Hailing from Miami, Latin-American artist Miliano has been writing and playing music for over a decade, with songs in both English and Spanish.
‘Nubes’ (which translates to ‘clouds’ in Spanish) is a track about the unavoidable reminder of past regretful experiences that one can learn and grow from.
This is a beautifully emotive blend of Latin pop, trap and alt-RnB, all complimented with intensely captivating vocals.
Indie-pop with a nostalgic twist from Danish talent Daniel Joy. One of the catchiest bops you’ll likely enjoy all weekend, ‘How to Talk to Girls’ is about an insecure young man in a world that expects you to always be on top of your game. But when the game is love, life’s not always easy!
“‘How to Talk to Girls’ is a tribute to the shy guy. I recall the awkward moments in bars, you know, the moments where one of your friends introduces you to this girl, and you suddenly turn into a silent and uncomfortable shell. It’s just as much about impressing your friends, as it is finding the courage to actually talk to a girl you’ve just met. No one wants to be known as the shy and awkward friend sitting in the corner and I can think of a dozen times where a book for dummies or a tutorial video would have come in handy. I still don’t know what’s going on – so here’s a song about it!” –
London-based talent Arin is not only a singer but an established songwriter, creating a new kind of pop that feels sleek, mellow and finessed; all the while still carrying a sense of charm and playfulness.
Listening to ‘All I Want 2 See’ reminds you of that euphoric feeling of falling head-over-heels for someone.
A finessed blend of RnB and pop from rising UK artist AMBA. On ‘Butterflies’ we are treated to a strong bass line that lays the foundations for rhythmic vocals, delicate hints of harp and an infectiously memorable melody.
A richly intense pop-rock release from Icelandic talent GREYSKIES. This is a raw yet exhilarating sound that is both bold and deeply emotive in equal measures.
“‘Eyes’ is a song about that feeling when the emotions are overwhelming and you feel like you have no idea what to do to get out of that feeling. It talks about the fears and problems I sometimes have with coping.”
Some of the boldest rock that you’ll likely experience this weekend, Ora Violet is the brainchild of multi instrumentalist production duo Black Tiles and guitarist Nick Ferman.
This is a sound that takes the best elements of classic rock and applies a fresh and modern take over it, to create something that is uniquely captivating. So much so that their work has already been supported by the likes of Wonderland, Clash and EARMILK, and praised by The Strokes producer Gordon Raphael.
New single ‘Have You Met Me’ also features vocalist Jeet Mulkerj and Adam Liston on bass.
“Influenced by Grinderman, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Marmaduke Duke & Earnest Hemingway, the song was inspired by the realisation that the same way we go down, we come back up; gradually and then suddenly. The antihero protagonist has lived a life of unapologetic excessive in all ways and despite nearing the end, the statement is clear… I won’t go down.” – Ora Violet
Seamlessly fusing elements of both Western and Middle Eastern music into her sound, emerging British Arabic artist Hemes is rapidly gaining traction as a pop artist to watch out for in the UK.
New single ‘Breathe’ was written in the midst of the pandemic, and takes a refreshingly honest look into a daughter’s relationship with her mother.
“I wanted ‘Breathe’ to capture the feeling of needing that one person in your life who can relieve your anxieties, for me it’s my mum. I finished the song during the pandemic because it was the longest time that I had ever been away from her, through tough times I really wished that I could just drive to see her, and that’s how Breathe was born. I wanted the track to feel relatable, so that people can think of whoever makes them feel better, whether it’s a family member, a lover or a friend.”
Taken from the debut EP ‘Matters of the Mind’ (funded by the BBC Horizons Wales Launchpad and the Help Musicians Do it Differently schemes), out later this year.
An infectiously vibrant blast of nostalgia from LA-based Swedish American artist Freddy Hale.
An already versatile talent with years of experience fronting rock bands like Kerbera and Rosie the Rage, he is now delving into the pop world as a solo artist.
‘Past Life’ peeks through a looking glass into old memories – both good and bad, while bathing in a synth-scape setting of tomorrow.
Taken from the upcoming debut album, which is planned for release later this year.
It wouldn’t feel right to go by a whole week on Alfitude without featuring a Norwegian pop banger.
This time it’s the turn of PLENTY, who’s single ‘For Now’ is a dark and broody club number that serves as a day dream about wanting someone for a moment, but not forever.
Kone Mara are a Swedish outfit consisting of three creative souls with three different creative backgrounds who, by chance, found each other both musically and artistically.
The resulting sound is a luxuriously dreamy and rich fusion of psychedelic indie and pop. ‘The Ordinary Place’ is a transcendental type of song, giving it a sense of timelessness that feels ethereal yet also humbling.
“We met at a breakfast table, and in the early morning hours, a friendship arose. We shared secrets and wrote music inspired by our stories. Coffee, poems, dreams and wishes.”
FUR are a Brighton-based indie-pop outfit who display a ton of character and charm into every song they create.
Having already acquired a considerable fanbase over the last couple of years (their early single ‘If You Know That I’m Lonely’ is nearing 20 million views on YouTube alone), the group are now signed to Boy Pablo’s 777 Music, and ‘The Fine Line Of A Quiet Life’ marks as their debut with the label.
