The music of Colony House—an indie rock band made up of brothers Will and Caleb Chapman, as well as Scott Mills and Parke Cottrell—is playfully self-described as “landlocked surf rock.” Their personal genre designation is as much inspired by their hometown of Franklin, Tenn., as their new album The Cannonballers is: within 11 tracks, the band delves into where they come from and how a place, and its memories, have made them.
The Cannonballers signifies the carefree times of childhood past, with its beautiful naivete, while simultaneously encapsulating an alter ego—a character speeding down the open road, racing the clock in their rearview. The band is often caught in the duality of the reckless and the innocent. The album is an apt addition to the band’s catalog, staying true to what Colony House does best and expanding on what their fans have gravitated to for the past decade: hope and light in the midst of it all. No frills, no gimmicks. Just heart-level rock and roll music.
Their three previous studio collections take listeners on a journey through stories of loss, grief, and heartbreak while welcoming them into the hope that comes on the other side. Their song “Silhouettes” was the #1 most-played track on Sirius XM’s Alt Nation for four months straight, and the surf-rock hit “You Know It” went viral on Tik Tok, amassing 100 million streams across all platforms to date after being featured as the soundtrack to Samsung Mobile’s nationwide ad campaign.
Their full-length feature film, “Everybody’s Looking For Some Light,” was an official selection at the Nashville and Knoxville Film Festival. The project debuted at a two-day drive-in event where 2,000 people (in over 600 cars) showed up to watch the film and see Colony House perform.
Brooklyn noise-pop trio A Very Special Episode kick off what is set to be a very busy 2023 with the release of the magnetic new single “Heaven’s Gate”.
This track is the band’s first studio release since their 2021 LP FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE (Hidden Home/EWEL Records) and delivers freshly heightened tension delivered through insistent dynamic shifts and lyrics that reflect on the sinister underbelly of the quest to ‘belong’. Indeed the song’s title “Heaven’s Gate” alludes to the band’s recent interest in cults and those that seek a home within them. This journey of discovery was instigated several years ago by an impactful visit to the parking lot of Scientology’s Los Angeles Celebrity Center and its nearby ‘museum’ dedicated to the alleged evils of psychiatry. From this point it was just a matter of the intervening years being spent diving down the rabbit hole of movies, tv shows, documentaries that explore this world before this growing cult obsession came to the foreground in a blizzard-bound songwriting session in a cabin deep in the Catskills of upstate New York.
Reflecting on the theme that runs through “Heaven’s Gate”, vocalist/bassist Kasey Heisler states that “it’s about the need to belong, the search for an in group, and the length’s one may go to find one in spite of the danger and the vulnerability that requires.”
Hard-hitting electro-pop band SM6 is a rising group with a powerful presence that can’t be ignored. A new chapter lies ahead, full of driving synths, head-pop instrumentation, and a vocally punk edge you wouldn’t normally hear in pop music today. The dark atmosphere they begin to create teases what’s to come for the future of SM6.
Los Angeles-based alt-pop musician RIZ LA VIE announces his highly anticipated debut album Haven due out February 9 available for pre-order now including a limited run on vinyl. Alongside the announcement, LA VIE shares track “FYP,” a rock-influenced love letter to New York City, out everywhere now. Plus, RIZ LA VIE will hit the road across North America this spring on The World Could Be A Haven Tour beginning in Phoenix, AZ on February 9 with support from Johan Lenox and Ayleen Valentine. Tickets are on sale now.
With Haven, his forthcoming debut studio album, RIZ LA VIE expands on the vibrant sonic world he’s built with previous releases, but this time, shares more of himself with his fans. Experimenting with new production elements and blending genres, LA VIE pushes boundaries like never before, culminating in his most realized, ambitious work to date. Over 15 tracks, LA VIE embarks on a search for a sense of safety and security, both internally and externally–within himself, in his relationships, community, environment, and in the world at large. “The album,” explains LA VIE, “reflects my journey facing the struggles of trying to find a home in a city like New York, during a recession and eventually having to move to another city like Los Angeles. It showcases the ups and downs of forming new connections, and the impact of losing some friends temporarily and some permanently, both for the better and for the worse.”
