milk. – I Hate the Way You’re Looking at Me (Lately)
Hot on the heels of The 1975 is Dublin-born alt-pop quartet, milk.. Their bright new offering, ‘I Hate the Way You’re Looking at Me (Lately)’ is full of looping synths, catchy riffs and lulling vocals that immediately lure you in for more.
Benji Lewis has been busy songwriting during 2020. Written with his new friend Tom Eggert and bonding over their love of home-made smoothies, ‘Stay Around’ is about the progression of love in every subsequent relationship.
Sounds like: The 1975, The Kite String Tangle, Antony Hegarty, Active Child, Gallant, Sam Smith, Solomon Grey, James Blake, Yazz, Jack Garratt, Disclosure, Lauv, Boy In Space, Zachary Knowles
UK R&B artist Asha Gold shares new single ‘Oscar’. It’s written about award-winning liars and cheats who deserve to be called out for their deception and good-for-nothing behaviour.
Norwegian songwriter Solå strongly encourages us to value ourselves in new single ‘B Mine’. It’s a hazy piece of electro-pop that perfectly showcases her talent as both a intricate songwriter and performer.
Intriguing newcomer whatshisface is on the precipice of jumping into our hearts. His new single ‘Magic Disaster’ is a gloriously melancholic invitation, brimming with dense and warming aesthetics, creating an altogether sweeping atmosphere.
Sounds like: James Blake, George Gretton, Billie Eilish
Introducing eclectic Ohio-based outfit Mungbean. Performed as only seasoned performers would, new single ‘Slow Motion’ has layered and heavy synths to accelerate the track’s dreamy and kaleidoscopic intention.
Looking incredibly familiar in their press picture, with a glint of political satire, the Avante-Garde German duo ÄTNA releases their dark and rebellious new single, ‘Grinding’.
Australian artist Benji Lewis shares the result of his recent lockdown songwriting, with ‘Everything’s Alright’. Written with Golden Vessel, the track touches on the importantness of freedom.
Sounds like: The 1975, The Kite String Tangle, Antony Hegarty, Active Child, Gallant, Sam Smith, Solomon Grey, James Blake, Yazz, Jack Garratt, Disclosure, Jeremy Zucker, Shallou, Emmit Fenn
Alex Frew – Antisocial Love Song Feat. A Is for Arrows
Alex Frew touches on the difficulties of being alone with new song, ‘Antisocial Love Song’, featuring the delicate tones of A Is for Arrows. A pop ballad at heart with harder hitting lyrics.
Nicole Chambers is confidence setting in her single ‘Warm Body’, taken from her debut album, ‘Voice of a Virgo’. A new voice on the R&B and neo-soul scene, with a killer falsetto that demands attention.
Showing how you can make music regardless of a lockdown, rising UK artist Asha Gold shares her sweet new single ‘Debut’, written on Zoom with producer Mitch Jones.
Gay comedian and musician Joe Parsons shows a vulnerable and serious side in his new single, ‘Repair’. With tinges of folktronica and alt-pop, the shimmering track is written about toxic masculinity.
Cornwall-based multi-instrumentalist and producer KarumCooper has a new lo-fi jazz/soul project called Webmoms. The new single ‘Summer Salad’ is a tasty selection of rich, audible treats with jazzy licks and organic grooves.
Benji Lewis has been delighting his fans with a consistent stream of exciting music for the past couple of years now. His latest offering, ‘Peaceful’ is exactly what it sets out to be, it’s hard not to be transported to a space of tranquillity when listening.
Benji’s dulcet tones are the standout feature in what is a new minimalist vibe compared to tracks like the hit single, ‘New Day’, showcasing his Sam Smith-esq soul.
Discussing his thoughts on the track, Benji says,
“This is a bit more of a sad song, but it’s also a song about finding peace and calm during a time when things aren’t so great. I’ve been trying to enjoy the quiet times and the people who are in my life, cherishing the ways we’re able to communicate and just be there for each other.”
