Music - New Music

Thomas Day – not my job anymore

To date, American singer-songwriter Thomas Day has achieved more than 25 million catalogue streams, while also picking up more than seven million followers along the way on social media.

Taking inspiration from artists like Sam Smith and Lewis Capaldi, this 19-year old artist creates beautifully memorable pop songs that carry relatable lyrics which almost anyone can resonate with.

A case in point is Day’s heartbreaking new single ‘not my job anymore’, of which he says:

“My friend called me on the morning of my last day in LA telling me about some trauma that was thrown upon my ex-girlfriend. As he was telling me all about the situation, I couldn’t help but think to myself how the only thing I truly wanted to do was to help her like I used to. After a short rant about how I was ‘over her’, I got breakfast and headed over to Nick Ruth’s house where I was also meeting my friend Madi Yanofsky. The writing came naturally for all of us. I just poured my heart out talking about how I felt about the conversation that morning, and the song came together. This song touches the parts of my heart that haven’t always felt safe in a long time, but I truly believe, now that the song is here, a part of me has healed in a way it never has before. I hope you heal. I hope you move on. And I hope this song makes you cry and accept your feelings with reassurance. I love all of you with everything I’m made of.”

Thomas Day

New Music: Hohnen Ford

London-born singer-songwriter Hohnen Ford’s work initially picked up attention on social platform Reddit, where she frequently garners close to a million viewers on her live streams.

Inspired by musical idols like Joni Mitchell, Bjork, Fiona Apple and Sarah Vaughan, Ford constructs gorgeously simple blends of folk, indie and jazz.

Debut single ‘Infinity’ focuses on Ford’s journey of self-discovery, with the lyrics described as:

“A stream of consciousness in a quiet moment when the world felt overwhelming. A note to myself as I was reflecting on what was bubbling around in my brain at a time of crossroads in my life.” – Hohnen Ford

Hohnen Ford

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sam woods – Motel 6

LA-based newcomer sam woods returns with a superb slice of funky bedroom-pop on his new single ‘Motel 6’.

“‘Motel 6’ is a song about escaping reality. Needing a break from the routine of a mundane every day life.”

Thanks to his broad range of inspirations (ranging from Prince to Michael Jackson and even Beethoven), woods continues to create songs that feel distinctly unique yet easy to form connections with.

With his momentum on the rise, woods has so far garnered praise from the likes of Fashionably Early, while his songs have been featured on playlists like Dummy Mag’s ‘BRAND NEW’.

sam woods

New Music: Causier

Hailing from the Midlands in England is singer-songwriter Causier, who’s unique style of melancholic pop is rapidly gaining this Leicester-born artist significant momentum.

Inspired by feelings of nostalgia and loneliness, his introspective new single ‘Brick Phone’ addresses the way that technology has marked the decline of meaningful human connections being made between one another.

“’Brick Phone’ is a song about wishing to disconnect. To disconnect from the world and be with oneself again. It’s a reflection on the difficulties of being present in relationships and being emotionally available. It’s also a song about nostalgia. As one looks to a digital future, it is comforting to remember our beginnings typing texts, missing calls and choosing ringtones.”

Citing inspirations as varied as The Beatles, Prince, Jeff Buckley and Brent Faiyaz, this rising artist looks set to become one of the UK’s most interesting new talents.

Causier

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blackwave. – perfume (feat. Caleborate)

Leading the way in Belgian hip hop for some time now, blackwave. return with new single ‘perfume’, featuring US rapper Caleborate.

Melodic, mellow and sleek in character, the song is inspired by the feelings and memories that perfumes can evoke within us.

