Award-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist Sarah King makes her long-awaited full-length solo debut with When It All Goes Down, exploring life’s seismic shifts via her own singular strain of Gothic Americana. The latest in a string of singles, “Pretty Things” is out everywhere on February 2nd, 2024 and, after the subsequent release of the title track in early March, When It All Goes Down will drop on March 29th, 2024. Pre-order launches on March 1st, 2024.
Originally intended for the 2021 EP, The Hour, “Pretty Things” was first imagined as a faster-paced song in response to King being told she needed some “less brooding” material, but it never quite felt right. After experimenting with the tempo, slowing it down to match the incredibly dark lyrics, this groovy, swampier version finally landed.
“Lyrically, it’s a little unhinged – another reverse murder ballad by a woman, but this time she’s killed the intended listener’s partner in order to have the listener to herself,” King explains, continuing, “I don’t actually encourage murder in real life, but I think we’ve all wanted to get someone out of the picture at some point, so we could have someone all to ourselves.”
J Rey Soul is ready for her close-up.
The Filipino-born singer formally embarks on her solo journey today with the release of her new single and music video, “Holla.” The song and video feature will.i.am., who has collaborated with J Rey for the last six years since The Voice Philippines champion joined the Black Eyed Peas as a featured singer/artist in 2018. “Holla,” J Rey’s first release as a solo artist on Epic Records, is now available.
Introducing Cindë, drops the new single, “VICTIM!.” The fervent song captures the intensity of the shattered reality that the gritty songwriter experienced during a toxic split from a cheating partner, for whom she had paused her career and social life to care for him during his cancer treatment. Mirroring the rage fueled by the betrayal, “VICTIM!” conveys an unlocked rage that levels up Cindë’s music as she inches away from pop punk and begins her journey towards a harder, grittier sound.
Gaining momentum as an artist to watch, East-side Tampa Bay rapper Rublow just unleashed a new song entitled “No Weight” out now via Cash Money Records. Get it HERE.
The track has the immediacy of a freestyle with its cymbal-driven beat and ominous keyboard loop as Rublow flaunts an indomitable flow. He locks into a breathless flurry as he reflects on his journey so far, “Put on the gas, ain’t taking no break, came up from nothing and made me a way.” Right out of the gate, he showcases his punchy lyricism and powerful rhymes. The track arrived today with an official music video made available to watch HERE.
“No Weight” follows the release of “Blow Talk” whose buzzing music video has already clocked 222K YouTube views and counting. Watch HERE. Rublow continues to earn tastemaker acclaim. None other than Ebro Darden co-signed him, and ATTACK THE CULTURE raved, “It’s all types of big flexing for the Cash Money Records standout.”
Australian sister duo Charm of Finches delivers intricate folk-pop that is simultaneously graceful and darkly bewitching. Their seamless blood harmonies traverse melancholy and wonder in equal measure.
The sisters, Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes, released their third full length album Wonderful Oblivion in 2021 through New York-based label AntiFragile Music to critical acclaim. They have since toured extensively through the UK, Europe and Canada in 2022/23.
Winners of the Australian Folk Music Awards Best Folk Album (2022) and Music Victoria Best Contemporary Folk Act (2021), their music has been nominated twice for the prestigious Australian Music Prize.
In February 2023 the sisters spent a month in rural Nova Scotia recording with acclaimed Canadian producer Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, Oh Pep!), inspired by the frozen beauty of the landscape and their transient life on the road with their music. The result is their fourth studio album “Marlinchen In The Snow” to be released in 2024. Single “Clean Cut” features stunning dark-hued harmonies over spellbinding strings and driving folk pop rhythms. The duo confide, “duo confide, “Going away on tour served as the catalyst for a break-up and Clean Cut is some self-advice. We stayed with a lovely lady in Oslo, Norway who let us play her gorgeous grand piano and the first part of Clean Cut was penned. We created a music video for this song with the help of lots of friends who were willing to dress up as dolls and clowns. This was a huge 22 hour shoot in a warehouse in Melbourne creating the world of a mysterious haunted doll museum.”
