Flo Gallop and Jasmine Ortiz both end up in hot pursuit, Total Brutal trusts her gut, James Vickery cooks up some peach jam, Marcus James heeds the signs — but your Weekend Roundup isn’t quite at the end of the road just yet. Cruise through these closing acts:
88 | Flo Gallop | Chasing After You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “You already know Flo Gallop. You’ve already heard her voice, it’s a pitch-perfect, beautiful, arm-around-the-shoulders version of the one in your head. She’s the beat behind our breakdowns and the word-perfect poetry of our bounce-back pickups. South-east London born and bred, Flo doesn’t want to change the world, just get your attention. She lives to perform, yet she feels, writes and lives like an antidote to this world of filtered fakery and ‘pick me!’ poses. Honesty is the only policy here, even when it hurts. Chasing After You is an emotionally charged single written after a breakup about a boy Flo was utterly entranced by. This single is raw and heartfelt with lyrics that are relatable and as honest as they come. The young artist believes in being as authentic as possible and vulnerably relayed that through this tune. Flo explains, “The words in it are just exactly how I felt and I’m so glad we wrote it when we did because there’s so much emotion in it.”
89 | Jasmine Ortiz | Jaguar
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In her latest single and video Jaguar, Jasmine Ortiz gives us a fresh and exciting take on a classic Bonnie and Clyde adventure. The multilingual musician has no boundaries while mixing sounds. Jaguar is about being young and carefree. The video, directed by Maria Picon, conveys an euphoric and adrenaline filled night, when being young means feeling invincible. It’s an adventure — the boyfriend tells Jasmine they’re spending a night out in “his” Jaguar and in “his” mansion. As it turns out, it’s all belongs to his dad — who reports the car stolen and the house burgled, which leads to a police chase as Jasmine hangs on tight for the ride of her life!”
90 | Total Brutal | Had A Feeling
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Total Brutal is Emily Moore, a multi-instrumentalist who has shared the stage with the likes of Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Fun, and more. Total Brutal’s latest single Had A Feeling is a sun-soaked ’70s-inspired track that features breezy guitars and harmonious vocals. Yacht rock meets Laurel Canyon in the song, which details the need for connection, both emotionally and physically. Inspired by strong female artists, Total Brutal is determined to help other young women make their worth known and their voices heard. She shares, “It took me a really long time to understand that I am allowed to speak up, have opinions and speak directly. I’m starting to realize that I can be myself and be liked and professional all the same. I want to help foster that adventurous spirit and confidence in young women!”
91 | James Vickery | Peaches
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer James Vickery has now shared a very special cover of the Justin Bieber hit Peaches. Prior to the string of recent releases, James Vickery regularly performed intimate live performances of his most popular cuts, and this new addition continues that captivating tradition. Filmed at the beautifully stunning Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, his take on Peaches sees him transform the original release with a far more gospel-focused direction. With his sweet and uplifting voice layered amongst warm and textured instrumentation, this new performance is both a nod to his roots and a progressive step forward for his sound. James said, “I’m so excited to bring you back the proudest part of my project, The Live From London series. As it’s been a while, I thought I’d give you an impromptu jam with my band we thought was too good to not show the world.”
92 | Marcus James | Warning Sign (ft. Ryyzn)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Acclaimed producer Marcus James and esteemed duo Ryyzn have released the stripped version of their collaborative EP Warning Sign. The title track immediately marks itself as one to watch. Born and based in Vancouver, James is well-known for his collaborative works, having worked with Trevor Guthrie, remixed Dylan Matthew’s Saturday Night as well as Warped Tour bands Anarbor and Courage My Love. James shares: This Stripped EP is our way of coming full circle for the final chapter of the Warning Sign project and releasing all four songs in the acoustic form that they were first written and recorded. It was important to us from a songwriting standpoint to make sure these songs worked “stripped-down” before we turned them into the productions released on the original EP. I guess somewhere along the line we figured if these songs work in their original form, why not let people hear them in that way?”
