Displaying a new approach to the indie-pop genre, TEMPOH Slow create songs that are aggressively emotive, visceral and uncompromising.
Consisting of singer Nicholas Suhr (longtime drummer for K. Flay) and drummer/ producer Nick Spreigl (formerly with The Wind and the Wave and Cray), this outfit developed their distinctly original sound as the LA music scene lay vacant due to Covid.
Adding further to Norway’s already-impressive roster of pop talent, today marks the debut for newcomer Oh Blonde.
Showcasing some of the finest new music that Scandinavia has to offer right now, ‘If I See You’ is slow-burning banger that is subtly melancholic and heartfelt in essence.
“This song was written with fellow Norwegian artist, Elsie Bay and producer Ola Frøyen. It came along in a studio session where I poured my heart out about a difficult time in my life where relations changed and some ended. I had been wanting to write about it forever, but never managed to do in a way that felt right until this session. The song is about closure in a way, and the fact that with time things sort itself out.”
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Emerging singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Freya Roy crafts a sophisticated yet hypnotising blend of nu-jazz, electronic and alternative soul – treating listeners to sounds that feel classic yet contemporary in equal measures.
With its rousing lyricism, her dark and melodic new single ‘Calling My Name’ explores feelings of desire and temptation.
“Whilst at a turning point in a relationship, I had a confrontational conversation with someone one evening which left me awake throughout the whole night. It’s a bit of a confession… but I’ve written about giving in to these intense feelings of desire. At the time it felt selfish, but I couldn’t help myself so I let it all wash over me.”
Liverpudlian indie outfit STONE are very rapidly picking up momentum thanks to their self-described style of ‘Post Apocalyptic Scally Rock’.
Representing some of the finest Gen Z rock right now, this group deliver an infectiously bold, confident and raw sound that marks them as one of the UK’s most exciting newcomers.
Emerging from LA is singer-songwriter Willow Avalon. With its timelessly classic pop production, ‘Drivin’ offers listeners a sound that is very much current while still nostalgic in tone.
Fearlessly pushing the boundaries of alt-R&B, Jamaica-born and Miami-raised BEAM constructs sounds that immediately captivate. This is music that is eccentric and unconventional, yet highly relatable and enjoyable to experience.
“I’ve been in the studio since I was born
. My dad was an artist, so when I was a kid I would always be there with him. I didn’t start messing around with [music] until I was ten, but the smell of the studio is probably one of my earliest memories.
“
A dreamy mix of electro-pop and indie from Canadian talent Heather Avalon. New single ‘I Guess’ is a refreshingly honest and intimate song written about the change she experienced when she began to view sex as a mindful and spiritual connection to her partner.
“Without deep connection to others within our universe, every interaction you have with anyone would be purely based on the physical.“
“I’m talking about connected, passionate, mindful, spiritual sex. I want each and every listener to experience complete and total confidence run through their body and mind as they listen.”
Irish indie outfit modernlove. create a bold style of pop-rock that is loaded with energy and vibrancy.
New single ‘Follow You’ serves as a rousing ode to the anthemic indie bangers of the early 00s that the boys grew up on.
“‘Follow You’ is a love song about the early stages of infatuation in a relationship. It’s about finding yourself in a relationship so intimate that spending each waking moment together still isn’t enough, hence the lyrics ‘when you fall asleep I’ll follow you’. Musically, we wanted to write a song that resonated with the nostalgia of those same naive infatuations and took us back to when we first started the band as teenagers finding ourselves as people as well as artists. A simple four chord structure that echoed the likes of bloc party, the cure and new order. A song that we could fully jam on together and jump around to.”
Already garnering acclaim from the likes of Wonderland, Earmilk and Official Charts, this group could well have their biggest year to date.
Emerging from Lagos is fast-rising Nigerian musician Tim Lyre. A man of many talents, Lyre is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. His new single ‘Hubris’ explores Greek mythology and features North London rapper Lex Amor.
The song precedes the release of Lyre’s debut album ‘Worry < (‘worry less’)’ which is set for release in March.
Sweden might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of rock these days, but Malmö outfit Forgetting Yesterday are set to change that.
This is a sound that epitomises the definition of punk pop; delivering a nostalgic sound with a current twist.
