Who? LIZZI
What? Personal
Where? East London
What they say? ‘Personal‘ is about betrayal, it was written after being hurt by the person closest to me. I was looking for answers and resolution, which I eventually got but by then I had worked through everything by myself. ‘Personal‘ is an all-female collaboration so writing this felt even more empowering.
Why we love it? A reserved slice of indie-pop where its strengths lay in the laid back vibe, allowing us to linger on the hurt and betrayal in the lyrics. It’s a beautifully crafted track about heartache and pain, but there’s a silver lining of finding empowerment hidden in there that LIZZI allows us to see through sheer honesty and vulnerability. (Lloyd Best)
FFO: Halsey, Banks
Who? I See Rivers
What? How
Where? Tenby
What they say? Through Andromeda’s eyes, the song echoes her deep understanding of her connection to Perseus and her belief that even through hardships and turmoil, they have always been destined to be together – even after death she and Perseus is to spend the rest of
their existence as constellations in the sky. Although drawn from the Greek myth, the deeper and more personal message of the song is about the need to make sense of things whilst battling the fear of losing face and understanding.
Why we love it? A glorious and mournful electronic track that culminates in a throng of arpeggiating synths, layered vocals, and tense drums. The lyrics are almost ritualistic in nature and there’s a hint of a Celtic sound mashed with modern electronic vibes that make for a unique experience. It’s a truly beautiful piece of music that feels like saying goodbye to a loved one for the last time and the journey to that place. (Lloyd Best)
FFO: MUNA, Broods, Shura
Who? Sibille Attar
What? Hurt Me
Where? Sweden
What they say? The return of Swedish artist Sibille Attar with her first piece of new music since the acclaimed Paloma’s Hand EP from 2018. New single “Hurt Me” is written, recorded, and produced by Sibille herself and it’s an early taste of her next record, which is due in the fall.
Why we love it? With tumbling drums and expressive vocals, this sublime piece of alt-pop oscillates between Scandi pop and French chamber pop, as she effortlessly switches between English and French language and back again amidst this whirling refreshing string draped carousel. Ripe with defiance and self-protection it’s an exquisite return from an artist who has captured my heart before. (Bill Cummings)
FFO: Bjork, Melody’s Echo Chamber
Who? Tom John Hall
What? Who’s Watching You?
Where? London
What they say? It’s written from the perspective of an imaginary voice of authority who represents the opposite side of the argument, raising a condescending tirade at ‘You’ (you/me) for, basically, biting the hand that feeds us. If you want a cathartic telling off from an imaginary conservative set to a solid power-pop piano chord progression then this is it.
Why we love it? A classic “sing-a-long” in a bar type of track with interesting, provocative lyrics designed to make you think about the moral ambiguity of the conservative political mindset. The track is strung along by a piano and drum kit that gives it a very ‘live’ feeling and the vocal is drowsy and charming. It all conjures up a feeling of sitting in a bar listening to a half-cut showman singing his heart out, or maybe I’m just desperate to go to a gig. (Lloyd Best)
FFO: Tom Odell, Hozier, Jake Bugg
Who? David Mason
What? Somethin Special
Where? Los Angeles
Why we love it? Filled to the brim with attitude and a tight lyrical flow, this track jumps from a smooth and slick chorus to an infectious verse that’s a lot of fun to rap along to. The use of glitches and Melodyne on the vocal in some places is inspired and adds an interesting layer to the track that elevates it above the average rap song of this caliber. (Lloyd Best)
FFO: Swae Lee, French Montana, Post Malone
Who? Lazy Day
What? All The Time
Where? London
What they say? Scantlebury says, “I wrote ‘All the Time’ a few years ago when I was feeling really frustrated at how difficult I was finding it to shake off all the things that were getting me down. The lyrics flit between these feelings of resentment and defeat, but I wanted the song as a whole to sound really defiant. Writing and performing ‘All the Time’ allowed me to regain some sort of control over what was happening in my life, instead of freaking out about all the things I felt like I was losing.”
Why we love it? Kicking off with a riff that starts out as ‘More than a feeling’ it careers into a fearsome transformative guitar anthem where singer Tilly Scantlebury’s powerful vocals scythe and holler with grit and defiance as she banishes resignation and defeat and takes charge. The rhythm section rising and falling and pierced with an explosive emotional release. It shows Lazy Day to be an undeniable coming force. (Bill Cummings)
FFO: The Pretenders, Wolf Alice, P J Harvey
Who? Shamoniks & Tom Macaulay
What? All Along (Shamoniks Remix)
Where? Wales
Why we love it? Classic drum & bass with a strong vocal and a catchy melody make up this sweet treat from Shamoniks and Tom Macaulay who’ve teamed up to bring us ‘All Along‘. It doesn’t break down any barriers with its straight forward approach to production, but it does it well. It’s a riveting experience from start to finish and will make you want to sing along. (Lloyd Best)
FFO: Eädyth, Alex Clare, Jack Garrett
