We Speak Music
Devansh Shares New Single ‘The Brace’
London-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer Devansh writes genre-bending music that blends elements of psychedelic soul, modern funk, jazz, indie pop, and world music. He returns with his latest offering ‘The Brace’. With introspective lyricism and a groovy beat, the track simultaneously captures evocative storytelling and laid-back vibes while taking the listener on an emotional journey.
‘The Brace’ merges genres of indie-pop, alternative, soul, and psychedelia together in a delightful, expansive manner, as the rich palette of production features drums, bass, both ambient and funky guitars, strings, and a veritable collection of synthesizers. The vibrant production is paired with compelling dynamic contrasts and Devansh’s captivating vocals that draw the listener in immediately.
The song’s first theme is one of ambivalence and indifference, or more accurately, of experiencing a dearth of feeling. However, a few months ago, a significant and close person returned to Devansh’s life, which ignited a plethora of memories via that relationship along with new sentiments, emotions, and desires. It’s about balancing those conflicting, overpowering feelings – bracing for them – with the recognition that, rather than being closed off, he wants to be in a position where his heart is open and he can experience things.
During a writing and recording retreat at Echo Zoo Studios in February 2023, ‘The Brace’ was first penned with friends and bandmates Ellis Dupuy (drums), Calum Duncan (guitar), and Rudi Creswick (bass). They worked out the structure of a spontaneous jam that produced the groove and chord sequence while Devansh wrote the remaining portions of the song while traveling and bouncing around various other studios. With co-production from Chris Hyson, strings from Hanna Khogali, and additional guitar from Harry Howell, Devansh completed the arrangement with a variety of synths recorded at Echo Zoo (MiniMoog, Jupiter 8, Korg Delta, and Juno 106).
The compelling track showcases Devansh as an emerging artist with a unique sound, no genre bounds, and a penchant for a big outro. His ability to craft music with an immersive sound world is on full display here and showcases that his songs not only resonate but leave a lasting impression. ‘The Brace’ dives deeper in all aspects, highlighting his growth and musical prowess.
On the release, Devansh comments, “‘The Brace’ is my second single since the release of my debut album “To Feel Free” last May. It’s a song about being in a period of emotional indifference and ambivalence, then having someone meaningful re-enter my life, sparking conflicting feelings, emotions, and desires once again. Featuring a whole host of strings and an eclectic collection of synths to contrast the heavy bass and drums groove, it’s my most cinematic track to date”.
We Speak Music
Acclaimed US singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd to tour the UK for the first time this summer.
Shortly after releasing her sophomore album in 2007, US-based singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd walked away from music completely for more than 10 years, feeling burned out and unhappy with her career progression like so many other independent artists. After going through a divorce in 2019 and in the midst of a global pandemic, she found herself pulled back toward the siren call of songwriting and again making the leap to pursue it full time. Her latest album ‘Carnival’, released in 2024, is in many ways the culmination of those decisions, and the reintroduction of an artist who now has the wisdom of experience.
There’s an unmistakable urgency you can feel when a song is written and performed from a place of complete honesty. That feeling permeates ‘Carnival’. “I’ve always been envious of writers who say they write songs because they have to, because they had these things they just had to get out of themselves,” Juliet says. “I had never really felt that way until this album. I’ve become someone who writes because they have to.”
Stylistically, ‘Carnival’ draws on a range of influences from Laurel Canyon-era singer/songwriters, to Lilith Fair rockers, to confessional country/folk balladeers, to indie pop. The central theme of the record and that of its title track is not being too precious about any one experience or decision. Take them for what they are, live in the moment, and move on when they’re done. It acknowledges also that memory can be subjective, and ambiguous—was an experience ultimately a good thing or a bad thing? And whose memory can you rely on to determine the answer to that question?
‘Carnival’ doesn’t just deal with the complexities of ending relationships, it also deals with all the feelings that come with moving on. The album’snine songs feature evocative storytelling that reveals a simple truth: when the carnival inevitably leaves town, you’re left with an empty parking lot. And how you remember, it is a choice. As Juliet sings in the title track, “If only there was a way you could bottle up that feeling / and you’d drink it in / when the days are short and you long.”
Across her 20+ year career, Juliet has been admittedly stylistically non-monogamous. Her first full-length album, ‘All Dressed Up’, was released in 2005 and was heavily jazz-influenced- a label that she rejected at the time. “I am a piano player and a woman, so I was immediately compared to Norah Jones—and I bristled at that,” Juliet says. “Listening back now, I can totally see that it was true, and it of course wasn’t a bad thing.” Her follow-up release ‘Leave the Light On,’ came out two years later and featured a slick piano-pop production that led to five of its songs being placed on reality TV shows on MTV and VH1. Coming back after her 10-year break from writing and recording, Juliet released ‘High Road’, a collection of five Americana/soul-tinged songs produced by Jim Ebert (Meredith Brooks, Shai) that earned her widespread recognition and songwriting awards both in her home region of DC as well as nationally.
Now with her first ever UK tour scheduled for July 2025, Juliet has also dropped a completely brand-new single ‘Wild Again’, which like ‘Carnival’, was written with and produced by Todd Wright (Lucy Woodward, Butch Walker, Toby Lightman). ‘Wild Again’, however, charts yet another new step in Juliet’s journey.
“Carnival’, is full of deeply personal songs that are drawn from my real-life experiences and relationships. Coming out of that album cycle, I was feeling a little exhausted by my own navel-gazing and I was craving inspiration elsewhere. So, a lot of the songs I’m writing now are an evolution of sorts – focused more on external stimuli and finding the personal stories and humanity in that. Wild Again is a perfect example of this,” she explains.
The idea for ‘Wild Again’ was born out of a NY Times podcast Juliet listened to about the real-life efforts to return the whale that played Willy in the iconic movie ‘Free Willy’ back into the wild.
“It’s an insane, heartbreaking story that asks all kinds of thorny questions about human responsibility and humility and what’s the “right” thing to do and is that the same as the “kind” thing to do. There was a line that one of the trainers said in the podcast, explaining that they were trying to “train him to be wild again.” The complete absurdity of that statement hit me in the moment, and I immediately started jotting down lyrical ideas”, Juliet says.
Catch Juliet Lloyd on her UK tour this July:
1st July: The Folklore Rooms / Brighton
2nd July: The Hyde Tavern / Winchester
3rd July: Hen and Chicken / Bristol (CRH Music promotions)
4th July: Artisan Tap Hartshill / Stoke-on-Trent
5th July: Waggon & Horses, Nottingham
6th July: Cafe#9 / Sheffield
7th July: Hyde Park Book Club / Leeds
10th July: FortyFive Vinyl Café / York
11th July: The Muddy Puddle / London
13th July: The Wrotham Arms / Broadstairs

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