London three piece KHARTOUM releases the fresh new banger, ‘Some Days’ ahead of their Glastonbury performance this weekend.
Self-produced by the band and mixed by multi-Grammy award winning mix engineer Eduardo De La Paz (Peace, TheHorrors, NoelGallagher), the adventurous anthem oozes indie-rock to get down and dirty to.
Sounds like: The Beatles, Beck, Harry Styles, OK Go, Sunflower Bean, Wolf Alice, Black Honey
common goldfish – Shout Louder
common goldfish – Shout Louder
London-based common goldfish channels 90’s indie rock in his new track, ‘Shout Louder’.
Inspired by the Get Back documentary, the summery single uses a mix of 90’s break samples and psychedlic guitar riffs that are making a come back of late.
Bay city beaut, Magsy releases his new EP, ‘Brite Nite’ and you can listen to ‘Midnight Blue’ below.
Magsy has been writing since he was 14 years old and has used it to answer his questions of belonging, perfectly reflecting his personal experiences. As well as music, he also works in construction, which has helped him hone his creative side.
Celestial North’s luminary new single ‘The Nature Of Light’ is inspired by her studies as a Herbalist and by the concept of The Light Of Nature.
Surging with a pulsing life force of wonderful cosmic pop: woven with bubbling beats, sci-fi keys, fragments of arpeggio and imbued with a euphoric rush of dreamy melodies that invoke the spirit of pagan folklore and our connections with nature and inner hope.
Sounds like: Niki & The Dove, Bat For Lashes, Kate Bush, Oh Land
London-based singer-songwriter Eloise Viola oozes positivity and self love. With a degree in Psychology and recent modelling with sustainable clothing brand Positive Outlook Clothing, Eloise Viola is more than one of the hottest artists in the pop scene.
Her funk-rich, disco-leaning single ‘Trying To Love You’ is out now.
Forging their own pop path, Berlin-based artist & producer duo BLYNE share new single ‘Randomness’. It’s another great example of bedroom pop coming out of Germany, with bright synths and youthful vocals.
Alt-pop girls Tommy Lefroy – aka Tessa Mouzourakis and Wynter Bethel – share the soothing ‘Vampires,’ just in time for Halloween.
It’s a laidback rock track from the transatlantic duo. About staying with someone through trying times, it really exposes delicate and soothing vocal delivery.
LA-based Carol Ades (pronounced addis) shares ‘Through,’ the title track of her debut EP.
With echoes of a soundtrack for a 90’s cult film, ‘Through’ marks a powerful reclamation of personal artistry for the New Jersey-born talent, who has penned penned fan favourite hits with DemiLovato, BennyBlanco and AvaMax.
It’s about a break up that Ades went through last year where she traveled to London during the pandemic to win back the old relationship, but this didn’t go to plan and she ended up being stuck in London during the lockdown.
Sounds like: Avril Lavigne, Maggie Rogers, Wolf Alice, Ava Max
Bristol-based Wil Owen shares ‘After Dark,’ a song he worked on with Tamu Massif (Fenne Lily).
As raw as it gets, the delicate plucks of acoustic guitar and breathy vocals conjure up a reflective and honest image of a crowd of people in a room, completely isolated from each other.
Sounds like: Bombay Bicycle Club, Bon Iver, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Damien Jurado, Ben Howard, Fenne Lily
After what seems like an eternity, the London Grammar trio is back with a new single, ‘Baby It’s You’.
Co-produced with George FitzGerald, there’s no hiding away from Hannah’s glorious vocals, driven deeply amongst the deeply dreamy and ambient electronic production.
Isle Of Wight band Coach Party shares their latest track, a cover of Clairo‘s ‘Bags’. A huge fan of Clairo’s album ‘Immunity’ and a result of their combined restless lockdown creativity, the visuals were made remotely and can be watched below.
The band’s debut 6-track ‘Party Food’ EP was produced by their own Guy Page and is out now on Chess Club Records. You can listen below.
Sounds like: Wolf Alice, Lauran Hibbard, Honey Lung, Dream Wife, Talk Show, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Amazons, The Strokes
Scottish band, Dancing on Tables, explores a more melancholic side in ‘Not To Need You’.
Written in Nashville alongside legendary songwriter Liz Rose (TaylorSwift, LittleBigTown, CarrieUnderwood), the hopeful song encapsulates the uphill battles everyone goes through in life but reminds us that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Sounds like: Sea Girls, Biffy Clyro, Circa Waves, The 1975, Rat Boy, Circa Waves, The Amazons, Blossoms, Wild Nothing, Cassia, Catfish and the Bottlemen
Like an early Billie Eilish, Australian artist Stellie is transforming our take on pop.
Inspired by strong female voices, her tender and personal tales are indie-pop slow-burners that cut straight to the heart. Listen to her hazy new single, ‘How Do We Look So Good?’ below.
It’s great to see GusGus back with another stellar release.
The electronic innovators have released ‘Out Of Place’, highlighting the duo’s affinity for rolling synth-lines and sharp, pop-driven vocals. Listen below.
Sounds like: Simian Mobile Disco, Tears For Fears, Simple Minds, Röyksopp, Goldfrapp, Orbital, Roisin Murphy
Another Newcastle band for us this week – Llovers.
Releasing the infectious new cut, ‘Feeling Sound’, it’s clear that anyone listening to the track will be enamoured by their immense potential, thanks to their irresistible anthemic tendencies with sparkling riffs, sing-along choruses and playful songwriting.
