Máni Orrason – Coffin

Icelandic wonderkid Máni Orrason unveils his first single of 2022 with infectious pop bop ‘Coffin’.

The track was written at a point in Orrason’s life where new opportunities were on the horizon – meaning he had to make important decisions about which avenue to pursue next. It also left him pondering whether he should believe his own hype, or lean into his more grounded existence. 

“I love the romance of the rockstar. When I was getting into music, I was obsessed with these larger than life, untouchable figures; they showed me that you can do whatever and be whoever.” 

Máni Orrason

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New Music: RUHMER

Emerging from Austria is newcomer RUHMER, who’s style of indie-pop and alternative rock results in anthemic songs that command to be heard.

Empowering and inspirational new single ‘TO THE WILD’ tells us of the never-ending series of fall and rise – and how to always keep faith in oneself.

“Step into the wild – you will be alright”

RUHMER

nodisco. – In Bloom

Emerging Canadian talent nodisco. returns today with a sleek and infectious slice of electronic pop in the form of new single ‘In Bloom’.

“‘In Bloom’ is a sonic recollection of my most memorable night in Los Angeles the summer of 2021. I played a rooftop acoustic show, met a bunch of people, and ended the night skinny dipping with the same people in Venice Beach. It truly felt like living through a TV show episode. The whole vision behind this song was to create the soundtrack to that night and I think it does that well.”

To date, nodisco.’s first project ‘Who Knew I’d Write Songs About You?’ has accumulated over 4 million streams, while the artist himself has garnered praise from the likes of Ones to Watch, Line of Best Fit, Lyrical Lemonade and CBC.

nodisco.

New Music: Jeni Schapire

Nashville-based songwriter, singer and producer Jeni Schapire crafts a cinematic style of folk-pop that is exceptionally stunning. This is a sound that is timelessly beautiful and ethereal in essence.

‘Loose Ends’ is a humble yet profound song that draws on the grief and experiences learned during the pandemic. Co-written with Julia Berrebi and produced by Daniel Markus and Matthew Young, the song started as a free form poem that was soon shaped and stretched into the contemplative song it is today. 

“We were both dating people who were clearly wrong for us, but with all the loss we clung for dear life to these people – praying and hoping that at least we could have that joy. We imagined the lives we’d have, so vastly different from the circumstances around us.”

Jeni Schapire

DWLLRS – Float Through The Ceiling

California’s DWLLRS are back with a superb slice of alternative beach pop. New single ‘Float Through The Ceiling’ reintroduces the duo after a brief break from releasing music, and details the whirlwind of their lives and headspace in that time.

Since their creation in 2018, DWLLRS have garnered praise from the likes of Zane Lowe, Ones To Watch, All Things Go, Earmilk, Early Rising and Lyrical Lemonade amongst others.

DWLLRS

Dreamer Isioma – Sunset Drive

First-generation, Nigerian-American singer-songwriter Dreamer Isioma returns with explosive new single ‘Sunset Drive’. The song celebrates the young phenomenon’s journey with community at their side, while also serving as a necessary call-to-action.

The visuals for the track were directed by Rooftop, and take a powerful stance against sexual abuse by capturing an assault – and sees Dreamer standing in solidarity with victims of these crimes.

Taken from the new album ‘Goodnight Dreamer’ which is out now.

Dreamer Isioma

New Music: Restless Modern

Emerging from Wisconsin is producer, singer and songwriter Restless Modern. With over 23 million Spotify streams under his belt, this talent has already picked up attention from the likes of Billboard, Lyrical Lemonade, MTV and Atwood.

In an interesting twist to new music, his new single ‘I Hate That I’m Addicted to the Internet’ is a 50’s inspired pop song that looks into our online traits and behaviours.

“The algorithms of today’s online world are a sleight of hand trick in which your personal agency of choice is cleverly replaced with a curated buffet of predetermined options. It’s easy to blame the machinations of well-known profit engines for preying on our most base instincts, but to what degree are we responsible for understanding and taming the rabid neural pleasure centres that we poke and prod, aimlessly searching for a satiation that never comes? ‘I Hate That I’m Addicted to the Internet’ highlights how our personalised desires, fears, and obsessions fuel the monster, desensitising the youngest among us and luring them into participating in a vapid cycle of desperate performance.”

