Track of the week. With a new year comes a fresh wave of talent that we’re really stoked about—one of which is US-based artist RHNO.
‘Gowithyou’ fuses synth with distorted pop and adds some soulful R&B into the mix for extra goodness. The sound is bold and distinct but also feels relatable and easy to connect with on an emotional level.
The track marks a new direction for the already hyped New Yorker. We think you’ll be hearing about this kid more often in the future, so be sure to keep this one on your radar.
Track of the week. We’ve long been fans of UK talent Martin Luke Brown, and we’re pleased to see his return this week with another brilliant new release called ‘animal’.
The song focuses on themes of escapism, and tells of the artist’s desires to switch off from the modern world and return back to basics – experiencing life the way it was meant to be.
“About once a week I get a deep urge to retire from capitalism and run off into the woods to become Tarzan in a cabin somewhere eating berries. This is about that urge for a simple life away from the abstract chaos of the modern world.”
The track’s production blends elements of dreamy, lo-fi pop with indie, creating a soundscape that allows listeners themselves to escape from the manic chaos of current life.
Alongside his recent run of solo releases, Martin has also had a busy few months supporting global stars Sam Tompkins and Emily King on their respective tours.
Track of the week. Netherlands-based musician Joshua J returns with one of the most impressive songs of the week, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
‘In My Phone’ presents listeners with a finessed production that fuses neo-soul with afrobeat. Complimenting the sublime production are the introspective lyrics, which focus on the artist’s journey of self-discovery while visiting Ghana.
“As a child, I felt intense anger towards my mother for her inability to care for me and my siblings due to her struggles with drug addiction. However, as I matured, I gained a deeper understanding of her plight and realised that addiction is a battle that many face. I wrote this song to humanise addiction and to forgive my mother, using the mobile phone as a modern symbol of the addictions that affect us all.”
The track is lifted from Joshua J’s sophomore album ‘Polygamy,’ which was also released today and features contributions from Xenia Manasseh and AE (listen here).
Track of the week. We’re kicking the weekend off with a brilliant new artist emerging from Jersey City in the USA, going by the name of Libby Jade.
Today’s release of ‘Courtyard’ is really quite the treat. This energising blend of indie-pop and rock offers us a taste of the singer & songwriter’s impressive talents, with its beautifully textured production and thoughtful lyricism, which takes listeners on a journey to Libby’s home and community. Speaking on the song, she says:
“Dedicated to anyone that’s lived in my neighborhood, ‘Courtyard’ is a celebration of community and those ‘third places’ that people crave to build connection. The courtyard of my Jersey City apartment building has built friendships and seen love and loss.”
Libby’s music has already picked up support from tastemaker outlets like The Luna Collective, Glasse Factory, and Lefuturewave. You can explore more of her sounds on Spotify right here.
Track of the week. Elia Tomé is undeniably one of the most promising newcomers we’ve come across in quite some time. This rising Leeds-based songwriter and producer creates immense electronic productions that are simply breathtaking in nature.
New single ‘Stay Kids’ is a collaboration with the equally talented Zoe Cure and treats listeners to a sparse soundscape that, while minimal in concept, is still powerfully emotive.
“I felt a deep sense of familiarity when finding the synth lines on ‘Stay Kids’. It was like stumbling upon an old photograph from childhood, instantly pulling me back in time.”
The song serves as a taster to Tomé’s forthcoming debut album, which is out in January 2025. With support from the likes of BBC Introducing and Stereofox already under his belt, we anticipate big things in the future for this artist.
You can catch Elia performing at Hull’s Polar Bear on the 21st of January—tickets here.
Track of the week. We’ve made no secret of our admiration for emerging Danish music talent, so we’re stoked to be sharing with you another new outfit from the Nordic nation called 100%WET.
Signed to acclaimed label Crunchy Frog (home to The Raveonettes and Yune, among many others), this duo has caught our attention with their unique productions, which blend nostalgic 90’s sounds with shoegaze and electronica.
Euphoric new single ‘Ether’ will be our weekend bop and is very quickly becoming one of our favourite songs of the winter.
“‘Ether’ describes the juxtaposed feelings of being in an altered state of mind—the perception of momentary bliss while also experiencing everything at a dissociate remove.”
100%WET comprises of producers Jakob Birch and Casper Munns, while vocal contributions come courtesy of artists like Eir from Sweden (as featured on ‘Ether’), Polly from Denmark, and the UK’s Hockeysmith.
Track of the week. The mighty Vilhelm Buchaus is back with yet another big song to remind us just why he’s becoming one of Scandinavia’s hottest musical prospects.
‘My Mistake’ is an energising slice of pop-rock that is impossible not to enjoy. The melody is anthemic, the vocals are captivating, and the lyrics are likely to resonate with anyone who’s ever loved the wrong person.
“’My Mistake’ is about a complicated relationship where two people are stuck in a destructive cycle, constantly coming back to each other, even though they both know it will end in disappointment. The song reflects emotional confusion that ultimately leads to pain.”
