Dark-pop chanteuse LEXXE returns with a poignant new single dedicated to her late father Xavier, entitled ‘X’.
Released today to coincide with what would have been his birthday, the song serves as an ode to Xavier, and presents listeners with a sound that feels raw and emotive – yet also euphoric in tone.
“A few years ago I was performing and could absolutely swear I saw my father sitting front row. I love to write about the supernatural and the things we don’t understand, so while I acknowledge that seeing him could’ve been something my mind made up, it doesn’t make it any less poignant. The song is composed of different lines about me questioning life and death, talking about real life events (the show where I thought I saw him, his friends seeing me in random bars and crying because I look like him, the last time I saw him) and it’s really a question of do we ever really die?”
As an accomplished artist, LEXXE is not only a singer and songwriter but also producer, professionally-trained dancer and performer. Alongside her work as a solo musician, LEXXE performs with Brooklyn’s famed Company XIV troupe.
NY-based Puerto Rican musician, podcaster and model Demi Ramos unveils a powerful new collaboration today with rising artist GARZI.
Through its energising mix of alt-rock and emo-pop, ‘Just A Phase’ showcases a sound that is as bold as it is arresting and captivating.
“The tune was made in an hour during a spontaneous jam in LA and the sounds were inspired by the 2000s. I remember listening to a lot of Blink 182, Weezer, Bloc Party and Yeah Yeah Yeahs during that trip.” – Demi Ramos
Already a starlet with a significant fanbase, Ramos is a known name within New York’s underground music scene, having performed in venues as iconic as Berlin, Mercury Lounge, SOB’s and Webster Hall.
Meanwhile, GARZI is a sought-after talent who has worked alongside the likes of Travis Barker, Point North and FEVER 333.
This weekend’s alt-pop banger comes courtesy of emerging Canadian starlet dee holt, who has just unveiled her latest single, ‘Better’.
The track finds the Montreal-based artist addressing the inner demons that cause us to self-sabotage and look for the negatives in situations.
“This unconscious cycle of self-sabotage is what ‘Better’ is all about. It’s about always expecting the worst in others as well as yourself. It’s about getting into relationships and expecting it all to fall apart before it’s even begun. It’s about thinking that you’re ‘better left behind.’”
To date, holt has garnered praise from the likes of Billboard, TeenVogue, A1234, Early Rising and many more influential tastemaker outlets.
holt has also amassed more than six million career streams on Spotify from only a handful of singles, as well as her 2022 EP ‘When I Close My Eyes’.
One of East London’s biggest soul prospects to emerge this year will be Liv East.
Created alongside producer Lokes LDN, new single ‘So Badly’ seamlessly fuses genres as diverse as dance, alternative R&B, neo soul, jazz and pop into a unified sound that feels cohesive, finessed and vibrant.
“‘So Badly’ was born out of a time when I knew I had met someone of importance but the timing just wasn’t right. I had to remind myself of the mantra ‘nothing real can truly be threatened’ and step back with grace. I felt parallels with many other situations in my life. We had just come out of a pandemic where we were all forced to surrender to redirection and hold our hands up to the universe. No matter how badly we want something, it won’t always (or rarely ever) pan out the way we want it to. So Badly, for me, is about the art of surrender but still keeping faith.”
To date, East has achieved more than ten million catalogue streams and currently commands 135k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
Nashville singer and songwriter Sadie Fine starts the year with what is (in our view) her most impressive release yet.
Created alongside Stefan Skarbek (noted for his work with Amy Winehouse, Spice Girls, Lily Allen and more) and emerging producer Nabes, new single ‘Detox’ is a beautifully constructed piece of melancholic pop that looks at toxic love. Elaborating on the song, Fine explains:
“‘Detox’ is about the struggles of being in a toxic relationship. ‘Detox’ is also the first song where I started using fast paced, rap style, lyrical delivery with my acoustic guitar.”
If you’re lucky enough to be based in Nashville then be sure to check out Fine’s residency at Moxy – details can be found here.
It’s taken a short while, but rising US starlet Dasha has finally released her much-anticipated debut album today, entitled ‘Dirty Blonde’ (out now).
