Critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and producer Orion Sun returns today with her striking new song ‘Concrete’.
The accompanying visuals (directed by Morian Thomas) are equally beautiful as they capture the artist while she toils on a California farm, and in doing so honouring her ancestors and lineage which “is long filled with strength and knowledge, overflowing with resilience and beauty”.
‘Checkmate’ was inspired by ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ and Jena Rose’s lifelong fascination with chess.
Bay Area bred and Los Angeles based singer songwriter Marc E. Bassy returns with sublime new single ‘Bowie’. Upon it’s release, the song was immediately playlisted to Spotify’s New Music Friday in ten countries, as well as other playlists on both Spotify and SoundCloud.
Taken from the upcoming record ‘Little Men‘ which is out on 8th October 2021 via Bassy’s own independent label NEW GOLD MEDAL.
Nu-punk artist Keeper returns with hard-hitting new single ‘Change’. Fusing elements of midwest emo with UK hip-hop and pop-punk, the track contrasts a fun sound against powerful and relevant lyrics.
This theme carries through with the video too, making use of important imagery to convey the serious undertones of the upbeat track:
“I felt it needed a more realistic stand. Things are bad right now, housing crisis, climate change, systemic racism. But through community, government pressure, and understanding you could start rolling the ball.”
To celebrate the release of new EP ‘Moonshot’ (which is out now), rising talent Henjila unveils visuals for ‘Fake Friends’.
Already garnering support from the likes of Clash, BBC Introducing, Equate, Line of Best Fit and more, there’s no doubt that Henjila is one bedroom-pop artist to watch out for this year.
ALX returns today with visuals for new single ‘Run Out’, a song that challenges the idea that you have to be in LA to make it in music.
The track also personifies the reckless energy and carefree fun of Florida that is so instrumental to ALX’s life and who he is as an artist.
The self-proclaimed purveyor of ‘Horny Pop’ is shortly releasing his upcoming EP ‘YES’, of which he says:
“I made this for pop music so that maybe it can push people’s boundaries and open their eyes and ears to better music and better songwriting. I want people to feel uncomfortable because this project is about breaking all the rules.”
Yves Tumor returns with the boldly powerful ‘Jackie’, featuring duelling emotive guitars that evoke the volatile magnetism between lovers, building into a supernormal transference.
Canadian DJ and producer Rezz releases the music video for ‘Taste of You’, featuring multi-hyphenate recording artist and actress Dove Cameron.
This is a sound that harks back to the French disco sound pioneered by the likes of Daft Punk, but adds a playful twist that is fantastically riveting.
Ushering in a new era of their sound’s evolution, Alfitude favourites HONNE join forces with breakout RnB star Pink Sweat$ on the release of ‘WHAT WOULD YOU DO?’.
The accompanying visuals (directed by Ian Robertson) tell of a love story that unfurls in the heart of a pastel-toned suburbia, with HONNE cast in supporting roles as paper boy and gardener. Pink Sweat$ also features, performing his verse through the dashboard screen of the protagonist’s soft-top convertible, with the video matching the warm, summer glow of the track itself.
“In the past, we’ve limited ourselves. We might get to a section of a song and things are getting really exciting, but we then pull ourselves back and say, ‘Can we really do that?’. Now, we’ve sidestepped the rules and done whatever we wanted to do.” – HONNE
K-pop continues to take over the music world, and this time it’s the turn of hugely popular outfit TOMORROW X TOGETHER.
‘Magic’ is disco-inspired electro-pop number with a fresh, summery vibe that serves as the group’s first English song.
Taken from studio album ‘The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE’ which is out now.
NYC born, Israeli-raised artist EREZ returns today with her immensely entrancing dark-alternative number, ‘They’re Coming’.
This is song that carries with it a moody and cinematic soundscape, accompanied by an eclectic electronic production and powerful vocals. The rebellious track is a stand against government power plays, and the stunning visuals expand on the concept further:
“This video is about resisting the corrupt powers that try to control us by using fear. Putting a spotlight on how those powers escalate hate between people instead of cultivating peace. In this video we resist their attempts to silence our critique. The character is protesting those tainted powers by dancing his way through LA and occupying space in a peaceful way. He’s showing he is present, full of life, and not defeated by their darkness. He is very much present and alive and is inspiring others to feel the same.” – EREZ
Australian up and comer Olive Amun unveils visuals for ‘Blues’, and with it also comes the release his new EP, ‘Don’t Leave Yet’. Speaking about the project he says:
“I noticed in a lot of the demos I was making, I kept saying these 3 words… don’t. leave. yet. It was unintentional, but after a while I knew this was the recurring theme and had to be what I base this project off of. ‘Don’t Leave Yet’ is filled with self exploration; musically and figuratively speaking. This was the first time I got comfortable with the uncomfortable and didn’t hold anything back. After about 6 months and 50+ song ideas, I finally had the EP I was looking for. When you play it front to back you really get a taste of everything that I have in my locker. I knew I had so much more to give artistically than I had showcased in the past, and this body of work was the perfect opportunity for me to finally go for it and not hold anything back.”
