Music - New Music

Fricky – Nattbus

Acclaimed Swedish artist Fricky unveils a beautifully atmospheric new single today, entitled ‘Nattbuss‘.

While sung entirely in his native language, the song’s dreamy and hypnotic style of alt-pop is sure to captivate any listener from any part of the world. Elaborating on the track’s production and concept, Fricky says:

“The feeling I had in my body married perfectly with [producer] Joel Kiviaho’s hypnotising production. I wrote the lyrics in 30 minutes on my way home from the studio, on the night bus. I have a hard time describing what it’s about, but it’s a song that has given me light when the night has been cold and dark. In a way, the song means more to me outside the context of the content itself. It has led the way to a lot of life and joy and, not least, more songs.“

“‘Nattbuss’ becomes, in a way, a final farewell to Fricky as you know me before I fly off on a new adventure. It functions as a farewell to a past that I needed to let go of in order to move on to a freer form of expression.”

Fricky is the musical project of artist, producer and designer Erik Friman. A staple within Sweden’s underground music scene since the 2010’s, Fricky’s work grew in popularity and prominence over the years, and in 2019 he was named ‘Artist of the Year’ at the iconic P3-Guld Gala.

Fricky

🎵 Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Jenna Raine – Stupid Cupid

Rising American starlet Jenna Raine continues on her quest for global pop domination with the release of a brand new single.

Serving as a teaser to Raine’s upcoming ‘Big Dumb Heart, Chapter 1‘ EP (out 5th May), ‘Stupid Cupid’ is a classic break-up pop-rock song that we can all find some kind of connection with.

Already a widely popular name across social media, Raine has amassed more than 100 million career streams to date – and that’s only on Spotify!

Jenna Raine

New Music: Beth Morgan

One of the most exciting debuts to emerge from the UK this month has been Beth Morgan.

‘Kissing Strangers’ is a gorgeously intimate slice of pop that feels classic and timeless in its production. Written for those who have had their hearts broken, the song’s emotionally-charged lyrics feel refreshingly raw and honest.

Prior to the release of the song, Beth’s vocals were featured on a cover version of iconic UK hit ‘Flowers’, consequently landing a placement on the hugely popular TV show Love Island.

Beth Morgan

Ant Antic – this time i

Ant Antic is no stranger to these pages – and with good reason. This singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer is behind some of the most impressive experimental electronic pop to emerge from Berlin in quite some time.

New single ‘this time i’ is yet another piece of pop perfection. Featuring the talents of Lizki, the song presents listeners with a sound that somehow feels melancholic, tense, and playful in equal measures.

Already a seasoned recording artist and performer, Ant Antic (aka Tobias Koett) first hit the scene back in 2015, and has since then amassed more than two million career streams to date.

Ant Antic

Donna Missal – Flicker

Track of the week. One thing most recording artists dread is the prospect of being released from their label.

That very incident happened to acclaimed American singer-songwriter Donna Missal, who consequently spent the past year working on new music. Now she’s back with one of her most impressive releases to date.

Co-written with DAGR and Em Walcott, new single ‘Flicker’ finds Missal turning her pain into power, and serves listeners with a bold mix of alternative pop and dance music.

“This song means so much to me and is the start of such a special time in my life as an artist and I’m just so grateful for those who made this happen with me, and every last person that streams and dances and watches the video and for taking part in this reclamation of myself and my autonomy it is just a dream being realised.”

Donna Missal

New Music: splendi

Hailing from Philadelphia is 23-year old singer, songwriter and drummer splendi.

With only three singles under her belt, this rising starlet has already amassed more than 135k streams on Spotify alone.

Pressing play on ‘lazy bones’ gives you an idea as to why splendi’s name has become one to watch. The song showcases a refreshingly original style of indie-pop that is heartfelt, honest, raw, and emotive in character.

splendi plays Philadelphia’s Silk City on the 28th April – tickets can be found here.

splendi

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Femi Tahiru – Jussai

He’s made us wait a little while, but Northampton-bred artist Femi Tahiru is finally back with his first release of the year.

Fusing soulful pop with alternative R&B in the most perfect way imaginable, ‘Jussai’ continues to showcase Femi’s phenomenal artistry.

To date, Femi has amassed more than two million career streams, and opened for artists as prominent as Amber Mark, Pip Millett, Chiild and Theophilus London.

As one of the northwest’s most hyped talents in recent years, Femi has received tastemaker praise from the likes of Wonderland, Notion, BBC Introducing, Radio 1 and 6 Music.

Femi Tahiru

Josef Lamercier + Niko Oroc – Figure It Out (feat. Huey Briss)

Cover photo / design – Seth Turner, Caleb Dudley

LA-based artist Josef Lamercier is one name to watch for this year.

This rising R&B talent is already a sought after songwriter, and has worked alongside names as noted as Channel Tres, Khamari, Dua Saleh, Kyle Dion and Tyler, The Creator.

Lamercier’s melodic new single ‘Figure It Out’ features Niko Oroc and Huey Briss, and delivers a production that perfectly fuses melancholic indie with R&B, rap and alt-pop.

