Category: Music

B00sted – Selfish

Rising Canadian artist B00sted continues on his quest for global pop domination with new single, ‘Selfish’.

Lifted from the artist’s freshly released EP of the same name (out now), the track presents listeners with a well-constructed mix of hip hop, R&B and pop. Explaining the concept behind the visuals for the song, he says:

“Against the backdrop of lush, vibrant forests; the ‘Selfish’ video was inspired by the filming locations of the movie ‘Rambo: First Blood’ in Hope, BC (which is about an hour east of my hometown of Mission, BC). The concept of the video was that an enigmatic character is on a quest to find B00sted, symbolising the inescapable consequences that arise from acting selfishly.”

B00sted already commands more than 35k monthly listeners on Spotify, while his catalogue of releases has amassed millions of streams and views across digital players and YouTube. Keep this kid on your radars… we anticipate big things in his future.

B00sted

Jewel Owusu – b-day

Australian starlet Jewel Owusu is back today with a glistening slice of Y2K-inspired pop, called ‘b-day’.

The track looks at the pensive feelings that we sometimes experience on our birthdays – when we feel happy, but also somewhat melancholic at the same time.

“‘b-day’ is about feeling like you’re stuck in the same emotional and mental space as the previous year. I think with growing up you learn to be less hard on yourself, and I’m slowly learning that too.”

Jewel’s momentum has been on a steady rise in recent months, with the artist amassing more than 100k catalogue streams on Spotify so far. Owusu has also been supported by national media outlets like Triple J, as well as Acclaim, Vice and Purple Sneakers.

Jewel Owusu

Tamaraebi – Sweet Summers Day

Photo / Faith Aylward

Oh boy, have we got something special for you today. Rising UK-based artist Tamaraebi has just released the finest piece of alternative soul music that you’ll experience this season, suitably titled ‘Sweet Summers Day’.

Running at just over two minutes in length, the song presents listeners with a majestic production that feels dreamy and emotive, allowing for Tamaraebi’s heartfelt vocals to shine through.

 “We recorded this piece in one take during a phase of uncertainty. I was battling with questions about my life path, my artistic journey, and self-discovery. The chorus encapsulates a desire for renewal and self-acceptance – symbolised by rain and the cleansing nature of water.”

Tamaraebi has received praise from tastemakers as iconic as The Line of Best Fit, Wonderland Magazine and The Times. Fans can look forward to a new EP, which is currently in the works.

Tamaraebi

superflirt – Comfy!

Artwork / sjkingoftheslams

Track of the week. New Jersey artist superflirt (aka Noah D’Ambrosi) is back with the follow-up to his viral debut hit ‘Sober’… and it does not disappoint.

‘Comfy!’ is a shimmering yet melancholic piece of indie-pop that delves into the complex dynamics of being in a relationship .

Through its sincere and thoughtful lyricism, this track is sure to resonate with anyone who’s fallen in and out of love.

To date, superflirt has amassed more than 600k streams from just two releases. Keep this kid on your radar – he’s most certainly one to watch!

superflirt

Jazmine Flowers – i’m DONE

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Jazmine Flowers will become one of the UK’s next big stars.

New single ‘i’m DONE’ finds the Brixton-born artist exploring her vulnerabilities and feelings of self confidence – which were triggered as a result of her moving back home during the pandemic.

“‘i’m DONE’ is, without question, my favourite song I’ve made to date. Although it sounds pretty dark it has a funny element to it and a beautiful vulnerability too. I expect a lot of young people will have had similar experiences. I hope they can relate and know that it’s a very universal feeling! No hate to my Mum though, I love her to pieces and I’m sure I annoy her just as much, if not more!”

Flowers collaborated on the song with acclaimed songwriter Sacha Skarbek, who’s also worked with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Adele and Lana Del Rey. The future’s looking so bright for this talent, and we can’t wait to see what comes next!

Jazmine Flowers

Tessa Rae – Sick Love

We’ve featured Tessa Rae a good few times on these pages, and for good reason. This American starlet consistently pushes the boundaries of pop in interesting and fresh ways.

