Dean McMullen has delivered a sweetly innocent release named ‘Clouds Hold Up The Sun’. Surprisingly, Dean was raised on a steady diet of punk rock. Even so, his debut single is delicate and thoughtful.
Sounds like: Elliot Smith
Johnny Hunter – Cry Like A Man
Following the gripping 2021 offerings of, Sydney quartet Johnny Hunter resurface with a socially charged, somewhat haunting, new single ‘Cry Like A Man’. Consistently challenging the toxic echo chamber of masculinity, their latest rallying offering is a call upon vulnerability in their classic brooding yet euphoric flair.
Finnegan Tui‘s ‘Spring’ is a slow and steady rumbling into the season. The multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer tells a hopeful tale of an artist that is longing for brighter, better times. He likens the need to look forward to the onward thinking blooms that appear so gracefully in spring.
Milky Chance are a German indie outfit with new single ‘Unknown Song’. Speaking of the release, the duo note,“This song brings a lot of memories back. ‘Unknown Song’ started off as just a simple beat, us two playing the guitar and singing at home, then Paulina joined us and it was actually the first time Antonio played the harmonica and became part of the band! It was very exciting, a lot of first times – shortly after posting this song we had our first big tour and things kind of kicked off globally. So yeah, this song has a lot of memories to us and we’re very excited that we’re now re-releasing it for our fans and thank them for being with us for such a long time!“
Emma Philine‘s debut EP features standout single, ‘ROSES’. Blending experimental sounds from R&B and pop, each track shares a different story of lust, identity and anxiety from her recent years. As she likes to say, pop music for the misfits.
‘Too Far Gone’ is an impassioned single from Dead Chic. When asked about their new single, the duo described that, “Too Far Gone was the starting mark for the project Dead Chic. Damien and I had discussed working together for quite some time, after meeting on tour throughout the last decade around Europe. Our shared passion for cinematic nostalgia found in music, be it spaghetti western tones or the beat narration of the 1950s laid a clear foundation for what we set out to create.”
Keir is a powerful performer with a powerful message. The recent Tube & Berger remix of ‘Boys Will Be Girls’ delivers Keir’s soul enthusiasm amidst wild and escalating dance elements.
The Dead South come together to embrace the banjo, mandolin, cello and guitar. Their initial successes were sparked by a global audience on YouTube after forming what they call the brotherhood in university.
‘Don’t Care’ is Oscar Delaughter‘s newest effort. It’s a rebellious single that centers around Delaughter’s powerful message of self-empowerment. Of the track, he says, “Don’t Care is about being myself, as simple as that may sound.”
‘Afiye’ is full of punchy, expressive and bold releases. Brimming with the joy that Michael Sebastian clearly experienced whilst creating the lead single, Aifye, each piece sounds as improvised as his previous works.
‘Potions’ continues LEAP‘s auto-biographical exploration of mental health. Lead singer Jacky Scott is bi-polar, and following an episode in a psychiatric ward, ‘Potions’ explores various elements that went into the mania.
Obscurely soothing, Drex Carter and Kkami have teamed up for a second collaborative EP named ‘THAW 2’. Described as sad rap, their melancholy style is replicated by retro game-inspired visuals. Within ‘THAW’, the artists create a unique world that they describe to defy boundaries.
The Lumineers have delivered a Christmas song (featuring Daniel Rodrigues) that is clearly authentic to them. Ahead of their album in January, named ‘Brightside’, The Lumineers nod to a year where they re-connected with their youthful selves and their teenage songwriting ability.
‘Control’ is the first track from the duo’s forthcoming album ‘Singularity’. Inspired by Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’, Beautiful Machines talk of a world that has an increasing reliance on technology. Adjacent to this, the duo refer to a “break-neck pace, such that life becomes blurred as to what is really driving our motivations”.
Mickey Valen combines darkly twisted pop trap sounds for new single, ‘Falling On Your Sword’. Of the track, he asks, “At what point do you give up fighting? When do you throw in the towel and just let someone say whatever they need to say? When someone is so drunk with rage that they no longer see reality, only the distortion their wounds have created. Essentially the song is about being in a toxic spiral with someone where there is such a degree of distortion that reality and truth have become optional, blurred. My favourite part is probably the sword sample at the end of each chorus— it’s so on the nose that it becomes something else entirely. It’s a Kill Bill over-the-top sort of moment that brings some levity to some otherwise heavy subject matter.”
