Singer-songwriter and mental health activist, Glowie returns to the limelight in formidable form, releasing her first new music in almost two years. New single 'Throwback' is a statement of intent from the Icelandic pop prodigy, a re-emergence of an artist who now knows exactly who she is, what she wants to say and exactly how to say it. “I wrote the song at a time when I felt like I had lost some of my love for music” explains Glowie. “I wanted to remember how I felt about music as a kid when I would dig through CDs at home, trying to find anything to listen to and when I’d find something I liked, I’d listen to it over and over and dance to it. Music was so precious to me and I wanted to feel that again. Writing ‘Throwback’ helped reinstill my love for music”. The new track is accompanied by the following video, masterminded by Glowie herself in and around her hometown.
Olivia Rodrigo has shared a brand new video for ‘Brutal’. The opening track on her debut album Sour now comes with a Petra Collins directed video which you can check out above. “Had the best time ever making this,” Olivia writes on Instagram about the clip. “So so so grateful for Petra Collins, who constantly inspires me and who directed this video so incredibly. Hope you guys love the vid and all my teen angst lol.” [via Dork]
Amber Mark has been around for a while now but she’s finally gearing up to release her proper debut album later this year. We’ve heard 'Worth It' and 'Competition' from it so far and today she’s back with another single, 'Foreign Things.' It’s bright and bouncy and smooth, and Mark says it’s about “the excitement of new experiences” and “the thrill of newness. This marks the start of my journey towards self discovery and serves as a precursor to the enlightenment and self love that’s achieved in previous singles,” she added. [via Stereogum]
Self Esteem returns with cathartic new single 'How Can I Help You'. 'How Can I Help You' finds Self Esteem reclaiming her first instrument. Formerly the drummer and percussionist in Slow Club, she's played drums since the age of 13, a role that has often had gendered consequences. Speaking more widely on the way women in music are treated, 'How Can I Help You' bristles with caustic rage: “How can I help you / Do what it is that you / Always hoped you could set out to prove? … Cos that’s what I’m put here to do / Isn’t it?” Self Esteem comments... "‘How Can I Help You’ is one of the first songs I wrote for the second album. After touring the first record and most weeks being told that I am underrated or intimidating I just felt very fed up. I guess I'll be eternally angry for the way as a woman unless you're sweet, nice, settled and quiet, you're considered 'different' and 'difficult'. I wanted to play the drums in the video to reclaim how often I used to feel self conscious playing them. The physical act of a woman playing a drum means your tits move - all I ever wanted to do was play but it always came with this fear of being looked at in that way. Now my tits move for me, my song, my video. I'm also aware it's probs a nice watch if you're that way inclined, but I'm afraid if you wanna watch it you have to hear what I've got to say. Click for the tits, stay for the feminism!" Discussing the clip on social media, the songwriter added: "More spelling out: I’ve played the drums since I was 13. It was joyful and I was good at it but once I had tits that joy turned to fear for what might be said to me / predatory looks whenever I played them. The video is primarily about reclaiming it, not being scared anymore duh..." [via Clash]
Brooklyn’s Gustaf are sharing 'Best Behavior', the second offering from their debut album Audio Drag For Ego Slobs, out October 1 on Royal Mountain Records. Vocalist Lydia Gammill comments on the new song: “'Best Behavior' was fun to record because it was one of the first songs we finished/crafted in the studio rather than onstage. It started out as a demo we had in the early days of the band but never ended up playing live. It sat forgotten until we began planning the record and came together pretty effortlessly in the studio." She continues, "Unlike the bulk of the album that we developed over the course of many live shows, it was exciting to be making decisions and constructing the final song as it was happening. It also helped us get our footing and identify how we wanted to steer and produce the remaining recordings. The song’s ethos is a bit of the old and the new attitude for Gustaf. Our narrator, the ‘ego slob’, is bargaining with itself, scrounging for self compassion and self assurance despite a pile of hurt feelings in its wake. In demanding spoils despite having done nothing to earn them, we see the initial cracks in a brutish facade— our antihero slowly realizing maybe the shell they built for themselves was not built for the world."
