LA-based indie rock/pop trio Night Talks share their bouncy, bright track and ominous video “Roll On” out everywhere now. “Roll On” takes an energetic, dynamic look at isolation to find slices of hope and amusement.
Behind an irresistible rhythm and glittering guitar riffs, “Roll On” captures the collective monotony and idleness that ripped through the world throughout 2020. The subject matter contrasted by the bubbling beat finds slivers of optimism and eagerness that linger and leave a lasting impression. Reflecting on writing this song during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inevitable aching comparison that came with it, frontwoman Soraya Sebghati says, “It was a really tough time to be an independent musician with no real infrastructure, especially when looking at other, more successful acts, who were still able to release albums and play on late-night television.” The band powered through the fear and uncertainty that made productivity and excitement difficult to bring this track to life. Sebghati continues, “The only thing we could do was work on writing songs and other small projects, and that’s exactly what this song came out of. We wanted to capture the feeling of what it literally feels like to be stuck inside your apartment, unable to do much of anything.”
The track’s accompanying Twilight Zone-esque video, directed by Julianne Fox, sees Sebghati trapped in a vintage, slightly unsettling house where mystery creeps in. Instead of making a video that reflects the dullness of isolation, the female-led team created a vibrant, eye-catching video. Fox says, “We wanted to craft a vintage, liminal environment for Soraya’s character to run around in, and we had a lot of fun playing with the mysteriously ominous elements of the setting.” Jacob Butler (guitar, synth, vocals) adds, “Our goal was to cram as much color and energy as possible into the smallest, dustiest space we could find.” Inspired by one of Butler’s favorite movies, Evil Dead II, the video playfully messes with Sebghati. Butler acknowledges the absence of the full band throughout the visual and leans into the confusion the video may cause. “‘Why is there a portrait of us on the wall though?” “Whose house is this?” “Is this really happening?’ He continues, “I feel when you only have people for three minutes, you might as well surprise them a bit. Blast ‘em with color and guitar and let them go on with their day asking themselves, ‘What just happened?’”
“I JUST WANT TO DISAPPEAR” is an ode to my worst days. It contains all of the thoughts that I keep to myself when I’m in a negative headspace. It’s about chasing toxicity, repeating vicious cycles and how your mind can basically eat you alive if you choose to let it.
Listen to “I JUST WANT TO DISAPPEAR” on streaming platforms everywhere.
Sometimes I think you hate me
But I think I kind of like that
Sometimes we put on a fake smile and pretend everything’s ok. It can be hard to share our truest emotions to our closest friends, family members, and partners, much less outsiders. But there are times when we have to be honest with ourselves.
Thanks for listening,
ᖴᖇᗩᑎKIE ᖴᒪOᗯEᖇᔕ (✿ ♡‿♡)
Keep up with me on socials…
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Theo Tams has reached the stature of a bona fide music veteran by now, but he’s also at the beginning of something new.
The Canadian singer, songwriter, and performer has been playing since his teens and releasing music for the past 15 years. He has three albums and three EPs to his credit, along with a formidable collection of singles and…oh yeah, that championship run on the sixth season of Canadian Idol in 2008. Tams has put together a body of work that’s substantial and diverse. It speaks of an artist whose mission is growth and adventure — building upon his proverbial laurels, rather than sitting on them.
With each step, Tams has made a stride forward, and sometimes even further. That’s certainly been true of the past few years, particularly with the series of three-song Trilogy EPs he’s embarked on, with the third just arriving and taking him into even more new sonic and lyrical terrain.
“I think I’ve just gotten a lot more unapologetic in the process,” Tams, who lives in Toronto with his partner and their 11-year-old daughter, explains. “The biggest thing I notice when I listen back to the music that I’ve released before is I had no clue who I was or what I stood for. I really was just trying to check the boxes of what I thought made an artist, realizing that by doing that I wasn’t checking any of them. I was living up to this veneer, this shiny, perfect kind of image I felt like I created, and I don’t think that’s life. Life is messy and it’s hard, no matter who you are or where you’re from or what your background is.
