Your summer bop of the week comes courtesy of emerging London and Paris based artist bothsxdes.
The (deservedly) much-hyped French singer and songwriter has just unveiled a new EP called ‘wholehearted’ (listen here) and, along with it, ‘saysorry’. This melodic song treats listeners to a luxurious and heady fusion of psychedlic-inspired indie, pop and R&B.
Impressively, the entire EP was self-made – from the writing and producing through to the recording, mixing and mastering.
bothsxdes headlines London’s Folklore Hoxton on the 25th June, with support from dréa szn – get your tickets here.
NYC artist Jordan Barone’s ‘Alone In LA’ is one of those pop songs that immediately locks you in with its sheer intensity.
The production is dark, tense, and cinematic, while still feeling accessible and easy to connect with. Lyrically, the track looks at the hopes and insecurities that come with living in a place like LA.
“It’s about choosing to move forward over emotional compromise, wiping away temptation and refusing to get lost in the things that pull you off course.”
Aside from his solo work, Barone is also a sought-after engineer and producer who has worked with the likes of Kehlani, Tory Lanez, H.E.R. and the late Mac Miller.
LA-based artist Brice Blanco is one of our favourite discoveries of the week, and once you play the new single ‘B Here’ you’ll know why.
Originally hailing from Houston, this musician crafts a distinctive sound that confidently blends alternative R&B with indie and psychedlic pop. This track is both playful and light-hearted, without losing its finesse.
It’s hard to make upbeat music that is both experimental and fun at the same time, yet Blanco does so with ease. We’re excited to see the evolution of this talent. Debut album ‘AFRO URF’ is out soon.
While acclaimed Vancouver singer and songwriter Alexandria Maillot prepares for the release of her next album, ‘Cryptomnesia’, fans can enjoy a stunning new single, out today, called ‘Cherry Pit’.
Refreshingly dark, the song’s production fuses a range of genres together into a haunting and mysterious sound that is impactful and boldly confident.
The track draws listeners into a soundscape that is full of rich sonic texture, further affirming Maillot’s status as one of her nation’s most interesting and exciting indie talents.
Eli Paperboy Reed has to be one of the most consistent artists that we’ve ever come across. This much-loved soul artist has maintained a high standard of work for quite some time, and new single ‘Getting There is no exception.
Lifted from a forthcoming LP of the same name (out on the 11th September), the track serves as a heartfelt ode to the ever-changing stages of a person’s life.
The lyrics remind listeners that a fulfilled life is one that appreciates the journey and not the end goal. The song represents one of the core ideas of the new album – that of enduring love.
“There’s plenty of music out there about falling in love. I wanted to write about staying in love. I wanted to get to the heart of what it takes to go the distance, of what it means for two people to walk side by side, through good times and bad, and still choose each other every single day.”
“i feel it is such a real representation of how the world feels when your crashing down, you enter survival mode and then by chance you meet someone who takes the weight of your shoulder, i really wanted to embody that feeling into a song. Angry girl is about accepting the world has hurt you and you have crashed down but also acknowledging that somewhere along the lines love came along and reshaped your hurt.”
Margate-based artist and producer Jaime Rosso will release a new EP soon, titled ‘Keep Stepping!’, from which ‘Walk’ is lifted.
“I started ‘Keep Stepping!’ spurred on by the simple tonics of everyday life: walking, talking, dancing and dreaming. Over time the EP became an ode to these daily rituals, the sources of optimism that keep us moving through turbulent times.”
There’s not much known about Cora Flux (the musical project of Danish artist Jonathan Schultz), but from what we’ve heard so far, this talent will go far.
Melancholic single ‘haunted’ showcases a slowcore-inspired sound, with its stripped-back production blending indie, rock and pop. The song is minimal and raw, but moody and emotionally impactful.
Cora Flux has only released a handful of songs to date and has already gained traction through prominent Spotify playlists like Indie Nights and No More Good Girls.
One of the biggest releases of the month comes courtesy of self-taught Iranian-Canadian singer, producer and filmaker Afta Hill.
‘Most Wanted’ is an immediately arresting song that blends 00’s alternative R&B – think Timbaland’s collaborations with Justin Timberlake – with dark pop.
The sound is confident, emotionally charged and very intense. Lyrically, the track speaks of the troubles that await when you fall in love with someone who you know is bad for you.
To date, Afta Hill’s projects have amassed more than 17 million career streams and received attention from outlets like Casey Neistat and CloudKid.
néomí is back with yet another showstopper of a single, called ‘Close’. As we’ve come to expect from this talent, the song is a masterclass in pop, with its beautifully constructed production and memorable melody.
The song was inspired by the relatable dilemma of struggling to let go of someone you love very much after a relationship ends.
“‘Close’ is a song that is actually very much about an unhealthy form of love. The push and pull relationship where you don’t want to be together but also don’t want to let go. It is about desperately holding on, going back and forth with each other’s emotions. Think about avoidant/ anxious attachment styles, bound to be together. Love can feel like a drug when it is felt like that, as if you can’t live without each other so that’s the reason why you have to stay close.”
“I’d advise you to let go instead of holding on but, love is a powerful thing, and the heart wants what it wants I suppose… luckily we have songwriting to cope with that haha. I hope, but also don’t hope you connect to the song.”
An upcoming EP, intriguingly titled ‘Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy’, is out on the 18th September. Praise for néomí continues, with recent support from the likes of Wonderland Magazine, Under The Radar, and the Sunday Times.
Hailing from Teesside in north-eastern England is James Witham, who is already building significant momentum across the region.
This artist has the rare ability to completely expose his feelings in his songs. New single ‘George III’ is a perfect example of this singer-songwriter’s work and speaks of toxicity that arises from going out too much.
