From the upbeat Owl City electro warmth and anthemic peak of Rearview Mirror, the energising nature and thoughtful undertones of this album are made clear, and as we proceed into the heavier rock energy and tempo of Guitar Hero III, suddenly that nostalgia redirects us towards the Tony Hawks soundtracks and beyond – another fork in the road that’s unexpected but satisfying.
Pop Punk
Great production lets the natural rock energy and vocal prowess of Sunrise in Jupiter shine beautifully, for the euphoric summer anthem Take Me Home.
An indie gem for the long-time alternative rock and pop-punk / emo fans across the board. North Carolina solo songwriter and musician Violet Wish ignites the passion and power of the past, with the energising arrangement and deeply reflective emotional heartbreak of Thanksgiving.
‘Won’t let go until you say so’ resounds and repeats, alongside that recognisable riff, and as the music settles in to the long-term memory, the song’s underlying sense of emotional complexity and unrequited love connects all the more intensely.
Beautiful songwriting and a timeless arena pop-rock set-up that’s instantly energising – The UK’s own Josh Moncrieff captures a melodic and impassioned beating heart, for his brand new single Into The Blue.
Uruguayan-British songwriter, drummer and singer Naty Giachino has contributed her talents to a multitude of projects in her years on the scene. The experienced performer and global collaborator began releasing her own solo works just last year, and the result is the uniquely eclectic yet vocally grounded and distinct album Just A Drummer.
Great songwriting, a hint of Papa Roach nostalgia, catchy and immensely alternative all at once. A Million Little Fires consistently bring originality and realness to the scene, alongside that essential talent and unity as a band. Absolutely an act worth tuning in for this year.
Nostalgic pop-punk vocals and cultural references fire up the old-school appeal and uplift of SOMETHING UR NOT’s latest surf-rock single.
Introducing a uniquely distinct vocal lead and supporting voices that inject an all-together-now sense of oneness, Brace is a refreshingly honest and personal new single, from a band whose sound subtly intertwines aspects of indie rock and Brit-pop across a modern and fairly limitless creative aura.
Superb guitar, bass and drum unity at a high-octane pace storms into view – nostalgic and original melody and vocal dynamic quickly capturing attention from afar. Captain Graveyard delivers a boldly unique yet perfectly structured and satisfying ode to timeless hard-rock, with the precise complexity and weight of Tragedy of a blood romance.
Noting over 30,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Tessa Dalton has gone from strength to strength in the past twelve months, her honest writing and vocal fluidity promising a level of authenticity and heart that modern pop has perhaps not seen in quite a while.
Something initially a little dreamy, calm yet fully-loaded with subtle detail – synths, light rhythms, keys, breathy vocals. Later on we’re confronted by a boldly energising peak. Montana duo BLVDS blend poetic pop songwriting with the rising energy and escapism of electronic dance and pop-punk, for their gentle to anthemic single Two Sides.