“Wonderful Oblivion is a triumphant indie folk effort – nostalgic yet fresh, haunting, but at the same time serene. ” – We Found New Music
“Melbourne sister duo Charm of Finches are perched for stardom. For lovers of tight sibling harmonies, chamber folk, and those who long to be carried-away by a lullaby…” – Ariana Morgenstern KCRW Today’s Top Tune.
N’FALY KOUYATÉ – will be bringing his ‘Ré-Génération Tour’ to the UK for a series of special live shows this February.
Ahead of the tour, he is pleased to present a brand new track “Premiers Pas”, which is available to stream now.
STREAM “PREMIERS PAS” ON ALL SERVICES HERE || WATCH VIDEO HERE
Perhaps best known as the frontman of Afro Celt Sound System, the Belgium-based artist will be hitting the road for nine intimate shows with his new solo project. Beginning at Southampton’s Turner Sims on 8th Feb, the tour will include stops in Exeter, Manchester, Liverpool, London and more. Full details can be found below. Tickets on sale here.
Hudson Valley-based singer-songwriter Jack Manley announces his revealing, introspective debut solo EP Unmeasurable Terms due out May 10 and available for pre-order now. Alongside the announcement, Manley shares the first taste with vulnerable track and animated video, “Smack Water” out everywhere now. The project marks Manley’s first solo venture–one that confronts difficult truths and wrestles with addiction, failures, regrets and love, bringing some of the artist’s darkest moments into light.
Written entirely by Jack Manley, the EP chronicles his journey towards sobriety using confessional songwriting that poured out of him in the throes of a tortuous time. After a lifelong struggle with addiction, an overdose in 2023 landed the musician in the hospital where he picked up a guitar and found healing within the music that emerged. Manley shares, “Writing music has always been how I process and release my emotions. The songs that came out of me then were deeply personal as I reflected on my failures, regrets, sickness, and love.” On the project as a whole, Manley says “Each track on ‘Unmeasurable Terms’ represents a different stage within the process of using or rehabilitation. For example, ‘Save Your Own’ is a love song with a nod to codependency, reminding myself and the listener to put on your own oxygen mask before trying to save anyone else.” A self-taught musician, Manley approaches songwriting by feel, playing around until it sounds right and the words flow naturally out of him. He works with his bandmates, especially guitar player Billy Pearson, to compose the accompanying parts until they land on melodic, moving music that examines all of humanity, never straying from even the most agonizing parts.
“Smack Water,” out today, lays bare Manley’s most troubling, life-altering experience of an overdose. With a steady build, the track unfolds with smoldering electric guitar riffs. Manley says of the track, “This is a surreal journey through the actual events of my overdose.” Manley’s goal sonically was to capture the life and death stakes that come with addiction and the intensity of all of its highs and lows. Manley says there is a “relaxed yet aggressive vibe—I wanted this song to have a lot of space and attitude with moments of distortion, swells and feedback, so that it raises the stakes as the tune progresses.” Throughout the song, Manley wrestles with his mortality and comes face-to-face with the consequences of his almost deadly actions–including nods to old friends of his past and what recovery might mean.
Vancouver Island based alt-rockers Vogue Villains share their new single ‘A Slow Ride’ out now on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.
The latest single from their debut full-length album Built On Bones, set for release on March 7th, ‘A Slow Ride’ deals with themes of being exhausted and fed up with the negative pressures that people can put on you.
“While the lyrics may be sparse, they came out aggressive and poignant, so naturally the music had to follow suit,” says lead vocalist / bassist Andrew Baskin. “To say that it’s a song about no longer taking sh*t from anyone may be an oversimplification. It becomes much more complex when you think about the fact that we can just as much be the culprits of our own demise. And imagine the physical and mental struggle that goes along with that – a self manifested fist fight and the slow ride we take when we’ve been knocked down to the mat and the never-ending struggle to climb back on to your feet.”
