Each Friday, Atwood Journal’s employees share what they’ve been listening to that week – a track, an album, an artist – no matter’s been having an impression on them, within the second.
This week’s weekly roundup options music by Doechii, Naesia, Arcy Drive, Thomas Thomas, Lily Talmers, Midwife, Karley Scott Collins, LYRA, The Froot, O’Phantom, Azul Kechi, Alexia Religion, Kameron Marlowe, Buboy, Blue Capricorn, Jaidson, PANIK FLOWER, and Siblings!
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comply with WEEKLY ROUNDUP on Spotify 
:: “Nosebleeds” – Doechii ::
Brian Denney, Los Angeles, CA
On Sunday night time, Doechii collected the Grammy award for Greatest Rap Album for her masterful mixtape Alligator Bites By no means Heal – making historical past as solely the third girl to ever win the class because it was launched in 1995. Whereas she tearfully accepted her award, her victory lap had already begun.
Instantly after the Grammy Awards, Doechii dropped “Nosebleeds,” an immediately iconic, blatantly boastful, hype monitor declaring her place as rap’s queen of candor – riffing line after line about the way you’ll by no means know what would occur if she misplaced, due to course – she didn’t.
Stepped out the swamp to the stage
Reduce my mic off ’trigger I’m ’bout to misbehave
“Will she ever lose?”
Man, I suppose we’ll by no means know
“Will she lose hеr cool?”
I suppose we’ll by no means —
I hopped out the swamp, gave the bitch props
Doechii, the place you been?
“Doechii went pop”
“Will she ever lose?”
Man, I suppose we’ll by no means know
“Will she lose her cool?”
I suppose we’ll by no means —
“Nosebleeds” is greater than only a assertion – it’s a success. Beginning off with Doechii’s signature melodic gasps for breath, the monitor builds and builds with excessive power and catchy lyrics till the track tapers off over an sudden pop outro. It’s an ideal document, of a star proudly owning her second and her place in historical past, whereas concurrently reminding you that that is just the start.
:: Indecisive – Naesia ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Eire
Naesia’s debut EP Indecisive is a mesmerizing debut that seems like a late-night dialog together with your deepest ideas – heat, intimate, and not possible to disregard. At simply 25, the German-born, London-based singer, songwriter, and producer carves out her personal lane with a sound that seamlessly blends Lure, Neo-Soul, R&B, and Hip-Hop. Her sultry beats and introspective lyricism don’t simply make for straightforward listening; they pull you right into a world of emotional push-and-pull, the place love, self-discovery, and uncertainty collide. Whether or not it’s the hypnotic pull of “Mr. Mysterious” or the golden-hour glow of “Golden,” Naesia masterfully balances vulnerability with an plain groove.
The standout second arrives in “Indecisive (Interlude)”, the place she strips every little thing again, inviting listeners into an area of reflection and uncooked emotion. It’s an ideal pause earlier than the plush, passion-filled journey of “Take Me Excessive”, a monitor that sways between longing and ecstasy. With this four-track journey, Naesia isn’t simply showcasing her versatility—she’s redefining what it means to be an unbiased artist within the fashionable music panorama. “Indecisive” serves as a press release of intent, proving that Naesia’s artistry is one to look at. Stream it now, and let her sound wrap round you want a well-known, but thrilling, embrace.
:: “Oak Tree (Daydream)” – Arcy Drive ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
Somewhere alongside the road, the so-called ‘Info Age’ developed into an age of knowledge overload. The fixed entry to every little thing, in all places, on a regular basis, mixed with nonstop notifications, inevitably fried all of our brains, destroyed our consideration spans, and made life, on the entire, extra poisonous and fewer pleasurable.
However all hope is just not misplaced, and I’m a agency believer that artwork can save us – particularly music, and particularly songs like “Oak Tree (Daydream).” Arcy Drive’s first single of the yr is a smile-inducing people rock reverie basking in heat mild. It’s three minutes of sonic sunshine – an acoustic jamboree embracing life’s easy pleasures and reminding us that true pleasure and satisfaction received’t come from any doomscroll, however they may simply come from logging off, going outdoors, and touching grass.
