Tag: Listen

Jae Soto – Best of Us

Acclaimed Brooklyn artist Jae Soto subtly addresses the subject of trauma on her beautiful new single, ‘Best of Us’.

This is the kind of track that proves that sometimes the simplest productions will touch our hearts the most. Despite its minimalism, the song’s lyricism is rich in thought and reminds us that we are much stronger than we give ourselves credit for.

“I’ve been performing this song live for about a year, and it’s been a privilege to share it in intimate settings, hearing people’s thoughts about it. Since it’s a fairly earnest and melancholic song, I sometimes feel uncomfortable introducing it as a song about trauma. So, I’ve decided to introduce it as “a song Mr. Rogers would write about trauma if he were still on TV in 2024, because we all know he’d be talking about it.”

The artist continues, “‘Best of Us’ is sort of a collective sigh. It’s about letting yourself feel validated and giving permission to stop blaming yourself. It’s an acknowledgement that some of us grew up in such dysfunctional environments that our experience can make us feel deeply alienated and almost like we’re living in an alternate dimension. It’s offering solidarity to a friend by asking: “wouldn’t it be weird if you didn’t feel bad about that bad thing?”.

Listeners can look forward to an LP from the musician, scheduled for release later this month. In the meantime, you can join the other 26,000 monthly listeners who enjoy Soto’s music on Spotify.

Jae Soto

Anderson Hao – the end

US-based talent Anderson Hao returns with an interesting new single today, called ‘the end’.

The song showcases Anderson’s distinctively airy vocals, while the production treats listeners to a stripped-down fusion of indie and alt-pop, which evolves into a raw and refreshingly bold conclusion.

“This is the first single off my project coming in August. It was made with my partner in our music collective’s (Harcourt Paloma) garage studio in Los Angeles, California.”

Fans will be happy to learn that they don’t need to wait until August for Hao’s next release, as the artist plans on releasing a new song every three weeks until then. You can also catch Anderson performing a release show, with details being announced soon.

Anderson Hao

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Edgar Homeros – Upset

Photo / Szymon Kowalczyk

Edgar Homeros has already proven himself as one of Scandinavia’s most promising emerging music artists, and the release of his new single ‘Upset’ only further adds proof to this.

Lifted from his latest EP, ‘Crying Dove’ (listen here), the song presents listeners with a melodic blend of indie and soulful pop. The sound is minimal in style, but carries with it so much emotion and sincerity. Elaborating on his new EP, Edgar says:

“This is a special project for me. It’s been a year in the making, compared to ‘Volatile’ which was written & produced in a month. When writing the songs, it wasn’t with a specific concept in mind, but as I started to compile them I saw the red thread – it was a diary of me growing up in Stockholm, through both heartbreak and joy.”

The track was created in collaboration with Jake Gosling, who is noted for his work with global names like Shawn Mendes and James Bay.

Edgar Homeros

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Jorge. – When it Rain

Rising UK artist Jorge. returns this week with an impressive new single called ‘When it Rain’. As we’ve come to expect from this much-hyped talent, the song showcases alternative UK hip-hop at its best.

The track focuses on the musician’s personal feelings about life and work in a thoughtful and considered way. Alongside its introspective lyrics, the track’s melodic flow will stay in your minds all weekend.

You can catch Jorge. performing live at Dalston’s The Victoria on the 30th May – tickets can be found here.

Jorge.

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Indira May – don’t feed the sharks

If you’ve yet to come across UK starlet Indira May, then… where have you been?! This hugely gifted artist has been building solid momentum for some time now, which is sure to grow even more with the release of her mesmerising new single, ‘don’t feed the sharks’.

The track expertly weaves alternative pop with soul, resulting in a sound that feels both fresh and nostalgic in equal measures. Elaborating on the song’s lyrics, Indira simply says…

“these sharks are not your friends!”

