Track of the week. Emerging from the UK comes newcomer Dré Six. With a sound that seamlessly blends elements of mellow and alternative pop with R&B, this artist is creating a sound that is refreshingly original yet incredibly easy to connect with.
Hawaiian-born, Long Beach-based songwriter Lionel Boy announces his return with the upcoming release of not one but two new EP’s this year.
Along with the news comes the release of dreamy new single ‘SHADOWBOXING’, of which he says:
“I’ve been trying to write a song like ‘SHADOWBOXING’ for a long time. Something that would feel both nostalgic to me and new at the same time. When I first started playing music it was always the guitar riffs that grabbed my attention and I think the same happened with SHADOWBOXING. Growing up in Hawaii, you automatically take things slower. No rush, no worries… until you piss someone off, then they’ll go 0 to 100. We’re both quick to relax and quick to rush in. This song isn’t about one thing in particular, but some observations I’ve made in myself and in those back home. I know a lot of us are just dealing with our own things, fighting our own demons… shadowboxing.”
‘Up at 4’ is out April 29th and ‘Down at 8’ is out June 17th 2022.
Undeniably one of the most exciting rap artists to emerge from the UK of late, Xadi returns with the sensational ‘Evidence’.
The track showcases a flawless and emotive production that compliments Xadi’s honest and bold lyricism – further solidifying this talent as one to watch.
Sam Gellaitry marks his return with latest single, ‘New Wave’. Containing hints of pop, the track perfectly balances a modern electronic sound with elements of nostalgia.
Featuring Gellaitry’s own vocals, the song further showcases the consistent and impressive evolution of this Scottish artist’s work.
One of my favourite talents to emerge from Finland recently has been Louie Blue. This artist has been releasing sleek fusions of RnB, alt-pop and indie consistently for some time now, despite still being only 20-years old.
Today he unveils his debut LP ‘Division 8’, and with it the new single ‘Call You Up’. The track delivers an R&B sound that is inspired by the musical aesthetics of the early 2000’s, with the artist himself describing it as an “organic, straight forward, old-school R&B song.” On the LP, Louie Blue says:
“I don’t want to pretend that the album is a calculated or a strategically planned collection of songs in specific order. This album sounds like the journey I’ve traveled inside my head in the last two years making this. A lot of songs were left out, but the 15 tracks that I kept on the album are perfect to describe me as an artist right now.”
‘Division 8’ is out now| Louie Blue
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Sometimes you press play on a song and it immediately blows you away. I can safely say that is the case with ‘Ghosts’.
Crafted by Glaswegian singer-songwriter Murdo Mitchell, this track is not only intensely moving, but creates a sonic atmosphere that is nothing short of stunning – building to an ever-increasing intensity the longer you listen.
“I wrote ‘Ghosts’ during lockdown, when you weren’t able to go out of your house, and at the start you were stacking the cupboards like you were preparing for a zombie apocalypse, but there was an element of madness-but-also-almost-fun in the air, then further down the line you were tearing your hair out wanting to get out and away from all the feelings you didn’t know you’d had that were buried deep. It was around the tearing-my-hair-out phase that I wrote Ghosts.
Ghosts is about the vulnerability you open yourself up to in a relationship and the trust that both parties must have in order for it to function. But more especially, it’s probably more to the point of what happens when that trust breaks down.”
International trio GIVVEN have released their audiovisual EP ‘Losing Colours‘ today, and with it the unveiling of new single ‘Doubts’.
The melancholic and reflective song introduces a rhythmic bassline that intermittently makes itself at home in your mind, riding the gentle storm of disquietude and thought-provoking lyrics.
“‘Doubts’ immediately grabs your ear, opening with very close and floaty falsetto vocals. Tapping into electronic roots, ‘Doubts’ starts with a gentle verse and chorus before dipping, then diving into a deeply effected vocal chop and bass-led drop. Constantly moving in different directions, ‘Doubts’ mirrors the chaos of an inner voice that’s constantly trying to lead you astray. The music video for ‘Doubts’ is a smokey, magma-infused art piece showcasing a dancer battling with her inner demons amidst an active volcano and dark, steaming lava fields looming ominously in the background of every shot.”
