Over the past couple of years, KhakiKid has grown to become one of Ireland’s rising hip hop stars, and the momentum is only getting stronger.
The new single ‘Easy Does It’ was produced by frequent collaborator Chameleon, who also shows up on vocals.
“It’s about being a mess and knowing you don’t deserve someone’s love or affection, but still hoping they’ll give you some. It’s also about coming to terms with the fact that you can’t just fix everything overnight and expect everything to be okay from then on.” – KhakiKid
The accompanying music video, directed by Moses O’Halloran, features KhakiKid with his friends, enjoying life and embracing the unpredictabilities that come with it.
Your weekend banger comes courtesy of dance legends Supafly and their new collaborative release, “Another Dimension”.
If the track sounds familiar, then you might recognise elements from The Prodigy’s iconic 1992 ‘Out of Space’. This release mixes UK garage with electronica, resulting in a nostalgic sound that is pure euphoria.
It’s bold, loud, and utterly brilliant… A garage anthem that deserves to be on your playlists.
avramkeleh (fka a.graff) is an artist who only just recently appeared on our radars. This US-based artist caught our attention with his charming new single, so here we are sharing it with you!
‘Belly Up’ treats listeners to a wonderfully organic blend of indie, folk and pop. Think José González, but with a more playful twist. Elaborating on the song’s lyrics, the artist says:
“‘Belly Up’ is a love song through a dog’s eyes. Played live, it’s a warm track with coffee bean percussion, plunky bass, swirling guitars, and creamy rhodes with a close intimate vocal.”
avramkeleh’s music gives us feelings of sincerity and warmth. The work is heartfelt, thoughtful, and really quite easy to form emotional connections with.
French artist FKJ is no stranger to the Alfitude pages, and he’s back again today with another standout release from his upcoming album ‘Tyber’.
‘Changes Rising’ is a dreamy track that fuses neo-soul with alternative R&B, soul, and even a little funk. The production is tastefully eccentric, while the melody flows beautifully.
Lyrically, this introspective song looks at themes of personal growth – renewing oneself and looking forward to a happy future.
The new album will be released this autumn, and additional dates for FKJ’s upcoming tour will also be announced.
MOBO-nominated rapper namesbliss returns this week with a collaborative release called ‘run it’, featuring Paul Stephan.
The track was produced by t.o, and fuses stripped-down grime beats with jazz and alternative hip hop. It’s a sound that feels nostalgic but also refreshingly experimental at the same time.
To date, namesbliss has amassed more than ten million career streams on Spotify alone. The artist plays London’s Jazz Cafe Festival in August – grab your tickets here.
Canadian artist Evan James returns with a powerful new song that is sure to relate with anyone who finds themselves feeling a ‘certain type of way’ with a friend.
The atmospheric ‘Radar’ mixes dark pop with drum ‘n’ bass, resulting in a sound that is full of tension and mystery. The production mirrors the lyrics, which speak of desires and doubts after realising that you have feelings for someone.
“Written from the perspective of queer desire and intuition, the song captures the experience of sensing a connection that remains unspoken, questioning whether someone feels the same while navigating secrecy, tension, and late-night vulnerability.”
‘without U’ is one of those songs that instantly brings joy. Created by Atura and demotapes, this track gives us a taste of that iconic French Disco style of work (think Stardust or Daft Punk), mixed with shimmering pop tones and beautifully soulful vocals.
Atura is a Boston-based producer and songwriter who has been gaining a lot of traction in recent years. He’s due to play the final show of his tour on the 27th of June at Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington. If you’re in the state then be sure to grab 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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
