Gabby Smith, also known as Gabby’s World, has embarked on a yearlong marathon to showcase her forthcoming album. GABBY SWORD is set to be released at the end of 2023, under her own label, Carrot All Records. Every month, the singer-songwriter and producer is unveiling a new single —each a vivid snapshot of her life— drawing inspiration from her love and marriage with fellow musician Barrie Lindsay (yeah, that Barrie), her far-flung adventures from France to Maine, and a myriad of other meaningful and introspective moments.

The ninth single in this epic rollout is “Powerful,” a song that demonstrates how strong love can endure change and distance; a “moon and ocean kind of bond,” as she sings. She elaborates, “The day my wife, Barrie, left our shared apartment to write her 2022 AOTY album Barbara, I felt the immense power of our connection. However, I also grappled with the uncertainty and apprehension of how our relationship would evolve with distance.”

Similar to challenges that strengthen relationships, the song grows throughout its 3-minute course, while keeping its genuine rawness. It begins with a sense of fragility but quickly gains strength before culminating in an ecstatic epiphany, characterized by swirling vocals. Considering how challenging long distance relationships can be, this touching song is almost reminiscent of a fairy tale. [tears of joy]

Next month, Barrie will unveil Barbara, a self-produced project that helped her to process the passing of her father. Besides grief, the intimate indie pop album also explores her budding relationship with her now-wife, Gabb. It’s notably the case of the new single, “Jenny,” out today, of which she stated: “I wrote it while reflecting on a memory from tour, when I met my wife. We had a day off in Austin, and a group of us went swimming in a creek. I was picturing that day, before I was aware of any connection between us, and imagining how it would have played out if I had been. I wasn’t devoted right away, I wasn’t sure.”

Musically, the track was inspired in part by James Taylor and Blake Mills. “”I was looking to James Taylor for the guitar and The Band for the organ to try to capture an Americana feel for Jenny,” she added. “These artists are able to simultaneously encapsulate a swagger and an earnestness that gives their music a grown-up, classic feel. I wanted Jenny to be like an American Songbook song; any level of musician could play it and it would feel good to play either alone with one’s guitar, around a campfire with some friends, or at a big concert with everyone singing along.”

Listen and pre-order the album via Bandcamp below.

Following on from the acclaimed debut LP, 2019’s Happy To Be Here, New York based indie pop artist Barrie Lindsay AKA Barrie has announced the upcoming release of her sophomore effort Barbara. Her latest single is the jarring yet gorgeously hopeful track “Quarry”, to which she has also released a stunning accompanying music video.

Barrie has already explained that Barbara will be a deeply personal record, as it was written in a transformative period of her life; during the aftermath of her father’s death yet also whilst she was falling in love with her now wife, Gabby.

She elaborated: “The album is diaristic, but not in obvious or intimate ways. Music is my job, and it’s also intensely personal. I want the music to connect with people, but have reservations about the toll it takes on the artist to have to live up to whatever the music ends up representing for the listener. To connect with people about grief is beautiful, but I don’t want to relive the trauma of it at every show and interview. I also don’t want to become desensitized to my sadness. There’s both rawness and a measure of control in the album; I want to make sure the project and the person are tied, but only by certain limbs.”

Before adding:

“Since I wrote, played, and produced the album by myself in isolation, with the help of my wife, it felt like it should be self-titled, but maintain that same sense of separation I achieved with the music. Barbara is my legal name, my formal name. No one calls me Barbara except the bank and the government, and odd occasions when my dad inexplicably introduced me that way to friends. Since my name and moniker are Barrie, calling the album Barbara felt like the fitting way to keep that balance between intimate and public.”

As a single, “Quarry” hones in on two important themes highlighted above – falling in love yet also isolation – and conveys these two dichotomous feelings exquisitely. Opening rather menacingly with throbbing synths, it gives way to the infectious chorus with a pulsating bass line that Barrie’s voice bounds over delicately. Placing violent, visceral lyrics such as “Dripping blood from your foot at the quarry” in the same verse as the innocent “Baby, I love you” also creates a striking contrast between Barrie’s fear of separation and isolation and her pure and overwhelming feelings of love.

The video accompaniment to “Quarry” – directed by Emmy-Award winning Robert Kolodny – follows Barrie around in her daily life as she periodically chops sections of her hair off. Performing ordinary errands and socialising, she enters a party where she meets a woman whose hair looks as equally hacked at as hers. It’s then that the pair join together, shaving each other’s hair, recognising that they have met someone who truly understands them.

A touching if not bizarre metaphor for falling in love, “Quarry” conveys a universal experience in such a way that feels uniquely Barrie’s whilst still managing to strike a chord in this listener’s brittle heart.