It’s as delicate as though she’s whispering in your ear. SAPPHIRE delivers a modern pop sound with newest single, ‘call u mine’. The track embraces orchestral violins and minimalistic beats, layered with SAPPHIRE’s intimate vocal.
Karin Ann delivers the new alt-pop effort, ‘we’re friends, right?’. Direct, striking vocals, Karin is a gen Z Eastern European that spends her time in the middle of the fight for LGBTQ+ and minority rights.
IZZA‘s ‘Only Truth’ is a soaring, epic single. Speaking of her latest collection of songs, she says, “I wanted to create something that people can relate to, something that makes them feel like they are not alone with their thoughts. Especially through this weird time it’s been great working with some amazing people and I’m excited to share ‘Thinking In The Dark’ with the world. – IZZA
Berlin-based producer and artist duo BLYNE quite literally bring an ethereal atmosphere with their new EP, ‘Ethereal’. With a beautifully futuristic love song, the duo deliver an elegant use of analogue synthesis.
clovo‘s new single, ‘Girls’ derives from the power she felt listening to prominent female artists in the sphere. She says, “The music video portrays the toxicity of a male-dominated culture, set in a dystopian parallel universe where women are subjects to men, the video narrates clovo as a prisoner trying to escape, only to be caught and put back in her ‘place’ in society.” –
Sounds like: Christine and the Queens, Billie Eilish
Ben Cipolla has created the delightfully soothing ‘Enna’. It’s the perfect nod to the sun-soaked city life experience on the isle of Sicily. The track sees him embracing family roots in two different countries.
The Last Skeptik is a British rapper and producer with quick, relatable lyrics. New single, ‘Billboards’, specifically looks at the world of success and fame from an everyday seat, on yet another journey through town on the bus.
Paper Dragon are a colourful, eclectic group described to bring elements of both Roni Size and Fleetwood Mac’s to their innovative work. Their new ‘Circuits’ EP is an amalgamation of electronic sounds from the heart of their creative hometown, Bristol
Tilde is a brilliant Swedish artist that uses her own blend of soul and contemporary pop to soothe the souls of those around her. Her new music is poetic and perfectly love-dosed with her combination of Hollywood ambiance and spaghetti western guitar.
Slouch Online makes delectable R&B/hip-hop sounds from Los Angeles. Playing with new sounds, Slouch Online was inspired by new samples and the drive to make an upbeat song. He even says that during the songwriting process, “sometimes I don’t even remember how it all came together”.
This song is a direct response to Shaefri seeing Leanard Cohen live. Speaking of the experience, Shaefri says, “The way he portrays Suzanne as a torturous siren inspired me to want to almost write a “little sister” for her, ‘Joanne’, and take the character further, displaying her as a gritty, tough woman in unimaginable circumstances, and explore how she has to walk a line between siren and self-preservation. I wanted to paint a more realistic picture of how certain actions and consent can be misinterpreted or ignored and how abuse can so easily take place, especially in sex work.’
VÉRITÉ looks back at her adolescent years with rose-tinted glasses in her whimsical cover of the Katy Perry classic. She wanted to reframe the song with her fresh, youthful perspective and altered lyrical content, “Put your hands on me in my skintight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight”.
UNDREAM is a talented Swedish producer with a dark, ambient soundscape. The ‘Monster’ single is intentionally uncomfortable and eery. Based on the silent horrors of lying in bed awake and alone, there’s a childlike feeling of being chased within the music.
Desmond Myers describes new single, ‘Playing With Fire’, as an epic voyage of self-discovery. He started writing the track in a time of uncertainty and new parenthood, interspersed with ideas and realisations around like in the music industry.
Single artwork for JP Saxe, “If The World Was Ending (Other Remix)”
Jonah Kagen has released pop-infused single, ‘Catching A Dream’. Of the single, he says,“Catching A Dream” is about the place you go to in your mind when you just want to escape your reality. I really wanted to try to bring out that feeling of escapism and paint a picture of this magical place where nothing weighing you down in the real world could ever follow you. I hope you all love it and that it allows you to escape for a minute.”
Sydney-born multi-instrumentalist Kat Frankie shares the folktronica-esq single ‘Shiny Things’. Filmed with romanticism and grandeur in mind, the story tells of the inextricable relationship between beauty and decay.
Sounds like: First Aid Kit, HAIM, Feist, Fiona Apple
LLUCID is a Berlin-based artist and producer that’s teamed up with R&B singer and producer, Mulay. Speaking of the new single, ‘Fake Love’, LLUCID explains, “This one felt special and since Mulay and I both are quite perfectionists, we put a lot of effort into refining each and every element of the song: re-recording vocals, rearranging the song & trying out different ideas. Fun fact: We even imitated an old school type house sample, so the vocals you hear right after the chorus are actually Mulay’s. In the end it’s always fascinating how you seem to learn new things with every song you make, especially when it comes to collabs.”
