Category: Music

New Music: Nessi

Photo / Aurora Torres

Hailing from Norway is promising newcomer Nessi, who has released one of the most powerful pop songs of the week.

‘Lonely in a Crowd’ addresses topics of anxiety and loneliness in a beautifully considered and thoughtful way. Explaining the song in more detail, the artist says:

“‘Lonely in a Crowd’ as a reminder that we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. For better or worse, everything is temporary. Loneliness and community are key themes in my music. So whether you want to feel or forget, you can lose yourself for a moment in this song.”

Despite being a relatively new name in the Scandinavian pop scene, Nessi is already a talent with momentum. Her previous releases have accumulated more than 150k streams on Spotify alone, and her work has picked up support from heavyweight tastemakers as noted as NRK P3.

Nessi

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Ezra – tightrope

If there’s one alt-pop name to watch for this year, it’s Ezra. This talent has been gaining impressive levels of momentum (at present, he’s already got more than 140k monthly listeners on Spotify), and his new single ‘tightrope’ will only further accelerate interest.

This song serves as a taster to the artist’s upcoming debut project (slated for a May release), and is lyrically inspired by his desire to be successful in life. Sonically, the production treats listeners to an anthemic mix of emo, punk and pop.

“‘tightrope’ is a song about me not being satisfied with what I have and constantly looking for more – trying to find the balance between hunger and satisfaction. The production and writing is some of my best, so I knew it was special. The first day I played it on my livestream, I got hundreds of dm’s asking when it would be released which got me hyped to release it. It’s my favourite song on this upcoming EP, and I can’t wait for the world to hear it.”

Ezra’s music has amassed more than four million streams to date. On top of that, the artist has also been featured by iconic tastemakers like Fashionably Early. You can check out more of his music on Spotify here.

Ezra

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Gemma Hayes – Feed The Flames

Irish indie-folk star Gemma Hayes has just unveiled her latest single, called ‘Feed The Flames’.

The track came about after the artist saw the classic movie ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ‘, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burt. She elaborates:

“Knowing a bit about their relationship off screen I was really taken by the depth of their connection, it was a living, breathing fire. What I got from delving into their relationship is that you can love something or someone so much only for your human fallibility to come along and destroy it.”

Hayes is currently preparing for a tour which will take the artist all across Ireland in April and May. Fans in the UK will also get a chance to catch the acclaimed singer-songwriter perform live in the autumn. An upcoming LP is scheduled for release soon.

Gemma Hayes

Cheska Moore – Psychos In Love

Rising UK starlet Cheska Moore is back with an epic new single called ‘Psychos In Love’.

The track presents Moore’s vulnerable and sincere vocals over a raw and powerfully emotive production.

“‘Psychos in Love’ encapsulates the agony of heartbreak, the spiral into emotional chaos, and the desperate clinging to sanity as it unravels.”

The sound perfectly balances rock with alt-pop, resulting in a piece of music that really is quite impressive to experience.

Moore’s momentum is on the rise. The artist currently commands more than 60k monthly listeners on Spotify, and has amassed more than a million cumulative streams to date.

Cheska Moore

Christos – stranger

It’s been a minute, but we’re delighted to tell you that emerging Australian singer and songwriter Christos is back!

Serving as a taster to the artist’s upcoming ‘all fades to dust’ EP (out 22nd Feb), anthemic new single ‘stranger’ treats listeners to a spectacular fusion of indie, pop and alternative rock.

“‘stranger’ is my final single before the release of my upcoming project ‘all fades to dust’. It encapsulates the EP perfectly and acts as an important piece of the narrative I’ve created. This track is about someone who once held great significance in your life slowly turning into a stranger, and it speaks on trying to find yourself again and mend what’s been damaged after this occurs. This would have to be one of the most powerful tracks I’ve written. I tried to make something that sounds like it could be in the most action packed and climactic part of a movie – Something compelling, thought provoking and of course, catchy, andI think you can hear this when the pre-chorus leads into the chorus section. If you enjoy this one, wait till you see what the rest of the project has to bring.”

Listeners can enjoy more of Christos’ music on his Spotify here. If you’re a fan of iann dior or Dominic Fike, then Christos might just be your new favourite!

Christos

August Charles – In My Head

Track of the week. ‘In My Head’ is the latest release from Yorkshire based alt-soul artist August Charles.

Charles was born in Zambia and raised in Doncaster, and cites modern-day icons like Frank Ocean and D’Angelo as his musical inspirations.

