On ‘Running/Planning’ CMAT says: “‘Running/Planning’ is about having to chase your own tail to be good enough to exist. It’s an abstracted view of societal pressure on women – specifically through a relationship lens: You start dating someone, you get engaged, you get married, you have kids etc etc etc… everything has to follow this linear pattern. (That’s the reason for the repetitive chorus!). And the minute you don’t follow that path, your mam starts giving out to you. That narrow path that everyone is supposed to be on… the minute you get outside of that, it gets incredibly stressful. And I don’t know anyone who is like, ‘Yeah, love this!”

Despite this being her third album, this fully-formed acronymic star feels like she’s been part of the culture forever. EURO-COUNTRY follows 2023’s brilliant Crazymad, For Me – an album that propelled her to wider attention and garnered numerous accolades.

The new album – released via AWAL Recordings – was recorded in New York and co-produced by long-time collaborator Oli Deakin and CMAT. EURO-COUNTRY tackles a number of big themes including personal reflections on economics, identity and grief. It marks another step in the unstoppable rise of CMAT and cements her position as a generational songwriter.

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yeule has announced a new LP, softscars, coming out on September 22 via Ninja Tune. It follows 2022’s great Glitch Princess, and features previously released single ‘sulky baby.’ They produced it with Kin Leonn, and Mura Masa and Chris Greatti contributed initial production. About the project, yeule says: “I took the metaphor of the scar to represent each song, and each scar remains soft. Whether you’re healing from emotional trauma or a physical wound, time never heals a scar completely. There’s no more pain, but you can still see the mark afterward. I have a deep feeling that the things my ancestors went through got passed down; there’s some trauma that just sticks. There was always decay and distortion in my life, there’s always been something wrong or ugly. So the scar reminds me that I’m being protected, and I should protect myself.” The newest taste from softscars is double single ‘dazies’ b/w ‘fish in the pool,’ the latter of which is a cover of a piece from Japanese film Hana and Alice. ‘dazies’ contrasts with loud, distorted guitars under wispy vocals. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Daphne Guinness releases new single ‘Hip Neck Spine’ via the independent label Agent Anonyme Recordings. Her first new music in three years, ‘Hip Neck Spine’ is lifted from Daphne’s forthcoming new album Sleep, due for release late 2023. It’s accompanied by an official video directed by the visionary photographer and director Nick Knight of SHOWStudio. Layering an art-pop edge to her melding of ‘80s electronica reference points, ‘Hip Neck Spine’ finds Daphne Guinness embracing a new-found immediacy. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the track’s strings scored by all-time great Tony Visconti (who also produced her previous three albums) the title and part of its initial production comes from the construction of samples made by the sound of Guinness’ own hip, neck and spine recorded impromptu during a chiropody session. Says Daphne; “I always put my whole being into everything I do, but in this case I needed to use my body as well as my voice! ‘Hip Neck Spine’ emerged in two takes – it’s a call to have a good time, engaging the body and the beat.” Speaking about the video, Nick Knight says; “When I first heard ‘Hip Neck Spine’ I felt it was a very modern vision but based in futuristic visions from the past. I looked at classic futuristic references such as Metropolis, Man Ray and Grace Jones. We worked with Daphne’s unique and incredible fashion collection to film over 25 iconic looks from great designers such as Alexander McQueen, Chanel and Azzedine Alaïa, all transformative looks creating Daphne a different character for each section of the song.” Daphne adds: “As far as I know this video has the most costume changes of any pop promo ever made! I had to change every 2 – 4 bars throughout the song. It was an exercise in visiting some of my previous incarnations and to work with Alex Fury who bravely ventured into the depths of my archive. Watching it back is great fun – We really cover a lot of ground! It’s an epoch shifting extravaganza in costume – from Metropolis to Marchesa Casati to beyond Blade Runner. There is so much detail you can watch it again and again and still see new things.”

Billie Eilish’s contribution to the Barbie soundtrack is out there in the world. Billie Eilish recorded her new song ‘What Was I Made For?’ with her brother and regular collaborator Finneas. It’s a soft, breathy ballad that seems to take the movie’s plot literally. Eilish sings about being unsure about her purpose in the universe: “Taking a drive, I was an ideal/ Looked so alive, turns out I’m not real/ Just something you paid for.” In the self-directed video, a newly blonde and prim Eilish sits at a desk and pulls out doll versions of her old outfits, but things keep interrupting her: an earthquake, a windstorm, a downpour. [via Stereogum]

Following the resounding success of her highly acclaimed EP, Bored In Colour (Pt.2), the vivacious pop songstress SOFY, is back in the spotlight with a fresh release for her yearning fans, also known as her ‘rats’. Titled ‘socks,’ this vibrant track wastes no time in captivating listeners with its pulsating drums and electrifying guitar riffs, setting an energetic tempo from the start. SOFY’s exuberant vocals take center stage, brimming with an infectious energy that is impossible to contain. As the rhythm builds, an irresistible surge of vitality permeates the air, leading up to an irresistibly catchy chorus: “Blue skies every morning/when I’m wearing your socks to sleep in.” A bass drop slices through the whimsical 80s-inspired melody, propelling ‘socks’ into the realm of dancefloor anthems, tailor-made for the vibrant soundtracks of poolside soirees, summer BBQ’s, and spirited festivals. SOFY’s unparalleled ability to merge infectious melodies and with anthemic choruses, yields a musical creation that bursts forth with uncontained energy and euphoria. As described by SOFY herself: “‘socks’ is a full blown indie love song. It’s about falling when you least expect it, and not realising that something was missing from your life until it appears and suddenly everything you see and do feels different – ‘love songs used to make me laugh, ‘til I met you.’ I got the idea for it when, a couple of months after meeting someone, I noticed I’d been wearing his socks to bed for a week. I then realised I was completely head over heels in love with him and that there was probably a song in there somewhere – about how love somehow hits you slowly and all at once at the same time. I wanted the production to feel cinematic and euphoric to match that feeling, with big guitar riffs and drums and atmospheric, dreamy synths.”

