Brand new Los Angeles-based duo SourFace woo us with their new single, ‘Paradise Ain’t So Cheap’.
Packed with intricate twists and turns and the nonconformist attitude of GlassAnimals, Sour Face continues to challenge addiction in a song packed full of very real demons.
We are excited to share PREP‘s single, ‘Pictures of You’.
A nonchalant nu-disco vibe laced with summery alt-funk and pop, this is something the foursome shine at. They comprise of Grammy-nominated producer Dan Radclyffe (AlunaGeorge, Foxes & Chronixx), French drummer Guillaume Jambel (George Fitzgerald, Odyssey & Kasabian), Welsh keys player Llywelyn Ap Myrddin and London vocalist & frontman Tom Havelock (Snakehips, Celeste, Anna Of The North).
Sounds like: Supertramp, Kaytranada, Mac DeMarco, Thundercat, Chronixx
Soulstress Caswell returns with ‘Distraction’, and it’s just that amidst these tough times.
Her signature sound is rich in vocal intelligence with attractive soul-pop melodies. This time, Caswell shows a more brazen side, as she questions why the rebound is such a taboo topic to talk about.
Sounds like: Låpsley, Skott, Lorde, Charlotte Cardin, Jorja Smith, JONES, Ray BLK, Sigrid, Maggie Rogers
Quirky and off-kilter is JYLDA‘s musical middle name.
Glitchy jazz chords mixed and soulful vocals represent her mysterious and experimental new single, ‘Jeopardy’ – a homage to risk and produced in collaboration with classical composer Marino Arcaro.
Rising Irish folk singer/songwriter AlanFinan shares his new single, ‘The Drive’.
Inspired by a visit to a town in rural Ireland deeply affected by a car accident that had changed the lives of families throughout the town, it’s a track that examines a theme of movement and travel in a simple and evolving manner.
Sounds like: Ben Howard, Talos, James Vincent McMorrow, RY X
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
We’ve been desperately searching for some sweet, nostalgic heartbreak songs to play on the radio during our late night drives and we’ve just found one – ‘Awake’ by STRUAN.
Surprisingly written with this in mind, STRUAN explains he created ‘Awake’ because he was out in Los Angeles and couldn’t sleep thinking about his ex.
Sounds like: LANY, Great Good Fine Ok, Joan, The 1975
Rising Belfast dream-pop trio Beauty Sleep creates magical, synth-driven music. The three met at a friend’s party and bonded over a mutual love of G&Ts and music.
They are gearing to release their debut LP, ‘Be Kind’ is set for release on 17th May on Quiet Arch records. Listen to ‘The Dark’ below.
Following a stint of live shows last year, including Latitude Festival, Caswell releases ‘Surface’, a song of self-discovery and re-empowerment to reach a potential she didn’t realise she had the whole time.
It’s a crisp and clear rendition with definite musical intentions, and sets the tone for her second EP, to be released in April.
Sounds like: Låpsley, Skott, Lorde, Charlotte Cardin, Jorja Smith, JONES, Ray BLK, Sigrid, Maggie Rogers
Meet O Future (fka OOFJ), an electronic duo mixing electronics with symphony orchestra and voice consisting of Jens Bjornkjaer originally from Denmark and Katherine Mills Rymer from South Africa, now located in Los Angeles.
O Future’s new single ‘VOYEUR’ gains pleasure in watching other people’s vanity from afar in what the duo calls a “global turn on”, and with a gorgeously, exciting looping bass line throughout, what’s not to enjoy?
Current favs, Sea Girls, share their latest single, ‘Open Your Head’ – it’s about unconditional love and is another brilliant addition to their stellar back catalogue
Can’t wait for their album? In the mean time you can catch them at one of their live dates in the UK this February and March…
Sounds like: The Kooks, The Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club, Swimming Tapes, Slow Riot, Two Door Cinema Club
After landing support from the Arts Council England’s International Development fund, Leaone found himself working from Transmitter Park Studios in Brooklyn New York, alongside multi-instrumentalist and producer Tom Marsh (of Lana Del Rey’s band) and Abe Seiferth (Yeasayer, Bears In Heaven, James Murphy), on a body of new material.
The result is ‘Prairie Fires’, a deeply devastatingly emotive song that Leaone wrote at a time when he had to leave behind a blossoming romance.
Last but definitely not least is Girl Crush, the music and fashion project of Swedish/British duo, Ottilia Kjulsten and David Sugar.
These two have a special interest in lost youth, lust-stricken heartbreak and a future that never arrived, which they define as “promcore”. Their new single ‘Baby Steps’ is out now via Brilliance Records.
p.s. Want to be as cool as these guys? Then buy one of their limited edition pieces of merchandise which they offer with every track release.
Sounds like: Niki & The Dove, LOVE SICK, So Below, Ralph, Anna of the North, Call Me Loop, SUMif
Brixton-based Sam Frankl is making waves with his groovy new number ‘Patina’.
Also a thin layer that forms on various metals due to oxidisation, ‘Patina’ is a song about a girl inconspicuously enquiring about her ex-boyfriend’s new relationship, scraping away at the surface to discover the boy’s true emotional state.
Wow, does this 21 year old have natural soul or what!
Brett Castro fuses folk music and timeless R&B to tell stories about growing up in a small town. His new single ‘Much About Sadness’ is written to a girl in his hometown who was diagnosed with depression, letting her know she is never alone.