London baroque pop band Weird Milk shares ‘Is That Love?’.
Having already supported indie risers Alfie Templeman and Pip Blom, and about to support APRE on their UK tour, their latest offering doesn’t disappoint.
Songwriter and drummer Charlie Glover-Wright explains, “The song itself is about a relationship turning sour as a lemon and the main character realising that they don’t need it anymore and they’ll be better off on their own.”
Sounds like: FEET, Sports Team, The Magic Gang, Genghar, The Last Shadow Puppets
You may recognise Kelli-Leigh’s vocals from such hits as ‘More Than Friends’ by Jame Hype, ‘I Got U’ by Duke Dumont and Second City‘s ‘I Wanna Feel’, but it’s time for the British singer/songwriter to step out into the light and reveal her first solo music of the decade.
The uptempo pop song, ‘Cotton Clouds’ describes a blissed out relationship. Lovely.
Dutch DIY duo The Day are Laura Loeters from from Antwerp/Belgium and Hamburg based Gregor Sonnenberg.
Sharing the fancy-free video for their cover of ‘Tenderfoot’ by The Lemonheads / Smudge, the latest release is inspired by their youth, as the dream-pop band continue their tasteful take on original classics.
Orlando-based 25 year old Talii has a wicked streak, as can be witnessed in her sultry and dark pop song, ‘Good To Be Bad’.
Born into a musically gifted and diversely talented family of musicians and performers, she began singing at age 3 and was playing the piano and writing songs by age 7. There is no denying her talent.
French composer and “perfectionist machinist” Epic Empire brings joy to our ears with the new song, ‘Go On’.
Asking for us to search deep inside ourselves, the emotive track echoes both the old school touches of Moby as well as more modern producers, Model Man.
Norweigan band Sløtface shares ‘Tap the Pack’ – a raw and catchy self-pep talk about keeping fear by your side to drive you and not letting it bring you down.
Their album ‘Sorry For The Late Reply’ is out at the end of the month via Nettwerk/Propellor Recordings.
Wow, the German music scene is really blossoming at the moment. Munich-based band KYTES is bringing some positive energy in the new video for the indie-pop banger, ‘GO OUT’.
Reminiscing to a time when life seemed easier, ‘GO OUT’ is a throw-back tune through and through and celebration of teenage years.
Sounds like: Phoenix, Blossoms, High Tyde, Travis, Them Swoops, Native People, Strange Talk, Two Door Cinema Club, Parcels
Dan Croll returns with the release of double A-side single ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Stay In L.A.’ through Communion Records.
Following a transition to California from Liverpool two years ago, Croll’s writing has taken a more sunny demeanor, although there still remains a contemplative undercurrent with a gentle nod to his home town.
Sounds like: Sufjan Stevens, The Beatles, Elton John, Bombay Bicycle Club
Started by London-based Zygmunt Day, Joe Hyam and Nathan Kerntiff in 2019, Bad Progress is an experimental and refreshingly practical project that focuses on “the blend of musical styles playing in pubs and out of car windows in London” in a timeless and often scrappy style.
Their philosophy is “just make it easy”, which can be seen in their EP, ‘Moody Bangers’, out now.
Sounds like: Fontaines D.C., Black Midi, The Clash, Black Country New Road
Big Fox might not be a name on the lips of the UK music lovers, but she has had huge success around Europe, especially Scandinavia, Germany, Italy and France.
The fragility of her new single ‘Beast’ is moving – she interrogates the process of using violence and fear to enforce order, and frames through a plucky-pop lens.
Multi-talented Scandinavian songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer Emil Wilk, better known as M.I.L.K releases new single ‘Need A Witness’ via Capitol Universal.
His new, self-produced single, ‘Need A Witness’ is a feel good and laid back jam full of technicolor. Expect his forthcoming debut album ‘Always Summer Somewhere’ set for release in March.
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
Folk/pop singer Tally Spear shares her new single, ‘City Girl’.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Spear comes from further afield than London, with her fitting take on US-born country with a pop tinge.
Although Spear’s debut EP, ‘Fade To White’, received critical acclaim in the spring of 2018, she knew that something didn’t feel quite right to her. Despite having attracted nearly 200,000 streams for her single Days Like These, Spear decided to take time out.
During the 5 months she spent crafting her new material alongside acclaimed writer/producer MartinHollis (Adele, MarkRonson, TomWalker, TheStaves) at British Grove Studios.
Tally explains, “Something just happened with my taste. I just went through a change of what I was listening to when I was writing. It just became this new sound. I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to do in terms of production.”
The result is ‘City Girl’. Listen below.
Sounds like: Dolly Parton, Harry, Wolf Alice, KT Tunstall
Italy has always excelled at giving up with the goods when it comes to scuzzy dream-pop.
Cue Eugenia Post Meridiem, a band that was conceived in summer 2017 when Eugenia (vocals, guitar) met Matteo (bass), Giovanni (guitar, keys) and Matteo (drums, percussions).
Fast forward to 2019, where the band have just released their new single, ‘Low Tide’. It’s a song that showcases Eugenia’s wonderful voice and remarkable songwriting potentials as well the band’s ability to draw indie, folk, soul influences and a pronounced inclination to 60s and 70s psychedelic contaminations.
‘Low Tide’ is out now via Factory Flaws.
Sounds like: Annabel Allum, Thyla, Zola Jesus, Wolf Alice