“No One Likes The Kid” is the first single from Sumaroo‘s upcoming Piggyback EP (out March 17th).
A Canadian indie-folk artist of Mauritius descent, Sumaroo previously released 2017’s Do You Notice EP, a set of five songs that included double-tracked vocals from Sumaroo warmly tucked in with other instruments.
“Drugs R 4 Kids” acts as the first single for Robin Eaton‘s upcoming album, Memories of A Misspent Youth, due for release on May 1st.
A prolific songwriter and producer, Robin Eaton is looking to reintroduce himself as his own artist. “Drugs R 4 Kids” manages to capture the playful, sardonic humor of darker Americana while retaining the glamour of retro rock.
In addition to his background as a songwriter and artist signed to Warner France and Ze-Island Records in NYC, he was also in the original Broadway production of Hair. In the 80s, Robin moved to Nashville and built Alex The Great Recordings before co-writing and producing Jill Sobule‘s self-titled record with the hit single “I Kissed A Girl”.
international experimental four-piece Themes For Great Cities share full-length debut album Themes For Great Cities: Tallinn, an innovative and sensory love letter to the city of Tallinn, Estonia, out everywhere now via Moroderik Musik, including a limited run on vinyl available here. Plus, “Jazz Halyards,” the latest single built around flagpoles in the wind and light filtered through leaves in an Estonian park, is out everywhere now.
In September 2021, four musicians gathered to celebrate the city of Tallinn, Estonia, and harvested sounds that tell the story of the city. The group consists of Mew‘s Jonas Bjerre (modular synthesizer, piano), Erki Pärnoja (guitar, keyboard), Jonas Kaarnamets (guitar, keyboard), and Alex Maiolo (modular synthesizer, recordings). Together, the four-piece create distinctly their own sound using methods never used before, without MIDI, and only with modular synths, augmented by guitar and keyboards. The idea came from the desire to shed light on cities that don’t often get attention in effort to highlight and celebrate hidden treasures that lay within lesser-known metropolises.
The group’s debut album Themes For Great Cities: Tallinn, out today, is an eight track tribute to the city of Tallinn, Estonia. It creatively brings together the present moment in the city and its layered past using the sounds of the city. Though the ultimate goal was to make music, the final result proved to be even more than just music. Maiolo explains, “The only directive was that the end result be musical. Some of the sounds we used in the piece are recognizable. Some were reassembled in a way that they maybe seemed familiar, but not quite. Some were ‘behind the scenes,’ dictating other sounds, rhythms, or changes. This is an allegory for the various levels cities affect us, from the ostensible to the subconscious.”
Asheville, NC-based psych rock trio The Get Right Band announce their cinematic, timely LP iTopia, due out April 7 and available for pre-order now. Alongside the announcement, the band share the first taste of the project with track & video, “Hell Yes Refresh,” out everywhere now. Plus, The Get Right Band will hit the road to play the new music and longtime fan favorites live on tour this spring throughout the East Coast. Tickets to select shows are available now, with a full list of dates to be announced soon via thegetrightband.com/tour.
iTopia is the electrifying, momentous concept album by The Get Right Band. The LP, which features My Morning Jacket‘s Bo Koster on keys, Jacob Rodriguez on saxophone (Michael Buble), and Eleanor Underhill on vocals (Underhill Rose), masterfully explores the impact of social media on relationships, mental health, sense of self and the ever-evolving state of the world. Through seventeen thrilling tracks, the album follows a protagonist who falls into a deep online rabbit hole, passing through techno-utopianism to the most anti-social side of social media. In a moment of clarity, the protagonist begins to climb out of the dark hole as they aim to understand what’s true and what isn’t, and makes a wavering attempt at optimism. In addition to the notable features, the album is primarily self-produced and self-recorded with drums and strings tracked by Julian Dreyer at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, NC. The rest of the album was recorded by the band in various home studios, later mixed by Matt Zutell at Coast Records and mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B.