New single ‘Sick Love’ is yet another unexpected surprise from the artist. A melancholic piece that feels almost childlike in style, the song explores the uncertainties of love in the most charming way imaginable.

“It’s the back and forth of a rollercoaster relationship. The knowing and unknowing. The push and pull of a love that makes you feel upside down and inside out.”

You can explore more of Rae’s music here.

Tessa Rae

New Music: mickey jas

Hailing from Baltimore is rising newcomer mickey jas, who has just released one of the most uplifting songs of the week.

‘Snacks in the Pantry’ is nostalgia-driven indie pop at its best. With its’s playful lyrics, memorable melody and thoughtfully constructed production, this track deserves to be on everyone’s summer playlists.

“A song written with nostalgic emotions and missing the good old days being a youthful kid. From playing sports with friends in the backyard to raiding your parents pantry, this song brings out all of the feels.”

Since debuting only last year, mickey’s music has been streamed more than 55k times. And with praise from heavyweight tastemakers like Earmilk already under his belt, this artist could be one to watch.

mickey jas

mal sounds – BUSHWICK BABY

Prepare to fall in love with mal sounds. New single ‘BUSHWICK BABY‘ is one of the most beautiful songs we’ve come across in quite some time, and we’re sure you’ll adore it too.

Lifted from the artist’s forthcoming ‘STILL IN NEW YORK’ album, the track showcases a mesmerising fusion of dreamy alternative R&B and lo-fi pop. Elaborating on the song’s meaning, mal sounds says:

“As we grow older, we become more rigid, confined by the stories we tell ourselves and each other. ‘BUSHWICK BABY’ is the story of finding your inner fountain of youth and watering your own garden. It’s the story of twin flames feeding their inner children and chasing their deepest inspirations. I was inspired by a summer I spent falling in love and forgetting about time. I saved this song for August, because I wanted it to be a moment for listeners to reminisce on the summer they’ve had, and to remember that the wonder of new love never truly dies.”

It’s yet another example of the Brooklyn-based musician’s distinctive style of sound, and is sure to cement his status as one of New York’s most exciting emerging talents.

mal sounds

Luna Bay – You

British rock outfit Luna Bay are back with a massive banger to kick-start the weekend.

‘You’ looks at that moment when you finally become independent and begin your own journey in life. Alongside its relatable lyricism, the song’s production treats listeners to an energising blend of pop, indie and rock.

“Our new single ‘You’ explores the change you experience moving away from home and how it affects the relationships you had with the people you grew up with. It’s also written as a letter to yourself and how those feelings always still remain deep down, even though you and the people around you have changed, for better or worse.”

To date, Luna Bay have amassed more than ten million career streams, and currently command close to 50k listeners on Spotify. You can explore their previous singles (…they’re all brilliant) here.

Luna Bay

New Music: Todd Binder

American indie artist Todd Binder is one of those rare talents who is able to craft pieces of music that perfectly blend modern indie with essences of nostalgia.

‘Alameda’ is a beautifully emotive song that was lyrically inspired by the artist’s feelings and thoughts about the world. The track’s title was also dedicated to the city of Alameda, in which Binder had once resided.

 “Despite the calming beauty staged by the musical score, ‘Alameda’ is bittersweet and devastating in its nostalgia and longing.”

Interestingly, ‘Alameda’ was recorded and mixed in analog at the iconic Tiny Telephone Studio in San Francisco, which is owned by acclaimed musician John Vanderslice.

Todd Binder

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

The Howlers – El Dorado

Photo / Hattie Brown

It’s a good day for rock fans as East London trio The Howlers return with a powerful new single, called ‘El Dorado’.

As we’ve come to expect from this widely acclaimed outfit, the song presents listeners with an anthemic production that is epic and cinematic in character.

“The song speaks volumes. It’s all about trying to find your way to a better place and going through the journey of ups and downs to get there.” – Tom Triggs, The Howlers

It’s yet further confirmation that his outfit are responsible for some of the finest indie-rock to emerge from the UK in quite some time.

