Jesca Hoop and Filmatics Elia Petridis team up for a meditative, otherworldly experience in the artist’s new music video “Sudden Light.” Filmatics is a boutique production studio based in Los Angeles that makes it easy for ambitious creatives to make premium, meaningful, and beautiful content. While Jesca Hoop brings eclectic, intense songwriting and creative aptitude with every musical release. The results are both stunning and deeply introspective.
“Sudden Light” is an exploration and meditation on two intense worldly magical forces: light and will power. Wrapped in shadows and lights, aesthetically atmospheric and intensely visual, the video goes in and out of focus to the rhythm of the tribal influenced beat. Hoop is transported to dynamic locations where her enigmatic dancing and full throttle energy captivates and entrances watchers. It’s evocative of imagery and meaning at the same time, capturing the essence of Hoops lyrical prowess and musical whimsy. The 8th collaboration between Hoop and Elia Petridis showcases a continued dedication to artistic and visual mastery and leaves fans anticipating the next project.
Queer|Art, New York City’s home for the creative and professional development of LGBTQ+ artists, is excited to announce the winner of the 2021 Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant, collaborative duo, Desireena Almoradie and Barbara Malaran. The New York City-based duo will receive a $7,000 cash grant, as well as studio visits with members of the judges panel in support of their creative and professional development.
Almoradie and Malaran were selected among 108 applicants who applied for the Hammer Grant in its fifth year, winning for a project currently titled Untitled Kilawin Documentary. Set in the 1990s, against the backdrop of fierce patriarchy, racism, and lesbophobia, the film documents the revolutionary convergence of lesbian Filipinas who gathered for the first time in New York City to establish a loving, safe, and affirming community.
The Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant is an annual grant awarded to self-identified lesbians for making visionary moving-image art. The grant is supported directly by funds provided by the estate of legendary lesbian experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer (1939-2019), and administered through Queer|Art by lesbians for lesbians, with a rotating panel of judges. This year’s judges included Amber Bemak, Suzy Halajian, and Aily Tanaka Nash.
A deep, groove-laden house jam, ‘People Ain’t Dancing’ combines club-ready beats with a deep bassline and Kah-Lo’s effortlessly cool vocals. A club cut with serious crossover appeal, ‘People Ain’t Dancing’ is the result of an exciting new collaboration. The pair previously collaborated when Billen Ted remixed Kah-Lo’s hit single ‘Drag Me Out’ earlier this year.
Nigerian-born Grammy-nominated dance singer Kah-Lo first emerged on the scene in 2016 with guest vocals on UK producer Riton’s “Rinse & Repeat,” which earned the two a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Dance Recording’. Since then, Kah-Lo has collaborated with the likes of Idris Elba, Selena Gomez, Diplo, and Michael Brun, and released her debut solo EP The Arrival. Drawing on influences from living in Lagos, London, and New York, Kah-Lo seamlessly blends genres like house, pop, afrobeats, and more recently, disco. 2022 has seen Kah-Lo release her pregame anthem ‘Drag Me Out‘, which has quickly become a TikTok favorite and reached over 2.5 mil plays on Spotify alone. This year, Kah-Lo has performed at Afropunk Miami and So What?! Music Festival, and will appear at Afropunk Brooklyn this September.
Billen Ted’s third single release of 2022, ‘People Ain’t Dancing’ follows ‘Come Around Again’, a collaboration with the legendary Armand Van Helden that has clocked up 10 million Spotify streams, and the saccharine dance-pop of ‘24/7’ featuring Northern Irish talent JC Stewart. The duo have also dropped remixes for the likes of Liam Payne, Tom Grennan and TELYKast, and prior to that came their iconic viral remix of global hit ‘Wellerman’, a release that saw them top the UK Singles charts and score a Brit Award nomination.
Elizabeth captures the reckless thrill of romance like no other. On her debut album the wonderful world of nature, she stepped away from a messy divorce like a world-weary heroine pulling herself from the wreckage of a car crash: broken glass shining like glitter, bloodstains smearing like blush. Contrasting lush dreampop haze with visceral, disarmingly truthful lyricism, it was a pop record out of time — glamorous and tragic, ultra- modern and undeniably timeless, a queer answer to nihilistic, powerfully feminine pop heroes like Lana Del Rey and Lorde.