Proudly putting their evolution both as people and as artists on full display, bassist Jesse Gentry explains, “This album not only represents our growth and progress as a band, but also as people. The themes of the album and the content of the songs touch on some of the most poignant issues of our society at this moment in time. We hope people can relate to the subject matter and that it also gives the listener some hope for a different future.”
Drummer Jian-Claude Mears adds, “This album is a story that is taking place right now. It’s a story at the intersection of technological and social evolution in a world in which people feel growing disconnection and discontentment for the people and systems which so greatly affect our lives. It’s a story of the fragility and susceptibility of human nature and a tale of caution that we can all relate to.”
“In making ‘iTopia’ we had to acknowledge how media, and particularly social media, is affecting each of us.” Mears continues, “These things strongly shape our world view and when you start unraveling the motives and incentives behind the things you’re being told, a bleak feeling can emerge. I hope this album makes people think about all the things that they’re consuming and how it impacts themselves and everyone around them.”
Combining classic pop punk and modern chart sensibilities, FLØRE is sure to provide all the energy you need this Friday with this new cut ‘ZOMBIE’ out via Valeria Music. In a story many can relate to, it was written about those old flames that long died that keep resurfacing, bring back all the wrong energy that saw it all go wrong in the first place.
Give it a watch here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SINxjvQ0NMU
Speaking about the song, FLØRE explained “The song is about the on-off relationships you have with past lovers. They keep crawling back to you like mindless Zombies, bringing back to life what was already dead.”
“I think breaking free from those toxic on-and-off relationships is so hard, because somewhere there’s a part of you that still gets excited when someone’s name pops up on your screen months or even years later. Which makes you fall in these memory holes again and you catch yourself wishing one day it would be different and it would work out. But some relationships can’t be killed and instead remain undead forever.”
FLØRE writes songs “to give this weird existence a meaning”. Feeling like an alien for most of her life, she spent her childhood playing guitar, singing and dreaming of the universe. She’s inspired by the darkness of growing up, the beautifully broken and the feeling of what it must be like when life begins. Or what it must be like when it ends. Or what it is at all. She calls herself a moonlover, who expresses the loneliness in her songs, revealing her touching voice telling stories about her own fragileness, devotion for unusual human beings and broken love.
Kicking off the year with her most ambitious project to date, producer and singer-songwriter WHIPPED CREAM has teamed up with rapper and songwriter Jasiah and producer Crimson Child for their genre-bending masterpiece, “The Dark” on Monstercat. Unraveling a story about toxic love and loss, the single puts Jasiah’s operatic talents on full display, heightening the drama in the haunting keys and textured synthwork. “The Dark” ushers in the announcement of WHIPPED CREAM’s forthcoming EP, ‘Someone You Can Count On,’ due out March 8th. Accumulating over 6 million streams across featured tracks like “CRY,” and “Angels,” the package sees WHIPPED CREAM step out of her comfort zone and into her higher power to unleash a boundless and raw representation of her artistry.
WHIPPED CREAM shares, “There is love in holding on and there is love in letting go. “The Dark” is inspired by the concept of picking up a rose – it looks incredibly inviting and beautiful to hold, but it can puncture the skin. It’s about a relationship where one person hasn’t cut out their toxic behaviours and although beautiful underneath, they still damage the one they love most. It’s learning to finally let go of what might be so beautiful yet painful and unhealthy, and head into the unknown, “the dark.”
Crimson Child also comments, “In my eyes, “The Dark” is a song about love and loss. The feeling of a toxic relationship and its corruption of the soul. Being pulled in and out of love, confused as to your true feelings and being overcome by emotion when trying to make sense of it. I hope this record brings you the peace it brought me.”
