Miso Extra seems to thrive on existing between different worlds. Fully bilingual, this English-Japanese all-rounder was raised on a mixture of UK kids TV and anime, switching it up between Stateside hip-hop, electronics, and the sounds of London in the process. A short burst of singles have lit up an inferno of hype, with her dexterous imagination finding solutions to problems other artists can't even comprehend. Debut EP Great Taste is incoming, and her emphatic new single 'Deep Fried' deftly illustrates Miso Extra's incredible sense of imagination. Switching it up between styles and languages, even, 'Deep Fried' is a song about infatuation, with Miso struggling to control her feelings. She comments... "Food for me is a love language (be it the preparation, serving, or the eating of it) and Deep Fried pays homage to that. The track celebrates the sudden overwhelming feeling of being drawn to someone, and I've likened the sensuality of this experience to eating deep fried food. Whilst mostly being in a fantastical dream-like state, the song's English rap acts as a break from this; it is like a Freudian slip of me revealing my subconscious feelings." The video moves from live footage - shot in an Asian restaurant - and animation, brilliantly expanding on Miso Extra's creative universe. Already a force to be reckoned with, you can check out 'Deep Fried' aboev. [via Clash]
An irreverent punk ditty poking fun at American consumer culture is nothing new —but a tongue-in-cheek pit-starter delivered by none other than California power trio Hayley and the Crushers? That's one four-chord wonder that begs to be cranked to full blast. The band’s newest single/video 'Click and Act Now!' is the latest installment of what will undoubtedly be an infectiously eclectic third full-length album bringing together the band's signature blend of sparkle and destruction (slated for release on Kitten Robot Records in Spring 2022). The Crusherverse, as always, is full of wild surprises. With straight-ahead punk rock riffage written by Dr. Cain and gleefully sardonic lyrics penned by Hayley (the chorus could be torn from a late-night infomercial of yore: 'Five easy payments of $19.99, limited time offer, be the caller on the line!'), the new tune offers up a one-two punch of levity and social commentary. “We laugh a lot and don’t try to take ourselves too seriously all the time, and this song totally reflects that vibe,” Hayley adds. “When it comes to straight ahead punk with a pop element, that’s my bread and butter—that’s what truly made me pick up a guitar as a young kid. We share a love for that kind of high energy music. So, when he came to me with this really punky riff I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the vocal. The result is a song that’s confrontational but with a little wink. The heavy bass, pop drums, jangly guitar, crazy male female dual vocals—and a strong message often delivered with humor and sarcasm—this is what inspired me about the East Bay sound,” Dr. Cain said, adding that groups like Jack Acid, Blatz, Filth, and Crimpshrine weren't far from his mind when sitting down to write.
It’s easy to overcomplicate things. This overwhelming world can make time feel meaningless, loneliness a constant companion, and misery ready to rear its head at the flicker of a push notification. But, KAINA has shared a song that feels like light breaking through a huddle of storm clouds. 'Anybody Can Be in Love' eschews that urge to overcomplicate, overthink, and disrupt a bright moment’s potential. The soulful single also comes with the news of her forthcoming album It Was a Home, which is scheduled for release on March 4 via City Slang. “’Anybody Can Be in Love’ is about letting go and accepting love when it comes to any sort of relationship, romantic or platonic,” the Chicago musician revealed. “I’ve seen myself and my close friends miss out on a really great moment we’ve wished for or a great relationship because we’re so fixated on getting hurt or being fearful. ‘Anybody Can Be in Love’ is a little reminder to keep it simple and enjoy the moments you’ve been waiting for. Sonically, I wanted the track to sound very psychedelic and dreamy. Almost like love is taking over and you’re just losing yourself in a moment. It was a pleasure working on this with first time collaborator Biako along with Sen Morimoto and longtime bandmate Michael Cantella on bass.” The sauntering track also comes with a video directed by Weird Life Films that’s inspired by Mr. Rogers’ TV show. KAINA walks around a vibrant neighborhood with animated dancing flowers and a sunglasses-wearing sun. It seems like a utopia—one where love is only a blink away. [via FLOOD]
