UK pop riser Chloe Qisha returns with ‘Sexy Goodbye’. If you’re new to Chloe Qisha’s world, then don’t worry – there’s a lot more to come. The pop force-in-waiting will share her new EP on November 15, boasting recent single ‘I Lied, I’m Sorry’ and ‘VCR Home Video’. Deliciously decadent pop thrills, Chloe ups the ante on her latest single. Out now, ‘Sexy Goodbye’ flips the script for a song of departure – it’s about relishing your own worth, and leaving someone with your head held high. Perfectly sculpted, it’s a slinky pop number with a chorus that stays lodged in your mind for days on end. Chloe Qisha comments… “It’s super rare as a songwriter to create a song that you can truthfully say is one of your favourite songs ever (because we’re usually so critical of our own work), but ‘Sexy Goodbye’ is that song for me. The song is about wanting to leave a relationship on your best form – fighting the urge to be sad and hoping that their last impression of you is, ‘damn, they look good.’ We really wanted it to be painfully honest and funny; and we definitely leaned into that as much as possible for the lyrics. I love writing sad/happy songs. I want people to be crying in the club to this song!” [via Clash]

The Velveteers are opening the campaign for their sophomore album, A Million Knives, on a bit of a historic note. The just-released first single, ‘Go Fly Away,’ is a collaboration with the Black Keys — and, in fact, marks the first time Dan Auerbach, who signed the Denver trio to his Easy Eye Sound label and produces the group, and Patrick Carney have produced something together for another act. “Pat’s played drums on some records I (produced) and stuff,” Auerbach tells Billboard. “With the Velveteers he was very hands-on, and it was all of us working in the studio.” Velveteers frontwoman Demi Demitro says Carney was a periodic visitor to the A Million Knives sessions, which took place last December at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville. “We didn’t know it was that first time, but it was really cool to work with both Dan and Patrick,” Demitro says. Carney, in fact, started the songwriting process off with the opening keyboard line, which Auerbach says came from a music sample library. “We just kind of worked off it from there,” Demitro recalls. “Patrick’s drumming on the song, both of the drummers in my band (Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig) are playing, then I added this heavy guitar for the after-chorus. After we sat with the song for a little bit we added some overdubs, just to kind of put the little sparkling touches to it.” Auerbach says the idea of a Velveteers-Black Keys combination was organic — and perhaps inevitable. “We’d done some touring together and all of us are friends,” he says, “and I think Pat was excited to get in the studio, too, and work on a song with them. That was a really cool experience.” [via Billboard]

XG has unveiled the music video for their new song ‘IYKYK’. This track is the second pre-release from their upcoming second mini-album, AWE, set to launch on November 8. The song showcases XG’s mission to break boundaries through new challenges, featuring the members as they explore the limitless universe at lightning speed. Notably, ‘IYKYK’ samples m-flo’s classic track ‘prism,’ originally released in 2001, lending it an old-school vibe that complements XG’s modern sound. The newly released music video diverges from XG’s previous visual style by presenting a unique perspective on their world. The theme explores how their surroundings might appear through their eyes, capturing a mystical and surreal ambiance. The storyline revolves around each member’s sensory abnormalities, suggesting that by embracing these differences, they can perceive true light. This concept is artfully depicted throughout the video, blending captivating graphics and imagery that align with XG’s ethereal style. The music video is a visual feast, featuring outdoor scenes with pastel colors that evoke a dreamy atmosphere. The dance vibes resonate throughout, with engaging transitions that shift between real-life footage and cartoon characters, enhancing the whimsical quality of the visuals. The forest setting adds to the enchantment, making for a well-crafted and imaginative viewing experience that resonates with fans. Overall, ‘IYKYK’ is a delightful blend of nostalgia and innovation, reflecting XG’s artistry and their homage to m-flo’s influence. [via Tokyo Hive]

