Vancouver group Ludic are back today with another refreshing slice of eccentric (yet thought-provoking) alt-pop. Playful new single ‘Instabeat’ touches on the band’s personal feelings and experiences with success, and how it’s pursuit can consume us.
On the song, the acclaimed trio consider whether we really need attention to validate our efforts – and does that notion of success even matter?
“I think we wanted listeners to question their own ideas around success and what it means to them personally. That maybe we focus on statistics a bit too much where there is more meaning in other things.” – Max Cunningham, Ludic
The immensely talented artist known as Enjune returns today, after spending the last two years cultivating a new brand of alternative music under the alias Jakke.
“I realised it was important for me to identify the core musical identity I had become since I started making music legitimately. Enjune will always be a vehicle I release certain records under, but Jakke is the driver of it all. When I work on projects of my own or with others, that’ll always be the name you see.”
New single ‘Waves’ was written in response to identifying and breaking the unhealthy patterns that we develop in our lives.
Jozem unveils his powerfully moving new single ‘Youth’ today, with a video that was shot in his hometown of Kenya. This Toronto-based artist (via Kenya and Rwanda) experiments with various musical elements, to create a unique sound that is melded with allusive and personal lyrics.
‘Youth’ features lo-fi, alternative R&B vibes with threads of neo-soul, and is all about walking in one’s own truth – a celebration of being different.
“I have felt like an outsider my entire life, whether it was because of my introversion, being a refugee/ foreign, at times because of my blackness or my queerness or any combination thereof. Along the way, I’ve met kindred spirits that live unapologetically, showing you that it is ok to be who you are without compromise and to be proud of the things that make you different.”
“When I wrote ‘Youth’ I immediately knew that I wanted to have the visuals shot in Kenya where I grew up. On a trip back to Nairobi, long before the song fully came together, I met with the director, Mbithi Masya and told him about the song and my dream and eventually sent him a rough demo I had been working on. Fast forward to earlier this year, he sent me a film by Maceo Frost of some Kenyan children who were attending a ballet school in the middle of the slum in Kibera, minutes away from where I grew up in Nairobi. These kids were learning a completely foreign art form in an environment that did not encourage or facilitate it to say the least, but watching them persevere and make the best out of their circumstance literally brought me to tears. It resonated strongly with me, that feeling of being different but learning to march in my own truth. I immediately knew that I wanted to have some of the dancers from the school featured in the video.”
Portland-based singer/ songwriter Haley Johnsen makes a triumphant return today with her new single ‘Higher’.
This empowering and uplifting release thoughtfully blends elements of indie with pop, creating a sound that is dreamy yet energising in equal measures.
On the track, Johnsen says that it is “about not giving up on yourself. It’s that feeling of knowing that no matter what, you’re going to continue growing, continue dreaming, and that in itself is the greatest high. Knowing that you’ve built that trust within yourself to keep going even when life has worn you down.”
If you’re a fan of Nick Mulvey or Bon Iver then you may well love Dekker. This American indie-folk artist first achieved major success with his debut album, ‘Slow Reveal: Chapter One’ – which was consequently streamed more than 15 million times while also garnering significant airplay on radio stations across the world.
Ahead of the release of his sophomore album ‘I Won’t Be Your Foe’, Dekker returns with new single ‘Let’s Pretend’, of which he says:
“I wrote this song during the one of the covid lockdowns we had in England. I was trying to write songs that could inspire my daughter to dance. She is seven and not easily impressed by her father’s folk songs. Besides, we didn’t need melancholy around the Dekker house in those days. We needed dance and we needed joy. Since then, we’ve wore holes in the kitchen floor dancing to this one. It’s fun, I hope you like it.”
Dekker has already seen support from the likes of BBC Radio 2, as well as being featured on Spotify’s Chill Folk, Infinite Indie Folk and Van Life playlists to name a few.
‘I Won’t Be Your Foe’ is out on 20th May 2022 via Useful Fictions/ Wagram Music.
