One of the stand-out electro bops of the month comes from New York based singer and Grammy nominated artist Kah-Lo.
Drawing on influences from living in Lagos, London and New York, ‘Drag Me Out’ expertly blends groovy house basslines with punchy drum kicks and infectious lyrics – treating listeners to the ultimate pre-party anthem.
âIâm usually the last one standing at a great party, so âDrag Me Outâ is an actual account of how nights like those typically go for me. Itâs my very own recklessness anthem.â
“‘Hardcore’ is definitely one of my favourite tracks on the album. Itâs about wanting someone hardcore. I took the term from gaming, if you die you die but itâs all in. I also wanted to make the track sound drunk, like when youâre lost in a person. Thatâs why we made the temposhifts before each chorus. The production is so good on this one, it blows my mind.â
Critically acclaimed rising Nigerian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Tim Lyre releases his debut album ‘Worry <‘, and with it comes superb new single ‘Present’.
Sydney-based talent merci, mercy returns with a gorgeously effervescent and honest pop gem.
Beyond the shiny exterior of new single ‘Sick To My Stomach’ hides some serious subject matter, detailing the artist’s on-going struggle with addiction – namely to alcohol and cigarettes.Â
ââSick To My Stomachâ is about my addiction with alcohol and cigarettes and how it may seem like old news to some people because it’s what I always sing about. Right now in my life I am not struggling with heartbreak for another, but for myself.When I wrote this song I felt like anyone I told about my addiction would question it because it wasnât life threatening in their eyes. This song will take you on a journey of me and my self-worth. It is really showing you that I have come to a realisation where I begin to understand what is truly going on with myself and that it really is an issue people should start worrying about.”
Tik Tok starlet Devon Again is back today with an anthem to self -sabotage through her new single ‘All My Fault’.
âI had a super super annoying realisation that I was in charge of my own life and most of the hurt I was feeling was no ones fault but my own. Now more than ever I am trying to re-train my brain into treating myself better and doing what I can to not fall back into old patterns. Itâs so hard to keep growing and not resort to whatâs comfortable, and ‘all my fault’ is what came out of my little cyclical panic about whether or not i will just continue to sabotage myself”.
The track is a vibrant offering from an artist who already commands an ever-growing legion of online fans, while also being chosen by Spotify to front a Fresh Finds campaign.
With an approach to music-making that avoids fitting into any one particular genre, US talent nic violets never fails to surprise and delight with his releases.
Latest release ‘Bleu!’ sees violets draw inspiration from indie, alt-pop and drum & bass patterns while the chorus takes a minimal approach – allowing the atmosphere to speak.
“‘Bleu!” is my narrative on having too much of a good thing, and taking it for granted”.
One of Ireland’s most exciting pop prospects to emerge of late, singer and songwriter Robert Grace releases a weekend-ready bop in the shape of new single ‘Need You Back’.
While lyrically the song is about losing someone you should have fought harder to keep (and the feelings of regret that come with that), the production boasts an uplifting and optimistic sound that leaves you feeling more encouraged than ever.
âI would describe it as a hopeful uplifting pop ballad. You wonât know whether to smile or cry after listening to this track!âÂ
It’s been just over two years since Lyves last released a single, so today’s release of ‘How Would It Feel’ marks a welcome return for this London-based artist, songwriter and producer.
The track serves as an alt-R&B masterclass, with elements of 70’s soul, UK jazz music and 00âs R&B sprinkled throughout – delivering listeners with an enthralling and gripping experience from start to finish.
“Lyrically, it feels like a letter to myself from the subconscious â I very rarely plan what Iâm writing about before I improvise or put pen to paper. It feels like a stream of consciousness, where I allow my intuition to take the lead. Listening back today, I suppose itâs about loving someone but not wanting to acknowledge that youâre in it alone â you can sense the other person slowly slipping away and therefore you try harder, but the harder you try, the faster they eventually disappear”.
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Change’, co-produced by Dave Okumu (Adele, Arlo Parks, Jessie Ware, Amy Winehouse).
Swedish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jelly Crystal collaborates with Alice Boman on hypnotising new single ‘Happy Ending’.
Timeless in style while also reflective of the contemporary underground scene in Scandinavia, the song is a bombastic declaration of a love story that never existed.
“A love story with no happy ending… about a person that only exists in your head and a relationship coming to an end, even though you’ve never met her. It’s a live recording from the studio in Stockholm, that has many flaws and hasn’t been polished but still has a luxurious sound”. – Jelly Crystal
Australian artist Taylor Piggott is back with another sublime slice of dreamy indie-pop.
Mesmerising and captivating in equal measures, ‘In A Different World’ is a beautifully emotive and honest piece of music.
“‘In A Different Worldâ is both an incredibly vulnerable song for me and an exciting new chapter in my music. This is a very heartfelt and personal song, weâve all been in a relationship where you love someone but the universe has another plan in store, so you hope that somewhere out there in a different world there is a version of you both where you can be together.”