You can catch The Howlers on tour across the country this autumn – tickets are selling out really fast, but some can still be found here.

The Howlers

ivri – brainrot

There’s little doubt in our minds that American artist ivri will become one of the biggest names in indie music globally.

The Brooklyn-based talent unveils a sensational new single today, called ‘brainrot’. Co-produced by TK The Architect, the track showcases a captivating fusion of indie and psychedelic rock that is refreshingly raw and intense in tone.

“‘brainrot’ is a play on a word I learned about called ‘heartrot’; when a tree ends up rotting from the inside out. This song is me personifying that feeling of not knowing what to do when negative feelings take over, whether they root from a romantic aspect or a more personal one.”

Having already amassed more than thirty million career streams to date on Spotify alone, it’s clear to see that ivri’s work resonates with huge swathes of listeners. An upcoming debut EP is due for release in October.

ivri

Souvenir – Soft Place To Land

– Before we begin – here’s your warning that this is a very saucy little single –

Your banger for the upcoming weekend comes courtesy of New York’s Souvenir (aka Michael Fenuccio), whose new single ‘Soft Place To Land’ is likely to end up being one of your favourite pop releases of the summer.

Written and produced alongside acclaimed musician FLORIO, the song exudes pure and unadulterated joy. For fans of Troye Sivan or Carly Rae Jepsen – this is the bop for you.

“Baby my love’s under water, and baby that water’s your hands.”

If you’re in love with this single as much as we are, then we recommend checking out Souvenir’s recent ‘Human Nature’ EP here, which also features more of FLORIO’s distinct style of sound.

Souvenir

Cloud House – Still Here

Glaswegian indie rockers Cloud House have been winning fans all across the UK ever since the release of their acclaimed ‘Days Changed’ debut EP in 2021.

They return today with lyrically moving yet sonically energising anthem called ‘Still Here’. The track was written by Cloud House’s lead guitarist Patrick Wallace for his fellow bandmate Conor McCarry, following the death of his mother:

“I wrote the song during a time when Conor needed to be grieving on his own. It came from a place of feeling really helpless – wanting to be there for your best friend but knowing that there’s nothing you can really do or say that makes anything easier. It’s about finding hope during the darkest times.” 

The song is taken from the group’s upcoming EP of the same name, which is available from the 1st November 2023. In the meantime, you can catch the talented lads on tour from September – more details can be found here and below.

Cloud House

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Cloud House UK Tour Dates 2023:

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

Kayls – Internet

It’s no secret that investing too much time online can lead to some damaging and toxic outcomes, and yet we still find ourselves struggling to withdraw.

This is the subject that American artist KAYLS addresses on her new single, ‘Internet’. Aside from its relatable and thought-provoking lyricism, the track also delivers a gorgeously dreamy style of ballad-pop that is really quite captivating to experience.

“For better or for worse, society has been disrupted by social media. Our ability to connect with so much, often leads to losing touch with our authentic selves and the people in our lives. My new song, ‘Internet’ zooms in on the negative effects of this societal shift; being one with the internet. This song comes at a time when it’s incredibly important to consciously balance our human and artificial interactions on a daily basis.”

With more than 500k career streams to date, as well as support from the likes of Apple Music, Ones To Watch, Flaunt and Wonderland, KAYLS is well on her way to achieving stardom.

KAYLS

New Music: NOFUN!

Rising out of LA is fresh new music collective NOFUN! Consisting of nine very unique artists, this project has been gaining significant traction in recent months – and the release of their latest single will only further bolster momentum.

‘Get Faded’ is reminiscent of N*E*R*D’s earliest (and in our opinion, finest) work, and presents listeners to a refreshingly bold fusion of alternative hip hop and rock that will leave you wanting more.

“This is just a sample of a musical resolution in the midst of chaos that is NOFUN!. Imagine you just left the flyest party you’ve ever been to… ‘Get Faded’ will take you right back.”

To us, it seems likely that this exciting collective will hit the mainstream very soon – so be sure to keep them on your radars.

NOFUN!