19-year-old Lucy Blue’s contemporary soul is formed by blending classic influences with a distinguishable edge. Raised with an admiration for legendary songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison, she also looked to artists like Gwen Stefani and Debbie Harry; who left Blue feeling empowered. Today, her music lands closer to the sonic worlds of PJ Harvey, Lana Del Rey, and Frank Ocean – three disparate yet monumental artists of their time who align in turning themes like heartbreak into a cathartic release. Blue’s latest single 'First Man On The Moon' is built around hazy sonics. A simple piano melody communicates her feelings effectively: feeling lonely in the busiest of places upon a trip to London. While it’s a larger-than-life metaphor, it’s an instance of clarity for Blue, rooted in the most overwhelming of human experiences. The accompanying music video expresses Blue’s duality as she is seen fitted in a full NASA astronaut suit while tiptoeing around an empty athletics racetrack. “I don’t get homesick / Just sick of never feeling at home” she delicately sings while her cinematic impulses continue. “'First Man On The Moon' was one of the first songs I wrote after coming to London,” shares Lucy. “Everything felt so new and this song just feels like one stream of consciousness from start to finish. I was thinking that I should have felt homesick but I didn’t. For as long as I can remember, I was ready to leave home and see what was out there. I thought coming to London would make me feel more understood and less like an outcast but in ways it made me feel more alone. This song is me trying to understand that. I’ve always been obsessed with space too. The thought of being the first man on the moon felt like the loneliest way to describe this feeling. There are times when I was sure I felt as lonely as he must have felt. There’s nowhere as lonely as the moon when you think about it. I hope this song can make people who’ve felt a little homesick (even at home) feel a bit better, cause it doesn’t always feel like that.” [via Line Of Best Fit]
Grace Carter makes her majestic return with new single 'Dark Matter'. The songwriter's startling 2018 debut EP Why Her Not Me made serious waves, clocking up 300 million streams and rave reviews. Returning to view, Grace Carter's new single 'Dark Matter' raises the bar once more, locating new impetus in her soulful creativity. Lyrically, it's a tongue in cheek farewell to a one-sided relationship, a situation that could never offer her fulfilment. 'Dark Matter' is about putting yourself first, with Grace commenting: "'Dark Matter' is a song I wrote at a time where I was beginning to let go of a lifetime of seeking approval from someone who was never gonna give it to me. It’s kind of sarcastic but also me thanking this person for being so shit that it made me so much better and with time, realise I was so much more without them..." [via Clash]
Sprints have shared a new video for ‘Modern Job’. It’s an early cut from their brand new EP of the same name set to arrive on March 11, 2022 via Nice Swan Records. Vocalist Karla Chubb explains: “'Modern Job' is a critique of modern existence but also an exploration of growing up queer. In your formative years, you are bombarded with media, books, news that depict what a “normal” life should be. Grow up, fall in love, get married… long live the nuclear family. “By contrast when you grow up queer all these ordinary things can seem extraordinary, out of reach and in some parts of the world, illegal. It leaves you feeling lost, excluded and confused. I wanted Modern Job to capture those feelings; chaotic energy, loneliness and longing of normality while trying to find acceptance within yourself.” [via Dork]
CMAT has dropped a video for her latest single, ‘No More Virgos’. It’s a cut from her just-announced debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, set for release via AWAL Recordings on February 25, 2022. Speaking about the track, CMAT explains; “I’m the kind of girl who dates the same person over and over again. Specifically, every single one of my partners have been Virgos. I wanted to write a song that pokes fun at this aspect of my personality, and try to be a voice for all of my long-suffering friends. Musically, I really wanted to try and marry my love of 80’s Italo disco with my hatred of Virgos. I just can’t help myself from making terrible decisions sometimes! Sorry!” Of the video, she adds: “I wrote ‘No More Virgos’ about what happens in 10 minutes in a nightclub and when I talked with director Eilis Doherty we decided to try and make the video just like that – except set in a Texan-themed nightclub in 1980s Ireland, of course! Big thanks out to all of the amazing extras and the angels – Viola, Lavender and Maura Darragh – who danced the day away in the name of taking a stand against Virgos. Lov u all xx” [via Dork]