“”The Fine Line Of A Quiet Life” is a documentation of mixed messages you give yourself and take from others about where you feel you should be in your life, and where you’re at. It’s about self reflection and understanding. It’s about detaching yourself from situations you’ve already been in and know the outcome of. Much like growing up, you learn not to do certain things and slowly but surely you learn that there’s a ‘fine line’ of what lifestyle becomes acceptable the older you get and also what you can hack as an adult (that maybe doesn’t feel too much like one).The feeling of regret and ‘how could I be so blind’ that everyone has felt in relationships that really only comes out once it’s done is something that also goes hand in hand with a mutual respect for a collapsed relationship, and that there’s no undoing of things you’ve done – it’s best to just move on and suck it up.” – Murray, FUR
The band are also heading out on tour later this year across the UK.
A sound like none other that I have experienced all week, Arkuen is a London-based artist with a style of music making that is so rich in textures and styles that it transcends fitting into any one genre.
An infectiously addictive blend of electronica, pop and rock from tiLLie. This is a confidently bold sound that makes no apologies; electrifying synths, grungy guitars, and nostalgic Mario Cart-esque game chimes keep you hooked from start to finish.
LA-based artist and producer Evan Blum joins forces with singer-songwriter Alyce Weber on exhilarating new single ‘Into The Dark’.
A power-pop sound with an anthemic melody, this is a song that explores the impulses and desires we suppress to protect our emotions.
“To me, ‘Into The Dark’ is sort of a fantasy. In real life, when I know a person or a relationship is ultimately toxic to me, I don’t let myself act on my feelings. So this song is sort of an escape into a scenario where you allow yourself to say yes to that person you should probably say no to, and to feel the rush you would get in the moment without any of the consequences that would inevitably follow.”
It’s become incredibly rare for an artist to craft a sound that is as easy to listen to as that by British talent Isaac Anderson.
First and foremost, this is music that is written with a desire to connect to the listener. Through simple melodies, engaging lyricism and a warm vocal delivery, Anderson creates worlds that are both inviting and captivating.
So whether you’re already one of his army of loyally committed fans, or someone yet to discover this hugely promising talent, here’s some quickfire questions to pique your interest.
For those who aren’t familiar with your music, could you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Nottingham, UK. I’ve been playing music my whole life – I started playing guitar when I was eight, joined my first band at ten and was doing music as a full time job by eighteen. It’s always been a major goal of mine to write and release music under my own name, as a solo artist, and it took me years of touring and playing in all sorts of different bands to gather the confidence to tackle it head on. It’s been a long road but it’s so exciting to finally be here!
In a very short space of time you have garnered huge acclaim for your releases. How does that make you feel?
Overwhelming – but incredibly humbling. It’s really easy to get sucked into obsessing over streaming numbers but the most important thing to me is that the music is connecting with people. I get a real sense that it’s starting to do that – it’s sparking conversations between myself and others – and that feels massively rewarding, even at such an early stage of my journey as an artist. I have to say, there is a bit of a bizarre disconnect watching it all unfold online though! If only people knew how often I’m sitting in my pyjamas when I chat to them on Twitter…
What inspires you when you write your music?
On my recent EP, there was quite a heavy influence from some of the songwriting greats – Bob Dylan, Adele, Elton John, and loads more. I love songs with a real story – I find myself drawing inspiration from just observing the world, and trying to interpret all the craziness that happens day to day. I hope that the music I write can help people figure things out a bit for themselves too.
Who would your dream collaboration be with?
I’d love to write a song with James Bay – he’s an incredible songwriter. I’ve admired him for years!
What does the rest of the year have in store for you?
I’ve got a couple more releases up my sleeve, but I can’t say too much yet! I’m also keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll get to do some live shows – I’d love to take these songs out and play them to people in real life after this bizarre year. Loads more writing, developing myself as an artist and above all, just strengthening the bond I’ve started to grow between myself and my listeners. I feel like it’s just the beginning!
Mazey Haze is the moniker of 21 year old Amsterdam-based artist Nadine Appeldoorn. Today marks the release of her fantastic debut, ‘Sad Lonely Groove’.
A sleek yet dreamy indie-pop sound with an infectiously memorable melody, the song is an honest reflection on a moment in her life where time felt like it was standing still.
“The song is about me feeling the lowest and loneliest I’ve ever felt in my life. I hadn’t built lots of friend relationships yet and I forced myself to be alone with myself. It’s about missing the guy I thought I was in love with. It’s a stream of thoughts that were circling around in my head all the time. It was the first time that I realised I wasn’t able to be happy by myself and was very dependent in the past relationship. Suddenly I had to meet and get to know myself, something I had never done before. When I wrote this song I was still running away from it all.”
UK-based duo Ivy Eye create a kind of disco that is impossible not to enjoy. With hints of funk, pop and soul added for good measure, this is a sound that is universally loveable and wildly infectious.
Indie-pop from one of Norway’s most exciting new talents of late. ‘Firm Foundation’ serves as a welcome return for SOFIA, with the legendary Coucheron on production duties.
American hip hop duo City Girls may have unleashed one of the biggest summer releases of the year with Twerkulator.
A strikingly unique sound from London-based out Malady. This is a blend of genres that collectively form a style of music that is hard to define, yet refreshingly original and full of character.