In 2022, Elizabeth returns with a suite of interconnected singles, three new songs that expand and complicate her richly alluring world. This time around, her music is animated by a jolting electronic pulse — a current of icy trap drums and unearthly vocal samples that firmly place the indie ingenue in the world of contemporary pop music. It’s a dramatic, exhilarating change of pace that stands in stark contrast to a new wrinkle that’s emerged in Elizabeth’s music: A new understanding that anyone — including oneself — can change. Although Elizabeth’s vices remain the same, the protagonist of these songs is far less willing to burn it all, more beholden to other lives and her own happiness, more instinctively aware that nihilism is a dish that only serves one.
“Happier Now”, co-written with The Temper Trap’s Toby Dundas and produced by Tones and I collaborator Konstantin Kersting, is a perfect introduction to the Elizabeth of 2022. The lyrical motifs of the wonderful world of nature are recast in neon here, their old prismatic glow replaced by a dangerous, alluring coolness. Unlike Elizabeth’s protagonist’s past, though, the main character in “Happier Now” is marked by her defiance, her total refusal to backslide even as she’s pulled into an ex-partner’s web: “I am happier now,” she insists, “you’re not around.”
Across these songs, Elizabeth finds power in her own self-determination. The ebullient “Sweet Connection” might, on its surface, be the most purely happy song she’s ever released — produced by and co-written with Alice Ivy, it’s a cavernous, sugary sweet trap- pop song that finds Elizabeth serenading a new love. Underscored by a warm Mellotron hum, the song’s sunny disposition hides an undercurrent of uncertainty, the fear of falling into a serious relationship too fast adding complexity to an otherwise elated love song.
“If You Died”, the final star in this constellation, brings the emotions of this suite of songs full circle. Where the protagonist of “Happier Now” is content to leave an unpleasant relationship behind, “If You Died” is decidedly anti-resentment, a free-associative rush of feelings that argues for love’s power as a feeling far stronger than hatred. As with “Sweet Connection”, there is precarity woven deeply into the emotional relief of “If You Died”, anxiety that saying goodbye forever could be one’s only path to healing, always roiling underneath the surface. Co-written with and produced by Holy Holy’s Oscar Dawson, “If You Died” is as formally inventive as it is emotionally rich, finding Dawson tinting Elizabeth’s vocals with auto-tune and contorting them into a wordless hook.
Although each song was made with a different producer, “Happier Now”, “Sweet Connection” and “If You Died” form a cohesive whole without detracting from their individual power. Recalling electro-pop heroes like Robyn and Troye Sivan, these love songs refuse to gloss over the ugliness of desire, even as they exalt its beauty. In many ways, they comprise a perfect sequel to the wonderful world of nature: the sound of a heart mending, rather than breaking.
Following his debut back in 2019, South London’s rap riser J Ramms is swiftly becoming an artist to watch. Having already gained co-signs from the likes of Headie One and Fumez the Engineer, his lyrical flair, self-assured presence, and all-round sound sets him aside from others in his field. Gracing supporters with the release of his highly anticipated mixtape ‘Fahrenheit’ with leading single ‘Same Shit Different Day’, the budding emcee is ready to take the music industry by storm.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: J RAMMS – FAHRENHEIT
Spread across 10 fired-up tracks including pre-released singles ‘Dead’, ‘Fahrenheit Freestyle’, ‘Boss Life’, and ‘Chop N Drop 2’, J Ramms has called on acclaimed artist Cashh, Ras65th, 411, Pablo Productions, Aon Mache, and Ryukann for assistance. Underpinned with an assortment of drill beats, he continues to unravel his story through a selection of punchlines, references, and cut-throat bars from start to finish.