Instructed my ft, I’m sitting by the large oak tree
Cardinal’s, jay’s all singing for the yellow bee’s
Sitting by the large oak tree,
yelling ollie oxen free
The pink swing chair they’re saying it’ll by no means break
I do know I don’t ever wish to go away this place
Dreaming of the large oak tree,
and yelling ollie oxen free
So excessive I really feel I believe like I’m grounded
Solar shines mild, strikes life, surrounded
So take me greater and better
“‘Daydream,’ ‘Oak Tree,’ no matter you wish to name it’s by far the weirdest track Arcy Drive has made collectively to this point,” Nick Mateyunas tells Atwood Journal. “The track has taken such a journey in its time and has related me with folks I by no means thought in my wildest desires I’d meet or see once more. I wrote the track in Buffalo, in my grandpa’s yard the place I spent most of my finest childhood recollections with my brother, sisters, and cousins. I used to be on a visit alone visiting my grandpa for his birthday. Throughout the gradual days I’d sit outdoors within the solar wanting round reflecting on all these inexperienced years that appeared to be gone. I felt my youth slip a bit on that journey to Buffalo.”
“I truthfully didn’t suppose a lot of the track, however for some cause it was the primary one the band pulled out of me once we went to write down collectively this final winter. All of us sat round by the piano and jammed the tune, and within the spur of the second I began singing, ‘What a day for a daydream’ over a brand new part. I knew what I used to be doing, however for some cause these phrases felt so proper for the track and that second in time.”
Sometime I’ll return to
taking part in youngsters’s video games
I’ll take my child to cardinals
and the yellow days
I’ll take him to the large oak tree
and educate him ollie oxen free
What he’s speaking about and we’re listening to – what Mateyunas and his bandmates skilled in writing and recording this track – is genuine cathartic launch. It’s the acknowledgement that occasions are at all times altering, however we don’t need to lose ourselves inside the chaos of that change; we have now the flexibility to ‘decide out’ and chase that ever-elusive bliss.
“‘Oak Tree’ is a dreamy track,” Mateyunas provides. “After I sing it I can really feel my childhood and movie my future… It was the primary time as a band that I felt like we achieved one thing nice. After I heard one line within the track, it made me consider my grandma, and that blended with every little thing all of sudden was an excessive amount of to deal with – I needed to go away the studio as a result of I felt myself breaking apart… I’ve by no means felt so weightless in actual time. The solar had such a novel mild to it, like how you’ll image it in an outdated reminiscence when it’s all hazy. I simply keep in mind drifting by means of the fields laughing and crying, telling my gram I cherished her and missed her.”
“That was one of many happiest days of my life. I keep in mind coming again into the studio and simply cherished each particular person standing in there.”
So excessive I really feel I believe like I’m grounded
Solar shines mild, strikes life, surrounded
So take me greater and better
Oh take me greater and better
Launched January 10th, “Oak Tree (Daydream)” is the candy, sun-kissed celebration 2025 wanted. We’re solely a month in, however that first month felt like a full-on yr. It’s going to be a protracted one, and we’ll want music full of love, mild, and laughter to assist see us by means of. Arcy Drive – along with particular visitor John Sebastian (founding father of The Lovin’ Spoonful) – have, with this track, given us not only a balm for the onerous occasions, but additionally a information again to our personal happiness – the locations and areas that middle us, giving us that means and objective. Tune out the noise, activate “Oak Tree (Daydream),” and discover your euphoria.
And what a day for a daydream (so he mentioned)
What a day for a daydream (yeah)
What an evening for a daydream (so he mentioned)
What a day for a daydream (yeah)
I rise up, I rise up, I rise up
I rise up, I rise up, I rise up once more
:: “One Lone Candle” – Thomas Thomas ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
I’ll be hitting ten years in my relationship this yr, and I’m glad I get to have fun that love with songs like “One Lone Candle.” Thomas Thomas’ first launch since 2021 is a dreamy, playful indie pop ode to these intimate connections that preserve burning brighter and deeper with each passing yr.
