A very sweet blend of dream-pop and indie, matched with two vocals that compliment each other beautifully.
“I wrote this song around two years ago about Katie Buxton, the featured artist. She’s always been one of my best friends in the world. When I wrote it, I was ridiculously in love and the song poured out of me. Getting to then work on the record with Katie was a really special experience for both of us.”
New York pop band Beat The System are the kind of outfit who take a glass-half-full approach to both music and life.
Founded in 2005 by brothers Gerald and Stewart, the pair decided to move from Malaysia to the States and pursue music full time. Currently, they’re also joined by songwriter Adrian and singer Shannon, who’s a former American Idol qualifier.
‘Chasing the High’ is a track that sets them on a mission to positively influence the world through the power of their uplifting pop!
If you feel that NEIMY’s voice is familiar, then it’s probably because she was the vocalist on Jubël’s huge hit ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ which became a global mega-success in the summer of 2018 (to date it’s been streamed over 180 million times).
Now she’s back with her own solo material, and it’s as premium as you can expect for Swedish pop. It’s bold yet relatable while also being empowering yet vulnerable.
“’Trust your gut’ is about someone who’s always going against their gut feeling and realising that they need to start trusting their intuition more. To not do what doesn’t feel right and how empowering it feels to let go of things that weigh you down.”
Taken from the new EP ‘Trust your gut’ which is out now.
One of the most exciting pop talents to emerge from Denmark recently, lil cat’s music only came about as a result of the boredom they were experiencing during the isolation from the Corona pandemic over the last year.
The real-life couple initially held back from working together, feeling that the concept of a ‘couples band’ was too kitsch for them. Nonetheless, they experimented with their sound and realised that actually, making music together was a pretty special experience.
“It’s kind of our Netflix. It’s what we do when we have fun and relax. Where other couples take dance lessons or play bridge or something, music is our thing, and the lyrics are therefore also taken directly from our own relationship – whether it is about my clothing crisis, PMS, or that I would like a whole football team of children with Mads. It is a kind of creative couples therapy.” – Cathrine van Leeuwen, lil cat.
Taken from the debut EP ‘tunes’ which is out now via W.A.S. Entertainment.
Maori artist TEEKS bears the kind of soulful voice that only very few are gifted with.
While already creating significant interest across the world from previous releases (just last summer he was featured in Vogue), this latest single is sure to solidify his position as one of soul-pop’s leading new talents.
RnB hailing from the UK really is at a peak right now, and talents like Malaysian-born, Brighton based Kaisha are consistent proof of that fact.
‘Predicament’ is a deliciously experimental take on the genre, sounding fresh and eclectic yet still carrying a strong essence of that classic RnB sound.
The beautiful lyricism is delivered with distinctively emotive vocals, and focuses on the helping of a loved one who is mentally suffering in silence – but doesn’t want to reach out for help.
“I think as the other person, you want to encourage them to open up and you want them to trust you. Essentially creating a safe space for them”
Public Library Commute (aka Conrad Hsiang) has just released new EP ‘1000 Summers’ and it’s immediately loveable from start right through to the end.
In particular, ’25MPH’ is such a delicious fusion of bedroom pop and hazy, nostalgic soul that I just have to share it with all of you.
Californian talent Anja Kotar has been steadily gaining traction over the last year with her thoughtful approach to pop.
Simple but catchy melodies create a canvas on which captivating lyricism and beautiful vocals come to life, as is the case with her latest single ‘Movie’.
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘songs from isolation’ which is out soon.
I won’t ever get bored from telling people how much I love this London-based artist. While previous singles have shown Òlah Bliss bring a powerfully bold and confident take on pop, today she returns with a more intimate and beautifully honest song.
“I have never written such a personal record. This songs explains what goes on in my head 24/7, the anxiety, the depression, the self-destructive behaviours, self criticism, the urge to control how other people view me. Call it a ‘therapy session’, because that’s what I imagined it to be whist writing the song, one on one with someone who can get through to me. Music has driven me to such madness on so many occasions and this is the first time I’ve ever spoken about it to any capacity.”
