BOY SODA – BIG

Acclaimed Sydney-based artist, songwriter, producer and vocalist BOY SODA is back with a high-energy new single in the form of ‘BIG‘.

The song encapsulates the idea of learning to stay present while still remaining hyper-self-aware; that while things may seem small in the grand scheme of things, it does not render you insignificant.

“I wanted to zoom as far out from myself as possible so that I could reignite a sense of purpose as I also looked at myself closely in all the verses. I catch myself overthinking a lot, so this song is what those thoughts look like if I leave them uninterrupted. I love that the chorus shifts and lifts to an unexpected place because it allows the song to exist more universally. A hook like that, with fairly dense verses, just makes sense and I enjoy showing my range in that way.”

BOY SODA

New Music: [ K S R ]

Track of the week. Emerging from the musical powerhouse that is Manchester is soul wonder-kid [ K S R ]. Words really can’t express how deeply impressed I am with this new talent.

This artist creates music that is stunningly finessed, beautifully melodic and timeless in concept.

Taken from the new EP ‘Peace + Harmony’ which is out now.

[ K S R ]

strongboi – fool around

Photo / Daklis

Long time friends and bandmates Ziv & Alice, also known as strongboi are back with the charmingly playful ‘fool around’.

Sprinkled with an essence of dreamy nostalgia, the song was recorded at the La Pot studio they built together in East Berlin, and serves as a a fun and sincere taster for the duo’s upcoming record (out this spring).

strongboi

New Music: thuy

Emerging from Los Angeles is Vietnamese-American singer-songwriter thuy. Through her distinctly captivating vocals, skilful songwriting and modern take on R&B, this talent already commands over two million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. On her new single and visuals she says:

“’figured u out’ is about a toxic relationship but I didn’t want to make the video about that. I wanted to make it more abstract and quirky and about actually figuring things out. There are scenes with the detective aspects and games such as Tic Tac Toe, Rubik’s cubes, and puzzles to hint at the theme. It’s a really playful video with a bit of satire. I wanted to film it this way since the song is an upbeat anthem for the girls that were going through a breakup. My whole goal was to make it more playful rather than have the guy be the main focus of the video.”

thuy

greek – karma

Virginia artist greek returns with another indescribably amazing fusion of genres through his new single ‘karma’.

Crafting original music that sounds like none other, this talent showcases highly unique songs that are refreshingly intriguing to experience.

greek

Party Favor + Marc E. Bassy – I See You

Photo / G Sanchez

If there’s one song I will personally have on rotation all weekend, it’ll be this outstanding collaboration by two of America’s hottest current musical powerhouses.

‘I See You’ seamlessly combines the dance sensibilities of Party Favor with the sleek and sultry vocal stylings of Marc E. Bassy, creating a refreshingly unique crossover sound that further proves the exceptional levels of talent from both these artists.

Party Favor | Marc E. Bassy

New Music: Pardyalone

Hip-hop cultivator Pardyalone is undoubtedly one of the most exciting new artists that I have come across this week.

Citing some of his musical influences as Juice WRLD, Bryson Tiller and Bob Marley, this emerging talent is quickly making a name for himself thanks to his honest approach to songwriting – covering themes as varied as addiction, family issues and love.

While on the surface, new single ‘Cupid’ treats listeners with a fresh and infectiously memorable sound, the lyrics share Pardyalone’s honest perspective on the sudden and intense pain of reminiscing a past love.

“Love is honestly hard. Sometimes it doesn’t work, and you’re left with nothing.”

Pardyalone

Ceara Cavalieri – Radio Silence

Southern Californian singer-songwriter and acclaimed pop singer Ceara Cavalieri returns with an anthemic slice of punk-infused pop in the shape of new single ‘Radio Silence’.

