Anchored by signature driving riffs and compelling vocals from Ambrose Kenny Smith, ‘Holding Cell’ is another pristine release from Los Bitchos, the track building into a wall of wailing, score-worthy guitars and offering a fresh taste of their upcoming album following the release of ‘Hang Up (Pt 2)’ featuring Sinkane and Adrian Quesada.

Los Bitchos & Friends Vol 1:

1. Hang Up (Pt 2) (feat. Adrian Quesada & Sinkane)
2. El Pençe (feat. Kit Sebastian)
3. Walk In Salem
4. Holding Cell (feat. Ambrose Kenny-Smith)
5. Cross
6. Forest
7. Sunset
8. Conexiones (feat. Chicha Libre)
9. Next Selection (Prelude)

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Elke is back with her sophomore record Divine Urge, which sees Paramore’s Zac Farro return to take on percussion duties while songwriter Jake McMullen joins Kayla Graninger (Elke) on co-production duty. The first single from the record, ‘Enchanté,’ lands somewhere between the blog-era synth-led quirkiness of Chairlift and YACHT and the maximalist radio pop of that same period, with jarring switches in vibe and tempo helping to relay the song’s message regarding the divides between humankind, nature, and technology. “Nature works together with what’s fighting against it without the opponent knowing. It finds a way to keep growing by adapting.” Graninger philosophizes while introducing the track’s Bérénice Bear Eveno–directed video, which sees the songwriter embodying the aforementioned factions of mankind, technology, and the natural world. “This is why no matter how much we develop as a society, we will always have to return to nature—it is wiser than us and cannot be controlled. Sometimes we as people wish to possess the earth to feel alive, but nature teaches us the opposite, to just be alive is to possess the nature inside us.” [via FLOOD]

Enigmatic alt-pop artist Tlya X An continues her journey with the release of her new hyper-pop single, ‘Ninja’. Following the acclaimed ‘Mi Mind Unknown,’ Tlya once again takes the reins as director and editor, collaborating with Oliver Whitehouse to deliver a deliciously quirky music video alongside the track. Carried by a driving drumbeat and Tlya X An’s unique, magnetic vocals, this latest offering masterfully blends hyperpop, R&B, and glitchy electronica. Channelling the pulsating basslines of M.I.A., Charli XCX’s glossy allure and a touch of Grimes’ eccentric genius, ‘Ninja’ is another vibrant portal into Tlya’s unique musical landscape. A heartfelt ode to her sister, born from a reflective London getaway, ‘Ninja’ celebrates their sisterhood, shared joys, and challenges. Yet, the accompanying visual is a mind-bending departure. Directed and edited by Tlya and filmed by Oliver Whitehouse, the video is a surreal dreamscape featuring heart-headed dancers, edgy choreography and a blood-drinking drummer (Lawi Anywar). Inspired by the song’s lyric “Even dreams of hell can be beautiful” from Joe Dispenza’s ‘Becoming Supernatural,’ the video presents a daring visual interpretation of the idea. It conveys the notion that life, in all its complexity, is a work of art and even in the face of adversity, can be seen as a masterpiece. This striking juxtaposition of the song’s intimate message and the video’s provocative imagery showcases Tlya’s artistic range, proving she’s as fearless a visionary as she is a musical virtuoso. “I wanted to keep the video simple inspired by the production and use a white studio,” says Tlya X An of the video “The driving forces of the song are the drum beat and the vocals which have a little choreography that me and my dancers have been perfecting over time mainly for my live shows. The original moves came to me from the beginning naturally before I even had dancers working with me and over time evolved to something more concrete which you can see in the video.”

Surely Shirley, which is made up of twins Anisha and Jenaya Okpalanze, have been serving up sugary melodies and doo-wops backed by swaying grooves for a while now, with a meticulous approach to both their music and their visual output. Directing or co-directing their videos, the pair have built out a Surely Shirley world which feels like it lives somewhere between a 60s dollhouse and a Wes Anderson film, with their music perfectly syncing with the pastels and performances we watch unfold. That’s no more evident than in the ‘Lavender Blues’ clip which dropped along with the EP. Complete with claps and shimmering guitar lines, Anisha and Jenaya’s vocals bounce between softly sung hooks and dreamy harmonies, as a groovy beat keeps everything glued together. [via Life Without Andy]

