Vukovi have released a new single, ‘Mercy Kill’. The track arrives ahead of their upcoming trio of UK shows with Babymetal later this month, and a gig at the Electric Ballroom on March 15. The news also follows their signing to SharpTone Records, and recent single ‘CREEP HEAT’. Janine comments: “I wanted to depict the devotion towards addiction, whether it be towards a substance or another human. You know it’s dangerous but find yourself submitting to the high again and again.” [via Dork]
Greywind‘s ‘Antidote’ is an unforgiving blast of anthemic emotion; a biting dose of catharsis using the familiar lure of revenge as creative fuel. The track delves into the band’s darkest conflicting thoughts whilst also delivering their largest pop-driven chorus to date. Jointly produced by Sam Guaiana (Neck Deep, Silverstein, Like Pacific) and The Wonder Years guitarist Casey Cavaliere and mastered by Mike Kalajian (Saosin, New Found Glory, Circa Survive), it is but a taste of what’s to come from Greywind. “‘Antidote’ is full of all our rage,” says vocalist Steph. “We’ve always treated everyone with respect and kindness, but we saw so little of that in return. Really, these songs are a reminder to ourselves and to people listening that only you can save yourself. You can be in a dark place, and you can have all the support in the world—and I did, from Paul—but [sometimes] you’re the only one that can get yourself out of a toxic feedback loop.”
Scarlet Lastrapes’ debut single, ‘Shady Little Lady,’ releases via Eye Knee Records. In the tradition of artists like Lucy Dacus, St. Vincent, and Linda Rondstadt, Lastrapes blends pop elements of now and forever with her own, uniquely skewed imagination. ‘Shady Little Lady’ is a fresh slice of indie-pop, from a young voice both bright and assured. Speaking of the track, Lastrapes said, “‘Shady Little Lady’ is my own compulsion personified. I imagine she crawled through my ear one day, when I was just twelve years old. I believe neurodivergence to be sorely underrepresented in pop music, so, I tried to craft the song I wish I’d had when I was a kid, and first met Shady.” Her new track is also accompanied by a music video that blends live action and animation, providing a cinematic visual aid for the song’s storyline, tracking the pair’s relationship over the years.
Unapologetic rising artist CHINCHILLA has released the official video for her most recent single ‘Cut You Off’. Released last month, ‘Cut You Off’ is a power anthem loaded with feminine rage that explores the difficult emotional experience of finally cutting ties with a toxic person, representing the empowerment and freedom that comes with putting yourself first. Co-directed by the hotly tipped Harv Frost and Dora Paphides of Kode Media (The Last Dinner Party – ‘My Lady of Mercy’), the new video sees CHINCHILLA take a mind-bending journey through her brain and emotions, represented by different rooms as she moves from scene to scene. Commenting on the new video, CHINCHILLA says: “While writing ‘Cut You Off’, I was quite literally writing up the music video at the same time. I wanted the main idea of the video to emulate a dream world cult-like girly sleepover with your ‘girls’; the ceremony of blocking someone’s number. Each scene steps into different cutting-off worlds; an Edward Scissorhands hairdressers, a post-apocalyptic butchers, and a medieval blocking-their-number ritual… but make it all fashun.”
Breakthrough Australian singer songwriter Peach PRC takes you on an intergalactic trip aboard of her pink spaceship for the official music video for ‘Like A Girl Does,’ out now via Republic Records and Island Records Australia. In the music video, Peach PRC blasts off in a pink spaceship outfitted with four different “pleasure” rooms. Fittingly tongue-in-cheek, the visuals reflects the clever spirit of the lyrics and finds her on another level altogether.