Opening the tape with ‘Fahrenheit Freestyle’, J Ramms instantly sets the tone with his punching flow over a skittering and bass-heavy instrumental. Swiftly manoeuvring through the dark and eerie sounds of ‘Boss Life’ (220k+ on YouTube) and leading single ‘Same Shit Different Day’; a fiery, fearless, and unapologetic street heater that’s enriched with gritty street poetics throughout. Paired alongside a set of correlating visuals, J Ramms takes over the streets of London alongside his boys and delivers a charged-up performance of the punching track. Setting the tone with his assertive presence, he stands centre-stage in this wheel-up worthy watch.
Maryland-born, LA-based artist Dana McCoy makes a major statement with her gripping alt-R&B single “Important” – the first from her forthcoming debut EP To Those Who Wait.
Entering the EP era in a stunning capacity, Dana’s signature style of lavish musicality shines again on “Important”. Producing sophisticated R&B with an electronic soul, the silky slow burn of lingering harmonies matched with Dana’s commanding vocal ebb and flow in a hauntingly beautiful but assured performance. As her voice floats atop a colourful, multi-layered track to tell a story of empowerment, mixings of classic back beats and a fresh production allow Dana to masterfully sit in the parallels, emerging with a unique sound both classy and contemporary.
In a statement about the song, Dana says: “Important is the funny clap-back at anyone who’s ever had your name in their mouth. Taking the power back and twisting that attention into a good thing. You’ve made me the centrepiece of your life. Beyoncé said, “You know you that bitch when you cause all this conversation” and this song is my own sort of interpretation of that.”
Utah desert musician and folklorist Hal Cannon today shares the new single and video, “Silver Dove”. The single is the third audio preview of the upcoming Nothin’ Lastin’ album and is accompanied by an animated visualizer that showcases the album artwork that was designed by fellow Utahn, Edward Bateman. Bateman specializes in art that digitally manipulates historic photographs to encourage the viewer to reconsider representations of the past. In the case of this visualizer, Bateman brings the photo’s long gone human subject to life, allowing them to look around as the song progresses while taking in the strange new world that they can see from their vantage point on the screen.
You’ll usually find me playing bass for The Zolas, but when the pandemic hit, I took the time to create something new, exciting and deeply personal as dwi (rhymes with why).
I’m so happy to share “Party4One” with you via Light Organ Records. This single is not just a release – it’s a chapter.
Hooky, weird, and borderline manic, I set out to make my own version of “Creep” (Radiohead) or “Loser” (Beck), but instead of being self-deprecating, I wanted to create something colourful and peculiar that celebrates being a loner.
My sophomore album is turning out to be pretty heavy on the topics of neurodiversity and psychosis, and “Party4One” is no exception. The feeling this song gives me is of having cabin fever and losing touch with reality, all the while you’re falling in love with yourself, which isn’t that bad of a place to be, really.
I feel like I have found my voice and purpose as an artist. I’m not out to change the world or anybody’s mind. Ultimately, I want to prove that not fitting in is the best way to fit in.
Thank you for your support,dwi (rhymes with why)
Montreal based Canadian two-piece indie pop band Down With Space was formed in 2019 by vocalist/guitarist Rob Helsten and drummer Steve Dumas just before the world shut down. Down With Space is the combination of an English speaker, (Helsten) and a French speaker, (Dumas) who have found an understanding through music when language can sometimes elude communication. Working out of Delicate/Automatic recording studio (co-owned by Helsten), it’s only natural that they have adopted a DIY ethos to keeping their process in house while creating sounds that are equally balanced between synthesis and organic instruments. Having recently been awarded a FACTOR artist development grant, Down With Space is looking forward to a productive 2022.
Ghost Light is thrilled to announce their sophomore album The Healing, due out Oct 7 via Royal Potato Family.
“The story is less the fallout as it is the recovery,” says Tom Hamilton. “Sticking with it. Staying the course in the face of adversity, uncomfortable conversations or situations. The path to health and healing is often not the path of least resistance but the path of perseverance and doing the work.”
Today, the band shared their song “Take Some Time” – a syncopated synth-heavy indie-rock song accompanied by an earworm chorus with a nasty bass line and sparkling guitar solos perfect for a top-down end of summer road trip. “Take Some Time” follows the release of “Don’t Say Goodnight Just Yet” which was released earlier this year.
