Gemma Rogers has shared her brand new single ‘My Idea of Fun’ set to be released alongside her new album at the end of July. Written to accompany a David Shillinglaw exhibition in Hoxton, Gemma penned the lyrics whilst nursing a broken heart and staying at a friend’s in Brighton. Her brother, Nick, came up with the guitar riff and Arlen Figgis remixed it, bringing in DJ Fast from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals to play melodica and additional keys. Brimming with raw humour ‘My Idea of Fun’ is a colloquial commentary on the trials of drinking in the afternoon. Gemma’s effortless vocal delivery is matched by her lyrical prowess resulting in a masterful piece of musical comedy. “How do I hope this song will resonate with my listeners? To have a little dance and a lot of laughs. Life can be very serious. I also think it’s wise to go out with a wingwoman so she can keep an eye on you when you’re getting loose. I reckon I’d have avoided lots of madness had I taken my own advice.” Producer Figgis also directed the music video, which features David Shillinglaw painting live throughout the shoot, and additional animation by Alex Burt. “David has also gone on to do the art for the album. He’s been one of my main inspirations. I’ve always thought of his art as the accompanying visual to my music (or vice versa) to be honest. It’s so kaleidoscopically communicative. He’s an artist through and through and is as pure as they come in his drive to explore the honest messy human condition.”

Experimental pop artist ko aka koala – the moniker of multidisciplinary creative KO Lee – has shared the official music video for her single ‘why is everyone so scared of me.’ The song was written from the perspective of a zombie – someone who is doomed to be alone, who can’t help but hurt people around them. The video depicts a classic horror movie aesthetic, and was directed, styled, and edited by ko herself. “It is symbolic of being not seen or understood, and judged by a superficial first impression that you can’t shake off,” says KO. “The video shows the duality between good and bad – as the lyrics state ‘looks can be deceiving,’ so we understand that the two are actually intertwined.”

Kennedy Ashlyn aka SRSQ [pronounced ‘seer-skew’], has shared a captivating new single from her forthcoming album Ever Crashing, which is set for release on August 19 through Dais. The delicate yet crushing ballad ‘Abyss’ sees Ashlyn sing of her bipolar disorder with shattering clarity. Raw and vulnerable, the track embodies her unique ability to masterfully synthesizes her private struggles and sorrows into stirring, redemptive anthems. Her multi-octave range and moodswing songcraft consists of tumult and triumph, darkest night breaking into brightest dawn, proving her a musician of elemental force. The accompanying self-directed video pictures Kennedy submerged in water. She comments: “‘Abyss’ describes my darkest days with the imagery of my skinless body trapped in a riptide, its rawness exacerbated by the rushing saltwater. Suspended above is a glowing orb, the promise of peace, growing fainter and fainter as the tide pulls me down. I watch it disappear in yearning surrender, only to be resurrected by the powerful shine of the sun, which cuts through the water at random, allowing me to ascend if only for a short time. The video was shot almost entirely underwater using a home made periscope.”

Florida-born, LA-based indie-folk performer Johanna Warren has announced the follow-up to her 2020 album, Chaotic Good. Her forthcoming sixth studio album, Lessons For Mutants, will be out October 7 via Wax Nine / Carpark Records. Warren has also shared an uptempo lead single, ‘I’d Be Orange,’ which has a music video co-directed by Warren and Richey Beckett. Warren began working on Lessons For Mutants all the way back in 2018, where she tracked songs in tandem with the material from Chaotic Good. She eventually finished recording her latest in the pastoral UK “surrounded by sheep, cows and a foragerʼs paradise of wild edible plants,” as a press release puts it. Warren describes ‘I’d Be Orange’ as being “about martyrdom and masochism in pop culture and the quest for stardom.” She continues: “The only thing we love more than building up an icon is watching them fall — and yet, as an aspiring icon, even when you know that, thereʼs still this perverse desire to be one of the chosen ones who gets pinned to the cross and set ablaze.” Elaborating on Lessons For Mutants, Warren says: “Thereʼs this unspoken rule in modern music—modern life, really — that everything needs to be Auto-Tuned and ʻon the grid.’ This record is an act of resistance against that. Thereʼs beauty and power in our aberrations, if we can embrace them.” [via Stereogum]

Los Angeles-based Zella Day has released a brilliant new video, directed by Alex Casnoff, for her song ‘Radio Silence,’ which she released three weeks ago to rapturous response. ‘Radio Silence’ – written in the Autumn of 2021 – details the experience of a young woman forced to reckon with the choices surrounding an unintended pregnancy. Combining sonic elements of college radio-era R.E.M. with haunting synths and drums, as well as some of the most pointed, evocative lyrics Day has ever written, ‘Radio Silence’ is raw, candid, and universally resonant. Says Day about the video, “It was on a Monday that we decided we were going to shoot a music video that was coming Friday before I left for Texas. We ended up shooting until 4AM, I was on a plane two hours later with beach sand in my shoes leftover from the Santa Monica Pier. There was a frantic energy in the air that night as we moved through the city with our shot list, we found some of our best scenes in an In-And-Out bathroom and while running down side streets in Simi Valley. I’ll be keeping the Bunny head as a memento from our iPhone thriller. We really want the viewer to feel the energy that we felt creating this psychological chase through Los Angeles.“

This week, Beach Bunny released their sophomore album, Emotional Creature. And the Chicago band is back with one more single and video. ‘Weeds’ is a likable and hooky one that Lili Trifilio said “felt like I was taking ownership of my emotions instead of letting my emotions drive me into despair.” [via Stereogum]

On her new single, girlpuppy (Becca Harvey) addresses the most excruciating breakups out there: those that occur between friends. The Atlanta-based singer-songwriter channels the pain of going from inseparable best friends to total strangers on ‘Wish.’ The song is the first release from her forthcoming debut album, When I’m Alone, out via Royal Mountain on Oct. 28. Her first venture into shoegaze, girlpuppy swaths her floaty vocals in gauze-like layers of fuzzy guitars and tinkering bells. ‘Wish’ embodies the blur of love, anger, hurt and confusion that comes with someone leaving your life and never giving you a reason why. Still holding out hope for reconciliation, she promises, “I don’t even need an apology,” and confesses, “If you’d call me back / I’d tell you that I love you / and I’ve missed you all this time.” An emotionally raw introduction to her new era, ‘Wish’ sees Harvey shines in her most vulnerable state. “On ‘Wish’ I was thinking about when friends leave your life and you’re not entirely sure why,” Harvey explains. “It’s a pretty universal feeling, I think. And, the thing is—even if you managed to live in the walls of that person’s apartment and were able to figure it out, their reasons might not make total sense. This song is me living with that feeling, when loss just doesn’t quite add up. This is the first shoegaze rock song I’ve made and I did that intentionally—the emotions in the song go from anger to sadness to nostalgia and all the other emotions that you feel when you go through a ‘friend breakup.’ I imagined it being really cathartic to play it live.” Check out the video for ‘Wish’ (dir. Matt Swinsky and Eat Humans) above. [via Paste Magazine]

