It’s a musical progression that mirrors a personal one: the early Tropics output was all made in the idyllic, if isolated setting of Ward’s grandmother’s empty house in the seaside town of Southsea, which he moved into after graduating from university to focus on writing and recording. He was alone there - “like, really alone. For days, I had literally no distractions.” Having moved to London in 2013, Ward now splits his time between the city and the road, having played in America, Mexico and across Europe throughout the past year with his live band Keith Vaz and Gillan McLaughlin.

Signed to Innovative Leisure, Ward has crafted an album that fuses his love of avant-garde percussion, the pop-leaning hooks of classic 70’s and 80s singer-songwriters, and deep production that takes its cues from ambient music.

Their debut release came in the form of ‘Awake,’ a 4 track digital EP released in early 2013. Their second EP ‘Eye of the Storm’ is due for release on 2nd June 2014. This will be followed by a further two EP’s set for release in 2014.

Davies handles most of the production in their home studio and steers the basic structure of their songs whilst Wilkinson writes the bulk of the lyrics and vocal melodies, which as a duo is a collaborative force. Lyrically, the words are generated by Rachel’s dreams and heavily inspired by visionary TV shows and movies such as Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games.

With a cinematic quality to their arrangements, Rachel & Jamie are inspired by the soundtrack composers Tom Tyker (Cloud Atlas, Run Lola Run) and Hans Zimmer. Each and every Ivy & Gold song is embedded with sophisticated layers, seductive melodies and Wilkinson’s strong yet brooding vocals.

For the latest EP, Rachel has been creating limited edition canvases for the band’s merchandise store and their stunning EP artwork – created by a friend - is available to buy as a fine art print.

In early 2009, Joey Vannucchi began writing songs in a small mountain community just outside of Yosemite National Park. With the help of friends to perform his material, From Indian Lakes the band began playing local shows and released a full-length record, "The Man With Wooden Legs" in the winter of 2009. Since the initial debut, the band has furthered its musical reach through noteworthy touring, in addition to Vannucchi’s maturing songwriting and recording.

When the band released its sophomore album, Able bodies, in 2012, it garnered wide acclaim for it’s depth, while still retaining the passion and darkness of “The Man With Wooden Legs”. Today, the band anticipates the release of their third album, “Absent Sounds” on October 7th, 2014. Vannucchi, who continues to write and record the majority of From Indian Lakes releases, continues to showcase his creative talent while the growing fan base anticipates every turn.

20 year-old twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas have the vocal power and versatility to make you forget the external. Fresh, wholesome, honest and sincere, they both portray an easy-going, confident style that oozes a mixture of the untainted swagger of youth with the confidence and bravado of adulthood, and the soul of classic female icons well beyond their years.

Family harmony singing, especially sibling harmonies, has long been a staple of Country music, and Catherine and Lizzy deliver an intricate and effective vocal package. Their harmonies dissolve into the musical bloodstream and their original thoughtful and intuitive song lyrics aid the process. More to the point, both possess strong, powerful voices and a distinctive feel for modern Country.

In 2014, in between putting the finishing touches to their debut album, Ward Thomas headed out on the road, touring all across the UK and also working doing gigs and showcases around Nashville and other music venues in America’s deep south, where their uniquely ‘British-take on Country music’ has been well-received.

In the spring of 2014 they made the BBC Radio 2 playlist with The Good And The Right. That coincided with the releases of their FOOTNOTES EP, which featured their first non-original song. They make Dougie MacLean’s Caledonia very much their own as they strike a stunning balance between vulnerability and self-assurance.

Ward Thomas are one of the most refreshing acts to come along in some time and in ‘From Where We Stand’ they have put together a beguiling debut album that is sure to charm all who come across it. They are the kind of act whose future literally seems unlimited.

Alan Cackett (Founding Editor, Maverick Magazine)

Alice grew up on a mountainside in South Africa listening to her parent's records and indulging her love of theatre, arts and music at a local Waldorf school; a formative time that nurtured her independence and desire to experience music of all styles. This multi-faceted creative upbringing mixed with Alice's natural wanderlust and in 2010, 16-year-old Alice made her first journey to Europe during her summer break from school. Inspired by watching fire dancers in Paris, she began to perform likewise to get enough money to fund her travelling.

That summer Alice roamed between Paris and Amsterdam; experiencing the highs and lows of street performances' underbelly. This vagabond lifestyle was a creative inspiration and gave Alice an enduring taste for the immediacy of street crowds. After returning to South Africa to complete her studies, Alice's path led her back to Europe and she made her way to the German capital - Berlin. The freedom of the city was intoxicating and she immersed herself in the creative world there.

Alice began busking across Berlin with just her guitar, a small amplifier on a trolley and her mesmerising voice. Her natural talent and captivating delivery started to garner a cult street following with people coming to see her busk and buy her records. The uncompromising creative community of Berlin also helped Alice grow musically and she collaborated with acoustic, jazz and electronic musicians; including multi-instrumentalist Matteo who quickly became Alice's live performance companion. Soon Alice self-released her first body of work - the Momentum EP - her first collaborative effort recorded between Berlin and Cape Town with five different producers. Although by now interest was sparked with several major labels, Alice's desire to maintain the creative freedom she had fostered kept her focus on growing her digital community of loyal fans and imagining ever more interesting settings for her intimate live shows

Now having spent two years playing intimate gigs across Europe and South Africa, and supporting established like-minded artists like Rodriguez, April 2016 will see Alice releasing her first full length studio album. Orbit comprises nine jazz-influenced, eclectic tracks recorded between Cape Town and Berlin that encapsulate the freshness of her live style, vagabond spirit and showcase her distinctive, soprano voice. Produced by Matteo and Kyson, the album is a testament to Alice's collaborative way of writing and features musicians from South Africa and Europe lending their musical skills and different visual artists producing art works to match each track. The result is an intricately woven pattern of soul, blues and jazz: scattered with retro, beatnik melodies; soothing vocal harmonies and sleazy brass flourishes.