“That’s what my music needed to reflect for me to really feel like an artist. So my whole new approach in music has been an exercise of saying ‘yes’ and allowing myself to do whatever I think is right.”
Misha Fair, a prolific singer-songwriter, has been making a bold impression with her classic country vocals and expressive lyrics. Those who have been fortunate enough to see her dynamic performances are in high expectation of her upcoming solo releases.
A product of a musical family, the singer-songwriter’s family has had major label success from RCA to Atlantic Records. As a result, she spent most of her early childhood development in the same studios as Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the SOS Band, Isaac Hayes, and many other music legends.
With a rich musical legacy written into her DNA, her childhood was shaped by this reality in remarkable yet complicated ways. While most of her kindergarten classmates were toting My Buddies to Show-n-Tell, her father would join her, off tour, with members of the S.O.S. Band, fully costumed.
Enthralled in the family business, she quickly earned a reputation as the little girl with the big voice, wowing audiences with renditions of LeAnne Rimes’ ‘Blue’ and other tunes by country artists such as Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, as well as rock singer-songwriters Pat Benatar, and Joan Jett.
She was trained from a young age as a classical vocalist, but found her passion in jazz, hip hop, and the gritty alternative sound of the mid ‘90s. She performed in countless marquee, and children’s choirs in her hometown. Unbeknownst to her, there was a wave of hip-hop and RnB sweeping Atlanta, and the young Misha Fair found her tribe along the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the musical ethos of the United States.
Misha Fair attended college on a vocal performance scholarship. Minoring in linguistic studies, she may be one of the few country artists able to sing and write in multiple romance languages.
With the release of his new single, “Up On Blocks,” champion of the underdog Chris Bullinger has launched the next chapter of his career. The song is inspired by the struggles of a man who has been dealt a difficult hand but continues to persevere. “This story ends about the way it begins with a slightly different attitude, which—like in life—makes all the difference,” Bullinger said. “Up On Blocks” is available now to stream and download on all digital platforms.
Bullinger’s new single, produced by Josh Halper and Harrison Luna and engineered and mixed by Drew Carroll, showcases his skillful and reflective songwriting, taking listeners on a path of self-exploration and growth. “Up On Blocks” represents the start of the second chapter of Bullinger albums captured at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s the first single since the release of True Rendition, an album praised by Americana Highway and Relix for being an auditory masterpiece that unfurls like a tapestry, woven with a diverse array of emotions and themes, with each thread adding its unique hue and texture to the musical fabric.
Emily Monsen is a rising country singer-songwriter based in San Antonio, TX. Her next single, “how we used to be,” is a soulful, introspective track that delves into the pain of a relationship that ended suddenly when she was 18. The song’s rootsy acoustic guitar and piano combo elevate the coming-of-age story into a moment of growth and reflection, capturing the wisdom Monsen gained through time and reflection. Monsen’s sultry, countrypolitan vocals bring a fearless introspection to her songwriting, making each track a stirring display of self-awareness.
Monsen’s music showcases her vulnerability by capturing meaningful moments in time and pulling at listeners’ heartstrings one song at a time. She knew from a young age that she wanted to be on stage, and she entered talent shows throughout her school years, winning KJ97’s Country Kid contest in 6th grade. Her goal is to play the greatest stages in country music, from Red Rocks to the Ryman.
‘Be With You Again’ is the new radio-ready, alt-rock masterpiece from Jeff Sahyoun (ERASE THEORY / letlive.) & Fred Mascherino (The Color Fred / Taking Back Sunday). Its yearning, singalong chorus is emotive to the core, conjuring echoes of both creatives’ formative years.
Listen to “Be With You Again” now HERE.
As Jeff himself says: “To have had the opportunity to collaborate with a musical icon from my formative years on this composition is truly an honor. The finished product speaks to the unifying potential of music as an art form and the profound impact it can have on those who engage with it. Excited to share this and thankful for the experience.”