On the song, we experience a style of soul that feels heartfelt and passionate, while also sounding future-forward and fresh.

There really are no words to describe just how mesmerising this single is. In our view Charles is destined to become one of the UK’s newest stars. One to watch!

August Charles

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Kim Logan & The Silhouettes – Evil

If you’re in the mood for some energising alt-rock then we’ve got the perfect new song to share with you today.

‘Evil’ is by American outfit Kim Logan & The Silhouettes, and presents listeners with production that thoughtfully fuses nostalgic rock sounds with a bold, modern and fresh indie twist.

To date, Logan’s music has been streamed more than 1.25m times on Spotify alone, which is a pretty impressive feat. The artist has also been praised by publications like Manchester Wire, Talk About Pop Music and Flavour Magazine.

Kim Logan & The Silhouettes

New Music: Eleazar

Fans of British R&B and soul should get to know South London newcomer Eleazar, who has just unveiled one of the most impressive songs of the week.

Aside from its polished production and smooth vocals, ‘Deja’ also captivates listeners with its refreshingly honest lyricism. Elaborating further on the track’s inspiration, the artist says:

“‘Deja’ is about a lot of things, it’s about being worn out from the vicious cycle that we all fall into sometimes with people aren’t good for us. But it’s also reminder for self love and taking the time out to breathe and take control.”

Eleazar discovered her talent for songwriting at the age of just 7. You can explore more of this rising musician’s work on her Spotify here.

Eleazar

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Banners x Lily Meola – Perfectly Broken

English indie-pop artist BANNERS has partnered today with emerging vocalist Lily Meola on the beautifully emotive ‘Perfectly Broken’.

The song’s overarching message reminds us to love ourselves for who we are, since every one of us is unique.

“I love Lily’s vocals on ‘Perfectly Broken’. It’s a song about two halves coming together to create one beautiful thing and that’s what she’s done. I didn’t know the song needed it until I heard her voice but now I think ‘Perfectly Broken’ would feel a little lost without her. She’s brought a beautiful, raw emotion that adds a whole new layer of meaning. I love the new dimension she’s brought to it. I was already really proud of ‘Perfectly Broken’ and now I love it even more.” – BANNERS

“BANNERS is such a wonderful artist, so getting to sing on one of his songs was very exciting for me. This one in particular feels like it belongs in a movie. It’s so cinematic and his voice is just the crème de la crème.” – Lily Meola

BANNERS looks set to take on one of his biggest years yet. The singer-songwriter has just announced the release date for his new album (called ‘All BackTo Mine’, out 19th April), which is then followed by a Europe-wide tour later in the spring.

BANNERS | Lily Meola

BANNERS Tour Dates:

  • May 7 – Bristol, England – Thekla
  • May 8 – Cardiff, Wales – The Globe
  • May 10 – London, England – Heaven
  • May 11 – Birmingham, England – O2 Institute 
  • May 12 – Manchester, England – Band On The Wall
  • May 13 – Glasgow, Scotland – The Garage
  • May 15 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
  • May 16 – Tilburg, Netherlands – 013 Tilburg
  • May 17 – Cologne, Germany – Luxor
  • May 19 – Zurich, Switzerland – Papiersaal
  • May 21 – Vienna, Austria – Simm City
  • May 23 – Hamburg, Germany – Knust
  • May 25 – Stockholm, Sweden – Bar Brooklyn
  • May 26 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset
  • May 27 – Oslo, Norway – Parkteatret

Salt Cathedral – Terminal Woes

Photo / Cynthia Villamil

We first featured New York-based, Colombian duo Salt Cathedral (aka Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada) over ten years ago, and we’re pleased to say that they’re still very much as the forefront of American alt-pop.

The acclaimed outfit return today with a new single called ‘Terminal Woes’. The song was inspired by the current state of the world, and corporations’ destructive hunger for profits.

“Corporate greed hasn’t allowed for bigger change to happen. Meanwhile, the consequences of a warming planet are not only affecting humans but entire ecosystems. We have to do better for our future children.” – Juliana Ronderos, Salt Cathedral

Alongside their monthly Spotify audience of almost 70k listeners, Salt Cathedral have also garnered praise from heavyweights as noted as Rolling Stone, FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, Notion and The Line of Best Fit.

Salt Cathedral

Randle Man – Simplify (feat. Flora Lin)

Flora Lin

With the weekend upon us, it’s time to share with you one of the more intriguing releases that we’ve come across so far this year.

