Pakistan-born, London artist, Ahadadream is one of the most iconic and groundbreaking artists on the UK scene in recent years, with exceptional DJ skills, unmistakable production, and a unique sound like no other. Ahad has gained scene support from artists like Skrillex, Fred Again, Four Tet, Eliza Rose, Pete Tong, and is driving forward South Asian culture in the UK at a time when creative representation and celebration of culture is so important.
Today, Ahadadream releases his new single ‘Bass Dhol’ featuring Skrillex and Raf-Sappera via Island Records. Stream the track here.
This track represents the culmination of Ahadadream’s journey – It highlights his percussive approach, fusing the unmistakable power of Punjabi dhol rhythms with driving, propulsive electronic beats to create a party-fuelled dancefloor sound.
Ahadadream’s music is defined by signature skittish drum patterns and coiled intensity, set for the tastemakers with a certain London energy. His production draws influence from across the UK, his homeland of Pakistan, and the wider African and South Asian diasporas, with clear references to his South Asian roots.
Linking up with nine-time GRAMMY winner Skrillex and Punjabi vocalist and cultural force Raf-Sappera, for this track, Ahadadream explains, “The beginnings of bass dhol were back in early 2023, when Sonny invited me to work on music together in Miami. That’s when I played him some Raf Saperra too, he loved the vibe and we thought he’d be perfect for this track. Early versions of the track have been getting played since back then, so I’m super happy to finally see this officially going out into the world in it’s final form.”
Mercury Records proudly releases the GOAT Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, accompanying the Sony Pictures Animation film out today. Listen to the #GOATmovie soundtrack now HERE.
From Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind Spider-ManTM: Across the Spider-Verse and the artists that made KPop Demon Hunters, GOAT is a high-energy original action-comedy that delivers big laughs and an even bigger heart set in an all-animal world.
The star-studded soundtrack features previously released singles “I’m Good” featuring Jelly Roll and “Don’t Dream It’s Over” featuring Bryant Barnes as well as an exciting new release from breakout global act, CORTIS entitled “Mention Me.”
GOAT Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features a bold, genre-spanning lineup including Ayra Starr, Bryant Barnes, Chris Patrick, CORTIS, FLO, Jelly Roll, Joey Valence & Brae, Jon Bellion, KAIRO, KOLE, Lil Naay, Natania, PartyOf2, Quinn XCII, Russ, Trueno, and members of the GOAT cast. The soundtrack delivers a high-energy, emotionally driven musical experience that complements the ambitious storytelling of the Sony Pictures Animation feature.
Lecx Stacy is a psychological, philosophical, and romantic artist whose work blurs memory, identity, and sound into something deeply personal. A first-generation Filipino American originally from San Diego and now based in Los Angeles, Stacy grew up immersed in music through karaoke-filled weekends, piano lessons, and early beat-making sessions taught by his older brother. After his brother’s passing, the equipment he left behind became a lifeline. By his early teens, Stacy was selling beats online, and by 18 he had begun shaping a singular voice, using production as a way to process grief, longing, and belief.
“With You, I’d Be Closer to God,” was written after touring with Sega Bodega and Eartheater. While the lyrics open up about Lecx’s newborn catholic devotion, the production embodies a newfound love for electronic dance music melded with emo sensibilities. The song opens with guitar-led intimacy, where finger-picked strings and subtle slides feel exposed and tactile, before unraveling into something far stranger. Electronic textures, glitching elements, and a fast, repetitive beat collide with emo melodies and dramatic lyricism, creating a soundscape that feels volatile and cathartic all at once. Stacy describes it as equal parts Hawthorne Heights and Crystal Castles, with emotion and electronic chaos locked in constant tension.
While his previous single, “Winter, A Wilted Flower,” leaned into stillness and impermanence, “With You, I’d Be Closer to God” pushes forward with urgency and intensity. It signals a new chapter in Stacy’s work, one that embraces distortion, repetition, and pressure as tools for emotional release. Across both releases, his music remains rooted in vulnerability and belief, tracing the fragile space where love, faith, and desire intersect, and proving that Lecx Stacy’s evolution is driven by instinct rather than expectation.
genre-defying guitarist and innovator Tim Henson releases “Original Sin,” his first self-produced solo single alongside an accompanying music video and the official announcement of his forthcoming clothing brand bearing the same name.
