TimeCop 1983 - Wild Love (ft. Ollie Wride)

It's been quite awhile since we've heard from Ollie Wride. He's one of this blog's favorite indie artists, and has recorded some truly awesome tracks that I choose to believe were huge pop hits in another dimension. This week, he resurfaces as a guest vocalist for producer TimeCop 1983's new album. He features on the final track, a wistful, spacey slow burn that (unsurprisingly) screams 80's. The track has me interested in visiting TimeCop's full-length, which luckily is streaming on soundcloud for free. Ollie would do well to feature on tracks like this more often. He's a brilliant vocalist and fits electro/club music like a glove. In a perfect world, these kind of featurings would give him the fame an notoriety that he deserves and launch that long-gestating solo career so that we can all bathe in his epicness.

Joywride - 21st Century Love

"When you move, everyone moves around you"

There's something so exciting about following a band for a few years and then seeing them finally get to release their music on a label. For this blog, Joywride (previously known by the name of their frontman, Ollie Wride) are just that sort of band. After so many months of releasing demo after awesome demo, they're finally releasing their new EP (for free!) in about a week. On November 22nd, you'll be able to download this amazing song as well as some remixes and another fantastic original. The band just released their first music video (below), for the great track 21st Century Love. Joywride are unabashedly 80's, unabashedly glam and unabashedly fun. If you like the music of bands like the Buggles with theatrical vocals like Queen, you have no excuse not to listen to this band.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Learn how to download the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Joywride - Bad Tattoo

"I'm stickin' with you like a bad tattoo"

Remember Ollie Wride? I've written about him quite often and am a huge fan of his 80's glam pop. Now, he's gone from solo artist to full on band with the formation of Joywride. The music's pretty much the same, but I love the new name. The band has a facebook page and a soundcloud account where, in addition to Ollie's awesome Head Rush, they've posted a demo of a new song, Bad Tattoo. To me, the recording sounds a bit rough, but the potential is definitely there for something awesome. With any luck, they'll be given the chance to record an album and really show what they can do. Ollie's voice alone needs to be heard by pop fans everywhere.

BadTattoo by Joywride

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Like them on facebook here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Ollie Wride - Pop Music

"I'm losing control in the music"

I just realized that it's been four months since I last mentioned the wonderful Ollie Wride. Luckily, it's the perfect time to write about him again because he's just revealed the radio mix of Pop Music, an excellent 80's sounding track that's been floating around for awhile in a much rougher form. I don't know if this means that it will be the upcoming single he's been hinting at (I'd personally vote for the immense Head Rush instead), but I'm happy to hear this song given the oomph and polish that it deserves. Things seem to be moving quickly in the Ollieverse. He's set to release his first single this spring and has begun to enjoy radio play in the UK. Along with Set Fire Run, he is my most buzzed about artist of the year. I'm hoping for big things!

Soundcloud, for some reason, is not letting me embed this track (yet another reason why soundcloud has really started to annoy me lately), so here's the link to listen to it: Ollie Wride - Pop Music

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Keep updated on his facebook here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Ollie Wride - Modern Man

"Just a prisoner of this game"

Ollie Wride is one of those unsigned artists, like Sweden's Dyno, that I'm going to harp on about until his music rules the world. He's just that good. From vocals to production to overall image, this is a friggin' popstar. So catch up, world. Please. Modern Man is yet another insanely addictive synth-pop nugget, churned out almost effortlessly from Mr. Wride (that's me assuming of course... something this good must take a lot of work, and even more to make it sound "effortless"). The chorus is killer. It reminds me of the type of song that could've appeared on the Hoosiers' latest album. Very, very cool.

Ollie Wride - Modern Man (DEMO version) by Ollie Wride

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Ollie Wride - Silhouettes

"Like a thief in the night, I'll wait for you"

I can't even tell you how excited I am about Ollie Wride. In my opinion, he's everything Mika failed to be. He specializes in the same big, glossy 80's pop but his voice and songwriting really make him a force to be reckoned with. His uptempos, like the addictive Head Rush, are among the best music I've heard all year. Silhouettes is a bit different, and shows off his pensive, subtle side. It's a gorgeous, atmospheric 80's synth ballad reminiscent of such greats as Roxy Music's Avalon. His flawless vocals are used to great effect here. Best of all, though, the guy seems to have a real idea of where he's going with all of this. There's an undeniable style to him. So important when dealing with this kind of music.

Silhouettes by Ollie Wride

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Ollie Wride - HeadRush

"I need you forever and ever"

A huge thanks to PPG for introducing me to Ollie Wride. Like her, I found it very difficult to select a song to feature today, as all of his are quite good (go to his soundcloud page to listen to all seven songs). I settled on HeadRush because it's the most polished-sounding of the demos. Not only that, but it's a staggering piece of 80's dance pop. Ollie Wride has one of those octave shattering voices like Mika and Eric Nally of Foxy Shazam. It's an instrument perfect for the genre (a mix of glam, pop and dance) that he sings. This is, quite simply, my favorite kind of music. And to be able to perform it competently, you need personality. From what I've gathered so far, it seems that Wilde's got the energy, style and ideas to craft very interesting pop music. His influences (Queen, the Buggles, Scissor Sisters) are among my all-time favorite artists and I am beyond excited to hear what he comes up with when he's ready to produce an album. There is a ridiculous amount of potential here. To be this good when you're just starting out is kind of mind-blowing.

HeadRush by Ollie Wride

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.