Phoebe Green has released ‘Just A Game’, the fourth single to be lifted from her upcoming debut album Lucky Me. Following the release of ‘Sweat’, ‘Lucky Me’ and ‘Make It Easy’, Green has unveiled new cut “Just A Game”, which is teamed with a Niall Trask-directed video. “‘Just A Game’ is probably the most obvious pop song on the album, which makes me feel kind of uneasy but excited,” Green says. “I’m still coming to terms with making songs that aren’t entirely alternative because I’m so cautious of my songs making me cringe if they sound too polished, but this one is just a pop bop and I’m here for it.” Green adds, “I wrote it with my friend Jessica Winter who really encouraged me to venture outside of my comfort zone and embrace my newfound willingness to write in a more structured, concise way. It was actually so freeing and I feel like I had opposite inhibitions to what is expected! I love that despite the danceability it’s still a good old heartbreaker, that is one consistent factor that I doubt will ever change.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Kenzie TTH is serene and silky on ‘Driveway (Credits)’, the ‘glue’ of her upcoming EP, which will arrive in August. The movie-soundtrack magic of ‘Driveway (Credits)’ draws on Kenzie TTH’s (pronounced Kenzie Teeth) myriad talents. Across design, editorial, fashion, music, running a label, and working with numerous other creatives, it’s no surprise that ‘Driveway’ is a fully-fleshed musical tale with artistry on every level, and arriving alongside a stunning coming-of-age-film toned music video, Kenzie creates a whole world for this story. Packed with swirling synth textures and understated vocal dexterity, Kenzie TTH pulls together all her influences and emotions on the latest release. Both fit for a contemplative nighttime drive under the wide-open skies and the moment when you pull into the driveway quietly and leave your thoughts in the car, Kenzie’s songwriting is airy and melancholy. Bringing all the emotional layers together to form a quiet sense of acceptance, ‘Driveway (Credits)’ is a perfect cinematic closer. “It was the first time we stood back and felt like we actually knew where we were going,” Kenzie explains of the track. “’Driveway (Credits)’ is the blueprint, the sort of glue of the record, that informed the rest of the tracks on We Stayed Too Long sonically and conceptually. It’s a song about closure, and in writing it, I started imagining the final scene of a film — how it all ends: the what-ifs and second-guessing that comes with choosing to close the door on a relationship, but ultimately being resolute in the decision for two people to part ways and accepting that there is no driving off into the sunset together.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

After a pair of EPs, Skullcrusher — the quietly appealing and not particularly skull-crushing musical project of Helen Ballentine — is finally releasing a debut album. It’s called Quiet The Room, and it’s dropping in October on Secretly Canadian. The strummy, shimmery, sighingly spectral lead single ‘Whatever Fits Together’ is out now with a video by Silken Weinberg. Here’s what Ballentine has to say about it: “I wrote ‘Whatever Fits Together’ while reflecting on my past and wondering how I might begin to explain it to someone. I viewed my younger self through a wash of emotions: anger, sadness, pity, confusion, all reaching for a kind of compassion. I tried to capture the contradictions that comprise my past and define who I am now. As I looked back, I saw my life in pieces: some moments blacked out, some extremely vivid, some leading nowhere. Through the song I attempt to piece it together in some non-linear form and accept my disparate story.” [via Stereogum]

London based project Pretty Sick will release their debut album later this year. The band is driven forwards by Sabrina Fuentes, marking out their sound with excellent EPs Come Down and Deep Divine. Debut album Makes Me Sick Makes Me Smile is out on September 30, a 12 track statement that traces their tangled trans-Atlantic roots, while touching upon family, mental health, love, and more. Ahead of the release – and it’s accompanying UK tour – Pretty Sick have shared biting new single ‘Human Condition’, a punchy punk-edged statement that operates on its own terms.

Indie Brooklynite Scout Gillett has announced her debut album, no roof no floor, out October 28 via Captured Tracks. She also released lead single, ‘signal,’ a bass-heavy, lightly screamy song that comes with a tongue-in-cheek music video directed by Scout herself. Of the inspiration for the video, she says, “I chose to make the object of desire a sandwich rather than a lover…I wanted to channel the slapstick work of Charlie Chaplin. I never end up finding the sandwich, just the mime pretending to chow down. I think lightness is achieved by letting go and embracing uncertainty. As in the video, which ends in laughter and acceptance, there is joy in surrender.” no roof no floor was produced by Nick Kinsey and features contributions from Ellen Kempner of Palehound, David Lizmi of MS MR, and Kevin Copeland of The Big Net. The album was inspired in large part by the changing meaning of home for Scout, as her home state of Missouri had become a place she didn’t recognize when she returned in 2020. She recorded the album in a barn in upstate New York, blending her southern upbringing with her DIY indie sensibilities. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Powerhouse vocalist Reneé Rapp returns with her new single ‘In The Kitchen.’ The 22-year-old delivers a poignant piano ballad that highlights her knack for penning devastating lyrics and shows off her towering vocal range. Currently winning over viewers and critics alike with her starring role as ‘Leighton’ in the HBO Max/ ITV series The Sex Lives of College Girls, this track proves that Rapp has equally developed gifts as a musician. On ‘In The Kitchen,’ Rapp hones in on a simple memory from a relationship — to convey how alone she feels. “I walk in the kitchen, my heart hits the floor,” she sings sweetly over gentle chords. “It’s you that I’m missing, just had a vision of us cooking dinner, and you’re holding me from behind.” Co-written by Reneé alongside Monsters & Strangerz (Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5), Tommy Brown (Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Blackpink), and Michael Pollack (Lizzo, Becky G, Justin Bieber), the song draws on personal moments of Reneé’s, creating an emotional and raw experience for her listeners, almost enduring the pain alongside her as she sings. [via Total Entertainment]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Bonnie Trash is the drone-rock project of Canadian-Italian twin sisters Emmalia and Sarafina Bortolon-Vettor. They’ve shared new single ‘Teeth’ – a first glimpse at their debut album, which is due to be released later this year by Hand Drawn Dracula. ‘Teeth’ sees Bonnie Trash at their poppiest, recontextualizing a ‘Be My Baby’ beat (a nod to Ronnie Spector up above) before a wash of swoony, microtonal drones, the words telling of a love story that might be toxic. The band share the track with a self-directed video, commenting: “We created a short film to help narrate stories our Nonna Maria told us about being haunted and followed by a curse in her hometown of San Zenone degli Ezzelini in Treviso, Italy. That short eventually became the concept of our album, which is woven into our first music video, ‘Teeth.’ Shot at the Apollo Cinema in Kitchener, Ontario, ‘Teeth’ bridges generations of being haunted – we see ourselves watching our work without understanding that we too have conjured the curse. A malocchio follows.”

