Charli XCX- Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat
Charli XCX- Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat (Re-Uploaded) Brat Summer just received a new season with Brat Autumn and the release of “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” this past weekend. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the new remix album is a new lease on life for arguably the best album of 2024. Words by Ricky Labrada Currently Listening to: To understand the significance one has to understand the cultural phenomenon that was the original album. Charli XCX dominated this last summer with her latest album “BRAT”, an inescapable and catchy, last hoorah for the hyperpop scene realising to critical and commercial success. It was an absolute phenomenon spawning the iconic “Brat Summer” phrase and making lime green become associated as brat green. This album was Charli fully embracing her impact on pop while giving it a nostalgic hyperpop sound embracing early 2000s club and EDM scenes. I also view it as her magnum opus after More so it also created anthems for the summer with tracks such as “365”, “Von Dutch” and “Apple” all achieving worldwide popularity. Tackling the issues of her party persona, hard drugs, a desire to be a mother and the conflict it creates with her career, “BRAT” is a truly raw album lyrically. On the musical side it embraces its synth sound, hard hitting baselines and autotune. It is at times meant to be played at 4 A.M. in a grimy club while in its timid moments it is a moment to sit down and cry. The initial album already received a bonus track version with “Brat and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not” adding the immensely popular “Guess” amongst the tracks. Simultaneously the singles “Von Dutch” and “360” received remixes. More importantly this “deluxe” version demonstrated what was coming in the ever expanding brat world. Shortly following the album “Girl, so Confusing,” “Guess” and “Talk Talk” remixes released building anticipation for the now announced remix album. The build up was one of the most anticipated as Billboards worldwide started appearing in the iconic green with the names of the artists featuring. This latest version “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” (third for those keeping track) takes a different approach almost completely reimagining the album while featuring a star studded guest list of Ariana Grande, Caroline Polachek and Tinashe to name a few. Putting it simply the rollout for the remix had almost as much, if not more, emphasis than the initial album. In many ways it was a massive event as I can’t recall the last time a remix album occurred, let alone one with this amount of marketing. The push for “BRAT” has been so massive that in the time since I started this review a second version of the remix album was announced and released featuring a Kesha led remix of “Spring Breakers” on top of the 13 new tracks. This latest update further pushing the impact the album has on pop culture. “They all wanna sound like me, All wanna be like Lean ” commences the opening remix to Charli XCX’s “360” featuring Yung Lean and Robyn giving us a taste of what is waiting. The three artists go back and forth having fun with their lyrics with examples such as “Hey why you do it so cold? They say I’m the realest ever, yeah, Thats what I’ve been told,” involving all three in a playful manner. On the whole it is a remix in the traditional sense maintaining the original beat while adding both features and updating Charli’s own verse. It’s a fantastic introduction to a brand new version of a track many of us grew familiar with over the summer. What I couldn’t imagine was how drastic some of the tracks would be. Overall much of the album tracks lyrically are natural thematic extensions with the artists chosen for each track serving a purpose. Lorde’s feature changes “Girl, so Confusing” from a monologue into a dialogue between both artists, while showing us who the track was originally about. Similarly, Ariana Grande on “Sympathy is a Knife” flips its meaning into a commentary on how media can easily change the perception of someone, something Ariana is familiar with. Meanwhile, The 1975 featuring on the piano tinged “I Might Say Something Stupid” serves somewhat as a cheeky nod to Matty Healy’s tendency to say sometimes stupid things that cause controversy. Other tracks change their original meaning such as “So I”, the slow emotive track honouring the late Sophie. Initially a song expressing regret of how Charli treated Sophie, now becoming a positive reflection, reminiscing about the good times they shared. As for “I Think About It All the Time” it similarly shows us the progression of Charli’s psyche over the last few months and how this new level of fame affects her. It is a continuation