New Music - New Music

New Music: KT Laine

Hailing from Canada is promising newcomer KT Laine. With a beautifully balanced approach to indie-folk, this talent crafts sounds that feel subtle, delicate and understated in tone, while also featuring honest and moving lyricism that is relatable with many listeners.

Recorded using a vintage Tascam tape machine, new single ‘Again’ was inspired by a time in Laine’s life when her partner had left for tour – leaving the artist to wonder whether the relationship should continue or end.

“At times I was grateful for that distance, and other times I really did mind that it was such a long way home. This song is a double edged sword in that way.”

The song is lifted from Laine’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Knock Knee’, which is out soon via Victory Pool Records.

KT Laine

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New Music: Zak Khan

One of the most exciting newcomers to emerge this month has been artist and producer Zak Khan.

Through a tasteful blend of lo-fi pop, indie and soulful funk, new single ‘WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?’ is a refreshingly uplifting sound that is impossible not to fall in love with.

While the single serves as Khan’s first solo project, this talent is actively involved within the Minneapolis scene, and has collaborated with the likes of FruitPunchLoverBoy, Honeybutter and papa mbye.

Zak Khan

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New Music: Izzi De-Rosa

Track of the week. Izzi De-Rosa may not be a known name to mainstream audiences (yet), but this emerging British talent is already garnering significant traction thanks to releases like ‘Love & Roulette’, which has amassed more than three million streams to date.

New single ‘love u in the morning’ presents listeners with witty lyricism over a refreshingly original production that features elements of punchy pop, indie and punk-rock.

Commanding almost 90k monthly listeners on Spotify and over 400k followers on TikTok alone, De-Rosa looks set to take on her biggest year yet.

Izzi De-Rosa

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New Music: SONGER

Hailing from the city of Reading, rising rapper SONGER is already one of British hip hop’s most hotly-tipped artists.

Lifted from his forthcoming EP ‘Skala’ (out January 2023), new single ‘Love is a Lottery’ is inspired by the unpredictable nature of love, and showcases this talent’s impressive skills in story-telling.

“’Love is a Lottery’ is about how complicated love can be but how I feel I’ve won the jackpot when it comes to relationships, with one girl in mind. It’s meant to be a playful and humorous description of how my relationship came about and how easy it is to get wrong.”

With more than 50 million collective streams to date, as well as a sellout debut tour, there is no doubt in our minds that SONGER will be one of the UK’s biggest mainstream newcomers next year.

SONGER

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New Music: papa mbye

One talent who has really stood out to us this week has been rising US-based Gambian-Senegalese alternative artist papa mbye.

Boldly fusing genres together into pieces of sonic art that are confident, eccentric and impactful in tone, this exciting musician is creating songs that soundtrack today’s generation, and all the issues that affect today’s youth.

Energising new single ‘PIXEL’ is inspired by the dominance of technology in today’s society – and how it’s impact influences our ways of memorising the past.

papa mbye

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New Music: Hayden Arp

One of the most interesting releases of the week comes courtesy of Vienna-based American singer, songwriter, producer and mixer Hayden Arp.

Sonically unique and intriguing in tone, genre-defying new single ‘Black Hole’ looks at themes of conflict and communication within relationships.

Initially conceived in 2018, the track serves as a taster to Arp’s forthcoming ‘With Eliza’ LP (out 18th Nov).

“‘Black Hole’ certainly was the hardest song on the album to make, and took the longest time to finish. It has three distinct sections that never repeat, and switches styles a number of times.

The rap section in the middle is something I felt very committed to from the beginning, but also very nervous about. It took me years to figure out what it was I wanted to say, and to get a recording that felt right. I only finished it during the summer of 2022.

Thinking back on it now, that process is very much in line with the central idea of the song: that I sometimes have trouble figuring out what I want to say when I think too much about the audience.”

To date, this gifted musician has received praise from the likes of FADER and ThrdCoast.

Hayden Arp

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New Music: Jonah Michael

British newcomer Jonah Michael is an emerging artist who’s genre-bending style of sound has resulted in songs that are both unique and bold in tone, yet still relatable.

New single ‘TALKING TO MYSELF’ presents listeners with an energising fusion of fuzzy rock and hyper-pop. Speaking on the single, Michael says:

“‘TALKING TO MYSELF’ is about my brain slowly melting from panic attacks and puts that in the context of a relationship.”

With support from the likes of BBC Introducing already under his belt, Michael might well be an artist to watch out for in 2023.

