Electronic R&B producer Vindata returns to Monstercat today, joining forces with Bay Area rapper Ozer for their new collaboration, “No Service.” Fusing garage and Amapiano sounds rolled into a catchy rap-electronic hybrid, the record sets the tone for Branden Ratcliff’s new creative direction as he carries on the Vindata project solo. With Ozer’s dexterous rap verses leading the groovy tempo, the lyrics reflect an escape to a place with no reception while focusing on what’s ahead. Unearthing a synergistic blend from the duo’s unique stylings, “No Service” also ushers in a celebration of Black History Month, both artists using their time working together to support one another while remembering where they came from.
Vindata shares, “I’m really excited to kick-off 2023 with “No Service”. I think this song sets the tone for much of the direction I’m heading in creatively.”
Ozer adds, “‘No Service’ is my first track into the EDM/house sound and what better way than to do a silky and fly track with the one and only Vindata. Vibe out to the track and put your phone on airplane mode to avoid life’s distractions. Sorry for not replying, all 2023 I don’t have ‘No Service.’”
In 2021, Vindata embarked as a solo endeavour with Branden Ratcliff continuing the project. Working with the likes of Anderson .Paak and Skrillex, he’s leaned into a newfound soundscape of groovier, funkier styles with confidence, earning a full feature in DJ Mag and a nomination for ‘Best Album.’ Last year he took to festivals like Ubbi Dubbi and Splash House, held a headline run at venues including Bar Standard in Denver, CO and Flash Club Room in Washington, D.C., and opened for DJ Hanzel (Dillion Francis) at Elsewhere in Brooklyn. Fans can look forward to more music and live performances to come this year as he continues to solidify himself as a force in the scene.
Los Angeles-based musician, TJ Stafford, returns with an earnest exploration of the act of letting go with his new album, “Nipple Whisk,” out everywhere on February 16th, 2023
After writing and releasing his previous album, “The Death of Zossima,” which he calls “a visceral wrestling match with depression,” Stafford was ready to explore the darkness while back in the light. A solo artist since 2017, Stafford spent years touring with various bands and writing tracks for television, including shows such as AMC’s The Walking Dead, HBO’s True Blood, NBC’s Parenthood, and FX’s Sons of Anarchy. While his music filtered through various television shows, he began performing live, selling-out shows at famous L.A. venues like The Roxy, The Troubadour, and the House of Blues.
With his newest album, he aims to allow the light and the dark to exist in the same space — from his first experience with joy after depression to wrestling with grief after the death of a friend. “Nipple Whisk” is about letting go of doing what you think you should. The opening track, “When We Hit The Ground,” is a transparent and transcendent look at a love that allows us to exist as we are. The lo-fi beat is the heartbeat of the love story itself, while the slow-burning electric guitar riff burns and bursts to an emotional chorus. It captures the magic of being who you are and allowing that to dictate the relationship’s fate.
The hum of the drum beat, and Stafford’s warm, gritty vocals go from a quiet reflection to a near yell for help on the pointed, “Worthy.” A sonic wall is built around the chorus as he questions whether he’s worthy of anything. “I’ve got a love that’s haunting me / saying something that I can’t see / she’s telling stories that someday I’ll be worthy…” As he begs to be told he’s okay, the track launches into a wholly electrifying emotional experience that is both hopeful and terrified. “The Astronaut” booms to life with electrifying guitar riffs and a uniquely cohesive feeling of chaos. The track explores the desperate need to shine brightly in a world where your life and, in Stafford’s case, career depend on being noticed. The hammering drums and Stafford’s howling vocals flow to an explosive bridge, bringing everything together all at once, only to drift off into quiet introspection that defines the entire album.
A thumping bass line launches “Hated,” a track that celebrates letting go of that constant search for happiness and the relief that it might not exist. A rock track filled with punk influences and a near-danceable chorus, it’s the melodic personification of shaking it all off and letting it go. Stafford’s devil-may-care attitude shines through with all the charisma and flippancy of a true rock star. “The World’s Gonna Love Me” is the last ringing message of an album about letting go and shedding the expectations of the world around us. The bass line trickles along under Stafford’s harmonies, insinuating something bigger is to come, both in message and melody. As he whispers a promise that the world will love him before he dies, despite the many flaws he may exhibit, you feel something burning just below the surface. After a quiet begging for love, Stafford flips a switch with an intense melodrama of a demand buried in a fury of drums and electric guitar. It’s the perfect ending to an album filled with both light and dark.