of the initial fears of her career, persona, and desire to be a mother, while adding in the pressure of focussing being amplified from this new fame. Both tracks are beautiful, if not a bit of a heartbreaking change from the mostly party centric vibes of the original album. This version of “BRAT” is still very much in early on in its life and while I do not like every remix, I appreciate the distinct changes most tracks take. Significant highlights include “Club Classics” with Bb trickz, “Von Dutch” with A.G. Cook and Addison Rae, and “Mean Girls” with Julian Casablancas. In fact I vastly prefer these to the original versions. Some of the songs are deeply removed from their original becoming works of the featured artist rather than Charli XCX’s as seen with the 1975 and Caroline Polachek. The latter in particular gives the best verse on the whole project, it is truly beautiful both lyrically and melodically. Another track being vastly different from its original counterpart is “Club Classics,” sounding more of a remix of
New Single: Josie Oliver “Standstill”
New Single: Josie Oliver “Standstill” For fans of Holly Humberstone, Gracie Abrams and Maisie Peters, Josie Oliver is an artist that should be on your radar. The 22-year-old Midlands-raised singer is quietly but surely making a name for herself in the alternative pop and indie world, and her latest single, Standstill, released on 26th February, does not disappoint. 9 March 2025 Words by Sophie Prior Currently Listening to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyapY-A26tw Standstill is a captivating bedroom-pop ballad with heartfelt lyrics and exciting production. The track opens with Josie’s angelic voice singing the chorus line with lyrics that perfectly encapsulate the song’s message: ‘we’re running out of road, and I don’t want to let you go. So I’ll just sit and hope, we get caught up in a standstill’. Josie explained that the song is about that ‘feeling of knowing you should let go but wanting so badly to just stop in time and savour it’. These confessional and poignant lyrics, combined with layered vocals that firmly place the listener in an electronic and hazy soundscape, make the opening even more of an emotional punch to the stomach and completely draws you in. The rest of the track continues to experiment with this bedroom-pop feel, gradually introducing a steady beat, mellow piano chords, and synth sounds. Josie’s vocals are always at the forefront however, creating the feeling that she is in the room singing to you. Her poignant storytelling is something she has been praised for, including personal co-signs from stars Sam Fender and Griff who found their own love in Josie’s music. The track culminates with an emotional bridge rooted in a soft-rock style with power chords on the electric guitar and a build-up in the drums with the addition of a live kit. I like the ending of the track too, which goes back to the opening melody, but this time with just the singular vocal line and the piano chords. Reverting to the opening nicely frames the track; you’ve been taken on this tumultuous journey full of feeling before being brought back to where it all began – the realisation that you’ve run out of road and need to let go. Although only being 22, Josie has built up a loyal following, establishing over 500,000 streams across four further singles. She is authentic and knows the vision for her music, focusing on her natural talents of meticulous songwriting and confessional storytelling, and on her growing reputation for being a great live performer. Alongside the release of Standstill, Josie announced that her debut EP Listen To This When We Buy A House will be released on 28th March. Get ready! You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Caldera Songwriting Retreat: a haven for songwriters tucked away in the Aegean Sea
Photo by By Nat Kossyvaki Caldera Songwriting Retreat: a haven for songwriters tucked away in the Aegean Sea In a world where time seems to fly, it’s easy to lose touch with the present moment. Caldera Songwriting Retreat brings in a new approach to reconnecting with creativity and helps artists slow down by nourishing the mind, body and soul, working towards reconnecting with their inner selves, and enhancing their creative outlet through an immersive and holistic songwriting experience. Words By Nat Kossyvaki https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpTTtdKdq24 Based in the beautiful island of Santorini, away from the burdens of everydaylife, the Caldera team provide you with the time and space to explore yourcreativity and songwriting passion, so you can finally make yourself yourpriority! I met up with one of the founders of Caldera, Io – a session bass player and music professional from Greece based in Brighton – to discuss the vision behind Caldera