Jonah Michael

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New Music: Munan

If you’re a fan of dreamy indie-pop (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) then you’ll be pleased to learn of emerging South Korean-Australian artist Munan.

Stylistically similar to the likes of Tame Impala and Parcels, Munan constructs beautifully emotive and melodic fusions of mellow disco, indie-pop and surf-rock.

As the title to his new single suggests, ‘Freak Like Me’ encourages listeners to embrace their individuality and realise that it’s OK to be weird.

“The main catalyst for starting the track was when I came across a reel-to-reel tape machine being sold in my area. I wanted to give my new music its own distinct sound, so I bought the tape machine and started playing with it. My friend Sterling Silver came around to my home studio and we started toying with some ideas, which ended up becoming ‘Freak Like Me’. Using tape to create the track was a special experience and has definitely helped me to craft my own sound as a new artist. The song is about me coming to accept that being weird is okay and that there is someone out there who will love me for who I am.”

Munan

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New Music: Aimee Vant

Hailing from Los Angeles comes promising new singer and songwriter Aimee Vant.

As a gradate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Vant creates songs that are well-structured, polished and carry a ton of mainstream appeal.

New single ‘Trash’ presents listeners with a perfected balance of pop and indie, while Vant’s vivid and melancholic lyricism describes the feelings of low self-esteem that we can all experience sometimes.

Aimee Vant

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New Music: GLOSSER

Washington D.C. might not be the first place that springs to mind when looking for emerging indie-pop talent, but that’s set to change thanks to promising newcomers GLOSSER.

With a style of sound that takes its inspiration from the likes of Lorde and Beach House, this rising duo construct a delicate type of reflective pop that is relatable to so many of us. Speaking on new single ‘Disco Girls’, GLOSSER say:

“‘Disco Girls’ is about being young, and how that time is both terrible and great. The track was the start of something new for us.”

The song follows on from the duo’s self-titled 2021 debut EP, and serves as a taster for their next stage of releases.

GLOSSER

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New Music: Mai Anna

The cold seasons may well have settled in, but newcomer Mai Anna still manages to treat us all to one last shimmering slice of summery musical bliss.

‘Text Me’ showcases Anna’s natural flair for fusing elements of R&B and soul with indie and pop, resulting in a sound that is immediately mesmerising to experience.

As a master of many skills, this 22-year old Harvard student is not only a singer but also a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer. Keep an eye out on this talent – she may well be one to watch!

Mai Anna

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New Music: Fencer

Hailing from Los Angeles come dynamic new trio Fencer. With a distinctive approach to rock music, this outfit construct anthemic and punchy sounds that feel raw and impactful, while still maintaining some pop sensibilities.

Energising new single ‘Sanitarium’ treats listeners to a production that demonstrates just how talented this band is. Lyrically, the song was inspired by the moments when we feel solitary and alone.

“This is a song about wanting to belong and feeling incredibly lost. Themes of being isolated with a partner and only having each other.”

Fencer currently command more than 7k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, while their catalogue of releases have garnered over 1.5 million streams to date. The group have also performed alongside the likes of Badflower, The Wrecks and Dead Poet Society.

Fencer

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New Music: maxwell rose

One of the most refreshing releases of the week comes courtesy of 22-year old artist, songwriter and producer maxwell rose.

Through its intriguing mix of alternative pop, punk and nostalgic rock, new single ‘STARCROSSED’ presents listeners with a sonic experience that is impressively experimental and bold.

This is a song that carries with it a dark, moody and hazy character, yet still maintains a relatable and emotive essence.

Fearlessly crafting unique yet tasteful sounds, this exciting New Yorker is one prospect worth keeping on your radars.

maxwell rose

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New Music: Laura Gomes

Emerging from North-West London comes hugely promising new singer and songwriter Laura Gomes.

Inspired by modern-day icons like Adele, Cat Burns and Leona Lewis, Gomes crafts deeply personal songs that feel honest and pensive in tone.

Serving as an anthem for the broken-hearted, new single ‘Her Not Me’ presents listeners with a sound that is both raw and intense, but also vulnerable and fragile. Speaking on the song, Gomes explains:

“’Her Not Me’ is the beginning of putting music out there to help people in the same way that music has helped me.”

Laura Gomes

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New Music: Man-Made Sunshine

Fans of iconic indie group Nothing But Thieves may already know Man-Made Sunshine as the side project of lead vocalist Conor Mason.

