We have another 10 great international tracks that are out now that you may not have heard of.. Take a listen here;
1. Katelyn Tarver – “Nicer’
LA-Based singer-songwriter Katelyn Tarver releases her new single ‘Nicer’, a striking new single and video that unfolds in shimmering grooves and lush guitar tones as she reflects on her people-pleasing tendencies. Premiered with Atwood Magazine, it follows previous singles ‘All Our Friends Are Splitting Up’ and ‘Shit Happens’ from her upcoming album Subject to Change – out 12th November.
Tarver explains: “The opening line of this song is inspired by my mom scolding me for honking at a car who cut me off in traffic. She was visiting me in LA, and I guess didn’t think the guy who cut me off deserved a honk. “Gosh Katelyn! You used to be nicer!” (meant to be read in a thick southern accent for full effect). It made me laugh, but it also weirdly stuck with me for years afterward. I think because it hit on a part of me that I was trying to get to know. The part of me that isn’t such a people pleaser. Who isn’t afraid to speak her mind a little more. To all the former rule followers and recovering people pleasers, may this song help us get out there and be a dick sometimes if we need to.”
On this new album, Tarver emerges as the rare kind of artist capable of capturing painful truths in impossibly lovely pop songs that strike every raw nerve. Subject to Change’s graceful convergence of pop, folk and indie-rock spotlights spellbinding vocal work from Tarver, whose journey as the title suggests is ever-changing.
2. Aquadolls – ‘The Virgin Suicides’
Southern California’s the Aquadolls are riding high after a busy summer, which saw them opening for Jimmy Eat World at Chicago’s Metro, gracing the stages at Lollapalooza and Beachlife Festival, and playing a live stream set for Paste Magazine.
This weekend, the all-female trio returns to the beach for a performance at Ohana Festival on Saturday, September 25 alongside Eddie Vedder, Maggie Rogers, Glen Hansard, Spoon, Cold War Kids (set time: 1:05 PM on the Tiki Stage).
A day after making its premiere on Flood Magazine, the music video for the band’s latest single “Disappearing Girl” is now streaming now.
“With twinges of inspiration from the Sofia Coppola film The Virgin Suicides, we created our own 1970s-inspired tale with the help of vintage fashion, film cameras, and romantic faux pas,” says frontwoman Melissa Brooks. “Directed by our friend and close collaborator Savanna Morales, we tell the story of three girls who are all being led on by the same guy, catching him in the end and coming together as best friends.”
3. Karin Ann – ‘I’m A Loser’
Slovakian alt pop star Karin Ann has released her new single and video ‘i’m a loser’.
The new track is a dreamy bedroom pop banger, showing off Karin Ann’s ability to cleverly tap into the consciousness of her Gen Z, with tongue-in-cheek lyrics addressing relatable insecurities, against infectious pop grooves.
About the new track Karin says “There was a period of time during quarantine where I was in a slump and where I was very hard on myself. Also it was a period of time where the media first started taking notice of me and I just felt I wasn’t cool, smart, or talented enough for anything really. Instead of just dwelling in that, I decided to turn it around for myself and own how I felt. I said to myself, maybe I am a loser and so what? I think many young people feel like they’re “losers” for lack of a better term, so I know I’m not alone”
Shot entirely on iPhone, the colourful video for ‘i’m a loser’ was shot by Michal Kunes, and captures the essence of coming of age classic movies
4. Alicia Keyes – ‘LALA’
15-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist and worldwide-celebrated music icon Alicia Keys released the official video for her new single “LALA” featuring Diamond Selling Recording Artist Swae Lee via RCA Records. Directed by Sylvia M Zakhary & Sing J. Lee, the video brings you to a world all her own. Timeless, elegant, luxurious, and bustling with energy, Alicia performs for the star-studded crowd, including Snoop Dogg, Lena Waith, Khalid, Swizz Beatz, Russell Westbrook, Gunna and more as they revel in the evening.
