Reb Fountain makes a timely return with spine-tingling new single ‘Faithless Lover’. Produced by longterm collaborator and bandmate Dave Khan, Fountain’s first official release since her ’21 long player Iris careens rhythmically like a slow motion merry-go-round — sounding majestic and more than a little Lynchian in its evocation of doomed romance and faded glamour, revelling in the transformative potential of the song’s core drama. Directed and edited by the artist’s daughter Lola Fountain-Best, the suitably haunting monochrome visuals shot on super 8 film for ‘Faithless Lover’ feel not unlike a gothic apparition. Reb says: “We are close; so close to ourselves it’s uncomfortable. Falling in love with illusions that serve the ego but not the heart. Faithless Lover tells a tale of mutiny; coming alive to oneself – one’s place in the story – in vulnerability and beyond fear. I want that; to transform the stories that bind us and to wake up in rebellion. Lola and I had been plotting on how to best use expired Kodak 16mm film offered to us by cinematographer Ian Powell. We were inspired by narrative and filmic techniques of Ingmar Bergman and Jean Cocteau, in particular using fantasy to explore the philosophical. We created an archetypal fairy tale that explores the desire to attain the ideal in hopes of achieving the benefits of this fictitious nonpareil, when in fact that which we seek upholds the very captivity we are trying to escape.” [via Under The Radar]
New York four-piece cumgirl8 share their debut release on new label 4AD. ‘cicciolina’ follows on from cumgirl8’s 2022 release ‘dumb bitch’ and their 2021 EP RIPcumgirl8. Speaking of the inspiration and ethos behind the song, the band say: “Cicciolina is an Italian icon, porn star and former politician that was elected to parliament in the 90s. She advocated for human rights and the eradication of nuclear weapons. Cicciolina said “make sex not war” and used her divine power of femininity to troll the status quo while disrupting it from the inside. We feel her ideals are foundational to the cumgirl8 philosophy of subversive change, peace, and strength in vulnerability. We hope she loves our song, we love her very much. Cicciolina is cumgirl1.” [via Line Of Best Fit]
Lael Neale has released an excellent new album, Star Eaters Delight, which was preceded by the singles ‘Faster Than Medicine,’ ‘in Verona,’ and ‘I Am The River,’ and the yearning and hushed ‘Must Be Tears.’ Neale had this to offer on the track and its self-directed video: “Even though I’ve lived through many Springs, the season never fails to disappoint me with its lingering cold & dreariness. Flowers are Nature’s apology.” [via Stereogum]
Dream Wife share ‘Orbit’, the third single from their forthcoming third album Social Lubrication. Speaking of the song, the band explain that it was, “Written through the joy of jamming together and locking into the groove like a multi limbed space age organism, ‘Orbit’ has a dance rock edge from the early noughties of bands like New Young Pony Club and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lyrically, it was inspired by post-lockdown London coming back to life and sharing a space through friendship and community. And how each day you never know what’s in store for you or how a stranger can become someone close to you – for a day, a heartbeat, a phase, or a lifetime.” Social Lubrication is an entirely self-written and self-produced album, with the only outside influence being the mixing duo of Alan Moulder and Caesar Edmunds (Wet Leg, Beach House). [via Line Of Best Fit]
Christine and the Queens has shared another single ahead of their forthcoming album. Following ‘To be honest,’ ‘True love’ is the second track released off of PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE, the artist’s fourth studio album out on June 9. The French singer taps 070 Shake for the slow-burn romance track. They also share its official music video that blends two separate visuals of the artist dancing passionately. [via The FADER]
The Franco-Japanese singer, rapper, producer, and musician Maia Barouh surprises us again with a stunning music video for one of the highlight tracks that appeared on her latest album, Aïda, released at the end of 2022. ‘ChinXoise’ is an ambitious short film, full of energy, humour, and her signature integral sincerity. Directed by two young French directors, Jeanne Sigwalt and Oscarito Castro, in this clip, Maia finds herself the main actress in a cliché Japanese film that is drenched in sushi and samurai stereotypes. Dressed first as a samurai and then as a geisha, her anger gradually builds until it explodes! Showcasing noble acting skills, to add to her growing list of creative accomplishments, Maia’s wit, charm, sass and technique of the highest elements begin to really shine through. The film studio aspect of this video also lays waste to the underbelly of modern societal environments, which can often lead to these kinds of clichés. Fiction or not, Maïa will take the upper hand and control of her film, she will not give in. The idea of the film set, and the technical team represents a small living society, with each one playing its own role. In her procession there are Chinese and Japanese fishmongers, the same guys becoming samurai, a Mongolian, a Cambodian and Japanese artist, ladies dancing in geisha costume and full make up, with Maia all the while growing into a Franco-Japanese Marianne (the French symbol of justice and liberty), as she takes the lead of this motley crew who start rebelling with her. This, like much of Maia’s brilliant work stands up against injustice and points wholeheartedly towards a brave march against international racism, which celebrates our differences and our multiple identities, it’s aim is to ignite thought, feeling and a direction towards change along with the joy of taking up the fight together.