“I like the picture of a candle that refuses to exit, and that’s how I really feel concerning the love we have been making an attempt to seize on this track,” frontwoman Shannon Thomas shares. “It’s the gradual burn, the one which sticks with you lengthy after the flash of a fiery second has handed.”
You say
Darling you’re going gray
I’m in love, so in love,
nonetheless in love with the one I’ve
Youth fades
Oh in mysterious methods
I’m in love, so in love,
nonetheless in love with the one I’ve
Collectively, Shannon Thomas and her bandmate Thomas Englund (therefore the title ‘Thomas Thomas’) sing a heartwarming back-and-forth, their voices accompanied by jumpy guitars, a dynamic drum beat, and glistening keyboard chords – all of which add to a way of candy cheer, pleasure, and appreciation.
“The track is an ode to the often-unsung long-term relationship,” Thomas provides, diving deeper into the monitor. “It romanticizes beginning to see the odd gray hairs in your accomplice’s head and being lucky sufficient so as to add extra candles to the birthday cake. The track’s vocal hook, ‘one lone candle / one girlfriend’ is an allusion to the superstition that failing to blow out all of your candles will end in a relationship this coming yr. A single candle left burning felt like an ideal image to the concepts we have been exploring. The songwriting and association closely reference early pop music of the 50s/60s with its honest direct lyrics and woman gang vocal hooks. However the sonics are all fashionable indie-rock: jangly guitars and warbling synth leads.”
Don’t say it out loud
Or it received’t come true
All I’ve ever wished for was you
Candle depend might have elevated
However I nonetheless image the identical face
After I blow ’em down I at all times go away one
So that you say “oooh one girlfriend”
One lone candle
One girlfriend
One lone candle
On a deeply private degree, what makes “One Lone Candle” so particular is how expresses, in track, what I’ve thought and felt on daily basis for the previous ten years. It doesn’t get any higher than love, and whether or not you’re 1, 5, 10, or 50 years in, that love is – at all times and eternally – value cherishing. Songs like this solely serve to amplify that everlasting reality.
You keep
For yet another birthday
I’m in love, so in love,
nonetheless in love with the one I’ve
Don’t say it out loud
Or it received’t come true
All I’ve ever wished for was you
Candle depend might have elevated
However I nonetheless image the identical face
After I blow ’em down I at all times go away one
So that you say “oooh one girlfriend”
One lone candle
One girlfriend
One lone candle
:: It Is Cyclical, Lacking You – Lily Talmers ::
Josh Weiner, Washington DC
I had a protracted journey again from a ski journey to Vermont this previous Sunday night, however entry to some poppin’ new tunes at all times make prolonged journeys of this nature go by extra simply. On this case, it was a pleasure to make my manner by means of all of It Is Cyclical, Lacking You in a single go whereas driving residence to Boston.
The album’s creator, Lily Talmers, is initially from Michigan however now resides in Brooklyn, New York. She formally began recording music within the late 2010’s and has been mighty prolific throughout that interim, having launched 5 LPs since her 2019 debut, all whereas working full-time as a literature instructor. Every of the 13 songs in her new batch was recorded in a single take, and no fewer than 20 visitor musicians cease by to contribute quite a lot of devices (one, Konstantinos Revelas, even performs the bouzouki, in honor to the Greek heritage that each he and Talmers herself share).
The widespread narrative thread these songs share, in accordance with Talmers, is the theme of Hope. All through the album, this emotion is imagined as an individual, and every track particulars “the triumphs and depressing disappointments that end in saying ‘sure’ to her as she extends her hand to you.” Hope is as Greek a theme because it will get (as you’ll recall from the story of Pandora’s Field, maybe) and for it to be elaborated upon musically is sort of the intriguing prospect. It Is Cyclical, Lacking You pulls it off remarkably properly.
