A quintessentially British take on the singer-songwriter genre, London-based artists Harry Bodley-Scott crafts a sound that uses his love of language to create melodies and lyrics that echo the triumphs and tragedies that people face every day.
If there’s one song that has really blown me away today, it has to be ‘Sweet Honey’ by Rotterdam-based singer and songwriter Nana M. Rose.
Beautifully cinematic and epic in it’s production, Rose’s haunting vocals glide over a sweeping orchestral arrangement that fuses together with dark indie-pop tones to create a sound that is just sublimely stunning.
“I’ve always wanted to write a song that captures the feeling of being in love and that’s what ‘Sweet Honey’ is all about.”
Working under the moniker of All The Queen’s Horses, Irish talent Sean Murphy is already causing a wave of excitement amongst the indie-folk scene.
He’s been nominated three times at this year’s International Songwriting Competition under the categories of Performance, Folk Singer-Songwriter and Best Song for Sync. And listening to ‘Raised By Wolves’ makes it clear why this artist is so well-received.
With a gorgeously dark approach to songwriting that blends haunting and sinister productions with deeply intense lyricism, packed full of metaphors and historical references, Murphy is steadily building a very loyal fanbase. When describing the the song, he explains:
“The song tells the story of a person who experiences constant misfortune in life (I live in fire and there’s no symmetry and there’s no winning here) and of the people who should never have abandoned him. Their indifference towards him (when the storms came I’d stay out in the snow) and his incomprehension of how they can accept this so easily (I held on to Jerusalem with my arrow and my bow). This man is on a warpath against all those who have abandoned him, but loses the strength to continue fighting them (and I will follow you and I will follow them) and his world begins to come apart at the seams. Embittered by his years of neglect, he believes that the misfortune and suffering of others is not equal to his (their virgin chests swim near and there’s no fitting in). The protagonist is portrayed as caustic, hostile and argumentative. His world collapses and he is poison to those around him.”
Featuring a spoken word appearance from 4-time Grammy nominee Phoebe Bridgers, today sees the return of multi-talented Swedish creative Luminous Kid (Olof Grind) with the release of new single ‘Mountain Crystals’.
The pair first became acquainted after Grind shot the cover to Bridgers’ 2020 record ‘Punisher‘. As master of many arts, Luminous Kid is not only a pop singer and songwriter but also a photographer and visual artist. Together with his self-directed music videos, he aims to create a complete body of queer art with his portfolio of work.
“I think the more role models and queer experiences that exist in popular culture, the better. If a song or a work of art can make a sad and trapped young queer person feel better about themselves, then it is a step in the right direction.”
Taken from the new album ‘at the end of the dream’ which is due 23rd April 2021.
With a sound that feels nostalgic and familiar yet refreshingly original, Angel Hotel are a Welsh trio crafting some of the most promising alt-pop to emerge out of the UK right now.
Their new single ‘Mourning Breeze’ is a shimmering modern classic that’s sure to both lift you up and hit you in the feels!
One of my favourite Swedish talents so far this year, Dear Sara returns with a guitar-driven pop bop in the form of ‘Do Better’.
Featuring those distinctive vocals that float so effortlessly over an infectiously catchy melody, you’ll have this song playing in your head all weekend.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve had a very vivid imagination. I’ve always enjoyed writing and coming up with stories. ‘Do Better’ is not about anything I’ve experienced personally, but more of a ‘what if’ kind of thought experiment.”
It’s rare to convey as much deep emotion into a piece of stripped-back pop as Valley Sixteen has done with the release of ‘Everybody Knows’.
This song is an intricately structured piece of music, yet presented in a beautifully simple way. You can experience a raw sense of intensity come through from Valley Sixteen’s vocals, hitting you with such an impact that it’s hard not to be moved.
“This is my most personal single yet. I wrote, recorded and produced this one on the floor of the first bedroom I had when I arrived here in Frankfurt. After moving myself halfway across the world from South Africa to Germany, I watched many of my closest relationships slowly fall apart. ‘Everybody Knows’ is my confession – ‘I wouldn’t love me if I were you'”.
Stockholm-based songwriter Amanda Cygnaeus is already an established name within the industry, having worked behind the scenes with the likes of LÉON, Iggy Azalea, Paloma Faith, Soleima and Icona Pop. She was even even nominated for ‘Songwriter Of The Year’ by the Swedish Music Publishers Association in 2018.
Today marks her debut as a solo project with the launch of ‘My Name Next to Yours’ – a song that was written as a reminder to stop romanticising about an ex-girlfriend.
It’s an empowering indie-pop bop that acts as a call for self-respect after a breaking up, while also wondering if you’re the only one thinking about the past.
