EVERY Friday we bring you our top tracks of the week via our New Music Radar. This week’s edition spans a variety of genres with new releases from Vistas, girl in red, Celeste, Aluna, Disclosure and more. Check them out below.
Vistas ‘Stranger’
Vistas may have only released their debut album back in May but they’re already back with a brand new indie banger called ‘Stranger’. Continuing much in the same vein as ‘Everything Changes In The End’ which was jam-packed full of catchy indie bops, the new track is sure to go down a storm with their ever-growing fanbase. Full of the sugary, bouncy melodies that have become such a hallmark of their sound, this time the guitars feel more fuzzy and amped up as if there’s an added sharpness and urgency to their songwriting.
Celeste ‘Little Runaway’
Celeste continues her meteoric rise as one of the UK’s finest soul singers with the release of her soaring new single ‘Little Runaway’. With a hauntingly beautiful piano melody as company, Celeste’s stirring vocals soon take off on the cathartic chorus as she sings about taking comfort in otherworldly forces. She says it’s “about losing your faith, even if just momentarily, and seeking answers from spirits and ghosts as nothing seems to make sense on this planet.”
girl in red ‘rue’
Topping off what has been a momentous 12 months with sold-out shows all over the world, millions of streams and widespread critical acclaim, girl in red has unveiled a brand new single called ‘rue’. The track is our first insight into Marie Ulven’s debut album as she pushes beyond the confines of her minimalist bedroom pop and delves into even greater emotional depths. Brimming with atmosphere and ominous darkness, the track is all about the need to escape – a feeling that runs through its menacing verses and comes to life with a burst of melancholic euphoria on the choruses as she searches for that all-important catharsis.
Originally formed on an acoustic guitar, the typically minimalist musician retains the unflinching honesty of her previous material but this time she channels her anxieties through a bigger, more ambitious arrangement. Discussing how the track takes inspiration from a character of the same name in HBO’s Euphoria, she says “She is a drug addict, which I’m not. But a lot of the stuff she’s felt and is trying to escape from is shit I’m dealing with all the time,” Ulven said of her connection to Rue. “Instead of drug addiction, she struggles with mental illness. “That’s some heavy ass work. It’s not physical work but it feels like it because it’s so hard.”
Paris Street Rebels ‘Diane’
It has nearly been a year since Paris Street Rebels became the first band to play Tenement Trail at its new location in the East End of Glasgow. Continuing their quest in rock & roll debauchery, the four-piece have today unveiled a thrilling new track called ‘Diane’. Utterly relentless from the get-go, ‘Diane’ pulls as much from punk heroes of the past as it does their hometown’s own thriving scene with spitfire vocals, riotous guitars and blistering energy.
Fenne Lily ‘Solipsism’
The latest preview of Fenne Lily’s upcoming album ‘BREACH’ arrived this week in ‘Solipsism’. If recent singles are anything to go by, the record looks set to feature her strongest material to date with the new track demonstrating her ability to pair her explicitly honest lyrics with a more visceral and varied arrangement. Unlike the smooth, breathy feel of ‘Berlin’, there’s a gnarly, lo-fi bite to the guitars on ‘Solipsism’ with the track taking many unexpected twists and turns throughout. From its off-kilter keyboard interludes to its guitar breaks, there’s almost a dizzying feel to the track that matches the anxious lyrical content.
Circa Waves ‘Lemonade’ (feat. Alfie Templeton)
Hot on the heels of Circa Waves ‘Sad Happy’ album which came out earlier this year, the Liverpudlian outfit have teamed up with indie prodigy Alfie Templeman for the release of a new single called ‘Lemonade’. With both artists known for their effervescent, anthemic songwriting, ‘Lemonade’ is as breezy and summery as you’d expect, exuding themes of optimism and escapism through its lush guitar melodies, quirky synth lines and gentle rhythms. Speaking of the collaboration, Alfie Templeman says “Lemonade to me is such a heartfelt track, about everyone coming together and loving each other in times where everything seems so difficult. I definitely related to this in lockdown which is why I was so excited to hop on the track!”.
Chappaqua Wrestling ‘The Rift’
Brighton newcomers Chappaqua Wrestling sit somewhere between dense, grungy garage rock and breezy slacker rock on their thumping new single ‘The Rift’. Opening with a wall of crunching guitars, the track is an undeniably potent affair that channels the chaos of our current dystopia into one of their strongest singles to date. It’s about “conflict, acknowledging the increasing divisions within society, and calling out those that turn the blind eye”, the band say.
