CHERITON and Lydia Clowes of Bad Honey want to ‘Say Hey’ with bright new single. Communication and reconnection is the song’s key message, as it floats between breezy and playful.
Seraphina Simone shares the rich and velvety ‘Blue Devil’, as part of a double release, also featuring a track called ‘Skin’. It’s another passionate and 80s-dipped alt-pop number from the rising artist.
German-born singer-songwriter and producer MatildaEyre returns with her newest offering, the raw and emotionally vulnerable indie-pop single, ‘Let Me Be’.
Introducing Toronto-based singer, songwriter and producer YASSiN, who invites us to escape with his uplifting new offering ‘Take My Time’. Teaming up with Sean Terrio, the track effortlessly blends folktronica, indie-pop, soul, and classic disco.
Very much a leftfield psychedelic visual and auditorial journey, former Jamie T guitarist Attawalpa shares the timeless hand-painted visuals for ‘Done Hanging On’, by modern visionaries Alex Gamsu Jenkins and Joe Taylor.
Sounds like: Jude Shuma, Alfie Templeman, Muck Spreader, Leonard Cohen
Strongly influenced by 90’s French touch and techno, two French characters from Annecy, namely Low Bird (vocals) and Jimmy Q (guitars, synthesizers, production) – aka Caspian Pool, blast their contagious electronic cold wave in ‘Special Way Reloaded’.
Sounds like: FFO: Nimmo, The Chemical Brothers, Hercules & Love Affair, Goldfrapp, Joe Goddard, Chvrches, Digitalism, Holy Ghost!, Boys Noize, Little Dragon, Cut Copy, Icona Pop
The dreamy ‘Forever Forget’ is taken from Lucia & The Best Boys‘ new EP, ‘The State of Things’, and is a generous nod to the 80’s queens, Pat Benatar and Stevie Nicks.
Toronto R&B artist and songwriter Emanuel shares his new single ‘Black Woman’. Written a year ago, the message hasn’t changed – it’s a healing, celebratory ode to the resilience of Black women.
Sounds like: John Legend, Dylan Sinclair, Son Little, Michael Kiwanuka
Swiss sibling collective Sirens of Lesbos gear up to release their album, with the release of new single, ‘Pala’. It’s turned-on pop for a new psychedelic age.
South-African songwriter-producer Julia Church shares catchy pop gem ‘Don’t Really Care What We Call It’, a song about navigating those awkward feelings in a new relationship.
British singer-songwriter Lissy Taylor shares her alluring single, ‘High’. Echoes of Lana Del Rey ooze from untamed Lissy, amongst the soft guitar riffs, driving rock percussions, and jangling tambourine.
German multi-instrumentalist turned producer, Felix Räuber‘s bold new video aims to turn the preconceptions surrounding autism on its head, as it tells the story of an autistic character, deemed to be an outsider.
Sounds like: Aquilo, Solomon Grey, Son Lux, Nils Frahm, Ulrich Schnauss
One of our favs of 2020, South-African born songwriter-producer Julia Church, unveils her breezy new cut ‘Marionette’. A catchy track with clear intentions that showcase her stunning vocal range and innate ability to create a wonderful pop earworm.
Jimi Somewhere combines unique Christian rock and modern, sheeny emo. Inspired by Christian summer camps and his frustration & feeling of loss growing up as a Christian, the track features the angelic vocals of Kacy Hill.
Lucky Idiot is an exciting new project from Maxwell Byrne (Golden Vessel), Kalem Woo (Rei So La) and Rei Sakakibara (Sweater Curse). Expect an upcoming debut EP, ‘Low Ceiling’, to be released in October via sumoclic.
Liverpool’s Dr Orange – aka Chas Moody – draws on indie alt-rock. His new single, ‘Take’, is luscious, high-frequency rock n roll with authentic nuances of a leftfield nature.
UK-based Georgie shares the expressive ‘Chasing Kites’ taken from her album, out now. Georgie was the first signing to Soul Kitchen Recordings (the label set up by Jake Bugg’s management company: Soul Kitchen), and it’s the only song on the album that she didn’t write or produce during the lockdown. Listen below for that uplifting feel.
Swedish artist and producer Kasbo shares his emotionally-charged new single ‘Play Pretend’. Featuring Ourchives’ soaring vocals, the track marks a new chapter ahead of his second studio album ‘The Making of a Paracosm’ will be out on 23 October via Foreign Family Collective / Counter Records, and features a passionate embrace amongst nature.
American-born French residing Jesse Hite combines music from the West Coast of the US with synth-laden electro inspired by his French antics. His new single ‘I’m Glad You Called Me’ combines poppy hooks with a generous nod to 80s disco.
A new wave of rockstars are taking over, and with Billie Eilish‘s seal of approval, Dominic Fike is making huge waves with his modern take on emo-pop. The track ‘Double Negative (Skeleton Milkshake)’ is one of the more indietronica-friendly tracks taken from his genre-bending new album, ‘What Could Possibly Go Wrong’.
Glass Animals shares the David Wilson (Tame Impala, Christine and the Queens) directed video for new single, ‘It’s All So Incredibly Loud’. Written about three seconds of life, in which during that short heartbreaking moment, devastation creates a deafening silence, followed by a point of no return.
Sounds like: alt-J, Tender, Pale Hands, Foreign Air, Everything Everything, Son Lux
What a way to kick off the gems this week! Welcome back XY&O.
Teasing a debut album (finally!) comes ‘Left Alone’ – another slice of hazy pop with simple and effective melodic structures, and of course, Skip Curtis’ luscious vocal mix.
