featuring @waltdisco @jhartmusic @taylorbleu_ @rodwave @nataliejane @cikho._ @jael.wena @muireann_bradley @toughcookie @galyosef
walt disco have today announced details of their much-anticipated, self-titled third album, walt disco. Released on October 2nd, the record launches alongside brand new single and video ‘Lies’, having been teased recently by another thrilling highlight, ‘Coup de foudre’ – which was recently playlisted on 6Music, following the band’s intimate UK headline tour.
No mere rebirth, walt disco is something harder won: theirs is a continuation, which turns doubt, evolving personal identities and the turmoil of your twenties into art worth living. With a palette ranging from Smashing Pumpkins and Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Cocteau Twins, the album sees walt disco turn years’ worth of graft to their artistic advantage; songs grapple with the disorientation of growing up (amidst gender dysphoria, changing relationships, a volatile industry) but eventually land in a place of gratitude and acceptance. walt disco is the kind of fearlessly ambitious, alt-rock opus that could come from no other group. The irony of ending up with a self-titled album – a band name they almost walked away from entirely – is lost on none of them.
News of the record is partnered today with walt disco’s new single, ‘Lies’. Amidst its sparkling guitars and soaring chorus, ‘Lies’ is a deceptively bittersweet portrayal of doubt, questioning whether our illusion of everyday stability is in fact preferable than the reality. As true to Jocelyn’s struggles with self-worth as a trans person as it is of creatives putting on a brave face (“I’ll fake it ‘til I break it”), the single is accompanied by a video influenced by found-footage horror and was filmed in Glasgow’s seminal DIY night club and Arts space, EXIT. Amidst the ‘Lies’ we tell ourselves, walt disco’s rawly honest songwriting and sonic sophistication has ultimately resulted in the young band’s most empowering work to date.
Following the recent release of his emotionally resonant single ‘Memories,’ today, GRAMMY-winning, multi platinum-selling singer-songwriter and seven-time Billboard No. 1 hitmaker JHart returns with his most personal work to date, ‘Bby Blue.’ The track serves as both a love letter and a thank you note to the younger version of himself. Inspired by the piercing blue eyes he had as a child, the song reflects on the journey of growing up, losing parts of yourself through fear, shame, and societal expectations, and ultimately finding your way back.
“I wrote ‘Bby Blue’ as a love song to my younger self and a reminder that the purest version of who I am never left,” says JHart. “Everything I’ve become, I owe to that flamboyant, free-spirited kid.”
rising pop force Kylie Cantrall shares her brand new EP Valley Girl Problems, out via Island EMI Label Group andproduced by Tricky Stewart (Rihanna, Tyla)and written alongside Tayla Parx. Listen HERE. Valley Girl Problems marks a new chapter for Kylie Cantrall, continuing her evolution as both an artist and cultural voice for a new generation.
“I’ve always heard people say, ‘Write what you know,’ and that’s exactly what I did with this EP. ‘Valley Girl Problems’ truly captures everything I’ve experienced over the last year and how I’ve embraced this new chapter of my life – from the excitement of late nights out in the Valley with my friends to the devastating heartbreak that came with losing some of the people closest to me.
I wanted this project to feel like an emotional journey from start to finish, where the listener is riding shotgun with me in my Mini Cooper”
-Kylie Cantrall
Taylor Bleu has today shared a beautiful new single and video, ‘This Staircase’, which is out now via Polydor Label Group. The South London artist has also announced details of his debut EP, Crayon Scars, set for release on September 25th. The project was introduced this spring with the stunning ‘Mad House’, ‘City of Angels’, and was also previewed as part of Taylor Bleu’s first ever, sold out live show at London’s Lower Third.
