Faith Richards has a kind of expressive vocal that glides beautifully over soulful and dark indie notes. This is a sound that is effortlessly charming, all the while moving and captivating.
“I wrote ‘Same Language’ after falling in love with a man who was still learning the English language. Love itself sparked something new in me. Simultaneously, I felt free and safe, and words didn’t matter as much anymore – ‘We speak the same language in everything we’re not saying.'”
Hailing from London, pop talent Scott the Pisces is a songwriter and producer with a flair for creating bops that are infectiously catchy and near impossible not to love.
A perfect addition to your summer playlists, ‘Crazy About You’ took two months of producing, writing and mixing, and features vocals from Raene.
“I wanted to write a song about the experience we all have when we first get a taste of love. That magical feeling we embrace while we’re young, the simplicity of it all. How we begin to experience the excitement and all the little elements that come with it. I tried to create a summarising narrative of how I experienced my first love, the innocence of wearing your heart on your sleeve.”
Debut EP ‘Ocean Blue’ is out now.
Hyperpop comes in two forms: it’s either fantastic, or fantastically bad. Fortunately, Luke Black seems to be a master of the genre, crafting some of the finest blends tracks you could expect.
Hailing from the Serbian city of Čačak, this talent has been named by the media as ‘The Serbian Pop Alchemist’ for his songwriting style as well as his live performances, channeling modern mysticism through a uniquely distinctive sound. On ‘Amsterdam’, Luke says:
“It’s a coping mechanism, an escape from the real world into the smoke and mirrors of the beautiful city.”
Influenced by the likes of Frank Ocean, Brockhampton, D’Angelo, Kelis and Justin Timberlake, Phoenix-based Irish singer and producer Pop Wallace has created one of my favourite alt-RnB tracks this week.
A stripped-down and mellow affair, ‘Out Sick’ is a finessed and sleek sound that deals with self-sabotage, excess, and self-worth.
The brainchild of Liverpool-based artist Kate Hazeldine, NIIX is a musical project that perfectly blends hyperpop with deconstructed club sounds. The result is a style of song that is distinctly unique and intriguing, yet easy to connect with.
“Dance music for introverts. A floaty garage number exploring unrequited love beneath strobe lights and on cold nights.”
Taken from the EP ‘I’ which is out now.
Born and raised in Brighton, British alt-rock artist Edward Sansom is a singer, songwriter and producer who’s approach to music-making promises sounds that are electrifyingly energising and packed with intensity.
“The song reflects my feelings of isolation in a digital world. It acts as a circuit breaker to all the noise.”
Kicking off the weekend with a hugely promising Irish talent, Black Pope has a uniquely distinctive style of alt-rock that is immediately arresting. ‘Demon Stomp’ is a nostalgia-tinged sound that feels raw, dark and sinister – all the while still carrying a playful twist.
“I guess the song is about not belonging anywhere, and the emotional chaos that can cause,. We all find a balance of how much we’re willing to go along with other people’s expectations, but without a strong sense of self, it can be easy to get lost.”
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Music for Girls Vol. I’ which is out soon.
One of the most exciting discoveries that I have recently come across, Cathy Jain is a 17-year old talent who was born in Salford and raised in China and Australia before returning to the UK.
With instantly recognisable vocals that flow over a wonderfully airy production, Jain’s approach to pop is refreshingly simple and totally endearing.
A stripped-back yet hugely catchy mix of lo-fi pop and indie from a new Norwegian talent.
Some of the most promising indie-rock to emerge from the UK lately, Jamie Button’s approach to the genre is unashamedly bold and impactful.
With previous singles ‘Flashbang’ and ‘Told You Things’ peaking at No. 3 and No.2 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts, it’s only a matter of time before this talent becomes a big name.
“‘Strange Saints’ was written in lockdown and speaks of frustration, inner turmoil and a desire to break free.”
Still only 21-years old, you may already recognise Dutch newcomer RANI’s voice from her feature on Sam Feldt’s worldwide hit ‘Post Malone’.
