Category: Music

Cloud House – Don’t Wanna Talk

Scottish outfit Cloud House are back with an emotional new single called ‘Don’t Wanna Talk’.

The song contrasts a rousing production and anthemic melody with vulnerable and honest lyrics, resulting a track that is not only bold and energising, but also moving and sincere.

“This song is inspired by a journey I used to take as a young boy. My mum was ill throughout my childhood and I cared for her since I was old enough to remember. I always felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders as it was just Mum and I on our own. I used to put on a brave face for her but deep down it was a struggle for me. I wanted to be a kid. I wanted her to get better. I used to get the bus home and go past my stop as I didn’t want to go home quite just yet. I would go through phases of being okay and just getting on with it.” Conor McCarry – Lead Vocals, Guitar

Cloud House will embark on a short tour from the 29th September, and release their next EP, ‘Still Here’, on the 1st November. To date, the group have accumulated more than 100k Spotify streams, and received support from outlets as iconic as Clash Magazine.

Cloud House

Tour Dates 2023:

  • 29th September – King Tuts Glasgow 
  • 1st October – Girdwoods Wishaw 
  • 2nd October – Bannermans Edinburgh 
  • 6th October – PJ Molloys Dunfermline 

New Music: Chris Buxton

Summer might well and truly be over for most of us around the world, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy one last shimmering bop before the cold nights settle in.

‘LEXI (MAKE TIME)’ is one of the sweetest and most uplifting love songs that we’ve come across in quite some time, and showcases rising Charlotte, NC artist Chris Buxton‘s natural flair for songwriting.

“The song represents the honeymoon stage after years of being with someone. After time spent trying to figure out if the relationship was meant to be, I finally matured and realised that everything I wanted was right in front of me. The record is the perfect song to end the summer on, and it’s a deep dive into my own relationship.”

Buxton’s music has recieved praise from heavyweight tastemakers as respected as Lyrical Lemonade, MTV UK, Fashionably Early and A1234. In addition, the musician has amassed more than 3 million streams on Spotify alone.

Chris Buxton

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist 

I Wish I Was A Punk Band – Ash

Hailing from Seattle is I Wish I Was A Punk Band (aka Phil Hamilton), who has just unveiled a refreshingly unique new single called ‘Ash’.

By blending elements of dreamy indie with alternative pop, the track showcases a style of sound that is distinctly original in character. Elaborating on the song’s intriguing title, Hamilton says:

“In the height of the pandemic, summer of 2020, Seattle was hit with it’s worst wildfire smoke of my adult life. For 4 days, the air quality was so bad that I wasn’t able to spend time outside for any extended periods, and the sense of the world getting smaller and more isolated kept growing. All while feeling cabin fever, social media was full of people posting pictures of beautiful sunsets caused by these wildfires. This song is a tongue-in-cheek retort to those posts.”

If this this your first taste of I Wish I Was A Punk Band, then you’ll be pleased to know that Hamilton already released an album back in 2020 called Takeda Bleach – listen here. A new EP is out soon.

I Wish I Was A Punk Band

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist 

New Music: mike rowave

If you’re familiar with Australian indie outfit The Moving Stills, then chances are high that you’ll enjoy bandmate Mike’s new musical project, mike rowave.

‘Santa Ana’ treats listeners to a hazy fusion of bedroom pop and lo-fi surf rock. Explaining the lyricism behind the song, Mike says it was:

“inspired by growing up and figuring out how to navigate new connections and relationships.”

While this is still only mike rowave’s second single (following ‘peace pipe’, which was released earlier this year), we think that this is one indie talent to watch for in the coming months.

mike rowave

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Dajana – I Say Yes

Track of the week. Acclaimed Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and artist Dajana has just released one of the most breathtaking singles of the year, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Written as an ode to life, ‘I Say Yes’ presents listeners with a spellbinding fusion of gospel, soul and hip hop.

The sound is bold, joyful and cinematic, and reminds us of the transformative powers that music possesses. If you have time to play only one song today, make it this one.