Chaz Cardigan had dropped a new video for ‘We Look So Good’ single. The vision for the single came from the confusion and anger Chaz felt towards the US and their treatment of the working class and immigrants amidst the COVID-19 lockdown. The track powerfully likens patriotism to a toxic partner.
Hands Down are the charming band behind ‘Why’. The single asks why you are feeling alone, with the unique balance that Hands Down have mastered: sad and sweet.
‘waiting’ is a new single from up-and-coming musician, Alto Key. This single is particularly personal for the artist. The single describes the uncomfortable limbo state you find yourself in when a family member is in hospital. He says, “There’s not much you can do, but you can’t just move on. I wanted this one to be really vulnerable and one that people can let out their emotions to, or at least feel assured that they’re not alone in this situation.”
Say So City has debuted with a brilliantly glitchy pop track through Cloudkid. The group want people to feel like rock stars when people listen to their music, “like they’re on top of the world, like they’re unbeatable”.
Queen Cult are an exciting femme-queer pop-rock ensemble with strong frontwoman, Maisie Johnson. Their fierce new single, ‘Show & Tell’, explores their struggles with the British government and their haphazard response to the pandemic.
Created during a train journey – where his thoughts tend to free flow into new music – Macious started to question the motivation and desire behind an excessive lifestyle often associated with the DJ world and club nightlife. The result is ‘Ca$ino’ – a song full of attitude which is complemented by a catchy bassline and unique groove. Luscious loops of disco beats weave in and out of F.A.R’s signature thrusting vocals.
Sounds like: Solomon, Camelphat, MK, Hot Since 82, Solardo
Jazz Mino is a Manchester-born blessing. The vibrant pop maverick has delivered a new single, ‘Someone Else to Talk To’. In the track, she talks about the false promises of forever and the loneliness that inevitably follows a relationship breakdown.
The F16‘s are a notable Indian alt-pop band that have previously been noticed by Rolling Stone as artists to watch. Their smoothly executed new effort ‘Easy Bake Easy Wake’ looks at a surreal and sultry summertime. Their quirky press shots are accompanied by a need to defy the allure of stardom, and the rejection that they feel it brings.
Sweetly sad, Harry Edwards revealed an intimate video for new single, ‘I Hope You Hear’. The deeply poetic single is accompanied by intimate snapshots showing memories of a close relationship. Arguably, the most mundane moments like this, are the most important.
Emilia Tarrant‘s ‘September’ is a powerfully melancholic release that is said to be Emilia’s favourite release from her Honeymoon Phase EP. Written in September last year, Emilia used the time to reflect on 2020. There are clever moments of inspiration from the month in the lyrics, ‘ berries are bitter, the swallows have flown’.
An Orlando based rapper and member of seeyousoon have joined for this ‘IDK’ visual. Filmed over the course of four years, the intention of the video is to demonstrate multiple timelines and simulated realities. Altogether, it aims to accept the uncertainty of everyone’s future.
With visuals that can be likened to futurama, Crypto embraces this other-worldly aesthetic, presenting songs and bands that he listened to during his teenage years. Of the latest offering and story of Crypto’s time on earth (as opposed to his alien background), updog says, “Crypto told me that it reminded them of their time on Earth. They followed this by insisting I get back into the vocal booth to record the vocals. Alien abduction is definitely not fun, but at least singing, and recreating, a Blink-182 anthem helps make it a bit more bearable.”f
MULIMBA combines soul and indie influences in new track, ‘Here I Go’. Drawing on powerful images of freedom marches, MULIMBA shares, “Here I Go is a tune we wrote during the Black Lives Matter protests in London. It’s weird because I was struggling with my own sense of weakness at the time, and the protests really lifted me up, so the song sort of hits both those nails at the same time. It’s about how we treat each other, and how you treat yourself.”
Sounds like: Run The Jewels, Jacob Banks, Gorillaz
Toronto’s newest singer-songwriter LOR follows her debut single with ‘Sip’. The single is described as an emotional diary entry from LOR. When your emotions are in the hands of another, “it becomes a sick, fun game that you can’t stop playing”.
Safiyyah has created a song for herself. The lyrics described a certain character that’s reserved at times, but can come to life around the right people. She says that, “being introverted but selectively extroverted, letting someone into my world, leaving motives way too soon.”