KROOKED KINGS REVEAL STELLAR NEW SINGLE ‘ SICK OF BEING YOUNG’// LISTEN HERE
RELEASED TODAY VIA NOBODY GETS IT
In celebration of their sold out show at Babys All Right in New York and with their recent collaboration with Day Wave Carbon Monoxide gaining acclaim, Krooked Kings today reveal relatable new single, Sick Of Being Young. Taken from their upcoming project, the track showcases the driving guitars and soaring vocals that have seen the Salt Lake quintet build up a fervent grassroots following. Speaking on the release, the band state:
“This song says a lot of things we want to say but have never said out loud”
“ I am so excited about this new song and how it represents a fresh, more playful and confident side of PRETZELLE. As the lyricist for this track, I was able to collaborate with the other members to bring this song to life. The music is upbeat and catchy, with a hint of sexiness that really sets it apart from our previous work. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it and see the new direction we are heading in.”
– AUMAIM, member of PRETZELLE
January 26th, 2023 (New York, NY): Thai female vocal group, PRETZELLE, has begun 2023 with a brand new sound showcased in their latest single, “ไม่รับความเห็นต่าง (U R Mine)” This song represents the growth of the members by breaking from their previously introspective style as they embrace their more confident and assertive sides while still maintaining the group’s signature charm.
“I wrote part of the rap and helped with the lyrics for this song. It’s the first time PRETZELLE has been so involved in a song, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. It’s different from what we’ve done before, and it’s more playful and confident.”
– GRACE, the youngest member of PRETZELLE
The lyrics were entirely composed by PRETZELLE, with AUMAIM writing the main lyrics and ICE and GRACE composing the rap sections. “ไม่รับความเห็นต่าง (U R Mine)” is about being fiercely devoted to a romantic partner and not wanting to accept any “different opinions” or competition for their affection.
The song was produced by the talented Benz Kankanat Angkanagerathi, who has previously worked with PRETZELLE and composed the melody. It was mixed by Shin BongWon, who has been behind many hit songs, including “Ditto” by NewJeans.
Alma Mater is Dirk Sullivan and Andrew Paul Woodworth. The two are veterans of the Los Angeles and of the Portland, Oregon music scenes. Sullivan was signed to Interscope Records with his band Love On Ice and Woodworth fronted Elephant Ride, signed to Sony Records. They have since spent two decades recording and touring in various projects.
Anxious for some musical therapy during the pandemic, the two started meeting in Woodworth’s garage. Sullivan was enthralled with an alternate tuning on his guitar and found himself writing songs at a blistering clip, totally inspired by this fresh reverence for his instrument. He found the perfect partner in Woodworth, who could add pathos and melody to his already provocative landscapes. Sullivan was wrestling with a recent divorce and with the slow demise of his mother. By contrast, Woodworth was about to welcome his first child. They found a kinship in the intensity of their disparate stories. Somehow those contrasting life experiences brought out something completely raw and beautiful and melancholic and utterly explosive in their writing.
Both men love hard and laugh big….both were suddenly unafraid to be uniquely and totally themselves, understanding that in a world full of temporary things, we are a perpetual feeling. The sound became a portrait of combating themes….time versus eternity, strength versus surrender, hard love versus fake hate. With Gregg Williams in the producer’s chair (Sheryl Crow, The Dandy Warhols, Blitzen Trapper, Pete Droge, Emmylou Harris) the recordings became orchestral and vibrant and full of page-turning narratives. It is a dream team for these three Oregonians who have amassed decades of honest, soulful and heartfelt music.
Leading single “Fading Moon” is a poignant folk dipped indie pop track. Andrew of the band confides, “I was never afraid of dying until I had a child. Fading Moon, on the surface, seems like a love letter to my two baby boys. But, in reality, it’s a means to comfort myself from my overwhelming fear of leaving them behind when I die. When pure and intense love is experienced, there is a level of pain associated with it. I’ve never been more happy, but I’ve never been more scared. So this seemingly sweet, folky ditty is really a pretty dark, anxious proclamation.” Musically, the hypnotic guitar riff of “Fading Moon” was written when Dirk was in hospice care, visiting his sick mother. Performing for her brought her joy and “Fading Moon” also represents the magic and healing nature of music.