“The project is ultimately about inner growth – I headed into some heavy places to find healing from loss and focused on thoughts and feelings around death, grief of others and my old self.”

New single ‘Life’s Gonna Kill You (If You Let It)’ presents listeners with a sound that beautifully fuses elements of alternative indie with dreamy, psychedelic pop and electronica. Lyrically, the song was inspired by the importance of finding self love, as Mason explains:

“Ultimately this song is about survival and trying to find the strength to not give up. Survival from oneself, survival from the darkest, loneliest places you can reach in your mind.”

“The way I survived this was by the purest love and connection of a best friend suffering with the same condition. The ability to hold onto one another and keep each other afloat ultimately gave us both a valuable life lesson…that love can truly triumph over anything. As corny as it sounds, the feeling didn’t need an explanation. In turn this helped us to look into ourselves and slowly find the self-love we were lacking all along.”

Man-Made Sunshine

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New Music: Tonia

Hailing from the musical mecca of Liverpool comes promising soul starlet Tonia.

If you’re a fan of Amy Winehouse’s very earliest work, then chances are high that you’ll appreciate Tonia’s thoughtful fusions of soul and mellow indie pop – as can be heard on new single ‘Empty Conversations’.

“When I wrote ‘Empty Conversations’ it was quite a while after the relationship had ended but it was enough time to figure out exactly how I felt about it. It is about self-assurance: the joy you can find in the moment you realise you feel no emotion towards someone that you once felt deeply for. I had moved on and grown from a past relationship and I had no hurt left. I could enjoy the comfort of happiness I found in myself instead of relying on finding happiness in someone else.”

Fans can look forward to Tonia’s debut EP ‘Afloat’, which is released on the 20th January 2023 and is inspired by themes of love, heartbreak and personal growth.

Tonia

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New Music: Bec Sandridge

Showcasing some of the most exciting indie-pop to emerge from Australia is rising newcomer Bec Sandridge.

Compelling new single ‘Easy To Go Bad’ is lifted from Sandridge’s 5-track ‘Lost Dog’ EP (out now), and presents listeners with an energising sound that balances nostalgic pop with modern rock tones.

“This one’s about the trick of nostalgia. It’s far too easy to go back to something that feels like home… Nonetheless, this is potentially my favourite on the EP. For me, it embodies that disgusting feeling of being trapped in a stuffy-car, all day, with a stomach ache.”

A natural-born performer, Sandridge has supported the likes of Naked and Famous, Yungblud, The Rubens and Cub Sport on tour, while also completing a string of recent festival appearances and solo shows.

Bec Sandridge

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New Music: Skyte

One often hears the term ‘genre-bending’ when it comes to new-music discovery, but Skyte really does push the term to it’s extreme.

While running for under two minutes in length, new single ‘Lose me’ showcases a sound that is so boldly unique that it is likely to stay with you for the rest of the day.

This is a track that feels almost chaotic in character – yet still somehow works in a way that is refreshingly invigorating.

SKYTE

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New Music: HVN

Hailing from Los Angeles comes promising new singer and songwriter HVN.

Signed to the youth-run Syryn Records (which was set up to promote women and gender-expansive artists), this exciting newcomer creates a refreshingly gritty style of pop-rock that is melodically memorable and lyrically witty.

Empowering new single ‘Attention Wh*re’ showcases HVN’s impressive vocals, and was written as a way to challenge the negative societal perceptions that are associated with confident young women.

HVN

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New Music: Hattie Oates

One of the most impressive newcomers to emerge from Australia this week is rising artist Hattie Oates.

With its polished mix of pop and rock, anthemic new single ‘GOODBYE’ treats listeners to powerful sound that features confident vocals and vivid lyricism.

“It’s always easier when someone gives you a reason to leave them in the past, so I felt like I needed to get these lyrics off my chest. ‘GOODBYE’ started as a self pep talk, and then spiralled into a passive aggressive realisation, that I can only thank the people that made it so clear they don’t belong in my life! I’m the kind of person who uses humour as a decoy to most of my problems, so wrapping this song in sarcasm was my way of cutting ties with the people, moments and thoughts I did not need in my life at the time. Whilst also making the best “f*** you” anthem I could.”

Oates has already garnered a much-coveted seal of approval from tastemakers triple j, while also achieving placements on prominent playlists like Spotify’s New Music Friday AU & NZ, Indie Arrivals and Peaceful Pop.

Hattie Oates

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