Sounds like: The 1975, The Kite String Tangle, Antony Hegarty, Active Child, Gallant, Sam Smith, Solomon Grey, James Blake, Yazz, Jack Garratt, Disclosure
Australian/UK producer TOBY hits us with his popping new single ‘Gold’, featuring the mad vocal-slinging work of Perth duo Otiuh.
The alt hip-hop/electro-house sound, that we haven’t really heard much of before, is heavily influenced by the likes of Kaytranada, Disclosure and Mura Masa.
A super easy track for TOBY to make, it was meant to be.
Kllo shares ‘Insomnia’, another delightful taste of their upcoming sophomore album.
Heavily influenced during their separate times in North America, it reflects a sense of jet-lagged joy and displacement, the moment where your truth and imagination blur into one.
Sounds like: The xx, Jamie xx, Jessie Ware, Kudu Blue, Disclosure, Jorja Smith, Tei Shi, Skinshape, Tirzah, ABRA, Kelela
Thank goodness Kllo is ‘Still Here’. We were getting worried that they hadn’t released any music for quite some time, especially when we heard there was a near breakup on the cards!
Using this time to reset and come back stronger, their upcoming album ‘Maybe We Could’ is ten tracks pairing the rhythms of dance music to emotive chords and melodies; revealing two artists at their strongest yet most vulnerable, operating as their truest selves, honest with each other and their craft.
‘Still Here’ is an experimental pop with lush sweet piano chords and ’90s rave-style drums. The accompanying, directed by MattSav and shot in Perth, was shot entirely on 16mm film.
Director Matt Sav says,
“I wanted the video to be a poetic depiction of two people staying in a relationship beyond its logical end. I explored the interplay between love, obsession, imagined futures, lived pasts and the insanity that can be found in between. In our relationships, especially without good definitions around what love really means to us, we find the edges of freedom and responsibility blurring.”
Pre-order’Maybe We Could’ here. It’s out on 17 July.
Sounds like: The xx, Jamie xx, Jessie Ware, Kudu Blue, Disclosure, Jorja Smith, Tei Shi, Skinshape
Neo-soul artist Alfie Neale has just released his ‘If My World Falls Apart’ EP, written about the topic of reliance.
He’s put together an awesome playlist of music together, something we can all count on at some point during these testing times.
J Felix – Mind Up
I picked this tune because it’s a breath of fresh air for everything we’re going through at the minute, we need all the positive vibes we can get at the minute.
King Krule – Easy Easy
I know this tune was released years ago, but I was pretty late to jump aboard the King Krule bandwagon. I’m well and truly on it now though, and as this is the first tune on his most famous record it was the first I heard, so it’s kind of become my favourite.
Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles
Wanted to pick this one because it’s an absolute anthem, I listen to a lot of funky music but wanted to switch things up with this one because the build-up to the solo is absolutely unreal!
Pip Millett – Fancy
This one is such a class tune about just being in love and the way someone can make you feel on top of the world. It’s so bare, laid back and such a sick tune to listen to any time of day.
Greentea Peng – Downers
This is one of the hardest beats I’ve heard in a while, my girlfriend put me on to Greentea Peng and I’ve been absolutely rinsing her tunes since.
Mac Miller – Blue World
I’m pretty sure this was produced by one half of Disclosure, and is one of my favourite Mac Miller tunes ever, this one IS the hardest beat I’ve heard in a while haha.
Sticky Fingers – Cool & Calm
These guys have been one of my biggest inspirations for a long time, and I only got to see them live for the first time last year. Hands down one of my favourite gigs ever, their newest album is full of regret but this tune is so positive.
Jarki Monno – Fade Up
Included this one because I live with Jarki and also play guitar for him in his band, so there’s not a day that goes by where I’m not listening to something Jarki Monno related!
Yakul – Getting Late
James Berkeley (lead singer and keyboardist in this band) produced my debut EP, he’s such a ridiculously talented and hardest working guy I know, also makes ridiculously good tunes!
Rising Manchester four-piece Larkins recently dropped their highly-anticipated EP, ‘Hit and Run’ on Good Soldier Records.
It’s a finely-crafted mix of melodic futurism and vulnerability. We decided to have a chat with the guys ahead of their US tour to find out what’s going to be on their travelling playlist.