Sounds like: Fleet Foxes, Tame Impala, Bon Iver, Prince
Time to listen to the soothing vocals of LANNDS on their new single ‘Legends’.
Proving to be legends themselves, Memphis-born artist Rania Woodard and producer/songwriter Brian Squillace have racked up over 2 million streams to date under the project.
“We’re all legends in this town, we don’t sleep through the night,” Woodard slurs over a serene, buoyant synth bed, before teasing, “oh we’ll burn this city down, make room for the fire.”
Sounds like: Björk, Vök, Låpsley, The Japanese House, Daughter, TENDER
Bedroom pop producer Pizzagirl (aka Liam Brown from Liverpool) shares his floozy track ‘Coffee Shop’, ahead of the release of his debut EP, titled ‘An Extended Play’, set for release on 13 April.
Ironically, Liam doesn’t have any affiliations with pizza, but this pizzaboy likes it that way – quirky, introspective electronica with a DIY atttitude.
Oh and his best mate shoots his videos and his mum takes his press shots.
A lot of exciting things happen ‘Afterhours’ and that includes the creation of quirky musical project, CAPYAC, featuring P. Sugz and Potion.
Their new single is a story of unrequited love bouncing around an array of pulsating electronics and percussion rhythms, and features the soulful vocals of MOONZz.
Sounds like: Kudu Blue, Jorja Smith, Flume, Hotel Garuda
Singer Georgi Kay is warning us about guilty pleasures in her new single.
Quintessentially indietronica-based, ‘Guilty Pleasures’ is a song about falling in love with someone who, despite the deep emotional connection being mutual, is romantically tied down by another.
The story goes something like “when we’re good, we’re good. And when we’re low, we’re low”. Sound familiar?
Satin Jackets is tapping into our relationship insecurities with a strangely upbeat melody in ‘Mirage’. I guess that’s kind of the definition of a mirage!
It’s out now via Eskimo Recordings.
Sounds like: Goldroom, RAC, Le Youth, Pink Feathers
We have been huge fans of Brooklyn-based artist Von Sell for a long time, and we are extremely happy he is back well and singing again after a six month break due to vocal chord issues.
Von Sell takes more of a funky attitude in the production techniques of ‘Hell No’ but we dig it – we’re gonna call it his come-back track!
Sounds like: Summer Heart, Hazel English, Teen Daze
Singer/songwriter/producer Jayce Cantor shares his radio-ready single ‘Done For Now’.
The song has elements of catchy R&B blended with modern indietronica-influenced production that works brilliantly with Jayce’s soulful vocals as he sings about love and heartbreak.
UK jazz singer Jazz Morley enters the realms of electro-soul in ‘Safe Place’.
The song considers the idea of Jazz moving back to her seaside hometown of Bournemouth, to escape the stresses of city life;
‘This is a love song written about where I live and who I have in my life. It marks a shift in my own mental health, happiness and creativity. Being a full-time musician, life can be exciting, spontaneous and hugely rewarding but also chaotic, unpredictable and at times, unstable. For the first time in my life, I am happy with who I am, and where I reside – next to the sea, along the beautiful Dorset coastline.’
The new single switches it up between chilled jazz and charismatic pop sounds, with an all important message from ZAE,
“‘Faking Love’ is about coming to terms with who you are and learning to embrace your true self. I wanted the song to highlight the importance of breaking through traditional, right wing ‘society norms’ in order to get to a place where you feel comfortable in your own skin. To be able to love fully and openly without fear.”
Sounds like: VÉRITÉ, Banks, SZA, July Child, Låpsley, Liv Dawson, Caswell, Jorja Smith
Music is a way to tackle unresolved issues and reach out to the ones you love, both for a writer and listener.
Caswell is doing just that with a very open letter to her ‘Brother’.
As you would expect, it’s powerful and engaging, as Caswell’s unmistakable, ethereal vocals form a distinct jazz melody over a Whirlitzer piano and Mellotron, and the sudden waves of heavy synths and brass, push and pull the listener through the journey with her.
Cleverly the production at the start and end of the track also emulates that of a typewriter.
Disclosure: I am Caswell’s publicist at the time of writing.
Sounds like: Låpsley, Skott, Lorde, Charlotte Cardin, Jorja Smith, JONES, Ray BLK, Sigrid, Maggie Rogers
Swedish born and based producer SQRD shares ‘Together’.
The track contains hypnotising loops of lo-fi electronic textures and minimalistic vocals.
SQRD says of the track, “I’d just moved back to Stockholm from Berlin, the winter nights were dark, cold, lonely, I was missing everyone I’d left behind in Germany and frantically listening to FKA Twigs and Låpsley on repeat. One night I’d just started writing ‘Together’ which turned out to be a song about my fear of losing someone very dear to me.”
It’s out now via Sommarhjärta.
Sounds like: Foals, James Blake, Honne, SBTRKT, RÜFÜS, Joe Goddard, The xx
Introducing Ells, the musical project of Swedish singer/songwriter Isabell Westerlund.
Powerful lyrics of urgency are surrounded by circles of slow driven synths, as Ells begs someone to close those half opened doors that should have been closed long ago.
Sounds like: Broods, Alpines, Kate Bush, Banks, Highasakite, Låpsley
