SKOPE NEWS FOR NOVEMBER 27, 2017

The Next One Direction: Undecided Future Wins Duet with Jason Derulo on YouTube’s “Best.Cover.Ever.”

“Best.Cover.Ever.” is a cutting-edge talent competition series hosted and executive produced by Grammy Award-winning artist Ludacris and produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions and Endemol Shine North America. The series premiered exclusively on YouTube Monday, November 20th and features superstar artists Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Charlie Puth, Backstreet Boys, Flo Rida, Nicky Jam, DNCE and Bebe Rexha. “Best.Cover.Ever.” gives emerging musicians from around the world a chance for international fame. Designed to follow in the footsteps of YouTube discovered artists such as Justin Bieber, Tori Kelly, and Alessia Cara, Undecided Future had the chance to prove they’re not your average boy band by showcasing their unique sound.

Jason Derulo’s episode featuring Undecided Future premiered on Monday, November 20th, and can be found on the “Best.Cover.Ever” YouTube channel.

Verge Collection release new single ‘So Vain’

Off the back of a buzzing sold out national tour for first single ‘For The Story’, Verge Collection announce their latest tune ‘So Vain’, from their highly anticipated debut LP ‘Flanuer’ (out March 30).

The brand new follow up single – which premiered on triple j’s Home & Hosed with Dom Alessio on Monday and online with Pilerats yesterday – is a two minute banger that see’s the Perth indie-pop natives flip the bird to judgmental folks. Drawing on an awkward party experience, songwriter and band front-man Ben Arnold finds humour in a petty argument with a pretentious party-goer where he claims he “was getting razzed by someone that had a superiority complex.” ‘So Vain’ acts as a helping hand, urging the listener to move towards something bigger; something greater than the predictable sameness of current life.

Stella Rio ‘Alive’

Stella’s an upcoming singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada who has co-written songs alongside KUYA with Little Mix, DVBBS, and Morgan Page to name a few! Stella’s recent release with Morgan Page for ‘Beautiful Disaster’ has gotten 248K views on Youtube.

THE MOMS “Soup Song” Makes Its TV Debut Today on The Chew

New Jersey indie rock trio THE MOMS’ heartwarming single “Soup Song” has been heating up over the past few weeks. The track started to simmer when Billboard unveiled the official video. Then it began to boil after Food & Wine re-posted it. Today, it’ll come to a rapid boil after it airs on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning cooking-themed talk show The Chew, which airs at 1pm EST.

Pale Grey share new video for ‘Seasons’

Some acts are impossible to categorise. Pale Grey are one of those bands. Previous single ‘Billy’ was a dream-pop love in, floaty and serenading. The band now return to announce their album ‘Waves’ The album is the fruition of a year’s work, holed up in the studio, the result is a wide-ranging affair mixing folk-pop, minor introspections, sounds experimentations, hip hop and electronica.

Guide Dog release new single ‘Egos With Genitals’

Guide Dog are Peter Roberts (vocals/ guitar), John Maloney (drums) and Ian Russell (bass).

Pete and John met in school and were 2/4 of Robot’s In The Sky, which first put out a red double A-Side 7″ in 1999 on the Cardiff Council funded label Complete Control.

Following that they put out their first LP as Tetra Splendour on EMI. Ian Russell then joined during a period as a five- piece called People In Planes, signed to WInd Up Records in New York.

IVVVO title track ‘Prince of Grunge’ out today

IVVVO announces mini-LP ‘Prince of Grunge’ out 8th December on NYX UNCHAINED, marking the inception of the label. ‘Prince of Grunge’ is a personal account with palpable fragility, following on from releases with equal visceral self-exploration on Halcyon Veil, Opal Tapes and Danse Noire.

‘Prince of Grunge’ is a grueling testimony of a generational affliction consisting of millennial anxiety, depression and fear experienced first hand by the Porto-born, London-based producer. The complexity and contradictory nature of these emotions and mental states result in a vulnerable narrative highlighting the difficulties that comes with positive progress.

CC Honeymoon shares new single ‘In The Night’

London used to be a really sexy City. There was decadence and outrage. It was Virginia Woolf, it was George Dyer, it was Quentin Crisp it was Jimi Hendrix. Over some 20 years that reputation has subsided and the City, though marvellous and rich in many ways, has lost a hint of glamour.

CORAXO: Stream the new album in full

The scifi metal group Coraxo stream the new album in full one day before the release date. ‘Sol’ wil be released via Snow Wave Records on November 23rd.

