Yeah I’ll meet you at the car on the corner, but we know it’s gotta change sometime
You know I love the taste of your water, but I think it’s time to say goodbye.
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Royel Otis – car
Category: Music
The Kid LAROI – HOW DOES IT FEEL?
“The track features a special appearance from renowned musician, Thundercat. LAROI also dropped the new video counterpart starring actress Talia Ryder alongside himself, directed by CALMATIC (Kendrick Lamar and The Rolling Stones), and filmed at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.”
Nectar Woode – Ama said
TRACK OF THE WEEK
“It’s just a beautiful moment, where you can go home, track your family and put them on this incredible song.”
Pre-save the forthcoming EP ‘it’s like i never left’ here.
ellis x Gadjo – I’m Watching You (So Many Times)
Sometimes you just need to be reminded of a good, classic disco banger – and today’s release of a reworked Gadjo anthem by ellis is just what we needed.
There’s no easy way to bring new life to a song that’s already as established and regarded as this anthem, so we were quite blown away with this edit. While it still maintains a strong essence from the original, this version feels more current and refreshed.
It’s the perfect bop to add to your playlists for the weekend ahead, and if you’re too young to remember this coming out in the clubs (in the early 00’s!), then we hope you love it as much as we do!
FLEECE – Chequebook
Montreal rockers FLEECE are back with a triumphant new single to shake those midweek blues away.
‘Chequebook’ is a summery anthem that instantly locks listeners in from the moment you press play. The track is bold, confident and just so, so powerful. The long verses build up to a huge chorus that is sure to stay in your minds all day.
“It feels really good to get loud and call out unchecked greed. The kind of greed of people in power who are hot for hoarding wealth while so many go without. It’s angry, sassy, and meant to throw a punch at the illusion that success should come at the expense of others. It shouldn’t.” – Megan Ennenberg, FLEECE
The track previews the acclaimed group’s upcoming album, set for release later in the year. While we’re based in the UK and don’t often come across FLEECE, we really hope this next record builds their momentum globally so we can catch them live across the pond!
Alnev – the Writer
Floridian artist Alnev returns with a new single this weekend, called ‘the Writer’. With its thoughtfully constructed blend of alt-pop and indie, we felt that we had to share this bop with you.
The track showcases Alnev’s raw and emotive vocals, while the introspective lyrics look at the feelings you get when you sense that something bad might happen.
“You know that feeling when you predict something is going to end badly, and it turns out you’re absolutely right? I wrote ‘the Writer’ about that.”
Alnev has amassed an impressive number of streams in recent times – with his catalogue of songs accumulating more than 1.6 million streams on Spotify alone.
New Music: George Lyons
George Lyons is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from Ireland in recent months. While still only 19 years old, this artist is already carving a name for himself thanks to his playful pop productions.
‘LOLA’ is a nostalgia-tinged bop that fits along the lines of Californian pop-rock from the early 00s, while the lyrics are inspired by the feelings of freedom from being in love.
“It’s a carefree, coming-of-age anthem about loving someone exactly as they are—flaws and all. For anyone young, in love, and not taking life too seriously.”
The track is lifted from Lyons’s forthcoming, independently created EP, which is scheduled for release this autumn. Until then, fans can look forward to three more singles.
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Debbie – Midnight Calls
TRACK OF THE WEEK
“I release my emotions through my music. ‘Midnight Calls’ was just another one of those songs for me. Like most of my unreleased music, I put it in my back pocket, replaying it to myself from time to time; not expecting much from it… but one day whilst sitting on the bus this particular song touched me.
I had goosebumps and a heavy hit of emotion. I couldn’t keep it to myself so decided to share it online – only to see it was touching so many other people. I’m so glad I listened to that song on the B14 that day.”
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Lei Hope – Little Sign
“I think I just needed a reset. Coming back to Manchester after travelling gave me space to reflect. ‘Little Sign’ was the first song I made in that headspace and it set the tone for everything that followed.”
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YOASOBI – Watch me!
“YOASOBI – composer Ayase and vocalist ikura – have their origins in the Japanese literary tradition of monogatari, and continue to take inspiration from all forms of literature. ‘Watch me!’ has its origins in an original novel penned by Kenta Shinohara, author of the Witch Watch manga series, and now an acclaimed anime series for which the song has become the opening theme. Witch Watch is streaming worldwide.”
Bella Litsa – Never Ending Movie
“Rachmaninoff’s music for me has always transcended the cerebral, making my life and what it comes with, feel like a fantasy, like a movie. I wanted to celebrate that feeling of eternity in a song. Music is a miracle, art is a miracle, and it’s miraculous because it is a mystery, and yet there’s no need to question it. The chorus is an interpolation of the B section from Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G minor. And somehow, even though this is a piece over 100 years old, the chorus manages to really strike people in modern times. I think that’s all Rachmaninoff though, his music transcends time, feeling always from the future.
New Music: vice E roi
We’re sharing with you something a little different today – orchestral pop! vice E roi is a Quebec-based musical project that consistently pushes the boundaries of what pop music is.
‘L’échec n’existe pas’ is lifted from the outfit’s latest EP, ‘Lendemain de conquête’ (out now), and features the talents of French rapper HYL. This is a bold piece of music that is just pure epic in scale and reminds us of the work of other artists like Woodkid.
