The Pulse: VERSA

Professional UK-based a cappella group, VERSA, was founded in January 2019 by award-winning arranger Sara Leanne. The group is formed of six experienced singers displaying a variety of timbres and vocal skills, yet continually praised for their ability to perfectly fuse together to form a rich, slick and professional sound. Rachael speaks to the group about The Pretender, their collaboration with fellow post collegiate UK group, VICE, and about the group’s singing Valentines!

Buy a personalized singing Valentine here: https://www.versaacappella.com/product-page/personalised-singing-valentine

Listen to The Pretender here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j04FYZ7d69w

Learn more about VERSA here: https://www.versaacappella.com

Learn more about VICE here: https://viceacappella.wixsite.com/vice

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The Pulse: Simons Sirens Release Brookline Ave

The Sirens, a women’s centered a cappella group from Simmons University in Boston, MA, has released a new EP titled “Brookline Ave”! They sit down with Rachael to talk about the process of recording this EP and feature 3 of its songs: High Hopes, Unbreakable Smile, and American Boy.

Listen to the EP at: https://open.spotify.com/album/1HmdZbXtGUZBCUos8GYr6F

Learn more about the group at: https://www.facebook.com/simmonssirens.

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The Pulse: Ascension

What happens when you start a new group and the pandemic hits only a couple semesters later? Clearly you grow, compete, AND record! Meet Ascension, the newest mixed gender group at East Tennessee State University. Rachael sits down with the group to talk about the release of the group’s first EP, Ascension Level 1.

Listen to the album at: https://open.spotify.com/album/6ZvEPqbLSgMjSGktF1lXHk

Learn more about the group at: https://www.facebook.com/ascensionetsu

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The Pulse: Semi-Toned

Semi-Toned was formed in 2010 as a five-man barbershop harmony group at a university which doesn’t teach academic music. Today, the group is at the forefront of a cappella in the United Kingdom. The guys released an EP in December called Infrared and sit down with Rachael to discuss it, in addition to talking about where the group is heading in the upcoming months and the ambitious goal they created for themselves last term to create new music weekly!

Check Infrared on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4mu7wY8SKnu3jBbYsKUxex

Purchase Infrared on iTunes: iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/album/infrared-ep/1539866259

Watch the videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrLJdDUcQJbS-nXJFNngNiv7qUSaApTcs&fbclid=IwAR1K9JOr3YJj5o9lZLnLr71S_HWXQlOiWuNw7TrrVObTm-2LeLd1nOGXfa0

Learn more about Semi-Toned at: https://www.facebook.com/semitoned.

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The Pulse: Academy

University of Bristol’s award winning all-male a cappella group Academy has just released their DEBUT ALBUM, Exhibit A! Rachael sat down with group members Mark and Felix to talk about all the hard work that went in to pulling this off, especially under lockdown, and delves deeper into the meaning of two of the particular recordings, Bang, Bang, Bang and No Time To Die.

Check out the album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2uh4j6FVYmQJqllETMOFbj.

Learn more about the group at: https://www.facebook.com/AcademyACappella

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The Pulse: Tune Army

The group Tune Army from Newcastle University has released a brand new album while in lockdown called Behind Closed Doors. Rachael sits down with members Adam and Chi to talk about the album, take a listen to some of the tunes, and generally hear what the group is up to.

Listen to this incredible album yourself on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/album/3BtJCFesoGCz2RrRRNkfiT?si=wlh5FvsSR1qCzdEgmmbydA.

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