Sophie Benfold – Different
Sophie Benfold's 'Different' is a brilliant slice of electronic pop, an empowering anthem that earns every beat of its drum and bass backbone.
Sophie Benfold opens with a declaration: be yourself, and mean it. 'Different' is built on breakbeat energy and drum and bass punch, but the heart of it is her vocal, honest and direct, threading through the production like she's talking straight to you. The song is about refusing to shrink yourself down to fit someone else's idea of who you should be. And that chorus? It lands. There's a warmth in the synths that softens the harder edges, and the track knows exactly when to pull back and when to let the rhythm drive. Brilliant electronic pop, empowering and completely infectious.
Sophie Benfold is a singer-songwriter from Gravesend, carving out her own space in the UK's independent music scene. She writes music that connects, the kind that makes you feel like she's been through it too. This one marks fresh material after a quieter stretch, and she's made a point of thanking the supporters who stuck around. There's a whole lot more coming on the back of this, and we'll definitely be checking it out. A gem.
Sandy Martin – Ice Candy
Sandy Martin's 'Ice Candy' is a brilliant slice of synth pop, hook-driven and shimmering with the confidence of a real songwriter
Sandy Martin opens 'Ice Candy' with a vivid image and never lets go. The track builds on pulsing synths and a bassline that knows exactly where it's going, while her vocal sits right in the centre, warm and confident. There's storytelling here, a whole world sketched in a few minutes, and the production gives it room to breathe. The verses pull you through scene after scene, and when the chorus hits it lands with real weight. And that hook? It's pop gold. Infectious synth pop, expertly crafted and impossible to shake.
Sandy Martin is a Los Angeles singer-songwriter who writes, produces, and plays her own material. She's placed songs in film and TV and worked with Grammy-winning collaborators, but there's nothing distant about what she does. The music stays heartfelt and direct. 'Ice Candy' is proof she knows exactly how to make a song stick. We're excited to see where this one lands.
Ronald Hage – Don't Wanna Lose This
Ronald Hage's 'Don't Wanna Lose This' is a propulsive slice of melodic house, building with real patience toward a climax that delivers the goods
Ronald Hage knows how to make you wait. 'Don't Wanna Lose This' takes its time, layering melodic techno textures over a progressive house pulse that keeps climbing. The build is the whole point, each synth line stacking with purpose until the payoff lands exactly where it should. There's trance in the DNA, you can hear it in how the track breathes and swells, but the production stays modern throughout. The standout is the vocal; it's has a really unique timbre. And that climax? Worth every second. Immersive melodic house, patient and fully realised.
Hage works out of The Hague, and this is his nineteenth release in eighteen months. That's a track every four to six weeks, all built from his home studio with an acoustic piano as the starting point. He cites Korolova, Miss Monique, and Youna as touchstones, and you can hear that progressive lineage running through everything. No shortcuts either: hands on every element, no auto-arrangement in sight. It's a banger, and we'll be keeping an ear out for number twenty.