And the final Track of the Week for 2021 goes to… Alewya! The London-based artist, illustrator and sculptor released her debut EP ‘Panther In Mode‘ earlier this month, and with it the exceptional ‘Channel High’.
It’s been a strong year for Alewya, who’s received acclaim from the likes of Dazed, LOVE magazine, The Guardian, i-D, The Sunday Times, The Observer and the iconic Annie Mac.
‘Panther In Mode’ is out now.
A beautifully constructed fusion of genres come together perfectly on this collaboration by artists YVY MARAEY, Mike NASA and Noah Slee.
‘A Família’ merges elements of bossa nova, hip hop, R&B and soul, reflecting a reverence for the natural world and indigenous culture.
EAST AV3 have rapidly set themselves as one of Australia’s most promising hip hop newcomers.
“Our sound is unique in itself, but I think it comes from the process of us being three close friends with different influences and bringing them all together.”
The trio joined forces with Raj Mahal on ‘Olympics’, and the end result is a supreme and epic sound that makes an immediate impact.
American collective Illusion Hills is a group of artists and digital curations who create the unexpected.
‘weirdo’ is a refreshingly original genre-bending sound that is both experimental and future-forward.
A stunningly written piece of indie and pop from Baltimore singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist BAIRD.
LA-based talent Owen Hamlin returns with a beautifully moving blend of indie and acoustic pop.
‘Lucid Dream’ is a kind of song that truly takes you to another place. This is a melodic piece of music, featuring Hamlin’s expressive and distinctive vocals delivering captivating lyricism over a gorgeously constructed sound.
A dreamy mix of pop, lo-fi indie and electronica come together on Montgomery’s ‘Lavender Haze’ in the most sublime way imaginable. This is one Australian talent to keep an eye out for over the next twelve months.
Hailing from East London, Juvenal Maze is an emerging producer and singer-songwriter who delivers an emotive approach to R&B that feels effortlessly cool and finessed.
“The idea behind this song came after going through trials and tribulations while in the pursuit of success. Being in a relationship and realising that during this pursuit the weight of broken promises and being disappointment due to things not working out as I had intended were also becoming weight in my relationship.”
Emerging newcomer Skøien is a Swedish born, Danish-Norwegian artist who is rapidly gaining traction thanks to an impressive fusion of dark pop and alt-R&B.
This is a sound that is sleek, well-constructed and thoughtfully produced – making Skøien one Scandinavian talent to watch out for in 2022.
Delivering a perfected blend of synth and indie-pop (just in time for the holidays), Merchant’s ‘I Hate It Here’ is an infectiously memorable song that is impossible not to love.
No stranger to the industry, Merchant first honed his songwriting and production skills working with Grammy award-winning songwriter Sam Martin (Maroon 5, Jason Derulo, One Direction), ultimately co-producing Martin’s debut album for Atlantic Records.
As Covid’s second wave loomed in late 2020, Merchant also saw himself collaborating with Duran Duran’s John Taylor, resulting in a new and distinctive synth-pop sound.
A refreshingly stripped-back approach to indie and soul from Oklahoma talent Casper Sage.
New single ‘Distance’ is a melodic and emotional release which sounds like nothing else that you’re likely to experience this week.
While we are stuck in the middle of winter, the release of ‘Sunroof’ comes as a welcome news.
This summery bop is a catchy and feel-good blend of indie and pop from Californian newcomer Nicky Youre.
carpetgarden’s fantastic new single ‘IDC’ is the kind of song that you’ll play once then find yourselves putting on loop for the entire day.
Vivid lyricism and an almightily infectious melody ensures that this track will stay with you for a very long time!
London-based producer and composer SINK crafts a sound that is refreshingly unique in concept. This artist delivers a new approach to pop that is not only texturally rich but also incredibly emotive.
New single ‘Laid’ is a beautifully intense yet experimental piece of electronic music that feels atmospheric and ethereal in equal measures.
“‘Laid’ is about our relationship with time and the way we experience connections, goals and anxieties. Perhaps time is our most ancient enemy and the social media reshaped it for us. It’s an intrusion, a violation.
I wrote this song when I was still in north Italy, when my music didn’t seem to have a purpose for me anymore as I was feeling unheard and I hope this will help others not to feel the same.
I’m suggesting we could stop for a while, enjoy each other’s presence, touch and closeness.”
Hailing from Georgia comes rising 22-year old hip-hop star Pap Chanel. This wildly talented rapper takes listeners on a unique sonic journey with each song thanks to her self-styled ‘paponalities’, allowing her to shape-shift into a lyrical powerhouse.
‘Whoa Dere’ is taken from new project ‘Pretty & Paid 2.0’ (out now), of which she says:
“’Pretty & Paid 2.0′ is for all the country girls around the world. I created this body of work to not only tell my story, but to build confidence and work ethic. You can’t be pretty without knowing it comes from the heart, and you will never be paid if you don’t know your worth.”
An Australian fusion of alternative R&B and hip hop that feels melancholic, emotionally raw and deeply captivating.
Currently commanding over two million monthly listeners on Spotify and receiving praise from the likes of FADER, NYLON, SPIN and V magazines, it’s safe to say that singer-songwriter Fana Hues is taking on the R&B world by storm.
Featuring Hues’ stunning vocals, new single ‘Breakfast’ is a soulful and atmospheric love ballad with layered harmonies and melodies, weaved over guitar plucks and light drums.
Rising LA-based duo Bahari collaborate with Cody Lovaas on new single ‘All Around Me’. Intense yet fragile in tone, this is alt-pop at its most gorgeous.
Having toured with Selena Gomez and collaborated with the likes of Zedd, BIA, Birdy and Illenium, Bahari has been on a steady rise over the past couple of years. The new single follows ‘Ways Of Love’, which has already garnered half-a-million streams and counting since dropping earlier this autumn.
Heralded as one of Radio 1’s Future Artists, Canadian starlet Leith is back with a beautifully emotive slice of indie-pop.
The now London-based artist releases ‘Big Trees’, which serves as a nostalgic ode to her life back in Toronto.
“’Big Trees’ is about a place my family built and somewhere we all go back to together. It’s a love letter to where I grew up and my family. It’s like a secret only we know about, it’s safe.”
