As we head into the weekend, here are some great tracks from around the globe.
1. Red Moon releases stunning video for ‘Thirsty’
A beautiful ode to queer expression, human connection, and the intensity it can bring, Thirsty is a gorgeous offering full of emotional liberation. The accompanying video is full of weightless euphoria capturing the feeling of meeting your match.
Sharing more, Red Moon explained:
“Thirsty exudes passion, drive, and freedom. It describes the feeling that anything is possible with this person you share an undeniable connection with; when your gut tells you that there is a future you will share together. So you just want to see where this spark will lead you to. For the video concept of Thirsty, I wanted the narrative to be open and experienced like a lucid dream.. I wanted to enhance and translate that feeling where you flash-forwards and see a glimmer of a future with them, into more dream-like, psychedelic visuals. “
Fiercely in touch and in tune with her emotions, Red Moon’s music and songwriting is driven straight from her heart. “We are not creating algorithms; we are creating waves and real emotions which we transform into sounds and lyrics. Music to me is a reflection of emotion” She explained.
2. Albi X releases ‘Bibamba’
As an Afro-German artist with Congolese roots, Albi X’s music is contagiously energetic, effortlessly blending high energy hip-hop beats with a lyrical language fusion of Lingala, French and English for a truly international sound.
Bibamba is accompanied by an intensely hypnotising and exhilarating music video, which features Albi X and a troupe of dancers.
“In my latest single I want to pay homage to the Congolese classic “Coupé Bi Bamba” by Awilo Logonba which was released in 1998. I wrote this song during a time where I was questioning myself and found my inner strength again, so the song is about personal strength and also how it is received by others.
On the track, I wanted to represent an interesting person with Bibamba, about whom everyone wants to learn something, because they all want to be like him. This represents my main goal, to inspire people to reach for higher grounds and be the best version of themselves. The song means a lot to me, I also want to show solidarity and respect to the “King of the Congel Rumba”, Papa Wemba, who was lost in 2016.”
With his recent photo campaign for Puma with Headie One, Albi X has already seen success as a model in the international spotlight with his unique vibe and infectious charisma. Now, Albi X is set to unleash his musical talents into the world.
3. Tebey collaborates with Una Healy on ‘Song Of The Summer’
Award-winning artist and platinum-selling songwriter, Tebey has released a reimagined version of his summer anthem “Song of the Summer” with Irish country/pop sensation and former member of the multi-platinum UK band The Saturdays, Una Healy. The new song, released via Jayward Artist Group / The Orchard / Sony Music Canada, is now available worldwide here.
“Song of the Summer” highlights the Canadian country star’s strong vocals as he harmonizes with Healy about a summer love that won’t be forgotten.Tebey commented, “I’ve been a fan of Una’s since she was a member of The Saturdays. I discovered her while I was living in London in 2012. When I first recorded “Song of the Summer” on my own, I was really happy with it not knowing it would eventually become this killer duet. I’m very grateful Una lent her incredible voice to this version of the song. Can’t wait to sing it with her live!”
4. Lexi Berg releases new track ‘Helpless To Help You’
A spectacular breakout year for Swedish-American singer-songwriter Lexi Berg keeps on getting better. Her song ‘What If’ prompted a wave of discovery after featuring in the Netflix smash ‘Pieces of a Woman’, a film which gained countless nominations throughout awards season. She then released ‘Into The Sea’ as her debut for the Warner Music UK label EastWest Records, a single which Jo Whiley played on Radio 2 and which, with its dramatic Scandi-style video, earned rave reviews from followers as well as famous fans of Lexi’s music, including Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Pinnock, Bianca Jagger, Amelia Windsor and Rebecca Ferguson.
Lexi Berg continues to thrive as she now shares her new single ‘Helpless To Help You’. After the more meditative tone of her previous two singles, ‘Helpless To Help You’ is charged with fervour, with Lexi’s powerful vocals evoking the style of a young Stevie Nicks. Rich with bright harmonies, and a classic familiar-yet-fresh feel, it’s an uplifting anthem that reaches out to someone in need. And while the title suggests that it’s about a situation that can’t be rectified, a subtle lyrical twist reveals an offer of support that provides light amidst dark troubles.
5. Glass Dove releases ‘On My Own’
The tinier the pieces, the bigger the puzzle. As if sonically gluing together a mosaic, Nashville-based Glass Dove assembles sweeping alternative pop anthems D.I.Y. from shards of live guitar, MIDI, and synths. Those pieces also mirror two distinct halves of founder Josh Benus’s personality. Combining artistic seriousness with clever intuition, the lifelong musician will dissect a turning point in his life by sharing a granular detail—whether he likens old friends to “a pack of cigarettes we smoked just yesterday” or compares arguments to “long-winded games of chess that you never win.” In 2021, the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer explores the push-and-pull of personal and universal dichotomies on his independent full-length debut, Half Life Wilderness, produced by Owen Biddle [The Roots, John Legend]. He spent the past three years molding, tinkering, and shaping the music to comprise a whole greater than the sum of its parts, yet reverent of every nuance.
For as otherworldly as the final product feels, it all began in the most organic way possible in the Smoky Mountains during a week of writing and recording…
“It started with me and Owen in a room with a laptop, a microphone, a MIDI controller, and a pocket synth,” recalls Josh. “It completely blossomed from there into something meaningful for me. The sound is meant to be much bigger than that. I try to approach it from a holistic standpoint and ask questions like, ‘Is this cathartic for me? Is it universal? Will it be cathartic for somebody else? How does it relate to what’s going on in the world?’ There’s a very serious side of the refinement process. I’m always dedicating myself to the craft of songwriting, getting better, and learning from the past in order to do something new.”