Arca is sharing a wild music video that fuses together two new KICK ii tracks, 'Prada' and 'Rakata,' Working once again with visual artist Frederick Heyman, the video brings to life some of the elaborate cover art we’ve seen from Arca this fall so far into a futuristic digital hellscape that matches the frantic sound of the songs. Here are Arca’s statements on both songs: "'prada' is about celebrating psychosexual versatility; a song explicitly about transness and nonbinary modes of relating the sexual energy of the collective subconscious as a celebration of life; it is a song about defying shame and healing ancestral wounds; about the futurity of desire and love as a moebius strip; about kink as an engine, about sex and love, and above all else about simultaneity of being able to surrender and submit as well as being able to overpower and dominate within a collaboratively created space of consent; to throw glitter in the face of barking demons so as to let them know that love spans fully across breadth of mystery of life and death. 'rakata' is a song about seduction, about wanting to devour the entire world out of a desire to fuck, without shame, free from condemnation, about sex as a life impulse in the face of death; it’s also a wink and nod to the internal heat generated by the hot and humid conditions that birthed latinx music, a reverence to regeton royalty wisin y yandel, tambores venezolanos, the furruco – an instrument i hear as sub bass technology, contemporary venezuelan folklore, life and eroticism birthed near the heat of the equator." [via Stereogum]
The day that all the conspiracy-pushing far-right conservative homophobes have always dreaded has at long last finally come. Now is the time for all of them to run and take cover in their doomsday bunkers because Dorian Electra is here to force an unapologetically queer agenda down their throats and has amassed a flaming army to back it up. So whether you like it or not, get ready to suck it up and swallow. Making Alex Jones' worst nightmares come to true, Electra's latest music video for 'My Agenda' sees the hyperpop artist satirically skewer the conspiracy theory that the government is putting estrogen and other "feminizing" chemicals into the water supply that are making people (and even "THE FREAKIN' FROGS," according to the InfoWars host) gay as a part of a larger chemical warfare operation. Directed by Weston Allen and Mike Diva, the music video sees Electra as a CEO of a water company dumping a rainbow pride flag's worth of chemicals directly into the supply backed by an army of gay mutant frogs and armed furries. Featuring a cameo from Pussy Riot's Nadya, the video, in true Electra form, amps the absurdity to over-the-top levels, exposing the inherent ridiculousness of premise in the promise. [via PAPER]
Kylie and Jessie Ware have released the delightfully camp retro-disco frenzy that is the official video for ‘Kiss of Life’, directed by regular Kylie collaborator Sophie Muller. Starring Kylie and Jessie, the fantastic video was shot at London’s stylish Ave Mario restaurant, filled with striking and mysterious characters. The official visual sees Kylie and Jessie feature alongside an array of captivatingly conspicuous individuals from Theo Adams Company, including London’s nightlife royalty, Princess Julia. Mirroring the disco-filled sound of ‘Kiss of Life’, the official video is brimming with glamour and chaos, transporting viewers into a Pedro Almodóvar inspired 1980s telenovela. [via Fame Magazine]
Talented singer-songwriter Katy B has accompanied the release of her latest single, 'Lay Low', with a fresh set of visuals. Produced by Mike Brainchild, 'Lay Low' is a breezy offering from Katy B who complements the smooth production with her flawless vocals. The visuals come courtesy of director Ash K Halliburton who’s able to add to the elegant tone of the release with dimly-lit shots of Katy and a few dancers moving gracefully to the song. [via GRM Daily]