Manchester’s very own Robin Knightz is back with a new single dubbed ‘It’s About Time’ alongside visuals. The 23-year-old riser has been turning heads up and down the country since releasing her single ‘Fiji Drip’ back in 2018. Now signed to Sony 5K Records, the young artist has her sights set and is someone that should definitely be on your radar. Releasing a brand new single, ‘It’s About Time’ alongside some vibrant visuals, Robin Knightz has once again blown us away. The artist signature style of rap and pop sound complements the neon futuristic visuals perfectly. [via GRM Daily]

Later this summer, TOPS keyboardist Marta Cikojevic is releasing her debut album as Marci. We’ve heard a pair of tracks from it already, ‘Entertainment’ and ‘Immaterial Girl,’ and now she’s back with another one, the gauzy and breezy ‘Terminal.’ “’Terminal’ is my joke vapid lingo about being dead because something is soooo cool,” Cikojevic explained. “The song is about how music can be so overwhelmingly good it allows you to fully escape. David [Carriere] and I wrote the seed of this song while we were pregaming for a party that turned out to be shit.” [via Stereogum]

Next month, Chicago’s Beach Bunny will release their sophomore album, Emotional Creature. So far, the indie-pop cover stars have shared lead single ‘Oxygen,’ ‘Fire Escape,’ ‘Karate’ (with a video featuring a cameo from Bob Odenkirk), and now they’re back with another new single and video: ‘Entropy.’ Like the previous Emotional Creature offerings, ‘Entropy’ is a Y2K-era pop-rock blast, full of melodic guitar riffs, which are punctuated by Lili Trifilio’s yearning vocals. The video, meanwhile, continues down the previously discussed sci-fi aesthetic, with the band crafting a full action-adventure storyline inspired by Star Wars and Star Trek. [via Stereogum]

The A’s is a duo featuring two thirds of Mountain Man: Amelia Meath (also of Sylvan Esso) and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig (also of Daughter of Swords). Their debut album Fruit comes out July 15 via Psychic Hotline, and it features new interpretations of “lullabies, traditional ballads and rural standards […] and other music that Meath and Sauser-Monnig simply love to sing,” plus the original song ‘When I Die.’ It was produced by The A’s and Amelia’s Sylvan Esso bandmate Nick Sanborn, and it was “made with a makeshift orchestra of nylon shorts, hair, shoes, ice chunk, gravel, frog samples and other unexpected objects.” It also features vocals, electronics, and more from Nick Sanborn, guest vocals from Jenn Wasner (Flock of Dimes, Wye Oak) on the original song ‘When I Die,’ backing vocals from Alli Rogers, string arrangements from Gabriel Kahane on ‘He Needs Me,’ saxophone from Sam Gendel on ‘Copper Kettle,’ and guitar from Alan Good Parker on ‘Swing and Turn Jubilee.’ The first two songs released are a rendition of Harry Nilsson and Shelley Duvall’s ‘He Needs Me’ from the 1980 Popeye movie, and a rendition of the DeZurik Sisters’ ‘Why I’m Grieving.’ The former is sweeping and vintage in an early 20th century pop kind of way, while the latter is a whimsical, yodeling a cappella. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Pixey is back with her new single, ‘Come Around (Sunny Day)’. The Liverpool newcomer’s first new music since last October’s Sunshine State EP, it arrives ahead of a project coming later this year. “‘Come Around (Sunny Day)’ is a 90s style summer tune I wrote around looped guitars and breakbeat samples,” Pixel explains. “I wanted to create a tune with an upbeat vibe but with the lyrics keeping to a more anxious undertone. It’s about struggling to say what you mean when someone won’t hear you out – something I definitely relate to!” [via Dork]

Bells Larsen has announced their debut album, Good Grief. Set for release on September 9, news of the record is accompanied by teaser single and video, ‘Double Aquarius’. “I love this song because it was born during one of the darker periods of my life, but is sonically quite bouncy and upbeat,” Bells explains.”I was listening to a lot of Soccer Mommy, Courtney Barnett, and Frankie Cosmos at the time, so I had developed an affinity for tongue-in-cheek lyrics melded with memorable hooks. This song is about blaming your blues on astrology.” Of the video, they add: “Contrary to what ‘Double Aquarius’ might imply, I’m not that big into astrology. I do know, however, that Aquarians tend to be spacey. I thought it might be fun to run with the astrology theme and have the video take place in space. Director Jack Harrison’s retro visual aesthetic lent itself really well to the video and we had a ton of fun playing around with the special effects (like me floating!). When I’m feeling off, I tend to ask myself if there’s something going on with me or if there’s just something in the stars. This video splits the difference and shows that it can be a bit of both.” [via Dork]

Nina Nesbitt will release new album Älskar on September 2. The title means ‘to love’ in Swedish, a nod to her heritage and a country that played a key role in the making of the record. Sessions for Älskar date back to 2019, but when the pandemic intervened Nina Nesbitt began completing sessions over Zoom, using the spare bedroom in her mother’s house. She comments: “Making this album was a completely different experience to anything I’ve made before, although a lot of the music was created remotely, I feel that I’ve processed so much and learnt a lot about the relationships in my life during the last few years. I wanted to capture all types of love in their raw forms, whether it be romantic, heartbreak, friendship, coming of age, familial or self love.” New single ‘Pressure Makes Diamonds’ is out now, a polished return with a lyric that discusses the way society treats women as they mature. Crafted alongside producers Jack & Coke, Swedish artist SHY Martin was also on hand during the sessions. Nina adds: “I wrote ‘Pressure Makes Diamonds’ about trying to navigate my way through the societal pressures I started to feel as a woman in my mid-twenties.” Director Wolf James worked on the video, a playfully stylish return from Nina. [via Clash]

Danish-Faroese Brimheim released the critically acclaimed album can’t hate myself into a different shape in January this year, and now she’s finished the music video for the title track. It’s a visual gem, made with the Danish director Tone Ottilie behind the camera, about bodies, shame, acceptance and the music video showcases different queer couples in their homes and intimate spaces. “We asked the actors to show us something meaningful for them. Friends, creativity, partners or spouses and we tried to show a pallet of heartwarming ways that queer people express their passions and show their intimate spaces. I think I kinda ended up making the video I needed to see myself. The overall message is that self love and love for others can be a way out of self loathing”, Tone Ottilie says.

A remarkably precocious multi-hyphenate, this songwriter, producer, and vocalist is busy doing it her own way, melding towards R&B with shards of ultra-colourful pop music. Recent single ‘Will We Ever Get This Right’ was a radiant offering, but we reckon floweroflove could have surpassed herself with the follow-up. Out now, ‘Hannah Montana’ has a cute sense of innocence, but it contrasts this with the world-weariness of an artist in bloom. Aiming for something “nostalgic, versatile, mellow, warm, and the feeling of home” she twists between her dual roles: the academic young student, and the hotly-tipped artist. As she puts it: “‘Hannah Montana’ is a reflection of how I’m a regular student on the weekdays but on the weekends I’m Flowerovlove.” [via Clash]

