Hailing from Melbourne, Mood Monroe are probably the most exciting alt-pop outfit that I have encountered all month.
A dark, hard-hitting and impactful sound is matched with distinctive vocals and captivating lyrics on their third single, ‘Oh Lord’. Watch out for this trio – they could well be one of Australia’s next big exports.
“‘Oh Lord’ is a deeply personal song as it speaks on love and feeling alone.’ – Bailey, Mood Monroe
Norwalk artists DEEGAN and Similar Kind team together on the hugely infectious ‘M.I.A.’
The epitome of a summer love song, this is an explosive pop bop that’s all about the butterflies and egos that come with a new relationship.
While Alana Rich is a genre-fluid artist, ‘Euphoria’ is a pulsating dance-pop bop with one of the catchiest melodies you’ll likely listen to all week.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Rich began her career at the age of just 14, performing acoustic music and releasing cover songs on YouTube that have amassed over a million views to date.
“I wrote this track about how I’ve coped with feeling misunderstood as a young artist. I remember telling myself that I’d finally be content with my artistic journey if I could just achieve specific milestones I set out for myself. Now that I’ve met those goals, I’ve learned that that’s not the case. You never really stop chasing that feeling of euphoria that comes with creating and releasing art – once you get a taste, you keep searching for more of it, whether it be through your passion, new adventures, whatever it may be. This song is the sonic representation of that rollercoaster.”
One of my favourite soloists to emerge from the US so far this year, Russ Reiss is back today with a summery pop banger in the form of new single ‘too old for my age’.
If you’re a fan like me then the good news is we have more songs written in this style to look forward to in the future!
Just in time for the weekend comes one of the most uplifting slices of disco to set you in a good mood.
Courtesy of NYC producer warner case and French producer Jean Tonique, ‘summer on the inside’ is part of the duo’s collaborative EP of the same name which is out now.
“Parents claim they love all their children equally, which is a lie. But I love all the songs on our ‘summer on the inside’ EP equally, and I wouldn’t lie to you.” – warner case
EREZ is back with the breathtakingly original ‘Dance It Away’. A seductive slow-burner, the song evolves from a dark and sinister composition into something that feels ethereal and surreal.
“I’m so deep into dance and the journey it takes you on. I love the sexiness of it, I love the passion behind it, I love the energy it creates between people, I love the speed, I love the intention in every movement I make when I dance, I love the improvised choreography and the freedom of the moment. The only way to truly enjoy the dance floor is by letting it be your boss. Once you do that, you’re rewarded with a clear mind and open heart and connection to yourself, the music, the people around you, the world. People are happy when they dance. They’re not judgmental. They’re in tune with their bodies and chemicals. They want to fuck. They want to scream. They want to reach out and in. Dancing is therapy. Mind-body connection. Somatic healing.”
A magnificently rousing piece of pop sound from LA-based artist MUSZETTE. ‘Keep On’ is an empowering, bold and confident release that demands your attention.
It’s little wonder that this talent’s debut EP ‘Big Mood’ was used on networks like HBO, Disney and Netflix as well as being played during the 2021 Olympic Trials.
MUSZETTE is here to stay, and she’s making sure that you know her name!
One of the most feel-good summer anthems so far this year has arrived, courtesy of Ontario garage-rock trio Royal Castles. ‘Money Song’ is about living in the moment, being happy with where you are and not wanting to leave.
With a style of music-making that feels fun and nostalgic but also current, this outfit have carved a sound that is universally likeable.
Emerging from Ohio, The Vindys are an alt-rock outfit who are rapidly building a significant fan base within their home state and beyond.
Approaching the genre in their own imitable style, this group create a kind of energising sound that makes a bold and impactful statement that is sure to grab your attention.
“The title track ‘Bugs’ has both literal and symbolic meanings for me personally. Songwriting for me is therapeutic in the sense that I tend to memorialise the things that ‘Bug’ me through song, and I let it go once it’s written. In a literal sense, there was the one time that I had discovered thousands of yellow jackets living in my ceiling right above my bed. If I hadn’t called The Bee Man (a Youngstown beekeeper) to come the next day, the weight of the hives they made in the ceiling would have fallen and it could’ve been very dangerous.” – Jackie, The Vindys
A hazy fusion of bedroom pop and psychedelic synth-rock from Bushwick artist Sleepy Gary.
‘Bodega’ is the kind of song that immediately draws you in to this artist’s world, making you feel some kind of connection without ever having actually met.
“‘Bodega’ is a song about letting go, about feeling uncool and invisible and like a permanent interloper. It’s also about the salvation of a late-night snack in the city that never sleeps. My primary source of comfort during that time were the hallowed bodegas of New York, the sacred 2 a.m. ritual of a chopped cheese and a ginger ale.”
Taken from the forthcoming debut album ’21 Love Songs’, which consists of a trilogy of seven song vignettes.