Among the seventeen songs on the record is ‘Make A Scene’, which presents listeners with a bold alt-pop sound that is utterly captivating to experience. Elaborating on the track’s meaning, Dasha explains:
“I wrote ‘Make A Scene’ with The Gifted in LA and I remember going home that night and I listening back to the rough day bounce but instantly knew this song would be an integral part of my debut album. I had the title/ lyric ‘Make A Scene’ in my song ideas in my notes app for months. I pulled inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood in both production and lyrical choices. There’s something so timeless about that era that’s so inspiring to my artistry. ‘Make A Scene’ is all about wanting to show someone off to the world in the most confident and glamorous way.”
‘Dirty Blonde’ follows on from 2021’s acclaimed ‘$hiny Things’EP, which received support from outlets as noted as Nylon Mag, Rolling Stone India and UPROXX.
Stateside fans can catch Dasha performing album release shows at LA’s Moroccan Lounge on the 29th Jan, and New York’s Mercury Lounge on 15th Feb.
Philadelphia’s Ocean Heights returns with a charming piece of nostalgia-tinged indie pop on new single ‘Down’.
With subtle hints of Daft Pank, Anderson .Paak and 70’s soul, the song presents listeners with a classic and timeless sound that still somehow feels fresh and current.
“As soon as me and my big bro Octavius started working out the chorus I was imagining this image of an old school weatherman in my head and I immediately started shopping for our suits.”
Releasing music since 2016, Ocean Heights has gone on to accumulate more than four million career streams on Spotify alone, while also collaborating alongside the likes of Dreamer Isioma.
Rising Singapore-based singer and songwriter Matilde G returns with a punchy slice of pop through her self-assured new single ‘Hypocrite’.
Inspired by the perils of teenage dating and cheating lovers, the song serves as an anthem to those who have suffered with bad romances.
“This song is about a guy who cheated on me. This is sadly a current topic for those who live teen-relationships. Am I the victim of a hypocritical guy? The cheater is a victim of himself and his lies. Better to kick back and go further with strength and awareness of your own value, which is never determined by the others. I wrote ‘Hypocrite’ to send a strong message to those who have been cheated on: do not be ashamed because the true loser is the cheater! I went through painful experiences that marked me but also made me stronger and more determined not to allow anyone to manipulate me and hurt me.”
With a style of sound compared to the likes of Tove Lo, Zara Larsson and Avril Lavigne, Matilde G has grown a fanbase of over 250k followers across social media and accumulated more than five million catalogue streams.
As one of Norway’s most exciting alternative starlets, Oslo’s Jouska has consistently treated listeners to eccentric sounds that push sonic boundaries while still maintaining some pop sensibilities.
Lifted from Jouska’s upcoming ‘Suddenly My Mind Is Blank’ album (out 17th Feb), ‘Fragrance’ presents us with a dreamy and melodic (albeit lyrically bold) slice of experimental electro-pop.
“‘Fragrance’ is probably the most honest song I’ve ever written. I was feeling like such a loser when I wrote it. Usually I like to play with metaphors and hide behind my words when I write songs, but Fragrance turned out really personal and direct.”
London-based fans can catch Jouska on the 15th March at Stoke Newington’s The Waiting Room – tickets can be found here.
Few musicians have the courage to open up their hearts in a way that is as candid, raw and personal as rising alternative artist Dylan “Woz” Wozniak.
Today sees the singer, songwriter and guitarist unveil his latest single, entitled ‘Medicine’. Powerfully honest and emotive in tone, the track continues to showcase Woz as one of the most exciting newcomers to have emerged from the US over the last twelve months.
Coinciding with the release, we asked Woz to tell us a little more about the meaning behind the song, along with some other questions that will give you a glimpse into the mind of this future music star.
Your new single is called ‘Medicine’. What inspired you to write the song?
‘Medicine’ encapsulates the darkest period of my life. The lyric was inspired by a quote in the show Bojack Horseman, where his mom says “You’re Bojack Horseman, there’s no cure for that.” The song itself is about having Borderline Personality Disorder, and the addictions and self-destructive behavior that came with it. At the time I truly believed that those behaviors were who I was, and theres no way for me to fix that. I’m sober now and am on medication, so thankfully I was wrong.
What does a typical day for Woz look like at the moment?
My day is pretty routine honestly. I wake up, hang out with my dog, do some writing, and from there I make TikToks and stuff for a bit, and then I go out and hang with my friends! Also band practice, that’s my favorite part of the week usually!
