Scarlet Pleasure has without a doubt been our favorite Danish upstart since the trio first swooned us with their satiny twisting R&B pop on Deja Vu last year. The breakout project has since captured hearts aplenty with their 2017 EP Lagune, and they’ve finally unveiled their first new music of 2018 in slick romping, whimsically capering Mind, which you can stream via its music video above, as well as a sultry simmering jam named Let Go, which can be previewed via Soundcloud below. Mind is a sleek cruising treat that showcases Emil Goll’s silky crooning and the band’s innovative pop, ever so gently checkered with balmy sweltering R&B, funk, and soul. It’s a smooth lurcher of a luscious bop whose video was directed by Scarlet Pleasure themselves, alongside Stine
Thorbøll and DolceRocca. Their new songs are out now on Copenhagen Records.
A slew of mighty fine debuts have been rolling in just ahead of summer. Case in point, Olloway, a Vancouver-based electronic band who’s burst out of the gates with a gooey melting debut single named August. Olloway, formerly known as EDM duo FYKA, has crafted a song that redefines genres with its visionary blend of organic electronica and heartfelt alt pop. The duo has carved out their own irresistible niche in the scene with their airy synths, impassioned guitars, and fleecy vocals. Olloway’s first song is reminiscent of A R I Z O N A or Mansionair, deeply permeated with dewy-eyed sentiment but heavily punctuated by incendiary junctures and a Porter Robinson-like ethereal electronic bridge. August is the first release off their debut EP, expected this summer. Download August for free, here, as we await more from the fascinating new project.
If you haven’t been jamming to Westerman’s latest single for much of the month already, it’s high time you strut your stuff to groovalicious Edison, a slick warbling, funk slinking indietronica and pop song that gives voice to the frail inner monologue of the narcissist. As Westerman says “It’s about ambition, petulance and ill preparation. I imagined myself inside the head of the megalomaniac. I played around with all the unmet need and fear you would find there.“ The Londoner certainly crafts some of the most fascinating music of the moment. On warm glowing Edison, Westerman continues to collaborate with electronic producer Bullion to sculpt his sophisticated experimental sound. Edison even features some moments that remind me of early 80s classics by the likes of Talking Heads, but then Westerman quickly switches up the vibe of the song again with his lush blend of instrumentals. A Westerman album is slated for 2019, which seems like a very long time for us Westerman fans to wait, but we promise we’ll be patient. Edison is out on Apple Music, here.
Noah and the Whale is a band I’ll miss for all eternity, having fallen head over heels for the Charlie Fink-lead band circa 2009 when they released their second album The First Days Of Spring. I’m infinitely glad that Charlie Fink is still active in the music scene, but it’s been a year since we shared his last dusty folk pop charmer, I Was Born To Be A Cowboy. Well, all my fretting and wondering about when he’d reappear has been put to rest now that Charlie Fink has suddenly surfaced with a new double-A side single. Stream My Heartbeat Lost Its Rhythm above and Anywhere below. Both are massive stunners. Anywhere is a fresh interpretation of Fink’s solo album track ‘Anywhere You’re Going, Is On My Way’ which was originally a delicate folk offering, but Fink has completely re-invented the track with 80s electronic beats and driving synth lines that remind me of Bleachers. My Heartbeat Lost Its Rhythm is also a resplendent thrummer. The song, which Fink recorded in 2015, perfectly complements Anywhere with its soaring synthpop choruses and new wavy flourishes. Of course, at the center of both tracks is Fink’s ever recognizable voice, which always has a special place in my heart. Both voluminous tunes are available, here.
lovelytheband made a resounding debut last year with Broken, a song I’d likely never tire of due to its vibrant synths and infectious melody. Every time I hear it, I fall in love all over again with the LA trio’s tribute to “the broken ones”. It also reminds me of a very magical moment at SXSW this year. It was past midnight, I was exhausted, and I really needed to use the restroom. Friends were buying food at food trucks, so I rain into the Main II to use their bathroom. As I stepped back out, who else might be on stage but lovelytheband, and what song might they be performing but Broken! I was so elated, I stopped by the stage to take in the song even though I was supposed to rush back out to the street. That was fate. It had to be. lovelytheband recently returned with a brand new song to obsess over named ‘these are my friends’. It’s just as infectious a new alt pop and indie rock track on which we can all wax affectionate over our friends together. ‘these are my friends’ is already well on its way to being one of this summer’s chart-climbing anthems. You can also stream the song on Spotify, here.
