featuring @silvversurfer7 @mlebear @casiistephan @juliagartha @andytongren @a.m.x.x.r @the_hails @jazzy
Surf7 has made major waves with his lightning-fast flows and endless stream of quotable bars. Ready to take the next step after a red hot summer marked by viral hits and impactful co-signs, Surf shares WHOVILLE, his debut full-length mixtape. Spanning 16 tracks, the new project finds Surf in rare form, each cascading verse stacking punchlines until they reach a crescendo of assonant flexes. The Philadelphia native is quickly building a reputation as the best young rapper in his city, with his ability to float over soul-samplers and high-octane trap beats alike.
Along with WHOVILLE, Surf shares the music video for “WTF,” a furious collaboration between Surf7 and fellow Philly native Skrilla. The song presents a seasick instrumental from DxnteMadeIt, the two emcees slicing through the murky synths as they try to one-up each other with outrageous punchlines (“Get in that mode when I get to stuntin’/Takin’ your ho, call me McLovin,” Surf spits). In the video, Surf and Skrilla spend some time among their fellow Philly natives, performing the song with a cadre of colorful characters.
The new tape is home to major highlights like “GOOSE COAT,“ which was one of the top viral rap hits of the summer, inspiring a viral push-up trend that generated more than 1 million TikTok creations and over 6 million streams on Spotify alone. “GOOSE COAT” got another boost earlier this summer, when Philly’s own Meek Mill gave his stamp of approval and hopped on the remix (over 2 million total plays and 1.3 million YouTube views to date. Both versions of “GOOSE COAT” appear on the tape, alongside additional singles like “7AM in NY,” “FRM DA JETZ, the soulful “GET IN MODE,” and “SURGERY,” produced by Platinum producer Buddah Bless This Beat.
WHOVILLE makes room for plenty of new highlights, including “JUST THIS ONCE,” a collaboration with South Florida hot shot Loe Shimmy. Produced by Diego, opening track “DOC MCSTUFFIN” sets the tone, laying out mournful vocal samples that inspire Surf to get introspective (“You only get one chance at this life sh*t, my n****, you can’t exchange it for nothin’”), but not too serious (“I’m sh*ttin on n****s without even flushin’”). “YODA” connects Surf with Michigan sound architect Wayne616, whose propulsive 808s and snaky guitar melodies inspire some of his fieriest flexes to date (“All these blues bustin’ out my pocket, n**** long live Nip”). The jazz-inflected “HUM BUG” unites Surf7 with Philly cult hero Kur, whose co-sign further roots Surf as a fan favorite in the City of Brotherly Love.
Toronto yacht-rock influenced quartet The Boathouse share “Like a Lover,” a bombastic new single that pairs the larger-than-life sound of ‘80s AOR and synth-rock with an unexpectedly sincere declaration of romantic commitment. Built around towering guitars, gleaming synthesizers, huge drums and a detour into Prince-inspired funk, the track emerged from a period of housing uncertainty that put a relationship under pressure and ultimately reinforced the feeling that some challenges are easier to face when someone has your back.
The song was written soon after bassist and vocalist Tristan Armstrong and his partner moved into an apartment in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood. After navigating the city’s fiercely competitive rental market, they had finally found a place they were excited to call home. Just months later, however, their landlord informed them that the property needed to be sold following poor business decisions, abruptly throwing their future into uncertainty.
“This thrust us into a period of disappointment, uncertainty and anxiety,” Tristan explains. “These times can greatly test a relationship, and have a tendency to either strengthen or splinter.”
On Wednesday, Australian metalcore heavyweights Northlane released the visceral new single “Deathwish” off of their 7th studio album, Anemoia, out everywhere November 27th and produced by Jordan Fish.
The fourth offering from the album, “Deathwish” picks up where previous single “Crucified” left off, painting a stark portrait of selfishness and the destructive consequences of unchecked self-importance. Driven by layers of synths, soaring clean vocals in the chorus, and a massively crushing breakdown, the track turns the lens inward, questioning whether these tendencies have become an inescapable part of who we are.
