Category: Listen

fijitrip – Kill The Game

Norwegian hyperpop wonder kid fijitrip returns with a fantastically warped and left of centre release in the shape of ‘Kill The Game‘. About the track, he says:

“This record is a personification of my conflicting feelings when it comes to my relationships vs my art. The song is kinda saying ‘sorry can’t hang, literally HAVE to go and make songs now’, and that sums up the person I was in my youth and still am. I was never a ‘cool’ person when growing up, I always found myself chasing a lot of stereotypes but never finding myself in a happy place, I didn’t go to parties, I wasn’t like that, I was at home learning how to write songs.”

fijitrip

Danni Baylor – Previews

Hailing from Washington D.C. is singer, songwriter, and musician Danni Baylor. This self-taught artist began her career as a background singer, although the momentum really picked up after she gained national recognition for her series of YouTube covers.

Not only that, but Danni’s songwriting talents have seen her work with the likes of Fantasia, BTS, Tamela Mann, TWICE, Jason Nelson and BlackPink. Overall it’s fair to say this is one hugely gifted kid!

Danni Baylor

4 Minutes Later – Grace

A deeply emotive ballad from a group who initially burst onto the scene back in 2018, when their illusive #whois4ml campaign went viral across the globe. This eventually led to the release of their debut EP garnering over a million streams, and a solid fan base ever since.

“Each of us has a Grandmother whose mind is giving away to dementia and that’s where the song comes in. ‘You talk about places that you used to go, the people and faces you no longer know’.”

4 Minutes Later

Betta Lemme – Ce Soir

Canadian starlet Betta Lemme is back today with one of the catchiest bops of the week. This is disco-pop with the perfect dose of sugary kitsch that will almost certainly get you up and dancing.

With lockdown serving as a backdrop, ‘Ce Soir’ invites you into Betta Lemme’s daydreams about a distant partner as she longs for connection. In this time alone, she’s reminded that the real luxury is being with a loved one; all the Zoom calls and retail therapy just can’t compete.

“On a night where crying seemed like my newfound and mastered hobby, and overthinking became my full time job, I pretended this little Gucci box was my friend and asked her if she could ‘flip this frown.’ In that moment, material goods became insignificant, a thing I’ve known all along, This song is about letting those daydreams free and realising that the only thing that will bring meaning to these things is enjoying them with the one you love. I wanted to have fun with loneliness and remind myself that some of the lowest points always bring us the perspective that we need.”

Betta Lemme

Emi Wes – Take Me To The Moon

Undoubtedly one of my favourite Danish talents of late, Emi Wes returns with an infectiously catchy blend of soul of indie-pop that gives you dreamy, summery vibes.

This is a playfully quirky sound that still feels effortlessly sleek, all the while glistening with hints of nostalgia.

“‘Take Me To The Moon’ is about a very short-lived fling where you just want to have fun while it lasts, feeling confident in your desires, knowing that you have to go soon. ‘Cause you’re too busy.”

Emi Wes

ViVii – Smackdown

Swedish outfit ViVii have long been a blog favourite for years now, thanks to their trademark indie style captivating listeners across the world.

Now they’re back with a new take on their sound, and it’s a flawless slice of uptempo hazy dream-pop that is perfect for the summer weeks ahead.

“We had enough mid-tempo songs and were eager to do something more danceable. What does it take to make a simple dancing song? We thought two chords at first but then we indulged in a third chord and suddenly it became complete! A tribute to our Swedish music heroes ABBA who we mixed with a little Fleetwood.”

Taken from the new album ‘Mondays’ which is out now.

ViVii

OLI – Think About It

London-based singer and songwriter OLI has that distinctive type of voice that immediately draws you in.

With a style of music-making that is tender and reflective, ‘Think About It’ is an easy mid-tempo pop number that provides a soothing balm to anyone who’s experienced increased anxiety or worry over this last year.

“There are days when you won’t have any control over your thoughts, you’ll think of anything and everything all at once. I wanted the song to show how that felt. When it’s late at night and all I can tell myself is ‘don’t over think’, whilst knowing I absolutely will anyway.”

