#kynsy

Florence + the Machine debut a new song, 'Heaven is Here,' ealier this week alongside a video by acclaimed director Autumn de Wilde and choreographed by Ryan Heffington. “‘Heaven is Here’ was the first song I wrote in lockdown after an extended period of not being able to get to the studio,” says Florence Welch. “I wanted to make something monstrous. And this clamour of joy, fury and grief was the first thing that came out. With dance studios also shut it was my dream to one day create choreography with it. So it’s one of the first pieces of music I have made specifically with contemporary dance in mind.”

After recently releasing her new single via KRO Records, New Zealand-born, London-based singer-songwriter October and the Eyes is sharing her new video for 'Spiral'. Speaking about the video, October said “I worked closely with my good friend and flatmate Max McLachlan to come up with the concept of the video. I liked the idea of the camera being in constant rotation, speeding up over time to create a sense of disorientation and nausea while dipping and re-emerging between to parallel worlds. There’s two versions of myself in the video - this strong, assured, almost domineering presence, and then there’s this wounded, lost, animalistic version - both of which I’ve often felt like I pendulum between”

Cardiff’s Panic Shack have returned with a new single, ‘The Ick’. It’s the latest taster from their debut EP Baby Shack, set for release on April 8 via Brace Yourself Records. Speaking about the track, the band explain: “‘The Ick’ is about that feeling you get when you’re dating someone and they do something that really turns you off. No matter how insignificant or trivial – the feeling is irreversible and it’s really not their fault. Something that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker but when you’re there staring your Ick in the face, there really is no coming back from it. Where their mere presence is enough to make you want to vom in your own mouth. You would rather run into oncoming traffic, whilst burning alive, than to spend a second longer in their company. It was written while we were on a little song-writing holiday we called ‘Tweak Week’ which ended up being more of five-day drinking binge in our quaint little holiday cottage. We were gossiping and laughing about past dating fails, sharing anecdotes and it just snowballed from there. Every lyric are actual things that happened to us and gave us major ICK! Someone really did shush Sarah in the cinema – if you can believe that!! (We can.)” It comes alongside a video, of which they continue: “The video is a bit of a different vibe from our usual boysterous antics. We really wanted this one to be darker and more serious to match the music and paired with the silly lyrics we thought it was a fun contrast. Our good friend Ren Faulkner filmed this one too!” [via Dork]

Chloe Moriondo has announced a new canine-themed EP, puppy luv. Set to drop on April 8, the announcement comes alongside new track ‘sammy’, dedicated to her pet dog of the same name. “puppy luv is a collection of canine songs that I coincidentally wrote over the past couple years,” Chloe explains. “To me it feels like a playful bite from a tiny puppy that kinda stings a little later. I dedicate it to Sammy my dog!” [via Dork]

Kate Bollinger has spent the past few years putting out EPs — her most recent was 2020’s A Word Becomes A Sound — and she’s got another shorter collection of songs coming out later this year. The Look At It In The Light EP is being released next month, and she previewed it a couple months ago with 'Yards / Gardens.' Now, she’s sharing the silky smooth 'Who Am I But Someone,' which comes with a charming video directed by Allyson Pierce. Here’s Bollinger on the song and visuals: "There have been many times when I’ve been so afraid to uproot my life in some way but just as afraid of what will happen if I don’t. This song is a conversation with myself about avoidance, denial, being afraid of change, and being afraid of stagnating. I shot the video in Los Angeles with Allyson from Pear Juice and a cast and crew of all women (besides our amazing producer Al!). Shooting the video was like being at summer camp – it was one of the best experiences and I’m so proud of how it turned out." [via Stereogum]

Norwegian and Icelandic duo Ultraflex have a deep-rooted passion for electronic music. Made up of Kari Jahnsen and Katrín Helga Andrésdóttir, the duo continues to cement their own unique path in support of their distinct electronic pop brand. Since the release of Visions of Ultraflex, their debut album from 2020, they have continued to make waves, displaying their analog production techniques and glitzy pop sensitivity, and Ultraflex are now ready to share latest track 'Relax', which is the first single since the debut came out. The video was made in collaboration with nail artist Lisa Mård, jewellery designer Margrét Unnur Guðmundsdóttir, makeup artist Jana Kalgajeva, and cinematographer Ingrid Loftsgården. Speaking about the single, the duo said: “Throw on a G-string and some high heels, find a bottle of body lotion, and lather up whilst listening to the sound of bells, chimes, shimmery synths and authoritarian command/ creepy psychiatrist order to take it easy.” [via LOCK]

Dublin-based Kynsy – AKA Ciara Lindsey – has returned with a brand new single, ‘New Year’. Written on New Year’s Eve, she explains: “At the time I had a real desire to celebrate the turn of the year by doing something creative. I had definitely been listening to a lot of Roisin Murphy around then and with the song I wanted to explore the idea of someone who is looking for meaning as the clock edges towards midnight and a new year is on the horizon.”Speaking about the accompanying visual, she adds, “I wanted to recreate the chaotic energy of the song somehow.  Working with Georgia Kelly and The Collective we took inspiration from the frantic nature of old black and white silent films to make something strange and intense to try and capture that New Year energy.” [via Dork]