Giver Boi Leads Afro-Pop Charge into the Mainstream with “Putu-Putu”

Featuring top producer, DJ Maphorisa; DJ Tira; Naak Muisq and DJ Sox, Giver Boi is looking to bring the sound of African pop, RnB and hip-hop outside of the continent to show that his music can not only break down musical barriers but also give something back to society. So far, Giver Boi has worked with local communities and charities to help those in need, including a shipment of 100 pairs of shoes to a local school, with future plans including improving access to jobs and hospitals for all Africans, and to combat the effects of illegal drug-use.

HIGH REEPER sign to Heavy Psych Sounds

Formed in 2016, HIGH REEPER is made up of Zach Thomas, Napz Mosley, Andrew Price, Pat Daly and Shane Trimble. Originally started as a studio band, it rapidly became apparent that these songs were meant to be heard live and loud. The band made their debut in the Philly stoner rock scene in early 2017 with success, which was followed up by the recording of their self-titled debut in May. With a sound deeply rooted in modern stoner rock, while still giving a nod to the earliest Sabbath records, HIGH REEPER’s first offering is driven by pounding rhythms, thick guitars and soaring, screeching vocals. Running from uptempo straightforward rock to slowed-down, heavy, early doom, with a rhythm section throwing down grooves that are deeper than the darkest abyss and guitars big enough to put a hole in your chest, HIGH REEPER is meant to be played loud and on repeat!

Years of the Canine Album ‘Under Dog Nation Vol 1’ Press Release

Take members of Ice T’s Rhyme Syndicate, Musicians from Pink Floyd and Headcount, and a super producer who has worked with a lot of greats and the result is a punk rock alternative super group with a hip hop flare; Years of the Canine and Core members, vocalist Dynamax (Ice T’s Rhyme Syndicate) and Musician/Producer Dom Beken, hit it off some years back during a session for High Frequency Bandwidth’s Hell Fire & Brimstone. Like-minded, artist and producer, evolved from the ground to throwing in their own inimitable contributions.

Born and raised in the South Bronx, Dynamax was inducted by Afrika Islam into Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate as the hot prodigy (co-family member Donald D also appears on The Fun House Adventure). Dynamax is a proper manifestation of the punk-funk hip hop coalition started in the late 70’s South Bronx. Dynamax is a hair-trigger rhymer, with a sweet soul melodic instinct. Dynamax was also chosen by the US Embassy to represent American music in Africa, as their Hip Hop Cultural Ambassador, and has now toured twelve African nations. Other artists who have requested Dynamax’s vocal acrobatics on their records or electronic presence on stage include Luc Besson, Chuck D, Giles Peterson, Dead Prez and Dr. Dre’s Truth Hurts. Along with Donald-D, Dynamax also has P-Funk veteran Michael ‘Clip” Payne on this upcoming Album.

Minimal Miggy drops lush new single ‘Euphoria’

Producer, composer and drummer, Minimal Miggy brings a fresh offering to the scene. In an industry that’s constantly changing, Miggy’s diversity and authenticity make him stand out like a diamond in the rough. Minimal Miggy’s sound traverses and merges the worlds of electronica, hip hop, jazz and various world styles.

ED ROMAN RELEASES SEASONAL LYRIC VIDEO FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL “RED OMEN”

Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ed Roman broke onto the international scene with his 2014 album release, Letters From High Latitudes, earning him multiple awards and status as one of the hottest new artists at college radio. In 2016, Ed followed with his critically-acclaimed masterpiece, Red Omen. The album featured three ambitious singles and videos for “I Am Love,” “Lay One Down” and “The Way She Goes.” The latter earned him a 2017 Radio Music Award for Best Americana Artist.

Now, Ed Roman is releasing his official lyric video for the title track of his latest album, “Red Omen.” The video has a seasonal feel, with script-style writing and falling snow accentuating the semi-autobiographical lyrics.

OK Go Premieres New Music Video for “Obsession”

“This song is about how our most intense and complicated emotions are also our simplest and most universal. Obsession is so overwhelming and perplexing, but it’s also so binary and basic – everything’s normal and then suddenly it’s not,” shared Kulash, Jr. “For the video, we wanted that same idea: take the simplest thing and just revel in how powerful and not-simple it really is. And animation is that – it’s just one picture on one piece of paper, then another, and then another, and somehow that progression turns into a whole universe. So we tried to create the physical version of that universe, a room where the walls can change into anything you imagine, but everything is made of just one piece of paper following the last.”

CALUM SCOTT’S DEBUT ALBUM

Only Human, Calum Scott’s debut album, will be released by Capitol Records on March 9, 2018. As the album pre-order launched earlier today, the breakout British artist shared the lyric video for the first single, “You Are The Reason.”

