INsiders Guide

INsiders Guide: Dan Pallotta, Ted Z and the Wranglers, Kaitlyn Olson, Ruel, Kappa FuturFestival, ARTEMAS…

New England singer-songwriter Dan Pallotta is continuing his string of 2024 singles with “End of the Road,” a lonesome, vocal and harmonica-forward exploration of the grace and transcendence that can be found in hitting rock bottom.

“I’m sober myself in a twelve-step program and I remember that fork in the road when I hit bottom—and in recovery, I’ve seen many others arrive at it,” says Pallotta.

“Some choose recovery and some choose death. The bottom is in many ways the foundation of recovery. It’s a critical feature, and I wanted to bring that specific feature to life.”

This eerie yet warm folk song is narrated by the end of the road itself. “He’s seen this all before, a hundred million times with a hundred million addicts,” Pallotta explains.

“He’s impartial, matter-of-fact—just welcoming the addict to his new reality. He passes no judgment. He offers an opportunity to transcend.”

Ted Z and the Wranglers is a band hailing from Southern California, known for their unique blend of Americana, rockabilly, and roots rock music. The band was formed by frontman Ted Zakka in 2012. With Ted Z at the helm, the musical collective have cultivated a distinct sound that pays homage to the rich musical traditions of the American West while infusing it with modern energy and flair. As a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, Ted Z brings a raw authenticity to the group’s music, drawing inspiration from his own experiences. His gravelly, whisky-drenched vocals and passionate delivery are trademarks of the group’s sound. The Wranglers, consisting of Jackson Leverone (lead guitar, vocals), Marcos de la Cruz (drums, vocals), Henry Clift (bass guitar, vocals), and James Hamilton (guitar, vocals), provide the perfect musical backdrop for Ted Z’s evocative storytelling. With their tight rhythms, explosive guitar solos, and soulful thick vocal harmonies, the band adds depth and texture to Ted Z’s songs, creating a sound that is both timeless and contemporary.

Since their formation, Ted Z and the Wranglers have built a loyal following with their electrifying live performances and catchy Americana tunes. Sharing bills with heavy hitters including Lynyrd Skynyrd and Steppenwolf among others, the band brings their relentless energy and passion to every show. 

Their first label release Ghost Train was recorded at Yellow Dog Studios in Wimberley, Texas and produced by Monte Byrom (Big House, Eddie Money). The 11 track album received acclaim from the likes of PopMatters and catapulted them into the spotlightTheir 2019 album release Southland was featured in Billboard, with the outlet praising  their music as “a foot-stomping honky tonk revival”. 

Photo Credit: JJ Geiger

Kaitlyn Olson is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Los Angeles. After years of writing dance-pop and KPOP hits for other artists, Olson is returning to her roots with her debut EP, After The Rain, perfectly encompassing who the artist is and offering a mid-tempo, soulful sound that embodies her personality. The four-track, bedroom pop release is focused around themes of love and heartbreak, capturing raw emotion and vulnerability with every song.

Entering with “Everytime,” an unrushed confession that arrives as the antidote to the cool girl era we’re in. “Everytime” oozes with open-hearted sensuality over a hypnotic bassline and introspective synths. “This is just a straight up love song because we need more love in this world, especially right now!” shares Olson. 

The title-track, “After The Rain” was created one day over some simple chords Olson wrote on the piano in a session with friends Tyler Shamy and Palmer Reed. The inspiration behind the song began when Olson was woken up on the morning of the session by a call from an ex-boyfriend that had broken her heart that she had begun talking to again. He randomly Facetimed her to show off his family’s extensive heirloom collection of fine jewelry that he had taken out of the safe and put on display for Olson. The songwriter explains, “The visual was so striking to me as I was half asleep, because I couldn’t believe that the same guy I was crying on the floor over years ago was now chasing me down dangling jewelry!” She ultimately decided he wasn’t for her.

