Category: Music

Fleece – It’s the Life

If Canadian indie group Fleece already sound familiar to you, then it might have something to do with their parody clip ‘how to write an Alt-J song’, which took the internet by storm and consequently amassed 13 million global views.

Since then, this Montreal-based LGBTQ outfit have grown in popularity (and notoriety!), commanding a loyal legion of fans across social media and reaching more than 250k monthly listeners on Spotify.

Inspired by the concept of ‘faking it till you make it’, joyful new single ‘Its the Life’ is yet another impressive addition to the group’s catalogue of releases, and encourages us to take a more playful approach to living life.

Fleece

Kaz Moon – A lot to explain

As an artist who is now commanding a quarter of a million monthly listeners on Spotify, we think it’s safe to say that Kaz Moon has officially become one of America’s most prominent indie talents.

New single ‘A lot to explain’ is the first track to be lifted from Kaz’s upcoming ‘ST*R *NISE’ project, and showcases a perfected style of sound that fuses lo-fi indie with bedroom pop.

“This might have been the first thing I ever recorded after moving to New York in 2021, I remember working on it in my new apartment, which at the time was really cursed looking. The previous tenant was some kind of alcoholic. It had like two decaying couches facing each other, just a really cursed environment. Then I made this.”

Fans in the US can catch Kaz supporting SURL on a nation-wide tour from next month, starting on the 2nd April in Philadelphia. Dates and tickets can be found here.

Kaz Moon

Pearly Drops – Feed The Fire

Hotly-tipped Helsinki duo Pearly Drops unveil another stellar new release today, entitled ‘Feed The Fire’.

As far as pop music goes, this track is refreshingly unpredictable and intriguing. Through its intelligent style of production, the song contrasts feelings of joy and euphoria, with melancholy and woe.

“This song can’t decide if it’s outgoing or shy, sad or upbeat, it’s like when you say someone is a ‘lost cause’ – not really having a proper sense of self or lacking a protecting barrier between yourself and the rest of the world.”

Pearly Drops (aka Sandra Tervonen and Juuso Malin) have grown to become one of Finland’s most hyped musical acts in recent years, and currently command more than 590k monthly Spotify listeners.

Pearly Drops

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Belot – Cool Whip

We’ve made no secret in the past of just how obsessed we are with UK talent Belot.

Following on from the release of her much-acclaimed ‘Harmless Fun’ EP last year, this rising starlet returns today with a brand new single called ‘Cool Whip’.

As we’ve come to expect from Belot, the track presents listeners with a refreshingly eccentric mix of indie and pop. Explaining the inspiration behind the lyrics, she says:

“‘Cool Whip’ is about being in a relationship with someone who initially seems caring and extremely generous, but down the line you come to realise that every gift and or kind gesture was a cover up for yet another affair or slip up. I’ve had a few friends over the years that eventually discovered spontaneous flowers could also be red flags. So I always thought it would be interesting to write about the sort of dynamic, where the nicer the gift, the worse the crime.”

With more than 3.5 million career streams already under her belt, it looks like 2023 might be the year that Belot (deservedly) hits the mainstream. Keep an eye on this one!

Belot

Belot UK Live Dates 2023

  • 3rd June – The Courtyard Theatre, London (Supporting ARXX)
  • 4th June – Mighty Hoopla Festival, London

Siobhán Winifred – Sober

Alt-pop newcomer Siobhán Winifred is back with a stunning new single, entitled ‘Sober’.

Through its introspective and meaningful lyrics, the track offers listeners a glimpse into Winifred’s thoughts on the complexities of relationships.

“I wrote ‘Sober’ about the conflicting emotions you experience when your relationship with someone is based on no attachment and no expectations. It’s about the constant push and pull, where every word and action can have a double meaning. Lyrically the song is about how, when you’re feeling lost, you attach your worth to their interest in you and do whatever you cannot to lose it. Sometimes despite all the warning signs that are there, it’s hard to resist the sense of self-protection and direction that comes from placing your sense of self in someone else’s interest in you: you know you need to let go but just don’t have the strength to. Ultimately, I like to think Sober is a very relatable song that captures the emotional conflict we experience when we find ourselves in a relationship with a inevitable expiration date.”