It was an absolute pleasure and delight to premiere La Bouquet’s performance of Loveless on Sunshine Sessions earlier this year. If you missed out on the feature, make sure you take in the poignantly heartfelt video, here. Now that Bryan Sammis (The Neighbourhood, Olivver the Kid) and Jake Lopez are back with a fresh new tune named Cruel, we’re more than ready to dive into a new lavish dose of the duo’s vivid music once again. Cruel is a widescreen ballad bursting with richly layered instrumentals and skyscraping choruses. Alt pop and alt rock interweave on the heart-bursting track, whose lyrics are an age-old lament spurned by bitter heartbreak. Strangely enough, La Bouquet seems to have scrapped all their tracks from Soundcloud. Perhaps this signifies some exciting new developments for the duo. We’ll keep our ears perked for any news. Revisit their Heavy Sunshine EP on Spotify, here.
I’ve been dreaming for a new DREAMERS song for quite some time now, so I’m much delighted that the now LA-based “cosmic rock” trio are back with rambunctious Screws, which will be featured on the band’s upcoming EP, due early summer. DREAMERS also announced a 31-date U.S. headlining tour kicking off on September 13th in San Diego. Screws is an exultant alt rock anthem, with the band’s signature spacey flourishes and soaring choruses. Grab the song, here. Find out about DREAMERS’ fall tour, here.
A very serendipitous jaunt through Soundcloud land brought me to SONTALK earlier this month, at which I found myself immediately transfixed by their dusty rolling sound on I Am A War Machine. I had to do a little digging to find out about the band, but I learned that SONTALK is a project created by Joseph LeMay, an already much respected Americana artist. As SONTALK, he recently released a three track EP named Act I, which you can stream/download, here. I Am A War Machine draws me in with its jaunty rhythm and reedy drawl, both which remind me of The War On Drugs. Maybe heartland rock inspired bands really like utilizing the word “war” in their names or song titles, or maybe this is a coincidence, but it’s obvious there’s a new alt/indie rock band on the block to fall hard for. Sadly, we just missed out on SONTALK’s tour stop in San Francisco earlier this month. Perhaps they’ll hit the road again soon, or so we hope.
This next magnificent beast of a rocking tune comes from Little Brother Eli, a band from Oxford described as “often bearded”. Facial hair or not, it’s quickly apparent why this band’s growling guitars, danceable beats, electro breakdowns, and contagious pop hooks have caught the attention of both BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 2, as well as countless other tastemaking outlets. Our Kind Of Love is a snarling, smoldering, yet melodically bopping piece that evokes both Arctic Monkeys and early, funky Maroon 5. Little Brother Eli just made an appearance at The Great Escape Festival and they have a handful of other shows planned in the UK this summer. Keep up with the band via their website, here.
As long time fans of multi-platinum selling alt rock and folk rock veterans American Authors, I feel like I’m going to be in “deep water” if I don’t get around to sharing the band’s latest single today. After all, we’ve been enjoying earthy stomping, resolute marching Deep Water for many a day already, so it’s high time we give it a share on here, too. The rallying cry of a song features a grittiness and springiness that remind me of AWOLNATION and Imagine Dragons, but wedded to a marshy and heartfelt folksiness. Lead singer Zac Barnett explains: “Deep Water is about treading through the hardest times with the people that are closest to you. We’ve all experienced loss and struggle, and there’s no way we would have made it through without our loved ones’ help.” You can find the single on all major services, here.
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