Though it’s been sadly confirmed that there will not be a live-action take on Power Puff Girls, something good has come from the idea. Would Be by Las Nubes is a juggernaut track that would have been perfect for its soundtrack. Would Be by Las Nubes The song, which will also feature on the band’s Tormentas Malsanas album, has a strong 90s influence, slotting nicely alongside the likes of Pixies, Hole, and Lush. The personal lyrics are paired with a guitar-led arrangement that veers from grunge to punk and back, though the smooth flow of the song feels inspired by dreampop. Melodic and moody, W ..read more

Primer – the creative project of Los Angeles based vocalist and producer Alyssa Midcalf – let us hear Round and Round; the heartfelt slow burning electro-oriented gem that is the title track of her upcoming EP. Now, you can hear it too! The electronic foundation of the track feels and sounds reminiscent of Goldfrapp and Daft Punk at their witty and danceable best. The melody is more downtempo than you’d associate with those groups, Midcalf’s vocals fillling the song with an energy that is at times earthy or vulnerable, but always commanding.      Primer has a series of li ..read more

Make Your Mind Up sees mysterious masked duo Sock Drawer match a sensual electro/funk flavoured number to a hilarious video. Watch the reactions of the robot heads for some extra laughs.   The Brighton-based duo hit the sexual tension – and the sax – hard on a track bless with restrained vocals that radiate lust and a hint of frustration. Make Your Mind Up is a bit indie, and a bit rock and roll, more than a bit of 80s Prince, and you’ll be a winner if you add this song to your date night playlists. If Tinder (or Grindr) made music, it would probably sound a lot like this. Says the band ..read more

Berlin-based musician Mary Ocher prepares for the release of Your Guide to Revolution – her seventh album – by revealing this stunning and thought-provoking video for featured song Sympathize. Breaking down the walls between pop and Avant Garde music, as well as pop culture and the political sphere; Sympathize works wonderfully as both as art and as polemic. The song seeks to stir the listener in to action, moving us from the scrolling, swiping, and liking that some would like us to view as activism. The pop-rock energy of the arrangement doesn’t distract from the lyrics, instead giving them ..read more

On Late, Earth Surrender – the solo projected of UK musician Calam Wight – tackles not just the emotional aspects of millennial angst, but also its effect on relationships and the psyche. Late by Earth Surrender The lovelorn nature of the lyrics finds a perfect outlet in the pain-ridden nature of Wight’s vocal delivery. The song is far from doomy though, as the post-punk energy of the arrangement is wrapped around a driving, hook-filled melody. Says Wright, “In one way Late is about like 95 percent of other songs; relationships but I feel it’s more about the relationship to time instead. I’m ..read more

Tangled sees Winnie Ama comment on the complexities and pleasures of love on a pop-RNB bop that should be an essential part of your summer playlists. Check out the lyric video for the track below. There’s a lot of piri and Jessie Ware about the song, perfect pop with a purpose, as the arrangement effortlessly frames the soulful sounds of Ama’s sparkling, joyous vocal performance. Winnie Ama · Tangled Shares Ama about Tangled, ‘’I was inspired by Ottile Patterson’s version of the jazz standard I Can’t Give You Anything but Love. It’s about the highs and vulnerabilities we experience in a happy ..read more

Hot on the heels of February’s Fast Paint EP, Londoner Vincent Christ returns with another moody post-punk banger, The Finest Times. The Finest Times by Vincent Christ The song sees Christ wear his influences on his sleeve: the brooding, smoky vocals are underpinned by a muscular post-punk rhythm section, while the song is topped off in glorious style by a sax solo that is drenched in melancholy. Christ himself seems to channel the spirits of Bowie, Morrissey, and Billy Idol in equal measure, which does push the retro chic of The Finest Times even further. But when the end result is something ..read more

Though I Wanna Cry may be accompanied by an arresting and stylish monochrome video, but the new single from Berlin-based trio Elektrokohle is full of the most vivid and visceral colours. The trio – Suzan Flag on bass, the wonderfully named Mr. Cigarette Butt on vocals and synths, and Mona Manie on guitar – create an uproarious and unholy racket on I Wanna Cry. As the vocals and lyrics paint a technicolour picture of longing and despair, the thunderous melody finds the perfect companion in the stark strobe and smoke effects of the video. Both song and visuals work well on their own, but toget ..read more

Top of the World finds Julia Logan teaming up once again with producer Daniel Bengtson – also known for his work with First Aid Kit and James Yorkston – as co-writer, as the Swedish singer begins work on her new album. DumontDumont · Julia Logan – Top of the World The restrained but emotionally resonant Top of the World gives us a tantalising glimpse of the beautiful folk flavoured pop that’s sure to be coming our way. Logan has roots in both Sweden and southern California, something that comes through in almost every aspect of the song. The cadences of the vocals and melody feel very in tun ..read more

Irish musician and singer-songwriter with a difference, Niamh Regan, gears up for the release of her Come As You Are album by treating us to the introspective electronica-infused sounds of Nice. Nice by Niamh Regan The track, which is the third to drop from the long player, showcases the Beth Gibbons/Ane Brun style torch singer intensity of Regan’s vocals to wonderful effect. The arrangement draws from folk, electronica and trip-hop, but feels so cohesive, so smooth in delivering a sense of inner turmoil, it sits outside genre boxes and conventions. Reveals Regan about the lyrics, “Nice is son ..read more