One of the most uplifting releases so far this month, Ben Chandler’s ‘Anything’ is a perfect summer bop that is guaranteed to get you feeling your best self this weekend.
Produced by apob and Young Saab, the song is taken from Ben’s upcoming EP, which is out soon.
Domenic Haynes continues his ascent to stardom with the release of new single ‘Sabotage’. This is a sublime fusion of soul and RnB that feels nostalgic in it’s tone, yet future-forward at the same time. Immediately establishing himself as one to watch, look out for more from this kid.
“‘Sabotage’ mirrors the inhibitions I’ve let rule my world, it’s a check in. I’m sifting through the feelings that arise when realising, I’ve been the deterrent the entire time. And no facade can cover that up now.”
A hugely exciting new talent from So-Cal, Miki Ratsula is a Finnish-American artist who’s style of lo-fi pop is not only beautifully stripped-back, but melodic and emotive. This is a sound that encapsulates the essence youth in 2021, and it’s beautiful.
“’reeboks’ is a song about being so anxious about the future that I end up just running myself into the ground. I don’t want to dwell over such mundane things. I’d rather be excited for future things. At its roots, it’s a song about anxiety and the weight it carries on us.”
Already an established name within the music scene, BLEACHx, the moniker of queer platinum-selling songwriter Jeremy Thurber. Behind the scenes, this talent has has phenomenal success working with the likes of TVXQ, SHINee, Meghan Trainor, Jake Miller and Greyson Chance to name only a few.
Now we’re being treated to his very own solo work in the shape of new single ‘Dead Inside’. This is pop at it’s finest; a wildly catchy melody, captivating lyrics and sleek vocals.
“‘Dead Inside’ is such a personal song to me, it really embodies all the loss in my life, how I felt at the time and the birth of the BLEACHx project, it’s a fun song that is a culmination of all the genres and writing styles I love and a goodbye to all the negative feelings I had inside. I wanted something dark and Maniacal you could also dance to. When I wrote it my dad passed away and my boyfriend left me because he couldn’t deal with the grief of it all and it was exactly how I felt inside.” – Jeremy Thurber, BLEACHx
The powerhouse that is Anjulie returns today with ‘Big Bad World’, a track that acts as commentary on turning a blind eye to the horrors of humanity.
This platinum-selling Canadian/ Guyanese/ Indian producer has collaborated with the likes of Diplo, Zedd, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga to name a few.
Not only is she a Canadian music institution in her own right, but she is also mindful of the world around her, launching a fundraiser for Mental Health Without Borders through a virtual release party on Decentraland to celebrate the new single.
Hailing from Hertfordshire in England, Sophie Odira is phenomenally talented singer and songwriter who is still just 18-years old. Her sound is near impossible not to enjoy; simple and catchy melodies compliment a unique vocal tone that is sure to charm you over in an instant.
‘Little Love’ is a tongue-in-cheek look at relationship dynamics, especially when the bar is so low that doing the bare minimum gets you endless praise.
“I know that a lot of people relate to that first verse, but I want people to listen and realise that’s not the be all and end all of love and relationships. You don’t have to get into a relationship for the sake of it, or be in one which doesn’t serve you how it should be. It’s okay to be on your own.”
One of the UK’s most promising starlets, Jodie Nicholson has never been afraid to push the boundaries of indie music. Each release is a masterpiece in it’s own right; filled with intensity and a beautiful essence of emotion.
New single ‘Why Would You (Go)’ is both infectiously upbeat and heart-wrenching at the same time, further proving that this is one artist to watch out for.
“It’s about knowing a relationship is no good for you, but as soon as you see them, you’re like ‘how could I possibly leave?’, a conversation I had with myself time and time again. You’ll hear clips of me driving, talking to myself in my car, which became a safe space for me to voice how I was feeling without ever having to admit anything to anyone else.”
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Can’t Escape the Feeling’. Catch Jodie on tour, tickets here.
A stunning fusion of dream-pop and shoegaze from an up and coming British outfit based in London.
Aqualine create an atmospheric sound with honest lyricism that gives a youthful perspective on life, as is the story with new single ‘Alone for a While’.
“‘Alone for a While’ is a song that was written during the lockdown of 2020 as described through its lyrical content about being isolated.”
Kimberly Walker is a London-based singer and songwriter who’s style of music blends soulful tones with sleek vocals and punchy lyricism.
This is a sound that feels both timeless yet future-forward in equal measures, and is hugely captivating to experience.
“It’s about new beginnings, letting go of the past and giving in to new love!”
Watch out for the upcoming EP ‘Freckles’ which drops this September.
Hailing from Cape Town, 19-year old Tyler Page is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from South Africa so far this year.
A distinctively velvety vocal delivers captivating lyricism over a production that features a deep bass with 80’s style synths. A really outstanding song, by an equally impressive artist.
