Björk has released ‘atopos,’ the lead single from her upcoming album Fossora, which is out at the end of the month. “it is a good intro …. kinda like fossora´s passport,” she wrote in a tweet. “sonically a heavy bottom-ended bass world we have 6 bass clarinets,punchy sub drilling,nesting and digging us into the ground.” She officially announced Fossora last week, revealing that she worked on the album with Indonesian duo Gabber Modus Operandi and had contributions from serpentwithfeet and El Guincho. Prior to that, she teased that the album would sound like “clubbing in the living room.” [via Stereogum]

Sorry are about a month out from releasing their sophomore album, Anywhere But Here. They’ve shared two singles from it so far, ‘There’s So Many People That Want To Be Loved’ and ‘Let The Lights On’ and now they’re back with another great track, ‘Key To The City.’ It’s gloomily groovy and gloriously bitter and sad. “I know that you’re somewhere out there, out there, getting fucked in someone else’s bed,” Asha Lorenz sings on it. “You said I always looked like a deer in the headlights in the headlights/ I still look lost in this city, in this city.” “‘Key to the City’ is a song that stemmed from a very specific situation in my life but that I hope has a more universal resonance,” Lorenz said in a statement, continuing: “It’s meant as a kind of tender ‘fuck you’ at the dying moment of a relationship you don’t necessarily want to end – when it’s hard to reconcile feelings of anger, jealousy, resentment etc. with the undeniable love you still have for that person. That crossover of pride and vulnerability led me to an image of a deer in the headlights. It’s about trying your hardest to retain control when you know you’re exposed emotionally, sexually, spiritually, everything. In the nude of the headlights, in the nude of someone’s love. The song came together after the original recording session and stemmed from Louis experimenting with new tunings to give us a bit of a push. This one has a Nick Drake feel. We wanted it to sound cinematic and lonely.” [via Stereogum]

Sudan Archives’ Natural Brown Prom Queen is out now. She’s also shared one more single , which joins previously released tracks ‘Home Maker,’ ‘Selfish Soul,’ ‘NBPQ (Topless).’ This one’s called ‘OMG BRITT,’ and it’s hard-hitting and concise, a celebration of what happens when you let loose. [via Stereogum]

Em Beihold takes viewers on a tour of the museum of anxiety and offers advice on how to overcome a panic attach in new video for ‘12345’ directed by Scott Felix. The singer says: “In writing ‘12345,’ my co-writers Dallas Caton, Alex Veltri and I wanted to bring attention to the 54321 method used to help ground you during a panic attack. The method involves naming 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Panic attacks are scary, but the point of this song is to remind people of ways to help stop them and to also remind everyone that they’re not alone.”

France based pop/rock trio, OAKMAN is thrilled to announce their upcoming EP, SCP, will be out September 30 via Rude Records. SCP, an acronym for “sugar-coated pill,” is the band’s third EP which follows up their sophomore EP, Plastic World, released back in 2018. The EP shines a light on the trio’s growth through the addition of 80’s style synths, punchy drums and a groovy bass, all the while keeping their core pop-punk energetic guitars .Alongside the EP announcement, the band has also shared the title track of the EP. The pastel-soaked video for ‘SCP’ goes hand-in-hand with the nostalgic instrumentals and vocals as OAKMAN brings a taste of the 1980’s to the modern day while infusing it with their own unique brand of indie-pop/rock. About the song, the band says, “Marine was watching a show during lockdown called Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The main character reminded her of a character she had played when she was doing theater. After the foundation of ‘SCP’ was written, she wrote the lyrics about these two characters. ‘SCP’ is a sarcastic and second degree track about the fear of loneliness and not being loved at all costs with a neurotic side.”

Exploding out of their hometown of Toronto, MONOWHALES have been putting a new lease on the alt rock genre. ‘Change###’ sets the tone for their brand new record, Tunnel Vision, produced by Dave Schiffman (Vampire Weekend, PUP). Hook-heavy, but more groove-based, ‘Change###’ pushes the boundaries of what a rock song can be. The focus track features an explosive rhythm-section in the guitar solo and lead vocalist Sally Shaar’s Robert Plant-esque wailing of emotion carries into the final chorus. Drummer Jordan Circosta explains, “We wrote’ Change###’ at a time when it felt like the world was spinning out of control. I’ve never seen so much division in my life. People were in a lot of pain, and the media was taking advantage of that, pitting people against each other like caged animals. Some of it was valid, some of it wasn’t, and at a certain point it became almost impossible to tell the difference.” He continues, “The Tunnel Vision mindset had us staring into the void through our phones, trapped in the echo chamber. But that same focus, when pointed towards music and our love for each other, helped us navigate hopelessness, nervous breakdowns, and worse. Like we say in the song, all we could do was focus on ‘keeping it straight, under the weight of all this ‘Change###’.'”