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“After The Rain” then morphed into an empowering anthem for her best friend who was going through a horrible break up at the time. Olson shares, “I was so inspired by my wake up call that day, that I wanted to write a song for her to let her know that everything was going to be okay! The song is for anyone with a broken heart who’s hoping to have the last laugh over someone who wasn’t worth their tears in the first place, because “After the rain, roses sprout out of the ground.” The message in the song, however, is more about finding self-love than anything, which is always a place I try to write from, as embodied in the lyric, “You find light you never found, even when no one’s around.”

Australian hitmaker Ruel releases Cats on the Ceiling (Purrfectly Altered), a collection of alternate versions of his lush pop single “Cats on the Ceiling” via Giant Music – Listen HERECats on the Ceiling (Purrfectly Altered) is accompanied by the release of a live performance video of a stripped-down version of “Cats on the Ceiling” – Watch HERE.

Italy’s globally acclaimed Kappa FuturFestival has unveiled its phase one artist lineup ahead of its 12th edition returning to Parco Dora, Torino on July 4-6, 2025. Kappa FuturFestival remains one of the world’s most celebrated electronic music events, connecting the many facets of Italian culture to the past, present, and future of the genre’s foremost flag bearers.

Kappa FuturFestival’s initial lineup continues to shine a light on the festival as a melting pot of leading international world class talent, with the first round of acts consisting of exclusive back to back sets, global headliners, next generation risers, and an overall wide ranging diversity of selectors.

The lineup is spearheaded by the legendary Carl Cox, a Kappa FuturFestival stalwart who returns for his 9th appearance with his Live set in tow alongside fellow Futur favorite Seth Troxler who makes his 8th appearance. The lineup also boasts Belgian techno powerhouse and KNTXT label head Charlotte de Witte, techno titans Adam Beyer B2B Maceo PlexAnyma who returns following last year’s Voyager stage triumph, and the visionary Nina Kraviz who set the Solar stage ablaze last year.

Kappa FuturFestival also welcomes several acts making their debut at the festival in 2025, including Italian powerhouse Alignment, Ukrainian duo Artbat, Detroit’s DJ Stingray 313 going B2B with Helena Hauff, the eclectic Caribou Live, and Germany’s Binh, celebrating 10 years of his Time Passages label. Additional highlights include the influential scene veteran DJ Hell, industrial techno riser Fantasm, and back to backs from Francesco Del Garda B2B Ben UFOCloudy B2B NovahAirod B2B Anxhela, and Ogazòn B2B Ryan Elliott – a worldwide exclusive for the festival.

At 25-years-old, UK-based singer, songwriter and producer, Artemas, believes rules are made to be broken. Inspired by the likes of Kurt Cobain and Anthony Kiedis, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist released his first music in late 2020, learning how to hone much of his craft in the confines of his bedroom. By late 2023, his eerie dark r&b sound fully connected, drawing comparisons to The Weeknd, as his single “if you think i’m pretty” amassed hundreds of millions of streams leading into the release of his pretty mixtape. The project captured global attention, landing the rising star on “Artist to Watch” lists by the likes of Hypebeast and Ones to Watch, and debuting on Zane Lowe’s “24 for ‘24” roster. Continuing the momentum, he released “i like the way you kiss me,” which zoomed up the charts globally reaching #1 on the Billboard Global 200, #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #3 on the UK Official Singles Chart, while selling out two global headline tours. Now, Artemas proves he’s here to stay with the arrival of his yustyna mixtape and more new music to come.

Natisa Gogol is a compelling singer/songwriter based in Prague. Her journey to get to where she is today is truly inspiring and is reflected in her stunning dream pop soundscapes through emotional, storytelling lyrics and mesmerising melodies. Having been forced to flee her home in Kyiv upon the outbreak of war in Eastern Europe, Natisa turned her life upside down, determined to continue pursuing her dreams. In the years following, her empowering music has caught the attention of listeners across the globe, as people connect with her story of resilience and hope. 

