Music - New Music

New Music: Shady Baby

We are kicking the week off with a huge new release from British indie-rock newcomers Shady Baby.

Inspired by the iconic sounds of Madchester and Britpop, anthemic new single ‘Lonely Town’ makes an immediate impact from the moment you press play – and showcases this Brighton-based outfit’s immense potential.

“‘Lonely Town’ is about the creeping sense that you’re becoming detached from yourself and the people around you, whilst trying to keep a lid on it and act normal.” – Sam Leaver, Shady Baby

Having recently signed with iconic indie label Nice Swan, as well as picking up early support from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and Radio X, Shady Baby are rapidly marking themselves as one of the UK’s most promising indie groups.

Shady Baby

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Shady Baby – Upcoming Shows

24th August – Supersonic, Paris
24th/ 25th September – 234 Fest, Green Door Store, Brighton
29th September – Bermondsey Social Club, London

KWAYE – Be Easy

Few talents have managed to maintain such a high level of quality in their work as KWAYE has over the years. This artist and multi-instrumentalist has been delighting fans since 2017, and continues to impress to this day.

With its motivating message of self-love, new single ‘Be Easy’ is a beautifully uplifting slice of melodic R&B, soul and pop.

“‘Be Easy’ is a self-care anthem. Putting mental heath and mindfulness it’s core, the record is a reminder that you are something worthy of celebrating.”

Noted for his future-forward and experimental approaches to music-making, KWAYE has been celebrated by the likes of NME, The Guardian and Gay Times.

KWAYE

New Music: notfortheo

Track of the week. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting debuts of the month, Canadian outfit notfortheo create a style of hazy, psychedelic synth-pop that is utterly mesmerising to experience.

New single ‘just a little bit’ was co-produced alongside CAMP.30, and showcases the trio’s skills at crafting sounds that are truly unique in style.

Inspired by the hardships that the group encountered during the pandemic, the song presents deep lyricism over a lo-fi production that feels dreamy, and almost playful in tone.

“(the song) is a powerful declaration of entering a hedonistic lifestyle to combat the mundane loneliness of days spent in isolation during the pandemic.”

notfortheo

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Br3nya – Kumasi

Representing some of the finest sounds to emerge from West London in some time, Br3nya is back with a song that pays homage to Ghana in all its glory.

Featuring production from MADEINPARRIS, ‘Kumasi’ continues to showcase Br3nya’s impressive lyrical capabilities, and continues to prove that this is one of the UK’s most gifted rap artists.

“’Kumasi’ represents a metaphorical journey of my recent life experiences and the journey of rediscovering myself, my confidence, my truth and most importantly my heritage. It celebrates the fun essence and vibrancy of Ghana shedding light on underrepresented parts of the country which are just as full of life. It shows the duality of my identity being born and raised in West London but never losing sight of my true inner ‘Innit innit girl’. Kumasi being the pit stop between Accra and my hometown holds a very special spot in every trip I take back home; I can’t skip it and all it’s beauty-sometimes I pass through there to visit and build memories with family and more recently to celebrate the life of loved ones who have passed over, but each time is special.”

Br3nya has received praise from noted tastemakers like The Face, NOISEY, Fader, Complex UK and CLASH, as well as airplay from national outlets like BBC Radio 1, Capital Xtra and BBC 1Xtra.

Br3nya

KAMILLE – weight loss

Singer, songwriter and producer KAMILLE returns with a perfected slice of pop through the release of her new single ‘weight loss’.

An empowering anthem for the broken hearted, the song looks at the liberating feelings we experience when we finally let go of the things that hold us down.

“weight loss isn’t actually what people think it’s about! It’s not literally about losing weight… It’s about finally losing the weight of a toxic relationship you’ve had in your life or a heavy feeling that’s been on your shoulders for years and finally you let it go. Suddenly you feel lighter and feel free, and so euphoric and so happy when you realise that the weight off your shoulders is gone.

“I wanted to write about the strength and confidence we feel after getting over what feels like a mountain to climb or a bad break up in a way that hasn’t been done before. When you know you’re finally over someone, and you remember who you are again, it can feel like you’re floating. Those burdens and those arguments and all those tears that were weighing you down are finally gone.”

When not working on her own music, KAMILLE is a respected songwriter who has collaborated with the likes of Little Mix, Dua Lipa, Mabel, Headie One and Stormzy – accumulating over 6.8 billion collective streams and 31 UK platinum certifications to date.