Seraphina Simone ‘Hollywood $$$’
London-based artist Seraphina Simone seized attention for her nostalgic, dreamy alt-pop sound, dynamic vocal prowess and lyrical wordplay on her debut single ‘Cherry <8’. Now she’s followed it up with the confident and stylish ‘Hollywood $$$’ – a sharp critique of the Hollywood lifestyle and the fame-obsessed society we live in today. It has all the makings of a verifiable hit as Simone reinforces her pop credentials tenfold, delivering her message in blunt, unapologetic fashion via silky smooth vocals, soaring choruses and swirl of vibrant R&B-infused alt-pop.
Rascalton ‘Places We Go’
Glasgow indie-punk stalwarts Rascalton are back with their first new single since May and it’s called ‘Places We Go’. The quartet navigate the ups and downs of relationships on the thrashing new track which combines summery indie vibes with a trademark punk bluster. Racing in at just under two and a half minutes in length, it’s a quintessential Rascalton track that will go down a storm with fans. They said “‘Places We Go’ is probably the most we’ve written about relationships. It’s about the highs, lows and the need for some space sometimes. The different phases – and places – you find in throughout a relationship.”
The Magic Gang ‘Death To The Party’
Following the Beach Boys-inspired tunes and wide-eyed positivity that defined their debut album, ‘Death Of The Party’ finds The Magic Gang broadening their horizons and pulling from a wider net of influences such as disco, Motown, classic rock and more. The band’s innate ability for melody is still there but this time we are treated to effervescent disco on lead single ‘Take Back The Track’, effusive brass-flecked pop on ‘Think’ while ‘Gonna Bounce Back’ offers shades of post-punk and slacker rock. The band tread into grittier lyrical themes as well – exploring anxieties about money, relationships and the future alongside their trademark bursts of optimism’. ‘Death To The Party’ represents a musical step forward for The Magic Gang as they push the boundaries of their sound while retaining the charm and songwriting prowess that brought us to them in the first place.
Jolé ‘Silver Lake’ EP
Known for crafting smooth, dreamy soundscapes that are seductively soft as they are deeply emotional, Jolé is the moniker of London-based songwriter Joshua Oliver. His recently released ‘Silver Lake’ EP is a gorgeous follow-up to his 2019 debut album, a deeply personal exploration that delves into greater intimate depths and offers us a brief but entrancing moment of escape from the present. Brought to life after an extended trip to Los Angeles, the EP recalls the likes of Bon Iver in its intricate arrangements and soft, swaying melodies that often belie their emotional impact, moving away from the diverse nature of his debut album in favour of a more insular, introspective world. Highlights include the poetic, lullabylic opener ‘Alpine Green’ and the lush, deeply atmospheric ‘Tie Dye Sky’, which closes the EP with a dose of positivity.
NAO ‘Woman’ (feat. Lianne La Havas)
This striking new collab from NAO and Lianne La Havas marks the former’s first piece of new music since her Grammy-nominated 2018 album ‘Saturn’. Backed by a gentle pulse, Lianne La Havas’ smooth, soulful tones are the perfect complement to NAO’s signature delivery as they join forces in a celebration of black womanhood.
“This is my anthem to empowerment. I want to send a message – to all women but especially to women of colour – that we can be in control, we can be leaders, we can have confidence in our minds and bodies,” Nao said in a statement about the track. There’s a lot of darkness in the world but also great things happening in response, many led by women and girls. For the first time in history there’s a global movement for equality, fairness and systematic change that seems to be delivering real results, both personally and politically. Me and Lianne really wanted to sing about that, support it and celebrate it.”
Aluna & KAYTRANADA ‘The Recipe’ (feat. Rema)
Aluna releases her first full-length solo album today in ‘Renaissance’ and it features this stand-out collab with KAYTRANADA and Nigerian artist Rema. A bouncy dancehall beat and KAYTRANADA’s signature synths allow Aluna and Rema to weave in and out of each other with the singer’s saccharine vocals offering the perfect accompaniment to the producer’s effortlessly cool instrumental.
Disclosure ‘Birthday’ ft Syd and Kehlani
Today marks the release of Disclosure’s eagerly anticipated new album ‘ENERGY’. So far previewed by ‘My High’, ‘Mali’ and the album’s title track, all of which have showcased the duo’s innovation and versatility, they unveiled its fourth and final single earlier this week called ‘Birthday’. Bringing the tempo down to a sultry swagger, track features Syd and Kehlani and finds them revisiting the more R&B inspired side of their catalogue.
On the concept of the song, Howard explains: “Syd & I were going through a similar thing at the time, trying to work out if it was cool to call your ex to say hi or is it too awkward / mean to do so out of the blue?”
Check out our NEW MUSIC RADAR Playlist below.