O Hell are introducing themselves with a bang in their roaring debut single ‘Down’. The project was born from PROJECTOR’s vocalist’s exploration of the world of drum machines and recording software to make unfiltered statements of intent that don’t hold back. ‘Down’ infuses the world of alt-rock with distinctly modern electronic elements that thrive together. The accompanying music video shows off this unflinching confidence with visual expertise. There’s no doubt that ‘Down’ is just as strong when it’s blasted from your bedroom as it would be on stage in front of a crowd. O Hell spoke about the influences and process behind the new song: “In 2020 I got obsessed with a bunch of late nineties and early 00s albums like ‘Bubblegum’ by Mark Lanegan, ‘Is this Desire’ by PJ Harvey and ‘Amnesiac’ by Radiohead, that veer between beautiful pop and the most gritty, deranged sonic palettes. I love those emotional and sonic contrasts - they sound unhinged. I’m also drawn to those artists who go deep on themselves. I’m always looking for the person who expresses the emotional extremity no one else has dared pull out of themselves.” They also said, “I make these songs in my house and they’re going to exist as if no one ever heard them. There’s never going to be an emotional or sonic filter. I have no interest in doing anything else, and maybe making them with that intent will mean whatever comes out connects.” [via Gigwise]
Even while pummeling from the sky — wrapped in ribbons with a peaceful smile and cherry red talons — IV4 only thinks about one thing: that 'Stroke.' On the St. Louis-born, LA-based artist's new single and accompanying music video, she lustfully calls out for a lover to give her what she wants, as passersby on the street below look up and marvel at the sight. "Do you ever think about me?" she questions like a siren, featuring guest vocals from Jeremih. Following the viral success of her 2020 single, 'Swimming,' with Trippie Redd, IV4 is preparing to release her forthcoming album, Get Rich or Cry Trying — a play off 50 Cent's 2003 breakout and subsequent acting debut. 'Stroke,' then, is a reflection of what's to come next, from her seductive vocal delivery to ambitious high-concept visuals. Beyond delivering an aerial fantasy, the 'Stroke' video sees IV4 washing an enamored customer's sedan (and pouring more soap on her body than the car itself); later, she rides a mechanical bull in front of a store, called "Quickee," and eventually ends up in a teen-inspired bedroom, writhing around pastel pink sheets. "I wanted to give you iconic statement pieces," she says of the different characters. [via PAPER]
Singer, songwriter, producer and cellist, Kate Gratson unveils her debut album, The Girl You Knew, and makes her directorial debut with a music video for her song 'Watch and Wonder' with cinematography from Isaac Rosenthal. Kate says, "Music and lyrically, 'Watch and Wonder', is all about tension and release, and my main goal was to highlight this when creating the music video. The song is a slow burn, and because a gradual build takes place in the song’s production, the visual effects and transitions were chosen very carefully. With the use of a spotlight on an all-white outfit in a blacked-out room, the illusion of a glow was formed. This combined with the use of superimposed layers and kaleidoscope effects, the video should leave the viewers in an almost hypnotic state. “Watch and Wonder” is my second music video with Isaac Rosenthal on cinematography, and Grant Worth on editing, but it is the first time I had a distinct, artistic vision in mind."
Rising star and recording artist Iris Gold welcomes you back into her world of ‘hippie hop’ as she continues her journey to collaborate with Award winning singer, songwriter, musician, producer and Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart on her latest single, 'Lover of My Own'. Describing the single, Gold comments “I’m a natural born flirt but I give it all to my audience now, tiger style. I razzle and dazzle then say bye bye cause I got someone waiting back home, yeah I got a Lover of My Own.” Describing the inspiration behind the song and the concept of the accompanying music video, Iris explains “Anyone can be who they choose to be. The video is about your wild imagination allowing you to rid the notion of being a black girl singer/rapper stuck in a particular visual game.” Gold continues, “I see many artists being pigeonholed but I also see some amazing artists that are free and experiment. I’m one of those. I love fantasy in every sense of the word. As a little girl I was obsessed with drawing princesses in fairytale dresses. I didn’t see many princesses who looked like me growing up, so in this video I could finally fulfill that fantasy. Marie Afro-nette style.”