Her latest release “Heavens Create” was co-written by Natisa and renowned musician and producer Gregory Darling. The hypnotic release shimmers with a vibrant, kaleidoscopic melody that dances over oscillating synths and a pounding beat, drawing you deeper into Natisa’s mesmerizing sonic universe. 

The stunning music video for “Heavens Create” was created by a young Ukrainian director, Stas Morozov, with the shoot taking place in Natisa’s homeland of Lviv, Ukraine. The concept was based on five Renaissance paintings, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt, The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, Primavera by Botticelli, The School of Athens from the Raphael Rooms and The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. The idea was to use graphics to bring these paintings to life, enhancing the song’s lyrics through these animated works and adding a sense of grandeur and epic scale to the video. The result is an arthouse cinema style video that is unlike anything you’ve seen before. 

Natisa reveals, “I can say that this video is the most anticipated release of my career. My team and I waited nearly 10 months for the final version, as we had to make constant revisions, and, admittedly, there were some significant disagreements along the way. But in the end, I believe we achieved true art.” 

19-year-old artist d4vd unleashes an emotional new single, “Where’d It Go Wrong?” The release marks the start of a new era for the genre-bending musician.

D4vd’s “Where’d It Go Wrong?” hits hard with a brutally honest look at love’s fragile nature and the deep sense of confusion that comes when things fall apart. The track is drenched in emotional turmoil, capturing the messy aftermath of realizing something that once felt perfect has completely fallen apart.

Musically, the track blends alternative, indie, and R&B influences, with mellow yet haunting instrumentation that mirrors the song’s reflective tone. d4vd’s voice delivers each line with raw intensity, capturing the complexity of the emotions at play. The resulting sound is both minimalistic and powerful, allowing the emotional weight of the lyrics to resonate.

The track was crafted by d4vd using just BandLab and his iPhone, in the closet of his childhood home in Houston. “Where’d It Go Wrong?” shares its origins with many of d4vd’s multi-platinum hits, including “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me”—both of which have surpassed a billion streams.

I’ve spent the past year recording in LA studios, doing sessions with top producers, and doing writing trips, but for “Where’d It Go Wrong?” I sat back down at my house in Houston and recorded on Bandlab which I hadn’t been doing much of lately,” d4vd shares. “It really got me back in my element of how I began making music. This is one of my favorite songs that I’ve made in a long time and it reminded me why I’ve always loved making music on my own.”

Signed to Because Music (Christine and The Queens and SHY GIRL), and with over 1.6M dedicated monthly listeners on Spotify, the release of “IN MY BLOOD” and a new album on the horizon continue to solidify Aime’s place in the scene as a thrilling new name in the pop landscape.

Following on from his latest release, TAKING MY DISTANCE, “IN MY BLOOD” is an intense and introspective single exploring themes of resilience and inner struggle. Delving into his own personal battles, the innovator reflects on memories of pain and loss as they resurface to transform into an unwavering strength. Backed by a striking production that combines gripping guitars and icy synths, the artist turns his hardships into a source of power and resilience. This cathartic track reflects a quest for meaning and determination, where the human spirit asserts itself as invincible in the face of obstacles.

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The rising talent has spent most of his adult life between territories, with a creative process firmly rooted in countless travels from one country to another, each of them marking a transitional moment in his life. This constant movement – both personal and geographical – has played a pivotal role in Aime’s choice of English as the language in which he could most freely express himself as an artist from his earliest compositions.

With the release of the new single, “The Nail Beside The Door,” alt-folk singer/songwriter E.W. Harris announces the forthcoming EP, Machine Living in Reliefdue out in 2025. An ambitious collection of songs born out of a last call challenge to make a completely acoustic record about robots and AIs, Machine Living in Relief is the latest in a five-album series set inside Harris’s self-styled “romantic dystopia” Rocket City. 