KAMILLE

Caity Baser – X&Y

Fresh British pop doesn’t get any more exciting than Caity Baser right now. After unexpectedly going viral with the release of her previous single, ‘Friendly Sex’, this 20-year old newcomer has gone on to command over 250k monthly listeners on Spotify while also selling out her upcoming London and Manchester shows within minutes.

Written by Baser herself, new single ‘X&Y’ is an infectiously catchy bop that was inspired by a recent break-up, and features production from hitmakers Future Cut and Digital Farm Animals.

“This song is all about saying fuck you to the people that think they were your ex but because they did you so dirty, they’re not even classed as that anymore. They’re just your ‘WHY’ – like why the frick did I go there.”

Fans who missed out on tickets for the London and Manchester shows can still catch Baser next week at the Reading & Leeds Festivals.

Caity Baser

Caity Baser UK Tour 2022

Thursday 25th August – The Hundred at Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Friday 26th August – Reading Festival
Saturday 27th August – Leeds Festival
Thursday September 22nd – O2 Academy Islington, London; SOLD OUT
Friday September 23rd – Academy 3, Manchester; SOLD OUT

Stevie Bill – The Boy Who Cried Love

After a two-year hiatus, acclaimed Dutch-English pop artist Stevie Bill makes a spectacular comeback through the release of her new single, ‘The Boy Who Cried Love’.

A shimmering masterclass in electro-pop, the song treats listeners to a sound that is melodically infectious and lyrically captivating.

“I grew up watching and reading about perfect love stories, about frogs turning into princes and happily ever afters,” explains Stevie. ‘The Boy Who Cried Love’ is about the fairy tale being messed up, about a prince turning out to be a frog and about a swimming pool filled with lies. It’s about a time I believed in a happily ever after, but I learnt that it was all a fable. A heartbreak song, but with Shrek vibes.”

To date, this hugely popular emerging talent has received critical acclaim from the likes of Notion, Early Rising and The Line of Best Fit, while also picking up placements on flagship Spotify playlists such as Fresh Finds and New Music Friday.

Stevie Bill

Rook Monroe – I Did Drugs For You

No stranger to the Alfitude pages, Rook Monroe marks his return today with one of the most infectious releases of the week.

Playful new single ‘I Did Drugs For You‘ is taken from Monroe’s upcoming sophomore project, and tells of a psychedelic journey between lovers.

When not working on his own music, Monroe is a prolific songwriter who has worked with the likes of Rihanna, Jeremih and The Chainsmokers amongst others.

For listeners newly aquatinted with this exceptional talent, be sure to give Monroe’s debut EP ‘Californialand’ a spin here.

Rook Monroe

New Music: Sötnos

As you may know, Scandinavians take their summer vacations very seriously. Around this time every year, the volume of new releases from the region dips, which is why we haven’t been featuring much Scandi music lately.

But that’s all about to change today, with the release of ‘Pancakes’ by Swedish newcomers Sötnos.

Thanks to it’s charming and playful blend of garage pop, indie and rock, the track serves as an immediate mood-booster and a perfect anthem for the weekend ahead.

Sötnos consists of Stockholm-based bandmates Albin Eidhagen and Tore Bojsten, who proudly self-produce all their work. Fans can look forward to the duo’s forthcoming ‘Care About Nothing’ debut album, which is released in September.

Sötnos

🎵 Ones To Watch Playlist | Scandinavia Sound Playlist

* And for those of you wondering, Sötnos roughly translates to ‘cutie pie’, and is pronounced sœ:t.n:ous!

Medhanit – Friends

Emerging Australian indie-pop starlet Medhanit returns with outstanding new single ‘Friends’ today.

Inspired by the ending of a ‘situationship’ that Medhanit experienced, the song’s lyrics speak of the raw and painful feelings that we can go through after a break-up:

“‘Friends’ reminds me of being back in high school and being intrinsically convinced that no one has ever hurt or loved the way you do. It’s like you have this need to suffer and soar in the most individual ways; big main character energy.”

Following on from the success of her last single ‘Same Things’, Medhanit has begun to mark her way as one of Australia’s most promising newcomers – and has already sold out her first headline shows.

You can catch Medhanit performing live alongside The Veronicas and Alex The Astronaut on their forthcoming tours this year.

Medhanit

New Music: Westerner

With an irresistible blend of psychedelic indie-rock, electronica and synth-pop, Californian outfit Westerner could well be one of the most interesting newcomers to emerge this month.

‘Hell is Dull’ perfectly demonstrates this trio’s skill at crafting sounds that feel eccentric and underground while still maintaining some pop sensibilities.