Dlina Volny dropped their sophomore album, Dazed, and shared a music video for its second single, 'Do It.' The record is a follow-up to the trio's 2018 self-released debut, Mechty, and their first project on Italians Do It Better. The Belarusian band, whose name translates from Russian to "wavelength" in English, share an obsession with the science of sound. The new record, mixed by frequent David Lynch collaborator Dean Hurley, combines ecstatic synths and battering drum machines that bounce singer Masha Zinevitch’s rich contralto back and forth like a buoy in stormy waters. The 'Do It' video, which comes nearly 18 months after the track's initial release, shows haunting scenes of a woman in a wedding dress bleeding out in deep water, struggling to break free from a suffocating cellophane wrap, and letting a snake run through her hands in a dark room, all within its first minute. [via The FADER]
On the heels of the release of her much anticipated fifth full-length album Candy Racer, internationally celebrated Japanese pop icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has premiered the official music video for the new albums self-titled track 'Candy Racer'. For the video, Kyary specifically asked to work with up-and-coming video director malloon ( koe inc.). Together with art director KASICO, （ koe Inc.） and is known for his pop and graphic design work in advertising, malloon paid homage to horror movies with the new 'Candy Racer' video. Mixing various comedic gimmicks and looping expressions repeated to the song’s beat, the video features three friends visiting an old mansion, haunted by a ghost played by Kyary, who tries to scare away visitors. One by one, the young men experience inexplicable horrors inside the mansion, confirming that it is indeed haunted, and flee in fear. The video represents an artistic vision not seen previously throughout Kyary’s career and just as ambitious as her new album Candy Racer. [via EIN News]
Mr Twin Sister have released a new track, ‘Beezle’, taken from their forthcoming album Al Mundo Azul. The single arrives with an accompanying video directed by singer Andrea Estella. “’Beezle’ is a reinterpretation of a story I love and identify with from the anime The Fantastic Adventures of Unico, original story by Osamu Tezuka,” Estella explained in a statement. “I’ve been closely involved in making music videos for Mr Twin Sister for the last decade, but I’d made myself believe that I wasn’t allowed to take it further and call myself a director. Most of all I was excited to collaborate again with Diego Sanchez Barcelo and combine his digital art with my watercolors and costumes.” [via Our Culture]
Sydney indie duo Salarymen are back with a cyber-social-centric single, ‘All In Vain’, accompanied by an official music video and a tour announcement. Despite the morose connotations of the track’s title, it plays out as a lilting, ethereal number, with a pretty vocal melody that defines the sophisticated turn of the band’s sound. Vocalist and bassist Renee de la Motte described the song’s thematic focus via a press statement: “‘All In Vain’ is a frank reflection on how much social media has crept into our lives, and placed pressure on us to look better and be present, all of the time. “These platforms have become a constant force reminding people of what they lack, and this track is an uplifting reminder not to worry about what people think of you on the internet. You’re cool the way you are!” The track’s official music is in keeping with Salarymen’s ’70s-inspired sonic and visual style, playing out with the duo – de la Motte and guitarist and producer Thomas Eagleton – playing and posing to a fisheye lens in various locations, while psychedelic animations interject the action. [via NME]
Lilith Czar's official video for her single 'Anarchy' is now live. "'Anarchy' tells you to break the rules, rid yourself of the fake plastic walls society has built demanding you to stop or relent. mind over matter and others opinions preached aren’t facts," she says. "it’s about defying the odds and overcoming what at times feels like the weight of life pulling you down - as if the powers that be wish to play with your very existence and control your outcome; but no more. only you are in control of your destiny. you can become anything you want and you can succeed despite all obstacles. choose to make your own standard, never let false pretenses and bullshit go unchecked. let go of anything holding you back. Evil vs. Live…choose to Live." [via Sumerian Records]
Last month, LA-based singer-songwriter Justine Dorsey shared her debut EP as Near Tears, Get With the Program. The EP is her first set of boisterous, hooked-filled rock throwbacks, all produced by Rilo Kiley’s Blake Sennett. Described as a “suburban California girl’s ode to CBGB,” the EP pulls from ‘70s underground touchstones like Blondie and Talking Heads, combined with a heaping dose of thoroughly modern anxieties. Now Dorsey is back with a video for the EP’s title track. 'Get With the Program' sees Dorsey wrestling with her place in the industry and the world at large, in what she describes as one of the most depressing songs she’s ever written. She takes stock of the mass commercialization of art and impending societal upheaval, ultimately confessing “I don’t wanna grow old in this world anymore.” Still, the only choice she sees is to “get with the program” and keep on forging ahead. However, as much as the lyrical material is laden with anxieties and self-doubt, the track itself is a defiant burst of energy. Shimmering guitar lines, bright melodies, and fiery, yelping vocals from Dorsey all keep the track from leaning too far into its darker side. She singlehandedly turns the track from a downcast reflection into a wit-filled commentary and a confident statement of purpose. As Dorsey describes, “‘Get With the Program’ is a song inspired by a couple conversations I had with my friend Will and my mom, who are from different generations than me - Will is a child of the 90s, my mom is a child of the 60s and 70s. We’ve talked a lot about what their priorities and concerns were as young people, where they dovetail and diverge from mine. In the video I wanted to pay homage to everything they grew up with - the Beatles’ 1969 rooftop concert for my mom, Kurt Cobain and MTV for Will. And of course ads and ads and ads, the white noise that spans all three of our eras and has one goal: to sell you shit.” [via Under the Radar Mag]