Raw, soulful and emotional, ‘This Staircase’ is in many ways a timeless love song – just not as you know it. Diaristic in detail but deeply universal, the track is in fact devoted to the staircase where Taylor Bleu would spend much of his childhood. Whether trying out songs, self-soothing or finding a moment of peace, it’s since become a portal of connection for many who’ve first discovered Taylor via social media, ritually singing on his stairs. Yet for Taylor Bleu himself,‘This Staircase’ “represents the purest form of love. It’s where I found stability, safety, and could be without judgement.”
Taylor Bleu’s debut EP, Crayon Scars, is an astonishing introduction. Vividly sketching out the past whilst drawing a positive line to move forwards from, his evocative songwriting and vocal power carries an elegance and empathy that ultimately uplifts. “This EP is about survival,” Taylor Bleu writes. “Crayon Scars isn’t just a body of work, for me it’s documented proof of the neglect and abuse I’ve been through which nobody can sugar-coat. I still find these songs hard to listen to, but the EP is hopeful and honest. Crayon Scars is a peep-hole into a corner of my life, but it’s also the start of my rebirth.”
Medium Build – a.k.a. acclaimed singer-songwriter Nick Carpenter – shares a further taste of new music with ‘Home Depot’. Drawing from ‘90s pop-country, the track tells the story of a man named Steve, who is incapable of being emotional without his tools. It’s the latest preview of his forthcoming album, King of Having Fun, out September 4 on slowplay/Island Records. Pre-order/pre-save the album HERE.
“Home Depot is about the man in your life more focused on the external than internal. The lawn is manicured and the mustache is trimmed. He appears as stepdads or uncles. Some of us know him as father or husband. He works hard and plays hard, although work is often also his play,” says Carpenter of the track. “When I set out to write this song I wanted to commiserate with the women stuck in the orbits of these men. I was curious how we stay stuck to these guys. As I dug in, what I found was a humanization of the Steve’s in my life and a realization that even on my best day, I am really just like him.” ‘Home Depot’ follows previously released single, ‘Armor’. Listen HERE.
King of Having Fun is Carpenter’s first full length album since 2024’s much-lauded Country, which saw extensive critical acclaim from Paper, Billboard, NME and many others, while Rolling Stone highlighted Carpenter in their “Future 25” feature. The album was recorded live in-studio with his closest friends and collaborators, including musical director Paul Rogers, engineer Jimmy Manfield, “atmospheric moodmaker” Laiko a.k.a Jake LiBassi and more, often approaching each song from a perspective of playing live in bigger rooms and focusing on “rock and roll moments.” Carpenter explores multiple genres with country, rock, indie and more across the LP’s 14 tracks.
Medium Build is on the road supporting Mumford & Sons this August ahead of an autumn headline tour. See below for a list of dates. On September 5, he’ll make his official debut at Nashville’s legendary Grand Ol Opry as part of the “Opry 100” celebration.
Born and raised in Georgia, Carpenter now splits his time between hometowns in Nashville, Tennessee and Anchorage, Alaska. Creating Medium Build in 2015, Carpenter has gone on to release five studio albums to date. He has become a favorite across the creative community, with artists including John Mayer, Zach Bryan, Elton John, boygenius and more counting themselves amongst his fans. He has toured with the likes of Role Model, Tyler Childers, FINNEAS, Holly Humberstone and Briston Maroney, and found himself in a highly coveted slot on Zane Lowe’s Artists to Watch list.
All gas and no brakes this summer, trend-setting and chart-topping multiplatinum artist, rapper, singer, storyteller, visionary, and entrepreneur Rod Wave keeps up his incredible momentum with the release of a new single and music video entitled “Hustle” out now via Alamo Records. Listen HERE and watch the music video HERE. It just ups the anticipation for his anxiously awaited seventh full-length album, Don’t Look Down, out August 28. Pre-order/Pre-save HERE.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Rod fully embodies the track’s title! Electric guitar enlivens the production with depth and dynamics, while steady hi-hats keep the tight beat in check. Against this backdrop, he breaks down his mindset with the elite narrative lyricism fans have not only treasured, but come to expect over the years. Everything builds towards a climactic chorus where he chants, “I’m a hustler baby. Look what grinding did for me.” Rather than sit back and reap the benefits of that grind, “Hustle” shows that he’s as hungry as ever.