and the benefits it can offer to songwriters. Io is also the owner of the promotions company “Beluga Promotions” which runs acclaimed open mic nights in Brighton, helping local artists showcase their music. What is Caldera and what inspired this vision? Caldera is a songwriting retreat which was mainly inspired by the open mics that we run in Brighton. Through these open mics, we get a lot of people who come in and they all have a story to tell. You don’t really know the people who come to these open mics until they get on stage to perform, so you can actually learn a lot about those people through the songs they play. The open mics have become sort of like a community and for a lot of artists, performing there provides a sense of ‘therapy’. Both myself and Erini (the co-founder of Caldera) believe that writing songs is truly a form of therapy; there are things that you can’t really express with just words and for some people, songwriting is something much deeper that they can express and share with the world in a much more creative way. Also looking at my own lifestyle, how busy it is and how pressuring the music industry can be, we wanted to create a space where songwriters can come and be free. They can be in an environment where there are no external pressures or life responsibilities, and they can just explore their creativity and be completely free. So Caldera is basically a space for artists to experience that therapeutic moment and make themselves a priority. What does the name Caldera mean? Caldera is actually the most common word you will find in Santorini! It is what remains of the volcano after the explosion and has made Santorini famous for that. In 1600 B.C. there was a huge explosion of the volcano that destroyed half the island and the civilisation on it, but it has made Santorini very unique and now one of the most popular destinations in the world. For our retreat, caldera stands as a metaphor; because Santorini has this history of destruction and rebirth, we thought that doing the retreat here could resonate with the creative songwriting process of many artists. Musicians and songwriters have all these things they want to express but it sometimes can be too difficult and can’t find the words for it. At Caldera retreat, they can take something difficult or ‘painful’ and make something beautiful through music. What makes Caldera unique and stand out from other songwriting retreats? Definitely the location! It’s hard to describe it without seeing it; for me, it’s one of my favourite places on earth. Also, the way we run the retreat doesn’t only focus on the songwriting but on the well-being of the artist too. So we have a lot of things incorporated within the schedule of the retreat which promote well-being, both physical and mental, and also promote the ancient Greek saying “a healthy mind is a healthy body”. So Caldera aims to inspire people to write their songs and also to nourish their spirit; to make themselves a priority. That is why, you don’t have to come to the retreat and leave with a finished song. Even if you come and get inspired and you get a million ideas, but you don’t finish a song that’s fine, because the goal is to get inspired and relax and come up with something that you can then use to inspire yourself in your creative journey. Songwriting retreat 2024 – Group dinner and song-sharing session What does a day in the retreat look like? We would start with mindfulness. So, the first thing in the morning would be going down to the beach, which is literally at our doorstep(!) and do a bit of meditation and mindful movement like stretching or a light version of yoga to connect your mind and body, and really focus for the day. After that, we can have a small break for everyone to have breakfast or a shower if they want, and then we start with the songwriting workshops which will be run by a professional songwriter. We will be running a lot of classes and workshops that people can attend, as well as a lot of inspirational activities where we’ll be talking about lyrics and melodies. Then we have a lunchbreak prepared by our private chef, so everything will be prepared for you and you won’t have to worry about food. All recipes will be plant-based and inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine, to experience a complete detox for your mind and body. During the day, people will also have a lot of downtime to relax and spend some alone time if they need it, to write songs and collaborate with other artists. And eventually, in the evening, we’ll have jam nights, gatherings at the beach and group dinners! On some days we’re also planning on doing some inspirational activities, one of which is both mine and Erini’s favourite! We’ll take the guests to the Symposion Cultural Centre, which is the music
Natalie Wildgoose- I’ve always had an obsession with older generations
