Bas Jan share new single and video ‘No More Swamp’. From upcoming album Back to the Swamp (out Nov 10) new track ‘No More Swamp’ is an upbeat perfectly-crafted synth pop track which sees them comparing new found responsibilities in life to the earlier days of the band, whilst combining influences from Lizzy Mercier Descloux, The Pet Shop Boys and Kate Bush. The accompanying video takes them to London’s marshlands and has a fun, B-movie feel, featuring costumes by Nat Sharp (aka Lone Taxidermist).
Olivia Rodrigo has dropped the music video for ‘get him back!,’ one of many highlights off her brand-new sophomore album GUTS. ‘get him back!’ is as much about seeking revenge on a former partner as it is about wanting to kiss and make up with them. So, it’s fitting that the tune’s music video features no fewer than eight identical Olivias, almost as if they’re each representing one of the contradicting voices in Rodrigo’s head telling her to key this scumbag’s car — but wait, what if she can fix him?!?! The surrealist clip was directed by Jack Begert, who’s also behind similarly eye-catching music videos like Doja Cat’s ‘Juicy’ and Amine’s ‘Blackjack.’ This one boasts no shortage of smashed car windows, trashed bedrooms, and thrown steak knives, but the good news it looks like no Olivia Rodrigos were harmed in its making. [via Consequence]
Synth-heavy post-punk upstarts Home Counties have finally returned, after slipping away from the public eye following a jam-packed 2022. Last year saw the band release the fantastic EP In A Middle English Town, followed by a relentless live schedule, and a move to London. Now, ahead of a much-anticipated debut full length, Home Counties have released a stellar new single, finally ending their time away. ‘Bethnal Green’ is three minutes of nothing but hooks. The opening synthesiser motif is so off-kilter and distinct it becomes a hook of its own, the band toying with the vintage tones of artists like DEVO and Kraftwerk but inject it with a shiny pop polish. Synthesisers have always been a staple of Home Counties’ sound, but guitars truly are a foundation this time around, leaving plenty of space for the cascading wall of synths. Lois Kelly’s primary hook is arguably the band’s catchiest yet, the melody enchanting, the stacked gang vocals enduring. Home Counties have returned with a bang, to say the least. Their time in hibernation has clearly involved no rest or relaxation, the first glimpse of their hard work being the absolutely fantastic ‘Bethnal Green’. [via Clash]
ratbag opens a portal into her weird world of shoegaze with latest single ‘exit girl’. The burgeoning star’s talent extends way beyond that of an internet personality. ratbag is a multifaceted artist beckoning mere mortals into her wild world of art, work that bleeds beyond the sonic realm and into the freaky horrors and mesmerizing drama of the visual space. Surrealism bleeds out of otherworldly places, and it is one of the most compelling concepts for fans of mind-boggling stories of fiction to seek out and admire. Whether it be something of music, sculpture, animation, or story, it’s rare for an artist to fully immerse themselves in each of these encompassing realms at once, but then again, ratbag is not one for the ordinary. Following the release of her latest single and music video for ‘exit girl’, that idea is especially apparent. Simmering in the worlds of punk and shoegaze, ratbag’s latest release comes only recently after her introduction as a musician. Her debut single ‘rats in my walls’ came out in July, and already the artist is displaying a confidence that is especially apparent through the world of horror shown in the music video that accompanies her new release. The music video for ‘exit girl’ is the world’s first taste of ratbag’s unique visual style and is also the first look into the lore behind the artist. For starters, the music video introduces ratbag’s team of fictional bandmates, each representing a different aspect of her personality. The band are made up of animated monsters going by the names Deemo, Eugene, Slug and Fritz, reminiscent of other ambitious groups like Gorillaz or even Dethklok. Matching the horror-inspired elements of this music video is, of course, the song. Carefully calculated in its many independent rhythms, beats pulse in time throughout ‘exit girl’. The song is something of a scrappy little robot that blisters with life as it thrashes between the verses and choruses. Buzzing with personality and a lively fortitude, the track will lure in lovers of alternative and punk sounds especially. Beyond sound, it’s an addictive narrative, too. ratbag explains, “This claustrophobic circus of clowns is getting old. Sometimes, we just want out.” Featuring scratchy electric guitar and catchy piano chords, it’s a song that’s easy to love in its complexity. [via Line Of Best Fit]
FLOSS is set to mesmerize listeners with her latest EP release, Replica Of My Heart. After being hailed by VOGUE as one of the most exciting musicians in the German-speaking region, FLOSS delves into speculative “what if” future scenarios reminiscent of Black Mirror, apocalyptic themes, and her ambivalent inner world. The Berlin-based winner of the Lollapalooza Newcomer Contest transforms romantic-bittersweet futuristic fantasies and traumatic experiences into highly hypnotic pop songs. In a Matrix-esque world of organ scarcity, FLOSS’s zeitgeisty feminist fantasy pop collides with hypnotic and edgy sounds, and heartbreak merges with dystopia on the EP’s title track, ‘Replica Of My Heart.’ The accompanying short film features FLOSS portraying her own clone, created by the ‘Replica Of My Heart’ services in a Matrix-esque world suffering from organ scarcity, all in an effort to obtain her unharmed heart. The serious and personal background is made evident through the visuals, which build upon FLOSS’s first music video with Joko Winterscheidt, where they advocated for organ donation alongside Junge Helden e.V. [via Kaltblut]
Platinum-certified Filipino-American artist Bella Poarch returns with a new single, ‘Crush’, which features Lauv. “’Crush’ is this fun, brighter side of me that I’m excited to showcase. The song itself is light, cheeky, and it gives you the flirty feeling of butterflies in your stomach that you get when sparks begin to fly,” Poarch says. “It’s about being in the moment and indulging in the simple things like binging Love Island, or having an innocent crush without overthinking it (which I’m guilty of). Lauv is such an incredible artist and being able to work with him is such an honor. He’s one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and I LAUVed working with him.” Lauv added, “‘Crush’ is about that feeling when you’re into someone but don’t wanna cross the line cause it’s so fun just being slightly into them.” [via The Line of Best Fit]
Mitski celebrates her album release, and that’s not all: It comes with a video for ‘My Love Mine All Mine.’ In the short, directed by A.G. Rojas, Mitski builds a precarious tower of dining chairs, balanced on a little egg, and embarks on a gravity-defying dance to the top. Watch it below. [via Pitchfork]