Best known for pushing the boundaries of modern instrumental music with his band Polyphia, this song marks the first time Henson has produced, mixed, and shaped every element into a release on his own.
Originally conceived on keyboard and inspired by synth textures, “Original Sin” evolved into something more as Henson filtered his ideas through his own nylon-string guitar – an instrument he hasn’t centered on since Polyphia’s enigmatic track “Playing God” was released. The track feels both invigorating and disruptive, deliberately bending form and expectation.
rising alt-pop artist $kin Up releases his first single of 2026, “Fight Night.” The new track is accompanied by a music video directed by $kin Up himself, kicking off what is set to be a momentous year for the artist..
A raw, high-energy track, “Fight Night” captures the adrenaline of stepping into the spotlight with nothing to lose. Driven by gritty delivery and hard-hitting production, the single blends pure confidence with a confrontational edge. $kin Up channels hunger, resilience, and aspiration, turning “Fight Night” into an anthem for anyone ready to stand their ground and claim their moment. The music video mirrors the tension of the record, blurring confidence and conflict.
“‘Fight Night’ is about the tension between wanting peace and being ready for whatever comes your way,” shares $kin Up. “It’s that moment where ambition, pressure, and emotion all collide—you don’t want the conflict, but you’re not backing down either.”
Seattle-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Hayden Everett kicks off the year with ‘Angela’, the first single from his forthcoming debut album ‘So The Sun Can Pour’, due in Spring 2026. A lighthearted yet pointed critique of Los Angeles, the single channels Hayden’s own love-hate relationship with the city – part satire, part sincere letter to her. Anthemic and catchy, the track offers a glimpse into an album rooted in the tensions that shape us.
From the core members of Philadelphia’s Blacklisted comes Colossal Rains, and on their debut album, Feral Sorrow––out today on Memory Music––the band create something entirely their own. Through towering riffs and sludge-soaked tension, they capture an urgent sense of renewal and rediscovery.
Produced by Grammy-nominated Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight, Scowl), Feral Sorrow is a full-circle moment nearly two decades in the making. Blacklisted was one of the first bands to ever trust a teenage Yip, recording in his parents’ basement in Philly––a collaboration that would go on to influence the sound of modern hardcore.
With Colossal Rains, that partnership returns and evolves, sharpened by growth on both the band and Yip’s side. It’s the sound of seasoned creatives building something fresh, rooted in history but entirely focused on what’s next.
Sacha Robotti today continues the journey of his forthcoming debut album I, Robotti with his latest single ‘Whistle Man’, a dynamic collaboration with dance legends Felix and Eric D. Clark, out now via Dirtybird.
With a shared transatlantic history, ‘Whistle Man’ brings together three generations of dance music lineage into a spirited club cut. Seamlessly fusing old-school influences and forward-thinking production, ‘Whistle Man’ offers a reflective look into the two decade arc of I, Robotti while paying homage to the 90s hits that were foundational in Sacha’s sonic upbringing. Bold and brash, the track fixates on whistled motifs to create dissonance between tense builds, euphoric breaks, and Eric D. Clark’s soulful topline.
The newest addition to I, Robotti expands Sacha’s exploration into dancefloor escapism and the connections that emerge when diverse rhythms, textures, and influences collide. A nod to his teenage years and early foray into electronic music, ‘Whistle Man’ stands as a key sonic milestone in the I, Robotti story and joins earlier singles ‘Manifest’ with SYREETA, ‘All Night’ with Sian and JOPLYN, ‘The Flood’ with Blakkat, and ‘Say It’ with Victoria Rawlins.
Puerto Rican star Lunay returns with his new single “Ojalá,” his first release in over a year, launching a new chapter in his career. Known for his melodic versatility and global hits, Lunay delivers a track that feels both emotionally raw and refreshingly modern, a reset pointing in a new direction.
Fresh from attending AMIRI’s show today at Paris Fashion Week, Lunay is set to debut the track live for the first time tomorrow at Willy Chavarría’s FW26 runway, joining a standout roster of performers including Feid, Latin Mafia, Mon Laferte, and Mahmood.
