An infectiously catchy bop from one of Sweden’s most exciting prospects. Maia Wright has already garnered over 300 million streams just as a songwriter and feature artist, so it really is only a matter of time before this mega-talent establishes a solo name for herself.
A suspenseful and intense release from Egyptian/ Canadian non-binary alternative artist Elko. Refreshingly raw and emotive, the song acts as an anthem for those who stopped caring.
“The song captures the moment of acceptance when a relationship is beyond repair, detailing a story of demise and despair.”
One of Denmark’s most successful music talents of late, Jada has already hit more than 30 million streams and won no less than 12 awards since her debut in 2018. Today sees the release of her new single, aptly titled ‘I’m Back’.
This is an epic (almost cinematic) track that carries the theme of trusting yourself, being true to who you are and not caring about what other people may think.
“‘I’m Back’ is about getting through a process. It’s about doubting yourself and losing balance and then finding the way back to yourself again. It’s also about how I relate to judgmental voices both from the outside and from within myself. It’s a song that I’ve been wanting to write for a long time, but it was hard to describe the nuances of both taking things in and getting hit by the words and at the same time shaking them off again and not really caring about what other people think.”
I’ve featured push baby a few times in the past, but I have to say that this is one of my favourite releases from the act so far.
Now evolved as duo project featuring Jake Roche and Charley Bagnall, ‘Cry/TALK ABOUT IT’ channels the anxiety and hysteria of an episode of poor mental health.
“We hard tuned and distorted parts of the vocal as I wanted to lean away from that clean pop vocal and explore a more left leaning approach; a feeling of hysteria and pandemonium. It feels close to home. I wanted to convey what it’s like going through an ‘episode’ with their mental health and stability. This idea of moments of calm and peace and then lots of overbearing and uncomfortable voices. It’s unlistenable at times I think. But then again on the surface – it’s quite a rather simple structured pop song that if you stripped back – it could be a top 40 pop radio song.” – Jake, push baby
Returning after a brief musical break, alt-pop duo Dady are back today with the gorgeously dreamy ‘Dark Mode’.
The pair are a shining example of how music brings people together, and exist now as a match made in musical heaven; with the release of ‘Dark Mode’ being another wonderful example to add to the collection.
“‘Dark Mode” was written and recorded (almost) all in one day during the summer of 2020. With this release, we decided to explore warmer, more organic instrument sounds, a bit of a departure from our early production and beat-heavy tracks. Both vocally and production-wise, it’s an exploration of how less can be more.”
Norway’s invasion of pop in 2021 continues with the release of Hanne Mjøen’s fantastic banger ‘Hell With You’.
This is as premium as electro-pop gets; emotive vocals and pulsating beats set the tone for a song that feels melancholic while also giving off an essence of euphoria at the same time. It’s a sound that Scandinavians have mastered for decades now, and still never fails to blow me away.
Based on the island of Krk in Croatia, 21 year-old bedroom-pop wonder-kid Fran Vasilić releases new single ‘A Lovesong for Whoever’ today; a charming synth power-ballad that elicits emotions of delusion, loneliness and love.
“This song is inspired by the constant creation of fake realities with my love interests and the universal fear of rejection.”
This is probably one of the best songs to emerge from Germany so far this month (in my humble opinion).
Featuring three of the nation’s most talked-about music talents, ‘Pray’ was initially conceived by Drunken Masters and Delusion while in in LA last year.
After returning to Germany, Valentin Hansen’s distinctive vocals then pushed the song into its final form. It’s a beautifully uplifting piece of music which is sure to raise anyone’s spirits and get you feeling sentimental.
South London duo The Escape are two best friends who have been crafting music together for over a decade now. Their sound is characteristically unique, blending genres as diverse as jazz, hip hop, RnB and rock together into something that feels refreshingly original.
“The real flex for us is doing what makes you happy and being true to yourself, regardless of what others think. More time people end up flexing to impress others but they’re miserable themselves… Make life what you want it to be…have some fun!”
Hailing from San Francisco, Samaria fuses rhythmic RnB with lo-fi influences and live instruments to create songs that relay raw emotions of love, heartbreak and introspection. On the song, Samaria says:
“I found an old text thread between my ex and I on my laptop. I thought it had been deleted, but as I scrolled through our conversations I could pin point everywhere I went wrong. All of these things that I didn’t want to admit before were suddenly in my face and I couldn’t run from it anymore. It was too late for me to communicate that with him so I wrote it all down for myself.”