“This song was written on a very early morning walk to Starbucks in sunny LA. I was up early, waiting for a phone call from someone on the other side of the world in a different time zone. I was completely inside my head, worrying about everything, thinking about wanting to get my life back on the rails, back in a rhythm. With every person passing me by on the street, everyone carrying with them their own smell of perfume, the words started coming to me. I remembered this moment when I was in the mall, contemplating if I’d buy some expensive perfume, and thinking to myself; ‘I don’t deserve this yet. When I get my life on track, that’s when I will buy this perfume’. That setting of the morning walk, and the memory of being in the mall kind of set off the whole theme of the song. After I added an arrangement for string quartet to the second part of the track, I knew I wanted to ask Caleborate to finish off the song with a verse of his. He immediately connected with the theme and delivered an amazing final touch to the song.” – Willem Ardui, blackwave.

Following on from their debut project back in 2019, blackwave. have since garnered support from the likes of COLORS, Billboard, Complex and Wonderland, while amassing close to 500k monthly listeners on Spotify. New album ‘no sleep in LA’ is out in September.

blackwave. | Caleborate

New Music: Shxngi

One of the most impressive discoveries of the week comes courtesy of South London newcomer Shxngi.

Almost ethereal in tone, ‘Drive Safe’ is a stunningly dreamy and exceptionally emotive fusion of alternative R&B, indie and orchestral pop that feels distinctly unique in character.

With its powerful lyricism and captivating vocals, this is one song that hits you hard with intensity – and marks Shxngi as one London talent to watch.

“This is my favourite song amongst all that I’ve made. ‘Selah’ is my mums name. Drive safe is a way of comfort in which I am telling her to travel safe to heaven after she passes ones day, the inevitable. Points of the song hint at the fact that no matter how many people you lose, you can still feel them with you, in love, in spirit; the best thing you can do is tell them to drive safe.”

Shxngi

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New Music: King LX

Hailing from Germany is rising new artist Benji Asare, who also goes by the name of King LX.

By blending elements of synth with soul and power-pop, Asare constructs songs that are dark, sultry, sleek and impactful – yet still feel nostalgic and relatable in tone.

An anthem for anyone who’s recently single, Asare’s empowering new track ‘Sorry’ reminds listeners to not feel guilty when moving on from an old lover.

King LX

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New Music: Mergui

Already noted as one of the fastest-rising international names within pop, Israeli singer, songwriter and producer Mergui unveils his first English release with ‘Sucks to Know You (FU).’

A punchy fusion of pop and punk-rock, this infectiously catchy and anthemic song makes an instant impact from the moment you press play.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed of doing music in English. This is something I’ve worked towards my whole life, and Haim Saban and the team at Saban Music Group made it a reality.”

From serving in the military to amassing more 200k TikTok followers and 250k Spotify monthly listeners, it’s safe to say that Mergui is rapidly on his way to reaching the global musical mainstream.

Mergui

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SiR – Life is Good (feat. Scribz Riley)

The musical institution that is SiR returns with a dreamy slice of R&B through his new single ‘Life Is Good’.

Inspired by the theme of ‘taking the good with the bad’, the song presents itself as a reflection on life’s daily trials and tribulations – and reminds us to look forward to the good times.

“‘Life Is Good’ represents how blessed you can be despite the hardships we sometimes face. Regardless of life’s trials, the detours always lead us to learn a greater lesson.” – SiR

SiR has grown to become an American R&B powerhouse since his debut in 2015. With three critically acclaimed albums under his belt, ‘Life Is Good’ marks SiR’s next musical phase.

SiR | Scribz Riley

Akemi Fox – I Want It (feat. July 7)

Track of the week. Sometimes the simplest melodies and productions make for the finest cuts of R&B – with Akemi Fox’s latest collaboration being a case in point.

Featuring the talents of July 7, shimmering new single ‘I Want It’ is a finessed and understated summer song that showcases the exceptional R&B sounds to have emerged from Northern England in recent months.

“I’m excited to release something that you can dance to this summer. ‘I Want it’ is about not wanting to leave the party and wanting to dance all night with your love!” – Akemi Fox

As one of the UK’s most promising new starlets, Fox has already received critical acclaim from the likes of Notion, Wonderland, GRM Daily and The Line of Best Fit.

