Dempsey Bolton – Arizona

This weekend’s indie anthem comes courtesy of Canadian musician Dempsey Bolton, who has just released a fabulous new single called ‘Arizona’.

Uplifting and playful in its character, this nostalgic bop finds Bolton reminiscing on the worry-free days of his youth. Explaining the song further, he says:

“I often reflect on a trip I had to Arizona and how little I had to care or worry about back then. It seems like as I get older my problems get broader and higher stakes. The song is really an ode or a nod to days gone by. I think it’s also me recognising that as time goes on, my perception of youth changes and I’m left with a dichotomy to deal with of still feeling like a teenager but at the same time, knowing I have some much more to lose now.”

The track serves as a taster to Dempsey’s forthcoming self-produced sophomore album, which is scheduled for release later this summer. In the meantime, make sure you’ve listened to the artist’s previous single, ‘With My Thoughts’ here.

Dempsey Bolton

Child Seat – Unrequited

American duo Child Seat (aka Madeleine Mathews and Josiah Mazzaschi) have been building steady momentum since their formation in 2021.

With a style of sound that fuses indie with pop and rock, this outfit have consistently created captivating pieces of music that feel experimental but also relatable to listeners.

New single ‘Unrequited‘ samples a vintage Mattel Optigan, and serves us with a dreamy soundscape that is really quite mesmerising to experience.

“‘Unrequited’ is a song about fabricating a life in your head daydreaming about someone or something only for it to not actually be true in real life. You’re constantly let down by your fantasies.”

If you’ve only just discovered Child Seat then be sure to give their 2022 debut album ‘Bad Holiday’ a spin here.

Child Seat

HADEE. – POISON IVY

Emerging musician HADEE. has been building steady momentum for quite some time, and has now marked himself as one of Florida’s most promising alt-rock talents.

New single ‘POISON IVY’ is the artist’s third release to date, and delivers a production that perfectly mixes elements of raw, gritty punk-rock with indie and pop.

Fans in Miami Beach can catch HADEE. performing live tonight (26th May) at the Sand Bar, alongside Petrichør and Mind State – details can be found here.

Be sure to catch this independent artist while you can… we predict big things coming his way!

HADEE.

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New Music: Philip Jonathan

Hailing from Northumberland is promising singer and songwriter Philip Jonathan, who has unveiled a beautifully moving new single today, called ‘Headlights’.

The lyrics were inspired by a chance meeting that Jonathan had with a man who was conflicted about his life’s choices.

 “A couple of friends and I run an arts-based community engagement activity at a local market called ‘Poems for a Pound’. People give us £1 and a story and we write up a poem for them on an old typewriter. I got talking with a man in his mid 50s who described being at a real crossroads in life. He described being torn between the safety of a predictable road and the yearning inside him that there must be something more than this. I wrote a poem for him that resonated deeply with me too – that night I wrote this song based on the words of the poem.” 

On its production, the track thoughtfully balances elements of indie with folk and acoustic pop, resulting in a piece of music that is sincere and heartfelt and in tone.

‘Headlights’ is taken from Jonathan’s upcoming EP, which is scheduled for release later this year. In the meantime, listeners can enjoy the artist’s 2022 debut ‘Pluma’ here.

Philip Jonathan

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New Music: Berlue

Singer, songwriter and producer Berlue is a rising talent hailing from Nashville in Tennessee.

‘Existential’ is the artist’s latest release, and features an energising fusion of alternative pop and indie. Explaining the inspiration behind the lyricism, Berlue says:

“It’s about feeling uncertain about what I know and what really matters and that I don’t think there are any answers.”

With more than 500k catalogue streams already achieved on Spotify alone, Berlue is one talent to keep on your radars this year. If you’re in love with this musician as much as we are, then we recommend checking out their 2022 EP ‘A Flooding Within You’ here.

Berlue

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New Music: Casey Urban

Multi-disciplinarian creative talent Casey Urban is one of the most interesting discoveries of the week.

Aside from her work as a musician, Casey is also prominent pole-dance artist who has performed in front of thousands of people and worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg.

Empowering new single ‘Other People’s Minds’ features XEVEN and producer Sher, and tackles the toxicity which is sometimes present within the music industry:

“This song is a response to a producer saying I can’t mix music with pole dancing as ‘serious musicians’ wouldn’t take me seriously.”

