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.
Continuing to provide a constant stream of excellent releases this year, Glassio returns once again with new, upbeat track ‘One of These Days’.
The new single, lifted off his forthcoming debut LP ‘For The Very Last Time’, is a chilled-out, summertime tune, tinged with electro-pop nuances. Synth arpeggios carry you from verse to verse gracefully, keeping the song upbeat despite its more dark subject matter. In his own words, Glassio says this of his new single;
“I wanted to write a song that could help people who have felt bullied or silenced. Something that could serve as a hopeful, dance-y and optimistic song about feeling accepted whilst getting their message across. Like most of us, I’ve had the misfortune of knowing some pretty awful people in my life. This song is about all of them and me wanting to break away and fully accept myself for who I am.”
Keeping true to his modern style – whilst channelling 70’s soft rock influences – Glassio creates a new space for his sound, taking forward strides by looking back on his love of Paul McCartney is a testament to his musical intelligence, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
James Blake releases the atmospheric ‘Are You Even Real?’, in partnership with Apple’s Behind The Mac campaign. Another contender to the evergrowing back catalogue of comforting masterpieces from the British producer and multi-instrumentalist.
We all know a Daniel, or perhaps we even are one – the one that gets “lost in the sauce, stoned, lost in some existential fear or lost his way in some VR game”, yet has so much to prove. Declan McKenna gives us a delicious taste of his forthcoming album, ‘Zeros’.
Sounds like: HUNNY, Sea Girls, Peach Pit, The Night Café, Chaz Cardigan, The Beatles, Circa Waves, The Magic Gang, Vistas, Love Fame Tragedy
Refreshing alt-pop artist Connie Constance bares all and dives into “an ocean of narcotics” in new single ‘James’, summing up how we all want to feel and act right now – to get a bit squiffy and then crawl back to bed.
Sounding particularly Glass Animals, and more instrumentally upbeat than previous releases, duo Tom Higham and Ben Fletcher – aka Aquilo – return after a two-year hiatus with the ‘Sober’ EP, featuring ‘Moving On’.
Singer and producer MAX RAD takes a positive stance with new single ‘It’ll All Be Fine’. Comparing the track to an out-of-body experience, he advises to look at the bigger picture, and stop internalising. Wise words.
Sounds like: Tash Sultana, Foals, Chet Faker, Honne, Ben Khan
WEIRDO by Louis Fernandez // http://louisfernandezphotography.com
WEIRDO calls out all the materialistic imitators out there, in new single ‘Fakin”, released via YOUTH LTD/Believe UK.
Taking a satirical, but pretty honest stance on materialistic possessions and attitudes, the dark pop song is a deep cutting track.
WEIRDO explains,
“Fakin’ is a song I wrote about the world we live in, the people that surround us and the complexities of the modern age. I spent way too much time with and around materialistic people who were in denial of it and once I spent some time alone in thinking mode, I realised that honesty seems a thing of the past for many people nowadays…”
What started out as an anonymous project, soon landed a fair few streams, later to disappear just as quickly as it had arrived.
After hitting a creative block and focusing on ‘the normal life & paying too many bills including “broken mind & heart tax”‘, the non-conformist once again returns with enigmatic and intriguingly dark single ‘EUROTRASH’.
Written as a somewhat satirical political reference, could now equally be as appropriate in today’s current situation.
Cactus? is an innovative three-piece band from the industrial plains of Northern Italy.
Combining influences from the dance-punk phenomenon of mid-00s with the current Lo-fi Bedroom movement, adding to the mix 80s synths and samples – their new single ‘Shitdisco’, out now via Costello’s Records, is full of frenetic and unpredictable energy of crazy synths and poppy vocals.
Sounds like: Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Bloc Party
Indie-pop savant Stevie wolf is paving the way with his refreshing approach to unconstrained honesty.
Diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and major anxiety disorder, as well as meeting a lot of set backs when it comes to making music, hasn’t stopped him exploring the constaints of both personal and societal expectations.
On’Yu is the creation of Australian multi-instrumentalist and producer, Rob Eggleston.
His new single ‘Done Without’ is a sweet slowburner with crisp 80’s influenced electric piano mixed with a soulful-synth bass and blushes of neo-emo in there.
Sounds like: Patternist, LOYALS, 90’s Kids, La Bouquet, MILKK
Alexander 23 is calling it as it is, in the new song, ‘Loving You Gets Hard’.
Further showcasing his lyrical genius, the multi-million streaming Chicago-born singer/songwriter wishes to maintain normalcy as possible, and share his views on a compassionate relationship.
The single is full of breezy vocals with a full-fledged pop essence, written about navigating the complications of losing someone, something close to Linney’s heart.
The Surf Rock Is Dead (SRiD) boys are back with the sweeping ‘Immaculate’, lifted off their debut LP ‘Existential Playboy’ out on 1 May.
Whilst appearing genteel, this is anything but. A juxtaposition that addresses the bleakness of societal affairs and corrosion of daily life amidst the capricious decisions made by those in power.
Sounds like: Day Wave, Hazel English, Swimming Tapes, The Cure, Beauty Sleep
We covered Glassio a while back, and his melancholic and bittersweet take on electronica, disco and pop, what he describes as “melancholy-disco.”
The new single by the NY-based Irish-Iranian songwriter-producer is called ‘Nobody Stayed For The DJ.’ Inspired by early-80s UK-electro, the track is buoyed by trembling rhythms and emotional rumbles through its burbling synths. The expansive track still finds its place in a peaceful echo chamber as Glassio’s crooning guides us through a journey where tragedy and self-depreciation meet unexpectedly.
