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THIS WEEK’S R&B BOPS

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This week’s R&B is soul music with a purpose. Songs about healing after heartbreak, rising through grief, telling the hard truth and burning away an old self: warm vocals and smooth production carrying real emotional weight, the kind that stays with you.

Kay Soul – Anybody Out There

“Anybody Out There” is a gorgeous piece of neo-soul from Kay Soul, an stunningly intimate opener that turns hard-won vulnerability into something powerful and strong

Kay Soul’s latest banger is soul that leads with the heart. Warm, vintage-leaning R&B production frames a vocal that sits close and unguarded, and the whole track carries the softer, more feminine tone Kay Soul has described as the woman in me. We love it. Especially cos it’s soul that moves without hurrying, serving up the vibe rather than searching for a big showpiece moment, If you’re looking for that real gospel warmth, then look no further. It’s the beautiful sound of an artist telling the truth gently and meaning every word.

Kay Soul is an Atlanta-based singer-songwriter raised on the southside of Chicago by her grandparents, who blends vintage R&B, gospel and hip-hop, citing Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston and Lauryn Hill. A member of the Recording Academy who mentors younger creators, she has a wall of honours behind her, including a 2025 R&B Song of the Year win for “Corinthians Love.” Impressive stuff, but it’s this song that’s the standout moment. Enjoy it below.

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Maukele Soul – Still We Rise

“Still We Rise” is a stunning, uplifting soul anthem from Maukele Soul, a song of hope that we can’t get enough of

This is a song built to lift you up. Expressive vocals and warm instrumentation ride a dynamic arrangement that builds in intensity, so the uplift feels earned rather than declared, growing as the track goes. It balances that rising energy against a reflective, almost prayerful atmosphere, holding space for grief and setback before it reaches for renewal. It’s got the warmest heart, and I love how it’s written for people navigating loss, uncertainty and hard transitions. The message of hope is well-needed these days, and Maukele Soul land that message beautifully.

Maukele Soul is a healing music collective from Honolulu, serving as the music outreach arm of Aloha Center, a nonprofit dedicated to healing and community building. Bringing together songwriters, vocalists and producers around a shared mission, they draw on Maverick City Music, Mali Music, Lauren Daigle and Kirk Franklin to blend gospel, inspirational R&B and contemporary soul. “Still We Rise” is the title track and lead single from their debut EP, and we’ll definitely be checking it out, because this one’s a great – and important – single. Check it our below.

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Keesha Blair – Truth Always Shows Its Face

“Truth Always Shows Its Face” is a superb slice of intimate neo-soul from Keesha Blair, a smooth, reflective song about the freedom in honesty.

Keesha Blair’s new single works in close-up. Smooth, reflective production keeps everything intimate, the arrangement hushed enough that every word registers, and the mood stays contemplative from start to finish. It circles around a single idea, the moment honesty stops being painful and becomes a kind of release. I love that idea, and the song’s put together to do the feeling justice. Calm, searching and quietly resolved, it’s a compelling single.

Keesha Blair is a Woodbridge-based songwriter, music creator and custom music director working under the banner Divine Purpose Music, where her focus lands on healing, boundaries, truth and emotional restoration. Her role centres on songwriting, concept and creative direction, building message-led songs for listeners moving through deep inner work and back toward their own voice and peace. “Truth Always Shows Its Face” is a clear distillation of that mission, and we’d expect it to do very well. A great tune.

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Prience Moore – I Should’ve Let You Go

“I Should’ve Let You Go” is a brilliant, aching retro-soul ballad from Prience Moore, a heartbreak song that puts the feeling before everything else.

Prience Moore’s latest single is is a ballad that refuses to let production get in the way of pain. Built around a restrained retro-soul feel with an 80s warmth, it keeps everything in service of the vocal and the hurt behind it, never letting the arrangement overpower the message. Its lo-fi production really works, and the strings and piano interlude-bridge opens things up in an emotional way. Delivered with raw conviction, it captures the specific ache of knowing too late that you should have walked away, and it lands very, very hard.

Prience Moore is a Seattle-based artist working in alternative indie R&B and retro soul, drawing on Babyface and George Michael for his blend of soulful melody and story-driven writing. “I Should’ve Let You Go” came out of a deeply personal situation and was recorded at Unlimitedtalents Studio with Micheal Miller, who crafted that favourite piano bridge live in the session. Moore describes the track as the essential cornerstone of his musical identity, and family reactions to its raw delivery have confirmed how directly the pain reads. A great single.

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THIS WEEK’S INDIE ROCK BOPS

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This week’s indie rock runs on tension and release. These are songs that brood and then erupt, full of friction and restless energy, trading easy comfort for something sharper. Loud or quiet, every one of them is chasing the moment things finally break open.

The Lunar Keys – Everything

The Lunar Key’s serve up a brilliant, big-swinging alt-rock anthem, with a stadium-sized chorus and an uneasy heart beating under it.

The Lunar Keys’ lates single sounds like a high and warns you about the comedown in the same breath. It’s great. All Surging guitars and a chorus built for a festival field give it obvious muscle, but the writing pulls the other way, picking at the modern compulsion to chase everything at once until it tips into burnout. The band let the euphoria and the anxiety run side by side rather than resolving them, so the track keeps its edge even at full volume. Anthemic on the surface, slightly rattled underneath, and all the sharper for it.

The Lunar Keys are a Guildford four-piece who attach a charitable pledge to everything they release, from planting hundreds of trees in return for airplay to donations for Shelter and Mind. This single is their second outing with Grammy-winning producer Brendan Dekora, whose credits take in Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters and Muse. Their run so far speaks for itself: more than 600,000 streams, support from over 400 radio stations, and five different songs picked as BBC Introducing Track of the Day. Impressive numbers, but it’s the banger itself which is the highlight. An essential rock indie track this month.

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Oscillatina – Humble-Link!