Restless Modern

0171 – Burnout

Acclaimed London-based duo 0171 return today with an eccentric yet thought-provoking mix of electronica, indie and hyperpop through new single ‘Burnout’.

“‘Burnout’ is a collage of the way people think when they are depressed. We liked the idea of singing about propofol, a general anaesthetic, and the song reflects that soft numbness. There’s a kind of release in admitting you’re burning out, the song has a strangely uplifting feeling to us. As we wrote darker lyrics than we had done previously, the songs got faster and more upbeat, like we were finding the fun again in making music.”

Co-released alongside ‘The Basics Are Coming Back’ which is available now. Upcoming EP ‘Welcome Back To My Channel’ is out soon.

0171

New Music: KAIRO

Nigeria-born and Texas-raised duo KAIRO are identical twins who, at the age of 21 have taken TikTok by storm thanks to their infectious and engaging renditions as ‘Coverboys’.

Arguably the most charming song of the year so far, ‘Someone Like You’ is delightfully simple in tone, yet exudes a positive energy that is wonderfully captivating.

“‘Someone Like You,’ a love song that embodies the feeling of having that perfect someone who leaves you speechless, is the first peek into our world. This record holds a special place in our hearts because it is one of the first we wrote on our first writing trip to Los Angeles, which has now become our home.”

KAIRO

New Music: Komparrison

Hailing from England are rock quintet Komparrison. With a bold and confident approach to music-making, the band create energising songs with extraordinary depth and observation – so much so that they have already garnered praise from the likes of BBC Music Introducing, Radio X, This Feeling and NARC.

“‘Loose Lips’ explores the toxicity of modern world dating and the negative connotations of how society views women through hook up culture. Word of wisdom… NEVER DATE A BOY IN A BAND!”

Taken from their upcoming debut EP ‘You Say She’s Satisfied’ which is out soon.

Komparrison

Tour Dates:

  • 12 March Newcastle Head of Steam
  • 26 March Middlesbrough NXTGN
  • 08 April Bristol The Crown
  • 13 April London The Old Blue Last
  • 15 April Leeds Brudenell Social Club
  • 16 April Stockton Calling
  • 21 April Manchester Night People
  • 22 April Glasgow Broadcast
  • 23 April Scunthorpe Cafe Indie

mehro – like you’re god

As far as expectations go, mehro consistently delivers some of the most stunning indie sounds to emerge from the US right now.

Latest release ‘like you’re god’ is minimal yet primal in essence. Featuring skittering beats and half-whispered lyrics, the track almost enjoys languishing in the bodily desires mehro sings about.

“This song speaks into existence a side of me that I don’t share with most people. I am very private. So this song feels particularly gut wrenching to release. I feel exposed, vulnerable and nervous. That’s how I know I need to let it go.”

mehro

New Music: little luna

Photo / Sarah Eiseman

One of the most beautiful releases of the week comes courtesy of LA singer, songwriter and wellness advocate little luna.

Her timelessly elegant new single ‘under the wave’ is a subtly whimsical yet ethereal take on folk-pop that chronicles her fluctuating state of mind during meditation.

“This song, to me, is about how I feel in meditation. Sometimes my mind present and floating, Sometimes my thoughts tossing me around.”

Taken from the debut EP ‘through the self‘, which is out 29th April 2022 via AWAL Recordings.

little luna

New Music: Congee

Newcomer Congee constructs a melodic fusion of lo-fi pop, psychedelic indie and soul that is truly like no other sound you will have heard before. Eccentric yet accessible, this is a style of music which is impossible not feel some kind of connection with.

‘Be Alright’ is one of the most exciting releases that I have come across this month, and I predict this talent will pick up even more momentum as the weeks go by.

Congee

New Music: Lana Lubany

London-based, Palestinian/American artist Lana Lubany masterfully blends elements of dark pop with Middle Eastern influences to create sounds that are conceptual, impactful and thought-provoking.

