Each release from Yuki Dreams Again makes me fall in love further with this refreshing Canadian pop artist. ‘Cold World’ also features the talents of Zach Zoya and SORAN.
Baby, it’s a cold world, baby, it’s a mad world
Everybody hopes they just end up with the right girl
It’s almost impossible to believe that jake cdg is still only 15-years old. This American talent has fused elements of raw, glitchy pop with alternative rock on ‘tbh’ to create something refreshingly original and excitingly bold.
In my view, FJ Law is one British name to watch out for. In a relatively short time, this talent has already had love from BBC Introducing and Mahogany, as well as Spotify (who included his songs to their flagship New Music Friday UK, Fresh Finds, and Bloom playlists).
Now he’s back with another gem in the form of ‘catch 22’, a song which features hook-laden beats and synths, and showcases FJ Law’s unique ability to create alternative, indie-pop hits.
“The story of this song is based around a party I attended. Before she arrived I would play a psychological tennis game in my head, a back and forth of trying to decide the right thing to do… I was stuck in a catch 22. I knew it was a lose lose situation between entertaining her games or having to admit that it was over. I knew at this particular party enough was enough. I left before she arrived. I remember the feeling of satisfaction and adrenalin and how proud of myself I was in the car on the way home. It was summer, I had the windows down and the music up. I finally did what was best for me. It was a great feeling.”
Taken from the upcoming debut EP ‘Tape 1’ which is out on 14th May 2021.
A playful yet sharp electro-pop sound from Danish talent Bathsheba.
“Does anyone else miss the days when the news were boring? I can’t believe it’s been a year since Denmark first went into lockdown. The past year has been so insane in all kinds of ways. You wake up every morning to yet another disaster. Another crisis you have to comment on in some way. And sometimes it just becomes too much. I wrote a song about that.”
What could be described as ‘Suburban Pop’, Brooklyn-based artist haer spent her childhood penning songs at home in the outskirts of Georgia before moving to New York.
Her approach to music making fuses indie and pop in a subtle and understated way, while the lyricism is vivid and captivating.
“I wrote this song after someone I was supposed to meet with cancelled on me for the second time. It felt like one of the many frustrations we sometimes experience with close friends and partners. After continuous misunderstandings and inconsistent behaviour, you wonder if it’s time to write this relationship off and move on. This song is a letter to them.”
Created in quarantine from across the North American continent, ‘Lost In The Sound’ was was produced by Ariza and co-written by Julia Gartha and Beane; who is a current contestant on American Idol.
This is an effortlessly cool and sleek interpretation of alternative RnB that feels finessed and dreamy, lifted even further more by the stunning vocal arrangements.
Julia Gartha | Beane | Ariza
A dreamy fusion of soul and indie-pop, complimented with a silky vocal tone that feels distinctively unique yet fragile and delicate.
The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star has just released a self-titled album and I am particularly obsessed with ‘Telling Myself’ – a punchy pop number with hints of indie and disco that is totally infectious.
I’ve often featured talent from Sweden’s most-watched television event, Melodifestivalen. You’ll be hard pressed to find a famous pop artist from the Nordic nation not to have been involved with the competition at some point in their career. It runs for six weeks and acts as a process to select country’s Eurovision entry.
This year saw the return of the hugely popular Eric Saade – one of the biggest names in Swedish pop from the last decade. And while he was declared as the runner-up eventually, he delivered one of the most experimental and avant-garde performances ever to be seen on the show’s 62-year old history.
One of Germany’s most exciting indie-pop exports, Shelter Boy brings a taste of the UK Northern music scene and blends it into his own unique style, to create sound that feels both refreshingly new and nostalgic at the same time.
“It’s about interaction, honesty and perceiving and analysing one’s own feelings. No platitudes, no embellishments; the sweaty truth as it stands in the front row and goes off like there’s no tomorrow”.
Now garnering over 100,000 monthly Spotify listeners a month, American singer-songwriter Gunnar Gehl continues to build a loyal fanbase with his exquisitely produced and beautifully melodic pop compositions.