Fred adds of the collab’s inception and journey: “I was out in L.A. and talked to Jeffy about writing together. What I liked was he didn’t want to put any expectations on whatever we wrote. He said, let’s just hang out and see what happens. We met up at a rehearsal spot in San Pedro. He had his Fender Telecaster that was tuned pretty low and I just picked that up and chose two chords to get started. Then he started programming the drums. I left that first day feeling super inspired and wrote all the lyrics on my drive back to where I was staying. I pulled off the I-5 a couple times to work out the lyrics on paper. We decided to meet the next day and finished writing the song. There’s something really special about this song for me. I feel it’s one of those rare times when we captured perfectly what we were feeling at the time. I didn’t know Jeffy before that day but we’ve become close friends since then. He’s an amazing producer and writer and I think the reason this worked is because we both took the other person to a new place they haven’t been before. Our individual music projects are pretty different but we were able to really compliment each other when the two styles collided.”
rising pop-rock artist Dean Ford is releasing his new EP Dream Fever. The EP features the anthemic yet mysterious focus track, “If I Only Knew,” which explains the tension felt when exploring a new connection for the first time and anticipating what it could become.
Co-written and produced by Bleu (Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Michelle Branch), Dream Fever further elevates the vibrant and effervescent sound the Maine-based artist is best known for as he combines classic 80s synth-pop and rock. The EP speaks to the emotional ups and downs that can occur in any relationship and features “If I Only Knew” as well as the electronic-tinged “Electromagnetic” which delves into the feeling of finding your way back to the one you love against all odds. Elsewhere on the project is dance-pop single “CRZMKR” describing the casualties of being in a relationship with someone who manipulates others by putting them in lose-lose situations and lush tune “VHS” where Dean reminisces on memories of the past while longing for the potential the future can bring.
SOMMA, Maz, and Coach Harrison release ‘Body Language’, an elegant yet magnetic composition which draws from each collaborator’s unique background and musical style, via Miami record label and party series Hurry Up Slowly.
SOMMA is responsible for some of Berlin’s most prolific deep house records over the past few years, with support of the industries’ biggest tastemakers including Keinemusik, DJ Tennis, Carlita, BLOND:ISH, Gorgon City and more showcasing his signature blend of indie-inspired songwriting and tech/afro influenced deep house production. Hailing from Brazil, Maz’s emotive and soulful sound is the product of his diverse musical palette. His track’s are a staple of dancefloors worldwide- being supported by the likes of Black Coffee, Michael Bibi, ANNA, Vintage Culture, Lee Burridge, and Camelphat. And Coach Harrison is quickly becoming one of dance music’s most talked about vocalists, coming off of a string of 2023 singles with Nu Aspect and Vintage Culture. It’s no surprise that Hurry Up Slowly is the perfect home for ‘Body Language’- the imprint is known for its boundary-pushing sonic style, characterized by international sounds and influences which are the tapestry of Miami culture.
‘Body Language’ opens with simple hats and arps, which sets the fundamental rhythmic energy to be built on throughout. The track is driven by a percussive floor of shakers, groovy hats, cowbells, and congo fills. Striking piano chords fill the harmonic space, creating melodic suspense when filtered up and down throughout the track. During the buildup, toplines are contrasted with rhythmic marimba melodies to build tension ahead of the groove-stimulating drop. Built from tribal drum grooves and euphoric vocal harmonies, ‘Body Language’ is a trance-inducing afro house heater.
Regarding the record, SOMMA reflects: “We’ve brought together our unique backgrounds and musical styles to create a blend of groovy deep house and afro elements that will transport you straight to the dance floor. We’re excited to share this summer anthem with the world. Get ready to move!”
Portuguese producer HOLLY releases his seven-track Sadness EP, the second chapter of the Minha Vida trilogy, via his own iLex label. Delving deep into his personal experiences and reflecting on melancholic feelings in order to write the record, HOLLY’s authentic emotional expression throughout the Sadness EP is captivating and refreshing. HOLLY’s artistic versatility and ability to experiment with different styles and genres is on full display throughout the Sadness EP.
