We’re delighted to share with you the new single from Mat Hunsley, as premiered on The Music Ninja.

With significant support from the likes of Drowned in Sound, Buzzfeed and The Line Of Best Fit accompanying the release of his debut EP To Being Free last autumn, Hunsley’s profile continues to rise considerably and this latest track provides an even starker example of his wonderful blend of storytelling.

Evoking obvious comparisons to the likes of Bon Iver, Nathaniel Ratecliff and James Vincent McMorrow, the singer-songwriter’s honesty and emotion shine through on ‘Do You Need Me Near’, and with support slots for the likes of Seafret, To Kill A King and label-mates Axel Flóvent and Brooke Bentham already under his belt, Hunsley is set for a big year.

Discussing the release, Mat stated: “This song is testament to my oldest and dearest friends. Like everyone else, I have had those friends whom I believed were essential to my happiness. I mistakenly thought that without their constant presence and participation in my life that I couldn’t possibly be as happy as I once was. Despite my worries and despite each of us having followed our differing paths, these friends have remained close to my heart. When reunited we slip effortlessly back into the old habits and patterns as if we’d never strayed away. These people don’t need me near them in order to get everything they need and deserve from life, but it’s comforting to know that our friendship will forever stay the same.”

Produced by Mick Ross (Lanterns On The Lake, Ajimal, The Lake Poets), ‘Do You Need Me Near’ is released on 28^th April

We’d like to extend a big congratulations to Trellis alumnus Brooke Bentham, who signed a record deal with Believe Recordings last month.

Her new single ‘Heavy and Ephemeral’ received it’s first play on BBC Radio 1 courtesy of Huw Stephens the other night, and is available to purchase / stream as of today.

Be sure to catch Brooke on tour supporting John Smith across April.

Our very own Mat Hunsley played flagship arts venue Sage Gateshead last night, as part of Ditte Elly’s North Sea Project, which explores the history, myth and beauty of the north east through song.

The 1700 capacity venue is arguably the region’s biggest cultural institution, making this an early highlight of 2017 for Mat, who will be sharing more new music soon!

Our newest release – Mat Hunsley’s ‘To Being Free’ – is out today!

Grab your copy from iTunes now: http://smarturl.it/To BeingFree-iTunes

Add it to your Spotify playlists: http://smarturl.it/ToBeingFree-Spotify

Enjoy!

The Line Of Best Fit sat down with Mat Hunsley to dissect his debut EP ahead of its release. You can read what he had to say about each track here.

You can still pre-order the EP ahead of tomorrow’s release.

With just three days to go until the release of ‘To Being Free’, the title track from Mat Hunsley’s debut EP is now premiering via All Things Go.

Check it out, and be sure to pre-order the EP if you like what you hear!

Buzzfeed are the latest big name to get behind Mat Hunsley, naming ‘Fires’ one of their ’27 brilliant songs you need in your November playlist’.

Check out the article here and pre-order the EP here.

We’re delighted to share with you the new single from Mat Hunsley, as premiered on The Music Ninja.

‘Fires’ is the lead single from Mat’s debut EP, which is available to pre-order from iTunes now.

Produced by Mick Ross (Ajimal, Tessera Skies, The Lake Poets) and mastered by Tom Woodward (The Cribs, Fidlar, Frankie & The Heartstrings), the ‘To Being Free’ EP is released on 18^th November. It represents another personal step forward for Mat, who has had to overcome numerous frustrations – not least his own self-doubt – just to get to this stage.

Those experiences have fed into Hunsley’s unique brand of storytelling, which is laid bare on ‘Fires’, his most personal song yet. Nods to contemporaries including Bon Iver, Nathaniel Rateliff and James Vincent Mcmorrow are evident in the track and provide the perfect backdrop to his poignant lyricism and ethereal vocals.

Just last month the Newcastle-based artist premiered his debut song ‘Dropping’, which has led to a who’s who of music industry tastemakers talking about Mat, with the likes of Clash, Crack in the Road and Drowned in Sound praising the track, adding to previous backing for Mat from The Line Of Best Fit and The 405.

‘Fires’ is sure to propel him to even greater heights, culminating in the release of his debut EP, a body of work that perfectly represents what this outstanding young talent is all about. A passionate and intelligent documentation of the world as it revolves around him, it’s the first chapter in a colourful songbook that Mat appears to be compiling as he attempts to move past previous insecurities and reconnect with the human being inside worn and weathered 21^st century skin.

Here’s to new beginnings then. Here’s to being free…

Brooke Bentham performs ‘Oliver’ for Burberry Acoustic.

Mat Hunsley’s ‘Dropping’ has been streamed an impressive 15,000 times since it first premiered on Clash a few weeks back. It’s also been featured on Spotify playlists curated by Indiemono, Crack in the Road, PIAS / Drowned in Sound and Spotify themselves.

Some other press below:

The Tipping Point: https://tipping-point.co.uk/2016/09/28/mat-hunsley-2/

The Unsigned Guide: http://members.theunsignedguide.com/blog/662

Indie for Bunnies: http://www.indieforbunnies.com/2016/09/12/streaming-mat-hunsley-dropping/

Listen below: