Fresh off the back of a UK and Ireland tour last month, Phoebe Hall is sharing the video for her new single ‘Codependent’ via Manchester’s Fear Records. “’Codependent’ is about all those obsessive crushes, relationships and friendships veering on the uncontrollable, beginning to shape the way in which you live” explains Phoebe. “While it’s a hooky pop anthem that describes the feeling of obsession, there is a sense of danger in losing control; “you could ruin all your other relationships with the fear you might one day lose this person.”
Australian alt-dance trio Haiku Hands (Claire Nakazawa, Beatrice Lewis, and Mie Nakazawa) release ‘Cool For You,’ produced by Motez (Flume, Disclosure, Sam Smith, Tkay Maidza) via Spinning Top Records. This is the latest off of their forthcoming Pleasure Beast, due December 1. Of the single, which recalls the soundscapes of Chemical Brothers or Prodigy, Bea Lewis says, “This song is about feeling yourself, being at a party and enjoying being yourself. Being with your crew and feeling everybody, it’s the antithesis of capitalism that you need to be something else, that you need another product to feel good, that you need anything. It’s a statement that you’re already good. In fact you’re already awesome and mad and lit and you should be singing it from the rooftop and celebrating yourself and backing yourself and feeling yourself. It still gives me goosebumps when I listen to it even though I’ve heard it a million times. It’s liftoff baby!!!!”
Corlyx has joined forces with Suzi Sabotage to unveil the gorgeous, dark darkwave thriller ‘Kill Cave,’ the second single from Corlyx’s highly anticipated album, slated for a 2024 release under the Out Of Line Music label. ‘Kill Cave’ serves as a hauntingly poignant tribute to those on society’s fringes, evoking the enduring tales of enigmatic women who have been historically misunderstood and marginalized. This collaboration seamlessly melds the distinctive styles of both artists, yielding a composition that is both shadowy and enigmatic, simultaneously possessing elements of beauty and the macabre. Within their artistic underworld, darkness converges with the divine. Suzi Sabotage, renowned as a Finnish songstress who effortlessly fuses dark coldwave with synthpunk, crafts an ethereal yet danceable auditory landscape, occasionally embellished with the haunting strains of the Finnish kantele. “Suzi Sabotage was my first choice to join us in this song,” gushes Caitlin Stokes of Corlyx. “I love her powerful iconic energy, and she brought some fresh ideas to the song. We had a blast making the music video together, front women rarely collaborate, and I think we need to see more of this…our unique beauty in harmony is powerful and enchanting.” “It’s been an unforgettable, wonderfully berserk experience to collaborate with Corlyx, especially flying over to Italy to film the music video with them,” Suzi Sabotage recalls. “I handpicked the song myself out of different alternatives because it immediately took my breath away, sounding like a modern darkwave classic. They’re talented, lovely people who I think should become THE name on everyone’s lips in the goth scene.” The music video, a captivating visual accompaniment that harmonizes seamlessly with the track’s ethereal nuances, emerged from a collaborative endeavour led by director and editor Caitlin Stokes. Stokes skillfully translates the essence of the song’s lyrics into a compelling cinematic narrative. Through her direction and editing prowess, the video paints a vivid picture of a voyage of self-exploration and the process of discarding ill-conceived facades. [via Post Punk]
Following the release of recent Death By Laundry EP out on August 2 through AWAL, along with recent single ‘What Do I Know?’ and ‘Wasted Youth’, Sarah Crean supported Blackpink at BST in Hyde Park and Bombay Bicycle Club on their UK dates. The now Brighton-based artist, Crean debuts ‘The Subtle Art of Past, a fine new song with an video inspired by cult films Corpse Bride and The Addams Family – starring Sarah and an invisible man echoing the song’s sentiments. “This is my favourite song that I’ve released so far. The premise of it and its story both feel so simple yet were so extremely therapeutic for me to write. I can remember just feeling so bitter and honestly seething a little bit when we made this and the whole song came very quickly because of that for sure. But at its core it is a song about just how extraordinary a person’s impact can be both in how they come into your life and how they leave. It just might take a wee bit of extra time to accept that.” [via Nialler 9]
After releasing their debut album Fishbowl back in March, Miami-based coldwave trio Donzii have returned with a bonus EP named for and featuring the album’s second track, ‘Penetrate.’ As the teaser single ‘John Wayne’ suggests, the EP’s new material continues to reflect the fact that the band has comfortably shared a bill with New Order and Drab Majesty in recent years, while the addition of remixes of Fishbowl tracks ‘Fun’ and ‘Crash Landing’ by Brutus VII and Mr Twin Sister, respectively, reflects forays into synth-punk and dream-pop. Along with the release of the Penetrate EP, the band is sharing a Trulee Hall–directed music video for the title track, which brings the release’s chaotically green album cover to life. Shares the band, “The video is an extension of Trulee’s amazing body of work that we feel flows into our aesthetic—chaotic energy that isn’t afraid to poke fun at the hypersexual and male-dominated world we live in.” Of the wonky new-wave-by-way-of-funk track itself, the band shares that it was a conscious attempt to return to their no-wave roots while combining their broad slate of influences into something totally fresh. “‘Penetrate’ is simultaneously funky and dark, referencing many of our influences at once,” they add. “As we were crafting the song, we wanted to write something with a chord progression we had never heard before to ensure its originality and perk our ears.” [via Flood]
