On thoughts of everything getting a return, great music increasingly circles back to the building blocks of deeply evocative sub-genres – the charm and enchantment of trip hop, in example; the uplifting vibrancy of drum and bass, the creative freedom of both, and the intimate, engaging fluidity of honest voices.
Rebecca Cullen
An ever-creative Oktavvia delivers one of her most distinct dark power-pop arrangements yet this season, with the darkness, the sweeping synths, the high-octane EDM backdrop, and the anthemic, empowering chorus, of I Decide.
Built around fearless vulnerability and optimism in the face of darkness and turmoil, Lost But Found is profoundly honest in its relaying of struggle and uncertainty, but is ultimately inspiring and motivational in its turn towards possibility and the light found through Faith and good decisions.
Cinematic eighties euphoria with an electro-pop twist of vocal story and a dreamy leading tune. The always creative cmon3tta launched perhaps their most immersive single yet this season, with the admiration and all-consuming escapism of Man.hattan.
Independent music from the creative hub of Paris – Btissam releases a brand new single through Studio BS Music, and it’s a pop-rock and indie-funk fusion of traits that’s both anthemic and empowering. .
Stunning music; piano and strings – euphoric wonder and beauty – a celebratory core but layers of honesty and struggle intertwined. A deeply human perspective as ever. The unmistakable Bad Bubble delivers a two-part album of entirely new experiences and songs, for the exceedingly delectable Regarding Flor.
Distorted and funky dance-pop with a quirky twist of nostalgia and a deeply inspiring true story at its core. Ashleigh Harley takes self-belief and positivity to creative new heights, with the eclectic dance-rock essence and realism of Itsy Bitsy Bikini.
Translating as Shadow Under Dominion, this four-track EP is driven by a fascination for the life of the soldier, and features programmed marching rhythms, huge vocal chants, patterns and crescendos, that blend something like tribal folk and Celtic refrains with intense drums, gritty declarations, and evocative chord patterns.
Brand new music form Matthias Boretius promises an ambient and soulful, organic journey as ever – this time taking subtle influence from the likes of Underworld, only veering off creatively, with near-operatic vocals that enchant and engage the senses and thought process.
Introducing a fascinating new podcast – an intelligent fusion of science and spirituality – Dr Rulin Xiu hosts this gripping deep-dive into everything from the fabric of the universe to our perception and experience of reality and the physical world.
Already a month since our last newsletter & so much has happened in a few short weeks.
Dreamy to upbeat, acoustic shoegaze that slowly evolves into something a little more rock and roll-inspired – a taste of the band’s full set-up potential, but a simultaneous focus on the softness and style of their vocals and songwriting.