Foremost professional whistler Molly Lewis has announced her debut album, On The Lips, alongside the brand new single, ‘Lounge Lizard’. Over the past year, Lewis has soundtracked one of the most emotional scenes in the Barbie movie alongside Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, lent her singular talents to fashion houses like Chanel, Gucci, and Hermes, and supported Weyes Blood on tour. The brand new single, ‘Lounge Lizard’ comes accompanied with a music video directed by Ambar Navarro and conceptualised by Molly Lewis, inspired by Julie London’s apparition in 1956’s The Girl Can’t Help It. “Wherever you happen to be, I’d like you to let this song soundtrack the next few minutes of your life. I hope that it accentuates your surroundings, gently transforming them into the sonic equivalent of having a personal sax player serenade you from the bath,” she says of the song. [via Line Of Best Fit]
Biig Piig has shared new single ‘Watch Me’. The R&B voyager shared her excellent Bubblegum mixtape earlier this year, but the creativity hasn’t stopped. Moving between London and Paris, she draws on the energy of both cities for her latest single release. Out now ‘Watch Me’ was constructed alongside Zach Nahome (PinkPantheress, Teezo Touchdown) and Maverick Sabre, and it contains the energy of her zesty live shows. A song about empowerment, ‘Watch Me’ reaches towards new-found confidence, with Biig Piig commenting: “’Watch Me’ is a track about empowerment. I found confidence in pushing new limits with it. It’s a song to feel yourself unapologetically and to strut to. Telling the world, I am that bitch, watch me.” In a neat twist Biig Piig takes the reins for the video, her directorial debut, no less. Co-directing alongside NWSPK, she adds: “I had a really clear vision of what I wanted the video to be, even when writing the track. I wanted to build a surreal world of strength through movement. That vision was a series of settings that were striking and confident.” [via Clash]
New Orleans-based chanteuse Anna Moss has announced her debut solo LP, Amnesty, set for release on March 22, 2024. On November 4, Moss released album track ‘Gravy,’ and now, she has released the song’s surrealistic video. Directed by New Orleans-based director Sasha Solodukhina in collaboration with production designer and painter, Sarah VanDerMeer, the video features Moss in an underwater scene – like a painting come to life, a singular world imagined through several mediums. ‘Gravy’ came to life in the wee hours of the morning as Moss was playing upright bass in her kitchen. “The wood floors make the bass sound amazing, and I was sinking into that sound,” she says. “I was thinking about the idea of falling in love and how people are often so ready and willing to abandon the labels and confinements they had built for themselves. Falling in love is like shedding a skin and becoming a new person. I was fixated on that feeling….losing all senses and truly being lost in the sauce,” she adds. “The urge to merge is powerful enough to sway any pre-existing concrete beliefs and thoughts. Love moves us like nothing else.” ‘Gravy’ also features New Orleans legend, Ashlin Parker (Dumpstaphunk, Trumpet Mafia), on trumpet.
Irish alt/rock band NewDad have shared their latest track ‘Nightmares’ – the third to be released from their upcoming album, MADRA. Speaking of the new single, vocalist/guitarist Julie Dawson says: “’Nightmares’ is about longing for something or someone, even though you shouldn’t, for whatever reason. It’s about not wanting to fall for someone because you know it’d never work. Basically, just wishing you despised them instead of adoring them.” The official video was directed by Zack Arlo with co-direction by Oliver Day. In their words, “The Irish word for Nightmares is tromluí, meaning trom (heavy; burden; oppression) + luí (lying down; state of rest). We took this as inspiration for the concept of the “Nightmares” video, given how much the Irish language has inspired the band. As Julie escapes the mundanity of her bedroom, her fate is sealed with the bite of a forbidden plum.” [via Line Of Best Fit]
The Byron region artist GIMMY’s new single, ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’, is out now via Third Eye Stimuli Records. In a statement, GIMMY’s Gemma Owens described ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’ as a tacky love song. “I love romance, all the chaos and honesty of it, not just the shining stuff but all the grit as well,” she said. ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’ offers a sly challenge to the heteronormative status quo. “Being queer, it feels important to me to reinvent and challenge gender roles,” said GIMMY. GIMMY directed the ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’ music video, with Dom Sullivan handling the camera work. The video – which features Owens and GIMMY band members Samson (guitar), Kyle (bass) and Barclay (drums) – supplements the song’s interrogation of gender roles. “I came up with the storyline and concept of challenging gender roles,” GIMMY said, “with Samson dressed as a woman, myself dressed as a man and Kyle and Barclay dressed as neutral, furniture-like objects to represent gender neutrality, in the respect that women can also portray a masculine quality of being chivalrous as well as men.” [via Music Feeds]
Gossip have announced Real Power, their first new album in 11 years. The new album was produced by Rick Rubin, who previously worked with Beth Ditto and the band on 2009’s Music for Men. The follow-up to 2012’s A Joyful Noise is out on March 22 via Columbia. Check out the Cody Critcheloe–directed video for ‘Crazy Again’ below. “Getting to work with Rick again was a true gift,” the band told NME. “He doesn’t remotely care about outside opinions around what you could or should be making. He creates calm, positive, open spaces—emotional space and the actual physical vibe of his studio—that make you free to experiment.” “We felt genuinely cared about and supported,” Gossip continued. “We’re both such maniacs, he’s amazing at helping us focus the chaos. We were writing like crazy, there are probably 30-40 songs and bits of things that came out of it, just throwing everything against the wall and having the best time! It’s not only about music, Rick helps you connect with yourself and everything else comes out of that. It’s a deep jam. We trust him completely.” [via Pitchfork]
In a deft indie-rock bop, Lucy McWilliams breaks down the intricacies of building a fake persona that is more lovable than what she thinks her true self is. ‘Plastic’ tugs at the heart strings of anyone who’s felt the need to put on a front for others. We’ve got a few distinct sections here in this song and each of them serve a different aspect of this narrative. The broken down verse sections utilize playful but somber guitar riffs, wandering baselines, and a minimalist kick and snare pattern to set the scene. The chorus comes in with a fully Weezer’d fuzz guitar tone after a moment of instrumental break. Chugging quarter notes fill the space. There’s a small jam as well that leans on guitar harmonies that are reminiscent of 90s power pop. All of it captures that 90s vibe, but McWilliams’ delivery keeps things contemporary and interesting. [via Melodic Mag]
