BANKS - UNDERDOG

BANKS is an artist that has become known for her downtempo electronica and dark r&b. After two widely successful albums ‘Goddess’ released in 2014 and ‘The Altar’ released in 2016, she is slowly coming back with new music. After giving us a new single called ‘Crowded Places’ earlier this year she is back with another new track titled ‘Underdog’. The track features the enigmatic electronica and the brooding vocal tones BANKS has become well known for. With a catchy chorus and minimalist electronic rhythms woven into the track, this is a very welcome return from BANKS as she continues to impress, producing some of the most dynamic and cutting edge electronic music today. 

MAGGIE ROGERS - SPLIT STONES

Maggie Rogers is a new artist that hit the ground running when it came to her music career. As a student at NYU she had the chance to let songwriter and record producer Pharell Williams listen to the rough demo of what was to be her debut single 'Alaska'. After being stunned into silence and gaining the approval and a co-sign from Pharell Williams Rogers already had a lot of expectation and pressure before she even started to release her own music. Her unique blend of folk and electronica is something that few, including Pharell, have heard before. After releasing her debut single Alaska and touring after the release of her EP ‘Now That The Light Is Fading’ earlier this year to much praise, she has only grown in popularity and success. It's been a while since we have heard anything from her but a week ago she released a new record titled 'Split Stones'. The record gives us the familiar Maggie Rogers sound that we have become accustomed to, a mix of natural vocals, folk elements and electronic house rhythms. Her first record Alaska featured field recording from when she went on a solo hike around the US. Similarly this song features small sounds and noises she recorded while going on a month long trip around the state of Oregon. Rogers initially started out as a Banjo player at a young age, when studying as a music student at NYU she began creating pure folk and country music. It was only after a summer trip to France during her time at NYU that she discovered a newfound love and appreciation for dance and electronic music. Her passion to create music that blends these two genres, often labelled ‘Folktronica’, is the reason she really stands out as a new and fresh artist. Her music adds a new twist to the traditional folk genre. 

The new track features multiple build up’s and crescendos with looping sounds of Roger’s exhaling breath and electronic drum machine percussion. Paired with her familiar husky, soulful and folk driven voice and a collection of sounds recorded from her travels, the song is an upbeat and dance-y track that further cements Roger’s ambitious musical style. The percussion quickens leading into a rousing chorus with Roger’s crisp and clear vocal tones. This new song is Roger’s ‘parting gift’ as she leaves college and begins a new chapter in her life. The song is a thank you to all the new fans she has gathered in the past year and for the success of her first tour. It marks a brief hiatus for the American singer songwriter as she works on new material that is more focused on her experiences out of college. In a note she posted on her Instagram account alongside the link to the new music video, Rogers said “This is me saying goodbye for a little while. Here's to the end of the beginning and the start of everything else". With the way she has already developed as a songwriter and a musician, I cannot wait to hear more from this unique and very talented songstress. 

WOLF ALICE - BEAUTIFULLY UNCONVENTIONAL

In the lead up to the North London four piece’s second album ‘Visions Of A Life’ released on September 29th, Wolf Alice have progressively been releasing singles from the new record. Their first release ‘Yuk Foo’ packs a punch and gives us a taste of the more heavy punk rock sound the band can perfectly produce. Contrastingly their second single ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ featured the more laid back, delicate indie sound the band have mastered since breaking out into the industry in 2013 with their official debut single ‘Fluffy’. One of the main things I really love about Wolf Alice is their dedication to experimentation. The band never gets comfortable sticking with just one genre. They truly are musical shape-shifters. They create music that is wonderfully diverse, from indie folk to punk rock and these two new singles brilliantly represent that broad range. The most recent single, released a week ago on the 14th of August is an upbeat 2 minute track that once again shows just how changeable the bands musical style can be. Comparing just these three new singles exemplifies the ever expanding sound of the band. 

This song titled ‘Beautifully Unconventional’ in particular leans more towards the band’s indie rock/alternative rock stylings. Through the lyrics, lead singer Ellie Rowsell’s vocals paint a picture of a ‘partners in crime’ kind of friendship. Referencing the popular 1988 film ‘Heathers’, she describes their relationship as being two outsiders joining together in a world full of popular girls and high school cliques. Sharp and bluesy guitar riffs drive the song forward along with Rowsell’s distinct gritty vocals, creating a very compelling and snappy 2 minute record. Wolf Alice’s second full length LP ‘Visions Of A Life’ is released on September 29th. Announcing the release of their second album on Twitter the band shared they are ‘immensely proud of this album’ and I personally cannot wait to hear more. 