Iconic singer-songwriter-rapper-artist Brooke Candy embarks on her next musical era with her first new single in more than three years. ‘Flip Phone’ is available now at all DSPs and streaming services. The uncompromising electro-powered new track is joined by an official self-directed music video, produced by PAPER Magazine – the NYC-based magazine’s first ever foray into music video production – with South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster. “I wanted this to be the first song I came back with because I had the most fun making it, and I’m just having fun right now,” Brooke Candy shares exclusively with PAPER. “The video was a challenge to make because I wanted it to come out so perfect. And it did. We rented a rain room in LA and just went all out with the help of PAPER and Gentle Monster. Some parts were inspired by Pamela Anderson in Barbed Wire.”

Rising artist LUCI (pronounced Loo Chē) will release her debut EP Juvenilia on September 23 via UK label Don’t Sleep. Across the EP LUCI’s incomparable vocal dexterity and incredibly self aware and reflective mindset are on display as she explores everything from empowerment, self reflection, pride and completely unfiltered self expression. Written over the course of 2 years, it was brought to life through collaborations with a number of artists and producers including Glass Animals’ Edmund Irwin-Singer, who mixed the entire EP. Now fans can experience another taste of Juvenilia via LUCI’s new single ‘Gnarly’ which was recorded with Tickle Torture (Elliott Kozel) and and Safe Jazz (Jesse Schuster). Of the song she notes, “This song is just about being in your bag. Poppin yo s and backin it up! My music is about digging deeper inside to find your gold. You don’t have to bury or tame anything. You need to be diligent and sure – people love to be struck with striking authenticity. The video feels a lot like I am lighting the world up from the sunken place.” [via Broadway World]

Petite Meller hopes to influence the world through music she dubs “peace pop”. The French-Israeli pop singer advocates for peace among nations through music. Sporting her signature porcelain doll makeup complete with rouge cheeks and bleached hair Petite Meller takes the spotlight in the music video for her new single ‘The Drummer’ where she dances, marches and gallavants in a world completely occupied by children. Petite says the peace she is advocating for is for children, “In this song I’m shouting for peace. Piece of existence. Peace of mind. That’s why I call it “peace pop.” Particularly children brought up in countries like her native Israel that are often defined by violence, “Having grown up with war around, I like to give a stage to kids who come from tough backgrounds. So they can navigate it by wandering into and getting involved with art.” Those who know Petite’s music adore her, her fans are devoted and enjoy the fantastical elements she brings to her videos paired with shots of Petite embracing the dress and scenery in various countries. Many of the moments in ‘The Drummer’ were shot in Russia during 2021. The song is inspired by and takes its name from the book The Tin Drum by Günter Grass published in 1959. It seems like an obscure book for a twentysomething-pop singer to reference but not to Petite. The singer holds a Masters in Philosophy and utilizes her education when conceptualizing new projects that comment on global issues through her creative work, “Music videos allow me to create realities I can live in. Realities where I can cry out and sing at the same time and meet real people all over the world. Discover their culture and folklore. And together we create a new public movement in moments that raise us up, as we dance our pain away. ‘The Drummer’ is the pop singer’s first video in a year, her new album is set to be release in 2023. Petite Meller will also be selling her outfits worn in the video via Instagram and is donating the proceeds to raise money for scholarships for children of the Rockwell Dance Center who danced alongside her in ‘The Drummer’. [via V Magazine]

Don’t let the facial piercings and D.I.Y. snarl fool you, carolesdaughter (née Thea Taylor) has the power to transmute turbulence into strangely soothing alternative pop anthems awash in lo-fi glitch, bedroom acoustics, and gutter goth elegance as heard on her newest single ‘sunshine and roses.’ The trailblazing alt-pop artist’s haunting track has been paired with an ethereal music video companion piece showcasing carolesdaughter’s love for the dramatic and cinematic.