WATCH “TAKE SOME TIME” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Ghost Light will kick off “The Healing” tour on October 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and will play through the midwest and east coast and will travel west for a handful of shows before they wrap their tour in Los Angeles on December 16.
Deniz Cuylan set out to explore his own distinctive sound on his 2021 solo debut album No Such Thing As Free Will. The album signaled the Turkish musician’s first bold step into the spotlight following a winding 15-year path in the music industry playing in multiple bands with home bases dotted all over the globe – Stockholm, NYC, Istanbul – and tackling a wide array of styles both on the stage and in the studio. Now settled into his current home in Los Angeles, Deniz lends his instrumental talents to create scores for independent films and recurring Netflix original series, yet these projects inevitably fulfill the sonic backdrop for another artist’s vision. Looking inward on his own for the first time, No Such Thing As Free Will laid the groundwork for his own personal soundtrack, one that fused his love of classical guitar, introspective jazz, and ambient expressionism with his whimsical compositional ear. Over a magical 6-track journey, No Such Thing As Free Will painted a lush cinematic narrative with Deniz’s guitar as its guide, delivering an album that “seems to invent new languages for the guitar” (The Guardian) and receiving glowing comparisons to legends like Steve Reich, The Durutti Colum’s Vini Reilly, Glenn Branca, and Bert Jansch.
With such a singular foundation exposed on a debut album, many artists would stay true to their inventive winning formula and find out if lightning could strike twice. Deniz is not one of those artists. An explorer at heart, Deniz unveils a beautifully alluring and lightly adjusted language on his mesmerizing second album Rings Of Juniper. The record continues to spotlight Deniz’s exquisite guitar work and hypnotic compositional skills, yet it boasts a punchier, refined, and more immediate tone right from the start. Accented by a desire to once again uncover a new shade of his sonic palette with the support of a talented cast of friends and artistic collaborators, Rings Of Juniper lays bare a rich, dynamic, and evocative sound that Deniz lovingly refers to as Mediterranean Minimalism.
Ascending singer-songwriter and pianist – LOUIS COUPE – has today released a sublime session version of his latest single: “Hannah’s Got A Way”.
WATCH THE SESSION VIDEO HERE
Delivering an atmospheric version of the new track performed live at Hoxa HQ in London, the session video was recorded in December of last year and is directed by Danny Land. Filled with intimate ambience as Louis performs on a grand piano nestled amongst a lamplit room, the video is a fitting accompaniment to the captivating piano ballad.
Of the new video, Louis explains:
“Hoxa is one of those dream studios — a warm, homey feel with the most beautiful piano sat in the middle of it. I’d been writing the song on and off for over a year and that session was the first time I actually played “Hannah’s Got A Way” in front of anybody. I guess the song was still evolving and growing, but playing it on a piano and documenting it finally brought closure to the song and I realised the writing journey was complete.”
Bummer Camp today shares “So Last Year”; the final single in anticipation of their debut EP release on August 26th. “So Last Year” completes a quartet of singles that Eli Frank has been releasing since fall 2021 under their Bummer Camp moniker. Entirely written, recorded and produced by Frank, these songs embrace looping technology to push solo creativity to its vibe-exploring maximum. On “So Last Year” they throw themselves into their most melancholy territory yet as they examine the collapse of a friendship. In signature Bummer Camp style, this sadness is juxtaposed against an uplifting arrangement that floats an assured vocal on a bed of flickering drums and crunchy guitars. Frank explains, “It’s a song about people leaving your life and how sometimes it’s for the better. You can’t fully unlock your full potential when there are people in your life trying to hold you back, or who won’t reciprocate the friendship you try to give them You need to surround yourself with folks that will support and encourage you to pursue your goals.”
“So Last Year” is accompanied by the second Bummer Camp video collaboration with fellow New Yorker Preston Spurlock. Says Frank, “The video is somewhat of a metaphor on friendship and how one little argument or disagreement, especially when bottled up, can lead to huge consequences; like ultimately a friendship no longer being a thing. Enjoy!”
TFD are Torquil Campbell (Stars) and Stephen Ramsay (Young Galaxy).
