@skopemag HQ – http://smarturl.it/skope
Marie Naffah releases stunning video for ‘Wasteland’
Marie Naffah has released the video for her brand new single ‘Wasteland’, taken from her forthcoming EP out later this year.
The video premiered with Clash who said, “Marie Naffah’s punchy vocals speak for themselves. She makes each song feel like a statement, working with a resolute sense of purpose… A soulful song of empowerment that smashes home its message, it builds to that incredible chorus. Lyrically, Marie Naffah is discussing the ability to take control of her life, and this comes out in the playful new video.”
New Music: Emerging Trio Rampton Prom – new single ‘Little Things’ – out today
Closing 2020 with the release of their debut single ‘Too Baby’ (which was championed by BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq), emerging trio Rampton Prom now return to deliver their next piece of beat-driven alt-pop. ‘Little Things’ is out now through their own Promulous Hits label.
Vive Le Rock! premieres “Let Them Know” by Jakob Mind
Vive Le Rock! premieres “Let Them Know” – the third single and music video by Rotten Mind singer and guitarist Jakob Arvidsson. Under the artist name Jakob Mind, the Swedish punk is set to release his solo debut album on April 16th via Lövely Records.
JAMES HUMPHRYS – Releases ‘Three Weeks’ video starring/directed by Netflix’s JESSIE MEI LI (Shadow and Bone)
Shot in Bristol, the video is a light hearted take on the frustration of being in a distanced relationship. Having been friends since his time as a student in Bristol, James asked Jessie, who plays the role of lead character Alina Starkov in the forthcoming Netflix series Shadow and Bone to star in the video, with her later taking on the role as director and editor.
Norwegian avant-rock, Sturle Dagsland (ffo: Oranssi Pazuzu, Björk) | Shares new single, “Blot”
Sturle helms the project with his brother, Sjur, and following previous support at The Quietus, Drowned in Sound, and Vice, they put the record together over the last couple of years, using over 40 different and unique instruments to create the sound – more details on these in the press release below, but they include Zimbabwean finger harps, Armenian duduks and Norwegian billy goat horns. Themes on the album reflect the duo’s culture and ancestry – Norse Paganism arrives on “Blot” whilst “Noaidi” references some of their mother’s indigenous Sami roots. The record was recorded at a number of different locations which I think feeds into the various sounds and moods that sit within the music, these include abandoned industrial estates in Russia, Soviet Navy ships in Eastern Europe, a remote lighthouse in the North Sea, and the Norwegian mountaintops.
Vic Santoro announces forthcoming trilogy ‘Glory Days’ with new single ‘Reinvented’
Off the back of sharing a killer freestyle on his social media channels, South London rapper Vic Santoro announces the forthcoming release of Glory Days – a phenomenal body of work being delivered as a trilogy of releases throughout 2021. With the first part Glory Days Pt 1 – Pain due to drop on 24th February, the announcement came loaded with new single ‘Reinvented’ which is out now. An accompanying music visual will be premiering on YouTube at 7pm tonight.
Jessi Mac share debut EP ‘Border Lines’
London trio Jessi Mac have released their debut EP, Border Lines. A varied and evocative showcase of their foundations, the release explores the relationship between growing into adulthood with the volatility of the current world climate.
Blending pop sensibilities with influences from rock and folk, and tied together with beautifully evocative vocals and equally delicate and volatile soundscapes, the EP is a stunning debut that moves adroitly between the uplifting and melancholic.
Japanese pop singer Nissy shows off world-class choreography in new music video ‘Get You Back’
Japanese pop singer Nissy released new song ‘Get You Back’ at midnight JST today (February 4), his first release in 14 months. This rousing track featuring intense beats and horns is a refreshing burst of positive energy that brings Nissy back with a bang after a quiet 2020.
VOKONIS Release ‘Blackened Wings’ Single
Prog-metal trio VOKONIS unleash “Blackened Wings” via Metal-Rules. “Blackened Wings” is the first single from their mesmerizing, brilliant upcoming EP – “Odyssey”.
Vokonis will release their fourth studio album “Odyssey” in spring 2021. More dynamically diverse than ever, the 6 new tracks feature guest musician Per Wiberg (Opeth, Spiritual Beggars, Kamchatka) on Keyboard. Odyssey is Vokonis’ first true prog-record. A record for the new decade.
Ready for broadcast… The Book of Life from Austrian Singer / Songwriter Marc Hess
Marc made his first vocal experiences in the famous Tyrolian children choir Wiltener Sängerknaben and began to sing and play the guitar in different bands. The wish, working as a professional musician, came very early and so he began to study vocals and piano.