Rising Leeds/ London artist Eden Rain is a polymath who creates intricate left-pop, built on her gorgeous vocals and clever turn of phrase. Eden has picked up some early DSP support ( Spotify’s Anti Pop) and some lovely press looks ( DAZED, DIY, Best Fit, CLASH) on the back of a few standalone singles. New track ‘Bed ( For The Year)’ showcases Eden’s skyreaching vocals over soaring production and arrives with news that Eden’s debut debut EP ‘ Gutter Vision’ comes out in May. She played her first headline show, a sold out gig at London’s Servant Jazz Quarters (an 80-cap room with 50 on waiting list) two weeks ago, and just announced a second at Folklore which is 3/4s sold in one week.
New Jersey-based singer-songwriter Eric Sleeper carries a unique, dreamy, and tangible vibe that sets him apart from his peers. Taking pride in bending multiple genres, he encapsulates indie, acoustic rock, and folk all to create his own distinctive sound. Directing focus toward his lyrical mind frame, Eric writes his songs to be captivating, riveting, and relatable. Taking inspiration from the likes of Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Nirvana, Tom Waits, and Bon Iver, he values their minimalistic approach to songwriting. “I am homegrown, literally recording everything on my own in my no-frills bedroom studio,” Eric explains.
Strumming the strings to his first guitar at age 14, Eric Sleeper has been making music ever since. After guitar, he immediately began writing his own songs and later picked up the MIDI keyboard. He quickly took to expressing his thoughts and feelings through lyricism, writing about his personal struggles, ambition, and tales of the underdog.
With his unique writing style, and a dreamlike ambiance that adds an element of nostalgia, alongside his edgy and rebellious attitude, Eric Sleeper is setting off on a musical journey of his own. With three successful singles, “Emily,” “Son of a Gun,” and “Junkie,” already under his belt and a fourth on the way, Eric is the breath of fresh air the singer-songwriter scene needs.
Bri Schillings leads Sweet Imperfections, a collective of Southern California’s most talented musicians and songwriters.
A renowned producer, engineer, and guitarist, Chad Schlosser, first came into contact with Bri in 2022. Among the artists and musicians Chad worked with were Cage the Elephant, Muse, LP, Billy Gibbons, Matt Sorum, and ZZ Top. In transferring the sound to an Indie Rock vibe, Chad brought an upbeat, powerful sound to the music.
After that, they brought in percussionist Michael Johnson, bassist Shawn Barry, and keyboardist Jeffery Howell, while Greg Cahill plays acoustic guitar.
MNYS is a candid genre-disrupting artist with a decade of behind-the-scenes experience that only serves to elevate his natural talent. MNYS otherwise known as Nick Cozine uses his music as a way to be honest about his experiences, touching on topics like identity and mental health.
He has been featured on Spotify’s hyperpop + FORYOU for over 10 weeks in addition to The New Alt, All New Rock, All New Punk and The Scene. In 2022, he released his debut EP “Before The Internet” and has been in the studio ever since. MNYS will be releasing a new single on Feb 17, “This City’s Always Standing” via Adventure Cat Records.
““When I’m verging on the breakdown, I’m thankful for the playground where I learned to take a swing.” The opening line is about (my only) fist fight I got into as a teenager. The fight, like many, was over something pointless – but at the time felt like the entire world. I draw parallels between that fight and the obstacles of my upbringing. Growing up, there was always a constant feeling of needing to “prove myself” to everyone else. But until my late 20’s, I realized that the competition was just with myself.
Thematically, the feeling of invalidation weaves through the MNYS project – but This City is the first moment we take that back. “
This song was born from leaning into the chaos, when it comes to obsessive behaviour.
“Cocaine” is a total heart rush of addictive beats, run-on sentences, and cyclical thoughts. It’s absolutely relentless and provides no relief.
I’m painting love-obsession as if it were a drug, and it’s my drug of choice. “Cocaine” is meant to capture that new, all consuming, check-your-phone-every-three-seconds kind of love, toxic and manic as it may be; full of butterflies and nausea.
Obsession has been a topic I’ve been stuck on since the pandemic started. Too much time to think coupled with a racing mind has been a recipe for disaster, so I started writing some of my thoughts down and trying to capture what that might sound like.
Enter into the love-obsessed world of “Cocaine” on your favourite platform
Someone close to me recently gave me permission to go all the way with my art, to lean into the uncomfortable topics and make those really fucking weird sounds. For me, this is my first attempt at delving into the uglier bits of the human experience.
It’s a genre-bending little jackrabbit of a track, it scratches that itch in my brain that I’ve been dying to explore.
