INsiders Guide: noelle, Kah-Lo, Alex Exists, FRND CRCL, Mike Ruby, Ultra Records, Rachel Burns, MK xyz, SOMMA, Maz, and Coach Harrison…

SOMMA, Maz, and Coach Harrison release ‘Body Language’, an elegant yet magnetic composition which draws from each collaborator’s unique background and musical style, via Miami record label and party series Hurry Up Slowly.

SOMMA is responsible for some of Berlin’s most prolific deep house records over the past few years, with support of the industries’ biggest tastemakers including Keinemusik, DJ Tennis, Carlita, BLOND:ISH, Gorgon City and more showcasing his signature blend of indie-inspired songwriting and tech/afro influenced deep house production. Hailing from Brazil, Maz’s emotive and soulful sound is the product of his diverse musical palette. His track’s are a staple of dancefloors worldwide- being supported by the likes of Black Coffee, Michael Bibi, ANNA, Vintage Culture, Lee Burridge, and Camelphat. And Coach Harrison is quickly becoming one of dance music’s most talked about vocalists, coming off of a string of 2023 singles with Nu Aspect and Vintage Culture. It’s no surprise that Hurry Up Slowly is the perfect home for ‘Body Language’- the imprint is known for its boundary-pushing sonic style, characterized by international sounds and influences which are the tapestry of Miami culture. 

Newcomer to the pop scene, Carlyn joins the likes of Billie Eilish and Madison Beer in creating a dark indie-dream style pop she’s coined ‘nightmare pop.’ With her music’s dark melodic undertones and moody lyricism, this name fits best but don’t expect a specific status quo from her music. With her unique ability to adapt, a unique fashion sense (think Tyler the Creator x Miley Cyrus) and innate musicality, Carlyn is the artist to look out for.

Carlyn’s latest single, “Try To Get Away,” produced by Tim Buron, demonstrates a maturity which is rarely found in an artist who has yet to release a debut album.

I wrote this song about uncontrollable desire. It’s about two people who know that they shouldn’t be together, but they just can’t seem to stay away from each other. It just goes to say, you can’t control what the heart wants. The song itself sounds bright and playful while the lyrics play with themes of hypnosis and hauntings, becoming another product of nightmare pop.

Introducing Canadian-born, Brooklyn-based indie dream/pop artist Jenny Kern. With a magnetic vocal style and emotively piercing lyricism, Kern’s music has been amassing plenty of attention around the globe. Having originally started as a Page at NBC, Kern then went on to work for acclaimed filmmakers Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, before eventually becoming a producer in the film and television industry. In 2018 Kern decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for music full time. 

Kern’s music often touches on her personal experiences, which she narrates through confessional lyrics, allowing her to show both her strengths and vulnerabilities. Covering topics that we face as human beings, her music details everything from anxiety, depression, getting older, interpersonal relationships, gratitude, love and loss, Kern confides, ”I think most people assume that my music skews toward lyrical sadness but I always try to inject a hopeful undercurrent to it. I want people to feel like there’s hope and just because something feels heavy doesn’t mean that it’s going to be that way forever.”

Her latest single “Move On” conveys acknowledging the need to let go of someone or something. Kern speaks about the importance of distancing yourself from people or things that have caused you harm and that by doing so, you are able to work through your emotions and ultimately find inner-strength and a new found confidence. The songwriter shares, “This song is about moving on after the end of a relationship. It’s an anthem, a sort of charging forward and getting to understand what you want. At first you don’t know how to navigate the emotions that are hitting you in the moment so the lyrics toy with that vulnerability. But ultimately it’s an empowering way to realize you can heal yourself.” 

Sonically, “Move On” takes inspiration from the likes of LEON, Minke, Holly Humberstone and Sasha Alex Sloan. Shimmering with iridescent synths, echoing vocals and anthemic drums, Kern’s soaring voice oozes pure emotion, creating a heartbreaking, yet empowering atmosphere, while still being truly relatable.  With features on MTV, ABC and the CW, Kern has found herself connecting with major industry producers and writers. Recent months have also seen Kern’s music placed on several Spotify editorial playlists including Fresh Finds, Indie All-Stars and New Music Friday which collectively have over a million followers. Garnering a global audience, humbling praise from the likes of Earmilk, Variance and Ones to Watch, and management in original Glee producer Michael Novick, Kern illustrates impeccable music ability.

