Article Type: New Releases

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Milly Upton ‘Wanna Get Out’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Milly Upton ‘Wanna Get Out’ Probably fitting for the time of year when many of us feel trapped at home, Milly Upton’s ‘Wanna Get Out’ is a beautiful contemplation on feeling trapped. 27.12.23 Words by Caitlin Taylor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcxm0I1sI4k  As I write this on a 3 hour journey back to my hometown, the line “going to a place because other people need me there” particularly resonates.   Upton grew up in Brighton, raised by a music teacher who encouraged her to pursue her talents by attending first the Sylvia Young Theatre School then Laine Theatre Arts. She remained in London as a singer/songwriter after she finished her studies but after an issue with her voice that resulted in surgery, she moved more into TV and film work. However, almost out of nowhere, in December she dropped this single .    It’s gentle but impactful with Upton managing to balance both her storytelling with careful rhymes and wordplay. On Instagram she notes it was written with fellow musician Xav Clarke while they were in Cornwall: “It came to us in about 30 mins and has been stuck in my head since then. Cheerful and excited to leave this with you”. It closes with a gentle cacophony that sees her harmonising with herself as she begs to get out of the situation she’s in.    Upton’s music releases are few and far between but she has a decent backlog for you to explore, in particular her Baby FM EP from 2019.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milly🏆 (@millyupton_)   You Might Also Like

      NEW EP RELEASE – Nia Chennai ‘Diary Is A Waste Of Paper’

      NEW EP RELEASE – Nia Chennai ‘Diary Is A Waste Of Paper’ Nia Chennai is inviting you to her slumber party! 27.12.23 Words by Céline Galletti https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PheGfJG8ozs With her new EP “Diary Is A Waste Of Paper”, the singer goes over everything she learned in her 22 years in what she considers an open letter to herself. This album feels like doing a sleepover with your girlfriends and getting to hear their advice on the problems you have going on. From body image issues to bad situationships, being overwhelmed by love and feeling confident, Nia goes over a wide range of themes and offers little pieces of wisdom on each of them. The artist claims that she knows who she is and most importantly, who she is working to become. This EP feels like one more stepping stone in her path to personal growth, that she is sharing with the rest of the world. The album is defined by a suave tone and soft beats, creating an experimental musical universe that plays with R&B, rap and pop. Nia’s voice, defined by its melody and fluidity, is the centrepiece of all her songs and steals the show every single time. The result is a musical experience full of raw emotion and honesty, that offers a little peak in the singer’s intimate world. The title “Diary Is A Waste Of Paper” thus takes on more sense as you progress through the EP: why waste time on a diary when you can express the same emotions in an album? The first title “Homage To My Hip Dips” starts off strong: “What do you want?” we hear a woman ask “Love. Love. But love for me first…”. The tone is set, Nia is here to spread confidence, self-love, and positive energy. This single is written as a letter to her younger sister and is here to offer some much-needed body positivity. Other titles like “S.I.S”, “wasting Time” and fan favourite “Since We Ain’t Together” explore the theme of relationships, and more specifically bad ones that should be dropped in order to grow. The final title “Coldharbour Lane” is a personal favourite, and concludes the EP beautifully with a transcending piece about strolling the streets with confidence, proud of the person you have become. Nia’s promise “You will find your peace” resonates like a prophecy filled with hope and positivity about the future. Nia is a very promising emerging talent of R&B in London, and she is working hard on tours and other projects for her fans. Her ability to talk about relatable and moving subjects with honesty, mixed with her raw musical talent, can only guarantee that you will keep hearing about her in the years to come. She is active on her social media @niachennai, where you can keep an eye on her upcoming performances throughout London. And remember, don’t write about your problems in your diary, but sing them out loud! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nia Chennai (@niachennai)     You Might Also Like