Alexis Lucena – known by her stage name LEXXE – has journeyed from the refined worlds of ballet and classical music to breaking new ground in the realm of pop. LEXXE has been forging a distinctive path in her blossoming musical career, releasing a string of dark-pop-infused singles such as ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Queen of the Night’, each of which has heightened the anticipation for her latest creation, A Haunted House. Blending elements of electronic and dance music, A Haunted House is a bold and striking debut that immediately establishes Lucena as a key player in the contemporary dark-pop scene. The project’s moody, atmospheric production, combined with LEXXE’s inherent gift for storytelling-infused lyricism, creates a captivating experience. A standout track, ‘All Black Mansion’, opens with infectious synth-driven production and breathy ad-libs, which effortlessly draw listeners in. The track also receives a visually compelling music video that immerses viewers in the full LEXXE experience, bringing the hyper-pop anthem to life in vivid detail. [via Wonderland]

Following the release of their sophomore album, Fantasy Now!, Detroit’s garage-psych trio Shadow Show returns with a new double A-side 7″ ‘Baby Yaga / Spy Balloon’ (Rogue Records). While both tracks journey around bombastic grooves and treasured psych-pop impulses, the new single emphasizes the group’s utilization of the studio as an instrument with inclusions of synthesizers, tape delays, and other various overdubs to their harmonious wall of sound. On the songs the trio say: “Both singles were written and recorded at the same time last year, and always meant to be paired as a unit. Despite both new songs have different sonic influences, they share the same spirit and revolve around themes of obsession, hysteria, and the allure and mysticism of The Unknown. The narrative of ‘Baba Yaga’ was directly inspired by the Italian giallo film of its namesake by Corrado Farina. ‘Spy Balloon’ was written during the spy balloon hysteria in American media last year. Together, they showcase our flexibility as a band, and that’s why we chose to represent them equally as a double a-side. That, and because “The Beatles did it.” On the video they continue: “It was an unforgettable adventure in and of itself. For the ‘Spy Balloon’ portion, we drove four hours north to the Sleeping Bear Dunes in the middle of the night to beat the sunrise and mid-July heat to film with our director Cooper Arent and his assistant Tommy Barnes. A few weeks later, we filmed the ‘Baba Yaga’ portion on the hottest and muggiest day of the summer, and barely survived mosquito assaults. Chaos follows us wherever we go, and yet we still manage to have an unforgettable time.” [via Paperface]

Sister Thieves is a NYC-based doomy rock band known for their heavy grooves overlaid by eerie female vocals. Their unique sound weaves together 70s psychedelic and 90s alternative rock to create something entirely new. Formed as a trio in 2017, Sister Thieves released its self-titled EP in 2019 and played extensively around NYC. However, the pandemic and personal setbacks derailed their momentum, leading to a hiatus. In 2023 Steph and Aaron regrouped as a duo, crafting an album with their strongest material to date. Aaron took on recording and mixing duties from his basement studio as Steph directed and edited the music video for their new single ‘Be Bad.’ The band’s new album, CRAWL, drops October 25. [via Ghettoblaster Mag]

Warm Human has officially released her latest album, Hamartia, via Chicago based label mainstay Sooper Records. This marks her first album for Sooper and with a label. Produced and written by Johnston, along with Conor Mackey (Lynyn, NNAMDI, Mobobody), the album follows last year’s alternative rock-leaning Hometown Hero and swings back towards Warm Human’s more electronic roots, while retaining some guitar-infused elements from the former. The new album is also accompanied by a new stunning runway inspired music video for the album’s focus track, ‘Hamartia.’

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Portland band foamboy shares another new single from their upcoming sophomore LP, Eating Me Alive, out on March 8. The video for ‘COOL!?!’ is centered around a run-in with a unnamed rival band on the kickball field. Katy Ohsiek on the track: “‘COOL!?!’ is meant to be fun and tongue-in-cheek. Wil’s instrumental here really reminds me of Sure Sure: groovy but also a little silly and a little cheeky? I was inspired to write lyrics from a more petty, whiny place for effect. My favorite part of the song is the half-step modulation up at the end with the lavish guitar solo. It always makes me think of the final lap in Mario Kart, when the music speeds up. It also makes me think of the rippin’ saxophone solo on the Dolphin Shoals track in Mario Kart 8.”