Australia based songwriter Beckah Amani has shared her new single 'Lebeka Leka'. The artist has Tanzanian heritage, and was born in the country before relocating with her family to Australia. 'Lebeka Leka' is a highly personal song, one that delves into family history, and inter-generational support systems. The title actually refers to a familial name, with Beckah commenting: “My mum calls me Lebeka because that’s how you pronounce my given name Rebeca in my language Kirundi, she always says 'lebeka leka’ which means ‘Rebeca, let go’. I was particularly thinking about fear, how we often get so caught up in it that it kind of distorts everything that we want.” Snap Factory directed the clip, which places 'Lebeka Leka' in its sentimental context. She says... “I wanted to create a visual push and pull between my fears, how they distort my safe places, my dreams and warm moments with my loved ones. I wanted the music video to show how it's the interaction with family and friends that override the presence, weight and pull of these fears; because their voices are the ones that truly matter.” Beckah continues: “Music began with family for me. It was so special and emotional to have them be a part of the music video and to film on location at my family's farm as well as my family friends’ farm. The filming process felt like a big hug from the most important people in my life. ‘Lebeka Leka’ is a love letter to all the people in our lives that make living worth it. Reminding us to remember what is truly important.” [via Clash]

Jenny Berkel has uveiled her new single and video 'Kaleidoscope'. She explains of the song: "The internet with its rabbit holes, slipperiness, and propensity for mis- and disinformation inspired me to write 'Kaleidoscope.' I wanted parts of this song to evoke the same tense, frantic feeling that the internet can sometimes give, paired with a chorus that lifts its way out of that mood." The accompanying 'Kaleidoscope' music video was filmed at Halifax's indoor theatre for Shakespeare By The Sea. Director Meg Hubley (they/she) of Phyllis Rising Productions came up with the idea of setting it in a steadily shrinking room. The strange and surreal figure in the video is played by Mads Higgins (they/them), a circus performer, who moves around the room in a series of graceful and eerie poses. "The lyrics of 'Kaleidoscope' evolved extensively as time went on," says Jenny. "Given that this song considers the importance of care and precision in language, I felt even more attentive to the lyrics than usual."

Emerging as one of the year’s breakthrough acts, Los Angeles singer and songwriter Em Beihold (pronounced bye-hold) unveils the music video for her buzzing single 'Numb Little Bug' via Moon Projects/Republic Records. The visual seamlessly translates the song’s story and energy to the screen, evoking her sharp sense of humor and even sharper songwriting sensibility in the process. It serves as the perfect companion to this rising hit.

Fears, the rising Irish artist, musician and producer Constance Keane, shares the hauntingly beautiful single '16' featuring her late close friend and cello player, Sophie Gwen Williams. She also reveals a video directed by Zoe Greenway, who performs in punk band M(h)aol alongside Keane, which is dedicated to Williams.  Amongst the rolling beats that are influenced by the traditional Irish drum, the bodhrán, the plucked strings of Williams' cello are contrasted by the hushed angelic vocals of Keane’s whose lyrics reflect on a difficult past relationship and the freedom that hindsight offers. Williams’ instrumentals on the tender track were recorded from a filmed performance from the one and only time they got to play the track together. Fears says on '16' and the collaboration, “Sophie was an incredible artist and a very close friend of mine. We did a filmed performance together last March, thinking we'd get a chance to record it 'properly' in a studio, but she passed away before we could. Zoe and I dedicate the video for '16' to her memory. I had made her a dress for the original performance out of pink tulle - the same fabric I have with me in the video. She was a really inspirational and encouraging person, and I wanted to create something that shows how I carry her with me, even though I no longer have her physically here.” Greenway filmed Fears in The Maharees in Co. Kerry in south west Ireland, an area Keane visited frequently with her family growing up. Keane adds “It's a very special place to me, and I've always wanted to shoot there, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity." Combining reflective electronics, acoustic samples, and haunting vocals with organic visuals, Fears invites the listener on an ethereal journey, blurring the boundaries between music and visual art. Her minimalist approach centres on emotive subjects, which are all-at-once deeply personal yet remarkably universal.

Following her highly praised return with 'Happy Birthday Forever', Toronto-born, London-based artist Tess Parks is sharing a new single and video, 'Brexit At Tiffany’s'. Following years of international touring and a lengthy list of collaborations with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe in recent years (most recently the duo’s self-titled 2018 LP), the track is lifted from her incoming solo album, And Those Who Were Seen Dancing, due out May 20 on Fuzz Club Records and Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada. Out now, new single 'Brexit at Tiffany’s' is a piece of smouldering, organ-soaked psych-pop driven by a husky spoken-word vocal from Parks that channels the gauzy poetics of Patti Smith and Lydia Lunch. On 'Brexit at Tiffany’s', Parks recalls: “We were recording at Rian [O’Grady]’s house and the guys started playing this music which had Francesco [Perini]’s Ray Mananzarek Doors’ sensibilities and Mike [Sutton]’s Neil Young-esque guitar, and then I started reading this poem I had written which pieces together definitions of words I found interesting and had written down. The title is thanks to Ruari [Meehan] who kept saying this over and over and we all thought it was the best thing we ever heard.” She says of the video: “This video was as planned and thought out as its namesake. My friend Robert happened to be in London with a day to spare, so last minute we rallied up some friends who were graciously willing to spend an afternoon wearing these horrific English Breakfast masks. Robert Ascroft, a photographer and director based out of California, adds: “Tess and I met up for a coffee while I was on assignment in London. I told her I would love to shoot a video for her brilliant new record. Right from the start of the conversation she had the idea of wearing these English Breakfast masks. The shoot was very loose which is unlike any music video I have ever shot. Without much communication I got the idea and just ran with it. Tess and I have an unspoken way of working together and have similar tastes/references. We had a fun and fast shoot with some great friends both new and old. And we got some odd looks from passersby to top it all off.”

