Pat – White Air Forces

With over a million followers on TikTok alone, UK hip hop talent Pat has had quite the meteoric rise since he self-released his debut ‘Kodak‘ back in January.

Today he returns with the equally brilliant ‘White Air Forces’, showcasing his thoughtful and fun approach to music-making, combining original observations with a heartfelt and intimate message.

“’White Air Forces’ is a song that focuses on the perfect imperfections that you find in every relationship. The imagery of the creased Air Forces used throughout the song aims to convey the message that no matter how hard you try to keep something perfect over time the wear and tear will start to show.“

“Air Force 1s are notoriously easily creased and people go above and beyond to try and keep them in mint condition this compares to a modern relationship and the song aims to showcase the message that there really isn’t a need to force anything and just accept the fact that things are not always going to be great and if you truly love and value the person you will look past the creases and continue to wear the Air Forces.”

Pat

New Music: Abigail Rose

Abigail Rose is a Nashville-based songwriter who’s worked behind the scenes on some pretty big pop tracks like ‘Better Now‘ by Davina Michelle (which reached over 13 million Spotify streams) and ‘Wish It Would Rain‘ by Londin Thompson.

Her solo work is equally as impressive, as is the case with the release of ‘Out of My Hands’, which is a song that’s all about letting go of the things that you can’t control- like getting older, or other people’s emotions, and what the future holds.

“‘Out of My Hands’ was such a therapeutic song to write. I definitely like to be in control, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to accept I can’t be in control all of the time. Realising some things are out of my hands is the most freeing feeling in the world.”

Abigail Rose

New Music: Catie Turner

Pop music doesn’t come more charming than this. American singer-songwriter Catie Turner blends potent and personal lyricism with soulful vocals to create a sound that is so easy to fall in love with.

‘Mama’ honours the bond that growing daughters have with their mothers, and how they will always need them no matter far they move away, or how old they get.

“I write too many songs about men who break my heart, so my mom deserves a song because she is the one there through it all. This is my Mother’s Day present to her and all the other incredible moms out there.”

Catie Turner

Alice Merton – Vertigo

A tremendously epic blend of indie-rock and pop from German talent Alice Merton. This star has really rocketed to fame in recent years, with over 620 cumulative streams across all her music and also serving as a judge on the German edition of ‘The Voice’.

‘Vertigo’ was inspired by a real-life incident where she randomly started to feel dizzy, and had a rush of vertigo while waiting to enter a Berlin nightclub.

“I felt so helpless the next morning. How is it possible to love playing in front of huge audiences, when you feel anxious about being judged by strangers in public? All I could think was, why can’t I let go?”

Alice Merton

New Music: ChrisLee

With over 230,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone, ChrisLee is already well on his way to garnering a significant fan base. And it’s no surprise, specially when you listen to pop bops like ‘Flight Risk’. This track is a breezy slice of bliss; an emotional ode of choosing love in the midst of hard times.

“Through many sleepless nights, I just knew that if I embraced the love I had in my life, I could go anywhere and do anything to get through this challenging time,”

The LA-based singer-songwriter began his career assisting major artists such as Miguel, Busta Rhymes, and Shakira at Platinum Sound NYC. More recently, he appeared on Season 2 of NBC’s Songland, where he wrote the winning Boyz II Men song ‘Love Struck’.

ChrisLee

New Music: SMWN

Behind SMWN’s alias is Prince Fox, a talent who is already celebrated within the music industry as someone who’s worked with heavyweights like Hailee Steinfeld, Bella Thorne, Quinn XCII, YG, Ella Vos and more.

New single ‘Do Over’ is an ode to existence, and the inevitable mistakes we make. It’s a shimmering blend indie, pop and electronica, complimented with smooth and sleek vocals.

“When I wrote ‘Do Over’ I was thinking about how even if I told my younger self what I know now, I would have made the same mistakes. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without those road bumps, so those road bumps HAD to happen. The writing became this very circular idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy – every time I messed up and wanted a do over, the same thing would happen again. All this to say, all we can really change is our future, based on our past actions, we can not change the past itself.”

SMWN

New Music: iyah may

Australia really is a hotbed of pop talent right now, and adding to that trend is Cairns-born artist iyah may.

‘XO Girl‘ was written during her first year as a registered medical doctor. Friends and colleagues questioned her decision to leave the profession and chase her music dream, and so the song is all about sticking to your convictions.

“I had to conquer some inner demons of self-doubt and back myself and follow what felt right. ‘XO Girl’ is drawn from being pulled in different directions and having trust in yourself.”

iyah may

Watch: TRIBE – Shining A Light

TRIBE are a British trio with a distinctively confident approach to indie-pop. Their sound feels emotive, impassioned and daring. It seems like only a matter of time before they start to gain significant traction, so I feel quite excited to share with you their debut music video today.

The video follows the separate stories of each band member while they experience different troubles. They all eventually find their own sense of relief and joy within a ‘blue light’, which eventually transports them into a studio space where they perform ‘Shining A Light’ together.