93 | Brendan Scott Friel | All In
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Crafting a completely immersive indie folk experience, Brendan Scott Friel has a songwriting finesse that is evident from the very first lines of his spell-binding songs. On his new album Summer Moons, Brendan teamed up with producer James Bunton to create an eclectic sonic mix. All In is about the beauty of naivety and how we helplessly fall victim to this mysterious force of attraction. There is something really wonderful about that. It’s a great equalizer. No matter your intelligence, race, religion or background, there will be people you meet who — for reasons beyond your control — just seem to call to you. It can be looked upon with dread and incertitude or celebrated and seen as opportunity for adventure.”
94+95 | Kerbside Collection | Cajun Jollof (Grant Phabao + TwoDee Seasoning Remixes)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kerbside Collection’s third album Smoke Signals, released in 2018, is a real winner. Continuing in a down-home, instrumental approach, but this time crafting newer ideas and flavours into their spectrum of warm, dusty analogue grooves. Cajun Jollof (a spicy chicken & rice Creole dish) is one of the standout funky reggae tracks from the album. On this single, the sunny, fun-lovin’ tune gets two sizzling remixes. First up French dub & reggae expert Grant Phabao (Paris DJs) takes it on a surefire, uptempo, ‘knees-up’, Caribbean ska trip; while on the B side TwoDee Seasoning keeps the Jamaican vibes cooking with his sizzling reggae-dub ‘re-cook’ version, conjuring up some vintage King Tubby x early Bouzou Bajou/Fat Freddy’s Drop, South Pacific sounds.”
96+97 | Yes / And | Ugly Orange + Centered Shell
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The charged partnership of versatile guitarist Meg Duffy (aka Hand Habits) and producer Joel Ford (Oneohtrix Point Never, Jacques Greene, North Americans) took shape during pandemic-shadowed studio sessions in Los Angeles, gradually congealing into a poetic sonic language compellingly distinct from their respective discographies. As the moniker alludes to, Yes / And embrace an elusive, curious forward momentum, spiraling but subdued, between divination and dissipation. Despite the album’s experimental nature, its 10 tracks feel distinctly intimate and emotive, imbued with a strange optimism, both open-ended and opaque. The song titles reflect a similar duality, alternately blunt and oblique. Their musical instincts are oddly complementary, with Duffy’s tactile fingerpicking and string caresses framed by Ford’s spatial textures and compositional patience, conjuring an elevated theater of rare air and veiled escape. It’s a suite born of friendship and depths, as tangled as it is translucent, somehow barely there yet far beyond the sum of its parts.”
98 | Nick Batterham | Thirty Four
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Melbourne’s Nick Batterham reveals another stunning cut from his forthcoming album Lovebirds, with his latest single Thirty Four. It is a breathtaking display of Batterham’s lush songwriting and truly emotive lyricism. Classical instruments and a slide guitar join forces to build the feeling of a storm brewing.“The song was written after a night out at an infamous Melbourne bar. It appeared on my first solo album Second Lovers, but that recording was made before I’d ever performed it live. Since then it has lived its own life, changed form, grown wings. The song describes the end of a night spent stuck in between a fractured couple. With weaponised emotions, the pain of their recent breakup showing through a thin facade.”
99 | Penfriend | Seventeen
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Seventeen. Is there a more complicated age? Not quite yet an adult, but impatient to be treated like one; navigating an avalanche of new experiences and urgent emotions, dismissed by the grownups as “teenage angst” or “just a phase”. An exhausting quest to negotiate a new space for ourselves, juggling the interests of parents, teachers and friends while not knowing to question their motives. This song is an excavation, a letting go, an act of self-forgiveness. Traumatic events from the past can feel just as fresh, years later, the ghosts of our former selves creeping up to tap us on the shoulder with icy fingers. Sometimes we need to package up our memories with tidy words to dispel the haunting. Sometimes we just need to stop blaming ourselves. Sometimes writing songs is like painstakingly sculpting sounds from thin air; other times they arrive in a whoosh, fighting to be heard. Seventeen appeared on a summer Saturday evening, falling out of me in jagged swathes. Facing up to our ghosts isn’t a pleasant experience, but this song helped me over a major stumbling block from my past, bringing me a fresh perspective and new freedom.”
