Vibez Release Radar

As we come near to Friday and the sunset faints behind the clouds, we make a return with a double release radar of our favourite tracks of the week.

BLÁNID - Fool's Gold

A raw yet hopeful offering from rising BLÁNID as she brings indie-folk perfection with her debut 'Fool's Gold'.

Photo Credit: Henry James

Delving into the feeling of unrequited love, the bittersweet soundscapes of soaring guitars flow along with the whispered vocal tones as listeners lose themselves in the world of her events. Speaking about her latest release, she added: "'Fool’s Gold' is a personal story of heartbreak. I wanted to communicate the hopelessness of loving someone who doesn’t love you back and knowing that, however irrational, your feelings for them will always be the same”.

Whilst BLÁNID is still new to the game, the singer-songwriter shows uniqueness that will set her out from others.

This Is The Deep - Glass

East-London newest addition, This Is The Deep, are becoming the collective we will all be listening to as their latest single 'Glass' is psych of wonders.

Photo courtesy of Warmth Agency

Through pounding drums with the touch of stifle synths, This Is The Deep blend infectious production of jazz with funky hip-hop beats to catch the feeling of falling. "The song is about the idea of falling and the feeling of something foreboding happening as the result of over-reaching," said the band. "There are different ways to interpret the lyrics; they can apply to the excesses of late capitalism, our unbalanced position with the natural world, as well as a relationship between two people."

Alongside a mesmerizing music video by the band themselves, they have also announced their highly anticipated debut EP, The Best Is Yet To Come (Part 1), due this May via B3SCI Records.

Janette King - Airplane

Montreal-based producer and artist Janette King make a stunning return with her heart set on infectious R&B that throbs throughout 'Airplane'.

Photo Credit: Sarah Armiento

Set on the basis of sadness and anger that comes with the end of a relationship, King takes it on to learn from the loss and empower her independence. Speaking about her latest offering, King said: "This is a song about realizing that you need to let go of great love. Feeling angry that your lover wants to move away and that, in turn, means the end of the relationship. There is a sour energy to this song, but there is also a sense of empowerment."

With the announcement of her debut album, What We Lost, due this June via Hot Tramp Records, Janette King is on the right path to success.

Castells - Falling For You

Taken from their forthcoming EP Viola, Kent based indie-four-piece latest offering is a euphoric journey of love.

Photo Courtesy of A Badge of Friendship

Through the weaved intense production alongside emphatic guitar riffs, 'Falling For You' is fulfilled with the heartfelt sincerity of one leaving everything for another. Written from the perspective of lead singer Connor Crooks, the foundation of his smooth vocals lay between the nostalgic rhythm and creates a perfect offering.

From their electric live performances to the eyes of watchers, fans of Declan McKenna and Vistas will soon be jumping onto them.

Richie Quake - Rules

From the other side of the world, Brooklyn based Richie Quake keeps me in awe with his latest single, 'Rules'.

Photo Credit: Mark Shami

Delivered through the influences of pop and R&B, Richie groovy falsetto wrap around possessive guitar riffs that give off a vintage twist between the detailed, modern production. As we follow the journey of his own love, Richie explained: "'Rules’ is about falling in love with someone against your better judgement and the confusion or guilt that comes along when love and bad timing coincide."

With Ritchie continuing his rise to the top, we will have 'Rules' on repeat.

RoseeLu - Playing Alone

19-year-old Danish newcomer is a delight to the music industry as she intertwines alt 90s with modern pop within her latest offering 'Playing Alone'.

Photo Courtesy of Steady

From growing up surrounded by music to moving to Copenhagen at the age of 17, RoseeLu latest single delves into the natural feeling of wanting to contemplate by ourselves. "I have always been soul searching and contemplating with my inner self, where both good and bad rules," she said. "From a very young age, I learned that if anybody should have a chance to understand me, I needed to express my exact feelings instead of acting like an erupting volcano and exposing my vulnerability, which usually leads to misunderstandings. I write songs to get my unprocessed feelings out in the open and to clear my head."

Through the touch of hip-hop with futuristic soundscapes, RoseeLu 'Playing Alone' hints at a lot more to come from one of the most exciting prospects of Denmark.

Props - I Don't Mind

A glitchy yet introspective offering within 'I Don't Mind' from DIY riser Props.

With taking lockdown to hone his craft, the London based artist bounces through trippy drumbeats alongside a fresh take on guitar riffs as he establishes himself as one to watch of the year. Speaking about 'I Don't Mind', he said: "The opening glitch was entirely accidental when exporting the final mix but perfectly sums up the ‘meh’ vibe of the song, so it had to stay. ‘It’s about being happy with what you’ve got even when everything’s a bit shit."

Whilst he continues to work within the oaths of DIY, props hope to expand his horizon to new ventures.

Hotel Decor - All The Rage

Canadian Hotel Decor debut offering, 'All The Rage' is the perfect sentiment of what we have all felt between the four walls.

Photo Credit: Katy Feng

Stimulated from a place of boredom and isolation, Csaba Laszlo (Hotel Decor) and formerly known as NVY, gives an insight into his upcoming EP as he blends the elements of alternative indie with the production of electro-dream pop. "Stylistically, I wanted to make something pretty wonky and catchy. The theme of the song kind of came about subconsciously," he said. "I ended up freestyling a lot of the vocals and just going with the flow of whatever was coming out while I was tracking."

As he ventures into a new world of music, Hotel Decor first offering of 2021 puts him at a good point for the rest of the year.

Katy Alex - Mixtape 1

Already rated by Yungblud and played across Liverpool Sound City, rising Katy Alex proves once again with her six-track mixtape via Soundcloud proves why she is on the radar.

Photo Credit: Sean Gallagher

Originally set for last year, the English-based artist took 2020 to hone her sound; leading to a perfect mix of genre-fluidity within an eccentric yet popsicle fulfilled mixtape. From the noughties, RnB inspired 'NBHD' to the Marina-Esque production throughout 'In Love With You' - Katy already shows versatility and growth within her work. Speaking about her latest project, she said: "I love writing pop music because of how variable the styles of writing can be, and although the songs in this mixtape all fit under the one genre, they're all fused with something else: RnB, Indie, Disco. Being able to play with these different sub-genres has taught me so much about production, knowing when to add more or keep it less complex to suit the genre.”

A first sneak peeks into the world of Katy has put her name on our maps and one that'll be set for others.

Midnight Pool Party - CREAM

Australian indie-dance duo makes a seductive return within their intimate offering, 'CREAM'.

Photo Credit: Hayden Buchanan

Based on the sexual atmospherics through sultry beats alongside pinpointing vocal tones, the duo nostalgic dance release is deeped in the emotion of playing hard to get. Speaking about their work, the duo added: "This song is very sexual in the way it sounds but also in the lyrics. Ultimately, it's about playing hard to get. It’s about not giving yourself away to someone without them working hard for it."

Through the whispers and hard moans between my ears, Midnight Pool Party remind me of the nostalgic nights out of high strobing lights and touch we have all missed.