Author Archives: Zara Hoffman

This week we’re bringing unapologetically fun-filled, feminist punk to the forefront with I, Doris and their brilliant new single “HRT,” out now.

This London-based mummy core punksters celebrate a powerful message with humour, wit, and an absolute banger of a song. Channelling fellow feminist rockstars such as Bratmobile and Dream Nails, I, Doris create catchy post-punk for those who need to be heard. “HRT” marks the gold standard of I, Doris’ hallmark biting humour and feminist commentary. It comes accompanied with a super fun music video—during the filming of which, two Dorisses got themselves thrown out of Brixton’s TK Maxx store. They regret nothing.

Talking about the track, vocalist and bassist Cassie Fox says, “So many people with wombs face an uphill battle in obtaining the healthcare they need. “HRT” is about the struggle to be taken seriously and the fight to access the care we need to live our lives on our own terms. Also, it’s a disco banger. Now, what was I just saying?”

“HRT” is out now.

Brace yourselves for a seismic shift in the vibrant-pop soundscape as rising star FELIX emerges with a blazing new anthem.

With his highly anticipated second single “Hallelujah,” FELIX unveils a sonic explosion that is set to captivate hearts, minds, and dancefloors worldwide. At the crossroads of infectious melodies and an unwavering spirit, “Hallelujah” is a dynamic musical force with catchy hooks, punchy brass melodies, and irresistible beats creating a sound that lingers in the mind long after the final note.

Discussing the single, FELIX elaborates “’Hallelujah’ is an empowering anthem I wrote about breaking free and finally realising your worth. I wrote it during lockdown where isolation had given me the time to reflect, sit down with my feelings, and just let everything flood out.”

Receiving praise for his debut releases from the likes of BBC Bristol’s Adam Crowther and BBC Introducing’s James Threlfall, FELIX is an artist not to be missed with his debut EP set to be released in July 2023.

“Hallelujah” is in stores now.

Indie-pop newcomer Joya shares her heart-achingly beautiful new single “If Ever She Goes,” out now.

Hong Kong-based singer-songwriter Joya—born Jodie Chan —pens melodic diary entries of real stories, from real people, with elements of herself braided in, and her latest release is no exception. Talking about the single, Joya says, “this is a love song, and as a love song I wanted it to highlight how we all know that love is powerful… but that the giver and receiver of that love are the ones who ultimately decide whether that builds or breaks.” In their specificity, Jodie reaches her listeners in a way that’s intimate, relatable, and yet far-reaching—the way you’d imagine your story as told by a friend.

Jodie identifies as a third-culture kid, queer, Christian, and a number of other things, but most importantly “not one thing.” Her music is an extension of her beliefs to the importance of inclusion, diversity, and the conversations that move us in that direction.

“If Ever She Goes” is taken from Joya’s highly anticipated debut album SHE IS JOYA, in stores later this year.

Rising neo-soul sensation Anaïs Cardot stuns on new single “Colors,” out now.

Get ready to be blown away by Anaïs Cardot and her mesmerising single “Colors.” Anaïs is a French and Gabonese artist currently based in Ottawa, Canada. Her latest cut sees Anaïs singing soothingly in French and it’s the perfect summer sizzler for these warm, woozy days. Influenced by vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Portuguese guitarist Joao Gilberto and her family’s musicality, Cardot has been crafting her unique sound since the young age of fourteen.

Cardot has received high praise from culture-shifters like Masego and PJ Morton, who have enjoyed her angelic voice on renditions of beloved covers as well as gracefully written original work. And as we near her graduation from Canada’s Ottawa University, we gear up for her highly anticipated debut EP “Pink Magnolia,” due for release later this year.

“Colors” is in stores now.

Get ready to vogue into the week with the eccentric, inclusive Tom Rasmussen and their sass-infused single “Look At Me,” out now. The release is taken from their debut album Body Building, also out now.

What a bop! Non-binary newcomer Tom Rasmussen shows us how it’s done with the release of their high energy house-infused new single “Look At Me.” We can’t wait to dance to this one! Taken from their debut album Body Building, Tom wants to challenge societal preconceptions of those who exist outside the binary to both highlight the ever-present issues and celebrates the diversity, beauty, and power of their community. Here here!

Talking about the album, Tom explains “Body Building is the culmination of a decade thinking about what it means to be different to other people, but in a way so many people have felt too. It’s about grieving a part of you that has been taken by others, it’s about escaping violence, it’s about accepting—and attempting to thrive in—reality and not simply fantasy. It is the last time I want to talk about all the violence I’ve experienced in my life as a queer femme person. But never say never. It is dedicated to queer people and trans people everywhere.”