‘Simplify’ is a new song by Randle Man and singer-songwriter Flora Lin, and presents us with a hypnotic fusion of electronica and pop.

Can we simplify and explain anything, or is it true that sometimes “ignorance is bliss”? How can we simplify, when the more we know the more we doubt?

While not much is yet known about either of these artists, we believe that this track is an impressive collaboration that deserves to be on your playlists!

Randle Man | Flora Lin

Dover Lynn Fox – Winter Son

If you’ve yet come across Canadian artist Dover Lynn Fox then we’ve got a treat for you.

This gifted singer-songwriter masterfully blends elements of indie and rock with Americana, resulting in a sound that feels classic, sincere and emotive.

New single ‘Winter Son’ was inspired by the the hardships that life tackles us with, and looks at themes of trauma and hope. Explaining the song’s lyrics, Dover says:

“When I sat down to write ‘Winter Son’ my mind was a flurry and there was a heaviness in my chest. My father had been diagnosed with cancer and there were a lot of unknowns. My initial intention (though songwriting doesn’t always feel intentional to me) was to write a song about the sadness and fear that I felt. And then I began writing and a different story took form, one without fear or darkness, but instead light, connection and faith. It’s a tapestry of all of the places that are meaningful to me, and of all the people who I have loved the most, and the ones I wish I would have loved more.”

To date, Dover’s music has amassed more than 60k streams on Spotify alone, while praise for the artist’s work has come from tastemakers like Wonderland and The Wild is Calling.

Dover Lynn Fox

New Music: The Mezz

We’ve got a really exciting new indie-pop outfit to share with you today called The Mezz.

This emerging Oxford four-piece have been picking up tremendous levels of traction in recent months, thanks to their energising style of sound that is instantly likeable.

Powerful new single ‘Harbour The Feeling’ addresses the pressures that are inflicted upon us by societal expectations.

“It’s about shedding the burdens that hold you back and embracing what truly matters.” – Ben (Frontman)

The Mezz will be busy touring across the UK from next month, with dates listed below. Be sure to check the group out if you’re near any of these cities before they start selling out arenas!

The Mezz

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The Mezz UK dates 2024 (tickets)

  • Feb 2nd 2024 – Bread Shed, Manchester (This Feeling – Big in 2024)
  • Feb 15th 2024 – Camden Assembly, London 
  • March 8th 2024 – Bullingdon, Oxford (Hometown EP launch party)
  • April 26th 2024 – Classic Grand, Glasgow

New Music: Limandi

Track of the week. Swedish artist Limandi is already one of our favourite Nordic newcomers this year.

As a nominee for the prestigious Denniz Pop Awards, this rising starlet is not only building a fanbase among listeners, but also acclaimed industry professionals.

‘Hopin’ You’ll Be Fine’ is taken from the musician’s latest album, which is called ‘F*CK.IT.’ (listen here).

The song showcases an eccentric style of alt-pop which is beautifully melancholic, but also refreshingly experimental in character. Explaining the lyrics, Limandi says:

“About saying goodbye to someone who’s going down a destructive spiral, and realising the best you can do for them and you is let them go – and wishing them the best on their journey.”

Limandi

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I Wish I Was A Punk Band – Sanguine

Seattle artist I Wish I Was A Punk Band (aka Phil Hamilton) returns today with a sensational slice of dreamy pop which deserves your immediate attention!

‘Sanguine’ is a song inspired by nostalgia. The track reminds us of the unforgettable thoughts that run through our minds when we spark a connection with someone, and how our emotions meander between euphoria and apprehension. Elaborating further, Hamilton says:

“The single, ‘Sanguine’, was written from the perspective after the end of a long-term relationship and recounts the first meeting of a now ex-partner. It explores the hopefulness and meandering of that first date while holding true that the relationship would eventually end.”

The accompanying video mirrors the song’s lyrical sentiment, and was shot, produced and edited by Brent James Driscoll in collaboration with Seattle’s Emerald City Trapeze. You can explore more of Hamilton’s work here.

I Wish I Was A Punk Band

boerd + Boko Yout – All My Life

Critically acclaimed Swedish artists boerd (aka Bård Ericson) and Boko Yout (aka Paul Adamah) have just joined forces on an impressive new single called ‘All My Life’.