Inspired by the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Leonard Cohen and Alex Turner, Winifred’s music been featured on noted editorial playlists like Spotify’s New Music Friday and Fresh Finds. Tastemaker acclaim for the emerging Londoner also continues to grow, with recent support from BBC 6 Music, 1883 Magazine, Hot Press and more.

Siobhán Winifred

The New Division – Southside

What better way to shake off those midweek blues than with an energising slice of synth pop, courtesy of LA-based musician The New Division (aka John Kunkel).

‘Southside’ is the kind of song that immediately sets your heart racing. With its anthemic melody, rousing vocals and memorable lyrics, this is one track that is certain to lift your spirits.

Alongside the release of the single, Kunkel has also unveiled a new album called ‘Modern Life’, which is out now. Fans in the US can catch The New Division on tour starting this summer – more details can be found here.

The New Division

New Music: Lilly Hart

Hailing from the American state of Georgia, 19-year old indie talent Lilly Hart has been steadily building momentum over the last few months from the release of just two songs.

Hart’s third single, ‘Drive Slow’, has really propelled this musician to the limelight. Amassing more than 60k streams on Spotify to date, this spellbinding fusion of indie and pop is one of the strongest tracks of the week.

“I write all my instrumentals and lyrics. Music is my passion and I hope my music can make anyone who listens, feel something. My songs can be about personal experiences or made up stories. If you listen, interpret the lyrics in anyway you want to. Connect to it and make it about you.”

Already a tastemaker’s favourite, Hart is currently featured on notable playlists like Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds Pop’, as well as Summa’ Night Vibes and Fashionably Early.

Lilly Hart

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Roni Bar Hadas – Mood

(Graphic Design – Dafna Gat)

For those unaware of Tel Aviv’s Roni Bar Hadas, this singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is rapidly marking her name as one of Israel’s most promising newcomers.

Through its beautifully melodic fusion of dreamy pop, soul and alternative R&B, new single ‘Mood’ looks at Roni’s yearning to break free from all the negative feelings that cloud her mind.

“Rather than listening to the voice in her head that tells her she is different and disconnected from others, Roni invites us to join her in her mood and shed a few layers and embrace the interconnectedness of all human beings.”

Since the release of her acclaimed 2020 debut album ‘Calm the Beast’, Hadas has gone on to accumulate more than 900k career streams on Spotify alone, while also picking up airplay from both Israeli and British radio stations. ‘Mood’ is lifted from Roni’s forthcoming sophomore album, which is out soon.

Roni Bar Hadas

New Music: Brandon Lott

Hailing from the musical mecca of Indianapolis is soul singer, songwriter and producer Brandon Lott, who has just unveiled a charming new single that deserves your attention.

‘Aries’ serves as a taster to Lott’s upcoming ‘Aqua Dream’ project, and treats listeners to a sound that seamlessly fuses modern alt-R&B with retro-inspired hints of soul and funk. Elaborating on the song’s lyricism, Lott explains:

“It’s an 80s funk inspired groove illuminating the intense love embodied by the leader of the zodiac, Aries. Captivated by her energy, ‘Aries’ is a celebration of unfiltered passion and fearless adventure.”

The track follows on from Lott’s ‘Reflections’ record (available here), and marks a new creative chapter in this ever-evolving artist’s career. If you’ve fallen in love with Lott’s sound then be sure to check out his other releases here.

Brandon Lott

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New Music: Gabriella Rose

Singer and songwriter Gabriella Rose might just be your new favourite Americana artist. There’s a special charm that comes with this talent that is simply captivating to experience.

Lyrically inspired by the sinister thoughts that creep up on people who are in relationships, ‘In The Dark’ showcases a style of production that incorporates hazy indie and alt-pop with hints of dark, nostalgic country music.

