LA-via-Toronto singer and songwriter Abby Sage continues to move towards her six-track EP ‘Fears of Yours & Mine’ with a stunning piece of bedroom soul in the form of new single ‘When I Leave’.
Abby Sage – When I Leave
Category: Music
LEAP – Energies
London-based indie rock outfit LEAP return today with one of the most powerful releases of the week. ‘Energies’ is an intensely electrifying track, with captivating lyricism delivered through impassioned vocals.
“‘Energies’ is my favourite track to date because it truly reflects a real side of me and the mental health battles I have faced in the past. It’s all about that mad rush of excitement when your mind bubbles up beyond the point of control. Being bi-polar, it’s such a weird blessing and a curse, because when your brain’s going at 100 miles per hour it’s exhilarating… but it can also be really dangerous. The song is about that contradiction and I just hope that anyone suffering from any kind of mental health issue can connect with it.”
New Music: Slimdan
Recently signed to the legendary Communion Records, US-based talent Slimdan (Danny Silberstein) is no stranger to the industry, having already garnered a reputation as a songwriter for the likes of Sasha Alex Sloan, Diplo, Ethan Gruska, King Henry and more.
Now he’s ready to show the world his own music through the moniker of Slimdan, with ‘MVP’ revealing Silberstein’s irreverent self-analysis and wit.
“One time in little league I got so panicked while I was pitching that I started crying and everyone had to stop the game to clap for me. I’ve been chasing that attention ever since. I made this with Ryan Linvill and Noah Conrad and the ending of this song is my favourite thing I’ve ever made.”
New Music: Lucille Two
Australian talent Lucille Two crafts a beautiful mix of indie and pop that is infused with hints of melancholy. This melodic sound feels warm and relatable, yet still carries a subtle sense of eccentricity which is delightful to experience.
‘I’ve Been Waiting’ looks at the regret of waiting until it’s too late to tell someone how you feel about them, and the effort to move on.
Average Joe – Work In Process
I remember catching Average Joe performing as part of a showcase in London three years ago and being totally blown away by the sheer originality of his sound.
Now he’s back with a new project called ‘Song Catching’, which sees him travelling the country in search of the people and stories of which songs are made. Commenting on his new single ‘Work In Process’ and the idea behind the project, Joe says:
“The fundamental premise on which Song Catching is based is that songs are akin to butterflies, or fish, or viruses. You have to go out into the world in order to find them or catch them – be patient and attentive and with a spot of luck you might just catch something special, but to some extent they find you as much as you find them, they lie waiting to be written into existence.”
Part of the project also involves a documentary series on YouTube, with Episode 1 out now.
Aitch – Party Round My Place (feat. Avelino + Toddla T)
New Music: Lucy Deakin
UK artist Lucy Deakin’s latest release ‘2009’ is one of the finest slices of nostalgic pop you’ll likely encounter all week.
Detailing her old life a little over a decade ago, the song looks at modern-day markers for musical success, touching upon viral trends and people’s desire to be ‘TikTok famous, something else but broke’ but ultimately wishing you could turn back the time.
Taken from the new EP ‘in your head i’m probably crying’ which is due for release on 5th November 2021.
Tour Dates
Thur 04/11/21 – The Grace, London
Fri 05/11/21 – The Louisiana, Bristol
Tue 09/11/21 – Oporto, Leeds
Fri 12/11/21 – Komedia Studio, Brighton
Sat 13/11/21 – Bodega, Nottingham
Thu 18/11/21 – YES Pink Room, Manchester
Fri 19/11/21 – Surf Cafe, Newcastle
Sat 20/11/21 – Garage Attic, Glasgow
New Music: Weval
Dutch duo Weval fuse elements of alt-R&B, indie and electronica into soundscapes that feel subtly eccentric and inherently unique in nature.
‘Changed for the Better’ is a sincere, heartfelt and unashamedly positive track that is both emotive and uplifting to experience.
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Changed For The Better’ which is out on 12th November 2021.
GRACEY – the internet
Mighty but melancholy, ‘the internet’ alludes to an almost universal experience: nights spent awake gripped by anxiety, unable to stop scrolling on social media.
“‘the internet’ is about a very difficult time in my life when I was experiencing a large amount of online hate as I was just starting out my artist career. Throwing myself into the process of writing and working on it was really cathartic, and addressing what was making me feel broken and vulnerable head-on ended up making me a lot stronger. Hopefully it’ll resonate and do the same for others, as sadly experiencing online hate is becoming more common for all as social media continues to grow.”
Taken from the new EP ‘Fragile’ which is due 15th October 2021 via Polydor.
Joesef – Fire
One of the UK’s most impressive soul talents returns with a release that is just so sublime to experience. ‘Fire’ is a song that was created from a negative space, and yet Joesef has managed to create something truly quite beautiful.