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – FIZZ ‘Close One (Acoustic)’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – FIZZ ‘Close One (Acoustic)’ UK supergroup FIZZ have dropped a reimagined version of their track “Close One”, following the release of their debut album, The Secret to Life. 22.12.23 Words by Rowan Christina Driver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTWgj-5uZTo Announcing the drop on social media, the quartet said: “SURPRISE – TODAY WE RELEASED A SOFT & COSY ACOUSTIC VERSION OF ‘CLOSE ONE”. The track originally followed the release lead single “High in Brighton”, and “Hell Of A Ride”. Uniting the talents of Orla Gartland, dodie, Greta Isaac and Martin Luke Brown – each established artists in their own right – FIZZ is a project of passion, friendship, and effortless fun. “Close One” puts Dublin-born Gartland’s raw-edged vocal front and centre, navigating a complex labyrinth of nostalgia, longing, and impending regret. Stripped back entirely from the original arrangement, this reimagined version of the track spotlights the foursome’s ability to craft beautifully balanced harmonies, which when combined with a dreamy piano only adds to the whimsical sense of exhilaration and disorientation that comes from being swept up in something unexpected, yet seemingly inescapable. Melodies repeat on loop, reminiscent of the racing thoughts and inner conflicts which arise from the emotional embroilment faced by the two former lovers in the song. “Close One” candidly captures something which seems completely inevitable, as the subjects toe the line of their boundaries while grappling with a head-spinning amalgamation of curiosity, pining, and just a smidge of rational thinking. With a gentler and altogether more despondent feel than the original version of the song, the track is laced with a sense of sadness at the reality of the situation – despite the internal conflict, all the anticipation is underpinned by the cutting reality that this relationship is ultimately a bad idea. “Guess we dodged another bullet” sings Gartland: it is clear this pair have been wounded by each other before. Now, they must decide whether to let familiarity get the better of them, or if they indeed know they’re happier alone. Early 2024 will see FIZZ head out on their first headline tour together as a band, after playing a series of intimate record store shows and a headline set at Hoxton Hall earlier this year. Tickets are still available for what promises to be a series of joyous rides into the eclectic, vibrant ‘Fizzville’.   You Might Also Like Acoustic, Devon, FIZZ, Folk Pop, New Releases