Despite all of the buzz surrounding singles ‘SWEAR I BEEN READY’, ‘CUENTO DE VIDA’, and ‘EUPHORYA’, these tracks are even more enjoyable within the context of the Sadness EP as a full body of work. From beginning to end, the seven tracks on Sadness take listeners on a journey through HOLLY’s emotional landscape to explore the feeling of sadness. With his signature blend of electronic beats and hip hop influences, HOLLY creates a vivid and immersive sonic world that is both personal and relatable.
Regarding the Sadness EP, as well as the Minha Vida trilogy, HOLLY shares:
‘Sadness’ is the second chapter of my EP trilogy “Minha Vida” (which in English translates to “My Life”). In this record I explore how I dealt with moments of sadness in my life during these last years and my take on it. This record also explores the more emotional sides of me and shares with the world sides of my personality that I haven’t had the chance to be transparent about before. In these 3 parts, I explore other emotions and feelings such as love and hope and my take on them.
Taking over airwaves yet at again, Jacquees’ new single “Tell Me It’s Over”featuring Summer Walker and 6LACK charts as the #2 Most Added” at Urban Radio. The rising single was first revealed with the release of his latest studio album, Sincerely For You. Get it HERE.
Cash Money Records’ multi-platinum singer has 23 adds in significant markets coast-to-coast. As the song continues to receive favorable reactions across the nation, the R&B sensation is set to kick off the first set of touring dates on Tink’s Thanks 4 Everything Tour on Friday, June 2, in Minneapolis, MN. The month-long tour will hit Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama, North Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and more cities. For more information, visit HERE.
Check local listings to watch Jacquees perform with Queen Naija as part of a tribute to the iconic R&B trio SWV at this year’s Black Music Honors television special. The two-hour show will premiere on the Stellar Network on June 3 at 8 p.m. E.T. with a national broadcast syndication to follow from Saturday, June 10 to Sunday, July 2. The show will also air on Bounce TV on June 19.
Get ready for more from Jacquees in 2023 and beyond!
After emerging as a sought-after force behind-the-scenes for the likes of Anitta, David Guetta, Normani, and more, Absolutely introduces herself as the genre-smashing maverick music has been waiting for.
The UK singer, songwriter, and performer unveils her debut single and music video “Higher” via Epic Records. Listen HERE and watch HERE.
Produced by Dave Hamelin [Beyoncé, 070 Shake], drums thump like a heartbeat on “Higher.” The momentum crescendos as she makes good on the promise, “I’m coming up,” and declares, “We could start an empire.” Her vocals flutter through ethereal loops and percussive keys as she reminds, “I don’t have to keep my feet on the ground.” She certainly does not in the accompanying visual. Blasted off into space, she transports viewers into her world as a dynamic and disruptive “gravity defier.” Her rise has only just begun…
With this music, she has architected in a universe at the nexus of pop, R&B, alternative, soul, and electronic, cycling in synchronistic orbit unlike anything else in the culture.
Stay tuned for a whole lot more from Absolutely.
rlyblonde – the project of Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Carina Allen – shares her much-anticipated debut EP, ‘Fantasy.’
After years of being the go-to photographer, videographer and creative director for New York’s favorite indie acts, rlyblonde showed an exciting evolution in her artistry with the release of her own music project. Teaching herself guitar, songwriting, and all the other nuts and bolts that go into creating, recording and releasing music, rlyblonde has spent the last 2 years putting together her debut EP, ‘Fantasy.’ The EP includes past singles “Fantasy” (title track), “Spiltmilk,” and “Hot Girls Always Win,” as well as 2 brand new tracks.
“To encapsulate what it’s been like to pivot artistic mediums, create art about my life and my emotions, and share that with everyone I know, is nuts to me,” she says. “I feel like I entered into this project as one person and came out the end as another. That’s the beauty of a project that had been 2 years in the making.”
