Emerging LA-based talent Trevor Daniel samples a club classic and adds heady doses of melancholy into the mix to create one of the best break-up songs of the month.
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘That Was Then’ which is out in November 2021.
One of PC Music’s most well-known artists, Hyd returns with an outstanding release that offers a new take on pop which is not only refreshingly original but also carries an infectiously memorable melody.
The brain child of Alexander Rollins, Randon Nelson and Sully, Denny formed in 2015 out of heartbreak and have been garnering fans ever since.
Their new single ‘Light My Way’ is a dramatically emotive release that traces the path of someone moving on from doubt, and finding power from others when absolutely lost in the darkness.
“‘Light My Way’ is my most honest depiction of my experience with depression. It’s a love letter to the people I am closest to for never giving up on me even when I wanted to give up on myself. It’s honesty about the fear I felt as a father and as a person. It’s about coming out of darkness and knowing I did not do it alone. It’s a personal reminder of where I have been and a love letter to the people that loved me then and love me still. It’s pure Denny.” – Alexander Rollins, Denny
LA-via-Toronto singer and songwriter Abby Sage continues to move towards her six-track EP ‘Fears of Yours & Mine’ with a stunning piece of bedroom soul in the form of new single ‘When I Leave’.
London-based indie rock outfit LEAP return today with one of the most powerful releases of the week. ‘Energies’ is an intensely electrifying track, with captivating lyricism delivered through impassioned vocals.
“‘Energies’ is my favourite track to date because it truly reflects a real side of me and the mental health battles I have faced in the past. It’s all about that mad rush of excitement when your mind bubbles up beyond the point of control. Being bi-polar, it’s such a weird blessing and a curse, because when your brain’s going at 100 miles per hour it’s exhilarating… but it can also be really dangerous. The song is about that contradiction and I just hope that anyone suffering from any kind of mental health issue can connect with it.”
I remember catching Average Joe performing as part of a showcase in London three years ago and being totally blown away by the sheer originality of his sound.
Now he’s back with a new project called ‘Song Catching’, which sees him travelling the country in search of the people and stories of which songs are made. Commenting on his new single ‘Work In Process’ and the idea behind the project, Joe says:
“The fundamental premise on which Song Catching is based is that songs are akin to butterflies, or fish, or viruses. You have to go out into the world in order to find them or catch them – be patient and attentive and with a spot of luck you might just catch something special, but to some extent they find you as much as you find them, they lie waiting to be written into existence.”
Part of the project also involves a documentary series on YouTube, with Episode 1 out now.
Mighty but melancholy, ‘the internet’ alludes to an almost universal experience: nights spent awake gripped by anxiety, unable to stop scrolling on social media.
“‘the internet’ is about a very difficult time in my life when I was experiencing a large amount of online hate as I was just starting out my artist career. Throwing myself into the process of writing and working on it was really cathartic, and addressing what was making me feel broken and vulnerable head-on ended up making me a lot stronger. Hopefully it’ll resonate and do the same for others, as sadly experiencing online hate is becoming more common for all as social media continues to grow.”
Taken from the new EP ‘Fragile’ which is due 15th October 2021 via Polydor.
One of the UK’s most impressive soul talents returns with a release that is just so sublime to experience. ‘Fire’ is a song that was created from a negative space, and yet Joesef has managed to create something truly quite beautiful.
“I always write shit down when I’m feeling shite. It’s just something I’ve always done to try and see what it is that I’m screaming in my head. This song stemmed from something I’d written about wanting to burn all my stuff and move away. I always have this image in my head that if bad things happen in one space it stays there and covers everything surrounding it. ‘Fire’ is about trying to escape the emotional weight that places and people sometimes carry after too much has happened, but realising nothing ever really leaves you in the end anyway.”
Dutch band The Cool Quest are already establishing a name for themselves across parts of Europe, and it seems only a matter of time before the rest of the world wakes up to their infectiously memorable bops.
With soulful vocals and a genre-bending approach to music making that blends influences from hip hop to indie and alt-pop, this group craft tracks that are sure to get you in the best of moods.
Written during lockdown, ‘PARTY ON THE BLOC’ is a song that symbolises the desire to get together and the urge to just let go again.
Track of the week. Luke Royalty’s refreshingly original approach to pop continues to win me over more and more with each release.
‘High Life’ is that strong dose of pop medicine we all need to get us through those summer blues.
“I just really enjoy writing catchy pop music and try to write choruses that give you that release of euphoria. It’s written about the insecurities that play in your head even when things are going well and not trusting yourself when you’re on the up with the looming thoughts that a down could be just around the corner.”