GRAMMY® and Emmy® Award–winning artist Emily Bear has released her new single “God Forbid a Girl Gets Used To This,” available now via Sony Music Masterworks. Listen HERE. The single marks Emily’s first release as a solo artist in eight years and her first since signing with the label this summer, ushering in an exciting new chapter for the acclaimed composer, producer, pianist and singer-songwriter.
Produced by Emily Bear and Julian Dobson (Mark Ronson, RAYE), “God Forbid a Girl Gets Used To This” pairs an upbeat, infectious sound with a more vulnerable story. Built around the recurring refrain, “I got trouble with happiness,” the song explores the complicated emotions that come with finally finding something good, and the fear of losing it.
Speaking of the song, Bear said, “We hear all these stories about how love makes you fearless, love conquers all, and repeat stories of people doing these wildly heroic things in the name of it. But no one really talks about what happens when you finally experience that fated feeling. Suddenly, there’s something you’re terrified to lose. And instead of becoming fearless, there’s a large part of you that becomes the most cowardly version of yourself, bracing for it to disappear simply because you don’t believe you deserve something this beautiful. This song lives somewhere in that fear, and in the vulnerability of letting yourself start to believe that maybe a good thing can just be a good thing. I’m equal parts thrilled and terrified to start putting these songs out into the world, play them live, and let them belong to people other than me. So, very appropriately and painfully on the nose, God Forbid A Girl Gets Used To This.”
Casii Stephan is hard to pin down—to genre, that is. To Casii, genre has always felt more like a tool to tell a story or evoke an emotion than a category to fit into. Anytime someone has said she’s found her “niche,” no one has ever told her the same thing twice.
Born and raised in funky Minnesota and cultivated in rootsy Tulsa, Casii is carving her own space in music—just don’t ask her to label it. Best described as somewhere between pop, soul, and rock, she has also been embraced by the folk community for her love of storytelling. Casii writes her songs honestly, from the depths of her emotions, with themes including life and death, love and loss, protest, and pushing back on negative societal norms like sexism, ageism, and fascism.
In 2026 she has received recognition for her songwriting from the International Acoustic Music Awards winning Best AAA/Alternative Song for “California Gold”, finalist for Best Rock Song with the International Songwriting Competition, the coveted “New Folk Finalist” from Kerrville Folk Fest with two unreleased songs off her upcoming debut album, and most recently a finalist for Best Rock Song at the Unsigned Only Music Awards. She has toured regionally and internationally, including London’s inaugural SXSW, and has performed multiple official SXSW and Folk Alliance showcases, and just performed her first official showcase at AMERICANAFEST in Sept. She has been profiled by Billboard, NPR, SPIN, and American Songwriter. Her catalog is with TRO Essex Music Publishing, home to writers like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and bands like The Who and Black Sabbath. Her EP Relationship Status, produced by Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes, St Paul and the Broken Bones), was released in September 2024 on Shamus Records to rave reviews.
In early 2027, Casii will release her debut album, “Let Her Have Her Flowers”, blending hooks, powerful vocals, bass grooves, and emotional depth into a project exploring loss and love. Working with Chad Copelin (Ben Rector, Colony House), she continues to embrace her range without genre limits: “If this album doesn’t demonstrate my range as a songwriter and artist, I don’t know what will.”
Her latest single “HAPPY” features a catchy hook that asks what it actually means to be happy. Carried by Casii’s warm, soulful voice and a retro, sunlit production from Chad Copelin (SPORTS, BRONCHO, Ben Rector), the song sounds brighter than it reads. The doo do doo’s and na na na’s that once filled pop songs about a happy world return here with a cheeky edge, sung at a moment when happiness can feel like a daily battle and everything feels political. The result is a song that dances while it wonders.
Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer Julia Gartha releases her new six-track EP, California’s Killing Me. Blending pop, indie, folk, and singer-songwriter influences, California’s Killing Me pairs Gartha’s honest, conversational songwriting with the emotionally direct, modern production of Caleb Dee, who produced and co-wrote the EP.
Written during a stagnant chapter of her life in Los Angeles, the project captures the complicated reality of building a life somewhere you’ve simultaneously loved, resented, and struggled to imagine leaving. Exploring homesickness, nostalgia for the familiar, and the urge to start over, the EP reflects the challenges of chasing a dream while questioning whether you’re in the right place. On “Not In The Room,” the EP’s focus track, Gartha explores similar uncertainty in a long-distance relationship, questioning whether someone who gives the bare minimum even misses her when she’s gone. On “Itching for Change,” she looks inward, reckoning with her desire to move forward in both her personal life and career, even when the path ahead is uncertain.
Throughout the EP, Gartha considers how distance can change the way we see the people and places we love. “‘California’s Killing Me’ is ultimately about being caught between the life you have, the life you miss, and the life you’re still trying to build,” she says.
By his own admission, Andy Tongren has always been an optimist. The singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has built a career around finding the good in the everyday, turning personal experiences into songs that feel equal parts honest, infectious, and full of possibility. Best known as the lead singer of Young Rising Sons, Tongren first broke through with the band’s debut single “High,” which propelled the group into the spotlight and led to a record deal with Interscope Records. Over the years, Young Rising Sons have toured alongside artists including The 1975, Weezer, Bleachers, and Halsey, while building a catalog that has connected with listeners around the world through hundreds of millions of streams and placements across film, television, sports, and advertising. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, Tongren continues to carve out his own path as a solo artist, bringing the same instinct for big melodies and emotional connection to a new chapter of his career. His latest single, “lucky me lucky you,” arrives after nearly a year of teasing the song to fans online. What began as a song shared in fragments has grown into a long-awaited release, fueled by a growing audience of listeners who have connected with it before its official arrival.
For Tongren, finally putting the song into the world marks another step in an evolving solo journey – one built on trusting the songs, connecting directly with listeners, and embracing the moments that make the wait worthwhile. Whether writing for himself or with Young Rising Sons, Tongren remains drawn to the same thing: the feeling of creating something that brings people together. With “Lucky Me Lucky You” he invites listeners into the next chapter.
Tongren shares, ” ‘lucky me lucky you” ‘is about that feeling when you meet someone and, for whatever reason, it feels like you’ve known them your whole life. I love the idea that something as ordinary as a stop for gas can turn into a moment that changes everything. The song has this nostalgic, almost movie-like quality to it, but at its heart, it’s really just about how lucky you feel when you find your person. I’ve been teasing it for almost a year now, so finally getting to share the whole thing with everyone feels pretty surreal.”
South African songwriter, artist and producer Manu Grace brings together poetry and musicality through her signature catchy melodies, gentle groove and self-aware sense of humour. Born and raised in Cape Town’s Southern Peninsula and now based in London, Grace has carried her music across continents, developing as both a writer and producer along the way. Her songs are personal and observant, often delving into the messier parts of being human.
Her new EP, Oh Man, I’ve Done It Again? chronicles what she describes as her “own misadventures, and the cycle of accidentally falling into relationships; of feeling too much, for the sake of feeling, and getting a fright when it calls for commitment.” Across the EP, she explores grief, unrequited love, fickleness and infatuation. It also marks a shift in Grace’s creative process. Rather than simply releasing songs as she wrote them, she found herself choosing from a much larger bank of material and taking greater control over what the project would eventually become. “This project taught me agency, and gave me the confidence to take things into my own hands and make difficult production choices. It was a process of learning to trust my ears and defend my ideas.” Recorded, re-recorded and revisited over several years and across different countries, the songs initially took shape remotely with Robin Brink and Ross Dorkin, with Ableton projects passed between Cape Town, Berlin and London.