“Humble-Link!” is a gorgeous bit of genre-hopping art rock from Oscillatina, proof that a wonderful vision can hold a mix of styles together beautifully

This is indie rock with a restless imagination. Built on a pop sensibility but happy to wander, the track threads garage, post-punk, new wave and surf textures through its runtime without ever feeling like a patchwork. There is a whole lot of lo-fi warmth to it, a homemade charge that keeps the talking heads or devo-esque cleverness grounded, and the songwriting stays catchy even as it twists. It’s beautifully recorded, and i’m left wondering what a humble-link is, but that mystique only adds to the appeal.

Oscillatina is the project of Mexican-American artist Bradley Wilkinson, formed in Seattle in 2024 and now based in South Texas. He fully self-funded the album, hand-painted its cover on a four-foot canvas, and brought in Grammy-nominated producer Garrett Reynolds, an engineer for Sleater-Kinney and longtime assistant to Phil Ek. The record features players from Monsterwatch and Country Lips, and KEXP has spun “Humble-Link!” on its local show Audioasis. Impressive stuff, but it’s this banger that really stands out. It’s fantastic, and it deserves to do very well.

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Lorraine – I Feel It

“I Feel It” is one of the best comeback singles you’ll hear this year, a synth-driven rush from Lorraine that genuinely gives you the feelshasn’t aged a single day.

Lorraine are a guitar-band with songwriting dressed in an electronic sheen. Sleek synths and a taut, insistent pulse drive it forward, but there is real rock backbone underneath, the melody muscular enough to carry the weight the production piles on. This is beautifully put together, and s with a slightly melancholic, after-hours swagger. And musically, it’s the best kind of synth pop that sounds radio radio without ever sounding cold. Two decades on from when it first charted, the strangest thing about it is how current it feels, a song with the confidence of a hit that simply refuses to sit still or show its age.

Lorraine are a Bergen band whose backstory is remarkable: this single reached number 28 on the UK chart twenty years ago, drew praise from Pet Shop Boys, and made them one of very few Norwegian acts to break the UK Top 30. Their album Pop Noir, with cover art by Peter Saville, was shelved and passed into legend as a lost record fans kept asking after online. Having finally won back the rights, the band put it out in 2026, and we’re very, very glad for it because it’s an absolute banger. Essential listen this month.

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The Fiends – Sonder

“Sonder” is a superb piece of post-punk-tinged indie rock from The Fiends, the sound of a band who clearly built it to soar live

This is a track that knows how to swing between extremes. Layered guitars and driving rhythms move it from brooding introspection into explosive, anthemic peaks, with shoegaze-tinged atmosphere blurring the edges of the bigger moments. The vocals carry real emotional charge, never coasting, and the whole thing balances grit against melody so neither wins outright. Whoever produced this did an absolute banger of a job, it manages to me noisy, spiky and smooth at the same time. The performance is a genuine zinger too. It’s all coiled energy waiting for the chorus to let it loose.

The Fiends are a four-piece alt-indie band from Swansea, South Wales, formed in 2020 and steadily sharpening their sound across the Mazel Tov and Lazarus EPs. They have built a serious live reputation, selling out hometown shows and supporting Peter Hook & The Light, The Snuts and The Lottery Winners. In March 2025 they took their first trip to the US, playing SXSW in Austin, New Colossus in New York, and shows in Los Angeles. It’s an impressive list, but it’s this song which is the genuine standout; it’s brilliant and we’ve got a close eye on these guys.

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Blake Rave – Drive Me Crazy

“Drive Me Crazy” is a gloriously catchy 80s-tinged rocker from Blake Rave, a glossy hook with a bitter story buried under the shine.

This is a track that smuggles its sting inside a grin. On the surface it is a bright, guitar-forward 80s throwback, rhythmic and immediate, built to bounce off its chorus. Underneath, the upbeat love song is really a settling of scores: a sour relationship with an early music company that began like a fairytale and curdled. I love the groove on this, it’s almost Fine Young Cannibals at times, and I love that gap between the sunny sound and the unhappy subject. It’s a cool single, and the brightness as defiance keeps me returning to it. Shout out to the synth work too, very cool.

Blake Rave usually works in introspective, melody-led writing, which makes this glossy 80s detour a deliberate step into a louder alter ego. The track was cut at WWWStudios in Ash Vale, a Victorian-era chapel converted into a modern studio, with producer Dan Weeks at the desk. Wrapping real personal history inside a deliberately upbeat throwback is a smart move, letting Rave keep his honest streak intact while clearly having a lot of fun. More of this please Mr Rave, it’s great.

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THIS WEEK’S ROCK BOPS

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This week’s rock has something on its mind. Dystopian dread, misinformation, the cost of ambition and a heartbreak drowned at the bar: these are songs that hit hard and mean it, trading empty bombast for riffs with a reason to exist.

JFK Blue – Restless City

“Restless City” is a superb slab of classic blues rock from JFK Blue, a slow-burning dystopian anthem that reaches deep into your heart

JFK Blue’s latest banger is rock that trusts the groove over the flash. Built on a full six-piece sound with organic, played-in-a-room warmth, “Restless City” rides a classic rock and blues swagger toward something genuinely ominous, its dark undercurrent drawn from headlines and endless scrolling. It is not musically complex by design, and that is its strength: the hook serves up the vibe slowly, gaining weight each time round. Guest vocals from blues rock singer Rebecca Downes add a wonderful richness to the sound, giving the track a smoky, widescreen edge that makes it even better.

JFK Blue are a London six-piece led by singer-songwriter and lead guitarist Stef, making their return with their first new material since 2019. The song was sparked by a weekend re-reading Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, capped off with a speeding ticket the next morning, a collision Stef sums up as Orwell meets Blade Runner. Recorded at Bonafide Studios in Muswell Hill with producer Brian, it is the debut single from their forthcoming second album. Its a banger, and I’d very much like to see it live. An essential listen this month.

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Terminal Fear – Quicksand

“Quicksand” is a brilliant, hard-hitting rap-rock statement from Terminal Fear, the sound of a band with something urgent to say and the muscle to say it.