“I wrote it after my first real heartbreak, back when me and my ex-girlfriend broke up. I have a tendency to either romanticise the past or worry about the future, so this was a way of reminding myself of what the relationship was really like and the fact that she ditched me. Kind of ‘how dare you?’ but at the same time feeling okay cause you know that you just weren’t right for each other. I had built up those emotions for a while, so the song literally flew out of me.”
A new Norwegian talent who seemingly has a gift for crafting some bass-heavy bangers, perfect for the weekend.
Dark and ambiguous vocals contrast against euphoric bouncy beats, reminding you that soon we’ll all get back in to clubs again and go bonkers!
A sublime and richly dark mix of alt-RnB and electro-pop from 27-year old Rotterdam artist and songwriter MILA.
“For as long as I can remember I have struggled with my sensitive side. But whatever we try to suppress will eventually come back even bigger. So my music became my confessional. Now I’m here, giving voice to all the thoughts I never dared to speak out loud.”
Taken from the new EP ”Let Go / Control” which is out now.
I’m very excited to introduce you to Philippines born, Melbourne based multi–disciplinary artist Paulo Guina, who goes by the alias of Powloh. His approach of blending electronic pop with hints indie, RnB and hip-hop brings a refreshing sound which is truly unique to experience.
‘Our Ghosts‘ is a beautifully raw and honest track that details the loss of Powloh’s close friend, rapper Peezo. The song reminisces on the times he felt haunted, and shares vulnerable stories of loss and helplessness.
Taken from the debut EP ‘Passing Romantica’ which is out now.
Australian talent Taylor B-W crafts a heady blend of pop, RnB and sultry soulful tones in a seamlessly perfect way. ‘Nunchucks’ is one of those songs that instantly grabs your attention with it’s fun attitude and spirit.
“The song is about giving up on a relationship; I’ve done as much as I can, there’s nothing else worth fighting for in this partnership. So why bother? It’s a no strings attached pop song: nothing deep, just fun.”
A mesmerising fusion of pop and disco from a fresh new talent hailing out of Leeds. Wax Works is a self-produced artist who’s unique blend of indie guitar tones and lo-fi pop beats make for a very loveable sound.
“This track discusses the anxieties around fear of losing people close to you.”
It’s almost impossible not to fall for the charming talents from Miami outfit The Polar Boys. With their genre-bending fusions of indie rock, hip hop and jazz, this group of friends have their eyes set for global domination.
Garnering over 160,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone (not to mention over six million streams from previous singles), it’s fair to say that their ascent to the top is looking pretty likely!
American breakout star mehro unveils his latest single ‘not alone’ today, along with the release of highly awaited project ‘SKY ON FIRE’.
The song feels hazy and melancholy in equal parts, and further establishes this talent as someone who has a truly unique take on music-making. On the project, mehro says:
“With the Australian fires, the murders of Briana Taylor, George Floyd and countless others, along with a global pandemic, we found ourselves in the middle of an environmental and cultural disaster. It was on top of us and all around us. With so much fear burning through our communities, our homes, our minds and our hearts, it seemed as though there was nothing we could do to put it out. Like a sky on fire. It was the California fires, while seeing the ashes in the air and the blazing red sun, that inspired the concept for the project.”
Taken from ‘SKY ON FIRE’ which is out now.
TOVI continues to mark herself as a champion in Canadian synth-rock with the release of the deliciously dark ‘Hard Feelings’.
The Alberta-born, Toronto-based artist shows off her delicate yet haunting vocals over crushing rock drums and toppling synths.
“This song calls myself out on self-sabotage. I was inspired by this article I stumbled upon. It was talking about people who often find themselves yearning for someone or something that is completely out of their reach, geographically or otherwise. You get to play the victim, you get to avoid change. It made me realise something in me needed to shift.”
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Hard Feelings’ which is due out on 9th April 2021.
Now on her sixth single release, Norwegian talent VILDE is back a stunningly sensual slice of Scandinavian RnB-pop in the form of ‘Motions’.
A dreamy blend of pop and RnB, wrapped up with a gorgeously unique vocal tone that feels airy yet packed full of character.
Genre-bending producer, singer and artist Chiiild returns with a dreamy blend of shimmering pop and RnB, painting a picture of hazy nostalgia that is beautifully mesmerising.
“‘How does it feel walking fast asleep, under the moonlight.’ Sleepwalking is a self-reflective song about reclaiming agency over your life. We all have something that makes us special, that nurtured can create something beautiful.”
Taken from the upcoming album ‘Hope For Sale’ which is slated for release this Summer via Avant Garden Records.
A delicious blend of funk and electro-pop from one of the most promising duo’s to emerge from New Zealand over the past year.