Having already garnered support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing, Clash Magazine, The Independent and Amazing Radio, Luke looks set to be one of the breakout acts of 2021.
Starting the new week with a wildly infectious bop from Munich based indie-pop quartet KYTES.
Following on from previous release ‘the beat is on hold’, the band continue their message of positivity through vibrant lyricism and a breezy melody on new single ‘bumblin’.
“In challenging times we ask ourselves how to cope with life. Our answer is ‘bumblin’ through our lives, forever and a day this song is a groovy, easygoing and joyful tune. We try to live in the here and now, a lot of times without a definite plan – just bumbling through our lives”.
With over half a million TikTok followers, one million Instagram followers and more than two billion streams to his name, bbno$ has become an American musical tour de force.
‘i remember’ is his latest single, and is a heartbreak anthem filled with mellow vocals, a yearning melody and a killer bassline.
“‘i remember’ is a nostalgic experience of love that is meant to be a good follow up to my song ‘help herself’. I love making fun rap songs, but it’s nice to try out new styles and do things people don’t always expect from me. It’s my goal to be a multi-dimensional songwriter and I think this song helps show that.”
Taken from the forthcoming studio album ‘eat ya veggies’ which is out October 8th 2021.
A beautifully melodic pop ballad from Irish singer-songwriter Lucy Blue. Pure and stripped-back, ‘Pilot’ carries a powerful sense of melancholy that is mesmerising to listen to.
A beautifully moving release from Sfven that feels intense and raw, yet still carries an essence of tenderness.
Few vocalists are able to convey depths of emotional rawness as intensely as Freddie Long. The London-based artist recently celebrated his music exceeding five million streams from just two EP’s and a handful of singles.
He delves deeper into his emotionally revealing narratives on new track ‘Hide and Seek’. Despite his growing skills as a songwriter who uses music as a release for turbulent feelings, on ‘Hide and Seek’ he almost immediately confesses, “I knew the words but couldn’t get them out.”
“It was a tough song to write. Going through hard patches in my relationships with others made me realise my mistakes. I wanted this song to be a message about that. Looking back at the moment I didn’t see that I was letting people down and not giving them 100%.”
Rap wunderkind Token is back in epic fashion through his new single ‘High Heels’ today, featuring the inimitable skills of punk rapper Rico Nasty.
“Rico and I came together to embrace the fast life we find ourselves trapped inside of. This song represents the high energy, fun life I always dreamed about without acknowledging any of its downsides. It was an exciting time in my life, so I just sound like an excited ass kid. I was fresh off tour and single again. You can hear it in my voice. I was inspired by all of the new things coming my way and I was having fun. I’ve put out a lot of darker, sadder songs, but this one is me enjoying myself for the first time. Rico killed it too!” – Token
Taken from Token’s forthcoming album ‘Pink is Better’ which is out on 8th October 2021 via Never Too Different & Atlantic Records.
Manchester alt-pop act Larkins are back today with one of the most moving releases of the week. ‘Digital Love’ is the band’s very special take on the Daft Punk classic, and was produced by Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo) and Ryan Linvill (Tai Verdes, Dermot Kennedy).
Taken from the debut album ‘JCOY’ which is out on 8th October 2021.
Proving Berlin to be a hotbed for musical talent, artist & producer LLUCID teams up with fellow Berliner and alternative R&B singer-songwriter, producer and artist Mulay on stunning new single ‘Fake Love’.
This is a beautifully perfected release which effortlessly juxtaposes dark and broody tones against an energetic and anthemic chorus.
“We started this song about a year ago, around the same time we wrote ‘Incomplete,’ one of the reasons why both kinda belong together. Some songs are quickly done, but not this one. This one felt special and since Mulay and I both are quite perfectionists, we put a lot of effort into refining each and every element of the song: re-recording vocals, rearranging the song & trying out different ideas. Fun fact: We even imitated an old school type house sample, so the vocals you hear right after the chorus are actually Mulay’s. In the end it’s always fascinating how you seem to learn new things with every song you make, especially when it comes to collabs.” – LLUCID
London-based talent I Know I Know returns today with another stunning release in the form of new single ‘Fickle’. Intensely raw in it’s essence, this is a song that captivates any listener thanks to it’s rich soundscape and captivating lyricism.
The song follows on from his previous track ‘Fade Out’, as well as the success of his collaboration with Royal Blood on ‘Boilermaker’ from their latest album (which reached the number 1 spot in the UK album charts).