Twenty-one year old artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jordana returns with a beautifully honest pop release through her new single ‘Pressure Point’.
ââPressure Pointâ is about acknowledging limits and knowing when itâs time to stop. The entirety of Pressure Point is talking yourself out of an anxiety attack. Itâs a personal song about smoking weed and becoming too anxious to function normally – overthinking every inch of your surroundings and everything going on in your head all at once.âÂ
Taken from upcoming album ‘Face The Wall’ which is out 20th May 2022.
Canadian artist Titus Bank returns today with a sleek fusion of dreamy pop and mellow disco through his new single ‘The Way You Love’.
Sugary sweet and highly addictive, this BIG KILL-produced track is the ear candy you’ve been waiting for… once you get a taste for it, you’ll be listening on repeat.
“I wrote this song almost on a whim, just to ease the urge in me to write big, loud, overemphatic love ballads. I love ‘love’, so this song is simply me standing on a mountaintop screaming to my wife that I love her love.”
Danish songwriter and producer Magnus Tempels returns today with a dark and richly atmospheric sound, in the shape of new single ‘For You’.
The song was inspired by those unsettling feelings that one gets when they sense that something is wrong in a relationship – but don’t know what it is.
Drawing on references from the likes of VETO, James Blake and TrentemĂžller, the song’s extraordinary production provides listeners with a sense of tension that perfectly sets the tone for the lyrics.
“I’ve experienced a stomachache on several occasions that refuses to leave me. A feeling that haunts me until I have admitted to myself that a relationship is coming to an end. That’s the feeling I’ve tried to encapsulate in ‘For You'”.
LA-based indie-pop talent Gavin Haley returns with a vibey slice of bliss in the form of new single ‘Body Language’.
Haley worked on the track alongside co-producers & writers Skylar Mones (Dua Lipa, Kesha) andNick Bailey (Demi Lovato, Marshmello, Machine Gun Kelly).
âI donât want to be somebody who just makes sad songs or happy songs. I want to tell stories. I want my songs to aid listeners in whatever theyâre going through. On one side, Iâm this vulnerable kid who wants to be held. On the other side, Iâm this passionate, energetic, and loud guy. Itâs a very fine line between them.â
Canadian artist Edwin Raphael releases ‘Have You Been Told’ today, and it’s just about the most beautiful song that I have yet to come across this week.
The atmospheric and textured production fuses elements of indie, folk, rock and dreamy pop into a sound that is simply stunning.
“âHave You Been Told?â steers through the fixation of constant repetitive cycles from a place that is ‘all blown up’ to ‘all so bare’. Itâs the conflicting pursuit of stimulation versus stability. The phrase âhave you been toldâ suggests the idea of keeping the devil on your shoulder at ease by satisfying it in small doses as well as constantly sort of reminding yourself to check yourself. Essentially the song explores a medium ground where there is a balance between the two.”
Sophomore LP âWarm Terracottaâ is out later this year via Dine Alone Records.
Nigerian-born and London-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Banks readies for the debut his new project with the release of suspenseful and soulful new single ‘Just When I Thought.’
“With everything happening in the world over the last two years or so, I consistently found myself in a space that I felt powerless. Feeling this level of powerlessness was a new feeling, but in a way I found a new type of power in the understanding that whatâs for me will always be for me if I stay ready. ‘Just When I Thought’ is a story of two parts â my rebellion to the feeling and my surrender to the feeling.”
Continuing her ascent into stardom, Massachusetts-born artist Charlotte Sands releases coming-of-age punk-pop anthem ‘Lost’.
The track comes hot on the heels of her new EP ‘Love and Other Lies’, which has received praise from the likes of SPIN, AltPress, Allure and Paper Magazine.
“‘Lost’ is about the challenges of growing up and the feeling of being an outsider. Itâs the story of adolescence and a celebration of the differences that so often end up bringing us together over time. This song is for the losers, the loners, and everyone in between.”
Track of the week. Emerging Swedish newcomer Graham Lake joins forces with UK rap star Avelino on the release of massive new single ‘Run em Down’.
The Stockholm-born singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist presents a sleek production on the track as he threads clean guitar through energetic synths, serving listeners with a sound that is immediately captivating and hugely exciting.
“‘Run em Downâ was made during a part of my life when many people influenced my decisions, dreams, and ambitions. My music was the thing keeping me grounded and this song came to be my freeing from all those attachments. ‘FOCUS’ came to life quickly but âRun em Downâ was even quicker. That proved to me that I was on the right track and that this song was meant to be the follow-up. I never intend to speak on what my song’s true meaning is because it’s different for everybody but to me, it’s a celebration of knowing what you deserve and that nothing besides yourself can stop you from reaching that.â