This one comes out swinging. Snappy, groove-laden rock riffs lock into a classic hip-hop feel wrapped in a rock framework, and the whole thing carries the coiled tension of a message that refuses to be ignored. It captures that sinking feeling of knowing the truth and struggling to make it heard, the frustration built right into the propulsive push of the track. Musically, there’s such a groove that it makes you sit up and listen, the delivery stays taut throughout, and it lands as a song designed to grab you by the collar rather than merely soundtrack the room. I love the guitar on this, it moves things along in style.

Terminal Fear are a Winchester four-piece made up of Skip, Stu, Rumm and Twiggy, players who have been building their chemistry together over several years. Their sound fuses the funk-rock elasticity of Red Hot Chili Peppers with the political fire of Rage Against the Machine, filtered through a shared love of hip hop. “Quicksand” arrives in both standard and radio-edit versions, and takes aim at how divisive narratives get painted onto shared symbols by unseen forces rather than by ordinary people. An essential track this month.

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Richard Green – Purpose and Price

“Purpose and Price” is a stunning genre-melting rock track from Richard Green, an aggressive, ambitious piece that doesn’t shy away from the important questions. Or the groove.

Richard Green serves up rock built from many moving parts. Funky grooves, rock energy, electronic textures and hip-hop rhythms all fold together, underpinned by subtle blues and jazz shading, and the fusion never feels like a novelty. There is an intentional aggression driving it, a hard edge that matches the weight of its subject: the human cost of ambition, the idea of selling your soul to succeed. That tension gives the track real propulsion, the sound heading forward in all the best ways. I love the boldness here, and it’s an ambitious piece that wears its philosophical streak in style.

Richard Green is an Italian guitarist and composer based in Milan, whose sound was shaped by eleven years spent in London, where he earned his music degree. He is defined above all by his versatility: since his 2020 debut Dark Horses he has moved between electronic experiments and a neoclassical trilogy for piano and string quartet, collaborating with pianist Irene Veneziano and the Archimia quartet. “Purpose and Price” was inspired by a line of television dialogue asking how much success costs you, and very excitingly, precedes a forthcoming EP. We’re eagerly awaiting more from Richard, as this single is fantastic.

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THIS WEEK’S ALT – POP BOPS

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This week’s alt pop finds the light in difficult places. Cyclical heartbreak turned into something euphoric, the marks people leave behind, and a quiet act of reclaiming your own time. Three writers making pop that thinks as hard as it feels.

Anna Thoresen – GROUNDHOG DAY

“GROUNDHOG DAY” is a stunning piece of experimental dark-pop from Anna Thoresen, a song that turns a spiral into something genuinely euphoric.

Anna Thoresen’s new single is dark-pop that refuses to stay small. Built on unconventional chord progressions that mirror the disorienting loop of repeated heartbreak, the track moves with a cinematic ambition, dark subject matter set against production that swells toward something close to euphoric. It’s a lovely sound world to dive into, produced like a dream, and manages to be kinda experimental without losing its grip on melody. The hook is a banger, I love Anna’s vocal and overall the whole thing is a compelling listen that finds its moment in a unique way.

Anna Thoresen is a Los Angeles artist who wrote, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered this entirely in her home studio during an isolating stretch, drawing on The Cranberries, The Smashing Pumpkins and No Doubt. She calls the song her death march, a track born from personal and professional disappointment that she says has since grown much bigger than her as listeners connect with it. This is great, and one of our favourite singles in the last couple of months.

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maryann connolly – Etched In Love

maryann connolly serves up a gorgeous, tender alt-pop ballad that’s one of the most affecting songs you’ll hear this summer

This is a song about the traces people leave behind. Sitting in that warm space where alternative pop meets soft rock, it carries its central idea gently: the marks that stay with us long after someone is gone. The arrangement stays unfussy, letting a clear vocal and an easy melody do the emotional work rather than reaching for a big dramatic swell. I love the driving rhythms here, and the chorus really soars here. Definitely lighters in the when it hits.

maryann connolly is a 25-year-old actress, model and singer based in Cape Coral, Florida, who has performed at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks and makes monthly trips to Nashville to perform. She is pursuing her ambition as a pop artist across a genuinely multidisciplinary career, moving between the runway, the stage and the studio. “Etched In Love” reflects that same emotional directness, an aspiring pop singer channelling personal feeling into a beautiful track. We love this single, and will be keeping an eye on maryann connolly.

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Ornnala – Au diable

“Au diable” is a superb debut from Ornnala, a genuine breath of fresh air for French-language pop and a groovy. liberating listen.

This is a song that chooses tenderness over noise. Carried by a soft, assured acoustic melody, “Au diable” celebrates freedom and gentleness. It follows a woman who finally decides to slow down and reconnect with herself amid the invisible weight of domestic obligation. As well as a great concept, there’s a kind of 90s elegance to how it builds, almost orchestral pop with touches of early madonna, french pop and a whole lot of vibe. Sincere and unhurried, it turns a small private decision to step back into something genuinely uplifting.

Ornnala is a French singer-songwriter from Manosque whose world blends francophone chanson, lyrical influences and orchestral pop. Conservatory-trained, she has developed a sensitive approach to voice and interpretation, deepened by experience on stage, in cinema and in musical theatre. Born between two cultures, she draws on that dual heritage for writing that feels both intimate and universal. “Au diable” is her first single, a tribute to the women who hold things together. It’s a great single, and an elegant, sincere opening statement.

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THIS WEEK’S SUMMER BOPS

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This week’s summer selection is all warmth and motion. Sun-soaked rhythms, music that carries the feeling of somewhere far from home, and grooves built to keep a night going long after the heat fades. Press play and let it take you somewhere brighter.

Ïgor – Lisboa Na Cabeça

“Lisboa Na Cabeça” is a gorgeous summer banger from Ïgor, one of the most heartfelt tributes to a home city you’ll hear this year

Ïgor’s new banger is a love letter set to stunning urban production. Moving between Portuguese and English, the track folds introspective storytelling into warm, contemporary hip-hop and R&B, the kind of song that feels like memory and homesickness in equal measure. It carries a real sense of place, Lisbon rendered not as a postcard but as something held close, and the bilingual flow gives it a texture few singles attempt. It’s wonderfully vibey, summery and this just has to be on your summer playlist. It’s a banger.