TRIBE

New Music: Liberty

Danish talent Mattias Kolstrup (aka Liberty) is already widely known in his native homeland as the lead singer of the electro-rock group Dúné. Now he’s branching out with his own solo music, and it’s wonderful fusion of cosmic indie pop and soft psychedelic rock.

”I was pondering a relationship going to shit. So I went all the way to the Kilimanjaro Mountain in Tanzania – I had to get as far away and as close to the stars as possible. But of course, the further away I went, the more I thought of home and of her. When I reached the top, I met a strange old woman. She told me that I was a moon child set on the sun and maybe, for once, I should just try to be where I was. Here, now. I heeded her advice and ‘The Last Time’ was written then and there.”

Taken from the upcoming new album, ‘Moon Child Set On The Sun’ which is out soon.

Liberty

New Music: Luca Firth

This is probably the most gorgeous debut that I have had the pleasure of listening to today. London-based artist Luca Firth first recorded ‘Wings’ while in isolation at his student halls during the pandemic.

With only a laptop, microphone and a couple of guitars, Firth has managed to create a richly atmospheric and deeply emotive indie-folk sound that feels organic and raw, yet warm and sincere.

“While writing and recording, I realised I was kind of just at a loss. I was confused and struggling to picture what I was going to do with my life – as so many people were at the time.” 

Luca Firth

New Music: Lost Near Blue Ape

A refreshingly bold and hugely promising new outfit hailing from West London, Lost Near Blue Ape have already garnered interest from BBC Introducing.

The release of ‘Operator’ brings an energising approach to alternative rock, whilst the lyricism tackles concepts of abuse – both mentally and physically. Watch out for these kids – I think they may well be one of the UK’s most exciting new groups.

Lost Near Blue Ape

New Music: Scout

Scout is a London based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer who has a flair for blending indie with synthpop in the most finessed way you could imagine.

This is a sound that feels familiar yet fresh, with a hugely catchy melody and lyricism that carries a powerful message of tragic nostalgia.

“Its a kind of snapshot of the stage of heartbreak when everything feels like a reminder/ brings up memories of your ex. I guess I like to roll around in the darkness and romanticise for a bit too long because ultimately that’s all thats left of the relationship at that stage and it’s hard to let go, but it’s also the process and the birth place for a lot of relatable music, at least for me.”

Scout

New Music: UNDREAM

While still a relatively new talent, Swedish producer UNDREAM has already amassed over 2.5 million streams on Spotify alone from previous releases.

With TIMMS on vocals, ‘Chemical X’ is a dark (almost sinister) sound that feels ambient and atmospheric, formed through a masterfully intricate production that cements UNDREAM’s name as one to watch.

“A lot of the time I get inspired by what I can’t explain with words or something that is out of my understanding. Abstract imagery and unexplainable situations are things that inspire most of my sounds”

UNDREAM

New Music: I Know I Know

This is some of the most promising talent that I have come across to emerge from London this week. I Know I Know is the brainchild of prodigious multi-instrumentalist and producer Tommy Hill.

With a stunning blend of alt-rock and indie-pop, ‘Fade Out’ is a melancholic and dreamy mix of hypnotic drum grooves and haunting vocals over an emotive melody.

I Know I Know

New Music: YAOUNDÉBOXINGCLUB

I was immediately captivated by French artist YAOUNDÉBOXINGCLUB’s new single ‘Young’ purely from the lyricism. This is such a beautifully constructed slice of alt-pop that carries so much substance within the words sung.

The 21 year-old talent is not only a singer and songwriter but also a producer and mix engineer. Combined with a skill for writing impactful songs, you can expect to hear a lot more from this magnificent performer.

“‘Young’ is about feeling lost, desperate and demotivated while being told that you got your whole life ahead of yourself and that you’ll never be happier. That is definitely how I felt when I wrote it. I think I needed to hear these words, and I needed to hear them from myself specifically, because when all is crumbling around us the only person we can really rely on is ourselves. Through this song I tell myself that things are going to be fine and that I need to hold on, but I also give myself a reality check and pretty much force myself to acknowledge and even embrace my insecurities and weaknesses.”

YAOUNDÉBOXINGCLUB

New Music: Cohle

Another week, another outstanding Swedish talent to share with you! This time it’s Stockholm-based artist Cohle.

Drawing inspiration from modern-day legends such as Seinabo Sey, NAO and Emilie Nicolas, Cohle creates a refined fusion of dance-pop and RnB, laden with catchy melodies and sleek vocals.

‘Let Me In’ all about waiting too long on someone to make a decision and to get their act together; asking them to communicate their feelings and make their mind up.

Cohle

New Music: ROWANN

With a refreshingly original approach to indie-pop, Dutch duo ROWANN craft an ambient style of music that blends elements of harp with electric guitar to form a sound like none other.

Full of texture, character and personality, ‘Behind the Borders’ is a song that explores the depths of one’s imagination.

ROWANN