Northumbrian electro-folk musician and producer Frankie Archer has announced her new EP Pressure and Persuasion and released new single ‘Barbara Allen’ along with an entrancing accompanying video. New single and EP opener ‘Barbara Allen’ is one of the most re-told songs in the English language. Frankie’s spiralling interpretation – co-produced by Jim Moray – transcends expectations. “It’s about a mean, cruel-hearted woman (irony there),” Frankie explains, continuing: “It’s 350+ years old but is dripping with the same expectation that’s laid onto women today.” Melding otherworldly electronic production that snaps and darts between the age-old prose, Frankie utilises harshly chopped and distorted fiddle, pitch-shifted vocals, swinging drum samples and a rich assemblage of analogue and digital synths, with her distinctive approach to folk storytelling opening up a new way of understanding the fabled tale. Discussing the song and her re-imagination, Frankie said: “Barbara Allen is summoned to the deathbed of John, a man she doesn’t really know, so he can tell her he loves her, and expect her to love him back. In some versions of the song he tries to guilt-trip her into it “For I am sick, I’m very bad // One kiss from you will cure me.” Barbara rejects this random man and is branded ‘cruel-hearted’. In most versions she actually dies of sorrow the day after he does (often this is told as a warning to girls not to be so cruel).” “In my telling of the song I explain that Barbara isn’t cruel, and John is actually a bit unreasonable for expecting her to – out of nowhere – immediately love him and kiss his dying mouth (grim) and heal him. “It’s not for me to fix you, John”, she says. The song definitely turned into a band song rather than a folk tune, but the lilting 6/8 hi-hat in the verses keeps the trad feel. I also (sacrilege) added a kind of pop chorus. A lot of trad songs don’t have choruses but this one needed it to reinforce over and over again the message: ‘I don’t owe you anything / I didn’t ask for your attention / Lechery is not a compliment’ – comments that our society was not ready to hear a woman say 350 years ago and still apparently struggles with today.”

London-based, internationally assembled instrumental four-piece, Los Bitchos, release their eagerly anticipated second album, Talkie Talkie, via City Slang alongside a new video for the track, ‘Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie’. ‘Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie’ is a cinematic odyssey through 80s synth pop that would slot right into Black Mirror’s storied San Junipero episode. About the track, the band said: “’Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie’ feels like driving around Miami in the 80s, Grand Theft Auto style, or chatting to friends on old landlines or walkie talkies. It was the first song we recorded for the album and the first time working with our producer Oli Barton-Wood. We had such an incredible time in the studio and ran wild with some electronic drum sounds and some impromptu vocals. We love the blend of sparkly synths and smooth guitars along with bold, fat drums and bass lines. This song ended up inspiring the album title, Talkie Talkie, which has a cheeky ring to it. We could imagine it in neon lights outside our imaginary club. We had a great time with some retro phones and 90s bedroom setups, and dancing our lives away!” Watch the video, directed by Tom Mitchell, below.

With their Crown The Witch headline tour just around the corner now, Bambie Thug has unveiled a brand-new single to celebrate. Entitled ‘Hex So Heavy’, the killer track is described by the singer as “a witches’ siren, a warning to those who have crossed me. This song channels the energy of those experiences – deception, betrayal – and turns them into something transformative: strength, resilience. It’s a reminder to those who have wronged me, that life has a way of making sure we all face what we’ve set in motion. As Jojo Siwa says, ‘Karma’s a bitch…’ and it’s about to come around.” Speaking about the accompanying video, Bambie reveals: “I was thrilled to collaborate once again with Camp Productions, who worked with me on ‘Doomsday,’ for the ‘Hex So Heavy’ video. Kassandra Powell, one of my favourite directors, brought her incredible vision to this project, and our creative chemistry was undeniable once again. “The video tells the story of a shapeshifting witch conjuring spells of revenge from the underworld, and a cunning nymph above ground who has stolen a magical machete from the witch. The nymph, basking in her ill-gotten gains and the adoration of others, believes she’s escaped unscathed. But little does she know, the witch has been watching and waiting to strike back. Drawing inspiration from Suspiria and Lord Of The Rings, ‘Hex So Heavy’ is the first chapter in a saga about reclaiming authenticity stolen by another.” [via Kerrang!]

