Australian artist Akurei has just released his most exciting EP of the year, ‘CLOVER’.
Lucky for Akurei, venues have now opened up in Australia, which has promoted him to recollect about those nights out where you drink to feel comfortable.
So with all that social anxiety in mind, whack on his dreamy and nostalgic playlist and drift off into a state of bliss.
Hovvdy – Runner
Most of the people I’ve spent time with over the last few months could attest to the fact that I’ve been humming this daily. I’ve made it a goal to write a song that makes people feel the way this one makes me feel – light, hopeful and nostalgic.
Hether – Twinkle
Obsessed with this song, and everything Hether has done really. It all sounds like falling in love.
The Nicholas, Odessa – Rockshow
I’m lucky to be friends with The Nicholas, I’m so inspired by his song writing and production. This songs been on repeat since its release, the melodies are so so catchy.
Buddy Ross, Gabriel Delicious – Bored Again!
This one just feels so good, it’s hard to have a bad time while it’s on.
Porches – I Miss That
I’m a new Porches fan. The drum loop pulled me in and I stayed for the lyrics and the melodies, so infectious. Also the synth parts are really interesting.
Huron John – Why Do People Grow (Long for the Day When I Had That Flip Phone)
This one hits the sweet spot between fun and self deprecating.
Billy Lemos, Tati – Midlife Crisis
I’m new to Billy Lemos. This song is wild, along with the album he dropped this year.
A. G. Cook – Being Harsh
I could just listen to the first 30 seconds of this song all day, that alone is so captivating. It’s just a really beautiful and simple song.
Dijon – alley-oop
Pretty much every time Dijon drops a song I think “Damn I wish I wrote this” and this song is no exception. He has the most expressive voice and melodies, and the lyrics to this song are so nice.
Golden Daze – Blue Bell
This song will probably be in my Spotify ‘Top Songs of 20__” for the rest of my life.
The ‘CLOVER’ EP is out now on sumoclic records.
Sounds like: LA Bouquet, LANY, The 1975, Golden Vessel, Joji, No Rome, Kevin Abstract, Emerson Leif
Our fav Australian artist Golden Vessel has just released his wonderful 11-track “road-trip” album, ‘colt’.
Led by a bass guitar, it’s a collection of genres and collabs spanning from indie, alternative, electro and pop, influenced by some songs shared in his playlist below:
Alex G – Gretel
This song blew my mind when it came out. I love the video too, it’s so sweet. It’s this really clever mix of light and dark, electronic and acoustic.
Big Thief – Black diamonds
I started listening to big thief just as I started making my album and they instantly became my favourite band. I got to see them play in Cambridge, UK and I had the worst hay fever but it was the best night.
Blood Orange – Smoke (Remix)
I love the mix of hip hop / guitar / sound design on this song. And the vocals are so dry and bolt it’s great.
Porches – Country
It’s such a sparse simple song but it also feels so powerful and that really intrigued me.
Mount Kimbie – Marilyn
A beautiful song, I love how it flows and evolves. Mount Kimbie’s recent use of bass guitar was influential on me, even just to see the way they incorporate it into an electronic composition.
The Nicholas – Addict
I found this song on a Spotify playlist and hit him up to see whether he would want to do a songwriting session. He quickly became one of my closest friends and really influenced the direction of colt (contributing to 6/11 of the songs).
Frank Ocean – Close To You
Blonde was so influential on me when I was making my first record but I found I kept coming back to listen through his entire catalogue whilst making colt.
Ross From Friends – Pale Blue Dot
This was actually my most listened to song of 2018. On colt I finally found ways to implement my love of house music into what I do (on midwest & blinker) and I love the sound design that Ross From Friends brings.
Toro Y Moi – New House
On tour in America we played this album on repeat and so it really feels like long drives and that period of time.
Adrianne Lenker – 10 miles
This is the lead singer from Big Thief (who I’ve already included) but Adrianne’s songwriting really shaped me and so I love her solo music also which is just to focus on the songs.
