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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observe 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 lady 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 conceited, hype observe 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 successful. Beginning off with Doechii’s signature melodic gasps for breath, the observe builds and builds with excessive vitality and catchy lyrics till the track tapers off over an sudden pop outro. It’s an ideal report, of a star proudly owning her second and her place in historical past, whereas concurrently reminding you that that is only the start.
:: Indecisive – Naesia ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Eire
Naesia’s debut EP Indecisive is a mesmerizing debut that looks like a late-night dialog together with your deepest ideas – heat, intimate, and inconceivable 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 part 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 observe 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-recognized, 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 part, all over the place, 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 pleasing.
However all hope shouldn’t be 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 folks 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 could simply come from logging off, going exterior, and touching grass.
Instructed my toes, I’m sitting by the massive oak tree
Cardinal’s, jay’s all singing for the yellow bee’s
Sitting by the massive 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 need to depart this place
Dreaming of the massive oak tree,
and yelling ollie oxen free
So excessive I really feel I feel like I’m grounded
Solar shines mild, strikes life, surrounded
So take me increased and better
“‘Daydream,’ ‘Oak Tree,’ no matter you need to name it’s by far the weirdest track Arcy Drive has made collectively so far,” Nick Mateyunas tells Atwood Journal. “The track has taken such a journey in its time and has linked 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 greatest childhood recollections with my brother, sisters, and cousins. I used to be on a visit alone visiting my grandpa for his birthday. Through the gradual days I’d sit exterior within the solar trying 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 assume a lot of the track, however for some purpose it was the primary one the band pulled out of me after 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 purpose these phrases felt so proper for the track and that second in time.”
Sometime I’ll return to
enjoying youngsters’s video games
I’ll take my child to cardinals
and the yellow days
I’ll take him to the massive 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 instances are all the time altering, however we don’t must lose ourselves throughout the chaos of that change; we’ve got the flexibility to ‘choose 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 part suddenly was an excessive amount of to deal with – I needed to depart 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’d image it in an outdated reminiscence when it’s all hazy. I simply keep in mind drifting via 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 individual standing in there.”
So excessive I really feel I feel like I’m grounded
Solar shines mild, strikes life, surrounded
So take me increased and better
Oh take me increased 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 via. 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 arduous instances, but additionally a information again to our personal happiness – the locations and areas that heart us, giving us that means and goal. 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 stand up, I stand up, I stand up
I stand up, I stand up, I stand 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 rejoice 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 maintain burning brighter and deeper with each passing yr.
“I really like the picture of a candle that refuses to exit, and that’s how I really feel concerning the love we have been attempting 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 identify ‘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 observe. “It romanticizes beginning to see the odd gray hairs in your companion’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 lead to 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 lady 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 rely could have elevated
However I nonetheless image the identical face
After I blow ’em down I all the time depart one
So that you say “oooh one girlfriend”
One lone candle
One girlfriend
One lone candle
On a deeply private stage, what makes “One Lone Candle” so particular is how expresses, in track, what I’ve thought and felt each day 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 – all the time and eternally – price cherishing. Songs like this solely serve to amplify that everlasting fact.
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 rely could have elevated
However I nonetheless image the identical face
After I blow ’em down I all the time depart 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 all the time make prolonged journeys of this nature go by extra simply. On this case, it was a pleasure to make my means via all of It Is Cyclical, Lacking You in a single go whereas driving house to Boston.
The album’s writer, 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 frequent narrative thread these songs share, in keeping 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 lead to 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 nicely.
:: No Melancholy in Heaven – Midwife ::
Noa Jamir, Lafayette, Louisiana
Madeline Johnston, greatest recognized below the moniker Midwife, is an unimaginable one-woman present. From enjoying a number of devices, to audio engineering, to including backing vocals on Ethel Cain’s most up-to-date challenge, in addition to releasing 5 of her personal albums below the ‘Midwife’ identify since 2017, Johnston is a fragile and charming pressure to be reckoned with.
Her newest report, No Melancholy in Heaven, obtained important acclaim and was named Paste Journal’s 66th greatest album of the yr in 2024. Singing via a phone receiver to create a whispered and heat sonic impact, Midwife delivers a hypnotic efficiency on No Melancholy. It creates a sense much like dissociating whereas driving on the freeway, the place immediately, 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 type 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 calm down the physique, or how singing bowls would possibly put somebody comfy throughout a bout of tension, No Melancholy 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 free of charge
You sealed my destiny with a kiss
And I curse you by identify
For what I grew to become
And I couldn’t even inform my very own mom
“They all the time say the primary lower 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 elements of them in everybody else you ever attempt to love, and the way somebody can affect the best way you have a look at love and vulnerability for a very 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 via the wreckage and examines the scars of what that first heartbreak has completed to each relationship since, “Maintain 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 metallic collectively. The music is heavy and has a repetitiveness because the piano chords unfold from the start to the top of the track. Scott Collins’ voice is regular till we hit the bridge,with the bitterness and damage 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 below
The toes of a woman who as soon as was a lover
“Runner” is much less about the person who damage her or the heartbreak that modified her, and extra concerning the lack of who she was, the individual 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 rejoice 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 a horny ass highly effective lady. As a lady I’ve been advised “be horny however not too horny” nicely 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 observe enters with moody synths and hard-hitting beats pulsing with a darkish, edgy vitality. Casting a sinister vibe, “Freak” may have you below 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 filled with hazy sonics and hearty feelings. Launched January tenth, the achingly intense “As Good As It Will get” channels a well-recognized 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 glad? Do reaching our targets truly lead to 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 Nineteen 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 Nineteen 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 hearken 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 harking back to Pink Floyd’s late ‘80s and early ‘90s work on A Momentary Lapse of Motive and The Division Bell – these last put up–The Wall studio albums that, for my part, make up their most neglected 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 inside and outside. Launched January 17th, the follow-up to final October’s debut single “Chilly Name” places the nascent band’s skills – 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 information of synths and digital music actually helped to push these sounds ahead within the observe, and inspired us to step out of our consolation zone and develop. We nonetheless discover ourselves coming again to this track as a touchstone after we’re writing new materials.”