Ïgor is a Portuguese-born, London-based artist who blends alternative hip-hop, R&B and pop in both his native Portuguese and English. After a serious knee injury sidelined him, he threw himself fully into music, writing and recording entirely on an iPhone XS Max, turning a hard chapter into a creative breakthrough. “Lisboa na Cabeça” has already passed 500,000 views on TikTok, connecting with listeners through its authentic portrayal of Portuguese culture. We’re really excited by Ïgor, and will be keeping an eye on him this year.

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Turtuga collective – Sintura

“Sintura” is a superb Afro House cut from Turtuga collective, the rare DJ track that listeners keep returning to long after the dancefloor empties.

Turtuga collective’s new single is a groove built for the long game. Afro House momentum meets organic percussion and atmospheric textures. And the whole thing breathes in a way that loads of dance really struggles too. It’s not just an absolute vibe, there’s emotional weight under that rhythm. A kind of cinematic quality, so this one works just as well on headphones at home as it does on a packed floor. Hypnotic and warm, it’s produced like a dream and should definitely be on your next road trip playlist.

Turtuga collective is the artist project of Turtuga Productions, an independent company rooted in Curaçao and based in the Netherlands, working under the motto Legacy Over Noise. Rather than chasing trends, they treat each release as a tune for the ages, blending Afro House, Afrobeat and global rhythms into cinematic records meant to connect cultures. It’s nice for the music to come from a conceptual world, and you can hear how “Sintura” is part of a deliberately larger and long term vision. We love the patient, quality-first approach, but mainly, we just love this track. Check it out below, it’s fantastic.

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Teddy Marcelle – Potomanto

“Potomanto” is a brilliant, sun-drenched Afrobeat single from Teddy Marcelle, one of the most effortlessly joyful tracks you’ll hear this summer.

Teddy Marcelle’s lastest single is a song that travels well. Warm Afrobeat rhythms meet a lilting Caribbean bounce, and the whole thing carries the loose, open-hearted feel of music made among friends far from home. The title borrows a Ghanaian word for luggage, and the track runs with that image of carrying love and memories across borders, a ride-or-die companion for the road. It’s produced like a dream, and I love the lightness to the groove. It’s not in a rush, and the vibe is honestly irresistible.

Teddy Marcelle is an artist from South Oropouche in Trinidad and Tobago who works as a cruise ship IT officer, turning his cabin into a mobile studio between voyages. “Potomanto” grew from a spontaneous session aboard ship with a Ghanaian colleague, recorded on just a laptop and interface, its video shot on a phone across Sydney, Melbourne, New Zealand and Mystery Island. Co-founder of the label Ridiyum Limited, he cites WizKid, Asake and Burna Boy, and it is a key track from his forthcoming debut album OriXcel. It’s an absolute summer banger and deserves to be on your summer beach playlist.

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THIS WEEK’S HIP HOP BOPS

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This week’s hip hop is all about patience and feel. These are tracks made for late-night drives and repeated listens, atmospheric and unhurried, the kind that trust a mood to do the talking. Even when they reach for the dancefloor, they keep their cool.

Nawlenz – Luv Meh

“Luv Meh” is a gorgeous slice of late-night R&B-rap from Nawlenz, atmospheric and intimate enough to soundtrack any midnight drive.

Nawlenz’s new stunner moves at a 2am pace. Atmospheric production from Tracmuzik wraps around conversational vocals, and the whole track sits in that hazy space where melodic R&B and hip-hop storytelling blur into one. I love the sound world, and this one explores attraction, connection and the uncertainty between two people without ever forcing the drama, letting the mood carry the weight instead. The featured turn from Ronni J adds a second voice to the conversation, and the result feels great; built for reflection AND for the club.

Nawlenz is originally from New Orleans and now based in Alaska, bridging Southern hip-hop roots with modern R&B, citing Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR and The Weeknd. “Luv Meh” has a remarkable backstory: it began in late 2021 as a 60-second open verse challenge on the collaboration app Voisey, where he first connected with Ronni J. Over several years it grew into a full single, recorded across two coasts with Nawlenz in San Diego and Ronni J in New Jersey, finally completed in 2025 after listeners kept urging him to finish it. We’re glad he did, cos this one pops hard. A brilliant single.

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Ray Gibbz – Hope and Need

“Hope and Need” is a brilliant, unguarded piece of personal rap from Ray Gibbz, the sound of an artist holding nothing back and it landing in style

Ray Gibbz’s latest single is rap stripped of armour. Billed as his most personal statement yet, “Hope and Need” digs into family, ambition and the pressure that drives him, and the writing stays unflinchingly direct throughout. There is no posturing here, just an honest account delivered with real conviction. I love stuff that feels like the layers have been peeled back, and this one genuinely pops off in style. More polished than his other stuff, but without sanding off the raw edges, it’s an emotionally exposed song that is fantastic. Vulnerability used as a strength.

Ray Gibbz is a self-taught producer, songwriter and rapper from San Diego who builds every track himself from his apartment, with no formal training behind him. He cites Nas as a guiding influence, and that lyric-first, story-driven lineage runs through everything he does. “Hope and Need” reflects his completely DIY ethos, handling production, writing and performance alone, and his determination to connect through honest storytelling rather than industry shortcuts. More of this please, Ray Gibbz, it’s a genuine vibe.

Francis Bleu – REM90

Francis Bleu delivers a stunning piece of experimental hip-hop, a dreamlike fuzz-fest of track that rewards every single replay.

This is hip hop built from atmosphere up. Layered vocals and out there production create a dreamlike, slightly submerged space, the sound living as much in texture and mood as in melody. It pulls trip-hop, lo-fi electronics and alternative R&B into one hazy whole. Maybe with a touch of gaming vibe too. This one’s properly weird, and I love it. It unfolds gradually, revealing new details, with some pop sensibilities underneath all that fuzz. It’s immersive, unhurried and genuinely absorbing.