Following the announcement of their debut, self titled, album and first single 'Liar', Envy Of None, the new project featuring Alex Lifeson (Rush), Andy Curran (Coney Hatch), Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne have revealed 'Look Inside', their next single and video featuring Maiah and directed by Jaden D. Andy Curran, having a “soft spot” for 'Look Inside' recalls the song’s creation “I was in my studio late one night, headphones on… a few glasses of red wine deep and thought, wouldn’t it be fun to pull out my bass, blow up the tone, double it and play to a really messed up super slow drum groove. It’s got a real stoner vibe to it. That’s what happens when you mix wine and bass… Mission accomplished!“ With the rough bed track and song name sent to vocalist Maiah Wynne her initial thoughts were one of introspection “Sometimes you have to shine a light on all the ugliest pieces of yourself in order to truly change, and you have to keep slaying that dragon over and over again. It is a continuous, slow and painful process. The guitars and bass really drive the grittiness and heaviness I felt when I wrote those lyrics. It feels like an all-encompassing sludge, and that is what I absolutely love about this song.”

We are all familiar with that sound. The sickly sweet echo of jazz-toned instrumentation that softly rings out whilst standing amongst strangers in a crowded lift is something we have all become accustomed to over the years. Looking to breathe life into that universal tune, singer-songwriter Shenna drops her new track 'Elevator Music'. While cleverly curated production hopes to transport listeners to the setting mentioned in the title, we are also treated to a dose of the talented artist’s angelic tone, which is used to deliver a set of lyrics as bold as the concept of the track itself. “I want people to envision themselves as the powerhouse that they are when they hear this song,” divulges Shenna when discussing her newest release. “Even though it has fun lyrics and a quirky storyline, the overall meaning is assuring the listener it is okay to put yourself first and prioritise what matters to you. Time is money and sometimes you have to give yourself a mental break from people asking for favours or blowing up your phone!” Accompanying the tune is a playful self-directed music video in which the singer takes to a hotel-like setting to serenade watchers, adding to the intriguing essence of the new track. Unique at its core, Shenna’s 'Elevator Music' is a tune worthy of a listen. [via Wonderland]

London’s Tora-i is here to soothe your soul with her track, 'PBFF'. A softly winding tune at its core, an instant air of calm washes over the track as stripped-back production gives way for Tora’s hypnotic R&B tone to enchant those listening. Sweet in sound the track may be, but that is not where the project ends. Now looking to stun viewers visually, the star on the rise drops the track’s accompanying music video. Directed by Liam Gleeson, symbolism runs rife in the video as we watch Tora take to a dusky room in which faceless figures contort their bodies in a truly artistic manner. As hauntingly beautiful as the vocals that layer over it, the latest visual display from the artist proves that her creativity knows no bounds. [via Wonderland]

Tulsa, Oklahoma band Cliffdiver have signed to SideOneDummy and will release their new album Exercise Your Demons on May 6 via their new label home. It was produced by Seth Henderson (Action/Adventure, Knuckle Puck, Real Friends, etc) and mastered by Will Yip, and first single/opening track 'New Vegas Bomb' features Skatune Network (aka Jeremy Hunter of We Are the Union and JER). Powered by the dual vocals of co-lead vocalists Joey Duffy and Briana Wright, it's a spit-shined pop punk song with some easycore chugs that would fit in anywhere from early 2000s Drive-Thru Records to Upsides/Suburbia-era Wonder Years to the recent pop punk revival, and it goes full on third wave ska in the bridge. "It's an introduction to the bigger story on the LP and taps into the idea that you can party away the pain, which in my experience doesn't work out too well," Joey says, and Briana adds, "As track #1 it's important that 'New Vegas Bomb' not only lyrically establish the storyline at the heart of Exercise Your Demons, but also demonstrate the musical versatility that we've brought to the entire album." "I’m going to be okay because I’ve decided I’m going to be okay," Briana adds about the album overall. "It’s resilience – and if you own your shit, it’s painful, but no one can take that from you. That’s why the record’s called Exercise Your Demons, because while you may not be able to exorcise them and get them out of your life, you can train them and get them under control." [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Pop superstars Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion have teamed up on the collaborative track 'Sweetest Pie,' which they teased on Instagram earlier this week. Megan and Dua also released a video for the the sugary track. It’s directed by Dave Meyers, and the concept credits Megan. Dua and Megan, elaborately costumed, make plenty of dessert-related innuendos and dial in their choreography. “Hot girl shit, me and Dua Lipa finna get the party lit,” Megan raps overhead. [via Stereogum]

Brooke Combe has dropped a brand new single, ‘Miss Me Now’. Arriving alongside an accompanying visual, Combe says: “I wrote ‘Miss Me Now’ after seeing an old flame when I was on a night out and thinking it was a good idea to leave the club with them. It’s never a good idea… but it makes for a good tune.” [via Dork]

Cornelia Jakobs want us to be sure she’s not just a “one hit wonder” and has dropped a new single. Cornelia is currently one of the most talked about artist in Sweden. Cornelia wants to share another side of her music and drops a new music video 'Fine'. This drak lo-fi emotional love ballad was written by Cornelia herself together with Carl Silvergran, Emma Bertilsson and Felix Flygare Floderer. The beautiful video was directed by Celia Caap. [via Escbeat]

Singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke has shared a new version of her 2020 song ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’, a deeply personal cut that now features vocals from Jaguar Jonze. Lifted from a forthcoming deluxe edition of Miller-Heidke’s 2020 album Child in Reverse that will arrive on March 18, the redux dials back some of the retro synth-pop sensibilities of the original for a soaring, atmospheric version with layered guitar and a powerful duet from Miller-Heidke and Jonze. Miller-Heidke said ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’ is about “dancing on the grave of an arsehole”, explaining that it draws on her experience of being sexually abused by her great grandfather as a young child. “This song is about how I felt when he died. Ultimately it’s a really empowering song to sing.” The new version of ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’ arrives alongside a video directed by Joshua Tate. In her statement, Miller-Heidke said that she wouldn’t have been able to be so open about her experience without the examples of activists Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins, but said the most important inspiration was Jonze, “with whom [she] had a very deep conservation with the morning this song was written”. “She described some very shocking things that happened to her as a child, and I felt very connected to her, and full of admiration for her resilience too – that’s when the song title ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’ popped into my head,” Miller-Heidke explains. “I think it’s one of the most powerful songs I’ve written, and it’s a privilege to sing it with Jaguar Jonze, who transformed the track with her potent raw energy.” [via NME]

Bella St Clair sets a high bar and proves that she is a creative force that deserves our attention. The Vancouver -based singer-songwriter, actress and filmmaker draws inspiration from her choral and theatrical backgrounds. 'High,' Bella’s new single is the perfect confluence of those two worlds. She gracefully weaves detailed, evocative and often heart-wrenching narrative into soulful, fluid melodies. The track exposes that she isn’t bound by any traditional genre, which chosen path has shown to provide many artists with innovative longevity. 'High' is a sad, psychedelic exploration of cocaine abuse and toxic love,” states Bella. The main character can be found in “euphoric denial, stuck in an endless loop of lust and delirium that feels warm like sunlight.” Later, the analysis shifts into a “frantic, almost paranoid tone, as the production glitches” the character begins to question her decisions, worth and very existence. Bella tells us that the final tonal shift feels like an “intoxicated surrender”. Her character decisively “succumbs to elation and the desperation of her addictions.” She then closes the storyline with a sampled “you get me” and the cycle begins again. Bella St Clair has established herself as someone who can impeccably bring her visions to life and on the screen. She became a one woman show in the visual conception of 'High' and easily filled in the roles as director, producer, hair and make-up artist. In this well honored fashion, the production complimented her personal style stamped within the beautifully crafted dreamlike world. You can even hear amongst the track Bella’s familiar time signature changes, trademark lifts, pauses and spellbinding lyrics. Her vocals borrow from pop, soul, musical theatre, and everything in between. While the production swims artfully from rock to r&b and indie without skipping a metaphorical beat.

Brimheim has released new single ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’. It is about finding an inner strength to break away from a toxic relationship or thought patterns that have taken over control. "The song is about being trapped in a claustrophobic space with someone, or something, that’s toxic. The story dually represents a romantic entanglement with a narcissist or psychopath, and also my mental entanglement with patriarchal ideals, which the antagonist personifies. Emblematic of my own struggle with internalised sexism," Helena, the woman behind Brimheim, says. Along with the single ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’, Brimheim is also releasing a music video. The music video is instructed by the Faroese super16 educated filmmaker and multi artist Heiðrikur Heygum and it is inspired by fantasy, folk tales and tarot cards. Helena explains about the music video: "The Faroese landscape and the fog surrounding the mountains gives the aesthetics a very special quality. I can’t quite remember ever having seen a lot of fantasy inspired music videos, which makes me feel that we have created something unique with this visual."

French for Rabbits – the New Zealand-based, ethereal dream-pop project helmed by singer-songwriter Brooke Singer – have shared 'The Outsider,' the delicate and warm third single to be released from the group’s forthcoming album, The Overflow. On writing 'The Outsider,' Brooke Singer said, “In 2019 I visited LA for the first time to do some co-writing with a few different producers and songwriters ahead of a French for Rabbits tour - it was an exciting, dizzying experience - all the palm trees and heat. One balmy day, I had a session with Marc Orrell and Brooke Johnson and we ended up writing my favorite song on this new record - an introvert’s anthem that finds joy in the act of being alone. The song distils the feeling of being an awkward introvert at a party - staring at your phone on the edges of a crowd.” In regards to 'The Outsider' music video, Singer said “Because the song contains such a vividly painted picture of an outsider at a party – the video concept came to me easily. As a quiet person, you can feel like a ghost at a party. So this is what we filmed. I wanted it to feel a little American in keeping with the song's origins, and we found the perfect tree-lined street in Christchurch with picket fences and gorgeous houses.  Our cinematographer Julian Vares really captured what I imagined so well, and our director Martin Sagadin made an admirable stunt double ghost for the bicycle scenes. It’s ended up being a really sweet and slightly heart-breaking little film with a joyful ending. For it, we threw a party with friends and had a great time. My favourite parts of being a ghost were jumping on a trampoline at midnight, and dancing in the bedroom - I thoroughly enjoyed the dance moves I came up with.”

Kynsy, the solo project of the 23 year-old Irish multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Ciara Lindsey, shares a brand new single and video, 'Mr Nice Guy'.  The song is co-produced by Kynsy and James Dring (Gorillaz / Jamie T / Sorry) and sees Kynsy bring a swaggering, synth-drenched atmosphere to the detached nonchalance of her lyrics. The accompanying video was directed by Dave Fox and Conor Donoghue. Talking about the new song and video, Kynsy says: “It's a song about money and working and having one of those horrible bosses who tells you he's trying to be 'the nice guy' while he goes through you outside on the street. It’s mostly based on an encounter I had in a waitressing job. I suppose there is a message in there about the power of empathy and kindness in how you deal with people. The video echoes a lot of the themes in the song just pushed to an extreme level. Working with Dave and Conor we created a surreal world that’s really colourful but eerie at the same time. The master [me!] is on a constant power trip and forces her minions to endure some pretty awful treatment for her own gratification. To honour the positive message in the song we get to see how treating people like this will come back to bite you one way or another."