Lunay captures the feeling of being completely in love and the determination to hold onto it. The track pairs heartfelt letters with sleek, rhythmic production, highlighting his ability to make emotional records that still hit with replay value. Following a year of creative growth and time spent evolving his sound, the artist returns with renewed clarity, ready to reintroduce himself through a more intentional and elevated musical direction.
Butch debuts on DJ Tennis’ Life and Death label with the release of “Formula E,” a new single from the widely respected German producer and DJ, out now.
A slow-building but climactic club record, “Formula E” reflects Butch’s long-standing dancefloor sensibility. A steady, percolating bassline anchors the track, gradually building tension as a swarm of pitched-up synth tones swells. Always serving as a peak moment in Butch’s sets since this past summer, “Formula E” has been fully road-tested to shift the energy of a room.
For over two decades, Butch has been one of underground electronic music’s most trusted figures: a DJ’s DJ and a producer whose work moves effortlessly between house and techno without ever feeling stylistically fixed. His catalog spans labels including Innervisions, Rekids, Cocoon, Defected, Diynamic, and Crosstown Rebels, and his sets (whether at Circoloco, Robert Johnson, or all-night club rooms) unfold with a careful sense of timing and instinct.
With “Formula E,” Butch reinforces that lineage, offering a record that is powerful and purpose-built for the long arc of the night.
Liverpool based emerging bedroom pop artist Bunny Alex shares new single ‘Ugly Crying’, an unfiltered and stripped back single about seeing romanticised online portrayals of heartbreak, while coming to terms with its sombre reality. The song was written with the goal being, “to remind listeners to be kind to themselves today.”
‘Ugly Crying’ is available now on your streaming service of choice via APOLLO Distribution.
Paradise Circus return with ‘Nevermind’, a restless, high-impact indie-rock anthem driven by urgency, emotion and release. The Midlands five-piece waste no time entering 2026, delivering a track built on chest-thumping bass, explosive guitars and unfiltered vocals. Fast, instinctive and designed to be felt as much as heard, ‘Nevermind’ lands with the kind of physical energy that defines the band at their best.
‘Nevermind’ is available now on your streaming service of choice via APOLLO Distribution.
Rising pop powerhouse Rachel Grae returns with her deeply moving new single “Come A Day,” out January 23—a soul-baring meditation on endurance, hope, and the quiet belief that pain is never permanent. Floating between heartbreak and healing, the track captures the emotional limbo of waiting for brighter days while still standing in the shadow of the hurt.
Singer-songwriter Asa Anderson has released his latest single “Help Me Breathe,” a stand-alone release that leans into presence with unusual patience. Asa’s rise has come through quiet consistency and a devotion to craft, and this single reflects that spirit. “Help Me Breathe” doesn’t push for attention. It settles in with a softness that feels open and unforced. It feels like a moment suspended between inhale and exhale, shaped by an artist who approaches his craft with intention rather than spectacle.
From the first few bars, the song whirls you into a warm, dusky ambience. Asa’s musical phrasing reflects his years of study, and has a fluidity that allows the structure to drop away in favor of instinct. There’s a tinge of a jazzy John Mayer-esque feel in the guitar. It’s dreamy, unhurried, and lush without losing focus or momentum. It’s a piece that rewards listeners who value subtlety, the kind of mood-setter that finds a home on ‘chill vibe’ playlists.
Donna Lewis has always been a beacon of individuality, crafting her own path with grace and conviction for over 25 years. Her iconic love ballad I Love You, Always Forever continues to resonate across generations—an enduring anthem that topped both US and UK charts and still holds its place as one of the most beloved songs in history. Recently, UK sensation ROMY of The xx reignited that magic by sampling Donna’s classic hit, alongside Fred Again, bringing I Love You, Always Forever back into the global spotlight.
