Track of the week. Sam Tompkins is shaping up to become one of the UK’s largest musical exports over the coming months.
With millions of streams across platforms, a sold-out tour and a huge online fanbase (thanks to his series of viral covers), it seems inevitable that the Brighton-raised vocalist will deservedly hit the global mainstream.
‘Bloodline’ is a reminder that no matter how far our loved ones go, they are always still with us wherever we go.
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘who do you pray to?’ which is out 4th February 2022 via Island Records.
Still only 16-years old, Georgia-based talent namou creates a refreshing blend of indie and lo-fi pop that is both captivating and charming in equal measures.
An outstanding slice of British alt-rock from Liverpudlian four-piece CRAWLERS. Produced by Pete Robertson and mixed by Tom Roach, ‘Come Over (Again)’ further showcases this outfit’s unique blend of grunge, rock, pop and indie.
“‘Come Over (Again)’ is a song we’re all incredibly proud of. The whole writing process in the studio lifted the song from a small and gentle acoustic number, to an enormously abrasive and emotional coup. We’ve never done anything like it before and it has shown us what we’re really capable of as musicians.”
Portland-born rapper Aminé returns with a sound that is experimental while also being refreshingly playful in tone.
The single represents a new sonic chapter for the artist, and features bubbly beats and tongue in cheek lyrics about reclusion and introspection.
“After the release of ‘Limbo‘ I took some time to experiment and challenge myself to create in ways I hadn’t before — exploring different textures and tempos without any expectations. ‘Charmander’ was the first product of that period that felt natural while still being at a completely different BPM than any of my previous work.”
“‘Butterflies’ is a big ‘F you’ type of track. I hadn’t put music out in so long I wanted to make sure I came back with a BOLD song. It’s really the start of a new era and this character that I’ll be taking on called the ‘Bad Witch’. The first chapter of her story had to feel vindictive and raw so this track tackles that emotional vulnerability and rage!”
Canadian singer-songwriter Scott Helman returns with one of the catchiest bops of the week. Talking about ‘Pretty’ he says:
“This song was a big step for me in exploration and limits. I wanted to take myself as far as I could down the line of ‘uncomfortable’ while still maintaining what feels like me. Ultimately, I thought it was such a special thought – the idea that someone can be so beautiful that you just want a bit of them to become part of you. In that thought, there is so much beauty and humour – the transcendence of traditional gender roles, the flirt, the strangeness. That’s what excited me about our initial demo, and what continues to excite me now.”
“It was just one of those relationships that never quite came together – no matter how much I wanted it to. One night on the phone, we were living in different cities, she told me she was hanging with a guy who looked like me. So you’d rather be with someone who looks like me – than the ‘actual me!'”
Zevia’s ‘if depression gets the best of me’ shows a 19-year old talent carrying wisdom far beyond her years.
With a sound that is both fragile and haunting in equal measures, I sense it will be impossible for anyone who listens to not fall in love with this hugely promising artist.
While still only 16-years old, Kennedy Stewart has created one of the most impressive slices of indie-rock that I have come across all week. This is a bold, powerful and punchy sound that defines the essence of youth.
“This song is about time. Someone should lives how they want and the pressure of time shouldn’t force them to do anything that they don’t.”
American artist Hadley Kennary carefully constructs pop sounds that are, on the surface, easy to listen to – all the while carrying lyricism that is raw, insightful and direct.
New single ‘Love Like That’ is a cathartic take on letting go while also taking responsibility for one’s impact in a relationship.
Taken from forthcoming EP ‘Crooked Roots’ which is due out later this year.
Emerging from Nashville, Callen is a singer-songwriter and producer. With a skill for creating songs that feature exceptionally honest and sincere lyrics, this talent’s style of alt-pop connects with listeners on a deeper level.
“‘What Could I Do’ is a reflection of my youth. A good part of it is about wishing I didn’t take life so seriously growing up. Another part of it is a reflection on my letting go of previous relationships without really understanding any sort of closure. Together, those two reflections lead me to the chorus which is dealing with the anxiety that comes with retrospect and heartache aka shit that’s out of my control.”
Two of Ireland’s breakthrough talents, Tolü Makay and Malaki collaborate on one of the most beautiful releases of the week, with a perfect fusion of R&B and rap.