NOFUN! are Dave Coresh / Levi Evans / Garrett Gloom / Huebline / Louie Lambo / SWANN / WADE08 / Mother Wata  / Zoodeville

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: Mali Velasquez

Another week, another exceptional Nashville talent to share with you all.

This time it’s the turn of singer-songwriter Mali Velasquez, whose new single ‘Bobby’ is nothing short of sublime. This might well be one of the finest indie songs we’ve come across so far this month, and as soon as you press play you’ll understand why.

Produced by Josef Kuhn, the track evolves in spectacular fashion the longer you listen, while maintaining a powerfully emotive essence throughout. Explaining the song’s inspiration, Velasquez says:

“I wrote ‘Bobby’ originally about losing my mom when I was in high school, I had a lot of these visuals of her being sick. The only connections I can find from sickness and death are in animals and nature, which felt like my way out of grieving in a tunnel vision. The chorus of the song is largely about my coping with her loss, mostly being unable to move or stop staring at the wall. Grief and moving from unhealthy coping mechanisms to safer ones is a thick and embarrassing struggle that seeps into a lot of these songs.”

“Getting these songs out has been really healing for me. Before, the way I was grieving was just kind of holding it all in, waiting for it to release. These songs have given me a new perspective on grief. At one time, I didn’t think anything good could come from this. There’s nothing left of my mom on the planet, and that can be super strange to talk about, but I do feel like there are little pieces of her living in these songs, which is very comforting to me.”

Velasquez is currently preparing for the release of her upcoming debut album, called ‘I’m Green’ (out soon).

Mali Velasquez

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

New Music: Adam Hopper

Manchester-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Hopper unveils a beautiful new single today called ‘Free To Roam’.

The gorgeously melodic song was created alongside legendary producer Rob Kirwan, who is noted for his work with global names like U2, PJ Harvey and Hozier. Elaborating on the track’s creation, Hopper explains:

“When I’m feeling like hot garbage, I find that walking in the hills with a loved one can be one of the best salves. ‘Free To Roam’ was half a song for a long time, I had the verses but was struggling for a chorus. Around the same time, I had written a silly song about my love of Sonic the Hedgehog with the chorus ‘blue, beautiful blue’. I shoehorned it in and by God it worked.”

‘Free To Roam’ is yet another stunning addition to Hopper’s already impressive roster of releases, and further showcases his natural flair for crafting indie songs that are both distinct and mesmerising.

To date, Hopper’s work has picked up praise from noted outlets like Clunk, Hive Magazine and Backseat Mafia. You can find tickets for the artist’s upcoming shows here.

Adam Hopper

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Guri Yeller – Study in Pink

Mysterious Bolton duo Guri Yeller return with an impressive new single today, called ‘Study in Pink’.

If you’re a fan of Tame Impala or MGMT (and we suspect many of you are), then the chances of falling in love with this track are extremely high.

Through its perfected blend of alternative rock and psychedelic indie-pop, the song transports listeners on a sonic journey like none other.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – this is one British duo to watch for.

Guri Yeller

NIA NADURATA – i think i like your girlfriend

Photo / Nathan Lau

Track of the Week. ‘i think i like your girlfriend’ ticks every box for us – from its sweet vocals and witty lyrics, to the catchy melody and sleek disco-inspired pop production.

While this is only NIA NADURATA’s second release to date, it already shows that this Toronto-based singer and songwriter is likely to become one of Canada’s most exciting new starlets. Elaborating further on the song, she explains:

“On the surface, ‘i think i like your girlfriend’ could be seen as a quirky revenge plot against a boyfriend that moved on too quickly. Upon further listening, you begin to realise that between my silly, playful little jabs, I’m really acting as more of a ‘Robin Hood’ figure to my ex-boyfriend’s’ current girlfriend. I fear I might be the only one that will tell her straight up that he’s ‘not doing it right.’ Just trying to be the gal pal she might want in her corner.”

NIA NADURATA currently commands more than 58k monthly listeners on Spotify, and has picked up tastemaker support from national outlets as renowned as CBC Music. A debut EP is on the way.

NIA NADURATA