ALFITUDE - New Music

SOCKiTTOME – disguise

This weekend’s biggest bop comes courtesy of UK artist SOCKiTTOME (aka Matt Carter).

‘disguise’ is a self-crafted piece of indie-pop gold. Aside from its perfected production and catchy melody, the song’s lyrics are also sure to resonate with many listeners. Elaborating on the track’s inspiration, Carter explains:

“‘disguise’ is a song written and produced by myself from my bedroom studio. it’s a song about parasocial relationships and dealing with the fallout when that person you idolise is ultimately a facade hiding a more corrupt background – but in a more general sense it’s about how we all have to put on a front in order to hide our true selves.”

To date, SOCKiTTOME’s music has picked up praise from outlets like BBC Wales, The Luna Collective, and Its All Indie, while his songs have amassed almost 500k streams on Spotify alone.

SOCKiTTOME

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New Music: Gaby K

If you’ve yet to experience Gaby K’s music then get ready to fall in love with this rising UK singer.

Inspired by modern-day icons like Amy Winehouse, Jessie Reyez and Amber Mark, this musician crafts a distinctive style of R&B-pop that has already picked up praise from tastemakers as respected as Wonderland and Earmilk.

Melodic new single ‘Call Me’ is lifted from the artist’s freshly released ‘Get to Love You’ EP (listen here), of which she says:

“Although the journey starts with falling in love with someone, this is just the beginning of how I grew to be the person I am now; alone, happy and I have finally found love for myself as an individual. I still have me and I am enough. I hope others will resonate with this too and that it helps them not only heal from any pain, but also reminds them not to sacrifice their well-being for others. It is a journey of losing someone but also finding yourself again. I believe that the most important love is self-love and putting your own health and happiness at the forefront.”

Gaby K is also a skilled live performer, and has supported Olivia Dean and Pip Millett on the respective tours. As far as emerging UK talent goes, this is one artist to watch for in 2024.

Gaby K

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Piper 57 – Love Bombing

German talent Piper 57 has built an impressive fanbase over the years, thanks to her refreshingly bold lyricism and punchy pop productions. Energising new single ‘Love Bombing’ is no exception.

The track was inspired by a series of dates that the artist had with an older gentleman, who seemingly had his life settled – but in reality was battling some inner problems that were not immediately evident.

The song offers listeners a glimpse into the world of ‘sugar dating’, and will no doubt only increase interest in this hugely promising pop starlet.

Piper 57

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boerd + Boko Yout – Lavendel

We’re so excited to be sharing with you the second collaboration from Swedish artists boerd (aka Bård Ericson) and Boko Yout (aka Paul Adamah).

‘Lavendel’ (Swedish for ‘lavender’) is the latest teaser from the musicians’ forthcoming ‘Griot’ EP (out 15th March), and presents listeners with a melancholic fusion of alt-pop and downtempo. Speaking on the song’s lyrics, Adamah says:

“Since high school, I have struggled with my sleep. I wake up several times during the night and feel restless as if someone or something is waking me up. Lavendel resembles my sleep; it mixes nightmares with dreams, restlessness with deep sleep, and ghost stories with lullabies.” – Boko Yout

Alongside boerd’s established popularity, Boko Yout is also carving a name for himself as one of Sweden’s most promising new stars, garnering more than 78k monthly listeners on Spotify.

boerd | Boko Yout

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Timmy Milner – 2009

If you’re in the mood for some 90’s inspired indie-rock then we’ve got the perfect track for you.

‘2009’ is American singer Timmy Milner’s latest single, and treats us to a captivating production that is not only sonically creative, but also incredibly charming to experience. Explaining the inspiration behind the song, Milner says:

“The idea behind ‘2009’ came from Instagram. My friend Rachel posted ‘Taking pictures using timers, I’ve got too much time’ in a throwback post and it inspired the song’s hook. Many of my friends requested the recording after hearing 2009 played at shows. In 2021, we began recording drums on tape and later finished it at my home studio in 2023 in LA. Jason Soda mixed the record at Palomino Sound in Boyle Heights. I’m excited to finally share it with Spotify and the world.”