'Thicc' is exactly the type of song that feels like a natural evolution for Project BEXX since their debut EP, presenting fresh energy to their sound and capturing how they've furthered themselves and grown over the last 12 months or so. This growth is something that feels synonymous with 'Thicc', both through its production and its empowering and self-validating lyricism that sees Project BEXX dive into some heavier topics and themes, beyond the realm shown on her introductory releases throughout 2020. "All people deserve to have a positive relationship with their body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape/size/look," she says on the single. " I wrote this song because I have been fighting with this struggle my whole life. Writing this song was at first just a healing and inspiring act for myself. 'Thicc' is for all the people who have had issues with their body in the past, and are OVER IT. It is an anthem for self-love and I just hope it brings that sense of empowerment to anyone who hears it." The single premieres alongside its official video clip shot by Cooper Gordon and Ashleigh Hunter of Gordon Visuals Co., who capture the empowering edge to Thicc and amplify it in a visual sense. The video sees Project BEXX unite with women and non-binary performers from across Perth's music and cultural space, validating their images amongst bold and colourful backdrops that translate the single's energetic and playful sound perfectly. It presents the heart of Thicc in a really great way, and the added choreography is a big step-up for Project BEXX who - as always - is someone seemingly pushing themselves for their art and vision. [via Pilerats]
'The Show' by Sammi Constantine is the type of therapeutic, emotion-driven pop music that will seemingly define her greater EP, exploring dark moments through riveting pop music that attempts to make sense of it all. 'The Show' welcomes that brilliantly, catching this kind-of left-field take on her pop sound that she combines with her tender lyricism to create something special - something that harnesses the power in her growth but shows the rich songwriting that's always accompanied it. "'The Show' began as a series of notes that I compiled over a few uncomfortable months in 2019, in an attempt to make sense of where I was at with my mental health and my life," she says on the song. "It’s definitely a cathartic roller coaster of self-expression for me, after a long term break-up. But It’s not a statement… It's a string of thoughts and a series of feelings driven by fear of the unknown, lack of control and an ongoing identity crisis between my inner demons and my forward-facing self." The single arrives alongside a video clip; a self-directed and self-starring affair that places Sammi Constantine's multi-faceted artistry into the centre stage, while further solidifying her connection to the single and the themes that are embodied through the song's lyricism. The video shows two sides of Constantine fighting it out; a visual descriptor of one's battle against their inner demon and the suffocation that can come from doing so. "This foreboding version of myself, who is confined to a cage, is representative of my darker inner self that is being kept inside a mental prison," she explains. "This part of the story is told through the lens of my forward-facing self," she continues, with the story eventually finding itself ending with Constantine eventually succumbing to the claustrophobia of it all, "where my inner self starts to run the show keeping me trapped in self-doubt, paranoia and exhaustion," she says. [via Pilerats]
Montreal’s Ada Lea releases a new single/video, 'partner,' from her forthcoming album, one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden, out September 24 on Saddle Creek. Throughout 'partner,' Lea sings as if she’s bright-eyed during a late night. Her narrative lyrics about an introspective evening unfurls over piano, synth, and a drum machine: “the cab lets me off at the diner // just for memory’s sake // and I sit at the same booth // with tears in my eyes // begging won't you admit you’re giving up on me too quick.” Lea describes it as “a song about moving through a memory… an involuntary memory that steals up on you the night after a rager (which takes place the morning after the song ‘damn’).” The accompanying cinematic video, directed by Erica Orofino, features Levy as she moves through memories and the city.