Oscar Jerome – Shares new video & announces new EP

Oscar, who shot the otherworldly video with director Dashti Jahfar and artist Gaurab Thakli using solely infrared cameras across the barren coast of North Norfolk, is sharing in the video in line with announcing the ‘Subdued EP’, due out January 26, 2018. The new four-track collection will follow Oscar’s 2016 self-titled debut EP, which drew praise from the likes of Radio 1, Boiler Room, 1Xtra and 6Music – the South Londoner will support the release with two New York shows in January and a headline slot in London on Jan 31.

Produced in part by Jerome, Wu-Lu and Maxwell Owin, the ‘Subdued EP’ draws from Oscar’s own spiritual, personal and ethical beliefs, as well as further illustrating his deep understanding of music. Jazz stylistics and off-kilter song structures find their place littered throughout the EP which revisits previous collaborators, including Moses Boyd of Binker & Moses and Poppy Ajudah.

Lui Hill ‘5000 Miles’

LUI HILL is a connecting force. Banging on his drums in a rhythm reminiscent of a determined heart, his vocals take you somewhere along a soulful journey, miles and miles away from where you started. And yet it’s a journey eerily familiar.

Mat Kearney Announces 2018 Album

Mat Kearney is excited to reveal the title of his forthcoming new album – CRAZYTALK – today with news of a 2018 US headlining tour that has Andrew Belle as main support. The “CRAZYTALK TOUR” is a two-month long run that kicks off the third week of February in the Pacific Northwest and makes stops at The Wiltern in LA, The Riviera in Chicago, House of Blues in Boston, Playstation Theatre in New York, The Tabernacle in Atlanta, and The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville before wrapping in the Southwest with three Texas shows. Pre-sales are November 29th and 30th with the official on-sale date December 1st.

Saint Clair Shares New Video For Human Touch

Saint Clair has today released the new video for her current single ‘Human Touch’, the latest track to emerge from her forthcoming EP ‘D2’, due for release in early 2018 via her own Dearly Beloved imprint. The new track follows EP lead-off ‘Amnesiac’ (produced by Terrible Records signing Rahm), which emerged earlier this month alongside a London show from Saint Clair as part of Sofar Sounds & Amnesty International’s global ‘Give A Home’ event (which also saw the likes of Wild Beasts, Jessie Ware and Marika Hackman perform in venues around the UK). ‘D2’ will follow the release of Saint Clair’s debut EP ‘D1’ earlier this year, which drew praise from NME, DIY and Line of Best Fit, and saw her support Laura Marling at her sold-out Roundhouse dates. Watch the ‘Human Touch’ video here.

RAUSCH TO RELEASE SOPHOMORE ALBUM “BOOK II” FEBRUARY 2nd

RAUSCH, adventurous piano-driven rock outfit from Philadelphia, PA, will release their long-awaited sophomore studio effort “Book II” on February 2nd, 2018. The record – mixed by Rich Mouser (Chris Cornell, Dream Theater, Weezer), with additional production by David Ivory (The Roots, Halestorm) – comprises 9 diverse-yet-cohesive tracks, ranging from emotionally charged anthems (“Greener Grass,” “Swansong”) to deeper works of more epic proportions (“Drain,” “The End”).

RUEL SIGNS WITH RCA RECORDS

RCA Records today announces the signing of talented songwriter and soulful vocalist Ruel. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, his self-released debut single “Don’t Tell Me” was produced by Grammy winning helmsman M-Phazes, who discovered him from a demo, resulting in a collaboration met with immediate raves from press and tastemakers, alike.

Melbourne’s Slum Sociable release debut record via Billboard

Slum Sociable are Edward Quinn (production/keys/guitar) and Miller Upchurch (vocals and percussion). Steeped in groove, the Melbourne duo’s music grasps the hips and guides them left to right to left in a hypnotic sway through an intersection of soul, hip-hop and electronica.

They arrive with their debut self-titled record – streaming exclusively via Billboard. A deeply empathetic album, the self-titled offering incorporates a mixture of songs that were recorded with esteemed Australian producer, Russell Fawcus) and mixed by Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Cut Copy). The album has garnered attention from NYLON, The 405, Clash Music, Indie Shuffle and more and was selected as Triple J’s Feature Album for the week of it’s release.

The Orielles Share Video For “Let Your Dogtooth Grow”

Today burgeoning Halifax band The Orielles are very pleased to announce details of their debut album Silver Dollar Moment that will see release on February 16th, 2017 via Heavenly Recordings. Alongside this announcement they have shared the video for their latest track “Let Your Dogtooth Grow”.