Like every December, we close a year of music with our traditional lists. After the Best Albums and Best EPs and Mixtapes, we’re happy to unveil the songs that made 2019 according to our team. Are these the best releases of the year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But for sure, they represent what we have loved over the 12 months.

2019 is also the end of a decade and, even if the blog did not exist 10 years ago, we will try to share our favourite tracks of this era during the first quarter of 2020.

Finally, I’d like to mention that HighClouds would not be the same without its team of dedicated writers. People don’t always realize it but running a blog and contributing, even only from time to time, requires a lot of energy on top of your full-time job. So thank you to each of you for this.

And now, here are the 100 tracks of 2019, as well as a huge Spotify playlist to go through our selection and discover some other amazing tracks that almost made the cut this year. Thank you for reading us and see you next decade!

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100. 0171 – “1000 Words”

99. Modern Feelings – “Culture”

98. STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

97. Alina Bea – “King of Nothing”

96. Lowly – “baglaens”

95. Yot Club – “no way !”

94. Helado Negro – “Running”

93. BEA1991 – “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?”

92. Deaton Chris Anthony, Clairo, Coco & Clair Clair – “RACECAR”

91. Sandy – “Signals”

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90. Common Holly – “You Dance”

89. Teen Body – “Validation”

88. SOPHIE, Doss – “Whole New World (Sophie and Doss remix)”

87. Emily Reo – “Ghosting”

86. Barrie – “Darjeeling”

85. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

84. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – “I DON’T CARE”

83. Kraków Loves Adana – “Follow The Voice”

82. Jessica Pratt – “Aeroplane”

81. Ariel – “Dream Team”

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80. Spellling – “Under The Sun”

79. MUNYA – “It’s All About You”

78. Von – “Dealer’s Gone”

77. Makthaverskan – “Demands”

76. SASSY 009 – “Maybe in the Summer”

75. Jessie Ware – “Adore You”

74. PAT – “Love Will Find a Way Home”

73. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Rudos Del Mar”

72. Ascendant Vierge – “Influenceur”

71. Thom Yorke – “Dawn Chorus”

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70. Nilüfer Yanya – “Baby Blu”

69. Saeyers – “Cruise”

68. Quinn Christopher – “Erase Me”

67. The Dawdler – “Sylvie”

66. TR/ST – “Iris”

65. Jai Paul – “He”

64. Maria Somerville – “Brighter Days”

63. Morabeza Tobacco – “Orinoco”

62. Eartheater – “Fontanel”

61. Otha – “Tired and Sick”

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60. Eugenia Post Meridiem – “Anjos”

59. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

58. Lala Lala, WHY? – “Siren 042”

57. Jackie Mendoza – “De Lejos”

56. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

55. Crack Cloud – “The Next Fix”

54. Chromatics – “You’re No Good”

53. Hana Vu – “Order”

52. Magdalena Bay – “Only If You Want It”

51. Ebhoni – “TGM”

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50. Cherushii, Maria Minerva – “A Day Without You”

49. Maluca – “NYC Baby”

48. Tyler, The Creator – “EARFQUAKE”

47. JPEGMAFIA, Helena Deland – “Free The Frail”

46. Blue Hawaii – “Still I Miss U”

45. Oklou – “Forever”

44. Crumb – “Ghostride”

43. Ariana Grande – “NASA”

42. Weyes Blood – “Movies”

41. Pure Bathing Culture – “All Night”

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40. Beauty Queen – “The Only One”

39. Couch Prints – “Tell U”

38. 070 Shake – “Morrow”

37. JORDANN – “Café Speed”

36. Lizzo – “Juice”

35. 100 gecs – “Money Machine”

34. Hand Habits – “can’t calm down”

33. Jenny Hval – “Ashes to Ashes”

32. (Sandy) Alex G – “Gretel”

31. Arlo Parks – “Super Sad Generation”

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30. Grace Ives – “Anything”

29. Burial – “Claustro”

28. Sharon Van Etten – “Seventeen”

27. pronoun – “stay”

26. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

25. BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

24. Billie Eilish – “bad guy”

23. Sorry Girls – “One That You Want”

22. Japan, Man – “Stop Staring”

21. Drauve – “Haunted”

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20. Big Thief – “UFOF”

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19. MUNA – “Number One Fan”

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18. Claud – “Easy”

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17. Danny Brown – “Dirty Laundry”

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16. Angel Olsen – “Lark”

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15. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Want You In My Room”

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14. Caroline Polachek – “Door”

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13. Boy Harsher – “LA”

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12. Magdalena Bay – “Venice”

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11. Erika de Casier – “Do My thing”

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10. Men I Trust – “Numb”

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9. Charlotte Adigéry – “Paténipat”

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8. Σtella – “Samba”

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7. GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

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6. Lana Del Rey – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have”

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5. Aldous Harding – “The Barrel”

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4. Big Thief – “Not”

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3. Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens – “Gone”

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2. FKA twigs – “Cellophane”

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1. Clairo – “Bags”

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Back in May, Brooklyn’s indie-pop five-piece Barrie released their lovely debut album, Happy To Be There, and announced on Instagram that they were stepping away from their previous band structure, turning the act into Barrie Lindsay’s solo project. Barrie has now announced a brand new EP, Happy To Be Here (Ext), which will feature two new songs as well as alternate versions of the tracks “Clovers” and “Chinatown”. According to the artwork, this new release was probably made before the formation change. In any case, one thing is certain: the two alternative versions and the first original track, “Drag”, are here and this is as dreamy and charming as before.

