Gonzalla

Cody Randall grew in Huntington Beach, a child of the surf and sand who spent substantial time mainlining classic pop. But Randall says it was the four years he spent in the U.K. — three in Liverpool and one in London — that equally informs his songwriting under the name Gonzalla. “I was in the U.K. to pursue my music career and cut my teeth with the musicians I had been listening to — for example, Dan Croll, Rhodes, Bombay Bicycle Club and Ben Leftwich.” His first single “Come On Hun” (released today) is the first of six he will release on a monthly basis this year. It’s a nimble entreaty with only a hint of beach vibe; a tickle of guitar, handclaps and a drizzle of keyboards — if that doesn’t keep the object of his affection close, we’re at a loss. - Kevin Bronson

In our second episode of In The Loop, AMBY shared with everyone that we receive hundreds of submissions weekly. Gonzalla just so happened to be a submission that completely strikes a chord with us. The London-based artist (better known to his friends and family as Cody Randall) delivers a nostalgic dance party with his new single entitled Come On Hun.

Gonzalla is currently working on a debut EP, and if this single is any indication of what’s to come, the debut is going to be an absolute gem. Come On Hun was recorded with Turin Brakes and is scheduled for release on Spotify and iTunes on February 3rd. Exclusively stream Come On Hun on AMBY and follow updates from Gonzalla below. - Alicia Atout

Fans of Stealing Sheep and others may be familiar with this chap from a handful of support slots around the UK, but for the uninitiated, allow us to introduce southern California’s Gonzalla. Actually a chap named Cody, Gonzalla grew up splitting him time between surfing and listening to the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell, nurturing a deep love for the art of songwriting. It will in no way make you jealous of his upbringing when you read this: “I lived in a town called Huntington Beach near LA which is a wonderful place, I would surf in the morning and than later that evening go see groups perform in Hollywood, I had the best of both worlds.” But try not to hate him because he makes some fine sounds, the latest of which is his new single ‘Heart’, featuring Nora Konstanse on vocals. Part of an ongoing series in which Gonzalla aims to release a new song every month, ‘Heart’ is available from today. - Ian Parker

“I wrote ‘We Still Run’ about a year ago in England on my $4 Farfisa organ in my previous apartment. It was quite a simple song really, It came together quite naturally because I wrote it with such a distinct message to tell. To me the lyrics are some of the most meaningful I’ve ever written. One of my good friends was going through a hard time and was in and out of the hospital quite a lot which conflicted her happiness as you can imagine. I wanted to help her through it and show her it’s not over till It’s over in a way. It’s one I’m very proud of and I hope it can help other people through hard times as well. It was great fun recording it as well, I was lucky enough to record it with Turin Breaks who are fantastic. It’s been one of my best songwriting & recording experiences so far.” - Mike Ragogna

Have a sweet, mellow Thursday with Gonzalla’s new track “Heart”. I love the peaceful sound of the track, and when Nora Konstanse comes in to harmonize with Gonzalla, it is absolute bliss. I’d mostly classify this as singer-songwriter but it does have that folk pop sound, like a milder version of bands like Of Monsters and Men. “Heart” is definitely the track for your if you’re looking for something more easy going to get your Thursday rolling. - Abduction Radiation