Each week, we feature some fresh new releases from emerging and established talent from around the world, these are highlighted on our New Music Spotlight playlist on Spotify, but we also share a handful of artists in our round-up who are making waves.
You can read more features in our Music + Culture section.
flowerovlove – A Mosh Pit In The Clouds
Rising star flowerovlove just released her new EP A Mosh Pit In The Clouds and shared her latest single Out For The Weekend.
An atmospheric and dreamlike reverie, glitchy synths fly over a sparse, relaxed drumbeat in her latest single. flowerovlove says, “Out For The Weekend is about me and my best friend specifically never dressing for the weather and being cold in London because we committed more to our outfit than to comfort.”
Her new EP, A Mosh Pit In The Clouds, showcases a captivating new direction in flowerovlove’s sound, following the infectious and playful indie rock riffs of previous singles Get With You, and the jovial and irrefutably danceable I Gotta I Gotta. Filled with dreamy cloud-like guitar melodies and expansive and driving percussive rhythms, flowerovlove’s honeyed and bright vocals are foregrounded in songs which reach heady new heights.
The EP shines a light on flowerovlove’s versatility as an artist, from the whisper-soft, punchy pop-punk of All The Same to the sweetly emotive balladry of Gone, flowerovlove’s poise and confidence comes across in songs that detail the nervous excitement of youth, whimsical adventures of friendship and transformative joys of self-expression.
flowerovlove says, “A Mosh Pit In The Clouds is an experience to me. It’s an invitation to flowerovlove. It’s full of immense intent nostalgia and hiraeth. Each song is intentionally placed for your adventure. I want people to feel and live into the mosh pit but to lay in the clouds too.”
ZOE – Fire
Setting the tone with an immersive synthscape with arpeggiated melody, ZOE opens Fire with atmosphere vocals and metaphorical, yet situational lyricism. The opus expands into a luscious, indie-pop vibe as ZOE delivers meaningful and introspective prose.
We learn that the track reflects on a transformative time in the emerging Australian artist’s life, while the musician travelled around her home country, exploring and refining her approach to creating art.
Fire is laced with poetic nuance and evolves into an authentic and cinematic vibe with a transcendental edge. We appreciate the depth that ZOE shares, and the incredible accompanying music video with an evocative performance from our protagonist, which features flame throwers in line with the concept of the composition.
Speaking on the release of Fire, ZOE confesses, “The song talks about fire as the essence of humanity, our core energy. Humans have always gathered around fire. So, in a way, fire becomes the place we are truly known. It also talks about finding home in each other and goes on to talk about the space that is left to grow when there is nothing (external) else left to find. It’s a song that kind of wants you to get through all the bullshit and materialism and then go, what is left now? What’s really important? The answer to those questions is really what the song is getting at.”
ALCHA – The Light Is On
Grabbing our attention with a glitched synth, ALCHA opens The Light Is On with a dimensional bassline and cerebral energy. The opus expands into a dream pop electronica vibe with atmospheric vocals as the rising artist from Paris delivers metaphorical lyricism and an immersive energy.
We deeply appreciate the trip that ALCHA takes us on with bold instrumentation and his textured vocal timbre. The poetic nuance in his prose is tangible.
ALCHA is also known as French singer-songwriter, composer and producer, Alec Chassain. We learn that the visionary creator was born in 1994, and began to learn piano but quickly developed an interest for drums. He spent three years in London which gave him the opportunity to collaborate with many independent artists such as Christopher J. Richardson, Nayr Faquira and Kirsty Grant.
ALCHA was launched in 2021, and he tell us that the melancholy of his thoughts is constantly supported by catchy melodies and driving rhythms. His ambition is to let us “dive into the moving picture of his inner life.” We feel that The Light Is On brings this message to life evocatively and authentically.