The resulting sound is one that is both classic and future-forward at the same time, and gives us a glimpse into what we can expect from this hugely promising musician in the future.

Josef Lamercier | Niko Oroc | Huey Briss

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

Finn Matthews – BROKEN SINGER

LA-based artist Finn Matthews is back today with beautifully melodic new single, entitled ‘BROKEN SINGER’.

Lyrically inspired by the importance of having someone to keep you grounded in life, the song presents listeners with a finessed fusion of R&B and alternative pop.

“‘Broken Singer’ is about needing a person to ground you.”

As a songwriter, producer and performer, Finn Matthews is already a well known name within the industry, and has collaborated with globally recognised names like Rick Ross and Jordin Sparks.

Matthews is currently working on a forthcoming album with the support of Grammy-winning musician and producer Elijah Blake and his team.

Finn Matthews

New Music: kohzee

There’s something very special about London/Brighton rap outfit kohzee.

As a musical collective, these three artists write, produce and perform all of their work in their own home attic studio.

Together, this trio craft a style of sound that fuses hip hop with alternative jazz, and in doing so, create songs that feel distinctly unique in character.

As winners of DHL’s Fast-Track Sessions, kohzee were able to create ‘sand’ over a two day period at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios with the help of executive producer Hannah V.

kohzee

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Mina Okabe – Talk to Me

Danish-Japanese artist Mina Okabe has well and truly become one of Scandinavia’s newest global stars.

While still only 22-years old, Okabe has already amassed almost 50 million catalogue streams while also commanding more than 700k monthly Spotify listeners.

Mina unveils her brand new EP today, entitled ‘Spinning Around’ (out now). Inspired by the ups and downs of life, the collection of songs serves as soundtrack to Mina’s personal journey over the last twelve months.

“The past year has gone by really fast – like a whirlwind of inspiration and creation in the best possible way. I feel that the many new and exciting experiences I have had can be heard in the songs I’ve written, expressing very different energies and emotions, from where I’m most vulnerable to a lighter feel of self-irony. And so, I thought ‘Spinning Around’ was a suiting title for this collection of songs.”

Lifted from the EP is Mina’s new single, ‘Talk to Me’. Interestingly, the song applies bossa nova notes onto a lo-fi indie production, which results in a sound that beautifully juxtaposes the dramatic intensity of Latin music with the controlled emotion of Nordic pop.

“‘Talk to Me’ is about the frustrating feeling that comes when someone you’re interested in is not opening up and is hard to read. I like how it stands out among my other songs – both lyrically and with the playful production – but most of all, because it gives me a feeling of confidence.”

Mina Okabe

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Ellise – brokenboys&bitterbitches

Viral sensation Ellise has been steadily building momentum over this last year, and today’s unveiling of ‘brokenboys&bitterbitches’ will only further propel this exciting talent into the global mainstream.

By perfectly balancing dark, industrial electronic pop with glitchy electronica, the song delivers a sound that feels sinister and menacing, but also playful and charming at the same time.

“Much of my music in the past couple of years has been pretty heavy and emotionally taxing to write. I wanted to make something fun and not that deep, while also experimenting with a different sound in production. ‘BROKEN BOYS & BITTER BITCHES’ completely captured the confident, nonchalant, bad bitch energy I was feeling when I wrote it. So… after many, many heartbreak songs, I’m very excited to put out something that makes me smile when I listen to it!”

To date, Ellise has accumulated more than 200 million catalogue streams and collaborated alongside artists as noted as Mothica and DeathbyRomy.

You can catch Ellise performing live at New Jersey’s Bamboozle Fest 2023 in May – more details can be found here.

Ellise

Caroline Romano – Guts

This week’s alt-pop banger comes courtesy of rising starlet Caroline Romano.

Punchy new single ‘Guts’ seamlessly blends indie-rock with pop, and further showcases Romano’s extraordinary musical versatility. Speaking on the inspiration behind the emotionally-charged anthem, Romano explains:

“I’ve always had this thing in social settings – especially at house parties, bars, or really anywhere with pretty strangers – where I feel like people can see right through me, like I’m completely transparent. So, in some terrible attempt at compensation, I’ll say too much or drink too much. I end up spilling my guts to people as a form of free therapy, or self-sabotage, I’m not sure which it is. And then I watch them watch me dig myself further, with my guts on the floor in front of them. That’s how I end things before they’ve even started, and that’s what this song is about. It’s frantic and eager and frustrated all at the same time.”

With more than two million career streams already under her belt, this critically-acclaimed talent looks set to take on her biggest year yet. Romano is most definitely one US artist to watch for in 2023!

Caroline Romano

Daniella Binyamin – Abba

It’s an exciting day for Nordic singer and songwriter Daniella Binyamin, who has just released her debut EP and its lead single, ‘Abba’, today.

A masterclass in Swedish pop, the song applies feelings of intense melancholy over an energising yet haunting indie production. Sonically reminiscent of Lykke Li’s early work, the track’s cinematic sound is nothing short of epic.