“kill all the heroes” is definitely one of my favourites. It resonates with the zeitgeist and especially with the youth of today. We should be looking up to our leaders and elders for guidance and a prosperous future, but instead we have been disillusioned by their obvious obsession with greed, power and wealth. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer while we the youth are being robbed of our future. Some of these self-acclaimed “heroes” are actually real life villains destroying the planet and our health and wellbeing just to make a buck. Accumulating wealth seems to be the sole drive behind decisions made for us by the ones in charge.”
Firstly, I hope you all join me in wishing SABRINA a happy birthday today! Releasing your song on a big day like that must feel pretty awesome.
This UK-based electronic pop artist has a style of music-making that exudes confidence and energy. ‘Drive’ is an empowering kind of track that celebrates the natural end of a relationship that hit one too many potholes along the way.
“This song is all about being confident in your decisions. It’s not a sad love song. It’s knowing you weren’t right for that other person.”
The Satellite Station is the moniker of singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Travis Rue.
With a sound that fuses indie-pop with folk in the most exquisite way, this talent creates songs through his perspective on life, and the challenges and joys of being human.
A feeling most of us are familiar with, ‘Chain Reaction’ is a song that’s all about the weight of the silence at the end of a relationship.
Denmark’s Asbjørn has been a pop stable in Scandinavia ever since his debut back in 2012. Consistently pushing the boundaries of the genre, this talent never ceases to surprise me with his releases.
‘Remember My Name’ is the new single, and if you have yet to experience this talent, then you certainly will after pressing play.
“I am generally pretty bad at being sad. And in my music I often contrast sadness with high energy, so my body can dance it out, rather than cry. I wrote ‘Remember My Name’ on top of the beatbox beat, and tapping into my frustration in the chorus felt very empowering at the time. The lyrics have a double meaning to me; ‘you’re gonna remember my name, the boy that got away’ could be sung to an old lover, yes. But it could also be directed towards the people who don’t believe in you.”
Hailing from New York, CLAVVS are a duo who are fixated on one thing– finding joy in little moments.
And that sentiment is reflected in their sound, which seamlessly blends indie-pop with electronica to create a sense of hopefulness and new beginnings.
“These songs and videos are just me trying to get back to myself, to who I was as a child. There’s something really healing in playfulness and joy.” – Amber, CLAVVS
Taken from the forthcoming album ‘O’, which is due out on 29th July 2021.
Roc Nation’s Kay Young and poet Shaquille-Aaron Keith feature on Ted Jasper’s new single ‘Do Something’, making this release a one of the most impressive so far this month (in my view).
This is a song like none other; thought provoking and deeply emotive, beautifully performed and refreshingly original in it’s concept.
Taken from Ted Jasper’s forthcoming EP ‘Do Something’.
Phenomenally talented Tamil-Canadian rapper Shan Vincent de Paul joins forces with with award-winning composer and producer Santhosh Narayanan on epic new single ‘Neeye Oli’.
The song was written as an anthem about perseverance, while encouraging the listener to embrace their inner greatness. Look out for the track on the upcoming film ‘Sarpatta’, which premieres on Amazon Prime this summer.
Hailing from Dublin, Phoeno is a collaboration between Irish talents Adam Matthews and Liam Corbett.
‘Alive’ is their debut release, and it’s a hugely anthemic mix of indie-rock and pop that is immediately arresting and totally captivating to experience.
“We write songs out of our own necessity.”
Every release from NOISY seems to encapsulate the essence of youth perfectly. New single ‘Young Dumb’ is no exception; this is a loud, unashamedly confident and bold sound that revives your inner rebel.
“This song is for the festivals, the parties and the chaos that’s coming when clubs are open and gigs are back. We’re so f***ing ready for it” – Cody, NOISY
Catch the group on tour – tickets here.
Seth Findley, better known as moony is a Nashville-based artist who’s creating some of the most interesting blends of indie and alt-rock that I have come across so far this month.
‘angry’ is an exploration of the beginning of the end of a committed relationship and the feelings of confusion, chaos, and anger that come alongside it.
“’As with any long-term serious bond with someone, we pick up baggage along the way be it for better or worse. We may look back with gratitude or resentment and while I’m so grateful for the ways I grew and changed because of the relationship, resentment is what I explored in this song. I lost the essence of who I was.”
Seth is also frontman with the band Honest Men, who have achieved over 9.5 million Spotify streams to date.
Taken from the new EP ‘moon’ which is out now.
One of the most impressive releases of the week comes from French star Eugénie, who releases her first English language song today.
‘Blue’ is a stunning fusion of alternative dark-pop and hypnotic bass, with a sound that harks back to the days of the ‘90s UK electronica scene.
“‘Blue’ is an emotional marathon, as if everything I went through tore me down. Everything got to me. It changed from one day to another, but I always felt downhearted in the end. I tried to examine all my anxieties – my place in the industry, my doubts, my fear to move on and to grow up – which inspired the sweet and angry moments in this song.”