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Xana is an emerging pop powerhouse. Her command of pop music keeps her songwriting enthralling, as her blissful vocals glide across the most intimate storytelling and worldbuilding. It’s her intoxicating vibrance that sets Xana apart, as she encompasses themes of LGBTQ romance and female empowerment through her own experiences across her flourishing repertoire.

Her latest single “babyblue” narrates the painful and bittersweet realization of growing older, time passing and how it inevitably leads to becoming more distant with childhood friends. The poignant and introspective lyrics illustrate the songwriter navigating the complexities of life’s progressions and coming to terms with fading connections, all whilst longing for the camaraderie of youth. Xana shares, “It’s about the anxiety that comes with the passage of time, looking back on those imperative teenage years with nostalgia and longing, hoping that everyone who you loved, who shaped and held you in your youth, is doing alright out there without you.”

Certain to tug at your heartstrings, “babyblue” feels like a diary entry. Layered with emotion and longing, the track shimmers with delicate harmonies, a throbbing beat and driving guitars, emitting an overall polished sound. Xana expresses, “I just want the listener to feel every ounce of it all.”Xana has garnered humbling support from several Spotify editorial playlists including New Music Friday Canada, as well as notable press such as Earmilk and Atwood Magazine. With streams surpassing 30 million on Spotify alone, Xana continues to be a trailblazer of her time.

MINOE reveals her flawless accompanying video for her latest single ‘Cherry’.

Sultry and raw, it’s an explosive offering, here to rip through your intrusive thoughts and captivate you from start to finish.

Watch the video HERE

Listen HERE

Written over lockdown and born from her deepest insecurities, Cherry sees the Canadian newcomer dive into her more undesirable emotions. 

Turning to songwriting to disarm her inner saboteur, MINOE explained more:  ‘Over the pandemic I spent a lot of time alone, at home. I was in a really bad place struggling with myself internally, during a bad bout of depression and feeling disconnected from the world. I lost confidence and my self image really took a hit. 

Seeing my friends on social media, I convinced myself they left me out on purpose. My inner demon was telling me that they hated me. Usually, I would be embarrassed to admit these vulnerabilities and feelings of jealousy. I’d shove those feelings down as they aren’t productive. 

Cherry is the result of leaning into it, letting myself be jealous and giving the demon a voice. The songwriting process was so healing. I think it’s important to explore undesired emotions and show people its okay to have these feelings’

Born in Nova Scotia, now based in Montreal, MINOE has been making a name for herself with her soulful songwriting and alt-pop sound. Fusing elements of disco and pop with more dark and alternative moments, MINOEs sound is the perfect vessel for her honest, empowering and cathartic songwriting. 

Growing up in a troubled home, MINOE took to songwriting at a very young age to understand, process and cope with her trauma. Her goal is to provide a safe space for her listeners to heal, dance, and find common ground.

Since launching in 2019, MINOE has put out an increasingly diverse body of work, evolving and scooping more recognition with each release. Her work has been supported by the likes of Rolling Stone, Cult MTL, Okayplayer, and more while racking up over 250,000 streams. 

With live performance playing a big part in who MINOE is, she’s already performed at Montreal Jazz Festival, opened for Tom Grannan, Dadi Freyr and sold out her first headline show in Toronto. Releasing thanks to the help of the Factor JSR grant, MINOE is a force to be reckoned with. Giving nods to female greats such as Lana Del Rey, Kimbra and Banks, MINOE’s here with her own spin, dripping in empowerment and queer liberation.

Indie rock band Hot Freaks are thrilled to release their new single “Let’s Start A Country” that is out now along with the music video that can be viewed at https://youtu.be/vyIHP7TfNJQ
 
The band says, ” “Let’s Start a Country is a fairytale of independence.  The audacious wish to find utopia right where we are; with donuts and higher principles.  Until the predetermined spank of reality threatens a dream.”
 