      IN CONVERSATION – Dahlia Rae

      Photo by: Lyne Nsongo (Instagram: @we.onit) IN CONVERSATION – Dahlia Rae Dahlia Rae discusses her new single ‘Purpose’, her artistic intentions, and appearing on the BBC’s Rap Game UK 22.12.23 Words by Paul Bacon So many demons in disguises, yet society just walks around it, I got some pain up in my heart wish I could talk about it, Trying to find my purpose while I’ve barely scratched the surface, Of the universe’s time and of my spiritual emergence.   When the first four bars of a song feature demons, disguises, pain and purpose, the listener’s attention is immediately grabbed. There’s no time to settle in, no gentle intro, no filler. “I decided to go straight into it because it’s written from a perspective of me talking to myself, like a diary entry,” explains rapper and singer Dahlia Rae, about her new track ‘Purpose’.   Between her new release, commitments connected to her BBC Rap Game UK appearance, being in the final year of a Criminology and Criminal Justice degree, and her youth mentoring work, Dahlia Rae is an extremely busy woman right now. But despite all of that, and the unsociably early hour of our Saturday morning interview, she is generous with her time and thorough with her answers.   Just like her new track, our interview is immediately into the action, “When I first started writing it I was in a transitional period in my spiritual journey, transitioning from my old habits and creating new ones, and seeing the world for what it really is,” she reflects. As a listener, the opening bars of ‘Purpose’ conjure nostalgia of ‘Lost Ones’ by the legendary Lauryn Hill. Whilst the lyrical content is entirely different (Hill’s explosive intro addressed the changing nature of her relationship with former Fugees bandmate Wyclef), that sense of there not being a second, or a multisyllabic word, to waste is shared by both tracks. The audience is immediately captivated, engrossed into thinking you better not blink, or whatever the listening equivalent of blinking is, or you might miss something crucial.  Photo by: Lyne Nsongo (Instagram: @we.onit) ‘Purpose’ continues to convey thoughtful reflections, delivered in composed, intricate rhyme schemes throughout its entirety. A range of subjects are coherently interwoven, and Dahlia succinctly moves between them, seeming to allow each topic sufficient focus before embarking on her next angle. Although she doesn’t draw upon her singing talent on this track, the cadence of her rapping alludes to her vocal capabilities, and her lyrical proficiency and conscious intellect are showcased.   When I ask Dahlia why she called the track ‘Purpose’, it seems like a perfectly reasonable question at the time, “At first, I wasn’t sure what to title it. But when I finished it and listened back in its entirety, there was a sort of journey and fulfilment that stood out to me, so I felt like purpose was right.” Over the course of our conversation, the answer seems to become so obvious that my question is rendered redundant. This concept of purpose, of intention and meaning and of making music which has a tangible impact, is a constantly reoccurring theme which permeates every aspect of Dahlia Rae’s energy.   I gained 2 angels to the hands of suicide, It got me contemplating and meditating on the meaning of life, If suicide ever crosses your mind, I’ll always be here, I’d rather be your shoulder to cry, On.   Even in a song full of evocative emotion, the tenderness of Dahlia’s discussion of suicide stands out, “I actually started writing the song in 2021, and at that point I had lost a family member to suicide. I didn’t really process it or understand it properly, like how there were no signs,” she recalls. “I was a bit stuck writing it at that point. Then later on that same year I lost one of my secondary school friends to suicide as well. Writing helped me to process it, but I wasn’t ready to delve too deep.” But rather than focusing on her own feelings in response to these tragedies, Dahlia uses the track to offer support to others who might be struggling, “I wanted to explain, the person that I am, no one’s ever a burden to me. I don’t care if we haven’t spoken for ten years, but I am a source for you to come to if you ever need to.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrD29hdd7sw Dahlia comes from Birmingham, and the city has played a big part in shaping her, “I grew up in a very multicultural part of Birmingham called Handsworth. That played a massive role in my development, the primary school that I went to really celebrated the diversity of every student”, she explains. “But later I moved to a predominantly white school where I was the only black girl in my class. That was a massive culture shift for me and I didn’t understand how it could be so different in the same city. It made me see the reality of life from a young age.” Birmingham has also been a factor in Dahlia Rae’s development as an artist, where creative community collectives enabled her to grow, through open mic events and performance opportunities, “I’ve always loved music, there’s pictures of me at nursery performing with a plastic mic! I knew I wanted to be a music artist from a young age, but sometimes Birmingham feels like it has this ‘only one can make it out at a time mentality.”   Another growth opportunity for Dahlia came when she was selected to be a contestant on the BBC’s Rap Game UK, “My journey to the Rap Game was really crazy! I’ve always loved the show and watched it religiously,” she says. When the show’s producers reached out to her, she was initially wary following an unsuccessful audition in 2020, but encouraged by a friend, she completed the multi-stage pre-show auditions (designed to take place over a number of months) in just two weeks. “The auditions alone

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Cosmic Strip ‘Another Day’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Cosmic Strip ‘Another Day’ Cosmic Strip has returned to the alt-rock music scene with force after releasing their latest single ‘Another Day’, ending their five-year hiatus. 21.12.23 Words by Hannah Bentley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfenIdCZJS8 The London-based indie rock project was founded in 2015 by the lead singer Camella Agabaylan. The French-English artist described her style as “French. Goth. Punk.” during an interview with Fred Perry magazine, which has certainly influenced the band’s aesthetic. Their Instagram account features black and white images of Agabaylan stylishly smoking a cigarette and moody portraits of the singer distorted by light reflections. She’s a fan of Lana Del Rey and credits Elliott Smith for guiding her musical self-expression. ‘Another Day’ provokes an uplifting sense of nostalgia with its youthful sound. The single would be right at home in a 90s coming-of-age soundtrack. Agabaylan explains how the song reminisces on her past: “The track is a celebration of the friendships I had while hanging out in Hastings. It remembers the good times, reflects on how these friendships inevitably drift apart, and mourns those that we have lost along the way. The lyrics are me imagining what it would be like if I were no longer around, and about the memories that I hope we can hold onto.” Compared to the band’s earlier work, which relays a calmer psychedelic sense of musicality, this song accesses that same dreamy, atmospheric landscape in a different way. In ‘Another Day’, Cosmic Strip have leaned further into elements of the rock genre through loud drums and big guitar. Despite being overly formulaic, the soft vocals of Agabaylan juxtaposing the grungy guitar chords and heavy drums produces a hazy, almost ethereal sound. This is disrupted at the end with a final crescendo where the track takes an animalistic turn. The singer lets loose and shouts into the microphone as the guitar and drums swell with intensity, presenting the listener with the perfect opportunity to aggressively play their air guitar. Cosmic Strip recently played a successful show at The Lexington in Angel, with their next live performance yet to be announced. You Might Also Like