He is a ‘free spirit’, who doesn’t feel comfortable in deadlocked structures where he cannot unfold. He began to walk his own way and came in touch for the first time with the Musical Jesus Christ Superstar, which would stand out as directional later on.
IGLOOGHOST ANNOUNCES SOLO SOPHOMORE ALBUM LEI LINE EON OUT APRIL 2ND
Lei Line Eon – written and produced entirely by Iglooghost is the creative polymath’s follow up to his breakthrough debut album Neō Wax Bloom. The sophomore album is a product of Iglooghost integrating a lost tradition he has spent his time researching called Lei Music with the laptop music he is known for. The performance of Lei Music has extraordinary effects and whilst there is no clear explanation of why – some believe it could be related to a variety of properties unique to Dorset. Lei Line Eon features collaborations with LOLA and BABii, the latter who he has worked with alongside Kai Whiston collectively as ‘Gloo’ – creating clothing, club nights and strange online artefacts.
The Universe is Expanding: A long Google Chat with Iglooghost about his incredible second album
BEBELUNA REVEALS STELLAR NEW SINGLE “WATERMELON”
BEBELUNA states: Watermelon is about growing up black in London. Everyday black people walk this earth feeling like a felon because of the colour of their skin. Whether it’s Boris Johnson referring to African people as having ‘watermelon smiles’ or children at school when I was a kid telling me to “go eat some watermelon”. It’s a dark racist slur but I’m reclaiming it, taking out some of the venom to give you something you can dance to whilst you ponder.
THE ARMED ANNOUNCE NEW LP ‘ULTRAPOP’ VIA SARGENT HOUSE
The Armed have announced a new album, ULTRAPOP, available April 16th via Sargent House – their first album with the company. Featuring work from Mark Lanegan and Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen this is the first album co-produced by the band’s own Dan Greene in collaboration with Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe). Kurt Ballou remains at the helm as executive producer. With the announcement comes a live video for the first track, “All Futures,” explicitly revealing this album’s band member lineup for the first time. The video is a live take of the studio track, which can be heard here.
SAM FISCHER & DEMI LOVATO – “WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY” – OUT NOW
Written by Sam before his single This City became a hit, it was a song he always knew would be a duet and was blown away when Demi Lovato became the perfect person to accompany him on vocals. Written about a feeling of being alone and not wanting to let people down, the pairing takes two different lives and perspectives and unites them in one message of human experience, emotion and togetherness, so they are alone with one another in the song. It is a truly special track with a powerful, moving and relatable chorus and is the next official single release for Sam since This City.
Cian Ducrot’s Heart Wrenching “Not Usually Like This” Out Now!
Irish songwriter, producer, and artist Cian Ducrot has released his heart-wrenching new single, “Not Usually Like This” (Darkroom/Interscope Records). Inspired by a real life experience, the powerfully emotional song beautifully demonstrates Ducrot’s masterful songwriting talents and puts both his awe-inspiring classical music training and captivating pop sensibility in the spotlight.
“Don’t Disappear” by Skyler Reed
The music video was shot and directed by Sebastian Francis. He created moods to portray the story of a lonely heart. The opening scene is similar to what was the root of the conception for this song. The intimacy of the lyrics coincides with affectionate moments in the video.
GRAMMY-AWARD WINNER DAYA UNVEILS NEW SINGLE “BAD GIRL”
After her career skyrocketed in 2016 with her Gold-certified debut album Sit Still, Look Pretty and going on to win her first GRAMMY for the 8x multi-platinum smash “Don’t Let Me Down” with The Chainsmokers, the singer/songwriter took a critical step back to focus on her own personal growth and channel that into the art she wanted created, on her terms and in her words. The result – including “Bad Girl” – is some of the most confident music of her career, filled to the brim with her trademark independent spirit.
Equipped with remarkable songwriting ability, Dutch musician la loye shares heartfelt new offering ‘i only hear you in my song’, set for release February 4th.
Set amongst a backdrop of sprawling, unpolished soundscapes, the alt-folk’s newcomer’s second effort follows introductory debut single ‘i’m still asleep’ in late 2020, with her intricate guitar work and haunting vocals once more accentuating the poetic lyricism in her early material.
War Criminal share video for “No Way Out”
Today, New England hardcore band War Criminal has shared a new video for their track “No Way Out”. The song stems from their latest EP, God Failed Me, and centers around feeling stuck in your own head while battling depression and anxiety. Now more than ever these struggles are all too common and the video sets out to depict the war in one’s head versus the American plight between authority figures and everyday citizens. In conjunction with the release, War Criminal will be donating all merchandise and album sales to the Maine chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for the month of February.
