Brighton-based alt-pop outfit PELA (Hannah Coombes and Olly Shelton) are back today with new single ‘Heavy’, alongside the announcement of their debut EP ‘Little Ceremonies’.
Speaking on the conceptual identity of ‘Little Ceremonies’, the rising duo say that it is all about – “how making everyday acts ceremonial and precious can be a way to find joy, peace and solace from anxiety and pain.”
Debut EP ‘Little Ceremonies’ is out on the 15th June 2022, with a launch show at Brighton’s Komedia Studio on 16th June.
Breakout artist Tai Verdes returns with a catchy bop in the shape of new single ‘3 outfits’. After initially teasing the song on social media back in January, the track immediately went viral and amassed millions of views across TikTok.
“The song ‘3 outfits’ was really the most transparent way to express how I was feeling throughout different times in my relationship. This song is my reflection of that, building to the grander theme of the album which is about the good and the bad parts of connecting with someone.”
Taken from the forthcoming sophomore album ‘HDTV’ – which is due out later this year.
Rising Swedish outfit Teddy Failure return with another supreme slice of indie-pop. Lyrically, ‘Be My Guest’ reflects the duo’s philosophical attitude towards life, as it explores the idea of a romance that’s easy come, easy go.
While the song initially comes across as a simple acoustic ballad, the duo also add an element of surprise as they suddenly veer off-road, with a jittery trap beat and a meandering guitar line:
“It was weird, because we added that trap beat, and then we couldn’t listen to it without laughing – we thought it was so goofy.” – Teo, Teddy Failure
As the name suggests, Irish indie-rock outfit modernlove. explore the complexities of the modern lives of twenty-somethings.
Today marks the release of the group’s new single, ‘Don’t Wanna’. The track sees the band focus on a more romantically-charged side to their sound, marking the song as one of their most heartfelt releases to date.
“‘Don’t Wanna’ is a song about desire. We’ve all had that weird feeling at some point where you can’t decide whether you might be kinda into one of your close mates… It touches on the difficulty of navigating friendships and relationships as a young person when such passionate feelings and sex are involved. We wanted to capture that excitement in the sonics as well, it’s definitely one of our poppiest tunes but still got that rocky edge to it.”
London trio headboy are by far one of the most exciting indie-rock outfits that I have come across so far this year.
Rapidly garnering a reputation for their energetic shows across the city post-lockdown, this group deliver a sound that feels organic, raw and refreshingly individualistic.
New single ‘Alligator’ is an apathetic take on “regret and the frustration of not being able to hold onto a feeling beyond the moment you feel it in.” – Mars West, headboy
American singer, songwriter, producer, actor and dancer Grant Knoche returns with a sensational slice of pop in the form of new single ‘MR. INDEPENDENT’.
Knoche performs the track live on NBC’s American Song Contest today (4th April), as he represents his home state of Texas:
“I’ve been told no and rejected so many times throughout my career and I got to the point where I learned that I can’t rely on or wait for anyone else to help make my dreams come true. I have to be strong, independent, confident, and make everything I want to happen, happen! Texas is such a strong and independent state and I feel like this song represents it in such a powerful way!”
It’s been a very (very!) long time since the UK unveiled a girl group as finessed as FLO.
Inspired by the likes of Mary J Blige, Aaliyah, Brandy, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey through to H.E.R, Frank Ocean and SZA, this London-based trio seamlessly blend the classic with modern, creating sounds are unique and refreshing yet relatable.
Featuring production from the iconic MNEK, debut single ‘Cardboard Box’ fuses early ’00s R&B with the pop sensibilities, creating a track that is impossible not to feel a connection with.
Track of the week. Nigerian American, Los Angeles-based songstress Ogi has created one of the most stunning releases of the year with her new single ‘Envy’.
Punchy lyrics glide over a production that seamlessly blends elements of indie and alt-R&B, all-together making for a song that is nothing short of perfection.
“I think of ‘Envy’ to be like a personal love letter to haters in my life. I’m basically telling them that it’s not my fault that you want what I have, don’t be mad at me. I was channeling the same energy Nicki Minaj had when she said, ‘It’s me, I win, you lose!’ on ‘Itty Bitty Piggy.’ I can be a little petty at times and this song gives a little glimpse of that side of me.”
If there’s one song this week that will make you pine for the dance floor, it will be ‘Brooklyn Ballers’ by emerging multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist Jitwam.
Expertly constructed, the song serves as an unorthodox compilation of alternative cuts that reverberate a space evocative of Detroit house and dance-influenced basslines.
Spending his time across the cities of New York, London and Sydney, Jitwam crafts music that flirts between an array of genres – from classic disco through to house, jazz and soul.
“’Brooklyn Ballers’ is a homage to the city in all its hustle and bustle. The magic in the air, that can make dreams come true and can turn your fears into your worst nightmares.”
Hailing from America’s West Coast is rising singer, songwriter and producer Ann Oso.
In her music you can find the dichotomy of heartbreak and healing, isolation and inner strength, and empowerment out of the darkness surrounding us.
These are songs that are not only sleek and melodic in tone, but heartfelt and refreshingly sincere.
With beats crafted by LA-based beatmaker Chris “Big Duke” Malloy, new single ‘LOYALTY (STAND BY YOU)‘ is a smooth and emotional track that showcases this talent’s incredibly unique vocals. Oso describes the song as:
“..essentially, an ode for the affirmation of faithfulness toward each other but also the implications of that dignity for the individual self.”
