The new year has begun, and with it comes a new swathe of Nordic bangers – the first of which is by Danish star Theresa Rex.
‘BAD BLOOD’ focuses on themes of betrayal, and presents listeners with an anthemic electro-pop sound that is as bold as it is punchy. On the lyrics, Rex explains:
“‘Bad Blood’ is the story of two friends – a close friendship in that ‘blood pact’, ride or die-kind of way. But also, the song is about the ultimate betrayal, because she stole my boyfriend. I quickly forgot about that guy who cheated, but the loss of that friendship was heartbreaking. She stabbed me in the back and found it extremely hard to realise that this forged bond, I thought we had between us, was so easily broken. Friend break-ups are just one of the things that hurt the most.”
Alongside her own work, Rex has also collaborated with the likes of Wankelmut, Martin Jensen, Jonas Blue, MORTEN, and the legendary AFROJACK – resulting in a catalogue of releases that have amassed more than a billion streams to date.
Hailing from the German city of Munich come promising indie rockers Talking Pets, who are already gaining steady traction within their home nation and also throughout the continent.
This group create a style of music that is utterly charming to experience. In equal measures, their sound is both nostalgic and future forward, while their melodies are immediately catchy. Elaborating on their new single ‘The World Has Turned Its Back On Me’, they say:
“‘The World Has Turned Its Back On Me’ is a three and a half minute melodrama that tells of the longing for a time when everyday life was not yet determined by obligations and one still lived for the day. This longing finds expression in the fictional character of a childhood friend who, unlike the narrator, seems to have her life under control – but only at first glance.”
Talking Pets have supported outfits as iconic as Editors and Frightened Rabbit. Fans in Germany can catch the band performing tomorrow (6th Jan) at Muffatwerk München – tickets can be found here.
This weekend’s bop is delivered to us by rising actor, singer and songwriter Gayaneh Lara.
New single ‘I Think He’s Trying To Kill Me’ showcases the British-Armenian’s natural flair for crafting interesting and intriguing sounds.
In a similar vein to Billie Eilish’s early work, the track thoughtfully fuses playful alt-pop with dark indie.
The resulting production feels almost sinister in tone, while still maintaining a sense of cheekiness.
The song follows on from Lara’s debut single ‘scary‘, and is released alongside a brand new video which presents the artist’s visual identity for the very first time.
Velvet Halo is a new collaborative project featuring singer-songwriter and vocalist Justina Shandler, and musician/producer David Thiele.
Collectively, this duo’s work has landed placements on prominent shows like Good Trouble, Call Me Kat and Temptation Island.
‘Warm Night’ is the outfit’s stunning new single, and features vocals from both artists. The track’s lyrics are sincere and heartfelt, while the production presents listeners with a soundscape that is emotive and melancholic in tone. Elaborating further on the song’s inspiration, they explain:
“This is a timely song about finding solace and comfort with the one you love amidst this world that seems to be chaotic and falling apart.”
One of our favourite Irish discoveries in recent times has been Dublin-based singer and songwriter Lucy McWilliams.
The artist is releasing one last single before the year ends – and it’s a gorgeously dreamy slice of lo-fi indie pop that deserves your attention.
Written as a love song, ‘Follow Me’ is as charming as it is relatable. Elaborating further on the beautifully melodic the track, McWilliams says:
“‘Follow Me’ at its core is just a straightforward love song. It’s about being excited about someone, and feeling all the possibilities of the world in that person. At a time, that was a different kind of love that I hadn’t experienced. I think it’s a weird feeling, going through different relationships, but never really feeling loved. But then stumbling upon someone and within a small window of time, suddenly feeling at ease.”
American singer-songwriter Shawndrell has been a fan favourite ever since her debut back in 2013.
The artist recently returned with a massive R&B-pop banger called ‘Need Your Body’, and it’s the perfect addition to your New Year’s Eve party playlists.
To date, this talent has amassed more than 300k career streams on Spotify, while also landing placements on TV shows like Spike Lee’s ‘She’s Gotta Have It’.