FENCES (Macklemore, Tegan & Sara) Releasing ‘Failure Sculptures’ Deluxe Version On March 5th 2021 Via ENCI Records; Stream “A Mission” Lyric Video
Seattle-based FENCES, the alter-ego of musician/songwriter Christopher Mansfield will be releasing the Deluxe version of his 3rd album ‘Failure Sculptures’ on March 5th 2021 via ENCI Records, featuring two bonus tracks. Watch for a BRAND NEW EP to be released this spring.
Of the Deluxe album’s two newly reworked acoustic tracks (“A Mission” and “God Music”) Mansfield says, “Almost the instant you track something in permanence you start to play it differently. You know how stories get embellished, religious texts have a bit of wiggle room or the size of fish your stepdad caught keeps growing? It’s like that. A song is really just a short story. Romance aside, I just wanted y’all to hear me play ’em as is and in that room in that moment. One take with some light overdubs.”
DEF JAM RECORDINGS SET TO RELEASE COMING 2 AMERICA ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK ON MARCH 5TH
Def Jam Recordings announces the release of the Coming 2 America Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on March 5, 2021. The album arrives on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming platforms alongside the highly anticipated comedy Coming 2 America, which premieres exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in 240 countries and territories the same day. It notably serves as the long-awaited sequel to the 1988 comedy classic, Coming To America.
‘Coming 2 America’ Soundtrack Set For Release Through Def Jam In March
UNDERTAKERS: Italian death-grinders premiere “Religion is a Crime” video, new compilation
The band released a new compilation entitled “Dictatorial Democracy” on 30th October 2020 via Time To Kill Records.
“Dictatorial Democracy” features a few brand new songs, old classics from the band’s back catalogue and a couple of acclaimed cover songs: “Fascist Pig”, originally by Suicidal Tendencies, and “Ripetutamente” by Neapolitan band 99 Posse.
New Madrid Announce Self-Titled Album Produced by Drew Vandenberg (Futurebirds, Bambara) & Share “It’s Ok (2 Cry) Single Today
New Madrid is set to return with a self-titled new album on April 30, 2021 via Lemonade Records. Produced by Drew Vandenberg (Futurebirds, Bambara, Faye Webster), the 10-song set follows the band’s magnetkingmagnetqueen LP, which released on New West Records in 2016. Consequence of Sound described the record as “an enthralling blend of psych rock and a particularly twisted kind of pop,” and Vice/Noisey called it “an invigorating style of indie rock that’s both strong in its intricacies and its catchiness.” The new music finds New Madrid revisiting the southern indie rock sounds of their 2012 debut Yardboat, while exploring new elements of dreamy psychedelia, jangly pop, and energetic post-punk. “It feels like a cool re-set,” says bassist Ben Hackett. “This is the closest to what the band has always sounded like in our heads.”
New > Nervous Horizon announce new EP by SIM > ‘Terminate’ out March 12
Tour de force club label Nervous Horizon kick off 2021 with ‘Terminate’ — a rugged and boisterous five-track EP from new signing, SIM.
Based in Montreal, SIM — influenced primarily by dancehall and artists like King Tubby and Sean Paul, as well as Plastikman, Jeff Mills and Equiknoxx— found his entry point into electronic music via the crunching US dubstep sounds of the late ’00s, before later finding his niche in club music. It was upon being introduced to Epic B, Uninamise, Hitmakerchinx and Brooklyn’s wider FDM network in New York that SIM began to refine and polish his own productions, culminating in the release of introspective debut EP, ‘Neural Gain’, in February 2019.
Tom Jones Announces New Album ‘Surrounded By Time’ out April 23 via S-Curve Records
Today, Tom Jones announces his latest musical adventure, Surrounded By Time, will be released on April 23 via S-Curve Records. The announcement comes with the release of the album’s first single “Talking Reality Television Blues,” accompanied by an official music video that traces the impact and changing role of television throughout history.
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE ANNOUNCE SADDLE CREEK DEBUT LP + DROP VIDEO
Philadelphia shape-shifting rock band SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE have announced a new LP ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, for April 9th via Saddle Creek – their first with the label. The newly modified 3-piece (founding members Zack Schwartz and Rivka Ravede are now joined by new member Corey Wichlin), an adjustment that better suits the new record’s musical stylings, engaged in an entirely different writing process than their past records. Where their breakout Hypnic Jerks was recorded in a week, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH was planned and plotted over the period of 4 months; a dangerous amount of time for a band whose attention to detail is exceptional, allowing for their most focused and exploratory work to date. ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH is also the first to be entirely self-recorded and produced by the band giving a wider periphery and deeper scope into their intricate pop genius, a view unlike any SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE record that has come before.