The result is a sound that feels both timelessly classic and also refreshingly raw and future-forward in character. Keep this musician on your radars – she is most certainly one to watch!

Gabriella Rose

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New Music: Aidan

Track of the week. London-based singer, songwriter and producer Aidan boldly pushes the boundaries of R&B to the very limit, and does so with spectacular results.

Hypnotic new single ‘We Hug, We Sway’ is sonically future-forward and experimental, while maintaining a beautifully emotive essence that is utterly mesmerising to experience.

 “’We Hug, We Sway’ as a title refers to the back and forth of a fortified love between two people. The fact that the woman is pregnant, but is seen to be, undeniably, the more powerful one in the video shows the true essence of what it means to be a powerful, human being, a powerful woman. The whole song is written from the point of view of a man who is deeply in love, but feels like he has to protect his loved one, when in reality, she can protect herself and, in many ways, can protect the relationship more than he can. Both the song and the video are an alternative way of showing the power of femininity, whilst also showing the vulnerability of man.”

With tastemaker support from heavyweights as noted as Mystic Sons, Fashionably Early and Clash Magazine, Aidan is one artist to watch for this year.

Aidan

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BERWYN – Bulletproof

Photo / Jonathan Gift

BERWYN is no stranger to these Alfitude pages, thanks to his ever-impressive run of singles that showcase the very best in emerging UK-based musical talent.

New single ‘Bulletproof’ is yet another example of BERWYN’s exceptional songwriting skills, with its beautifully melodic production and refreshingly honest lyricism.

“Bulletproof is less about me and more about the people around me. It’s another part of my personality. I’m willing to do anything for the people around me, it kinda revolves around that. It also highlights the dangers of my job and exposes me as an individual with troubles. Relationships are a give and take, have my back and I’ll have yours because I’m not safe, I will need help and I’ll be more than willing to return the favour.”

Acclaimed by tastemakers and news outlets all across the world, BERWYN currently commands more than 380k monthly listeners on Spotify. You can catch the artist on tour right now, with shows in Bristol, Cardiff, Brighton and London still to go. Tickets can be found here.

BERWYN

New Music: teo glacier

teo glacier is your reminder that New Zealand continues to be the home of exceptional new musical talent.

While still only 17-years of age, this independent artist has already garnered more than 300k streams, mostly in thanks to his viral hit ‘too much’.

Featuring teo’s emotive and sincere vocals, the song presents listeners with a tastefully stripped-back fusion of acoustic pop and R&B.

“Hoping to make a name for myself and positively affect other people through my music.”

teo glacier

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New Music: SALPA

SALPA might just be the most exciting new British talent that we have come across this week.

Melancholic debut single ‘England’ presents listeners with a stripped-back yet emotive sound that is lyrically inspired by the current state of the artist’s home nation.

“My Mother’s disillusionment, her rage. My Dad’s stoicism, his steadfastness. My Grandad’s anxiety for the world, his inability to switch off the news. When I return to England I stay with them, the pain comes from seeing something we all love in disrepair. I don’t remember much of the process, this song came from somewhere outside of myself. It doesn’t sonically align with where I’m going but it needed to come through and that is why I’m putting it out.”

While not much is yet known about SALPA, we are certain that this talent will pick up a ton of momentum in the coming months.

SALPA

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cudos – highscore!

Rising American outfit cudos are back with a perfect weekend anthem for us all to enjoy.

Serving as a taster from their forthcoming debut album (scheduled for release later this year), ‘highscore’ is a refreshingly eccentric piece of music that blends elements of energising pop with synth. Elaborating on the lyricism, cudos explain:

“The song is about the inner battles you have with yourself when you’re constantly trying to 1UP yourself. In a lot of ways this song is a direct manifestation of itself, as it’s the first song we’ve both ever fully produced, written, recorded & engineered to come out. And to this point in the cudos project, it’s our favourite song we’ve ever finished.”