Casey is currently planning a one-woman show, which she hopes to perform in New York soon. In the meantime, listeners can enjoy the artist’s previous singles here.

Casey Urban | XEVEN | Sher

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Ian Abel – Drowning

American artist and performer Ian Abel is no stranger to the spotlight. Aside from his solo work projects, this accomplished musician has toured the world, and performed alongside icons as noted as Nile Rodgers.

Abel’s latest single, ‘Drowning’, presents us with a refreshingly unique and brave mix of genres.

This is a sound that is eccentric, bold, and utterly captivating to experience. Listeners will be taken on a journey that features elements of nostalgia-tinged 00’s pop, alternative R&B and hyperpop, while the lyrics tell of the impending doom that comes with falling for the wrong person.

“You know when you want someone so bad… they’re so hot that you just can’t get enough, but you also know it‘s a bad idea? It’s like you’re watching a shipwreck about to happen… and in the end you can’t stop the inevitable.”

If you’re still new to this artist then be sure to check out his critically-acclaimed 2016 debut EP, ‘Icarus’ here.

Ian Abel

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nodisco. – Blame (feat. John Splithoff)

Photo / Christopher Borges

Genre-bending North American talent nodisco. (aka Chris Toufexis) returns with an impressive new collaboration featuring fellow musician John Splithoff, entitled ‘Blame’.

The track presents listeners with a smooth and melodic mix of classic R&B and hazy indie-pop, and was crafted during a period of heartbreak for the artist.

“I had just flown to LA the day after a breakup and was staying with my friend Luke Moellman for a few days of recording. Unsurprisingly, I was in the dumps but we wanted to write something upbeat to get me out of it. We were listening to a bunch of D’Angelo, Maxwell, Raphael Saadiq and wanted to get that raw, real instrumentation R&B sound down. We called up our friend, the incredible John Splithoff, to lay down the guitar solo and he ended up adding flavor to the whole tune. He really took it to a whole other level.”

The song serves as another teaser to the artist’s upcoming project, ‘A Long Talk at Taylors’. With such a natural flair for crafting beautiful sounds, it’s no wonder that nodisco. continues to gather momentum from tastemakers and playlist curators alike.

nodisco. | John Splithoff

Moon Taxi – Set Yourself Free

Photo / Bethany Reed

With five albums under their belt, 300 million career streams on Spotify alone and a significant fanbase all across social media, Moon Taxi have confirmed their status as one of Nashville’s biggest indie outfits.

Inspired by themes of collaboration and the importance of community, new single ‘Set Yourself Free’ was written as a reminder that we are better when we are together.

Interestingly, the song was written by all five members of the group through a FaceTime call. Elaborating further on the track, vocalist & guitarist Trevor Terndrup explains:

“During the pandemic, we got used to FaceTime songwriting. For better or worse, it’s been a great way for everyone to collaborate remotely. The idea of falling back on someone you trust is so important nowadays. But truly it’s how we’ve tried to operate as a band for all these years.”

The song is taken from the band’s upcoming studio album, which is scheduled for release on the 9th June 2023.

Moon Taxi will also embark on a nationwide tour across the US this summer, with support from The Stews – dates and cities listed below.

