Music
Stephan Folkes tugs at the soul with new single “Is this paradise?”
Stephan Folkes’ new single “Is this paradise?,” is one that stops you in your tracks. “Is this paradise?” the evocative lead single from his upcoming album Hazard, is a moving and thought-provoking meditation on loss, remembrance, and hope. Folkes weaves an all-encompassing landscape that’s closer to stepping into memory than pressing play on a song. His voice, sweet and rough, threads through the production with a subdued urgency, summoning the kind of questions that don’t require answers.
What elevates this track is that it feels heavy with emotion and the way it’s conveyed with maturity. Whereas some might have leaned into melodrama here, Folkes finds space for every note, every word a willingness to let you sit in the ache, if not drown in it. It’s a musical slow burn, gorgeously held in check but profoundly felt, like the glow of an old photograph that you never quite have the nerve to hide away. The lyrics do the heavy lifting with grace, telling a story of someone clutching the past not from weakness but from preference. There’s suffering in the mix here, yes, but there’s also power, a reminder through recollection to heal. At a time when culture craves authenticity, Folkes provides it in spades, peeling away the slickness to reveal something real, something human.
“Is this paradise?” is at once as intimate as a journal entry and as anthemic as anything else out there. It’s music designed not just to be heard but felt in the quiet spaces, the late nights, the silent drives, and the moments when we reach for what has been lost and touch something sacred in our longing to remember. In this debut, Stephin Laing introduces himself as an artist and offers listeners a hand through the fog of grief, lighting the way toward a brighter place. If Hazard keeps this up, that will not merely be an album. It will be a turning point.
Artist Spotlight
Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard confront lingering fear on “The Shadow Remains”
Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard deliver a compelling and deeply personal alternative track with Americana leanings in “The Shadow Remains,” exploring the lasting effects of fear, anxiety, and emotional uncertainty. It’s a song that’s a product of years of carrying a weight that never quite lifted.
“The Shadow Remains” immediately creates an intimate atmosphere. The production touches on some darker textures, but still has that organic warmth that great Americana music has. Everything feels intentional, drawing you into a world where discomfort quietly simmers under the surface. The delivery is lived-in, making the story feel real, and the emotion is real. The song recognizes that some things will stay with you throughout life, but rather than wallow in despair, it shifts gears.
With “The Shadow Remains,” Joseph Turner & The Dudes of Hazard aren’t afraid to delve into the dark places of memory and feeling, and have created a song that anyone who’s battled the ghosts of fears or fought their own private wars can relate to. Throughout this release, the band shows the ability to mix strong musicianship with compelling storytelling. There’s atmosphere and emotion throughout the track, securing the band’s place as a major voice in today’s music scene.
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Artist Spotlight
Dan Webb creates a captivating reflection on change with “Hungry Ghosts”
Clive Deamer, Dennis Hamm, and Bob Lanzetti all feature on Dan Webb’s latest release, “Hungry Ghosts,” which is a track of real-time transformation. A great blend of psychedelic jazz and rock, the track delivers a deep, immersive experience.
The song’s lyrics touch on the emotional difficulty of closing one part of life and opening up a new one. One of the defining features of “Hungry Ghosts” is Webb’s own vision, as composer, arranger, producer, performer, and mixer, which shines with an unmistakably personal energy. The song is about the displacement, reinvention, and psychological transition, and captures the uncertainty and possibility of starting a life in unfamiliar surroundings.
Clive Deamer’s ever-shifting drumming provides a foundation, and Dennis Hamm’s keyboards add depth and texture to the sound. Bob Lanzetti’s guitar work runs through the arrangement with fluid precision, helping to create a dreamlike sound. “Hungry Ghosts” is mastered by Joe Lambert, and the production explores movement and space, mirroring the song’s theme of past and future selves. All in all, this is a great example of psychedelic jazz rock that rewards multiple listenings. This is a meditative, adventurous, and emotionally resonant exploration of transformation and the courage to start again.
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