The true offering of late 80s British pop – Pet Shop Boys, New Order, & co – was that yes even under Thatcherism, yes even amidst dying empires in crumbling brick council houses, yes you could still, still look across a cigarette-cloudy room and be met with eyes of love. Yes, love would shine through coal smoke and refract through alleyways. Yes, loneliness was a temporary state and, armed with dented mopeds and cheap synthesizers, we could build our own and better world.
Yes. But actually, no. Death to fascists…death to love, death to the revolution. No one has blue eyes or green eyes; the eyes you meet across the room are cameras, owned by vast machines. A huge grey panopticon in place of love. We get older, but the drum machines stay the same.
Enter TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS with their first song TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS created in TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS for an age of TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS. Everything clouded, only the trunks of trees, the ground hard under three inches of dust. Two withered souls wander through a lengthening night, greying troubadour-types strapped to keytars, surrounded by fog and desperate for a sop of old hope. If there’s nothing left to lose it can only get better. It was beyond time for a band to form from the ashes of long-dead late-80s joy and now one has. BLEEP BLOOP ASSHOLES, IT’S TOTAL FUCKING DARKNESS.
YUMI AND THE WEATHER returns with the confessional new single: “Can You Tell”.
STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE || STREAM ON SOUNDCLOUD HERE
A cautionary tale for the brave, the latest from the creative voice of Ruby Taylor is an ensnaring electro/punk proposition inspired by a series of real-life events that almost had the most calamitous of outcomes.
A song about recklessness and regrets, fate and fortune, loneliness and a longing for love, its suggestive lyrics construct a troubling narrative of a near-miss only narrowly evaded. “Let’s drive straight into the fog, All I know is this isn’t love,” lulls Yumi with all the dreaminess of someone sleepwalking into a cul-de-sac, “This could be the last road that I take, No time to go back or contemplate…”
Of “Can You Tell”, Yumi AKA Ruby explains:
“‘Can You Tell’ was inspired by a very impulsive decision… It could have been the biggest mistake of my life, but luckily it was absolutely fine. This song came out of the sadness from feeling the fear I felt that overcame me when I realised I was no longer in control. Thoughts of what could happen came into my head, and I thought about what I was doing and had to have some words with myself. I lived and learnt that life is not a dream where I can just wake up when it goes bad, so I slowed down after that because trust is something you build in time, and presumption is the mother of all F*** ups!”
Exciting German/Swedish teenage siblings HAVET today release their 5-track debut EP “Mamas Lullaby” The band comprises of sisters Josy (17) and Mimi (19.) The record features recent uploads “Child” & “Toxic” and their latest single also out today, also called “Mamas Lullaby”
Today’s title track “Mamas Lullaby” grapples with the feelings of needing help and feeling alone, head-on. It’s rich in warming production and lyrically emotive like in all their releases to date,
With today’s launch debut EP fans will find familiarity in their debut track “Child” featuring on the tracklist along with today’s upload along with three new, unheard tracks. The EP promises to feel both nostalgic yet contemporary, exploring themes of youth, and coping with what the world throws at you whilst also being songs that’ll make you want to dance.
Anyone can rip off The Beatles, Phil Collins, and Frankie Vanilli, but very few can do it with as much style, grace and panache as rock n’ roll missionaries The Ruddy Ruckus.
Recovering from the fatal blow of a cancelled national tour in 2020, Hamilton natives The Ruddy Ruckus have been keeping busy penning new songs in the contemporary stadium rock tradition that has come to define their sound. New EP “Hell On Earth” represents the band’s embrace of the darkness that has altered and defined the course of their lives featuring four songs soaked in melodrama, overdrive and tender revolution.
Starting out as a folk-punk alter ego for frontman Rob Brown, the Ruckus has evolved into arena rock troubadours with the gradual additions of lead guitar player Jackson Dorie, bassist Giordano Modesto and drummer Patrick Brown. Drawing from influences such as Green Day and Big Wreck their sound could be described as a refreshing take on garage rock, the kind of sound you’d want to hear in dingy dive bars and sold out amplitheatres.
“Bloodbath” is the first and only single off of the EP, a song written in solidarity with working people and the struggles faced in every day life.