Aside from her own impressive catalogue of songs, Indira is also known for her collaborations with the likes of Jaded and Saffron. To date, the musician has amassed more than a million cumulative streams, and received recognition from outlets as noted as BBC Radio 1, Radio 6, and Kiss FM.

Indira May

Katie Cruel – Close To The Sun

We don’t often come across songs that have moved us as profoundly as Katie Cruel’s ‘Close To The Sun’.

The production on this track is really quite sublime. Blending dreamy pop with hints of indie and folk, the sound transports listeners into the artist’s world and leaves them captivated throughout. The song’s lyrics convey a story about love in a way that is sincere, heartfelt, and relatable.

If you enjoy Katie’s music, then be sure to explore her album, ‘Lost Vagus’, which is out now. You can also catch the artist performing live in Canada alongside Wilco on select dates this summer.

Katie Cruel

Lily Buns – Monkey Business

We must admit that we don’t know much about Lily Buns, but one thing we have ascertained is that this is a talent to watch for in 2024.

The artist has just unveiled a brand new song called ‘Monkey Business’, and it’s one of the catchiest, most fun pieces of indie-pop that we’ve come across. With hints of funk infused into the mix, the track feels fresh and uplifting while still maintaining an experimental edge.

“‘Monkey Business’ is a summer song for the girls. The driving base line, funky guitars, and whimsical lyrics all feed into the nature of this song and the freeing feeling of needing no external validation.”

You can check out more of Lily’s music on Spotify right here.

Lily Buns

Tom Boy – Sorry For Myself

If you’ve yet to experience Canadian musician Tom Boy’s music, then brace yourselves for a wonderful sonic experience!

Also known as Nate Daniels, this Toronto-based singer and songwriter has been a noted figure within Canada’s music scene for quite some time, performing under different projects through the years.

Introspective new single ‘Sorry For Myself’ serves listeners with refreshingly honest lyricism, presented through a pop production that is polished and well-considered.

“Everyone makes mistakes. But are you the type to forgive and forget?”

Daniels has played shows all across the world, from the UK and Germany through to the United States. In addition, his music has been featured on TV programmes like MTV’s ‘Catfish’ and the Netflix series ‘Tiny Pretty Things’.

Tom Boy

Greyson Chance – Rearview Mirror

Fans of Oklahoma-born Greyson Chance will be happy to learn that the acclaimed artist has just released a beautiful new single called ‘Rearview Mirror’.

The track treats listeners to a stripped-back pop sound that is both sincere and moving. It’s a song that proves sometimes the most powerful pieces of music can also be the simplest. On the lyrics, Greyson says:

“Writing ‘Rearview Mirror’ has ultimately been a study in patience. I’ve made a lot of music in the past year, trying as an artist to make something that felt bigger than me, and I pushed myself a lot. It took a while to trust the process and to believe I could do it. Rearview Mirror is the first song to come of a very inward chapter in my career, and I am grateful now to have taken the time to make something I’m very proud of.”

Greyson currently commands almost 700k monthly listeners on Spotify, while his catalogue of releases has amassed more than 200 million streams to date. You can explore more of the artist’s music here.

Greyson Chance 

KAWALA – Time Slipping Away

London has been experiencing a rare (and likely short-lived) heatwave this week, and as luck would have it, UK outfit KAWALA return with a sun-drizzled new single that fits the warm weather brilliantly.

‘Time Slipping Away’ is a perfected slice of indie-pop that is melodically memorable and lyrically uplifting. The track was inspired by overcoming hardships and seeing the positive when life gets tough. The band explains:

“We’ve had many setbacks, and it’s always easy to get a bit negative and find things difficult. ‘Time Slipping Away’ has a positive sonic – it’s exciting, punchy, and self-motivating for us, while still being relatable for other people. Things might not be okay, but at the end of the day, there’s always a flip side to the coin.” – KAWALA

KAWALA have carved themselves out as one of the country’s biggest prospects. To date, they’ve accumulated more than 75 million catalogue streams and picked up praise from tastemakers like Jack Saunders and Clara Amfo.

