K.FLAY returns with new single and video ‘Raw Raw’. It’s the first single from the 2x Grammy nominated alt-rapper since becoming completely deaf in one ear after suffering a rare condition called SSNHL (Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss) and Labyrinthitis. The dark track comes with a psychologically chilling video which taps into the disorienting effects of her new disability. The single is being released via GIANT Music and is the first to be taken from her new album out in autumn. “‘Raw Raw’ is the start of my next chapter,” says the artist. “After losing half my hearing last fall, I was faced with a sudden and intense episode of fear and vulnerability. Like, could I even make music again? Once I got into my recovery and started writing and recording, I knew that I could. And what I wanted to create was music that felt properly rock but also properly future oriented. Uninhibited and different. With ‘Raw Raw’ I wanted to capture what vulnerability really feels like. Outwardly it might seem tender, but on the inside it’s messy and bloody and somewhat terrifying. It’s a chainsaw buzzing at your throat.”
LA’s resident femme-punk royalty The Aquadolls release the official video for their latest single ‘Burn Baby Burn.’ Directed by longtime creative collaborator Jenna Houchin, the video is a seductive whirlwind of excess and indie sleaze. Leaning into the song’s meaning of relying on your girl gang when you need to be reminded of your worth, the video features the band in a sea of debaucherous fun alongside their friends.
After making her explosive debut with her first single, ‘Fantasy,’ rlyblonde – the project of Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Carina Allen – returns with ‘Spiltmilk,’ the second single off her forthcoming debut EP. rlyblonde is no stranger to the music industry. The New York-based twenty-something has long been the go-to photographer, videographer and creative director for numerous musicians. After years of supporting other artists and friends’ visions, she decided to put down the camera and pick up the guitar for a change. With her new track, ‘Spiltmilk,’ rlyblonde seamlessly combines alt-rock instrumentation, catchy pop melodies, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“Wait why the fuck is there a line? / I’m freezing in this dress / My makeup is a mess / I need a drink before I lose my mind”). She elaborates on the inspiration behind her newest single: “I’ve always been quite sensitive, even though I put on a tough face most of the time. For a long period of my life I felt like I was always one parking ticket away from a mental breakdown. Plus, living in New York City is pretty relentless. Everything is expensive and you’re exhausted every day just from walking around. Writing ‘Spiltmilk’ also let me laugh at myself in a way that was really comforting. Now when I’m having a bad day, I’ll just text my friends, ‘it’s a spiltmilk type of day’ and we just get it. It’s okay to cry, but also… you’re gonna be fine.” ‘Spiltmilk’ is also released with a new music video, which was directed by rlyblonde herself via her new creative production company, HOT CREATIVE. In contrast to the more narrative-driven ‘Fantasy’ video, she took on a more campy and freeform approach when it came to the ‘Spiltmilk’ visual. She pokes fun at the song’s subject matter with various little easter eggs like a child’s prop car, white clown-inspired make-up, and her selfie on the side of a milk carton with the words ‘CRYBABY WANTED.’