“I wrote this song about a guy that I had been dating for about 8 months who randomly ghosted me without saying anything. It is such a weird feeling when you are used to talking to someone everyday and then out of nowhere it’s just complete ‘radio silence’ on their end. I know that most people have experienced something like this and it can really make you feel down on yourself especially without getting that closure. If you’re going through something like this or have experienced something similar then this is definitely a song that you can scream in your car.”

To date, Ceara has received acclaim from the likes of LADYGUNN, Earmilk and Wonderland, while her music has been added to popular Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds and teen beats.

Ceara Cavalieri

New Music: Boy is Princess

Hailing from Oregon is newcomer Boy is Princess, who has been producing songs singe the age of just twelve.

Currently studying at Portland State University, this talent still manages to create exceptional and experimental sounds like ‘Oslo? He’s For Blood’ whenever he gets free time from school.

“I’ve loved Sega Bodega and his take on theatrically writing lyrics I guess, I like story telling but I’ve always been afraid to be the story teller. Oslo is a character I wanted to tell a story about, I like to think he is a vampire monster person, but at the same time is just very misunderstood.”

Boy is Princess

Margolnick – Kill My Panic

Photo / Max Montgomery

Charlotte native Margolnick unveils his debut self-titled album today, and in my view it has to be one of the most exciting indie-pop releases of the week.

Recorded between sessions in London and Los Angeles, the deeply personal tracks reveal the age-old story of failure and redemption. Talking about the album, Margolnick says:

“It’s about starting at a really low point and finding hope. It may sound cliché, but I’ve lived a pretty turbulent life and messed up a lot, and I ended up finding the right path and getting my shit together. It’s very personal, but it’s also very relatable. A lot of people have messed up –at some point we all do –and you can make huge life changes. This album captured a moment in my life when I wanted to be better. It’s ultimately quite hopeful. There are a lot of beautiful, uplifting moments alongside the dark ones.”

Margolnick

New Music: Sam Stacy

A beautifully dreamy blend of indie, alt-R&B and pop from LA-based singer, songwriter, and musician Sam Stacy.

With its production inspired by Frank Ocean and Daniel Caesar, while its songwriting by Continuum-era John Mayer, Sam’s new single ‘Mine’ takes intricate guitar parts with simple melodies and turns it into a finely balanced fusion of R&B and acoustic sounds.

“‘Mine’ was inspired by one too many long-term casual relationships. I was tired of my own lack of commitment and wanted to write about breaking that cycle.”

Sam Stacy

Belaganas – Nevermind It To Hell

Dynamic alternative hip hop band Belaganas release a new 3 song-single compilation called Softy today, featuring tracks that paint a very coming of age feel, with twists in the emotions of love.

Both earnest and racing, ‘Nevermind It To Hell’ finds the group fighting to ignore doubt and history to just embrace and jump into the next step:

“I would describe ‘Nevermind It To Hell’ as very innocent sounding and wanting to be loved, delusional kind of being in a feeling of not wanting someone’s love, and If U Want It saying ‘I have issues, you have issues, if we want let’s make it work.’” Nick Willie, Belaganas

Belaganas

New Music: The 139

Hailing from the musical mecca that is Bristol are newcomers The 139. Named after their shared home, this group are constantly writing new music – inspired to create songs for those lost in the middle without a voice of their own.

True to its title, ‘Feeling Blue’ is a melancholy and bluesy fusion of indie rock and pop, with a charmingly emotive tone that is sure to spark a connection with many listeners.

“Rejection is something we all know well, and the song is derived from those sullen days of overthinking and reminiscing where we’re always left ‘Feeling Blue.'”

The 139 will play Exchange on 24th March to celebrate the release of the song.

The 139

New Music: Lili Caseley

With praise from the likes of Clash, Music Week and Complex already under her belt, as well as support from heavyweights such as BBC (Introducing, Radio 6, Intro on Radio 1, 1xtra) and Official Charts UK, British talent Lili Caseley is rapidly gaining momentum as one of the country’s most exciting new pop artists to watch out for.