We are here to provide you with some much-needed escapism in the form of Hēir’s ‘Vertigo’. An ethereal tune that promises to enchant thanks to its all-consuming atmospheric production and the Russian singer’s other-worldly tone, we can guarantee that the woes of the real world will feel like a very distant memory upon first listen. “‘The difficulty in maintaining balance and the fear of letting go. The song symbolises the transformation we experience as soon as we leave a relationship behind, when we feel lost yet attracted to a new beginning and the unknown,” explains the artist when discussing her newest release and the meaning behind the tune. “The sample within the song is meant to simulate a video game, where you fall and get back up until you pass onto the next level. ‘Vertigo’ is the jump to the new level.” And, the accompanying music video is as out-of-this-world as the track itself. With the artist taking to a set of escalators underneath a celestial sky, the project promises to transport viewers away from their desks and into the depths of Hēir’s sweet-sounding and slightly trippy world. [via Wonderland]

Fearsome shredder, songwriter, producer and unconventional rock luminary KAYE is officially back with the single and video ‘Neon God.’ This week’s release, the title track off of her upcoming EP set to be released on August 5, ushers in the funky, flamboyant response to 2020’s acclaimed Conscious Control. “This song has so many layers of meaning for me. I was raised in a conservative Christian household, and to my Chinese immigrant parents, becoming a rock star was the most Satanic thing I could possibly do. I had a promise ring! I went to church camp,” laughs KAYE about ‘Neon God’. “One day, I snuck out of the house and experienced my first punk show, and that was when I was TRULY evangelized. I found belonging with all these other misfits, and THAT became my church. Since then, I’ve been fascinated by this idea of how not just rock stars, but politicians, celebrities, actors, tech leaders, news anchors—all have their own cults of personality. It made me think about what I worship now, as opposed to back then—has one idol just been swapped for another?” The official video for ‘Neon God’ was directed by KAYE’s sister, acclaimed filmmaker Liann Kaye (‘The Blessing’). This choreographed storyline flashes between the dark and the light as KAYE contemplates what in life is worth worshiping. In full rock-and-roll Devil style, she shreds on her guitar while adorning black angel wings. If one thing is clear from the video, this is KAYE’s pulpit and we all better tune into what she has to say.

Brooklyn-based alt-pop singer-songwriter, Sabrina Song, shares her first single, the contemplative track, ‘Doors’ and its accompanying video, from her forthcoming EP due out this winter. ‘Doors,’ sees Song gently explore toxicity, reckoning with ways to address a relationship that has remained unsustainable. A quiet edge exists throughout the track, where listeners may find themselves waiting for the beat to pick up, or explode, but it never does, brilliantly capturing the feelings evoked by the lyricism and song itself. Song explains,”‘Doors’ is about a toxic relationship where no matter what you do or say, they are never satisfied. I reference specific moments throughout my life where it feels as though I was letting someone down or being let down myself, yet was still made to feel as though it was my fault. The chorus shows that feeling you have when you just need to get out of a situation and be alone to process: “I don’t care how it sounds, I just want to go home.” The music video, directed by Zac Dov Wiesel, sees Song reliving high school moments, from getting ready for prom, to high school football games, a birthday party and more. One of the high school football players can be seen throughout the video, with whom things continually seem tense. Explaining the idea behind the video, Wiesel adds, “We wanted to capture this time in adolescence that is filled with such an odd mix of feelings. To portray something that is so serious yet so silly. Capture something that feels so real and is also filled with artifice. We imagined a lot of these scenes like moments frozen in time, like photographs. What does it look like to be winning but also be so hurt?” Tying the song into the video, Wiesel continues, “The song is about how the little actions a toxic person does can feel so big. We wanted to portray something that could be perceived as silly with real weight. We always wanted to create a mixture of tones, and I feel like that makes people uncomfortable, and I love that.” Speaking to the video’s juxtaposition of winning while also losing, Song explains, “We wanted to show these hyperbolized scenes of winning and success, and contrast them with the presence of this one intrusive figure. That feeling of everything going great, and having this one person who’s capable of spoiling every moment.” With the visual paired with the track, Song captures the intricacies of walking away from something that can feel good, but ultimately causes pain as she finds the strength to choose herself.

Dropping her new single ‘BONNIE (B-SIDE)’, KENZIE TTH pushes the boundaries on experimentation and effortlessly blurs the lines between alt-R&B and contemporary pop. Showcasing her smooth unmistakable vocals and slick songwriting prowess, the singer-songwriter layers this over an eccentric ear-worming production that instantly brings the vibe. Accompanying the release with an equally as creative video, the artist takes full control and provides an abstract visual that brings her non-conformist attitude to life. Speaking on the release, the artist said, “To me, Bonnie as a character is the girl that gets labelled ‘quirky’ or the ‘eccentric manic pixie dream girl; and feels like she plays a supporting character in her own life. I think we all have some Bonnie in us — the presentation and performance of self that then gets commodified and flattened into a two-dimensional object by others.” [via Wonderland]

With a decade of acting behind her, YDE aims to conquer the music world as duelling identities dominate her new single ‘Old Her’. ‘Old Her’ adds to her already sizeable fan base built from years of acting in Nickelodeon and Netflix tweener shows like The Haunted Hathaways, School of Rock, and Malibu Rescue. But like fellow thespian Jared Leto, YDE doesn’t consider music to be a sideline. She plays every instrument needed for a rock band – guitar, bass, keys and drums – and her piano skills are a prominent part of ‘Old Her.’ In the new video, the new and old YDE personas dance and grapple with each other while the lyrics summarise the ongoing struggle: “She miss the old her, even though the new her is better than the old her“. “The song is my perspective on growing up and feeling like life never gets easier,” YDE shares. “Each verse is a real-time reflection from different chapters of life that all point back to the sarcastic conclusion that ignorance is bliss.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Chloe Moriondo returns with new single ‘Hell Hounds’. Out now, the single appears on the deluxe edition of her new album, with Blood Bunny Deluxe boasting alternate and acoustic tracks. ‘Hell Hounds’ is a single that has been brewing for some time, a perfectly-primed dose of rebel pop from the outlaw talent. “I’ve been waiting SO FUCKING LONG to release this and am so excited for everyone to hear it,” she comments. “This is the beginning of a shiny new era and i hope everyone loves it!! <3” [via Clash]

Brooklyn indie pop duo, Daisy the Great have returned just in time for summer with their new single, ‘Easy’ via S-Curve/Hollywood Records. The vulnerable breakup track comes accompanied by an official music video, co-directed by Daisy the Great and NYC-based filmmaker Edoardo Ranaboldo (AJR). “‘Easy’ is a breakup song about all of the complicated – i.e. not always easy – feelings that come along with the end of a relationship,” say Daisy the Great about the song, “The song is about learning to trust yourself, finding joy in loving yourself, feeling hope! At the same time, it’s about how sometimes even when something isn’t right, it still hurts to let it go. The music video was filmed in Brooklyn and features our whole band as well as choreography by our dear friend Matilda Sakamoto. With the video, we wanted to explore a lot of the ups and downs of a breakup. Sometimes we might feel chaotic, or really free and independent, or we might experience true grief for something lost. And in those tough moments we lean on our pals. So even though the video is a lot about the break up, it’s also about friends being there for each other.” [via Prelude Press]