CMAT, the Irish singer-songwriter born Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, followed up last year’s acclaimed debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead with the new single ‘Mayday’ in January. She’s back today with a second new track. Produced by Josh Kaufman of Bonny Light Horseman, ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient’ is a saucy, string-laden retro pop song centered on the refrain “Why do I fall in love and out of love again?” It’s full of vivid lyrics about greasy mullets, the stench of tobacco, and how “you’ll never be Mark E. Smith ’cause your weakness is a bit.” Below, watch the ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient’ video, directed by Greg Purcell. [via Stereogum]
Following a string of high profile support slots with the likes of Nick Cave and The Rolling Stones, without a single song released online, The Last Dinner Party finally showcase their debut single. ‘Nothing Matters’ was produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Florence and the Machine, Depeche Mode) in London, and the single is accompanied with a video directed by Saorla Houston. [via Line Of Best Fit]
bludnymph’s musical spirit takes shape in the form of a mythological goddess. A young maiden that inhabits rivers and woods, feeding off the love of her mortal followers, she pulls them into a sense of security with her bludsongs. Previously released standout track, ‘Lights Out,’ is the first of many collaborations with powerhouse producer, Cirkut, exemplifying varying degrees of spooky, magic, and sexy – themes prevalent in her music. New single, ‘Watch Me,’ was written with close collaborator FAANGS and embodies bludnymph’s feeling of being an evil siren by telling the tale of a sexy siren stripper who uses her powers to rob her clientele blind. The song inspires confidence that makes you feel like you can have anything you want with just one look.
In June, Bully (Alicia Bognanno) will release a new album, Lucky For You. We’ve already heard Bognanno’s Soccer Mommy collab, ‘Lose You,’ and ‘Days Move Slow.’ Now, Bognanno is back with another album preview called ‘Hard To Love,’ which comes with a self-directed video. Here’s Bognanno on ‘Hard To Love’: “Growing up never fitting into society’s constructed gender stereotypes and expectations, I often felt as though different equals bad or wrong. I was confused about my place in the world, not fully identifying with any one particular gender or sexuality. I was ashamed, and I blamed myself. Though I’m still in the process of understanding and accepting my identity, I’m glad to be surrounded by people who love and accept me for who I am regardless of the clothes I wear and the labels others use to define me.” [via Stereogum]
British singer-songwriter Jasmine Van den Bogaerde, aka Birdy released a new song ‘Heartbreaker’. The song is the second single off of her upcoming fifth studio album P O R T R A I T S, which is due out July 14. It was written by Andrew Jackson, Dan Priddy, Jasmine Van den Bogaerde, and Mark Crew. Produced by Dan Priddy and Mark Crew. The accompanying music video was directed by Jess Kohl, starring Birdy and London-based multidisciplinary performer Hugo Hamlet who played as q creature. [via pm studio]
Bebe Rexha has enlisted help from Snoop Dogg for the 4/20-friendly stoner anthem, ‘Satellite’. Released to mark the unofficial counterculture day of weed-smoking celebration, ‘Satellite’ is a disco–pop track telling the simple story of a blissful high: “Last night I got higher than a satellite / I took a one-way ticket, it’s a one-man mission to paradise.” Speaking to People about how the collaboration came about, Rexha said that she initially sent the rap icon the track via Instagram. “He called me at 7am the next morning with a big blunt in his hand being like, ‘Yo, check your email. You have an email’,” she revealed. In The Jetsons-inspired music video, Rexha and Snoop jump into the Bebeverse and out into space to perform with weed humanoids. “He’s like, ‘You have to try my Death Row Joints,’ and I was like, ‘Right now, on the video set? I’m going to look high on the video’,” she said of the day of the shoot. “He said, ‘Just try it,’ and I was like, ‘OK,’. I took a hit of it, and I got so high with Snoop Dogg. But who could say they got high with Snoop Dogg? That’s like a lifetime thing.” [via NME]
Gal Pal have shared the dissonant second single off their new album This and Other Gestures (out June 2nd). ‘Takes Time’ is a whirlwind “song about change really, how it’s inevitable and how empowering it can be to lean into that.” [via Broadway World]
Outspoken UK-born singer LT has released the official music video for her recently released single, ‘Act Your Age’, via LT Records. The glamorous video was directed by Independent filmmaker Brendan Schoenmaker who was also behind rising star Sahara Beck’s video ‘Queen of Hearts’ and LT’s previous single, ‘Rollercoaster’. Rejecting conformity, LT breaks the mould, freeing herself from the constraints and mundanities of a 9 to 5 job. Her new video sees her leading a mob of dance-possessed employees, inciting rebellion and unshackling them from others’ expectations. LT says: “’ACT YOUR AGE’ is a driving, rhythmically charged bop that explores and rejects the constraints of society. It is an argument against society’s expectations to fit into a certain framework to be deemed acceptable. That you must be of a certain age, look and act a certain way, or have a 9-5 and life-long debt. Filmed in one day at Brisbane City Hall, it provided the crew and I with a lot of laughs, sweat, goosebumps, and old-school dance battles. The creatives involved were from different walks of life, with varying ages, backgrounds and skillsets, but together we told one story. It was the best day!”
Artist on the rise Ari Abdul releases her new single ‘You’ along with the music video via RCA Records. The beautifully haunting song is accompanied by an equally haunting visual that features a striking performance from Ari twisted in a hyper-montage of stylistically abnormal, gritty shots. Speaking on the song, Ari says, “’You’ is about the feeling of ‘love at first sight’. However, it comes with a dark twist that is obsessive and almost psychotic. I wanted to create a song that came from the perspective of someone with a strong fixation on someone who isn’t even aware.”