Alicia released “LALA” earlier this month and following the release, Keys returned to the MTV VMAs stage for the debut live performance of the song with her hometown, New York City, shining behind her. The next day, Alicia radiated beauty and elegance as she stepped onto the carpet at the 2021 MET Gala wearing AZ Factory and Van Cleef & Arpels and later celebrated the night, her new single, and her husband’s birthday with an exclusive soiree attended by Elon Musk and Michael Jordan, among many of the most illustrious creative artists of today.
And last week, she released the trailer for her forthcoming intimate performance docuseries for YouTube Originals, “Noted: Alicia Keys The Untold Stories.” Keys produced the series which will be released on September 30. View the trailer here.
5. Absolutely Free – ‘Epilogue’
Absolutely Free celebrates the long-anticipated release of its sophomore album, Aftertouch, with the opening song “Epilogue (After Touch)”. Introducing a collection of songs that wades into our recent loss of tactile culture, “Epilogue” is a whirring to life of wistful synthesizers, a wall of retrosynthetic new wave textures that builds against a post-apocalyptic sunrise to a shuffling, maximalist, electro-psych peak. Touchdown can feel like an arrival / like a movie that’s faded out / But, I still wonder what’s behind, sings Matt King in still, melancholic tones. Accompanied by director Rachelle Walkers’ music video, which layers found footage in dark prismatic forms with Norman McLaren-like illusions of movement, “Epilogue (After Touch)” is an autumnal beginning to the broad, reflective sonic journey of Aftertouch – out now via Boiled Records. Says Absolutely Free:
“‘Epilogue (After Touch)’ conjures an existence, where a linear progression of time no longer seems applicable. With reference to cinematic narrative, the lyrics touch upon living in a contemporary culture that seems to be referential and symbolic of what’s already in the past.”
6. Feelz – ‘Waiting For You’ feat Lena Luisa
EDM/Dance-pop artist Feelz releases new single “Waiting For You” featuring Lena Luisa. The song is now available on all streaming platforms.
Whether you’re at a club, vibing with a couple of friends, or just need your own boost of serotonin, Feelz gives that to you in his uplifting anthem “Waiting for You.” With Feelz’s dreamlike energy matched with Lena Luisa’s crystalline voice, this trance EDM jam is truly an out-of-body experience.
The beginning hits you with an uplifting synth beat that transcends with the celestial voice of Lena Luisa. The breakdown brings a mix of lush pads, a heavenly vocal motif, and evolving kick drums that start to elevate the listener. Feelz’s tracks always have unmatched energy that will keep you going through the tough times and partying during the good times, and “Waiting For You” is no exception. Lena Luisa is a perfect addition to the quality of Feelz’s work, as she brings a whole new airy, beautiful topline to the heavy synth that you can feel resonating within you. The song’s lyrics employ beautiful storytelling and take you through what feels like an electronic dream.
7. Moods – ” Music Saved My Life’
Dutch artist Moods has unveiled new single ‘Music Saved My Life’, out 24th September on Kraak & Smaak’s Boogie Angst label.
Recorded live in the city of Leiden with a full band during the peak of the pandemic, ‘Music Saved My Life’ ebbs and flows around supple grooves, delicate guitar licks and a touch of brass – a combination that reiterates the project’s soulful jazz influences. It follows recent single ‘Sinner’ featuring Nic Hanson, with both tracks set to feature on Moods’ forthcoming album, playfully titled Music Ruined My Life.
“‘Music Saved My Life’ is about the profound joy that creating music brings me from time to time,” Moods explains. “It can give me a vibe that I can’t get anywhere else and is honestly hard to put in words. All I know is my purpose seems to be found in music at that moment. The goal was to translate that feeling and vibe, those moments in your life where u realise everything is in the right place and things are good.”
Drawing influences from acclaimed instrumental hip-hop titans such as Pete Rock, J Dilla and Nujabes, Moods is moniker of Rotterdam-based producer Nick Lubbersen. At the intersection of electronic and contemporary R&B, his sound is based around lo-fi flavours and soulful undertones, while his well-received debut album Zoom Out has amassed more than 30 million global streams.