Sultry and atmospheric in tone, new single ‘THE SNAKE’ showcases this emerging talent’s potential in the form of a melodic song written about losing one’s innocence.

Taken from the forthcoming project ‘THE HOLY LAND’, which is out soon.

Lana Lubany

New Music: Xana

Rising artist Xana is not only delivering some of the most empowering pop to emerge from Canada right now, but she does so while also incorporating themes of LGTBQ romance, female sexuality and self-discovery into her songwriting.

New single ‘My Therapist Told Me’ serves as an anthem of frustration, of letting go of a toxic infatuation and being brought back to reality by those around you.

“I was head over heels for this girl who would constantly flirt with me and then out of nowhere she’d say we were ‘just friends’ and apologised if I ‘got the wrong impression’. I refused to write another sad song about it and instead channelled all my confusion and frustration into this angsty, early 2000’s vibe, pop-rock song. Writing ‘My Therapist Told Me’ was therapy in itself and it pushed me down the path of healing.”

Xana

Matt Taylor – GODSPEED

Photo / Frederick Goff

Brighton-based Irish artist and producer Matt Taylor shares his stunning new single ‘GODSPEED’.

An intoxicating slice of genre-bending electro-pop, the song’s reflective and honest lyricism captivates listeners from the start.

“A lot of ‘Godspeed’ was written in late July and early August. I think it was just after clubs and social gathering had just started to open up and I know I was feeling very overwhelmed. In the weeks leading up to it I felt very distanced and pushed away from a friend I caught feelings for, but I also felt a disconnect from myself. Realising this link is what prompted me to write Godspeed.”

“I didn’t want anything serious with anyone, but that conflicted massively with how I felt about him. What I learned from this whole situation is that you can’t truly let someone in until you know yourself what you are and what you want, and in that time neither of us knew.”

Matt Taylor

New Music: BLVU

Photo / Grant Decyk

Track of the week. ‘iwoulddoanythingforyou’ came up on my Spotify randomly over the weekend, and I have been obsessed with the song ever since. This is likely to be my favourite release from a newcomer to date this year, thanks to its immersive and atmospheric tones.

The artist behind the song is elusive; all I know is that this is a producer, writer and singer from Boston who is currently based in LA. Somehow, I don’t think it will be long before we discover more about this huge talent.

BLVU

Bow Anderson – 20s

Photo / Annie Reid

After going viral over Christmas with the demo, Bow Anderson releases an official version of her refreshingly introspective song ’20s’.

It’s the rising pop star’s first new music of the year, having finished last year on tour with the likes of Mimi Webb and Ella Eyre, playing her first ever headline dates and scooping Best Pop Act at the Scottish Music Awards.

“I was having a stressful day comparing myself to others and being a wee negative Nancy which is very unlike me! At 19 years old I moved to London to pursue a career in music and since day dot I have loved every minute and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Having said that, it’s hard. There’s a lot of pressure in your 20s to be social but also be hard working. To drink and party but be healthy. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and we are still learning who we are. I wanted to write this song because I think a lot of people think they are the only ones going through it (including myself), when really we all have our struggles. I hope this song helps people realise it’s okay to not have it all together and be perfect because someone’s unique qualities is what makes them special.” 

Bow Anderson

push baby – What Ya Gonna Do?

Nostalgic pop done so flawlessly that you’d really struggle to believe this song is from 2022.

Effortlessly capturing that distinctive Max Martin brand of millennial pop, ‘What Ya Gonna Do?’ is the push baby’s first single of the year.

“’What Ya Gonna Do?’ came from wanting to capture that pristine late ‘90s / early 00’s Max Martin POP! That sound is pretty much the backbone of the whole record. Our instinct kind of always goes to that very radio friendly, punchy pop anyway, but we’d shy away from it because we were scared of ’not being cool’. However, we’ve just leaned into it now, to the point where our noses are touching the ground. If we’re going to do it then we’re going to DO IT – it’s a pastiche. From the artwork, to visuals, to what we wear, push baby wanted to deliver the perfect pop record. I think it works because it’s two idiots in their mum’s garage making it.”

push baby