CHROMATICS - TIME RIDER

A: CHROMATICS
S: TIME RIDER

The last time anyone saw the Chromatics, they were performing in a forest with Julee Cruise on the penultimate episode of Twin Peaks: The Return. Beyond that, however, they haven’t actually toured together in nearly five years. That all changes in 2019. To ignite the hype, they’ve also dropped a new song titled “Time Rider” that finds vocalist Ruth Radelet riding on a motorcycle that doubles as a metaphor for both time and death.

... he's just a whisper away from you.

Tahiti 80 - Hurts

A: Tahiti 80
S: Hurts

Tahiti 80 are a French indie pop band originally from Rouen, Normandy. They have been around and kicking since the mid 90s and if you want to put their sound into words it goes something like this: guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion, vocals ... and sometimes all at once.

... but I've been through so much worse.

The Japanese House - Maybe You're the Reason

A: The Japanese House
S: Maybe You're the Reason

The Japanese House’s song Maybe You’re the Reason disavows from the insular nature of Amber Bain’s relationships by being completely cognizant of them. Bain has let herself figure out… herself. Released January 14, Maybe You’re the Reason is the latest single off The Japanese House’s long-awaited debut album, Good at Falling. Anticipate below.

... I tried my best at sleeping but my dreams were unappealing.

Two Door Cinema Club - Talk

A: Two Door Cinema Club
S: Talk

Two Door Cinema Club have found a new groove in the outrageous video for their new single titled Talk. Speaking about the new record, singer Alex Trimble says: I love the pop thing. I love experimenting and going to different places, I love doing things that are a little bit wonky and I love the idea of doing something we haven’t done before.

... pulled and pried, a push don’t make it right.

Shura - BKLYNLDN

A: Shura
S: BKLYNLDN

BKLYNLDN, alternatively titled Brooklyn London, is the lead single of British musician Shura’s second studio album. The Manchester, UK, native’s slow-tempo track is the first taste of her second album following her 2016 debut Nothing's Real. In the new tune, Shura sings about a long-distance love, exploring the romantic longing through the modern-day lens. Enjoy below.

... This isn't love, this is an emergency.

Drugdealer Feat. Weyes Blood - Honey

A: Drugdealer Feat. Weyes Blood
S: Honey

Coming on the heels of 2016’s wondrously delicate Suddenly, Drugdealer Michael Collins and Weyes Blood Natalie Mering team up once again for a radiant ballad fit for modern times. Delving into the contemporary uncertainty and restlessness, Collins and Mering are forthright in their examination of anxiety and creativity in an ultra commercialized world.

... the problem with fame is that everybody is going to lose their edge.

Foxwarren - Sunset Canyon

A: Foxwarren
S: Sunset Canyon

Foxwarren comprises Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Shauf along with his childhood friends Dallas Bryson and brothers Darryl Kissick and Avery Kissick. Last year, they released a self-titled debut album. To celebrate, the band have a brand new video for the dreamy Sunset Canyon, shot through a warmly lit vintage filter, capturing a glamorous cruise along the winding California hillside.

... I'll be alright, sunset cigarette greet the morning light.

Benny Sings - Not Enough

A: Benny Sings
S: Not Enough

Dutch multi-instrumentalist Benny Sings has shared the dazzling clip for Not Enough. The songwriter's deft fusion of opaque 80s soul, yacht pop, and hip-hop beats has made for a singular catalogue, one tied to an extrovert lyrical sense. His new album City Pop is out now on the streaming service of your preference. There's a slight Hall & Oats feel in the arrangement, with the slinky bass line moving against those tinkling notes of piano. Love it below.

... you can't break my dreams.

Lewis OfMan Feat. Milena Leblanc - Plein De Bisous

A: Lewis OfMan Feat. Milena Leblanc
S: Plein De Bisous

With tints of youth and at the same time hints of 70’s Italian film soundtracks, Lewis OfMan's music creates a shivering atmosphere where melancholia meets elevation and joy. He started music as a drummer and then learnt the piano and guitar by himself. His songs, with sophisticated jazzy chords and polished up percussions, have the will to take his audience along in a shared emotionalism sphere. With his youthful features, Lewis steps forward as a precursor.

... un amour de plus, qui s'échappe.

VIDEOCLUB - Amour plastique

A: VIDEOCLUB
S: Amour plastique

A tout juste 16 ans, Adèle Castillon possède déjà un CV bien rempli et diversifié. La star de Youtube qui est aussi actrice au cinéma se lance maintenant dans la musique. Avec son groupe VideoClub, l'adolescente a dévoilé le clip du morceau Amour plastique, dans lequel les internautes assistent à la naissance d'un amour sincère et profond.

... je me perds dans tes yeux.