Fast rising artist Emei continues her upward trajectory with the reveal of razor sharp alt-pop single, ‘Cynical’. Arriving with a Tim Burton-esque music video directed by Aser, the track is an off-kilter blast of vibrant pop, Emei’s skyreaching vocals decorating a bed of transformative beats to create a startling statement of intent. The video, a fever dream set in a Los Angeles stately home decorated with wonky mirrors and hanging old fashioned phones, perfectly captures the beautifully erratic nature of the track. Speaking on the release, Emei states: “When I met Aser Santos on the set of my ‘That Girl’ music video, I knew instantly we had chemistry through the camera. Our creative visions have always aligned for my music and it is with sincere excitement and giddiness to show the world our baby, the ‘Cynical’ music video. The moment I wrote this song, I knew it was my title track and I knew it needed a dramatic and ridiculous music video. The song has always been my favorite to play live so of course, a moshpit was a must. We then landed on an aesthetic inspired by Tim Burton and this video became everything I’ve wanted and more. Welcome to the title track of my EP. Welcome to the world of Cynical.”

Havanna Winter, the groundbreaking singer, actress and famed TikTok influencer known for her versatility, has released a new music video for her latest single ‘Tornado.’ The track is a reminder to not allow insecurities and false hope, brought on by people who don’t have the best intentions, to throw you off your path. Havanna talks about staying strong and recognizing genuine gestures, so we don’t deter from doing what’s best for ourselves. The video was directed by Éli Sokhn, and produced by Laith Souqi, with creative direction by Anette Winter. The clip takes the viewer back to the movie, ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ equipped with Dorothy (played by Havanna) and her friends on the yellow brick road. Just like the legendary film, Havanna and friends embark on a journey where they are lost and trying to find their way back home. They lean into each other for support and realize that strength in unity is what actually enables them to overcome anything. ‘Tornado’ is a story about a girl who goes on an adventure to get her mind off of her toxic ex-boyfriend. She dreams herself away from her heartbroken reality in California to the land of Oz where she reunites with all her friends who she lost contact with while she lost herself in the toxic relationship. They embark on a journey to find each other and themselves again, as they were separated in the dark times. While catching up on lost time, they learn about building strength and courage together. They are faced with different obstacles along the way with several other toxic dangers, but their friendship and support for each other enables them to realize that even if people aren’t always who they pretend to be, together we are strong and can overcome anything. She says, “This project is close to my heart. I think we all know or have come across people who are not genuine or have our best interest in mind sometime in our lives, and this song is made as a reminder not to let our fears and insecurities win, and to remember our own strength, because we can all get a little lost sometimes.” [via Drop the Sunlight]

Claud, the first artist signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records, has released their sophomore album, Supermodels, which features lead single ‘Every Fucking Time.’ Along with the album’s release, Claud has unveiled a video for the track ‘A Good Thing,’ produced by Claud and Dan Wilson. And guess what? The video stars Paul Rudd as a frazzled postal worker. It also features Claud enacting something like the plot of Weezer’s ‘Undone (The Sweater Song).’ Here’s what Claud had to say about the video, which was filmed in New York and LA and directed by Christina Xing: “Over the last couple months, I’ve revealed the more intimate parts of Supermodels, but now I’m really excited for everyone to hear the windows down radio up moments of my album. Songs like ‘A Good Thing’ and ‘Paul Rudd’ capture an anthemic, everything works out in the end type feeling. That’s why I had to have Paul Rudd in the music video for ‘A Good Thing.’ I met him briefly in passing at a Taylor Swift concert and explained that there was a song on my upcoming album named after him, and he so generously gave me his email asking to hear it. In the email I explained that ‘Paul Rudd’ and many other songs on the record are about me trying to imagine myself as a cool and confident person similar to the types of characters he plays, in contrast to the real-life shy and nervous person I often am. Filming this music video really pushed me out of my shell in a lot of ways, as did making this album. I hope you like Supermodels as much as Paul Rudd and I do!” [via Stereogum]

Tessa Violet is back with a new album, MY GOD!. In the ‘BAD BITCH’ music video she wears a vinyl pink gown with two silk trains that attach to her hands, and is attended by a troupe of backup dancers. She is commanding, a “bad bitch,” and an artist who has come into her full bloom. The simpler beats of Bad Ideas have matured into the more complex production and flexible melodies we hear in ‘BAD BITCH,’ and her lyrics, which once journaled her feelings of lostness, insecurity, and fleeting emotions, are now aspirational and confident (“I’m a bad bitch baby, I don’t care”). According to the song, she “used to be a little bitch.” Now, as the cover of MY GOD! shows, she is poised with her hands in prayer, tears of jewels frozen on her cheeks, looking upwards, as golden rays beam from her. She seems ready to be deified, and the album, the recording of her journey, seems to suggest that this is her apotheosis, her culmination, her true coming-of-age. Tessa explains of the track: “I had been on a stretch of writing sad breakup songs, and I was like, okay, enough sad songs. I’m tired of writing about being sad and heartbroken. I want to write about how amazing I am. And at that point, a part of me was like, maybe this could be true, but I was like, what if this is manifesting it. And it was another year and a half until that song came out. Once it was out, I was like, yes, she’s a bad bitch. I wrote ‘BAD BITCH’, because I’m like, fuck yeah. It was a lot about the experience of self within the music industry. When I was first starting out, before ‘Crush’ came out, people in the industry did not get or believe in me. They just didn’t see my potential. And that was fine. I didn’t even take that personally. One time, I had a meeting with a potential manager, and they’re like, what size venues do you want to play? And I was like, arenas. And they’re like, okay, but like realistically. And I was like, okay, I can take that personally, or I can just say you just don’t have the vision to see my potential and that’s fine. Like, why would you? I’m playing to twenty people every day. After releasing ‘YES MOM’ and that being my biggest release, I’m like, I want to write a song all about how great I am. They said I couldn’t do it, I did it anyway. And now they’re trying to sign me, labels wine and dine me. keep your money safe, and get behind me.” [via Ladygunn]

