“‘STATIC SHOCK’ is a positive summer vibe that’s laced with the slight sting that’s left behind from a decision that might have given you some short term fun, but in the long term becomes a harder pill to swallow. It explores the feeling of the ‘Static Shock’ when your mind wanders back to those memories, but the overall sense of fun and happiness you felt while the time was good. It reminds you that you can have that sort of fun again”.
charlieeeee | Ones To Watch Playlist
“Falling in and out of feelings. Nothing is fixed, everything is in flux. My new EP, ‘Subject To Change,’ moves through sonic worlds from bright, airy ‘Marmalade’ to the dark, melancholic ‘Multiplicity.’ Nothing ever really stays the same, especially matters of the heart, and I wanted the music to move as fluidly as we do.”
Jet Vesper’s ‘Halfway to Yours’ is one of the most gorgeous releases of the week, and we’re really excited to be sharing it with you.
The track treats us to a mellow mix of neo-soul and dreamy pop, resulting in a hazy, buttery-smooth sound that complements Vesper’s captivating falsetto vocals.
Vesper recently performed at the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival and is due to headline his own European tour this year. It’s going to be a big year for an artist who truly deserves it.
TRACK OF THE WEEK
American artist Tre. Charles is back with a beautifully dreamy new single called ‘Stay in the Light’.
The track showcases a heady blend of soul, indie, and psychedelia. The song’s production feels subdued and understated, but totally captivating at the same time. And the longer you listen, the more drawn you are into it’s soundscape.
Lyrically, the song ‘lives in the space between fear and hope – where doubt lingers, but the drive to push forward never fades’. We’ve always been impressed by Tre.’s work, and with this new release, it’s clear that this is one of North Carolina’s biggest musical prospects.
Acclaimed Birmingham-based queer artist Beljune crafts a beautiful style of alt-pop that is both distinctively original and lyrically relatable.
New single ‘Humphrey/Simone’ is a playful and somewhat quirky pop song that presents listeners with a hypnotic bassline that sets the perfect tone for Beljune’s mesmerising vocals to shine.
On the track, the artist uses icons like Humphrey Bogart and Simone de Beauvoir to speak about self-belief and ambition. Elaborating on the song’s creation, he says:
“This was the first time I went into the studio just wanting to play, and it probably captures my personality more than anything I’ve written before. There’s usually a lot of emotional weight in what I do, but this came from following the feeling. ‘Humphrey/Simone’ still has a real emotional drive, but it’s also a bit camp, a bit playful… and I think we need more of that in the world right now.”
Beljune’s music has garnered support from the likes of BBC Radio 1 while also being added to flagship Spotify playlists like New Music Friday, Fresh Finds, and GLOW.
This weekend’s banger comes courtesy of rising UK artist Tom A. Smith and his brilliant new single, ‘Put On A Record Tommy’.
The track treats listeners to a quintessentially British take on indie. Cheeky, infectiously catchy, and confidently bold, the production blends nostalgic 80s-inspired synth-pop with a more gritty indie-rock sound.
The song is lifted from a new EP that shares its title, with a limited edition vinyl being released next month.
“Tommy’s dance place is officially open. Put on a record Tommy is a party and everyone is invited. But it’s not all it seems. Where do I go from here?”
We first featured Tom when he was just 17 and were impressed with his work even in those early days. Now aged 21, it’s clear that this is an artist to watch for.
Tom A. Smith | Ones To Watch Playlist
Tom A. Smith – Live Dates 2026
Toria Rainey’s ‘Mosquito’ is one of the finest indie-pop releases to have come across our radars this week.
This hugely promising Brooklyn singer and songwriter seems to be at ease writing songs that not only melodically flow beautifully but also carry thoughtful lyricism that touches on themes like personal identity.
‘Mosquito’ is a song that shares with listeners Toria’s thoughts of people who take advantage when they sense your vulnerabilities. She explains:
“‘Mosquito’ uses a tiny nuisance as a stand-in for a much bigger problem: people who sense when your guard is down and take what they can. It’s about being drained by someone who keeps coming back, and wondering how much of your own loneliness keeps the door open.”
Despite being a relative newcomer, we see so much potential in Toria’s work. We’re excited to see where this talent goes next!
Canadian DIY artist Calm Canopy has just released one of the most upbeat indie songs of the week, and we’re excited to be sharing it with you.
‘Leap of Faith’ serves as a taster to the his forthcoming ‘Departure Bay’ project (out 3rd July) and blends mellow dance-pop with indie to create a sound that is both energetic but also rooted in emotion and sincerity. Speaking on the song, Calm Canopy explains:
“‘Leap of Faith’ captures the tension between self-doubt and self-acceptance.”
Calm Canopy’s songs have landed placements on flagship Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds: Indie, Fresh Finds: Pop, RADAR Canada, and New Music Friday Canada. The artist has also amassed more than 100k career streams to date.
It’s a big day for independent UK artist Leaone, as he’s just unveiled his first new music since 2023.
‘Goodbyes & Goodtimes’ has been worth the wait. The track seamlessly fuses indie with alternative pop and electronica, resulting in a sound that is unexpected and very distinctive.