In light of her upcoming EP, “Come Into The Garden,” and her subsequent tour, we spoke to London and North Yorkshire-based vocalist and songwriter Natalie Wildgoose, who discussed her upcoming plans, the inspiration for her new music, and more…
New Single: Grace Elizabeth Harvey “Birdsong”
New Single: Grace Elizabeth Harvey “Birdsong” Singer-songwriter and cellist Grace Elizabeth Harvey is releasing her debut EP, titled Other Faith, on the 9th of May this year. I had the pleasure of listening to the first single from the album, Birdsong, which is being released on the 21st of February. 21 February 2025 Words by Sophie Prior Currently Listening to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh3k5QjHnVw Birdsong is a stripped back tune with intricate guitar, cello melodies and poetic lyrics. Through her rich and warm vocals, Harvey recounts the experience of singing to a bird and reflects on the complex relationships between human and animal natures. The accompaniment is gentle guitar fingerpicking, and the simplicity of this allows the singer the space to deliver a conversational performance and let her lyricism shine through. Her words are confessional, wondering, and elegant. Within a track, sometimes less is more, and this is where Birdsong finds its success. The song’s production and instrumentation take a back seat and provide just the right amount of support to let Harvey’s sweet tone dominate. The addition of the cello line at the end (which is played by the singer herself), symbolising the bird singing its own song, is a nice touch and adds another layer of depth. Birdsong will be her second ever release, and after the success of her debut single Familiar, which received radio play from BBC Introducing Merseyside and Shell Zenner from Amazing Radio, its release is anticipated. Birdsong forms part of a set of songs musing on faith of all kinds in a faithless world. Harvey notes that throughout the EP, there is a ‘continual dynamic of self and other throughout the songs, whether that be between me and a god figure, me and a lover, or me and myself’. This is where the record title came from, the faith is always Other, and ‘is teased apart and questioned, searching for answers within structures we think we understand’. Writing with questions is normal for Harvey and are often used as the foundation of her creative process. Recorded with Gus White at The Barn in Wiltshire, the EP promises to deliver more ruminative soundscapes with delicate guitar, piano, harmonium and cello accompaniment. Taking inspiration from artists such as Adrianne Lenker and Laura Marling, the record hopes to bring a warmth, depth, and clarity to its listeners. After the EP’s release in May the singer will tour nationally with shows in Liverpool, Manchester, Durham, Leeds and London. There will also be a run of vinyls and CDs which can be pre-ordered on Harvey’s bandcamp, Music | Grace Elizabeth Harvey. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
New Single: Demae “Ain’t Easy”
Born and bred North Londoner Demae is back with another tasteful track titled Ain’t Easy, released on the 24th of January this year.
With a soulful sound and clear R&B and Hip-Hop influences, Ain’t Easy is a light and dreamy soundscape where Demae is free to offload with introspective lyrics. The song has a strong backbeat and bass groove which you can’t help but jam to, but the smooth and silky vocals keep the mood chilled and relaxing. An effortless delivery and an easy listen.
New Single: Mumble Tide “Mawpao”
Bristol duo Mumble Tide have released a second single Mawpao, from their debut full-length album Might As Well Play Another One, out on May 1st via Breakfast Records.
The band is formed of main singer and lyricist Gina Leonard and producer Ryan Rogers, who for their previous EPs, were romantically involved. The writing and production of the upcoming debut album coincided with their breakup and transitioning into what they describe as ‘genuine friendship’. The album is a product of this experience, and Breakfast Records describes it as ‘full of heartbreaking storytelling’.
It is exceedingly rare to discover an artist who is so responsive to evolution, and Taloula is one such extraordinary talent.
An independent singer, songwriter and producer, her vibrant, free-form musicality instantly marks her as one of the brightest musicians emerging across the R&B landscape right now. Her new album ‘T.E.O.T. II’ (The Evolution Of Taloula II) embodies authentic R&B and soul while balancing psychedelic textures co-produced by Taloula that feel as nostalgic as they are contemporary. Empowering vulnerability and the exploration of our existence, Taloula’s sonic journey towards inner peace will continue the heat surrounding one of London’s key new names crashing into wider consciousness.
