Quite possibly his finest arrangement to date, the anthemic intentions and overall finish of Stand Up help make this a fiercely motivational indie gem – an alt-metal track with a catchy rhythm, memorable hook, and generally inspiring edge of passion and purpose to it.
Music
Introducing an evocative pop-rock anthem, one that soulfully embraces listeners when they’re feeling at their most disconnected – the latest project from Abhi Ananda is the rock outfit Almost Citizen, and New Day is the sublime and refreshingly humble new single.
Audio cinema, by all accounts – no dialogue, imaginative fragments of design and melody working in unison with the naturally connecting power of rhythm and movement. Transharmonicon is a brilliantly interesting, original EP, from someone promising a fine balance between musical precision and sheer artistic curiosity.
What begins as a quirky and intimate ode to spending a birthday alone, soon evolves into a boldly poignant and heartbreaking expression of isolation and disconnection. Eddie Wang masters the unexpected once again, with the beautifully captured piano-pop ballad I Bought Myself A Cake.
Sisters Hailie and Jodie Sandstrom, born in 2014 and 2010 respectively, bring an unrivalled degree of youthful freedom to the genre. Their debut single and video BRB showcases a clear love for the playfulness of creative performance, with both artists delivering their best rhymes and flows throughout a bass-heavy electronic arrangement that’s both minimalist and instantly recognisable.
This release does indeed promise to deliver a soaring and satisfying hour-plus of Rock’n’Roll For The Soul. Not purely distortion and energy, but warmth, skilled musicianship, thoughtful and heartfelt lyrics – everything the soul craves from audio escapism and human connection.
Stunning vocals and soothing production meet with alluring pop songwriting, as Veronica Largiu delivers an intoxicating and powerful ode to romantic connection, with Baby.
Creatively eclectic to its core, the new album from Pennsylvania songwriter Monti Korbelle encapsulates freedom of play and curiosity of concept.
An easy hit to enjoy, a timeless stomp of a song with striking performances form all involved – Signed Sealed Delivered makes light work of engaging with listeners past and present. A sharp and stylish new release, and easily one of the most likable rap singles to emerge so far this year.
When In May carve out an emotive and genre-fusing pathway, programmed rhythms juxtaposing the organic and crisp guitar, with a breathy vocal somewhat blurring the lines between emo-rap and The xx.
All the more impressive with each revisit. Once again, EspeceX has managed to capture a sound that’s entirely its own thing – something like Lemon Jelly if reimagined in a cinematic modern world.
Always an artist with an unrelenting thirst for exploring the unknown, Souleye impresses every time, and Final Frontier absolutely follows suit. There’s a subtle old-school groove and flow to the verses, which fuses unexpectedly well with these timeless dance synths and the stop-and-start nature of the set-up.