LA-based singer-songwriter and experimental pop auteur Angélica Garcia further cements her ethnic and spiritual prowess with the cumbia-inspired, avant-pop single ‘Juanita’ about a limitless woman. The official video for ‘Juanita,’ also out on Partisan Records and starring Angélica, was directed by Sonia Malfa, an award-winning documentary filmmaker from Puerto Rico, and explores liberation from restrictive gender roles through its dualling characters. Steeped in Angélica’s love for her culture and passions for visual poetry and storytelling, the black and white video further explores spirituality and Angélica’s Latin heritage. “Your voice, the sound of stars/Not even the gods can draw you,” Angélica sings on ‘Juanita,’ an expression of beauty in a song that also probes the chaos inherent in cycles of generational trauma, and the possibilities of breaking them. Or as Angélica puts it: “I wanted ‘Juanita’ to feel like the story of my life, but one that was also true in a past life. I wanted the song to have a never-ending quality.” The track has its roots in 2020, as Angélica was sitting before an altar that she constructed in her bedroom, a culmination of her new inquiry into ancestral veneration: looking into the past to inform the present with familial knowledge. Raised by an Episcopal priest father in a traditional Latino family structure, Angélica has devoted her recent years to the process of deconstructing religion, spirit, heritage, and womanhood, confronting grief and healing. On the production style and lyrical weight of the song, Angélica adds, “Many cumbias have lyrics about pain and longing… My intention was for the tension and confusion in the song to feel like remembering a past life. I wanted to capture what the shadow side of grief does to us.”

Australian trio Telenova have shared new single ‘Teardrop’. The band have caused a whirlwind of hype in their native Australia, and seem poised to breakout in 2024. Snapped up by Fiction, new single ‘Teardrop’ opens a fresh chapter, and it’s a gloriously inspired piece of pop songwriting. The loose yet contagious drum beat points to those vintage Saint Etienne singles, while there’s a 90s sheen to the production. It’s all done from a fresh vantage point, however, with the fuzzy guitar break shattering the song into pieces. ‘Teardrop’ has a wonderfully visual quality, and it leans itself natural to the beautifully shot video – directed by frontwoman Angeline Armstrong, and fellow director Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore. Angeline Armstrong says… “We wanted to capture the volatile nature of our ever-changing human emotions in this song. I have this innate longing and hope for stability and joy, but in tension to that, I often find myself doing and saying things I don’t mean to say or feel. Josh and I were interested in exploring that tension in the lyrics, how sometimes even the journey towards happiness and light can be tinged with a sadness or darkness, ‘a teardrop on the sunshine”. [via Clash]

UK producer Anna Prior has shared her track ‘Tech Não’. The musician is perhaps most immediately recognisable as Metronomy’s drummer, maintaining the percussive pulse that fuels the long-running alt-pop outfit. Her own production work – and her skills as a DJ – have made Anna Prior a quietly imposing figure in club culture, maintaining a steady catalogue of glittering solo work. This year promises to be something special, with Anna Prior gearing up to a larger project as a solo artist. Out now, new single ‘Tech Não’ leads the way – supple, tech-edged electronics, her pop instincts transform the melodies into something engaging yet also other-worldly. Released through House Anxiety, ‘Tech Não’ finds Anna Prior cross swords with James Greenwood (AKA Ghost Culture), who has previously worked with Daniel Avery, Kelly Lee Owens, and HAAi. Tom Furse helms the visuals, blending rave imagery with a feeling of melancholy. Anna Prior comments… “On the surface, it’s about losing friends in the crowds, helplessness and vulnerability but underneath… It’s about when the energy in the room starts to turn towards the unfamiliar and you’re not sure if what you just saw was real and when the euphoric highs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. But this song has a happy ending, which I didn’t end up writing lyrics for directly, but I feel it when I hear it; it’s about the relief of being found and saved by friendly strangers and beloved old friends.” [via Clash]

