I’ll Be Your Dog is a rather simple but stunning folk-country single, something like Micah P Hinson, but perhaps more joyful – a mellow groove, a colourful vibe, and a beautifully interesting voice. The single is self-defined as an ode to Bob Dylan’s Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, and welcomes an Americana set-up that quickly transports you to the centre of the live performance.

AcousticAmericanaCountryFolkSongwriter

Taiwan’s sykii blends the atmospheric nostalgia of electronic trip-hop and lo-fi production, with mellow but sharp, smart bars, and a distinct vocal tone that naturally helps set the sound apart.

Hip HopRap

Brilliantly confident, quiet but up-tempo, unforgiving and loaded with lyrical gems. Osaragi is an insanely good modern hip hop track, and is simple in set-up but immediately distinct. Lefistos! clearly brings something fearlessly original to the scene, and his intelligent writing style and modest vocal tone unite with seamless swagger and charm.

Hip HopRap

Poetic songwriting is key, finding a new way of framing a somewhat familiar sentiment or introspection, and then building a story and song around that central idea. The Architect encapsulates the value of that approach, quite literally in fact, and while the style is nothing ground-breaking, it doesn’t need to be.

Folk PopPopSongwriter

Spellbinding acoustic folk, a familiar style with divinely intimate vocals, reflecting on a subject matter with poignant vulnerability. Wren Arkose unite poetic short lines with a deeply introspective account of a life lived amidst the struggle of anorexia, for the powerful and gripping single Bones.

FolkSongwriter

Noting a clear similarity to the early years of Arctic Monkeys, Black Lounge access a current gap in the modern music scene, with great vocals, clever lyrics, fresh melodies and smart guitar play. Their musicianship is second to none, their unity as a band undeniable, and the pace and presence of this track, the sheer tempo and their faultless delivery of it, quickly overcomes any nostalgic comparisons.

IndieIndie RockRock

Currently 75 years young and vocally distinct in an effortless and enchanting fashion, Cousti writes with a heartfelt and catchy approach, songs like Turn Around and Survive instantly appealing for both their sense of live-band warmth and the naturally inspiring sentiments and loving references of their lyrics. The melodies are simple but satisfying, and that voice carries things along in a way that feels genuinely fresh.

AmericanaFolk RockPop RockSongwriter