Get acquainted with Telenova, an important new Australian trio for your radar, who perfectly craft beautifully, poignant music that plays like cinema for your ears. Their new release “Teardrop” out today comes with a stunning, high quality official video, which works in tandem to show everything that embodies their intricate and thought-provoking sound whilst having the power to make you want to dance. The release is the first to be released by UK tastemaker label Fiction.
The official video that accompanies today’s release was directed by frontwoman Angeline Armstrong and fellow director Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore (Courtney Barnett, Hiatus Kaiyote).
Stay Flee Get Lizzy, the artist project of Dion ‘Sincere’ Lizzy makes an explosive return with his latest single ‘Wrist On Freeze’ ft Tamera and Ms Banks gearing up for the release of the album on March 1st which you can pre-order now,
A powerful collaboration between two of the UK’s hottest artists, singer/songwriter Tamera and rapper Ms Banks, who also shows off her singing skills on the track. Tamera leads the way with her smooth and harmonious vocals, whilst Ms Banks shows us she is multi-talented opening by singing and then dropping bars about how they are independent woman.
Laced with catchy keys and percussions, Tamera’s voice flows effortlessly over the track and Ms Banks shows us she is as powerful as her lyrics. This track shows the versatility of the SFGL album with this laid-back produced R&B led single that is infectious and catchy.
There will be more music dropping ahead of the 17-track album which features the crème de la crème of the music scene (Fredo, Central Cee, Knucks, Clavish, ShaSimone, Tiny Boost & more), so stay tuned.
Melodic metalcore band BLOOM have released new single ‘Siren Song’. The single is taken off the bands new album Maybe In Another Life, out 16th February 2023- their first for new label, Pure Noise Records.
Marked by bold guitars, glitchy software, and an infectious Europop beat, “Rent Free” heralds Faux Real’s long-awaited debut album, Faux Ever, arriving at last via City Slang on Friday, May 24. A self-described “11-piece symphony for head-banging and longing,” Faux Ever sees Faux Real – a.k.a. the Los Angeles-based Franco-American brothers Arndt – once again playing on the outskirts of language and sound, exploring themes of heartbreak, labor, and the home with harmonies and humor, playful beats and en franglais. Recorded between Paris, New York, London, Los Angeles, and Provence, Faux Ever thrusts the duo’s sultry, surreal, and unclassifiable sound towards a glossier pop horizon, an existential sonic pastiche with a glistening digital sheen.
“We’re always questioning things and turning them upside down,” says Elliot Arndt.
“Our sound has never been more personal,” says Virgile Arndt. “The method to this specific madness has been one of constant change, with our studio locale never fixed, always more minimal than the last. Faux Ever is a reflection on art, brotherhood, authenticity, faults and triumphs.”
Faux Ever was first heralded last fall with the album’s first single, “Faux Maux.” Hailed by France’s Les Inrockuptibles as “a singular musical experience… as flamboyant as it is daring,” the track is joined by a self-directed official music video, featuring cinematography by longtime collaborator Léo Schrepel (Phoenix, Etienne Daho) and streaming now at YouTube.
Elements Music & Arts Festival, the premier immersive electronic festival of the Northeast, has announced the phase one lineup for its 2024 edition returning to Long Pond, Pennsylvania on August 9-11. Elements is the ultimate arena of exploration, where music, community, art, camping, and adventure coalesce in perfect unison. Best described as an escape unlike any other, the festival is co-created by those who embark on the journey, fostering a home for childlike wonder and a creative space for like-minded individuals.
As Elements prepares for its most ambitious year to date, the festival has now released the phase one lineup, and will feature over 100 acts across multiple stages throughout its magical art-filled forest. Fans can expect the same level of world class electronic music talent that Elements has become known for curationally, where there is truly something for everyone.
Headliners for the 2024 edition include some of the most electrifying names in dance music, from chart-topping stadium-filling superstar Illenium, to a Redux set from pioneering GRAMMY-nominated DJ and producer Kaskade, the darker shades of forward thinking producers Liquid Stranger and LSDREAM, and the head-splitting sounds of Excision.