Akemi Fox | July 7

New Music: Mollie Coddled

Through her charming and playful fusions of indie and pop, Leeds-based newcomer Mollie Coddled may well be one of your favourite rising starlets.

Songs like ‘Guilt Trip’ feel lyrically relatable, while the infectious melody will stay with you all day. Speaking on the song, Mollie says:

“It’s about being peer pressured into doing social activities when you’re introverted and just wanna be alone.”

Having already garnered support from the likes of BBC Introducing, Dork and Louder Than War, you can certainly add this promising artist to the list of exceptional bedroom-pop talents currently emerging from the UK.

Mollie Coddled

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Low Island – Can’t Forget

Rising Oxford outfit Low Island return with a melancholic yet anthemic slice of electro-pop through the release of new single ‘Can’t Forget’.

Taken from the band’s forthcoming ‘Life In Miniature’ album (out November 2022), the song is inspired by the coming-of-age moments that we all experience as we transition into adulthood.

“It’s a reflection on the headiness of youth and a fear of growing up. Verse 2 is a nod to the day I left home; as I drove down the street, I caught my Dad crying and waving me away in the wing-mirror of my car. It’s one of those memories that gets printed right onto the front of your mind and that you never forget.” – Carlos Posada, Low Island

Hailing from the same city as Radiohead and Glass Animals, Low Island have accumulated millions of catalogue streams to date and garnered praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, PASTE, BBC Radio 1 and 6music.

Low Island

Low Island Tour 2022

7th September – Warsaw, Hydrozagadka
8th September – Vienna, Waves Festival
9th September – Prague, Cross Club
12th September – Leipzig, Naumann’s
13th September – Berlin, Kantine
14th September – Hamburg, Haekken
15th September – Cologne, Jaki
17th September – Paris, Supersonic
2nd October – Birmingham, O2 Institute w/ X Ambassadors
3rd October – Manchester, Academy 2 w/ X Ambassadors

DOMi & JD BECK, Anderson .Paak – TAKE A CHANCE

As one of the most successful jazz collaborations in recent years, the work of DOMi Louna and JD Beck seems to have propelled the genre back in to the musical mainstream.

New single ‘TAKE A CHANCE’ is the third track to be lifted from their forthcoming debut album, entitled ‘NOT TiGHT’ (preorder here) – and features none other than soul & funk icon Anderson .Paak himself.

With their playful yet finessed take on music-making, this duo’s work has led to a very sizeable and hugely loyal fanbase all across social media.

“My philosophy of life is don’t take shit too seriously.” – DOMi Louna

DOMi & JD BECK | Anderson .Paak

Chri$tian Gate$ – Dangerous State of Mind

One of the hottest alt-pop names to have emerged in recent years has been Chri$tian Gate$.

Since his introduction to the world back in 2019, this talent has gone on to accumulate a huge following all across social media – and the momentum continues to grow with the release of his new single ‘Dangerous State of Mind’.

“I wrote this one about a girl who I talked to for a year and a half on and off… I thought about how she had just always made me feel so horrible. Usually it’s the girls getting gaslit but in this case it was me. No one talks about what it feels like as a guy to get gaslit and believe the person you’re with really couldn’t care less about how you feel.”

Championed by the likes of Rolling Stone and Teen Blurb, this talent commands close to three million followers on TikTok, while his catalogue garners over two million streams monthly on Spotify.

Chri$tian Gate$

Madisyn Gifford – 21

Most will agree that turning twenty-one is somewhat of a life milestone that represents our transitions into adulthood.

It’s a bittersweet age that Canadian newcomer Madisyn Gifford has perfectly encapsulated with her new single, aptly entitled ’21’.

Inspired by her birthday coinciding with lockdown, the song touches on the anxieties and aspirations that young adults have when they finally realise that the world is theirs to conquer.