Originally from Oxfordshire, Phoebe Rea is a singer-songwriter, pianist and keys player whose music brings together nu-jazz, alternative and art-pop with a strong focus on live musicianship and emotional honesty. Classically trained in piano and violin, she studied at the BRIT School and Goldsmiths, University of London, where she became immersed in London’s jazz scene and found the collaborative community that continues to shape her music. Her songwriting explores identity, self-worth, relationships and growth, often using music as a way to uncover what she really thinks and feels.
Her new single, “Meet Me There”, begins a new chapter following her debut EP Anybody Else?, which explored perfectionism, toxic cycles, co-dependence and self-sabotage. For her upcoming music, Phoebe knew she wanted to move beyond some of the darker themes of her earlier twenties and start “leaning into the light”. This led to using the idea of phototropism, (the way plants react to and grow towards light), as a theme for the new project, embracing warmth and growth after “digging her roots into the ground” with the previous EP.
Pete Rock Introduces the Inaugural Artist on Tru Soul Records, AMXXR, with the Debut Single “What You Gonna Do” From His Upcoming Album DopeBoySoul.
Arriving Friday 23rd October, the Pete Rock–produced single is the debut of the first artist signed to Tru Soul Records.
Pete Rock has helped shape the sound of hip-hop. Now, the legendary producer presents AMXXR with “What You Gonna Do,” the first single from AMXXR’s forthcoming album, “DopeBoySoul”. The project pairs Pete Rock’s signature soul with a voice grounded in survival, faith and reinvention.
“‘What You Gonna Do’ is about seeing the blessing in the pressure, trusting God’s timing and becoming better than your last version,” AMXXR explains. “Peace Beloved!”
Having previously toured with Pete Rock and Slum Village, AMXXR will join them again November 5 at Brooklyn Bowl in Philadelphia, bringing that magic to the stage ahead of DopeBoySoul on 4th December 2026.
What You Gonna Do is out now – https://ffm.to/what-
Produced by Pete Rock | Tru Soul Records
London-born and French-raised, FLEUR ROUGE is an alt-pop artist bringing together gritty guitars, punchy production and razor-sharp lyricism. Drawing inspiration from artists including UPSAHL, BANKS, Bea Miller and Ashnikko, she pairs infectious pop hooks with witty, conversational songwriting that pulls from the messy realities of modern life. Now based back in London, her music is bold, self-aware and unafraid to find humour in heartbreak, relationships and the awkward moments that come with navigating your twenties.
FLEUR ROUGE returns with her new single “Pretty Privilege,” exploring the double standards women face as they age. The song takes a satirical look at the absurdity of a society obsessed with looking young, where aging is increasingly treated like a disease that needs to be fixed rather than a natural part of life. In a world of filters, fillers and impossible beauty standards, “Pretty Privilege” pokes fun at the pressure on women to stay desirable, relevant and wrinkle-free for life. As Fleur explains, “We’re expected to stay forever 21, while men supposedly ‘age like fine wine’ and women ‘like milk’.”
The Hails have released their sophomore album, Duckpond, via ONErpm. Produced by Brandon Shoop (Role Model, Dijon, Junior Varsity), this new chapter from the band is marked by physically being in the room together. Easier said than done with the band members spread out across Miami, DC and Brooklyn. The Hails rented a house in South Florida last summer to build a space with the sole intention of writing and recording a cohesive body of work — Stream.
Trying to make a living from art under late-stage capitalism can feel disillusioning at best, and farcical at worst. In the music videos for their new record, The Hails play a gang of 1930s bowling alley pinsetters, a job so long lost to automation that it feels like an obscure relic of another era — not far from what being a band in 2026 can feel like. That sense of obsolescence, and the more generalized malaise brought on by cost-of-living crises, miserable jobs and mind-numbing social media discourse, drove the writing of Duckpond. It’s an album about not being satisfied — whether personally, professionally, or societally — with scraps.
“It may seem like this album wants to shake its fist at the world,” says guitarist Dylan McCue. “But really, it wants to find beauty and levity in unlikely places and remind itself of the power of human connection in an increasingly large and distant world.”
