Move over Charli XCX, rising UK popstar GRACEY teams up with US newcomer Alexander 23 on new single, ‘Like That’.
From our home town of Brighton, GRACEY started out as a songwriter for the likes of Jonas Blue, Sub Focus, and MJ Cole, but soon developed her own style of UK influenced pop with a mischievous and fun flair.
UK-based Max Pope creates music that considers the universal experiences of life, love, loss, human connections and isolation in a new way.
Full of imagination, “the Max Pop world” encompasses funky basslines, giddy vocals and songwriting beyond his years. As a gardener in his day job, Pope longs to feel connected to the natural world.
The visuals for his woozy new single ‘Hologram’ capture this perfectly. Watch below.
Sounds like: Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei, LIONLION, Still Woozy, Yakul
Looking for a new alt-pop/R&B artist to sink your teeth into? Then look no further. LUME has arrived.
The music of LUME is a melting pot: of ideas, of sounds, of places. Weaving her way down South and ending-up in Brighton, Zara found a new home in more ways than one as LUME, which is a riff on the historic cotton industry of her native Oldham, peppered with mills and Looms.
Following the debut release and title track from her second EP ‘Edge of My Seat’ (a collaboration with Math Times Joy), LUME shares ‘Live With It’.
Working with fellow mad scientist, Emre Ramazanoglu (Sia, NiluferYanya, Ritual), LUME describes the intro of the track as “a hypnotic mantra…the kind of mantra where you’re having to keep telling yourself that everything will be fine! This mantra keeps repeating in the song, with double choruses desperately repeating, ‘need to live with it’.
“Even though the track has dark threads to it, it’s more about the need for forgiveness in a relationship and overcoming doubts in ourselves, so that we can learn to trust in others.”
Brighton-based alt-soul and electronic outfit Kudu Blue shares ‘Mountain Song’.
The hypnotic fusion of dance-floor sounds takes you on a musical journey of retro proportions and urban filling roots. Listen below.
UK and European Tour Dates
16th Feb – The Louisiana, Bristol (Cub Sport support)
20th Feb – Moth Club, London (Loyal support)
23rd Feb – Patterns, Brighton (Joel Culpepper support)
14th March – Lille Vega, Copenhagen (Tennyson support)
15th March – Berghain/Kantine, Berlin (Tennyson support)
17th March – Hydrozagadka, Warsaw (Tennyson support)
21st March – Le Pop-Up du Label, Paris (Tennyson support)
23rd March – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London (Tennyson support)
24th March – The Sound House, Dublin (Tennyson support)
We love supporting local acts, Brighton-based Nico Cara is one such act we are getting super excited about for the coming year.
Combining classic jazz sounds with modern electronic and R&B production, ‘Grounded’ is a slow burning gem that leaves Cara’s vocals to their own devices, ultimately letting them shine through.
Speaking about the track, Cara explains,
“Recording this single has been a new experience for me, trying out a lot of new sounds and instruments to get a solid R&B vibe. I think I’ve taken a lot of different influences and made something that encompasses me as a musician at this time.”
Salt Ashes takes a slightly different direction in her new single ‘Go All Out’.
Still just as contemplative and spunky as the Brighton artist’s previous releases, ‘Go All Out’ is an ear-catching and uplifting track that reflects on a younger Salt Ashes.
Listen below.
Sounds like: Tove Lo, I BREAK HORSES, Kate Boy, Kylie
Brighton four-piece, YONAKA are back with a video for ‘Bubblegum’.
Directed by Ali Kurr (Loyle Carner), it exposes the chaotic world of YONAKA, both on stage and off (remember the guitarist cutting his head open at The Great Escape this year?!), as the band play to a packed and sweaty room.
Watch below and try and spot the giant bubblegum.
It’s out now on Atlantic Records.
The band will also be playing their biggest headline show to date at The Garage in London, on 28 February. Get your tickets here.
Sounds like: Gwen Stefani, Pat Benatar, Charli XCX, Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Drenge, Black Honey, Skindred
We receive a huge amount of submissions via SubmitHub, and unfortunately cannot review all of the tracks, so we have decided to compile those tracks into a weekly segment of gems we’ve particularly enjoyed.
Dream Lake – Midnight Sun
Swedish electro-pop duo Dream Lake share the dreamy ‘Midnight Sun’.
This song perfectly encapsulates the airy, long days of light during the summer in Sweden, with dreamy vocals and romantic keys.
Vanguards are a indie pop focused four-piece from Brighton.
‘Rosie & The Blackheart’ is a bittersweet love song that echoes 80’s guitar legends. The track was recorded live and produced by Steve Harris (Kodaline, DaveMatthews, KaiserChiefs).
Sounds like: INXS, Kings Of Leon, The 1975, Kodaline
US-based Tigers and Thieves share ‘Change Your Mind’, an indie rock track that has all the markings of a hit, despite being recorded in their garage studio. It’s been mixed by Brian McTear (TheWar on Drugs, Sharon Van Etten, LocalNatives).
Sounds like: Local Natives, Foster the People, The Neighbourhood, alt-J, Surfer Blood, The Temper Trap, Nick Mulvey
Los Angeles-based pop duo ALKE release ‘Without You’.
There is no denying the obvious chemistry shown between Jameson Flood (production, guitar, keys) and AK Karrasch (vocals) on the track as it explores love versus independence.