Alma Mater is a direct reflection of what is happening in the world today as much as it is defined by generations of influence. From its warm and rustic and plush production to its earnest and candid and sometimes irreverent writing, Alma Mater is a collision of opposing forces….like they’ve blown the dust off of an old box in the attic, only to find new pictures inside. “Fading Moon” is the first track off of their forthcoming album and is out now worldwide.
Kicking into high gear for 2023, African superstar singer and songwriter TYLA reveals an energetic and undeniable new single and music video entitled “Been Thinking” today via FAX Records/Epic Records. The video is directed by the almighty Meiji Alabi (Beyonce, Burna Boy) and co-choreographed by the legendary Fatima Robinson (Michael Jackson, Aaliyah).
Listen to “Been Thinking” HERE.
Watch the video HERE.
The track’s driving beat sets the pace as her dynamic vocals dip in and out of the groove. She alternates between confessional verses a la “I’ve been trying not to lose control, but I lose control” and a fiery and flirty hook, “All day, all night, I been thinkin bout you.” The accompanying visual vividly brings theses vibes to life onscreen. From intimate vignettes of her singing in bed to showstopping African-inspired choreography in a packed club, it reflects the track’s spirit.
However, it only paves the way for a whole lot more from Tyla in 2023…
Tyla has been making waves internationally by fusing Amapiano with ethereal pop R&B vocals, earning her critical acclaim from PAPER Magazine, I-D and CLASH. Her debut single ‘Getting Late’ featuring Kooldrink has amassed over 5.5 worldwide million views. She followed it up with the incredible DJ Lag collaboration ‘Overdue’, which soundtracked the trailer for Netflix’s Blood & Water. Tyla returned with ’To Last’ in 2022 to great acclaim, earning praise from CLASH and The Independent.
Last year, Tyla turned up on “To Last.” It has tallied nearly 1 million cumulative streams thus far and continues to gain traction at DSPs. Out Now dubbed it “dreamy,” and HITS noted, “Tyla’s music shimmers with the euphoria of South African amapiano, as she puts her vibrant personality on full display.”
Get ready for more soon!
New York-based indie-pop singer and songwriter Cade Hoppe is kicking off the new year with his new single,”Labels,” out on all streaming platforms today. With two EPs and a fistful of highly praised releases under his belt, the 23-year-old singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist continues to prove himself as an exciting and determined young talent with each new release.
Cade teamed up with his frequent collaborator and co-producer Harper James (Eighty Ninety, James Bay, Aaron Taos) on “Labels.” With its driving synth-pop production and anthemic instrumentation combined with Cade’s distinct baritone vocals, the track is an instantly addictive listening experience.
“This is a song about having a relationship with someone that will never give you the reassurance you need — and then finding a way to justify that in order to have that relationship at all,” Cade says. “You keep telling yourself that you don’t need a label until you might actually believe it.”
When you take the wheel, you control your own destiny.
An accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, and performer, Kevin Ross determines his course on his own terms. The Washington, D.C.-born artist elevates R&B through eloquent songcraft, rich sonic architecture, and downright traffic-stopping vocals. Since launching his career in 2016, he has quietly risen to the forefront of the culture with over 100 million streams and counting, #1 Billboard entries on the Adult R&B Songs Chart, and countless sold-out shows. Now, he continues to forge ahead with more music in 2023 under his artist-owned label Art Society Music Group (ASMG).
“I never wait around for anybody,” he explains. “I’m always making music with collaborators and by myself. Producing is part of who I was supposed to be all along as an artist. That’s not just an artist who can sing, but an artist who can write, produce, perform, and execute at the highest level possible in order to deliver to the masses.”
Kevin vividly recalls his first memory of music, listening to Lisa Stansfield’s “All Around The World” from his car seat as a baby. He went on to obsess over the likes of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, and Smokey Robinson. Following his high school years at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, he earned a scholarship and degree from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music. Settling in Atlanta, he initially made waves behind-the-scenes, penning hit-charting tunes for the likes of Trey Songz, Toni Braxton, Tank, and many more.