:: No Despair in Heaven – Midwife ::
Noa Jamir, Lafayette, Louisiana
Madeline Johnston, finest identified underneath the moniker Midwife, is an unimaginable one-woman present. From taking part in a number of devices, to audio engineering, to including backing vocals on Ethel Cain’s most up-to-date mission, in addition to releasing 5 of her personal albums underneath the ‘Midwife’ title since 2017, Johnston is a fragile and fascinating power to be reckoned with.
Her newest document, No Despair in Heaven, obtained crucial acclaim and was named Paste Journal’s 66th finest album of the yr in 2024. Singing by means of a phone receiver to create a whispered and heat sonic impact, Midwife delivers a hypnotic efficiency on No Despair. It creates a sense just like dissociating whereas driving on the freeway, the place instantly, half-hour have passed by, and you may’t keep in mind the place the time went or what you probably did with it. It’s a peaceable form of detachment from area and time.
The album’s melancholic temper, nostalgic melodies, and mantra-like choruses have a therapeutic impact on the noisy thoughts. Identical to mild sounds in ASMR can assist loosen up the physique, or how singing bowls would possibly put somebody comfortable throughout a bout of tension, No Despair serves as a balm for the weary soul. With every track, one falls deeper and deeper right into a state of tranquility and wholeness. It’s a blissful, somber, and tender soundscape to fall into.
:: “Runner” – Kaley Scott Collins ::
Emily Algar, Oxfordshire, UK
This week nation musician Karley Scott Collins launched her first track of 2025, “Runner,” a story of what your first actual heartbreak can do to you and the way it can inform all of the relationships that come after.
Born with an innocence
Raised in a picket fence
Again when ignorance was bliss
I gave you all of me
The sunshine in my eyes totally free
You sealed my destiny with a kiss
And I curse you by title
For what I grew to become
And I couldn’t even inform my very own mom
“They at all times say the primary reduce is the deepest and on this case it was true – it took me all of seven years to seek out the phrases to explain that feeling, of somebody hurting you so deeply that you just search for the worst components of them in everybody else you ever attempt to love, and the way somebody can affect the best way you take a look at love and vulnerability for a extremely very long time whether or not they should or not,” Karley Scott Collins tells Atwood Journal.
The track begins with an innocence and a primary love that doesn’t final. Every verse strikes by means of the wreckage and examines the scars of what that first heartbreak has carried out to each relationship since, “Hold my coronary heart in a vault/ These partitions are ten years tall/ There ain’t foot-holes to climb ‘em.” Every refrain is a reminder of what the very worst heartbreak can do to an individual.
Like all of her music, the track blends her two loves: nation and steel collectively. The music is heavy and has a repetitiveness because the piano chords unfold from the start to the tip of the track. Scott Collins’ voice is regular till we hit the bridge,with the bitterness and harm spilling out.
A breaker
A cry about it later
I don’t give ‘trigger I as soon as cherished a taker
I used to be a truster
You ripped the rug from underneath
The ft of a lady who as soon as was a lover
“Runner” is much less about the individual that harm her or the heartbreak that modified her, and extra concerning the lack of who she was, the particular person she ought to have been.
:: “Freak” – LYRA ::
Joe Beer, Surrey, UK
Irish pop artist LYRA unleashes her wild facet in her playful new single, “Freak.” Serving up an anthem to have fun each inch of who you might be, the songwriter urges you to by no means conceal your inner-freak, including, “It is a track about being an attractive ass highly effective girl. As a lady I’ve been advised “be attractive however not too attractive” properly f* that. This track is all concerning the energy of a lady’s sexuality. Deliver your ego to the dance flooring.”
The daring and unapologetic monitor enters with moody synths and hard-hitting beats pulsing with a darkish, edgy power. Casting a sinister vibe, “Freak” may have you underneath its spell, utterly hooked from begin to end. Along with her music beforehand detailing tales of affection and heartbreak, 2025 sees LYRA coming into a brand new period, as she focuses on self-love, empowerment and embracing who you might be.
:: “As Good As It Will get” – The Froot ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
The Froot’s first track of the yr is a heavy, psych-soaked fever dream stuffed with hazy sonics and hearty feelings. Launched January tenth, the achingly intense “As Good As It Will get” channels a well-known intrusive thought into heavy, hypnotic music, because the Hull, UK-based band invite us to affix of their meditative reverie – a rumination on what it means to be, to need, to have… are we ever happy? Do attaining our targets truly end in happiness, or is all of it a fallacy?