Andrea Magee is a singer songwriter from Belfast currently residing in Texas. With her rich vocals and a heartfelt approach to music-making, this talent creates songs that feel sincere, captivating and genuine in tone.
Cinematic yet ambient in its sound, vulnerable new single ‘Belfast Girl’ invites listeners into Magee’s life thus far – sharing her departure from her childhood home in Ireland in search of something more.
One of the catchiest R&B-pop bops of the week comes courtesy of LA-based songstress Brenzy. New single ‘brunch’ is true to its name, as it delves into the artist’s ideal brunch scenario.
As she fantasises about bottomless mimosas and extravagant views, the track’s sleek sound (produced alongside Jesse Barrera and Patrick Hizon) uses its bright energy and infectious melodies to perfectly encapsulate the feeling of all Brenzy wants – to go to brunch!
A beautiful and soulful blend of acoustic-pop and folk from Belgian artist Yves Paquet.
With it’s anthemic chorus, ‘A Southern Tale’ feels quite timeless in its sound, and is certain to win this promising artist a whole new legion of fans.
“I’ve always been fascinated by old legends, fairytales and fables. After Rolling Stone magazine labeled my song ’25-28′last year as folk, I’ve started writing songs with a fresh folk sound.”
Berlin-based synth-pop outfit Sweet Tempest construct sounds that make an immediate impact – both sonically and lyrically.
The band carry an interesting ethos, in that they hope for people to dance to their songs, while also learning about the duo’s stance on inequality and prejudice through the lyrics.
Their hard-hitting new single ‘White Country’, for example, was created as a way to express the their outlook on the current racial climate in their home nation, Denmark.
Alternative LA rockers Animal Sun collaborate with Dreamers singer Nick Wold on infectious and anthemic new single ‘I’m Already Dead’.
Produced by Kenny Carkeet (formerly of AWOLNATION), the track serves as a taster to the group’s sophomore album ‘GENERATION WAITING’, which is out this summer.
Hailing from Austria is promising newcomer Yajin. Experimental new single ‘Sanity’ is the first to be taken from his upcoming album, which is inspired by themes of childhood.
The song also features singer and songwriter MINOVA from Dubai, who gives insight into her emotional struggles of feeling lost yet watched at the same time.
Emerging from LA is young artist Sweeney. With a considered and thoughtful approach to music-making that expertly blends elements of indie with electronica and hyperpop, this talent is creating sounds that are refreshingly unique in tone.
‘You’re Not In Love’ depicts the feeling of discovering that someone you have fallen in love with doesn’t feel the same towards you.
Sweeney copes throughout the song, as he struggles to let go of his love interest whilst also accepting the inevitable truth of the situation.
Rising Canadian R&B duo Flõstate construct a sound that feels almost ethereal in tone. Inspired by the likes of Beach House, Galimatias, Tame Impala, Jimi Hendrix, Lana Del Rey, Bon Iver, Enya, Jeff Buckley and Pink Floyd, this outfit craft songs that fuse elements of mellow electronica with dreamy R&B and psychedelic pop.
New single ‘One More Day In Love‘ is a synth-heavy, fluid and nostalgic piece centred on gaining clarity in solitude.
“Alone, with only your memories and regrets, vivid in the night. It can be painful when we finally gain clarity on something from within our memory. It’s so clear, the memory of the feeling, and now too, the understanding of what it meant. It lies plainly in front of us, what it could have meant for our present if we had known. It’s so visceral it opens a door flooding in with fantasies; regrets that paralyse you, eyes wide open in the dark.”
Montreal-based artist JoJo Worthington returns today with a beautifully emotive slice of indie through new single ‘The Divide’.
The song begins in an almost fragile and vulnerable state, before building up to an almighty powerful conclusion. It further demonstrates Worthington’s skill for penning songs that carry thought-provoking lyricism within spectacular sonic landscapes.