“This song is about the tendency to overindulge in something to the degree that the sensation diminishes and you have to keep piling on the intensity to feel anything. I noticed that I got bored of my ‘vices’ if I did them the same way over again. So I found ways to make the experience more intense. After a while I started to feel a sort of ironic melancholy over the things I could no longer enjoy. Yeah, I was enjoying myself, but I couldn’t really go back. I tried to capture that irony in the music.”

Westerner currently command an army of over 90k followers on TikTok alone, while also picking up tastemaker support from the likes of BuzzBandsLA and American Pancake.

‘Kali Yuga Kama Sutra’ album is out now | Westerner

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Brooke Annibale – Be Around

One of Pittsburgh’s finest, singer and songwriter Brooke Annibale returns today with a bold release that continues to showcase this artist’s extraordinary talent.

Lifted from the forthcoming album ‘Better By Now’ (out 30th September via Nettwerk Music Group), new single ‘Be Around’ treats listeners to a perfected fusion of power-pop and dark indie-rock.

“On the surface, this is a simple song about falling for someone and just wanting to be around them. But it’s also about having the confidence to say so. I’ve been feeling a lot more confident in my own skin, and the way this song turned out is a reflection of that. I learned an Oasis song (‘Champagne Supernova’) and loved how the verse was all open chords and then when the chorus hits it has this big lift because of the full major chord. That’s why it feels so great. I went for that feeling on this song.”

Annibale currently commands an impressive 170k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, while critical acclaim comes from the likes of Stereogum, American Songwriter, Under The Radar and NPR.

Brooke Annibale

New Music: Sylvie

Hailing from London is singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Sylvie. As an artist who is unafraid to bare their true thoughts and emotions onto music, this pop talent is already gaining admiration from the likes of BBC Introducing and The Line of Best Fit, who recently remarked that ‘Sylvie’s clarity of expression is second to none.’

Through its intricately structured production and brutally honest lyrics, new single ‘Dull The Shimmer’ tells of Sylvie’s experience with anti-depressants, and the related feelings of numbness that come along with it.

“We should up the dose and keep the girl’s mouth shut, let’s all raise a toast until she’s all fired up”
SYLVIE – Dull The Shimmer

Sylvie readies the release of her debut ‘Particles of Paranoia‘ EP later this year, which was entirely written and produced by the artist herself.

Sylvie

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Moonpools – Secret

Swiss-based British outfit Moonpools are back today with the unveiling of stunning new single ‘Secret’, alongside the release of their sophomore EP ‘Damaged Goods’

Beautifully melodic in tone, the song fuses the band’s signature style of dreamy pop with elements of indie and rock, creating a sound that feels timeless and moving in equal measures.

Since their formation in 2016, Moonpools have received attention from the likes of BBC Introducing, CLOUT, Amazing Radio and SRF3. The group have also had their work featured on flagship Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds Indie and Indie Brandneu.

Moonpools

New Music: AYAKO

AYAKO could well be the next Japanese musical artist that has the potential to successfully captivate English-speaking nations.

This California-based talent fuses Japanese elements into her work – both sonically and visually, to create enthralling pieces of art.

New single ‘Something About You’ is a beautifully melodic slice of downtempo-pop that feels minimal and stripped-back, yet carries a darker undertone that leaves listeners hooked for more.

AYAKO

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Madeleine Mayi – best part of us

LA-based singer and songwriter Madeleine Mayi returns today with a sublime slice of mellow pop.

New single ‘best part of us’ serves as an ode to those recovering from heartbreak, and reminds listeners that the pain from a failed relationship can eventually disappear.

“This particular song is about the moment when you finally feel over someone and you feel confident that you made the right decision to leave that person behind.”

The track is lifted from Mayi’s latest EP, entitled ‘what happens when it hurts’ (out now). To date, this promising musician has picked up praise from respected outlets like Flaunt Magazine and EARMILK, while her catalogue of songs has reached upwards of 150k streams on Spotify alone.

Madeleine Mayi

PinkPantheress + Sam Gellaitry – Picture in my mind

One of the most anticipated collaborations this month has been that of PinkPantheress and Sam Gellaitry.

In a matter of days, ‘Picture in my mind‘ has garnered more than 900k streams on Spotify alone and picked up editorial acclaim from most major music publications (including Fader, Clash, Notion and The Face).

“I went all the way to Stirling Scotland to work with Sam. He is a genius level producer” – PinkPantheress

“After meeting pink p for the first time in London last year we decided to schedule a trip for her to come to Scotland and write. I’m so happy with how this one turned out and it was an honour to witness how much of a visionary PinkPantheress really is. This track will be my summer anthem for now and many many years to come.” – Sam Gellaitry

PinkPantheress will perform live across several festivals in the coming days – be sure to catch this rising artist if you can!