Brooklyn-based songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ Blue Mena (they/them) announces their sophomore album, Pure Luck, out January 22 via Roc Nation Distribution, and shares the double single “Jamie” and “Troublemakers.” Following recent single “Black bear”, the songs introduce an album where hazy dream pop and warped electronic production frame stories of queer romance, self-reckoning and the chance encounters that bring people together.
“Jamie” opens a two-part love story inspired by James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room. Pulsing drums and hallucinogenic vocals carry Mena’s dreamy dance pop as they inhabit David, the novel’s conflicted protagonist, singing, “You can’t stop the wind of your life.”
“Jamie is my version of David, or at least the parts of David that I relate to, a person that is running away from his problems and swept up in the wind of his own life,” Mena shares. “This one goes full dreamy dance pop and feels like a nice compliment to my song ‘Jewels’ that I released a few years back.”
Self-directed and shot by Mena, the accompanying “Jamie” video brings the song to life through a hazy, dreamy collage of New York City life. Juxtaposed scenes of sun-drenched walks, friends singing, and vibrant nightlife unfold with playful, restless energy and an undercurrent of wistful intimacy.
Meanwhile, “Troublemakers” turns toward New York nightlife and the queer outcasts who find freedom in warehouses and club bathrooms. The song explores the darker side of those spaces and the refuge they offer, with the understanding that “nothing is a promise.”
“This is my favorite songwriting on the album,” Mena says. “It’s about a lot of things… being trans in new york, trying to exist in nightlife, drugs, sex. Queer kids up to no good because they have nowhere else to be.”
Chicago-based post-hardcore noise rock band Interlay share their heavy, explosive third EP snow covers your insides, out now via Pleasure Tapes–a collection fueled by courage, feminine rage and raw power. The project, which takes its name from Sylvia Plath poetry, sees the group embrace contradiction: melodic without sacrificing intensity, abrasive without losing intimacy, and firmly rooted in the DIY ethos that has guided the band from its start.
Alongside the release is “fIREHOSE,” a title taken from the 80s band of the same name, whom the band credits as an influence. Bandleader Alexandria Ortgiesen (vocals/lyrics/guitar) shares on the personal, heavy track, “The song explores SA and feminine rage, inspired by Black Sabbath’s ‘Master of Reality’ guitar tones, wanted something heavy and driving. It also pulls from ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.”
On the new project, Ortgiesen is accompanied by a new, fully Chicago-based band featuring Nate Dixon (bass) and Brent Favata (drums). Next month, on November 14, the band will perform at Chicago’s Bricktown Records in support of the Chicago Abortion Fund with Directrix, Lyndsey Jane and The Familiars presented by Golden Output.
Powerhouse pop vocalist Vella has released her latest single, “Don’t Mistake This For Love,” a song about suppressing your true sentiments in the pursuit of protecting your heart. Written by 16x Grammy nominee and winner Diane Warren, “Don’t Mistake This For Love” masterfully conveys the battle between body and mind when trying to deny your love for someone. “Don’t Mistake This For Love” is now available to stream on all major streaming platforms.
Through Vella’s signature blend of classic soul and pop, she expresses the familiar fear of surrendering your heart and falling in deep. Guided by Diane Warren’s witty lyricism and Vella’s guttural performance, the track demonstrates the mental contradictions present when attempting to stifle physical and emotional passion. Through lyrics like “Just ‘cuz I call you constantly, that don’t mean I need you,” and “don’t think my pounding heart means anything at all,” Vella illuminates the tension between powerful physical manifestations of love and stubborn mental barriers. “‘Don’t Mistake This For Love’ is about trying to push away your feelings for someone even though you love them,” Vella explains. “It talks about the denials you have, but also the passion you truly feel.” Produced by Grammy-nominees Will Simms (The Pussycat Dolls, The Black Eyed Peas) and Carl Ryden (Kylie Minogue, Ricky Martin, David Guetta), the track’s dynamic melody and impactful beats support Warren’s emotionally rich lyricism. The single was mixed by Grammy winner Rob Kinelski (Billie Eilish, Karol G) and mastered by Chris Gehringer (Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Halsey) at Sterling Sound. “Love this song and love how Vella brings it to life!” Warren says.
