Emerging, independent rock artist Cutt has released the official music video for her latest single ‘No Crown In This Dead Town’. The video, directed by Ethan Maniquis (“Machete,” Five Finger Death Punch, Daughtry), highlights her Los Angeles roots and the famed Sunset Strip, where the rocker frequently performs. ‘No Crown In This Dead Town’ – produced by Sean Hurwitz (Smash Mouth) and Gregg Cash (Josh Todd & the Conflict), who also co-wrote the song with Cutt – is Cutt’s fight song, serving as motivation to keep working on her music and pushing forward with her career, even when it feels like you can be stuck. “‘No Crown In This Dead Town’ is about me wanting to give up on music,” shares Cutt. “Entourage is one of my favorite TV shows and the intro to the show inspired the opening shots of the video! It’s me in a red mustang looking up at all the billboards on Sunset Blvd. wishing it was me up there! The rest of the video is me and my band performing on a rooftop in downtown LA.”

fantasy of a broken heart are announcing their debut album, Feats of Engineering (out September 27 on Dots Per Inch). To mark the announce the band are sharing a new single entitled ‘UR HEART STOPS,’ with an accompanying video directed by Rachel Brown of Water From Your Eyes & thanks for coming. Though shaped by the surrealist endeavours of 70s prog-rock and late-90s dream pop, and the logic-eschewing rules of animated worlds, the album is ultimately tethered to reality, to music as sculpted by years of live performance. Featuring contributions from other members of the NYC scene the band travels in, including Nate Amos (This Is Lorelei, Water From Your Eyes) and Jordana, the album is a maximalist diatribe anchored by the emotional core of its central relationship. Lyrics careen between the silly and the sincere, while Bailey’s husky baritone whispers, shouts, and croons, Al’s airy vocals twang and soar transcendent, their voices drifting in and out of conversation with each other. ‘UR HEART STOPS’ perfectly walks the line between the poles of the band’s sound, managing to be effective as pop music and avant garde in its construction, funny and genuinely beautiful. It’s a remarkably imaginative piece of music, that manages to be clever and surprising without taking itself too seriously, and it wonderfully captures the unique cocktail fantasy of a broken heart have been brewing for their debut LP. Wollowitz says of the song: “‘Ur Heart Stops’ was conceived in the midst of the pandemic after we moved from New York to Los Angeles looking for a breath of fresh air. With no shows in sight, we made the decision to finish writing the song without ever playing it live, a rarity for us that led to a very honest arrangement unbothered by the potential reaction of an audience. We finally got to play it live a year later at a cathartic house show at Brooklyn’s now closed Bohemian Grove. It felt like people caught onto the song right away despite it being the odd duck in an otherwise familiar set. The basement flooded overnight after the show and everything was caked in mud when I returned in the morning to pick up some gear. Heart is a reflection on the never-ending engine of day and night, separation and reconciliation, and the collective depression felt while marching to the coffee pot. While it started as a more personal dialogue between Al and I, I think the song ultimately became an anthem of perseverance for anyone who struggles to get out of bed every morning. We still do.”

Finom – the Chicago-based band co-fronted by Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart, formerly known as Ohmme – will release their new record, Not God, on May 24 via Joyful Noise Recordings. Now, they present a new single, ‘Cyclops,’ alongside a video directed by Mannequin Pussy’s Marisa “Missy” Dabice. ‘Cyclops’ pulses with a fuzzy bass line and Finom’s signature harmonies. There’s a boisterous tension in its instrumentation, which is captured in the accompanying video. It features Cunningham and Stewart as eccentrically-dressed boxers, joining together to take on an evil force in the ring. “Your band is your own personal Odyssey,” explains the band. “You have to want to go on it, you have to fight for it, you have to live for it. I think this song is reacting to some of the subtle undercurrents and mental demons we’ve had to fight off when it comes to persisting as a band. But also, really thinking about battling a cyclops and all of the injury you endure to make it through to the other side.”

