Hailing from America is emerging indie-pop talent Indy June. With a distinctive vocal delivering captivating lyrics, her new single ‘Drag Me Away’ is a song that is not only infectiously memorable but also rather moving.
“I wrote this song as a message to my future self: to ‘drag me away’ from my current position in life, essentially pulling me out of the closet. I sing to a version of myself that is carefree and living her best life- loving who she wants to love and being who she wants to be.”
My first feelings upon hearing ‘Butterflies’ was how much the track reminded me of the very early demos by Amy Winehouse. This is a truly beautiful fusion of R&B and soul that is laced with an essence of nostalgia, making it irresistible to any listener.
“I love soul music, because it’s so beautiful and powerful. However, I rarely see girls playing guitar and genuinely rocking out. It’s something you don’t come across too often. That’s what I want to explore though. My music brings those two sides together into something that’s me.”
Singer-songwriter Gracie Ella is A&R’d by Jeff Fenster (Britney Spears, Dua Lipa), and has already worked with Grammy-winning producers like Oak, James Fauntleroy, T-Minus, Jamie Hartman, and Jonas Jeberg. She’s also signed to SonyATV as a writer through Barry Weiss who runs RECORDS (24kGoldn) and ran the iconic Jive Records.
A shimmering slice of indie pop from American duo Something Simple. Their new single ‘Somewhere Out There’ is a beautifully constructed song that feels both emotive and introspective in tone. This is a sound that is near impossible not to feel some kind of connection with.
“From questioning life choices to chasing passion, to the fear of taking on new challenges, ‘Somewhere Out There’ hits on a lot of different emotions. A song filled with so much fear and doubt is coupled with some comfort and confidence in knowing that you would have done it all over again. We composed the instrumental first, and had to match that emotional nostalgic feel with fitting lyrics.”
Formerly the lead singer and songwriter of successful Los Angeles indie-pop outfit Youngblood Hawke, Sunshine Boysclub now crafts a style of music that is uniquely his own. Eccentric and genre-bending, this is a sound that is immediately captivating and just so easy to connect with.
‘Right Out The Window’ deals with the fragility of passing time, grappling with the impermanence of daily life, and serves as a reminder to be grateful for things before they disappear.
Taken from the debut album ‘Hut on the Hill‘ which is out now.
Originally featured on Alfitude last year (garnering a Track of the Week accolade with his first song), Nottingham-based rapper and songwriter Jalle releases his debut with Warner Music. ‘Hate Me’ sees Jalle talk about the breakdown of his last relationship in vivid colour:
“’Hate Me’ is about my last relationship. It came to a very sour end ; arguments, nearly getting back together, the word hate being thrown around. It’s about having to deal with all those repercussions. Really, we weren’t ready for love so we had to cut each other out.”
Over the weekend, alt-pop talent LONA opened the main stage for none other than Liam Gallagher at the Isle of Wight Festival, and now returns with a gorgeously emotive new single called ‘Darkest Days’.
Laced with softly melancholic guitar riffs, LONA’s gravely rock-edged vocal performance punches through to reflect the rawness of the song’s deeply personal core message.
“’Darkest Days’ is a tale of two people struggling in a relationship. It’s about when the person you love is lost and they feel like there is no way out of the black vacuum inside their head. The song is about being able to battle through these times. It’s about knowing that life won’t always be like this even though you may see no way out. I personally know that the darkest days don’t last forever and that’s what this song is really about. I saw no way out – but there was and the people closest to me got me through my darkest times. I wrote this song for the people who may not have other people to get them through. You’ve got me.”
Atlanta’s Lunar Vacation return with a new single that serves a heady dose of melancholy over a colourful indie-pop production. ‘Gears’ examines a relationship deteriorating; the conflict between emotional grief and objective knowledge that ending it is the right thing to do.
“When I look back on any kind of relationship, it’s usually through rose-colored glasses. I guess this song tells me that although this happened, you just gotta keep going because this isn’t the end of the world. But the last lines are a reflection of how inner-me feels… I’ll probably always be a little sad about the loss. I feel like most, if not all, of my songs are future-me giving past-me advice and insight on specific situations that evoked heavy feelings.” – Grace Repasky (songwriter/ vocalist/ guitarist).
Taken from the debut album ‘Inside Every Fig is a Dead Wasp’ which is out on 29th October 2021. The group are also heading a US tour to include Shaky Knees in Atlanta this autumn, a run with The Beths in 2022, as well as European dates next year too.
Emerging from Birmingham is four-piece outfit Big Image, who’s new single ‘Parallel Love Affair’ is a euphoric party banger that serves as a reminder to listeners across the world that the UK continues to be a home to some of the most exciting indie-pop talents out there.
“This song is paving the way for what’s to come from us. It’s explosive, exciting and pure groove. Lyrically the song was inspired by a lockdown divorce that a friend was going through. The first verse is based on what I was hearing from him. Naturally there’s two sides to every story so I based the second verse on what I thought her side of the story was.” – Luke Morris (Bassist)
Track of the week. A conceptual and future-forward approach to hip hop that still somehow maintains an essence of nostalgia, ‘This Lifetime’ is one of the best releases that I have come across over the last week.