I ever so rarely feature acoustic songs on the site, but I was so moved by this one from Norwegian talent Aleks Grey that it just has to be shared with the rest of you.
It’s a beautifully sweet little number about a relationship where nothing works anymore, and no matter what you say or do, you just can’t make it better.
A hazy fusion of psychedelic indie vibes and pop tones come together perfectly on Kid Bloom’s latest single, ‘Control’.
With over 700,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone, the LA-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist is well on his way to achieving pop stardom at this rate!
“Before we started on ‘tired of your love’ we were listening to a lot of Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and The Neptunes in the studio. We wanted to create something that melodically and structurally could’ve fit in with 90’s music but that sonically felt brand new and exciting to us. It lived as a demo for months because we didn’t want to mess with the raw palette it was built from but eventually decided to dial everything in and finish it.”
Taken from the new ‘tape 002’ project which is out now.
To date there has not been a single release by 17-year old Birmingham-based talent Matt Ryder that hasn’t completely blown me away.
Even with that said, ‘A New Way Home’ is on a whole other level of beauty. It’s is a sparse yet dark, haunting and intense piece of music that proves once again how exceptionally talented this kid is.
“I think the track really resonated with me, although being released in 2017 I think over the past year the song bought me refuge and safety in a world that lacked that for me. Lockdown isolated me from friends and extended family, I really felt lost. This song made me feel like it was normal, that’s why I decided to cover it as it played such a huge part in my lockdown and the past year.”
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Orbit’ which is out this Spring.
Pop doesn’t come much more finessed than this sultry slice of bliss from Audrey Mika. It’s so easy to fall in love with this song…
“‘Chivalry’ is about being a strong, independent woman who can do anything on her own. But at the end of the day wanting to be able to be soft and vulnerable with someone that you love.”
Audrey Mika
A gorgeously powerful release from London based singer-songwriter Kings Elliot. Sharing her most vulnerable moments with courageous lyricism and emotive vocals, ‘Bitter Tonic’ reflects on the times when her inner saboteur has taken control.
“‘Bitter Tonic’ is about self-sabotage, self-hatred, self-destruction… All the things I’ve always felt too uncomfortable to talk about. ‘The bitter tonic is mine’ is the idea of desperately clinging onto my pain, defiantly refusing any help, because at my lowest it’s all I possess, all I have control over.”
Track of the week. British talent The Beach (George Morgan) returns with a fantastic slice of alt-pop in the form of new single ‘Still In Love’, which was produced by and co-written with Fyfe.
While the song initially comes across as stripped-back and minimal in it’s concept, delve further and you’ll experience layers that are full of texture and character. The sound feels playful and animated while still maintaining an essence of raw emotion.
“Essentially a confession/ play by play of how I acted/ felt about my ex-girlfriend after we broke up. I convinced myself that I was over it but was brutally reminded I wasn’t when I bumped into her at a mutual friend’s birthday. You never know how you’re gonna react when you see an old flame out somewhere and I guess this song is my experience of still feeling something when I didn’t think I would.”
A refreshingly honest release from London based talent King Kofi, who has fused elements of hip hop with minimalist electronic beats to create new single ‘White Boys’.
With compellingly sharp lyricism that feels heartfelt and raw, the track serves as a sophisticated yet youthful commentary on the world as seen by Kofi.
“The song’s lyrics are partly based on my own experience. I’ve met girls where they have implied they have a certain preference without saying it outright. But for the most part the song is a commentary on the world that I’ve observed around me.”
Alt-pop artist Grady’s new single ‘All In’ serves as a reminder for us to listen to our hearts over the crazy unwritten laws of dating.
“It’s a song about that moment you know in your heart that you want to take a relationship with someone to the next level. Love makes people do silly things, but if you really feel it, sometimes you just don’t care how silly you make yourself look.”
Also known as Pauli Lovejoy, this British talent has an eccentric approach to music making that is always a true delight to experience. On ‘I Got The Beat’ we are treated to a sound that is full of percussions and observant lyricism. Flawless work from start to finish…
A charming mix of indie and pop from LA-based artist bennytheghost. Listening to ‘Supersonic’ gives off a flirty and playful feeling at first, before building up into an almighty epic conclusion.