Rising American singer-songwriter RÓISIN returns with a beautifully melodic new single called ‘snowglobe’.
The song was created alongside Devan Skaggs, is sonically inspired by Bon Iver’s seminal ’22, A Million’ record. Lyrically, the track serves as an ‘exploration of the meaning behind human experiences’. Elaborating further, RÓISIN says:
“‘snowglobe,’ to me, feels like the first work I have where I’m accurately articulating myself. It’s a tapestry of moments I hold dear, set against a backdrop of confusion I have toward life. In many ways, ‘snowglobe’ marks a shift in my approach to writing and creating, and has laid the foundation for my upcoming project.”
‘snowglobe’ wraps up an impressive year for RÓISIN, who despite only releasing four songs has already gained approval from outlets like The Sound Lab and Pop Passion Blog. We can’t wait to hear what comes next!
James Garlimah is a promising singer, songwriter and producer emerging from Canada. Having already amassed more than half a million catalogue streams to date, this talent is already on his way to hitting the mainstream.
‘Place Like This’ presents listeners with a refreshingly uplifting fusion of Afrobeats, pop and R&B. The song is lifted from the artist’s freshly-released debut album, called ‘Forever Thing, Vol.1’ (listen here). Explaining the story behind the song’s lyrics, Garlimah says:
“‘Place Like This’ was inspired by my now girlfriend Ella. During the recording of my debut album, my manger T-mix suggested that we go to the Province next to ours which is Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to shoot a music video for the first single on the album. After the video shoot, we went to a night club not far away from our Airbnb. Our sever that night happened to be Ella. She was kind, professional and gorgeous. After I paid for our tab, I asked for her number before leaving. We started texting the following day. She has a law degree but prefers to work at the club in the summer because the environment is less hostel and the hours are not so demanding. To put away your law degree for a few months and work at the local pub sounded crazy to me, so my following question to her was, ‘Tell me the truth, what are they giving you in a place like that?’. We laughed it off, but little did she know, I was going to write a whole song about it.”
The track was created alongside Ghanian producer Cobby Dollar, mixed by Mario Abramson, and mastered by the highly acclaimed Chris Athens.
Acclaimed singer and songwriter Billy Lockettconcluded his hugely successful UK tour last week with a sold-out show at London’s iconic XOYO.
Fans enjoyed a set list that not only featured some of Billy’s biggest hits, including ‘Covered In Chaos’ and ‘Miss Missing You‘, but also a surprise duet with fellow artist (and X Factor winner) Matt Cardle.
At the candle-lit piano Billy closed the show to his ‘big family‘ by performing ‘a song that’s changing [his] life at the minute’ – ‘I Could Use A Friend’, which despite only being out for two weeks, is already gaining traction.
It’s been a big year for the rising musician, who has now amassed more than 136 million streams across Spotify and Apple Music. Alongside his ever-growing fanbase, Lockett is also gaining support from British outlets as prominent as The Independent, Evening Standard and The Metro – who have all named him as ‘one to watch’.
How would you describe your sound to listeners who haven’t played your music yet?
My sound is dark ballads that make you cry but at the same time make you want to belt the chorus out at the top of your lungs like you’re at a football match.
What inspires you to write music?
The biggest inspiration for me is music, whenever I head a chord sequence of groove it normally sets me off on an idea.
You’ve supported icons like Lana Del Ray, Lewis Capaldi and Dean Lewis on tour… how does it feel headlining your own sold-out show at XOYO?
Yeah it feels good to finally be the headline act, I’ve worked a long time to get to this position so to have a room full of my own fans feels really special.
This is probably a tough one to answer, but what one song have you written in your career so far that you’re most proud of, and why?
It’s actually an easy question for me because obviously ‘I Could Use A Friend’ it’s my favourite song. I love the chords and the lyrics are totally from the heart, I feel like it’s a big step up from any of my old stuff.
Who would your dream collaboration be with?
I’d love to collaborate with Raye, I think she’s a genius and a Billy Raye ballad would be special I think.