Sultry vocals, an alluring cadence and a velvet-coated soundscape: the very components that coax us into Tristan’s brand new single, ‘Human Allergy’. It’s “about a break-up where several people are hurt,” explains the Belgian artist. Mimicking the watery movement of her spellbinding production, the accompanying visual for ‘Human Allergy’ shows Tristan performing routines of fluid contemporary dance — allowing her lyrics to soak deep into the skin of whoever bears witness. “There is a You, She and He, and I always speak from an omniscient perspective about how they think, what they feel when these are just ideas I impose on myself. For example, the voice in the pre-chorus is a kind of ‘devil on the shoulder’ that only whispers negative things in my ear,” says Tristan. Touching on sentiments that resonate with anyone who has been unlucky in love, the lyrics unfold stories of deceit and adulterous thoughts while the devil-like pre-chorus continues to hold the melody hostage — eventually causing Tristan to cave into temptation and become the object of her initial despise. Elaborating further on the concept, she explains, “The video is a kind of translation of all the voices in your head, which are all projections. I chose a kind of dream-like atmosphere that feels very unnatural, so I also wanted to work in scenes where only very small details sometimes return from previous scenes because in dreams nothing actually seems logical and yet everything can feel very realistic.” Plunging us into an almost dreamlike state, it is safe to say Tristan has made us all succumb to the aftereffects of a ‘Human Allergy’. [via Wonderland]

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Nothing could’ve prepared us for what a beautiful couple Lizzo and fashion supermodel Tyson Beckford would make in her new music video for ‘2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).’ Making her wildest dreams come true, she brought the 51-year-old heartthrob to the desert for her self-titled album single. The visual follows Lizzo as a runaway bride, recreating scenes from her breakout ‘Truth Hurts’ music video in 2019. After leaving herself and a shirtless pastor at the altar, she speeds across the desert highway in a red convertible and stomps through sand hills wearing white platform combat boots. When all hope seems lost, Beckford appears on a motorcycle. A sight for sand-filled eyes, it seems almost too good to be true. The two get cozy and Lizzo goes in for the kiss, more ready than ever. Just as she does, her friends arrive to retrieve the runaway bride. What they find, though, is not a pretty picture: Lizzo making out with a tree, no supermodel in sight. But she doesn’t let biting on a little bark get her down. Quickly bouncing back with a bottle of Patron, nonetheless, Lizzo and her bridal party pull out all the stops. With choreographed numbers, campfires and blinding blinged-out lingerie, this party is decidedly better than Lizzo’s wedding, anyway. The ‘2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)’ video is an unapologetic ode to taking your time and loving yourself. So don’t settle for anything less than french kissing a supermodel on a motorcycle in the desert, even if it is a mirage. [via PAPER]

This week, THICK released their sophomore album, Happy Now and they’re also back with one last single, the gleaming and spiky ‘Happiness.’ “This song explores the ways we seek validation and how it motivates the way we interact with the world around us,” the band said in a statement. “Whether you look for it externally or internally, it begs the question, ‘Who is this all for and is it ever enough?’” [via Stereogum]

Canadian singer-songwriter Olivia Street and her band King of Foxes are the makers of delightful yet peppy indie-pop. Their recent single release of ‘Pleasant Solutions’ is a perfect demonstration of why her music connects with fans in such a unique way. She has a unique artistic method, that’s versatile and has the ability to create old-school retro sounds with a modern twist. There’s no lack of tongue-in-cheek throughout her music, with each music video bringing a playful vibe, the latest takes place in a dull office, before the staff take matters into their own hands. The lyrics and meaning throughout Only Here On Loan is about being confident, and holding on. The band writes, “When it comes to writing lyrics, I love finding universality in the specifics. I hope that people see themselves in the song — we’re all hurtling through space on a rock together, trying to hold on to what we think we know. There is beauty in realizing that nothing really belongs to us, that everything we have is ‘only here on loan.'” Taken from their forthcoming album, ‘Pleasant Solutions’ offers a rustic sound to modern indie. It’s full of quirky and catchy hooks that’s rich with a nostalgic touch. [via Earmilk]

Chloe Moriondo will release new album Suckerpunch on October 7. Moriondo takes full control of proceedings, augmenting her vision with contributions from Oscar Scheller (Rina Sawayama, PinkPantheress, Charli XCX), David Pramik (Machine Gun Kelly, Oliver Tree), and Teddy Geiger (Caroline Polachek, Olivia O’Brien). A 13 tracker, Chloe Moriondo will preview the album with a night at London’s iconic Heaven club on August 24. New single ‘Fruity’ is online, blazing a trail for the full length, her first since 2021’s ‘Blood Bunny’. The single bursts out of the traps, future-pop stylings with a punk-like sense of defiance. She comments… “’Fruity’ and this album in general are going to be a slap in the fucking face!! I liked the idea of naming the album for something that means an unexpected hit—something you never saw coming. It means the world to me to have the creative means to explore different shiny sounds and work with people I love so dearly on a project that is so new and exciting for me.” [via Clash]

