Category: Music

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Tilda Allie – Theme II

London-based Swedish artist, producer and vocalist Tilda Allie has just unveiled one of the most sonically spectacular releases of the summer, in collaboration with Portuguese filmmaker Maria Nunes and composer Laura Lesourd.

‘Theme II’ showcases a conceptual style of sound that is luxuriously textured and cinematic. Allie builds a mysterious musical universe that is rich in character, while the track’s lyrics focus on themes like existentialism and capitalism.

“Inspired by the raw landscape of Sweden the strings and the contemporary but classical piano takes you on a cinematic journey into the Nordic wilderness.”

Aside from her ever-growing fanbase, Tilda’s work has also caught the attention of prominent tastemakers as noted as BBC Introducing and A&R Factory as well as VENTS, Wordplay, GAFFA and DNÜ magazines.

Tilda Allie

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Jourden – Flow

In one word, you could describe Jourden’s work as finessed.

One of the most impressive wordsmiths to grace our ears in a very long time, this emerging talent has been deservedly building a ton of traction since winning a Grammy U award in 2015.

‘Flow’ showcases the artist’s flair for songwriting perfectly, and will only increase this Brooklyn native’s momentum even further.

We encourage you to join the 113k monthly listeners who stream her sounds on Spotify here.

Jourden

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New Music: Dirty Blonde

Representing Britain’s next generation of world-class rock talent is Manchester duo Dirty Blonde, who have just unveiled a bold new single called ‘Don’t Cry (It Doesn’t Suit You)’.

While only forming in March this year, the musical project of Ailis Mackay and Hayley Tait has already found praise from the likes of BBC Radio 1, and played festivals as iconic as The Isle of Wight and Great Escape. Speaking on their new single, Dirty Blonde say:

“This song is a blend of different styles, drawing inspiration from various sources, but somehow it all comes together. Lyrically, it captures the essence of individuals who constantly fake remorse, only to repeat their actions again and again. The key takeaway from this song is to have faith in yourself and don’t tolerate negativity from anyone.”

With so much buzz being generated this early in their career, we think these ladies are most definitely ones to watch – so be sure to keep them on your radars!

Dirty Blonde

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Dirty Blonde Live UK Shows 2023

  • 05/08 – Bingley Weekender
  • 26/08 – Birmingham – What’s Happening Weekender
  • 09/09 – Scunthorpe – Cafe Indie
  • 15/09 – Manchester – CANVAS
  • 16/09 – London – Water Rats
  • 17/11 – Nottingham – Via Fossa
  • 09/12 – Manchester – Lions Den

A Story Told – My Place

Photo / Casey Hardman

American outfit A Story Told are back with an energising banger to brighten up our weekends.

‘My Place’ was inspired by the concept of inner peace, and treats listeners to an anthemic fusion of indie, pop and rock.

“It’s about the ‘moment’ where you decide to create your ‘place’ of inner well-being and begin to focus on the things and people that truly bring value and meaning to your life, while eliminating (kicking out) the noise, the things, and people that don’t. I think when you do that, life reveals a new and exciting mindset & opportunities you weren’t able to see before.“

This acclaimed trio have amassed more than 25 million streams since releasing their debut record ‘Keep Watch’ back in 2016.

They’re currently readying their next album, called ‘Mundane Magic’ (out 20th October), of which vocalist Alex Chaney says:

“’Mundane Magic’ is the best way that I could possibly sum up this musical journey that the three of us have been on for years. A friend once told me that the industry is a pendulum. You leave relevance as quickly as you found it. ‘Mundane Magic’ is about the journey to arriving at this resolution of outlook. I’ve struggled with the band being a public measurement of my success. I’ve struggled with the thought that – maybe not everyone deserves your vulnerability. But to hell with that! As much as I’ve poured my life and difficult memories into A Story Told, it is 100% necessary for me me, and to our fans that I share the fact – that I’ve f*cked those memories out of my life.” 

A Story Told

New Music: Cutty

Artists Amy Precious and Kev La Ka join forces to create a new duo, called Cutty.

Hailing from the city of Hull in England, this musical project creates distinctive pop sounds that are refreshingly experimental and intriguing in character.

‘Overdrive’ is the duo’s latest single, and has grown to become a fan favourite at their live shows. It’s a vivid and arresting piece of music that makes an immediate impact from the moment you press play, and is sure to add further momentum to this emerging outfit.

You can experience more of Cutty’s music on their Spotify by clicking here.

Cutty

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Beach Vacation x Cathedral Bells – Blurred Out

If you’re looking for some escapism this weekend, then Beach Vacation’s new collaboration with Cathedral Bells is the song for you.

‘Blurred Out’ is a gorgeously dreamy yet energetic slice of shoegaze that serves as the perfect soundtrack to these long and hazy summer afternoons.

The track is lifted from Beach Vacation’s forthcoming ‘Coping Habits’ sophomore album, which is scheduled for release on the 15th September.

The band have come a long way since forming in high school back 2012. To date, they’ve amassed more than three million career streams while also commanding close to 300k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

Beach Vacation | Cathedral Bells

New Music: Izora

LA-based artist Izora is one of the most exciting finds that we’ve come across this week. Born and raised in India, this emerging singer and songwriter is building momentum thanks to her beautifully atmospheric dark-pop productions.

‘Goodbye’ is the artist’s latest single, and draws its sonic inspiration from icons like Lizzy McAlpine and Billie Eilish. Elaborating on the track’s lyrics, Izora explains:

“‘Goodbye’ is a dark pop ballad that is about being in a toxic relationship with someone who only gives you their attention and affection at their convenience.”

With support from heavyweight outlets as noted as Rolling Stone India and VH1 India, it seems only a matter of time before this starlet becomes a global name.

Izora

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