As a solo artist, he wrote, recorded, and produced “Long Song Away” in 2016, toppling both the Adult R&B Songs Chart and the Urban Adult Contemporary Chart at #1. In between collaborations with Kevin Hart, Ne-Yo, and T.I., he built a bulletproof solo discography highlighted by The Awakening [2017], Drive EP [2017], and Audacity Vol. 1-2 [2020]. From the latter, “God Is A Genius” generated over 13+ million streams and counting across platforms. Along the way, he also toured alongside legends Babyface, KEM & Maxwell, in addition to picking up nominations at the Soul Train Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and iHeart Radio Music Awards.
In 2019, he founded Art Society Music Group as the home for all of his releases. With Kevin at the helm, 2021’s Drive 2 [ASMG/Empire] represented another high achievement. It bowed at #1 on the iTunes Top R&B/Soul Albums Chart, while “Looking For Love” vaulted onto the Top 10 of the Billboard Adult R&B Radio Play Chart.
Beyond acclaim from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and BET, Washington Post proclaimed, “Ross doesn’t sound like he’s trying to find a musical identity. He knows who he is, and his album reflects that.”
“Drive 2 definitely shows growth,” he notes. “It’s been five years since the last one. I was producing a lot more on the second installment. I’m way more confident in my ability. It’s leaps and bounds better than the first. It’s all just time, growth, and awareness.”
Beguiling young artist – MICHAEL J BENJAMIN – introduces himself with a breathtaking acoustic version of “The Deal Has Long Gone Down”.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE || STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
Evoking the likes of Johnny Cash or Leonard Cohen, “The Deal Has Long Gone Down” is a masterclass in mature and measured music-making.
With gallant vocals that weave themselves niftily amongst genial plucking guitars, the poignant new track serves as both an introduction to the artist and a testament to his mastered craft. A song stricken with a paranoia for a world spinning ever more rapidly out of control, Benjamin says of the new release:
“The Deal Has Long Gone Down is difficult to pin down. I guess it expresses my fears for the modern climate we all live in, a changing world in danger of moving towards something dark and despairing. When the fortune-teller at the crossroads loses belief, you know it’s tough times ahead.”
Staking his place as a young musician set to shake things up, Michael’s soulful songs express a hard-won sense of authority: embracing the world with an engrossing, truth-seeking style of writing which belies his still-tender years.
Like most other millennials, Michael J Benjamin grew up with the entire history of music readily available at the click of a mouse. He embraced himself in the heroes of old, immersing himself in the works of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash and Paul McCartney, before finding more modern realms of influence in the songbooks of Lana Del Rey, Weyes Blood and Jack Antonoff.
Let’s face it, we’ve all been there (sigh)…we’ve all had that one person whose attention we just can’t get enough of! Journeying back to the pandemic where physical connection was no longer an option, the Croydon hailing songstress let’s her intentions be known as she explores the infatuation with a fellow love interest, in brand-new hypnotic single, ‘Reasons’.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: LEIYAH – REASONS
Underpinned with an irresistible and sultry feel, ‘Reasons’ is harnessed with a dark yet up-beat production courtesy of Rizmadeit. Following a year-long hiatus, Leiyah boasts her rich and soulful tone over the beat as she delves into a relationship with a love interest. Connecting with someone who takes those darker days and brings out your inner glow, Leiyah makes her intentions clear as she no longer wishes to spend her nights alone. Speaking on the release Leiyah commented, “Reasons was a song I brought to life that I wrote during the lockdown, it was a plea for my lack of physical connection during the pandemic.”
Rising indie-punk outfit BILK drop their explosive DIY cut “Fashion” – taken from their hotly-anticipated debut album Bilk via Manchester record label Scruff Of The Neck.
Building a reputation as one of the most exciting new names across the underground, Essex-born powerhouse Bilk’s kinetic chemistry is on full display across their latest cut-throat offering “Fashion”. The young talents – comprised of Sol Abrahams (guitarist and lead singer), Luke Hare (bassist) and Harry Gray (drummer) – have created a searing soundscape, elevated by thrashing guitar licks and Sol’s classic tongue-in-cheek charm as he advocates breaking social boundaries and always being true to yourself.