A finessed approach to alt-pop, with smooth vocals and a sweet melodic flow.
Taken from the EP ‘GRAY’ which is out now.
Sometimes a song comes along, and the lyrics summarise life in a way that reassures you and gives you hope. Brooklyn-based artist Haiku’s song ‘Peace of Mind’ is just that.
It’s a track that looks at the struggles we all experience; of feeling overwhelmed and caught up in life, and the constant battles we can face.
A beautifully honest and introspective blend of RnB and soul, Haiku’s influences of SZA, Mariah Carey and HER come through majestically on this release.
“Life can weigh heavy on your shoulders, pushing you down, but there’s a dawn to every night. ‘Peace of Mind’ recognises the hardship and loneliness of struggle, while also reminding you to keep one foot in front of the other. Peace of mind calms the heart, and reassures the soul.”
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Pilot’ which is out soon.
Soul seems to be that one genre that resonates with anyone at any stage in their life. It has the ability to comfort you on a sad day, and join you on the happy days as well.
The pandemic has seen a lot of bad days come to light, but during lockdown there have been some artists like Anglo-Italian singer, songwriter and dancer Georg’ Estelle, who have thankfully spent their time creating some refreshing soul to cheer us all up.
“This song was written at the peak of the pandemic, during a difficult time of my life, where my motivation as an upcoming artist was hardly there, being at home isolated from everyone. But I still had hope, and I still wanted people to believe there was more to life and that we were going to get through this. The song is centered around a new love and the sentiment that comes with it, of feeling indestructible and excited. That’s how I want people to feel about life again and to listen to the track and feel uplifted, hopeful and ready to live fully. This is why ‘Taste of You’ holds such a special meaning to me, and hopefully it inspires others too.”
It’s near impossible getting any information about this talent, so you’ll have to make your own interpretations as to what this sound is about, and how it makes you feel.
What I do know though, is that this is US artist Bank Fenn’s second release, and was written about a woman named Lacy who left society to live on an island alone.
I personally found the song brought a new approach to indie folk, while also fusing elements of dark-pop and electronica to form a melancholy yet intriguing sound which is hauntingly beautiful.
Irish pop perfectionists Wild Youth continue their invasion for global dominance with the release of hugely infectious banger ‘Can’t Say No’.
This is a bold and punchy track that feels powerful and euphoric, whilst still encapsulating the band’s down-to-earth nature and lyrical vulnerability.
Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Forever Girl’ which is out on 26th March 2021.
Track of the week. I think this may very well be the most beautiful piece of pop that I have heard so far in 2021. ‘In Another Life‘ is just a phenomenally moving song; there’s no amount of words I could say that would do it justice. Just press play and experience four minutes’ of musical perfection.
Taken from the new EP ‘Timothy’ which is out now.
Rising UK talent Ned blends alt-pop, RnB and hip hop to create a sound that feels refreshingly original. Today marks his third release, ‘indecisive’, which looks at the issues surrounding mental health.
The track was fully self produced, mixed and mastered by Ned himself, and features a sampled Boris Johnson speech that echoes the motif of ‘I’m just so indecisive, always in a constant crisis.’
One of Denmark’s biggest and most exciting exports of late, june are back with another show-stopping slice of pop perfection with new single ‘Something To Lose’.
Starting slow, the track evolves into an almighty banger in a matter of seconds and keeps you hooked up until the end, by which point there’s a very likely chance you’ll keep it on loop for the rest of the day… Scandinavian pop at it’s best!
“It’s an explosive sound with a heartfelt message. But even though it is so violent, it is actually still very sparse and minimalist in the sound, which is a recurring thing in our songs.”
Consistently delivering some of the most charming and eccentric pop, Leyla Blue is truly becoming somewhat of a musical obsession for me. Self-penned ‘Gasoline’ details a date that never happened due to the interest flaking out.
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘THE BLUE,’ which is out soon via Island Records.