Brooklyn-based singer songwriter, and producer Amy Zou’s take on alt-RnB is refreshingly interesting. ‘Temple’ is the first single taken from Zou’s upcoming EP “Losing Face’.
On the project, she says that the body of work came ‘from the realisation that I was constantly performing to keep others happy both in romantic and platonic relationships and deriving a lot of self worth or value from others and their opinions.”
Inspired by his struggle with identifying as LGBTQ+, talented Londoner SXMSON is back today with new anthem ‘L2LY’.
Produced and co-written by EMRE, the song sees SXMSON reassure his younger self that life gets better when you learn to love who you are.
“I spent a lot of my childhood learning to hate myself. I think many of us are inherently taught to not like who we are. Years of verbal abuse, social pressures and feeling lonely had a long lasting impact on my self-esteem, which, now as an adult, I am trying to slowly unlearn. Even though I am proud of the person I have become today, I wonder how different things could have been if younger me had the chance to spend [even just] 10 minutes with present me. ‘L2LY’ was written as a daily reminder that however hard life gets, you gotta keep pushing through because life is too short to not know how badass you really are.”
Singer-songwriter Zed, The Dreamer (alias of Zé Pedro Viveiros) returns today with stunning new release ‘Honour & Pride’.
This is a dark and haunting song, flowing with truly raw emotion that further proves this Portuguese artist as one to watch.
Look out for the upcoming EP ‘The Life and Death of McKenzie Kane’ which is out soon.
Written as a beautiful ode to lockdown love and it’s ups and downs, ‘Temporary Blues’ by Cat Una is a stripped-back affair that invites you into this artist’s world, leaving you wanting to hear so much more.
The UK-based singer-songwriter has the gift of writing lyrics that are not only captivating to listen to, but are also beautifully delivered through those distinctive vocals.
“I’ve been focused on creating from an unfiltered place and have had an extremely fruitful year of songwriting because of it.”
A gorgeously emotive and personal release from indie-folk talent Miller Roberts. Hailing from Newcastle in Australia, this artist creates songs that feel airy and ethereal, keeping you hooked from start until finish. ‘Bad Habit’ looks at the feeling of heartbreak and all its confusing emotions.
“Written after a break up and during a period of lockdown and isolation, this song is a response to the loneliness felt in being misunderstood but, in turn, the fear and trepidation of feeling deeply seen and understood by another person. This production around this track is intentionally simple and stripped back in an attempt to capture the honest and raw sincerity behind the song. Writing this song was a way for me to acknowledge and address the emotionally disengaged nature of my personal life in an effort to learn and grow. I am still on this journey, but I know I am growing along the way.”
Mysterious London-based Fru is an Irish DJ, producer and multi-instrumentalist who’s approach of blending electronic pop with disco has resulted in fantastic new single ‘Falling Back In Love With You’. And the good news is that if you’re a fan, you can expect four tracks to be released this year.
Like so many other fantastic emerging artists right now, TUSHAR began writing music during lockdown. Based in Adelaide, this talent is mixing elements of indie-pop with alt-rock to create a charmingly feel-good sound that is near impossible not to bop along to.
“‘July 20’ is about the night I bumped into my lover, before we became lovers! We already knew each other previously, but we never actually caught up or hung out until the night of July 20. I was with my friends, lining up to get into a music festival, when I hear my name being shouted out from a taxi that just pulled up. It was my Katie girl and her friend. They joined us in the line and our energies just clicked; making us inseparable all night. We had the best time talking, dancing, drinking, partying together. Even when it was just ‘too loud to talk’, we’d just jump around and dance instead. Not a care in the world, our focus was solely on each other.”
One of the UK’s most promising groups to emerge so far this year, Scottish four-piece Dictator are an up and coming indietronica outfit who have already garnered praise from the likes of BBC Introducing, XS Noize and Radio X.
‘Mirror Mirror’ was written as a statement aimed at the hold that social media has on us, and how those seeking validation are often those who we perceive to be the most confident.
You can catch Dictator live at SHOUT! Music Bar in Edinburgh on 30th July 2021.
Irish duo PRiiCE could well be the nation’s next big alt-pop export if ‘Sunflower’ is anything to go by. With a blend of synth, indie and funk added for extra goodness, this is one of the most feel-good bops you’ll likely enjoy all week.
One of Montreal’s finest, Ivytide return today with the release of new single ‘call it what u want’.
A perfect indie bop for the summer, this is an upbeat track that encapsulates the excitement of a new relationship, while also embodying the instability that comes along with it.
“We’re excited about the release of “call it what u want” because we feel it shows a different side of our music. It’s more upbeat, summery and hype than our previous songs, so we’re looking forward to seeing the kind of reception we’ll get from our fans. The theme of the song comes from the stress of putting a label on a relationship that started as something casual. The lyrics ‘call it what u want’ are a direct response to when hot boy/girl summer gets too serious.”