“’21’ has been my lucky number for as long as I can remember and because of that, my entire life I have always placed really high expectations on what my 21st year was going to be like. I wrote this song with Jared Manierka at a time when I was feeling really frustrated because I had not been having a year even close to the 21 that I had always imagined due to COVID and some other life circumstances I was dealing with. This was one of those magical songs where after I wrote it, I was able to look at the issues I was having more clearly and luckily the second half of my 21st year was nothing short of magical. I’m so proud of this track and I think that it is going to be so much fun to perform and scream along in the car to. I hope people enjoy dancing around their kitchen to it as much as I do!”

Garnering more than a million career streams to date and catching the attention of noted tastemakers like Rolling Stone, Earmilk and CLOUT, this young artist is rapidly marking herself as one of the most exciting Canadian pop prospects this year.

Madisyn Gifford

AdeJosh – Chargie

British Nigerian artist AdeJosh has already accumulated well over five million global streams to date with his catalogue of releases, making him one of the UK’s most promising afroswing prospects.

Today marks the unveiling of this rising talent’s sophomore EP, entitled ‘All For Me’ (out now), along with his new single ‘Chargie’. Speaking on the concept behind the EP, AdeJosh says:

“The EP was inspired by a series of events that led me on a path of self-discovery and truly understanding my value. For me to know what I want ‘All For Me’, I had to know my heart’s desires and what I deserve. I have grown to be more self-aware and understand my true value and worth as a person. The passion behind my music is giving my listeners the music that their souls can connect to; I want to use my music to translate and express emotions and take people through the journeys of life that we all encounter”.

With a unique approach to afroswing that incorporates elements of hip hop, R&B, pop, dancehall and afrobeats, AdeJosh’s work has picked up praise by the likes of BBC 1Xtra, Wireless, AfroNation and Capital Xtra among others.

AdeJosh

New Music: 0sb0rne

One of the most exciting discoveries of the week has been Michigan-raised newcomer 0sb0rne.

With a sleek fusion of R&B and dancehall, this talent constructs sounds that feel finessed and sleek, all the while maintaining a soulful essence that is sublime to experience.

Showcasing a natural talent for songwriting that is hard to come by, this is one artist that should be on everyone’s radar.

0sb0rne

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Halo Kitsch – hollywood *starlette

Self-proclaimed ‘pop rock diarist’ Halo Kitsch is back with a captivatingly dark, haunting and sinister sound through new single ‘hollywood *starlette’.

Produced by Ben Zelico, the song is inspired by the concept of vengeance, while also encouraging listeners to own their sexuality rather than be ashamed of it.

The track is lifted from Halo’s forthcoming debut EP ‘with you (in mind)’, which thematically tackles the struggles of drug addiction:

“For the first time I’ve managed to talk about addiction without glorifying drug use, a rare perspective the world desperately needs to hear. And more important now to me than ever after the death of my best friend, who passed from an overdose earlier this year. It’s my story, but it’s also hers, and anyone whose struggled with substance abuse. You will hear all of the strength, all of the sass, the power, and the sorrow in these six songs.”

With over a million catalogue streams to date, this rising American artist has picked up praise from the likes of Under the Radar, American Songwriter, Buzzbands LA and Vents Magazine.

Halo Kitsch

New Music: Layer Cake

We are starting the weekend off by sharing this charming slice of playful indie pop from Australian outfit Layer Cake.

Seemingly focused on quality over quantity, this band have released just one EP and a handful of singles since their debut in 2018.

Today’s release of ‘Baby Baby’ showcases Layer Cake’s commitment to only releasing songs that truly showcase their sound at its best:

“It’s hard to believe we first started writing this song four years ago. Endless back and forth on new ideas until the right ones stuck. We couldn’t be more proud to hand it over to you today.”

Layer Cake

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Jenny Mayhem – Karma Tattoo

Barbadian-Canadian songstress Jenny Mayhem returns with one of the catchiest summer anthems of the week.

Presenting a nostalgic 90’s indie production with a modern pop twist, new single ‘Karma Tattoo’ feels instantly relatable yet refreshingly experimental at the same time.

Produced alongside Sugar Jesus, the song serves at Mayhem’s second single to be lifted from her forthcoming EP.

Jenny Mayhem

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