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.
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.
Golden Vessel is sending a taste of his upcoming album, ‘colt’, which is set for release on 15 October. His new single ‘littlebitwild’ features the wonderful mallrat.
This song took some time and care, which is also what the subject matter is about. Golden Vessel started the track’s chorus during a writing session in Brisbane with mallrat. Fast forward nine months in Los Angeles and Golden Vessel is creating with The Nicholas…
“Nine months later in Los Angeles I created a separate demo with my friend The Nicholas. We built this idea around these guitar loops that he was feeding me from a sampler and I wrote some verses I really liked but I just couldn’t nail the chorus. I spent a week going on walks, recording voice memos and writing lyrics but it just didn’t come together, but then, often as I do, I put those two ideas together and I found they merged really well. It took me another 6 months to get the structure flowing but it seemed as if they were stemmed from the same train of thought!”
Music genius Maxwell Byrne – aka Golden Vessel – is releasing the video for new single, ‘midwest’.
Once again crafting a unique sound with a simple and endearing visual treat – this time co-filmed & directed by Maxwell Byrne and Matthew Howard – ‘midwest’ is about getting on the road.
Showcasing Emerson Leif‘s Hofner bass guitar, the track blends elements of electronic music with hip-hop, R&B and alternative modern pop.
It is the first taste of his upcoming second album ‘colt’, and is being released via the recently launched label, sumoclic, which he co-owns with his good friend Akurei.
Sounds like: Alex Vargas, TENDER, Kanyon, Four Tet, Toro Y Moi, Brockhampton, Akurei
After teaming up with his good friends Golden Vessel and Emerson Leif, Australian artist Akurei releases three stunning tracks that form his ‘SEROTONIN’ EP.
The title track covers the morning after a big night (remember those?!), when you don’t want to get out of bed.
“I started thinking writing for this project almost immediately after I put out my last ep ‘September’, but it really came together in February. I took Maxwell (Golden Vessel) and Caleb (Emerson Leif) out to regional Queensland for three days to write music and be creative without any distractions. It was hugely refreshing and productive, we left with the bones of 6 songs.”
‘SEROTONIN’ is also the debut release for the recently launched independent label sumoclic, which is co-owned/operated by Akurei and Golden Vessel.
Rising Australian artist LOVER has just released his genre-bending EP, ‘It’s A Wild World’.
A body of work he’s been working on since late 2019, it reflects the time in LOVER’s life, as well as in the world around us.
To coincide with the release, LOVER has kindly put together a “Headrush” themed playlist for us. Listen below.
“Headrush” – Like a rush of blood
Dijon – CRYBABY :*(
Damn. I really wish I wrote this song. The video is beautiful too – one of my favourite songs of ALL TIME.
Jean Dawson – BRUISEBOY
My parents had me when they were young, so I remember my Dad mainly listening to early 90’s music – The Smashing Pumpkins, Third Eye Blind etc. This has the perfect combo of the influence of this generation of music w a modern twist.
Porches – PFB
I love short songs. Looking around, it is all “Pretty Fucking Bad” too. Thank you Porches and thank you Golden Vessel for showing me this song.
daste. – Telephone (What’s Your Name?)
These guys are my mates from Australia, who I met from being a fan of their music and now we’re indie label mates! They have a lot of versatility and all three of them are great songwriters. I’m a big fan of this track from their latest EP ‘Same As It Ever Was’.
Ryan Beatty – Evergreen
Dreaming Of David, the second album by RyanBeatty at the start of this year is the most slept on record. I cannot believe that after his HIT ‘Sugar’ with Brockhampton it doesn’t have as many streams as his older work. The songwriting is strong, his voice is something else and the production on this album, and particularly Evergreen, is fresh and inventive. Ryan, if you’re out there, I’m sorry they’re sleeping on this !!!
Phoebe Bridgers – Garden Song Phoebe Bridgers is a phenomenon. Her lyricism across her catalogue is inspiring. Love the production on this track particular track, definitely was a big influence for the ending of my own track ‘Last Puzzle Piece’. I’ve read that down-tuned sounding voice in the chorus is actually her tour managers real voice haha.