The accompanying visual unfolds like a movie, bringing viewers into the world of Rod Wave matching the song’s spirit of showcasing just how far hustling and grinding has gotten him and full immersion into his vision. On “Hustle” Rod exemplifies what it means to stay true and focused on whatever goal you’re looking to accomplish.
In June, Rod started to tease the arrival of Don’t Look Down, spiking anticipation from fans as well as tastemakers like Billboard, Consequence Of Sound, and Hits Daily Double who reminded, “Rod’s been on a winning streak for years.”
rising pop sensation Natalie Jane released her new single and music video for “Dance Til I Die,” out now via Island EMI Label Group. The track follows “Meet Again,” her collaboration with Kaskade and Layton Giordani that served as the official anthem of EDC Las Vegas 2026, and continues her evolution into high-energy dance-pop following her debut album, the world i didn’t want, and its accompanying world tour across North America, Europe, and the UK.
On “Dance Til I Die,” Natalie Jane fully embraces her dance-pop era, pairing her powerhouse vocals with euphoric house production to create an emotionally charged club anthem about finding freedom on the dance floor. Building on the momentum of the world i didn’t want and its international tour, the single marks the beginning of a bold new chapter one that celebrates freedom, movement, and, for the first time, showcases dancing as an extension of her artistry.
“I’ve wanted to make dance music for a while. What better way to start than with “dance til I die” ?? it’s perfect. It also feels amazing because I started learning to dance recently and it’s been so fun to do something new that I can incorporate into the music.”
– Natalie Jane
Exciting and brand new artist Cikho has released a new single today called ‘Crush On You’ via 0207 Def Jam. You can listen to the track here and watch the video here.
Cikho is a painter of sounds. When you listen to the south-east London artist, his music is drenched in a bright palette of colours, all plush, airy brushes of guitar, funky flecks of bass and fluid, melodious lines of vocals, soulfully singing about crushes, mistakes and overwhelm. With songs that place him somewhere in the school of boundless creatives like Steve Lacy, Pharrell and Thundercat.
Working with producer Luis Knowles, Cikho’s forthcoming single ‘Crush On You’ has the same vivid, carefree sonic world as before with ‘Fell Again’, but somehow more richly-blended and fully realised than ever. With the guitar front and centre playing solid melodies interwoven with deftly executed vocal harmonies, delivering starkly direct lyrics, this is a song from an artist levelling up in real time.
Cikho comments “Crush On You is about having the biggest crush on someone, from experiencing feelings such as butterflies to also overthinking and being scared to tell the person how you feel. It’s all part of the thrill, sometimes the best part.”
Jael releases her debut EP ‘Mama Says’ via Capitol Records. To stream the music, click here.
Mama Says is a five-track introduction to Jael’s world, blending timeless R&B with deeply personal songwriting and soulful, understated production.
Opening with ‘Prisoner of Love’, Jael immediately establishes the emotional landscape of the EP. A classic R&B ballad, the track explores the magnetic tension between love and longing. ‘DUI’, written alongside acclaimed producer and songwriter Eg White (Adele, Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine), expands that emotional palette without sacrificing restraint. Lyrically sharp and quietly confrontational, the song captures the intoxicating feeling of repeatedly returning to someone you know you should leave behind. Also written with Eg White, ‘Hallowed Ground’ is Jael’s most personal release to date. Inspired by a deeply personal experience, the track is a poignant meditation on unresolved grief, showcasing her ability to turn vulnerability into something both intimate and universally resonant. While ‘Don’t Make Me Like You Again’, shifts the focus to letting someone back in. Honest and self-aware, the track explores the internal battle between protecting yourself and falling for someone. Closing the EP, track ‘Mama Says’ brings the project full circle, reflecting on the advice passed down through generations about choosing the right partner leaving listeners with the EP’s central message: that sometimes the people who know us best have already seen the lessons we’re still learning.
