Some shimmering alt-pop this week, perfect for the ‘almost but not quite summer’ vibes. Basically my fave genre at my fave time of year. So let’s dive right in. Enjoy!
Cas du Pree – Prism
Cas du Pree’s “Prism” is a brilliant alt-pop single: danceable, sharp, and built around a metaphor that builds into an incredible chorus.
“Prism” is the most upbeat and danceable thing Cas du Pree has released, which makes sense given that its central idea is about opening up rather than closing down. The title is cool: the idea being that light through a prism refracts into something warm and colourful when conditions are right, and darkens when they are not. Lyrics co-written by Cas and Hugh Webber carry that logic through to the refrain, “Let me take control,” which lands beautifully. It’s all very bright, buzzy and incredibly infectious.
Cas du Pree is based in Brummen in the Netherlands and has been building a catalogue in collaboration with Webber and Storey since a debut single in 2020. That Dutch-British creative axis gives the project a particular character: directness on the lyrical side, a melodic instinct on the production side, the two pulling against each other in ways that keep the songs interesting. It’s a fantastic single and we’re definitely keeping an eye on him this year.
Tori Lord – Conman
Tori Lord’s “Conman” is a stunning alt-pop debut: polished, lyrically precise, and one of the sharpest character studies we’ve heard in the genre this year
“Conman” is produced by Marty Martino of Down With Webster, and the production carries his fingerprints: wonderfully crisp pop architecture with a darker undercurrent that stops it from sitting too comfortably. The track is written with Theo Tams, Canadian Idol winner and experienced co-writer, and the collaboration shows in the lyrical specificity. Tori’s delivery is the real standout here, understated and plaintive in the verses, before things explode into the chorus. Conceptually, it’s about what happens when someone performs a version of themselves that isn’t real, doing it purely to protect their access to status and proximity.
Lord grew up moving through Canada’s top choirs and musical theatre before joining Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love tour. Now based in New York, she has developed her pop direction under the mentorship of Rob Wells, the co-writer behind Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” working alongside Martino and Tams to build a sound rooted in layered vocals and piano-driven production. “Conman” is her debut single, and it arrives with a lot of excitement. We can’t wait for whatever’s next.
50mething – O oh it’s AI
50mething’s “O oh it’s AI” is a brilliant piece of alt pop provocation: the first track to tackle AI’s social consequences while also being a real synth-indie banger
“O oh it’s AI” focuses on the parts of artificial intelligence that celebratory tech coverage tends to skip past: job displacement, the exploitation of vulnerable people, the way a technology marketed as progress distributes its costs unevenly. The track acknowledges that AI has legitimate applications while refusing to let that acknowledgement soften the critique. It is a pop song about a subject that dominates the news cycle but rarely makes it into music with this kind of directness, and the production keeps the message moving rather than any sort of lecture. It’s clever stuff.
50mething is the project of a 58-year-old Ealing-based songwriter and former dancer and garden builder who came to releasing music after a cancer diagnosis in 2024. We’ve been enjoying his work this year, and we’re excited to hear there’s a substantial back catalogue to see the light of the day, with inspiration from social and political events. 50mething shows it doesn’t matter when you start, it’s all about what you do. And this is great.