Returning with her sassy pop sheen to prowl over the R&B scene, DEJA releases latest single ‘Boom Boom Bah’. DEJA’s badass and feisty female energy comes in with ‘Boom Boom Bah’. Empowering every girl with that whining and grinding confidence, DEJA shows appreciation to her body heritage in this atypical ode to her mother. Loaded with radiating hip beats and audacious elation, ‘Boom Boom Bah’ is a sass-soaked single. In her own words, DEJA explains;“Even though all the women in my bloodline were, I was not blessed with ample booty. In my family, this has been a running joke for as long as I can remember! Mama blessed me with no nyash, still every single man want that. ‘Boom Boom Bah’ pays homage to my mama and our heritage but in the most light-hearted way. I’ve written ballads about my love for my mother but I wanted this one to make her smile and shake body!”

Possessing a natural knack for genre-bending, Oregon-born artist Haley Johnsen has lent her musical magic to her retro new single ‘Renegade’. Indie-pop and folk-rock join forces here to create a unique sound, underpinned by soaring vocals and introspective lyricism. Having already built up an impressive fan base after her critically acclaimed debut album, Golden Days, the universally loved star’s return has been a sweet one, wrapped up in a nostalgic 80s and synth-laden tinge. Assembling the ultimate dream team on the new project, Johnsen brought to the mix award-winning, time-travelling filmmaker/ TikTok star, Maris Jones, for the track’s accompanying music video. The two creatives transport us to an entirely different decade in the new cut, flaunting all things 80s. Proving that self-love is a global currency when contemplating her newest cut, Johnsen explains, “‘Renegade’ is about fully stepping into who you are and what you’re meant to do in this life, which I believe is one of the most badass, rebellious things we can do. I needed to write this song to remind myself that even though I still struggle with my self-esteem and trust in myself at times, that I am still brave enough to be continuing to push through and follow my dreams. In this video made by the incredible Maris Jones, I get to become the superhero I always hoped I’d be for myself. Saving the world from evil storms of self-doubt and battling it with self-love and courage, one day at a time!” [via Wonderland]

Following the release of their first album in six years Radiate Like This, Warpaint are sharing the video for LP cut ‘Hips’. “’Hips’ has a scuttling intensity to it,” director Jim Hosking says. “It sounds like someone desperately trying to find something. Or at least that’s what it seemed to me. I listened to it repeatedly and kept seeing women desperately searching for each other in a seaside town. Ideas present themselves and it’s not about logic or reason, it’s about emotion. And here the emotion suggested identically dressed women finding each other in an old seaside town in England called Southend On Sea.” “We are thrilled to share this strange and beautiful video for ‘Hips’ from the brilliant mind of Jim Hoskins,” the band add. “Give it a watch.” [via DIY]

Artist on the rise, EMELINE returns with her strong-minded and sensually charged new single ‘Strut’ and its accompanying video. Co-written by EMELINE, ‘Strut’ finds the Los Angeles-based artist fully owning her sexuality and turning the track’s chorus into a supremely catchy statement of freedom: “I don’t do the walk of shame, I strut.” A dance-ready anthem of self-celebration, ‘Strut’ follows the Rhode Island-born singer-songwriter’s viral smash hit ‘cinderella’s dead’. In a departure from the slow-burning dark-pop of ‘cinderella’s dead,’ ‘Strut’ brings EMELINE’s breathy vocals and sophisticated wordplay to a high-energy backdrop of diamond-hard beats, glistening synth, and retro-flavored horns. Both playful and unapologetic, the result is the latest proof of EMELINE’s gift for transforming self-reflection into spellbinding songs with a powerful impact. Co-directed by EMELINE and Kate Zamudio, the video for ‘Strut’ follows the free-spirited phenomenon as she struts along city streets, endlessly turning heads with her unbridled confidence. A glorious explosion of pink, the visual also captures EMELINE making out in a vintage car and an old-school phone booth, ultimately inspiring the scandalized bystanders to shake off their inhibitions and dance along with her.