“This track is influenced by our heroes and the perfect songwriters of all time – The Beatles and all different Sixties songwriters which can be near our coronary heart who helped form us as a band,’ The Froot’s Louie Donoghue explains. “The track is carefully impressed by Rodriguez’ track ‘I Consider You,’ and Paul Weller’s track ‘Above the Clouds’ extra particularly and identifiably influenced this track, subconsciously, with a sprinkle of ‘fashionable’ synth sounds.”
“‘As Good As It Will get’ was written on my Sixties 12 string guitar in my bed room at my mum’s home. The track is about actual life and my actual life and actual residing,” he provides. “We name it Dreamgaze. Dream pop and Shoegaze, rolled into one. We goal to ship a timeless sound with actual, timeless songs.”
I take heed to “As Good As It Will get” and really hear Pink Floyd – which is a reference I don’t get to make fairly often. The sheer dreamy warmth of The Froot’s guitars, mixed with the uncooked aching in these vocals, are very paying homage to Pink Floyd’s late ‘80s and early ‘90s work on A Momentary Lapse of Purpose and The Division Bell – these ultimate put up–The Wall studio albums that, in my view, make up their most missed period. Over six minutes, The Froot entrance and enchant our ears, immersing us of their spectacular ‘dreamgaze’ world as they ponder the very nature of our fleeting human existence.
:: “Shadowpain” – O’Phantom ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
Tright here’s an untamed, unfiltered high quality to O’Phantom’s “Shadowpain” that makes it completely irresistible. From their sonics to the subject material, the Hull alt-rock collective’s second single is unapologetically uncooked – a feverish eruption of raging riffs and heavy drums, mixed with emotive vocals that ache in and out. Launched January 17th, the follow-up to final October’s debut single “Chilly Name” places the nascent band’s abilities – to not point out a definite penchant towards post-punk rock – on full show.
“For me, ‘Shadowpain’ actually grew to become a turning level for us as a collective,” keyboardist Rose Barker, who performs in O’Phantom’s core lineup along with bassist Rowan Foster and vocalist Daniel Mawer, explains. “It was the second track we recorded with Matt Peel, whose deep data of synths and digital music actually helped to push these sounds ahead within the monitor, and inspired us to step out of our consolation zone and develop. We nonetheless discover ourselves coming again to this track as a touchstone once we’re writing new materials.”
Darkish, churning, and charming, O’Phantom are undeniably beginning 2025 on a excessive word. “Shadowpain” is totally enthralling, making certain we pay additional shut consideration to this band over the months to return.
:: “Nada Más Solo” – Azul Kechi ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Eire
Azul Kechi’s newest single “Nada Más Solo” is a radiant testomony to self-discovery and inventive freedom, weaving collectively components of neo-soul, R&B, and jazz with seamless finesse. From the opening tight drum groove to the shimmering piano prospers, the monitor exudes heat and class, drawing listeners into its intimate but expansive soundscape. Azul’s vocal supply is effortlessly assured – her easy, expressive tones dancing between sultry croons and rhythmic spoken phrase, reinforcing the track’s empowering message of individuality and self-acceptance.
Past its lush instrumentation and modern manufacturing, “Nada Más Solo” thrives on its emotional core, capturing the essence of letting go and embracing one’s true self. Azul Kechi’s lyricism is as poetic as it’s daring, carried by a efficiency that feels each private and common. The monitor stands as a shimmering introduction to her world – one the place wealthy, textured melodies meet fearless self-expression, leaving listeners looking forward to extra of the soulful storytelling she’s poised to ship in “Celestial Love.”
:: “Butterfly Woman” – Alexia Religion ::
Grace Holtzclaw, Los Angeles, CA
Alexia Religion is a debut single from rising pop meets R&B sensation Alexia Religion. As a songwriter, Religion captivates with infectious melodies and vibrant hooks that breathe life into her heat, soulful vocals. Her debut launch, “Butterfly Woman,” is about remodeling into your finest self and hovering to new heights.