KAWALA

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adan diaz – jerk x2

Rising Mexican-American singer and songwriter adan diaz is back with one of the biggest indie-pop bops of the week.

‘jerk x2’ presents listeners with a gutsy yet playful production, while the anthemic melody will stick with you all day.

The song was inspired by the moments in adan’s life when he behaved badly, and the regret that came with it.

“it’s about the times where you not only come off as a jerk, but you come off as a jerk x2.”

adan currently commands more than 430k monthly listeners on Spotify, and has also garnered more than 27 million streams on the platform. Impressive stuff for someone who’s not even turned 20 yet!

adan diaz

Frankie Bird – Unstuck

US singer and songwriter Frankie Bird crafts a special style of sound which is immediately likeable. Today’s release of ‘Unstuck’ is one such example of the artist’s fantastic work.

Through its charming blend of acoustic pop and indie, the song tells of the hardships that she faced in her 20s and the ways in which they allowed her to become empowered.

The track is taken from Bird’s upcoming ‘Twenty Something’ debut LP (out 6th June), of which she says:

“This entire album is about the decade of my twenties. I wrote this album when I was 29 about to enter my thirties and was nowhere CLOSE to where I imagined myself being. Relatable, I hope. It was the most transformational year of my life and this album was born from all realizations I had and lessons learned. The first half of the album is about everything that happened to me… my ‘why me?!’phase. The second half of the album is me realizing that this all happened for me… my ‘thank you’ phase.”

Frankie’s music has been featured in publications as noted as NYLON and Atwood magazines. The artist is also a noted live performer who has toured with modern-day icons like Troye Sivan and Dua Lipa.

Frankie Bird

JEFFE – Closure

Acclaimed Australian starlet JEFFE returns today with an interesting new pop single called ‘Closure’.

This introspective song was inspired by the artist’s innermost thoughts, at a time in her life when she had to reassure herself that things would work out. Elaborating further, JEFFE says:

“I was lying in bed one morning, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought about where I was at in life. I was kind of having a chat to the hurt little girl inside me and saying, ‘hey we got this, it’s going to be okay’. It was an eye-opening moment for me and made me see that I really do have myself to lean on. I began to be grateful for everything I’ve been through, leading me to this moment. I wrote ‘Closure’ in honour of that girl who went through so much and came out stronger at the other end.”

JEFFE currently commands more than 70k monthly listeners on Spotify. She has also amassed more than six million cumulative streams to date and recently achieved an extra boost in momentum status thanks to her cover of Milky Chance’s global hit, ‘Down by The River’.

JEFFE

Gurba – Here Right Now

Photo / queenelizabitchh

We first featured US-based artist Gurba back in 2021, and we’re delighted to see that he’s still out there releasing some very powerful sounds.

His latest single, ‘Here Right Now’ presents listeners with a shimmering fusion of acoustic pop and indie. The song feels hazy and mellow while still maintaining a strong emotional essence.

It really is quite a gorgeous piece of music, and we hope you’ll love it as much as we do!

Gurba

Dune Moss – Mud

One of the most powerful and hard-hitting singles of the week is by American singer and songwriter Dune Moss.

‘Mud’ addresses the very serious topic of physical abuse, and challenges society’s opinions on how being “‘clean’ meant to be untouched by a man”. The artist elaborates:

“I saw time and time again that perpetrators could hurt others and then walk away perfectly clean and blameless. I wrote ‘Mud’ in response to those who feel they can hurt others without consequence.”

The song’s lyrics are beautifully reflected in the production, which has a moody, dramatic, and sombre tone. If you’re moved by Dune’s music as much as we are, then we recommend you head on over to Spotify and check out their stunning new EP ‘Faedom’, which is out now.

Dune Moss

Kelsey Kindall – Smoke

Californian musician Kelsey Kindall kicks off our weekend with a superb new single called ‘Smoke’.

