The Australian duo MidnightPoolParty are back doing what they do best – bringing classic disco to the fore.
The new single – influenced by PNAU‘s remix of EltonJohn and DuaLipa‘s ‘Cold Heart’ – is a heavy dose of pop, making even the weariest of heads feel undefeated.
London-based multi-instrumentalist and singer George Gretton takes a turn in genre in ‘Morning’ featuring theMIND, ahead of his new EP, ‘Ordinary Life’ out in August.
Made during “a bit of a 90s boom-bap phase,” ‘Morning’ is about the predictability of taking some time out which ultimately leads to becoming a bit of a recluse.
Essex band Black Pines shares ‘SAINT,’ a hugely personal song about grief and loss.
Used as a therapy for the band, it is jam-packed with raw and passionate emotion and continues that rich and shimmering alt-rock direction the band have cultivated for themselves.
Expect their eagerly-awaited new EP ‘Talk Of The Devil’ on 29 July.
Self-confessed emo kid Máni Orrason shares his latest ruminatory offering that captures his vulnerabilities through a frivolous lens in which he recounts the fascination of molding a new identity and the idea of erasing yourself to create something better: an untouchable Romeo wrapped in leather or a ghostly fabrication of effervescent cool.
We asked Máni to put together a playlist, which you can listen to below:
Francis and The Lights – You Still Take Me To The Light
A couple days ago I read this NYT interview with him from 2020. It’s a really moving article that gave me a new window into his music. I’ve been listening a lot to him the last few days. I love this song with Kanye, Bon Iver, Chance The Rapper and him.
Nicholas Britell – Agape
I always say that it’s really difficult to be anxious floating in the ocean. That’s kind of how I feel about listening this song. It forces me to breathe. It’s like dawn in spring. I listen to this all the time
Björk – I Remember You
I don’t need to fall in love as long as this song exists. Björk transcended the physical realm with this one. I get goosebumps every time. I feel one step closer to god when Björk belts like that.
Madlib – Slim’s Return
This song is on the “Shades Of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note” album. I found it randomly a couple weeks ago. Madlib was given access to the whole Blue Note discography and he made this album. It’s really brilliant. I just want to play chess and drink cognac by a fireplace when I hear it.
Yeat – Sorry Bout That
My 16 year old brother has been trying to get me into Yeat for a while. I kind of just got into him but it’s so good. Stylistically so on point. Insane heat.
Black Country, New Road – Good Will Hunting
An amazing song from an amazing album. This song feels like if Funeral and Arcade Fire made an album in 2022. Also feels like Cap’ n Jazz and those emo bands a bit.
Moondog – Pastoral II
I think most of the music I’ve been listening to has just been to get me through the winter. This song is so soothing. Harp music. Listen to this and tell me you don’t feel a bit better.
Clairo – Bambi
I think first of all this album sounds so incredible. These songs, the arrangements, the production is just so inspiring to me. I really love it.
Samaris – Góða Tungl
Samaris is an amazing Icelandic band. I bought the EP this song is on when it came out almost 10 years ago. I was recently going through my records at my parents house a few days ago and put this on. It’s so interesting listening to something you haven’t heard for 10 years and how differently you respond to it. It such a good song.
A$AP NAST, D33J – Designer Boi
I listen to this song on loop all the time. It’s perfect.
Overmono – Bby
I was in a trance with this song for a few days. I didn’t listen to anything else.
FKA twigs – meta angel
This new FKA twigs album fills the void of PC music Charli XCX. It feels like Pop 2 in some ways. This song is great.
George Jones – I’ve Aged Twenty Years In Five
I recently finished listening to season 2 of Cocaine and Rhinestones. It’s a podcast about country music and the new season focuses on George Jones. I really recommend it wether you like country or not. When you hear George Jones sing “I’ve seen the dark side of life”, he means it. It’s really heartbreaking music.
The Smile – The Smoke
I love that the most subversive thing Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke could do right now is start a rock band. I also love this song cause it fills the void of the Sault album not being on streaming platforms anymore.
Död Mark – Paranoid schizofren
I love Yung Lean. His project as jonatan leandoer96 is really inspiring to me. I really like this album too from his punk band.
Elliot Smith – Ballad Of Big Nothing
I was always scared of Elliot Smith, when I was young I heard how he died and it made me really scared of his music. Like there was a darkness to it I couldn’t handle. But I don’t think there’s an album I’ve listened to more the last year than Either/Or.
The Weeknd feat. Tyler, The Creator – Here We Go… Again
I get really emotional every time I hear the weekend sing “my new girl, she a movie star”. Don’t know why. Love this song.