“Butterfly Woman” radiates with putting electronics, gripping percussion, and effervescent but rooted vocals from Religion herself. She sings, “Step away from the darkish / Come into the sunshine / You’re a butterfly woman / Don’t you’re a shining pearl.” The track encourages listeners to rediscover themselves by means of uplifting lyrics and touching metaphors that resonate deep with the center. “Butterfly Woman” is an anthemic celebration of self-love that reminds us all of our true energy inside.
Alexia Religion is dedicated to empowering girls by means of her songwriting. Her new single “Butterfly Woman” was produced by Printz Board. Exterior of music, Religion is an actress who has appeared on Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Fox Soul, and Sky Information London. Religion is a multi-faceted artist and “Butterfly Woman” is simply just the start for her.
:: “Right here Lies the Idiot” – Kameron Marlowe ::
Emily Algar, Oxfordshire, UK
“I made this mattress, if this barstool was a gravestone, right here lies the idiot” is one among my favorite lyrics. It’s intelligent, evocative and paints the proper image of drowning your sorrow in a bar.
Nation artist Kameron Marlowe co-wrote “Right here Lies the Idiot” with fellow nation artist Laci Kaye Sales space and producer Ben West. The track is the most recent single from Marlowe’s EP, Unhappy Tune for the Soul. The document has a vibe not dissimilar to Chris Stapleton’s breakout album document Traveller with its soulful, bluesy sound and gradual, nation drawl. Nevertheless, additionally it is totally distinctive to Marlowe. His songwriting is delicate, unhappy and at occasions, darkish, however above all, it’s sincere.
I’m very new to Marlowe and his music so I wasn’t positive what to anticipate. Nevertheless, once I heard he had coated “Burning Home” by country-pop artist Cam and had written with Sales space, I knew his music wasn’t going to be the run of the mill nation music.
“Right here Lies the Idiot” is among the saddest songs I’ve heard from a male artist shortly. Marlowe likens to being left, to being buried deep within the chilly earth. The narrator is aware of he’s guilty for the tip of a relationship, however nonetheless he sits on the bar, hoping she’ll choose up and wake him up.
Nights are gettin’ lengthy
and I’m gettin’ stressed
I’m callin’ your line,
hearin’ the dial,
rattling it, I’m determined
And I made this mattress
and I gotta lay right here
with out the lady I like
So right here lies the idiot
:: “Darling” – Buboy ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
The angst of youth comes at us full-throttle in Buboy’s first track of the yr. Independently launched January 8th, “Darling” is tender and turbulent, charming and churning: A gritty and glistening eruption of charged indie rock that speaks to an ocean of feelings inside and with out. Change comes at us quick, particularly in that lengthy transition from childhood into ‘maturity.’ Navigating these murky waters isn’t straightforward, and in “Darling,” 19-year-old Buboy unveils a few of the trials, and tribulations of his personal teenage years.
Inform me child, how does this finish?
I’m making an attempt my finest to get used to
Perhaps simply perhaps we’re not the identical
We’re not the identical
Inform me child, how does this finish?
I don’t really feel similar to I used to
Perhaps, child, that is the way it’s meant to be
Are we meant to be, cus
“‘Darling’ is the second single off my upcoming debut EP Sixteen, which is concerning the messy uncertainty of being that age,” he explains. “I wrote this track in Could of 2023 as I used to be graduating from highschool. ‘Darling’ began off as grieving how somebody I was shut with had modified a lot, into somebody I didn’t know anymore. I felt lots of anxiousness about rising distant from folks I needed to maintain shut. However over time, as I continued to write down and produce he track as I began faculty, it developed right into a extra joyful, triumphant celebration of development.”
“It initially felt like a cry out to the particular person I needed to nonetheless know, however finally it felt like I used to be extra so speaking to myself. Telling my youthful self that it’s okay to develop up and switch into somebody totally different. I nonetheless held the time we spent collectively warmly however I’ve grown up slightly bit, too. Now I’m celebrating that I’m not the identical as I used to be.”
