Coldplay - Higher Power
Coldplay are well and truly back with their new release 'Higher Power'. Much like, well, any given artist in the last few years, Coldplay's new release definitely has an 80s synth feel to it and is far more in a pop direction than fans may have been expecting.
Higher Power is by no means up there with the best of Coldplay's songs, but it's incredibly catchy and offers something different from previous releases.
The New Nostalgia - Bridges
The New Nostalgia’s latest release 'Bridges' is an upbeat track that discusses the concept of feeling behind others that may appear to be doing better in life than you are.
The raucous drums and guitar riffs are infectious and will have you tapping along in no time. Somewhat ironically, the bridge brilliantly builds the song to its climax and acts as the stand-out part of the song.
Conan Gray - Astronomy
Conan Gray's 'Astronomy' is the second single from his upcoming release. The song has an acoustic guitar instrumental as its base, which becomes layered with Gray's stunning vocals and additional instrumentals that add an echo-y feel and lift the song to a new level.
Split the Dealer - Dreamstate
Split the Dealer is a song that appears on the surface to be a dreamscape of indie pop, but when you take a deep delve into the lyrics you find a much more serious message than first anticipated.
The song has the feel of a coming-of-age indie movie and a lads night out all in one, a combination you might not think possible but 'Dreamstate' would prove you wrong.
The band said themselves about the song "I wanted ‘Dreamstate’ to carry a real juxtaposition between an upbeat tune that sounds happy and at the same time has an underlying important subject matter, with a darker, more honest feeling in the verses and general lyrics."
Victory Kicks - Mookie Betts
'Mookie Betts' is well and truly a lockdown song, as it was recorded at home in 2020. The song focuses in the idea of coming together again, and what that might look and feel like.
This dreamy slice of indie pop, with its simple beat and ambient vocals, feels like it belongs straight on a playlist for driving through the night.
Myles Lloyd - Running On You
'Running on You' is a silky smooth R&B track, infused release from up-and-comer Myles Lloyd.
The production of the song is particularly stand out, with the way it allows emotion to build throughout the 3 minutes 38 seconds The song has a level of warmth and comfort to it which is helped by the honesty of the lyrics. once you listen to it once, you'll listen to it again and again, which is why it's on our on repeat for this week.
Raye Robinson - Daisies
'Daisies' is the debut single from Raye Robinson, up and coming indie-pop artist. Daisies is a relatively simple song on the surface, but the more you listen to the song, the deeper it gets and the more you appreciate the level of production that went into the song to make it seem so effortless. The building of the bass and the soft vocals intertwine perfectly to create a song that's incredibly easy to listen to.
Alma Grace - Frida
'Frida' is the debut EP from Alma Grace. Infusing Spanish and English, both in terms of the language of the lyrics, but also the style of the instrumentals by mixing classic Latin infused sounds with modern-pop influences. It would be difficult to limit this release down to one song, which is why we're featuring the whole EP in our 'on repeat' this week,
Frida Kahlo, who the EP is named after, is a huge inspiration for Grace. When speaking about the EP, she states “When I listen to these songs, I hear my transformation from an angsty teen to a semi-independent young adult. It's such a special project to me, and I knew that it had to be my artist introduction to the world.”
Madison Deaver - That's What She Said
Madison Deaver, the up-and-coming rock artist, is back with her latest release 'That's What She Said'. The song is up-tempo with clear influences from modern pop-punk and rock artists.
Deaver has stated that 'writing this song was a cathartic way of getting through' what she went through, and you can feel the intensity and passion throughout the song. The song is a lot of fun, with its biting lyrics and its moreish instrumentals.
You can find all the tracks included this week, and many others, on our 'on repeat - may 2021' playlist on Spotify.