Category: Listen

tmdistant – so bipolar

No stranger to the pages of Alfitude, Essex wonder-kid tmdistant returns with the excellent ‘so bipolar’.

Fusing multiple genres like alt-RnB, funk, trap and pop, the song was written as anthem for fake love; and the fake people who change and leave – only to expect to be welcomed back when they return.

“Even friends I’ve had in the past have been the same, always changing. I would hear different things people have said about me from others, while these same people show me love then they see me. I just wanted to share my experience and hope listeners can relate to it.”

tmdistant

Nefertitti Avani – Serious

Not only a magnificent singer, American artist Nefertitti Avani is also an actress, songwriter, and producer who crafts some of the sleekest new RnB you could wish for right now.

Speaking on the inspiration behind ‘Serious’ Nefertitti explains that the song does what it says on the tin ‘It’s serious‘. 

Taken from the forthcoming new EP ‘Oh, Ok’ dropping this summer.

Nefertitti Avani

DANA – Undefined

If there’s one European nation that has consistently excelled with new musical talent so far this year, it’s been Switzerland.

A prime example is DANA, a Swiss singer-songwriter who’s style of indie-pop carries a soulful twist, helping people understand what it means to be vulnerable. Her new single ‘Undefined’ speaks on the emotions surrounding being caught up in a love story with someone where the ‘definition’ isn’t so clear.

It’s an experience most of us can relate to, yet somehow this 23-yer old talent has managed to put those feelings into a song that is so beautifully moving.

DANA

Farida – 365 Days

Norwegian artist Farida returns today with a stripped-back mix of pop and rock in the form of infectiously catchy new single ‘365 Days’.

“‘365 Days’ is about meeting someone during a summer vacation, drinking, having fun, but at the end realising it’s not ideal to wake up hung over every morning and the anxiety kicks in too often, so she starts eating healthy and saying good riddance to the summer fling who never wanted to be sober. It’s a nostalgic feel to the song reminding us about summertime and the many memories we create, good and bad.”

Farida

Joel Malka – Monte Carlo

Swedish artist Joel Malka returns with a finessed yet intimate release today. ‘Monte Carlo’ fuses ambient tones of pop with RnB to create a sound that feels dreamy and mysterious, all the while carrying a beat that keeps you hooked until the very end.

”It’s about looking for fun distractions. To me, ‘Monte Carlo’ just represented this state of mind where you can get a break from all your worries for a while. I’ve definitely felt that I could use a break like that, especially in these times, so I hope this song can take the listeners there with me. Like just three minutes without a care in the world.”

Joel Malka

Sheila and the Kit – Exotic Bird

https://open.spotify.com/track/3TAkNXYZriQf2xfSd2iUDL?si=9d4465aedcf04342

‘Exotic Bird’ is the first single from Dutch outfit Sheila and the Kit’s upcoming album. This is a deliciously dark and melodic slice of electronica, fused with hints of indie and pop.

Written as an ode to those nights on the dance floor before lockdown kicked in, the song serves as a reminder that good times are almost among us again.

Sheila and the Kit

Yorke – Window Shopping

Aussie pop starlet Yorke returns today with her first single of the year. Created over the course of just a few hours, ‘Window Shopping’ is a shimmering fusion of electro-pop and disco that looks into the desire of impressing a potential love interest while retaining your natural personality.

“I think sometimes the anxiety of wanting to make a good first impression (in any respect) can overshadow the ability to establish a meaningful connection.”

Yorke

RVBY – Glitter

A dreamy pop release from RVBY, and one that feels euphoric in a gentle and subtle kind of way. It’s the type of song that softly builds momentum, leaving you feeling on top of the world as it concludes.

“I’m chasing this physical ‘sparkle’ on a journey. The meaning behind my new single is that I’m chasing this dream which in the video takes the form of a moving magical cluster. The sparkle is calling me to follow it and it symbolises something I really want.”

RVBY

frogi – phantom limb

https://open.spotify.com/track/3xnDsP1pTBKDJyxSfc2Wxj?si=6fd20436f6fd47b8

LA-based singer, songwriter and producer frogi has received quite love since releasing ‘moonlight’ just eighteen months ago.

She’s since ascended Hype Machine and been embraced by the fashion world, with in-store playlists from H&M and Ralph Lauren; not bad considering she’s released everything to date independently,

Today marks the release of the beautifully written ‘phantom limb’, a song that brings a warm and hyper-modern take on heartbreak.

“I like to travel in time when I write songs and visit different versions of myself, This song is a visit from present me to a younger me. I look back at myself when I was a teenager and send her love. Her self esteem was pretty low, and her self worth was so based on a relationship that was doomed from the start. I find it healing to talk to my younger self and show her love she didn’t know back then. I think it pieces broken parts of my present self back together.”

frogi

Picture This – If Ever However Whenever Forever

Irish international phenomenon Picture This are back today with the beautifully emotive ‘If Ever However Whenever Forever’.

The track marks the announcement of the band’s fan album, ‘Life In Colour‘ which comes out on 25th June 2021 via Republic Records. On the album, they say:

“Our fans have been amazingly patient with us over the last two years and allowed us to get a body of work together that we feel is really worth the wait for them and we’re excited for them all to get their hands on it! We will be back with even more music a lot sooner than you would think too!”

