – pretty, atmospheric and very well delivered.

Still Corners – Cuckoo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL8ATo1Qpuk

The album is available to stream in full below and we’re talking to the band about a Mahogany Session, stay tuned…

Brooklyn-based three piece High Highs create beautiful indie music with breathy vocals and jangling guitars. They have a subtle stirring sound. Listen out for the band this autumn. We’re sure you will be hearing plenty more of them.

High Highs – Ivy

High Highs – Open Season

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCySSeANvIc

A new Mumford & sons track has just leaked online.

It’s a live version of a track which has probably come from recordings of the follow up to their hugely successful debut.

Commenting on our Facebook page, Henry from Cardiff put it well when he said “[the track] sounds like every other song they’ve ever done. but that’s not really a problem.”

What do you think?

We grew up… in different places. Payam Sameer and I (Eric) grew up in California. Jacob grew up in the midlands, UK, and Francois grew up in Montreal, Canadaz.

Now you can find us in… Southern California.  We are on the road touring most of the year but when we have time off we are in Irvine California. It is a suburb in orange county, an hour south of Los angeles. We all really love it there. The beaches are beautiful and inn and out (a hamburger fast food place) is delicious! Everyone needs to try it.

It all started when… we decided to get together in the garages and living rooms at our parents houses and try to write music together. It was about 4 years ago. Most bands sound pretty bad when they start out and we are no exception to that. it took us some time to get comfortable with writing together.

If we’re not in the studio or on stage, you’ll find us… around orange county or LA seeing shows, eating, going to the beach, and just straight relaxing to the max. we also enjoy playing fútbol.  We can’t perform unless we have…some funky tunes to listen too, and good company. I personally need my guitar, amp, pedals, and a microphone.

You’ll recognise us by our… beards, and our very hairy bassist with sass.

If there’s one CD allowed on the tour bus, it would be… Dr Dre 2001. That’s mostly because things just ain’t the same for gangsters.

Our first gig together was… the vault in orange county. Where I was dreadfully out of tune. We wondered if we should continue as a band after how bad that show sounded.

We’re not really into [genre], but we do like [artist/band]… I can’t speak for everyone but I personally don’t enjoy hardcore music. When people start roaring I tend to turn the music down. Although I do enjoy a little slipknot every once in a while.

We wish we hadn’t… made fun of our sound guy so much. I think we hurt his feelings.

Our favourite festival is… we havent been to many festivals yet but Fran and Payam have been to coachella as well as a lot of our friends and they seam to love it. Later this summer we are going to play many including sasquatch, lalapalooza, reading, Leeds, java rockin’ land in Jakarta, splendor in the grass in Queensland. Hopefully we can jump on some German festivals as well!

It makes us happy when… people come to our shows and enjoy themselves. We are very lucky to have a fanbase in europe after the little time we’ve toured here. finding out that we sold out a show in a place we’ve never been is a very good feeling.

It makes us sad when… I personally cry after I have sex. It’s kinda my thang.

If there’s one thing we’ve learnt it’s…tae Kwon do. And how to find delicious food around the U.S. We also learned that chocolate in Europe is far tastier then the chocolate in the states.

If you’re new to our music, we suggest listening to Guns Out first. I think if you get our album you should listen to it from beginning to end.

—————————————————

Young the Giant – My Body (Two Door Cinema Club Remix) – right click, save as to download

Download audio file (Young the Giant – My Body (Two Door Cinema Club Remix).mp3)

Young the Giant – My Body (Live on Jools Holland)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=23aGFq1_rl8

Google should have chosen this dreamy song as they introduced their new cloud-based music service, it’s perfect!

Download the single and watch them perform it live below…

Ghost Society – Better Days – right click, save as to download

Download audio file (Ghost Society – Better Days.mp3)

Ghost Society – Better Days

www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9hnLp5S6xc

Nathaniel Rateliff – Shroud

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj1gEVrUmSA

Can’t wait to hear it, plus it’s at a little farm in the middle of London so expect sheep and pigs in shot!