London-based talent Arin is not only a singer but an established songwriter, creating a new kind of pop that feels sleek, mellow and finessed; all the while still carrying a sense of charm and playfulness.
Listening to ‘All I Want 2 See’ reminds you of that euphoric feeling of falling head-over-heels for someone.
A finessed blend of RnB and pop from rising UK artist AMBA. On ‘Butterflies’ we are treated to a strong bass line that lays the foundations for rhythmic vocals, delicate hints of harp and an infectiously memorable melody.
A richly intense pop-rock release from Icelandic talent GREYSKIES. This is a raw yet exhilarating sound that is both bold and deeply emotive in equal measures.
“‘Eyes’ is a song about that feeling when the emotions are overwhelming and you feel like you have no idea what to do to get out of that feeling. It talks about the fears and problems I sometimes have with coping.”
Some of the boldest rock that you’ll likely experience this weekend, Ora Violet is the brainchild of multi instrumentalist production duo Black Tiles and guitarist Nick Ferman.
This is a sound that takes the best elements of classic rock and applies a fresh and modern take over it, to create something that is uniquely captivating. So much so that their work has already been supported by the likes of Wonderland, Clash and EARMILK, and praised by The Strokes producer Gordon Raphael.
New single ‘Have You Met Me’ also features vocalist Jeet Mulkerj and Adam Liston on bass.
“Influenced by Grinderman, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Marmaduke Duke & Earnest Hemingway, the song was inspired by the realisation that the same way we go down, we come back up; gradually and then suddenly. The antihero protagonist has lived a life of unapologetic excessive in all ways and despite nearing the end, the statement is clear… I won’t go down.” – Ora Violet
Seamlessly fusing elements of both Western and Middle Eastern music into her sound, emerging British Arabic artist Hemes is rapidly gaining traction as a pop artist to watch out for in the UK.
New single ‘Breathe’ was written in the midst of the pandemic, and takes a refreshingly honest look into a daughter’s relationship with her mother.
“I wanted ‘Breathe’ to capture the feeling of needing that one person in your life who can relieve your anxieties, for me it’s my mum. I finished the song during the pandemic because it was the longest time that I had ever been away from her, through tough times I really wished that I could just drive to see her, and that’s how Breathe was born. I wanted the track to feel relatable, so that people can think of whoever makes them feel better, whether it’s a family member, a lover or a friend.”
Taken from the debut EP ‘Matters of the Mind’ (funded by the BBC Horizons Wales Launchpad and the Help Musicians Do it Differently schemes), out later this year.
An infectiously vibrant blast of nostalgia from LA-based Swedish American artist Freddy Hale.
An already versatile talent with years of experience fronting rock bands like Kerbera and Rosie the Rage, he is now delving into the pop world as a solo artist.
‘Past Life’ peeks through a looking glass into old memories – both good and bad, while bathing in a synth-scape setting of tomorrow.
Taken from the upcoming debut album, which is planned for release later this year.
It wouldn’t feel right to go by a whole week on Alfitude without featuring a Norwegian pop banger.
This time it’s the turn of PLENTY, who’s single ‘For Now’ is a dark and broody club number that serves as a day dream about wanting someone for a moment, but not forever.
Kone Mara are a Swedish outfit consisting of three creative souls with three different creative backgrounds who, by chance, found each other both musically and artistically.
The resulting sound is a luxuriously dreamy and rich fusion of psychedelic indie and pop. ‘The Ordinary Place’ is a transcendental type of song, giving it a sense of timelessness that feels ethereal yet also humbling.
“We met at a breakfast table, and in the early morning hours, a friendship arose. We shared secrets and wrote music inspired by our stories. Coffee, poems, dreams and wishes.”
FUR are a Brighton-based indie-pop outfit who display a ton of character and charm into every song they create.
Having already acquired a considerable fanbase over the last couple of years (their early single ‘If You Know That I’m Lonely’ is nearing 20 million views on YouTube alone), the group are now signed to Boy Pablo’s 777 Music, and ‘The Fine Line Of A Quiet Life’ marks as their debut with the label.