As both artists are strong advocates of mental health (Malaki tackled his personal battles with depression on new EP ‘DFTTYM’, while Tolü’s debut EP ‘Being’ explored self-love), ‘The Light’ poignantly demonstrates their move towards finding self acceptance and celebrating progression.
“It’s hard to recognise how far you’ve come whilst achieving so much mentally and musically. This track pays homage to the struggles I endured whilst trying to get to where I am today. Thankfully I have broken from the chains and become everything I’ve always wanted to be.” – Malaki
Stockholm-based artist Elias unveils his stunning new album, ‘Holy, Endlessly Sad, Love‘ today, and with it new single ‘I’ve Been Waiting’.
The Swedish born singer-songwriter is no stranger to these pages; Elias has been consistently creating some of the most impactful releases to come out of the Nordic nation for some years now.
“I write about what’s inside and around me at the moment.”
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I believe the next swathe of musical talent to hit the global mainstream will emerge from Africa. And with that being said, Mike Akox is a perfect example of an artist you should keep an eye out for.
This Ghanaian-born musician has spent the last fifteen years in Australia, and has now returned home to Accra and is releasing some of the finest Afro-Beat that I have heard in quite some time.
“Music is for the soul. I recorded this song as a one take record as I do with all my records. May it move you. Feel it spiritually and let’s touch the world with music.”
Talking about the video, he says:
“This film was shot all on one take from my gate through out my morning walk path. Nobody had an idea. My visuals creator ‘Manic’ who also shot this Video also had no idea till that morning. Every soul in this had no idea just pure love. In this video are some kids I have putting in school, clothed and fed as part of my humanitarian works I’m doing with my Music. Music is the Gift and the purpose is to serve the world. Through my given talents as an artist i will touch and heal the world.”
One of Cape Town’s finest, Tyler Page returns today with a delicious blend of electronic pop and synth in the form of new single ‘Teenage Werewolf’.
A perfect anthem for the Halloween weekend ahead, the song serves as a coming-of-age fantasy romance with someone who, like a werewolf, changes the person who is falling in love.
“‘Teenage Werewolf’ is a crazy weird song and definitely one of my favourites – A type of romance out of a horror movie, the type of love you are willing to kill for. The song aims to transport you into an 80s fantasy horror romance where anything is possible – even falling in love with a werewolf and becoming one.”
Undoubtedly one of the UK’s most exciting talents to emerge recently, Wallis has a kind of vocal that is immediately recognisable once you hear it. With regular support from BBC Introducing, she has been making an impact across the British pop scene since her debut just over a year ago.
While heavily influenced by vocal icons like Ariana Grande, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, Wallis’ musical style is refreshingly varied; with each single showcasing a different side to this multi-faceted artist.
Irish starlet BLÁNID crafts a beautiful blend of indie, folk and pop that feels timeless in it’s essence.
Both emotive and intriguing in equal measures, her new single ‘Dead Men Dancing’ features a swirling soundscape and surrealist lyricism about feeling lost in a disintegrating relationship,
“Oddly enough the idea came to me when I was watching the 80s comedy film, ‘Airplane 2’. There’s a moment where a character sees two dead men waltzing outside of the spacecraft. Though the moment is comedic, the image seemed to have an awful majesty about it, and it stayed with me for a long time. Much later on when I was writing about a situation I was in, it struck me that me and this other person were like those two men dancing. We were rotating in stasis, trying to pretend that everything was fine when really, we were suffocating.”
Songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Augustine celebrates the release of his debut album ‘Weeks Above The Earth’ with gorgeous new single ‘Sweet Love’.
Garnering over 25 million streams across his catalogue to date, this Swedish artist has become somewhat of an indie phenomenon. He’s released his music completely independently, working together with three friends on everything from writing and producing to visuals, design and marketing. On the album, he says:
“I wanted to place the songs in the order of how I wrote and experienced them, capturing a part of the whirlwind that’s been spinning in my chest lately. From yearning for a sensation, to naively diving right in, to total confusion. The world has at times been so fluffy and soft. Spring was on its way with all its light, scents and flowers, and I wore a mask of invulnerability, constantly being surprised and falling so deep. Later, a summer and autumn where everything was a mountain to climb, putting everything on pause. Love sometimes felt like a psychosis, and ‘Weeks Above The Earth’ is about this state of feeling so very distant from the rest of the world.”