In the afterglow of her acclaimed 2020 album Silver Ladders, Los Angeles-based harpist and composer Mary Lattimore returns with a culminating counterpart release, Collected Pieces II, out October 29th via Ghostly International. Much like its predecessor released in 2017 (Collected Pieces), the limited-edition cassette and digital release features new and previously unreleased material, Bandcamp-only singles, and other obscurities from her recent archives. Selections from both collections (CP I & II) make their vinyl debut in 2022. Lattimore has described the process of arranging these releases as akin to “opening a box filled with memories,” and here that box continues to populate, accessible for both the artist and fans. Evocative material separated by years, framed as a portrait of an instrumental storyteller who rarely pauses, recording and often sharing music as soon as it strikes her. Seemingly in constant forward motion for the last five years since her Ghostly debut, Lattimore glances back for a breath, inviting new chances to live in these fleeting moments and emotions; all the beauty, sorrow, sunshine, and darkness housed within. The lead single and one of the newest tracks in the set, 'We Wave From Our Boats' was improvised during the early days of lockdown in 2020, after Lattimore walked her neighbourhood. “I would just wave at neighbors I didn't know in a gesture of solidarity and it reminded me of how you’re compelled to wave at people on the other boat when you’re on a boat yourself, or on a bridge or something. The pull to wave feels very innate and natural.” The heart of the track is a somber loop, over top which Lattimore’s synth notes ruminate, each a gentle shimmer of optimism in the most anxious and absurd of days.
Before she had even turned 21, Nija had written scores of Billboard Hot 100 hits. Now 23, the three-time GRAMMY Award-winning contributor has reached a new milestone: the release of her self-penned, self-produced debut single, 'Ease My Mind (Come Over),' and the accompanying video via Capitol Records. With her enticing, self-assured vocals, Nija delivers an irresistible invitation on the track, which is an inventive mixture of R&B and drill music. The song is the first single from her forthcoming debut project, which will be released this fall. Shot in Los Angeles, the official video for 'Ease My Mind (Come Over)' is a visually surreal exploration of inner space, traveling through Nija’s subconscious mind. Director Child (Big Sean, Janelle Monáe, H.E.R.) gives us a keyhole view into the vibrant worlds conjured by her imagination as she awaits the arrival of a lover. Nija says, "This song is about those times when you've had a long day, maybe stressed out from work, and you just want to get your mind off things with that special person at the end of the day."
Hear that siren call off in the distance? It’s the sound of Banks’ newest single 'Skinnydipped,' which the alt-pop star unveiled along with its accompanying music video. Directed by Banks herself, the clip finds the singer channeling her inner seaside seductress as she recounts overcoming her obsession with a former flame. “I dabble in the past, yeah, I said it/ I finally admit it/ I told you it was over then I skinny-dipped and did it/ I should’ve known better but I didn’t overthink it/ And I probably would’ve floated but I sank it/ Took a dive in the deep and forgot to move/ Swam with the fish till my kiss turn blue/ I aired out my sheets ’cause they smell like you/ I cleaned out the salt in my wounds” she warbles on the opening verse, surrounded by a number of nude women posing on a rocky outcropping. “'Skinnydipped' is a song about finally letting go of something that you’ve gone back to many times before,” Banks wrote on Instagram. “It’s about knowing your worth, shedding the skin you feel no longer fits, and digesting the freedom that comes with that. Mmmmm. It feels good. It was a really special moment for me to be able to direct this video which depicts woman as I see them…divine, empowered, and wild. A woman who is in tune with her natural-born divinity is untouchable.” [via Consequence]