NATALIYA - HONEST

First impressions are important for any artist, and this debut single from fresh new songstress Nataliya is a perfect example of how to enter into the industry properly. Her first track titled ‘Honest’ is an impactful and soulful pop record that will leave you wanting more. A catchy chorus wrapped up with smooth and mellow r&b rhythms layered over Nataliya’s soft vocal tones creates a song that is widely accessible and sure to be popular with many. It’s always great when you hear a new artist and immediately see a lot of promise and potential. For me this LA based singer is one of those special cases and although little is known about her right now, I cannot wait to hear more material from her in the future.  

SKOTT - MERMAID

I have been a huge fan of SKOTT ever since she debuted with her single Porcelain in 2016, a beautiful and fragile indie folk song that highlighted SKOTT’s now notorious vocal range. Since her debut and after releasing a handful of other songs throughout last year and earlier this year, SKOTT has had a permanent place on my one’s to watch list. She has remained extremely consistent in producing delightfully dark and mystical indie folk songs with a pop edge. For me, it is always an extra special treat when the Norwegian songstress releases a new single into the world and with her new track ‘Mermaid’ once again SKOTT surpasses expectations and continues to show off her vocal capabilities. The track features very atmospheric production and is arranged in a familiar way with explosive choruses and brooding verses layered over minimal electronic beats. The track also incorporates a recurring piano hook that is extremely catchy and adds yet another dimension to the song. 

The choruses within the song are where you find SKOTT’s voice truly shines as she showcases her ability to reach damn near inhuman falsetto notes. The track features less of a dark alternative/indie folk vibe than past releases and instead leans more towards an indie pop type sound. Overall, the mystical and dreamy musical style that SKOTT has mastered and become known for is well represented in this song and adds to her already very consistent and impressive discography. Her distinct and unconventional indie folk sound is growing in popularity and if you’re not a fan of SKOTT already, you should be after listening to this. 

RATIONALE - LOVING LIFE

Rationale is one act that has remained consistently impressive with his releases and his distinct  vocal abilities. I first discovered his stunning vocal talent in 2015 after hearing his song ‘Fast Lane’ which is a paradoxically slow burning gem with understated guitar twangs and soothing synthesisers. After a string of releases in the past two years he is back with another remarkable song. His unique voice is always a treat to hear and much like his previous releases this new single titled ‘Loving Life’ does not disappoint. The song, like many of his past releases, perfectly showcases Rationale’s powerful voice. Since his debut in 2015, he has proven his voice is extremely versatile and can fit into multiple genres from soulful R&B and Synth Pop to creating house oriented records like this new track. Ever since his debut, Rationale’s musical style always carries a heady synth pop rhythm with booming vocals layered on top. With this new track his vocal abilities continue to impress as his voice rises and falls into falsetto highs and soulful lows. 

The new track has an addictive summery vibe and a catchy chorus that will remain stuck in your head for days. For too long Rationale’s talent has been underrated but with a debut album just around the corner I’m certain he will not be kept under the radar for much longer. You can expect his self titled debut album to be released on the 6th of October this year and to celebrate you can catch him touring the biggest cities in the UK throughout October. 

BILLIE EILISH - COPYCAT

Billie Eilish is a young singer songwriter who is constantly growing in popularity and confidence. After hearing her first two singles Ocean Eyes and Six Feet Under last year I was not only amazed by her creative songwriting and distinct vocals but also shocked to learn that she is only 15 years old. This year she’s back with a handful of new songs that hint towards a first album in the near future and is a taster of her soon to be released EP ‘don’t smile at me’. After releasing the extremely catching and dark ‘Bellyache’ in March she has subsequently released singles ‘Bored’ and ‘Watch’ in June, all three perfectly being used to illustrate the musical style of the young Billie Eilish. For someone so young, Billie Eilish’s music oozes maturity and confidence, she already knows her place in the music industry and is already secure in the type of music she wants to continue producing. 

The newest addition to her growing collection of releases is called ‘copycat’ and was released on the 13th of this month. Once again, the menacing and twisted quality of her music shines through. The distorted bass and heavy percussion coupled with Billie’s clever songwriting and brooding melancholic voice (that has become her trademark at this point) creates a song that is dark and satisfying. The song gives us a glimpse of the music style and brand Billie is attempting to carve out for herself. Within the space of one year Billie Eilish has gone from promising singer songwriter to rising pop power house, there is no doubt that pretty soon she’s going to be big. I’ll be eagerly awaiting more new material from this talented young artist in the run up to the release of her ‘don’t smile at me’ EP.