Dave Mohan – Shadows in the Fire
With a dynamic and rippling jazz-fusion soundscape, we are immediately hypnotized by Dave Mohan‘s latest release, Shadows in the Fire. Elegant vocals from Grammy-nominated Lydia Salnikova draw us in as she sings about coming from the darkness into the light.
The overall production of the soft-rock ballad is naturally out of this world, with nuanced instrumental detailing, vocal harmonies, and an overall expansive experience as we are taken on an enlightening and romantic journey.
The opus is mastered by Andy Walter at Abbey Road Studios, and we learn that Shadows in the Fire is performed by a line up of musicians from across three continents!
Speaking on his artistry in depth, Dave confesses, “It’s music without any hint of a self-conscious commercial outlook. Covering topics that tear at the very heart of the human condition [including] loneliness, love and loss, homelessness/poverty, social exclusion). Music that takes as its starting point the hope that music can be a force for good – something that can change us and society from the inside out. And, if but for a moment, lift us above the dull vicissitudes of life and offer something of a glimpse of sunshine after rain, a little solace for the soul.”
Rogue FX – Filofax
It has been an epic year for Rogue FX with the releases of We Belong, Retrobution and Don’t Talk To Strangers, so when we heard that the talented artist had just released the brand new, Filofax.
Establishing the mood with the intricacy that we have come to love from Rogue FX, we are immerse in a high octane universe with cerebral synths and sonic dimensionality, needless to say we are obsessed.
We learn that behind the upbeat dance vibe of Filofax is a deep message about “financial greed”, and the lyricism portrays “a self serving character living in the 1980s who’s one goal in life is to make money at all costs.”
The trip that Rogue FX takes us on is exquisite, and the rising artist encourages us to “imagine Ellis from Die Hard, crossed with Al Pacino from Glengarry Glen Ross and a less murderous Patrick Bateman from American Psycho and you are on the right track of who this guy is!”. We have added Filofax to our New Music Spotlight playlist!
NowhereJam – Driving Me Crazy
Drawing us in with textured drums and percussion with a wild electric guitar riff, NowhereJam open Driving Me Crazy with the situational lyrics, “I’m spinning out of control, they won’t leave me alone, everyone is driving me crazy…”
The opus expands into a dimensional alternative rock vibe with a sense of timeless nostalgia and a dynamic mix, which we learn was created transatlantically! NowhereJam features Los Angeles-based singer Melissa Jane, along with Max and Alis, on guitar and bass, who are from Milan, Italy! Speaking on the release and their connection, the band confess, “This is the true power of rock and friendship.”
Driving Me Crazy comes with an evocative music video which features all three band members in different situations. Melissa Jane‘s rap verse super imposed onto a garage wall is definitely a highlight, although we appreciate the charisma that all three creators share with their respective performances.
We appreciate the passion and depth that NowhereJam create with and have added the emotive Driving Me Crazy to our New Music Spotlight playlist!
Dean Mueller – Sky Fallin’
Delivering an enigmatic guitar riff and a dimensional bass line with and Americana-Folk energy, Dean Mueller opens Sky Fallin’ with the situational lyrics, “The stage was set, the band was playing, me and my girlfriend, living life kinda out of tune, not paying big dividends…”
The opus expands into a charming vibe as Dean Mueller takes us on a pseudo apocalyptic journey with his unique brand of storytelling, laced with poetic prowess. He asks on the hook, “So why is the sky always falling around here?” with reference to his reality and the wider state of existentialism that we are all experiencing.
We learn that Sky Fallin’ is a track that Dean began working on in October 2020 amidst the pandemic, whilst dealing with isolation and the tough separation from his musical partner of eight years. It’s true that trauma really can help write the best songs, and Sky Fallin’ is no exception.
The opus features Kevin McKendree on keyboards, production, mixing, and background vocals, whilst Dean delivers songwriting, vocals and acoustic guitar. The pair are accompanied by Kenneth Blevins on drums, Steven Hinston on electric guitar, and Dave Jacques on bass, all of whom are renowned artists in the Nashville Americana scene.