“Beachy-Vibe Rock” To Help You Feel Normal Again – Check Out Warren Dunes’ “Tether”
“We named the album ‘Get Well Soon’ because we wanted this record to be like a Hallmark card to everyone who lived through 2020.”
Seattle based ‘post-modern beach music family band,’ Warren Dunes has shared their newest single, “Tether” off their upcoming album, ‘Get Well Soon,’ out on March 19th 2021. Both haunting and just the right sort of weird, “Tether” works as a meditative chant about, as the band says, “the deep fear and confusion anyone sitting in a hospital bed might experience when they are in their last moments.”
Warren Dunes Channel Fear and Confusion on New Single “Tether”
YOUR LOSS delivers an unnerving and brutal scream rap anthem, ‘F*ck Around and Die’
Following the release of their self-titled debut project, ‘YOUR LOSS I’, West London duo YOUR LOSS are on an absolute tear dropping their third single from their sophomore release, ‘(II)’.
Titled ‘F*ck Around and Die’, the 1:54 minute track taps into a brutal and and guttural scream rap anthem, with morbid lyrics that could be lifted directly from the most macabre of horror films. There does not seem to be a limit as to how far the duo will go to demonstrate their versatility and niche within the London alternative hip-hop scene.
Scandinavian star SKIA releases dazzling electro-pop anthem ‘Hey Boy’ | out Feb 3rd via HEIST OR HIT
Scandinavian star SKIA kicks off 2021 in style with dazzling new anthem ‘Hey Boy’, set for release February 3rd via cult indie label Heist or Hit (Brad Stank, Her’s, Pizzagirl).
Capitalising on a highly successful debut year, the Norwegian innovator’s newest effort delves further into the influences of contemporaries Robyn, Sigrid and Dagny, yet crucially distinguishes itself in SKIA’s very own alt-pop bubble. Succeeding in producing yet another dancefloor hit, her latest cut builds on the momentum from acclaimed autumn releases ‘Feeling Fine’ and ‘Pocket’ as she edges closer towards debut album territory.
Jaffna “Rival” – new single out today
Rediscovering the minimalism of their early career, Jaffna surprises us again with aerial melodies in duality with a Future Garage beat, as if a bucolic country stroll was suddenly interrupted by urban mechanics. A rivalry of sounds and texture which becomes the real sound signature of the group on an album to be released on september 2021, preceded by several singles.
Creams shares debut Sleep On Me EP; “brilliantly sinister” (NME)
On “Sleep On Me,” Creams, aka Natia Chichinadze, demonstrates her vision of dark-pop is anything but detached or glumly oppressive. instead, it is deeply-felt and tactile, her deep vocals slithering their way underneath your skin with unassuming melodies. Her skeletal arrangements are fleshed out with buzzing, analog synths, and grainy programmed percussion. Magnetic and alluring, yet twisted in its beauty, “Sleep On Me” embodies the paradoxes that define the strange pull of Creams’ music, adding to the memorizing way she ratchets the tension up and down throughout the track.
pluko, Sad Alex & Duckwrth Team Up on “High Hopes”
Today, producer pluko teams up with singer-songwriter Sad Alex and rapper Duckwrth for their single, “High Hopes.”
Out now via Red Bull Records, the smooth, high-energy track nimbly melds each artist’s signature sound. Buoyed by pluko’s funk-fueled production, Duckwrth’s slick lyricism kicks things off as Sad Alex’s seductive melodies carry throughout the chorus, resulting in a vibrant, multi-genre collaboration that effortlessly bounces from hip-hop to electronic to pop and back again.
COLUMBUS, OH ECLECTIC INDIE BAND CLUBHOUSE RELEASE “WEEKEND” VIDEO
They wrote the anthemic piece while home in Ohio during the winter holidays, reflecting on the stepping stones in new relationships that one naturally experience. While falling in love, we tend to excite ourselves and overshare, whereas Clubhouse takes the alternative route, “You know that we can do it / every weekend / but you just wanna talk on the low”. The nonchalant story of keeping it casual juxtaposes the uptempo and jazz-filled production, welcoming the listener to experience this timeless summertime tale.
Russell Dickerson Releases “Home Sweet” Music Video
Today, Triple Tigers’ multi-platinum recording artist, Russell Dickerson, released his music video for current single “Home Sweet;” dropping exactly eight years from the day he proposed to his wife, as seen in the intimate home video opening. Sprinkled with raw footage self-shot over the years, the films previously held private make their debut in the deeply-personal visual iteration of “Home Sweet.” The music video exclusively premiered on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown this weekend.