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Wyldest ‘Office Christmas Party’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Wyldest ‘Office Christmas Party’ Office Christmas parties can be incredibly awkward interactions with colleagues you haven’t been in contact with; or they can be the start of an budding relationship. 20.12.23 Words by Max Persad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krMfC-DtmqU For Zoe Mead aka Wyldest, both seem to be the case. This new release melodically is insanely dreamy. The chords carry us through a love story while Wyldests’ carefully constructed and soft lyrics narrate a beautiful scene.   In her magical music video, Wyldest takes us to a bar in Tallinn, Estonia: a group of young office workers come together for festivities. Wyldest describes this experience as “The phenomenon where a group of people who work together gather in a dark room, showing a version of themselves that’s more honest and present”. The song emanates a feeling of freedom, you are no longer constrained in your corporate surroundings and can feel human again. And when alcohol is involved anything can happen.   The song certainly achieves a fuzzy, romantic feeling in its conveying of two protagonists; co-workers “Julie” and “Mindy” as they navigate the difference setting of a Christmas party. Wyldest comments on these characters ‘not being able to express themselves in the cruel light of day due to the fear of rejection and need to maintain professionalism’.   A hazy Christmas time setting amidst the portrayal of a new relationship really makes you feel warm and satisfied inside. Wyldest summaries this perfectly stating, “Christmas is a time for us all to drop the shackles of everyday life, have fun and tell people how we feel.” It’s a time for adventure and looking towards new beginnings and the hope for a brighter future. This song makes you feel exactly that.   Could this new Christmas song become a cult classic? I sure hope so! Zoe’s portfolio of music is already immensely strong and we wait eagerly for her next releases in the New Year! You Might Also Like

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Night Tapes ‘Drifting’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Night Tapes ‘Drifting’ Drifting is the latest release from London-based trio Night Tapes, a groovy pop song offering an insight into idealism and romanticism. 20.12.23 Words by Isabel Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEf0xM0FIg0 Drifting is the latest release from London-based trio Night Tapes, a groovy pop song offering an insight into idealism and romanticism. Known for their previous singles Forever, and Humans, Night Tapes latest single is on brand, featuring enticing vocals and thoughtful lyrics. Self-described as “atmospheric dream pop” this latest single encapsulates exactly that, effortlessly blending genres and creating their signature unique sound. The song features a strong melodic base which carries the listener throughout and effortlessly creates an infectious cheery sounding single. The vocals and synthesised instruments give the song an electronic 90s pop feel, which serve to raise up lead singer, Iiris Vesik’s striking vocals. The combination of the vocals alongside the instrumentals truly creates a dreamy magical feel that builds throughout, you almost feel as though you are floating on a cloud while you listen. The haunting vocals over the pop instrumentals signal a deeper paradox within the song and its meaning. “Romanticism must die,” “most of us are just drifting,” offer insight into deeper issues surrounding existentialism, and finding your purpose in life. “Drifting” itself could take on different meanings for each listener, its ambiguity allowing the audience to relate to the song each in their own way. Some of us perhaps are drifting and unsure where we are heading, feeling frustrated, while others perhaps content drifting, regardless of the constant romanticism and comparisons that todays society brings. The lyrics feel particularly significant in today’s age of social media, where we are so often shown a romanticised and edited version of someone’s life online, which is not always what it seems. “Ain’t this the dream you wanted all along?”, could be exploring these issues, about feeling as though you have to live up to what you see online, but most of us are just drifting.   You Might Also Like