The Dead Riders – Country Town Virgin
Drawing us in a high octane guitar soundscape with textured drums, The Dead Riders open Country Town Virgin with intrigue and the inviting lyrics, “Country firing will you be my friend, country virgin will you hear me out…”
The opus expands into a grunge meets post-punk hybrid energy as the trio from Sydney, known for their explosive live shows and huge sound, deliver an ode to their Country Town Virgin.
Laced with poetic prowess and intricate guitar performances, we are hypnotized by the release and in awe of the instrumental solos, subversive vocal design and pulsating drums that take us on a trip through the vast skillset and dimensional psyche of the band.
We learn that the outfit established themselves in the Sydney live music scene and have continued to play the local circuit for a number of years, most notably featuring in Triple M’s Home Grown program, playing the King St Crawl and touring around Australia with other hard-working bands across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Melbourne and Geelong.
Black & Bunny – Hot Flash
Drawing us in with luscious synth strings and a pulsating beat with a nod to the 80s and laced with melodic nuances, Black & Bunny (aka Amnon Levy Agami) open Hot Flash with intrigue and the seductive lyrics, “Oooh, this is a Hot Flash, I can feel it from a mile away, ooh, this one is first class, I’ll be waiting round the corner, waiting ’til you say ‘yes’….”
The composition expands with dimensionality to take us on an evocative trip in collaboration with singer-songwriter Hadar Shechter and vocalist Noa Lembersky.
We appreciate the nostalgic-futurism within the soundscape, and as the creators confess, “It’s a cool up beat pop 80s ear candy with a current fresh sound.”
We learn that Hot Flash was written originally by Hadar Shechter as a standard pop-rock song, who performed it only once at a gig in Tel Aviv. She later deleted the song from her setlist. Years later Levy found a sketch of the song on his hard drive, took it and turned it into the version of the song that we have come to love.
Lyrically the creators tell us that the opus is “a criticism of society and the way it treats girls and women alike, sometimes as means to an end.” We have added Hot Flash to our New Music Spotlight playlist!
Anna Bea – Another World
Establishing the mood with rippling, intricate guitar and synths with percussive detailing, horns and a riser, Anna Bea opens Another World with the prophetic lyrics, “Looking back into the future, to a place locked in the past, to a time we all remember, life was easy life was fast…”
The opus expands into an upbeat, funk-pop vibe as Anna Bea shares her freedom inspired prose with us. Speaking on the release, the rising artist from the United Kingdom says, “Another World is about escaping from our world into a new one. I wrote this song during lockdown about the world we had lost but that we knew we’d get back again someday.”
She adds with depth, “Lyrically, I wanted to merge ideas of the past with the present, together with a Bruno Mars-inspired production.” We can feel that reference come to life, although there is no doubt that Anna Bea is creating a universe of her own!
We appreciate Anna’s vocal range, timbre and unique manner of storytelling, the chord changes are invigorating, and we are in awe of the horns, which really help bring out the emotion in the composition.
TriPed – When U Were Mine
Charming us with an evocative and immersive piano performance, TriPed opens When U Were Mine with situational lyrics as he sings, “Just last week, Sunday night, you said you didn’t want me in your life, yet today, half past nine, you call me, you tell me that was a lie…”
The opus expands into a contemporary pop meet disco-funk energy as the London-based artist delivers emotive lyrics full of smart and self-realized lyricism. We appreciate TriPed‘s vocal range, as he takes us on a journey through the depths of his reality.
We learn that When U Were Mine was co-produced by TriPed with NYC-based producer Carl Culley, and Boston native Ellis Hall III. Culley and TriPed have also collaborated on more dance-pop songs, which are due to be announced early next year!
The vocal production is clean and distinctive, and the quality of the mix is elegant, we also vibe with the charisma that TriPed delivers with his narrative.