SALEM share “DieWithMe” video
SALEM have released a new video for “DieWithMe” from their acclaimed album Fires In Heaven. Directed by Jack Donoghue and produced by Damjan Mitrevski (V House Animation), the video comes as a cautionary tale about the destruction, addiction, and death left in the wake of the continuing American opioid epidemic. It brings to life an OxyContin™ pill in a Disney-esque sing-along animation, following him through a brief, transcendent high and the terminal crash that follows.
Sombria – Release Music Video For “Ballet of Sadness”
“Ballet of Sadness” a song that portrays the struggle, the pain, the beauty and divinity behind art. Being an artist is something that words can hardly describe. Giving your body and soul in exchange of mastering your precious gift, the only thing that gives you peace, serenity and purpose while at the same time breaks you down…
Elijah Wolf Releases Title Track To Forthcoming Album ‘Brighter Lighting’ (out 2/26) Featuring Wilco’s Nels Cline
Today, the Brooklyn-based artist Elijah Wolf released the title track from his upcoming album Brighter Lighting due out February 26 via Trash Casual Records. The track features contributions from Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Josh Jaeger (drummer for Angel Olsen & Fleet Foxes) and Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby, Sharon Van Etten), who also produced the album. Also today, Forbes interviewed Elijah about the new single release, stating “Rolling guitar melodies create forward motion, synths and lap steels mirror the motion of the natural world.”
New > Lokey > releases “Isolation Works Vol.01” on YEAR0001 > Listen Here
Lokey is a self-taught Stockholm based artist and producer who at the age of 16, after a 3 year long stint on YouTubes club music algorithms, dove via an array of synths and DAW´s into crafting jungle, drum’n’bass, dub, trance, techno, dubstep, grime, house and everything around and in between.
MARINA RETURNS WITH “MAN’S WORLD EMPRESS OF REMIX (FEAT. PABLLO VITTAR)”
“Man’s World” was received with high praise in a wide range of media outlets. One of the “Best Songs of the Week,” noted Variety, while E! News praised “Man’s World” as “an ethereal pop song all about her extreme dissatisfaction with the patriarchy. It’s heavy stuff that goes down gently thanks to MARINA’s unrelenting Midas touch.” “(MARINA) shares a laser sharp takedown of the patriarchy,” wrote Refinery 29, “offering up a poetic critique of society’s deep history of misogyny and homophobia.”
Norwegian avant-rock, Sturle Dagsland (ffo: Oranssi Pazuzu, Björk) | Shares new single, “Blot”
Sturle helms the project with his brother, Sjur, and following previous support at The Quietus, Drowned in Sound, and Vice, they put the record together over the last couple of years, using over 40 different and unique instruments to create the sound – more details on these in the press release below, but they include Zimbabwean finger harps, Armenian duduks and Norwegian billy goat horns. Themes on the album reflect the duo’s culture and ancestry – Norse Paganism arrives on “Blot” whilst “Noaidi” references some of their mother’s indigenous Sami roots. The record was recorded at a number of different locations which I think feeds into the various sounds and moods that sit within the music, these include abandoned industrial estates in Russia, Soviet Navy ships in Eastern Europe, a remote lighthouse in the North Sea, and the Norwegian mountaintops.
LUCKY DAYE & TIANA MAJOR9 “ON READ” OUT NOW; NEW LUCKY DAYE EP NEXT WEEK
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Lucky Daye returns today with his pleading new single “On Read” with Grammy-nominated East London prodigy Tiana Major9. The single navigates the anticipation behind an opened and unanswered text from a lover, leaving the sender on edge in anticipation for an answer. The song showcases staggering vocals from both artists as they sing about unreliable love over sultry production. “On Read,” follows his 2019 highly acclaimed debut album, “Painted” via Keep Cool/RCA Records. The single is the first from his forthcoming EP, Table For Two, out February 12th, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The project features additional stunning duets from Ari Lennox, YEBBA, Mahalia, Queen Naija, and Joyce Wrice making this a must listen for music lovers.
RISING UK SINGER-SONGWRITER KARL BENJAMIN UNVEILS HIS SECOND BREATHTAKING SINGLE “MOON,” ALONG WITH OFFICIAL VISUAL
Atlantic Records’ (UK) own latest groundbreaking artist is singer-songwriter Karl Benjamin, the London native who today released his soulful new single, “Moon.” Accompanied by an official music video, “Moon” is a clear reminder of Karl’s budding talent, which led him to success back in 2020 with his debut single “Apricot Sky.”