M(h)aol have shared new single ‘Gender Studies’, a response to how gender changes throughout our lifetime, and how some people wish to force the gender binary. It’s about going on a intersectional feminist journey where you become less palatable to wider society, but more palatable to yourself. It comes with a film noir style video that uses images to suggest the constraints of gender roles and the expectations that come with it. This is contrasted with the internal frustration and anger of the song, and the faceless figures act as a frame for understanding and recognising the power of the individual's voice and action in continuing to resist systems of oppression. The new single is the title track from debut EP Gender Studies which they also announced, for release on October 29 digitally, and then a 12” vinyl on January 14 via indie label TULLE which champions underrepresented voices in music. Gender Studies was recorded in just 3 days due to their different locations, and covers topics such as violence against women, the misogynistic music scene in Ireland and the UK, and trying to navigate life when you're not a cis straight white man.

In the lead-up to her hotly anticipated debut album Been Doin’ It For a Bit out now, acclaimed singer-songwriter Ruby Fields released what may be her finest moment captured on tape yet. The restrained, vulnerable and heartfelt new single ‘Bottle’o’ finds Fields behind an upright piano as her delicate vocals take centre stage. It’s a track that shows another side of Ruby - who’s just as well-loved for her more raucous moments - in a piece of new music that’s bound to be a hit with fans. Diary-entry songwriting at its most beautiful and fragile. Ruby Fields is a natural-born storyteller, and the lyrics in this track are no exception. Like many of her best songs, it’s born from lived experience. As per usual, Fields is never afraid to tell it like it is. “I wrote ‘Bottle’o’ in August 2019 living on the old farm waiting for someone to visit, who never made it,” she recalls of the track’s inception. “Went to the shops, tried to get money out and couldn’t. I didn’t have my ID so I had to use cash and my passport to buy beers. Got home and wrote a pretty ordinary poem about it in my opinion but then I sat at a piano and just took it from there and now it might be my favourite.”

Sassy 009, real name Sunniva Lingård, has announced her new mixtape Heart Ego, alongside unveiling 'Mystery Boy' to accompany the news. Heart Ego will be Sassy 009's first project since 2019's KILL SASSY 009 EP. Lingård says of the mixtape, "Heart Ego is the most ambitious project I’ve done so far in my career, yet the project I have had the most trouble defining. Framing it as a mixtape was like finding home. The actual structuring and understanding of my compositions is simply a result of how I think it should feel, and not necessarily in line with a structure someone else completely understands." [via Line Of Best Fit]

Australian-in-London and renowned singer-songwriter Jess Chalker is perhaps best known for being one half of Australian new-wave duo We Are The Brave. She is also a highly sought-after composer and producer, having worked collaboratively with a plethora of respected artists and musicians around the globe, including Sam Fischer, Vintage Culture, Isamachine, Gold Kimono and Passenger. Now Jess embarks as a solo artist in her own right. 'Stupid Trick' is taken from her debut solo full-length album Hemispheres - due November 5 via Jess’ own imprint 528 Records. 'Stupid Trick' is an ‘80s-inspired track that features light-hearted, upbeat vibes and lyrics that emote the innocence of young love and the intense feelings you used to have as a teenager before learning what love really means. Jess says: “I'd been reading Gael Garcia Marquez novels and watching John Hughes movies at the time of writing it, which I think definitely helped shape the concept.” The video to the track was shot in London, post lockdown, and was inspired by one of Jess’ favourite places, Postman's Park. It also references cinematic classics including the 1956 French film The Red Balloon, Charlie Chaplin and Before Sunrise. It was also her first time crafting a short film script. Directed by Marcelo de la Vega, with cinematography by Shane Benson.

Findlay returns with ‘Life Is But A Dream’ her first new music as a solo artist since 2017’s Forgotten Pleasures album. Directing her own dream-like visuals to accompany the song, she wistfully recollects her childhood ideations in stark contrast to the burden of her reality. Effortlessly melding breezy alt-indie, psychedelia and dreamy pop sensibilities, the song centres around an ethereal conversation between an older and younger self, the excitement of adolescence and the yearning for lost youth. It’s a theme that’s salient as ever, with the record being made over a stark period of isolation for Natalie (Findlay). Crafting her own intimate reality within her song writing by twisting wry humour and heavy subject matter, Natalie has explored the weight of her own evolving identity and the depths of her vivid imagination.

Lotic - the project of J’Kerian Morgan shares a new single/video, 'Emergency,' from her forthcoming album, Water, which is out October 29 on Houndstooth. 'Emergency' is an urgent electronic cut. Atmospheric synths give way to Lotic’s siren-like voice as percussion ricochets in the background. “‘Emergency’ is me fully owning my sexuality for the first time,” says Lotic. “I transitioned a few years ago and it taught me that men really have way too much testosterone flowing through their bodies. It makes them act crazy and all they care about is sexual fulfilment, but I can demand pleasure and orgasms too!” The accompanying video, directed by LIL INTERNET, is beautifully choreographed and presents another look into Lotic’s cohesive aesthetic.