Moon Taxi

Moon Taxi US Tour 2023

  • 8.4 Isle of Palms, SC @ The Windjammer (tickets)
  • 8.5 Isle of Palms, SC @ The Windjammer (tickets)
  • 8.6 Isle of Palms, SC @ The Windjammer (tickets)
  • 8.9 Virginia Beach, VA @ 24th Street Park (free)
  • 8.10 Savannah, GA @ Victory North
  • 8.11 Ponte Vedra, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
  • 8.12 Augusta, GA @ Imperial Theatre
  • 8.24 Tuscaloosa, AL @ Druid City Music Hall
  • 8.25 Chattanooga, TN @ Signal
  • 8.26 Athens, GA @ Georgia Theater
  • 8.31 Greenville, SC @ The Foundry
  • 9.1 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
  • 9.2 Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station
  • 9.15 New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
  • 9.16 Mobile, AL @ Soul Kitchen
  • 9.20 Nashville, TN @ Jrodconcerts Americanafest FIESTA II
  • 9.22 Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall
  • 9.28 Columbia, SC @ The Senate
  • 9.29 High Point, NC @ The Stage @ Cohab
  • 9.30 Macon, GA @ Capitol Theatre Macon
  • 10.4 Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity Theatre
  • 10.5 Oxford, MS @ Lyric Theater
  • 10.6 Little Rock, AR @ The Hall
  • 10.7 St. Louis, MO @ The Big Top
  • 10.12 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
  • 10.13 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverfront Amphitheater
  • 10.14 Louisville, KY @ Paristown Hall
  • 10.20 Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing
  • 10.26 Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone
  • 10.27 Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue
  • 10.28 Peoria, IL @ Premier Event Center
  • 11.1 Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater
  • 11.2 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
  • 11.3 Richmond, VA @ The National
  • 11.4 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Smalls Theatre
  • 11.6 Portland, ME @ State Theatre
  • 11.8 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
  • 11.9 Philadelphia, PA @ Brooklyn Bowl
  • 11.10 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
  • 11.11 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater Block Party 
  • 11.18 Chicago, IL @ HOB 
  • 11/30 Houston, TX @ Last Concert Backyard & Amp
  • 12/1 Austin, TX @ Emo’s
  • 12/2 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
  • 12/3 Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
  • 12/5 Oklahoma City, OK @ Jones Assembly
  • 12/6 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
  • 12/8 Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
  • 12/9 Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

New Music: The Silver Doors

If you’re in the mood for some hard rock then today’s release of ‘Losing Hand’ by American four-piece The Silver Doors will most likely make you very happy.

Sonically dark and raw, the song serves listeners with captivating vocals over an anthemic melody. The track is both mysterious and arresting in equal measures, and showcases the group’s distinct style of sound.

‘Losing Hand’ serves as a follow up to the North Carolinian’s debut single, ‘Redeemer’, which was released earlier this year. You can catch the group at Asheville’s Static Age Records on the 25th May – more details can be found here.

The Silver Doors

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Cherise – 2 Steppin

Photo / CLARA SETIAN

Cherise is no stranger to the Alfitude pages – and you’ll find out why as soon as you play her summery new single, ‘2 Steppin’.

The track marks the UK soul starlet’s return, and was inspired by the childhood trips she would take to see her late grandfather:

“When I was younger, my mum would bring me from Luton to Hackney for him to babysit me and my little sister.”

Explaining the meaning of the song’s title, Cherise goes on to explain:

“He had so much swag, walking so slowly down Ridley Road, with this two-step; no hesitation.”

Cherise has a packed scheduled over the next few months. The artist will be performing on the jazz festival circuit throughout the early summer (locations and tickets here), before releasing a new album entitled ‘Calling’ on the 7th July 2023 (pre-save here).

Cherise

Tafari Anthony – Falling Back

Photo / Joshua Rille

JUNO-nominated Canadian artist Tafari Anthony is back with one of the catchiest songs of the week, entitled ‘Falling Back’.

With its finessed and sleek fusion of alternative R&B and soulful pop, the song presents listeners with a melodic slice of disco bliss.

Alongside the release of the track, Anthony has also unveiled some striking visuals, of which he says:

“I wasn’t even planning to do a video for ‘Falling Back,’ but we decided very last minute that it would be a good idea as the first single back since my JUNO Award nomination.  I had about a week to come up with how we were going to make this happen. It’s interesting when you have to move quickly and resources are scarce, it forces you to think differently. Oftentimes, this ends up creating something super cool that I may not have even thought of if I had more time to think about it. I’ve always been a fan of more minimalistic and abstract art. I knew we didn’t have a lot of time with the director, Derek Janzen, so the concept was going to have to be something that was more implied, and the story told more through performance and a very minimal set. The video had to be completely shot in about four hours, and I flew into Vancouver an hour before we were supposed to start shooting. The idea was to depict this never-ending cycle where no matter what action was taken, it always came back to the same starting point and same ending point.”

Having amassed more than 200k career streams to date on Spotify alone, as well as receiving continued praise from outlets as respected as Exclaim and Atwood Magazine, Anthony has firmly marked himself as one of Canada’s next big prospects.

Tafari Anthony

New Music: JO universe

Our introduction to JO universe proves that Denmark is currently one of Europe’s leading nations for emerging musical talent.

As the creative project of artists Johanne Marie Theill (singer & writer) and Nicolai Absalon (co-writer & producer), these two musicians are creating some of the most exciting and interesting sounds to emerge from Scandinavia in quite some time.