On the track, Pugs connects with fellow Chicago artist Rockie Fresh and glides across the bouncy production of Tusk57, with each MC breaking down what they want to see in this lifetime; for themselves and the people that come after.
Taken from the upcoming album ‘Test Drive’ which drops 13th October 2021.
Norwegian MC Pasha has been steadily building a global fanbase ever since NME highlighted him as one of the most promising artists in the world back in 2017.
Since then he’s sold out shows, had regular listings on Norwegian national radio P3, and been featured on respected tastemaker publications like Clash and Highsnobiety.
Produced by Mogilla and Pluto, ‘Bad Trips’ delivers a chilled atmosphere lifted by bass riffs, rhythmic guitars and a hook that easily makes you wanna sing along.
Born-and-bred New Yorkers, MICHELLE formed in 2018 and is comprised of Sofia D’Angelo, Julian Kaufman, Charlie Kilgore, Layla Ku, Emma Lee and Jamee Lockard.
Taken from the forthcoming album ‘AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS’ (due January 2022), their new single ‘SYNCOPATE’ is a blissful sound that subtly fuses soul, funk, R&B and pop into a sound that is just so easy to fall in love with.
“The song at its core is about desire. Communicating your desire can feel vulnerable, so we wanted to have some fun with that and show our funky and seductive side. It really feels like we’re hitting the street for the first time by putting this song out into the world.”
The band are headlining a UK and European tour, beginning in Dublin on 5th February 2022, then taking in Glasgow, Manchester and London (The Lexington on 9th February), followed by shows in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
Through the years UK artist Foxes has come to grow a hugely loyal and dedicated army of fans thanks to her consistency in crafting premium pop anthems.
She returns with an absolute banger of a track in the form of new track ‘Sister Ray’. While inspired by the Velvet Underground song of the same name, the single takes a more anthemic and electronic approach akin to Robyn:
“‘Sister Ray’ came from a wild part of me during lockdown that was craving a night of freedom and fun again, a longing to let go. The velvet underground reference is a nod to describing the most debauched night you could ever imagine but in its spirit it’s a celebration of the people you can have those indescribable times with. I wanted to encapsulate that energy in a song so I could imagine that feeling forever.”
Taken from the forthcoming album ‘The Kick’ which is due for release on 11th February 2022.
Tasha treats us all to a blissful and nostalgic twist on indie-pop. Ultra romantic ‘Perfect Wife’ is a modern love song at it’s purest, while also giving hope to those yet to find ‘the one’.
Hate me like I hit you with my bonnet (Bonnet)
Ripping up the picture in my wallet (Wallet)
I meant to push the brakes but then I fed you to the snakes
And now you’re bleeding out next to me on the carpet
Denis Coleman returns with an epic slice of pop in the form of new single ‘pillowTHOUGHTS’.
Fusing elements of indie-rock into the mix, the song symbolises the highs and lows of being in a relationship.
It’s not your fault that I’m lonely
Trouble sleeping at night, with eyes open
And I promise that I won’t show it
Thought you’d understand, least I was hoping
Emerging from the US is Daniel Novello, who’s single ‘INSANE’ is probably one of the most infectious alternative rock-pop songs I’ve come across so far this month.
Featuring influences from 90’s and early 00’s bands, the production starts with a melancholic vibe before exploding into a sound that carries distorted guitars and loud cellos.
As it currently stands (and in my personal opinion), no newcomer from Ireland is fusing alt-pop with RnB as perfectly as Rushes is.
‘Lost In Therapy’ is one of the best releases of the week thanks to it’s simple yet finessed production, and raw yet honest lyricism. This kid is undoubtedly one to watch.
A marvellously finessed fusion of alt-RnB and pop from American talent Liliana Mae. This singer-songwriter and producer crafts songs that feature melodic instrumentals and vulnerable lyrics, forming sounds that are not only soulful and emotive but completely enchanting.
“Have you ever felt like love made you invincible? ‘You + The World’ reflects those moments where love was nothing but a sweet, reminiscent dream. I wrote this while looking back on some of my sweetest memories and wondering if things would ever go back to the way they were.”
Teen talent nicole han has written an anthem for the youth with her new single ‘aftertaste’. This is an introspective pop song that presents intelligent lyricism over an anthemic melody, growing in intensity as the sound concludes.
“As I am wrapping up the last year of being a teenager, I’ve recently reflected a lot upon the past decade. People always tell me, ‘your teens are the best years of your life!! Don’t forget to savour it while it lasts!’ But the truth is, these are the years where we are growing into ourselves, emotional, confused, and maybe a bit anxious. I wrote this song to express the bittersweet emotions surrounding my teenage years. There’s been times where I hate this stage of life and want to pack up and leave, but part of me knows these are the best years of my life.”