I’m looking forward to leaning into the weird much more in our next few releases.
Thanks for listening,
Lexie Jay of FEATURETTE
So much of Edge of the Wilderness encapsulates breaking away from any sort of harmful environment or culture. It can feel like you’re alone in the wilderness. But, perhaps being in the wilderness is the best place to find your truest self. It calls out failed leaders, corrupt systems, and hypocritical faith.
“Many of these songs I wrote when I was angry. I’m still angry,” reveals Jessica. “I’m angry about hypocrisy, I’m angry about people living in denial regarding systems that prop up the rich and neglect the poor, I’m angry at controlling, manipulative, religious environments. I don’t want anything to do with them, and yet here I am, in a world full of them. So, I wrote songs out of a need to express my feelings, to tell my experience of existing alongside broken systems. I didn’t intend for the songs to be a way of exposing harmful people and ways of thinking, but as I wrote I realized I was naming things like abuse, cultic behavior, power-lust, and gaslighting. And they needed to be named.”
The musician, singer, and songwriter has curated a sonic world where hard truths nestle their way into your mind via big hooks. Her music features electronic music’s immersive multi-layered textural approach, rock’s visceral dynamics, and pop’s infectious melodicism. Jessica’s songs are “protest pop songs” because within pop music structures she writes fearlessly about political and cultural hot topics. Her words are poetic, insightful, and poignant. Jessica has garnered favorable comparisons to such artists as Kate Bush, Tori Amos, and Imogen Heap.
Hailing from the sunshine state, rising artist HADEE. brings heat with his sophomore single, “KEROSENE”. Released on February 3, 2023, the 80s synthpop-inspired track explores the reckless themes of romance and its evanescent nature. It expands on this theme through its chosen soundscape, each detail adding to the overall cinematic atmosphere. Straight from the start, we’re met with an almost haunting instrumentation that paints the visual of desert-glaring heat raining down. “KEROSENE” cements HADEE. as an upcoming artist with a versatility that leaves his listeners longing to explore.
With a Tarantino-esque flair, HADEE. portrays the desire to risk everything going up in flames for what he wants, and he does so with a signature cool in “KEROSENE.” We sat with HADEE. to get some insight into the meaning of his new single. “Every scene we find ourselves in is locked away inside a memory, eagerly waiting for the day it’s brought to mind again. Some are placed in a decorative manner, while others are hung up in a frame with broken glass. Like a film lit by a match, these recollections can burn bright, and for a split second, a part of us gives in to self-reflection. It’s that contrasting feeling I wanted to delve into.” This of course begged the question of how the writing process of “KEROSENE” came about. HADEE. explained, “It started out as an instrumental idea I had made a couple years back. It was a bassline that I had then developed, but I couldn’t seem to think of the right words for this one idea. I had almost accepted that it would never become a full song. Fast-forward to this past summer, I had found the original recording of the instrumental, and that’s when the chorus melody we hear in the song came to
mind. This allowed me to further get into the storyline and arrangement, so I could create a decent demo.”
Last night, Future took home the “Best Melodic Rap Performance” trophy at the 2023 GRAMMY® Awards for his smash single, “WAIT FOR U” [ft Drake and Tems].
I NEVER LIKED YOU has become a blockbuster of the highest order, reaching over 1B combined audio and video streams (874M audio and 220M video). It topped off last year as “the #1 bestselling rap album of 2022 in the US by total units.” Last month, he concluded the biggest year of his career by earning a slew of RIAA certifications. His chart-dominating magnum opus, I NEVER LIKED YOU, ascended to platinum status, making it one of only four albums to reach platinum in 2022. The Billboard Hot 100 smash “WAIT FOR U” [ft Drake & Tems] reached triple-platinum and earned the RIAA’s Top Certified Single of 2022. The single “PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ”also went platinum.
Speaking to his dominance, Billboard christened him its “Hip-Hop Power Player of the Year,” enshrining him as “one of the most successful, and prolific, rappers in history.” Variety hailed him as “Collaborator of the Year” and attested, “The list of artists who benefited fromFuture’s Midas touch reads like a veritable who’s who of hip-hop.”Rolling Stone plugged I NEVER LIKED YOUon its “The 100 Best Albums of 2022,” going on to proclaim, “it’s safe to sayFutureshowcased his range.” Complexnamed it one of “The Best Albums of 2022,” and declared, “Futureis at his best onI NEVER LIKED YOU.”
Future’s chart-crushing platinum-certified GRAMMY® Award-winning masterpiece, I NEVER LIKED YOU, is available now via Freebandz/Epic Records.