The ‘Fantasy’ EP is an angsty and anthemic coming-of-age journey. Marrying her cheeky lyrical chops with melodic pop-punk instrumentation, rlyblonde has created a record that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The EP’s music videos – which rlyblonde self-directed and produced under her upcoming creative production company, HOT CREATIVE – echo the tongue-in-cheek tone of the songs.
rlyblonde elaborates on the EP’s conception: “‘Fantasy’ is about me, about New York City, about heartbreak, following your dreams, coming out of the closet, questioning your life choices and yourself, fucking around, and then getting to know yourself all over again. It’s over the top art for the sake of over the top art. In a time when I felt super alone, I created my own ‘Fantasy’ world and it allowed me to love my own life again. It allowed me to become the person I’ve always wanted to be, and now you all get to meet her too.”
‘Fantasy’ EP Track List
1. Alone
2. Fantasy
3. Spiltmilk
4. Hot Girls Always Win
5. My Way
Australian breakthrough act Teenage Dads are back with a science fiction-inspired new single “Speed Racer” (out 2 June, via Chugg Music).
Following a series of electric live shows across Europe in recent weeks supporting Lime Cordiale, the band are now pleased to confirm their first ever UK + Ireland headline gigs and will return for a short stretch of shows in June.
LISTEN TO “SPEED RACER” HERE
Combining gritty yet melodic retro-inspired vocals, tight-knit rhythms and memorable hooks, new single “Speed Racer” captures the essence of Teenage Dad’s eclectic fusion of genres and proves again their perfected knack for engaging story-telling. Speaking about the inspiration for the track, the band explain: “In reference to the 1967 anime and 2008 film, “Speedracer” is the person that sends your heart racing at a 1000 miles per hour without a second thought.”
With a dynamic interplay of funky basslines, driving percussion, and vibrant synth textures, Teenage Dads create a mesmerising sonic landscape reminiscent of the Talking Heads’ experimental spirit while staying true to their own characterful sense of fun.
Rising R&B-pop starlet Nat Slater makes a stunning return with her latest offering
“Romanticize” – the second release from her long-awaited, forthcoming debut EP.
Layering dreamy R&B production with garage drum loops and slinky guitar strums,
“Romanticize” hears Nat’s signature honeyed vocals tell a tale of confusing
relationships, as she questions a lover on whether their love was real: “Was it ever
real, did you even feel it at all? Maybe this was all in my head” Nat vulnerably asks
over the Oren Yoel (Miley Cyrus, Tori Kelly, XXXTentacion) production.
Speaking on the track, Nat Slater said the following: “I wrote Romanticize around
2AM in my bedroom on my guitar. I was tangled up in a toxic mess with a guy; as I
started to sing my pain away, I could feel the answer was in my words. I realised that
I was stuck in a fantasy and kept romanticizing him into something he wasn’t. Writing
this song finally set me free from the version of him I had created in my head.”
“Romanticize” is the burgeoning artist’s second offering of the year, following on from
March’s well-received “My Candy Rain” (watch) – which saw the Londoner continue
her trajectory as a key ‘one to watch’ with tastemaker support including the likes of
Wonderland, Why Now, Hashtag Magazine and Reflector Magazine.
Folk-punk rabble – SKINNY LISTER – are back with a new track “Down On The Barrier” plus details of two extensive tours in North America and UK and Ireland throughout Autumn/Winter 2023.
STREAM “DOWN ON THE BARRIER” HERE || WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
Worshipping at the immortal altar of live music and preaching the good word of punk-rock, “Down On The Barrier” is a feel-good anthem that sees Skinny Lister finding God in our gig venues.
“Take me to my church I need to confess. Chime the decibels and beat from the chest. Oh my communion, unholy communion, Roaring out the gospel ‘we shall be blessed’…Let’s get down, down on the barrier” quip the Skinnies here.
Blending pogo-primed percussion, Pogues-y punk hooks, and a chorus that demands to be roared-out loud and proud, “Down On The Barrier” is a song made for the live arena and the collective strength we can draw from live music. Speaking about the message behind their euphoric, enlightening new track frontman Dan Heptinstall says:
“Music is a kind of religion to many gig-goers, and in “Down On The Barrier” we’ve tried to capture that feeling. The church in this case is the venue, the sermon is the song and the preacher the artist. It’s a nod to those almost spiritual moments when we gather to enjoy some communal rock’n’roll worship, as well as a healthy dose of support, release and camaraderie. See you down on the barrier!”