What would you say has been your career highlight so far?
Probably playing my first show at a venue. We played the Amityville Music Hall in my town and it was awesome! My friends were there, and people who follow me online too! It was surreal, the place was packed out, it was emotional!
Who would your dream collaboration be with, and why?
I have too many dream collaborations. Jack Antonoff would be a sick one, I’m a huge fan of everything he’s done. Also a lot of fashion people would be cool too. If I ever got to do something that ended up in me wearing some fancy Saint Laurent clothes, I’d be so happy.
What do you have in store for the year ahead?
Where do I start? All I’ll say is more shows, more music, and stuff that I can’t say quite yet.
Stream Woz’s widely acclaimed 2022 hit EP ‘At the Gulf’here.
After a year-long hiatus, London’s VC Pines marks his comeback with new single ‘Running’.
Fusing elements of alternative R&B with soul and indie-pop, the track marks a fresh sonic direction for the ever-evolving artist.
“‘Running’ is about loneliness. Never feeling like you really fit into a group of friends. You know people from different pockets of London who tend to drift in and out of their lives every weekend and then disappear for a while. It’s easier to hide addictions from people because no one’s really able to keep an eye on you. You hate being stuck in one place for too long, but there’s always someone telling you you need to take a breather from chaotic work life/ social life.”
Few UK-based musicians have received as much hype in recent years as VC Pines. This talent continues to win fans and critics alike, with praise from industry heavyweights like Jack Saunders and Huw Stephens, as well as countless tastemaker outlets.
Fans in London can catch an intimate show by VC Pines at Camden’s MAP Studio Cafe on the 27th January – tickets can be found here.
London’s Jadasea and Brooklyn’s Laron team up on a new release that showcases some of the finest in both British and American sonic artistry.
Lifted from their forthcoming ‘The Corner Vol.1’ collaborative project (out 8th Feb), ‘Middle of It’ layers nostalgic soul tones over a modern hip hop production, resulting in a sound that feels both classic and current.
With more than 500k streams on Spotify to date, Jadasea is a rising UK talent who has worked alongside the likes of King Krule, while Laron has already marked his name Stateside as an in-demand producer.
WIINSTON might well be our most featured Danish outfit from recent years, and with good reason.
This genre-bending Copenhagen duo have consistently delivered sounds that are future-forward and experimental, while also maintaining some pop sensibilities.
‘care4’ continues to showcase WIINSTON’s desire to push sonic boundaries, and fuses genres as diverse as indie, folk and R&B into a song that is not only unique and intriguing in style, but also emotive and authentic in character.
“‘care4’ is the perfect picture on how we currently define ourselves. It’s rooted in multiple genres like indie, folk, RnB and hip hop with inspiration from the soundscapes of cinema. When making music, to us, every aspect is equally important ‘cause when we limit ourselves to only one genre it doesn’t feel like we created anything, really – then we just remade something that already is. We aspire to make this our mutual philosophy in the studio.”
Norwegian starlet Sval teams up with frequent collaborator Jimi Somewhere on new single ‘ANGELA’.
In what is likely to be our favourite release from Norway so far this year, the track treats listeners to a sound that is both tender and vulnerable, but also euphoric in tone.
“‘ANGELA’ is a what if story. You fall in love, but you don’t have enough time to make it work. It’s about meeting someone and falling in love in a place where you know it’s temporary. To me the song feels nostalgic, about someone you don’t see anymore, but you still think dearly of.” – Sval
Elaborating further on the song’s creation, and her process with working alongside Jimi Somewhere, Sval explains:
“Writing this song was super easy, I just sang the first thing that came to mind. I only had a guitar loop and some drums and wrote my part on a late night in my living room, before bringing it to the studio with Jimi and Milo. Jimi’s verse really elevated everything, and I love having him as a feature. His voice really suits the song, and I love the story in his verse. It’s one of my favourites from my upcoming project and I hope people can resonate with it.” – Sval
As one of Norway’s newest alt-pop exports, Sval has received tastemaker recognition from the likes of Earmilk, Clout and Going Solo, while her most recent single, ‘GRENADE‘, has been streamed more than 200k times on Spotify alone.
Rising UK-based indie-pop outfit Sleeping Together return with their third single today, entitled ‘Time To Reflect’.