Sounds like: Jesse, SUM41, The 1975, Neon Indian, Toro y Moi
German-based singer-songwriter and all around creative Mogli has just released the 5th episode of her 10 part-film, taken from her forthcoming cinematic album ‘RAVAGE’.
Called ‘Aftermath,’ the new episode begins with Mogli and her male counterpart forced to hard manual labour after being captured by a local gang of people. The episode details how Mogli finds the inner strength to escape from the gang, a metaphor for her breaking out of her toxic relationship.
It’s a theme that runs throughout her forthcoming cinematic album ‘RAVAGE’, and to celebrate we’ve asked her to put together a playlist to celebrate its release.
You can listen to the playlist below:
Emilie Nicholas – Wild one
I love how Emilie is super blunt with her lyrics in this song, very inspiring that she says what she thinks
Ex:Re – Where The Time Went
I remember listening to this song on repeat while suffering from depression. Sad songs make me happy, that’s something you can hear in my album RAVAGE.
Billie Eilish – when the party’s over
The vocal production and singing are so very nuanced and on point here… when I recorded my album I wanted every little note to be purposeful so I love this.
Sylvan Esso – Uncatena
Sylvan Esso opened up a whole new genre for me merging pop and electronic music in a really cool way
Phoebe Bridgers – You Missed My Heart
Who can transform sadness into songs better than phoebe bridgers? Love love love the vibe of this song
Florence + The Machine – Sky Full Of Song
In this song the singing matches the lyrics so well! Florence is singing at the top of her lungs as if she was screaming, very cool.
ÄTNA – Bond
I adore german band Ätna for their complex yet catchy music
Missincat & Robot Koch – Made of Stone
This is such a beautiful fusion of organic and digital sounds it feels grounded yet ethereal
Bon Iver – Blindsided
Old but gold this song is in a way so small but the drum gives it drive, I love this combination
Ásgeir – Að Grafa Sig í Fönn
first song that moves me so deeply even though I understand the words. I strive for melodies that have intention so this was a beautiful experience for me.
London-based singer-songwriter Eloise Viola oozes positivity and self love. With a degree in Psychology and recent modelling with sustainable clothing brand Positive Outlook Clothing, Eloise Viola is more than one of the hottest artists in the pop scene.
Her funk-rich, disco-leaning single ‘Trying To Love You’ is out now.
Forging their own pop path, Berlin-based artist & producer duo BLYNE share new single ‘Randomness’. It’s another great example of bedroom pop coming out of Germany, with bright synths and youthful vocals.
Alt-pop girls Tommy Lefroy – aka Tessa Mouzourakis and Wynter Bethel – share the soothing ‘Vampires,’ just in time for Halloween.
It’s a laidback rock track from the transatlantic duo. About staying with someone through trying times, it really exposes delicate and soothing vocal delivery.
LA-based Carol Ades (pronounced addis) shares ‘Through,’ the title track of her debut EP.
With echoes of a soundtrack for a 90’s cult film, ‘Through’ marks a powerful reclamation of personal artistry for the New Jersey-born talent, who has penned penned fan favourite hits with DemiLovato, BennyBlanco and AvaMax.
It’s about a break up that Ades went through last year where she traveled to London during the pandemic to win back the old relationship, but this didn’t go to plan and she ended up being stuck in London during the lockdown.
Sounds like: Avril Lavigne, Maggie Rogers, Wolf Alice, Ava Max
Bristol-based Wil Owen shares ‘After Dark,’ a song he worked on with Tamu Massif (Fenne Lily).
As raw as it gets, the delicate plucks of acoustic guitar and breathy vocals conjure up a reflective and honest image of a crowd of people in a room, completely isolated from each other.
Sounds like: Bombay Bicycle Club, Bon Iver, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Damien Jurado, Ben Howard, Fenne Lily
Berlin-based dream-folk duo Wolf & Moon share more folktronica tunes in new album. After committing to one song a day, the highs and lows of recording were captured with an overarching sense of adventure. Listen to ‘While We Ride’.
Neo-jazz talent, Jude the Obscure shares ‘Moments’. It’s a lyrically impassioned, piano-led, jazz and hip-hop influenced single oozing with soulful trumpet licks and impactful live drums, further highlighting the young Manchester-based talent.
We all have those internal battles and none more so than Canadian-born margø, who has created a soundtrack for those who are finding their voice. Listen to the raw and unapologetic ‘someone else’.
Introducing Boston-based Heath240. Blurring the boundaries of rap with indie and bedroom pop, he juxtaposes a light-hearted delivery with darker lyrics. Watch his video for ‘Chirp’ featuring DanielPrice.
After seeing success with his Holograma EP last year, this Nashville based singer/songwriter has returned with an alternative rock effort via Capitol Records and Loud Robot. Chaz Cardigan has brought an energetic feeling of reinvention with new single, Haircut.
