Tag: Listen

POLARTROPICA – Ride or Die

LA-based up-and-comer POLARTROPICA collaborates with Edgar Everyone on summery new single, ‘Ride or Die’.

Through its infectious fusion of indie and synth-pop, the song encourages listeners to take a hold of their futures and chase their dreams.

“Inspired by new beginnings, taking the plunge when following your dreams or falling in love. Dedicated with love to all of our grandparents, our hometowns – the family, heritage, friends we leave behind but are always in our hearts.”

POLARTROPICA has received tastemaker acclaim from Nylon Magazine, Billboard, LA Weekly, NPR and many others, while their catalogue of releases have so far amassed more than 80k streams on Spotify alone.

Alongside their audio releases, POLARTROPICA’s music videos have also gained recognition within prominent film festivals such as The London Director Awards, The LA Independent Filmmakers Showcase Film Festival, New York Indie Shorts Awards and Cannes Shorts.

POLARTROPICA | Edgar Everyone

Leah Rye – The Observer

Photo / RURU Photography

Rising Dutch starlet Leah Rye is back today with a punchy new single, entitled ‘The Observer’.

As the second release to be lifted from the artist’s upcoming ‘Symbiosis’ album (out this October), the song showcases a sonically confident style of alternative pop that is both bold and anthemic.

Alongside its impressive production, Rye’s powerful vocals add an extra layer of intensity – to make the song immediately arresting from the moment you press play.

“Do you ever feel you’re a guest in your own life? Too many choices, too many expectations to live up to.”

‘The Observer’ follows on from Rye’s ‘Growing Into Me’ (listen here), which was also lyrically inspired by the artist’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

Leah Rye

Leah Rye Club Tour 2023

Alex Over + Andrew Shobeiri – Lost

Composer Alex Over and producer Andrew Shobeiri are two British names that are already established within the UK music industry.

Alongside their own solo projects, Alex and Andrew have also frequently collaborated together on a series of well-received singles.

Released through independent label Perpetual Collective, ‘Lost’ is the pair’s latest offering, and features the talents of singer & songwriter Zee.

“This song takes us on a different direction, drawing us straight in with suspense alongside the vocals from the get-go.”

Sonically, the production fuses elements of melancholic dance-pop with electronica, resulting in a piece of music that feels dramatic and highly emotive in tone.

Alex Over | Andrew Shobeiri

Grrrl Gang – Spunky!

Photo / Tiny Studio

One of Indonesia’s most hyped indie outfits to have emerged in recent years has been Grrrl Gang (aka Angeeta Sentana, Akbar Rumandung and Edo Alventa).

They’re back today with an anthemic punk banger called ‘Spunky!’, which was inspired by a manic episode that Angeeta had experienced:

“I feel like I’m on top of the world, untouchable. I do things without thinking, always chasing after that feeling of instant gratification. I feel extra confident in myself – to a point of grandiose thinking—and that I could do anything.”

The track’s production showcases a sound that bold, impactful and immediately arresting.

‘Spunky’ is lifted from the trio’s upcoming album of the same name (out 22nd September – preorder here), of which Akbar explains:

“This is Grrrl Gang’s first release after we graduated and got day jobs that made us have to move to Jakarta, which is undeniably 180 degrees compared to Yogya [Yogyakarta – the band’s college city]. But moving to Jakarta enabled us to work with Lafa [Pratomo – producer] on Spunky! from start to finish.”

Amassing more than 13 million cumulative streams on Spotify, while also commanding an army of over 350k monthly listeners on the very same platform, these three hugely talented musicians look set to take over the indie world by storm very shortly.

Grrrl Gang

Noah Pope – Shining

Nashville’s Noah Pope continues to build momentum with the release of his new single, ‘Shining’.

The song’s lyrics are inspired by the worries that we experience when we try to explain our feelings out loud, while the production showcases a fuzzy fusion of the indie, alt-rock and bedroom-pop genres.

“This one is about anxiety around saying how you really feel, made in my basement – where i feel the least of it.”

As a tastemaker’s favourite, Noah Pope’s songs have become regular additions on globally respected playlists like Spotify’s Lorem, New Music Friday and Spring Acoustic.

Pope plays New York’s Map Room alongside Tor Miller on the 19th June – tickets can be found here.

Noah Pope

Rothstein – chokehold

Photo / Justine Vanderpool

Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Rothstein returns with a sultry new single that deserves your attention.

‘chokehold’ takes its inspiration from an old classic story called ‘The Girl With The Green Ribbon’, and looks at the secrets that lovers can keep from one another.