IN support of the new music the band also announced new tour dates as support to The Happy Fits with Small Crush /Windser. See all tour dates below.
 
Hot Freaks are back with an unusual proposition. New single LET’S START A COUNTRY floats a utopian, if misguided fantasy anyone can relate to. Taking the form of a carefree calypso, LET’S START A COUNTRY explores the disappointment of an encroaching reality on the honeymoon period of an exciting new relationship.

fans can get an exclusive glimpse behind-the-scenes of the official music video for “Alone,” as Grammy-Award winning pop star Kim Petras and acclaimed video director Arrad provide insights in the latest episode of Vevo Footnotes.

In the episode, Kim shares her connection to the “Better Off Alone” sample used in the song and expresses her joy in having Nicki Minaj on-board with the German techy vibe in the music video. She shares her excitement about collaborating with Nicki and her delight when Nicki affectionately nicknamed her “Kim Petty.” Additionally, Kim reveals a hidden easter egg about paying attention to her fingernails in the video. Director Arrad discusses the stunning fashion and his standout moment featuring the marching band. He also mentions drawing inspiration from Europop music videos of the early 2000s, praises Nicki’s mesmerizing performance, and recalls the memorable laughs brought by Kim’s unexpected antics.

Primed for a major moment, acclaimed UK singer, songwriter, and performer Absolutely will serve as direct support on Raye’s My 21^st Century Blues Tour. This marks her first major tour and promises to be nothing short of unforgettable.

The 26-date jaunt begins on Friday September 29 in Washington, D.C. and rolls through major cities such as New York, Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Nashville, and more. It concludes in Los Angeles on November 7. Tickets are available for presale starting Wednesday, June 7th at 10:00am local time and on sale Friday, June 9th at 10:00am local at rayeofficial.com. 

This news follows the release of Absolutely’s debut single “Higher.” It has just begun to pick up steam, earning acclaim right out of the gate. FLAUNT raved, “The singer songwriter from South London brings together a plethora of genres on “Higher.” From pop to R&B and electronic, the debut single has it all with the help of Dave Hamelin, the producer behind artists like Beyoncé and 070 Shake.” Listen HERE and watch HERE.

On June 16^th Absolutely will invite you further into her world as she prepares to drop more music, “Patterns” followed by “Fever Dream” on June 30^th. With this music, she has architected a universe at the nexus of pop, R&B, alternative, soul, and electronic, cycling in synchronistic orbit unlike anything else. Stay tuned for a whole lot more from Absolutely.

My 21st Century BluesWorld Tour 2023/24 Tour Dates w Absolutely
September 29 – Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club

October 1 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
October 3 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
October 4 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
October 6 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
October 7 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
October 9 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic Theatre
October 10 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre

October 11 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory at The District
October 14 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
October 15 – New Orleans, LA – Joy Theater
October 17 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl

October 18 – Atlanta, GA – Eastern
October 19 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
October 21 – Newport, KY – MegaCorp Pavillion
October 22 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA! Live
October 24 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
October 25 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
October 27 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre

October 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex (Grand Room)

October 30 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
October 31 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
November 1 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
November 3 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
November 6 – Pomona, CA – The Fox Theater
November 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Novo

November 18 – Paris, France – La Cigale 
November 19 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg 
November 20 – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal
November 21 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso 
November 23 – Berlin, Germany – Huxleys

November 24 – Warsaw, Poland – Progresja
November 26 – Copenhagen, Denmark  – Vega
November 29 – Bridlington, UK – Bridlington Spa
November 30 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy 

 December 1 –  Newcastle, UK – NX 
December 2 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo 
December 5 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy 
December 7 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy

“Everything has a purpose,” says Aisha Badru, the Nigerian American, sometimes earthy, sometimes ethereal singer-songwriter. “I was meant to be here, doing this. And it’s just part of my purpose to experience certain levels of trauma that are very universal, go through every process of healing, and somehow put it together so I can help guide someone else.” Tellingly, she’s titled her latest project, which explores the intersection between romantic entanglements and self-care, Learning to Love Again, out June 2 via Nettwerk.