But Donna’s story today is more powerful than ever. Having recently emerged from a battle with breast cancer, her strength and resilience radiate through every note. Just named an “Ageless Beauty” by The Sun, she continues to inspire with her unwavering spirit. Her most recent album Rooms With a View, produced in collaboration with Holmes Ives, offers listeners an intimate and raw portrayal of the courage it takes to overcome life’s greatest challenges.For millions who have faced similar health battles, Donna’s story isn’t just a narrative—it’s a beacon of hope, a reminder that strength can be found even in our most vulnerable moments. At a time when the world needs stories of resilience and beauty more than ever, Donna Lewis shines brighter than ever before.
Following the September 2025 release of her debut EP I Kill Spiders and the subsequent single, “To Her,” Montreal singer-songwriter Libby Ember shares “Let Me Go,” a melancholic, dreamy indie-folk single that sits in the uncomfortable space between holding on and letting go. Nostalgic and emotionally raw, the track captures the quiet contradictions of a relationship that lingers long after both people know it isn’t right.
Inspired by a complicated relationship rooted in mutual fear, Libby reflects on the tension of staying when leaving feels just as painful. “I felt like someone was holding onto me because they were afraid of letting me go,” she explains. “Even still, I knew that it was wrong to keep dragging the relationship on when we knew it was wrong for the both of us. It also touches on the fact that the opposite feels wrong. Both letting go and not letting go feel wrong.”
Like a lone flower pushing its way through the ashes of a forest long since burned, Dylan De Braga’s debut single, “Hold The Door,” rises quietly from devastation into something achingly beautiful. Born from one of the most traumatic chapters of his life, the folk-inflected ballad transforms pain into clarity, standing not as a monument to suffering, but as proof that something delicate, resilient, and luminous can emerge in its wake.
Written in the aftermath of a brutal, heart-shattering breakup, De Braga found himself unable to even touch his guitar for nearly two months. Music, once his anchor, felt suddenly unreachable. When he finally found the courage to sit alone with his emotions and pick up his guitar again, the song seemed to arrive fully formed.
“‘Hold The Door’ wasn’t written, it arrived,” he says. “Within minutes, the chords and words surfaced exactly as they needed to, as if they had been waiting for me to be ready. It felt like the first breath after being underwater for too long.”
UK singer-songwriter Joe Hicks launches into 2026 with the release of his electrifying new single, ‘More to Me’, offering another glimpse of his forthcoming studio album Before It Gets Dark, due in March.
Powered by driving drums, pulsing keyboards, and soaring electric guitar riffs, this indie-rock anthem fuses the punch of power pop with the nuance of art pop. Written in the immediate aftermath of a breakup, ‘More to Me’ became the album’s starting point, capturing the raw disorientation of heartbreak and setting the tone for the record’s emotional trope.
“After a breakup you’re often unaware of how the other person is dealing with it. Silence leaves you guessing and feeling like you’re the only one suffering while they’re fine. This song is about breaking free from the invisible hold they still have, the echoes of a life that no longer exists.”
The track grew heavier and more intense as Joe developed it alongside co-writers Tom Millar and Sam Winfield and came alive in an unexpected way through a scenic February car journey.
“For the first time ever, a melody and lyrics came to me without a guitar in my hand – totally the opposite to how I normally work, so I had to write music to a vocal, rather than the other way around. Lyrically the theme survived and grew from that winter drive.”
The new album Before It Gets Dark (out 27th March) is a cathartic set of songs written and created as a means to an end for Joe as he came to terms with an immense grief. For anyone who’s had to deal with heavy loss in their lives, the new album offers a helping hand and hopefully some comfort in its music.
Joe: “The album is about feeling beaten down by modern society, uncertainty, and by the things life can throw at you. It deals with the death of my dad, a breakup, and the darker songs are from the somewhat nihilistic ‘life is meaningless’-perspective of the world that I slipped into following those events. This record is about coming through that and looking forward; wanting to see the world before it gets dark.”
MERGUI
“3 Tears”
• Mergui releases his latest single, “3 Tears,” a pop anthem he co-wrote with GRAMMY Award-winning Amy Allen (Sabrina Carpenter, Harry Styles, Justin Timberlake) and Andrew Wells (Halsey, Phoebe Bridgers, Teddy Swims). The track is accompanied by an official music video directed by Lukas Colombo.