With their new album Crocus out now, The Ophelias are sharing the title-track and video. Speaking about the new track and video, Spencer Peppet of The Ophelias said "An old friend said that the first song on an album should be an overture, a thesis statement, a prologue. Crocus the album wasn’t written in order, but the line “I hope that you are happier now/ but I hope that you dream of me” became a throughline. My life has changed since this song was written, but reflecting on the past can sometimes offer clarity. I'm asking, was this relationship as meaningful and important for you as it was for me? And extending a gentle threat- “I hope I’m always a phone call closer than you thought I would be.” I recorded a demo of this song that sounds very close to how the final track turned out. Very rarely do I request to stick this close to the original demo, but I wanted this song to stay as intimate as it began. The noise at the very beginning is me turning on a sink- I wanted to emulate the feedback at the beginning of 'Dusted' by Guided by Voices, and the sound of the tap running reminded me of that. This video centers on light: what the presence or absence of light can do, how it forms around a person, how colors filter and morph. We got to shoot this in Chicago with Alex Halstead, who shot the videos for Neil Young on High and Sacrificial Lamb, and a crew of immensely talented people. Since this song is very intimate, we decided it made sense for the video to focus on me. We played with movement, choreographing some parts and experimenting in others. Jo, who co-directed, says they focused on how the movement, light, and shadow mirrored the melody line. I also repaired, dyed, and beaded the corset myself!"

With their self-titled debut EP set to make an impact when it lands on October 15 via Brace Yourself Records, Grandmas House are giving us the latest taste of what to expect with new single ‘Girl’. “‘Girl’ is an ode to women and falling in love,” the band say. “While being a happy, upbeat tune it also touches on the struggles queer people experience with coming out and the ups and downs of relationships.” [via DIY]

Ahead of the release of new EP Sunshine State on October 29, Pixey has dropped her latest bop ‘Take Me On’. “‘Take Me On’ was such a joy to write,” she states. “I started writing it in my first studio session and finished it the day after. The song is about taking back control when nobody is listening to you or taking you seriously, which I’ve definitely had to deal with a lot in the past. I’ve always wanted to write an empowering anthem with a simple hook, so I was so pleased when the song came together like it did.” [via DIY]

Who we are, and how we present ourselves to the world, can vary within any given situation. After a year (and some change) of world-wide lockdowns, in which we’ve been mostly isolated, our social interactions limited primarily to digital realms, those visions – both of ourselves and others – have become somewhat distorted, or at least nebulous. Along with that comes a particular fatigue, a sense that if we could somehow disconnect, we’d be able to see ourselves more clearly. PNW fusion-pop outfit Foamboy – helmed by Wil Bakula and Katy Ohsiek – understand, and they’ve somehow distilled these rather awkward considerations into something worth dancing to on 'Logout,' their final single from forthcoming debut My Sober Daydream, out October 1. The the video includes album track 'Alien' as a sort of intro, in which Ohsiek confronts other versions of herself locked behind picture frames and television screens, at once horrified and entertained. Directed by Riley Brown, the clip transitions into a neon-hued live set-up featuring Bakula on synths, Ohsiek on vocals, and album mixer Justin Yu Kiatvonchareon on drums as the laid-back house groove of 'Logout' takes over. [via Audiofemme]

Forward-thinking vocalist and producer Sola returns with an inspiring new track and supporting video named ‘Feels Like A War’. A truly unique artist whose music is enriched with powerful reference points, ‘Feels Like A War’ takes cues from the doo-wop sound of the late 1940’s and 1950’s. A lush, textured production formed by a resample of Sola’s own vocals creates an elegant backdrop for the track’s nostalgic feel, yet her modern touch of ‘warped soul’ still firmly remains. Elevated further by trumpet work from Ife Ogunjobi (member of Jazz band Ezra Collective) ‘Feels Like A War’ is a gorgeous blend of Sola’s influences that meander between timeless R&B and jazz styles - inspired by the likes of Sade and Nina Simone - and experimental, electronic soundscapes. Its supporting video, directed by Destine Paige, captures this melting pot perfectly as Sola elegantly performs in a range of classic, and then futuristic, settings. With the track tackling Sola’s experience in overcoming anxiety and learning to embrace her flaws, she explains: “Lyrically, I’m singing to myself about reclaiming my mind from anxiety and depression. I find it easy to be held captive by my thoughts and learning to love my flaws can feel like a constant battle or war. This song is about overcoming, but also embracing them.” And of the video, she adds: "This song has a really nostalgic feel to it, so I wanted to make sure it was captured throughout the video. When looking at the work of the Nigerian photographer Samuel Fosso, I felt similar feelings and really drew upon his art for inspiration on this video. I collaborated with the director Destine Paige, who really helped bring everything to life.”

LA-via Seattle singer, songwriter, and spoken word artist Hollis Wong-Wear, known simply as Hollis, is redefining herself and going solo. Until now, Hollis has been best known for her contribution to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ 2013 debut GRAMMY-nominated album, The Heist, with the song 'White Walls,' and for her role as front-woman of popular Seattle group, The Flvr Blue. But, come 2022, Hollis releases her debut solo full-length—an alt-pop album entitled Subliminal, which she wrote and recorded almost entirely during the pandemic. Now, Hollis premieres her third single from the forthcoming album, 'Let Me Not,' a vibrant-yet-melancholy track that marks Hollis’ first collaboration with Ryan Lewis since their work on The Heist. 'Let Me Not' also marks one of the first music videos she’s ever directed—something she’d like to do more of going into 2022. “I have a lot of interests as a filmmaker,” says Hollis. “Between my work directing the ‘Let Me Not’ video and thinking about like moving forward with the other videos, I want to make sure they’re artistically cohesive.” Transformed into an upbeat headbanger with a sneaking, ominous keyboard line, the song and its video depict Hollis, obviously feeling weighed down by the heaviness of the world as she knocks her “head on the wall all night” and “feels like throwing herself out the window.” We see the artist’s helplessness and confusion as she sits in an empty theater, lies alone in the grass, and performs a house show with an angry grimace. In the end, she doesn’t want to “bring down the vibe” by being honest and open about her emotional state and the state of the world—even to herself—a notion that captures the pain, anxiety, fear, and descent into numbness that has gripped many of us since March 2020. That said, the track is anything by upsetting— its honesty makes the listener feel a little less alone. [via Audiofemme]