PVRIS has released her album EVERGREEN via Hopeless Records. To celebrate its release she has dropped the new video for latest single ‘I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore.’ Directed by Jax Anderson and Gunnulfsen, the video ties together the previously released visuals from the album, calling back to “arresting images like Lynn split between nature and a synthetic world, and Lynn battling internal distress and conflict. With visualizers launching for every song on the album, Gunnulfsen shares a unique companion piece, immersing fans into the world of EVERGREEN,” a press release describes. [via genre is dead!]

K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE have released their first-ever English single, titled ‘I Do’. ‘I Do’ is the girl group’s first release in partnership with 88rising. It comes shortly after a new partnership between the Asian-focused music company and the girl group’s label CUBE Entertainment, per Billboard. In the music video for ‘I Do’, the members of (G)I-DLE play an extraterrestrial who crash lands on Earth. She meets a kind stranger who takes her in, and the pair soon fall in love. However, the duo are being chased down by mysterious men in hazmat suits, and are later cornered in a deserted warehouse. In order to save her love, the extraterrestrial uses her magic powers and sacrifices herself. “Don’t you go falling in love / Trust me she’s not the one / She won’t ever love you like I do / Hold you like I do / Know you like I do,” the girl group sing on the chorus of ‘I Do’. [via NME]

London’s Matilda Mann has unveiled the title track of her new EP You Look Like You Can’t Swim. Having spent the last couple of years expanding on her folk influences and delicately crafted soundscapes, the singer-songwriter now lives in her own lane of alternative originality – showing versatility at every turn, while never settling in one style for too long. Her new EP is perhaps her most moving to date – featuring the previously heard ‘The Day I Met You’ and ‘In Plain Sight’. Driven by emotion, it’s intimate and pared back – shining a spotlight on her honest lyrics and soft vocals. Much like the rest of the EP, the title track has been created with a light touch, soft acoustic melodies and folk vulnerability embellished with yearning strings. She has said of the EP: “The songs were all written so sincerely and honest, that I wanted them to be simple and stripped, with the right arrangement, to give the lyrics their moment. This is my favorite project I’ve ever worked on and feels like everything I want to say”. [via Tenement TV]

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Last year, the Nashville snot-rockers Be Your Own Pet reunited for the first time in over a decade, and they spent this past March darting around SXSW with all the pent-up energy of an upstart band. And that was all in service to a good cause: Be Your Own Pet’s first new album in 15 years. The just-announced Mommy lands in August, and it reunites the band’s founding members Jemina Pearl Abegg, Jonas Stein, and Nathan Vasquez on record, alongside longtime drummer John Eatherly. “For better or worse, we all were slapped in the face that it wasn’t as easy on our own,” Stein said of BYOP’s time away. “We were all moderately successful, but nobody found that Be Your Own Pet chemistry.” They already teased the album with single ‘Hand Grenade‘ back in March, and now they’re sharing another new song, ‘Worship The Whip,’ a giddily amped-up one with a sadomasochistic bent. “‘Worship The Whip’ is about the right wing authoritarian personality,” Pearl said. “Aggressive and domineering to people who don’t think like them, while at heart being a submissive to the authority figures who use and abuse them.” Watch a video for the track below. [via Stereogum]

Delilah Holliday has released a brand new track, ‘Silent Streets’. It’s taken from her forthcoming EP Invaluable Vol. 1, which is set to arrive July 7 via One Little Independent Records. “People were too scared to go out. And the streets were kind of silent still,” she says. “Nobody was really interacting. And I just thought that was a really abstract, interesting concept to put in the song and sort of make it dancey, of being too scared to mingle, but it’s a clubby track. I like the juxtaposition. This whole project really is about juxtaposition and mixing things together that don’t really go because that’s how started. It’s the spark that inspired all the other songs. Genre blending and putting pieces together that don’t quite fit.” This informed the creepy accompanying music video for the track: “For the ‘Silent Streets’ music video, me and Swarmm wanted to create an apocalyptic metaverse inspired by London, reimagined if the pandemic lasted for 20 years and how that would effect the natural phenomena around us. Which the song also touches on. We achieved this by 3D Scanning my body and inserting into the environment Swarmm created. The whole aesthetic of the video is inspired by the dawn of artificial intelligence.” [via DIY]

Taylor Swift has shared a new official video for the new version of ‘Karma’ featuring Ice Spice. Swift recently dropped a new deluxe version of her 10th album Midnights, titled Midnights (Til Dawn Edition), featuring the Ice Spice remix of ‘Karma’ among other tracks. That same night, the rapper joined Swift to close out the first of multiple nights at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium for her ‘Eras’ tour. In the official video for ‘Karma’, which dropped after the performance and was directed by Swift, she appears in a host of different locations including on a yellow brick road, trapped in an hourglass and inside a lightbulb. Once Ice Spice joins the party, the pair row a boat across the sea. [via NME]