Time hasn’t been so form to us now
And I do know you’re totally different, darling, oh
You’re totally different now, darling
You’re totally different now, darling, darling
You’re totally different now, darling, darling
They don’t let you know this whenever you’re younger, however the challenges by no means cease; you retain hitting an increasing number of of them as you age, and hopefully expertise makes you a greater navigator – however not at all times. “Darling” is thus an evergreen anthem of overcoming challenges and celebrating our adjustments – an intimate eruption, rife with roaring guitar licks and evocative vocals, that speaks to one among life’s fixed truths.
:: “Hear Me Out” – Blue Capricorn ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Eire
Blue Capricorn’s newest single “Hear Me Out” is an electrifying dive right into a sonic world the place digital, indie, and synth-driven beats collide. From the opening moments, the monitor exudes an emotional rawness that feels each intimate and common—a craving for connection, love, and understanding. Serving because the lead single from his forthcoming EP, “Hear Me Out” is a press release of intent. Blue Capricorn’s fearless strategy to mixing shimmering synths with intricate samples creates a soundscape that’s as daring as it’s tender, setting the tone for a mission destined to push boundaries.
The monitor’s backstory provides one other layer of intrigue. Initially conceived as a collaborative effort with Michael Briggs, “Hear Me Out” unexpectedly morphed into one thing deeply private—a chunk solely Blue Capricorn may personal. Its creation was fueled by improvisation and spontaneity, with the artist aiming to evoke particular feelings by means of every aspect. Lyrically, it’s a poignant exploration of vulnerability and the longing to be actually seen. Blue Capricorn describes it as one among his heaviest and most introspective works, and it reveals. Each word and lyric feels imbued together with his relentless drive to innovate and join. For followers of Ela Minus or Nicolas Jaar, “Hear Me Out” is a transformative pay attention that leaves you looking forward to what’s subsequent.
:: “Smoke Screens” – Jaidson ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Eire
Jaidson’s newest providing “Smoke Screens” is a testomony to the rising star’s revolutionary strategy to pop and R&B. The one, fastidiously crafted as a part of his formidable Unburdened Impact mission, showcases the artist’s signature sound to perfection. With Voix on manufacturing duties, the monitor boasts an added layer of depth and dynamism, making it not possible to get out of your head. Jaidson’s fascinating lyrics and infectious melodies have already earned him a loyal fanbase and important acclaim, and “Smoke Screens” is bound to additional cement his standing as a standout within the trade.
As Jaidson gears up for his subsequent studio mission “Retro Emotions” it’s clear that the way forward for pop and R&B is in good palms. Together with his distinctive mix of romance-infused melodies and revolutionary manufacturing components, he’s redefining the style one electrifying launch at a time. “Smoke Screens” is a masterclass in fashionable pop, with Jaidson’s artistry shining brighter than ever. If that is just the start, we are able to’t wait to see what’s subsequent for this proficient younger artist.
:: “alkaline” – PANIK FLOWER ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
It’s the inescapable aching on the core of PANIK FLOWER’s new track that hits me hardest – which is basically saying one thing, as a result of every little thing about “alkaline” hits onerous. The New York Metropolis dreamgaze (shoegaze + dream pop) band channel uncooked feelings right into a darkish, heavy, heated, and hazy ambiance – exhaling internal stress and turmoil as a cathartic and all-consuming musical fever dream.
Inhale the tide
the waves wash over
Fingers are tied
To be the place you lie
However the mattress’s been made
And the properly is dry
Alkaline…
“Jordan introduced this to us a very long time in the past, and I keep in mind being extremely persistent about having to flesh it out,” Mila Stieglitz-Courtney tells Atwood Journal. “There’s something concerning the chords which can be so fantastically haunting and are begging to be heard. What began as a enjoyable grouping of chords that Jordan was noodling round with quickly developed into an emotional winding street with peaks and valleys.”