Francis Bleu is a Newark, Delaware based alternative artist who blends experimental hip-hop, indie rock, alternative R&B and lo-fi electronics into a sound rooted as much in atmosphere as melody. There is a striking patience to his approach, and a fitting backstory to match: “REM90” is reportedly a nine-year-old song only now seeing release, a slow-burn that mirrors the restraint of the music itself. Francis, if you read this; keep being weird and making the music you need to. Cos this single is great.

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Tyler Brooker – Step Aside

“Step Aside” is a superb, sun-soaked dance-pop cut from Tyler Brooker, an irresistible summer shake-up you’ll want on repeat all season.

This one bursts right into summer. It wastes literally no time in staking its claim as a fun, high-energy dance-pop track with a clear Major Lazer influence. It rides bright, and has a tasty, tropical-leaning production toward a hook built for summer. The smooth, positive vocals come courtesy of UK artist PHAZE MUSIC, whose rapped delivery keeps everything buoyant and easy. It is unashamedly feel-good, and the brightness never lets up from the first bar. A proper stunning shot of dance-pop sunshine.

Tyler Brooker is a British artist, producer, YouTuber, Twitch streamer and software developer who has independently released three EPs and the 2021 album Blood, Sweat and Fears. “Step Aside” is a deliberate departure from his usual style, signed to Deep Elite, and is a notably brighter move for him. He has been a regular on BBC Introducing in Suffolk and Essex, and his biggest track to date is a 2022 remix of Bayraktar that reached number 97 in the Ukrainian charts and drew widespread attention online. An impressive collection of achievements, but surely this summer banger tops them all. A brilliant track.

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SPACE3GHXSTX – Full Metal

SPACE3GHXSTX’s new single is a brilliant hybrid-trap banger, a cyberpunk love song that hits as hard as it hurts.

SPACE3GHXSTX’s new single is trap with the lights flickering. Hypnotic 808s and gritty, dystopian synths lock under haunting, autotuned melodic vocals. It’s a compelling mix, and the thing plays like the soundtrack to a cyberpunk edgerunner romance. It captures that dangerous attraction, a seductive but destructive love, and mate, I’ve been there. Honestly that late-night melancholy hits harder than I expected when I hit play, and the hits are genuinely massive. And underneath all that fuzz, it never loses its emotional core. Proper moody, proper immersive, and a genuine banger.

SPACE3GHXSTX is a hybrid trap and dark R&B artist and owner of Ballestas Industries, based in Boston. He builds a whole cosmic, futuristic universe across music, visuals and storytelling, fusing heavy 808s, cinematic synths and distorted melodic vocals with a dystopian cyberpunk aesthetic. Releasing consistently and fiercely independent, we basically love it. He’s clearly playing a long game here, world-building rather than chasing singles. It’s ambitious stuff, and I’m properly intrigued to see where the universe goes next. A cracking track.

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THIS WEEK’S SYNTH POP BOPS

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This week’s synth pop lives after dark. Pulsing rhythms, analogue warmth and hooks that glow under low light, music caught between the euphoric rush of the dancefloor and the shadows just off the edge of it. Built to move you either way.

DJ Cards – After Midnight

“After Midnight” is a stunning rush of electronic pop from DJ Cards, all driving rhythms and a hook that deserves to be heard on every dancefloor

DJ Cards has done something very special here. He’s engineered for the peak of the night. Atmospheric textures give way to driving rhythms and a big, euphoric hook, the kind of build-and-release that lives for a crowd with their hands in the air. There is real melodic depth holding up the high-energy surface, so it lands as more than just intensity for its own sake. Powerful, polished and unapologetically uplifting, it knows exactly what a dance floor wants at full tilt and gives it to them without hesitation. That bass and kick really, really work, and the whole thing is pure, high-octane release.

DJ Cards is an internationally featured producer based in Philadelphia, with a track record of media and radio support across a growing global audience. His backstory is a great one: by day he is a practising attorney, earning the nickname the lawyer who drops beats, and he is also a trained MMA and Muay Thai martial artist. That discipline feeds a detail-driven approach to production, and the dual life of law and music makes him a genuinely distinctive voice in electronic music. Most exciting though, is this track, it’s a brilliant single and we’re looking forward to more.

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Eva Pagán – Gold

Eva Pagán serves up a sharp, specific stunning new single; one of the most confident pop tracks you’ll hear this summer

This is pop with all its wonderful edges intact. Self-produced and written in Spanglish, “Gold” glides between languages as easily as it does between glitchy electronics and a clean pop hook, never smoothing away the specificity that makes it hers. There’s a lovely craft to this, but mainly it’s good because there’s loads of character. It sits at a compelling crossroads of Latin identity, queer experience and serious pop songwriting, and wears all three with total assurance.

Eva Pagán is a Puerto Rican-German artist, formerly known as Eva Westphal, who has built more than five million streams and a following of over 150,000 while staying fiercely independent. Her CV is studded with real recognition: SXSW performances, a sold-out show at Baby’s All Right, the 2023 Converse Pride Campaign, and both the Music Forward LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award and the BMI John Lennon Award. It’s a good CV, but it’s ‘Gold’ that’s the most exciting bit. A brilliant single, and we can’t wait for more.

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Mutual Shock – The Spectacle

“The Spectacle” is a beautifully dark dancefloor banger from Mutual Shock, all pulsing synths and a rhythm that simply will not quit.

This one is built to move bodies in dark rooms. Pulsing synths lock to a driving rhythm, and the track rides that tension between danceable momentum and genuine melancholy that the best darkwave always nails. It is dark and propulsive in equal measure, but it’s the groove and slight swing in the bass which is the highlight for me. It’s great. I love the dark but dreamy world, leaning against a metronomic beat that just doesn’t quit. Brooding, kinetic, impossible to sit still to, and an absolute vibe.

Mutual Shock is the darkwave project of Seattle musician Dan Powers, who pulls from post-punk, synthpop, synthwave and industrial electronics. He released his debut EP Stimulus Progression in 2024 and the album Nervous Systems in 2025, gradually folding in film-score and industrial textures. “The Spectacle” is the final single before the Tools of Western Aggression EP, a record that adds live drums and bass to his setup, which is exciting. I hope Dan finds a very good drummer, it’s essential for stuff like this. A compelling single, and I’ll be keeping track of Mutual Shock.