internationally renowned DJ and producer, Ian Asher, releases his official remix of Nelly Furtado’s “All Good Things (Come To An End)”. The remix sees Ian bring his signature dance-driven production style to Nelly Furtado’s iconic hit, reimagining the beloved club track with a fresh, high-energy electronic sound. Listen to the track HERE.
Ian says of the release, “Getting to remix ‘All Good Things Come to an End’ is a dream come true. Nelly Furtado is one of my favorite vocalists of all time, so knowing she loves what I did with such a classic record is an incredible honor.”
“All Good Things (Come to an End)” arrives amid a milestone year for Ian. Named as one of Sirius XM’s 5 Artists to Watch in 2026, he has amassed more than 1 billion cumulative streams and reaches 51 million listeners on Spotify. His momentum extends to the live stage: Ian’s upcoming New Year’s Eve show at New York’s Terminal 5 sold out during presale in under an hour, following the success of his recent sold out show at The Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
With his latest remix, Ian continues to carve out a distinctive lane in electronic music, bringing his innovative sonic approach to a classic song for a new generation of listeners. Known for transforming familiar records into viral hits, Ian has built a global audience through standout releases including “Desire” and “Way Too Self Aware,” as well as his breakout remix of Jain’s “Makeba,” which generated more than 3 billion plays across TikTok and Instagram, surpassed 80 million Spotify streams and earned Remix of the Year at the Electronic Dance Music Awards.
New York City-based indie rock/pop musician and actor Rivkah Reyes yearns and relishes in the push and pull of desire and attachment on power-pop “Ugly Cry” out now. The artist’s bubbly, grungy, unapologetically queer debut EP Fan Favorite is out November 6 and available for pre-save now.
On release day, Reyes will celebrate with an EP release show at Brooklyn’s Sultan Room. Next, she’ll perform in Los Angeles at Peppermint Club on November 12 and home in Chicago on November 24 at Empty Bottle. See dates and tickets here.
On the catchy power-pop track, Reyes says, “Ugly Cry” is for the girls who go absolutely insane when their girlfriend starts pulling away. I have a disorganized attachment style, so unfortunately I know this dance very well. She pulls away, I chase her. She wants me back, I get bored. I think I might actually enjoy the yearning more than the relationship itself, which is a pretty humiliating thing to admit publicly.”
indie pop eccentric and British flâneur Daniel Pickard shares his debut album Behaviour, released independently via AWAL. After singles “Heartbeats the Flaw” and “Nominee” whetted listeners’ appetites for the wit and style of the record, the full account — all its caricatures, truth-bendings, and truth-tellings — is out now.
Breakout electronic dance sensation Jazzy – Spotify’s most streamed female DJ/vocalist globally and the most streamed female electronic act on SoundCloud – has officially released her debut album, Peace & Patience, out now via Chaos Records. LISTEN HERE
Alongside the album drop, Jazzy spotlights the project’s focus track and title track, “Peace & Patience”, accompanied by an official music video. WATCH HERE
Across the 13-track record, Peace & Patience weaves together euphoric house, sleek late-night pop, and deeply personal storytelling. The album follows a rapid string of successful releases, including “Get This Started,” “My People,” “Invisible,” and “Rocket Science,” further establishing Jazzy as one of dance music’s most dominant vocalists and DJs.
“I honestly can’t believe this moment is finally here. Peace & Patience has been my whole world for so long – every late night in the studio, every crazy festival crowd, and every emotional moment I’ve been through over the past couple of years is poured straight into this record.To have my debut album out in the world feels so surreal. I am so deeply grateful to everyone who helped me bring this vision to life and to every single person who has supported me on this journey.” – Jazzy
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