Alt-pop trio Saint Nomad are back with an anthemic song about empathy and open communication titled Stay.
Co-produced by them together with Daniel James (Hayley Williams), Stay is a pop song with a benevolent mission, calling for unity during a time of conflict. Empowering sing along chorus, colorful synths and thumping beats, smartly combined together by a rising band you should keep on your radar.
“‘Stay’ was written as our anthem in response to the division we’re seeing in our culture and in our country,” the band explains. “Seems like people are increasingly being pitted against each other, and we just want to foster love, understanding, and mutual respect. There’s nothing more powerful than truly loving people where they are at. We want people to be honest, express themselves, and still know that we can be family and friends. And we’re going to stay that way.“.
Timsters is the project of French-born, former truck driver Julien.
A surprising work history perhaps, but his love of music is what got him to where he is today. The singer-songwriter-producer develops his own Lynchesque touch mixed with classy pop songwriting in a retro meets futuristic way.
School of X (aka Rasmus Littauer) shares the visuals for new single, ‘Forgot Me on the Moon’.
What starts off as a sombre beginning, soon turns into an uplifting slice of pop.
Ten years ago, a much younger Littauer first wrote the chorus to an unfinished song out of anger, unable to take the initiative of moving on from a fading love. However, the song now shows a newfound sense of resolve in the face of heartbreak and confusion.
His debut album ‘Armlock’ is out next week.
Sounds like: Augustine, MØ, Máni Orrason, Soleima, Goss, Mura Masa, Clairo, Röyksopp, Lo Moon, Mew, Thomas Azier
Following the success of their debut album release – sibling trio Saint Nomad has returned with ‘Nothing to Lose’.
The US-based ‘Band of Brothers’ describes their music as “a celebration of living life in light of the fact that nothing lasts forever” and that’s exactly the vibe that comes out of this latest record.
Lyrically, the record discusses the idea of setting a plan in motion and finding a purpose to one’s existence, whilst sonically, the track builds beautifully, beginning with subtle soft layers of vocals and a gorgeous guitar tone, slowly bringing in other instruments in the intro faux chorus.
As we continue on the 2:44 journey with ‘Nothing to Lose,’ we are treated to new elements with each section, adding complex layers of guitar, new backing vocals all culminating with a Mew like girthy rock guitar filling out the final anthemic chorus.
Having been on the road for the majority of their musical lives, you can expect to see a great show from Saint Nomad when the global pandemic comes to its end.
Sounds like: Mew, Nick Mulvey, Handsome Ghost, flor, Lo Moon, Low Island
British pop singer Beth Duck shares her cyber-inspired electro-pop single, ‘Nomophobia’, inspired by a realisation of our generation’s phone obsession.
With a clear European influence – the track is produced and co-written by One by One, a songwriter and producer duo from Berlin.
“Love isn’t perfect, and neither is life, and that’s the real fairy tale” says Los Angeles-based songwriter Banah Winn, aka Opus Vitae. Ain’t that the truth.
His new single ‘Carry The Weight’ is driven by the fired up angst about the current political climate of the world.
Sounds like: Empire Of The Sun, Sufjan Stevens, Porches
Inspired by missing home, Australian-born, pizza-loving, Los Angeles-based Future Jr. shares ‘Back To You’.
Conjuring all the nu-disco, dream-pop vibes one could ever wish for, the song was written by Future Jr. and a friend after attending a cliche house party in the Hollywood Hills.
Following the extremely well-received release with Lord Silva, School of X releases ‘Bad Love’.
Inspired by Eks-skolen – an anti-establishment art collective that was based in Copenhagen in the 1960s – the emo-tinged song by School of X’s Rasmus Littauer (MØ, Liss, Clairo) is about the loss of trust or faith.
Born from a remote connection via Instagram and a mutual love of big cats, London-based Welsh/Finnish electro-pop duo Rochelle and Vee are Tigerpunsh.
Brand new onto the scene, their single ‘Shade’ holds a bursting energy throughout, with delicate Eastern synths and experimental pop elements. A great start to what could be a very exciting future for the girls!
Sounds like: Broods, EXES, MS MR, Vera Blue, RAINDEAR, Nova Club, Georgia
Alt-pop whizzkid Alex O’aiza shares the Instagram video for ‘Out Of My Mind’, produced by Austin Bello from Dallas pop-punks Forever The Sickest Kids.