Dorian Electra has disclosed their new single ‘Sodom & Gomorrah’. Watch the video, directed by Electra and Weston Allen, below. It follows on from Electra’s recent release, the ‘Freak Mode’ single, in April. Speaking about the song, Electra has said, “Sodom & Gomorrah is the biblical story of two cities that were so sinful that God destroyed them. The word Sodomy – derived from this story – has often been used to oppress queer people, so I wanted to reclaim it in a bratty, slutty, sexy song. Musically, I was inspired by the pop I grew up on (Britney Spears, Missy Elliot), but with a modern twist, and heavy guitars.” Electra has recently embarked on a viral marketing campaign that involved spreading posters featuring the phrase ‘I <3 SODOMY’. [via DIY]

The name on everyone’s lips, BIG WETT, returns with another banger in ‘GSPOT’ accompanied by the new video. The track is taken from her debut 6-track EP P*$$Y set for release September 22 via Play It Again Sam. Sirens, fat bass, skittering hi-hats, a deep, booming vocal driving it forward, ‘GSPOT’ is another electronic-laden track with BIG WETT’S unmistakably catchy, filthy and fun lyrics. “This track has it all. If you didn’t know where your G-spot was before, you do now,” proclaims the artist. Taking the global dance music scene by storm, her songs are tinged with undertones of queer pride, femme power and sexual empowerment, making her one of the moment’s most intriguing new artists with an overwhelming stage presence and personality to match.

K.ZIA is an artist engrossed in culture. Brussels-born, now Berlin & Dakar-based, the singer-songwriter is experienced in the modern world and its intricacies, and you can hear that in her sound. Amalgamating elements of R&B, soul, pop, Afrobeats and more, the songstress holds the unique collection of stylistic characteristics together with her endearingly soulful vocals. Moving to the German capital back in 2017, she began pursuing a career in music ad released her debut EP the following year. January 2022 saw her release her impressive debut album, Genesis. A year a half or so later, K.ZIA has returned with her latest body of work, this time in the shape of vibrant EP Kintsugi Heart. The EP portrays a journey through difficult times, with the artist open about her struggles with depression across the tape. Eclectic, groove-laden instrumentals provide a serene and sultry backdrop for K.ZIA to immerse listeners in her stunning vocals and personal, thoughtful lyrics. Speaking on the EP, the singer comments, “After struggling with depression for the first time in 2020, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual reconnection. I traveled, practiced sports, and wrote extensively to understand my life’s purpose and spiritual state. Through these experiences, I was able to heal myself and create a potion that I hope will help others heal too. “Kintsugi Heart” – from the Japanese pottery practice Kintsugi where they mend broken pieces with golden glue is a metaphor for embracing our flaws and imperfections and emerging from difficult times more beautiful with our scars. This EP is the acknowledgement of a time of deep sadness, accepting it, expressing it and healing from it. It is a journey through love, struggle, darkness, introspection, growth and light. It is the final burial of my depression and the Panacea to hopefully prevent another.” [via Wonderland]

Pop veteran NJOMZA plays Doctor in her new music video for production led, R&B earworm, ‘Love Again’, the lead track from recently released EP, STAGES. The creator of ‘The Love Again Method’, Dr. NJOMZA works with a group of volunteers to be part of her groundbreaking new treatment to return the spark in their relationships – Phase 1: therapy, phase 2: a questionable physical treatment, and phase 3: reintegration; which appears to go wrong as the couples pair up with the wrong partners. Directed by Mac Grant, NJOMZA stars in this fun, comical short film. A collection of late-night R&B, atmospheric dance sonics and synth-pop sensibilities backing NJOMZA’s sultry vocal, STAGES sees the singer-songwriter at her most authentic, having created a signature style formed from an impressive melting pot of influences. [via Broadway World]

Madison Beer isn’t silent anymore! After a million years (not really, but it feels like it) we’re finally getting a new Madison Beer album! ‘Home To Another One’ is the latest release from her upcoming new project. In this alien-themed video, Madison craftily blends both vintage and futuristic vibes to create a mystical, magical intergalactic fantasy. A posh take on classic tv shows of decades past, Madison plays a housewife who knows she isn’t the only one in her lover’s life. Beautifully crooning the woeful phrase, “Call me baby, I know you go home to another one,” it’s clear that although this isn’t a healthy love it’s impossible to let go. [via The Honey POP]

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New York four-piece cumgirl8 share their debut release on new label 4AD. ‘cicciolina’ follows on from cumgirl8’s 2022 release ‘dumb bitch’ and their 2021 EP RIPcumgirl8. Speaking of the inspiration and ethos behind the song, the band say: “Cicciolina is an Italian icon, porn star and former politician that was elected to parliament in the 90s. She advocated for human rights and the eradication of nuclear weapons. Cicciolina said “make sex not war” and used her divine power of femininity to troll the status quo while disrupting it from the inside. We feel her ideals are foundational to the cumgirl8 philosophy of subversive change, peace, and strength in vulnerability. We hope she loves our song, we love her very much. Cicciolina is cumgirl1.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Lael Neale has released an excellent new album, Star Eaters Delight, which was preceded by the singles ‘Faster Than Medicine,’ ‘in Verona,’ and ‘I Am The River,’ and the yearning and hushed ‘Must Be Tears.’ Neale had this to offer on the track and its self-directed video: “Even though I’ve lived through many Springs, the season never fails to disappoint me with its lingering cold & dreariness. Flowers are Nature’s apology.” [via Stereogum]

Dream Wife share ‘Orbit’, the third single from their forthcoming third album Social Lubrication. Speaking of the song, the band explain that it was, “Written through the joy of jamming together and locking into the groove like a multi limbed space age organism, ‘Orbit’ has a dance rock edge from the early noughties of bands like New Young Pony Club and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lyrically, it was inspired by post-lockdown London coming back to life and sharing a space through friendship and community. And how each day you never know what’s in store for you or how a stranger can become someone close to you – for a day, a heartbeat, a phase, or a lifetime.” Social Lubrication is an entirely self-written and self-produced album, with the only outside influence being the mixing duo of Alan Moulder and Caesar Edmunds (Wet Leg, Beach House). [via Line Of Best Fit]