The song, beautifully cinematic, powerful, and intense, captivates listeners from the moment you press play. Lyrically, the track speaks of hope and resilience and is sure to amplify vice E roi’s momentum with tastemakers globally.
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vice E roi performances 2025
- 12/06 @ Courant Alternatif , Amos
- 13/06 @ QG, Rouyn
- 25/07 @ Auberge Ile du Repos, Peribonka
- 15/08 @ Festival International de la chanson de Granby
- 01/11 @ Le 164, St-Jean sur Richelieu
Kathy Katouzi – BOTP
It’s a big day for Canadian starlet Kathy Katouzi, who has just released her brilliant self-produced debut album, ‘I AM*’.
It’s an impressive record, to say the least. Among the seven songs, ‘BOTP’ stands out to us thanks to its jagged style of sound and its beautifully presented vocals. The production showcases a very distinctive and unique approach to alternative pop that feels playful and eccentric but also serious and heartfelt.
The album centres around ’embracing the intensity of emotion as a source of power’, and we can certainly feel that as we play the record. You can explore all of Katouzi’s work on Spotify here.
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Germano – GIANT
If you’ve yet to come across rising US-based talent Germano, then today’s release of ‘GIANT’ is your perfect introduction.
Already an Alfitude favourite, this talent continues to grow from strength to strength, and his latest single is yet another gem that we’re absolutely in love with.
The track perfectly encapsulates the internal struggles that we sometimes feel when we present ourselves to others and how we worry about the way we become perceived. Elaborating on the lyrics, Germano says:
“It has a couple of different meanings to me – it’s about how I’ve always felt that, at some point when I’m getting to know people, either in friendships or romantic relationships, I became or would think I’d become ‘too much’ for them. On the other hand, it also talks about how, when I’m struggling emotionally or trying to overcome an obstacle, I want to do it all by myself, which means I bottle up those emotions and frustrations and, as I say in the song, that is very tiring even for me.”
“I talk about the ways that dealing with me can be complex at times but in a self-deprecating way. As I grow older, it’s become easier to understand that a lot of times the way people act towards you is not personal. I’ve realized maybe I’m just too self-aware and not actually ‘too much’ for people. I’m also learning to communicate my feelings and seek help when I need it instead of overwhelming myself by trying to do it all alone.”
Alongside his natural flair for songwriting, Germano has also worked in other fields like photography and filmmaking and takes ownership of his own edits and visuals.
New Music: charlieeeee
“BOY JOY! is about the incredible feeling of trans and queer joy, it’s about finding your community and truly having that deep sense of pride. As a non-binary artist it feels counterintuitive to write a song so gendered, but i feel like there is something so special about the joy emanated from the trans masculine community and from my friends, i wanted to write a song that felt so playful but empowering, reminding everyone that there is always joy out there if you open yourself up to the right people, and no matter WHAT you are still here and exist regardless of what anyone says.”
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Walter The Producer – Lonely Cowboy
Walter The Producer returns with a powerful new single that really does deserve a spin.
‘Lonely Cowbody’ is a refreshingly raw indie song that carries with it a tremendous amount of emotion. Somehow soulful in tone, the track takes listeners on a sonic rollercoaster and presents the indie genre in a bold and experimental way.
“I made ‘Lonely Cowboy’ with Alex Beitzke in March 2024. I had this guitar idea, and we built off that. A couple of months later, we met up and re-recorded everything a key higher. I was listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix at the time. Brent Faiyaz has a song called ‘LA’ — that was a big inspiration vibe-wise.”
Alongside the release of the single, Walter The Producer has also unveiled a new collection of songs titled ‘Modern Rock’. As an artist who prefers to let his work speak for itself, he simply says ‘the songs just felt like modern rock’. You can stream the EP here.
Rick Baster – 005
This weekend’s banger comes courtesy of Barcelona-born singer and producer Rick Baster.
The mysteriously titled ‘005’ presents listeners with a pulsating blend of 90s trance, electronica and pop. Alongside its captivating production, this song’s anthemic melody and rousing chorus is sure to stick in your minds for a good while.
“Born from a late-night jam session filled with energy and experimentation.”
While this is the first time we feature Baster on these pages, this talent has been building momentum as early as 2019, accumulating more than 2 million streams to date with the release of just four singles.
GUNNAR – Bitter
“It’s about the pain, the growth, and finally realising that I’m not just okay. I’m better than ever.”
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Souvenir – Velvet
US talent Souvenir is here to banish your weekday blues with his shimmering new single, ‘Velvet’.
This retro-tinged slice of bliss fuses cheeky lyrics with a funky pop sound that is both classic and modern at the same time.
This is the kind of song you’d feel good playing in the car on a long drive, or while you’re getting ready to hit the town, or if you just need to listen to something to lift your mood after a long day.
“Vintage wine, coconut oil, a Harry Styles and Troye Sivan threesome, analogue synth bass lines, and vocoder riffs – the lush bed of ‘Velvet’ is irresistible and deeply satisfying.”
The track is taken from Souvenir’s latest EP of the same name, which was produced by Alfitude favourite FLORIO. It’s a brilliant collection of songs that we highly recommend you check out!
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Elliot James Reay – Who Knew Dancing Was A Sin
“Fresh from appearing at this year’s Great Escape Festival, ‘Who Knew Dancing Was A Sin’ pays homage musically and visually to the Northern Soul dance scene still thriving in Reay’s hometown of Manchester, and now being embraced by a new generation.”