It feels like pop-artist Alex Porat just never stops working hard and putting out music. She’s constantly proving that she’s dedicated—not to mention talented— to her work. Last year, she released her debut EP, bad at breakups, and now, she’s already gearing up to release her followup, miss sick world! While the name of her new EP sounds pretty angsty and pessimistic, her new single, 'taxi,' is anything but. Porat shared that she wanted the track “to reflect how it feels to have a crush on someone.” She does this perfectly as the track starts with a gentle, driving beat, then slowly builds with claps and deep synths until the chorus comes in with a refrain dropping into a chaotic and distorted synth. That technique continues throughout, capturing those ups and downs, the reality versus fantasy moments. On a deeper level, this is also like a reminder to listeners to follow that opportunity, whether it be romantic, personal, social, etc. Porat shared her experience, reminding that you can’t “just live your life in limbo. I think about all the times I kept how I’ve felt about someone to myself because it feels so safe to keep it all a secret. I love that the music video is the daydream of what could happen if I didn’t build walls around my feelings." Even the music video is super cute about all the "what ifs" of what could happen on a date with your crush. It plays on everyone’s embarrassing, but true fantasies of just jamming to favorite songs and gorging on tons of pizza and wine. [via Earmilk]
Texis, the new album from Sleigh Bells, is set for release on September 10 via Lucky Number and now the duo, composed of producer/guitarist Derek Miller and singer Alexis Krauss, share a new track from the album, entitled 'Justine Go Genesis'. One of the first songs written for Texis, Miller sent an early demo to Krauss in 2018, feeling excited about its ultra-fast tempo but slightly self-conscious about his cartoonish, over-the-top metal riff. Krauss clicked with the music right away and wrote her bright, unabashedly poppy melody within a few hours of receiving the track, resulting in a song that sounds like the unexpected intersection of Metallica, Spice Girls, and ‘90s drum and bass. The video for the track, shot on 16mm film and directed by the filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell, Queen of Earth, Golden Exits) and Derek Miller with Cinematography by Sean Price Williams (Good Time, Heaven Knows What), picks up where the band’s video for Texis single 'Locust Laced' left off, referencing early 80’s horror films, The Twilight Zone, the band’s own incredible live show, and more. This is the band’s second collaboration with Perry and Williams, who previously worked on the video for 'I Can Only Stare'.
Having already showcased a bold and exciting direction with her previously shared singles ‘Cut Me Down’ and ‘Class War (How Much)’ in recent months, Merseyside’s She Drew The Gun aka Louisa Roach, continues the support for her highly-anticipated new album with the record’s vibrant title-track. New album Behave Myself is out October 8 via Submarine Cat Records. As a powerful socialist, feminist, and proud working class scouser, her latest single ‘Behave Myself’ sits as the benchmark for what we can expect to hear on her full-length. With its driven post-punk-inspired bassline and distinctly infectious pop hooks, She Drew The Gun has created an anthem for the unheard in modern Britain, a rallying cry for all those who feel let down by the current political system. Speaking about the new track, Louisa said, "Punk flavoured pop for people who don't want to behave themselves. It’s about the unstoppable forces that are made out of centuries of oppression. I see the cage and I will not accept anything less than freedom." On the video she says: “We had a lot of fun making the video with Marieke Macklon and the rest of the crew, I wanted to play around the ideas in the lyrics which explore different aspects of feminism and life in late capitalism, so we made fake products and settings, and wanted to make it almost like a commercial instagram feed but with a twisted narrative below the surface.”
Poppy has shared a music video for her exuberant new pop-punk single ‘So Mean’. The track is the latest to be taken from her new album Flux, produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen (M83, Deafheaven, St. Vincent), and follows ‘Her’, the title track, and previous surprise EP Eat. The self-directed video showcases a taste of Poppy’s live show in which she performs in a small room with a full live band. “Can you keep a secret? Keep it undercover/ Every day I wake up, it’s a struggle,” she sings on the track. [via NME]
Greta has shared her fascinating new song ‘Forever We’ll Be Dancing’. The Danish artist's palpable presence has created a futuristic sound with a nod to 80s nostalgia. 'Forever We’ll Be Dancing' will be the track to get people on their feet at the party. Greta has embraced the use of synths to the greatest ability where they swell and scatter up against reverbed drum kicks that create a driving force. This is a feel-good, addictive track. In a statement Greta explained the meaning behind the song: "This song is inspired by my husband’s story. He has struggled with depression since we met, and it got way worse last spring. One of the things that helped him get better was something as simple as physical movement. Swimming, dancing, feeling free for a while...” Greta has transformed the trials and tribulations of life’s difficulties into an optimistic light of hope through music. In bonus Greta news, it's also the title track to her incoming album - Forever We'll Be Dancing will be released on February 4. Watch the bright, other worldly visuals that accompany the euphoric tune above. [via Clash]