Christine and the Queens has shared another single ahead of their forthcoming album. Following ‘To be honest,’ ‘True love’ is the second track released off of PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE, the artist’s fourth studio album out on June 9. The French singer taps 070 Shake for the slow-burn romance track. They also share its official music video that blends two separate visuals of the artist dancing passionately. [via The FADER]

The Franco-Japanese singer, rapper, producer, and musician Maia Barouh surprises us again with a stunning music video for one of the highlight tracks that appeared on her latest album, Aïda, released at the end of 2022. ‘ChinXoise’ is an ambitious short film, full of energy, humour, and her signature integral sincerity. Directed by two young French directors, Jeanne Sigwalt and Oscarito Castro, in this clip, Maia finds herself the main actress in a cliché Japanese film that is drenched in sushi and samurai stereotypes. Dressed first as a samurai and then as a geisha, her anger gradually builds until it explodes! Showcasing noble acting skills, to add to her growing list of creative accomplishments, Maia’s wit, charm, sass and technique of the highest elements begin to really shine through. The film studio aspect of this video also lays waste to the underbelly of modern societal environments, which can often lead to these kinds of clichés. Fiction or not, Maïa will take the upper hand and control of her film, she will not give in. The idea of the film set, and the technical team represents a small living society, with each one playing its own role. In her procession there are Chinese and Japanese fishmongers, the same guys becoming samurai, a Mongolian, a Cambodian and Japanese artist, ladies dancing in geisha costume and full make up, with Maia all the while growing into a Franco-Japanese Marianne (the French symbol of justice and liberty), as she takes the lead of this motley crew who start rebelling with her. This, like much of Maia’s brilliant work stands up against injustice and points wholeheartedly towards a brave march against international racism, which celebrates our differences and our multiple identities, it’s aim is to ignite thought, feeling and a direction towards change along with the joy of taking up the fight together.

CMAT, the Irish singer-songwriter born Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, followed up last year’s acclaimed debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead with the new single ‘Mayday’ in January. She’s back today with a second new track. Produced by Josh Kaufman of Bonny Light Horseman, ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient’ is a saucy, string-laden retro pop song centered on the refrain “Why do I fall in love and out of love again?” It’s full of vivid lyrics about greasy mullets, the stench of tobacco, and how “you’ll never be Mark E. Smith ’cause your weakness is a bit.” Below, watch the ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient’ video, directed by Greg Purcell. [via Stereogum]

Following a string of high profile support slots with the likes of Nick Cave and The Rolling Stones, without a single song released online, The Last Dinner Party finally showcase their debut single. ‘Nothing Matters’ was produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Florence and the Machine, Depeche Mode) in London, and the single is accompanied with a video directed by Saorla Houston. [via Line Of Best Fit]

bludnymph’s musical spirit takes shape in the form of a mythological goddess. A young maiden that inhabits rivers and woods, feeding off the love of her mortal followers, she pulls them into a sense of security with her bludsongs. Previously released standout track, ‘Lights Out,’ is the first of many collaborations with powerhouse producer, Cirkut, exemplifying varying degrees of spooky, magic, and sexy – themes prevalent in her music. New single, ‘Watch Me,’ was written with close collaborator FAANGS and embodies bludnymph’s feeling of being an evil siren by telling the tale of a sexy siren stripper who uses her powers to rob her clientele blind. The song inspires confidence that makes you feel like you can have anything you want with just one look.

In June, Bully (Alicia Bognanno) will release a new album, Lucky For You. We’ve already heard Bognanno’s Soccer Mommy collab, ‘Lose You,’ and ‘Days Move Slow.’ Now, Bognanno is back with another album preview called ‘Hard To Love,’ which comes with a self-directed video. Here’s Bognanno on ‘Hard To Love’: “Growing up never fitting into society’s constructed gender stereotypes and expectations, I often felt as though different equals bad or wrong. I was confused about my place in the world, not fully identifying with any one particular gender or sexuality. I was ashamed, and I blamed myself. Though I’m still in the process of understanding and accepting my identity, I’m glad to be surrounded by people who love and accept me for who I am regardless of the clothes I wear and the labels others use to define me.” [via Stereogum]

British singer-songwriter Jasmine Van den Bogaerde, aka Birdy released a new song ‘Heartbreaker’. The song is the second single off of her upcoming fifth studio album P O R T R A I T S, which is due out July 14. It was written by Andrew Jackson, Dan Priddy, Jasmine Van den Bogaerde, and Mark Crew. Produced by Dan Priddy and Mark Crew. The accompanying music video was directed by Jess Kohl, starring Birdy and London-based multidisciplinary performer Hugo Hamlet who played as q creature. [via pm studio]

Bebe Rexha has enlisted help from Snoop Dogg for the 4/20-friendly stoner anthem, ‘Satellite’. Released to mark the unofficial counterculture day of weed-smoking celebration, ‘Satellite’ is a disco–pop track telling the simple story of a blissful high: “Last night I got higher than a satellite / I took a one-way ticket, it’s a one-man mission to paradise.” Speaking to People about how the collaboration came about, Rexha said that she initially sent the rap icon the track via Instagram. “He called me at 7am the next morning with a big blunt in his hand being like, ‘Yo, check your email. You have an email’,” she revealed. In The Jetsons-inspired music video, Rexha and Snoop jump into the Bebeverse and out into space to perform with weed humanoids. “He’s like, ‘You have to try my Death Row Joints,’ and I was like, ‘Right now, on the video set? I’m going to look high on the video’,” she said of the day of the shoot. “He said, ‘Just try it,’ and I was like, ‘OK,’. I took a hit of it, and I got so high with Snoop Dogg. But who could say they got high with Snoop Dogg? That’s like a lifetime thing.” [via NME]