The depth continues with GRAMMY-nominated melodic bass pioneers Slander, a back to back from Black Book Records head Chris Lake and Hellbent Records boss Cloonee, hard hitting versatile trap producer TroyBoi, a back to back throwdown from Sullivan King and Kayzo, plus D&B favorites like Sub Focus and Dimension.
The heavier leaning sonics will be well represented, led by the likes of Claude VonStroke’s iconic Barclay Crenshaw project, multi-talented French artist and Odyzey Music label head CloZee, standout bass producer Of The Trees, and multi-faceted rapper and producer Wreckno.
Fans will also find their footing behind familiar house favorites like the Desert Hearts crew of MikeyLion, Marbs, Porky & Lee Reynolds opening the Thursday early arrival kickoff, plus Canadian production duo Bob Moses, ABRACADABRA icon BLOND:ISH, party-starting production duo Walker & Royce, emerging stars VNSSA & Nala treating fans to a b2b set, Chicago’s underground riser Azzecca, and melodic techno tastemakers Township Rebellion.
Trying different things isn’t limited to the fans at Elements, where several artists will play rare sets under special projects showcasing another creative side of their style. This includes the otherworldly drum & bass sounds of Blanke: ÆON MODE, the live band performance of Boogie T’s Boogie T.Rio in addition to his individual performance, the sound healing and ambient bliss of LSDREAM’s Lightcode, and the techno-tinged frequencies of Slander Presents: Before Dawn.
“Elements 2024 marks our most diverse line-up, featuring a broad range of genres”, says Timothy Monkiewicz, Co-Founder of Elements. “We’re pumped for our first-ever drum and bass takeover, and we have some secret sets planned from fan-favorite acts! Each year, we meticulously match the design and production of the stages to the talent we book to help take the beats to an interdimensional planet of immersive audio-visual experience.”
Liverpool born, London based artist Jetta delivers a sonic and visual diary with her self-crafted debut album relax, the house is on fire. Taking us deep into her world of controlled chaos, showcasing her unparalleled artistic prowess, as she continues to push boundaries, delivering a genre-bending collection of songs with unfiltered self-expression.
The ironically titled relax, the house is on fire, depicts a comical contradiction of telling yourself everything is ok, even though you know it’s not. Delivering an oasis in a sea of chaos, the album will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Offering a reminder to hang on in there, the incredibly relatable album is a reminder to keep smiling and have fun while you watch things fall apart around you.
Jetta confesses, “This album is an accurate representation of me dealing with not dealing with life; a coping mechanism for not coping, if you will. You could call it denial or acceptance, depends how you choose to look at it really”
The closing song, aptly named, “call me when it’s over” recites a cathartic falling in and out of love. The stunning track features Jetta’s rich, echoing vocals, floating atop her minimalist instrumentation, evoking a celestial and spine-tingling atmosphere.
Each song from the album is accompanied by a self-shot music video; a series of performative pieces further bringing her vision to life.
With over 1.6 billion global streams to her name, to say that Jetta is a DIY artist with laser-sharp vision is a bit of an understatement. The artist writes and produces all her own music from her bedroom studio, shoots her own music videos, and even manages herself – and at the same time has gone gold in America.
Rising pop powerhouse Lily Lane has released her latest single, “Throne,” an energetic and persuasive anthem that exudes confidence, power, and fearlessness. With lyrics that focus on arriving exactly where you’re intended to be, “Throne” highlights how everything we go through, both good and bad, ultimately helps us reach our final destination and embrace our true potential. “Throne” is available to stream and download worldwide.
“In both Los Angeles and in the music industry, there are a lot of people who want to tell you who to be, what kind of music to make, and what kind of lifestyle to live,” Lane says about the message behind “Throne.” “While I acknowledge that throughout my career I have made some mistakes, listened to the wrong people, or given into certain pressures at times, I have also found my place in the industry, and in the world, and have become very confident in that place and my abilities.”