100 | Book of Wyrms | Speedball Sorcerer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Psychedelic doom metallers Book of Wyrms have just released the new song Speedball Sorcerer. The track is taken from Book of Wyrms’ upcoming third LP Occult New Age, out May 7. Crammed with classic heavy riffs, prog rock synths, ethereal vocals, and a foreboding organ part, Speedball Sorcerer recalls ’70s hard rock bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple as well as stoner and doom groups such as Orange Goblin and Kyuss. The band commented: “We are stoked to let everyone hear the fuzzed-out boogie of Speedball Sorcerer! This features our friend LJ Rafalko on organ and is about bees. Hope y’all dig.”
101 | Luke Sweeney | Tie Mao To Mined
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Critique of Nature is the new EP from San Francisco artist Luke Sweeney. It contains the single is Tie Mao To Mined, a retro-minded rocker with suave vocals, nostalgic guitar tones, and harmonica whispers.
Says Luke: “Originally surfacing as a B-side to my first single Miss Me — which sold out of its run of 50 cassettes — this song has traveled a long ways and continues to morph in a variety of ways. but the theme remains: it’s a mind you can trick into confinement, consignment, or alignment.”
102 | Ålesund | Dawn Chorus
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Dawn Chorus is the latest single from Bristol atmospheric alt-pop quartet Ålesund. After the untimely curtailing of their European Tour in 2020, Ålesund travelled back to the U.K. feeling uncertain. Rather than take it to heart, the group’s vocalist and songwriter Alba Torriset retreated to her hometown of Hastings to try and reconnect with music in a positive way. Alba states: “I can remember thinking how quiet everything seemed, there was no traffic, no planes in the sky, no people on the streets. You could hear the birds so clearly and it felt pretty magical. I sat down at the piano and played to the bird song, and Dawn Chorus was born. It is essentially and simply a celebration of life. Both human and nature entwined.”
103 | Shift K3Y | Love Line (ft. Tinashe)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British dance sensation Shift K3Y returns to the floor with his huge summer club anthem Love Line featuring international superstar Tinashe. Recognised for his evolving sounds of house, garage, pop and R&B, the in-demand 27 year-old surfaces with a gorgeous melodic house-infused beat littered with smart percussive elements and neat synth work to match the stunning lyricism courtesy of U.S. creative phenomenon Tinashe. Love Line serves as a timely reminder of the British star’s undeniable skill in producing immaculate dance records.”
104 | Aurelia Day | Huntress
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “2020 was an eventful year for Aurelia Dey. She has used the pandemic period to create new dancehall and Afrobeat music, a newly produced concert experience as well as a newly launched webseries. Dey wants to entertain, enlighten and show the world her Ghanaian-Swede heritage. Through dance, music, acting, and dialog she is constantly finding new ways of expression. This song Huntress is perfect for female empowerment boost and norm-breaking stereotypes. It’s about being a huntress — brave and ambitious. She describes Huntress as a way of acknowledging a new level of liberal feminism whilst cultivating a profound connection to diversity. Her lyrics read; “Yes you can call me Katniss or Xena warrior princess, if you don’t come over here, I will hunt you down with the spear, grown woman have no fear.”
105 | Saronde | Say (ft. Eno Williams)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This latest offering from Saronde features vocals from the effervescent Eno Williams of Nigeria. Eno is the lead singer in the pan-global Afrofunk powerhouse band Ibibio Sound Machine. Williams was born in the U.K., but grew up in Nigeria, always steeped in her family heritage. She obsessed over West African electronic music, highlife, and the like, but was equally empowered by Western genres such as post-punk, disco, and funk. Say is a mid-tempo space-funk monster created remotely during lockdown in 2020. Chris Pedley of Saronde explains, “This is a song of gratitude. Reflecting on those around us who have been our support throughout recent challenging times. It’s a song about stepping out of self-pity and staring the world in the eye as it appears new each day. Worrying about tomorrow is pointless; we have to survive and be present now.”