‘NASTY’ finds Kate Leah sticking to her viral breakup anthem formula in a song that’s all about swiping an ex-boyfriend back from his new girl. Described as “guaranteed to inspire you to drunk text your favourite ex,” ‘NASTY’ is paired with a music video that shows Kate’s bedroom antics as she plots to win back her ex. [via Rolling Stone Aus]

Global superstar singer/actress/versatile powerhouse Halle delivers a sublime new sound with latest single release ‘Because I Love You’. Co-penned by the British phenom Raye, ‘Because I Love You’ introduces a new side of Halle—mature, confident, and ten toes down for her paramour, while also playfully reminding him of her own worth— “you ain’t used to girls that can do it high fashion, you f* with a ten, amen.” As Halle reflects, “‘Because I Love You’ is a song for anyone who has ever been deeply in love. It’s an anthem that tells the story of all of the beautiful passion and euphoria you can feel with that person.” She then touches on the song’s accompanying visual. “The video dives deeper into how vulnerable it makes you feel. I hope people enjoy listening and thinking of the person they love the most.” The song was produced by Grammy nominated producer DemJointz who has worked with artists including Rihanna, Kanye West, Janet Jackson, and more. The song arrives with an official video produced by Lottie Abrahams and directed by Allie Avital. The cinematic official video, features stunning visuals, Halle is once again showcasing her acting chops, impressively playing multiple roles—both as the innocent and devoted girlfriend to her love interest and the sultry temptress threatening to pull them apart.

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Following the 80’s Turkish psych-infused bop ‘La Bomba’ and the pure bliss holiday vibes of ‘Don’t Change’, today the band shares new single, the comic book-inspired, ‘Kiki, You Complete Me’, as well as the track ‘1K’, which revels in the mystical guitar tones and guacharaca rhythm of cumbia.

About ‘Kiki, You Complete Me’, Los Bitchos said: “This track feels like the opening sequence of a comic book series. The tom sounds we went for are outrageous, like the ‘pows’ and ‘thwacks’ of a comic strip punctuating the music… think Batman meets Bitchos! Towards the end of the song we extended this chuggy, tension building section and brought out a guitar solo before ending on the comic/video game theme vibe refrain.

“We’ve leaned into the 16 bit video game aesthetic for the video. Serra has always dreamed of writing music for video games.. We’ve started playing this song live at festivals this year and it’s definitely one of the songs we’re all most enjoying playing.”

About ‘1K’, the band shared: “This is a really shimmery, summer tune. There’s even a can of drink being opened at some point, you can feel the heat and care free vibes. I imagine a gathering with friends, maybe a BBQ, some drinks, people popping by. The drums are quite stripped back for this track, more percussion led.”

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A sonic adventure which transports the listener into a world where funk, disco, Latin and Turkish rhythms collide in a euphoric fusion, Talkie Talkie is glistening with charisma, sonic experimentation and a puckish spirit. Named after a fictional club of the same name, Talkie Talkie is a late-night paradise brimming with freedom and possibility; a place where partygoers can escape reality in the dance or daydream along to the invigorating soundscapes. If Los Bitchos’ electrifying 2022 debut album Let the Festivities Begin! was the rowdy build up to the big night out, then Talkie Talkie is the Technicolor explosion of the dancefloor.

At the centre of Talkie Talkie is a vivid cinematic universe that takes inspiration from the band’s favourite aesthetic era: the 80s. Think less self-serious men and gated reverb and more campy, hi-fi pop songwriting that glistens with moxie. The four-piece especially tapped into the sonic innovation happening during that period, where analogue and digital techniques collided to create polished texture and depth. Talkie Talkie’s recording process happened over a short but intense burst of time in London’s RAK Studios and Lightship 95. Over just one month, the band hunkered down with producer Oli Barton-Wood (Wet Leg, Nilüfer Yanya) and engineer Giles Barrett (Shabaka Hutchings, Ezra Collective) to render the demos in full colour.

Today’s announcement coincides with the release of a sparkling new single, ‘Don’t Change’, the second shared from Talkie Talkie, following the 80’s Turkish psych-infused bop, ‘La Bomba’.

The band said the following about ‘Don’t Change’, which comes accompanied by a joyful video by Tom Mitchell: “‘Don’t Change’ is a pure bliss track; think holiday vibes with ice creams, beach balls, sunsets and margaritas. It’s feel good, with sun soaked melodies, vibrant arpeggiator synth bass, and layers of percussion. We had such a fun time making the video, making up little dances and frolicking about in the sand and sea!”

Talkie Talkie:

1. Hi!
2. Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie
3. Don’t Change
4. Kiki, You Complete Me
5. Road
6. 1K!
7. La Bomba
8. Open The Bunny, Wasting My Time
9. It’s About Time
10. Naughty Little Clove
11. Tango & Twirl
12. Let Me Cook You

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Leicester-born, London-based Shivani Day releases her debut single, ‘Rhetoric’ via FAMM. Laying fresh roots into untouched soil, ‘Rhetoric’ was co-produced by Shivani and close collaborator Minas who weave traditional South Asian musical forms into textured elements of Electronica and R&B. Having discovered her moral compass at an early age, the creative process encouraged Shivani to re-visit early memories to inspire themes of identity, equality and integrity. The Erea Ferreiro(Ojerime, Odeal) directed video resembles ‘Rhetoric’ according to Shivani’s vision – and her initial mood board – with subtle nods to her heritage, from styling details to a mesmerising snake which is an integral symbol in Indian mythology. Dedicated to conquering her self-inflicted limitations, Shivani intends to let her carefully curated soundscape speak for her inner thoughts.