In her own words Jael comments, “To be releasing my first EP means the absolute world to me and I really feel like it is the start of my life adventure. I love all of the songs on the EP, but I am really emotionally attached to “Mama Says”. I have loved this song so much from the moment I wrote it with Kurisu, and the first time I played it to my mum she burst into tears. My family have supported me so much over the last year with everything that has happened, including moving to the other side of the world – it’s been incredible highs… mixed in with the lows of missing the people who mean the most. Huge huge thank you to all of my dream team – I wish I could put into words how grateful I am for you all. And I hope “Mama Says” makes Mama and you all proud too, and I hope my fans fall in love with it like I did. x”
Muireann Bradley today announces her Blackwood Pew EP, due 23rd October via Fontana Records/Verve Forecast. To accompany the announcement, Muireann is sharing her gorgeous take on Daniel Johnston’s seminal track ‘True Love Will Find You In The End’ – listen here.
About the track, Muireann says – “‘I decided to record a cover of Daniel Johnston’s ‘True Love Will Find You in the End’ because I was fascinated by the song and Daniel’s story after discovering him. Daniel’s recording of the song is deeply emotional and sincere but it also has that childlike purity and naïvety lyrically and musically that all his music has. I was interested to see if I could add a little more structure and complexity to the arrangement without losing the simplicity that’s at the heart of why the song works.”
The Blackwood Pew EP is the sound of Muireann stepping into her own story for the first time. Bringing together three brand new original songs, including recently released single ‘Not Going Back‘, as well as fresh reworkings of classic material, Blackwood Pew marks this ascendant star’s arrival as a songwriter, revealing an artist whose own recordings feel as timeless and emotionally resonant as the country blues and folk music that first inspired her. Released alongside ‘Blackwood Pew’ is the physical double EP Rose Dogs & Blackwood Pew that pairs the new collection with all five tracks from Muireann’s acclaimed 2025 EP, Rose Dogs. Preorder here.
art-grunge four-piece Tough Cookie usher in a new era with the blistering new single ‘Mercy!’, a potent blend of aching vulnerability and alt-rock catharsis. Building relentlessly to breaking point, frontperson August’s desperate plea cuts through strangled guitars and driving drums with unflinching intensity. They say, “It’s about dealing with the initial blow of a life-changing experience, and meeting someone in the wreckage before you’ve managed to make sense of things.” The single’s artwork, painted by August, depicts a ceiling fan to reflect the kind of desolation so paralysing that all you can do is stare at the ceiling. Watch the suitably head-spinning accompanying video here, directed by Flower Up.
Global artist and five-time Latin GRAMMY® winner, J Balvin and Populart, the original entertainment IP company founded by internationally acclaimed artist Gal Yosef, today unveiled “Galy x J Balvin,” a limited-edition collectible that reimagines Populart’s original character, Galy, through Balvin’s unmistakable creative identity and Yosef’s signature artistic vision. Limited to just 100 pieces worldwide, every collectible includes a Certificate of Authenticity personally signed by J Balvin and Gal Yosef, making each edition a rare collector’s piece.
Fans who register for the waitlist at JBalvin.com/products/galy-x-jbalvin will receive exclusive early access to purchase beginning August 11 at 12 PM ET. The collectible will then be available to the public starting August 13 at 12 PM ET on JBalvin.com and Populart.io, while supplies last.
“From our first conversation, it was clear this would be more than two names on one collectible,” said Gal Yosef, Founder of Populart. “We share an instinct for vivid color, emotional detail, and the small human moments that stay with you. Galy was built from that idea, and Balvin brings the same duality to his music, bold yet deeply personal. The result is intimate, meticulously realized, and genuinely rare: one vision, seen through two lenses.“
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