We’re glad to announce that Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom-based solo artist Ali Heath has released a new single, entitled “Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by.”
For the past 15 years, Ali Heath has been a founding member of Alfa9, a psychedelic rock outfit who recorded and released 3 albums on the renowned London-based indie record label, Blow Up Records. 
Like a lot of musicians, Ali was forced into exile as a result of the pandemic and associated restrictions, but used the opportunity in a constructive and positive way to write, record, and produce an album at home. Taking an introspective approach during the lockdown, Ali Heath played all of the instruments on the record and layered the album, which has resulted in a fantastic lo-fi pop vibe and supported Ali to get through the lonely months in isolation.
As a solo artist, Ali Heath is a one-man outfit; and even though his music sounds nothing like the punk genre, he continues the DIY ethos that the punk era brought by releasing his music independently. “Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by” is Ali Heath’s first single and debut release from his forthcoming album When the day is done, which is due out in Spring 2022.
Detailing the backstory behind the single, Ali Heath writes:
“…for many years up until just before the C-19 pandemic hit the world, I was a member of Alfa9. Alfa9 were a psychedelic rock band that formed in the late 90’s and released 3 albums on Blow Up records. I played Bass guitar and along with my best friend sang the vocals for the band. Throughout our time we toured incessantly playing with bands like the Charlatans, the Icicle works, Echo and the Bunneymen, The Coral, and The Delays to name but a few. As well as touring we released albums in 2005, one in 2012, and then the last in 2017. There was quite a delay between our album release dates but this was how we worked as a band and how we managed everything else that was going on in our lives at the time.
Fast forward to more recently…. Just before the pandemic and lockdown came into force, Alfa9 had agreed to go on a hiatus as we all needed a break and wanted to do other things. However, I didn’t have a specific plan on releasing a solo project at this stage, but I had built a home studio and was planning to start playing around with some song ideas and demos as well as having an opportunity to get my head more around engineering and production…..which is an art in itself.
As I started to record some sketches and ideas, I knew right away that the songs really stood up well on their own, and I felt they would come together to form an album worthy of being released.
This shifted my mindset from just undertaking demo’s, to rather focusing on the recording and production of my songs in more detail and thinking about a solo release. Before this point I had never produced anything on my own it was always with fellow bandmates and other people spearheading the production side of the recording process.
In the end, I recorded all of the songs at home and played all of the instruments, and sang all of the vocals myself, however, the only thing I didn’t play was the drums. Drums are a whole different animal!!
The process took me approximately 15 months from start to finish to complete, and this included the mixing and post-production.
When I was with Alfa9 we had a record label behind us and 3 other band members to share the tasks, and creativity as well as practicalities of managing a band and a release, however, this was my first solo effort and things have naturally taken a little longer for me to get everything ready for the release.
Now the single is here, any new listeners to Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by, can expect a real Indie-pop / Lo-Fi kind of a vibe, and sonically I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. It has a real 90’s Britpop vibe shining through as well which for me is an absolute bonus and an era I grew up in.”
Describing the meaning behind “Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by,” Ali says:
“Reflecting on the content and idea behind the song, it is clear that the single as well as the forthcoming album ‘When the Day is Done,’ (due out in spring 2022), was influenced by our collective and forced isolation as a result of Covid 19. In essence it’s a lockdown record!
Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by is about having to get up each day and get the best out of a very abnormal way of living. About not being able to see your loved ones when you want, or just being able to take a walk down the street when you want, or get a coffee when you please. Its bout not being able to just have that passing conversation, and that interaction with someone you know, or a stranger in the local community, and how our freedoms have been taken for granted. Overall, it’s about dreaming of a happier more positive time, consolidating and waiting for things to get better, and they will!!!”
“Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by” begins with layers of jangly, reverb-laden electric guitars, their creative melodies shimmering and intertwining nicely as the drums and bass join in along with Ali Heath’s compellingly dreamy, warm vocals. Together, the guitars weave a psychedelic-tinged tapestry that envelops the track’s dynamic lyrical passages in their upbeat yet hazy tones, while perfectly complementing Ali’s calming vocals and optimistic lyrics. “Alarm goes off, you get up, you get by” is quite an enjoyable listen throughout, reflecting Ali Heath’s brilliant songwriting and superb musicianship; I would highly recommend this track to fans of lo-fi indie pop and alternative rock alike.
Don’t forget to support this project and to follow on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify. If you enjoy their music and are able to provide monetary support, you might consider downloading it on Bandcamp.
You can obviously find it in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, Indie Only, Alterindie State Of Mind, and Debut Bands (Off The Radar).
P.S. If you enjoy discovering new artists and fresh new music you can subscribe to this blog Less Than 1,000 Followers and follow the Playlist with all the artists that we have presented here!!!
This coverage was created via MusoSoup #Sustainablecurator