What can fans expect from Billy Locket in 2024?
2024 I think album 2 and a tonne more touring hopefully Europe and America, UK has been fun but we’ve toured a lot here this year so I think it’s time for a change.
XOYO Set List
Together at home/ Covered in Chaos/ Empty House/ Call me in the morning/ New song/ Blackmail kiss/ Last thing on your mind/ Miss missing you/ Hard act to follow/ I Could Use A Friend
Vote for Billy!
Billy’s ‘Abington Grove’ was recently nominated for album of the year at the CelebMix Awards, which you can vote for here.
If you’re in a melancholic kinda mood today, then we’ve got the perfect song for you.
‘maybe its over’ is the gorgeous new single from rising newcomer Anderson Hao, and presents listeners with a production that is intensely gripping and rich in emotion.
The song is lifted from Hao’s ‘Mom I’m a Popstar!’ project, which is out now. Anderson’s music has been praised by outlets like Banger of the Day, LA On Lock and Pop Passion Blog, and in our opinion is a talent to watch for in 2024.
American starlet Lisa Curtis unveils her latest single today.. and it’s really quite impressive.
Through its angsty indie-pop style of sound, ‘Made For You’ looks at the trials and tribulations of young love.
The track showcases Curtis’ distinctive approach to songwriting, which not only features refreshingly raw and thoughtful lyricism, but also beautifully constructed melodies.
Curtis currently commands more than 50k listeners on Spotify, and has amassed more than 3.5 million career streams to date.
One of our favourite discoveries this week is India-born and Dallas-based artist Jordan Johnson. Johnson has been a tastemaker favourite since his teen years, picking up praise from outlets as prominent as Rolling Stone India and VH1 India.
‘Where Are You’ showcases a style of sound that is impeccably produced, drawing listeners into a soundscape that is haunting as it is mesmerising. Elaborating on the song’s inspiration, Jordan says:
“I wrote ‘Where Are You?’ right after I signed my divorce papers. It felt like I was mourning my wife, even though she was alive. Like the only way for me to move on was to see it like a death, and grieve the loss the same way. It felt like I was confronted by her ghost with every memory and with each memory her face, voice and the finer details getting further away with each passing day. I wanted the soundscape to sound like what I would imagine what the Buddhists refer to as ‘bardo’ or the in between life and rebirth. Far away, lonely and a just a little bit spooky.”
Without any doubt, this is one of the most powerful singles that we’ve come across in a long time. Johnson’s new EP is called ‘For Alice’, and is available to stream now.
Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Souvenir (aka Michael Fenuccio) returns with a fabulous new single today called ‘Crash’.
The track’s lyrics are inspired by themes of ‘terminal commitment-phobia’, while the production treats listeners to a melodic blend of old-school synths and dreamy pop.
“For victims and villains, lovers and loners, ‘Crash’ is brutal honesty (and pitch perfect pop) from the most guarded.”
If this is the first time that you’ve experienced the promising New Yorker’s work then be sure to check out his previous releases on Spotify, where his music has received close to 150k streams so far.
talker is the musical moniker of rising American indie artist Celeste Tauchar. This talent has caught our attention thanks to her natural flair for songwriting, which features honest lyricism, beautiful melodies, and thoughtfully-constructed productions.
New single ‘Drag Your Feet’ is lifted from the musician’s upcoming debut album, and looks at the emotions and tensions associated with the downfall of a relationship. Elaborating further, she says:
“‘Drag Your Feet’ was written after the end of a 5-year relationship that had been slowly dying for a really long time. It’s the story of two people crashing into each other’s lives where their roads converge, but then realising it’s just one point on the map – those roads have to separate. To try to stay together would be like reaching across and ripping apart as those paths move further and further away.”
The track was written alongside fellow acclaimed writers Jon Graber, Jordan Blackmon, and Reade Wolcott. talker’s music has been praised by the likes of NPR Music, The A.V. Club and Billboard Magazine, while her songs have amassed more than 700k streams on Spotify so far.