’30’ touches upon the emotions of telling yourself that you are okay under the circumstances while neglecting how you truly feel.
“This modern take on our prior pop punk sound is something we are really proud of. When heading into the studio with producer Ludvig Ottosson (Noija) of Silver Sun Studios we wanted to elevate what we were already doing and that’s something we really think we achieved here.”
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A charming approach to pop by Portland artist janiegiirl. With its early 00’s take on the genre, ‘Flip Phone’ is the kind of song that feels both nostalgic and future-forward in equal measures.
American artist Laura Elliott is a singer-songwriter who creates a beautifully organic blend of indie, pop and folk.
New single ‘Better Off Alone’ features an an emotive melody that perfectly sets the tone for Elliott’s vocals to shine through, and tell the story of a young broken heart.
“I wrote ‘Better Off Alone’ after my first heartbreak coming out of high school. It was a way for me to process and put words to my feelings, which kickstarted my love for songwriting. It’s basically me reflecting on the end of the relationship and cutting contact with that person, navigating life without them and missing them but knowing that chapter is closed. I think it’s easy to remember the good memories and idealise a person, but you have to remind yourself of the reality of the situation and why it’s healthier for you to be on your own. This one is extremely special to me since it was the first time I discovered how much I love writing music, it was one of the first songs I wrote.”
Houston-based Indian American artist Shreea Kaul crafts an incredibly unique style of music that bounces from R&B to hyperpop seamlessly, with elements of Hindi blended in too.
This artistry sonically bridges the gap between her South Asian roots and Western upbringing seamlessly, and offers listeners refreshingly original bops to enjoy.
“‘Ol’ Dude’ is a R&B / hyperpop anthem that’s in a similar vein conceptually as ‘Ladke’. I wanted to create a fun, feel good song outside of my comfort zone”.
A distinctively unique and intriguing approach to electronic pop from the artist formerly known as Knapsack.
Hailing from Australia, 19-year-old Melbourne-based Filipino pop-R&B singer and songwriter Reyanna Maria is destined for global stardom.
Lamenting over a lame relationship, her finessed new single ‘Loser’ sees elements of piano trickling over a sparse beat as her flow turns its tempo on a dime.
Signed by Steven Victor himself and already garnering praise from the likes of HIGHSNOBIETY, Forbes, Raydar and HotNewHipHop, this could well be Reyanna’s biggest year yet.
An anthemic blend of pop, indie and rock from Liverpool-based American outfit The Let Go.
This is a sound that is immediately relatable to listeners from almost any generation, thanks to a rich blend of influences that fuse together seamlessly. Expect to see this group go far!
Hailing from St. Louis is emerging artist Jonah Roy, who’s latest release ‘F*ck That!’ has just surpassed 100k plays alone.
Blending pop with an essence of playfulness, this is a sound that feels fresh, unique and charmingly youthful.
Representing some of the most exciting new talent from the USA is 20-year-old singer, songwriter and performing artist Cate Tomlinson.
Still a student at Northeastern University, this Boston-based creative forms emotive sounds inspired by pop, soul, and rock & roll. The end result is music that feels fresh and current, while still maintaining a deeper and more soulful essence.
“Whether it’s composing a brutal text or making a grocery list, the Notes app has become Gen-Z’s (and my own) digital diary. I wrote this song about stress-writing text apologies in my Notes app; ‘notes app apology’ wallows in the paralysing period of time where you know a relationship is all wrong and you need to get out – but you haven’t left yet. I found myself in a toxic situation and still had the instinct to protect the relationship and hold onto this person. I wrote about realising they thought they could say anything to me thinking I’d always be there, and coming to terms with the fact that the time I spent drafting texts in my Notes app to put us back together was time wasted.”
Already reaching close to 100k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, it’s safe to say LA-based duo Calabasas are picking up considerable momentum. Blending alt-pop with elements of R&B, electronica and hip hop, these are songs that sound distinctly unique while still feeling relatable.
With its perfected production and smooth melodic flow, ‘The Mend’ shows that not only are Calabasas rising stars in their own right, but they are also currently one of the most sought after production duo’s in the industry.
“We wanted to take a deeper dive into our personal lives on this song. I wrote this at a tough time in my relationship for the woman I love. It’s a chance to get vulnerable with our fans and let them know that we are all humans and we make mistakes.”