Vienna-based multi-instrumentalist & producer Joe Traxler teams up with the equally talented Lukas Oscar on new single ‘Braindead’.
Through an intelligent and thoughtful mix of modern production, live instruments and psychedelic vocal effects, the song details the internal struggles of existing in a society that’s rooted in productivity.
“I do music for the love of it and curiosity to delve deeper into all different aspects of it. I would like to use my privilege of doing music for a living to inspire people and to make them feel something. I personally feel most inspired by artists who don’t follow any recipes for commercial success but pursue their unique creative journey.” – Joe Traxler
Forthcoming debut LP ‘Lifelines’ is set to be released on the 13th of May 2022.
I’m so excited to introduce to you today one of the most exciting new Irish finds that I have come across this year.
NEVE understands how to make high-calibre pop, crafting sounds that are polished and current while still maintaining a subtle essence of nostalgia. Meanwhile, thoughtful lyricism details life issues from a Gen Z perspective.
“This song was written after a number of conversations with my sisters, and friends where we fell into talking about trust issues etc, and how our trust issues in 2022 don’t even just come from past relationships, but from our friends, from stories on the internet, from how many options everyone has at their fingertips through social media and how many people we all connect with everyday. It’s a vulnerable, honest song that seems quite controversial I think but at the same time Is just quite raw, and brave to admit that actually sometimes we project insecurities from what we have seen others do on to people who haven’t done anything at all yet. The crazy thing about this song is that I wrote it with two men, who were all ears and very accepting of the concept when I came to the session with the chorus lyric haha.”
Hailing from California, Jack Xander is a multi instrumentalist and seasoned songwriter.
Thanks to an ear for unpredictably catchy music and the fruits of a life of DIY recording, there’s something immediately welcoming about the energy that this talent creates.
Stylistically drawing influences from the likes of Adam Green, The Bee Gees and Kenny Mason, Xander’s new single ‘Doin Fine’ is a fresh take on disco-indie rock that was conceived at Nightbird Studios in Hollywood.
Rising UK newcomer Stresshead constructs a style of pop that feels both complex and captivating. This artist creates refreshingly original sounds that toe the line between textural electronica, anxiety-infused indie and earworm pop.
‘I Need U’ is a shimmering slice of introspective electro-pop, and the first of several genre-defying pandemic demos taking a lens to the major conflict of the digital age – squaring the endless possibility of the social media landscape with the crushing loneliness of a life lived online.
Hailing from Cheddar in the UK is aspiring singer-songwriter Jo Hill. If there’s one song to listen to today that has the potential to transport your mind to a totally different world, ‘HONEYMOON’ will be it.
The first thought that crosses your mind when you press play to the song is just how summery and hazy it feels. It’s mesmerising and dreamy in tone, with vocals that glide smoothly over a beautiful melody.
“The song is all about that period in a relationship where you’re doing all these lovely things together (breakfast in bed, buying flowers for one another, lie ins, shower sex) BUT you don’t want to put a label on it… This is what I like to call the ‘honeymoon’ phase. Just like spring, the ‘honeymoon’ phase doesn’t last long but is intensely hopeful, beautiful and a time which people look back on with great nostalgia.”
Another week comes by and sure enough, we have another outstanding British indie-rock track to introduce. This time it’s from Low Lying Sun, who have been aptly described as ‘the band for the wedding and the wake’.
With early support from the likes of BBC Introducing, CLASH and Record of the Day, this Essex-based group elegantly blend indie melancholy with a raucous, anthemic rock energy. On the visuals for their new single ‘Car Crash’, they say:
“For the ‘Car Crash’ video we tried to play with the idea of impending tragedy. The characters in the video exist in some kind of purgatory, still embracing whilst accompanied by the frantic imagery of the band. We wanted to create a sense of confusion, feeding the viewer snippets of the story to build anticipation, much like the song itself.”
The band play London’s The Lexington on 14th April as part of the Communion New Music Night.
With support from the likes of Atwood Magazine and Pancakes and Whiskey, Brooklyn-based duo Almost Sex could well be the new masters of indie-folk soon. This outfit has been steadily gaining momentum thanks to their highly unique approach to the genre.
These are songs that harmoniously fuse electronic and organic tones together, resulting in pieces of music that are impossible not to feel some kind of affinity for.
Debut EP ‘We’re Okay’ includes a collection of songs that feature eclectic and heady blends of indie-folk and hazy lo-fi pop, along with subtle hints of alt-rock and Americana.
“The process of writing and recording this EP involved us stripping things back a bit to consolidate the core elements that made up our sound. Our drummer had been away for work for most of the year, so we began performing shows with an analog drum machine from 1979. We decided to take it into the studio with us and it ended up becoming the principal instrument featured on most of these tracks. Much of the lyrical content of the project centers around themes of getting older in an increasingly frightening and hyper-commodified world.”
New York talent Haley Gold returns today with a gutsy fusion of disco and electronic pop in the form of her new single ‘Laughing In My Sleep’.
Deliciously dark yet danceable, the track continues to showcase Gold’s musical prowess, and is certain to garner this artist a whole new legion of fans.
“Can we all just forget about our ex’s and dance?”
