“Our current reality [is] a huge mess that is systematically broken, but not entirely lost.” So say abracadabra, an Oakland-based duo you’ll be hearing more from very soon in the form of their second album, shapes & colors, which was announced a few weeks ago with the lead single ‘in a photo.’ You’ve got about two months to wait for that LP, but in the meantime we’re getting another new single. Following on from 2020’s self-titled debut, the thesis statement of Hannah Skelton and Chris Niles’s second album is borne out by the disco-tinged grooves of ‘talk talk,’ a song all about differing views and the importance of listening. Per the band: “These days it seems all-too-easy to develop an opinion and then close yourself off from listening to and exchanging with others. ‘talk talk’ is brimming with hope for humanity and our ability to unite through our humanness and cultivate a genuine empathy and relationship via communication. It is the optimistic reminder to ourselves and the listener alike that we have the ability to do better even despite the pitfalls that modern technology presents.” The single arrives with a Rainbow Tunnel–directed video, which is essentially a performance clip by a stand-in nine-piece band. It’s great fun in a way that mirrors the (real) band’s approach to making music. [via FLOOD]
Soulful pop artist Ela Ozturk has just released her new poetic single ‘Roots.’ This stripped-back and truthful song is full of unique instrumentation and passionate vocals that will strike the hearts of listeners while encouraging them to be their authentic selves. “‘Roots’ focuses on rebuilding yourself after someone has broken your connection with who you are,” says Ela Ozturk on the deeper meaning of the song. Her inspiring message influences the audience to take control of their lives and build the person they want to be after losing their way. “The lyrics describe a comeback story,” explains Ozturk. Lyrics such as, “I’m coming back to my roots, the me before you, the calm before your storm, the light before your darkness. I’m returning, I’m returning, back to my roots, I’m coming back, I’m coming back, I’m coming back.” Ozturk describes the adventure of finding yourself after trials and tribulations. Combining powerful vocals with lively instrumentation, Ozturk has made a perfect track to help shine light after dark times and rejoice in the feeling of falling back into your own person after feeling lost.
Released back in June, Maya Yenn‘s third single ‘Better Luck Next Time’ has elevated her within the London music scene. Now she’s revealed a video to accompany it. The video has a lovely aesthetic surrounding it, with the intro suggesting it’ll be a black and white affair to compliment the darker tones. It’s then the track bursts into colour with the palate feeling like you’re in the late 80’s with it’s soft pastel colours. The video was written and directed by Maya. [via It’s All Indie]
amy michelle has shared a brand new track, ‘patience’. After a debut EP drop earlier this year, amy michelle is back with another helping of ethereal vocals and existential drums. On the track, amy says: “The song deals with trying to navigate a difficult friendship or relationship between two people. Despite the unconditional love they have for each other, they are both reflecting a bewildered frustration of unresolved issues within themselves onto one another, causing immense hurt & pain. It questions; perhaps you are my person, but now just isn’t the right time? You have hurt me so much, maybe I need to leave here alone? I have hurt you so much, maybe I should let you go? Perhaps with a bit of trust & patience, our paths will cross again? I wrote and recorded this song during the night about a year ago, in my room back home. It’s one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written.” amy has also released an official video for the track, enlisting the help of the puppet Eko. [via Dork]
With a self-proclaimed bohemian streak, Polish-born London-based artist Malenka has a wealth of experience to draw from. After an unconventional upbringing surrounded by colourful characters, the star-on-the-rise left Warsaw for the British capital, living in what she describes as “a series of dodgy flat shares” as she tried her hand at beekeeping and beer-selling alongside studying psychology and pursuing music. Taken from her debut EP Creature of Devotion ‘Pain Makes You Present’ is a raw and honest exploration of heartbreak and an in depth-discussion of post-breakup clarity born from the pain. Reflecting on the track, Malenka explains “I wrote it when everything in my life was going wrong. But it felt like the pain of it all gave me clarity about where I was and where I wanted to be (not eating cornflakes)!” Since then her luck has certainly changed, with the singer-songwriter garnering comparisons to the likes of Lorde and Billie Eilish — it’s safe to say we predict big things from Malenka. [via Wonderland]
Following a great debut EP in 2021, Melbourne’s Blonde Revolver are set to release their highly anticipated first full length album, Good Girls Go To Heaven, Bad Girls Go Everywhere early next year. Due out February 2 via Rack Off Records (Shove, Future Suck), the sextet previously shared the dizzying punch of ‘The List’ and with the album’s announcement comes ‘Lipstick and Leather,’ a woozy post-punk track that’s heavy on synths and locked in rhythms. Described as a “single babe anthem,” it’s a fun song that’s buzzing with a sort of feminist energy, taking the power away from the male gaze. The songs buzzes and shakes with a steady bounce, swarming guitars, and disoriented synths, from the garage rattled verses to the explosive crescendo. [via Post Trash]
Uhl has released her debut EP, Channels, offering the first complete taste of her enigmatic and cinematic style of art pop. The record finds Uhl occupying a glassy and evocative space, pulling equally from her background in operatic and classical music and from her love for songwriters like Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, and Weyes Blood. ‘Shout’ strikes a gorgeous balance between melancholy and euphoria, with Uhl exploring a liberating joy that always feels just out of reach. She puts her celestial vocal talents front and center, delivering a soaring performance that is lifted higher by thick echoing drum patterns and colorful sax lines courtesy of Jeff Tobias. The result feels at moments like it could be a lost classic from the likes of Kate Bush, yet Uhl also shades the track with her own dreamy and operatic touches, leaving the track as a transportive fantasia of gleaming glassy melodies. Uhl says of the track, “’Shout’ is celebrating liberation from a confined situation, only to discover that freedom from one circumstance opens your awareness to your confinement in another. Life being like Russian nesting dolls, once you break free from one reality you enter another.” [via Under The Radar Mag]