Comprised of brothers Max (Vocals, Guitar), Jake (Drums), and Nate Knoth (Bass, Vocals), along with Mitch Garcia (Keys), and Andrew Deters (Guitar), The Skinny Limbs bring a bright mix of soothing melodies and energetic rhythms together to create a sound inspired by the wind and waves of Lake Michigan. Fans of classic outfits such as The Beach Boys, The Police, and maybe even Henry Mancini will enjoy the band known as The Skinny Limbs. The boys put out two new singles in 2023, “Too Little Too Late” and “For So Long!” and plan on following up these strong releases in 2024 with a new EP titled Mozart for Martians, which will venture into sonic territory that has never been approached by the band to this point.
Detroit house and techno icon DJ Minx returns to Diplo’s Higher Ground label to release her new single, “Taking It Back.”
Featuring a classic synth line that ascends to dancefloor euphoria, she sticks to her guns on this track with lyrics written and performed by Minx herself that transport listeners to her early days as a DJ in ‘90s Detroit. “We’re going back to the old school / Techno and house under one roof / We’re going back to the old school / Underground raves ground rules.”
“All the feels on this one,” DJ Minx comments on the track. “Going back to my underground roots.” The release is aligned with Black History Month in the US, reemphasizing the often overlooked fact that both techno and house were originated by Black artists in Detroit and Chicago in the 1980s.
Getting the recognition she’s long since deserved, Minx has a massive touring schedule ahead in 2024, with stops in NYC, Paris, Barcelona, Brussels, and Lisbon, including a b2b set with techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson at EDC Las Vegas and some massive plans for her stage at Detroit’s longstanding flagship electronic music festival, Movement.
Los Angeles noise-punks Molly Horses return today with “King Dundalk”, a pulsing track about letting your ego ruin you. Near-motorik drums drive the track into crashes of noise wall oblivion as vocalist Harry James laments the dangers of alienating yourself in pursuit of finite pleasures. Recorded at Train Song in the fall of 2023 by Molly Horses themselves, “King Dundalk” is the feel-good-feel-bad hit of the particularly long winter. “Nobody can get through to you and still have strength left” offers a final warning of the consequences we face when we don’t learn to climb out of rock bottom, but rather keep digging. Major chords sell, but who’s dancing?
“King Dundalk” follows the release of the groups debut single “Beatty”, which served up a punishing four-on-the-floor march sandwiched between walls of harsh noise jumpscares. It’s four minutes playing host to vignettes of auto maintenance mishaps, teen labor, frozen treats, and the discomfort of aging. The result was an illustration of the anxiety that the future might be a little too certain. While these two singles carry the influential echoes of Molly Horses’ beloved post-punk forebearers, they also channel the raw urgency and chaos of four people transplanted from small town living and into the beating heart of the City of Angels.
Brooklyn-born recording artist Lola Brooke unveils her latest music video to “God Bless All The Rappers.” The powerful, BenMarc-directed official music video is available to watch HERE.
The base-knocking track, which samples “A Child of God (It’s Hard to Believe) ” by Millie Jackson was first revealed during the latter part of 2023 with the release of Lola’s debut project, Dennis Daughter, which is out now. “God Bless All The Rappers” is a masterful blend of sound and vision from the globally acclaimed rap star. In the song, Lola professes her respect and compassion for all rappers across the board as she sheds light on the judgment and dangers that can arise from being a rapper. A story hardly told, she calls into action the need to value the lives of all rappers in a fashion that matches the acclaim received for the music that is shared by her community. The visual vividly brings into focus this notion, evoking emotion that displays Lola’s determination to raise attention to an ordeal that she is susceptible to with being a rapper herself.
Trap pioneers UZ and TroyBoi today unveil groovy trap collaboration, “IBTFY,” on Monstercat Uncaged.
UZ has charted an astonishing journey boasting nearly two decades of influence in the global bass scene. Prior to taking off as the moniker UZ, emerging on Soundcloud with the renowned Trap Shit series in 2012, he was known as DJ Troubl, earning recognition as a two-time DMC world champion in 2002. To this day, UZ remains a force with numerous genre-defying classics under his name including a #24 Billboard charting album, and collaborations with major artists such as Ice Cube and T-Pain. UZ’s long lasting impact on the scene also stems from his dynamic live sets, with performances around the world at Coachella, EDC Las Vegas, Ultra Music Festival, and groundbreaking contributions to the music industry championing rising artists through his own label.