Allison Ponthier wants to know: “When celebrities — especially misunderstood famous women — pass away, what happens after they die?” On Thursday, the songstress asked that question and explores utopic afterlife in the funky music video for ‘Hollywood Forever Cemetery’ off her new Shaking Hands with Elvis EP. “In this video, ‘Hollywood Forever Cemetery’ is a haven for those whose value and talents were taken for granted in life,” she tells Rolling Stone. “While I truly believe that anyone can receive the help they need to make life worth living, I always wanted to imagine the stars that were gone too soon in a place that respected them.” The video introduces viewers to “Hat Girl” after she dies and realizes she’s only remembered for being a starlet as she reads headlines dehumanizing her with headlines like “Starlet’s Latest Role: Coffin Filler” and “Hat Girl Sheds Final Tear.” She’s then accepted by the “kooky but lovable characters” at the cemetery, including a furried Elvis. [via Rolling Stone]

Two-time Grammy nominee Madison Cunningham announces new album Revealer and is set for release on September 9 via Decca Records. “’Hospital’ is written from this sort of half awake, slightly drunken, on the cusp of a nervous breakdown perspective,” Cunningham explains of her new single. “I think ultimately it speaks to the impossible condition of being sedated with information and trying to hold onto your sanity.” [via Total Entertainment]

Canadian goth pop artist POESY has released her haunting new single, ‘Multiply’. Her second taste of new music to come from her upcoming debut album, I Exist, ‘Multiply’ is about facing an all encompassing rage in the midst of pain. ‘Multiply’ follows POESY’s powerful and positive track, ‘Still Breathing’, serving as a perfect contrast to the other uplifting song. Eerie synths and sinister string arrangements really drive the track home as POESY admits, “I swear I didn’t mean it to end like this, but you know what you did.” She may not have wanted to fight fire with fire, but sometimes, as she states, “rage is a pretty thing”. [via Prelude Press]

Abby Roberts has shared the new video for ‘Video Girl’, the latest track to arrive from the singer’s anticipated debut EP Ashes. The new video sees the Leeds singer satirising unrealistic expectations placed on our lives by social media. It sees her taking a powder called Miracle-Lax in order to achieve an “insta-perfect life”, which is in keeping with the song’s powerful critique of social media’s dark side. “I wish that I looked like you. And lately I’ve been working on my smile too,” she sings on the new alt-rock driven track. Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, Roberts said of the new video: “I’m so in love with how the music video turned out. It was probably our most ambitious one so far with so much going on, there’s so many easter eggs & references, I recruited some fans from Tiktok too and you may even spot a few familiar faces! It was the most fun i’ve ever had filming a music video.” [via Rolling Stone]

Rising star, Iyla has returned with a brand-new single, ‘2LATE,’ out now via 3T Entertainment/Astra Velum/EMPIRE. ‘2LATE’ serves as the follow up to ‘Sad Bitch Bad Bitch,’ which marked the first taste of new music from the California-born artist and songwriter. ‘2LATE’ was written by Iyla and Y2 and produced by longtime collaborator Kadis. As one might expect with a new Iyla release, ‘2LATE’ arrives with an epic and otherworldly music video. The video was filmed on location in Frazier Park and Crestline in California and directed by longtime collaborator Patrick “Embryo” Tapu, with styling from Brookelyn Styles. Her exemplary, other-worldly visuals are fast becoming an Iyla trademark, each one delving deeper into her avant-garde approach to her art and fueled with important messages. “I wanted ‘2LATE’ to tell the heart-aching story of moving on from a toxic relationship, falling in love with someone new, and having your heart torn in two places at once,” Iyla reveals about the track. Speaking about the video, she adds, “The music video explores the pain of what that love triangle would look like if all three parties were forced to watch it unfold.” [via Vents Magazine]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Creating a dreamy and chic soundscape, Gorgeous Dyke’s latest offering is a noticeable shift from their post-punk roots. Still running off the energy of a catchy, Bauhaus-esque bass line, ‘No Approval,’ differs in its more obvious house direction. The lyrics paint a picture of an unflappable woman heading steadfast wherever life may take her – despite whatever criticisms or judgments that may come her way – ultimately finding refuge in outward self-expression. Their accompanying music video brings this philosophy into motion as the two get ready to make the world their runway alongside their pup. There’s also a pizza in the oven, which may or may not represent more than just a case of the munchies. Fans can still expect the grooviness of Deee-Lite, the sleek, understated vocals of Gina X Performance, and the commanding bass lines of ESG but with a new synth sound that switches things up from their previous releases.

Deep within The Stolen Moans HQ, on the top shelf of an antique bookcase, lives a turquoise-colored hard drive marked “experimental”. This is the Mad Kingdom, a surrealist laboratory, where tunes deemed too reckless for mainstream consumption, remain locked in lead-lined boxes like Madame Curie’s notebooks. Oddities with unknown half-lives, pieces to a still-undiscovered puzzle, sitting, waiting. However, before we can talk about how one of these “experiments” escaped, we first must tell the story of the person who always supported the bands pursuit of the weird and wonderful, Micheal (MP) Peters, their beloved friend, and the “best-dressed roadie in show business”. “MP was a true child of the sixties and grew up at a time when cults and mayhem found fertile soil in sunny California,” say the band. “The recounting of his storied misadventures never failed to astound and entertain. We were always delighted when he drove up (in his veggie oil-powered Mercedes hearse) wearing impeccably tailored 3-piece suits, to help out at shows. He was the epitome of the saying “it’s the journey, not the destination that matters”, and encouraged us to always stay open to the crazy magic that happens along the way. Loud Rock & Roll was one of his passions but he especially loved it when songs got weird! The first time we first played ‘Pu Num Tu’ for MP, his response was, “Whoa, Mondo!”, which was pretty much the highest compliment you could receive from him. The story of how the companion music video came to be is another bizarre tale of happenstance but the abridged version is, we spent a weekend having messy fun in the dark with fellow artist-adventurers. This of course brings us back to the music and why we’ve dedicated the song a video to MP. Tragically he caught the coronavirus in 2020 and passed away within days of becoming sick. He was with us for so much of the journey and would be absolutely delighted that ‘Pu Num Tu’ is finally getting released. If Surrealism’s goal was to revolutionize the human experience by attempting to find magic and beauty in the unexpected than ‘Pu Num Tu’, is a Surrealist Affirmation in the pursuit of joy and freedom. MP buddy, the lunatics are now running the asylum, and YES, this Pu is for you… Rest in peace Michael XO, SM.” The music video was shot and directed (including the stop motion animation) by female director Hannz Mulligan. The band found her student reel online and really clicked in person. “The video was as much fun to make as it is to watch.”

