Somehow, we are still in the same year when the self-professed Dublin “garage noise” band Sprints released their phenomenal debut album Letter To Self. (It came out on the very first New Music Friday of 2024, which now feels like a very long time ago.) They’ve had a months of ups and downs since then, including lots of great performances but also some sordid audience behavior and the departure of founding guitarist Colm O’Reilly. They’ve also kept releasing new music in the wake of their debut LP. Back in May, Sprints shared a pair of new songs, ‘Help Me I’m Spiralling’ and ‘Drones.’ Now they’ve got one more for us. ‘Feast’ veers into the glam-grunge territory inhabited by bands like Cherry Glazerr as Karla Chubb repurposes biblical imagery in a queer context. “She chewed me up like dinner,” goes one refrain. The track gets more and more pleasingly intense as it goes along. [via Stereogum]

Albertine Sarges has released the video for her brilliantly direct single ‘Stand Near Your Fire’, via Moshi Moshi Records. Albertine Sarges enlists her band The Sticky Fingers to star in the video. It’s a fantastic explosion of glam-rock colour that captures the joy and energy of the music perfectly. The effervescent, bold and left field indie pop finds the perfect accompaniment in this video directed by Lo Selbo. Albertine talks about the video – “My new video is a vegan soap opera about wanting to belong to a cool group of people. We had this idea that I could have an inferiority complex and we made myself small as a thumbling. I am sneaking around giant rockstars (a reveal of my live band, the sticky fingers) with my binoculars, trying to get closer, but it’s hard to impress them. Eventually, I make friends with them and we sing through megaphones and eat wonton. I love the anti-lookism shots with the wind machine and my Neanderthal-Gucci clothing. “Let me stand near your fire” means I want to be close to your inspiring greatness, close to your clan.”

ATARASHII GAKKO! has released the official music video for their track ‘Omakase,’ in which the members transform into sushi chefs, blending their energetic style with fun culinary visuals. The video offers a unique and lively presentation, showcasing the group’s playful yet fierce attitude. ‘Omakase’ is part of their latest album AG! Calling, which is now available on all major streaming platforms. Fans can expect more of the bold and distinctive sound that ATARASHII GAKKO! is known for, and this music video adds a creative visual spin to their latest release. [via Tokyo Hive]

Lisel releases the video for ‘The Past Is A Tiger’ off The Vanishing Point, which comes out October 18. ‘The Past is a Tiger’ is an emotionally direct and evocative song that blends both macabre and ethereal soundscapes (harsh growls, eerie industrial whistles, bell-like synths) with incisive, probing, and self-critical lyrics. The song reflects on how the past can be both elusive and dangerous—something that lurks and occasionally resurfaces. Lisel’s floating vocals and the intricate, dark, experimental production create a haunting atmosphere, inviting listeners to contemplate how memory and melancholy can often lead to self-obsession and self-absorption. Director Julia Ponce Díaz says, “We developed a series of visual ideas that were inspired by representations of the myth of Narcissus in painting and sculpture, reflecting on how we willingly contribute to our own self-destruction through thought patterns and behavior we know aren’t worthwhile but can’t give up. The element of the pond, and the emphasis on reflections and portraiture all derived from this simple concept. The song and video balance opulent beauty and tension, offering a mesmerizing exploration of time and self-reflection. BAFTA Newcomer Fellow, Julia Ponce Díaz’s visually striking video pairs its stunning, lush scenery and baroque, extravagant garments with the song’s eerie, mournful undertone. The video encapsulates the melancholy of the lyricism, juxtaposing dreamlike visuals with the raw emotion of Lisel’s performance. ‘The Past Is A Tiger’ showcases the most evolved project between Díaz and Lisel, with stunning production value that is a continuation of their previous collaboration on Lisel’s ‘Blades of Grass.’ [via Ba Da Bing]

With 2024 marking twenty years since she shared her first album, Peakahokahoo, prolific artist (and self-proclaimed witch) Kansas-born Piney Gir has just released her latest EP, Cosmic Upside Down; thus completing a magical trilogy, following Alchemy Hand in 2022 and its predecessor Astral Spectra in 2021. The second single to be taken from the EP, following the stirring energy of ‘Witches & Covens’, ‘Show Me The Lightning’ sees Piney Gir embracing the storm of her emotions. Dripping in psychedelic synths and glistening reverb, it offers a powerful slice of retro garage-rock as Piney declares she “wants to feel it all”. Hailing from Kansas and born in a thunderstorm, extreme weather and tornadoes were just a part of every summer for her growing up, and here she recognises how weathering a storm can help us to grow; much like the plants and crops of the American plains after a heavy shower. She expands: “In the song I kind of dare the elements to pull out all the stops! Like, give it to me, I want to feel it all! And that’s true, I want to feel everything, the good and the bad, the highs and the lows. I think it’s important to be in touch with the whole spectrum of emotion & not numb the stormy weather, but to go with it.”