French synth-dance duo Caspian Pool likes to keep us on our toes with their wide-ranging selection of electronic music. Cue the colour-fuelled visuals for the foot-thumping ‘Insider’.
Sounds like: Nimmo, The Chemical Brothers, Hercules & Love Affair, Goldfrapp, Joe Goddard, Chvrches, Digitalism, Holy Ghost!, Boys Noize, Little Dragon, Cut Copy, Icona Pop
Anthemic alt-rock band Psyence returns with psychedelic sensibilities in rousing new single ‘Retrospect’, reminding us that every bitter end has a new beginning.
Distinctive Norwegian voice, Beharie shares his soulful, folk and ambient blend in the form of ‘Me and My Lonely’. Pastoral and beautiful, the track orbits a peaceful finger-picked acoustic riff.
Wigan-based four-piece Flechettes share the radio-ready and uplifting ‘Chasing Youth’, with blazing indie-pop guitar riffs and catchy vocals, making for a seriously dynamic record.
Sounds like: Sea Girls, Red Rum Club, The Blinders, Stanleys, Garden Party
22-year-old producer, songwriter and musician Ethan Bedell – aka Chillhum – shares ‘Dancing Alone’, a stripped back and melodic blissed-out track that celebrates the joys of being alone.
Sounds like: Gaspar Narby, Couro, Flume, Ed Sheeran, Flume, Louis The Child, Petit Biscuit, Troye Sivan, Robotaki
Songwriting heavyweight Bre Kennedy winds down for the cooler months with her acoustic track ‘Where Did Summer Go’, a nostalgic ballad that symbolises the passing and loss of time and dreams that never got to see the heat of summer.
Dark-pop artist Izza chronicles the ups and downs of dealing with anxiety and depression in a world where people are obsessed with the perceived perfection of their online selves, in new single ‘Lows’.
Brit-pop meets R&B isn’t a combination of genres that we usually come across, but we’re so glad that we have. Shango SK has a lot to answer for.
Raised in Stockport, the fast-rising prodigious talent takes cues from the melting pot of sounds that he’s been surrounded with growing-up. Citing Manchester legends Oasis as one of his main influences, he’s also quick to list Future and Bon Iver as guiding forces too.
Fusing his love of alternative rock, emotive balladry, experimental hip hop and pop melodies Shango SK’s sound is hard to pin down. Speaking about new single, ‘Sleeping On My Own’, he explains,
“SOMO is about getting cold feet basically. Having my own time and space to think is vital for my happiness, unfortunately in this case I felt smothered. This is the aftermath of being innocent, going from being crazy in love with someone and having to constantly chase them for gratification, to the roles being flipped and them now chasing you and it being overwhelming.”
Gang of Four‘s singer, JJ Sterry shares the serene video for ‘Day Turns To Night’, written in the days following guitarist Andy Gill’s untimely death earlier this year.
Charming LoveLeo shares the self-directed visuals for ‘HEAD OVER HEELS’, which follows a miniature Leo getting up to mischief. Another great video from the TikTok star.
Imperfect indie artist ODDA shares the solemn track, ‘MAMA’, as he deeply explores all that is being human, from the judgement of others to the insecurities of ourselves.
Austin quartet The Bright Light Social Hour shares cosmic single ‘Enough’, taking us on a groove-rich journey through 70’s psychedelic rock, with a contemporary production sheen.
The new collaboration between London-based German singer, songwriter and producer Matilda Eyre and Devon-based producer PALMR dives us into a pool of strength and freedom in new single ‘Water’.
Pop troubador Hazlett shares his highly anticipated EP, ‘Thundering Hopes’.
As expected, it explores the journey of life, which can often be mundane and uneventful, yet Hazlett seems to capture its beauty in heartfelt lyrics and effortless vocal harmonies.
His single ‘Karaoke’ is about being there when your friends need you, or in this case during a night out with Lindsay Lohan in NYC that got out of hand,
“…when that happens I have a paternal instinct that kicks in, I get a one track mind for making sure nothing happens to my friends.”
The musical landscape in 2020 is full of high and heavy production, layers and layers and processed sound to please the listener, and in general, this sounds great. However, it’s a special moment when you can really appreciate a song for its raw authenticity, and that’s exactly what Bjorn Rydhog provides with his latest single, ‘Into Your Heart’.
The track introduces itself slowly, allowing you as the listener to settle into its vibe before Bjorn stuns us with his blissful vocals. Recorded in the legendary Tambourine Studios in Bjorn’s hometown of Malmö (Sweden), the singer takes us on an emotional and relaxing journey with the help from featured vocalist Moa McAllister from Peach Baby.
The video for the melodic track is soft in its visual presentation with gentle beams of colours. Watch below.