The gossamer folk-pop “Lazy River” sits at the heart of Learning to Love Again. A culmination of Badru’s personal and musical awakenings, it’s a contemplation about how, she says, “when you lose someone in love, the wounds are not really about the relationship, they’re more so about you.” This sets us up for the EP’s subsequent track, “Inside,” a piano-based rumination devoted to self-love. “I remember feeling like the ultimate goal is to find someone who loves you, and then realizing that the ultimate goal is to love yourself,” she says. “Until you love yourself, you won’t really know what true love is.”

While the latter (a collaboration with her longtime producer Chris Hutchinson) is very much ensconced in the aesthetic we’ve come to associate with Badru, “Lazy River” is a thrilling departure for her. It finds the singer stretching her oft-whispery voice to sweeping effect. “It’s this freeing of myself and allowing myself to try things that people would not expect of me,” she says. “I feel more comfortable not meeting those expectations.”

No track captures this more than “Move,” a hymnal meditation that awakens into a dance track. “It’s about the healing modality of movement,” she says, “and releasing trapped emotions.” The track is a celebration we didn’t see coming. “I really am such a lively person. Like, I’m always dancing around the house, but that doesn’t come across,” she admits. “Now I’m at this place where it’s healing for me to work through my emotions through movement.“

Learning to Love Again is so musically dynamic in part because Badru intentionally reached out to different producers for each track. “With ‘Move,’ I had this idea that I wanted to make a dance track, and sung the lyrics and the melody into a voice memo probably within 20 minutes,” she says. “I knew exactly the electronic dance producer that I wanted to work with. She’s an Asian-American producer named Yuan Chang.” Meanwhile, for “Lazy River,” Badru reached out to Gordon Allen, whom she discovered on Instagram. “I knew I wanted that to be more folk derivative, but also have a swaggy king of feel,” she explains.

alternative rock band Rare Americans have released Act I of their most ambitious project to date, Searching For Strawberries: The Story Of Jongo Bongo. Combining a revolutionary 33-minute, fully animated musical feature and accompanying album to create an immersive listening experience, Searching For Strawberries tells the true story of Rare Americans multi-instrumentalist “Jongo” (real name Jan Cajka) and his transformation from corporate pawn to rock star. Take a trip with Jongo as he ditches the rat race and goes on a journey of self-discovery on the Santiago De Camino, a 500 mile pilgrimage through Spain. Stream Act I on DSPs here.

Searching For Strawberries: The Story Of Jongo Bongo will roll out in three parts, pairing the new music with the band’s signature animation. Act II will be available on June 19th and Act III on July 7th, when the entire album will be released, and will culminate with the release of the full animated musical film available for viewing in its entirety on July 10th. The album is available now for pre-save here.

Strolling into a bold, bombastic, and big next chapter, critically acclaimed Cleveland hip-hop phenomenon Doe Boy unleashes a brand new single and music video entitled “WAY I WALK,” out now via Freebandz/Epic Records. Listen to “WAY I WALK” HEREand watch the music video HERE. It paves the way for his anxiously awaited new project, BEEZY, due out soon. Pre-order BEEZY HERE.

“WAY I WALK” hinges on a head-nodding and nostalgic Jennifer Lopez sample as Doe Boy locks into a bouncy flow. His cadence instantly captivates as he struts towards one of his catchiest choruses to date, “This just the way I walk.” The accompanying visual showcases just that as he and a group of friends groove, smoke, and turn up outside in their neighborhood.

It lands in the wake of “ROLL THE DICE” [feat. Def Loaf]. Beyond gathering over half-a-million streams and 583K YouTube views on the music video, it earned widespread critical acclaim. REVOLT spotlighted it as a “Dej Loaf-assisted cut that speaks to taking your chances in life,” and Lyrical Lemonade hailed it as “romantic & raw.” XXL touted it among the “13 Best New Hip-Hop Songs This Week,” while BET spotlighted it on “New Music Monday.” 