At the beginning of the month, Phoenix-based songwriter UPSAHL painted a fairly graphic picture for us of the end of a relationship and the revenge fantasies it conjures up for the main character of her forthcoming debut album. The blazing single from Lady Jesus emphasizes her aggressive take on pop choruses and lyrics. It makes sense, then, that the song’s visual accompaniment would be equally aggressive, taking visual cues from a pairing of imagery tied to Psycho and Catholicism you’re unlikely to find outside of this album cycle. “‘Lunatic’ is all about playing a character, so for the video, we wanted to amplify this character,” she explains. “George Gallardo, who directed it, had this fire idea of recreating the shower murder scene from the movie Psycho. Having the majority of the music video take place in a church/confession booth basically makes the whole context of the song sound like a confession. ‘Lunatic’ is really the turning point on my album, in which we get closer and closer to Lady Jesus, so the music video taking place in a church feels like the birth of Lady Jesus and the person I’ve become while making this album.” [via FLOOD]

K-pop girl group ITZY have made their highly anticipated return with new single ‘Loco’. ‘Loco’ was written and composed by South Korean production group Galactika, who also worked on ITZY’s hit 2020 single ‘Wannabe’. The new song, which also dropped alongside a high-energy music video, opens the quintet’s freshly released first full-length album Crazy In Love. Crazy In Love features 10 brand-new songs from ITZY, including the Korean and English-language versions of ‘Loco’. Additionally, the record also includes instrumental versions of every ITZY single to date, from their 2019 debut song ‘Dalla Dalla’ and their most-recent release ‘Mafia In The Morning’. [via NME]

Uffie defined an entire era of early 2000s music and now the icon is entering a brand new one. After a brief hiatus, despite staying busy co-writing for other artists (like Greyson Chance and VINCINT), Uffie is back with a solo single released through Toro y Moi's label, Company Records. The track is called 'cool' and lives up to its title, with groovy production and a chorus that's as nonchalant as the lyrics. "Cool," she repeats, effortlessly, above a fresh bass line. "Kissing by the pool, life's a disco." For Uffie, the song is "about being co-dependent in an emotionally detached whirlwind of a relationship," as she says, explaining how a fast-paced life of "surface" experiences ultimately left her feeling naïve. "When I paused in the eye of the storm to look around, I realized it was all rooted in toxicity. Sometimes you decide to walk away, others you just say 'cool' and close your eyes." Co-writers Axident and Lokøy compared 'cool' to the Michelle Pfeiffer dance scene in Scarface and used that to inspire its Mynxii White-directed visual. Uffie is shot by herself, wrapped in "a world of nothing but excess" to show how lonely that can be. "We chose to lean in to the pain of such an isolating time in order to understand the things that matter most," Uffie says. "Togetherness and deeper relationships between one another." [via PAPER]

Nina Nesbitt is here to soundtrack your downward spiral. For many of us, the pandemic has had a profound effect on our mental health, with everything from depression to anxiety to loneliness arising to the surface. And someone who knows this well is Nesbitt, who wrote 'Life's a Bitch' as a "soundtrack [her] cry dancing, smiling through the tears moments." However, the singer-songwriter went on to add that this "anthem for powering through tough times and not taking life too seriously" came surprisingly easy, as it was written in 30 minutes with production duo Jack & Coke over Zoom. Explaining that the "stream of consciousness" song felt like something that "just poured out at the right time," Nesbitt said the track was inspired by her own proclivity to keep things to herself "until they rise to the surface," though she's now a proponent of "embracing" even the ugliest and most uncomfortable parts of you. "It definitely represents the darker parts of the album, with a slight '80s twist," Nesbitt said before calling the accompanying horror-inspired video a "live mental breakdown," as it takes a Jekyll and Hyde approach to representing the "two sides to someone and how if you keep things bottled up, they eventually find their way out." As such, the Wolf James-directed video follows a "Perfect Nina" character who attempts to run away from her worries in a getaway car, ignoring the red flags and pretending that everything is fine — even if she soon learns that she can't outrun her problems or the darkness that comes with them. [via PAPER]

For The Regrettes singer Lydia Night, who’s been touring consistently since she was 12 years old, a pandemic didn’t just bring her career to a halt — it also caused her to feel like her own identity was slipping through her fingers. Now, Night’s power-pop band voiced their frustrations and anxieties with the new single 'Monday,' along with its whimsical music video. 'Monday' captures the dismay of life on pause, recalling universal memories of piling dirty laundry, health anxiety, and untimely existentialism. “Gotta get the fuck out of LA,” Night sings with a defeated snarl. “Run from the sun before it burns my brain.” Its video, directed by Dillon Dowdell, introduces an ominous character named Joy, who personifies that nagging fear that maybe you have no purpose at all. Stay tuned until the song’s second half, and you’ll spot one Olivia Rodrigo portraying a slightly unprepared DJ at a middle school dance. “As LA locked down, I felt a huge part of my identity and ego being stripped away because of no touring, and no connecting with people at our shows,” Night wrote in a statement. “I had to come up with a new way to function in the world. It was really rough, and still is rough, but I found writing this song to be super therapeutic.” [via Consequence]