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Eaves Wilder ‘She’s So High’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Eaves Wilder ‘She’s So High’ Like most people with working eyes and ears Eaves Wilder is a fan of Damon Albarn so much so that she released a cover of Blur’s 1991 song ’She’s So High’. 20.12.23 Words by Caitlin Taylor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kP1OO6BswU It’s something that she’s been performing for a while and describes it as “one of my fav songs on one of my fav albums by one of my fav bands”. It’s a fitting cover of an iconic song and Wilder certainly leaves her own mark.  Wilder approaches the song differently to Albarn who talk-sings his way through most of the original in his accent heavy, rough but captivating tone. Her vocals are much more whimsical, as she explains to The Line of Best Fit “I always find myself singing along with Damon an octave up, so I’ve left space in this mix for his part when he stops ignoring my letters and duets with me”. Her voice is undeniably youthful but with a grungy edge that stops her from sounding inexperienced or childlike, something she’s mentioned she was critiqued for in the past by judgemental peers. She wants her music to speak to young girls without making them feel sexualised and you wouldn’t expect any less from Caitlin Moran’s daughter. Her delicate vocals take inspiration from other iconic female musicians such as Bikini Kill and Le Tigre’s Kathleen Hanna who Wilder claims “changed everything”, again to The Line of Best Fit: “It was so subversive how she was saying these really dark and aggressive things but like a cutesy little girl”. She recently headlined Five Day Forecast at The Lexington and in May of next year will be playing The Great Escape festival in Brighton, fittingly named after Blur’s fourth album. We’re sure she’ll have some more gigs coming up soon so keep an eye on her Instagram (@eaveswilder) and in the meantime listen to some of her original songs to hear some honest and truly vulnerable songwriting.    You Might Also Like

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Holly Humberstone and MUNA ‘Into Your Room’

      NEW SINGLE RELEASE – Holly Humberstone and MUNA ‘Into Your Room’ September saw the release of Holly Humberstone’s “Into Your Room”, the fourth single from her ground-breaking debut album Paint My Bedroom Black. 18.12.23 Words by Rowan Christina Driver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gTxljMW5wY  The single followed three more songs from the album ahead of its October release: “Antichrist”, “Room Service” and “Superbloodmoon”. Now, British singer-songwriter Humberstone has enlisted three-piece band MUNA for a re-imagined version of the song, which appeared as the second track on the highly anticipated record.   “The rumours are true!! My friends and the greatest band in the world @whereismuna have jumped on a new version of ‘Into Your Room’”, Humberstone teased as she took to social media to make the announcement. “It’s so sick and we all love how it came out”.   This new version of the track sees MUNA putting their signature spin on the production, rejuvenating the original work of Ethan Gruska and long-time collaborator of Humberstone, Rob Milton. The LA-based trio – comprised of Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, and Josette Maskin – also commandeer the gut-wrenching second verse, littered with cultural cliches of love. “Don’t make me stand outside in the pouring rain”, Gavin sings, “with a freshly ripped human heart from my ribcage, and a boom-box, how pathetic, babe.”   Euphorically melancholic, the song itself describes the all-consuming ferocity of an obdurate love – a convoluted depiction of something equally as painful as it is passionate. Pulsing synths layer beneath pensive vocals to create a soundscape as oxymoronic as the lyrics which accompany it, and this is only enhanced by MUNA’s creative footprint. Humberstone’s dark, visceral storytelling fuses with a dreamy alt-pop sound, making for an altogether transcendental melodrama as she bares her soul with unnerving intimacy. It’s hard to ascertain quite whether Humberstone is lovestruck or lovesick, but either way, she knows she is “eternally doomed”, as she surrenders to the crushing weight of her hopeless romanticism: “my sorry ass revolves around you”. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Holly Humberstone (@hollyhumberstone)   You Might Also Like