“‘George III’ is a track I wrote about how the going out culture has ruined people around me. It depicts the feeling of drug induced highs and their crashes, leaving friends in f***** up states. The repetitive chorus aims to portray how the action is habitual for many people despite the negative consequences. Being surrounded by this culture I find it hard to express the way I feel and I think this song does that for me. I just think people destroy themselves all for a night out and it seems really sad to me. Maybe this song is a way of getting this whole feeling out there.”
Witham sites artists like Sam Fender as his inspiration, and if he carries on releasing songs like ‘George III’, then he might well become one of the UK’s new solo stars.
Short and sweet is the message of the day from UK indie outfit The Danphes, who return today with a summery new single that, despite only running for two minutes, packs a tonne of energy and charm.
‘Distance’ is a guitar-driven track that blends nostalgic, 80s-inspired indie with subtle hints of shoegaze and dream pop, mirroring the hazy emotions we go through when we are young and in love.
“‘Distance’ taps into the rush of young love and the feeling of getting lost in someone.”
To date, the Norwich newcomers have released two other singles, cumulatively amassing thousands of streams.
Still Bella is the musical project of American artist Isabella Stilwell. New single ‘Overdue’, produced by Robby Smith, caught our attention this week with its powerful vocals and impressive blend of pop and rock.
A classic breakup song, the lyrics speak of the mental exhaustion that comes from a bad relationship and the yearning for love that is, as the title suggests, overdue.
The track follows on from Stilwell’s debut, ‘Stuck In The Melancholy’, which has amassed almost 12k streams on Spotify so far.
We rarely come across songs these days that stop us in our tracks from the first few seconds of pressing play. ‘Surely They Won’t’ by London newcomer patch_t41b is very much one of those pieces, though.
This is a beautifully captivating track that doesn’t fit into any one particular genre. It’s sonic artistry at its most exciting, showcasing this promising pianist, producer and vocalist’s potential.
Impressively, the song was improvised during a studio session, starting with a piano sequence and then adding layers of instrumentation from the rest of the band.
“This tune was made spontaneously. We’d hit a bit of a wall in the studio and things had slowed down. On the seventh morning I was on my own at the piano, just playing this short, irregular chord sequence. I suggested we record a jam, didn’t give the band any instructions, and just started playing the sequence. They took it in their own direction from there.”
SOLEYA is a new artist emerging from California’s Bay Area who is rapidly gaining traction with her finessed approach to alternative R&B.
New single ‘west coast’ was written as a dedication to the cultures around her that helped shape the person who she has become and treats listeners to a melodic production that is dreamy and charming. And there’s a surprise around the two-minute mark, which we absolutely adored.
“Lyrically, the track celebrates ownership – of space, energy, and identity. The West Coast isn’t sold as a fantasy – it’s lived in. There’s luxury here, but it’s understated. Aspirational, but grounded.”
Despite still being only 22 years old, we see a tonne of potential from this singer, songwriter and producer. One to watch!
Blackburn-born musician Charlotte OC has graced our pages from as early as 2013, and we’re still as obsessed all these years later with her distinctive sound.
‘Start of Summer’ is the acclaimed artist’s shimmering new single and blends power pop with indie and soul. Lyrically, the track serves as an emotional ode to the singer’s late father, with deeply personal and thoughtful lyrics.
“This song is about the ever-present longing I have for my father. He absolutely loved being in the sun and being as tanned as humanly possible. Whenever I picture him, he’s in the garden, covered in factor 15, with a glass of whiskey by his feet and a border collie by his side.”
“I wanted the song to carry a sense of optimism, because that’s how he always was when summer was around the corner, knowing that tan would soon be his again. It felt important to hold onto that lightness alongside everything else. It’s about not knowing what to do with all the love you still have for someone. Not knowing how to handle grief, and finding yourself replaying conversations that will forever feel unfinished.”
The track follows on from the artist’s ‘Seriously Love, Go Home’ EP, which was met with widespread praise from fans and critics alike.
Swedish starlet Amanda Alexander is back with a sublime new piece of Scandi pop that we can’t wait to share with you.
‘Good Enough’ is a showstopper. With its fusion of stripped-back industrial pop and electronica, the track delivers an immersive sound, almost cinematic in tone. It’s vulnerable and fragile, but also epic and freeing.
“‘Good Enough’ is the first song I’ve fully written and produced myself, it captures the conflict between self-doubt and self-belief. This song started with a lot of discomfort and somehow when I found the sounds of the hook it was like a force or inner voice telling me I was good enough. This is not a song for everyone, but it might find someone who can find some courage from it like I did, or just a jam to let your guard down, move your body and release all the things you’ve been carrying.”
We’ve long been fans of this talented singer, songwriter and producer. ‘Good Enough’ heralds the artist’s next stage in her career, and we’re so excited to see how it evolves.
Swiss artist Moon Construction Kit (aka Olivier Cornu) unveils a dreamy new single this week, called ‘Down the West Coast’.
Inspired by the mellow, psychedelic sounds of the late 60s, the song treats us to a heady style of sound that is instantly gripping. The production feels timeless yet distinctive, creating a beautiful soundscape.
“With ‘Down the West Coast,’ I really wanted to pay homage to that specific ’67-’71 Beach Boys era – the kind of music that feels like a sun-drenched, baroque journey. We combined 50s-inspired woodwinds with an orchestral ‘Chamber-Pop’ structure to create a sound that is as much about the arrangement as it is about the mood.”
The track serves as a taster to Moon Construction Kit’s next wave of releases, described sonically as ‘Sunshine-Psych’ by the artist.
