Category: Music

Crystal Cities – Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight

A rousing and anthemic release from Sydney-based indie dream rock outfit Crystal Cities. Interestingly, this is the band’s seventh single to be lifted from their upcoming album.

“‘Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight’ is about the love and truth that exists within all of us. It’s about trying to latch on to those healing frequencies when you find yourself in an emotional attachment that is unserving. This song is related to a point in my life when I felt trapped in an unhealthy pattern of behaviour. My addiction was beginning to affect not just myself, but the people close to me. I knew that if I was going to heal I needed to find my way back to vibrations of love and truth; the true essence of our being. It was that sensation of being held close and tight by the energy of unconditional love that saved me.” – Geoff Rana, Crystal Cities

Once the release of each single from the album is complete, the band will re-package each song as one full body of work that will be their sophomore record, ‘Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight’.

Crystal Cities

New Music: goth gf

Consisting of Songwriter Zach DeGaetano and Music Director Carter Vaughan, goth gf create a kind of bedroom pop that is impossible not to fall head over heels in love with. A charmingly subdued production sets the scene for captivating vocals and a wildly infectious melody.

goth gf

New Music: BXB LOVE

A wildly infectious electro-pop bop from Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and artist BXB LOVE. With clever lyricism and one of the catchiest melodies of the week, what’s there not to love? (Pun intended…)

“’Losers’ is my claim that we are all really just losers trying to fit in. I believe, if we really committed to being who we are, and loving that unconditionally, we might all feel a little more free and a little less anxious about the potential perception of us that others may have.” 

BXB LOVE

Christian Blue – Frontside (rough)

There truly are very few people who are pushing the boundaries of alternative music as ambitiously as LA-based artist Christian Blue.

‘Frontside (rough)’ is a glorious fusion of psychedelic funk, hip hop and RnB that showcases Christian’s penchant for melding off-kilter soundscapes and  instrumentation with face scrunching bass-lines and sultry vocal harmonies

“Frontside is the bay area experience into a song. Dramatic, funky, racey nights of youth. Hopping in and out of cars with that person or group of people you genuinely love and feel the best around. it’s about the Flirtatious, playful and intimate turn up of the 510.”

Christian Blue

New Music: Brave James

A beautifully dreamy sound from London-based artist Brave James. With captivating vocals and a mesmerising melody, ‘Soldier’ blends electro-pop grooves with a militaristic marching beat in the most charming way imaginable.

“‘Soldier’ speaks to me as an anthem for what my debut album is about, and it set the direction for the record. I knew that I wanted to integrate vocal harmonies with electronic atmospheres over this marching, militant groove. I was also experimenting at the time with cassette looping and a bunch of fun stuff. It all just kind of bled its way into the track. I felt like I wanted to write something about navigating lingering memories and feelings from past relationships.”

Brave James

Talii – Pointless Numbers

Orlando native Talii returns today with a song that defines the essence of soulful youth with unmistakable authenticity. ‘Pointless Numbers’ is a brooding, dark RnB sound that is beautifully atmospheric and totally mesmerising.

“I wrote ‘Pointless Numbers’ during a particularly heavy depressive state I was in at the time. When those moments hit, I shut myself off from everyone and tend to suffer in silence even though I know I need help… I pick up my phone over and over to reach out to someone but even though I have hundreds of numbers, I don’t feel like I can text or call a soul. I know I’m not the only one who has felt like this. Creating this song has been a release for me and helped me share my struggle with mental health when it was hard for me to express it before. I hope it’s also a release for others. Something they can cry to… Something that gives their pain a voice when they struggle to find the right words. Something that helps other people feel less alone.”

Taken from the forthcoming EP, due out summer 2021. 

Talii

New Music: Marcus

Born and raised in Dublin, singer and songwriter Marcus creates the kind of sound that immediately draws you in thanks to it’s unique sense of character. Fusing elements of indie with RnB and hip hop, this artist takes you on a musical journey like none other.

Recorded at the famous Grouse Lodge studios with Alex Borwick, ‘The Juice’ reflects upon the time in his life when hip hop was his true passion. On the song, he says:

“I arrived in Grouse Lodge a day late, I had to take a Covid test a couple of days prior and wasn’t allowed down until I got my result. When I got there Alex had pretty much made the beat already. Sometimes I’m fussy in the studio and it can take some time to get a beat together, but when I heard this one I knew that it was perfect for the song and all we had to do was drop some vocals on it.”

