Emerging from the States is exciting new talent HANS, who has just unveiled a taster for his upcoming debut EP.
‘Gone’ is an exceptionally charming and beautifully melodic piece of pop that was born out of an incredible project which saw HANS writing a different song for each day of 2022.
“I love this song so f*cking much!! The whole journey of creating the world around it was one of the most fun experiences I’ve had on this earth!”
While still a relative newcomer, HANS has already accumulated more than 70k streams on Spotify from only a handful of singles.
Berlin-based talent Van Common (aka Sebastiaan van Ravenhorst) is a Dutch singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
Today’s release of ‘Olympia’ serves as a taster to van Ravenhorst’s upcoming debut album (out 12th May), which was written, produced and mixed by the artist himself.
The song, along with it its striking visuals, showcases a musician who is successfully capable of crafting indie-pop sounds that carry with them mainstream appeal – while still also feeling individualistic and unique in character.
“Some mornings I involuntarily raise my eyes and have a hard time deciding whether I woke up to witness the end of the world or watch it be reduced to one giant ass meme. Reality has never been more unreal, and I’m not sure what to do about it. But I did make this song, so here goes nothing: Olympia.”
Californian bedroom-pop artist and producer Noah Henderson unveils his brand new single today, ‘i think you loved me’.
With its beautifully vulnerable and fragile lyricism, the song showcases a style of melancholic pop that is not only relatable, but also immensely moving.
“This song is about having a deep emotional connection to someone but they aren’t in it anymore, they want to give up. Relationships often have their give and take moments, that’s what makes a relationship special, finding a middle ground or compromise. In some cases, the only option your partner feels is to leave, without thinking about how it might impact the other person.”
A talent already receiving considerable attention (in part due to his songs picking up momentum through TikTok), Henderson’s style of music-making has seen him receive praise from tastemakers as noted as Fashionably Early, among others.
Fans of Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens will most likely fall in love with Swedish musician Tobias Arbo (aka Tobias Ekelund), who has just unveiled his latest single, ‘Within’.
In its quintessential Nordic style of sound, the song presents listeners with a production that is sparse, simple and minimal – yet somehow still feels warm, thoughtful and beautifully contemplative.
“A few years ago, I found a box of video cassettes that my dad had recorded throughout my childhood. I started watching them and was reminded of the cheerful and vibrant child I was. But at the same time, it made me experience a kind of sadness, as memories of the shy and sensitive person that I’d also been clouded the image. During my childhood, I experienced a lot of anxiety, at times having trouble being in school and hanging out with friends. I was five years old at the time my sister was born and it wasn’t until I’d grown up that I started to reflect on how it might have affected her – having an older brother who periodically pulled away.”
The track is taken from Tobias’ upcoming ‘Powerlines’ debut EP, which will be released on 31st March 2023.
“The EP is a contemplation on the self and its different parts, voices, and moods. It’s about listening to the noise of these voices’ endless dialogue and trying to connect with the many parts of oneself that want to be heard. For example, facing the inner child, whose early experiences shape us so much more than we tend to believe, or struggling with the inner critic, who raises self-doubt and prevents us from getting where we want to go.”
The year has barely begun and we’ve already seen a huge number of promising Californian talents emerging. Adding to the list today is singer, songwriter and future popstar RYL0.
New single ‘Thru My Chest’ injects a Y2K sonic aesthetic into a future-forward pop production, resulting in an energising sound that is vibrant, bold and refreshing.
To date, RYL0 has accumulated more than 300k streams on Spotify while also picking up support from the likes of PAPER magazine.
Californian triple-threat singer, songwriter and producer pj frantz might well be your favourite new chill-pop artist.
‘leave this party’ showcases a sound that layers feelings of melancholy over a subtly playful production, resulting in a song that somehow feels both emotive and charming in equal measures.
“I wrote & produced this one a few months back in my bedroom. The song comes from a very real and deep place, and it’s so exciting (and a bit scary) to share that with y’all.”
While still a relative newcomer, pj frantz has impressively accumulated more than 500k streams on Spotify from the release of just two songs.
As a rising artist and producer from Norway, NINV (aka Nina Ugland) is responsible for crafting some of the most interesting blends of electronica and pop to emerge from Scandinavia.
Inspired by the notion of just ‘letting go’, experimental new single ‘Only We Know‘ serves as NINV’s first single of the year, and as a taster for more releases scheduled over the coming months.
With support from the likes of Under The Radar and Norwegian national radio NRK P3, NINV will be one Nordic name to watch for in 2023.
As a triple-threat talent, Sean Dawson is not only a musician and producer, but also an actor.
A Floridian now based in Los Angeles, Dawson creates melodic sounds that incorporate elements of indie with bedroom-pop.
‘HATE BEING HATED’ serves as a follow-up to Dawson’s well-recieved debut release, ‘Last Night’,and looks at the thoughts that run through our mind when we are unsure of the decisions that we make.
“This is my second song ever. It’s about trying to move on when you’re not sure if you made the right decision and learning to live with that.”
Track of the week. Emerging from New York is rap talent 4KPHIL., who has just unveiled one of our favourite releases of the year.
‘Truancy’ is lyrically inspired by the artist’s transition into becoming a father, and seamlessly fuses nostalgic soul with a modern hip hop sound.
“A song I wrote a week after finding out my girlfriend miscarried our future child. The lyrics came to me immediately and I had made this beat a year ago for someone else. I went through my computer trying to find it and once I did I knew its purpose.”