This track could easily get an arena crowd on their feet and goes to show just how much potential this rising talent has. Fans can look forward to Vilhelm’s debut EP, called ‘Quiet Rooms’, being released soon via TEN.
Track of the week. We’ve made no secret in the past of our love for rising Australian artist Noah Vernon and his impressive take on pop music.
Today sees the return of the much-hyped musician with an anthemic new single called ‘SECOND CHOICE’. This track packs a punch with its rousing blend of pop and indie-rock and powerful lyricism.
“‘SECOND CHOICE’ is about a toxic relationship. It’s written from the perspective of he/she having a wake-up call about the situation but still second guessing what is going on. Being in that tricky relationship limbo of not knowing when to leave but also knowing it’s wrong at the same time.”
If you’re as obsessed with Noah as we are, then be sure to experience his recently released ‘THIS EP TOOK 5 YEARS’ record, which is highly recommended. You can check it out on Spotify right here.
Track of the week. Pisces folk typically get a rep for being one of the more notorious signs of the zodiac, and Claire Brooks’s latest single seems to epitomise the sentiment perfectly.
‘PISCES FINE’ is inspired by the unforgettable moments we create in our youth, and the nostalgia associated with them as we grow older.
“When I wrote ‘PISCES FINE’ I was thinking about all the stupid shit I did in college with my friends and how those were some of the best moments of my life. These days I’m sober and honestly don’t go out much, and this song reminds me how good it feels to be a kid.”
Claire’s music has so far found its way onto flagship playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Finds Hip-Hop and Fresh Finds, while also garnering praise from outlets such as F Word Magazine and 1883. An upcoming EP is scheduled for release very soon!
Track of the week. Words can’t express how much we’ve fallen in love with rising indie artist Mila Degray. The Floridian newcomer has gained momentum rapidly in recent months thanks to her distinctive style of sound, which fuses pop with alternative rock, bubblegum grunge, and punk.
‘Two Bridges’ is an stunning track that serves as a taster to the artist’s highly anticipated ‘Silver Meteor 98’ album, which is out on 18th October 2024.
It’s been a busy year for Mila, who has not only won a tonne of fans across the globe but also garnered praise from outlets like Atwood Magazine and The Joy of Violent Movement. And to top it all off, she was even featured on Charli XCX and Billie Eilish’s ‘Guess’ remix video a month ago.
Track of the week. One of New York’s brightest pop prospects in recent years has been Kentö. A singer since the age of six, this talent’s work has not only grown in popularity across social media but has also amassed significant praise globally from tastemakers as noted as MTV, BBC Music, and Paper Magazine.
New single ‘Everything’ treats listeners to a retro-inspired style of sound that infuses 60’s surf rock into a modern alt-pop production. The track is heady, almost psychedelic in nature, and is impossible not to fall in love with.
“I wanted to make a moody pop track that combines a modern feel with the nostalgia of the 60s.”
After listening to this song, it may not come as a surprise to learn that one of Kentö’s biggest musical influences are The Beach Boys, whom he has loved all his life. You can explore more of the artist’s music on Spotify.
Track of the week. Eden Rain is back with a stunning new single called ‘Crashmat’. Co-written by fellow rising starletSOFY,this track looks at how some people will care so much for others that they end up neglecting their own needs and feelings.
Aside from its thoughtful lyricism, this song’s production really showcases some of the best of what the UK alt-pop scene offers right now. Elaborating on the inspiration behind ‘Crashmat’, Eden says:
“I think it really hits on that feeling of being stretched too thin, right? It’s like you’re always on call, trying to be everything for everyone, and somewhere along the way, you forget to take care of yourself. Its about how you can love someone and want to help but also not really knowing how to.”
Eden’s music has been streamed more than 700k times since April this year and has received praise from the likes of FLEX and Far Out. You can catch the artist performing at London’s Moth Club on the 12th November—tickets here.
Track of the week. UK singer Ruti possesses one of the most distinctive vocals of any artist that we’ve come across for many years.
The acclaimed singer and songwriter returns today with one of their most heartfelt releases, titled ‘Break My Own Heart’. The soundscape is rich in texture, while the relatable lyrics are certain to strike a chord with many listeners.
The song focusses on the destructiveness that comes from overthinking. The musician elaborates:
“It’s a conversation with myself. Giving myself grace but also confronting myself about my tendencies to think too far in the future and not live in the present. I’m the kind of person that just gets either too excited or too anxious about things that haven’t even happened and it leads to me spiralling. It can lead to disappointment but most importantly it takes me out of the moment.”
This single follows on from Ruti’s incredible ‘Lungs‘ EP, which garnered widespread praise globally and has so far amassed more than 700k collective streams on Spotify.
Track of the week. Rising Manchester artist Dan Fable returns with an impressive new single that has blown us away.
Through its unique drum and bass production, ‘Sideways’ is both emotive and energising in equal measures. The sound is melancholic and almost pensive in tone, yet somehow still manages to inject an essence of euphoria. On the song, Dan says:
“‘Sideways’ is a song about putting up walls. Being scared to let your guard down and allow feelings to grow due to previous bad relationships. Saying you’ll never fall in love can often make you miss something special right in front of you leaving you unprepared for new feelings and what that can do to you. I wrote the song just me and my guitar but felt it needed some additional flavour to tap into the euphoric and tense feelings associated with falling in love.”
