With 3 bank holidays in one month, and an ongoing cost of living crisis, it’s fair to say the start of this summer season has thrown up some challenges for creatives working within the music industry. 

That being said, there is a sense of “bouncing back” within the industry post covid, and more smaller events are popping up across the South West UK. 

We’ve compiled a short list of things you could do as a musical artist to “stand out” amongst the crowd, get noticed, and get future bookings. 

1. Showreel - a short video compilation of you performing, to give venues and promoters a good idea of what your act is, and the vibe you’re going for. We suggest a 3-5 minute clip of 6-8 songs, in high definition, with some clean editing. 

2. Release music on streaming sites - originals or covers, this is vitally important in 2023. It shows promoters and venues that you take your music seriously, and gives them the chance to listen to your music in the background, or even submit your music for radio play (Antix Radio are always looking for new local music). Even though streaming sites are notoriously poor at paying artists, it is still income; look after the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves! 

3. Be Polite - this really should go without saying, but a simple short introduction, and a simple closing of an email goes a very long way, along with a short bio, links to your music videos, social media links and contact details. 

4. Attend Open Mics - Open Mics are a great way of getting exposure to new music industry people and venues, and a great way of gaining confidence. We are always on the look out for new talent to join Antix Music Network, and this is a great way to #GetInvolved

5. Update social media - take this time before things get too busy to update any websites and social media, for example, new photos and making sure all contact details are correct - if you’re in a band, have multiple members on your social media, or if you’re a solo artist, perhaps a friend or family member, so any enquires and opportunities don’t get missed. 

Written by Frazer Mitchell - Events Coordinator at Antix Music Network

I always enjoy listening to different genres, especially ones that I wouldn’t usually listen to. What I really like about listening to “You and I” by Fleur Lindsay & Toby Burley is how chilled out it is. You know that feeling when you’ve been super busy and had a stressful and intense time, and you finally get that day to just relax and switch off your brain? This is what “You and I” feels like to me. 

It’s got a bit of an early 2000’s R&B sound to it with some simple electric guitar playing some simple yet beautiful chords, a slow drum beat, a few licks of piano and bass to round it off. In terms of the lyrics, it’s certainly about chilling out with someone you love and enjoying their company. It gives me the feel of a young couple laying together in bed just talking, laughing and really living in the moment. 

Something that really accompanies the chilled out instrumental is Fleurs vocals. Her voice is very soft throughout the entirety of the song, almost in a constant falsetto. I really think it fits the song perfectly. It would still be an amazing song if she was belting out these really loud powerful notes, but by using the softer tone of her voice, it keeps the whole song in a nice chilled out lofi vibe. An impressive effort considering Fleur is only 19 years old!

In terms of the lyrics, I say it all the time, but you don’t need to have verses upon verses of detailed lyrics to create a good song. Something that’s simple, easy to sing along to, and even better if there’s a particular lyric or melody that you can remember. That’s exactly what you get with this song. The title of the song “You and I” is repeated during the chorus, and the groove doesn’t change much from the beginning of the song. But it’s easy to listen to.

Great song Fleur & Toby, really enjoyed this one!

4/5

Written by Jack Saunders

An Uplifting and Inspiring Story

There’s a few times in life where you read a story and instantly feel a connection to the person who it’s about. As soon as I had finished reading a news article about Hamish Jeffcott, I knew this was a person who I wanted to know more about. Hamish Jeffcotts story is one that really shows not only the power and healing ability of music, but the power in self belief!

Hamish unfortunately suffered a severe and traumatic brain injury at age 16 during a rugby match. The injury left Hamish struggling to stay awake, and even resulted in some memory loss. For years, Hamish struggled with anxiety and depression. But instead of letting his emotions get the better of him, Hamish turned to music, and eventually began using it as a form of therapy to help him cope with the trauma and struggles that he had experienced. After originally using music as a form of therapy, Hamish started to find a love for performing his own songs in a live setting for audiences. This eventually led him to performing in New Zealand, Dominican Republic, and even the French Alps.

Moving on to the music, Hamish has described his music as folk-rock that also incorporates other instruments such as drums and acoustic guitar. I was given the opportunity to listen to some of the songs from his new E.P “Time To Grow”. One song in particular that I was drawn towards was a song called “Drive Me Wild”.

 It’s a really funky, upbeat acoustic number. This is the kind of music that comes to my mind when I think of the folk genre. What I really love about this song, is that it showcases the different parts of Hamish’s voice. There’s a few times where his voice turns a little gravelly, and others where he goes into a lovely falsetto. I really love the catchy chorus which repeats the words “don’t you know you drive me wild”, it’s easy to remember which is the key to any successful song.

It’s always special when great songs have great people behind them, and this really is a special record. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Hamish. 