“Body Building” is in stores now via Globe Town Records.

This week we’re celebrating British trans artist Geo Jordan and his wonderfully woozy new single “Close Enough,” taken from his new EP “Fathom,” out now.

Channelling the likes of Jack Garratt, Geo combines club-driven beats with ambient soundscapes creating a sound that is both dance floor ready and perfect for those sun-soaked afternoons in the park. This single and the whole record was written, performed, produced, and mixed by Geo himself. Talking about “Close Enough,” Geo says, “‘Close Enough’ is a feel good bop for the ages. I wanted to capture that feeling of that spark you get in a new bond with someone. Hopefully people can hear the vibe in the music. Had a lot of fun making it in the studio.”

As a multi-instrumentalist, writer, and producer, Geo attained two Grammy nominations for work with global sensation Doja Cat, alongside a history of previous production and writing credits with BRIT award winner Lianne La Havas, MOBO award winner Ego Ella May, Oscar Jerome, Sasha Keable, Laura Roy, and more. Jordan has also toured extensively as a musical director and musician worldwide with a variety of critically acclaimed acts, including Jungle, JGrrey, Jack Garratt, and Rina Sawayama.

“Fathom” is in stores now.

KOSCHKA—aka Edita Karkoschka—returns with the release of her stunningly cinematic new single “You Can’t Bear My Love,” out now.

Oozing with atmosphere from the offset, KOSCHKA’s velvet-like vocal soars intricately over the textured musicality. Fans of the likes of The xx and Cigarettes After Sex will feel at home here. Talking about the track, KOSCHKA elaborates, “this song is expressing the specific feeling of waiting and understanding a love without having any confirmation of it really existing, or knowing if it there is a future. For me, it’s one of the most important songs on my upcoming album—it’s real, it’s intimate. It needs time to develop.”

Edita is a singer, composer, and music producer currently based in Berlin. Her upcoming debut album is due for release later this year, so watch this space for more brooding atmospherics coming your way soon.

Get ready to sooth your soul with Nikhita and her slick new single “Golden Child,” out now.

Combining soft, honeyed vocals with subtle electronic beats and R&B infused soundscapes, “Golden Child” is an instant ear worm. Fans of the likes of Priya Ragu and SZA will feel at home here. Talking about the single, Nikhita explains, “This song is about the failure to live up to traditional expectations despite feeling connected to my heritage, something I feel a lot of people will resonate with today.”

Nikhita is currently living in Edinburgh and is of Scottish-South Asian heritage. She identifies as queer and writes about her personal and familial struggles within her clashing cultures in her music. 100% a one to watch.

“Golden Child” in stores now.

Bristol-based artist Samantha Lindo mesmerizes with the release of her stunning new single “Worthy,” out now. This is the first single taken from her upcoming debut album Ancestry, due for release later this year.

The single was inspired by the story of Lindo’s great, great grandfather Samuel Brown, a black Methodist minister from Barbados whose faith and knowledge of himself as a worthy child of God, enabled him to defy societal prejudice and pursue an interracial marriage to Ada—a white Scottish teacher and daughter of previous plantation owners—in 1891.

“I called the track ‘Worthy’ because that is what I receive from their story,” Lindo elaborates. “In a world where still so often we base worth and identity on outside appearances, I wanted to claim his courage to defy social norms and a worthiness that comes from an inner knowing, not an outward status or position.”

“Worthy” is a wonderful introduction to this artist who has been making waves across the live circuit in West England for a number of years, becoming known for her effortlessly soul-tinged vocal performances, which have been described as “spine-tingling.”

“Worthy” is the first single to be taken from Lindo’s upcoming debut album, due in stores later this year and funded by the Arts Council and MOBO Awards.

Bristol-based newcomers The New Cut recently released their debut EP “Merrywood” and its pretty darn impressive if you ask us.

The four track EP is headed up by a brand new version of their louche and infectious debut release “The Family Business.” The EP’s rousing melancholia and wry lyricism echoes a puckishness similar to the likes of Parquet Courts, with its sweet solemnity drawing similarities to The Monochrome Set, in equal measure.

Speaking about the EP, frontman Henry Gerrard elaborates, “the EP was named after the area Morgan (drums) and I lived when we first moved to Bristol in 2020. It’s a reflection of how we felt during lockdown and what was going on in our lives, moving away from home for the first time etc. It’s a fitting reflection of the time spent in our little flat in Bedminster through the pandemic and away from home”.