Fans can look forward to Milner’s new record, ‘Winning Time’, which is scheduled for release this year. In the meantime you can enjoy more of the artist’s songs here.

Timmy Milner

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New Music: Amelie Lucille

At only 15-years of age, New York’s Amelie Lucille has to be one of the youngest singer-songwriters that we have ever featured on Alfitude.

And once you play her new single ‘See me’ you’ll understand why. This is a beautifully intense, sombre and heartfelt piece of music that focuses on toxic relationships. Elaborating on the lyrics, Lucille says:

“I wrote ‘See me’ as a way to reach out to people that are in a toxic relationships, whether it is with a partner, friend, or family. The song is written as a ‘cry for help’. My goal is to always be sincere in my lyrics and therefore hopefully relatable to the listeners.”

“‘See me’ was a release, and I hope it feels like that for others too.”

Fans in NY can catch this artist at The Bitter End, where she often performs as part of their Urban Garage series. Otherwise, listeners can stream more music by Lucille on Spotify here.

Amelie Lucille

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Tilly Kingston – Youth Is Wasted

It wouldn’t be a normal weekend on Alfitude without us sharing a banger for you… This time it’s courtesy of British pop-punk artist Tilly Kingston.

New single ‘YOUTH IS WASTED’ is an anthem for self-empowerment, and is just as uplifting and anthemic as you’d expect it to be!

“‘Youth Is Wasted’ is a tongue in cheek ‘P*ss Off’ to all the people who look down on me and say I am wasting my life and having too much fun. Well if this is wasting my life than fuck yeah, I am, and loving every minute of it!!”

The track follows on from Tilly’s breakout debut ‘Best Break Up Ever’ (listen here), which has already amassed more 1.4 million views on YouTube and 90k Spotify streams. One to watch!

Tilly Kingston

EMMY – Call Me When You Can + Hysteria

Social media starlet EMMY (aka Emmy Hartman) has been a rising name ever since going viral in 2017.

Over the years, this hugely talented singer has built up a legion of dedicated fans (exceeding more than two million followers on TikTok alone), thanks to her captivating acapella covers.

EMMY has released a new EP today called ‘Mouthful’ (listen here), of which we’re featuring two of our favourite tracks.

The first is ‘Call Me When You Can’, which treats listeners to a melodic fusion of dreamy indie and pop, with subtle hints of folk.

We’re also obsessed with closing track ‘Hysteria’, which perfectly balances elements of synth with alt-pop:

The record has been released through iconic LA music company GODMODE, who are also known for their work with artists as prominent as Lizzy McAlpine and Channel Tres.

EMMY

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Aleks Grey – Sunset Cigarette

One of our favourite songs of the week comes courtesy of Norwegian alt-pop artist Aleks Grey.

New single ‘Sunset Cigarette’ looks at those moments in life that remind us previous events and people.

In the case of this song, the scent of a cigarette burning on a summer’s day brings back memories of a cherished person for the musician.

It’s not always easy with relations and relationships, whether it’s a partner, friend or family. But through the highs and lows, love will always be a big part of those nostalgic feelings.

The track continues to prove that Grey is one of Norway’s most interesting alternative talents. His likeable style of sound has not only amassed a significant number of streams online, but the artist has also found support from the likes of Jammerzine and BBC Merseyside.

Aleks Grey

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New Music: Leona Rue

Leona Rue is a rising UK-based newcomer who has just released her third single, called ‘Graceful’.

This song showcases the 19-year old artist’s impressive songwriting skills. Alongside its haunting production, the sincere lyrics address topics of self-identity and family dynamics.

“‘Graceful’ is about the complicated relationship you have with yourself growing up, and also that with your parents. Finding reasons to blame them for why you turned out the way you did ; for me in this song it’s more literal, about feeling messy, clumsy and ungraceful as well as struggling to say the things I really mean.”

With support from Apple Music, BBC Introducing and Radio 1 already under her belt, it’ll only be a short matter of time before Rue picks up mainstream appeal.

Leona Rue

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Cloudbelly – Handfuls

If you’re in the mood for some cinematic indie-folk then we’ve got the perfect track for you.