‘Sugar Rush’ is a perfect slice of pop; this is a fun, sweet and wildly catchy sound that will likely stick with you all day.
Brooklyn-based SaintAhmad is not only a rapper, singer and songwriter but also a dancer. His sound blends classic RnB with nostalgic and soulful tones to create a something that is mesmerising, charming and totally loveable.
Performing a beautiful ode to a true LGBTQ+ trailblazer, Sammy Copley is a 20-year old Dublin-based singer and songwriter who’s style of folk-inflected ballads are stunningly emotive and soothing.
“‘Marsha,’ named after icon Marsha P. Johnson, is a song that explores the tumultuous mixture of anger and gratitude that comes from honouring the legacy of the trans women of colour that paved the way for LGBTQ+ rights without ever being afforded them themselves. It captures the feeling of bittersweet gratitude for the work and life of Marsha P.”
A new emerging Australian talent, Halfsesh is a singer, songwriter and producer from the Gold Coast.
Combining dark and broody pop tones with hints of hip hop, this is a sound that lures you in through it’s intrigue, and keeps you hooked and wanting so much more.
“This was one of those songs that I sat down to write and (not to be cheesy) it really did write itself. It’s rare that that happens for me but I had a lot of emotion during the writing period of this track which really helped it all come together I think.”
Still only 18-years old, a kid named rufus is a Malaysian artist who creates a kind of pop that feels relatable and charming. With simple melodies and memorable lyricism, this is music that instantly brightens your day.
“The song reminds all of us that things get better eventually, no matter the circumstance.”
Taken from the upcoming debut EP ‘graduation’ which is out soon.
Working with the iconic Method Records (Sam Smith, slowthai), West London artist WORRYWORRY is bracing himself to become one of the UK’s next big names.
Co-written by Alfitude favourite Matt Maltese, ‘Miserable’ is a powerful and melancholic piece of music that shows how pop can sometimes be incredibly emotive in the purest of ways.
“Not many of my songs make me wanna cry when I listen to them, but this is one of them. Matt Maltese adds his emotional flair into the songwriting mixture. I’ve always been able to connect with his lyrics and melodies on a deeply emotional level and so it was an honour to have him be a part of this one. We both write sad songs; put us together and you get Miserable.”
A powerfully raw and distinctive vocal performance from new Canadian talent Ricci Paolo. ‘On the Run’ is a beautifully intense piece that blends dark pop with alt-RnB and indie to form a sound that is impactful and emotive in equal measures.
Track of the week. Best played exceptionally loud, ‘wake up!’ is a hugely exciting release from CHUALA, a left-field experimental artist who instills powerful lyricism into electronic sounds that immediately captivate and entrance you.
This track encourages the listener to share awareness over their hectic schedules by processing mental health, and indicating the importance of living in the moment.
“While ‘wake up!’ is also a kind of turn up song, it’s mostly a criticism to this idea, that all that matters is how much money you make, even if it means you never have time for anything else. a lot of us have totally submitted to a workaholic lifestyle and we wanna ‘out-busy’ each other. I felt very cynical when writing this song and chose the repetition in the lyrics to showcase the repetitive routines many people follow until they die.”
Already on his way to becoming a sensation in his home nation of Israel, Or Barak is a rapper, singer, producer and actor who’s approach of blending alt-RnB with hip hop is an emotive and finessed experience to listen to.
“The song tells a bit about the feeling after a breakup. Feeling like you somehow addicted to the person you lived, had the craziest moments and craziest experiences together. Getting lost , but also finding the benefits of it. Now I can make better music cause feelings are involved, Now I’m free to focus on myself, make my own mistakes and rise from them again.”
Taken from the album ‘AVANT-GARDE (DELUXE) which is out now.
A beautifully delicate and fragile pop sound from an artist who’s still very new, yet is already causing quite the stir amongst tastemakers globally.
Watch out for this kid – it won’t be long before the rest of the world picks up on her marvellous talent.