Highlighting an important topic surrounding body image, London newcomer SOMOH’s emotionally astute single ‘My Body Is A Friend,’ out today, is a reminder that your body is on your side all the time, through all your wins and losses, whether you’re feeling good or not. Today, SOMOH also announces her debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home’ will be released on March 30th, 2023.
Listen to ‘My Body Is A Friend,’ out via Tiny Library Records now;
You can also watch the official video filmed by Joel Johnston;
Playlisting? You can do so HERE
SOMOH explains “I wrote this song while going through a rough patch with how I was viewing and treating myself. More than anything, this song is a reminder that your body does so much to carry you through each day. And for that, it deserves to be treated with the kindness and respect you’d show to a friend.”
Towards the end of last year, SOMOH released her first two singles ‘Anything’ & ‘I Know You Care’ which amassed lots of tastemaker support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Clash & The Line Of Best to name but a few. Both of those songs and today’s new single will make their way on her debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home.’ The song’s lyrics spoke of the meaning behind loving somebody deeply. She said “This song is about coming to terms with your love for someone & knowing that you’d do just about anything for them. It’s a scary but beautiful feeling to fall that deeply for a person.” The song was produced and mixed by Joel Johnston & Mack Jamieson, who has also produced and mixed the entire EP that will be released on Tiny Library Records.
Speaking about her upcoming EP, SOMOH said “I’m really proud of this body of work, it’s been a long time coming. The main focus of this EP is about the transitional stages of life from childhood to your early 20s where part of you doesn’t feel ready to face all the changes. I think these songs convey a lot of those situations you have to deal with as you realise the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows (e.g falling in love, coming to realisations about the people around you, how you treat yourself). I hope that people listening can find a part of their own story in my songs, it’s always nice to feel like you’re not alone in how you’re feeling.”
SOMOH is Sophia Mohan’s nickname and artist alias. She is 20 years old and hails from Ealing, London, born to a British father and an Italian mother. In her formative years, which she will tell “was a mess” when it came to listening to music, citing anything from Katy Perry to Neck Deep to The 1975 as artists she followed along with pop-punk that still has a special place in her heart. With her music influences more settled now, her music is currently influenced by Indigo De Souza, Alex G, The Japanese House, Adrianne Lenker and Far Caspian.
New York’s most prominent rising star J.I. is gearing up to release his highly anticipated EP, One Way or Another, on Friday, February 10th via G*Starr Ent. J.I. is also excited to announce that his fans will be able to catch him on tour as the opening act for A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s ‘Me vs. Myself Tour.’ Kicking off today in Denver, tickets can be bought HERE.
One Way or Another is a 14-track project following the release of standout singles/visuals “Black Roses” (watch HERE) and “It’s Officially Done” (watch HERE). Throughout the project, J.I. keeps consistent to his honest storytelling about love, life and the obstacles that accompany fame. His lucid flow challenges 808s beats and piano chords to orchestrate melodic tracks that provoke thought and heartfelt emotion. The project includes features from 2Rare, RealestK and BEAM.
“Blue Girl Nice Day” is a dark, dreamy song inspired by the Milgram Experiments of the 1960s, where subjects were instructed to give ever-increasing electric shocks to a “learner” who was supposed to memorize a combination of word pairs, such as Blue/Girl and Nice/Day, and repeat them back. Strangely, most people would obey an authority figure and give even lethal shocks to the learner if they made a mistake, following orders against their own conscience. The participants were very shaken by what they were capable of, once the true nature of the experiment was revealed to them.
Listen to “Blue Girl Nice Day” on your preferred platform.
Watch the official music video on YouTube.
Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / TikTok“Blue Girl Nice Day” is the lead single from my forthcoming debut album of the same name. Making the music video, I was thinking about weakness and strength.This isn’t a literal retelling of the story, but it made me reflect on how we hurt each other, intentionally and not, and what we do when we find out we aren’t the people we thought we were. I wanted the music to sound deceptively sweet at first and then become more sinister and sad as it went along. The words from the experiment are so simple and nice, like from a children’s book, they hardly say anything about the darkness and pain that went along with them.La Faute 
British artist Bakar is proud to release his brand-new single, “Good News,” out now. Get itHERE on all DSPs.