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Millo – Anonymous

“Anonymous” is one of the sharpest dark-pop singles you’ll hear this year from Millo, a haunting hook wrapped around an unsettlingly honest idea.

This is pop with a shadow across it. A strong, infectious melody sits over a rougher, darker edge than usual pop fare, and Millo’s haunting vocal walks a brilliant line. Uneasy one moment, confident another, desperate the next. But keeping a lot of charm and character throughout. It dissects digital-age obsession, the way we build fantasy people out of social media scraps and dating-app profiles and fall for the illusion rather than the person. I love the vibe, the concept and the production is fantastic.

Millo is a Bergen-based artist and one of the few Norwegian female producers building her releases entirely from scratch, working out of Loki Studios where she handles production and mixing herself, and has contributed production for artists including Malena Rafal. “Anonymous” emerged from the Fjord Eurovision songwriting camp with X Ari, Theresa Elise and producer Are Sorknes, and was drawn from her own experience of fandom’s dark side. A beautifully brash, dark pop banger that we absolutely love.

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DJ Druskin – Sittin’ in the Garden (Electro Swing Bloom Mix)

“Sittin’ in the Garden” is an infectious electro-swing cut from DJ Druskin, a brilliant crossover that’s got something for the vintage purists and house heads all at once.

This is two eras crashing happily into each other. Authentic 1920s big-band jazz aesthetics ride hard-hitting modern house production at a brisk 124 BPM. And the meld is seamless enough that it doesn’t really feel bolted on. Lyrically, it’s about the change from frosty quiet of winter into a vibrant, high-energy summer bloom. And the track keeps matching that brightness as it goes. Perfect for the dancefloor, the electro-swing arrangement manages to feel very Polished and purpose-built for the dancefloor, it manages to sound both nostalgic and modern. The shot of sunshine we all need.

DJ Druskin is a UK electro swing producer and DJ whose identity thrives on contrast, forged in the club scene from Harlow in Essex to the legendary dancefloors of Liverpool’s Mathew Street. His range is genuinely wide, taking in tropical house, deep house and vocal trance on one side and stripped-back indie folk on the other. “Sittin’ in the Garden” is the transitional bridge to his upcoming project Speakeasy, which promises to carry listeners from this sunny outdoor vibe into a dark, clandestine 1920s underground club. Exciting stuff, and we’re keeping an eye on this artist.

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THIS WEEK’S INDIE FOLK BOPS

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This week’s indie folk sits with the hard things and refuses to look away. Grief, fading faculties, the search for a bit of light in the chaos: songs that trust quiet over spectacle and find their power in honesty rather than volume.

Mark Cee – How You Left Me Still

“How You Left Me Still” is a gorgeous, deeply human piece of indie folk from Mark Cee, the kind of grief song that sits next to you and comforts rather than wallows.

Mark Cee’s latest tune is a song built entirely from real hands and real air. Atmospheric and guitar-led, it layers delicate string arrangements and flute accents around a vocal that never reaches for melodrama, letting the stillness carry the feeling instead. There’s touch of George Harrison to it, and the track captures that frozen moment when someone disappears before a goodbye is possible. It’s got a lovely, warm, lived-in texture of music made with a whole lot of heart and emotion.

Mark Cee is an ambient indie folk artist from Babylon, New York, who has been writing poetry and music since 1995 and frames his work as a soulful read on the Gen X experience. This single comes from the forthcoming album ‘It’s Me, Mark Cee’, which we’ll definitely digging upon release. We’re big fans of his simple rhythms, authentic storytelling and the result? It’s a brilliant and beautifully put together song.

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Simon J Knight – When the Boat Comes In

“When the Boat Comes In” is a brilliant piece of fiery folk-rock from Simon J Knight, intimate and electric by turns and quietly devastating throughout.

Simon J Knight’s latest single moves between whisper and roar. It opens in intimate folk territory before swelling into a lovely, soaring electric vibe, and that dynamic range is exactly what gives it its charge. There’s passion and rage here, a refusal to go gently, set against passages of aching tenderness. The guitar work does as much storytelling as the words, shifting from delicate fingerpicking to full-throated lead lines. And that chorusy guitar and drum performance really, really works, but it’s the vocal performance that’s the standout.

Simon J Knight is a South Wales singer-songwriter from Chepstow who holds a doctorate in English Literature, and that intellectual grounding shows in how carefully his songs are built. This one was written about his father, a Welsh vicar whose early-onset dementia robbed him of the retirement he had earned. Knight cites John Martyn, Neil Young and John Lennon as influences, and is currently recording his debut solo album, drawing openly on his own experience of mental health struggles throughout his writing. Great art can come from difficult places, and that’s definitely the case here. A great single.

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Sinta Dos – Gravity (Acoustic Live)

“Gravity” is a stunning acoustic reading of the John Mayer classic from Sinta Dos, a cover that finds its own heart in a familiar song.

The latest single from Sinta Dos is definitely a cover that earns its place. I love the stripped back vibe of John Mayer’s song back to voice and acoustic guitar, and the live setting gives it an unguarded immediacy that polished studio takes often lose. The arrangement has all the right amounts of space, letting the melody and the famous plea to be kept where the light is sit completely exposed. The version is patient and warm, more interested in the song’s emotional core than in showing off, and that sincerity is what makes a well-worn track feel wonderfully fresh.

Sinta Dos is a Melbourne-based acoustic duo of siblings who have made music together since childhood, rooted in a family tradition spanning several generations. Their setup is genuinely intercontinental: instruments for this recording were tracked with a session-musician brother based in Seattle, with final production and mastering completed back in Melbourne. As an emerging cover act, they bring fresh, considered interpretations to beloved songs while keeping an authentic connection to those deep family roots, working across thousands of miles and several time zones. It’s a lovely version, check it out below.