In equal parts, the duo’s infectious new single ‘Sweet Deal’ is an eccentric, camp, quirky and high-drama slice of alternative pop that you’ll likely have on repeat for the rest of the day.

This is a sound that is bravely playful and utterly captivating to experience – and marks a promising taster to the band’s upcoming releases.

JO universe

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New Music: Fourth Daughter

Scottish multi-hyphenate Fourth Daughter (aka Emily Atkinson) unveils an impressive anthem today, entitled ‘Take The Fall’.

Serving as a taster to the artist’s upcoming debut ‘HYPERREAL’ EP (out 28th July), the song showcases an impressive style of sound that effortlessly incorporates dark pop with indie and electronica.

While still only Atkinson’s third release, the track’s production tells us that this is a talent who is unafraid to push sonic boundaries to create bold and captivating pieces of music.

With praise from the likes of BBC Introducing and TikTok, as well as features on prominent playlists like Apple Music’s Breaking Dance and Amazon’s Fresh Dance, its safe to say that Fourth Daughter is a talent on the rise.

Fourth Daughter

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MTMBO – Simple Things

London talent MTMBO is one of those artists who never fails to impress. Debuting back in 2015, this musician’s releases have since gone on to amass more than six million streams – with new single ‘Simple Things’ only adding to the momentum.

Weaving elements of alternative pop with indie and folk, the song presents listeners with an atmospheric soundscape that is melancholic and deeply moving to experience.

To date, MTMBO’s work has been featured by iconic tastemaker outlets as noted as Fashionably Early, Disco Naïveté, Sodwee and Dummy Mag.

MTMBO

Chrissy Chlapecka – Alpha

TikTok starlet Chrissy Chlapecka has just unleashed a massive banger called ‘Alpha’.

Bold, confident and fun in tone, the track’s production reminds us of the extravagant styles of electro-pop that were prevalent from the mid 00’s – think Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Kesha.

With more than 5 million followers on TikTok alone, as well as 270k monthly listeners on Spotify, there’s no doubt in our minds that Chlapecka will become one of America’s biggest pop exports this year.

Chrissy Chlapecka

greek – BLUFF

US-based artist greek has that rare talent of creating unique songs that are unlike any other, yet still accessible and easy to form connections with.

New single ‘BLUFF’ treats listeners to an eccentric yet mesmerising a fusion of alternative R&B, soul and indie. While the track is refreshingly original in its production, it is also beautifully emotive and sincere in tone.

greek joins Weston Estate on tour across North America, starting from next month – more details can be found here.

greek

New Music: Nicknames

Nicknames is a rising American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer who has been drumming up considerable attention amongst tastemaker circles over the last few months.

Thanks to his highly individualistic style of music-making, this talent creates songs that bravely feature an array of genres.

From self-produced alt rock anthem ‘Go Big or Go Home’, through to his bouncy electro-pop gem ‘fwm’, this musician is unafraid to showcase his artistic versatility and open-mindedness.

With praise from the likes of Fashionably Early, RockDaFuqOut and RGM already under his belt, this is one talent to watch for!

Nicknames

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Jae Luna – cyanide

Track of the week. LA-based talent Jae Luna has been on our radars for quite some time, and never fails to impress with his stunning style of lo-fi alternative music.

Inspired by ‘the complexities and challenges of family dynamics’, new single ‘cyanide’ was written as a form of therapy by the artist during lockdown. It’s undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous songs we’ve come across so far this month, thanks to its powerfully emotive production and raw lyricism.

Since releasing his 2018 debut EP ‘Projected Self’ (listen here), Luna has amassed over four million cumulative streams on Spotify alone, and impressively commands more than 45k monthly listeners on the platform.

Jae Luna

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New Music: Celia

Cover Art / lucababiniphoto

American musician Celia is a name to watch for this year. With only four singles under her name so far, this talent has already racked up more than 430k Spotify streams – with new release ‘Dumber’ looking set grow that momentum even further.

Through it’s beautifully constructed fusion of indie and alternative pop, the song treats listeners to an infectiously catchy and upbeat sound that is sure to stay with you for the rest of the day.

We don’t yet know much about this artist, but we don’t think it’ll be long before her name picks up prominence among tastemakers.

Celia

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