Dance-pop duo piri & tommy have dropped new track ‘dog’ and teased the release of their next EP, about dancing. Having returned this summer with ‘99%’ – their first new music of the year – the pair’s latest was born out of an instrumental tommy worked on in Australia, before piri transformed it into a part-rant, part-rave based on the poor behaviour of a close friend’s boyfriend. “I’m sure we can all relate to the frustration you feel when someone is stuck in that position,” she has explained. “I was venting over this very cute beat for some reason, and from my anger just half-yelled “you’re a dog!” At first I thought it was too much, but it’s actually an under-appreciated insult. We have been excited about this song coming out for a while now, and are so happy it’s out for the world to bop to. Woof.” [via DIY]

Dolores Forever have released their debut album It’s Nothing, alongside a new video for single ‘Not Now Kids’. The London-based band’s album opener ‘Not Now Kids’ takes aim at patronising politicians. “This was the last song we wrote for the album,” they explain. “It’s a bit of a scathing look at the world and the people who are running it with impunity, the feeling of being told to shut up while watching your house burn. What can we say, we love an apocalyptic bop.” Director Francesa Allen adds of the video: “Working across the visuals allowed me to play with the narrative of female friendship – which is not only a theme that runs through my personal work – but is prevalent throughout their lyricism and attitudes. Our small all-female team, Katya Bourvis (choreography) and Carmen Pellon Brussosa (cinematography), helped bring the story to life.” [via Dork]

Kylie has shared her new single ‘Lights Camera Action’. The Australian pop princess shared her album Tension to huge acclaim, but she’s not done yet. Sessions for a proposed deluxe edition were so fruitful that Kylie is lining up a stand-alone release, with Tension II set to be released on October 18. Out now, zesty new single ‘Lights Camera Action’ is perfectly timed for the weekend – laced with energy, it’s an unapologetic dancefloor burner. Produced by Lewis Thompson, it was written by Kylie, Thompson and Ina Wroldsen, a move that – in essence – reunites the team behind smash hit ear-worm ‘Padam Padam’. The full single is out now, and it boasts remixes from JACONDA, Zach Witness, and (pleasingly) filthy Australian dance-pop overlords Confidence Man. Sophie Muller directs the vide – shot in Budapest, it’s a clever flip on spy film tropes, with Kylie assuming multiple roles. [via Clash]

Billie Eilish has dropped a music video for the Hit Me Hard and Soft track ‘Birds of a Feather.’ Upon the album’s release, the song quickly became a fan favorite. In the visual, Eilish is situated inside of a corporate office. She sits in a chair in an otherwise empty room and begins being pulled in all directions by an invisible force, all while performing into the camera. After flopping on the ground, Eilish once again begins floating – a symbol that seems to relay the feeling of being pulled in different directions by someone who isn’t actually present. [via Hypebeast]

Being Dead — the Austin, TX-based project of multi-instrumentalists and best friends Falcon Bitch and Shmoofy — release their sublime new album EELS on Bayonet. Alongside the release the band also share the video for ‘Big Bovine.’ Originally written as a straight-ahead swing/country jam, the track slowly evolved into a droning, punkier final form — a testament to the way Falcon and Shmoofy’s collaboration works, pulling each other into different creative spaces. “If you love or hate Criss Angel, you might love this video,” the band says. “We worked with Kai Winikka again [director of the music video for When Horses Will Run single ‘The Great American Picnic’] so of course, this one is pretty insane. We wanted to go big with some bloody explosions and safe to say, we got the job done.” [via Click Roll Boom]