Last year, Doe Boy continued his rapid rise with the CATCH ME IF YOU CAN EP. It tallied over 10 million streams and earned critical plugs from the likes of Complex and RapRadar who noted, “Doe Boy is hard to kill.” Perhaps REVOLT put it best by proclaiming, “If you not hip to Doe Boy by now, shame on you.”

It’s time to get to know BEEZY….

Mike Taylor is a Philly-born, LA raised sonically diverse Queer artist and creator with over 1.48 million monthly listeners and over 240 million streams on Spotify alone, who has made his way to some of the biggest stages in LA and to the top of the charts. His signature raspy voice and catchy melodies make for a soulful-pop style that makes you want dance.

Mike has collaborated as a writer and performer with world-renowned artists. In 2013 he released “World is Playground” with DJ Vice on Ultra Records. In 2015, the hit single “Summerthing!” (Def Jam) with Afrojack landed them at #3 on Billboard’s Dance Chart, #27 on US Top 40 Radio and a 2016 MTV VMA nomination for Best Electronic Music Video. 

2016 was another big year for the singer/songwriter and DJ when he signed with Rostrum Records for his debut EP ‘Feel Good’, but has now decided to go the independent route with a more upbeat, lively sound with his forthcoming singles.

In 2017, Mike released his breakthrough hit with artist/producer, Unlike Pluto, for single “Everything Black” on electronic label, Monstercat. The Certified Gold (Canada) hit single was featured in the video game Rocket League and has currently amassed over 500 million streams across all platforms worldwide. It also was named SoundCloud’s Electronic Song of the Year.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the 6/16 single and see about setting up a premiere/feature with Mike around the release, his move from previously being signed with a label to now leading a fully independent artist career and navigating the industry as a queer artist.

Fresh off a North American tour with Paolo Nutini, Toronto-based indie-rock outfit Housewife reveals their next single, “King of Wands,” out today on Hazel Street Records.

“King of Wands” follows Housewife’s recent hit, “Fuck Around Phase,” which introduced their more mature and intentional indie-rock driven sound. Co-written with Gabe Simon (Lana Del Rey, Noah Kahan) and JT Foley (GAYLE, Maddy Hicks), Housewife’s new single incisively blends pop-flavored melodies with arena-ready rock instrumentation. 

Brighid elaborates on the inspiration behind the single: “‘King of Wands’ is a song about the Patriarchal attempts to diminish women’s confidence in their own intuition. Women’s intuition, spirituality, and solidarity are things that keep us safe and thriving – I wanted to write a song about reclaiming that.”

20-year-old Brighid Fry (she/they), aka Housewife, creates effervescent indie rock interwoven with timeless and perspective songwriting. Already touting several independent Canadian music awards for their previous releases, their most recent EP, ‘You’ll Be Forgiven,’ received praise from outlets such as FLOOD Magazine, FLAUNT, BrooklynVegan, and more.

Housewife’s music regularly touches on the experience of being a young, queer, AFAB person existing in a male-dominated industry. In addition to exploring these themes in their music, Fry is also an advocate for 2SLGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, and environmentalism, proudly fighting for immediate government response to protect ecological catastrophes as a founding member of the Canadian chapter of Music Declares Emergency.

Southampton rockers – REGENT –  have unveiled their latest offering “Can’t You See”.

Arriving as a fuzzy follow-up to the recent release “Freight Train”, “Can’t You See” sees Regent merge barbed electric guitars with Britpop-tinted vocals and clattering drum crashes.

Ploughing towards a voltaic climax ignited by a spirited and swirling guitar solo, the new track captures the band’s signature blend of political protest lyrics and messages of hope that help us find the light at the end of an endlessly dark tunnel.

Frontman Ben Rooke explains of “Can’t You See”:

“The song is about how it’s one rule for the rich and another for the poor. It’s about the poor management of our current government, and how love gets us through it.”

Having forged a reputation as one of Southampton’s finest emerging acts, Regent have notched a string of highly-charged releases under their belts including recent EP ‘Believe’ and 2022 debut LP ‘Just A Revolution’.