VICE releases new single “Piñata” ft. BIA, Kap G & Justin Quiles

Vice has unveiled his dancefloor-ready new single, “Piñata” – available now on all DSPs via Atlantic Records. With a distinct Latin flare, the track enlists a roster of today’s hottest up-and-coming artists, including BIA (signed to Pharrell’s I AM Other; performed as tour support for Pusha-T & Ariana Grande), Kap G (single “Girlfriend” has been RIAA-certified Gold; collaborations include Wiz Khalifa, Chief Keef, T.I. & more) & Justin Quiles (nominated for Best New Artist at Univision’s Premios Juventud).

dIVA released debut album ‘SOL’

As announced previously : Swiss indie-pop/dark-folk/trip-hop trio dIVA just officially released its debut full-length album ‘SOL’ for LP & Digital formats through Division Records (HEXIS, Impure Wilhelmina, Unfold…) and entire streaming on Bandcamp and on the main legal platforms.

The 5 songs on this album, which happens to be only the first part of a diptych whose sequel will come out at the end of 2018, refer exclusively to the rocky planets of the solar system. The music is a faithful reflection of the telluric aspect of these astral bodies, through a music borrowing so much from smooth dream-pop and throbbing trip-hop.

2017’s Most Sinful Cities – WalletHub Study

The holidays are here. And one thing they’re known for is encouraging indulgence, such as overeating and overspending, which can lead to unfortunate economic consequences. Americans are the fattest people in the world and every year sustain nearly $325 billion in losses as a result. Plus, we’re on course to end 2017 with another $60 billion in credit-card balances for a total debt load of about $1 trillion.

In light of this dark pattern perpetuated every holiday season, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2017’s Most Sinful Cities. To determine the most wicked places in America, WalletHub’s data crunchers compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on seven sinful behaviors: anger and hatred, jealousy, excesses and vices, greed, lust, vanity and laziness.

Bonander calls out alt-right racism on ‘The Oracle’

She tells us “I wrote The Oracle one day when I was particularly frustrated about the normalization of racism in Sweden (and other parts of the world). We disguise racist politics behind fancy words and hollow arguments and it is our responsibility to do something.”

Finnish Pop-Phenomenon Isac Elliot Releases His New Video “I Wrote a Song for You”

“I Wrote a Song for You” is off of Isac’s FAITH series, which is a set of five amazing new singles that include already released songs “AYO” and “EYES SHUT.” The final two releases from the series will come out in December. “I Wrote a Song for You” has been included on Spotify’s Pop Matters playlist.

Watch Phoebe Bridgers’ NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

All three songs are featured on her debut album Stranger In The Alps, released on September 22, 2017 via Dead Oceans to sweeping acclaim from outlets including Pitchfork, Billboard, The FADER, Vulture, Stereogum, Bandcamp, Uproxx, W Magazine, and Under The Radar, among many others.

Josh Lovelace’s ‘Young Folk’ Reaches #1 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter Albums Chart

On November 17th, Josh Lovelace of the Grammy-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE released his debut family album Young Folk. The collection of songs features guest appearances from Ben Rector, Ellie Holcomb, Spirit Family Reunion, and members of the legendary children’s group Sharon, Lois & Bram.

Australian producer Mickey Kojak delivers brand-new ‘Surrender EP’

Sydney based producer and songwriter, Mickey Kojak, has unveiled his highly anticipated new six-track ‘Surrender’ EP, with the production featuring his two hit singles ‘Ghost’ and ‘Save Your Breath’. Having enjoyed frequent rotation on TripleJ, ‘Ghost’ has been receiving heavy support, with the EP out now via Onelove.

NO1 SHOULD BE “STUCK ON STUPID”

Recording artist, NO1-NOAH is going through the motions when it comes to life and love. The 21 year old crooner recently signed his first Distribution deal with famed label, Sony Columbia and even though he’s learning and having the time of his life, he hasn’t exactly figured things out, when it comes to affairs of the heart. NO1 NOAH released the visuals to his single “Stuck on Stupid” which is off his upcoming EP Feeling in Color. In the song he details unrequited love, a love that is not returned, yet he cannot get away from the person and he refuses to listen to friends advice. We’ve all been there before.