Suzie True, the DIY pop-punk trio from Los Angeles, came out with their debut LP Saddest Girl At The Party a couple of years ago, and they’re now getting ready to follow it with a new album called Sentimental Scum. Singer/bassist Lexie McCoy says that the new record is “inspired by artists like Babes In Toyland, The Muffs, Jeff Rosenstock, Josie & The Pussycats, and anime theme music,” which is a fun combination. The band shared opening track ‘Backburner’ as a stand-alone single last year, and now they’ve also released another one. The new song ‘Keep In Touch’ is a bright, fuzzy jam with homespun hooks and fuzzy, twinkly riffs. This band is good at conveying warm, charismatic headrush feelings, and that’s what they do on this one. The Rae Mystic-directed video is sunny and frilly, and it communicates a whole aesthetic. [via Stereogum]
Discover Berlin-based singer K.ZIA’s latest single, ‘Rise’, a moving and anthemic song that features her powerful vocals and outstanding production. ‘Rise’ is an emotionally-charged anthem that permeates solace in its poignant yet uplifting themes. The heart of the track lies in K.ZIA’s deep, emotive vocals. With a textured voice that maneuvers seamlessly through the well-arranged instrumentals, K.ZIA’s soulful tone evokes emotions of melancholy and upliftment. As the track progresses, her powerful voice builds from a slow, haunting intro to an inspiring and anthemic climax, capturing the listener’s heart with every note. The production on ‘Rise’ is nothing short of impressive, and the skillfully arranged instrumentals perfectly complement K.ZIA’s voice, creating an immersive soundscape that invites listeners to get lost in the music. Drawing inspiration from R&B, soul, pop, and Afrobeats, ‘Rise’ showcases K.ZIA’s ability to craft a contemporary yet timeless sound. K.ZIA’s ‘Rise’ is more than just a beautifully-produced track – it’s an anthem for overcoming adversity. As the artist herself explains, the song is about “finding that inner strength to overcome. We may be beaten down, by life, by people, but still like dust, we will RISE.” This powerful message resonates with listeners, offering hope and encouragement to those facing life’s challenges. [via Neon Music]
Colleen Green is sharing an awesome new stop-motion video for ‘Posi Vibes,’ a single from her acclaimed 2021 album, COOL, out now on Hardly Art. The video was directed and produced by John Murphy. [via Northern Transmissions]
For Brooklyn trio A Very Special Episode, the band’s second album was reason enough to push their sound to its extremes. The noise pop elements got noisier and poppier, the punk has been upped, and the art rock touches are… more artistic. That record, Freak Me Out, will be released on June 23 via EWEL Records (The Black Black, Kissed By An Animal) and Hidden Home Records (Dain Griffin, Shrug Dealer), a collection of songs both personal and abstract, with their core built on the melodic shouts and passionate delivery of Kasey Heisler. There’s a sense of community but also a sense of tension. Not everything will work out, but things just might be okay, and the band’s grungy tunes remind us we’re in this together. ‘$5 Cover,’ the record’s third single isn’t the Fugazi tribute you might be hoping for, but rather a loving homage to band’s own musical community forged around the DIY space East Williamsburg Econolodge. The song is pulsing with dirgy bass and punchy vocal melodies, seething in the shadows one moment but vibrant and hooky the next. It’s dense and immediate, crunchy with overdriven chaos but resoundingly “pop” at the seams. The video – directed, produced, written, and edited by Greg Hanson (King Pizza Records) – brings a retro aesthetic to the otherwise very modern ode to EWEL nights. Capturing the 60’s ideals of dinner parties and adult reverie, the band pair the vivid imagery together with lyrics that embrace a night at the “rock show,” an escape void of concern and the overt polite. [via Post Trash]
Xylø is not afraid of embracing her body in order to share her art. On Friday, the singer released the pop-perfect single ‘Super Sex Mona Lisa,’ in which she unapologetically reflects on starting OnlyFans to help fund her music career. Doing so, she says, has given her a “newfound confidence.” “I’ve entered a new chapter in my life where I’m not afraid to be vulnerable and I’m ready to completely express myself as an artist,” she says as she premieres the track’s video with Rolling Stone. “I wanted the video to show how I’ve grown since my last album. How my body, nude or not, can be art.” “If my last album was about hiding from myself in the shadows of America, then this album is about celebrating myself despite the darkness,” she adds, referring to last year’s Unamerican Beauty. “It’s colorful and dangerous and the most expressive music I’ve ever made.” The video for ‘Super Sex Mona Lisa’ explores all sides of Xylø — how she can go from filming sexy content in her bedroom as art to sharing a beer with her dad and his friends. “The stereotypical gender roles are swapped as all the mechanics are female and wearing Queens Park Rangers jerseys,” she explains, referring to her favorite soccer team. “Ultimately, it’s about being confident in yourself and your sexuality.” “I used to be shy/Now you’re purchasing my body,” she sings as she flashes an ATM in the video as she’s handed a wad of cash. “I’m a pop star/And I’m clickbait Barbie. I do it for the thrill/And I do it for the money.” The video splices clips of her posing topless, playing a Hello Kitty-themed guitar, and doing choreography in a mechanic’s lot with two other girls. “You want it/Come get it/Subscribe to me,” she sings in the chorus. [via Rolling Stone]