With recent single “Freight Train” seeing the band continue to pioneer their own insurgent brand of rock’n’roll that tackles political mistrust, economic struggles and personal hardships head-on, “Can’t You See” sees Regent continue to go from strength to strength.

Regent have previously  attracted praise from the likes of Louder Than War, Earmilk and Gigslutz, and have gained radio play from Radio X, Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio, Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing as well as RTE2 in Ireland and SiriusXM in the US. The group’s merciless sound has also attracted attention across the world of TV and sport, with airplay on Soccer AM, Sky Sports Darts, the Premier League, BBC Six Nations Rugby, BT Sport  and BBC One’s Match of the Day.

Parlaphone’s latest signee North London rapper Krillz releases ‘Boujee’ which is gearing up to be the viral hit of the summer.

The 18 year old rapper has been causing quite the impact since releasing Dubai in 2022, it has totaled over 2 million organic streams and his last release ‘Top G’ stands as his most streamed track with over 7 million streams.

Krillz was raised in Islington, North London and is one of the first generation of artists to have been around drill since the very beginning. Krillz has been listening to drill as early as 2017 listening to the likes of Headie One, RV & 410. He has a distinctive way of letting fans know what his music is going to sound like – from his clothing, if he wears yellow in the video, he believes this represents litness and if it is an emotional song, he will usually be wearing red.

His latest release ‘Boujee’ is looking to be the viral bop of the summer with the official video shot by DON PROD ( Tion Wayne, Pa Salieu and Nines), the high energy visuals have the narrative of Krillz being pursued by an eager lady for his material assets, his boys are also with him to have his back.

Having reached 500k views on a burner social account, the warm, summer-sounding track is set to send Krillz stratospheric. With brass horn production and high energy verses, it’s primed to take over DJ sets and stages this summer.

Not wanting to stick to one sound, the motivation behind Krillz’s music all goes back to one thing, wanting to motivate himself and others to change their situation, make their life better and improve themselves. 

Brasstracks is the Grammy award winning project of New York based musician and producer Ivan Jackson. Over the years, Brasstracks has evolved into an ever-morphing landscape where Jackson sets the framework.

The Brasstracks rap sheet runs for miles. The group scored two GRAMMY wins for their production work on Chance The Rapper’s seminal “No Problems” in 2017 (Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Album). They’ve also since been nominated for their work with Harry Styles during the 2021 GRAMMYs for Best Pop Vocal Album, ultimately taking home the Best Pop Solo Performance award for their work on “Watermelon Sugar.”

Brasstracks has appeared on Saturday Night Live, performing alongside Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles and Mark Ronson. Other collaborations include Anderson .Paak, Khalid, Mac Miller, and BTS. Brasstracks has also performed songs from their debut album on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

The new Brasstracks era sees Jackson as an architect for this larger project of incubating artists and allowing them the space to grow.

Brasstracks has now unveiled the new 12-track album, Indigo. A unique addition to the catalog: brimming with technical wizardry and maximal, brassy bombast, but intensely personal, rife with self-loathing and heartache. The album’s undeniable joyousness stands in unflinching contrast with its subject matter. At the end of it all, Indigo’s ethos is a shimmering, groovy, soulful house record about, above all else, jealousy. 

Garnering an incredible amount of accolades, Brasstracks continues to be a trailblazer this 2023.

Nashville-based experimental/art-pop trio Flesh Eater share immersive track “komfortzone” in collaboration with legendary singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, out everywhere now. This summer, the band is set to perform a string of dates in Nashville and will make their way to Brooklyn, NY this fall with tickets on sale now here. With a lush, dynamic soundscape and pensive lyricism “komfortzone” sees the band face their fears in pursuit of personal and artistic growth.