“There’s a folktale called ‘the girl with the green ribbon’, about a girl who never takes her scarf off lest her head roll off with it (from ‘in a dark, dark room’, a collection you may have read in elementary school if, like me, you went looking for the scariest shit available). ‘chokehold’ is my take on that story, a spooky little record about a dirty little secret.”

Rothstein has amassed more than eight million streams since releasing debut album ‘HIGH WATER’ back in 2018. Aside from his own solo work, this acclaimed artist has also worked on collaborations with the likes of Brasstracks and Alexander Lewis.

Rothstein

Samuel Petra – How Could I Miss You

Track of the week. Samuel Petra has marked himself as one of Spain’s most exciting indie prospects, and the release of his new single only confirms this further.

‘How Could I Miss You’ showcases a style of sound that perfectly blends together indie, rock and pop with subtle hints of electronica. The result is a piece of music that is not only melodically memorable, but also sonically captivating.

To date, Petra’s music has found its way onto editorials like Spotify’s Fresh Finds, as well as on prominent curator playlists like Before The Data and Fashionably Early.

Samuel Petra

Yueku – Paradise

We are starting the week with an infectiously uplifting slice of sonic bliss, courtesy of Tennessee-based artist Yueku (aka Christian Koo).

‘Paradise’ treats listeners to a shimmering fusion of pop and indie, and is lyrically inspired by the beautiful connections that are formed between two people.

“It’s a simple love song for someone with some uncertainty about the afterlife, but the core message is that the time spent together here in the present is heaven enough for me.”

Yueku has already amassed more than a million cumulative streams on Spotify from the release of just one EP (2021’s ‘Catch Me If You Can’, stream here). Be sure to keep this rising artist on your radars!

Yueku

Bella Kaye – Paint Me Blue

Californian starlet Bella Kaye unleashes an anthemic new single today, entitled ‘Paint Me Blue’.

Refreshingly bold and intense in tone, the song’s production compliments it’s powerful and relatable lyricism, which centres around the toxicity of unrequited love.

“Holding onto a failing relationship in hopes of it working out is a shared experience many people can relate to. Bella wanted her relationship to work so badly, she didn’t see the negative effects it was having on her and her life and therefore ignored the red flags.”

The song showcases Kaye’s natural ability to translate raw emotions into songs that are honest, authentic and highly impactful to experience. With a growing fanbase across social media and a strong run of well-received singles, this is one artist to keep on your radars!

Bella Kaye

Limón Limón x Scoobert Doobert – 3:00

Two of our favourite emerging American outfits have joined forces to deliver one of the most impressive indie-pop releases of the week.

‘3:00’ is a gorgeously mellow slice of bliss, and was created by LA-based duo Limón Limón and San Diego’s Scoobert Doobert. The sound is dreamy and hazy in character, and serves as a perfect addition to your summer playlists. Stylistically, the artists liken the song to Air’s ‘Moon Safari’, and we happen to agree with that opinion very much!

Limón Limón’s prominence has risen significantly in recent times, with the duo amassing more than 4.5 million career streams to date. Meanwhile, Scoobert Doobert’s catalogue of works has seen him command more than 210k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

Limón Limón | Scoobert Doobert

Emei – Irresponsible

It’s been a stellar year for LA-based artist Emei. After the immense success of ‘Scatterbrain’ (which has so far picked up almost nine million streams), this emerging talent returns today with another massive bop called ‘Irresponsible’.

The track treats listeners to an eccentric mix of electronica, pop and UK-inspired drum and bass. The resulting sound is one which is fast-paced, energising and irresistibly moreish. As with most of Emei’s releases, you’ll find yourselves playing this on repeat for a good while – we’re pretty sure of it!

‘Irresponsible’ is lifted from Emei’s upcoming sophomore EP, which is scheduled for release soon. We really can’t wait to see what this talent comes up with next, but something tells us it’s going to be amazing…

Emei

Noak Hellsing – When The Shadows Go Home

Rising Stockholm artist Noak Hellsing is back today with a shimmering new single entitled ‘When The Shadows Go Home‘.

The track looks at the disconnect between feeling lonely while also struggling to form connections with those around us.

“‘When The Shadows Go Home’ delves into the depths of loneliness and darkness. Despite being an inherently social person, I’ve been grappling with the difficulty of connecting with others lately. What was once enjoyable has turned into a burden. This song encapsulates the quest for finding solace and happiness within one’s solitude.”