R&B artist and creative PHABO enlists US superstar Arin Ray for his dream-like offering “Stay” – the final single taken from his highly anticipated sophomore album Don’t Get Too Cozy (dropping June 16th).
Effortlessly embodying the eclectic touches that have quickly defined him as one of R&B’s most exciting new voices, San Diego, CA native PHABO continues his endless search for love and enlightenment across “Stay”. Gliding atop sultry guitar licks and thumping percussive textures, PHABO delivers his honey-soaked vocal harmonies with typical finesse before Arin Ray ignites the silky instrumental ablaze. The two flow back and forth envisioning a complicated love affair, empowering the exciting thrill that takes control while drowning in the social and spiritual complexities
that blur the lines between love and lust. “I never want to leave; I want you to stay” PHABO purrs, illustrating a passion that gradually intensifies the deeper he pleads his desire for true love.
Tim Young is a multi-Grammy certified vocalist, songwriter and music producer from New York City. Over the years, Young has had the privilege of working with the likes of Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Max Martin, Ashanti, Hugh Jackman and Lin-Manuel Miranda, to name a few. His atmospheric rock meets alternative pop sound, has been described as Lana Del Rey meets Journey, meshing atmospheric storytelling with aggressive audio production, to create something that is uniquely his own. His lyrics share brutally honest and tragically hysterical stories from his very colorful and very strange life.
Young’s latest single “Lavender” is an honest and personal recall of the beauty and anguish of a sudden and devastating break-up. Sonically, the track captures the intensity and complexity of an all-consuming relationship and the devastation that followed its demise, while the lyrics narrate a raw and emotional outpouring of the artist’s inner turmoil. Young confides, “I was obsessed with this guy, and let my whole world revolve him. I let him get so deep into my head that when he broke up with me on a whim, it broke my mind. I had a full-on manic mental breakdown which resulted in me seeking mental health care, where I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type II, something I had unknowingly struggled with my whole life. I learned that I was always coping with these intense polarity shifts. I thought it was normal. It took this extreme circumstance that pushed me to the brink to finally seek help. Therapy, medicine and music saved my life. I have a better sense of my identity than I ever have, and that is why I’m ready to share this music now.“
Written while stoned off of a lavender spliff, Young explains the meaning behind the lavender theme as he shares, “Lavender was inspired by my break up. In the way that I was obsessed with him, he was obsessed with lavender. He made his cologne out of it, he’d bathe in it, he’d smoke it. Everything about him, our time together, was wrapped up in that scent.”
South London MC Ricardo Gold returns to the ether with his intoxicating trap offering “Live In The Flesh” – taken from his debut project dropping later this year.
Dexterous and sharp from the offset, Ricardo Gold’s rare lyrical finesse is on full display across his latest offering. Backed by the enriched, dystopian soundwaves produced by Blah Records affiliate Reklews, “Live In The Flesh” emerges as a menacing backdrop for Gold’s unorthodox flows and sleek melodic delivery shining
front and centre. He displays a clear depiction of the roads laced with the reflections of grime nostalgia, acutely intertwining his quick-witted one-liners and blazing authority when battling past hardships and a turbulent ego. Showcased throughout the electric visualiser, Gold carries a mannequin through a busy city environment which signifies this toxic alter-ego and the bold temptations that take control. Paired with Gold’s unapologetic flair, “Live In The Flesh” will no doubt continue the heat surrounding one of the most exciting rappers emerging across the underground.
Speaking on the record, Ricardo Gold mentions: “At the time I was thinking about a previous friendship that turned sour over a telephone call, thinking to myself everyone’s a tough guy on the phone, you need to come see me live in the flesh. This friendship failing gave me the opportunity to analyse myself from a different point of view. The mannequin in the music video is a physical representation of the ego, the chip on our shoulder we sometimes carry around unconsciously. I wanted the mannequin to be the elephant in the room… it’s definitely there but let’s not ask about it, the monster under the bed.”
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