Egg Drop Soup kick it old school on their newest video 'Whiskey Priest' which is set in what is probably every rock loving teenagers dream bedroom, completely plastered with band posters and art. The stripped down approach to the video is perfectly juxtaposed to the song's meaning. The band comments: “'Whiskey Priest' is a scorching two and a half minutes exploring overindulgence and consumer culture, taking a sharp lens to the detriments of capitalism, and shredding all the way." [via Metal Injection]
Carol Ades has been dominating as a songwriter for the likes of pop all-stars Demi Lovato, Ava Max and Selena Gomez — and now she's focusing on her solo career with a soon-to-be-announced debut EP. 'Crying During Sex,' the latest single off Ades' breakout project, proves her power with the pen, only this time it's her own voice singing the words. Like the greatest tracks that make you scream, cry and dance at once, Ades nails a complex concoction of emotions on the early aughts-leaning, radio-rock cut. "God I'm so obsessed with forever/ I think I forgot to remember," she begins on the chorus, wrapped in giant garage guitars. "Everything I'm feeling/ Is much more than who I let inside my body." For Ades, 'Crying During Sex' is about a "really confusing hard time" in her life when she found herself getting emotional during sexual encounters. "I felt like my body was hovering above me, and it was so scary and confusing and sad at the same time," she says. "I'm not in that place anymore, but I wrote this in the thick of it so I could try and make sense of the experience." Emotions — especially the darkest, craziest ones — are the most universal to sing about, and Ades does so without depicting her own as something to be ashamed of. Rather, 'Crying During Sex' renders as both a celebration and honest reckoning with the truth. "I think it's something people don't talk about a lot and I'm definitely not the only one who's experienced it," Ades says, using her solo effort as an opportunity to write without fear. The 'Crying During Sex' music video, directed by Zachary Bailey, brings to life a whirlwind romance that ends with Ades sitting alone in the rain. To pull everything off, the production team stayed out all night filming in the freezing cold, while Bailey cut a hole in the car at 3 AM to execute the final scene. Meanwhile, Ades' girlfriend had to watch her make out with co-star and love interest Adam Melchor. "This was my favorite video I've ever shot," Ades says. "Zachary Bailey is so incredible and was on top of the car at 3 AM cutting the roof off. Everyone was at max effort, and we were all tired and wet from the rain and lake and it couldn't have turned out better. The song is about a really chaotic feeling in a loving relationship, and I wanted the video to feel loving and real and I feel like we really did that." [via Paper]
Sydney pop singer-songwriter MAY-A has shared the visual accompaniment to her latest single, ‘Daffodils’. The video is the sixth to be made in support of MAY-A’s debut EP, entitled DON’T KISS UR FRIENDS. The ‘Daffodils’ clip was directed by Murli Dhir, who worked with MAY-A on her ‘Swing of Things’ videos. He also worked on the visualiser for ‘Time I Love to Waste’ and the lyric video for ‘Central Station’. The video sees MAY-A singing the song while sitting on the floor in a multicoloured room, accentuated by different lighting and surrounded by the titular flowers. [via NME]
This past spring, CHAI released their new album WINK via Sub Pop. They've now shared an accompanying video for their Adult Awim single 'miniskirt' directed by Yoshika Matsuoka. CHAI consistently have an incredible, colorful aesthetic - and this new video is a hi-def presentation of their curated sets. CHAI’s YUUKI elaborates: “We brainstormed everything, from the ideas to the plot, and with the director, we brought it all to life! This song’s keywords, ‘miniskirt’ and ‘showing off your skin,’ brought the vision for a battle between the miniskirt and long-skirt cliques. Our ‘fight for justice’ in the means of ‘kawaii’ may differ from ‘justice’ for others…and the thought of ‘kawaii,’ that never came to our minds, may actually be the door to opening something new…It’s a story of realization through battle! In the end, what we see is ‘NEO!’ Within this one life we get to live, let’s reinvent ourselves over and over again!” [via Sub Pop]