British dance artist Ella Rosa has got the ick. Her latest single ‘gross!!!’ is a playful tune about the awkward first stages of a relationship, where the PDA is almost unbearable. We’ve all been there, sometimes it’s inevitable and even hard to tone down when you’re feeling head over heels for someone, but Rosa is here to try and cool things down a little, urging people to quite simply “get a room.” The songwriter shares, “I made this song to poke fun at myself. PDA, puppy love, infatuation, whatever you want to call it is gross and I needed to almost make an anthem to remind myself (and others) that it’s not that deep.” Rosa’s sweet, angelic vocals glide like silk over throbbing drum and bass, while twinkling guitars, and iridescent synths create an all-consuming atmosphere. [via Earmilk]
Last week, Sevdaliza released the single ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, featuring Grimes. She has now shared the official video which was directed by Willemkantine. Visuals of approved deepfake A-List celebrity faces, including Grimes, Ferg, Julia Fox, and Madonna, on bikini-clad competitive bodybuilder figures, exhibit Sevdaliza’s penchant for engaging with cutting-edge technologies whilst shining a light on the quest for unrealistic perfection with a pop aesthetic and dystopian, mechanic lens. “How do you get Sevdaliza, Grimes, Madonna, Julia Fox and Ferg in one space? By using the same technology that is often weaponised against artists, instead, as a vehicle to bring them together as collaborators. That’s how. Of all these uncanny artists, who is really there? Whatever medium it is that Sevdaliza and Grimes speak through, they are constructing worlds of their own that mirror and distil the world we all share,” director Willem explains. “The video for ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ plays with the theme of transience in a digital landscape. In a world where filters are always within reach and reality blends seamlessly with our digital identities, the video seeks to question our common reality in an engaging way. Sevdaliza and Grimes are constructing worlds of their own that mirror and distill the world we all share.” [via Line Of Best Fit]
Alt-pop sensation Abby Sage is set to captivate the world with her latest single, ‘Hunger.’ Produced by MyRiot (Halsey, London Grammar, AURORA), the alluring release serves as the second offering from the Toronto-born, Los Angeles-based artist’s forthcoming debut album, due out in Spring 2024 via Nettwerk. In this compelling track, Abby Sage delves into the profound and sensitive topic of sexuality, delivering a message of self-discovery and liberation. ‘Hunger’ represents Sage’s fearless submission to her true desires and an unwavering commitment to her own identity. The chorus’s deeply personal lyrics, “Feed my hunger, No shame, I’m just a beginner,” perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the song – an unapologetic declaration of personal empowerment and the courage to embrace one’s authentic self. When asked about the single, Sage shared, “‘Hunger’ is the most important song to me on the album. It addresses the pressure and expectation that I have felt all my life surrounding sex and what my relationship with it should look like. Give enough but not too much. Want it enough but not too much. It’s my surrender to myself and what I want/crave, finding that in myself, and moving forward. I wish I heard a song like this when I was first exploring my sexuality and my sexual journey, and for that reason I hope it reaches people.” Accompanying the release of ‘Hunger’ is a spellbinding music video that beautifully illustrates Abby’s journey of breaking free from the shackles of shame as she explores her sensuality and sexuality. The video is dark but poetic, an artistic masterpiece that serves as a powerful visual narrative, reflecting the song’s themes and Sage’s creative vision.
Ahead of a UK tour later this month, Canadian twin duo Softcult bring their whirlwind year to a resounding conclusion and tease things to come in 2024 with the release of ‘Haunt You Still’. On this next collection of songs, siblings Mercedes (she/her) and Phoenix (they/them) Arn-Horn shine a more brilliant light than ever before on the many complexities of human existence. Though they’re still yet to release their debut album, Softcult are already carving out a signature sound with their enthralling, celestial shoegaze bliss interlaced with impassioned lyrical calls, opening conversations about gender equality, violence, climate change, corporate greed and much more. New single ‘Haunt You Still’ finds Softcult unpacking the lingering impact we each inevitably have in our past relationships and friendships. “Maybe it’s a defence mechanism, but we tend to demonise the people we once held close once they’re out of our lives, and it’s not always warranted. It’s a reactive way of protecting ourselves,” they explain. “This song is an acknowledgement that when things don’t work out between two people, it’s not always one sole person in the wrong. Looking back on our past, we have to reflect on the parts we’ve played and the damage we may have unintentionally left behind. When those people think of us, do they look back fondly or has the chapter of their lives where we appeared become a painful memory?”
DIAMANTE has released a new music video. The new music video, for the track ‘1987’, is the brand new single from the American singer-songwriter and marks her first new music since last year’s The Diamond Covers EP. The new song provides a glimpse into her third full-length studio album. More information about the new album will be unveiled in due course. Speaking about the new single, she says, “’1987′ is a love song to my favorite era of music: the 80s. I chose the year 1987 because that specific year birthed so many of my all-time favorite records, which have most inspired my own music. Writing this song was also a means of escape for me during what felt like a very heavy and anxious time. I remember sitting in the studio thinking about what it would be like to transport myself back to the 80s when everything seemed simpler and life had a little more sparkle.” [via Distorted Sound]