6. Topic and Bebe Rexha release ‘Chain My Heart’
Multi-platinum selling German/Croatian DJ and producer Topic has teamed up with Grammy-nominated US artist Bebe Rexha for their brand new collaboration ‘Chain My Heart’.
Another hit-in-waiting for Topic, ‘Chain My Heart’ flaunts the producer’s “melancholic dance music” style, underpinning Bebe’s vocal prowess. When speaking about the storyline of the track, co-collaborator Bebe explains, “’Chain My Heart’ is about finding somebody that truly captivates your heart, and not wanting to let them go. I had a great time working together with Topic, he is very talented and I am so excited for everyone to hear this song!”
About choosing Bebe Rexha to collaborate with, Topic says: “When creating ‘Chain My Heart’, we noticed relatively early on that the song needed a strong woman, who could convey a certain edginess with her voice. With some melodies, you directly imagine the person you want on the track in the process. Bebe Rexha was the one who struck our minds instantly. Vocally, she has exactly the attitude that the song needs. You can hear that especially in the pre-chorus.”
7. Wiese releases new track ‘Hear Me’
WIESE (Trygve Wiese-Haugland) is a songwriter, producer and DJ from Bergen, Norway – the hometown of Kygo and Alan Walker. WIESE makes commercial electronic pop music, characterized by catchy melodies, pulsating rhythms and a radio-friendly format.
His latest single “Hear Me” is a bright pop, deep house tune exploding in colour and life. The track touches on the freedom after post-lockdown confinement and the excitement at the prospect of travel and adventure coming back into full swing. Explored through the male and female vocals the track leans towards their future of exploring again, with WIESE sharing, “The song is telling a story about what lockdown has done to us as human beings, our ability to be close to each other and our need to explore things the way we used to.”
As we all get ready to burst out of lockdown hibernation, this single is the anthem to lead you out into the jungle of life again. Co-produced by Conner Edmunds and featuring vocals from Erin Jarvis, “Hear Me” is a summer breeze, bursting with exotic flavours and tropical soundscapes. The main synth melody is highly catchy, carrying a flow of energy and keeping you feeling happy and alive. His influences and inspirations include Imanbek, R3hab and Hedegaard, mixed with a timely blend of storytelling lyrics and infectious pop. WIESE explains, “After a year in lockdown and finally starting to see things opening up again, the vibe I felt was uplifting, energetic and happy.”
8. Martin Jenson links up with Rompasso, Faulhaber and Jonasu
A quintuplet of dance music crossover stars unite as Martin Jensen, Rompasso, FAULHABER and JONASU team up for ‘Make My Mind Go’.
‘Make My Mind Go’ places itself firmly in dance pop territory, punctuated by warm piano chords and an energetic vocal that sets the upbeat tone that follows throughout the single, perfectly geared up for the incoming summer months. The beat sees the introduction of a bouncing bassline that makes the track undeniably danceable, as well as being perfectly tuned for the radio.
Martin Jensen has begun 2021 in the same impressive vain as last year. Having been announced as the newest judge in the Danish X Factor series, ‘Make My Mind Go’ is the second release of the year for Jensen, following on from ‘2019’ with Georgia Ku. Last year also saw collaborations with Imanbek on ‘I’m Just Feelin’’, and ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ alongside Jason Derulo and Alok, strengthening a considerable arsenal of music that stemmed from his 2016 breakout single ‘Solo Dance’, which currently stands at over 620 million streams on Spotify alone.
9. Evan Giia releases new track ‘Mood Swings”
Astralwerks released EVAN GIIA’s new single, “Mood Swings.” The track’s breezy vibe belies the rollercoaster of emotions she evokes. GIIA co-wrote the song with London-based trio RITUAL, who have collaborated with the likes of Dua Lipa, Little Mix and Avicii, all-star songwriter Georgia Ku and New York-based MEMBA. Download / stream “Mood Swings” HERE. View the visualizer HERE.
GIIA will join Louis The Child on their U.S. amphitheater tour, which will kick off with a two-night stand at Stubbs BBQ in Austin, TX (July 28 & 29). She will also perform at the Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, at the Breakaway North Carolina Music Festival and at Holy Ship! Wrecked in Tulum, Mexico. See below for itinerary. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
“Mood Swings” is the follow-up to “Stay Up,” which was released earlier this year along with a Mynxii White-directed video that took fans on a whirlwind tour of some of GIIA’s favourite nighttime haunts in her hometown of Brooklyn. Praising the exuberant clip, PLNKWIFI said, “EVAN GIIA always seems to be going on the coolest adventures, and hey, her music can easily make someone feel as if they’re on one too!” Her late 2020 single, “tiny life,” was recently heard on MTV’s “Siesta Key.” The track was also tapped for an ESPN college football campaign.
10. Reiley shares latest track ‘Let It Ring’
Rising pop sensation, Reiley, has unveiled a stripped back version of his debut single, “Let It Ring,” available now. The new rendition of the infectious single swaps out the song’s slinky synthetic bass line for an equally energetic acoustic guitar. The original version of the song penned/produced by Lostboy (Zedd, Bebe Rexha), Lauren Aquilina (Rina Sawayama, Olivia O’Brien) & JHart (Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello) features the first-ever licensed sample of the instantly recognizable official iPhone ringtone and has picked up an incredible seven million plus streams in addition to over one million YouTube views since its release.
“I want to be an artist who pushes boundaries and defines what it is to be a male pop artist in 2021,” Reiley exclaims. “It’s not only about the music either, I’m creating a 360-degree experience. My art is communicated through all mediums: the fashion, the dancing, the visuals, the set design, and the storyline.”