Los Angeles-based DIY rock band The Paranoyds share new single and accompanying video, ‘BWP’. Alongside the single, the band announces a UK tour this fall with tickets on sale now here, in addition to their North American dates, ahead of their highly anticipated sophomore LP, Talk Talk Talk due out September 9 and available for pre-order now, via Third Man Records. After some audio feedback and a steady guitar loop begins, ‘BWP’ opens the album with an attempt to escape the monotony of daily life. Over warbled vocals, expressing disappointment with how the once-alluring future turned out, guitarist and vocalist Lexi Funston sings, “Up on my bed / I’m looking to mend / I contend I’ve got a case / A fight in my head / I’ve got a ten I’m willing to spend / A day is long when not much is coming in / Cross off 60 more, this future was a bore” Funston explains the fuzzy jam is inspired by feeling stuck in an endless routine for so long, daydreams no longer feel special or significant–they’ve just become the norm. “Every now and then there are those days and sometimes even weeks where it just feels like you’re in a rut–for me they’re usually induced by some sort of gnarly LA heatwave or fire (if i’m really unlucky, it’s both!). All you can really do to escape the heat is daydream, but daydreaming day-to-day…it’s just not the same.” Speaking to what the title’s three letters stand for, Funston adds, “I wrote the demo for the song at a time where it felt like all of a sudden Spotify was overcompensating for years of only boosting male rock bands, in this super disingenuous way (2019). There was this playlist called “Badass Women’s Playlist,” which I thought was such a cringe title for a playlist (looking at the playlist now, they dropped the “Women’s”). “But, on the other hand,” Funston admits, “I wanted our music to be on this playlist…I figured if I wrote a song with that intention in mind and named it after the playlist, we might finally get some subliminal love from Spotify…I guess that makes it a self-referential song about selling out.” Directed by Max Flick, the track’s accompanying video allows each band member and their instrument shine as each shot corresponds seamlessly with each note played. Against a black backdrop, hues of red, yellow and blue along with a single spotlight bring the floating heads of each band member in and out of view. Similar to previously shared visuals, the band brings their retro spirit with them into the future, creating something brand new altogether. Flick, who has previously collaborated with the band, was thrilled to be able to direct the latest video. “Since the first time I saw The Paranoyds play at the original Non Plus Ultra I was an instant fan and knew I wanted to make a video together. We have worked on many projects over the years, but this is my first time directing for them.” After listening to the track, Flick had a clear vision for the visual. “Listening to ‘BWP’ immediately provided me with these vivid images that we were able to make come to life and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”

Sudan Archives has shared a new video for her song ‘NBPQ (Topless),’ a track from her forthcoming album Natural Brown Prom Queen. Agusta YR directed the busy, surreal visual. [via Pitchfork]

Annie DiRusso shares her new single ‘Call It All Off.’ “The song is about losing yourself in someone or something and trying to reenter the world once that chapter closes,” DiRusso shares. “This song was born from a time when I was so caught up in a relationship that I didn’t realize I had isolated myself from friends, family and a lot of good things in my life. When I realized how much I missed, I found myself wanting to just give up & ‘call it all off’ rather than reconnect with the outside world because it seemed like too big an undertaking. Releasing this song is a good reminder that there’s life on the other side.” Annie DiRusso also shared about the song, “It’s like me walking out of that relationship and reentering the world and realizing, like, I had a neglected relationship with my friends. Or like, I think often what happens in those kinds of relationships is when someone tells you, like, you should break up with him, then you’re like, ‘yeah, yeah.’ And then you like, just like, don’t talk to that person for a while because I don’t want to break up with your boyfriend. Like, and that was something that had happened with a lot of my friends. And so I think there was that period of kind of getting out of that relationship and being like, Hey, I broke up with him finally. All my friends were so welcoming, too. And it’s just a feeling, like, I think it’s about that fear of, like, I feel so disconnected from everyone, and everyone’s life moved on while I was, like, in this bubble. And I feel weird, like having to reenter now, you know, after missing so much.” [via Guitar Girl Mag]