Gal Pal have shared the dissonant second single off their new album This and Other Gestures (out June 2nd). ‘Takes Time’ is a whirlwind “song about change really, how it’s inevitable and how empowering it can be to lean into that.” [via Broadway World]

Outspoken UK-born singer LT has released the official music video for her recently released single, ‘Act Your Age’, via LT Records. The glamorous video was directed by Independent filmmaker Brendan Schoenmaker who was also behind rising star Sahara Beck’s video ‘Queen of Hearts’ and LT’s previous single, ‘Rollercoaster’. Rejecting conformity, LT breaks the mould, freeing herself from the constraints and mundanities of a 9 to 5 job. Her new video sees her leading a mob of dance-possessed employees, inciting rebellion and unshackling them from others’ expectations. LT says: “’ACT YOUR AGE’ is a driving, rhythmically charged bop that explores and rejects the constraints of society. It is an argument against society’s expectations to fit into a certain framework to be deemed acceptable. That you must be of a certain age, look and act a certain way, or have a 9-5 and life-long debt. Filmed in one day at Brisbane City Hall, it provided the crew and I with a lot of laughs, sweat, goosebumps, and old-school dance battles. The creatives involved were from different walks of life, with varying ages, backgrounds and skillsets, but together we told one story. It was the best day!”

Artist on the rise Ari Abdul releases her new single ‘You’ along with the music video via RCA Records. The beautifully haunting song is accompanied by an equally haunting visual that features a striking performance from Ari twisted in a hyper-montage of stylistically abnormal, gritty shots. Speaking on the song, Ari says, “’You’ is about the feeling of ‘love at first sight’. However, it comes with a dark twist that is obsessive and almost psychotic. I wanted to create a song that came from the perspective of someone with a strong fixation on someone who isn’t even aware.”

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Award-winning country soul singer-songwriter Tami Neilson has shared ‘Careless Woman,’ available now via Outside Music. The rebellious country-blues anthem is accompanied by a spectacular official music video – co-starring New Zealand-based actress Olivia Tennet (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Power Rangers RPM) and Ling Zhang of Parris Goebel’s esteemed Royal Family Dance Crew. “‘Careless Woman’ was inspired by a 1938 collection of ‘Dating Tips’ in Parade Magazine,” says Neilson, “one of which read, ‘Careless Women never appeal to gentlemen. Don’t talk while dancing, for when a man dances, he wants to dance.’ Director Abe Mora was inspired to bring this era to life and built an amazing coin-operated music box for me and my band of Careless Women to perform in, like a human jukebox. As the song plays, the women in the bar are empowered and begin to dance and throw off the oppressive rules of propriety.”

Beija Flo is back with a spectacular new video for her latest single ‘Waiting for the Sun’. The new visuals directed by Sam O’Leary (notable for his work with hit BBC series ‘Inside No.9’ and supernatural videos for the likes of Witch Fever and Bleach Boy) are as surreal as they are sublime and bring a whole new dimension to Beija’s latest release. Bearing witness to the day the laughter dies, the viewer is drawn into the back streets of Liverpool to the most unusual of murder scenes. Starring Beija herself, along with a cast of clowns and a sprinkling of psychedelic animation from the mind of Sam O’Leary, the results are a lysergic blend of tragedy and comedy that make for an engrossing watch. Speaking about the new video, its director Sam O’leary says: “I’m so grateful that Beija doesn’t say no to silly ideas. Because silly doesn’t mean you’re not taking it seriously. I think we’ve walked the tightrope between drama and comedy well. The clowns were fantastic and INCREDIBLY patient as we were shooting this in one take over and over again until there was no more sunlight left. And as the whole video is in slow motion, we had to do everything in one go at twice the speed. I always love making music videos for Beija, and ‘Waiting for the Sun’ is such a fantastic song to work from, especially in terms of getting to subvert expectations.” The video offers a fitting companion to ‘Waiting for the Sun’, a track which fuses a Sharon van Etten-esque sense for drama with a climactic orchestral bombast born for the widescreen. Initially written shortly after Beija was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome and experienced heartbreak for the first time, it’s a track born from under the darkest of clouds. Having lived with Beija almost her entire adult life until its release this year, the song has taken on many meanings and guises for her as an artist, but that sense of raw emotion is as vivid and palpable now as it was when she first penned it. Opening-up about the release, Beija says: “I suppose I find talking about ‘Waiting For The Sun’ so difficult because it’s a medal. It’s a big medal I wear across my chest, day in, day out. It was born in the middle of a war, and is now a growing series of very precious battle scars. It’s hope…. It feels like such a milestone in my life to finally be releasing it.”

Following the release of her March debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, CMAT is sharing the video for ‘Peter Bogdanovich’. “I wrote the song Peter Bogdanovich after listening to a podcast about the making of the film The Last Picture Show,” CMAT explains. “To cut a long story short, Peter ran away and left his wife for yungwan (the lead actress in the film, Cybill Shepherd). I was taken by this particular story because I love his early films, and I loved finding out that his wife, Polly Platt, was the player who was actually responsible for what I love most about his films. I was really interested in everyone’s motivations – Peter for acting so selfishly, Cybill for throwing a bomb on a marriage and her work, and most of all Polly, for staying to work on the film even after the affair came out. I think it is a great allegory for the role that the construct of gender plays in all of our decisions, and how if gender and sexuality wasn’t really seen as such a rigid ‘thing’, our lives would be very different. I approached director Jake Passmore with the idea of doing a video where I was in Boy Drag because a) it worked with the theme of the song b) I thought it would be really fun. Himself and Sam Brautigan, who co-directed, then came up with a brilliant abstract treatment around me playing Peter Bogdanovich that involved choreography, Orson Welles and a puppet. What more could I possibly want? These are all my favourite things, and all of the actors and crew were wildly talented and so pulled it off, which I don’t think was easy given how weird the joint is.” [via DIY]