106 | Brook Law | Talk To Me
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooke Law’s Talk To Me is a cry for help when life gets tough. “Talk To Me is about growing and trying to find yourself by pushing your own boundaries to find out where the scary edge of your world lies. However, the people you love the most, who are supposed to know you better than anyone think you are just messing up your life. It is a frustrating plea for support and guidance, instead of judgment — something that we can all take note of and relate to in some capacity. Sometimes you just need some loving and a hug.”
107 | Coral Grief | Crumble
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Recorded entirely at home in lockdown, the Seattle dream-pop duo’s adventurous new EP is a testament to the difficulties and unexpected silver linings of a world placed on pause. Coral Grief’s self-titled EP will be released over a year after the band’s formation during the early days of Covid 19. The Seattle project consists of Lena Farr-Morrissey and Sam Fason, who co-wrote and recorded the songs between March and August 2020. Rich guitars, glowing synths, driving bass, and ethereal vocals swirl around skeletal drum loops to create a textured, intricate sound that is experimental, playful, and catchy. Crumble, the band’s first single, is out now, with the EP slated for May 14.”
108 | Anda | Glide On Up
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Looks like we are heading into better weather finally! Our girl Anda would like to help lift you all with her single Glide On Up. There’s a deep, stoner jock jam-meets-soul, R&B, and gospel vibe happening! Here’s what Anda had to say: “After being in quarantine for a year, I was really creatively lonely. I missed playing with other humans — I went back to listening to bigger bands with lots of drums and voices — Afrobeat, New Orleans street bands, Reggae, Afro Brazilian drum bands. It all sounded so festive, so happy, so not resonating with my current mood of solitude. It was something big, something boomy, something that let me fill the empty space in me and let in some sunlight. That’s what I wanted.”
109 | Babel | Honeyspell
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The only plausible explanation for the existence of Babel is divine intervention or some sort of witchcraft, which makes the title for their single Honeyspell all the more fitting. Mirroring the ethereal sounds of Cocteau Twins and the shoegaze mastery of Slowdive, Babel’s Honeyspell is a four-track opening to an Elysian, alternate dimension. “Honeyspell strives to illustrate reality-TV with music that’s typically not connected to that world. Instead of laughing at it, we took it seriously,” they say. “By turning pieces of dialogue into lyrics, it turns a reality-TV star into someone who suddenly seems to carry all the wisdom about life.”
110 | Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike | We’ll Be Dancing Soon (ft. Azteck & Angemi)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brothers Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike continue to push their sound to global audiences, maintaining a busy schedule of studio releases throughout the pandemic. Their latest track We’ll Be Dancing Soon co-stars Azteck and Angemi. Azteck has had a rapid ascent to success in a short space of time. From releasing a handful of early career releases in 2020, the emerging Belgian talent closed the year with his biggest single to date.”
111 | Black Wail | See Conspiracy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New Jersey rock outfit Black Wail are back with Born On Fire, their first studio record in more than three years. Keyboardist Bram Teitelman admits: “Born on Fire was actually ready to be released before the pandemic, but who wants to put out music during an international nightmare? Now that there’s a light at the end of the COVID tunnel, what better time to listen to songs about conspiracy theory believers and narcissistic leaders on the wrong side of history?!”
112 | Transviolet | Clean Laundry (ft. Dreamers)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. indie pop band Transviolet have released the single Clean Laundry (ft. Dreamers). Says singer Sarah McTaggart: “Clean Laundry originated with a track created by drummer/producer Jon Garcia. I loved chill vibe and pulled it up in a Zoom session I had with long time collaborator Ben Greenspan. I started singing over it and the verse and pre came together pretty quickly. We labored over the chorus a bit, and left feeling unsure about it. When we pulled it up again, the chorus was underwhelming, so we scrapped what we had and rewrote it. The new one was really different, but we immediately knew it was something special. Ben added his production ideas — he’s a master of this wonderful collection of pedals and analog synths that give everything a really warm nostalgic feel. When I shared it with the band, everyone was really excited and into it.”