“We spent lots of time perfecting the wall of sound firstly of this monitor – we needed to seize a sure depth with this half whereas additionally having or not it’s fuzzy and heat. The dynamics swiftly shift right into a extra pared again, sparse instrumental which actually performs with this push-pull juxtaposition that lots of the EP encompasses. You’re then thrust into this tremendous driving refrain. The entire track actually has this sense of craving from instrumentals to lyrics.”
Burnt in my thoughts
Scorched recollections
I can’t deny
Undo the time
Crimson chemistry
Now blue in dye
Alkaline…
Launched January 14th, “alkaline” is the lead single off PANIK FLOWER’s upcoming sophomore EP rearview, out April 30th. The follow-up to 2023’s debut EP Darkish Blue guarantees to push the band’s sound and subject material additional, exploring “id, particularly the double-sided nature of uncertainty and self-acceptance,” and “transcribing this self-exploration into a luxurious and emotive soundscape” (per the band).
What’s clear, for me, is that the five-piece of Sage Leopold, Mila Stieglitz-Courtney, Jordan Buzzell, Max Baird, and Marco Starger have discovered their residence in a hauntingly emotive, achingly evocative area the place sound itself blankets not simply the ears, however the thoughts and the soul. “alkaline” is a daring, masterfully hard-hitting eruption, and hopefully the primary of many extra to return.
:: “The Backyard” – Siblings ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
Tright here’s a candy, jazzy, sun-kissed, and soulful heat about Siblings’ first track of the yr that proves each irresistible and soothing. Launched January 17th, “The Backyard” is a beautiful embrace of life’s infinite ebbs and flows; of the tides that come and go inside us and round us; and of our very personal cycles of renewal and revival. Lush piano chords, spellbinding melodies, and lead singer Theo DW’s heated, soul-stirring vocals create a fascinating ambiance of dreamy, golden-hued surprise.
Good morning mentioned the kiss of day,
The world is altering in so some ways,
Model new birds on the sky,
And we’re on the lookout for a cause why,
I’m wondering why we got here,
On the wave of all our days,
On the ocean of affection inside,
We spill over to the opposite facet
Discover me within the backyard,
Discover me within the mild,
Discover me within the backyard,
Oh river of time,
Discover me within the ocean,
Within the seas and within the soil,
Life is within the backyard,
On the wishing tree I’m free
“Lyrically, it’s about rebirth; the backyard is a young place of innocence and unconscious change,” the band shares. “The musical concept relies on a chord development that Rob wrote years in the past and had been rearing its head on the piano at our rehearsals sometimes. Theo got here up with the refrain hook and from there the track developed to the place it’s now with some reference to a demo that Rob had made. It took a short time to get the vibe proper for the recording till we stumbled upon this distorted drum sound with brushes and delay which was a turning level after which the remaining got here simply.”
Blow a kiss mentioned the solar to earth,
All the time turning since your beginning,
All the time watching as you develop,
As one comes one other goes,
I’m a mountain you may see,
You’re the wave that flows in me,
All of the love so deep inside,
We roll over to the opposite facet
“The Backyard” is the lead single and title monitor off Siblings’ upcoming sophomore EP, and a putting take a look at the South London band’s wealthy musical expertise – their potential to deftly construct timbres and textures, harmonies and melodies collectively right into a singular, expressive outpouring. From Theo DW’s hot-on-the-mic singing and Rob Fenner’s radiant guitar soloing, to the deep grooves fashioned by the Matthew Willett’s piano, Michael Webb’s bass, and Ben Andrewes’ drums – and every little thing in-between – this track is a veritable wellspring of inspiration – a supply of refreshing sonic mild that I’ll inevitably preserve coming again to within the lengthy days, weeks, and months forward.
Discover me within the backyard,
Discover me within the mild,
Discover me within the backyard,
Oh river of time,
Discover me within the ocean,
Within the seas and within the soil,
Life is within the backyard,
On the wishing tree I’m free
Discover me within the backyard,
Discover me within the mild,
Discover me within the backyard,
Oh river of sunshine,
Discover me within the ocean,
Within the seas and within the soil,
Life is within the backyard,
On the wishing tree I’m free
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