Darkish, churning, and charming, O’Phantom are undeniably beginning 2025 on a excessive observe. “Shadowpain” is totally enthralling, guaranteeing 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 parts of neo-soul, R&B, and jazz with seamless finesse. From the opening tight drum groove to the shimmering piano thrives, the observe 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 smooth 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 observe stands as a shimmering introduction to her world – one the place wealthy, textured melodies meet fearless self-expression, leaving listeners longing for extra of the soulful storytelling she’s poised to ship in “Celestial Love.”
:: “Butterfly Lady” – 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 Lady,” is about reworking into your greatest self and hovering to new heights.
“Butterfly Lady” 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 lady / Don’t you’re a shining pearl.” The track encourages listeners to rediscover themselves via uplifting lyrics and touching metaphors that resonate deep with the center. “Butterfly Lady” is an anthemic celebration of self-love that reminds us all of our true energy inside.
Alexia Religion is dedicated to empowering girls via her songwriting. Her new single “Butterfly Lady” 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 Lady” is barely only 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 in all 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 report has a vibe not dissimilar to Chris Stapleton’s breakout album report Traveller with its soulful, bluesy sound and gradual, nation drawl. Nonetheless, it’s also totally distinctive to Marlowe. His songwriting is delicate, unhappy and at instances, darkish, however above all, it’s sincere.
I’m very new to Marlowe and his music so I wasn’t positive what to anticipate. Nonetheless, after I heard he had lined “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 accountable for the top of a relationship, however nonetheless he sits on the bar, hoping she’ll decide 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 really 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 is rarely straightforward, and in “Darling,” 19-year-old Buboy unveils among the trials, and tribulations of his personal teenage years.
Inform me child, how does this finish?
I’m attempting my greatest to get used to
Possibly simply possibly we’re not the identical
We’re not the identical
Inform me child, how does this finish?
I don’t really feel identical to I used to
Possibly, 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 Might 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 a number of anxiousness about rising distant from folks I wished to maintain shut. However over time, as I continued to write down and produce he track as I began school, it developed right into a extra joyful, triumphant celebration of progress.”
“It initially felt like a cry out to the individual I wished to nonetheless know, however ultimately 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 a little bit bit, too. Now I’m celebrating that I’m not the identical as I used to be.”
Time hasn’t been so sort 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 increasingly of them as you age, and hopefully expertise makes you a greater navigator – however not all the time. “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 in all 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 observe 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 challenge destined to push boundaries.
The observe’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 bit solely Blue Capricorn may personal. Its creation was fueled by improvisation and spontaneity, with the artist aiming to evoke particular feelings via every ingredient. Lyrically, it’s a poignant exploration of vulnerability and the longing to be really seen. Blue Capricorn describes it as one in all his heaviest and most introspective works, and it exhibits. Each observe 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 hear that leaves you longing for what’s subsequent.
:: “Smoke Screens” – Jaidson ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Eire
Jaidson’s newest providing “Smoke Screens” is a testomony to the rising star’s modern strategy to pop and R&B. The one, rigorously crafted as a part of his formidable Unburdened Impact challenge, showcases the artist’s signature sound to perfection. With Voix on manufacturing duties, the observe boasts an added layer of depth and dynamism, making it inconceivable to get out of your head. Jaidson’s charming lyrics and infectious melodies have already earned him a faithful fanbase and important acclaim, and “Smoke Screens” is certain to additional cement his standing as a standout within the business.
As Jaidson gears up for his subsequent studio challenge “Retro Emotions” it’s clear that the way forward for pop and R&B is in good arms. Together with his distinctive mix of romance-infused melodies and modern manufacturing parts, 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 only the start, we are able to’t wait to see what’s subsequent for this gifted 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 absolutely saying one thing, as a result of every part about “alkaline” hits arduous. The New York Metropolis dreamgaze (shoegaze + dream pop) band channel uncooked feelings right into a darkish, heavy, heated, and hazy environment – exhaling interior stress and turmoil as a cathartic and all-consuming musical fever dream.
Inhale the tide
the waves wash over
Palms are tied
To be the place you lie
However the mattress’s been made
And the nicely 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 superbly 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 a number of time perfecting the wall of sound at the start of this observe – we wished to seize a sure depth with this half whereas additionally having 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 a number 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 material additional, exploring “id, specifically 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 house 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 countless 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 environment 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 in search of a purpose 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 is predicated on a chord development that Rob wrote years in the past and had been rearing its head on the piano at our rehearsals once in a while. 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 remainder got here simply.”
Blow a kiss mentioned the solar to earth,
At all times turning since your start,
At all times 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 observe off Siblings’ upcoming sophomore EP, and a putting have a look at the South London band’s wealthy musical expertise – their skill 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 shaped by the Matthew Willett’s piano, Michael Webb’s bass, and Ben Andrewes’ drums – and every part in-between – this track is a veritable wellspring of inspiration – a supply of refreshing sonic mild that I’ll inevitably maintain 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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