“Wrote this song with my guy Oli Fox! We wrote it about a toxic and addictive love that you keep going back to regardless of how the void still remains afterwards… Essentially, it’s a ‘pretty good bad idea.'”

Lili Caseley

New Music: Bonze

One of the stand-out releases of the week comes courtesy of UK artist Jack Reardon, who goes by the name of Bonze.

Reardon spends his days working as a trained psychotherapist, and these themes intrude on his music. 

Produced by Brookfield and taken from Bonze’s forthcoming debut album, new single ‘Self’ delivers a bold fusion of electronic prowess and raw, open feeling – plunging the listener into a world of self-reflection.

“This song has a double meaning really, I’m not just talking to the audience through the lyrics; I’m also talking to myself. The song is not only an autobiographical commentary on my ‘self’ and my own struggles to tackle personal issues, but it is also a message to the listener to reflect on the instant-gratification nature of western society and how, instead of being seduced by substances to make them happy; they should really rely on themselves. You are the person that you’ve been waiting to meet, basically.”

Bonze performs live in London on 11th March with Dutch Criminal Records at The Water Rats.

Bonze

Ina Forsman – Don’t Lose Today

Finnish starlet Ina Forsman is back today with a beautifully nostalgic soul sound. Inspired by a conversation that Ina had with her partner, new single ‘Don’t Lose Today’ is all about fulfilling love and devastating inner struggles.

“We live in a world where we worry so much about the future that far too often we forget to enjoy the present moment. We should remind ourselves more often that as soon as we arrive where our longing is taking us today, we will be thinking about the future in the same way that we are already thinking about it today.”

Ina Forsman

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DANA – Coming Home

Swiss singer-songwriter DANA is back with an anthemic slice of indie-pop perfection in the shape of ‘Coming Home’.

Layers of energising synths and guitars set the scene for DANA’s powerful vocals to guide you through a song that tells us of her past fear of commitment, and into finding home with another person.

DANA

European Tour 2022:

  • 26.03.2022 Alte Feuerwehr, Wallisellen 
  • 02.04.2022 Salzhaus, Brugg (Sam Himself Support)
  • 08.04.2022 Dachstock, Bern 
  • 09.04.2022 Sommercasino, Basel 
  • 10.04.2022 Papiersaal, Zürich 
  • 22.04.2022 Vogelsang, Altdorf 
  • 05.05.2022 Mundwerk, Thun
  • 06.06.2022 Baloise Live, Biel
  • 01.07.2022 Freiluft Festival, Basel
  • 20.07.2022 Paléo Festival, Nyon
  • 13.08.2022 Jazztage, Lichtensteig 
  • 20.08.2022 Schlosskapelle, Malchin (DE)
  • 22.08.2022 Brasserie Clubhaus, Syke (DE)
  • 24.08.2022 El Campo, Osterholz-Scharmbeck (DE)
  • 26.08.2022 Paganini, Bremen (DE) 

The Aston Shuffle + Fabich – Money Can’t Buy

Three years and ten million streams since the release of their acclaimed collaboration ‘Stay’, disco wizards The Aston Shuffle and Fabich reunite for a flawless follow-up in the form of new single ‘Money Can’t Buy’.

Serving as a perfect dance-pop anthem, this is a sound packed with fun vibes that are guaranteed to bring smiles to your faces while you dance the weekend away.

“I loved working with Fabich on our first collaboration ‘Stay’ a few years ago, and I was super excited to work with him again on a follow up. It was a really fun process working on ‘Money Can’t Buy’, and I think that sense of fun comes through in the track in a big way. From the start, we wanted to focus on a stripped-back vibe for the production, and we felt the key elements of the track were the vocal and the bassline. The organic string sounds felt like the right sort of instrumentation to complement and elevate those elements, without overpowering them. Hoping the fun vibes gets people smiling while they’re dancing!” – The Aston Shuffle

The Aston Shuffle | Fabich