ACES shares evocative new video for her gorgeous single, “Stranger”

The new video completes the trilogy of videos that accompany each song on her Stranger EP, all of which are streaming on her YouTube channel. ACES is the project from the Brooklyn (by way of Canada) artist Alex Stewart. A film editor who often works alongside her filmmaker husband, Stewart borrows as much from the vocabulary and structure of that art as she does traditional songwriting. ACES’ sound is downtempo pop music on muscle relaxers, highlighted by bassy backing tracks with sparse beats that take a backseat to her daydreaming, femme fatale vocals. As a writer and musician, Stewart may be seen as a master of stagecraft as much as songcraft. It’s more than a technique; it’s a manifestation of the world she’s creating around her – she builds ACES for herself, but invites the rest of us in.

HARKER Announce New Album ‘No Discordance’ Out Friday February 9th 2018

Need some excitement on your Cyber Monday morning? We have you covered. Brighton indie-punks Harker are delighted to announce their debut album ‘No Discordance’ which is set for release on Friday, February 9th, 2018. To celebrate, the band are streaming a new track titled ‘300 Cigarettes’ which you can hear here.

The dreamy Scandi duo Dream Lake

Summer might be over, but Dream Lake’s new “Lux” LP can still take you there. Their singles “Midnight Sun” and “Runaway” from the album, have been praised by The Line of Best Fit, Konbini, Nothing But Hope And Passion, Impose, Ja Ja Ja and BBC Radio 1 to name a few.

Like a true majestic summer soundtrack, “Lux” enables listeners to tap into washed out memories of unforgettable halcyon days. Dream Lake’s dream pop artfully blends the nostalgic sounds of Fleetwood Mac/Beach House/Moby/Death In The Afternoon that inspire us to live in the moment and fantasize about the past.

Gwenno Announces New Album ‘Le Kov’

Written entirely in Cornish, Le Kov is exploration of the individual and collective subconscious, the myths and drolls of Cornwall, and the survival of Britain’s lesser known Brythonic language. As one of the language’s few fluent speakers, Gwenno felt a duty to make her second album entirely in Cornish: to create a document of a living language, explore her identity and the endless creative possibilities of a tongue that has a very small surviving artistic output, despite having been around for at least 15 centuries.

Griselda Presents: Benny

Griselda Records, founded by Buffalo artists Conway and Westside Gunn, just dropped a project from Benny the Butcher. The mixtape Butcher on Steroids is Benny’s first release through the label and features production from Green Lantern, Daringer, Trypps Beatz and more.

SETH MEYERS NAMED HOST OF ‘75TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS’

Seth Meyers, one of late night’s most important comedy voices, has been named host of the “75th Annual Golden Globe Awards.” The telecast is set to air live coast to coast from the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 7 from 8-11 p.m. ET (5-8 p.m. PT) on NBC.

“We are thrilled that Seth Meyers is going to be hosting the Golden Globes this year,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. ”As he does every night for us in late night, he will be taking a closer look at this year’s best movies and television with his unique brand of wit, intelligence, and mischievous humor.”

“The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is excited to have Seth Meyers host the ‘75th Annual Golden Globe Awards,’” said HFPA President Meher Tatna. “With his natural comedic wit and innate ability to charm audiences, Seth will help us carry on the celebratory tradition of recognizing the best in television and film at the Party of the Year.”

Get Into The Holiday Spirit with Tanille & “Santa Don’t Pass Me By”

“I wrote “Santa Don’t Pass Me By” when I was missing my love at holiday times. Things got a little confused. He thought I meant one thing, and I meant something else. I started thinking about what would I do if I didn’t hear from him before Christmas. Knowing how much I missed him. Knowing how magical the season is. It would be my only Christmas wish for Santa to bring him back. Love is such big part of the holiday season. It is my favorite time of the year.”

Free Free Dom Dom Release ‘Be’ EP via Bishops Bloc Records

German electronic duo Free Free Dom Dom has released their two track EP, Be . Featuring a high energy Indie Dance original and Techno Remix by Fear The Priest, Be is available online via Bishops Bloc Records.

HVRCRFT, “HOW WE DO”

San Francisco and Los Angeles based trap, EDM and club DJ/producer HVRCRFT presents his new single “How We Do”, out now on Thrive Music. HVRCRFT has been regularly DJing at many club hubs on the West Coast, including the Key Club West Hollywood and Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas.

CRAIG DAVID ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE “I KNOW YOU”

On the heels of receiving over 15 million Spotify streams on his single “Heartline,” as well as winning the sixth MOBO Award in his career for Best R&B/Soul Act this week – Craig announces the release of his new single “I Know You” ft. Bastille from his forthcoming seventh studio album, The Time Is Now. Due out January 26th, 2018, the album, which is available to pre-order now, includes collaborations with JP Cooper, AJ Tracey, Ella Mai, Kaytranada and GoldLink.