‘Handfuls’ is the latest single to be released by US-based trio Cloudbelly, and it really is one of the most sublime compositions we’ve come across so far this year.

“‘Handfuls’ is one of Cloudbelly’s darker excursions, cyclical and meditative as it mourns a freshly broken connection.”

The track was released as a taster to the award-winning band’s upcoming album, called ‘i know i know i know’.

Cloudbelly are currently preparing for their next tour, which begins on the 23rd February at Brooklyn’s Footlight Underground. Full dates and tickets can be found here.

Cloudbelly

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Flora Cash – Baby I Love You

Acclaimed Scandinavian duo Flora Cash return today with a beautiful slice of country-tinged pop that deserves your attention.

‘Baby I Love You’ is a classic love song that we can all find some type of connection with. It’s a track that symbolises the unexplainable feelings we encounter for the ones we love – through the good and the bad. Elaborating further, they say:

“Lately, we find ourselves unexpectedly drawn towards a metamodern approach in our songwriting. It seems to be a natural progression of our thinking. Through that lens, ‘Baby I Love You’ explores a concept of love that doesn’t need reasons or explanations. From the lowest lows to the highest highs, it just is. It’s messy and confusing. And sometimes not making sense makes the most sense.

We tried to capture this in the production as well, mixing different styles in a way that feels right for the message we’re conveying. Dakota Holden’s pedal steel performance adds a unique country flavour but the song doesn’t settle into a single genre. It’s different from much of what we’ve done in recent years, with a brighter, more upbeat feel that came as a bit of a surprise even to us.”

Flora Cash have recieved praise from tastemakers as respected as Noisey, Paste, Earmilk and Interview Magazine, while their songs have amassed more than 550 million streams collectively on Spotify alone.

Flora Cash

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Levi Evans – Getting Over It

LA-based musician Levi Evans is one of those talents who creates songs that are almost impossible not to love. The artist is back today with some new work which we’re already obsessed with.

‘Getting Over It’ is taken from Levi’s freshly released debut EP ‘Head Chatter’ (listen here), and was co-written alongside Lucky West. The song treats listeners to a playful blend of indie, pop and rock, and the melody is sure to stay in your minds all day.

“My relationship with music is complicated. It’s great and I love doing it, but it’s an addiction. If I’m making stuff that I really like, I get quite high from it, and I feel really good about myself. But if I hit a creative rut or anything like that, it’s like I come down, and that’s when the more negative head chatter comes and it affects my mental health. I remember when I first started making music, the high would last for a while. I’d be happy with one song for like a month, but like with any addiction you build a tolerance and now it’s only a day or so. I listen to it a bunch and then I’m like, ‘Okay, what’s the next thing? I’m actually working on separating my worth from my work. It would be healthier for me.”

Levis’s music currently commands more than 45k monthly listeners on Spotify, while his songs have amassed more than three million cumulative streams to date.

Levi Evans

New Music: Wild Horse

Wild Horse is a UK-based trio consisting of brothers Jack and Henry Baldwin, along with childhood friend Ed Barnes.

‘Wednesday Night Distractions’ is an energising song that blends pop with rock in a way that is universally enjoyable – marking this promising outfit as one of the country’s most exciting newcomers.

To date, the band have amassed more than 200k catalogue streams on Spotify, and have been praised by the likes of BBC Introducing, as well as prominent radio stations such as X, Caroline and Amazing.

Wild Horse

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New Music: dom champ

Track of the week. dom champ is a promising rapper, singer and spoken-word artist based in the coastal city of Brighton.

Melancholic new single ‘The Cycle’ presents listeners with a hazy and soulful style of production, while the intricate lyrics tell of the artist’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

Wish I could isolate with nothing but the vinyl
Music is my teacher I’m a fully fledged disciple
If you’re an artist you’re an idol
I pray that one day, artist is my title

dom champ is planning to release new music every month this year, which is something that we’re very excited about.

If you’d like to experience more of his work, you can check out his catalogue of singles here.

dom champ

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angelbaby – am i just high?

Your weekend banger comes courtesy of rising US artist angelbaby, and their energising new single ‘am i just high?’