Rising pop artist Brooke Alexx has unveiled her self-directed music video for her recently released single, ‘Hot Like You.’ The video finds Alexx transforming from an office chic to Hollywood glam, with the swipe of some lip gloss, a show-stopping red dress, and her favorite pair of shoes from Pashion Footwear. “The music video represents when I was working a day job and pursing music at nights and on weekends. I felt like a double agent,” Alexx says on the new video. To bring her vision for the music video to life, Alexx teamed up with the aforementioned shoe company Pashion Footwear. The brand makes the world’s first fully convertible and customizable heels (a.k.a. shoes that can turn from heels to flats, as well as be endlessly customized with interchangeable Heel Kits + accessories). [via Substream]

Madrid-based indie rockers Hinds have unveiled plans for their new album, Viva Hinds. The record is set to be the band’s first since 2020’s The Prettiest Curse, and will feature two A-list guest stars. Spearheaded by the incredible duo that is Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote, Hinds have been among the most notable indie bands of recent time, both in mainland Europe and further afield. Hence, there is already a lot of excitement surrounding the announcement of Viva Hinds. The first hints at a new album came back in February, when the duo released ‘Coffee’, their first single in years. However, it is only now that a new album has been confirmed, and details have been revealed. Alongside the announcement, the band released the album’s lead single ‘Boom Boom Back’, giving a sneak preview into this new era for Hinds. The song is a perfect summer anthem, featuring the kind of euphoric indie guitar sound that the band have become synonymous with, backed up by Cosials’ effortlessly cool vocals. ‘Boom Boom Back’ also gives some idea of the calibre of guest stars that will feature on the new record, with Beck arriving to deliver a verse. He met with Hinds by chance during a film screening in Los Angeles, and quickly set about organising a collaboration. The slacker king is not the only guest to feature on the tracklisting for Viva Hinds, as the as-yet-unreleased song ‘Stranger’ is due to feature Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten. The album’s lead single arrived in conjunction with a music video, awash with friendship and euphoria to match the mood of the song. Directed by Cosaials and Perrote themselves, the video sees Hinds take on the streets of Hollywood in the blistering sunshine.

Future soul voyager Raveena touches down once more on new single ‘Pluto’. ‘Pluto’ is a wonderful piece of zero gravity alt-soul, with her jazz leanings providing a real sense of flexibility to that dulcet vocal. In a note, she reveals that this beautiful new single actually relates to loss, while also re-learning the acceptance of joy. She comments… “This record is so inner child for me. It’s a song about loss, but woven into the most joyful soundbed. When making it, I was remembering the feeling of having my little walkman and listening to the most euphoric pop songs, dancing around the yard or looking out the window on a long drive at ten years old. I want to bring back the sweetness that feels like it’s suspended in that time of the early 2000s and 90s. I love the amalgamation of sounds we landed on in this song- it’s such a classic R&B record in so many ways, with all these hidden gems of unique instruments like swarmandal and electric sitar.” The surrealist video was pieced together with VFX imagery by Danish artist Ida Lissner, and acts as a homage to some 80s and 90s greats – think Prince’s ‘I Wish U Heaven’ and Faye Wong’s ‘Sing and Play’. [via Clash]

MOTHICA has released her new single ‘Red’, taken from her forthcoming visual album KISSING DEATH, which tells an immersive story across the tracks and their accompanying music videos. “After releasing Nocturnal, which had more of a heavier influence, I knew I wanted to include a rock song. In the narrative of the album, I wanted younger me to go to a rock show of future me, which is obviously impossible in reality, but it represents all the music I grew up listening to and what I’d later be inspired by,” says MOTHICA. “My buddy Nick Sadler and I wrote this together to be this rock-inspired anthem that teenage me would’ve loved, despite the lyrics being so self-destructive.” [via Bring the Noise]