Brooklyn-based vocalist, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Harrison Lipton is not a real newcomer. For half a decade, the artist has been cutting his teeth with other artists, writing and singing for the likes of Mister Lies, Mavis Staples and Giraffage. His debut with music actually stems back to his childhood, as he started his education on piano and voice at a very early age.

Now focusing on his solo career, Lipton navigates between bedroom pop and lo-fi R&B, crafting bittersweet and dreamy songs reminiscent of some of his inspirations: Hall & Oates, Men I Trust, and Sade. Featuring Barrie on the other end of the phone, his groovy and elegant new offering, “No Good At Goodbyes”, is about the difficulty of letting go of a failed relationship. Listen below.

Before your well-deserved holiday break, we come up with a playlist loaded with good music only. We are aware that it’s not always easy to keep up with all the daily releases and posts. Therefore our team made everything easier just for you. Enjoy our 50 favourite songs of 2019 so far and don’t forget to follow our Spotify playlist to check future additions.

1 GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

2 BIG THIEF – “UFOF”

3 ARLO PARKS – “Super Sad Generation”

4 CRUMB – “Part III”

5 REQUIN CHAGRIN – “Sémaphore”

6 YOT CLUB – “No Way !”

7 CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “Julien”

8 070 SHAKE – “Morrow”

9 MEN I TRUST – “Numb”

10 TEEN BODY – “Validation”

11 HAND HABITS – Can’t Calm Down”

12 MARIA SOMERVILLE – “Brighter Days”

13 ERIKA DE CASIER – “Do My Thing”

14 SHARON VAN ETTEN – “Seventeen”

15 BEAUTY QUEEN – “The Only One”

16 MORABEZA TOBACCO – “Ally McBeal”

17 GRACE IVES – “Mirror”

18 BARRIE – “Darjeeling”

19 KEVIN ABSTRACT – “Georgia”

20 ALDOUS HARDING – “The Barrel”

21 EMILY REO – “Ghosting”

22 BOY HARSHER – “LA”

23 AUGUSTINE – “A Scent Of Lily”

24 PURE BATHING CULTURE – “All Night”

25 ΣTELLA – “Samba”

26 CELESTE – “Father’s Son”

27 CHARLOTTE ADIGERY – “High Lights”

28 LALA LALA, WHY? – “Siren 042”

29 PRONOUN – “Stay”

30 STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

31 LANA DEL REY – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have…”

32 JACKIE MENDOZA – “Mucho Más”

33 BASEBALL GREGG, PECAS, WILLIAM CORDUROY – “The Movies”

34 BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

35 GRACIE GRAY – “Morphine”

36 ROSALÍA, J BALVIN – “Con Altura”

37 WEYES BLOOD – “Movies”

38 HATCHIE – “Without A Blush”

39 PECAS – “T-Shirt”

40 FKA TWIGS – “Cellophane”

41 OMAR APPOLO – “Ashamed”

42 MAKTHAVERSKAN – “Demands”

43 SANDY (ALEX G) – “Gretel”

44 CLAUD – “Easy”

45 JAI PAUL – “He”

46 JAPAN, MAN – “Stop Staring”

47 THE DAWDLER – “Sylvie”

48 ARIEL – “Dream Team”

49 EUGENIA POST MERIDIEM – “Blue Noon”

50 0171 – “1000 Words”

Brooklyn’s five-piece Barrie are readying the imminent release of their debut album with a brand new single, “Geology.” Even if the title suggests something earthy – it was released on Earth Day by the way – the groove of this new song sounds totally in line with their lush yet airy dream pop.

About the inspiration of the track, Barrie‘s leader Barrie Lindsay explained:

[su_quote]I wrote this song in 2015, a few months after I bought my first guitar. I was listening to Best Coast on Song Exploder talking about “Feeling Ok.” Bethany Cosentino said she was inspired by 90s movies soundtracks like Clueless, She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You. It blew my mind because I loved that music but didn’t realize you could take it seriously. That’s where “Geology” came from.[/su_quote]

With “Geology,” we’ve already heard four amazing songs from the 10-track record. Stay tuned cause Happy To Be Here is here very soon.