• “‘3 Tears’ looks at a relationship where emotional vulnerability and insecurity are used to hold things together out of fear of being alone rather than real love. It captures the moment of clarity when that dynamic isn’t enough anymore, and putting yourself first means moving on.” – Mergui
• Blending emotional pop sensibilities with modern soul influences, the single builds from hard-hitting verses into a soaring chorus before reaching a symphonic finish.
ABBIE CALLAHAN, BRENDAN WALTER
“2:38”
• Building on the viral success of “Simon Says,” Abbie Callahan teams up with Brendan Walter on “2:38,” her first-ever collaboration and an intimate, sharply observant duet that captures the half-awake spiral of missing someone, trading confessional lines over stripped-back Americana-pop.
• “I had written down ‘2:38’ in my song ideas for reasons I can’t fully explain, but it clearly stuck with me… When I brought the concept to the writing room with Ryan Hurd and Michael Lotten, it immediately sparked their interest. We ended up writing it as a duet, and from the beginning, I knew exactly who would be the perfect collaborator.” – Abbie Callahan
• Catch Abbie live on select dates of Carter Faith’s The Cherry Valley Tour this February and March.
HUDSON WESTBROOK
Exclusive
• For his first release of the year, Hudson Westbrook gifts fans with his Exclusive EP, featuring 3 highly anticipated tracks and previously released standout singles “If He Wanted To” and “Pretty Privilege.”
• The EP has garnered nearly 60k pre-saves on Spotify, outpacing the 55k Countdown Page pre-saves that his debut album, Texas Forever, received just a few months ago.
• Hudson capped out 2025 with a sold out New Year’s Eve celebration at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK. He’ll be kicking off 2026 with various headline tour dates, shows supporting Bailey Zimmerman, and as direct support to Morgan Wallen’s arena tour throughout the summer.
BROOKE LEE
“Burn to Black”
• “Burn to Black” looks back on a reckless first love that burned hot and fast, capturing youthful freedom, bad decisions, and a connection so intense it makes loving that way again feel impossible – brought to life by Brooke Lee alongside co-writers Jon Nite (Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett) and Danielle Blakey (Matt Stell), with production also by Blakey.
• “’Burn to Black’ is the ache of your first love, the unforgettable memories, and the heartbreak that lingers long after. It’s a reflection on that intense time and the way those moments stay with you.” – Brooke Lee
• Raised in Charlotte, NC, Brooke began performing at 15 before moving to Nashville at 21, where she honed her craft. Her gritty, naturally raspy voice and unpolished honesty give her songs lasting weight and emotional pull.
RACHEL LORIN
“Jared Leto”
• After the recent release of her second album, RE1MAG1NED, Rachel Lorin releases dark-pop single, “Jared Leto,” which pushes boundaries and captures a toxic situationship that is seemingly impossible to escape. Produced and co-written with Rob Endling (ONE OK ROCK, Ekoh), the track is released alongside an official visualizer filmed by Meghan Bowling.
• “‘Jared Leto’ is a sexy, naughty, playful (and slightly toxic) song about the kind of fun that’s a little dangerous. It’s about falling for the fantasy, not the man. It blends chaos with swagger and a rockstar crush I’ve had for over 10 years… not to mention, Jared has been one of my biggest musical influences since I started making music.” – Rachel Lorin
soulful/R&B singer-songwriter Becca Hannah shares her soft, silky debut album Tonight In My Dreams out now. Alongside the album, Hannah shares “Miriam,” a touching, personal ode to her impactful childhood therapist. Tracked with a live band, the record ponders connection, love and loss through glossy vocals, heartfelt lyricism and swirling, enchanting instrumentation.
Born from real life experiences, the smooth ten track project touches on lust, love, growth, fear, loss, and longing with soulful vocals and layers of jazz and R&B as Hannah pulls from female powerhouses like Amy Winehouse, Corrine Bailey Rae and Erykah Badu. Hannah hopes the music connects to listeners in whichever ways they find meaningful. Creating her own sense of community through music, Hannah says, “We all love, we all suffer, and how beautiful is it that we can relate to each other through songs that highlight all of the above? It brings a sense of community and acknowledgement of our humanness. It makes the ebbs of life more manageable, and the flows all the more blissful.”
- Email: neill@outloudculture.com
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