A shimmering feel-good fusion of summery indie-pop and jazzy vocals from one of LA’s finest, Trip Carter.
“I wrote this song in the midst of pandemic madness. Quarantine seemed like it was gonna go on forever and it was starting to weigh heavily on my mental state. I truly would’ve gone crazy if it weren’t for my loved ones holding me down. Heavyweight is about just that. It’s an homage to the ride or dies; whether that be your significant other, your best friend, or your family. They ride with you, they die with you, and they help you bear the weight of your problems when you can’t do it on your own. That’s love.”
Cassia have very rapidly become one of the UK’s most exciting and promising indie talents.
The Macclesfield-born outfit recently relocated to Berlin and consequently self-produced all their new music so that it is completely uncompromised. On new single ‘Right There’, drummer Jake explains:
“‘Right There’ came from quite a difficult place and was originally written as a slower piano song, with the words coming out almost as if I was talking. It’s about a very specific feeling, one of loneliness, and picking things apart – a vicious cycle, really. When I brought the song to the guys we wanted to make it as upbeat and uplifting as possible, as there is something kind of electric about taking those lows and sticking a finger to them. I know we live for songs like that and we hope this will have a similar impact on our fans who might need it.”
Fuelled by a deep perception and understanding about the things you want but can’t have, ‘Peanut Butter’ is the latest release from Harlem native Porsh Bet$. This is some of the finest fusions of alt-pop and RnB you’ll likely listen to all week.
“When I wrote [Peanut Butter] I was definitely just kinda daydreaming about the most perfect scenario – you know, with a girl and a fancy car on a nice day. Cause I’m allergic to peanut butter I really shouldn’t be near it, but it sucks because everyone else loves it! It looks good, but once I get too close, I get nauseous. I think of it like this – sometimes being left out is a good thing.”
Taken from the forthcoming debut EP ‘I Used To Think Forever’.
Three of pop’s biggest names come together in a magnificent fashion on ‘You’. This is an understated yet sleek slice of melodic electronic pop, flowing with finesse and charm.
Taken from the upcoming Netflix anime series ‘Yasuke’ which is out on 29 April.
Hugely talented Scottish artist Sam Gellaitry’s ‘duo’ is reminiscent of that classic French disco sound that we’ve all come to love.
If you’re a fan of Friendly Fires, you’ll most likely enjoy this release. It’s a sound that feels alive and invigorating in an effortlessly cool way.
“It feels like I’m dropping my first ever song. such a crazy feeling to go from hiding behind instrumentation to finally finding my voice. It’s super liberating being able to explore more refined soundscapes by using my vocals as the glue. I return to my roots with ‘duo’ by venturing into a more funk oriented sonic and I’m going to continue to showcase all my past and present tastes that have brought me to this point musically.”
A truly stunning release from London-based artist Eloise, showcasing her take on timeless soul and packed with youthful verve.
“‘Intertwined’ is really a love letter to the one that got away. It’s about reflecting on all the things you should or shouldn’t have done or said… And having an inappropriate amount of faith in it still all working out.”
Taken from the debut mini-album, ‘Somewhere In-Between’ which is due on 18th June 2021. You can also catch a live show at London’s Lafayette on 5th July with tickets here.
Amazing video aside, SonReal’s new single ‘Bank On Me’ is one of the freshest blends of pop and RnB that I have heard today. It’s an uplifting ode to the character and dedication of the everyday man, woman and child that seems right on time.
“I’ve been through so many ups and down since I started making music but one thing I’ve always done is bank on myself. This song is made to empower people and lift them up. It’s such a crazy time in the world right now and I wanted to make a song for you to feel good to. Bank On Me.”
Track of the week. A sublime fusion of RnB, soul and pop from French-Senegalese artist anaiis. This is an understated affair that flows with emotive tones and introspective lyricism.
“I wrote about being okay with not being okay, it’s not always easy to make space for ourselves when we are feeling so very low. When writing this song, I was looking for glimpses of solace whilst searching for ways to see beyond the confines of my thoughts and to find the little crack where I felt I had choice again.”
“This song is about the journey towards finding yourself. It can be very difficult to be true to your inner values when all you do is please the people around you instead of your inner needs. I’ve always come across as a strong-minded person. But in reality, I’m capable of helping everyone BUT myself. At some point, I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin that I couldn’t even breathe properly”