‘Doubts’ is taken from the ‘Losing Colours’ EP, which is out now.
Future global household name Claudia Valentina is back today with her outstanding new release, ‘Extra Agenda’.
The song explores the relationships, situations, and experiences that the majority of young women encounter. As life’s journey unravels, complications inevitably occur, and on her new single, Valentina recognises her pattern of going from one complex relationship or circumstance to the next.
“‘Extra Agenda’ for me such a high energy moment. The song is basically about flipping the script and letting me as a girl have no shame in my game of not wanting any strings attached when I wanna have fun. It embraces love in every way and it doesn’t have to be that deep sometimes. It’s got a kinda weekend vibe to it and the baseline gets me every time.”
One of Lithuania’s most exciting prospects may also be one of its youngest. At only 16-years old, Lucid Kidd is already primed to become one of Gen Z’s newest rising stars.
Through his interesting blend of lo-fi pop and emo hip hop, this multi-talented artist is ready to conquer the world with his unique – and highly enjoyable – brand of music.
“Even though I’m young, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to see the world, see different cultures. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Africa, Asia, America, and lots of other places. It’s been incredible, and it has opened my eyes to how big, mysterious and exciting the world is.”
With a refreshingly raw and honest take on alt-pop, Nashville-based singer and songwriter Kev Kelly delivers a sound that is immediately captivating to any discerning listener.
Punchy, mildly explicit and undeniably catchy, his latest release ‘Royal Blue’ is anthemic in character and wildly enthralling.
“There was a bar in Nashville called Crazy Town. It was the worst best bar on Broadway. If you had people visiting or it was your friend’s birthday, you went to Crazy Town. And when the DJ played a song that everyone knew, the whole place would erupt. I would like to think if ‘Royal Blue’ came on at Crazy Town in 2018 the whole place would go f*ckin’ nuts.”
Since landing Top 5 on the 2020 edition of American Idol, LA-based pop singer-songwriter and producer Francisco Martin has been steadily building a significant legion of loyal fans. Ahead of his upcoming EP ‘Manic’, Martin returns today with a new single.
‘Nobody Listens To Me!’ is an exhilarating slice of electro-pop, complete with angry and angular guitars, pounding beats, and get-it-off-your-chest songwriting.
“It’s easy to feel like what you do doesn’t matter and people don’t take you seriously, but making this song helped me get out of a bad headspace. I hope when people hear it, it does the same for them.”
London-born musician and songwriter Al Costelloe has been playing in bands since the age of just twelve. At seventeen she was signed to iconic label Mute as one half of Big Deal, going on to release three albums and amass over ten million streams.
Now Costelloe is creating music as a soloist, and what you’ll experience when you press play on ‘California’ is a perfected fusion of dreamy pop and indie that is sure to make you fall in love with this hugely promising artist.
The song deals with saying goodbye to a problematic relationship, and the places that were meaningful to it. Recorded in London, the song captures the melancholia of a difficult breakup alongside the sunshine-tinged feeling of Southern California.
Acclaimed duo HËXĖ are back with a nostalgic and candied slice of electronic bliss through new single ‘Crush’.
Merging their unique joint talents in production and songwriting, the song fuses soft melting vocals over a colourful and energising production.
Since debuting in 2017, HËXĖ have received support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Capital Dance and Kiss Dance, while their single ‘Call Me’ picked up recognition from influential tastemakers including Hilly Dilly, Going Solo and PressPlayOk.
Hailing from Rochester in New York, Kaylin Cervini creates pop music that carries subtly dark undertones.
Melodic new single ‘Like A Girl’ is a refreshingly honest piece of music that looks into the feelings one can encompass when experiencing a kind of love previously unknown to them.
“During a life changing moment in my life, I wrote this song. I never knew I could have feelings for a girl, and the realisation I could was scary. The release of this song will be me telling my friends, family, & the world that I have been dating a girl. We kept the production very organic and emotional. The choir at the end are all LGBTQ singers. This is not just a song release but my coming out.”