Out today, “komfortzone” is an introspective, shapeshifting journey from insecurity to confidence. Its experimental, art pop approach blends future garage, hyperdub, and indietronica to build the band’s own, unmatched sonic world. On the intimate track’s meaning, frontperson Zwil AR (they/them, synth/vocals) reveals, “To me, ‘komfortzone’ represents confronting fear. The fear of being seen, of moving toward sharing what’s inside, meeting that where it is, seeing it, and saying, ok, this will be with me indefinitely; I’ve got to move past it.”

AR continues that the track embodies the band, adding, “Fear is natural, even healthy at times, but it’s not me. It feeds off of what makes it grow, and in my experience, a lot of times I’m most fearful of doing what will help me grow. Feeding that fear, doing what makes me afraid, is not so scary anymore.” The captivating track was expertly mixed and mastered by an inspiration to the band, Angel Marcloid, who refined its distinct spaciousness and elevated its eccentric soundscape.

Upon completion, AR excitedly sent the song to notable queer film producer Zelda Hallman, who listened alongside acclaimed musician Fiona Apple. Hallman quickly organized a session at Stanley Recordings where GRAMMY-winning musician, engineer and longtime Fiona Apple collaborator John Would (Sharon Van Etten, Iggy Pop) & AR would record Apple and renowned multi-instrumentalist Sebastian Steinburg (Weyes Blood, Phoebe Bridgers) layering in their magic using vocals, piano, vibraphone, guitarron, & curio percussion. Would and Steinburg also collaborated on Apple’s notable albums, The Idler Wheel… and Fetch the Bolt Cutters.

Seasoned singer-songwriter Eric Sleeper has released his newest single, “K is for Karma.” With honest, cutting lyrics and a stripped-down acoustic guitar, Sleeper explores the nuanced concept of karma. Upon discussing his inspiration for “K is for Karma,” Sleeper says, “This song is about understanding when you are getting taken advantage of or used and the toll it can take on you.” “K is for Karma” is available now on all streaming platforms worldwide.

Introspective and charged with a captivating rhythm, “K is for Karma” immediately draws listeners in with its poignant exploration of working through the experience of being wronged. By incorporating elements of indie, folk, and acoustic rock, Sleeper possesses a unique sound that enthralls listeners. “The song plays on the idea of karma, questioning if it exists for those who spend their energy putting you and others down,” explains Sleeper. He expresses this in his lyric, “So what’s it cost you to get under my skin, because I lost it all.” While revealing the all-too-human desire for a person to receive karmic consequences for their hurtful actions, he also relays that “sometimes you need to take a step back, acknowledge it, and walk away from that person.” Sleeper’s innate ability to articulate his own life experiences in a way that resonates with his audience is evident in “K is for Karma,” making the song particularly impactful. For a gratifying conclusion to the narrative, the track ends with a final chorus that boasts the inclusion of drums and an electric guitar-driven melody. “K is for Karma” leaves its listeners with a feeling of empowerment and understanding, motivating them to take charge of their own stories in moments of vulnerability and ill-treatment.

Los Angeles-based bassist, composer, and arranger Mauricio Morales is set to release his shimmering third single, “Shine,” out on June 15th, 2023. Born in Mexico City, Mauricio began studying music early. He picked up his first bass guitar at 12 and eventually gained a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. After moving to Los Angeles in 2018, he began working on his 2021 debut album “Luna.” He teamed up with Anthony Fung and Edmar Colon for his second album, releasing “Eclipse” in 2022. Both releases were met with positive reviews and acclaim in the world of jazz fusion.  “Shine” is the third single off his upcoming release, “The Endless Ride,” due this summer

A collaboration between Matthew Grant (songwriter/vocalist) and Tina Huges (songwriter), “Shine” has effervescent instrumentation punctuated with an understated, airy Jazz-influenced percussion and infectious piano. On a track about finding your light amid the darkness, Morales captures a sonic atmosphere of feeling your way through to freedom. Matthew Grant’s vocals have a powerful influence alongside the structured melody, a flawless technique of intricate arpeggios, and soulful charisma that envelopes a sense of calm amidst the chaos. Combined, the vocals and instruments craft a beautifully melodic world rife with hope. Check out Mauricio Morales’s new single, “Shine,”

Email: [email protected]

Socials: @neillfrazer