Speaking on the track, the band mention: “Fashion is about not conforming to what’s considered cool or popular and just being yourself, telling anyone who don’t like it to
do one. I used to try to put myself in boxes and fit in a lot and I wrote this song when I just said fuck it, I’ve had enough. All I can be is myself.”
Since bursting onto the scene with the breakout 2018 record “Spiked” (2.3M+ streams), the rising collective’s unorthodox, wild approach has firmly imprinted their signature on a national scale. Cutting their teeth with an incendiary debut performance with BBC Introducing at Reading & Leeds Festival – leading to the band winning Act Of The Year across BBC Introducing Essex, critical acclaim has come swiftly from the likes of WONDERLAND, DORK MAGAZINE, CLASH, LOUDER THAN WAR, FRED PERRY and BBC R1.
Ahead of their debut album release on Friday 10th February and a national tour soon to follow, Bilk’s thrilling capacity to distil the new generation of British youth culture looks set to make them a serious new voice of the streets.
Vancouver musician Colleen Rennison bares her soul on her raw and beautiful new single ‘Means To An End’ out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.
‘Means To An End’ is the first single from Colleen’s new album Persephone set for release later this year. The track sets the scene for what we can expect on the LP with Colleen laying it all out for us to see.
“This song is literally ripped from my diary with me sitting in the realization that the best has come and gone,” says Colleen. “It’s the bittersweet recollection of moments passed and wondering if this feeling of loss and melancholy is something that you’ll live with until you don’t live anymore. We first recorded this as a full band and I felt it turned out too CMT and didn’t do the song justice, so I brought the piano player and all around musical savant Alexander Ward back in and we did it with just piano and a little percussion, adding in the live strings which he also arranged later.”
The ten-track LP marks the latest collaboration of Swiss-born, Gotham-bred indie rocker Sam Koechlin with his longtime producer / “Second Beatle” Daniel Schlett (Iggy Pop; The War on Drugs) and mastering engineer Greg Calbi (David Bowie; Bruce Springsteen), and features Chris Egan (Solange; Blood Orange) on drums and Josh “JD” Werner (Ghostface Killah; CocoRosie) on bass.
Never Let Me Go beams with the promise of a reopening world whose studios, stages and dance floors we will finally get to share again — or lose once more at any moment. Of the album, Koechlin says, “Suspended between faith and fear, hope and its opposite, Never Let Me Go is equal parts plea and reckoning in more than name.”
Brothers Tanner and Peyton Whitt, performing as the adrenalized American alt-pop band RAGS AND RICHES, aim to bring hope and inspire a generation of dreamers. The Lexington, Kentucky natives released their debut single, “Speed of Sound”, in 2019 and lit the spark for a wildfire breakout reaching over a million streams on platforms.
Starting 2023 off with a huge bang, their latest single “holiday.” is the ultimate feel good track to add to your party playlists. Seeing the duo head towards a more mainstream pop sound, “holiday.” is reminiscent of Foster the People and Glass Animals. Radiating good vibes, this is a carefree anthem about living your life to the fullest, with Tanner explaining, “It came from a place of feeling burnt out on the schedule we were living. We had been doing the same schedule for a few years and this was our “get me out of this way of living” mindset.”
Oozing attitude and bursting with energy, Tanner continues, “Peyton produced the beat and then we called our good friend DeMarko Murphy in to help write this one. Between the three of us I think we nailed the carefree/get me out of this “normal” way of living.” The two man crew has performed over 200 shows in over 40 states, charted in top #200 on NACC college radio charts, won two Lexington Music Awards for ‘Pop Artist of the Year’ as well as ‘Song of the Year’ and impressively clocked in over 4 million streams and over 1.5 million video views in just three years. Their debut album Always Gold released in 2022 via Sonablast! Records also hit over 1.4 million streams in its first week alone. With their current explosive success it’s clear these determined brothers are rising to the top.
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