Slovakian alt-pop artist Karin Ann has launched her debut album, Through the Telescope, showcasing her eclectic musical range and depth in storytelling. Released under 3am Records / PIAS, the album features the compelling new video for her track ‘I Don’t Believe in God’, starring Imogen Heap. Through the Telescope is a fusion of folk, rock, and gothic disco, drawing influences from artists like Mazzy Star and Hozier. Produced with Benjamin Lazar Davis and Will Graefe of Okkervil River, the album captures Karin Ann’s journey through love, identity, and mental health challenges. Karin expressed her personal connection to the album, stating, “Before I even considered making this album, I was at a breaking point where I seriously thought about giving up music due to my declining health. Benjamin, my collaborator on the album, unexpectedly entered the scene, and later came Will. The two of them sparked this whole new wave of creativity, and the album turned out even better than I imagined. This project was a labor of love, free from external pressures, allowing us to craft a narrative that reflects our shared artistic integrity. I’m so full of pride as I prepare to share this deeply personal piece of work with the world, and I’m hopeful that it resonates with listeners on a profound level.” The new video for ‘I Don’t Believe in God’ is a visually striking exploration of spiritual and societal challenges. Karin notes, “It’s a vulnerable reflection of spiritual dilemmas, influenced by my experience navigating as a queer woman in a conservative, Christian environment.” The video incorporates themes of religious persecution, drawing parallels with historical events like the witch trials.

The UK singer Mabel has a brash new single out. For ‘Look At My Body Pt. II,’ she teams with Shygirl for a hard, trap-infused pop song about “questioning the male gaze and the power of the divine feminine.” Mabel’s statement on the song: “This record is about questioning the male gaze and the power of the divine feminine. I’ve often felt judged by my appearance, and I’ve let comments get the better of me. Now, I’m at a stage in my life though where I’m celebrating my body without letting it define me. I wanted to let anyone who’s ever underestimated me or judged the book by its cover know that I’m ok with them doing that now because I know who I am. Collaborating with Shygirl is something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time as I’m a big fan of her music and everything fell into place with this record. She totally understood everything I wanted it to be and she’s made the song so special. She’s a superstar.” Watch director David Wilson’s video for the song below. [via Stereogum]

Fashion muse, actress, and writer Julia Fox continues to defy expectations, this time venturing into the world of music. Following the release of her debut single ‘Down The Drain,’ Fox unveils a powerful music video directed by Ben Draghi, known for his work with Zendaya and Dove Cameron. The ‘Down The Drain’ music video delves into Julia Fox’s past experiences as a dominatrix. It weaves a captivating narrative where Julia Fox takes on various roles as she embarks on a mission to rescue her friend Richie Shazam from peril. Shot in a location deeply significant to Fox’s personal history, the video adds a layer of authenticity to her performance, showcasing her unwavering commitment to her artistic endeavours no matter how memeable. Fox took a personal approach, involving her close circle in the creative process. This choice gives the video a distinct, intimate feel. It transforms what might seem like an unexpected move into music into a captivating display of Fox’s unique ability to bridge different creative fields. [via FAULT]

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Having recently announced their new album, Emerald Sea, is set for release June 17 via Joyful Noise Recordings, New York-based audiovisual project Sound of Ceres are sharing the second glimpse of the record with their new single and video ‘Sunray Venus’ directed by Matthew Maddox. Speaking about new track ‘Sunray Venus’, Ryan Hover of Sound of Ceres said “A song of nascent mind’s curiosity. Venus Caelestis, the morning star, has left the cradle of the void to climb sea-crags and delve in grottos for the flame spied from afar, a flicker beneath the waves, the deep wish of the unknown to be known.” On the visuals, director Matthew Maddox said “Listening to the song and speaking with K and Ryan, an image of a visitor to this planet popped into my mind. I wanted to capture the mystery and child-like wonder of what it would be like to explore a new world for the first time.”

Daily Harvest is a plant-based food company and to celebrate Earth Month, they’ve teamed up with Kelis to make a new song titled ‘Feed Them’. The new track is teamed with a video filmed at Kelis’ California farm, and features on the Daily Harvest: Eat The Solution EP with other songs from Kyla Imani, Shuba and Damoyee. In a statement, Kelis said, “If we’re able to plant these little seeds, give people the information and let them see how feasible and tangible eating the solution really is, that’s the first step towards change.” On Instagram, she added, “The Earth gives us everything we need to nourish ourselves and our families, if we take care of it. Healing our planet doesn’t have to be so complicated. If we all just up our fruits + veggies and choose food that’s good for us and the planet, we can all do our part to take better care of the Earth.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Florence + the Machine unveil a new single, ‘Free,’ with a video starring acclaimed actor Bill Nighy as Florence’s anxiety and directed by Autumn de Wilde. The track is the latest from Florence’s forthcoming fifth LP Dance Fever, out May 13.