Following its notable debut at Givenchy’s Fall/Winter 23 Men’s show during Paris Fashion Week – where the soundtrack made for the perfect backdrop to good friend, and Givenchy Creative Director, Matthew M. Williams’ vision – “Good News” hones into Bakar’s genre-bending sound, which is well-known for bridging the gap between Indie, Hip-hop, Punk and Rock. Taking a stripped-back approach to this new offering, the Zach Nahome and Michael Ozuwuru-produced track showcases Bakar’s knack for captivating lyrics and melodic beats, and focuses heavily on his vocals, which are underpinned with the stoic kick-drum and electric guitar instrumentation that weaves its way throughout the song.
Launched on Zane Lowe’s ‘New Music Daily’ show, alongside an interview, “Good News” follows up Bakar’s 2022 debut album Nobody’s Home, and the 2019 EP Will You Be My Yellow?which features “Hell N Back”– the sleeper hit that became Bakar’s first US No.1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay Songs chart. The celebrated 2020 single, “1st Time” marked Bakar’s second track to achieve a No.1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart and forms his ever-growing portfolio of work.
For almost a decade, Bakar has been captivating his community of over 3.7M+ monthly listeners on Spotify with his unique brand of music, and has already earned himself accolades with appearances at some of the biggest global platforms – including supporting Travis Scott at his sold out London O2 Arena show in 2022, Reading & Leeds Festival, ColorsxStudios – and an appearance on BBC Radio 1Xtra, where he performed a tribute track in honour of late rapper Mac Miller. Next, he will perform at Coachella on April 15 + 22.
Welsh Singer-songwriter TOM JENKINS has revealed a brand new video for “It Comes In The Morning, It Hangs In The Evening Sky”, the title-track of his spectacular latest solo album (out now).
The official video arrives as Jenkins confirms a string of live fixtures for the new year ahead, including support shows with Cardinal Black, Frank Turner and Bastille as well as sold out headline shows in Cardiff and Trowbridge. Full listings can be found below.
A sprawling and cinematic track that unfolds like a great epic told in three parts, “It Comes In The Morning, It Hangs In The Evening Sky” pins together tender vocals with cascading drum rolls, unhinged guitars and meteoric instrumental flourishes.
Of the new song, Tom explains:
“”It Comes In The Morning, It Hangs In The Evening Sky” is probably the most epic track on the album, and had to really live up to the name. The song draws influences from the likes of Jeff Buckley, Daniel Johns of Silverchair and Big Thief. Lyrically, it focuses on the feeling of dread and how it creeps up on you.”
The title-track of an equally expansive and exploratory new studio album (out now, via Xtra Mile Recordings), ‘‘It Comes In The Morning, It Hangs In The Evening Sky’ is the singer-songwriter’s follow-up to 2019 solo debut ‘Misery In Comfort’.
Off the back off a hugely successful support tour with Deez Nuts around the UK, UNITYTX have announced new single ‘World Of Malice’
“World of Malice is a poetic piece of literature about the essence of cause & effect.Written from a perspective of a growing yet troubled soul learning how to exist in the current state of society, constantly feeling an exasperating sensation of grief where it often feels like I’m not so much at war with the world as much as myself. But the reminiscent of pain and sorrow lingers from experiences that weigh heavy on the mind.” says Jay Webster.
Vancouver’s Winona Forever combine spicy rock riffs and arts and crafts rhythms to create delicious ready-to-listen pop songs. Since 2015 the band has been releasing music that embraces the warm and free spirited leanings of home recording, producing a sound that is equal parts fresh and timeless. Easygoing at first listen, Winona Forever crafts tight, groovy indie pop that takes as much influence from 70’s feel-good music as bedroom pop. Prioritizing punchy rhythms and fun melodies, they create a sound that is wholly contemporary.
Winona Forever already has two Canadian tours under their belt and the incredible success of their 2019 full-length album FeelGood.
With the release of the track Keep Kool, Winona Forever stumbled into an international following that propelled the band into new dimensions. 2019 saw the release of the album Feelgood on vinyl. The band has continued growing through touring in Canada and the US, with an Audiotree live session and Pop Montreal festival as highlights. In 2022 Winona Forever will be touring the US in support of new releases.
California rock band ALO share track “Sparrow” out everywhere now ahead of the release of their ninth studio album, Silver Saturdays due out March 3, including a limited run of clear 180g vinyl, via Brushfire Records and available for pre-order now. All orders through this weekend will include an autographed four postcard set from the band. Get an exclusive look at the making of the forthcoming album as the band brings listeners behind the scenes here.
Alongside the track, the band shares an accompanying animated visual that becomes increasingly more detailed as it develops. Plus, ALO will hit the road this spring on the Tour d’Amour XVI around the Western U.S. with support from Rainbow Girls on several dates, and other dates featuring Hot Buttered Rum, ORGŌNE, Ron Artis II and The Moore Brothers. Tickets are on sale now.