Following her outstanding debut EP far from home, Swedish singer and songwriter Mimi Bay shares a tender moment on the emotive track ‘helium cowgirl’. This lush return from the artist sees us entering the world of heartbreak with grace, charming our way through the pain with a dose of Bay’s incredible vocal range. On the new single, Bay strips back any bold instrumentation to allow her vocals to float gently over a minimalistic piano melody. A subdued moment in Bay’s catalogue, ‘helium cowgirl’ is a transcendent offering from an artist that has already impressed with previous releases. Resisting the urge to return with an outlandish statement, Bay’s calming, hazy and soft-in-the-centre single provides the goods without losing its impact. “‘helium cowgirl’ is about trying and failing to keep someone around and realizing there’s nothing you can say or do to change their mind,” Bay says. “Like gravity having no effect on helium.” The single comes paired with a silky 50s-inpsired visual that sees Bay in all her minimalistic glory. An evocative visual that pulls on the heartstrings, ‘helium cowgirl’ promises the recovery of heartbreak will be sad but short, an important moment in life where we truly find ourselves questioning our next move. Bay honestly confronts the notions of wanting to keep that person in your life because you believe you’d be lost without them. But in a few months time? You’ll be back out in the world, shining brightly with a new lease of life. [via Earmilk]

Kynsy has returned with a new single, ‘Point Of You’. “’Point Of You’ is me trying to work my way through the different sides of romance, happiness and disappointment,” she explains. “It’s about being stuck in the same cycle of falling in love with people who don’t or will never love you back and the feeling of tiredness that comes from attempting to have romantic relationships with people that never go your way. It’s about being love hungry for an honest and pure connection but being so fed up and dissatisfied by trying and trying that you start to ask yourself, ‘what’s the point’?” The new track comes alongside an accompanying video, of which she reveals: “We wanted to try and portray the pain and mental chaos that comes with rejection. We focused on the idea of a patient in therapy trying to unravel a failed relationship and slowly losing her mind as she analyses the relationship and herself. We wanted to try and create a visual representation of the chaos of an overactive mind by strange movement within a singular space.” [via Dork]

Ailbhe Reddy has a disarming sense of honesty. Lyrically, she’s an over-sharer – funny, astute, and always on-point, the Irish artist pours her feelings into her music, and let’s the world listen on their own terms. Her debut album Personal History landed back in 2020, was amid widespread acclaim it climbed to the shortlist of the Choice Music Prize. Surging into fresh areas, Ailbhe Reddy returns with fuzzy-buzzy new single ‘A Mess’ and it’s a riotous ear-worm. A helter-skelter pop song, ‘A Mess’ tries to pin down why those old patterns of behaviour forever shine through, a kind of self-analytical blast of guitar pop energy. She comments: “‘A Mess’ is about not feeling good enough in a relationship and examining old patterns and habits. It’s about feeling fed up of going around in circles, while focusing on a throw away comment that ‘no wonder it was such a mess’.” Georgia Kelly of CLTV directed the super-fun visuals, which match both the exuberance of the arrangement and the quiet melancholy of the lyric. Ailbhe adds: “I wanted to keep the playfulness of the music alive in the video and make sure it was tongue and cheek rather than very serious. Georgia came up with a few scenarios that were funny representations of feeling ‘not good enough’ and giving up.” [via Clash]

A few years ago, Becca Kauffman started performing as the alter ego Jennifer Vanilla while they were still in the art-rock band Ava Luna. JV has become Kauffman’s main concern over the past couple years, resulting in a lot of stray singles and 2019’s J.E.N.N.I.F.E.R. EP. Last month, they shared a single, ‘Body Music,’ and now they’re announcing a whole Jennifer Vanilla album, Castle In The Sky, out in August. Kauffman wrote and produced it with their longtime collaborator Brian Abelson. “That’s what the process of living inside of an alias has been for me, a way to identify the vision, see where you’re at, and close the gap,” Kauffman explained of the project. “I started Jennifer Vanilla so I could learn in front of people, and display a kind of curiosity and openness which I would probably be far too fearful to do without the cover of an alternate identity. It’s a distinctly Jennifer kind of courage to be curious out loud in this exhibitionistic way.” Jennifer Vanilla is sharing a video for new single ‘Take Me For A Ride.’ [via Stereogum]

Brooklyn-based musician and songwriter Grace Ives’ new album Janky Star is out now via True Panther/Harvest. Grace also has a new video for Janky Star track ‘On The Ground,’ directed by Sara Magenheimer. “Grace was one of my students who eventually became my assistant and friend,” Sara says. “I have been rooting for her for years, so in a way this video is a love letter to her, a way of showing how much I see in her and how truly incredible I believe she is. This video is also a celebration of music videos as an art form. I referenced Warhol’s work for MTV and Deee-Lite’s videos to honor the way in which this humble form has acted as a Trojan Horse, bringing experimental moving image art into homes across the world. I love the punk vibe of this medium and this video embraces its young wild history.” [via Brooklyn Vegan]

New York-based audiovisual project Sound of Ceres are sharing their new single and visual ‘The Fawn’ taken from their new album Emerald Sea. The remarkable visual (directed by Jacob Graham and cinematography by Michael Vanderpool) includes an appearance by conceptual performance artist Marina Abramović, who also provides narration across the record. Speaking about new track ‘The Fawn’, project member Ryan Hover says: “Venus Physica, Universe incarnate, completes their transformation into Venus Verticordia, changer of hearts. This is the final struggle of the human mind, a defiant creation of meaning within the cloud-tides of entropy, a last fever rage against the slow but unstoppable hand of time.”