The latest single from power pop band, Shadow Show, is called ‘On A Cloud.’ Taken from their upcoming LP called Fantasy Now!, that will be out everywhere music is sold on February 16, this electric track channels the band’s love of 60’s psychedelic rock paired with pure pop bliss in their hooks. The band shared, “‘On a Cloud’ is the finale of our upcoming album, Fantasy Now!, With this track we offer a mantra of hope, peace and triumph over adversity. As a personal favorite, we strive to share the joy we felt while creating this song with the listener.” [via chorus.fm]

Zara Larsson has released a new video for ‘You Love Who You Love’. It’s a cut from her new album, Venus. The record is out now accompanied by a spring UK and European headline tour. The track was produced by MTHR in collaboration with MNEK and Danja. Zara explains, “we started writing over PRIDE, and began talking about how amazing it is that anyone can love anyone – but that doesn’t mean you always should! We’ve all had that friend, or been that friend, who keeps going back to someone who’s bad for them, and ‘You Love Who You Love’ is saying enough is enough.” [via Dork]

Klypi’s latest track, ‘Kiss Me,’ emerges as an exquisite snapshot filled with tender expressions, blossoming amidst the desolation of self-doubt. It serves as both a beacon of hope and a gentle reprimand to the reticent beloved, articulating through its poignant lyrics a readiness to surrender for a simple touch, a kiss, an opportunity. Captured by LA-based videographer Vik Grossling, this video piece stirs a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of Kate Bush and Enya’s music videos, the kind once discovered on bootlegged cassettes. The transitions, crafted by Dennis Stein from Introvertmusic, give the impression of a message being transmitted through fragile, old technology. This effect is intensified by Klypi’s skillful montage editing, alongside the deliberate preservation of incidental audio-visual glitches that occurred during production, adding a unique layer of authenticity to the work. Klypi explores the myriad facets of self-identity through an ever-changing tableau of silhouettes, poses, outfits, and layered images. Drawing inspiration from the unique blend of cult-smut-sci-fi seen in films like Liquid Sky and Brazil, along with the ethereal vibe of those late-night, as-seen-on-TV Pure Moods compilations, this dynamic visual expression celebrates the coexistence of Klypi’s multiple selves in all their glory. The video’s nuanced choreography resonates with the aching void of longing for an absent partner, reaching into the space they should occupy. With a determined expression, Klypi seeks a direct confrontation with the lover, demanding their full attention and engagement. Klypi dazzles with their exclusive eyeshadow palette, “You See Me,” presenting themselves openly to the gaze of the audience and provoking the poignant inquiry – if this is truly love, then why the hesitation to express it? [via Post-Punk]

