Music - New Music

New Music: The Youth Play

Emerging from West London are four-piece alternative band The Youth Play. Formed only last year by frontman Diego Bracho, this group create sublime indie sounds that feel unique in tone, while also carrying relatable and moving lyrics.

Lifted from their new EP of the same name (out now), ‘Closer to the Light’ presents listeners with a beautifully sincere and emotive fusion of dreamy pop and indie rock.

“‘Closer to the Light’ was written at the end of summer 2021, after finally being able to experience the first bits of life after Covid, it’s a song about love, friendship and family.

Be sure to also check out the group’s music videos for other singles, ‘Paracetamol’ and ‘The Years’.

The Youth Play

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SAYAK DAS – VICIOUS

SAYAK DAS returns today with yet further proof as to why this LA-based artist is one talent to watch.

Continuing with his ‘NO LOSS ONLY CHANGE’ project, new single ‘VICIOUS‘ delivers an arresting alt-rock sound that is both powerfully raw and lyrically captivating.

“The plot of ‘VICIOUS’ is pretty self-explanatory – get it together or you’ll keep repeating the same mistakes. I found that a lot of the topics on the EP involved ‘proving something’. While writing this, I realised that my need to prove myself kept landing me back in the same horrible situations that all the other songs were written about. This song is about me capping that off, finally breaking the cycle, and moving on.”

To date, SAYAK DAS has accumulated close to 100k streams from only three releases, while also being playlisted on prominent outlets like Spotify’s New Pop Picks and tout’s Alt Pop.

SAYAK DAS

New Music: Selbor

London-based singer, songwriter and producer Selbor unveils a dance bop for the weekend ahead that is sure to put you in the mood for partying.

Released through the iconic Kitsune Musique label, new single ‘Lava In The Sky’ presents listeners with an energising and playful fusion of French-inspired disco and funk.

“I wrote ‘Lava In The Sky’ the day that Daft Punk split up as a tribute to them. I’m a big fan of their music and just happened to be in the studio that day when we found out.”

Fans of Selbor’s style of music should also check out his self-titled debut album, which was released earlier this year and can be found here.

Selbor

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Aleks Grey + Iselin – Five Minutes

Two of Norway’s most promising emerging musical exports team up on one of the most beautiful pop ballads that you’ll likely come across this month.

‘Five Minutes’ was inspired by the need for two people to switch off from the daily stresses of life, just so that they can reconnect together.

“Can we just listen to Holocene, and shut out all the noise that’s been keeping us down lately? Cause lately it’s been too much.”

Oslo-based artists Aleks Grey and Iselin have both gained significant momentum recently. Grey’s work has to date been streamed well over a million times on Spotify, while Iselin’s vocals were featured on Alan Walker’s mega hits ‘Faded’ and ‘Sing Me to Sleep’.

Aleks Grey | Iselin

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Yellow Bellies – Frankie

UK outfit Yellow Bellies return today with an anthemic slice of alternative rock through their new single, ‘Frankie’.

The song’s clever lyricism was inspired by the moments when a person sacrifices their own well-being for the sake of getting some attention – as the band explains:

“I think we’ve all been in a relationship where either you or your partner over dramatically play the role of self-sabotaging heretic, heralding oneself as a martyr for love. And in this track she goes by ‘Frankie’. So the songs really about that side of oneself that you hate to admit you either still have, or have experienced in the past”.

Since their formation five years ago, Yellow Bellies have been on a quest to become one of the UK’s next big indie bands, and have successfully sold out multiple shows at iconic venues all across the country.

Yellow Bellies

Lyrah – In The Leaves

Rising indie artist Lyrah unveils a stunning slice of emotive dance-pop today through the release of her new single, ‘In the Leaves’.

Created alongside acclaimed producer Jon Wienner and written with Benji Cormack from Slenderbodies, the song was inspired by a dream that Lyrah had experienced:

“I wrote this song about a dream I had before I decided to quit my stable, full time job. In the dream I kept waking up outside, like on the sidewalk in San Francisco and in the leaves by a road. I kept choosing that over my bed or car, and it felt surprisingly calm when I’d wake up outside of my home. I had a session with Benji and we talked about this dream and how it seemed to mirror my life choice of staying in the comfort of a full time job or leaving and being satisfied with less. I quit the job and I kept the song.”

Lyrah currently commands over 200k monthly listeners on Spotify, while also garnering critical praise from the likes of Earmilk and COLORS.

Lyrah

New Music: Namelle

One of Sweden’s most promising pop starlets right now has to be singer and songwriter Namelle.

Having already amassed well over four million cumulative streams on Spotify to date (including a successful collaboration with Dutch producer Piece Wise), this rising talent has marked herself as a Scandi artist to watch.

Speaking on the lyrical meaning behind her newly-released single ‘Goodbye Boy’, Namelle says:

“‘Goodbye Boy’ says ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ to all the Romeos out there who think you’re interested in them just because you’re being nice.”