OLI

Ruben Dawnson – Safely

One of Norway’s most promising indie-pop talents of late, Ruben Dawnson has rocketed past 1.5 million streams on Spotify alone since the release of his debut.

And there’s good reason for it; this is a talent who is deeply connected with this work, constructing everything in his own bedroom and not shying away from showing raw honesty and vulnerable emotions.

Look out for the forthcoming EP ‘Sunshower’, which is scheduled for release this summer.

Ruben Dawnson

SOMA – In the Night

Starting the weekend off with a belter of a pop song from Stockholm-based artist, producer and creator SOMA. ‘In The Night’ exudes good vibes, sleek beats and one hell of a catchy melody.

“This is a song I’ve had with me for the past 3 years. It has seen many phases, several different productional styles and finally found its form on the cusp of the pandemic that we’ve all come to know so well. In March 2020, I made the decision to put the release on hold. At a time when the world was, and still is, struggling to cope with deep shock, friends and family members losing their jobs, and some their health and lives, a song that so brutally celebrated the body felt like a sin.“

“Today, the same song that started out as a catchy tune with no remarkable depth, is nothing short of a tribute to our magnificent human bodies. Big or small, confined or free to move, in pain or in bliss, our human bodies are the containers and the pure expressions of life-stories. From our nearly unbearable intergenerational trauma to our secret one-night-stands.”

Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Make Me Human’ which is due on 27th August 2021.

SOMA

Louis Baker – Brighter Day

New Zealand modern soul talent Louis Baker’s ‘Brighter Day’ is one of those songs that immediately connects with you, all the while giving a heady dose of hope… Something we could all do with!

This is a warm and soulful track that pays tribute to the triumphs and adversities faced by Baker’s grandfather, who served in the 28th Māori Battalion.

“I wrote ‘Brighter Day’ for my grandfather who I never met. The song is inspired by a letter he wrote to his cousin during World War II, and of the many harrowing experiences he went through. During the war he was shot through the mouth at El Alamein, 1942. After returning home and having surgery on his face, he would spend time repeating the words ‘today is a beautiful day’ in front of the mirror, to train his mouth and muscles to speak again. He was incredibly determined and courageous. No matter what happened, he kept a positive mind-set and looked for brighter days ahead. This is my letter to him.”

Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Love Levitates’ which is set for release on 18th June 2021.

Louis Baker

Lucy DK – Queen Bed

East London starlet Lucy DK is back today with a silky-smooth and finessed piece of RnB-pop that was written during her time battling with depression. This artist not only blends genres but culture; putting new twists on hardship, friendship and the art of growing up.

“‘Queen Bed’ is a reminder that our mental health as black women is important, and that we are deserving of grace and empathy.”

Lucy DK

emie nathan – upstream

emie nathan returns today with the sensational and deeply moving ‘upstream’, a hauntingly beautiful piece that looks at life’s highs-and-lows, capturing the internal and external battles we all go through.

“’upstream’ is a reflection of an incredibly polarised mindset I found myself in at the end of 2020. Within the space of 48 hours, I experienced skyrocketing personal highs and plummeting lows. I had a birthday where I turned 24 years old, received news of my Platoon deal and then found out I had lost a family member who I was unable to see in person for the entire year. Going through the sheer emotional rollercoaster of my achievements, celebrations and relief to the crashing and deeply saddening news of loss, I really struggled to know how and what to feel. And even, what was okay to feel. It was quite frankly, one of the best and worst moments of my career to date. Upstream describes the internal battle I had with myself, reckoning with the spectrum of deep seated emotions and searching for a guiltless equilibrium in the depths of grief.”

emie nathan

Au/Ra – Bite Marks

Fresh from the release of her single ‘Dead Girl! (Shake My Head)’, and a feature on the Jax Jones hit ‘i miss u’ comes Au/Ra’s latest bop ‘Bite Marks’.

This is a hypnotic alt-pop sound, with psychedelic visuals that focus on the sting of a heartbreak that you knew was coming.

“‘Bite Marks’ is about letting someone into your life knowing they could hurt you – that fear becoming reality, and feeling stupid for letting it happen. It’s about playing the fool, knowingly, and having to grow and live with the bite marks that leaves behind.”

Au/Ra