‘Don’t Leave Yet’ is out now.
Danish-Welsh star Drew Sycamore returns today with an epic blend of power-pop and synth in the form of new single ‘Jungle’.
Drew’s latest album ‘Sycamore’ (out now) was written and recorded in just 30 days, in collaboration with Fridolin and Frederik Nordsø and songwriter Lasse Boman.
“’Jungle’ is made under a violet sky where I found myself in a particularly melancholy nostalgic mood. I was involved and not in love at the same time and everything felt so overwhelming. Life has a funny way of sorting itself out and I guess the emotion that came out in ‘Jungle’ was this feeling of a backwards fall of a cliff into the deep sea. I had to just float and surrender to things unfolding by themselves.”
Long Beach based trio half•alive return with their new song ‘TIME 2’, which was produced by the legendary Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Adele, HAIM) and co-written with Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo). The music video was self-directed by the band and long time collaborators JA Collective.
“The lyrical message of ‘TIME 2’ ended up shocking us in a very prophetic way… The song speaks about waking up in the chaos of life and remembering a child-like state of mind. It calls to reset, and return to the beginning. The moment we finished writing the song, the world was subdued into a global time-out. Production on the song, along with everything else, came to a standstill. A year has passed, and now in May 2021 we find ourselves looking down at the lyrics in awe…”
“I’m fleeing to the wonder I lost when I was younger, the simple child state of mind.
It’s comin’ like the sunshine, rising in the morning. I’m waking up it’s time—
Fighting the constant, forgetting to give it up.
I forgot what I wanted, now i’m waking up it’s time.”
One of my favourite outfits of late, daysormay are back, with new single ‘Ego’. Oscillating between the points of view of multiple characters, this is a hard-hitting and intense track that still somehow feels eccentric and fun at the same time.
“’Ego’ started as a songwriting exercise. I was trying to see if I could write in different voices, as different characters. My goal was to be as un-aidan as possible. Just to see what I would get. – Aidan Andrews, daysormay
Watch out for the upcoming album ‘Just Existing’ which lands this autumn.
Canadian outfit Fionn have released some serious bops this year. This is unashamedly joyful pop music that guarantees a smile on your face; something I think we could all do with right now!
“‘Hold Off’ is an upbeat and lighthearted song about letting go of a toxic relationship and finding the joy and strength in being alone. The song doesn’t take itself too seriously, and we wanted the video to follow suit. It’s fun and colourful with outfits inspired by the early 2000s. We wanted the video to portray us living our best lives despite what the person we are singing about may have done.”
Taken from the new EP ‘Candid Constellations’ which is out now.
‘fall apart’ marks an anthemic production debut for renforshort, who teams up with the equally fantastic glaive on this piece of pop-punk perfection.
“This song has been a favourite song of mine for so long now, I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to put it out, I knew it needed a feature though and that’s why it was taking even longer, legit a year later I knew who I wanted to do it and we got glaive on it, who is probably one of my favourite artists ever, so I’ve been so excited about that for so long now and I think it’s a really cool song.” – renforshort
Taken from renforshort’s forthcoming EP ‘off saint dominique’ which is out on 4th June 2021 via Interscope Records.
Rising 18 year-old UK artist Tom Did It unveiled the visuals for infectiously catchy ‘Thinking Too Much’ today, which also happens to fall on Mental Health Awareness Week.
Initially released last year, the song has since become a fan-favourite, and one which firmly placed this talent on the music radar. Built over a captivating trap-infused production, Tom wears his heart on his sleeve as he takes us on a journey through his cluttered mind.
One of the most interesting projects to emerge from Germany in recent times, art & experimental-pop duo We Will Kaleid return today with the mesmerising ‘Lure’.
The track demonstrates a perfect balance between something that is conceptual and avant-garde, while also being emotive and thought-provoking. On the song and video, they say:
“‘Lure’ makes a subtle but profound statement about the changing nature of human relationships, rebuking a world that seems to prioritise followers over enduring connections. We tried to capture a feeling of uncertainty and confusion in the video, visualising the loss of our own sense of self through the progressive deconstruction of Marcia’s character, as it’s slowly taken over by leering digital phantoms. We chose an experimental visual approach, bringing together old and new techniques to create something appropriately dystopian yet nostalgic.”
Taken from the EP ‘Aphasiac’ which is released on the 21st May 2021.
Truly, Little Simz has blown me away more than I ever thought possible this year. Hot on the heels the from the release of sensational ‘Introvert‘ comes another outstanding piece of music.
Sonically and visually ‘Woman’ is just supreme; and with Cleo Sol as a feature, how can this record be anything less than perfection?
Taken from the upcoming album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ which is out on the 3rd September 2021.