Following the announcement of her forthcoming second album, I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!, girl in red shares the album’s lead single, ‘Too Much’. “I’ve always been told I’m too much. Throughout my whole childhood and in my adult years. Getting shut down when I’m at my happiest or most excited made me feel self-conscious, alienated, and weird,” shares Marie Ulven. “It wasn’t until I encountered the same feeling in my relationships, that I realized how much it actually hurt me to never feel fully accepted for who I am. As well I think culturally people tend to be too cool to have fun or to show true excitement and emotions, and I’m so tired of that facade.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Zolita is a movie maker. Her cinematic queer experiences, like the viral ‘Fight Like a Girl’ and ‘Somebody I F*cked Once,’ are the cherry on top to her already lush sonic universes. “I tell sapphic love stories through my music videos, and I’m always brainstorming new settings and environments to tell those stories in.” Her new music video for ‘Bloodstream,’ premiering on PAPER, is maybe the best yet. Featuring Kyra Green of Love Island US fame It tells the story of two contestants in a beauty pageant who, through the craziness of the whole pageant circuit, end up falling in love. “In 2022 when I heard the news of Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina getting married, my gears started turning,” she says. “I couldn’t stop thinking about their story. I was flooded with so many images of what must have went down.” The track itself is a moody alt-pop number all about wanting to be connected with your lover in the deepest, most visceral way. “I wanna be in your bloodstream, run through your veins / I wanna know how it feels to be in your DNA,” she sings over glimmering guitars. “I love making music that invokes nostalgia and I am endlessly inspired by early 2000s romcoms and the soundtracks that go along with them,” Zolita says. “Someone recently commented that ‘Bloodstream’ was very Michelle Branch and Liz Phair coded and that’s exactly the energy I was going for.” At the end of the day, Zolita says her “greatest strength is telling authentic stories that resonate with queer audiences.” There’s only more to come from the budding pop star and we can’t wait to hear where she’s going. [via PAPER]

Kacey Musgraves has announced the new album Deeper Well. The Texas-born singer will release her Star-Crossed follow-up on March 15 (via Interscope/MCA Nashville). The album’s first single is the title song, and it comes with a music video made by creative production studio London Alley and director Hannah Lux Davis. “Sometimes you reach a crossroads. Winds change direction. What you once felt drawn to doesn’t hold the same allure,” Musgraves said of ‘Deeper Well’ in a press release, “you get blown off course, but eventually find your footing and forage for new inspiration, new insight, and deeper love somewhere else.” Watch the new video below. [via Pitchfork]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Fantasy Now! is a huge step forward from their debut LP, reaching a more ambitious Sgt. Peppery psychedelic vision that includes swirling pop melodies, fuzz guitar hooks, flutes, tympani, backwards surprise twists, and a magical medieval acapella interlude.

Shadow Show’s transcendental triumph, Fantasy Now! was written, recorded, and produced by Shadow Show in Detroit, MI, with the exception of ‘Aunt Maizy,’ recorded live in London, UK. Mastered by Warren Defever (Third Man Records, His Name Is Alive). The album will be released worldwide February 16 on Little Cloud Records (US) and Stolen Body Records (UK).

The post Shadow Show share new single & video ‘Aunt Maizy’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

“‘Mystic Spiral’ is an invitation into the world of Shadow Show. The first single off their upcoming album, Fantasy Now!, presents concepts of escapism, mysticism, and a sonic evolution of all that’s come before. Enjoy the ride!”

Three years ago, Shadow Show released their debut album, Silhouettes. Since then, they have dedicated themselves to writing, arranging, and producing their epic masterpiece, Fantasy Now!, while occasionally taking breaks for full length US, UK, and EU tours, as well as obtaining support dates with bands like Automatic, Death Valley Girls, The Nude Party, and the 5.6.7.8’s, to name a few. Fantasy Now! is a huge step forward from their debut LP, reaching a more ambitious Sgt. Peppery psychedelic vision that includes swirling pop melodies, fuzz guitar hooks, flutes, tympani, backwards surprise twists, and a magical medieval acapella interlude.

Shadow Show’s transcendental triumph, Fantasy Now! was written, recorded, and produced by Shadow Show in Detroit, MI, with the exception of ‘Aunt Maizy,’ recorded live in London, UK. Mastered by Warren Defever (Third Man Records, His Name Is Alive).

Fantasy Now!:

1. Your Fantasy
2. The Madrigal
3. Mystic Spiral
4. Aunt Maizy
5. Vertigo
6. Illusions
7. Fell Into A Spell
8. Still A Day
9. Clown Song
10. Wizard’s Harp
11. Don’t Make Sense
12. On A Cloud

The post Shadow Show announces new LP Fantasy Now! & share ‘Mystic Spiral’ video appeared first on She Makes Music.