For those who have yet to come across this highly promising duo, cudos is a musical collaboration between childhood friends Alex Puchalski and Daniel Piper. Together, these two artists have created songs that have rapidly gained traction, resulting in more than a million catalogue streams on Spotify alone.

cudos

New Music: JACKPAL

Hailing from the American state of South Carolina is JACKPAL, who has just unveiled his spectacular debut single, entitled ‘I WANNA MAKE YOU MINE’.

Written with the intention of giving listeners feelings of happiness and joy, the song’s thrilling mix of alt-pop, indie and rock is not only superbly constructed, but also reminds us of the power that music has in elevating our moods.

“In a world where everyone is so serious and self consumed, the goal of this song was to create something fun to shift everyone’s attention for a moment. I think life is all about perspective and when you’re surrounded by negativity you’re bound to have it superglue to your mentality. I had to shift my perspective to make this song and figure out how I could create something that just makes people want to dance.”

JACKPAL seems to be the kind of artist who is totally unafraid of pushing boundaries, and for that we can safely say that this is one talent to watch in 2023.

JACKPAL

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Heartbreaker – 99¢

’99¢’ from NY-based musician Heartbreaker might just be the one of the shortest-running weekend bops ever made.

Running at under a minute in length (and featuring an iconic soundbite at the end that is certain to make you smile), the track treats listeners to a perfected and crisp-sounding hyperpop production that somehow feels both nostalgic and experimental in equal measures.

In a sign of what might come in the future, Heartbreaker utilised AI software in not only the creation of the track, as also for its artwork.

“The song is performed by an AI singer, and the cover art is an AI-generated composite. As machine learning lurches into adolescence, it only makes sense that the algorithm is turning moody, rebellious, and yearning for connection. Callbacks to 2013 tumblr ephemera like Abercrombie jeans and Arizona iced tea place the love song in the context of the ever-expanding internet, of tearing your heart out in front of your crush and sending it to their anon inbox.”

As a songwriter, producer and DJ, Heartbreaker has worked alongside the likes of Hatsune Miku, Kira and Sidney Gish, while his own solo releases have amassed more than million streams to date.

Heartbreaker

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New Music: moleface

One of the most exciting finds this week has been Bristol-based newcomer moleface.

With a style of production that is refreshingly raw and punchy in character, this artist creates songs that make an impact from the moment you press play.

Written as ‘the perfect coming of age soundtrack about the importance of friendship’, new single ‘camden (the life I chose)’ presents listeners with an alt-pop sound that epitomises the essence of youth.

It’s a song that we’d define as charmingly chaotic, and reminds us all to let go of our problems for a short while, and embrace life a little more.

‘camden (the life I chose)’ is taken from moleface’s upcoming ‘london core’ tape, which is scheduled for release soon.

moleface

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BENTLE – Sideshow

We’ve long been fans of Australian artist BENTLE, and today’s release of new single ‘Sideshow’ continues to delight us even further.

Inspired by a story of two people who start to drift apart, the song treats listeners to a beautifully emotive fusion of indie, pop and alternative R&B.

“It’s about fractured communication, the blurry lines between inevitability and control, and the romance of the situation that smothers the true feeling.”

With such a thoughtful approach to music-making, it’s no surprise this NY-based talent has already amassed more than 500k streams on Spotify from only a handful of singles.

BENTLE

New Music: Adam O’Rua

Ireland might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of emerging R&B-soul, but singer, songwriter, producer and dancer Adam O’Rua looks set to change all of that.

Born in Dublin and currently based in Brazil, this promising newcomer is rapidly gaining traction thanks to his distinct and bold take on the R&B genre.

Written as a homage to his home nation and its heritage, new single ‘Rainfall’ seamlessly weaves nostalgic sounds into a future-forward production, resulting in a song that is truly stunning.

“I wrote, played and produced the whole track myself, definitely took a while to bring it together how I heard it in my head. The drums definitely needed that 80’s zest and I wanted to mix it with the ethereal, sultry vibe that I get from Summer Walker’s first record. And the vocals… Damn, those stacks took a while to get right! Worth it for that dramatic effect.”

Adam O’Rua

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