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South East risers HotWax have shared new song ‘Rip It Up’. New EP A Thousand Times is out now, containing songs about – as they put it – “guilt, love, climate change, womanhood, contraception, anxiety, and endings.” Taken from the EP, ‘Rip It Out’ is an absolute scorcher. Reminiscent of everyone from early Hole to fabled UK group Yuck, there’s a real sense of power behind those chords – scuzzy grunge influences with clear pop appeal, the lyrics are peppered with darkness. “‘Rip It Out’ is the darkest song I have ever written,” explains lead singer Tallulah; “The lyrics came to me so fast, at a time I was feeling psychotic due to the contraceptive implant. I wanted to create a dramatic, theatrical, melancholic sounding piece, which Lola put together perfectly. I hope it resonates with women who have gone through a similar thing and raises awareness about how contraception needs to be updated.” [via Clash]

Cole Bleu has shared her new single, ‘IS IT COOL 2 BE FRIENDS?’. The track follows on from the ex-The Let Go member’s recent drops ‘HEARTBREAKERS’, an anti-romance anthem released on Valentine’s Day, and ‘Homewrecker’, and is taken from her new EP CRUSHED!, due June 16 via Chess Club. “This song is about being in an overly romanticized high school relationship,” Cole explains. “It was supposed to be over from the beginning because it was never real in the first place. I always struggled with relationships at that time because I wanted everything to be the “be all and end all”, and it turns out a lot of guys don’t think like that.” [via Dork]

dayaway (the dreamy indie-pop project of Amber Renee and Graham Marsh of CLAVVS) announce the forthcoming release of a brand new EP, blue summer moon, out August 30 via Turn To Wind. Alongside announcing their forthcoming EP, dayaway also shares a new single entitled ‘i wish,’ alongside an accompanying music video. As Amber wrote of the track and its video: “‘i wish’ is about being down bad for someone you can’t have. It’s super playful, but it’s also an angry fist-shake to the sky kind of song. You’re mad at yourself and you’re mad at the person you’ve fallen for and you’re mad at the circumstances. Most of the time, you can’t control who you love or when, so this song tackles the frustration of that experience. We made the video with that energy in mind. It’s part playful, part totally annoyed. We shot all around Queens, from Flushing Meadows Park to Jacob Riis Beach.”

Seattle supergroup Who Is She?, aka Robin Edwards (Lisa Prank), Bree Mckenna (Tacocat), and Julia Shapiro (Chastity Belt, have welcomed a new member into their ranks: Tacocat’s Emily Nokes. Who Is She? have also announced a new album, Goddess Energy, coming August 25. The follow-up to 2017’s Seattle Gossip was produced by Jenn Champion and features the now-infamous Le Tigre revamp ‘My My Orca Card,’ which the group released in February. For those in need of a reminder, back in January Who Is She? were doing a three-game stint as the house band for new NHL franchise the Seattle Kraken when they performed their Seattle-specific update on ‘My My Metrocard.’ The tweaked lyrics included a shot at Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, whose company bought the naming rights to the Kraken’s arena and named it Climate Pledge Arena. According to the band, this got them disinvited from the remainder of their house band gig, though the team claimed the reason for the band’s firing was “unprofessional behavior.” Anyway, now the band is sharing their album’s lead single, ‘Thursday,’ which you can check out below. [via Stereogum]

Kylie Minogue has released new track ‘Padam Padam’, the lead single from her forthcoming new album Tension — listen to it below. Last week, the Australian pop star announced that the follow-up to 2020’s Disco would be arriving September 22, describing it as a “blend of personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic high”. First single ‘Padam Padam’ is produced by Lostboy (Griff, Anne-Marie, Tiesto) and features a thumping earworm refrain. “When your heart goes / Padam Padam / I hear it and I know / Padam Padam / I know you wanna take me home,” she sings atop an electronic bassline. Listen to ‘Padam Padam’ and watch the music video, filmed in LA and directed by Sophie Muller, below. [via NME]

Ama Lou‘s new release is the leading track from her forthcoming debut album. The single is accompanied by a video which was directed by Lou, alongside her sister Mahalia. The video sees Lou living a solitary, aristocratic life by the sea: getting vegetables delivered, walking her Dalmatian, and painting miniatures at her country house. ‘Caught Me Running’ is Lou’s first single in two years, which follows two EPs – 2021’s AT LEAST WE HAVE THIS, and 2019’s Ama, who?. [via The Line of Best Fit]

Brittain Ashford has released her truly extraordinary new album Trotter via Misra Records. She has also shared a hilariously glitzy/noir music video for lead single ‘Could’ve Done You Better’ to mark the occasion. Doubling as a brilliantly choreographed boxing ring grudge match, the video is teeming with excellent cameos — including Ever Mainard from the Y’all Gay? podcast.

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