Requin Chagrin - Sémaphore

A: Requin Chagrin
S: Sémaphore

Just like her moniker suggests it, Requin Chagrin (Shark Chagrin in English) depicts contrasted indie pop soundscapes, combining the strength of a ferocious predator with a seaside melancholia. Behind the oxymoron, one can find the mastermind, singer-songwriter, producer and musician Marion Brunetto. Requin Chagrin is now ready to unveil her second album Sémaphore, the imprint of Indochine‘s frontman Nicola Sirkis.

... nos envies ne sont plus personne.

Kid Francescoli - Moon

A: Kid Francescoli
S: Moon

It has been a while since I last left you with an instrumental track, but this dreamy gem seems like the perfect choice to celebrate the start of my first vacation this year, escaping for a dash or two of sun drenched mediterranean. Recharge yourself below.

... and it went like.

Julia Jacklin - Head Alone

A: Julia Jacklin
S: Head Alone

The follow-up to Julia's debut Don't Let The Kids Win is called Crushing which was out last month. The track finds the Sydney-based artist in electric mode and was written on the road after being in many confined, small spaces with people for about two years. She describes it as the musical equivalent of me just throwing my arms wide open and running into an empty carpark and screaming at the sky.

... my head alone gives nothing away.

Orville Peck - Dead of Night

A: Orville Peck
S: Dead Of Night

Combining the lovelorn croons of a desert highway with ambient shoegaze rhythms, Orville Peck makes music to fall in and out of love to, and Dead of Night is no exception. Peck's self-branded homoerotic cowboy pop captures a dusty trail of memories, his expansive vocal range recalling the adventures of two young hustlers and their whirlwind romance. 

... we laugh until we cry.

Claire Laffut - Gare du Nord

A: Claire Laffut
S: Gare du Nord

Get ready to get down with Claire Laffut, mixing some jazz with polyrhythmic percussions as well as enough French pop to reincarnate Karl Lagerfeld. Or to put it in her own words: Music from a Belgian kid: childish, sweet like a lemon tart with a meringue topping. I mix this with a small touch of soul and African rhythms, fresh pop filled with bossa nova and jazzy notes. Because I love dancing, and I also love the heat.

... on reste tous des enfants.

Part Time Feat. Ariel Pink - I Can Treat You Better

A: Part Time Feat. Ariel Pink
S: I Can Treat You Better

David Loca, also known as David Speck, has been making ’80s-indebted weird-pop under the name Part Time for a long while now. And now he’s teamed up with fellow ’80s weird-pop auteur Ariel Pink for new song I Can Treat You Better, the lead single from his new full-length Spell #6. The album finds Loca nudging his murky lo-fi songcraft into the light. Discover below.

... I could show you he's not right.

Fettes Brot - Du driftest nach rechts

A: Fettes Brot
S: Du driftest nach rechts

Das neue Fettes Brot Album Lovestory enthält einen Song, der das traurige Ende einer alten Liebesgeschichte besingt und den heute notwendigen Satz Nazis küsst man nicht anwendet. Der Text kritisiert die Kritik am sogenannten seligen Merkelstaat und löst beim Menschen mit Menschenverstand nur noch Unverständnis aus, zwingt ihn erst in die Knie, dann zur Trennung. Denn, so warnt die deutsche Geschichte und indirekt die erste Zeile: Nur vorbildliche Haltung macht ist sexy.

... du bist nicht mehr wie du warst.

Arthur Russell - Not Checking Up

A: Arthur Russell
S: Not Checking Up

If you’re a certain strain of music fan, myself included, the intimacy of hearing an idea as it’s still being captured holds a certain romance that a studio track can’t match. Arthur Russell, who left nearly 1,000 hours of unreleased tapes when he died in 1992, could be the patron saint of the demo. He released only one solo album, 1986’s World of Echo, but his influence has only grown after his passing. When Devendra Banhart announced he was curating a compilation of other artists’ demos, the inclusion of Russell felt preordained. Demos encourage that type of mysticism. Russell’s music does, too.

... I still wanna know you, some way.

Solange - Almeda

A: Solange
S: Almeda

It must not be easy being Beyoncé’s little sister. Solange will always be in Queen Bey’s commercial shadow, even when she branches out, but it’s that drive for individualism that leads to exceptionalism on Almeda. Solange boasts a long list of African-American attributes to the point where it’s impossible not see a clear portrait of what she is talking about. 

... black faith still can't be washed away.

Mac DeMarco - Nobody

A: Mac DeMarco
S: Nobody

You might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but pups with some years on them are usually mellower companions. Mac DeMarco’s 2017’s acoustic guitar-favoring This Old Dog, was an impeccable, if low-stakes record, a welcome stroll into singer-songwriter maturity. Listening to Nobody, the first single from his forthcoming album, Here Comes the Cowboy, can be a bit like noticing a longtime friend’s hair has sprouted a spot or two of silver since you last met, but it’s only made them look more distinguished.