‘I Say Yes’ is lifted from Dajana’s inspiring new EP of the same name, which is out now.

Dajana

🎵 Ones To Watch Playlist 🎵Scandinavia Sound Playlist 

Emei – Don’t Know About The World

We’ve got the perfect song for you to play on this mellow Sunday.

Chinese-American singer and songwriter Emei’s ‘Don’t Know About The World’ is a beautifully dreamy slice of alternative pop that is not only melodically memorable, but also lyrically moving.

“A song about feeling safe and finding solace in that one person (or space or thing). I don’t often write about love, so finding a way to create a sappy authentic love song that still could live on this project was more difficult than you’d think. I wanted this single to be a bit of a left turn from my previous singles. I wanted the song to be a window into my emotional world.”

If you can’t get enough of Emei’s music then you’ll be pleased to know that she’s planning to release two more singles and an EP later this year.

Exciting times for a hugely talented musician who has already amassed more than 50 million career streams to date.

Emei

benten – wasting time

This isn’t the first time we’ve featured US-based artist benten – he was our Track of the Week earlier in the summer.

The emerging musician is back with another impressive new single, called ‘wasting time’. As we’ve come to expect from benten, the track treats us with to effortlessly smooth sound that blends indie with pop in the most charming way imaginable.

With placements on prominent indie playlists like indie dream club and Spotify’s Fresh Finds, it’s so nice to see this promising talent beginning to gain the traction he deserves!

benten

New Music: Sultans Court

Photo / Nouki

We are starting the weekend with a sensational new outfit emerging from Germany called Sultans Court.

In our opinion, this group are responsible for creating some of the most interesting indie sounds to come out of Europe right now. New single ‘Autopilot’ presents listeners with a flawlessly constructed fusion of psychedelica, soul and indie-pop.

The sound is smooth, dreamy and utterly entrancing to experience. Elaborating on the song further, they say:

“The song delves into themes of helplessness and estrangement within a relationship. Imagine a long car ride where nobody engages in conversation.”

With more than a million career streams to date and support from heavyweights like Radio 1 Germany, it’s safe to say that this is one band to watch for.

An upcoming EP called ‘Everything’s Fine’ is scheduled for release in January 2024.

Sultans Court

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist 

NOBRO – Where My Girls At

Photo / Daniel Esteban

If you’re in the mood for some punchy punk-pop then we’ve got the perfect song for you.

Canadian rockers NOBRO have just unveiled an anthemic new single called ‘Where My Girls At’, and it’s our favourite release from the Montreal-based band so far.

“‘Where My Girls At’ is an upbeat anthem where heartbreak takes a back seat to girl power and rock’n’roll. Instead of wallowing in love’s disappointment you can pick up a guitar and call on your girls. This celebration of sisterhood and female empowerment is a reminder that with friends by our side, anything is possible – even starting a band on a whim.”

As one of Canada’s most prominent rock outfits, NOBRO have played shows with the likes of Blink-182 , PUP, Fidlar and The OBGMs.

The group has also amassed millions of catalogue streams to date, and currently command more than 54k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

Upcoming LP ‘Set Your Pussy Free’ is out on the 27th October 2023.

NOBRO

New Music: CAROUSELS

If you’ve ever wondered what an indie-rock Bond theme would sound like, then pressing play to ‘I Can’t Stop the Rain from Falling’ by rising Danish band CAROUSELS should give you a sweet glimpse.

Through its impressive production, the track transports listeners to a mysterious sonic universe that feels melancholic, moody and reflective in tone. Lyrically, the song addresses the challenges that life throws at us – as the band explains:

“It’s about going through a series of difficult life events, and many friends and family trying to rationalise and spiritualise the reasons for why. Meanwhile, few acknowledged and tuned into the pain and hardship experienced, making the whole situation more difficult to go through.”

Despite forming only last year, CAROUSELS have already begun to generate hype across Denmark. The group have played iconic venues like BETA and Råhuset, and collaborated with musicians as noted as Fyfe.