The joyous, experimental Japanese group CHAI recently released their single ‘WHOLE’ and collaborated with Sondre Lerche on his song ‘Summer In Reverse.’ Now, CHAI have come out with a new single called ‘SURPRISE.’ It’s a giddy song that manages to be soothing and explosive in equal measures, and it’s got an extremely colorful music video that the band shot with director Yoshio Nakaiso in Los Angeles. In a press release, CHAI say that the ‘SURPRISE’ video is based on the band’s experience of having their tour trailer stolen in America but still playing all their shows thanks to the support and generosity of other people. In the clip, the members of the band go on a magical quest to find the instruments that they’ll need to play shows. Here’s what CHAI say about the song itself: “We all have that precious “something” that we can’t express in words. But sometimes those things happen to make it out as words, and we want to feel and love that “surprise”. Those become the surprises of our lives, and I become a brand new me♡. That’s what we had in mind when we wrote ‘SURPRISE’. Check it out♡” [via Stereogum]

Vancouver’s Kamikaze Nurse shares ‘Come From Wood’, the second single from Stimuloso which arrives June 3 on Mint Records. Of the song, Kamikaze Nurse said, “’Come From Wood’ wrote itself after KC pondered the simplistic mystery of the Pixies’ b-side ‘Into the White’ on repeat for many months. The song unfolds like a dream, as the archetypal apple and an enchanted forest stage a familiar scene with unfamiliar imagery in the mind of the listener.” Along with the single, the band shares an imaginative music video, the concept of which was realized in collaboration between director Jaewoo Kang and Kamikaze Nurse’s KC Wei. About the video – Director’s quote from Jaewoo Kang: “’Come From Wood’ includes motifs from fairy tales – red apple, forest, moss fields – and re-imagines the idea of sensuality, closeness, entanglement and passion from the perspective of worms and an apple. Visual elements of the video have been inspired by the lyrics, which came to life with an incredible performance by the band members and the dancers. Vibrant set design and gelatine mould of the main character’s body is decomposing, juxtaposed with the animated, visceral movement of the dancers. The video attempts to capture the feeling of familiarity mixed with the uncanniness of the decomposing body to create a more nuanced expression of intimacy and pleasure.”

Desire release their first album since their self-titled debut in 2009 with new record Escape, which is out now via Italians Do It Better. To coincide with the release, the band have also shared a new video for their single ‘Black Latex’ from the record.

Tove Lo returns with a brand-new track and official music video, titled ‘No One Dies From Love’. Co-written with long-time collaborator Ludvig Söderberg, neon keys illuminate a runway to the centre of the dancefloor as her voice resounds over a disco break, “No one dies from love, guess I’ll be the first.” The song signifies a new and exciting chapter for the Sweden-born, Los Angeles-based artist. Tove recalls on making the song, “when you’re with someone for a long time and it ends all of a sudden, it’s like a part of you has died. This person is now a stranger to you. All of the memories are tainted. For the first part of the breakup, you believe you’re not supposed to feel good about anything you had together. What I believe I do best is ‘heartbreak you can dance to.’ The song is that.” The video for ‘No One Dies From Love’ was filmed in Mexico City and was directed by the Brazilian duo Alaska, whom Tove previously collaborated with on the video for ‘Are U gonna tell her?’ Speaking about the video, Tove reveals, “All the songs on the album are very cinematic, dramatic and grand, so for the visual story I want to attach a character to each song. For No One Dies From Love it’s the classic vulnerable, lonely starlet looking for connection. This mini movie is a different kind of love story.”

Aldous Harding has shared the animated video for ‘Tick Tock’. The song is taken from her new album Warm Chris. ‘Tick Tock’ gains a neat visualiser which transforms its narrative. Aldous Harding steered the clip, working alongside animator and film-maker Chris McD. Colourful, cute, and lackadaisical, ‘Tick Tock’ taps into an alternative side of Aldous Harding’s psyche. [via Clash]

Maryam Qudus is a producer and studio engineer based in the Bay Area, and she’s worked with artists like Toro Y Moi, Tune-Yards, and Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis. Qudus also makes her own music under the alias Spacemoth, and she’s just signed with Dupuis’ Wax Nine label. This summer, she’ll release her debut album No Past No Future. As Spacemoth, Qudus makes synthy, fizzy indie-pop. It’s got a deadpan catchiness that reminds me of ’90s vintage-synth explorers like Stereolab and the Rentals. Qudus has just shared her new single ‘Pipe And Pistol,’ and she’d already released one called ‘This Shit.’ Both songs are driving pop songs with all sorts of historical currents flowing through them. In a press release, Qudus explains ‘Pipe And Pistol’: “’Pipe and Pistol’ revolves around a wobbly synth and distorted drum loop, played with and processed by a Korg MS-20. The song was inspired by my parents, who immigrated from Afghanistan in the late ’70s, and explores the challenges faced when building a new life in America.” Interweaving colorful psychedelic visuals and blue collar employment, Ambar Navarro’s video for ‘Pipe and Pistol’ speaks to the surreal and confusing experience of navigating a new life in America in the late 1970s. [via Stereogum]

Indie-pop cover stars Beach Bunny are currently anticipating the release of their sophomore album, Emotional Creature, out in July. Ahead of the release, the Chicago group, led by Lili Trifilio, have shared lead single ‘Oxygen’ and ‘Fire Escape.’ Now, they’re sharing a new video for ‘Karaoke,’ which features a cameo from Bob Odenkirk and is very much in line with the band’s previously explained “full-blown sci-fi aesthetic” for Emotional Creature. As a press release lays out, ‘Karaoke’ is just part one of Beach Bunny’s Star Wars-meets-Star Trek “galactic adventure” visual series, though one character in the video certainly resembles Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen. As for Odenkirk, the Better Call Saul star plays the band’s “Star Captain.” “‘Karaoke’ is a song about having a crush — it’s about infatuation, fleeting feelings, and the bittersweet nature of uncertainty,” Trifilio explains. “It’s about learning pieces of who someone is and liking them before even knowing the whole story.” [via Stereogum]

Placing perfectly next to her previous single ‘Best of Luck’, ‘Heart Emoji’ is the latest pop release in the signature style of Sukie. ‘Heart Emoji’ is Sukie’s gently grasping hand as she guides her listener down memory lane. Dealing with change, loss and moving on, Sukie opens upon another of her personal experiences whilst using her alt-pop tendencies to bed her honest narrative. Glancing into her good old times of ‘going out with the girls’ whilst being young and reckless, Sukie reminds herself of what she cherished the most. Layered with love, nostalgia and topped with colourful synths, ‘Heart Emoji’ is as wistful as it is an endearing single. In Sukie’s own words, she explains; “Covid hit when I was in my last year of uni and I ended up moving away from all my friends in the midst of lockdown. Most people I didn’t get to say goodbye to. It was such a crazy contrast going from being surrounded by all my best friends to moving to a city where I knew no-one. It took me a year to make any new friends and I was really really lonely – that’s where heart emoji came from. I missed my friends so much! I missed feeling sexy and getting ready with my girl friends, helping each other do our hair and makeup. I missed the silly drama and getting too drunk and stupid dancing in a club with a sticky floor. I even missed the hangovers. I wrote the song about mourning the loss of that carefree life, knowing that I’d never get it back. I feel like this was such a universal feeling at the time, when we were all stuck inside for months on end, and I wanted the music video to capture that lonely experience.”