Known for his dynamic trap stylings effortlessly blending layers of diverse genres, TroyBoi remains a true trap icon, captivating fans in electronic dance music enthusiasts, but also attracting the likes of fellow artists. With multi millions of streams to his name, including collaborations with Justin Bieber (“Red Eye”), Diplo (“Afterhours (feat. Nina Sky)”), SLUMBERJACK (“Solid”), an official remix for Billie Eilish’s “MyBoi,” and having records featured in Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty fashion shows, TroyBoi remains a sensational tastemaker. He’s taken over the live stage with performances at Coachella, EDC Las Vegas, Mexico, and Orlando, Electric Zoo, HARD Summer, and more.
Marking their highly-anticipated second collaboration, “IBTFY” maintains an exhilarating blend of punchy beats with a poignant touch, complemented by raw melodic notes. The track remains steady with powerful energy, elevated by an alluring bassline evoking a range of emotions throughout. The artistic synergy between UZ’s iconic beats and TroyBoi’s distinctive melodies flow effortlessly, creating a captivating fusion bound to take over dancefloors.
UZ shares, “Troyboi and I both kicked off our music journeys at the start of the trap movement. After chatting online for ages, we finally met up this year at a London show. It was definitely overdue. Sharing the stage with him was a total standout moment. We began tossing around song ideas, and some just clicked instantly. I feel that the modern trap sound is a bit too saturated and overdone. Our aim was to create a feel-good track that harkens back to the roots. Our styles sync up well – straightforward yet packed with punch and bass. I’m pretty confident we’ve got a killer track on our hands.”
Middle Part – Andy Selkōw’s artist moniker – is hellbent on pouring his heart out and proving that earnest emotion and endless hooks can coexist within the distorted landscape of his nostalgic sound. Drawing inspiration from the late ’90s and early 2000s, Selkōw’s unique brand of unconventional pop music pays homage to the era, resonating with the confessional lyrical prowess of artists like Alanis Morisette, Third Eye Blind, and Michelle Branch. Selkōw, confides, “I’m so sensitive and hate to show it, but it just bleeds through all of my music.”
The debut album from Middle Part, Disruptor, intricately combines elements of distorted maximalism with an undercurrent of heartfelt sincerity. Exploring themes such as depression, self-acceptance, and the challenges of aging, the album creates an immersive sonic journey. Infusing post-grunge and new millennium tones with innovative twists, the LP captures a fresh sense of reinvention. Selkōw’s poignant label for the album as “a depiction of insanity” alludes to the persistent theme of the Sisyphean struggle against corporate-level productivity and the pervasive emotional deprivation we often face.
The album’s opening track, “Get Fixed,” sets the tone for the record—a spirited and raucous anthem that could easily soundtrack a coming-of-age comedy set in the early 2000s, reminiscent of American Pie. It channels the angst of growing up while grappling with the acceptance of aging and the weight of regrets.
With the second single “Nowhere”, Middle Part writes a self-reflective song spawning from a moment of ego death. He proclaims that the song is “a refrain from all the anger that populates a lot of the record. It’s a confession of wanting to choose self-acceptance over continuously worrying about what others may think. Appreciating the present moment rather than placing oneself at the center of the universe is the key theme.”
Then there is “Dial *”, a song tackles depression, suicide, and self-isolation driven by paranoia. The desperate call to a suicide hotline in order to connect with someone and pull oneself out of an endless descent. The caller feels like a burden in every area of their life. The chorus signals the realization that death shouldn’t be the option regardless of life’s darkest moments. Selkōw confides, “Lyrically, this song revisits a very particular grim time and serves as an acknowledgement of never wanting to personally return to such a low. The massive weight of the song’s themes are juxtaposed with a familiar pop format. Its intent, like much of the record, is to upset the complacent mainstream.”