The track presents listeners with a bold and punchy mix of alternative pop, rap and indie, while the lyrics focus on the feelings that we experience during breakups.

“this song is literally the soundtrack of my life when i was goin out every night in la trying to get over my ex. the song is low key a trip through my twisted mind. play that sh*t loud af”.

angelbaby’s traction continues to rise, with the artist currently commanding more than 270k monthly listeners on Spotify. We think it’s going to be a very exciting year for this talent, so be sure to keep them on your radar!

angelbaby

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Kahone Concept – It’s Safe to Say I Have Regrets

While this isn’t the first time that we have featured American musician Kahone Concept’s work, this track does mark somewhat of a departure from his usual upbeat sound.

‘It’s Safe to Say I Have Regrets’ is a contemplative song which finds the artist looking back at his past, and thinking about his actions. It’s a piece of music that is refreshingly honest and heartfelt, and is one of our favourite Friday releases today.

“I often think back to times I should have treated people with kindness or patience, but I didn’t. Who I was as a kid at moments really bothers me. I look back on a lot and absolutely cringe. Maybe that’s the maturity everyone told me about my whole life. It gets so annoying when people say ‘wait till you get older’. It’s true to an extent. Who I am now would handle it all differently. I guess I wouldn’t be who I am today if I didn’t make all those mistakes. The hardest part of putting out a song admitting my mistakes is knowing I’m bound to make many more. It feels really contradicting, almost like I’ll never learn. Eh, screw it, it’s how I feel.”

The song is part of a series of releases by Kahone Concept, which will all come together soon under an album called ‘The Greatest Hits’.

Kahone Concept

New Music: Grace Lee

Detroit has a new star in the making, and her name is Grace Lee. This talented singer and songwriter creates a style of indie-pop that is distinctly unique, with her new single ‘Dream House’ being no exception.

On the track, listeners can experience Lee’s ethereal vocals glide over a soundscape that is rich in sonic texture and character. On the song’s lyrics, the artist says:

“I wrote this song to process a relationship that had left me feeling violated. It’s about closing off and creating your own space to heal… taking away access. It’s the necessary period of solitude that can end up feeling empowering as well.”

If you love ‘Dream House’ as much as we do, then we strongly recommend you check out more of Lee’s music here. With more than two million career streams to date, this talent is definitely worth watching!

Grace Lee

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New Music: Nessi

Hailing from Norway is promising newcomer Nessi, who has released one of the most powerful pop songs of the week.

‘Lonely in a Crowd’ addresses topics of anxiety and loneliness in a beautifully considered and thoughtful way. Explaining the song in more detail, the artist says:

“‘Lonely in a Crowd’ as a reminder that we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. For better or worse, everything is temporary. Loneliness and community are key themes in my music. So whether you want to feel or forget, you can lose yourself for a moment in this song.”

Despite being a relatively new name in the Scandinavian pop scene, Nessi is already a talent with momentum. Her previous releases have accumulated more than 150k streams on Spotify alone, and her work has picked up support from heavyweight tastemakers as noted as NRK P3.

Nessi

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Ezra – tightrope

If there’s one alt-pop name to watch for this year, it’s Ezra. This talent has been gaining impressive levels of momentum (at present, he’s already got more than 140k monthly listeners on Spotify), and his new single ‘tightrope’ will only further accelerate interest.

This song serves as a taster to the artist’s upcoming debut project (slated for a May release), and is lyrically inspired by his desire to be successful in life. Sonically, the production treats listeners to an anthemic mix of emo, punk and pop.

“‘tightrope’ is a song about me not being satisfied with what I have and constantly looking for more – trying to find the balance between hunger and satisfaction. The production and writing is some of my best, so I knew it was special. The first day I played it on my livestream, I got hundreds of dm’s asking when it would be released which got me hyped to release it. It’s my favourite song on this upcoming EP, and I can’t wait for the world to hear it.”

Ezra’s music has amassed more than four million streams to date. On top of that, the artist has also been featured by iconic tastemakers like Fashionably Early. You can check out more of his music on Spotify here.

Ezra

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