Sonically, the track was inspired by the trip hop movement from within the 90s’s UK music scene, as Ericson explains:

“Last year, I joined Paul’s Way Out West gig as a bassist, and during the journey back to Stockholm, we found ourselves immersed in a conversation about music. It became evident that we shared a mutual excitement for crafting music inspired by the British trip-hop scene of the ‘90s. Soon after, we met in the studio, and ‘All My Life’ essentially came together that day.” – boerd

Alongside its rich soundscape, the song’s lyrics are equally captivating. Sung by Adamah, the words invite listeners into the musician’s thoughts and emotions:

“The song was written during a phase of intense work where I questioned if I was doing enough to achieve my dreams. I distanced myself from friends and family, rarely took breaks, and assessed my worth based on productivity. I mention my mom, who constantly reminds me to stay grounded and savor life.” – Boko Yout

The song serves as a taster to the artists’ upcoming collaborative ‘Griot’ EP, which is out on the 15th March.

boerd | Boko Yout

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New Music: Toshiki Abe

With the weekend on the horizon, we’ve got some outstanding electronica to share with you from Tokyo.

‘Waiting’ is by Japanese music producer Toshiki Abe, and treats listeners to a melodic piece of music that is as euphoric as it is emotive.

“About some loneliness and hope wishing for someone you love.”

Initially debuting back in 2021 with ‘DAYS’, Abe has since released a handful of singles which have collectively amassed thousands of streams on Spotify alone. We can’t wait to see what this talent comes up with next!

Toshiki Abe

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little luna – fool

Photo / Jordan Kelsey Knight

We’re big fans of LA-based singer and songwriter little luna. The artist (and wellness advocate) returns today with a gorgeously nostalgic single that deserves your attention.

‘fool’ is taken from little luna’s sophomore ‘the wildflower woman’ project (out now), and presents listeners with an energising fusion of indie-rock and pop. Speaking more on her new EP, the musician explains:

“self-discovery is a seemingly simple idea, but a struggle I’ve carried for most of my life. each song on ‘the wildflower woman’ EP correlates with a different wildflower, and colour, giving you a visual palette to match this sentiment; we are continually in a state of growth and decay… and you are allowed to change! these lyrics are my most vulnerable yet, purposefully set to tempos you can blast out of your speakers as you navigate your own journey to your truest self. wildflowers grow on the side of the highway in the trash, yet remain beautiful and soft. they are resilient as hell, and so are we. i am a wildflower woman, and perhaps you are a wildflower person too?”

little luna currently commands 53k monthly listeners on Spotify, while her collection of songs have totalled more than two million streams. Fans can look forward to an upcoming tour later in the spring.

little luna

New Music: Billie Skye

If you’re in the mood for some dreamy R&B-pop then we’ve got the perfect song for you.

‘kiss me‘ is Australian newcomer Billie Skye’s latest single, and is lifted from the musician’s debut ‘Amorous Mirage’ EP (out today). Lyrically, the track draws its inspiration from feelings of emancipation. Billie explains:

“Music was always a tool for me to work through harsh truths and unwanted feelings, I wrote this song at a turning point, capturing the feeling of freedom after deep sadness.”

Despite being a relatively new name, we predict that Skye’s traction will pick up significantly over the next few months – so be sure to keep this starlet on your radars!

Billie Skye

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Kai Bosch – Tulips

This isn’t the first time that Kai Bosch has graced our pages, and we’re confident it won’t be the last either.

Every song released from this promising UK-based artist so far has been an alt-pop masterpiece (in our opinion, anyway). Melodic new single ‘Tulips’ treats us to a sound that is both mesmerising and hypnotic to experience. On the lyrics, Bosch says:

“‘Tulips’ is about the realisation that you have nothing left to give to a relationship, it’s a bittersweet feeling of optimism and hope for the future while also feeling a pang of regret that things aren’t the way they once were. I wrote it towards the end of a stint living with my ex boyfriend and realising that giving my love to him wasn’t worth my time anymore as I wasn’t getting anything in return.

“The song was inspired by the idea of flower pressings and how you can preserve the colour and beauty of something that is still dead nonetheless – and how I wish I could do that to the relationship I had with my ex. 

“Tulips are also my favourite flower, and the constant give and take within this relationship reminded me of how tulips constantly open and close with the rising and setting of the sun.”

To date, Bosch has received praise from noted outlets like CLASH Magazine, The Line of Best Fit and BBC Radio 1. You can catch the artist performing live soon, with cities and venues listed below.

Kai Bosch

Kai Bosch upcoming performances

  • Feb 15 – Borderline Festival, Dublin
  • Apr 30 – Prince Albert, Brighton
  • May 1 – The Social, London
  • May 2 – The Castle Hotel, Manchester
  • May 3 – Poetry Club, Glasgow