“Sparrow,” out today, celebrates the power music has to make one feel understood and its ability to carry one through a difficult time. Explaining the meaning behind the track, Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz shares, “Who amongst us has not been knocked to the floor, or lifted to the clouds by the power of a song that hit them at just the right moment in their life? ‘Sparrow’ is an ode to this goddess of music. She is not bound by time or space, and she always shows up right on time… but only if you let her.”
The latest visual sees the band reunite with animator and director Deren Ney (Tom Petty, Grace Potter, Marcus King) who was behind the previously released “Hot Damn” video. Ney explains, “Lebo had the idea of this amorphous, eternal power that can materialize as a sparrow, an arrow, or a musical goddess, but it’s always this propulsive energy that keeps moving forward and affecting things along the way.”
Bad Sounds return with smooth, new groove ‘Hard MF 2 Luv’
A soothing offering just in time for Valentine’s Day, Hard MF 2 Luv toes the line between romance and an anti-valentines sentiment. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, Bad Sounds have got you covered.
Despite it only being the start of February, Bad Sounds have already made their mark on 2023. January saw the release of ‘More Than U Can Afford; a superb, catchy offering resonating with many as the UK navigates an impossibly challenging cost of living crisis. The track was warmly received and scooped support from the likes of Clash, Dork, DIY, Ones to Watch and New Music Friday.
Self-produced by Bad Sounds, and mixed by Nathan Boddy (Mura Masa, Biig Piig, PinkPantheress), the band have continued to evolve their magic formula, which today sees them at the top of their game.
Kicking off their latest chapter ‘Escaping from a Violent Time Vol 3.’ with knock-out single Nu Me Nu Yu back in October last year, the dynamic duo scooped support from the likes of Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, Dork Magazine and Metal Magazine.
In recent times, the colorful world of Bad Sounds has been growing to include an impressive array of collaborations. With features on their last EP ‘Escaping from a Violent Time, Vol.2’ including both New Zealand duo ‘BROODS’ and buzzy emerging artist ‘Ruti’, they have been expanding their sound and hitting new heights.
Outside of their own music, their production and songwriting network flourishes in their purpose built studio in the Cotswolds. They’ve had their finger on the pulse collaborating with lots of important new acts coming through, including Arlo Parks (co-writing and producing track ‘Bluish’ off her debut album) and others like Rose Gray, Miso Extra, Joey Maxwell, Devon, Max Pope, VC Pines, SOFY and LCYTN.
Since the band first launched back in 2017, they’ve come a long way and it’s not gone unnoticed, both in their sound and in their achievements with their creative and energetic live shows. They have won many hearts at press including support from the likes of Dork, DIY, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, Wonderland, The Guardian and MTV, not to mention a fruitful run at radio with plays from the likes of Jack Saunders, Greg James, Annie Mac at Radio 1 and Shaun Keaveny at BBC 6 Music.
Bad Sounds are the Merrett brothers, Callum & Ewan, who together are a hybrid of interests & influences that have merged together to create a sound in which you hear elements comprising loose recordstore genres like hip-hop, rock, electronica, and traditional pop, they cite Gorillaz, Beck, Smashing Pumpkins, Madonna and A Tribe Called Quest as makers of some of their favourite records.
Los Angeles-based alt-pop musician RIZ LA VIE shares his highly anticipated debut album Haven out everywhere now including a limited run on vinyl. Alongside the release, LA VIE shares the album’s title track with an accompanying video. Plus, RIZ LA VIE will hit the road across North America this spring on The World Could Be A Haven Tour beginning tonight in Phoenix, AZ with support from Johan Lenox and Ayleen Valentine. Tickets are on sale now, along with brand new merch.
The album’s title track, out today, explores loss, but even in the deepest depths of sadness, it sees LA VIE determined to find the silver lining. The track swiftly embodies the thesis of the album as its themes speak to the album as a. whole. On its subject matter and overall message, LA VIE explains, “The lyrics speak to the choice one can make to not dwell on negative emotions, but instead to find refuge in the power of one’s own mind. The message is one of personal strength and the constant effort needed to nurture one’s own inner haven.”