Contrasting with the track’s sombre (yet highly relatable) lyrics, the production showcases an upbeat style of pop that will fit perfectly into any summer playlist.

Signed to iconic Swedish label TEN Music Group, this promising Scandinavian talent has already amassed more than 28 million streams while still only twenty years of age.

‘When The Shadows Go Home’ is taken from Hellsing’s forthcoming EP, which is scheduled for release soon.

Noak Hellsing

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D.E.L – Tears

Australian trio D.E.L continue to showcase their sublime approach to electronica through the release of their latest single, ‘Tears’.

Inspired by the musician’s real-life experiences revolving around the endurance of love, the track treats listeners to a beautifully emotive style of sound that is both melancholic and hopeful in equal measures.

Fans will be pleased to learn that the band have just unveiled their first new EP (in over three years!) entitled ‘Ryan’s Room’ (available here).

To date, this highly acclaimed outfit has amassed over 1.3 million catalogue streams, while also commanding more than 30k monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

D.E.L

Callen – Worried

One of Nashville’s most exciting alt-pop talents to have emerged in recent years has been musician and producer Callen.

Continuing to showcase his natural flair for writing radio-friendly pop hits, this rising artist returns today with a fantastic new single that deserves your attention.

‘Worried’ is part of a trilogy of songs that collectively tell a story. The first single from the project, ‘Proud’, is already out (listen here), and the final installment will be released soon.

“I wrote ‘Worried’ in hopes to get the girl that I’ve now been dating for two years. The song grew as our relationship did. I am in love with the song right now the way I am in love with my partner, but I’m worried I won’t always feel that way, so I want to share it while I can help it have an impact for anyone that feels it.”

Callen’s catalogue of releases have so far netted him more than a million streams on Spotify. The artist has also picked up praise from countless tastemaker outlets, including the likes of Lefuturewave, Nu Music, Sirius XM and many more.

Callen

Boko Yout – AS SEEN ON TV (EP)

Swedish-born creative Boko Yout (aka Paul Adamah) first caught our attention last autumn with his sensationally arresting song, ‘ANXIETY’.

Since then, this multi-talented artist has built up a strong base of followers and picked up support from tastemakers as respected as Fashionably Early and Mystic Sons.

Today sees Adamah releasing his highly anticipated concept EP, ‘AS SEEN ON TV’ (available here).

The songs on the record represent ‘the channels of a fictional TV network called Boko Communications’, and reflect upon the life experiences and emotions that Adamah has so far experienced in his life.

“From my perspective as a black gay man in Sweden, TV, and entertainment have been an escape from reality since I was a child. This project is therefore a celebration, as much as a critique, of the culture shaped by these stereotypes. This is a TV network where I get to decide what I want to see – a manifestation of a younger version of myself and the stories I wish I had heard. It’s a way to look up to myself in retrospect.”

While every song on the EP is distinct in character, there are two notable tracks which have caught our attention; those being ‘TIKTOK’ and ‘MORNING’.

With its captivating lyricism and rich sonic textures, ‘MORNING’ showcases Adamah’s self-described ‘Afro Grunge’ style of sound.

Meanwhile, ‘TIKTOK’ presents listeners a with a hazy and lo-fi, almost psychedelic style of production that is as intriguing as it is captivating.

Fans in Sweden can catch Boko Yout performing live this summer at various events, including Storsjöyran, Trädgården Live Sessions, Powerpose FM Festival and at Daniel Ek’s Brilliant Minds Conference.

Boko Yout

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Thavoron – Tommy Loves You

Photo / Maddie Ludgate

Acclaimed genre-bending singer and songwriter Thavoron is back today with a brand new project, entitled ‘Tommy Loves You’.

Thanks to his distinct approach to music-making, this hugely talented musician has created a collection of seven exquisitely crafted songs that are not only powerfully emotive, but also sonically unique in their production.

“The people I grew up with know me as ‘Tommy.’ This was a product of me learning cultural assimilation at a very young age, and feeling really embarrassed I didn’t have a ‘normal’ name like all of my peers that I grew up with.”

One of our favourite tracks from the album is ‘Why’, which presents listeners with a melodic fusion of indie and folk. The song feels almost ethereal and timeless, and displays Thavoron’s talent in its full glory.

Over a relatively short space of time, this Seattle-based singer and songwriter has grown to become a tastemaker’s favourite, and has picked up praise from outlets as respected as Before The Data, Ones to Watch, Under The Radar and METAL magazine.

Thavoron plays the Belltown Bloom Festival on the 5th and 6th June – more details can be found here.

Thavoron

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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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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