Lucky Iris – ‘i guess i like you (a lot)’
Lucky Iris – ‘i guess i like you (a lot)’ Release Date: 13 September 2024 Release Type: Exposure: Genre: Location(s): Signed?: Current Venue Capacity : To advertise press kit, bio, signed status, sold venue capacity, upcoming shows / releases, create your own TNAM Database profile and direct to contact box – sign up interest to TNAM Club here. Streaming /Socials What do you think? You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
The Sincerity Behind Esme Emerson’s EP
PHOTO: Nick Ilott (@concrete_state) CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lydia Cooper The Sincerity Behind Esme Emerson’s EP Big Leap, No Faith, Small Chancer 5 September 2024 Esme Emerson are an up-and-coming indie folk brother-sister duo consisting of Esme Lee-Scott (she/her) and Emerson Lee-Scott (he/they) who hail from Suffolk. They have been performing in various cities across the UK this past year with artists like Keane and The Japanese House. I sat down with the ever-charismatic siblings to talk about their inspirations, sincerity, and their new EP Big Leap, No Faith, Small Chancer. Words by Joyce Lian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-39q5MiLeY Even in the way the pair introduced themselves their synergy is felt. They seamlessly alternate in their introduction, with Esme starting: “We’re Esme Emerson, siblings from–” “–Suffolk. We’re in a band together. We make broadly indie pop music but we draw inspiration from folk and–” “–hyperpop; all the good stuff. We love country… yeehaw.” Before they became the artist duo Esme Emerson, they were two kids making music during term-break music camps. Esme describes these camps: “for the week you write these songs together and then on Thursday they’d let you take the song in their studio to record it, put it on SoundCloud, and then on the Friday perform it to the parents.” And while she acknowledges that her songs were often about “ice cream and zombies,” this experience was not only their first foray into music making, but it also showed them that “‘oh, you don’t have to be an adult to do this like I can just write songs.’” Emerson, being four years older than Esme, had a very different experience, but an equally meaningful one: “I didn’t want to be in a band with my sister but we were like writing adjacent to each other. I think we just have been lovers of music since then and then we started writing together in 2020.” While Emerson’s band of older children would headline for the parent performances, Esme was likely his first and biggest fan; she is now what she calls a “successful youngest sibling,” finally able to join her brother’s band. As a sibling myself, what really struck me was their compatibility with each other. Not only are they able to be close friends, but the way they, as Emerson puts it, seem to “share a brain” contributes to their ability to make music together the way they do. Esme compares the two of them to the fictional siblings Charlie and Lola; when they were younger and the age gap felt more significant, they got along but weren’t the closest. Now, however, she describes themselves as best friends, with the “same tastes” and “same thoughts.” But as far as music goes, their teamwork is nearly supernatural. In an almost telepathic fashion, they can read each other’s minds when it comes to their creative direction. Esme started to realize how in-tune she was with her brother when working with other people: “you explaining something a little bit, or like just knowing what you want, and them being like ‘I don’t understand what you’re saying.’ I was like ‘oh wow, we really share a brain.’” Emerson also attributes their ability to fill in the other’s gaps and to lean on each other’s strengths as a large part of their co-working success. He credits Esme with leading the lyrical writing, which he claims is the “weakest part of [his] musical brain”, while Esme points out that Emerson has “a way with just sounds and textures and music” that she doesn’t. When discussing their musical inspirations, they immediately jump to shoutout Hovvdy. Along with Hovvdy, Emerson named artists Dreamer Boy, Frost Children, and Roji Sakamoto (Emerson was a Film Composition major in university), while Esme included Dijon and Adrien Lenker. Esme, who is in charge of the more visual aspects of their artistry and paints all of their album art, says that things she watches or reads also inspire her. In general, they appreciate artists whose authenticity shines through in their music, and they try to do the same. Esme Emerson feels the best about their music when they channel their sincerity into their music. Esme says that when she looks back at their music she wants to: “see something really honest of what I was at the time… I don’t want to see something that, like, I made to impress people … I want to see this, like, real art.” And while she derives much of her inspiration from her own life, the duo are able to express their authenticity together because of the joint experiences from their shared childhood. The siblings’ ability to relate to each other’s life experiences plays a large role in the larger motifs of belonging and nostalgia in their music. Adjacent to sincerity, Emerson reveals that “nostalgia is really important, and I think it comes from being siblings, you know, like looking back on our lives together.” Being a diaspora Chinese person myself, I really admire Esme Emerson’s integration of Chinese aesthetics into their artistry. As seen in the photocards they pass out at shows and across their Spotify page, the siblings are photographed standing in their aunt’s house with floral patterned wallpaper and traditional Chinese decor hanging from the walls, evoking retro Chinese aesthetics. Tying back into the theme of sincerity and nostalgia, they felt that their Asian heritage is essential in understanding them as people and artists. As Emerson puts it: “cultural and biracial identity is so core to who we are and our experiences that it wasn’t even really, like, a considered thing like ‘oh, we have to market ourselves like this’… it just was like ‘this makes the most sense for us.’” Overall, their relationship with their cultural identity is complex. Esme shares that while growing up in the very white Suffolk, school “was not a fun time.” This particularly feeds into why it feels “pretty badass to really own it visually and, like, push it to the forefront… it feels good, just like satisfying,