If one weren’t already familiar with Harris’s more traditionalist background, the chummy strum of his guitalele reaches out and shakes your hand by way of friendly introduction. He also incorporates a number of unusual instruments (cedar flute, a broken autoharp), outside-the-box toys (Speak-n-Spell, Mr. Robot, Magic Wand Reader), and MacGyvered percussion hacks (can full of rice, “suitcase that I hit with a roll of duct tape”) throughout these folkways-meets-the-spaceways tracks. Call it asteroid field recording.

In a strange bit of real-time lore that feels like it could only happen to Harris, one of his cousins walked up to him mid-set a few years back and handed him a banjo, offering only the briefest explanation – “Here man, I’m not gonna learn this and I thought you might use it” – before promptly leaving the gig. The result, some months later as Harris tinkered with the unfamiliar instrument under lockdown, was this album’s lead single, “The Nail Beside the Door.” “Written from the perspective of a prisoner who becomes emotionally dependent on an AI companion,” it effectively sets out to explore the ideas behind the album opener from the other side, with all the profound, maddening aloneness of COVID isolation bleeding through the character loud and clear.

Charli xcx today announces that Troye Sivan will be returning to Barcelona to join her at Primavera Sound Barcelona 2025, providing a unique opportunity for fans to experience the ‘Charli xcx & Troye Sivan Present: SWEAT’ tour in Europe.

After a sold-out joint tour of 22 dates in North America last autumn, the British and Australian artists will unleash the full power of their acclaimed SWEAT tour on Thursday 5th June at the Parc del Fòrum.

On the hottest tour of the year, Charli xcx and Troye Sivan received rave reviews for their innovative performance, incorporating lighting techniques into their high energy setlist that transported fans into an underground nightclub and paired perfectly with the industrial set design.

The performance represents a full circle moment after both artists performed separately at the festival in 2024 and the invitation from Charli to Troye only adds further firepower to an already incredible line-up, including the three immense headliners; Charli herself, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. The three artists who have defined 2024 will make the whole industry look towards Barcelona at the start of June next year.

Jack Drinker is a 24 year old indie pop artist and singer/songwriter living in Los Angeles. Through captivating melodies and storytelling lyrics, Drinker’s music often touches on themes of mental health, relationships, body image and loss, delivering songs that are deeply personal and refreshingly raw. As a graduate of UCLA’s Herb Alpert School Of Music, Drinker’s sound offers a musical maturity, with his upcoming releases set to explore a more experimental side. 

Drinker’s latest single, “California King,” is a love song wrapped in hopefulness and naivety. The songwriter shares, “California King has a lightness and an excitement to it, but there’s also an awareness of the inevitable — that things won’t go the way I hope they do. I think it’s a very relatable representation of how we glorify people in our heads and build them up to be something that they never really were.”

Mixed by Alyssa Wilkens, with mastering by Ryan Schumer (Shawn Mendes, Burna Boy, Khalid, and Jon Bellion) and Carl Bahner (St. Lucia, Transviolet, Grace Abel), “California King” takes sonic inspiration from Gracie Abrams. Drinker’s emotion-fuelled vocals soar over a jangly guitar melody and driving percussion, resulting in an uplifting anthem that will have you chanting along, as he sings, “You’re a James Dean movie scene, speeding down the highway.” 

Drinker’s music has received numerous radio plays and his debut EP, Dead Boy Walking, has surpassed 60K streams. The release of “California King” will be paired with a live show at the prestigious LA music venue, The Hotel Cafe, on December 20th.