Fans can look forward to Namelle’s forthcoming EP, ‘Salt’, which is scheduled for release later this year.

Namelle

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Undecided Future – U

While many readers might be unaware of Californian outfit Undecided Future, this R&B-pop group have been winning fans across the globe since their formation in 2012.

Accumulating well over 1.5 million cumulative catalogue streams on Spotify alone, Undecided Future present listeners with a sound that is infectiously uplifting, energising and universally likeable.

“Our songs come from a lot of different ideas, it’s never a consistent routine. Either one of us will have a dope beat that we all write to, or we’ll come up with a tasty jam in the living room and put it on the scratch paper. We build on it until we come up with a song that we all like and have our parts dialed in the way we like them. Then add vocals parts for everyone.”

This year saw the group release four singles, including ‘Mc Lovin” – which to date has been played more thank 330k times through digital media platforms.

The group have also performed in notable locations such as MGM Grand in Las Vegas, The Viper Room, Disneyland and the Warner Bros Mansion, and will play onboard the Virgin Voyage cruise this October and November.

Undecided Future

Don Castor – Ride The Wave

American artist Don Castor is not only a singer and songwriter, but also an established actor and model who has appeared on projects alongside the likes of Al Pacino and Mitch Pileggi.

Musically, this talent creates sounds that seamlessly fuse elements of soul with pop and R&B, resulting in songs that are not only melodically memorable but also easy to listen along to and connect with.

Castor is currently completing work on his fifth studio album, entitled ‘FREEDOM’, which is scheduled for release before the year ends.

Don Castor

Amber Ryann – SAID THAN DONE

Phenomenally talented alt-pop songstress Amber Ryann returns today with powerful new single ‘SAID THAN DONE’.

The track’s relatable lyrics were inspired by the difficulties of trying to move on from traumatic experiences, as Ryann explains:

“‘SAID THAN DONE’ is about the desire to move on from past trauma whilst realising it never served you, but as the title says, that is always easier said than done.”

‘SAID THAN DONE’ serves as yet another exceptional taster to Ryann’s forthcoming ‘Even When It Falls Apart‘ album, which is scheduled for release on the 19th October 2022.

Amber Ryann

New Music: Rue Delaney

Hailing from London is promising newcomer Rue Delaney. Already a critics’s favourite, this talent has picked up early praise from the likes of Wonderland, Clash and BBC Introducing.

With a dreamy fusion of hazy indie and and lo-fi pop, songs like ‘In Your Eyes I Die’ showcase a musician who has the ability to create melodic sounds that feel understated yet captivating in equal measures.

As an artist brimming with potential, Delaney is most certainly one talent to keep on your radars. Debut EP ‘Hello Dark World’ is out now.

Rue Delaney

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kid apollo – camera shy

London-based trio kid apollo continue to prove themselves as one of the city’s most promising new alternative R&B outfits with the release of ‘camera shy’.

Lifted from their upcoming ‘u the real star here’ EP (out 19th November), the song was written and produced by the band themselves alongside the help of acclaimed producer Tev’n.

The track was inspired by the idea of being drawn to someone simply because of the way that they mystify and intrigue you. Elaborating further on the lyricism, singer and producer Jimmy HM explains:

“This song’s about when you’ve met someone but for whatever reason, they just seem different to most people that you’ve met before. You never really know what they’re thinking/ feeling but that’s what keeps you there in a weird way. I feel that comfort – in this sense – is actually what pushes you away, even if you think you’re wanting that stability.”

kid apollo

Sleeping Lion – Hurt Nobody

LA-based pop duo Sleeping Lion are back today with one of the catchiest bops of the week, entitled ‘Hurt Nobody’.

With its infectiously memorable melody, the track tells of the feelings of selfishness that some of us can go through after ending a relationship.

“‘Hurt Nobody’ explores post-breakup selfishness with a vibe that is almost too-energetic and funky. The lyrics over-dramatise that state of emotional carelessness as if it were a crime movie – weaving the bouncy instrumentals with cinematic elements including a fake movie quote, ‘Hollywood’ sound effects, and a honkytonk piano solo that sounds as if it were playing at the dive bar you found yourself in after an evening of bad decisions.”

When they’re not crafting superior slices of pop, Sleeping Lion also host a podcast called ‘Talking Lion’, in which they discuss their music work alongside fellow artists. Sleeping Lion’s latest EP, ‘Different Plans’ is out now.

Sleeping Lion

New Music: Shalom

US-based South African newcomer Shalom has been one of the most interesting new discoveries this week.

Taking inspiration from artists as varied as Lorde, Maggie Rogers, Florence and the Machine and LCD Soundsystem, Shalom fuses a multitude of genres together to create a sound that feels alternative while still maintaining some pop sensibilities.

If you’re a fan of this hugely promising talent then you might be able to catch her live at some forthcoming shows, details of which can be found here.