Ghost Car, the London-based international punk quartet, announced their debut album Truly Trash following their signing to One Little Independent Records. The riotous, quick-witted collection of 11 garage-rock bangers will be released on October 28. The album provides Ghost Car with a platform to rage against political injustices, as their unified harmonies attack patriarchal inequality, homophobia, racism and toxic relationships. Truly Trash is a call to reclaim autonomy and to revolt against the powers that uphold an archaic nationalist system. The jumped-up chaos of their glorious new single ‘Conch Pearl’ perfectly matches its B-movie style visual, by upcoming videographer Cath Shayler. She says that “Ghost Car become collectively entranced by a mysterious pearl object. Obsession quickly turns to possession as the pearl transforms into an all-encompassing hypnotic orb”. The band describe ‘Conch Pearl’ as “a feminist commentary on women/queer community being ‘shrunk down’ to fit a mould. The idea of a conch shell closing up, closing yourself off to the world vs opening up. We wanted to use the obsession with the pearl to represent the possession that is sometimes manifested towards women, something all of us have experienced first-hand at some point in our lives”. [via SoundSphere]

LØLØ’s new single ‘u turn me on (but u give me depression)’ is an excellent summer anthem for anyone who secretly hates their partner. “I wish I fell for an ax murderer instead of you / He’d kill me too but at least he’d make it quick.” LØLØ rolls her eyes, arms crossed over a bright orange bedspread, as she delivers her first line, in the music video, next to a man who is fast asleep. “No he wouldn’t get me hot and heavy / Then pretend he never met me and make me such a crazy bitch.” ‘u turn me on (but u give me depression)’ is a pop-punk battle cry rich with upbeat instrumentals. The music starts off with a bare-bones guitar riff before building up to crisp drum claps and a resonant bass line. Speaking of the new track, LØLØ says, of the lover, “Instead of being dead, I live in a constant state of purgatory – flip flopping from happiness to sadness. I love him, I hate him. He turns me on. He gives me depression. But most importantly, he helps me write the best songs.” [via SPIN]

Whimsical, imaginative and ethereal are all words to describe Arizona born and bred indie pop artist Summy. Now based in Los Angeles, the young social media influencer and otherworldly songwriter crafts music inspired by her personal experiences and her deepest desire to inspire other women to be strong, embrace growth, and to love themselves for who they are. Inspired by a wide array of musical influences including Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Chicago, Elton John, and Lady Gaga, Summy writes music that is genre-defying and introspective. Her latest single ‘Said It After’ is about “when the relationship ends, the person comes to say all the things you wanted to hear when you were together but now it’s too late, because they said it after.” Summy’s lush and intimate vocals glide effortlessly over enchanting electronic pop soundscapes culminating into a magnetizing musical release. Summy has an uncanny ability to tap into the shared human experience and highlight our deepest emotions for music that is cathartic, tender, and emotive. In addition to her music, she embodies an aesthetic that is creative and vibrant, building a fantastical world for her and her fans. “I’ve always been very drawn to an ethereal and colorful energy for the clothes I wear and the makeup looks I do. I think one of the reasons why I’m more attracted to that kind of vibe is because it really helps me cope with my depression and mental struggles. It’s much harder to cry if you’re in fairy wings,” confides the songwriter. [via Substream]

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100 gecs have shared a new video for latest single ‘Doritos & Fritos’, lifted from their forthcoming second album 10000 gecs. Directed by Chris Maggio, the accompanying clip sees the duo – Laura Les and Dylan Brady – flying through the skies in wizard robes, much to the confusion of bystanders. A local news channel tracks their movements, as they attempt to escape potential captors. [via NME]

Bringing back more of that raw and pulsing alt-rock-inspired aesthetic she is cultivating for herself, ‘Scared’ sees Gali Gavon deliver a fresh and alluring new delight. Accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek horror movie-inspired official video, she is once again breaking down the preconceptions about her sound, and delivering something bold and compelling from start to finish. Speaking about ‘Scared’, she said, “‘Scared’ was written at a time when I felt like I had two very contradicting sides within me. The one being soft and empathic, and the other- borderline dangerous. It helped me accept what I’ve been feeling for a long time.”

Back in March, Sudan Archives returned with a great new song called ‘Home Maker’. Now, she’s back with another new song, and this one’s a banger too. Sudan Archives’ latest is called ‘Selfish Soul,’ a song she describes as being “about women and the celebration of hair. It’s about representation of different hair textures and embracing all colors and textures of it.” She offered more detail in a statement: “I feel like there’s an American standard of what beautiful hair is, and I wanted to show in this video that’s not what all beauty is; to showcase different hairstyles and different types of women and their hair. I was inspired by India Arie’s ‘I Am Not My Hair,’ one of the first songs I heard about this subject. She talks about extensions and weaves and natural hair and nappy hair, and that she’s not her hair; she won’t conform to the comparisons that would come up if you had a weave or sew-in or natural hair or Afro — that doesn’t represent her.” ‘Selfish Soul’ comes with a video directed by Trey Lyons. [via Stereogum]