This is the outcome…
Khalid – Intro
Production-wise this is a pretty perfect track. Always feeling like it could kick in at any moment and it never does but still manages to bang. Incredible opening track to have on an album.
Gengahr – Icarus
Gengahr have completely taken up a level on this album. Produced by Jack Steadman from Bombay Bicycle Club, this track just makes your head move.
King Princess – Talia
Proper digging King Princess at the minute, love how this track goes from the laid back folky verse then hits you with the massive chorus. She’s proper pushing boundaries with her visuals as well, need to catch her live.
Whitney – Valleys (My Love)
Literally first heard Whitney for the first time a couple of weeks ago and fucking love them. Love how this track is kinda like a mellow Beach Boys without the harmonies on top of 70s acoustic folk with Bon Iver horns.
Friendly Fires – Pull Me Back To Earth
Whenever we’re trying to get a clean electric guitar sound in the studio we seem to reference this track. I remember when PALA came out and it blew my mind.
Jai Paul – Do You Love Her Now
Just absolute vibes. Again, that clean guitar sound is mad.
Foals – Spanish Sahara
Such an anthem. Seeing this track live and how the crowd reacts to it made me want to be in a band. The drop never fails to hype me up.
Bon Iver – Naeem
The vocal on this song is madness. The piano and the whole feel is just badass. Bon Iver can do no wrong. This album has been a massive reference point when we’re in the studio, especially when it comes to synth and drum sounds.
Bon Iver – 33 “GOD”
Another Bon Iver, 22 a million is top 5 best albums ever. The production on this track just blows the roof off. Cant even quite comprehend how good this track is. No idea what the lyrics mean but this track is just insanity.
Biffy Clyro – Different People
This song really marks two defining moments in Larkins career.
1. They opened with it when they headlined T in the park in Scotland and it seemed to be such an emotional moment for everyone there, it really made us realise that we wanted to do this.
2. Dom decided he wanted to be Simon and grew his hair really long.
Radiohead – Weird Fishes
In rainbows is such a monumental album and it was hard to choose one track but Weird Fishes really sums up Radiohead’s visionary blend of pop, rock and dance music.
Haim – Summer Girl
Such a great nod to the 60s with the Lou Reed sample but with such a modern LA vibe. We’d just got back from our first trip to LA when this came out and it proper seemed to sum up the city for us. The scene out there is so vibrant at the minute.
Khalid, Disclosure – Talk
Love this track. Another one we try to reference a little bit with the style of the synths and the drum sounds. The riff is so good.
US/UK Tour Dates
12 Mar – Toronto, The Monarch
13 Mar – New York, Pianos
14 Mar – Brooklyn, Elsewhere (Zone One)
18 Mar – Austin, Maggie Mae’s
19 Mar – Austin, Rainey Street
21 Mar – Austin, Broad Studios
21 Mar – Austin, Cedar Street Courtyard
24 Mar – Los Angeles, Moroccan Lounge
Matt Couchois of atmospheric indie-pop project, fakelife, releases invigorating new single, ‘Drugs All Night’.
You can almost sense the energetic tension as Matt sings about a tumultuously toxic romantic relationship – what more could you want from a nightclub pop anthem?
Sounds like: The Knocks, Great Good Fine Ok, RAC, La Poré
Born from a simple plan – make music friends in a flatshare in former East Berlin, BLOODHYPE is a Berlin-based, independent gang of four that demand to be noticed.
Masterminded by frontman Weyland and UK producer John “P Nut” Harrison (AmyWinehouse, AliceMerton), their new single ‘Violent Heart’ caught us from the get-go. It’s an addictive slice of modern indie pop full of 80’s inspired self-pity.
Churchgoer-turned-open mic singer Tina Boonstra has shared her interesting new track, ‘Out of my depth’.
With a sharp emotional intensity, you can feel the angst bubbling underneath as the track progresses into a crushingly honest rage against the universe, God and insomnia.
German-born, Los Angeles-based indie artist NoMBe shares ‘HEELS’, a catchy AF funk-laden jam.