Rina Sawayama has shared the visuals for her recent single, ‘This Hell’. Sticking to the country theme of her recent live performances, we see Rina making her way to wedding featuring cowboy boots, a stretch limo and a dance routine. The video was directed by Ali Kurr. Speaking about the filming, Rina shared: “It was amazing to get back together with director Ali Kurr (‘XS’, ‘Bad Friend’) for the video for ‘This Hell.’ We always like to tell engaging stories through film together so this one was about love and community in the face of hatred and dissent.” [via Dork]

Nova Twins have shared their new single and video, ‘Choose Your Fighter’. The song is taken from their 5* second album Supernova, out now via Marshall Records. They explain: “‘Choose Your Fighter’ is a motivational track. It’s got that go-get attitude that you need! There will always be obstacles thrown at you but this tune is about powering through, no matter what!” [via Dork]

Queer whimsical ethereal alt pop artist Summy has shared a new otherwordly video. Entitled ‘Said It After’, Summy confides that “this is a song about being in love with someone whose words can put you into a deep trance by saying all the things you want to hear. Only to realize that it was all a cover up for their demons and battles that were placed on you and ultimately, broke you. So when their words come out again, they mean nothing anymore because they ‘Said It After’ struck the heart for the last time.” The fantastical video is an immersive cinematic fairy dreamland. Watch above.

Burgeoning young singer-songwriter Maddie Zahm unveils the single and video, ‘You Might Not Like Her,’ taken from her forthcoming debut EP of the same name out later this summer on August 12 via AWAL. ‘You Might Not Like Her’ is a deeply personal track that highlights Maddie’s emotive vocals and allows her powerful storytelling abilities to shine. The release is accompanied by an equally moving video, directed by Gus Black, that acts as a tribute to her past and sees her current self reflecting on some of her most vulnerable moments. On the track, Maddie shares “‘You Might Not Like Her’ was the easiest song I wrote on the EP. Most of my past work has been about my relationships with other people and never about my relationship with myself. This was the first time I allowed myself to be truly vulnerable in my music and it kickstarted my project. It means the world to me because it’s how I came out to myself and my family.” [via Broadway World]

Maddy Jane has released her new EP Island Time, marking its arrival with a music video for the lead single ‘Eddie’. ‘Eddie’ is an anthemic cut from the Tasmanian singer, who screams “I don’t give a fuck, then I think too much / I’d rather be a woman than just keep my mouth shut” through the song’s chorus. Its accompanying clip was directed by Tas Wilson, and features Jane in a variety of settings, including a small bedroom, a tiger-striped chair, and a room with “Eddie” written all over the walls. [via NME]

From Naarm/ Melbourne comes the soaring melodies of art-pop singer-songwriter Georgia Fields. Making her debut in 2009, Georgia has an impressive collection of releases under her belt, as she introduces us to a new era with her latest single ‘Holding My Hands Out’, a vulnerable and fearless taste of what’s to come on a forthcoming album. With a steady foundation built by warm and wobbly key’s chords and intricate yet minimalistic beats, ‘Holding My Hands Out’s swirling synth melodies and layers of strings steadily build to a climax, Georgia’s vocals taking the lead dynamically as they dance between sincere and soft to powerful and soul-moving. Beautifully composed and delivered between gritty and dainty moments, the release is a testament to Georgia’s abilities as a songwriter and a vocalist. [via Pilerats]

Amidst a fast-paced world where social media likes and follow counts define our self-worth more than anything else, it can be all too easy to lose sight of what is really important in life. Having experienced this herself, LA-based indie pop artist Jazzie Young turned towards her tune-crafting to create ‘wallflower’ — a spellbinding tale of a woman clawing her way back to herself. Released alongside a moving music video, Jazzie buries herself in fallen petals as she reminds herself of the times she has spread herself too thin to please others. Under a blanket of sombre notes and uplifting synthesisers, ‘wallflower’ builds a narrative that is not only relatable to all but also has reassurance baked the whole way through it. As the track draws to a close, when the rising melody reaches a point of triumph, Jazzie regains her wings and learns to be there for herself in times of loneliness — a welcomed departure from the usual boy-saves-lonely-girl narrative. Elaborating further on the track, Jazzie explains, “‘wallflower’ is a song I wrote about the pieces of myself I had lost or changed in my attempt to please the people around me. It’s an intimately produced song that tells the story of how I ended up disconnected from myself and through that admission, how I was slowly returning to a more authentic and whole place. The accompanying music video reflects the ups and downs of this process through imagery of loneliness, coinciding with metamorphosis and a heavy emphasis on shadows vs light.” [via Wonderland]

There’s a cold, unfeeling place where young entrepreneurs enter as the “World’s Best Entry Level Employees” and exit as cash-chasing nightmare bosses. And Automatic just captured that hell in a lone, shiny ‘Skyscraper.’ The Los Angeles band dropped a video to accompany their single ahead of their forthcoming album Excess, due out June 24 via Stone’s Throw. The Alex Thurmond-directed vid conveys a detached corporate dystopia where morale plummets with the stock market and “every dollar gets you off.” Her carefully-place visual gags — such as a “please no crying the lobby” bulletin — match the caustic bite of lyrics like “No country or cause / You’re lost in the fog / Your skin is so tight now / You can’t move at all.” “’The pitfalls of capitalism and corporate life can be easy to fall into,” shares Thurmond. “American Psycho and Office Space were both points of reference, the glorification of monotonous tasks and success measured by climbing the corporate ladder. Those movies have such an over-the-top, satirical quality that really matches the tone of the song, and it was fun to play that up.” [via Vanyaland]

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