Having recently announced her new album Arkhon is now due to be released on June 24 via Sacred Bones Records, Zola Jesus has shared the third single and video from the album, entitled ‘The Fall’. Following previous singles ‘Lost’ and ‘Desire’, Nika Roza Danilova comments on latest cut ‘The Fall’ saying: “I wrote ‘The Fall’ for myself. It was an exercise in using music as a tool for the sake of my own inner catharsis. I had a lot of turmoil and complicated emotions that I couldn’t process in any other way. I suppose some feelings require you to write a pop song in order to fully understand them. For that reason, this song is very precious to me.” Speaking on the track’s accompanying video, she adds: “Working with Jenni Hensler as a director was such a soul-feeding experience. She’s someone I’ve been collaborating with for ten years, and a dear friend to me. I value her own artistic perspective so much that at some point I realized there was no one else I could trust with my vision. We connected on an emotional and spiritual level regarding the intent of the song, and then I handed it over and let her make her magic. I’ve never felt so freed by a collaboration. And working with choreographer Sigrid Lauren was such an empowering experience. She was able to interpret and support my idiosyncratic movements in a way that allowed me to feel free in the moment.” Director Jenni Hensler comments: “When we fall, we have the inner strength to pick ourselves up again. We sometimes have to struggle to find that strength, but it is there within all of us. The journey Nika goes through within the video, including confronting her reflection, removing her mask and the symbolic choreographed dance that follows are my way of expressing that. I’ve debated whether to write a heartfelt statement speaking of the long-standing collaboration and friendship I’ve had over the years with Nika, about how she has touched my life and how we have both grown. Or to only speak about the meaning of this current collaboration. The two are connected, intertwined. This video is about the feeling of being stuck in a position or way of thinking about yourself and of the world around you, including the pressures to conform to a certain way of expression. It’s about the mask we wear, and the ways artists are forced to comply in order to succeed. This oftentimes makes us forget that creating art is one of the most transcendent forms of expression and that fully feeling, being in the present and enjoying the process while creating is at the core of who we are and the art we create. It is about change and coming into the power of our creativity. We need to wholly feel and release the magic within. When we make ourselves vulnerable and find the strength to do that, the art has a deeper meaning. The unspoken feeling when we truly feel connected and in the present moment of ecstatic joy or pain as we create is palpable. When Nika and I spoke about the vision for the song, we discussed a yearning for something better, a breakthrough of creative potential, and learning along the way. And then a sort of enlightenment when you realize that you are in control and do not need to conform to external standards. There is power and magic in knowing that. There is power in the desire for something better, the feeling within that desire including the drive and excitement it brings. There is strength in the feeling of expressing the sensuality simultaneously brewing and fully releasing that inner fire. This is an expression of all of that and reflects the journey of our collaboration and metamorphosis over many years.”

Montreal duo Mayfly have shared their stunning indie ballad ‘Black Water’ along with its accompanying music video. The track will be featured on the group’s debut album, due out later in 2022 via Duprince. The surreal video follows the pair as they each navigate the repercussions of deteriorating mental health. Although it continues to evoke the melancholy and emotional vulnerability that we are used to hearing from the duo, ‘Black Water’ marks the evolution toward a more mature and darker sound. The song expresses a moment of deep suffering and fear of never being seen or heard by those around in a moment of pain. It features raw sounding, heart wrenching vocal performances from Charlie and Emma, and a string arrangement that achieves this feeling of distress while giving the song a cinematic finish. ‘“‘Black Water’ is one of our most honest and vulnerable works to date,” says Mayfly. “We are opening up on some of the darkest moments that both of us have gone through mentally. Through the video that we shot for this track, we tried to illustrate in the most visually striking and realest way possible, how someone can be feeling so unwell without anyone noticing or reaching out. We are so happy and proud to have this single open the door to a new chapter for us as artists, especially since it encapsulates the essence of the album that we will be releasing.”