Marcus

New Music: Billen Ted

Operating out of the legendary Ealing Studios in West London, Billen Ted are a production-writing duo who made the unlikely transition from death metal bands to the world of dance music.

They’ve already worked with the likes of 220 Kid, MNEK and Sleepwalkers – and now they’re turning their attention to their own musical project.

‘When You’re Out’ is a reworking of a 90’s RnB classic, and features the vocals of Alfitude favourite, Mae Muller.

Billen Ted | Mae Muller

New Music: Micah Emrich

Milwaukee-based singer-songwriter, musician and producer Micah Emrich has come up with one of the catchiest bops of the week. ‘caffeine’ is an effortlessly cool mix of bedroom pop and alt-RnB, and features lyricism that leaves you hopeful about everyday anxieties.

“‘caffeine’ is about living a life following your passion and although it’s not always easy you find yourself being deeply fulfilled. 

Micah Emrich

Lloyd P-White – 925

London-based artist Lloyd P-White creates a kind of sound that blends elements of punk, rock and pop so perfectly that it’s impossible not to feel some kind of connection with. And with over 4.5 million Spotify streams alone to date, this talent is one to watch.

“‘925’ is about living the life of a rockstar without actually being a massive rockstar. Going on the road, performing to small crowds and partying has become my 9 to 5; might be 9PM to 5AM, but it’s still a 9 to 5, I guess. It might seem like it’s all fun and games, but as in life there’s no ups without the downs and living this type of lifestyle can quickly lead to a feeling of emptiness and loneliness – something touched on in the ‘925’ music video.”

Lloyd P-White

Watch: Olive Amun – Blues

Australian up and comer Olive Amun unveils visuals for ‘Blues’, and with it also comes the release his new EP, ‘Don’t Leave Yet’. Speaking about the project he says:

“I noticed in a lot of the demos I was making, I kept saying these 3 words… don’t. leave. yet. It was unintentional, but after a while I knew this was the recurring theme and had to be what I base this project off of. ‘Don’t Leave Yet’ is filled with self exploration; musically and figuratively speaking. This was the first time I got comfortable with the uncomfortable and didn’t hold anything back. After about 6 months and 50+ song ideas, I finally had the EP I was looking for. When you play it front to back you really get a taste of everything that I have in my locker. I knew I had so much more to give artistically than I had showcased in the past, and this body of work was the perfect opportunity for me to finally go for it and not hold anything back.” 

‘Don’t Leave Yet’ is out now.

Olive Amun

New Music: KiLLOWEN

Hailing from West London, KiLLOWEN is a 21-year old talent who is not only a vocalist but also a multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter.

His style of music-making feels refreshingly authentic, raw and honest – so much so that it’s already caught attention from the likes of BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Trench and Earmilk.

‘Blood Red’ is about the bad habits we all find ourselves going back to, despite knowing they are harmful.

“It’s almost like a ‘feels so good, but hurts so bad’ situation. In a world where everyone feels like they have to be perfect, I wanted to outline that everyone fights their own battles, and that’s okay, because we’re all just taking it one step at a time.”

KiLLOWEN

ENNY – I Want

by FABRICE BOURGELLE
ENNY / Photo by @FABRICEBOURGELLE

Track of the week. With over 28 million global streams to date from just a handful of singles, ENNY is without doubt one UK name that is firmly on everyone’s radar.

‘I Want’ is a sleek blend of RnB, pop and disco that’s finessed yet eccentric and boldly confident.

“This tune is deffo a significant song in my musical journey as it was the first song that Paya and I made together. We had no expectation, just vibes, London and some wavy weather. I hope this tune paints more of a picture into the world I’m coming from and the story of the EP. This is one to bubble to and motivate you to get up and get what you want!” 

Taken from the debut EP, which is out soon.

ENNY

ericdoa – fantasize

After generating over 20 million streams and garnering support from the likes of Pitchfork, Dazed, and The Face, Connecticut-born artist ericdoa returns with new single ‘fantasize’. Guitars and horns flirt perfectly amongst a fusion of disco, hip-hop and hyperpop to form a sound that is not only unique but wildly infectious,

ericdoa