Manchester’s Abbie Ozard releases new single ‘Rose Tinted’ – the final preview of new EP Water Based Lullabies, out July 1 via House Anxiety (WOOM,Carpetgarden; formerly King Krule, Courtney Barnett, Vagabon). Slowly coming into focus, ‘Rose Tinted’ blends a blurry intro into a commanding rhythm. Sonically, it occupies a glistening dream-pop space, over which Abbie delivers restrained, authentic spoken word before a freeing earworm of a chorus takes hold. Talking about the song, Abbiesays: “’Rose Tinted’ was a poem I wrote a few years back when I realised all my friends were growing up and I felt kinda left behind. I found myself covering up these feelings with clothes and messing with the way I looked. I even tried meditating, which I hated because it made me think way too much. It’s an observation on how 20 somethings cope with transitioning into adulthood, how they share their morning routines online, meditate to stay calm, buy new outfits -that whole ‘don’t get depression vibe’. I want to be able to soundtrack my generation.”

girlcrush write songs about lives that don’t meet the heteronormative ideal. They portray their own feelings and experiences as non-monogamist, queer and transgender with a mutual vision to lend their voices to those who can’t be heard and create a feeling of recognition and community for queer and marginalized people. This Spring, girlcrush are ready with the brand new single, ‘Dysphoria! At the Psych Ward’ – a song that criticizes the gender normativity inherent in the medical system. The feelings of alienation and loneliness of being a trans person in a rigid society are delivered with both anger and irony by guitarist Nat. “Being in a mentally vulnerable place while being met by a lack of understanding of gender diversity by medical personnel is an incredibly difficult position to navigate in. A simple thing like asking for help can be hard to do. While trauma and mental illness can affect anyone, trans people are at a higher risk of developing depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSDand of committing suicide. We wanted to write a song addressing this theme,” Nat says. The title is a reference to the emo band Panic! At the Disco – a nod to the music of Nat’s own troubled teenage years. ‘Dysphoria! At the Psych Ward’ is the sound of girlcrush and their distinct style of catchy melodies delivered with honesty and fragility, backed by unrelenting drums and good amounts of distortion. ‘Dysphoria! At the Psych Ward’is one of twelve tracks on the album, I don’t feel so good, all of which show different colors of mental illness as experienced by the band members. girlcrush are drummer and vocalist Andrea (all pronouns), bass player and vocalist Marie (she/her) and guitarist and vocalist Nat (they/them and he/him).

Taiwanese-Australian singer, producer, songwriter, and multimedia artist Jaguar Jonze is thrilled to unveil her latest single ‘PUNCHLINE,’ the final track to be shared ahead of the release of her debut album BUNNY MODE out June 3 via Nettwerk. ‘PUNCHLINE’ is a playful diary entry about navigating the industry as a woman of colour, while also wanting to authentically represent her culture. Her sharp-edged humour shines through in its lyrics (“Can’t remember if it’s east or west or in the tropics;” “We love culture but make sure it’s to our very liking / Make it milky, make it plain and not too spicy”), cheekily sung through the many eye rolls that come with the turf when making art as a marginalised person. The video, which was directed, edited and produced by Jaguar Jonze, welcomes back the Asian women and non-binary folk who featured in the visuals for ‘WHO DIED AND MADE YOU KING?,’ as they all related strongly to the message behind ‘PUNCHLINE’ and wanted to make their voices heard.

Astralwerks has released Alison Wonderland’s new album, Loner – the follow-up to 2018’s Awake. Loner captures the triple threat producer-singer-songwriter at her best; an exhilarating juxtaposition of lyrics and sound, it’s as bright as it is brash. “My life was going a certain way before something pulled everything out from under me,” Alison Wonderland explains. “I felt like I had hit my rock bottom.” Throughout her career, Alison has been a courageous advocate for mental health discussions and honest about her own struggles with depression. Staying true to her message with Loner, she writes with a captivating new assuredness in the light that comes after the storm. “It’s the most positive, hopeful album I have ever written,” she says. “It acknowledges the darkness but creates its own euphoria through it.” That sense of triumph and euphoria shines brightly in the official video for ‘Something Real’. Working with a 3-D scan of Alison, director Tyler Lampe (who has created stunning visuals for her projects and live shows over the past year), immerses her in a vibrant, surreal world. As she journeys from total darkness to sunshine to sunset, Alison travels through trippy portals that encompass and transcend her previous realities and experiences the sense of weightless the song describes.

Los Angeles trio Lost Cat share a music video for ‘L.O.S.T.,’ the first single off their upcoming self-titled debut album, Lost Cat, due May 27 via Lolipop Records. Mixing classic riot grrrl and the flair of a 60s girl group a la The Dick Clark show, Lost Cat exists at the crossroads between old and new. On the track’s accompanying music video: “Brought to you by the minds of Expo Aktuel & Lolipop Records. In this first mystery driven episode of Lost Cat’s upcoming video mini series, the group gets caught between the claws of an evil villainess who aims to take down the rockin’ band of Femme Fatales. However, Lost Cat is not going down without a fight! ‘L.O.S.T.’ is the first of three action packed video/episodes which feature their upcoming singles out this month on Lolipop Records! Tune in this month to find out the fate of Los Angeles’ favorite new girl group Lost Cat!”

Carly Rae Jepsen shares her highly anticipated new single ‘Western Wind.’ Produced by Rostam Batmanglij ‘Western Wind’ is available now at all digital retailers via 604 Records. ‘Western Wind’ inhabits a warm and hypnotic atmosphere achieved through a delicate tapestry of elements: sunlit guitar tones, soulful piano melodies, the luminous textures of Hammond B3 organ, an elegant patchwork of percussion. Graced with Jepsen’s radiant vocal work, the result is a spellbinding backdrop to her lyrical storytelling, infusing the song’s mood of nostalgia and longing with a lovely euphoria. Like all her output to date — such as her critically lauded and culture-shaping 2015 album EMOTION — ‘Western Wind’ embodies a charmed quality that invites a certain daydreaming on the part of the listener. As Jepsen reveals, the song emerged from the deep solitude of quarantine, a period of time that compelled her toward her most introspective songwriting yet. Complementing the beauty of the song is an equally stunning video shot in the natural elements of Southern California by Taylor Fauntleroy.