New Orleans no wave/disco group Special Interest signed to Rough Trade last year, and have finally released their first single for the label. ‘(Herman’s) House’ is indeed a house jam, very early-’90s style by way of industrial party starters My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. The title, however, has another meaning. Rough Trade notes that the song “is centered around the story of Herman Wallace, one of the Angola Three – three Black revolutionaries who were held for decades in solitary confinement while imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary. Two of them, Wallace and Albert Woodfox, were held in solitary confinement for over 40 years. During Wallace’s imprisonment, he became close with an artist, Jackie Sumell, and the two collaborated to create Wallace’s dream house, taking four years and hundreds of letters to design it.” Special Interest vocalist Alli Logout and guitarist Maria Elena say, “Despite the sadistic torture they endured, they continued their fight towards Black liberation behind the prison walls. This song bears witness to our wonder and desire to dismantle the oppressive systems that hinder our possibilities towards true liberation, to annihilate, to destroy and to rebuild with one another. It’s a battle cry for dreamers who persist in spite of and because. This song moves us and it grooves us towards this end, may we go forward but not by ourselves.” You can watch the video for ‘(Herman’s) House,’ which was co-directed by Special Interest and Juicebox Burton, above. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Last month, Laura Veirs announced a new album, Found Light, and shared its lead single ‘Winter Windows.’ Now, she’s sharing another new track, ‘Seaside Haiku,’ a simmering one which is made up of some haikus that Veirs wrote while on a not so seasonally appropriate beach trip. “This song captures the feeling I had of my emerging independence as a solo woman in the world during that wintry time,” Veirs said in a statement. “It’s been a learning curve for me to figure out how not to give too much of myself in relationships at the expense of my own needs. This is a song to remind myself of that, and also to remind all women who are socialized to give so much to others. It’s a call to hold onto our strength and power and to share it reciprocally instead of blithely giving it away.” [via Stereogum]

Subversive pop trailblazer UPSAHL unveils her latest single ‘Monica Lewinsky’ via Arista. The brazen bop arrives with a provocative accompanying music video. Of her newest single, UPSAHL shared, “On first listen, ‘Monica Lewinsky’ feels like a playful song about people who have made a massive impact on pop culture, and it is that type of song, but writing this song was much more than that for me. In the 90’s and the early 2000’s, women like Monica, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Miley Cyrus were all dragged down by the media under a microscopic spotlight and the court of public opinion simply for living their lives. One of the main reasons I get to feel free existing in a creative industry is because of the bullsh*t that they had to deal with early on in their careers. ‘Monica Lewinsky’ is my ode to them. Thank you for making history.” Directed by George Gallardo Kattah, the ‘Monica Lewinsky’ music video sees UPSAHL dodging frenzied paparazzi and navigating the caveats that come with rising stardom. Instead of shying from the limelight, the singer embraces it flaunting her billboard advertisements and bold red carpet look. With a storied history of female artists being maligned in media, this video sends the powerful message that UPSAHL isn’t afraid to stay true to who she is in spite of it all.

If you’ve been dazzled by the entire world of Supertropicali, you’re not alone. Nashville singer-songwriter, Fleurie, has unveiled the purple era of her bedazzled new world and first offering, ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ is one we cannot refuse. Though there’s not much lavender in the track’s accompanying video, it sure is a head-turner. By far the singer’s best video yet, viewers are taken back to the early 2000’s when Avril Lavigne sk8er grrl style was all the rage while a classic Marie Antoinette theme runs rampant in honor of the song’s title and overall theme. ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ is the follow up to Chapter 1 of the Supertropicali story. Needless to say, this next chapter going to be an exciting ride. [via the Daily Listening]

Los Angeles riot grrrl-adjacent trio Lost Cat is back with the final single off their forthcoming debut EP, out next week via Lolipop Records. The single, ‘Losers Beware,’ is yet another brazen and head-strong track establishing the group’s confidently spunky energy in the vein of girl groups of decades past. If one thing’s for sure, it’s that this group know their way around edgy, psychedelic chords, and aren’t afraid to use them. Speaking on their brand new track, the band wrote: “‘Losers Beware’ was recorded at Lolipop’s Savannah Studios. Produced by Ignacio Gonzalez, the single was penned as a warning to the losers of the world that the strong always prevail. Accompanying this song is the final installment of the mini video series, bringing the dramatic timeline to an end.” [via Spill Mag]

Following last month’s ‘Double Standard’, Foushee is back in action with ‘I’m Fine.’ The record finds the singer in a reassuring space as she convinces both listeners and the person she speaks to on the song that all is well in her world. It’s another message-focused song from Foushee, just like ‘Double Standard,’ which she spoke about in a press release for the song. In it, she said the song addresses “outdated gender roles that I have experienced in past relationships and rebelling against them.” Foushee adds, “The imbalance frustrates me. Don’t expect anything from me that you wouldn’t give me, including respect and loyalty. I match energy.” [via UPROXX]

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