Directed by Maegan Houang, Mitski‘s ‘Star’ video feels timeless, and like a modern film by famed Japanese director Kenji Mizoguchi boiled down to its most abstract elements. “Unlike the more narrative/concept driven videos Mitski and I have done together in the past, I wanted this video to encapsulate the impressionistic circularity we all experience. Our lives oscillate between light and dark repeating itself in an endless cycle where nothing is permanent. The best moments are fleeting, but so are the bad,” states Houang. The ‘Star’ video was filmed on a small pond overnight in summer 2023 and presents Mitski performing on a boat in real water amongst painted pieces of wood, creating the illusion of mountains in the background and eliciting what Houang describes as “an otherworldly, atmospheric feeling” to perfectly match the song. Mitski and Houang have a history of collaborating.

Glaswegian alternative indie-pop artist Zoe Graham shares new single ‘Evilin’ – a brass-backed journey of confusion created by a person who’s no good for you. Guitars curdle with plush synths and tautly machined drums, as Zoe draws influence from Kate Bush (she shares a knack for catch-you-off-guard choruses with the ‘80s icon), St Vincent (Daddy’s Home was a regular backing sound during writing sessions), and Beck (“he’s very free as a songwriter; everything’s thought through, but it’s not painstaking”). She leans on David Bowie’s advice not to stay grounded in your deep pool of ideas, but rather to push up and off, and let your toes just brush the floor from time to time. “’Evilin’ is a battle cry” says Zoe. “It reads like a reenactment of how it feels to be purposely confused. Evilin is a channeller of emotional exhaustion. Someone you feel like you depend on and feel scared of all at once. Someone you will put before yourself, and not in a fun way. She isn’t good for you, but there’s something about her you wish you could be more of yourself, a determined independence, relentlessness but a lack of empathy.” The track is accompanied by a video starring Evilin (played by Zoe’s mum, Annette Staines), a cook and 70s star who becomes trapped in her own television show. “Imagine if Fanny Cradock and Killing Eve’s Villanelle were forced into a room together to make a prim and proper cooking show. What would that look like? How would the chaos ensue? How would these two ferocious women work with each other? Well, I knew I was going to be involved, but the only way I was really ever going to create such drama, such stylish feist, was to call my mother and ask her to star in my music video.” said Zoe. “Watching your own mother smash up cakes and jelly soundtracked to my new single, using rolling pins and spatulas as props was utterly wild. It may have been the strangest day of 2024 so far.”

The Brooklyn-born, LA-based singer Zsela has spent the early years of this decade popping up all over the cooler corners of the music industry. Her debut album Big For You, coming this June via Mexican Summer, includes contributions from Marc Ribot, Nick Hakim, Casey MQ, and Jasper Marsalis (Slauson Malone 1), and Zsela’s co-produced it with Daniel Aged and Gabe Wax, who’ve worked with names like Frank Ocean and Soccer Mommy. Zsela teased the album last month with the release of the fizzy, funky, sophisticated synth track ‘Fire Excape.’ Now, along with the proper announcement, comes opening track ‘Lily Of The Nile.’ It’s a slow-burn art-pop song that makes abundant use of Zsela’s low bellow, and it arrives with a video directed by Chester Raj Anand. A statement from Zsela: “It was important for me to stay open in this process, finding the truth of what the songs want to be. That meant breaking them down and building them back up again and again, not being precious and trying to listen… At the heart, it touches on the causal versus intentional dance we play between being “full of you” and “full for you” — the complexity and magnitude of the space we take and fill up for love.” [via Stereogum]

Hayley Mary has returned with a new single and a music video ‘One Last Drag’, which is a pop song about glorifying self-awareness. The song is co-written and co-produced by Hayley’s husband who also happens to be the DMA’s guitarist, Johnny Took. They happened to write the song in a hotel room! The song is also co-produced by the producer of The Jezabels’, Lachlan Mitchell. “I was sitting on the balcony with a wine, borderline chain-smoking, knowing that I would be regretting the cigarettes in the morning but unable to stop. He started looping a guitar intro that he was working on for Gwen Stefani and I just started writing a poem to it in my head. I asked him if I could record it so I wouldn’t forget it, and those draft vocals ended up being the final vocals you hear in the verses.” explains Hayley Mary. The song is a dark post-punk banger that talks about cigarettes and addiction. The cigarette in the song portrays anything that looks or feels good at the moment, but eventually ruins one’s life. It talks about how addiction is harmful to everyone. “I fell for the excitement, the promise of relief, of sexy malaise when real life was too high definition. In recent years, however, I’ve become aware of the potential emptiness of that promise as well,” says Hayley. [via Music Feeds]