CAROUSELS

🎵 Ones To Watch Playlist 🎵Scandinavia Sound Playlist 

Man Alive – What Are The Chances

Photo / Wolff Web

Man Alive is the musical project of Irish musician Mark Prendergast. If you know your indie bands then you’ll recognise Mark as a member of acclaimed supergroup Kodaline, who have amassed more than a billion streams to date.

‘What Are The Chances’ is the singer-songwriter and guitarist’s latest release, and serves as a taster to his debut ‘Colours’ EP (out now).

“I’ve always written songs and demoed them for myself, but I’ve never released them because I wasn’t the singer in the band. Then, and I hate to bring it up, but it was a f**king lockdown thing – I broke up with a girl I was dating for a couple of years and then went into lockdown, and ended up writing a tonne of songs that were just so personal.   “I never had aspirations to be a singer, ever, but the songs were just too personal to hand over to someone else to sing.”

The track itself treats listeners to a beautifully melodic blend of indie and pop, and marks Prendergast as one of the most gifted indie songwriters to come out of Ireland in quite some time.

Man Alive

New Music: SadCrush

German newcomer SadCrush is one of those talents whose style of sound is so unique that it’s actually quite hard to assign any one genre to.

The artist’s work has been labelled as a hyperdream project, and their debut single ‘AstroDrive’ seems to fit that description well.

With its Y2K-inspired techno production, the track somehow manages to feel both nostalgic and future-forward in equal measures.

“‘AstroDrive’ channels the aesthetics of space expansionism and the digital singularity as a form of escapism in a global state of crisis. Instead of succumbing to this idea, the song proposes escaping into our human bonds and relationships.”

The song showcases a musician of who is refreshingly unafraid to push their creative boundaries, so we can’t wait to hear what comes next!

SadCrush

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist 

Sarah von Reis – Phenomenon

Photo / Johanna Pettersson

Swedish artist Sarah von Reis is no stranger to these pages, so we’re happy to announce see that she’s back today with a stunning new single that deserves your attention.

‘Phenomenon’ is an intimate and seductive piece of music that fuses lo-fi jazz and pop with strings and horns, resulting in a sound that is sultry and entrancing. Elaborating on the song’s lyrics, von Reis says:

“The song is a lesbian declaration of love and the sexiest thing I’ve written so far. I chose to use a bass clarinet because it is the hottest instrument out there. I expect a lot of people – both queers and straights – will make out to it.”

To date, Sarah’s music has garnered support from the likes of respected Swedish broadcaster Fredrik Strage, and has also landed placements across several flagship playlists including Spotify’s New Music Friday.

Sarah von Reis

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist 

New Music: Marcus Mackey

Photo / Michelle Gonzales

Hailing from LA is promising Californian artist artist Marcus Mackey, who has just released one of the catchiest singles of the week.

To put it simply, ‘S.E.L’ (Someone Else’s Lover) is a pure pop bop. With its relatable lyrics, infectiously catchy melody and energising production, the song delivers on everything you’d want and need for a weekend anthem.

“I made ‘S.E.L.’ not to solve the problem, but to at least get you dancing through it.” 

Working alongside acclaimed producer Luke Villemur, Mackey looks set to become one of the West Coast’s newest prospects. Keep this kid on your radars!

Marcus Mackey

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Otto Aday – Hearts

Otto Aday is a London-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who has been gaining steady momentum across the UK this year.

New single ‘Hearts’ was co-written by the legendary Dave Stewart, and presents listeners with a timelessly classic piece of cinematic pop-rock that is immediately captivating from the moment you press play.

“If you hold onto your dreams, they won’t break your heart. If you live inside of those dreams, you don’t hurt yourself. You can nurture your dreams and follow them wholeheartedly—whether it be in a relationship or a career. If you fall out of love with the chase and the journey, you’ll break your own heart.” 

