Under the Radar: Maz & The Phantasms

Expect great things from Maz & The Phantasms, who have a summery single out next month, write Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon

Maz & The Phantasms PIC: photographeverything.net

Growing up in a small Catalan fishing town, Mariam El Sadr bought her first guitar at the age of 14 with money she won in a poetry contest, then learned how to play by watching YouTube videos. Four years later she moved to Edinburgh to study film, where she honed her craft busking and met Jamie Sparkles, with whom she began to write.

Decamping to Glasgow shortly before the pandemic, they went recruit local musicians for Maz & The Phantasms, recently completing a tour of the UK and playing the Knockengorroch Festival.

Their next single, Something In The Sun, has an upbeat summer vibe which manages to give an early nod to Orange Juice, before ending with a lead guitar flourish that hints at El Sadr’s musical apprenticeship in a rock covers band. Released on 7 July, it will be launched the following night at the band’s Phantasmagasm night at Glasgow’s Bonjour venue, and is a fundraiser for LGBT Unity. Maz & The Phantasms also play Kelburn Garden Party on 2 July and Doune The Rabbit Hole on 21 July, and in September embark on a tour of Germany. Expect great things from their debut album, which is due to be released on vinyl in early 2024.

Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide, www.borntobewide.co.uk Find them on Twitter @olafwide and @newfoundsound

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