PinkPantheress | Sam Gellaitry

PinkPantheress Performances 2022

AUGUST 19 – LOWLANDS FESTIVAL – HOLLAND
AUGUST 20 – PUKKELPOP FESTIVAL – BELGIUM
AUGUST 26 – READING FESTIVAL – UK
AUGUST 27 – LEEDS FESTIVAL – UK
SEPTEMBER 16 – PRIMAVERA SOUND – LOS ANGELES
SEPTEMBER 24 – PORTOLA FESTIVAL – SAN FRANCISCO

True Blue + Raven Artson – Hits Right

Frequent collaborators True Blue and Raven Artson have teamed up again to create a serotonin-boosting weekend bop for us to fall in love with.

Serving as their follow-up to last year’s ‘Locks For You’, uplifting new single ‘Hits Right’ was inspired by the first summer post-lockdown – and celebrates the feelings of freedom and happiness that we can all now enjoy once again.

“We wanted to capture a feeling of smooth brained euphoria. It was a summer of hedonism and spending money like it was going out of style.” – Maya, True Blue

Both critically acclaimed artists in their own right, True Blue has been featured by the likes of Fader, Flaunt and Interview, while Raven Artson has received airplay on respected outlets like BBC Radio 1 while also picking up the attention of noted tastemakers such as Wonderland, i-D and Atwood Magazine.

True Blue | Raven Artson

Tiffany Day – SAN FRANCISCO SIDEWALK

While still only 22-years of age, LA-based Chinese-American artist Tiffany Day has rapidly become one of California’s most promising pop starlets.

New single ‘SAN FRANCISCO SIDEWALK’ treats listeners to an interesting juxtaposition between a playful and buoyant production and deeply personal lyricism.

“This was the first song I wrote after my break up that wasn’t about my break up. It felt like a breakthrough to me – I had spent so much time writing about my anger and sadness for the past month that I forgot to think about the positives. Each line of the song has weight to it, and refer to real experiences I’ve had with some of my best friends. We’ve been with each other through some of our toughest moments in the past years, and it’s just really beautiful that friends have the power to heal you and fill the void in your heart. I realised that even though we were all graduating and moving to different cities, they’d still be with me no matter what. San Francisco Sidewalks is about exactly that. Knowing that no matter where you are, you have people who have your back because you’ve already been through so much together. You have room to grow and explore the world and know that they’ll always be there waiting for you, and vice versa!”

To date, Tiffany has released three concept EPs – ‘THE RECOVERY PROJECT’, ‘THE DEPENDENCY PROJECT’ and ‘THE RENEWAL PROJECT’. Day joins Blue DeTiger on tour later this year, with stops all across the US.

Tiffany Day

US Tour with Blue DeTiger 2022

03 November | Boston, MA | Royale
04 November | Burlington, VT | Higher Ground
05 November | Toronto, ON | Axis
07 November | Detroit, MI | El Club
08 November | Chicago, IL | Metro
09 November | Minneapolis, MN | Amsterdam
11 November | Denver, CO | Bluebird
12 November | Salt Lake City, UT | Soundwell
14 November | Seattle, WA | Crocodile
15 November | Portland, OR | Wonder Ballroom
17 November | San Francisco, CA | August Hall
18 November | Los Angeles, CA | El Rey
19 November | Santa Ana, CA | Observatory
21 November | San Diego, CA | Observatory North Park
22 November | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent
25 November | Dallas, TX | Granada
26 November | Austin, TX | Scoot Inn
28 November | Atlanta, GA | Terminal West
29 November | Nashville, TN | Basement East
30 November | Washington DC | 9:30 Club
02 December | Philadelphia, PA | Union Transfer
09 December | New York, NY | Webster Hall

Kevin Ross – Sweet Release

American artist Kevin Ross returns with a finessed slice of melodic bliss that could well become one of your favourite R&B releases of the summer.

Taken from Ross’s latest album ‘Drive 2’ (out now), new single ‘Sweet Release’ explores the concept of escapism as a way to handle the realities of everyday life.

“Everybody has a guilty pleasure or something to take them away from the daily monotony. It’s more so about escapism than it’s meant to be sexual or sensual. For me, the main key is the escape. If you’re riding in the car, you can play the song. It could just feel liberating like a cool breeze. This song is transformative in a sense. Wherever you are, it can be your soundtrack.”

Praised by the likes of Rolling Stone, BET, GQ and Billboard, Ross currently commands over 485k monthly Spotify followers, while his catalogue has amassed over 100 million streams to date.

Kevin Ross

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