Murdo Mitchell is the bold Glaswegian songwriter behind ‘Faded’. In the track, Murdo talks about a darkness that lies within everyone. “When you spend a lot of time with your own mind everything starts to come up out the woodwork, things from the past that you’ve done wrong, things that of others who have done you wrong and it can bring with it a sort of sinister revenge type of feeling – wanting to get back at life for the fact that you are living.”
Metteson is a pop artist that is following on from his critically acclaimed EP, ‘Convince Me’. With ‘Under Your Shirt’, Metteson confesses that he hasn’t yet experienced what he calls the ‘love of his life’. But, he’s learned to receive love in the first moments of kindness in a relationship
Bad Pop are a Candian band born from (what they describe as) dusty music and an abundance of comedy clubs in Vancouver. Their mutual taste in music and humour turned the friends into eight years into music creation. Talking of their new single, they say,“The song is written through the perspective of a young artist who feels like they’re special and deserving of success, whose purpose is to have an audience, how they get it or what they say in front of it doesn’t really matter. So we wanted to use footage that had a real performative feel to it but also hinted at this vapid, perception based internet culture that we live in, where attention is the goal in itself”
‘Daysof8’ is a darkly warped new track by mesmerising artist, Nora Lilith. The Majestic Casual signing drops an equally creative visual that embraces her skill, and love, for DIY and everything that goes with it. Each moment experienced is inspired (and tinted) by the overwhelming feeling of not being good enough.
Sophie Kilburn‘s ‘My Room Made Public’ questions intentions and movements with gritty angst. It’s an inquisitive exploration of modern age and its need to share every second. She asked why sharing is associated with identity and relatability. And importantly, is it associated with bravery?
Summer Heart is a futuristic artist that delivers wavy alt-pop gems. Speaking about the EP, he said, “I worked on Insecurities together with my two friends Joakim Buddee and Myra Granberg. It was like time was standing still when these songs came about. Nothing on the outside mattered and we were in our own little world right there in a basement somewhere in Stockholm. I had inner peace in that moment and that is what Insecurities is about; when you are captured by the beauty of a certain moment and you forget about everything else.”
With youthful impatience, Jazz Mino unveils pop injection ‘Sorry Ur Bored’. The lyrics explore the period of frustration in a breakup where you are, quite literally, just over it. Jazz Mino’s approach to songwriting is energetic and addictive, with a touch of childhood zest thrown in.
With a bold, sultry vocal, Adeline is the French-Caribbean singer, bassist and producer behind ‘Stages’. Over the past year, Adeline admits to embarking on a journey to find a deeper meaning to her musical experience. Within her sound, she finds the ability and strength to fight racism, as well as finding a musical oasis in both writing and recording, ‘I can always find a magical place to go to.’
Enda Galllery‘s new single is beautifully surreal. ‘Cowboy Coffee’ talks about a world of hedonism that is experienced through the eyes of an innocent newcomer. Talking about the track, he says, “I was living with my girlfriend at the time, but her parents were very religious so when her father visited, we had to pretend we didn’t live together, so I had to stay at an Airbnb. There was ground coffee but nothing to make it with, so we made it like the cowboys used to make – simply adding the hot water and letting the coffee settle on the bottom and drinking. That’s where the name came from.”
This idyllic holiday banger injects endless sun into your day. Aptly named ‘I’m on Holiday, The F16‘s are a quirky indie group that just want that delightful holiday glow, forever. The topic is intentionally nostalgic after being written in lockdown, yearning for the sweet release of time away.
Love Level create electronic-leaning indie music that is intriguing and sophisticated. As part of their EP, Love Level is an atmospheric release that pushes vocals to the forefront. As part of a wider self-titled EP, the pair tackle expectations and uncertainty that faces the creative industries today.
Sounds like: Japanese House, James Blake, Glass Animals
seeyousoon are a 9-piece rap effort behind new single, ‘No Daylight’. Speaking of the track, they say, “Our descent into true form. Welcome to the show. The single was inspired by Berlin’s electronic music scene. When we sat down to produce the track, there was a convention by the name of Mussikmesse taking place in Germany at the time. One of our producers was keeping up with the coverage of the event and felt inspired to make a track that pulled a lot of energy from Germany’s rich history in dance music culture.”
Featuring the epic Blue Lab Beats, fresh single ‘Let Me In’ was born after a car ride to a festival. Ruby Francis splits her time between London, LA and Japan and calls upon her British, Jamaican and Italian roots in her work.