In his own words, Glassio says,
“I wanted to write a song about a DJ that has a micro-existential crisis during a set where they’re performing to absolutely nobody. I’ve definitely been there many times where I’ve DJ’ed or played live to an empty room and thought ‘what am I doing with my life?’ and know a lot of friends that can relate to that thought.”
Sounds like: Hot Chip, Metronomy, Foals, Jagwar Ma, Rüfüs, Flume, Odesza, Bob Moses, Glass Animals, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
Younger Hunger is making waves with new single ‘Second Best’.
Inspired by 90’s indie-rock guitars, chart-topping pop hooks, and emo lyricism, their sound is quite difficult to pin down, especially when they refuse to make the same song twice.
Musically sitting somewhere between APRE and Sea Girls, the Orange Country-based upstarts present us with a perfect contradiction.
Blog-house promoter Urchin (aka London-based producer Leo Appleyard) shares his new single, ‘Without No Fear’, out now on BonFire Records.
‘Without No Fear’ is the third track from the jazz-turned-indietronica musician’s sophomore EP, due out in January 2020, and features luxurious R&B vocals from Black Rose.
Sounds like: Kudu Blue, Kllo, Two Door Cinema Club, Von Sell, Ratatat
Jazz and neo-soul musician Birthh (real name Alice Bisi) was raised in Florence on a diet of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan.
The new video for her single ‘Yello / Concrete’ was filmed between the Tuscan countryside and Milan and, as the visuals suggest, merge two unconventional sounds
Swedish duo I AM KARATE (aka producer and songwriters, Marta Pettersson and Erika Ahlström) shares new single, ‘Hey Love’.
Speaking about insecurity, the girls explain,
“The song is about insecurity and not feeling sure you’re being honest with your love. Like he’s got a secret world when he’s dreaming that you’re not a part of, and you wonder if it’s more than just dreams.”
Sounds like: Ralph, Say Lou Lou, MIYNT, Doe Paoro, Sirena, Susanne Sundfør, Shura, Kyla La Grange
German born, Los Angeles-based artist NoMBe shares his vibrant new single, ‘Paint California’, the first single from his sophomore breakup album, ‘Chromotopia’.
The leftfield leaning pop single perfectly encapsulates NoMBe’s butter-smooth vocals over the intricately created arrangement.
Sounds like: Du Tonc, Friendly Fires, Jungle, Vampire Weekend, Local Natives
Nottingham-born singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Ronika is back and sounding distinctively disco-noir.
Continuing Ronika’s inclination for all things funk and dream pop, the track features spoken-word contribution from Lee-Ann Curren (a French female pro-surfer and fellow musician) whilst also forming part of Ronika’s latest longer-form project.
Sounds like: ABBA, Chaka Khan, Aeroplane, Breakbot, Ballet School, Ladyhawke, Color War, The Human League, Little Boots, Bananarama, Annie
George Eve‘s music is quite frankly a melting pot of different sounds and rhythms.
From bold, expansive and inventive melodies to candid lyrics touching on love, heartbreak and isolation, it’s clear Eve will be forming his own path in the industry.
He has teamed up with Sam Duckworth as co-producer for the brooding single, ‘One track Mind’.
Canadian singer/songwriter Constance shares her effervescent sophomore single, ‘Work Hard’.
With smooth electronic production and lush vocals, her music continues to shed light through her raw and emotional lyricism exploring heartbreak, love, and loss.
20 year old Berlin-based artist Nina Chuba shares her most vulnerable release to date.
Written about treating herself better and muting those negative voices in her head, ‘Lips Shut’ is another urban leaning pop hymn from the unique artist.
Bristol-born pop three-piece KOKO have a natural wall of energy which they call the “KOKO traingle”.
They’ve just dropped the acoustic version of their debut single, ‘Freak’. Stripping back the electro-tinged original of their debut singl, it’s all about embracing individuality – “It’s a FU to the man!”
Has Gigi Rowe travelled from the 80’s just to release ‘Promises’? We think so.
The bright and eclectic artist brings the retro/futuristic sounds of that decade to life in the new single, as she boldly showcases her hot pink characteristics.
Reinvented Sydney-based, folk singer Nathan Hughes is KESMAR.
Working towards a more disco-orientated sound, with romantic bass lines and swirling synths, his new single ‘Feel It Again’ explores the darker side of romance, inspired by KESMAR’s recent breakup at the time.
Sonic production leads the way for Francis Novotny‘s new single ‘The Wire’.
It’s a brooding, electro-soul song by the Swedish multi-instrumentalist that is extremely reminiscent of JackGarratt or Asgeir, and captures that addictive quality of a nonetheless-toxic relationship, and the feeling (says Francis) “when a person leaves you hanging on without answers – and you know you should get out of it – but you keep winding back towards them.”
It’s not often we see decent indie rock coming out of the US, and we wouldn’t blame you for thinking this foursome going by the name of The Rare Occasions is British.
Their new single ‘Mercy Mercy’ is pure garage rock – rough around the edges, but fully refreshing to see due to the saturated market of pristine pop tunes.
Young Brighton duo Suzi Island debuts ‘Show Me The Way’, a breezy and catchy indie pop number.
These two have already managed to get some decent names onboard, including Pete from The Vaccines, who produced the song. They are definitely on our watch list for 2018.
NYC-based duo Glassio share ‘Back For More’, a song for anytime of the day!
Built on an orchestral-electronic backbone that nods to the likes of MassiveAttack and Air, the pining, heartsick anthem is a penned love letter to a paramour after a strained relationship has come to a close.
Sounds like: Hot Chip, Metronomy, Foals, Jagwar Ma, Rüfüs, Flume, Odesza, Bob Moses, Glass Animals, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