Oozing sass upon sass, it’s taken from his upcoming concept album, ‘CHROMATOPIA’ which is built upon the spectrum of colour and the spectrum of sexuality.
Foreign Fields is US-based Eric Hillman and Brian Holl, who create a bewitching melting pot of acoustic sounds.
As with all promising folk contenders, the duo wrote and recorded their upcoming album, ‘The Beauty of Survival’ in the winter in a back-to-basics cabin with no heating built by a two-man father-and-son team in Western Wisconsin.
Bronze Whale like to walk a lot. During this time, they talk about things they want to accomplish, music stuff and dinner.
This where the lyrical inspiration came for ‘Let’s Go Walk’, a resonating and atmospheric electronic piece about love, loss and learning. It’s out now on their own label, MagicMagic.
Sounds like: Glass Animals, Alt-j, OTR, CLN, Golden Vessel, Autograf
Multi-instrumentalist Zoë Phillips combines country with beautiful folktronica. Think DollyParton meets BombayBicycleClub.
Set for the same level of fandom, Phillips has already seen plenty of support from the BBC, and her new single ‘Love Is Gone’ is going to propel her closer.
Looking like they are having the best time, the video footage was taken from many of their past videos plus some extra shots from 2010 to 2019.
HUMANS is a Canadian indie-electronic duo made up of musicians Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq. Focusing on performance and production styles of both the past and present, HUMANS have consistently impressed upon audiophiles with their technical and compositional skills.
Introducing Zach DeGaetano and Bridget Boltz – aka Mannequin Online.
Pushing sonic and ideational barriers with gritty, yet refreshing off-kilter pop, may their sound forever remain bright, gritty, and unapologetic. Listen to ‘I Do’ and check out the glorious Gorgeous guitar solo.
Sounds like: Goldroom, Poolside, VHS Collection, The Knocks, Miami Horror
Australian artist Tessa Neale (fka Hoodlem) wants to leave her ego at the door whilst making music. Unfiltered and full of sass, this is TESSA at her core.
Produced with Jeff Hazin and featuring Toronto rapper Terrell Morris, her new single ‘Bad Bad Love’ is an upbeat anti-love song sending a message to the game-playing lovers everywhere…we see you.
Sounds like: Mahalia, Empress Of, Nao, Jessie Ware
Young Swedish songwriter Francis Novotny shares the beautiful ‘Someone I Wanted To Be’.
With modern rings of The Cinematic Orchestra‘s ‘To Build A Home’, the cinematic approach to this stripped-back song – about love, regret, and new perspectives – is delicately composed with an emotional piano progression, whilst his vocals take centre stage.
After months of anticipation, Swedish artist STRØM finally unveils his earnest chops, whilst, ironically sharing his new single called ‘Blurred Out’, taken from his debut album, ‘Immortal’ out now via This is Scandinavia / Sony Music.
With a cascading beat of drums and vocal loops, the track gives us an intriguing glimpse into the album.
Sounds like: Ben Khan, TENDER, Solomon Grey, James Blake
Sounds like: The 1975, The Kite String Tangle, Antony Hegarty, Active Child, Gallant, Sam Smith, Solomon Grey, James Blake, Yazz, Jack Garratt, Disclosure
Dublin-born Christian Cohle shares his haunting and melancholic debut single, ‘Breathe’.
Mixing majestic synthesizers and driving rhythms, ‘Breathe’ explores the emotional struggle of feeling interlinked with something that turns out to be artificial. Discussing the inspiration behind his new record, Cohle says: “Breathe was predominantly informed by experiences I was going through at the time, but also very much influenced by the neo-noir science fiction film, Blade Runner 2049.”
Sounds like: James Blake, Sampha, Jai Paul, Solomon Grey
Dallas-based songwriter, producer, recording artist and former band member of Austin based Nelo, Matthew Scott Ragland finds solace in a new project.
His double single, ‘Here and Now / Now is Here’ was written by Ragland from a purist point of view, where synthesizers, drum machines and string samples take the place of his trusted guitar.
Sounds like: The Stone Roses, Ulrich Schnauss, Jon Hopkins, Joe Goddard