Jon Brion – Phone Call – Score
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind is one of my favourite movies. The soundtrack is immaculate too, and once I learned more about JonBrion I realised he scored multiple of my favourite 90’s / early 00’s movies as well as the latest MacMiller records (RIP). This track is a short lofi dream, about 20 years ahead of its time!
Oneohtrix Point Never, (Sandy) Alex G – Babylon
This song is what happens when you get a versatile producer in the room with a legendary songwriter. It transcends your usual soft acoustic track with the electronic elements, strings and the vocal layering. I really want to see (Sandy) Alex G live with a band someday and cry quietly in the back corner.
Kllo – Insomnia
Really tight, lush production paired with the singer Chloe’s glass vocals. I love them and they’re from Melbourne – basically my backyard! (if my backyard was a 10 and a half-hour drive away).
18YOMAN – Fireflies
Another Aussie. When I first heard this song on Triple J Unearthed I was like, fuck, ok, do I still release my EP? lol. It’s sooo good and the songwriting / production (which I believe he did himself) raised the bar for all Australian acts releasing in 2020 .. in my opinion!
Dijon – Rock n Roll
Had to put two Dijon songs in, I’m sorry! He’s too good. This is from his new project, the breakdown at the end takes me somewhere else.
Roland Faunte – Happy Life
One of the only songs I legit cry to. Roland Faunte’s story over the whole ‘Sewing Kit’ project is cohesive, honest, raw, poetic. It has a classic sound that I think is above ageing All the lyrics are perfect but I lose it at:
“Give me heartache if that means a reason That I would continue; Please, I need them Because you mattered, when nothing mattered If I need something let me have her”
Radiohead – True Love Waits
I tried to keep this playlist as new as I could, but I couldn’t resist putting a Radiohead song in there. They’re probably my favourite band and different eras of their music has been in consistent rotation since day dot. This track was actually written in the mid-90’s, and from the live versions from that time that I’ve watched it was originally kind of uptempo and pop leaning like “High and Dry”. It didn’t get released until 2016, in a very different form. Imagine sitting and reworking a song for TWENTY years lmao. It’s that good.
‘It’s A Wild World’ is available everywhere now via Mammal Sounds Records.
Sounds like: Golden Vessel, daste., Emerson Leif, Akurei, JVLY, CLN, George Gretton, Luna Pines
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
Alt-folk singer, Esmé Patterson returns with her expansive and dream-filled ballad, ‘Light In Your Window’.
We’ve all been there, glancing up to a light in our ex’s house, longing and hoping that we might catch a glimpse of them. Patterson perfectly captures that moment – the desire for a person, a feeling, a space in time that no longer exists, and the desire to move on.
The song marks her first for BMG and was recorded with fellow Coloradans Tennis in their garage in Denver.
Sounds like: First Aid Kit, Paper Bird, Courtney Barnett, HAIM
LIA shares ‘Feed Me’, taken from her ‘Vasilia’ EP, which was co-produced with Montreal’s Lust and Thomas White.
Inspired by Baba Yaga from a computer game, the tracks in the EP depict Lia’s journey of finding resilience in the mind, resilience as a woman and resilience in her relationships.
There an great deal of exciting pop sounds coming from Germany at the moment. One such contender is Berlin based experimental pop artist Novaa.
Her intriguing visuals for ‘AI Am In Love’ explore the theme of love, specifically falling in love with artificial intelligence, and continues through to her unique and exciting upcoming album, ‘The Futurist’.
This is the first time we have supported Romanian music on the site, and it’s a corker from Zimbru.
A disco-punk band comprised of Teodora Retegan, Paul Bucovesan, Andrei Bobiș and Oana Pop, this band will make you want to dance and drench yourself in romanticism and nostalgia.
Sounds like: The Eurythmics, Goldfrapp, London Grammar