The track showcases an interesting style of pop that somehow feels both sinister and playful at the same time, complimenting Kelsey’s distinctive vocals and vivid lyricism.

The song was inspired by our tendencies to settle for comfort, and the dangerous consequences that come with it. Explaining the lyrics, Kelsey says:

“At my old apartment, my smoke alarm kept going off in the middle of the night. Eventually my roommate started sleeping through this alarm, and when I asked her if she was afraid that one day it wouldn’t be a false alarm, she jokingly said she would rather catch on fire than have to leave her comfortable bed in the middle of the night one more time. That really stuck with me as I made the connection to our lives, how often we stay in relationships, jobs, friendships or situations that are comfortable to us even if there are red flags and alarms going off. Thats why I wrote smoke, thanks for listening!”

In a testament to the artist’s talent, Kelsey’s catalogue of songs has already amassed more than 100k streams on Spotify.

Kelsey Kindall

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Hunter Metts – Monochrome

Photo / Brandon Exum

If you’re riding out the midweek blues today then we’ve got the perfect song to share with you, courtesy of American artist Hunter Metts.

‘Monochrome’ is a melancholic and heartfelt song that was inspired by the feelings associated with a dwindling romance, and delivers a production that thoughtfully fuses indie with alternative folk.

“I wanted ‘Monochrome’ to capture the feeling of a relationship’s end, where everything feels dull and lifeless. I tried to sonically mirror the gray, stagnant emotions of knowing you have to move on.”

Hunter’s music has brought solace to a huge number of listeners. To date, this acclaimed musician has amassed more than 4 million streams on Spotify alone. A new EP is scheduled for release in June, but in the meantime, fans can catch Hunter live on a select number of dates, for which tickets can be found here.

Hunter Metts

Hunter Metts Live Dates 2024

  • 5.1 Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe (headline)
  • 5.2 Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme (supporting Andrew Belle)
  • 5.3 Evanston, IL @ SPACE (supporting Andrew Belle)

Aiida – Inches

Scandinavian artist Aiida returns with a powerful new piece of pop music that deserves everyone’s attention.

‘Inches’ is a refreshingly honest song that addresses society’s obsession with beauty standards, and how it impacts our emotions and thoughts. Elaborating further, the artist says:

“I’ve never fit the beauty standard, and attempting too my whole life really took a toll on my self worth… it ended up bleeding into everything in my life, and really struck my mental and physical health. And this song wasn’t something I wanted to write … it’s something I had to.”

The track showcases Aiida’s strengths not only as a singer, but also a gifted songwriter who is never afraid to express her true feelings through music. We can’t wait to hear what comes next from this promising starlet!

Aiida

Roast Apple – Crystal

Photo / Vincent Niemann

It’s a big day for Hamburg’s Roast Apple, as they have just unveiled their highly anticipated (and frankly fabulous) mini-album, ‘Slowly Losing Ground’.

Among the collection of songs is ‘Crystal’, which treats listeners to a glistening fusion of uptempo pop and hazy indie.

The lyrics compare the sensations of departing on a hot air balloon to those of taking on new adventures… And if that doesn’t epitomise the essence of summer, then we don’t know what will!

Roast Apple

Chris James – Down Down Down Down

German artist Chris James is getting ready to take on one of his busiest and most exciting years yet.

Alongside the release of his infectiously catchy new single ‘Down Down Down Down’, the acclaimed musician is also about to embark on a tour across Asia, in anticipation of an album that drops in 2025. On the song, Chris says:

“it‘s def one of those songs that kinda just poured out of me and if you listen closely you‘ll realise it‘s not a song I wrote coming from the happiest of places (even tho it might sound like it) but I felt so relieved after writing it and I guess moral of the story here is that it‘s ok to admit to urself that your brain is playing tricks on you sometimes (as long as you make a bouncy banger out of it!!!)”

Chris James has undoubtedly become Germany’s newest pop export. To date, he’s amassed more than 70 million streams while also attracting more than a million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Chris James