... there's no second chance, no third degree.

The National - You Had Your Soul with You

A: The National
S: You Had Your Soul with You

On The National's latest single the National are Nationaling again, but then another human sings. A non-Berninger voice on a National song feels like a coyote loose in a public park—how did it get here? Is it okay? And not just any human, but David Bowie bandmate Gail Ann Dorsey. The moment is revelatory, and as the song opens up into a sunset of strings and woodwinds, the National reveal a distant new horizon for what was once the most narrowly focused indie rock band in existence.

... you have no idea how hard I died when you left.

George Ezra - Pretty Shining People

A: George Ezra
S: Pretty Shining People

Pretty Shining People is the opening song and third single to George Ezra’s second studio album Staying at Tamara’s. The song is all about us being better together. The world is a better place when we love each other, as Ezra said on Twitter after the release. Enjoy below, especially some unimpressed faces by some sassy kindergarten kids.

... we're alright together.

Vampire Weekend Feat. Steve Lacy - Sunflower

A: Vampire Weekend Feat. Steve Lacy
S: Sunflower

On Sunflower, Vampire Weekend's latest offering featuring the Internet’s guitarist wunderkind Steve Lacy, the band keep the palette of the ’70s alive, though it is questionably tasteful. The track is weirder and more psychedelic than the other songs unveiled from their album so far, a peculiar new piece of the larger Father of the Bride puzzle.

... no power can compel you.

Foals - On The Luna

A: Foals
S: On The Luna

Foals released this jerky new cut called On The Luna ahead from their new and two-part album project Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost. Exits, which was previously released and also featured on this little blog of mine, are both featured on part 1, which was out on March 8 and will be followed by a second chapter in autumn. So stay tuned.

... they say that heaven is other people.

The Black Keys - Lo/Hi

A: The Black Keys
S: Lo/Hi

The Black Keys have been on hiatus ever since touring behind 2014’s Turn Blue wrapped up, and Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have stayed busy with countless side projects. Lo/Hi is the Keys’ first song in five years, the sort of chooglin’ groove they made their name on. No word yet as to a new album, but it seems unlikely that the Black Keys would return after five years for nothing more than a one-off single, right?

... no one to hold back your hair.

Rosie Lowe - Birdsong

A: Rosie Lowe
S: Birdsong

Ready or not, you can catch Rosie Lowe on her tour through Europe, including a concert at Berlin's infamous club Berghain next Tuesday. If that doesn't fit your calendar, make sure you mark May 10 when Rosie's sophomore album YU hits record shelves and streaming elves alike.

...  it's the very thought of you that gets me through the night.

Agar Agar - You'Re High

A: Agar Agar
S: You'Re High

If you ever thought you love Demon's You Are My High but wouldn't mind having it a notch or two more melodramatic, well look no further because Agar Agar has heard your wishes and put out this funky gem which could well be the other's track depressed sibling. Comfort below.

... I was scared of love, your highness.

Solange - Stay Flo

A: Solange
S: Stay Flo

Last week, Solange released When I Get Home, along with a short film by the same name. And she hosted accompanying album experience events around Houston. The record is Solange’s first album since 2016’s incredible A Seat At The Table. The new album features guest appearances and production by Playboi Carti, Gucci Mane, Cassie, The-Dream, Dev Hynes, Metro Boomin, Panda Bear, Scarface, Tyler, The Creator, and more - but all lyrics were written solely by Solange herself. 

... making pain, swear you gonna go.

Weezer - Take On Me

A: Weezer
S: Take On Me

A couple of weeks ago, Weezer surprise-dropped The Teal Album on us. Building on the success of their cover of Weezer’s Africa, Weezer covered a whole bunch of pop classics that everyone knows. And now they’ve made a video for another one of those. They’ve given the cinematic treatment to Take On Me, the early-MTV classic from Norwegian synthpoppers A-ha. And they’ve got a star on board.

... I'll be gone in a day or two.

Carly Rae Jepsen - No Drug Like Me

A: Carly Rae Jepsen
S: No Drug Like Me

Jepsies rejoice! Carly Rae Jepsen released two glittering new tracks off her upcoming album last Wednesday. The lovestruck Now That I Found You is a classic Carly pop confection, featuring the Canadian star’s signature bubbly lyrics and synth-heavy, ‘80s-inspired sound. The second song, No Drug Like Me, slows things down to steady mid-tempo jam, but its lyrics remain equally adoring.

... take me so up and down.

People Under The Stairs - Trippin' At The Disco !!!

A: People Under the Stairs
S: Trippin' At The Disco !!!

This funky gem is the fifth track on Carried Away which was and still is the seventh album by People Under the Stairs. The album is a mixture of the Golden age hip hop sound of their earlier releases, and a continuation of the more expansive sample-sourcing of their last two albums. Get tripping' below.

... skills needed to apply, dress chic and be denied.