Olive Louise is a classically trained musician with an innate pop sensibility. The New York-based artist is a promising new voice in alt-pop, thoughtfully carving her own path through captivating storytelling and refreshing vulnerability.
Louise possesses the rare ability to delve deep into self-exploration and still emerge open-hearted, optimistic, and deeply empathetic. This gift, paired with her natural musicality, is ultimately what has drawn listeners to her. Her poetic-yet-digestible lyrics and haunting, airy soprano are a hypnotizing amalgamation of her classical roots and indie-pop influences. In the short time that she’s been releasing music, she has amassed a passionate fan base that recognizes and appreciates her talent and authenticity.
Growing up in Kings Point, New York (on the very estate that inspired F Scott Fitzgerald‘s novel The Great Gatsby), Louise spent her early years studying piano and violin under the tutelage of her mother, who was the lead pianist of the Long Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Her earliest memories include falling asleep to the sound of her mother’s playing and being allowed to leave for school only after mastering a Vivaldi concerto — inevitably, music is part of Louise’s molecular makeup.
Unfortunately, Louise’s dreamy childhood was cut short by the tragic passing of both of her parents. After this devastating loss, she turned to songwriting as a way to process her emotions, eventually recording a song at a studio in her hometown. The experience showed Louise that while she loved Vivaldi and Mozart, she was capable of creating something entirely her own.
Following a somewhat chaotic young adulthood and various unstable living situations, Louise began to pursue a career in singing and songwriting. After a brief stint at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Louise returned to New York City to finish her schooling at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
After years of formal music training, feverish songwriting, and carefully crafting her unique sound, Louise released her first single, “Fool”, in October 2019. The pop-y self-love anthem introduced Louise as an innovative new voice with a fresh perspective. Earmilk praised the track’s “wistful soundscapes, gliding synths and rich layered vocals.”
Multi-million streamed rap star OMB Peezy today has announced the release of his new mixtape MisGuided, available on all music service platforms August 19 [An Overkill Ent/ 300 Entertainment]. Renowned music maven DJ Drama will host OMB Peezy’s latest full-length offering as a Gangsta Grillz mixtape.
Set to be one of Peezy’s most discussed projects, MisGudied is inspired by the lack of education OG’s passed down to the youth. Navigating a new tomorrow, Peezy discusses lessons he had to learn the hard way and ways he’s breaking this cycle with his son.
This week King Von’s estate released an official music video alongside OMB Peezy for their collaboration record “Get It Done“ from King Von’s posthumous album What It Means To Be King. The release arrived in honor of what would have been King Von’s 28th birthday.
Peezy’s latest music release single, “Mufasa” with G Herbo, has garnered 1 million + views to date. Last month, the Mobile, Alabama native was announced to join Kevin Gates ‘Big Lyfe’ nationwide tour for thirteen dates.
Harris spent ten years performing with the band The Tins before breaking off to embark on his own solo career after the pandemic put the band on hold. His first singles “Self-Saboteur” and “Predictable” garnered attention from critics and fans alike. Known for honoring animals and issues in our culture, his most recent release “PNGN DNCE” was an ode to penguins and a warning about our melting planet — writing about animals has become a way to pay tribute to the majesty of the animal world, and to call attention to the dangers of losing it. His unique genre of psychedelic rock titillates the senses, inspires the mind, and keeps audiences grooving.
Produced by Greg Papania, who focuses on making songs that vibrate at 7.83 hertz, the planet’s natural resonance, “Honey” is both a tribute to bees and addictively danceable. With influences from 70’s rock and modern artists like Tame Impala, the track reverberates and shimmers to a disco beat. Harris’ vocals are warm and collected, dripping like honey over the cataclysmic sonic atmosphere. The track, he says, “could be seen as a ballad from the perspective of a queen bee, wondering where to spread her rich reserves of honey, or as a lament from a flower, trying to summon missing pollinators from a silent sky.” As for that Papania frequency, studies have shown that listening to the earth’s frequency can be mentally and physically healing, which is, as Harris puts it, “some sacred bee-ometry.”
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
