A gorgeously stripped-back yet deeply emotive release from Australian starlet Austen.
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘SMALL‘, new single ‘The Fire’ sees Austen expand on her distinct brand of ethereal pop by blending elements of indie electronica, house, and psychedelic pop into the mix.
“‘The Fire’ is about living on the line between volatile and steady, in a sweet spot of intensity. I wanted it to sound otherworldly, as a reflection of that feeling.”
One of the stand-out releases from the last few days, ‘Tranki’ by Montreal-based talent Isabella Lovestory feels raw and abrasive, fusing elements of hyperpop with alt-RnB; yet still sounds infectious and totally addictive.
A hugely exciting Australian prospect, biblemami is still only 17-years old yet has already garnered considerable attention online thanks to her refreshingly original approach to bedroom pop. This is a sound that is not only infectious and fun, but filled with character and charm.
Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter and producer Anna Shoemaker returns today with indie-pop gem ‘Sick!’. Featuring glistening synths and hazy guitar riffs, the song delivers heart-wrenching lyrics that capture the feeling of late-night overthinking.
“‘Sick!’ is about missing that adrenaline rush a toxic relationship brings you and how it can be mistaken for missing the person.”
Anna will be headlining The Sultan Room in New York on 30th September 2021. Tickets are available here.
A beautifully melancholic slice of pop from Canadian artist Mia Baron. The 13-year old Toronto-based emerging singer-songwriter has spent the past year working on and releasing original music which has so far not failed to impress.
‘Runaway’ was triggered by the anxiety of the pandemic. Yearning to escape all of the craziness that was happening around her, the song encapsulates the desire to disappear in the hopes of getting rid of stress and bad energy.
One of the most interesting releases from this week comes courtesy of Buffalo-based singer/songwriter and producer JKuch. Delighting fans since 2013, this talent consistently experiments with traditional music genres to create songs that exude originality and intrigue.
‘Cabin Fever’ is taken from the forthcoming album ‘Specter’s Garden’, and is an energetic blend of pop and RnB, paired with an electronic twist to create a sound that is both captivating and emotive in equal measures.
“‘Cabin Fever’ is a well-known term that describes the feelings of negativity, irritability, or listlessness that people may accompany by being stuck indoors for such a time. Seeing the constant increase of the number of deaths caused by this outbreak, I started to realising the inescapable truth of how we all don’t have a lot of time on this earth, how it’s ultimately up to us to spend it in the way that is authentic and true to ourselves. With this truth suddenly in the air, it reshaped how I saw my music career in the big picture, and sowed together where I really wanted it to go.”
Alexander Wesley has become one of my favourite new artists from Canada, thanks to his unique songwriting approach that feels charming and relatable, all the while maintaining a sense of uniqueness that is ever so refreshing to experience.
With it’s gorgeous fusion of laidback pop and RnB, ‘FIVE/SEVEN’ stems from those moments before a relationship begins, where you’re everything to that person other than having the title of ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend.’
Your ultimate mid week pick-up comes courtesy of Seattle talent Shayhan, who is back today to serenade us with his new look on psychedelic soul and funk through latest single ‘Never Ask’.
A lifelong musician, Shayhan began learning production at the age of 11 on his brother’s computer. Not long after, his knack for impressions led him to develop a unique singing style which is prominent in his releases.
pecq are an independent outfit who are currently crafting some of the finest new alt-pop sounds to emerge from the UK in quite some time. Not only that, but they also run the Upcycled Sounds studio and label in Oxford, which works alongside artists like feeo & LMNL.
Their new single ‘Over and Over’ blends elements of psych and experimental electronic music to form a sound that is full of gorgeous synths and ethereal vocals.
“‘Over and Over’ is about moving from my small town to the city, trying to outrun my teenage identity and work myself out.” – Hannah ‘Jakes’ Jacobs, pecq
A superb blend of indie and alt-pop from US-based artist James Mantis. This is a melodic sound that feels hazy and dreamy, yet carries a raw undertone which is utterly mesmerising to experience.
A stunningly rich fusion of RnB and pop from Priya Ragu. As one can always expect with this starlet, the sound is almost luxurious in it’s tone, all the while flirting between genres with ease and finesse.
Taken from the outstanding new album ‘damnshestamil’ which is out now.
Justus Bennetts returns with one of the catchiest songs of the year, making it almost certain this artist will hit the mainstream over the coming weeks. ‘Bad Day’ has already picked up 250k streams over a single night, and is taking TikTok by storm.
Press play and you’ll see why; this is a hugely fun track with lyrics that sum up the thoughts we all go through when we encounter bad people.
“For this song we just wanted it to be about anyone that had ever done us wrong. Whether it be someone we had an altercation with in the elevator or the ex that did us dirty, this song is meant to represent anyone the listener puts in that space. I wanted to cultivate a whole listening experience that invites the listeners into what we have created.”
One of the most interesting South Korean talents of late, the singer, songwriter and rapper that is CL is back with an almighty banger of a track. ‘SPICY’ is a bold and impactful sound that is sure to propel this artist even further into the mainstream.
Hailing from Los Angeles is new pop talent Nate Cassel, who’s style of music-making blends genres together seamlessly to create sounds that feel relatable yet still distinctly unique.
Nashville-based starlet stef returns with another deliciously dark slice of pop through her new single ‘sicc’.
Mastered by Grammy award-winning engineer John Greenham (who’s worked with the likes of Billie Eilish), the song is a fun take on being in tune with your femininity; touching on the importance of being aware of not letting people play with your emotions, as well as dissecting hookup culture.
Consistently creating some of the most future-forward yet beautiful sounds to emerge from the UK of late, Matt Ryder returns with another stunning release in the form of new single ‘Before I Go’.
Releasing songs through his own label EC30, this multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer warps and weaves genre elements together into his own musical fabric, with the result being a very unique brand of atmospheric electronica.
With over 11 million cumulative streams worldwide and a huge following across social media, Australian artist JXN continues to build a ton of momentum since his debut in 2018.
Today sees the release of his new single ‘Cotton Candy’. With a perfected blend of pop and alternative RnB, this infectiously catchy bop is sure to win the talent a whole new legion of fans.
“I got a message from my producer out in Sweden one day saying he was doing a talk at a high school and these kids showed him a chorus they made. He thought of me and sent it over. The melody hit me straight away and it just felt so cool, so I rewrote the lyrics directed at my life and how I know I can be a pain but also appreciate the fact that certain can people can stick with me like cotton candy and them knowing they can also count on me.”
Hailing from Milton Keynes in the UK comes emerging new outfit Cusp. With a style of sound that is energetic, bold, fun and full of character, the group may well be marked as ones to watch within the British rock-pop scene.
Their uplifting debut single ‘Beside You’ serves as a first glimpse into what this trio have in store for the future, and I for one am quite excited to see what’s next!
Track of the week. I’m not quite sure how I stumbled across ‘Perplexed’ by London group Boy Bleach, but in all honesty this is probably one of my favourite pop songs of the year so far.
There’s a captivating essence of melancholy running through the track that feels refreshingly deep, raw and honest. Yet somehow the sound still carries a pop sensibility that makes it just so easy to connect with.