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Ghost Hounds are a country rock band with a heavy blues influence that proves the genre is not only alive but thriving for the next generation of rock fans. Fronted by SAVNT and backed by guitarists Tyler Chiarelli and Thomas Tull, fiddler Kristin Weber, bassist Bennett Miller, and drummer Sydney Driver, the band has made significant statements with their four studio albums. Ghost Hounds’ debut, Roses Are Black (2019), earned widespread acclaim from Billboard, American Songwriter, and more as well as millions of streams on streaming platforms. Their follow-up, A Little Calamity (2021), impressed with its classic rock sensibilities and the hit single “Good Old Days.” You Broke Me (2022) continued their tradition of blending classic blues rock with a modern flair. Their latest album, First Last Time (2023) via Gibson Records, features hit single “Last Train To Nowhere,” which racked up millions of hits via TikTok and Instagram, and was featured in Taylor Sheridan’s new TV show Special Ops: Lioness. Ghost Hounds have honed their sound on the road, having supported legendary acts like The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Garth Brooks, Guns N’ Roses, and Bob Seger. With their chemistry at an all-time high, the band is set to bring even more blues-rock brilliance in the future.

Dirtybird Records is closing out 2024 with the third installment of its The New Years Special compilation. Returning for the first time since 2016, this year’s compilation features SoCal house head Seek-One, London-based Andrea Giudice, French export Good Neighbor, and Italian producer Pakkio Sans.

The New Years Special is a fresh batch of heaters from some of the label’s hottest up-and-comers. Seek-One gets the compilation started on a high note with his flirty tech-house shaker ‘Reroute’. Andrea Giudice is back on the label with ‘Wild,’ a hypnotic groover that keeps the vibes flowing, following his April-released original ‘Dragon’. Next up is ‘Rally’, a crunchy 5-minute deep cut from Good Neighbor, who appeared on Best of the Birdfeed, Vol. 4 earlier this year. Pakkio Sans rounds out the compilation with the non-stop rhythms of ‘The Game’. 

the percolating Los Angeles-based independent record label StrataSonic delivers its latest release, a two-track body of work from the equally enigmatic ANiML. Breather, which expands the label’s breadth from timeless breaks and house music to include crackling, mind-altering trip-hop and downtempo, is out now. 

ANiML’s return to StrataSonic marks their second-ever release, but the quality of both tracks on Breather hints at years, if not decades, worth of combined production experience. Invoking shades of ‘90s and ‘00s masters like DJ Shadow and Portishead, both tracks, “Breather” and “Bruv,” illustrate time-lost transmissions of sophisticated yet hallucinogenic instrumentation and percussion that could belong in upscale jazz clubs or woozy after-hours sessions. 

“Breather” and “Bruv” are the building blocks for a larger, forthcoming body of work by ANiML, set for release in early 2025 alongside a vinyl release, video, and extras. ANiML is not just a music project but a living, breathing art organism that challenges perceptions of sound, identity, and collective experience.

Named for the sixth month of the year and a semi-precious stone said to protect travelers by night and water, Junestone is the musical outpouring of alt-funk fusion bassist and jazz-pop vocalist Olivia Brown. Joined by three of her favourite friends and musicians, Borys Franiczek (guitar), Ian Aisling (keyboards), and Justin McHugh (drums), Junestone’s music is refreshingly brilliant, memorable, and an undeniable vibe.

The group is based out of Hamilton, Ontario, where Olivia was born and grew up. Songs are inspired by images of industrial cities and Canadian wilderness while lyrics embrace themes of self-realization, assertiveness, and having a great time. Musically, the group is inspired by American Jazz, Pan-American rhythm, and popular music genres. Their original repertoire reflects this with dozens of songs ranging from dub ballads to disco heartbreakers to jazz-funk hits.

Since their inception in the summer of 2018, Junestone has released twelve singles. Their most recent music video, “Jackie & Shadow”, has garnered over 7000 viewers since its release in April 2024—three times that of their “Who Cares” video from June 2019. In September 2024, they began releasing the first songs from their debut album, FIRST TRY.

Kentucky, the rising Canadian singer-songwriter, began 2025 with the release of his newest single, “Runway.” As a follow-up to December’s “Santa Fe” and its evocative music video, “Runway” continues Kentucky’s story of courage and transformation. This latest offering stands alone as a poignant entry in Kentucky’s artistic evolution, offering listeners a raw and intimate glimpse into his reflections on change, love, and personal growth.