Having previously supported the likes of Buzzcocks and already confirmed to perform at The Great Escape and Dot to Dot festival later this year, The New Cut should certainly be considered ones to watch.

“Merrywood” is in stores now.

Get ready to rock with rising post-punk outfit Hypothetics and their new single “COMPLAIN!,” out now. Not that we’re complaining of course…

Taken from their upcoming EP, “COMPLAIN!” instantly packs a punch, channeling the likes of IDLES and Squid. Talking about the single, the band explain, “on ‘COMPLAIN!’ we allowed ourselves to be taken too serious for a moment. It’s a pleasure to play it live and hard not to have fun with.”

The Bristol-based quartet have been self-starters from the off, they have built a solid—and growing—fan base in and around their home city, becoming regular players on the local gig circuit and beyond. Keep an eye on these guys, they’re definitely ones to watch.

“COMPLAIN!” is in stores now.

PHOTO: STEVE ULLATHORNE | We are delighted to premiere the new video by art-pop artist Ch’Lu—aka Camilla Mathias—for her powerful new single “Sister I’ll Be There” ahead of its official release tomorrow.

You may not be aware, but today is National Siblings Day. In celebration of precisely that fact, Ch’Lu is releasing her poignant single “Sister I’ll Be There,” written as an ode to her sister during lockdown. Like many of us, Ch’Lu was unable to see her younger sister during the pandemic and so decided to write a song for her instead.

Today, we are exclusively sharing the video for the single—shot in half a day in Cornwall on a zero budget, also during lockdown—by the talented Vee Vimolmal. The music video features stunning coastal scenery enveloped with Ch’Lu’s Nunchaku drills.

Ch’Lu’s self-produced album is due in stores June 2023, and is funded by Arts Council of England. “Sister I’ll Be There” is out tomorrow, 11th April 2023.

Get ready to rock with Bristol-based INDIGOS. Taken from their upcoming EP “IN UTOPIA” their latest single “Hivemind” is the perfect introduction to this dynamic duo’s grunge-fueled soundscapes.

Paired with peppy dual vocals and juxtaposing jaded lyricism, “Hivemind” is instantly encapsulating, sounding akin to the likes of Demob Happy and IDLES. Talking about the release, that band explain, “‘Hivemind’ was inspired by a scene in the documentary film Samsara, which displays cultural imagery from around the world, and highlights the disparities between industrial complexes and natural wonders, the beautiful and the mundane.

The scene by Olivier de Sagazan is titled ‘Office Man,’ a performance piece where an office worker applies clay to his face in an increasingly aggressive fashion. We interpret this to be about an artificial sense of self, an existential crisis concerning one’s place and purpose in a capitalist society.”

Bigger and bolder than their self-titled 2020 debut release, INDIGOS’ latest project blends elements of ’90s alternative rock and heavy pop to create a sound that while nostalgic, is very much their own.

“Hivemind” is out now. INDIGOS’ sophomore EP “IN UTOPIA” is due in stores on June 21st 2023.

Prepare to be mesmerized by Australian twins Oceanique and their poignant new single “Time Passes.”

Oozing with ethereal harmonies from the offset, sister duo Oceanique prove their bond is undeniable on new single “Time Passes.” A highly relatable song about the feeling you get when you return to life after time away, “Time Passes” feels beautifully bittersweet and powerfully poetic throughout.

“You’re watching on, have some kind of idea but no one’s saying anything, and you’ve missed information, somewhere in the time passed,” the duo elaborate. “Its a song about distance, drifting apart from the people you love and navigating life whilst time just keeps on moving.”

The western Australian twins are basking in the excitement of their debut album Would The Light Hold Me, due in stores on Wednesday 29 March 2023. “Time Passes” is out now.

Toronto-based indie rock outfit Housewife embrace the travails of life with new single “Fuck Around Phase,” out now.

Life gets messy sometimes, and that’s ok. Housewife reminds us of this in the best way possible—with unapologetic alt rock. Talking about the single, Housewife’s Brighid Fry (she/they) says, “this song is about learning to enjoy yourself and be present after going through a difficult time. I want to embrace being messy and not take things too seriously!”

Housewife’s music regularly touches on the experience of being a young, queer, AFAB person existing in a male-dominated industry. In addition to exploring these themes in their songs, Fry is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, environmentalism, and is a founding member of the Canadian chapter of Music Declares Emergency, an organization that fights for immediate government response to protect ecological catastrophes.

“Fuck Around Phase” is in stores now.