Track of the week. BINA. was one of the first names to be featured on our pages this year, and she’s back again with a sensational new single that deserves your attention.
‘Dopamine’ is a luxurious and finessed song that blends elements of jazz with soul and alternative R&B. The track is produced beautifully, and further showcases BINA.’s exceptional artistry.
There’s no doubt in our minds that BINA. will become one of the UK’s biggest musical exports in the months to come.
Since featuring American talent Unusual Demont back in 2021, we’ve gone on to see this massively talented kid amass millions of streams and tons of tastemaker support.
The artist is back today with an impressive new EP called ‘CHRYSALIS‘ (listen here), along with a fresh single called ‘COMPANY’.
As we’ve come to expect from this musician, the track is not only beautifully melodic, but the production is also polished to complete perfection. Elaborating further on the song’s creation, Unusual Demont says:
“‘COMPANY’ is the last song I made on ‘CHRYSALIS’. I met someone when I first got to LA, and during all the high and lows I was facing at that time they made things feel better for a bit. They made things feel better for a bit but the baggage that came with the feelings became too heavy for me to bear and we eventually split. I wrote this one very shortly after to vent. Even though it does stem from a sad experience, I wanted to make the song upbeat. Lending itself to the concept of CHRYSALIS; that dichotomy of seeming/ sounding fine, but below the surface there’s a lot more going on. I’ve found that contrast to be a bit of a staple in my music thus far and I love it. This relationship, like the rest of the project, was a fleeting but crucial part of this transitionary period of my life.”
Rising German outfit Sultans Court return with one of the most charming, albeit eccentric lo-fi pop releases of the season.
‘No Pressure’ finds the Berlin four-piece delivering a nostalgic style of sound that is somehow both timeless yet also current. The track feels warm and cozy, making it an ideal addition to your winter playlists. Speaking on the song’s theme, the band says:
“Thematically, ‘No Pressure’ reflects on the challenges of a drifting relationship, centred around the question of whether it’s possible to let go of worries and fears and experience better days together.”
The track follows on from the group’s hugely popular singles ‘Autopilot’ and ‘Endlessly’, which you can stream here. Fans can look forward to a new EP called ‘Everything’s Fine’, due next month.
One of Denmark’s most interesting alternative outfits in recent years has been Yune. Throughout their career, the acclaimed rock quintet from Aarhus have consistently delivered bold and experimental songs, and today’s release of ‘Cake’ is no exception.
This 90’s inspired indie masterpiece looks at the random moments in life when we get a sudden urge to break away from the mundane, and ‘want everything all at once’.
The track serves as a taster to the group’s forthcoming ‘Lemon Sweet Perfection‘ sophomore album, which is out soon. You can experience more of Yune’s music right here.
British indie-rock quartet Luna Bay are back with a very special take on the classic 1979 hit ‘Video Star’ by The Buggles.
Lyrically inspired by the competitive nature of the music industry, the song features bold lyrics like ‘Radio’s dead and I killed the video star’, while the production delivers an energetic stadium-rock sound that is utterly captivating.
Luna Bay will headline London’s iconic Omeara on the 3rd February 2024, alongside a new EP which is scheduled for release around the same time. As a tastemaker favourite, the band have so far gained more than 12 million cumulative streams, and landed placements on playlists as prominent as Spotify’s New Music Friday.
If you’re looking for a new piece of music to fall in love with, then we might just have the perfect song for you.
‘Silly Old Dance’ is Australian artist Swaine Delgado’s latest offering, and treats us to an experimental fusion of alternative pop and indie. This is a sound like none other, and pushes sonic boundaries in interesting and curious ways. Elaborating on the track’s inspiration, Swaine says:
“‘Silly Old Dance’ is an ode to the little dance between you and a romantic partner. Whether it be the blame game, leading someone on, or knowing you’re bad for each other – you still keep going back for more.”
Delgado first hit the Australian music scene in 2018 with his ‘Run Boy, Run’ project (listen here), and has since garnered more than five million catalogue streams. A new EP drops in February 2024, so be sure to follow this emerging artist.