Shalom

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Watch: Daniel Price – In The End

Rising 22-year old American artist Daniel Price unveils some stunning visuals for his latest single, ‘In The End’.

Taken from the new album ‘Peaking’ (out now), the track’s beautifully melodic mix of R&B and indie-pop sets the tone for Price’s introspective lyricism, which tells of the choices that we make in our quest to better ourselves.

Price currently commands over 50k monthly listeners on Spotify, and has received acclaim from noted tastemakers like Lyrical Lemonade and Wonderland.

Daniel Price

New Music: Slaney Bay

Sometimes you press play on a song by a new group and you just know, within seconds, that there’s something special there.

This can be said with London-based trio Slaney Bay, who’s new single ‘I Could Love You Better’ showcases some of most impressive fresh alt-indie that the UK has to offer right now.

“It’s a song about keeping your untold affection for someone a secret, but feeling like the words might burst out any second.”

Fans can look forward to the band’s upcoming debut EP ‘A Life Worth Living’, which is out in November. In the meantime, you can catch Slaney Bay live across England – tickets can be found here.

Slaney Bay

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Zouj – Driving With My Eyes Closed (feat. Sahareya)

Director / Franz Impler

Emerging Leipzig producer Zouj teams up with Slovenian rapper and multi-instrumentalist Sahareya on new single ‘Driving With My Eyes Closed’.

Treating listeners to a refreshingly original and interesting take on hyperpop, the song’s thoughtful lyricism contrasts sharply with its playful production.

“We’re all speeding up to uncertainty on a bumpy road hovering over lava and yet we maintain the American narrative illusion of ‘Knowing where to go, being focused, having a purpose, a plan, work hard for what you want and make it’ when actually deep inside we all know no-one knows what they’re doing, where they are going. We are leading a life full of improvisation, unmatched expectation, hardship, crisis, dissatisfaction, plan Bs, Cs and Ds: an endless navigation towards whatever is kind of “working out” for ourselves with a constant dread of regression looking over us whether it’s political, ecological or economic. Everything advertised to us is a disappointment but even if we gave up on everything we don’t have the choice but to keep our hands on the steering wheel.” – Zouj

Over a relatively short space of time, Zouj has marked himself as one of hyperpop’s most exciting new artists, picking up praise from the likes of NME, Colors, Clash and XLR8R.

Zouj | Sahareya

Lila Drew – Bad Juice

Lila Drew returns with a spellbinding new release that continues to showcase this singer and songwriter’s remarkable artistry.

Serving as a taster for an upcoming album, the song presents listeners with a dreamy twist on the indie-pop genre. Elaborating further on the song’s inspiration, Drew says:

“‘Bad Juice’ is really about trying to figure yourself out in a rapidly moving universe and trying to have some fun while doing so. This was one of the last songs I wrote for my upcoming album. A lot of the songs I wrote up until then were pretty introspective and serious, and I wanted to try something different. I was working with Matt Hales in Bath, England, and remember going into the studio thinking, ‘f*ck it, I’m going to make a song that is funny and sarcastic and ridiculous; a song that will lyrically make me laugh and that recognizes its lack of seriousness.’ I had just rewatched Kubrik’s adaptation of ‘The Shining’ and was imagining myself standing within those patterned hallways and trying to find a way out. It’s become such a special song for me because it really was the first time I let go of all the seriousness and focused on just enjoying making music — it’s easy to lose sight of that.”

To date, this rising talent has accumulated well over 17 million streams on Spotify, with her GoldLink collaboration ‘faded/2am’ garnering close to 10 million streams alone.

Lila Drew

Zakhar – Real Me

As far as British newcomers go, few have achieved as much commercial and critical success as quickly as London-based rap artist Zakhar.

Melodic new single ‘Real Me’ is released alongside debut EP ‘Scars On My Mind’, which is out now.

“This is more than an EP, it’s my story so far.”

While still only 18-years of age, Zakhar commands a significant fanbase – with more than 400k monthly listeners on Spotify and tastemaker praise from the likes of Complex UK, Wonderland, Vice, SBTV and The New York Times.

Zakhar performs live alongside Sadie Jean in London on the 3rd October 2022 – tickets can be found here.

Zakhar

Deyaz – Bitter

Track of the week. One of the most impressive releases to emerge so far this month comes courtesy of rising East London artist Deyaz.

Powerfully raw, honest and frank in tone, captivating new single ‘Bitter’ was inspired by the artist’s struggles with addiction.

“‘Bitter’ is about the struggles I had with addiction. As much as the subject is dark, I feel the song has a positive outlook as it shows acceptance within the problem and acknowledging the lifestyle that comes along with it can be harmful to your future. ‘Bitter’ really feels like the start of a new chapter for myself sonically & personally.”

With support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Fader, Clash and The Guardian, Deyaz is undoubtedly one UK talent to keep on your radars.

Deyaz

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