Its accompanying video, directed by Quinton Dominguez, opens with LA VIE seated in a movie theater, ready to watch a movie of his newfound life in Los Angeles. The film and the track’s lyrics follow LA VIE’s emotional effort to hold onto optimism, freedom and safety. Dominquez explains, “Reflecting the framework of the mind in real time, ‘Haven’ takes us on a trip through RIZ’s world in LA.” The director continues, “We collaborated on this video over a period of 4 months, putting our energy into making an expansive video that encapsulates RIZ LA VIE in his current form.”
St. Humain is a genre-agnostic artist based in Sydney, Australia. Born in Singapore, the musician’s colourful, multi-cultural upbringing infuses his sound with a vibrancy like no other. With his music built around honest and personal stories from his own life, his latest EP METADRAMATIC is like reading from his journal, as every song peels back a layer, revealing more and more.
The new EP follows his 2019 debut release, EMOTIONAL SAUNA which was released via Capitol Music Group’s Listen For Pleasure imprint. Taking inspiration from the likes of Dua Lipa, Charlie Puth and Post Malone, METADRAMATIC sees the artist heading towards an interesting intersection between pop, electronic and R&B. The seven-track release which is being distributed in partnership with Paris based artist accelerator Groover Obsessions, with mixing by fellow Sydneysider Simon Cohen (Justin Bieber, Troye Sivan, will.i.am) and mastering by Dale Becker (SZA, Jack Harlow, Doja Cat) in California.
METADRAMATIC is about the feelings we all face in our lives when it comes to relationships — with lovers, friends, and with yourself. It is about the internal conversations that we all have and that St. Humain has had through the past few years. The songwriter shares, “Things are usually more dramatic in our heads and I hope that each song is reflective of that inner drama.”
Focus track “Wanna Talk” is an upbeat pop song with groove, narrating a satirical take on social awkwardness, particularly when it comes to chatting up love interests. Highlighting a self-deprecating realism of how difficult talking to someone you have a thing for, the self-written and self-produced “Wanna Talk” ironically contrasts it with being completely comfortable performing on stage to thousands.
Hoping to inspire listeners to be true to their own feelings, St. Humain reveals, “I think it’s very cool to confess at least to yourself what you’re actually feeling. I think that gives you a level of freedom and helps you somehow gain confidence just to be yourself. And to identify the negative feelings too, I think that’s the first step on the way to overcoming them.”St. Humain has garnered millions of streams for his music to date, as well as acclaim from the likes of Billboard, Live Nation’s Ones to Watch and Earmilk, to name a few. Accompanying the success of his music, St. Humain also runs his own apparel brand, Emotional Sauna. Named after his debut EP, the brand offers pieces that allow our minds to escape into an aesthetic. It’s pro escapism, by St. Humain: Each release has been paired with a line of apparel to compliment the unique “world” of that song. With limited runs and small batches that will never be reprinted, the musician is offering entirely exclusive pieces. With his undeniably unique creativity and profound artistry flowing through his veins, St. Humain is certain to turn heads this year with METADRAMATIC.
Rushing with the energy and euphoria of acid house and the massive early 90s mega-raves, new Scottish DJ and producer ARKLEY drops his Channel A EP on February 10th via Spirit Of Rave Records.
Loaded with hypnotic 303 synth pulses, irresistible M1 keyboard stabs, uplifting gospel vocals and banging old school house rhythms, ARKLEY continues his signature reworking of classic 90s dance sounds to create three vibrant modern tracks.
Channel A was produced by ARKLEY in his home studio, with mastering input from Mike Marsh (The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, The Shamen and Bizarre Inc). It follows the summer 2022 release of his Origins EP (“this is massive” – BBC Introducing), ‘Rave ’92 (Everybody Dancing)’ (BBC Introducing “tip of the week”) and his debut ‘Music (Over & Over)’, which was used on primetime BBC News to soundtrack scenes from Leeds Festival.
ARKLEY has received support from tastemaker DJs including the legend Judge Jules, playlisting on Apple Music’s New In Dance, multiple plays on BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio, over 200k combined streams for his three releases to date, as well as features in DMC World, Fortitude, Backseat Mafia, SNACK, Mundane Magazine and EDM Lab. He has also produced guest mixes for Housesessions, Clubbing TV, Dance Nation Radio and Trackwolves XL.
Lipstereo is a young, four-piece Australian indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Formed in 2019, this collection of music tragics bonded together over a mutual obsession of The Strokes, Weezer and Arctic Monkeys’ back catalogues. By channeling too much time spent watching worn out Ramones and Blondie VHS tapes as children, Lipstereo creates performances reminiscent of late nights at CBGB, and spilling drinks just a little too cheap on the floor.