Detroit’s Shortly have unveiled the video for their latest single 'Dancer' from their upcoming debut abum of the same name. Alexandra Maniak had this to say on the release: "I’ve had a lot of time to prepare this album- some of these songs I have been playing live for five years already. It wasn’t until we were only a week away from recording the full-length, reviewing the body of work I wanted to take to the studio, that I wrote 'Dancer'. My songs on display and ready to be reworked, I was thinking of what the thesis of the album might be- was it a sad album? It is not lost on me that a lot of my songs are very sad, sometimes to a fault, but I’m not all that sad anymore- or, rather, I’m a lot more hopeful now, and much more comfortable with myself. 'Dancer' is a song about this. Both the newest song and the oldest story, 'Dancer' is a literal retelling of the car accident that injured my back beyond repair, and how I coped with losing what I loved the most afterwards. For me, the song is hopeful. My present voice interjects the story with a comforting reminder. If you love something enough, it becomes a part of you; If I can’t dance, I can still tell the stories I wanted to tell, I just express myself differently. The album is just absolutely laced with mood swings, and 'Dancer' is the reason for all of them."

Breakout star Zoe Wees teams up with GRAMMY-nominated R&B maestro 6LACK on her new single, 'That’s How It Goes'. The two artists co-wrote the powerful track, which contrasts the light and dark energies found in life. The official video was shot in Kiev and directed by Oliva Rose (Ty Dolla $ign, Lola Young), who helmed the video for 6LACK’s 'East Atlanta Love Letter.' Zoe Wees explains, “I loved working with 6LACK. Knowing that 6LACK was working really hard until he became who he is now, inspired me on a different level. The way he appreciated the whole team and our new song is so lovely to see. He has one of the most beautiful souls. And I’m on fire performing this one with him..” 6LACK adds, “Really happy to be able to work with people that speak to my spirit directly. Zoe Wees created a bridge from her world to mine, and ‘that’s how it goes’ is a song that carries a message that’ll never fade. triumph through despair. it reminds me of where I came from, who I am, and where I want to go next.”

London pop outfit Oh Wonder have announced their fourth studio album, 22 Break, alongside the release of its titular lead single. Its soundscape flourished with crystalline keys and emotive strings, the track sees Oh Wonder tap into a gloomier and more pensive corner of their musicality, with members Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West – themselves a couple – singing about what a press release describes as a “tumultuous and deeply personal time in their private lives”. The track arrives alongside a black-and-white film clip, wherein Vander Gucht and West reenact the dissolve of their relationship. 22 Break is set for release on October 8 via Island, and comes as the follow-up to their 2020 album, No One Else Can Wear Your Crown. A short film is also slated to be released alongside the record, with a teaser being shared to the duo’s social media pages earlier this week. 22 Break's press release notes that much of the album was written “autonomously” in the pair’s home studio shortly after their last album was released, chronicling a rough spot in their relationship at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vander Gucht commented on the album’s genesis, saying: “We were just writing songs. We had no idea we were writing a breakup album.” “It was such a weird thing,” West added, “to make a breakup album with the person you’re breaking up with, while you’re breaking up.” The pair noted that making ‘22 Break’ was integral to Vander Gucht and West mending their relationship, the former calling it “awkward” and “vulnerable” but pointing out that “it also saved us”. Vander Gucht and West were married in August, following the album’s completion. [via NME]

Varley pays tribute to all the women out there slaughtering the gender norm in their latest quirky video 'Feel It.' Celebrating freedom and feminism, the Jen Krause-directed video depicts the trio in funky outfits that blur the gender boundaries. “‘Feel It’ is to celebrate all of the amazing, talented, and inspiring women in our lives, kind of like a love letter and a thank you in one. In another track off the record, ‘Married with Bruises’ we wrote about the absurd and outdated stereotypes of what certain men think a woman should be but in “Feel It” we wanted it all to be about the badass women who give a chic fuck you to the gender norms that society has set up.” The track is from their debut album Smalltalk & DMCs, which is out now. [via Aupium]

Rosie Lowe has dropped a beautiful new video for her latest single, ‘Paris, Texas’. Directed by London-based duo NoCowboys and visually inspired by the Wim Wenders film from which the single also borrows its name, ‘Paris, Texas’ is taken from Rosie’s surprise new mixtape, Now, You Know, released in full earlier this month. Says Rosie; “I wrote 'Paris, Texas' about those moments when time stands still, like when you’re lost in your favourite movie scene so for the video I wanted to recreate the iconic booth scene from my favourite movie, Wim Wenders’ ‘Paris, Texas’, but put my own twist on it.” Directors Jody Nolan and Betty Cutting, aka NoCowboys, added; “the video explores the ebbs and flows of intimacy; examining the relationship of ultimate familiarity [the one Rosie has with herself]. In an ode to the movie that inspired the song, we wanted to take the viewers on an intimate, sensitive journey through varying degrees of Rosie’s different sides [how they are inhabited and expressed] through surrealism and our photographic style.” [via With Guitars]

The official music video for ‘Fighter’ is here via Effective Records/Sony Music Germany/RCA Records. The song brings together the multi-platinum, Grammy awarded producer/DJ Imanbek and singer-songwriter LP. ‘Fighter' is a healing hymn for all fighters who look back on a failed relationship – and still do not lose hope. An explosive galactic opera, the official music video for ‘Fighter’ features LP as a battle-tested woman warrior at the heart of the action in which the fate of her mission hangs in the balance. Using Unreal Engine 4, the world’s most powerful real-time 3D creation platform, Sensorium Galaxy provided the animation for the music video, generating an ultra-realistic representation of LP inside a virtual world. [via EDM Nations]