Words by Ben Blackburn
We welcome Mikhael Paskalev to Tipping Point with open arms; a part Bulgarian, part Norwegian artist who has already found fans across the blogosphere, and in particular the esteemed Paul Lester at Guardian’s New Band of the Day. However if you’re not familiar with Mikhael and his 1950’s pop influenced stylings, then the next 200 or so words should hopefully tickle your interest before you are an overwhelmingly converted Paskalev fan by listening to his debut single ‘Jive Babe’.
Having studied at the prestigious Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Paskalev has a superb theoretical knowledge and technical ability, and it’s wholeheartedly demonstrated in ‘Jive Babe’. The track is structured in a manner which initially tempts the listener in, gently building until a slower, ballad-esque bridge, before then returning to it’s high-spirited jaunts, resulting in a piece of music that is intimate and engaging while retaining enough communal qualities that would let you sing along in an impassioned flux. With telling influences from several decades of pop, specifically the 1950’s, there are also moments of rock ‘n’ roll within ‘Jive Baby’ that give the pop foundation a backbone that elevates the music from pleasant to powerful, catchy to emphatic. In this vein Mikhael Paskalev has produced a record that will be a must listen over this summer, before it then invades all sonic aspects of your life, from plays on national radio right through to plays on countless speakers sound tracking BBQ’s interspersed around fields and parks across the country.
Today's tip comes courtesy of Simon Pursehouse from Sentric Music.
Website design and development by