Lipstereo is composed of frontman Sam Stranges on vocals and rhythm guitar, Andrew Stainsby on lead guitar, Tage Hosking-Gregory on bass and Jesse Porter on drums. Playing all over pre-lockdown Melbourne in 2019 and 2020 at their high-energy live gigs, Lipstereo fuses loud guitars with a post punk songwriting sensibility to create music that in a parallel universe, would be on Phil Spector’s Spotify playlist.
Lipstereo is one of Melbourne’s most promising alternative bands, having recently released their four track debut EP, Modern Mythology, at Thirty Mill Studios with top Australian record producer, Mark Opitz (AC/DC, INXS, Cold Chisel) and engineer Colin Wynne (INXS, Jeff Lang, The Casanovas). The bandhas since received acclaim from Rolling Stone Australia, NME, ABC Rage and Noise 11 to name a few. Their single “Little Spaceships” chronicles the relatable feeling of feeling left behind when friends and loved ones move on.
Buzzing Los Angeles-based Chicano singer, songwriter and producer celebrates love with his new single “Still” out now. Get it HERE.
Alongside the song, he also releases the colorful live-performance visualizer – watch it HERE.
Produced by J.LBS [Kendrick Lamar] and Paul Redona, the soulful reggae-inspired track interpolates Alton Ellis’ “I’m Still In Love” bringing Eddie’s modern take to the legendary original. Eddie’s suave tone flows as he raps about still being in love after many years of being together. “Still” is an appreciation track that serves as a reminder that even through the tests of a relationship, the periods of uncertainty, the highs and lows, that each challenge overcome helps build a relationship just as strong, if not stronger than before.
The catchy tune arrives just in time to soundtrack this year’s Valentine’s Day and comes after fans begged for it to drop after teasers gained millions of views on Eddie’s socials.
Leading into the release of “Still,” Eddie announced his ‘Abajo Del Sol’ tour last week, which sold-out in only a few days’ time. The string of live shows kicks off on March 21st in San Antonio, TX and ends in Eddie’s hometown of Los Angeles on April 8th at The Fonda. See the full schedule below.
ABAJO DEL SOL TOURDATES
3/21 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
3/22 – Austin, TX – CATIL
3/23 – Houston, TX – Bronze Peacock @ HOB
3/26 – Dallas, TX – Cambridge Room @ HOB
3/29 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
4/1 – San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
4/5 – San Francisco, CA – Brick & Mortar
4/7 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
4/8 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda
LA-based artist Julian Rose and alt-pop powerhouse Caroline Romano reveal their dynamic new collaborative single, “Fighting A War.”
Alternating between Julian’s R&B-tinged vocals and Caroline’s breezy voice, “Fighting A War” grapples with the push-and-pull of modern romance. It’s a reflective and lushly textured track that highlights the best of Caroline and Julian’s different musical universes.
Caroline adds, “Julian and I sat down to write this Summer while I was in LA. He came up with the chorus in the first fifteen minutes and, from there, we both found ourselves in two different parts of the same story. We wrote what each of us wanted to separately, and the final product is what you hear when we put everything together for the first time. I think it’s a universally relatable song. The clinging to something that once was, the loneliness of walking around a newly desolate relationship. It’s the war that we all fight at some point. I like that we both wrote different stories that ended up being part of the same one. It feels like a metaphor for something.”
Nashville-based pop singer and songwriter Thomas Day shares his new single/video, “VICIOUS,” out on Arista Records.
In the same vein as recent singles like “The End” and “not my job anymore,” “VICIOUS” showcases Thomas’ unique ability to channel his heartache into catchy, radio-ready hits. “This song is about betrayal. It’s about being lied to by the person you love most in the world,” he says.
The accompanying music video, directed by Brenton Geisey, reflects the explosive emotions of the song. “Filming the music video was CRAZY,” Thomas adds. “I felt like I was destroying an entire house. It matches the energy from the song perfectly.”
Capturing the hearts of millions with his heartfelt songwriting and powerful vocals, Thomas Day has quickly emerged as one of pop’s most exciting new acts. After taking off on TikTok with his captivating covers, he signed to Arista Records in 2021.
Thomas realized music was his future at the age of just 9 years old when he started participating in musical theater productions. Upon entering high school, the Tennessee native found another outlet in football, becoming his school’s star kicker and earning multiple college scholarship offers upon graduating earlier this year. Even as things took off with football, Thomas never let go of his musical dreams. In 2021, he made the ultimate decision to turn down the football offers and fully commit to a career in music. With over 30 million global streams and 7 million social followers, it’s clear that Thomas Day chose the right path.
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