Combining snappy pop melodies with gritty rock riffs and layered samples, the visuals show a fun side to O’aiza, whilst still conveying a timely message of pushing through adversity and hard times.
Having entered the music scene from the early age of 17, this rising star has already received national recognition within the UK.
In his signature soul-infused, pop sound, HUDSUN’s latest offering ‘Shutdown’ speaks of the frustration in attempting to break someone out of an emotional prison they have created for themselves wrapped up.
Danish dream pop duo Slowes have released their new single, ‘Tell Me Why’, a song about discovering a lying lover.
Much like their previous material, ‘Tell Me Why’ reflects in a melancholic hopeful kind of way, and is led by a strong hook, perfectly amalgamating alternative pop sounds with chillwave.
Sounds like: Fleetwood Mac, Future Islands, Sundara Karma, Tame Impala, Day Wave, Jo Marches, Liss, Mew
Indietronica continues to discover underground talent, giving a platform for artists like B O K E H to share their music.
B O K E H is the musical project of New Zealand-based Chloë Lewer, who returns with the poignant video for ‘Great Heights’.
Set in the 1980/90s, the slow-drive number is distinctly calmer than her second release ‘Don’t Leave The Fire‘, but a song that highlights Chloë’s polished vocals and knack for purposeful songwriting – something that Chloë should never be too shy to showcase.
Londoner Martin Luke Brown has seemingly come out of nowhere with a banger of a indie pop track called ‘Opalite’ and he means business!
Speaking of the song, MLB says,
“Opalite as a song began with this hypnotic little drum loop and the words just came out. I write placeholder lyrics all the time and then chip away at them until they’re complete but I pretty much stuck with what rolled on Opalite. It just felt right. It’s about finding hope in something and not wanting to let itgo. Whether you find that hope in superstition or religion or love. Whatever really.”
MLB plays London’s Servant Jazz Quarters tonight and ‘Opalite’ is out now via LAB Records.
Sounds like: Bon Iver, Will Joseph Cook, Dua Lipa, Kyko, Sody, Dan Croll
Equally as soft on the electronic side of things as the beautiful ‘Picking Flowers‘, ‘Skin Deep’ is a contemplative track about ways to get over a lover through emotionless actions.
‘Skin Deep’ is out now via Lemon Zen Records.
Sounds like: Lucy Rose, Daughter, Maggie Rogers, The Japanese House, Bon Iver, Fenne Lily
Birmingham-born singer/songwriter Tailor has already written for the likes of MØ, TĀLĀ, Huntar, FTSE and Peking Duk, and his own solo material is pretty decent too.
Bordering on alt-pop and electronic music, Tailor has a knack of discussing both sides of the story. His most recent release is a double-A side single called ‘Disillusion / Blame’.
Whilst ‘Disillusion’ is more upbeat in production, ‘Blame’ is about taking the hit in a relationship to benefit the unit as a whole.
Sounds like: Chet Faker, Francis and The Lights, Toro Y Moi, Lauv, Huntar, Sam Smith
Jay Pray is the project of Justin P. Romanos who lives in Brooklyn. He sits comfortably alongside the likes of Day Wave and Summer Heart.
The initial slow ridden synths and swelling vocals in his new track, ‘Believer’, soon burst with energy, driving us deep into a near six minute sonic landscape.
Sounds like: Mew, Washed Out, Day Wave, Summer Heart, Goldroom
All good love songs start from a place of heartbreak.
Nashville artist, KAPTAN (aka Andrew de Torres) returns with the highly emotional, but equally as infectious, ‘Numbers’.
Of the track, KAPTAN explains,
“I was sitting inside my bass player’s (Brandon Day) studio and he was showing me a ton of different tracks that he had been working on for fun. Normally when we write together we always start from scratch but he ended up playing a small clip of something he had started and I fell in love immediately. We sat down to write the song and knew that we wanted to do something different from everything else that we had worked on together. The song is really just about feeling like your trapped in limbo and wondering whether or not there are things from the past that can help you in the future. We often find ourselves in relationships that are starting to fall apart and until it finally ends its hard to know where you stand or what will happen.”
Sounds like: Mew, M83, Goldroom, RAC, Pink Feathers, Summer Heart, Great Good Fine Ok, Pistol Shrimp