“It’s the title track from my new album, written and self produced in a Suffolk caravan during a turbulent year. After a North London joyrider totalled my car, I used the insurance payout to fund a trip to Los Angeles to get it mixed by the stellar Mitch Kenny. And that ladies and gentlemen is how you turn lemons into Rock N Roll.”
Leaone’s music has picked up support from noted tastemaker outlets like Clash Magazine, BBC6 Music, and BBC Introducing. ‘LEAONE – 10 Year Anniversary Album’ is out now – grab a copy here.
Orlando Hotopf returns with his distinctive indie-folk sound today through a beautiful new single called ‘Blue Jeans’.
Written and recorded during a snowstorm in the outskirts of Stockholm with the acclaimed Tyler Neil Johnson, the song speaks of the instability that some people can bring to your life.
“‘Blue Jeans’ is about that someone who comes in your life creates a hurricane and then leaves is the worst possible way.”
Despite being a relative newcomer, Hotopf’s music has already picked up more than 80k streams to date. More new music is coming, so be sure to follow Orlando on Spotify.
Orlando Hotopf | Ones To Watch Playlist | Nordic Sound Playlist
LA-based singer, songwriter, producer and pianist Wintur returns today with a beautiful new single called ‘close your eyes’.
Already picking momentum across TikTok (interestingly, through fan pages of Sombr and Conan Grey), this is a song that instantly wins you over thanks to Wintur’s emotionally charged vocals and a shimmering indie-pop production.
Wintur is an artist on the rise. He’s gained more than 100k career streams to date from releasing just a handful of singles, while also currently attracting 7k monthly listeners on Spotify.
We’ve been fans of Swedish artist ORKID for well over a decade at this point, and yet she still finds ways to make us love her even more. And we’re not the only ones – this artist has had a burst of interest and recognition, particularly in the past year, thanks to her widely acclaimed EP ‘Where Flowers Grow’ (listen here).
That record was created following the passing of her mother, and new single ‘In All Of My Tomorrows’ (along with the accompanying EP of the same name) follows on from the aftermath of grief. ORKID explains:
“My first EP was rooted in grief – a body of work that helped me begin to process something very personal. But grief doesn’t disappear; it changes shape. ‘In All Of My Tomorrows’ is about carrying that feeling forward while finding space for hope again.”
ORKID was the recent winner of a P3 Guld award, as well as a nominee for Best New Artist at the Swedish Grammys. We’re so happy to see this talent get the recognition she deserves!
California-based Chicano singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Obed Padilla has released a new taster called ‘RODEO CLOWN’ in the run up to his forthcoming EP of the same name.
Despite its shimmering, upbeat indie-pop sound, the song is actually one of Padilla’s most personal and speaks of the internal conflicting emotions we go through during a breakup.
“I dealt with a lot of grief the last couple years and to my surprise, healing wasn’t linear. I believe there are 6 stages and the 6th stage is feeling like the rodeo clown for being the last one at the party still dealing with things everyone already moved on from. The star of the show and the butt of the joke.”
The EP itself is a concept project of sorts, and aims to go through all the emotional changes that we find ourselves in when a partnership falls apart. The record is out on the 22nd May, and you can pre-save it here.
This weekend’s banger is by American artist NESYA, who has graced us with a punchy new single intriguingly called ‘PUT THE FRIES IN THE BAG’.
Produced by the acclaimed Kill Dave, the song bounces between electronica, darkwave, trap and pop. The track should have sounded like a chaotic mess, but instead it’s pure brilliance. Despite its inspiration from trauma, the song serves as a reminder that good times can return.
“I wrote it in the middle of a messy divorce and betrayal. The song turned that chaos into something fun. It’s proof that the ‘dumbest’ idea can be the thing that makes you want to dance again – or just eat some fries.”
NESYA has amassed more than 45 million career streams to date and is the flagship artist at the newly formed label Double Down.
TRACK OF THE WEEK
Offica is undeniably one of Ireland’s most prominent and gifted musical artists to have emerged from the Emerald Isle, currently attracting more than 250k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
He returns with our favourite single of the week, ‘Life I Chose’. This is a finessed and finely constructed track that weaves a tonne of emotion into an Afro-House style of production. The result is a song that delivers sincerity and soulfulness in a thoughtful and expressive way.
Production comes courtesy of acclaimed producer New Machine, who has also worked with the likes of Aitch, Jorja Smith, and Plan B.
“We’re so excited to share ‘In Every Lifetime’ for the new Amazon show ‘Off Campus‘. The song is about fated connection & how some people are destined to find each other again and again across every lifetime. We hope you guys love it!!”
We really can’t express how much we’re in love with American soul artist Taylor Williams. So, naturally, we’re very happy to see that he’s back this week with another sublime new release which we’ve had on rotation all day.
‘For The First Time’ is Taylor’s take on the Mac DeMarco classic and turns a lo-fi indie gem into a mesmerising, shimmering soul number. This isn’t an easy task, but Williams manages it with flair and finesse.
Praise for the artist has been steady since last year, garnering support from notable tastemaker outlets like Earmilk and Unrecorded.
“Our love for the ’90s and ’00s music goes further than just rock music, so we made our own heavy version of ‘Hey Ya!’ by OutKast.”
Return to Dust | Ones To Watch Playlist
Return to Dust Europe Tour 2026
* Festival Date | ^ Exclusive headline show