“I always write shit down when I’m feeling shite. It’s just something I’ve always done to try and see what it is that I’m screaming in my head. This song stemmed from something I’d written about wanting to burn all my stuff and move away. I always have this image in my head that if bad things happen in one space it stays there and covers everything surrounding it. ‘Fire’ is about trying to escape the emotional weight that places and people sometimes carry after too much has happened, but realising nothing ever really leaves you in the end anyway.”
The Cool Quest – PARTY ON THE BLOC
Dutch band The Cool Quest are already establishing a name for themselves across parts of Europe, and it seems only a matter of time before the rest of the world wakes up to their infectiously memorable bops.
With soulful vocals and a genre-bending approach to music making that blends influences from hip hop to indie and alt-pop, this group craft tracks that are sure to get you in the best of moods.
Written during lockdown, ‘PARTY ON THE BLOC’ is a song that symbolises the desire to get together and the urge to just let go again.
New Music: I don’t speak french
Swedish outfit I don’t speak french craft a refreshingly original and wildly exciting sound that combines a multitude of genres together to create something unexpected and fun.
‘Skate in Barcelona’ is the story of a wannabe social influencer monster, much like the band’s own mascot ‘Bob’ the monster who tries desperately to build a facade of coolness.
“No song should sound the same, I rather have the listener jump out of their seat than having to repeat myself”.
Members of the band can also be found in Stranded Mermaid, and Swedish Red Elephant (the alter-ego of Håkan Persson and Louise Lindenger), where they write, produce and collaborate with artist such as Lucas Estrada, Matisse & Sadko, farfetch’d, Timmy Trumpet and more.
New Music: Austin George
Hailing from Dallas is emerging artist Austin George. With over 800k followers on TikTok alone, it comes as no surprise that new single ‘bluebonnets’ has already garnered over 250k streams.
Luke Royalty – High Life
Track of the week. Luke Royalty’s refreshingly original approach to pop continues to win me over more and more with each release.
‘High Life’ is that strong dose of pop medicine we all need to get us through those summer blues.
“I just really enjoy writing catchy pop music and try to write choruses that give you that release of euphoria. It’s written about the insecurities that play in your head even when things are going well and not trusting yourself when you’re on the up with the looming thoughts that a down could be just around the corner.”
Having already garnered support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing, Clash Magazine, The Independent and Amazing Radio, Luke looks set to be one of the breakout acts of 2021.
KYTES – bumblin
Starting the new week with a wildly infectious bop from Munich based indie-pop quartet KYTES.
Following on from previous release ‘the beat is on hold’, the band continue their message of positivity through vibrant lyricism and a breezy melody on new single ‘bumblin’.
“In challenging times we ask ourselves how to cope with life. Our answer is ‘bumblin’ through our lives, forever and a day this song is a groovy, easygoing and joyful tune. We try to live in the here and now, a lot of times without a definite plan – just bumbling through our lives”.
bbno$ – i remember
With over half a million TikTok followers, one million Instagram followers and more than two billion streams to his name, bbno$ has become an American musical tour de force.
‘i remember’ is his latest single, and is a heartbreak anthem filled with mellow vocals, a yearning melody and a killer bassline.
“‘i remember’ is a nostalgic experience of love that is meant to be a good follow up to my song ‘help herself’. I love making fun rap songs, but it’s nice to try out new styles and do things people don’t always expect from me. It’s my goal to be a multi-dimensional songwriter and I think this song helps show that.”
Taken from the forthcoming studio album ‘eat ya veggies’ which is out October 8th 2021.
Lucy Blue – Pilot
A beautifully melodic pop ballad from Irish singer-songwriter Lucy Blue. Pure and stripped-back, ‘Pilot’ carries a powerful sense of melancholy that is mesmerising to listen to.
New Music: Bye Malo
Citing inspirations from modern-day icons like Frank Ocean, Dominic Fike and PartyNextDoor, Canadian artist Bye Malo crafts a style of pop that feels raw and honest.
New single ‘Naples’ hooks you in with it’s catchy melody and captivating lyrics, leaving you wanting to hear a lot more from this emerging North American talent.
Sfven – there for you
A beautifully moving release from Sfven that feels intense and raw, yet still carries an essence of tenderness.
Freddie Long – Hide And Seek
Few vocalists are able to convey depths of emotional rawness as intensely as Freddie Long. The London-based artist recently celebrated his music exceeding five million streams from just two EP’s and a handful of singles.
He delves deeper into his emotionally revealing narratives on new track ‘Hide and Seek’. Despite his growing skills as a songwriter who uses music as a release for turbulent feelings, on ‘Hide and Seek’ he almost immediately confesses, “I knew the words but couldn’t get them out.”
“It was a tough song to write. Going through hard patches in my relationships with others made me realise my mistakes. I wanted this song to be a message about that. Looking back at the moment I didn’t see that I was letting people down and not giving them 100%.”