“Time To Grow” is available to stream from May 23rd.

5/5

​Written by Jack Saunders

Britpop Is Back!

Straight off the bat, I can hear a lot of Oasis in this song. The chord progression really reminds me of the 1998 hit “D’ya Know What I Mean?”, but it feels fresh, which is so important. The key to having success in a particular genre is to make something that feels a little bit familiar to other songs in that genre, but also make something that doesn’t sound exactly like the thousands of songs from that era. It still has to surprise you. And that's exactly what I get when I listen to ‘The Straights’ new song “Waiting For Someone”.

So who are ‘The Straights’? They are a four piece band from Portsmouth,  who have blended their love of all things Britpop, Indie, Punk & Grunge. The band has received both national and international radio airplay. Although the pandemic put things on hold for the band in terms of performing live, it couldn't stall their success, and they went on to claim a high position in Amazon's music charts. A fantastic achievement for the lads!

Back to the song now, and it is a wonderful mixture to begin with of thumping drums, powerful guitar solos, groovy bass and really versatile vocals. For most of the song, it really does feel like a true 90’s anthem. Something that you could easily rock out too, especially on a Saturday night down your local boozer. It's clear to see that the success ‘The Straights’ have received is no fluke. You wouldn’t have thought that the band formed in 2019, which is also why the song is so impressive. It feels like you’re listening to a band that has been going for decades, a true testament to their chemistry.

What I really love about this song is that it takes many twists and turns. It's loud and heavy for the first part of the song,then naturally calms down a bit for the bridge, before returning back to its Oasis style verse and chorus. Then, just as you think the song is coming to an end, you are greeted with this minute or so long instrumental that's a bit softer. And you go into this kind of swaying folky outro that has acoustic guitars, keys and a clean electric guitar. It's like a last hurrah which I could imagine working really well in a live setting.

I really enjoyed this song. It really does have a bit of everything for everyone. And the fact that ‘The Straights’ have managed to come up with something that sounds so mature, so early on in their discovery, is really promising. Definitely a group to keep an eye on.

4/5  ​

At Antix Music Network, we are hugely supportive of new and original music from undiscovered talented musicians, bands and producers. 

We will listen to everything that is sent in, but please be patient with responses - if you haven't heard from us in 14 days, please go ahead and contact us again as some emails do fall through the system. 

Please use this form to submit your new original music. We don't accept demos, only final recordings. 

**Please allow a few minutes for songs to upload before refreshing the page. If there is no confirmation after 5 minutes, please try again.

*** Please also only upload MP3s or WAVs - there is a limit of 20MB per upload.

Its clear to see why these guys are in such high demand

As we begin to look towards the upcoming Summer, my attention is drawn towards a popular act  “Priddice Brothers Band”. They are a Somerset based band who are trying to highlight the stigma of men’s mental health through the power of music, which is a really great thing to do! Music is often described as the greatest healer, and as we’ve seen over the course of history, is also something that brings people from all walks of life together.

Quick backstory about Craig & Alex from the band:
Craig and Alex Priddice are a well established act on the local scene having played most of the local venues. Career highlights include performing at Glastonbury Festival many times and GODNEY Gathering 2016. They have performed at the prestigious venues 'Cheese and Grain',' Louisiana', 'Fleece', 'Ashton Gate' and at 'The Thekla'. They have played for Michael Eavis and have supported Toploader, John Bramwell (I am Kloot), Beans On Toast, Lonely Tourist, Gaz Brookfield and Nick Parker to sell out crowds. They are regular support for many tribute bands including Oas-is, BLURD and Ultimate Coldplay. 

As you can see, there’s a real music pedigree here. A high demand act who have recorded their latest E.P “All Will Be Revealed” in none other than Abbey Road Studios. That’s not something that’s easy to do, only prestigious artists get that opportunity. Fair play guys!

Their latest release “Son Of The Sea” is a really indie and upbeat acoustic number. It’s got a bit of everything really. It’s not a heavy song that makes you want to go crazy and dance, it’s more of a chilled out, toe tapping, swaying in a festival tent kind of vibe. It’s something different to what I usually listen to, but it’s an easy to listen to song, and one that you can welcome with open arms. I think this is the reason why these guys have had the success that they’ve enjoyed. Not everything has to be a big sing along hit to be successful.

I did also have a listen to one of songs by Craig & Alex Priddice, called Stones. Which again was a similar kind of song. As I’ve said, you don’t need a massive singalong chorus with lots of production to make a good and meaningful song.

I think the guys are great, their message and what they stand for is wonderful, and to top it off, they’ve got some really great songs that are meaningful and relatable. Just what you want from an artist.

Keep up the good work chaps

4/5

Written by Jack Saunders