ARO (Aimée Osbourne) shares a brand new track ‘AGAINST MINE,’ alongside an accompanying music video. This is her first new track in two years, and it exhibits her sultry, dark, and melodic electro-pop sound in all its glory. She will share more new music this year.

Last month, Flasher announced a new album, Love Is Yours, the band’s first since their 2018 debut. Its lead single ‘Sideways’ was the first that Taylor Mulitz and Emma Baker presented from the group as a duo, and it was groovier and more chilled-out than what’s come before. Now, they’re back with the album’s second single, title track ‘Love Is Yours.’ “‘Love Is Yours’ is about the roller-coaster highs and lows of a long-term relationship—the kind where a conversation can feel like a tripwire, with subtextual clues that offer the promise of reward if correctly decoded,” the band said in a statement. The track comes with a Camille Smura-directed music video homage to National Treasure, with Baker playing Nic Cage. Perfect timing for the Cage meta-comedy The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, which hits theaters this weekend. [via Stereogum]

Under the name BETWEEN FRIENDS, Los Angeles-based sibling duo Brandon and Savannah Hudson make woozy bedroom pop ballads that explore social anxieties and romance. Now, they’ve shared a video for their latest single, ‘orange juice.’ In the video, the pair pretend to be adults and call up a school to have their humanoid orange friend released early. Check out the Kevin Clark-directed video above. Wale says Jerry Seinfeld helped clear samples to bring 2010’s More About Nothing to streaming ‘orange juice’ is a slow-burner, opening with mellow chords before soft guitar plucks gently rock the song back and forth. “Like you best with words unsaid,” Savannah coos. “Can we just watch the time slowly go? You know I’m hung on this reality.” “When creating ‘orange juice’ we wanted to write a song that was as colorful as possible,” the duo said about the song in a press release. “Lyrically the song touches on making the ultimate unexpected fantasy out of something as simple as a comedown from a night out. Pairing this with sonics reminiscent of cartoons and a groove made after listening to a lot of D’Angelo’s Voodoo, we hope that the song will take you on a small mental trip.” [via The FADER]

Melbourne trio Telenova return with glorious new single ‘Why Do I Keep You?’. The three-piece made their bow in 2021, with their silken, studied alt-pop becoming the tastemakers’ pick. Hailed for greatness, new single ‘Why Do I Keep You?’ is genuinely wonderful pop song, full of intrigue, mystery, and a glorious melodic touch. Worth aligning alongside mid 90s guitar pop melancholy, it’s also shot through with a brilliant white light, presenting a solution amid the darkness. A song about love pushing you to the edge, Telenova sing: “I kissed the ground before you, I cut my eyes out for you, restless, blinded by my love…oh why do I keep you?” Angeline Armstrong directs the colourful, super-chic video, with tightly wound choreography from Zoe Marsh. [via Clash]

Laufey returns with new single ‘Everything I Know About Love’. Out now, it further blends jazz tropes with her exquisite songwriting, with the Icelandic-Chinese artist chasing magical highs. Transforming everyday feelings into something remote and inspired, the single is marked by her painterly touch. ‘Everything I Know About Love’ reaches towards some inspired truth, and while failing to get there relishes in the journey. Laufey comments… “This song is about all the magical things that I was told love was like but I’ve never gotten to experience. I’ve tried many times but fail every time. Turns out, I don’t know anything about love! The intro composed by Bach is played by myself on cello, and my mother and sister on violin.” [via Clash]

070 Shake is finally coming back with her sophomore album. YOU CAN’T KILL ME is due out this spring via G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Recordings, and now, the singer has shared the project’s lead single, ‘Skin and Bones.’ ‘Skin and Bones’ is simultaneously a banger and a slow jam that incorporates 070 Shake’s signature blend of hip-hop, soul, and danceable pop. The track documents a clandestine love affair that seems to be slipping through the cracks: “Skin and bones under the covers/ Kept our love undercover/ Nonchalant, very subtle/ Tryin’ not to step on the puddle,” 070 Shake sings over spacey production. The Noah Lee-directed music video for ‘Skin and Bones’ is a surreal, cinematic trip, taking 070 Shake and her cohort of co-stars throughout various locations until she arrives at an empty auditorium for a shocking conclusion. [via Consequence]