With 300k monthly listeners on Spotify and more than fifty million streams already under his belt (thanks to his acclaimed collaboration with Venbee), it’s safe to say that Dan Fable has proven himself as one of the UK’s biggest newcomers.
Track of the week. We just can’t get enough of US indie starlet Elizabeth Hume. She’s back again today with yet another mesmerising new single called ‘sneaky’.
The soundscape that evolves as you listen to this track is really quite something. It was written while the artist was on a trip to Italy and evokes feelings of mellow, sun-kissed days and warm nights.
The song is taken from Hume’s next EP, which is due for release soon. Until then, you can enjoy her former releases on Spotify, where she’s already amassed thousands of streams.
Track of the week. We’ve got a very exciting new talent to share with you today, going by the name of Goz Asai.
‘Get Me Out of Here’ is bold, energising, unexpected, and captivating. It’s frantic tempo and hypnotic beats keep listeners on edge, and the production overall displays some of the best dark pop sounds that we’ve come across in some time.
It won’t come as a surprise to learn that Goz is currently a student at the hugely influential Berklee College of Music, and is also gaining traction among leading music industry names within the Chinese and Korean markets.
You can explore more of the musician’s work on Spotify.
Track of the week. Lunar June (aka Olivia Judd) is a much-hyped UK talent who is not only a singer and songwriter but also a producer and visual artist.
Sonically inspired by the likes of Charli XCX and Lorde, this musician crafts a style of sound that fuses experimental indie with pop. If this is the first time you come across Lunar June, then new single ‘supplements’ is a perfect introduction.
Beyond its impressive production, the track’s thoughtfully written lyrics remind us that it’s okay to embrace our flaws.
“It’s called ‘supplements’ because I became obsessive over self-improvement and was buying every supplement and self-help book under the sun to try and somehow speed through the healing process and become a better person as quickly as possible so I could stay with this person; I felt I was something broken that needed to be fixed. In a weird way, this core belief alone is what was the most destructive element, not my actual brokenness – because we’re all broken! No one is perfect and I couldn’t see that, and so I lost someone very important to me because I couldn’t love and accept myself.”
“At the end of the day, it’s our flaws that make us human and loveable. It’s ok to not be perfect or totally healed, I don’t think either of those things are ever achievable. But that you’re still worthy, even when you feel broken.”
To date, Lunar June’s work has received praise from heavyweight tastemakers such as Wonderland Magazine, Kaltblut, and Ministry of Sound.
Track of the week. Without a doubt, Vilhelm Buchaus is one of our favourite rising Scandinavian stars.
Today’s release of ‘Break My Heart Again’ only adds to our admiration for this hugely talented Swedish singer and songwriter.
In essence, this is a song about broken hearts. Alongside its stripped-back, sombre production, the track’s lyrics express feelings of emotional pain and the toxicity of failing romances.
“I wrote ‘Break My Heart Again’ about being stuck in a broken relationship that doesn’t work, despite trying multiple times. I knew the relationship caused me more pain than joy, but I still hoped for a different outcome, and that feeling inspired this song.”
The song was created by Buchaus, with the help of Jacob Werner and Amanda Kongshaug. Fans can expect an EP later in the autumn.
Track of the week (and arguably, the entire year so far). Baby J is a Miami-based newcomer who has just released a debut that has immediately won us over.
‘Run Like Crazy’ is stunning on every level. A minimal yet impactful production delivers hypnotic beats that are instantly captivating.
And within that soundscape, Baby J’s beautiful vocals perform lyrics that inspire us to stay optimistic in our quest for happiness in life.
Michael Russell
The song is taken from the artist’s ’13:7′ EP, which is available to stream now. Interestingly, the title comes from the verse John 13:7 in the Bible, which says, ‘You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’
Track of the week. The UK really is a hotbed for emerging indie-rock bands, and this week’s release of ‘Groans’ by Make Friends proves that case nicely.
Having garnered support from tastemaker legends like Wonderland Magazine, CLASH, and Radio 1, it comes as no surprise that the Bristol-based group has returned with a sensational track that reaffirms their status as one of the country’s hottest prospects.
The song perfectly balances indie with rock and pop, and was lyrically inspired by our natural tendencies to overthink the little things in life.
“‘Groans’ is a song about all the little things that go wrong. The song is about reflecting on yourself and understanding all the things that push people apart. The song paints a picture of different scenarios in which you may have overthought a situation or something hasn’t felt right … the ‘Groans’ of yesterday.”
Make Friends perform at London’s iconic Old Blue Last in Shoreditch tomorrow (tickets here). If you’re not in town, you can still experience more of the band’s brilliant music on Spotify.
A new EP, written and produced with Ed Nash (Bombay Bicycle Club), is scheduled for release on the 13th September 2024.