Madison Beer is preparing to embark on her 52-date ‘Spinnin Tour’, but before she does, the singer-songwriter is treating her fans to a new single. “Make You Mine,” Madison’s first new track since the release of her recent sophomore LP, is available now. Stream it here:
Los Angeles-based Nigerian rapper JELEEL! returns with a new single “I LOOK GOOD!”
Get it HERE via 10K Projects.
“Whenever I’m performing, I know I look good on stage and it’s that confidence that I want to instill in my listeners with this song,” says JELEEL! “For my first record of 2024 I knew I wanted to come out with some energy and I’m ready to bring people back into JELEEL!’s world.”
Just getting started this year, JELEEL! will follow the release with his grand return to the stage, as he gears up for a performance at Rolling Loud Los Angeles on March 15th.
self-taught songwriter/producer Artemas introduces listeners to his fantasy world with his 13-track mixtape, pretty. The brand-new mixtape also features his new track, “breath away”Listen HERE via 10K Projects.
Coming out of massive highs from last year’s release, the brand-new mixtape, pretty dives into Artemas’ twisted world of experimental pop music. The anticipated release is a collection of some of Artemas’ best work to date, featuring “if u think I’m pretty,” “ur special to me,” “just want u to feel something” and more! Recently, he debuted on Zane Lowe’s “24 for ‘24” – a roster curated by Lowe and Jeremy Degan to spotlight new artists to watch in 2024.
With its rumbling bassline and hard-hitting drums, Artemas’ new track “breath away” combines his grunge sensibilities with pop ear worm melodies. Pushing the boundaries of genre, the new track seamlessly fuses Artemas’ R&B influence with a haunting, dark twist. Contrasting his breathy falsetto with his recognizable, experimental production style, he’s creating an anthemic track for drunken nights and the after-hours. The 24-year-old musician’s dark R&B leanings transport listeners right into quiet night drives, lingering glances in the club, and the anticipatory feeling after the door lock clicks.
Singer, guitarist and songwriter, Mike Matney ’s genre defying, creative music blends together elements of the blues, funk, hard rock and heavy metal that needs to be heard!
Originally from Virginia and now living back there on a farm, in a log cabin, Matney ‘s career has seen him rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in rock music over the years. His influences include Billy Gibbons, Frank Marino, Pat Travers and Robin Trower.
Matney started piano lessons aged six but when he was 8 the music on the radio captivated him and he started to play guitar. Although he moved several times as a child and had to make new friends, his music was always a constant in his life. One day a friend invited him down to his basement where his older brother and some friends were jamming with electric guitar, bass and drums. He was hooked! He played in bands all through school and immediately after school moved to Nashville where he met Kriss famous and I took Ron keels place in his band, Tabu when Ron left to go to LA to play with Steeler. Because of Kriss he got to hang out with people that summer like Adrian Belew, Willie Dixon, Roy Acuff, etc. After six or seven months he returned home for a while and hung out a local record store that had a small 4 track studio in the back. The owner let him record there some. During his time in Tabu, Matney gained the nickname `White Boy’. This is where the name of his next band, White Boy and The Average Rat Band originated. Having saved up yard mowing money, the band had 300 albums pressed. Their 1980 debut album is now a collector’s cult and those are worth over $1000 apiece and in 2023 he signed a record deal Riding Easy Records out of Los Angeles for its 4th reissue. Matney also played guitar for David Allan-Coe in the mid-80s for a while.
Matney completed a music degree as well as a degree in recording industry management in 1997 at Middle Tennessee State university. During his time in Nashville he interned at Asylum Records in the A & R department and also worked for a PR company on music row.
Now Matney has teamed up with multi-platinum producer/artist Stevie Salas to produce an album by his new band, Matney. Salas has previously worked with Buddy Miles, Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart, and is also an award-winning composer in his own right. Rolling Stone called Salas one of the 50 all-time greatest guitar players. He has sold 2,000,000 albums and won the Sundance Film Festival award for his documentary ‘Rumble’. The album was recorded at Assembly Line studios, Austin, Texas. With Stevie Salas producing and playing guitar, Matney playing guitar and singing, and Matt Novensky on bass this album is destined to be a big seller.
