Indie champion and lifelong contender for the best rock and metal vocalist (and lyricist) of the scene – 3mind Blight’s latest release Hollow maintains these connections to the alternative metal realm, but also weaves in a surprisingly mellow, bass-heavy production and vibe, for something that feels infectiously emotional as it rolls along.
Singles
New music from Dousiiee hits the mark once again, this time the opening track from his 2024 EP Out Of Los Angeles bringing the smooth vibes and catchy hook requited to light up the summer vibes all over again.
From Nairobi to the UK, mau’s cultural influence and commitment to creative music shines beautifully throughout this original and organic new album SOFT STEPS.
India-born and currently based in LA, Kiwiani presents an immersive, ethereal approach to production, which at first feels perfectly in tune with the abstract artistic implications of the accompanying image.
close is ultimately an industrial, rhythmic ode to heavy beats and fragmented production, but it also features intermittent hints of soulful vocal melody; playfully incorporated amidst a fitting and consistently distinct presentation.
Nostalgia is the word of the moment lately – a fact encapsulated by this old school ode to cinematic history that is ASTRA’s single and video Pulp Fiction.
Seamlessly intertwining the familiar and the original, Shannon Burchett collaborates with artist and performer Beatriz Villar, for this bold and evocative ode to Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma.
Chicago dance-pop legend Irene Michaels, standing tall on the back of seven decades of entertainment and connection to the scene, returns this season with an unexpected EDM and House-fusion drop that’s as likable as it is fearlessly confident.
Instantly an indie-nostalgic gem for those with strong connections to a simpler era – Soft Yes bring back the quiet and canned vocals, quickly-picked guitar notes, and hyper-active rhythms, with the upbeat but delicate and surprisingly brief Odd Numbers.
This sense of being immersed in the inescapable ache of separation is universally relatable, and as the track gathers passionate momentum, that shared experience effortlessly transcends language barriers.
Ukrainian artist and multi-instrumentalist Kondo wa Kondo, having relocated to America, found creative inspiration in the depths of nostalgia and missing something like home. In searching for the right word to explain these feelings, this struggle to adapt and accept such new surroundings, appeared to fit well under the Welsh word ‘Hiraeth’. The idea is a deep sense of longing for a place that no longer exists or can no longer be reached.
Come And Get Some V2 is a brilliant track – not overly performative but kind of confident and satisfying in its own way. Think Will and The People, Sticky Fingers, Sublime, but with a more relevant kind of indie-pop production and versatility to the lyrical and performative spread.
From intriguing verses of boldly distinct, crackling vocals and meandering bass, to the full-throttle intoxication of a soaring rock chorus, complete with equally striking guitar solo riffs, Lucious prides itself on this fierce musicality and groove united.