The track is lifted from artist’s forthcoming ‘Persona’ LP, which is out on 6th October 2023 (pre-save here). In the meantime, you can experience Aday’s previous singles on Spotify here.

Otto Aday

Draumr – Slowly Burning Feelings

French producer and director Draumr (aka Gabriel Cheurfa) is back today with a dreamy slice of synth-pop, called ‘Slowly Burning Feelings’.

Nostalgic yet future-forward in character, the song transports listeners to a sonic universe that is mesmerising yet intriguing to experience. Lyrically, the track addresses the artist’s thoughts on ‘attachment, vulnerability, and the search for connection’.

Draumr is currently enjoying one of his biggest years yet. His last single, ‘In A Daze’ (listen here) managed to accumulate more than 140k cumulative streams across Spotify and YouTube, consequently propelling his work to a whole new audience. Exciting times lie ahead!

Draumr

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist 

Alexander Wesley – I Kept Your Clothes

We’ve all experienced those unfortunate moments in life when we realise that a relationship is heading to its end. It’s a situation that is often out of our hands, causing us to sometimes feel sad and helpless.

Alexander Wesley’s new single, ‘I KEPT YOUR CLOTHES’ portrays that very situation in a beautifully tender way. For anyone currently nursing a broken heart – this song’s for you.

“It’s a tough spot to be in – to know you’re most likely on the last week of your relationship. Every detail and moment is ever so heightened. It then paved the way for the story of the song.”

Despite only releasing a handful of singles to date, Wesley’s music has already amassed more than 50k cumulative streams on Spotify. The artist’s debut EP is (finally!) out later in the autumn.

Alexander Wesley

Highline – Exit A

Australian indie rockers Highline first appeared on our radars last year, and we’ve been following their journey ever since.

New single ‘Exit A’ is one of our favourite releases from this Sydney-based four-piece, and treats listeners to an emotionally-charged piece of music that is beautifully melancholic and sincere in tone. It really is a spectacular song that deserves to be heard from beginning to end.

The track is lifted from Highline’s forthcoming debut album, which is scheduled for release next year. In the meantime, you can experience more of this hugely promising band’s music on their Spotify right here.

Highline

New Music: PARCS

Representing some of the very best in emerging Welsh music are rising outfit PARCS, who have just unveiled an infectiously uplifting new single called ‘Wait!’

Through its perfected mix of indie, disco, pop and synth, this song is sure to put you in a good mood ahead of the weekend. Elaborating on the track, they explain:

“The song’s origins were a simple loop drum and synth loop recorded in a rehearsal room, soon becoming an idea that we couldn’t help but add to and construct a more elaborate groove. We wanted to explore a different angle of the PARCS sound while still maintaining that core dream-like, synth heavy character but also introducing some bigger and brighter sounds.”

If you’re a fan of Passion Pit, M83 or The XX, then chances are high that you’ll also enjoy this band’s sound.

With praise from national outlets like BBC Radio Wales already under their belt, this promising group of talented musicians look set to hit the mainstream very soon.

PARCS

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist 

A Beacon School – Alone

https://open.spotify.com/track/1CfIN1M7ADg6kUgNthy96D?si=dfc34dcd961c46af

New York-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist A Beacon School (aka Patrick J. Smith) unveils a beautifully melodic new single today, called ‘Alone’.

The song presents listeners with a dreamy and mesmerising fusion of shoegaze, pop and alternative rock, and is lyrically inspired by the moments when we feel hopeful and optimistic about life… regardless of the situations that we find ourselves in.

“‘Alone’ is about the moment when you feel like your luck is finally turning. Even though nothing’s been working out, you get the faintest glimmer of hope and grab on to it as tight as you can.”

‘Alone’ was mixed by acclaimed engineer Sonny DiPerri, who is also known for his work with outfits as noted as Trent Reznor, My Bloody Valentine and M83.

Smith’s music currently commands more than 295k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, while his catalogue of releases has so far amassed more than 18 million streams. An upcoming LP, titled ‘yoyo’ it out soon.

A Beacon School