Indie-pop artist Cody Frost has unleashed her debut mixtape TEETH. Following her debut EP, 2021’s IT’S NOT REAL, TEETH has a considerably sharper edge than Frost’s previous work, clearly influenced by heavier music and the current wave of hyper-pop. To accompany the mixtape’s release, Frost has also dropped a video for the mixtape cut ‘Redundant’. Like the rest of TEETH, ‘Redundant’ sheds the relatively stripped-back emotionality of Frost’s early singles to reveal a beautifully abrasive, happily aggressive set of sounds. Instead of the easy-on-the-ears aesthetic that helped her reach the finale of BBC’s version of The Voice, ‘Redundant’ sounds like a cross between Billie Eilish’s neo-gothic pop and Yves Tumor’s dancy experimentalism. It’s a track you’d imagine playing at London’s most intimidatingly hip club. Juxtaposing party visuals with sequences of a Bowie-esque Frost alone on a soundstage, the video embodies the new stylings of TEETH. Frost is quite literally in your face for a majority of the song’s runtime, as she rushes the fisheye camera to sing of seedy attention-seekers common in the British party scene. “I work in a bar and the lyrics are really about the type of customers I have served in the past,” she tells Consequence. “I wrote the line ‘and with every bit I feel the dirty napkin they dropped on the floor crumple in my fist’ in the back room whilst seething over a rude customer.” With TEETH’s change of pace, it’s exciting to think of what Frost may have in store for future projects. Will she continue to embrace her “heavy roots” or switch up the sounds once again? “I’m super excited for what is coming next for me musically,” she says, before stopping herself from revealing too much. “I can’t say much but I will say that some of my biggest dreams [are] becoming true in the works!” [via Consequence]

The Haunt are a South Florida band helmed by a sibling duo of vocalist Anastasia Haunt and her guitar-wielding older brother, Max. Last week, they dropped their latest single, the gnashing, bombastic and wildly catchy ‘I’M NOT YOURS,’ which was produced by Escape the Fate’s Kevin Thrasher, and now they’ve shared its accompanying music video. The black-and-white visual features alternating shots of Anastasia running and struggling to emerge while tied to a chair, as well as footage of the band jamming out cathartically in a small space. “‘I’M NOT YOURS’ is about being done with the bullshit and taking back your power from someone who tried to rip it out of your soul,” Max says. “I was in a relationship that made me feel very small, so when it was finally over, I had a lot of work to do to build myself back up again. And writing this song was really the biggest ‘fuck you’ I could think of. PSA: Your feelings are fucking valid and if you have a feeling about something or someone, you’re probably right, trust your Mf instincts!” [via Revolver]

Cape Town-based duo Emerger deliver a shimmering, hook-filled Alt-Pop gem with the release of their latest single ‘Aeroplane Park,’ a nostalgic fever dream about love and longing, set at the turn of the millennium. The track, produced and mixed by co-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gerry Matthee, is a meticulously crafted mid-tempo affair that drapes Emma de Goede’s intimate and pristine vocals in lush soundscapes backed by a percolating beat. “I think it’s safe to say it’s one of our favorites so far,” says Matthee, who recorded and mixed the track at the duo’s recently launched SoundBorough Studios. He also mixed the track in Dolby Atmos, the spatial audio technology that creates a fully immersive listening experience, which can be streamed on Apple Music. ‘Aeroplane Park’ speaks to universal feelings about the innocence of youth, the longing for connection and the pain of separation; a meditation on the roads we travel and the choices we make. De Goede, keyboardist and chief lyricist of the duo, does not shy away from how personal the song is for her. In fact, ‘Aeroplane Park’ is a real place – a playground near the singer’s childhood home – and the song reflects the early days of the relationship between the two band members, who are life partners as well as musical ones. “Memory is fleeting, and I wanted to capture some of what I remember from my childhood,” says De Goede. “This song is a bit of time travel for me – to reflect on a specific time, place and person. How I recall feeling about it then and what it means today when seen through the eyes of an adult.” Matthee agrees: “We can never truly appreciate the points in time that accumulate as a lifetime of experience. We often need to do more living to give it all context. We have a few more miles on us since those days at the playground – it’s nice to reflect on how we’ve both grown since then.” Emerger remembers with great fondness the days when MTV played music videos 24/7. For ‘Aeroplane Park,’ the duo set out to tell a story about first love blooming at the turn of the millennium while also paying homage to the favourite network of their formative years. The video, written, directed and edited by the duo, finds the adult De Goede cavorting in a mid-20th century home with her younger self (played by Stella van Zyl) and replaying her memories of the special connection that formed with her childhood friend Matthee (played by Michail Etsebeth) while spending time in the aeroplane-themed playground near her home. ‘Aeroplane Park’ was shot on location in Cape Town, lensed by cinematographer/director of photography Kyle Wesson and with technical and design support from Divan Putter and Pascale de Brandt. [via PR Newswire]

Los Angeles alt-pop artist, MOTHICA has shared her latest single, ‘Last Cigarette’ featuring Antiguan-German singer-songwriter Au/Ra. The track is taken from MOTHICA’s forthcoming album, Nocturnal, alongside previously released singles, ‘Sensitive’ and ‘Casualty’. “I wrote ‘Last Cigarette’ about someone I met who reminded me of myself in a toxic way,” shares MOTHICA. “We shared a lot of pessimistic tendencies, and it reminded me of trying to quit cigarettes, something that we all know is bad for you, but there’s still this allure to be caught in a negative cycle.” [via Prelude Press]

Great Time has dropped a new video for their single ‘I could Be.’ The track is off the Philadelphia band’s forthcoming release Was I Right, scheduled to drop on June 9. Singer/multi-instrumentalist Jill Ryan has been the touring saxophonist with Cassandra Jenkins, Japanese Breakfast and Kristine Leschper. This video was directed by lead singer of Mannequin Pussy, Marisa Dabice Quote from Jill Ryan: “Filming the music video for ‘I Could Be’ was a really special experience. It was incredible to be directed by Marisa Dabice. I felt so comfortable in her presence. She commands a room not only on stage performing with Mannequin Pussy but also on set. Getting direction from her was empowering. You really have to trust the person that’s telling you what to do and how to move in order for you to perform your best and most authentically and I felt very connected and safe with her to do that. This song is a reaction to traditionality, patriarchy, “the man” and everyone that wants to make me feel small.” [via Northern Transmissions]

Sir Chloe‘s new single and accompanying music video, ‘Company,’ consummates camp and kink, latex and leather. The visual, which follows ‘Mercy’ and their 2020 Party Favors EP, opens inside a seedy hotel room that adds an absurd sensuality to the alt-rock band’s latest release. Filtered through yellow lighting, frontwoman Dana Foote stands alone at the beginning, before turning her gaze to the camera and revealing a handful of leather-clad baddies who stand opposite her. Tension builds so thick it could be cut with a knife — perhaps even one of Sir Chloe’s, from her past life as a “knife salesman.” Best described by Foote as “a song to flex your muscles to,” Sir Chloe’s single makes listeners beg for release. “I want to hear you want it,” she sings on the chorus. “I want to hear you ask for more.” Whether walking her “dog” to the bank or making them crawl to her, Foote languishes in the lewd — and makes us want to, too. [via PAPER]

The Linda Lindas have released a music video for ‘Why.’ The track comes from their debut album, Growing Up. The visual was directed by Elizabeth Ito and Suzie Vlček and features punk legend Kathleen Hanna as the voice of an interviewer. The punk quartet spoke about the video in a press release. “The ‘Why’ music video is a tribute to The Decline of Western Civilization, the legendary 1981 documentary about LA punk by Penelope Spheeris, and Spirited Away, one of our favorite Miyazaki movies,” the band say. “It is set at an imaginary Save Music In Chinatown show, part of the series of all-ages matinee fundraisers for music education at Eloise’s school, where we played some of our earliest gigs with some of the musicians from Decline — Alice Bag, Phranc, Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski — who are now our friends. The art was drawn by Eloise, the flyers are real and no dessert was wasted!” [via Alt Press]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.