Through its thoughtful lyricism, the track explores the moments when we first fall in love – and start to lose our sense of independence.
“‘Time To Reflect’ is about losing yourself in a relationship and how hindsight is a wonderful thing, mostly. It’s easy to get lost in love, but it’s not always as bad as it’s made out to be, provided you keep hold of the key elements of yourself.”
With recognition from the likes of Clout Magazine, BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio, as well as landing placements on playlists as prominent as Spotify’s ‘UK&IE Fresh Finds’, 2023 looks set to be a stellar year for Sleeping Together.
The group play EBGBs in Liverpool on the 10th February – tickets can be found here.
It wouldn’t a normal weekend at Alfitude without featuring some premium Swedish music, and today it’s the turn of Sofia Monroy.
Serving as the last single from her forthcoming ‘Telenovela’ EP (out in the spring), new single ‘Control’ presents listeners with a perfected fusion of future-forward pop, alternative R&B and soul.
The resulting sound is one that feels sleek, finessed and refreshingly experimental in tone.
“‘Control’ is about the fear of losing control in connection with the longing to be someone else’s everything. All of a sudden you find yourself there, tied behind and perplexed, perhaps in love or maybe just stuck.”
To date, this rising Stockholm-based starlet has accumulated more than 300k career streams on Spotify alone.
British outfit Low Lying Sun are back today with a self-titled single that started it all for these much-hyped indie rockers.
On ‘Low Lying Sun’, captivating vocals drift across an atmospheric soundscape that feels haunting, melancholic and beautifully emotive.
“‘Low Lying Sun’ was the first song we wrote together as a band. We were messing around writing and the song came together really quickly and laid down the foundations of what we wanted the band to sound like. Once we’d written a few more songs we were trying to think of a name for the project and it felt right that we should be named after the seminal track.”
The track is lifted from the band’s forthcoming ‘Did You Mean It?’ EP (out 17th Feb), which follows on from last year’s critically praised debut record ‘Hymn To Say Goodbye’.
Low Lying Sun are Michael Hemmings, Ross Connell, Matt Chan and Noah Booth.
Danish-Senegalese producer Big Spoon (aka Kinck) joins forces with emerging UK talent EMI.KKO on sultry new single ‘Hush Money Scandal’.
Fusing experimental pop with alternative R&B, the song showcases a sound that is future-forward, vibrant and confidently bold.
Two rising musicians in their own right, both Big Spoon and EMI.KKO have already garnered significant achievements.
As a songwriter, Big Spoon has worked with labels as iconic as Ultra Music and Sony Music, while EMI.KKO was first signed by Elton John’s Rocket Music.
One of the UK’s most interesting soul and jazz prospects of late has been singer-songwriter Toby Corton, who has just unveiled his latest single.
‘Kill Your Darlings’ looks at our human desire to evolve, and how we must shed the things that make us feel safe so that we can allow ourselves to grow.
“At its core, the song is about this idea that sometimes in order to grow, we need to cast off the things we hold dear. For me it’s about getting out of your comfort zone and assessing relationships that in the moment can provide comfort, but ultimately hold you back from getting to the place you want to be. During lockdown, I was holed up and spending a lot of time in the absence of entertainment or opportunity to get out and perform, so I was very much in an introspective headspace, doing a lot thinking. I was really taking stock of where I was at and where I wanted to go or be, thinking about the things holding me back and trying to get myself in alignment.”
‘Kill Your Darlings’ is taken from Corton’s upcoming ‘Don’t Blame Me’ EP, which is scheduled for release later this spring.
To date, Corton has received praise from the likes of Wonderland, NOTION, Clash and Dazed magazines, and also performed in spaces as iconic as Servant Jazz Quarters and the Roundhouse.
Acclaimed Danish artist Late Runner (aka Asger Tarpgaard) returns today with an interesting new project that is sure to excite fans of Scandinavian indie-pop.
Originally written back in 2017, the new Organ Trio version of ‘Catch Your Eye’ reworks the song into a perfected slice of nu-disco.
The track is lifted from a wider collection of works (out now) that have all received the Organ Trio treatment, of which Tarpgaard explains:
“The four songs are special organ trio-versions of Late Runner tracks. It’s more electronic than ‘the usual’ Late Runner sound. It’s somehow a detour before I’ll return to the more acoustically driven Late Runner sound later this year.”
