istimtā’ – a romanticised take on the Arabic word ‘إِسْتِمْتَاع’, meaning ‘jouissance’ or ‘enjoyment’. The instrumental album from composer Horny Cricket explores this concept wholeheartedly.
Rebecca Cullen
Acoustic fingerstyle guitar and nearly-whispered falsetto vocals meet with a simple, wave-like chord progression, for DragonflyStigma’s beautifully timeless, imagery-laden Cast Away.
Frontman of The Timely Tragedy, Matthew Sherrard’s affinity for music knows no limits, and the reverb-soaked warmth and arena-ready vastness of Dream Lucidity speak volumes on behalf of that.
In being so art-pop expressive, the song is naturally catchy yet also fresh – original in a few different ways, and memorable for its authenticity and dance-ready energy alike.
Trap rhythms and vastly ethereal, reverb-drenched production guides us into the melodic and contemplative What’s Going On, from NY rapper and artist Munch.
Exotic dance vibes bring tropical flavours together with intimate, almost whispered vocals, as Yvette Lopez enchants and engages, for Rompe Me.
Celebrating love and oneness in an inspiring and awakening fashion, Jack & Hill join forces with a mighty ensemble, for the heartfelt and memorable single Spend A Little Time.
Creatively unpredictable, imaginative and perhaps undefinable in the same instance – Ten Years Without Rami Holding depicts an array of stories relating to a photographer’s long-awaited return to Cheap City.
Emotively pairing ethereal sound-design with profoundly soulful vocals, Freddy Zucchet delivers a uniquely creative contemporary hit, with the aptly-topical We Need Water & Rain.
Captivating listeners with a supreme balance of finely-honed musicianship and outright creative expression – the UK’s own Kanoo set the mood beautifully, with the instrumental rock album Deleted Years.
While SnapDibz has a vocal style and realness that’s easy to recognise, the space between tracks is vast.
Musically this entire album is unrivalled in its superiority as a fully-loaded, compelling and awe-inspiring journey.