Having already seen his work featured on the wildly popular NBA2K22 in-game soundtrack, it looks like 2023 might well be 4KPHIL.’s biggest year yet. Keep an eye out on this kid!
Rising US starlet CeCe wastes no time in her quest for global pop domination, with her first single of the year already released.
A warrior’s anthem of sorts, ‘Problems’ was inspired by all the people who have wronged you in life.
“To my dear friend who we wrote this for… thank you for being brave and letting us tell your story. Let this be a warning… if you *** with my people, I’ll put it in a song so you never forget.”
Sonically rousing as it is lyrically relatable, the song continues to showcase CeCe’s impressive ability to craft epic pop songs that that are both entertaining and captivating in equal measures.
New Jersey native Kuomo is one of the most interesting artists that we have come across this week.
Picking up inspiration form the likes of Dijon, Vampire Weekend, Bon Iver and King Krule, Kuomo constructs a refreshingly alternative style of sound that feels intrinsically unique and beautifully captivating.
Impressively, ‘I’ll Tell You’ is Kuomo’s first ever release, and treats listeners to a melodic yet stripped-back piece of music that was written with a broken heart.
“The song had been in the forge for quite some time. I’d been fresh out of a breakup, moving out, and winter was settling in. ‘Twas a weird time, to say the least. I recorded the first demo in between virtual classes, and then began to build upon it slowly for the next ten months. It’s my baby and I love it. I wanted to keep it as my little secret, but I’m glad to watch the world love it and take care of it.”
Your daily dose of fresh electronic pop comes courtesy of LA-based starlet Sabz, who has just unleashed her empowering new single, ‘Like That’.
Fusing nostalgic Y2K pop with alternative R&B tones, the track addresses ex-partners – and reminds listeners that no matter how toxic a relationship ends, that you can always move forward.
A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Sabz is not only a songstress and songwriter, but has also trained as a vocalist since her early teens.
Aside from her own solo work, Sabz’s collaboration on ‘Breathe’ with Avae has so far accumulated more than 110k streams on Spotify alone.
Emerging from Montreal is newcomer Oliver Ghoul, who introduces himself to the world today through debut single, ‘Glue’.
With a refreshingly eccentric approach to music-making, Ghoul constructs a style of psychedelic jazz-funk that is not only intriguing, but also immensely enjoyable to experience.
‘Glue’ is self-described by the artist as a ‘Scooby-Doo take on a love song’, and finds Ghoul depicting himself as a stalker in his own home.
Complimenting the track is a music video which was also released today, and is directed by Benjamin Bensoussan.
“People are complex. Relationships are complex. Life is complex. Feelings are complex. It’s important to embrace the contradictions, the absurdity of life and who we are as human beings. I’d rather not ignore that part of being alive!”
Hailing from the musical mecca that is Manchester comes promising alt-rock newcomer emails2saturn.
Atmospheric debut single ‘Parachute’ introduces the world to a talent who’s style of music incorporates elements of shoegaze, rock and dreamy indie-pop, resulting in captivating soundscapes that are rich in sonic texture.
Written as a love song for the modern times, the track’s lyricism is inspired by the feelings and thoughts that we experience when we first begin to fall for someone.
“I find sonics can be so expressive. Creating textures at your feet is such a powerful thing, I feel it can really move people in a different way.”
emails2saturn is fronted by musician Jack Boles, who is already known within the UK as an accomplished guitarist, writer and session player.
Hailing from Los Angeles is 24-year old newcomer Jesse Munsat. As a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer, Munsat creates songs that are not only sonically well-constructed, but also lyrically personable.
New single ‘Over & Over’ was inspired by the rollercoaster of emotions that come with being in an difficult relationship.
“It dances between the love and pain of an on-again, off-again relationship before resolving to a defeated acceptance, saying simply ‘it’s just something we do over and over again.'”
The track is lifted from Munsat’s forthcoming self-written and produced ‘for me, for her’ album, which is out soon.
Influenced by trail-blazing icons as diverse as Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Cocteau Twins and Sevdaliza, US-based newcomer San Huan creates bold pieces of music that instantly pack a punch.
Written during a period in 2021 when anti-Asian hate crime was particularly rife across America, new single ‘To Increase the Height’ showcases a textural art-pop sound that feels expressive, raw and deeply intense in tone.
The song was co-produced alongside the legendary Maryam Qudus, and is lifted from San Huan’s forthcoming ‘I store my anger…’ EP (out soon).
LA-based genre-bending talent King Isis has to be one of the most impressive new musicians that we have come across so far this year.
With an unashamedly raw style of sound, this hugely exciting artist creates pieces of music that feel organic, authentic, and refreshingly powerful in tone.
New single ‘4leaf clover’ spotlights Isis’ musical craftsmanship through its melodic composition, lyricism and vocal delivery. While minimal in production, this is one song that is sure to stay with you all day.
Hailing from Canada is singer, songwriter, composer and producer Jackson D. Begley.
Through his intelligent merging of genres as diverse as 60’s beat, indie, pop, synth and garage-rock, Begley crafts songs that feel original and fresh, while also maintaining an essence of nostalgia.
Songs like ‘The Universe Hates Me’ showcase Begley’s artistry perfectly. Listeners can experience a sound that is sonically bold and confident, while the lyrics feel raw and personal in tone.