Grab your roller skates, baby, Bonnie McKee has news. She’s ramping up to release a new album and trying to steal your man (but only musically and jokingly). In her latest single, ‘Jenny’s Got a Boyfriend,’ she gets campy, sassy and dancey as she falls for your boyfriend in a gender-swapped take on the ’80s hit ‘Jessie’s Girl.’ “I’ve always wanted to write a song that had someone’s name in it like ‘Jessie’s Girl’ or ‘Hey Mickey’ or ‘Billie Jean,’ McKee tells PAPER. “I had this experience because I had a friend who had a boyfriend who was just such a flirt. He was incredibly hot and he knew it. He was always giving me the wrong idea. Not just me, me and all of the girlfriends in the group. We were all convinced that he had a secret crush on all of us. Nothing ever happened. He was such a rake, I guess is what they call him, and I wrote a song about it. Then me and my girlfriends would bop around in the car to it.” The visuals for ‘Jenny’s Got a Boyfriend,’ are a neon, retro, skating-rink fantasy. “I’ve always wanted to do a skating music video, I can skate but I’m not like amazing,” she says. “I’ve always been obsessed with Boogie Nights and Xanadu. I love the ’70s and ’80s roller skating style — the whole aesthetic of that. The song feels like a roller Boogie moment.” In the video, McKee’s part of a “love triangle between Jenny and Jenny’s boyfriend” as they all work together at the rink. “I needed to have some story I could tell that made sense,” she says. “So it seemed like a workplace romance made the most sense. I just put us in little uniforms, and we were in the roller rink after hours. And things get spicy. I love that.” [via PAPER]

Bristol-based artist Emily Perry – AKA Pem has announced her forthcoming EP, cloud work, alongside the new single, ‘grips’. On the new single, Pem says: “A song about wanting to hold on tightly to other people to escape and “forget” everything else for a while. It is inspired by my favourite song ‘Forget About’ by Sybille Baier.” cloud work is a collection of five songs that Pem wrote during an intensely challenging chapter in her life. Full of references to water, sky, flight, memory, and birds, these are the metaphors and symbols that helped her work through the grief of losing her father last year. She says, “the process of creating cloud work enabled me to find beauty, meaning and comfort in a very difficult time.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Softcult share a final preview of their blissful EP with ‘One Of The Pack,’ a fuzzy inclusionary anthem that depicts their idea of Heaven as one that champions ALL women. Mercedes and Phoenix explain: “When we wrote this song, we wanted to celebrate women supporting women, and of course that includes POC and transgender women. It’s sad that that’s something that I feel I need to specify and include in a statement like this, but the truth is there are some TERFs out there trying to exclude certain communities from feminism and even the term ‘woman.’ We pride ourselves on being intersectional feminists, even introducing riot grrrl feminism and activism to the shoegaze community in our own way, and we want anyone listening to our music to know that POC, trans women, and non-binary people will always be a welcome and crucial part of our grrrl gang. This song is hopefully one you can sing to your best friend to let them know; ‘I know you have to deal with a lot of bullshit from other people, but I will always be here for you. I see you, I’ll support you, and I love you.’”

This is already an iconic Eurovision collaboration: Aiko (Czechia 2024) and TEYA (Austria 2023, as part of Teya and Salena) have released a song together. In the song ‘Hunger’, Aiko and TEYA sing about the experience of feeling like you need to have a certain body to fit in with societal standards. For women in particular, they address the pressure to appeal to the male gaze. With this powerful message, they show that women are taught from an early age to eat less so they can fit in, seeing their bodies as the enemy, hence the title ‘Hunger’. In the video, you can see them walk on treadmills, emphasising this point as well. It is a great song with an important message, and yet it is catchy at the same time! Aiko and TEYA did a great job by combining their songwriting skills. [via ESCXTRA]

In November 2022, Christine And The Queens released Redcar les adorables étoiles, which was followed by PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE in June 2023. Now, the French musician is back with a new song called ‘rentrez chez moi.’ ‘rentrez chez moi’ was written, composed, and produced by Chris. The music video was directed by Sasha Mongin, produced by Premier Cri, and shot in Paris and Hanches. [via Stereogum]

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