“The space between opposite opinions can seem so huge. I think we’ve really thrown it out of proportion. We should still be able to converse, respect and ultimately agree to disagree when it comes to most topics. It just felt like the news and social media just wanted to continue driving this huge divide between political identities.
“You know in movies when there’s an earthquake and the earth splits open and it separates the protagonist and the love interest and then sometimes you see people fall in the gap? It’s kinda about the people in the gap and trying to find a home there.”
Oh Bummer! is the musical project of Seattle-born and Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Tanner Houghton.
In collaboration with acclaimed producer The KickDrums (50 Cent, Kid Cudi, Freddie Gibbs), Oh Bummer! displays themes of vulnerability and humility in his music, as can be heard on the nostalgia-tinged soulful new single ‘Going Out of My Mind‘.
“Going Out of My Mind” is the closest thing I made to a ‘quarantine anthem’ during the first few months of the pandemic. The irony is that even before the stay-home mandate, crippling anxiety kept me home anyway. Here’s to everyone who felt stagnant, lonely, and like they were missing out the last couple of years. And here’s to making up for lost time! *clink* This is the second song my producer, The KickDrums, and I ever did together. The original beat I made for ‘Going Out of My Mind’ was acoustic guitar driven, so I was pleasantly surprised when The KickDrums sent back this beautiful sample-based beat.
Acclaimed folk-pop songwriter, singer and producer Jeni Schapire returns today with her stunning new release ‘The Bench’.
Exquisite lo-fi beats and hazy atmospherics set the tone for this sobering track, which details a trauma through the beauty of art.
“It has been five years since I was sexually assaulted, yet until I wrote this song, I didn’t know how to write about it. I didn’t even know how to talk about it. The room has a way of getting awfully quiet once you bring something like that up. And victimhood was just suddenly thrust upon me, which felt uncomfortable and burdensome. I wanted to go back to being the person I was before but I couldn’t. I kept having these flashes of memories surrounding it, so I decided that was all I needed to put down on paper. I wish I could say it was like a release, but it wasn’t. What happened, how it happened, I had recounted so many times. Still I felt like my own memory betrayed me. I had overreacted, I was to blame. I was ashamed. This song is a foggy memory. Nothing explicit, just an impression. I hope that people can just listen to it and enjoy it because, ultimately, it’s about the worst imaginable thing happening and coming out the other side alive. Not okay, but okay.”
Emerging from Tampa Bay are production & rap duo They Hate Change. With early support from the likes of Fader, Pigeons & Planes and Rolling Stone, this outfit are already picking up significant momentum thanks to their bold take on the rap genre.
‘Blatant Localism’ spotlights the pair’s verbal teamwork, as they trade lines taking aim at style-deficient hypebeast rappers over a pixelated beat, landing on something like turn-of-the-millennium IDM.
“As the cycle of rap cliches continues, we remain levelheaded. Rather than flexing rented cars and rented jewellery, we’re talking vintage cameras and how we came up selling tapes at DIY shows. Few minor flexes about designer dogs and staple name brand pieces, but it’s a break from the gimmicks and a PSA for those who continue to live a façade; we’re asking for everyone to show what’s really behind the curtain. Blatant Localism is our Skate Punk Jam.”
Already garnering over 300k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Philadelphia-based Kevin Walkman is an emerging queer, indie-pop & rock artist who’s approach to music includes refreshingly honest lyricism alongside energising and anthemic productions.
New single ‘Burnt Out!’ features dirty drums and passionately anxious vocals, as Walkman sings about the music industry, his love life, and how he finds that everything he’s juggling has him burnt out.
French singer-songwriter Léonie Barbot shares her beautifully melodic and intimate new single ‘Summer’.
Featuring Léonie’s effortlessly airy vocals alongside her own violin arrangements, the song marks the first time that the artist has felt confident enough to show off every facet of her artistry on a piece of music.
“‘Summer’ tells the story of a romance that’s slowly fading with the changing seasons, winter brings cold feelings and longing for the warmth of love and Summer again.”