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Mark Griffin – Taking Over My Mind

“Taking Over My Mind” is a gorgeous folk-pop charmer from Mark Griffin, the kind of unhurried love song that’s lovely to sit with a while

Mark Griffin’s new single is folk-pop with nothing to hide behind. Guitar, banjo and voice carry the whole thing, warm and melodic, and the writing leans on plain-spoken honesty rather than any studio trickery. More of this please, this summer. It captures that specific surprise of finding love when you had stopped looking for it. Soft-edged and easy on the ear, it moves at the pace of a song written to mean something rather than chase a moment, and we very much love it.

Mark Griffin is a Perth-based solo artist who draws on early farm life and years working in cities around the world to write simple songs with real meaning. “Taking Over My Mind” was made with producer Elliot Smith at Sundown Studios in Fremantle, their first collaboration, and it has already charted Top 30 on the ASA Country Song Chart with airplay across 26 Australian radio stations. With stunners like this, it’s no surprise that Mark’s reaching so many people because this single is fantastic. We’ll be checking out the rest of his stuff for sure.

Reece Sullivan – To Tir na nOg

“To Tir na nOg” is a superb, quietly original folk song from Reece Sullivan, one of the freshest tracks you’ll hear this month.

Reece Sullivan’s latest beauty wears its strangeness lightly. Rooted in the Celtic legend of a land where no one dies, “To Tir na nOg” turns that myth into a playful, slightly quirky folk song that never feels weighed down by its own concept. The Americana-tinged arrangement stays soft and inviting, letting the storytelling lead, and there is a warmth to the delivery that makes the unusual subject feel welcoming and warm. It’s curious and characterful, and I really, really enjoyed it.

Reece Sullivan is an Arkansas-born, Lafayette-based songwriter who has reinvented himself many times over, moving from piano to guitar and from art rock to folk across a restless career. His songs have won a string of contests, including first place at the Red Lodge Rocky Mountain Songwriter Festival, and taken him to festival stages from Tucson to Michigan. An impressive set of accolades, but it’s the track itself here which does the talking. It’s fantastic.

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THIS WEEK’S POP BOPS

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This week’s pop refuses to sit in one lane. It swings from late-night thrill to morning-after tenderness, from songs reaching for the whole world to ones whispering straight to you. Bright, big-hearted and restless, all of it built to make you feel something fast.

Nadine Abs – Caesar

“Caesar” is a gorgeous classical-pop ballad from Nadine Abs, the kind of emotionally rich song that deserves a special place on every piano chill playlist

Nadine Abs new single is a beautiful ballad with real architecture. Live piano and violin thread through a contemporary pop frame, and the classical elements feel structural rather than decorative, holding the song’s emotion in place instead of dressing it up. I love the build into the bigger moments, never rushing the swell, and the vocal is fantastic, compelling and gives you the ffels. There’s definitely a timeless quality here, classy without losing its directness or its heart.

Nadine Abs is a London-based artist originally from Beirut, and “Caesar” is a tribute to her late school principal in Lebanon, whose Arabic name translates as Caesar and who planned to fund her music tuition in London before he passed. It was recorded at AudioHaus studio in Notting Hill with songwriter Johnny Zanchetta, pianist Will Clemens and violinist Izzy Howard. That personal debt runs right through the song, which carries his guiding proverb that where there’s a will, there’s a way. A gorgeous single.

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Juliana Beltrán – Ay Tú

“Ay Tú” is a stunning Latin-pop ballad from Juliana Beltrán, warm and open-hearted enough to make every past heartbreak sound worth it.

Juliana Beltrán’s new single almost glows from the inside out. “Ay Tú” pairs lush melodies with a sense of relief you can almost touch, the sound of someone finally exhaling after years of dead ends. Vocally it glides beautifully through the hooks that feels both timeless and and a little modern too. It is dreamy without floating away, anchored by a real emotional throughline about letting yourself love again, and it’s much more than you average pop song.

Juliana Beltrán is a Colombian singer-songwriter, born in Bogotá and now based in Los Angeles, who counts Camilo, Shakira and Ela Taubert among her touchstones. “Ay Tú” was produced by David Samuel and Brett Pemberton and mixed by Viviana Jaramillo. Her 2018 debut EP was produced by Grammy winner Juan Galeano of Diamante Eléctrico, and the single that followed passed 3.5 million streams and reached Spotify’s Mediodía Acústico playlist. We’d expect this one to do very well too, it’s a fantastic release.

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Dianne Forte – God Sees Your Heart

“God Sees Your Heart” is a beautiful, genuinely uplifting piece of gospel pop from Dianne Forte, one of the most heartfelt songs you’ll hear this month

Dianne Forte’s latest release is pop that wants to comfort you. Built around a warm, encouraging message and a sincere, unforced vocal, “God Sees Your Heart” leans on emotional depth rather than production tricks to make its point. And it’s got that steady, reassuring lift that gospel-rooted pop does so well, the melody open and easy to hold onto, the sentiment plainly meant. Vocally, it’s genuinely stunning, and Forte is blessed with a beauty of a voice. But it’s really the song that lets it shine.

Dianne Forte is an inspirational songwriter born in North Carolina and now based in Ohio, who taught herself organ by ear as a child after growing up surrounded by church choirs and a songwriting mother. “God Sees Your Heart” became a TikTok touchstone, soundtracking thousands of user videos, and earned her a Gospel Choice Music Award nomination in 2023. It sits within a steadily growing catalogue of faith-led releases, all carrying the same core message of encouragement, unity and keeping the faith. We love it, more of this please Dianne.

LiMaVii – New World 33

“New World 33” is a superb, big-hearted piece of conscious pop from LiMaVii, music with a message that everyone should hear.

LiMaVii’s new single is pop that’s built to carry an idea. Energetic and uplifting, “New World 33” reaches for something anthemic, weaving African rhythms into a contemporary pop frame and aiming squarely at themes of unity and choosing love over fear. It has the wide, communal feel of a song designed to be sung by a crowd, the melody open and inviting rather than clever for its own sake. There is real intention behind it, a track that wants to shift the mood in a room, and it has the warmth and lift to do exactly that.