8. Ryan Hurd – ‘Tab With my name On It’
Rising country powerhouse Ryan Hurd shares a new track, “Tab with My Name on It,” today! The song is taken from Hurd’s debut album, Pelago, set for release on 15th October 2021.
“Tab With My Name on It” follows previously released album offerings “June, July, August,” “Coast” and “Chasing After You. ”Additionally, Hurd has earned his first ever CMA Awards nominations for Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Chasing After You,” his first official duet with his wife, Maren Morris, which is certified Gold and currently in the top 10 and climbing at country radio. Hurd and Morris recently performed the track on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”
Pelago, inspired by Hurd’s upbringing on the shores of Lake Michigan, was produced with childhood friend and long-time creative partner Aaron Eshuis, with further contributions from Jesse Frasure (Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, Little Big Town) and Teddy Reimer.
Hurd got his start in Nashville as a songwriter, penning Platinum hits and #1s for Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Lady A and Tim McGraw, among others. As an artist he’s released a series of EPs, spawning hits like the Platinum-certified “To a T” and earning more than 700 million streams to date. He’s garnered attention and praise from entertainment tastemakers including Esquire, GQ, Maxim, American Songwriter, Billboard and more.
9. Scott von Ryper – ‘Over and Over’
Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Scott von Ryper is already known for co-founding the Australian duo The Black Ryder with Aimee Nash, and being a touring member of The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Following the release of ‘The Devil’s Son’, last month, today sees the launch of ‘Over And ‘Over’ the second track to be taken from his forthcoming debut album which debuted via Brooklyn Vegan earlier. Von Ryper said “when writing songs, sometimes I decide what I want to write about and then sit down and start to sketch lyric ideas out. For ‘Over & Over’ the opposite happened. Certain words just arrived as I was singing the melody early on; words that become so attached to the melody, that finding what those words meant to me, later on, was the work in finishing it. I just had the first line for a long time ‘And the weight, it hangs on my shoulder, it comes over and over, like a setting sun’. The weight could have been many things at the time I wrote it, but when it came time to finish the lyrics a few years later, subsequent life events led me to the purpose of the song.”
His debut solo album “Dream State Treasure” arrives on 15th October 2021 via tran-si-ent records and Silver Door Music. It will be available on vinyl, and digitally via all major music services. Von Ryper will be touring Europe in Nov/Dec with The Jesus And Mary Chain. Pre-save the album HERE. Pre-buy the album HERE.
10. Nicky Buell – “Boy Crazy’
Seattle-based pop artist Nicky Buell is quickly establishing himself as a leading voice in the queer pop scene. He wants the LGBTQ+ community to feel seen and heard. His bullhorn of choice: music. As he puts it, “I just want to normalize a boy singing about another boy in music. I don’t hear enough songs about boys being in lust over other boys on the radio, or in music enough. We need more representation; I want to be that representation for other queer people when I didn’t have that myself at a younger age.”
Nicky has collaborated with iconic artists and producers throughout the Pacific Northwest including Phil Peterson (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Rey), Matthew Wolk (Dempsey Hope, Sam Lachow), and Seattle-based popstar Anna Thompson, his childhood best friend with whom he released ‘Thirsty.’ It was through this song that Nicky would publicly come out at the age of twenty. He followed ‘Thirsty’ with the releases of singles ‘Bromance’ and ‘Moonboy’ off his debut EP ‘Spongy Emerald Prince,’ a project that honors and chronicles his triumphs and heartbreak during his first year as an openly gay man.
Having launched his project just four months ago, he’s already received press from major publications on the West Coast like Rage Robot and The Spokesman-Review. Sonically, Nicky draws inspiration from artists like Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and John Legend. He not only sits in the pop realm but also bends the genre, adding in the occasional punchy rap verse to elevate his sound. Nicky is an artist you can root for, coming into his own through the creation of fun electronic-tinged pop anthems guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days.
