‘Exception’ by Sasha Keable
Transcending emotions and soulful vocals best describe the new single ‘Exception’ by singer-songwriter Sasha Keable. The new release follows the London-based musician along a journey of post-breakup naivety and frustrations. Starting slowly with soft vocal runs, Keable explores the initial dumbfoundedness after an unexpected breakup with painful relatability. Flowing into the brooding chorus, the singer questions giving second chances and identifies her ex-partner as her exception. At the heart of the song, Keable expresses the blind forgiveness resulting from deep feelings that sometimes cannot be avoided or ignored. For being powerfully worded and sung, ‘Exception’ will string at our hearts and play in our heads all March long.
‘Nah It Ain’t The Same’ by Greentea Peng
The latest single ‘Nah It Ain’t The Same’ by psychedelic RnB singer-songwriter Greentea Peng takes you on a hypnotic ride through the artist’s conflicted mind. Full of jazzy rhythms and old school hip-hop influences, the track relaxes and inspires groovy movement simultaneously. Greentea Peng explores her inner thoughts and jumbled ramblings about the burdens and struggles in today’s society. Avidly we anticipate more of the London-based artist’s stimulating sounds and visions from her upcoming debut album MAN MADE dropping this summer.
‘FEEL IT’ by Bobbi Arlo
Evoking feel-good vibes, the new track ‘FEEL IT’ by Dublin-based pop artist Bobbi Arlo is a perfectly catchy pop song to jam out to in March while we wait for warmer days. With lyrics fit for a love letter and an upbeat melody, the song expresses the similarly dynamic and bouncy feelings of falling in love. We love the fresh spin on modern pop music through Arlo’s melodic tune and bubbly groove.
‘Slowly’ by NewDad
Full of energetic and transcendental sounds, ‘Slowly’ by alternative rock band NewDad will offer us a musical glimpse of escape in March lockdown round two. The track’s frantic tunes and prominent drums meld with feelings of uncertainty evident in the lyrics. The track conveys a familiar confusion around new and inexplicable feelings of love. Hailing from the West coast of Ireland, the four-piece is set to release their EP Waves on 26 March which will give us enough time to play ‘Slowly’ on repeat.
‘Real Life’ by Claire Rosinkranz
If you don’t know Claire Rosinkranz’s name yet, you will certainly know her voice. The 16-year-old found fame thanks to TikTok’s adoption of ‘Backyard Boy’ last summer, accumulating over 350 million streams since its release. Since the release of he debut EP, the teen songstress has not stopped writing, and on 26 February released latest single ‘Real Life’ alongside second single ‘Parking Lot’. Claire traffics in lo-fi songs with intricate yet totally relatable lyrics about friendship, crushes, family, and feelings that plumb the depths of the human condition in short bursts, exposing a remarkable emotional maturity and singular grasp on her sound. In ‘Real Life’, the teen explores the oh-so-relatable experience of comparing oneself to others on social media and the effects this can have, particularly during a year so devoid of socialisation.
‘Free’ by Safiyyah and RADA
We’re starting Women’s History Month off strong with the new song ‘Free’ by emerging singer-songwriters Safiyyah and RADA. The London-based artists sing of liberation, female empowerment and knowing their worth in relationships. Against a sensual backdrop of Latin instrumentals, the soulful vocals from both singers highlight the fierce message behind lines such as “She is free, she is ruthless / don’t step on her toes, like she foolish”. We love the winding contrast between these strong and unwavering words and the calm and dreamy melody. This month we want you to relax in a self-care bubble while listening to this soulful anthem by empowered women – you deserve it.
‘Me, Myself & I’ by Miller Blue
Announcing itself with an irresistible jazz trumpet, ‘Me, Myself & I’ is the first release this year from genre-defying RnB artist Ben Edwards, better known as moniker Miller Blue. Out today, the reflective single sees Miller consider his life under lockdown over surprisingly calming soultronica grooves. Co-produced by Ahwlee, Miller shares his self-exploration isolation journey with haunting reliability. The English artist first rose to prominence thanks to a cover of Childish Gambino’s Redbone for Mahogany Sessions which has now amassed over 600,000 views. Miller’s debut EP ‘Cotton’ released to critical acclaim in 2019, and after a brief hiatus, ‘Me, Myself & I’ marks the start of Miller’s next project.
Photography by Hana Zebzabi
‘Interruption’ by Tiana Blake
March will be blessed by 90s/00s nostalgia with the song ‘Interruption’ by emerging singer Tiana Blake. The alluring RnB sounds provide the perfect backdrop for the love-crazed lyrics about wanting to spend all your time with your partner. The track conveys the innocent neediness felt in new relationships via classic y2k and mesmerising melodies. With the help of Grammy-nominated producer MNEK, the London-based artist is working on releasing her mixtape in June. True 00s RnB vibes are rare to come by which is why ‘Interruption’ and its equally stunning music video are our ideal companions while we wait for Blake’s next project.
‘Beautiful Mind’ by carpetgarden
Like the beginning of a love letter, ‘Beautiful Mind’ is the perfect first track off The Way He Looks, the latest EP by Californian artist carpetgarden, released on 24 February. Melancholic and gloomy melodies set the mood while the artist yearns for a seemingly fading lover’s affection and reminisces about past memories together. The up-and-coming non-binary musician combines lo-fi indie tunes with themes of queer love, desire and admiration for their partner in lines such as “I wanna swim inside / Your beautiful mind”. We’ll keep listening to the young artist’s love declarations all throughout March.
‘Goofy Hearts Club’ by Lava La Rue
Lava La Rue’s latest EP Butter-Fly, released on 19 February, has been swarming in our heads for the past two weeks and troubling us to decide on a favourite track. With the onset of March however, we pick ‘Goofy Hearts Club’ as our gleeful Spring anthem. Fusing contemporary RnB with psychedelic sounds the song’s melody conveys new beginnings and feelings of bliss. Simultaneously, singing about the restlessness and inner conflict of going back-and-forth in a relationship the artist seemingly echoes the changing of the seasons. The dreamy chorus and sublime bridge make ‘Goofy Hearts Club’ irresistible to not play on repeat for hours – something to enjoy while we await Spring.
‘Cuts & Bruises’ by Josie Man
This warm, charming single from Josie Man follows October 2020’s “Grow” and her sonic exploration of self-love and evolution. Released on 2nd March, ‘Cuts & Bruises’ explores the emotional damage we carry with us throughout life, and depicts a handful of couples who are making the most of love, life and each other’s company. Last year, the South London songstress released her debut EP ‘aLOVINGboothang,’ and has already teased more work on the way for 2021. For now, we’ll be twirling around our bedrooms to the uplifting tune of this track.
‘Serotonin’ by Girl in Red
On Wednesday, Norwegian vocalist Girl In Red shared another taster of her debut album with her new single ‘Serotonin’, co-produced by Billie Eilish producer and brother Finneas. Girl in Red is best-known by fans for her hazy tracks exploring queer romance, but this new release touches on uncharted territory for the millennial multi-instrumentalist – sharing a glimpse inside her brain and the intrusive thoughts, chemical imbalances, and crying spells that are part of the territory with teenagerdom. In December, she released the one-off Christmas single ‘Two Queens In A King-sized Bed,’ and has since been teasing details and a tracklist for her upcoming debut album.
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