While in lockdown, American outfit MARBLE accelerated their creative work – with the duo having to learn a lot of techniques to finish the songs to their upcoming LP.
Today sees these two gifted artists unveil their new single ‘red room’. Undoubtedly one of the most haunting and atmospheric pieces of indie-rock you will experience this week, the sound is both deeply moving and totally gripping.
“I wrote this song about an experience I had with someone very dear to me. This person told me that they had been thinking of ending their life. I remember sitting in a packed room and feeling like I was completely out of my body. For some reason, I was really aware of everything going on around me and all of my senses were heightened. The cold chills sliding through the door as people came into the room. The ever present chatter of countless conversations. I was caught off guard and filled with emotion to a point where it was difficult to speak and to tell them how much they mean to me. The sadness on their face at that moment has been burned into my mind ever since. I wrote about it so that I could work through these feelings and find ways to help this person and be someone they can confide in. I wrote about it for over a year and struggled to process it. It wasn’t until much later that this song emerged. I believe that ‘red room’ represents the difficulty and sadness of this experience. This is a song about hope and love just as much as it’s a song about depression and sadness. My hope is that anyone who hears this song is reminded of the people who are most important to them and how much they love them. Tell them.” – Matthew Blount, MARBLE
It’s safe to say that London-based American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer Ian Janco is a master of many arts.
Janco creates beautifully emotive and sincere blends of indie and folk, with new single ‘Something New’ showcasing this artist’s extraordinary talent.
Based on real life experience, the track is peppered with hazy memories of a past relationship in contrast to the new reality post-break-up; emphasising all the complexity of emotion that’s wrapped up in this transition.
“‘Something New’ was written shortly after a breakup in the first Lockdown. It captures the feeling of knowing that a relationship is coming to an end, but still having love for a person even though they’ve moved on. On one of the darker days of that time, it just poured out of me – an expression of sadness and longing but also a kind of optimism for what’s to come. I hope that some people resonate with it and helps them get through whatever they may be going through.”
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Rapture’, slated for release later this year.
Emerging US talent Tucker Nichol’s take on alternative R&B is truly outstanding. Dark yet fragile in tone, these songs contain remarkably honest lyricism that is carried through with a Nichol’s confident vocal delivery.
New single ‘Over The Edge’ covers difficult topics like abuse, and the way that past experiences became emotionally crippling for Nichol due to their unpredictable and unstable nature.
On the song, we observe Nichol wrestling with doubt about leaving such a difficult situation – but ultimately her immense amounts of courage and bravery are what allowed her to finally walk away.
Taken from the upcoming album ‘Too Close to Home’.
Accomplished producer, songwriter and artist Femke releases one of the most moving songs of the week with her new single ‘Helpless’.
“I had to write this song about the state of the world. It’s crazy how it can be all around you and feeling completely helpless.”
Femke is a Grammy winning, US-based Dutch artist who has achieved significant success and accolades in recent years – including winning the ASCAP Harold Adamson Award, running her own studio and working as a composer/ musician on projects like as ABC’s 10 Things I Hate About You and the Fired Up soundtrack.
Emerging from Norway comes 17-year old artist Ea Othilde. Inspired by the likes of Elliott Smith, PJ Harvey and early Bon Iver, this talent crafts a captivating indie sound that feels sincere, emotive and immensely captivating.
“‘I Couldn’t Be There’ is a little indie rock tune about all the things you want to do, all the places you want to go, everything and everyone that’s out of reach. It’s the sound of time slipping through your fingers, the soundtrack of roads leading nowhere.”
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British recording artist, producer and singer-songwriter Elliot James Mulhern is back today with the announcement of an upcoming LP and feature film.
Alongside the news comes the release of new single ‘I Know’, which was mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Christian Wright (LCD Soundsystem, Radiohead, Mumford and Sons, Coldplay, Swedish House Mafia).
To date, Mulhern has been heavily championed by the likes of Billboard, SoundCloud, AppleMusic, Spotify, Mahogany, DUMMY, CONTRAST, KCRW FM, KEXP FM and more.
‘INSUFFERABLE’ LP is out on 29th April 2022.