Back in February, we heard the first new PinkPantheress appearance on record since last fall’s breakthrough mixtape To Hell With It when, along with Lil Uzi Vert and Shygirl, she appeared on Mura Masa’s ‘bbycakes.’ Now PinkPantheress has her own new single out; once again it’s a superstar collaboration, and once again Mura Masa is involved. ‘Where You Are’ teams PinkPantheress with the omnipresent WILLOW, who brings the same dark and angsty TikTok-rock energy to the track that she supplied for Camila Cabello’s ‘psychofreak.’ The new song, co-produced by PinkPantheress, Mura Masa, and Skrillex, is like a more haunted version of the to hell with it highlight ‘Just For Me.’ In a press release, PinkPantheress writes, “i had a lot of fun writing this song. it took loads of attempts to get it right but this is probably my proudest work to date, and i’m super happy for everyone to hear it.” [via Stereogum]

Sunflower Thieves have shared their new EP Someone To Be There For which is released with their latest single and video for ‘Grown Out Of You’. The EP sees Sunflower Thieves exploring themes of self-discovery and growth, navigating and reflecting on the past as well as looking towards the future as they touch upon friendship, relationships, personal growth and loss along the way. All of which is delivered by the duo in their unique way as they release a body of work which is all at once warming, reflective, honest and authentic. Released with the EP is focus track, ‘Grown Out Of You’ which is the duo’s latest track offering, inspired by the nostalgia and curiosity of returning home and seeing their childhood friends moving on with their lives, in a different direction and being happy for them from a distance. The childhood nostalgia of the track is brought to life as the duo feature in the accompanying visual set at a village hall kids’ party where they are seen to be disconnected from the other party guests who are enjoying traditional party games. The video concludes with Sunflower Thieves accepting that they’ve grown out of their past friendships which means they can find contentment and happiness for their friends from a distance. Speaking on the new track, the duo added “You forget life goes on while you’re away but when you come back expecting things to have remained, it’s bittersweet but also easy to accept that things have changed and that you’ve grown apart from those you once knew so well.”

After making history as one of Coachella’s first Indian-origin performing artists, Raveena is back with the psychedelic music video for ‘Love Overgrown.’ Starring model Salem Mitchell, the duo catch themselves in the midst of a passionate relationship with an ultra-saturated futuristic landscape as the backdrop. Rocking Euphoria-inspired makeup in the form of ample face jewels and graphic silver eyeliner, Mitchell and the R&B and soul songstress embrace and fight, while wearing Bollywood-esque midriff-baring ensembles. At one point, the pair morph into technicolor points when they lock lips. Featured on her sophomore album, Asha Awakening, Raveena sings, “I don’t need your apologies/I don’t need any waterfall/I don’t need midnight beg and call, no/You love a big reaction/You said it feels more passionate/You love my anger, you said it turns you on/You know that’s wrong, hey.” [via Hypebae]

Music creator Anna Sofia showcases her talent for storytelling in her brand new single ‘Cruel World’. This is the third offering this year from the Toronto-based songstress, and showcases people who will do anything for power, ignoring the consequences that come with it. She reveals her realization that the world is a harsh place when you’re living as if you’re the only one in it. The visual for the track focuses on the same physical and mental confines present in the ‘No. 5’ visual, but this time including experiments from the outside world. Part of a larger, upcoming film project from Anna, the video leaves fans questioning what’s next for Anna. Will she make it out? This will all be continued in Anna’s upcoming debut EP, LET ME OUT I’M FREE! which will be arriving May 19 via Mismatched Socks Presents. Anna Sofia on the process of creating ‘Cruel World’: “At the time of writing this song, I was in a position in my career where I felt I was being treated as a product by the people around me. A bunch of money and power-hungry business people, using me as another stepping stone to their success. This inspired me to use this concept that I was already very eager to speak about, but turn it into some crazy fictional fairytale. We ended up making each verse their own separate story that, in the end, speak on the same life lesson. We decided to use the chorus as an opportunity to sum up both stories and explain the message they were both telling which is: money and power can take you far, but it’s a cruel world when there’s no love.” [via Pop Nerd Lounge]

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