When you are in flow, you are completely engrossed in the task in hand. Hours can pass without even noticing. This appears to have happened to South London multi-instrumentalist, performer and bedroom producer Jamws whilst working on his debut EP ‘Toronto’.
The five heartfelt tracks describe various stages of heartbreak, starting with a separation, following his partner of ten years moving to Toronto.
Max Alexander is a new alt-pop singer/songwriter from London.
Originally an acoustic artist by heart, he’s decided to go straight in with the electric guitar, to create an all together fist-to-chest sound in ‘Stay Where You Are’.
It’s always worthwhile to take a step back sometimes, and reflect.
NYC-based singer-songwriter/vocalist VictorPerry does exactly that in his lyrically mature new song ‘What I Observe’. As he croons in a poetic form of self-expression, we witness a subtle electro-pop space in which the track really starts to breathe.
Singer/songwriter Amy Milner shares her new single, ‘Wildside’.
Written about catching yourself before you lose control, facing those demons and welcoming the dark side of your mind, it’s energetic commercial alt-pop at its finest.
South African born Julia Church woos us with her baritone vocals and effortless pop energy.
Starting off as a smooth, soulful number, the pace soon picks up with an epic backbone of a drum groove driven by her more soaring, distinctive vocal.
She explains about the track,
“Admittedly, I have never actually been to Japan but have always been intrigued by it. It strikes me as a sort of enigmatic paradise, brimming with natural beauty that I could envision losing myself in. This song is essentially about losing yourself in a new world.”
Sounds like: London Grammar, Emma McGrath, Violet Days, Birdy, GRACEY, Harlequin Gold, Millie Turner, Louise Burns, Tom Odell
Introducing Derbyshire-born Sophie Kilburn and her debut single ‘Indigo Fever’.
It’s a beautiful fiery alt-pop number that showcases Kilburn’s powerful songwriting with an anthemic backdrop – “How can you love your body, when nobody is loving you?”
Listen below.
Sounds like: KT Tunstall, Florence & The Machine, Angie McMahon, Emma McGrath, PJ Harvey, Jade Bird
Touring drummer for MØ and Major Lazer, Copenhagen-based Rasmus Littauer spends the majority of his time on the road. When he does get some rare downtime, he spends it writing and producing tracks for his solo project, School Of X.
His evocative synth single, ‘Write My Name’ is the final single release before his ‘Destiny’ EP, which takes us on a journey of leaving doubts behind and looking forward.
Indie music often alludes to themes of adolescence, but what happens when indie bands grow up? Should their songwriting not follow suit? Stranger Girl are the perfect example of that, they retain all the trademark sonic tropes but their songwriting addresses navigating love in their twenties, hoping to ‘Find The Humour’ post-breakup.
Listen below and check out the warm fuzzy guitars set the perfect backdrop for frontwoman Melissa’s Blondie-inspired pop-rock vocal melodies.
We’re not going to feel bad for digging a band that racks up similarities to The Killers and U2.
The band in question is vibrant Leeds-based The Chevin, and we can’t help but admire their nod to energetic, 90’s rock in the new single, ‘Big Machine’.
Sounds like: The Wombats, The Killers, INXS, Duran Duran, U2
Emma McGrath is back with another knockout pop single called ‘Other Side’.
There is no doubt that Emma’s music has matured over the last year and this is adamantly clear in the bold, guitar-infused anthem, where we see a more vulnerable side of Emma.
Speaking about the track, Emma explains,
“Other Side is the first song I wrote in the US. The song started out with my best mate Alfie and I deciding we needed a quality country song, but it very, very quickly turned into something else! The song is about needing honesty; I can’t fix any of your problems, but I’ll promise to be there and help you through the ups and downs of life. I’m almost asking for permission, not wanting to give my all to something for fear of being let down; I’m searching for reassurance.”
‘Other Side’ is out today via Young Poet Records, and is taken from her upcoming four-track EP, to be released this Autumn.
Live
20 July – L Fest, Bodafon Farm, Llandudno, Wales
24 July – Blue Balls Festival, Switzerland w/ Charlotte Gainsbourg
27 July – The Drawing Room, Chesham, UK
27 July – Standon Calling, UK
2 August – Underneath The Stars, UK
18 – 21 September – Reeperbahn Festival, Germany
Sounds like: Soak, Florence + The Machine, London Grammar, Birdy, FOXES, Ed Sheeran
Dream-pop story teller Harry Nathan has just shared his debut EP, ‘Songs About Dreams About Her’, a piece of work true to himself.
A complete DIY project, the Australian producer/singer/songwriter/DJ ends the five-track EP with ‘Blue Eyed Girl,’ a closing and contemplation on the relationship as well as a little peek into the sound and direction of Harry’s production evolution on his next project.
M w S are a songwriting duo from a small town in Italy, that have made London their home for creating their distinctive, soulful-pop sound.
So the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. And that’s exactly what ‘Too Young to Know’ discusses – a bittersweet nostalgia of love lost.
Sounds like: Marie Dahlstrom, Tom Misch, Oscar Jerome, Honne, Blood Orange
Introducing 22 year old Swedish songwriter Naah, who has dropped an absolute banger with C. Gold, called ‘Wake Up’.
A background in the indie rock and pop world, Naah’s release is refreshingly catchy. Not wanting to be pigeonholed as pop or electro, Naah has born a love child of modern dance-music and old-fashion disco.
Sounds like: Whethan, Daft Punk, Tove Lo, Terror JR, Ninajirachi
Aaron Taos‘ new single is about forbidden fruit, more specifically about him having a crush on his friend’s sister.
The video shows Aaron and his beau in a typical Sunday morning scene, set in a not so typical field of flowers, one that represent the fanasty of letting their love blossom.