“‘Abba’ is an energetic yet sad track, a crying-on-the-dancefloor anthem to listen to when you need to get all those hard feelings out of your system. It’s a jumble of hope, devastation, freedom and a touch of madness and set the tone for the feelings I had when writing both the song and the EP.”

Elaborating further on the creation of the EP itself, Binyamin explains that it came to fruition back in 2020, as a way to process all the pain that had built up following a break up.

“When I wrote ‘Abba’ it was only my voice and a piano. I was angry and sad, and felt left behind by people I loved. When we later started to arrange and produce the songs, I realised how much I needed to write it, in order to move on. For every tangle that was straightened out, I became more and more fearless and convinced I was doing what was right for me.”

Daniella performs at Stockholm’s Musikaliska kvarteret (Blinda Tigern) on the 31st March – more details can be found here.

Daniella Binyamin

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Devon Gilfillian – Right Kind Of Crazy

After a successful run of appearances at SXSW this month, Nashville-based talent Devon Gilfillian returns today with a gorgeously intense slice of emotive soul-pop through his new single, ‘Right Kind Of Crazy’.

Serving as a taster to the Philadelphian artist’s forthcoming ‘Love You Anyway’ album (out 7th April), the song looks at the ever-evolving connection that forms between two people who are in love.

As a genre-bending artist who currently commands more than 400k monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s clear to see that Gilfillian’s approach to music-making resonates with a huge audience. Devon embarks on a tour this spring, with more details to be announced soon.

Devon Gilfillian

Cade Hoppe – Moon

Emerging US musician Cade Hoppe is back with a gorgeously captivating song that demands your immediate attention!

With its enchanting mix of indie, pop, electronica and orchestral sounds, Hoppe’s celestial-themed new single ‘Moon’ presents listeners with an emotive and cinematic sonic experience.

“‘Moon’ is a song about being caught somewhere between where I’ve always been and where I’m trying to go. To me, there’s nothing lonelier than the moon – out of Earth’s atmosphere, but still in its orbit.”

Since making his debut in 2021, Hoppe’s work has been through a constant evolution. ‘Moon’ further confirms Cade’s name as one of America’s most exciting indie-pop prospects.

Cade Hoppe

The Heavy North – Where Are You Now?

Since their debut in 2018, Liverpudlian garage/blues rock outfit The Heavy North have grown in prominence all across the UK, thanks to their bold and dynamic style of sound.

New single ‘Where Are You Now?’ is a rousing rock anthem that was lyrically inspired by the fleeting nature of human relationships.

“The lyrics explore whether those people we used to know are still the same as how we remembered them, or have their circumstances or situations changed for better or worse.”

The song follows the release of the group’s acclaimed ‘Electric Soul Machine’ album, which was released last year. To date, The Heavy North have amassed more than 250k career streams, and also received praise from the likes of BBC Introducing and Radio 6 Music.

The Heavy North

New Music: Milktuth

One of the most impressive indie outfits to emerge this week has been Kyiv-based quartet Milktuth.

A musical collaboration between members of Ai Laika and lisova groups, this new project presents listeners with an atmospheric fusion of alternative rock, bedroom pop, shoegaze and indie, resulting in an immersive soundscape that is rich in character and emotion.

Powerful new single ‘Take Ten’ looks at the shock and grief that one experiences when they lose someone, and was inspired by the current climate in their home nation.

“‘Take Ten’ is a song about the loss of a loved one and the emptiness that follows. How when the grief knocks on your door, your first reactions is to close your eyes in disbelief. And, just like in a childish game, count to ten and open them, hopefully to find out it all was only a frightful dream.”

Milktuth

🎵 Discover more new music on the Ones To Watch Playlist

FLEECE – It’s The Life

If Canadian indie group FLEECE already sound familiar to you, then it might have something to do with their parody clip ‘how to write an Alt-J song’, which took the internet by storm and consequently amassed 13 million global views.

Since then, this Montreal-based LGBTQ outfit have grown in popularity (and notoriety!), commanding a loyal legion of fans across social media and reaching more than 250k monthly listeners on Spotify.

Inspired by the concept of ‘faking it till you make it’, joyful new single ‘Its The Life’ is yet another impressive addition to the group’s catalogue of releases, and encourages us to take a more playful approach to living life.

FLEECE

Dead Slow Hoot – The Moistest Beak

London-based four piece Dead Slow Hoot are back with an impressively bold new single, called ‘The Moistest Beak’.

Through its thoughtfully constructed mix of alt-country, indie and pop, the song presents listeners with a bittersweet sound that is lyrically inspired by those wonderful moments when we make mistakes that lead to better outcomes than we expected.

Alongside the release of the song, fans can look forward to its visuals, which will feature members from The Cactus Club (a line dancing club aimed at the LGTBQ+ community in London).

Dead Slow Hoot perform at DINA in Sheffield on the 25th March – tickets can be found here.

Dead Slow Hoot

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