RHODES

British singer songwriter Rhodes has been steadily making waves since he dropped his first demo, “Always” back in the summer of 2013, catching the attention of, amongst others, Laura Marling, Sam Smith and Nick Mulvey, all of whom he’s supported, alongside playing three sold out shows at London’s Sebright Arms and performing at Glastonbury, Wilderness and Latitude. Put simply, he’s pretty damn in-demand.

Watching the visuals for new track “Breathe”, off his forthcoming “Home” EP, it isn’t hard to see why: shot in Brussels’s red light district by Arnaud Uyttenhove in grainy sepia tones, the video manages to express the push and pull of the cut, at once filled with the energy that naturally accompanies such soaring melodies, without losing the soft emotion that Rhodes so perfectly captures in all of his tracks. All things considered, it’s not surprising he’s managed to accrue such a talented following.

- See more at: http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2014/10/video-premiere-rhodes-breathe/#sthash.Bl3KvVo4.dpuf - Wonderland Magazine

David Rhodes is a moody and mysterious 24-year-old from Hitchin in Hertfordshire, which sounds like a contradiction in terms, but remember that's up the road from where the none-more-witchy Kyla La Grange comes from. He's so moody and mysterious, he only uses his surname. Plus, his music is moody and mysterious. Think Sam Smith - another Herts boy in his early twenties - only more m&m. A Smith with less "soul" (in terms of the actual genre) and extra ballady intensity. We're dying to call him a male Emeli or Adele but we're worried you might laugh.

Rhodes' music is no laughing matter. Really, it isn't. It's very serious and solemn, with lots of echo and whatever else studio types use to give a sense of space and drama. One of those studio types who has been working with him is Charlie (Noah and the Whale) Fink, who produced Raise Your Love, Rhodes' debut EP, last year. And we say "last year" as if it was just one of many stops on a long career path when he didn't apparently pick up a guitar until January 2013, when he instantly "discovered he had a voice". That voice should be filed under "husky choirboy" - think Aled Jones after numerous crafty fags - and the latest studio types drafted in to ensure it's placed in the right context, on the new Morning EP, are Ian Grimble (Daughter) and Tim Bran/Roy Kerr (London Grammar), producers accustomed to recording artists who love a bit of soaring melancholy.

Grimble and Bran/Kerr have turned up the dials on Morning, taking Rhodes - who you may have seen supporting Laura Marling, Nick Mulvey, London Grammar or Rufus Wainwright - away from the realms of the lonesome troubadour (where he could have gone after Raise Your Love) to the point where he sounds like a one-man Coldplay. Your Soul, the EP's lead track, is rousing, Spectoresque in its epic immensity, but it's a chaste devotional. "I just wanna hold your hand," he sings, as though the Beatles never happened. It's got "hit" written all over it. Actually, it's got "Cliff Richard Christmas number 1 from the '90s" written all over it. Run is a slow burner, a gradual builder, but by the time it gets going you'll be reaching for your Bic. Worry features sensitive guitar-picking and a topline melody that can't help telegraphing Rhodes' quietly tormented worldview. "Is it too late, too late, too late now?" he wonders, projecting so much gloom you'd hardly know we were enjoying some early clement weather. Why so sombre, young Mr Rhodes? You're from Hitchin, you say? Come on, you've got St Albans up the road, man! And the bright lights of Borehamwood! Cheer up! - Guardian

There’s a lot of new music today that hovers in that electro-pop arena, subsisting on vocal distortions and layers of synths to produce a sound that’s new, fresh, and unique. And that’s cool. But there’s still something incredibly striking about someone in today’s musical landscape that’s a true vocalist – artists like Sam Smith, Adele, and more recently Seinabo Sey.

British singer Rhodes fits nicely in with this group, which is ironic considering he “discovered” he could sing only two years ago. Now Rhodes (real name David Rhodes) has just released his four-track EP, and the first single he’s shared off the compilation is title-track “Morning.” The song starts off rather minimal with Rhodes’ vocals leading the way, until around the 2:30 mark where it builds up to a stunning finish. To coincide with his new EP, Rhodes is also currently supporting Sam Smith and London Grammer on a few of their upcoming shows. Check out those dates here, get his new EP here, and listen to “Morning” below. - Pigeons & Planes