“”The Fine Line Of A Quiet Life” is a documentation of mixed messages you give yourself and take from others about where you feel you should be in your life, and where you’re at. It’s about self reflection and understanding. It’s about detaching yourself from situations you’ve already been in and know the outcome of. Much like growing up, you learn not to do certain things and slowly but surely you learn that there’s a ‘fine line’ of what lifestyle becomes acceptable the older you get and also what you can hack as an adult (that maybe doesn’t feel too much like one).The feeling of regret and ‘how could I be so blind’ that everyone has felt in relationships that really only comes out once it’s done is something that also goes hand in hand with a mutual respect for a collapsed relationship, and that there’s no undoing of things you’ve done – it’s best to just move on and suck it up.” – Murray, FUR
The band are also heading out on tour later this year across the UK.
A sound like none other that I have experienced all week, Arkuen is a London-based artist with a style of music making that is so rich in textures and styles that it transcends fitting into any one genre.
Mazey Haze is the moniker of 21 year old Amsterdam-based artist Nadine Appeldoorn. Today marks the release of her fantastic debut, ‘Sad Lonely Groove’.
A sleek yet dreamy indie-pop sound with an infectiously memorable melody, the song is an honest reflection on a moment in her life where time felt like it was standing still.
“The song is about me feeling the lowest and loneliest I’ve ever felt in my life. I hadn’t built lots of friend relationships yet and I forced myself to be alone with myself. It’s about missing the guy I thought I was in love with. It’s a stream of thoughts that were circling around in my head all the time. It was the first time that I realised I wasn’t able to be happy by myself and was very dependent in the past relationship. Suddenly I had to meet and get to know myself, something I had never done before. When I wrote this song I was still running away from it all.”
UK-based duo Ivy Eye create a kind of disco that is impossible not to enjoy. With hints of funk, pop and soul added for good measure, this is a sound that is universally loveable and wildly infectious.
A strikingly unique sound from London-based out Malady. This is a blend of genres that collectively form a style of music that is hard to define, yet refreshingly original and full of character.
A hugely exciting British indie-rock outfit, Pylons create a kind of sound that is not only melodically captivating, but also loaded with thought-provoking and introspective lyricism.
“I think the only way to keep up with the game of life is to stop keeping up entirely. We made ‘The Chase’ to spite the new world mediums and to remind everyone that you’ve got to be okay with just existing. The world has started to feel overly romanticised and skin deep to the point of being cosmetic, but living is a creative expression that this single pays homage to.” – Crosby Stewart, Pylons
Taken from the debut EP ‘Thanks For Coming’ which is out this autumn.
The video you’re watching has racked up over 370,000 views since it’s launch on the 21st May. And it’s easy to see why; this is rock that is bold, confident and impactful while still easy to listen to and connect with.
The Warning are a trio of sisters from Monterrey in Mexico, who over the past few years have created momentum within the rock scene through their independent releases and sold-out shows, all the while amassing more than 120 million YouTube views and 10 million streams on their previous catalogue.
A fantastically energetic blend of electro-pop and synth from Luna Morgenstern, an Amsterdam-based multi-disciplinarian who is a singer, songwriter, engineer and bedroom producer.
A magnificently powerful indie-pop sound from a relative newcomer, Drew Hersch has crafted a deeply moving piece of music in the form of ‘Home Again’.
Still a university student in Colorado, this artist has a tremendous ability of applying layers of emotion into song that is quite extraordinary to experience.
Domenic Haynes is a 21-year old RnB star in the making. His new song ‘Crazy’ is a luxuriously indulgent piece of music that is nothing short of spellbinding, taking the listener on an audible experience that will leave them wanting so much more!
If you’d blindly listened to this song, I am quite sure you’d struggle to pinpoint what year it was recorded in.
Truth is, this is a new release from Swedish duo Honey. who’s single ‘Summer Fling’ is practically doused in nostalgia and feel-good vibes.