Not only that – but they’re also going on tour across the UK later this year, kicking off on 6th October in Nottingham. More info here.

Picture This

Sigrid – Mirror

I first featured Sigrid all the way back in 2014, but it wasn’t until 2018 that the world finally caught up to this Norwegian talent.

Here we are in 2021, and this superstar has already toured the globe, amassed over 1.2 billion streams and sold a million album units.

Now she’s back with a disco-filled bop in the shape of ‘Mirror’, continuing to hold her ground as one of Scandinavia’s biggest musical success stories.

Sigrid

RALPH – Love Potion

It seems like everything RALPH touches turns to musical gold. Now she’s back with a new twist to her sound in the form of ‘Love Potion’.

This is a shimmering blend of disco and electro-pop, flirting between something that feels timeless yet still current and refreshingly fun.

“I wrote ‘Love Potion’ almost a year ago with my sweet pals David Charles Fischer and Terence Lam (the same team behind ‘Gravity’).  I had just watched the movie ‘Midsommar’ and couldn’t get the imagery out of my head. I kept thinking about this one scene where the cult women create a love potion to woo the male protagonist… and soon I was deep in a google hole of ‘history of love potions’ (they date back to Biblical times!) I came into the session with that as my lyrical inspiration, and pretty soon we wove a dance-y, bass-soaked story of a woman afraid she’s loving her lover… so she cooks up a brew to remind him just how sweet she is.”

Taken from the upcoming EP ‘GRADIENCE’ which is due 7th July 2021 on Rich Man Records.

RALPH

FEMM – Private Dancer

Consistently pushing the boundaries of electronic pop, Japanese Mannequin duo FEMM return today with their hard-edged new track, ‘Private Dancer’.

Decadently blending elements of dance and goth rock into a sound that feels bold and raw, the song tackles the concept of ‘symbiotic love’ – the desire to use; and to be used.

“Confidence is sexy. She is strong and fierce. She doesn’t take no as an answer. She loves every inch of herself being a woman. It’s cool to sing this character as FEMM. It’s a new vibe for us and we are loving it. The song starts off with a mysterious tone, then goes into harder beats. For sure it’s gonna make you wanna dance. If you get more into it, the more you can really feel that strong confident sexy woman.” – RiRi, FEMM

FEMM

Aaron Taos + Hadji Gaviota – Ain’t Over You

One of indie-pop’s finest, Aaron Taos returns today with the massively loveable ‘Ain’t Over You’, and this time he’s enlisted the help of the equally talented Hadji Gaviota. If you’ve started compiling your summer playlists, be sure to bump this song right to the top because I’m quite certain you’ll have it on loop for a good old while.

Taken from Aaron’s forthcoming LP which is dropping this summer. 

Aaron Taos | Hadji Gaviota

Holly Humberstone – The Walls Are Way Too Thin

Holly Humberstone’s new single ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ was written during an intense period of feeling claustrophobic and lost in a new flat, in a new city, and far away from home. This is a gorgeously dark and broody take on indie-pop which is both captivating and emotive.

“I wrote ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ about a time in my life when I felt like I’d lost control of where I was heading and struggling to find my place in the world. I’d just moved to a small London flat and felt claustrophobic and alone. To avoid confronting how I was feeling I’d sneak out the flat and go on train journeys to see my mates, get drunk, then come back hungover through the night and early hours. I wrote most of the Walls and the songs that come next on those trains. It was my place of therapy, in the middle of nowhere, constantly moving with no destination.” 

Holly Humberstone

Kwaku Asante – Angel

One of UK RnB’s most exciting talents of late, Kwaku Asante’s vocal is sublimely mesmerising. ‘Angel’ is an ambitious and gorgeous love song lyrically tells of a dark and toxic spiral.

“‘Angel’ is about how selfish I am leading to neglecting a partner, not because I don’t care about them but because I want to be successful in music. The toxicity in the song is that I hoped that she would stay around, regardless of my actions and carry on being my shoulder to cry on, the person I vent to. It’s ironic, given the song sounds positive.”  

Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘ODE’ which is out on 25th June 2021.

Kwaku Asante

Nonô – ROCKSTAR

If you’re a fan of early Max Martin pop productions then Brazilian-born artist Nonô’s latest single might just be your new anthem.

“My aspirations and plans have always been very big. In school I was surrounded by people that wanted to be engineers, doctors and lawyers. I always planned on being a Rockstar! I wrote it to remind myself and the little girl that made these wild plans that I’m still going for it and giving it all I got. Hopefully this song can serve as an inspiration to all the other dreamers and misfits out there!”

Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Midnight Mimosas’ which is out 2nd July 2021.

Nonô

Agnes – 24 Hours

Track of the week. To put it simply, Agnes is one of Swedish pop’s all time icons. Since her debut back in 2005, this phenomenal artist has been releasing hits that have not only become a part her country’s music history, but also achieving worldwide attention.

Now she’s back with a banger of a track that flirts with the classic disco concept, all the while injecting a heady dose of the future into it. It’s an exhilarating song that has been on loop all day.

Agnes