Leading single “All Fired Up”, is an invigorating, hard-hitting rock song all about “a night out on the town, feeling cocky and running on all cylinders,” shares Matney. The hypnotic, relentless pulsating drive is definitely going to take listeners someplace. “All Fired Up” will be available across all platforms via Roulette Records.
Singer songwriter Cory Wells has announced his brand new album ‘Harboring The Hurt I’ve Caused’ out 15th March 2024 via Pure Noise Records. To celebrate the release Cory has also shared new single ‘Hopeless’.
Speaking about the album Cory said “I didn’t know if this album was going to come out of me. I have always written from trauma. It can be exhausting, debilitating, and sometimes unhealthy. This record is no different. It can be difficult to admit that the problems in your life may be no one’s fault but your own. The first album was just one side of the story. “Harbouring the Hurt I’ve Caused” is all about the damage that I have done and how it feels to live with my mistakes every day. I realize I’ve been blind, and once I can finally see, the fear that the end is certain, begins to settle in. I believe we all experience this as much as I wish that weren’t true. Take care of the people you love. I hope this record means as much to you as the journey did for me.”
FREYA BEER releases her brand new single “Write Her Off (WHO)”.
STREAM “WRITE HER OFF (WHO)” ON ALL SERVICES HERE
“You’ve got lust in your eyes and it takes you by surprise, but you know it” purrs Freya as she presides over the scene unfolding on “Write Her Off (WHO)”. It’s a mere pause for thought, before delivering her verdict. It’s not good news. “You’ve read all the papers on how to elate her, but it’s still not clear… Oh you fool! Such a shame.”
With lyrics taut with sexual tension and banshee-like shrieks, pressure-point ramping percussion and razored guitar breaks; on her latest work Freya Beer unspools a darkly thrilling encounter about the cat-and-mouse game that is dating.
Toying with clever wordplay in a way its subject cannot fathom, “Write Her Off (WHO)” is a track that delves into the sinister side of unrequited attractions and the shadow of loneliness it can cast. As Freya explains:
“”Write Her Off (WHO)” is a song about going after your crush and the feeling of rejection because they don’t feel any connection to you. You come to the realisation you should dismiss the love — almost as though you have to “write them off” to move on.”
A seductive, scathing alt-pop clash, “Write Her Off (WHO)” finds Freya Beer continuing her stellar trajectory from the heart of darkness. Recorded in London with Paul Burnley at The Social and Jack O’Hea at FOLD Studios. The track also sees Freya working with long-time collaborators Dave Fidler and Ray Mitchell who undertook mixing duties at The Fuse in Manchester.
Oliver Keane reveals his stellar new single 3.5 along with a heartwarming music video.
Courageously raw songwriting leads the way as Oliver Keane returns with his latest track ‘3.5’. The new offering is a poignant listening experience, showcasing the 20-year-olds natural talent for crafting rich, stand-out sonic moments.
Whilst undeniable progress has been made in normalizing the mental health conversation, there is still essential work to be done. With young men affected more than any other demographic, artists such as Oliver being openly transparent is invaluable in furthering improvement.
Sharing more, Oliver explains: 3.5 is probably one of the most honest songs I’ve written. I wrote it at a time where I felt like my mental health was letting the people around me down. If I was out and started to get anxious after a drink, I was embarrassed by this. I think it’s amazing how much men’s mental health is being spoken about now, even amongst me and my friends, however I still think a lot of men feel ashamed to struggle or show signs of weakness.
With 2024 now in full swing, Oliver Keane has been making every second count.
With 3.5 the first single in a brand new chapter and a UK tour secured with indie greats ‘Sea Girls’, plus a European tour with Giant Rooks just announced (dates below), Oliver Keane is your artist to watch this year.
3.5 is both written and produced by Oliver himself, shining a light on his talent for production. From a young-age he has been evolving his technical skills and has also been writing and producing for other artists including Nieve Ella and Abby Roberts
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