LiMaVii is an emerging artist from the coastal city of Gdynia in Poland, working at the meeting point of music and a self-described healing practice. “New World 33” was made with Giuseppe Bockarie Consoli and producer LAIOUNG, and takes direct inspiration from Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” alongside a deep connection to African musical traditions. It’s very much in LiMaVii’s own lane though, and we’re very glad for it; this is a stunning pop track.

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THIS WEEK’S INDIE FOLK BOPS

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This week’s indie folk lives in the quiet stuff: the things we mean to say and don’t, the people we mean to call and don’t, the slow work of making peace with all of it. Hushed, unhurried and honest, it rewards the close listen.

23 Fields – I’ll See You Soon

23 Fields turn guilt into something gorgeous on “I’ll See You Soon”, a folk-rock stunner that genuinely soars into your heart

23 Fields arrive with a beautiful new single ‘I’ll See You Soon’. It moves carefully, with a lovely folk fingerpicking widening into warm Americana as the band fills in behind the vocal. The vocal stylings are the standout here, and they draw you in to this in style. By the final chorus the arrangement has opened up just enough, the kind you kinda stand in and appreciate before walking in. It’s a folk-rock beaut, kinda familiar and very unhurried, and we love it.

23 Fields is the project of an English songwriter working out of Battle, drawing folk, rock and Americana into one frame. This one comes from the specific guilt of not visiting elderly parents as often as you mean to, a feeling he has said is rooted in his own life rather than invented for a song. That willingness to name the thing most people leave unspoken is what gives the writing its weight. A great single, more of this please 23 Fields.

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Dalinda – The Nile

“The Nile” is a stunning piece of cinematic indie-pop from Dalinda, all dreamy vocals and live instrumentation built for your next small hours listening session

This is a song that drifts wonderfully rather than drives. Live instrumentation and a warm world-music haze hold up a vocal that sits somewhere between lullaby and lament. I love it, and it shuffles along in style, with the production keeps everything spacious. And the melody really does breathe across an arrangement that feels closer to a slow tide than a verse-chorus structure. It is unhurried, atmospheric and a little leftfield, the kind of track I’m always happy to find in our magical musical postbag.

Dalinda was born to Bosnian parents, raised in Libya and is now based in the UK, and that crossing of borders runs through everything she makes. Her debut album Turquoise was produced by the late Hossam Ramzy, who also worked with Shakira and Peter Gabriel, and her Arabic collaboration “Leish” held the region’s top ten for seventeen weeks. “The Nile” feels a little more intimate: it was written about her mother, whose portrait is the cover art, and who was reportedly moved to tears hearing it despite not speaking English. I’m not surprised, as it’s a fantastic piece and we can’t wait for more.

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George Adequate – Shipwrecked

“Shipwrecked” is a quietly brilliant bit of homespun folk from George Adequate, the sound of an honest, warm performance that just tells the truth

George Adequate’s new single has an absolutely lovely lack of polish, in the best possible way. A violin line threads through the song’s only real flourish, while the rest sits close and unfussy, voice and guitar carrying the load. It’s great to hear something that never reaches for an arena moment, and that honesty is exactly what makes it land. It feels recorded in a room rather than a studio, the kind of track where you can hear the songwriter deciding what matters and quietly cutting everything that doesn’t. But presentation is one thing; ‘Shipwrecked’ really works because the song at the heart here is so, so lovely.

George Adequate is a 43-year-old musician from Kildare in Ireland who has spent years in the industry and arrived at a refreshingly honest pitch: existentially tired, after the music rather than the nonsense, looking for a few appreciative ears. Honestly, I know the feeling mate. “Shipwrecked” comes from his album Reasonable Things, which he wrote, played and recorded himself for the most part, calling in a friend for that violin part. It’s a brilliant single, and I’m very curious to hear what’s next for this lad.

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Stevie Lee Woods & The NRL Band – Welcome to the Southland

“Welcome to the Southland” is a superb slice of country rock from Stevie Lee Woods & The NRL Band, built to be shouted by crowds in arenas

Stevie Lee Woods’ new single is a summer anthem in the truest sense, all big-hearted country rock swing and a chorus that practically demands a crowd. It moves with an easy, sun-warmed confidence, the kind of song that knows its job is to get a whole room singing the same line back. There is real polish under the swagger too, a current, radio-ready sheen that keeps it from feeling like a throwback. By the last chorus it has the lift of a track written specifically for the moment a live audience takes it over. I was definitely singing along.

Stevie Lee Woods & The NRL Band recorded this at Mansion Studios in Branson, with production from Chris Omartian, Chris Armstrong and Stuart Epps, the last of whom has worked with Elton John. Woods has spoken about how much he loves playing it live, watching the energy build as audiences sing along to every word. It sits alongside their gospel-leaning single “Where I Find God”, and that mix of patriotic spirit, family tradition and full-band muscle is the band’s whole identity in one place. A brilliant single.

Mark Moule – Eyes of Izzy

“Eyes of Izzy” is a gorgeous, slow-burning singer-songwriter piece from Mark Moule, the rare first-take recording that keeps every bit of its magic.

Mark Moule’s new single has a wonderful stillness to this one that you can’t fake. Built around voice, a guitar, and a lovely four to floor kick, it carries a real sense of displacement and longing, the sound of someone working through a hard stretch and leaving the seams visible. The performance lands with the quiet weight of a song caught in a single pass, no second-guessing, no over-production. It feels kind of lived-in rather than overthought, which is exactly why we love it.

Mark moule is a singer-songwriter from Busselton, Australia, drawing on Cat Stevens and Phil Collins. “Eyes of Izzy” began a decade ago as a university project with Paul Curtis, telling the story of Izzy Orlof, the man who first brought the camera to Western Australia, woven together with Moule’s own emotional landscape. It was recorded in Curtis’s Fremantle home studio in a single take and earned Curtis an A for his coursework, then sat for ten years before finally getting its release. We’re very glad its eventually seen the light of day, because it’s very much brightened our weekend. An essential listen this week.

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