London-based indie artist Strange Isaac kicks off 2025 with a new melodic single, ‘Fired Up!’. With this latest release, Isaac, takes an introspective look at a relationship that almost happened but didn’t and grapples with the themes and feelings involved with sounds of indie alternative.

‘Fired Up!’ is available now on your streaming service of choice via APOLLO Distribution.

The project of Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter, Jeff Hartwig, Battleflagg was conceived in 2020 after demoing a new set of songs and feeling the need to regain some agency in an age of personal, social and political unrest. Battleflagg is not so much a band but a collective of like-minded musicians and visual artists, formed during the pandemic to combat an age of creeping cynicism. With a sound that blends traditional rock instrumentation with ambient synths, drum loops and samples, Hartwig’s Battleflagg songs seek to straddle the Heartland/Americana/Indie rock divides, leaning into direct, heart-on-sleeve lyrics and arena-size, sing-along choruses. 

Hartwig’s musical backstory is prolific. His first pro gig was opening for the Ramones as the lead singer of King Flux, made up of former members of punk rock innovators the Plasmatics, a show for which he was castigated by Johnny Ramone for jumping on Johnny’s stage box during the opening set. After a year of powering through the downtown scene at CBGBs and other Lower East Side clubs, King Flux dissolved — Richie Stotts, the band’s founder, went on to grad school — and Hartwig found himself opening as a solo act for bands on the Blues/Americana circuit, including The Holmes Brothers, Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Commander Cody.  

Looking for a change of sound and scenery, the singer-songwriter moved to San Francisco in the late 90s, where he immediately fell into a thriving Indie/Americana/Punk scene. Fronting an Americana(ish) band called the Dangs, he established a strong following playing with then-rising bands Third Eye Blind, Cake and Train, who the Dangs opened for at the Fillmore Auditorium on the release of Train’s debut album. The Dangs also shared stages with many Americana/Indie acts while on tour, including Dave Alvin, The Connells, and Dash Rip Rock.  

As the new Millenium approached, Hartwig inked a deal with About Records — a UMG-distributed imprint formed by veteran music executive George Daly and producer/engineer Chuck Plotkin (Bruce Springsteen) — as a solo artist, spending a year writing and developing songs for his first release. When About reorganized in the wake of the bursting dotcom bubble, however, Hartwig lost the momentum and was ready to make a change, this time to law school. 

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After the worldwide success of “Natura” — a track which became a staple of last summer’s parties — wunderkind musician Orsay is kicking off 2025 in the best way possible: he’s teamed up with the acclaimed Maxi Meraki for “Amado”, to release a sentimental tribute to Orsay’s late father, releasing on Adriatique’s Siamese imprint. Having been tested on the road not only by their authors but also melodic techno and afro house giants such as RÜFÜS DU SOL, WhoMadeWho, Adriatique, Carlita, and many others, the collaboration gears up to become an early anthem for spring and summer festivals around the world, empirically proven.

“Amado” is a testament to true love, legacy, and the everlasting impact of those who once marked our paths. “‘Amado— ‘loved ones’ in English — is dedicated to the ones who are not here anymore, yet are still so close to our hearts”, says Orsay, who built the backbone of the single with his late father in mind. He recalls, “This track is very special to me because I made it a few months after my father passed away. The original vocal on it was a voice message that he left me and that I used as inspiration to create all the melodies and feelings in the track”.

Powerful both in energy on the surface, as well as its message lying underneath, “Amado” pairs warm and nostalgic piano lines with groovy instrumentation and analogue synths, creating a genre-bender which marries melodic techno and afro house for the ultimate sonic combo. Its hybrid state allows for the piece to be the ideal soundtrack to connect people on a number of dance floors — from the golden sunset lovers enjoying a dancing session by the beach, to the late-night, eyes-closed clubbers chasing highs. Orsay, who admits getting “very sentimental” when watching the track get to so many ears and hearts, knows for a fact that “Amado” works whenever it plays live. “It’s never “failed” on the dance floor”, he says.

Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer

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