Much like a heart broken in two halves, Norwegian singer Dagny is gearing up to release the second half of her debut album Strangers / Lovers by releasing the first single, “It’s Only A Heartbreak.” Since the A side of the album dropped earlier this May, its two lead singles have received an impressive response; “Come Over” spent 3 weeks at the top of the Norwegian radio-airplay charts, while “Somebody” made its way the top 5, amassing over 14 million streams along the way. The album as a whole tracks the journey of a relationship. The half that has already been released traces the dizzying, butterfly-inducing blooming of a new love, but now it’s time for things to fall apart. Side B of Strangers / Lovers is out on October 2nd via Little Daggers Records, and it examines the fall out of the relationship that blossomed on side A.
Like the whole album, “It’s Only A Heartbreak” is personal, so Dagny uses conversational lyrics to reflect on her post-breakup emotions and to give herself a sort of pep talk in the aftermath. The song was partially inspired by Humphery Bogart’s famous quote from the 1942 classic Casablanca: “Here’s looking at you, kid.” Dagny explains, “Like the movie, the song is about knowing that you will never get someone back, but you can secretly still look at, and admire, that certain someone. The song carries a nonchalant expression, but the undertone makes it pretty obvious that you’re not over that person yet.”
And indeed, from all sonic appearances, “It’s Only A Heartbreak” is an energetic, striking bop. Its infectious melody lines and vibrant array of jittering electronic sounds create a vivid soundscape that could be mistaken for a dance track– unless you listen to the lyrics. Dagny sings “Most days I wake up I’m okay / I’m doing my own thing, I don’t have a moment to think about you / Most days I’m up on a high wave, And I’m just like urgh, It’s only a heartbreak, I got to get through you,” and suddenly the brilliance and complexity of the sounds surrounding her seem to reflect the intense and complicated emotions that come with heartbreak. So whether you’re feeling heavy-hearted yourself and just want to feel seen, you just want to dance, or you’re a fan of intriguing musical settings and skilled production, “It’s Only A Heartbreak” is definitely for you.
If this were a Friends episode, it would be called “The One With A Chicken.” Stephen Clair’s upcoming single “Fixing to Fly” features strangely cute chicken-related metaphors to describe the complications of romance, supplemented by rustic visuals of a chicken coop in the accompanying video.
Clair is known for his intent singing and literary songwriting, something he channels in the lyrics to “Fixing to Fly” which have a certain poetry to them. But his songs aren’t wispy folk tunes that one often associates with lyrical storytelling, rather they are garage Americana tunes with classic, bluesy sounding guitar, crashing cymbals, and driven walking bass lines. The first few moments of “Fixing to Fly” reveal the song’s whole nature immediately, with the swinging guitar that meanders about on its own for a while before the bass comes in to ground it in the twangy Americana sound. Clair’s voice rings out clear and genuine, like a humble offering to his listeners, subtly asking them to follow along as he sings: “Cooped up in this roost with all these chicks / And the henhouse ain’t a funhouse / When you’re fixing to fly but your wings don’t get you high.”
If you’re feeling down and just can’t find the right way to express how you feel, give “Fixing to Fly” a shot. The odd metaphors that lie within a chicken’s wings may speak to your soul in ways you have never known before.
It’s not often that you come across an artist who has a quirky brand of space-themed advocacy, but if that’s what you’re looking for you are in the right place. Seattle-based artist Lomon released his latest single, “Escape Velocity”, which is an indie-electric dream. The song is filled with kaleidoscopic melodies and hypnotic vocals, reminiscent of a song you would hear in the background of a movie. “Escape Velocity” is about addiction, relapse and the fight to break out of a cycle, but failing with each attempt. Lomon explains in a press release, “There’s also the story aspect – the song drops you into a particular moment of a concrete but open-ended tale. I think it’s easier (for me at least) to digest heavy topics when there’s a layer of fiction (or even whimsy) overlaying them…The song’s protagonist feels completely defeated. But as it goes on, he becomes more hopeful and optimistic. So maybe listening to the song will inspire someone to pick themselves back up after falling down, and marching on again.”
After taking to music at a young age, playing piano, and teaching himself to play the guitar, he has been writing, singing, and producing his own music. Lomon’s songs are a unique take on indie psychedelia, especially with the topics he sings about. Even though this latest track might sound somber, the true message is about maintaining optimism in the face of defeat. You can lose yourself in the sound, but also take away an inspiring message.
Ever since he was a kid, Salim Nourallah has had a deep appreciation for English rock ‘n roll music. As he grew up and cultivated a career as a musician into the 90’s, he found his life intertwined with two other multi-talented individuals: Chris Holt and Paul Averitt. The trio started bands together, played on each other’s albums, and got involved in many of the same collaborative projects. The two decades of shared respect and friendship along with Nourallah’s love of English rock have culminated in a new project that celebrates a reenvisioning of old music, called A Break in the Battle. The name comes from the Pretender’s “Back on the Chain Gang”, the words fitting to Nourallah, Holt, and Averitt’s belief in music as a respite from the toil of life. Like a giant love letter to their heroes, each song is stripped back to the essentials, which are then illuminated by the guys with a loving hand. The first round of tracks came out in 2017, with classics like The Replacements’ “Kiss Me on the Bus” and The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry.” After a two year hiatus following the death of Nourallah’s mother, the trio is set to release the second collection of songs later this year.
Kicking things off for round two, the boys have released Nick Heyward’s “Kite.” The original features a full sound, punchy beat, and a complex web of sounds including metallic guitars, warm horns and strings, and twinkling bells. The tone Heyward’s voice vaguely reminds one of Billy Corgan’s, but instead of the patented and glorious harshness that the Smashing Pumpkins’ lead singer is known for, Heyward’s voice is pleasant and earnest. A Break in the Battle’s version maintains that humble, earnest tone in the vocals, and has the same overall spirit as the original, but it achieves this using a different instrumental blueprint. The iconic waterfall-like guitar picking remains in the intro, but in the 2020 version it’s backed by prominent acoustic guitar strumming. The track is less punchy and more dreamy, complete with gentle harmonies and dazzling combinations of metallic guitar and reverberating piano.
One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid when making a cover is trying to sound like a carbon copy of the original. Nourallah, Holt, and Averitt’s version of “Kite” successfully sidesteps this stumbling block. It carefully preserves the essence and integrity of Heyward’s song, but approaches it from a different direction. With “Kite”, we see that the boys’ imagination is just as finely tuned as it was three years ago.
While the rest of the collection will be out later this year, in the meantime there are 16 opportunities on the first collection of A Break in the Battlefor you to experience your favourite English rock tunes like it’s the first time.
Up-and-coming hip hop artist whiterosemoxie debuted the music video for “west side boys” ahead of the release of his next mixtape. The video premiered on Pigeons & Planes’ YouTube channel and was shot, directed and edited by Jax Anderson. whiterosemoxie and his friends star in the video which is similar to a day-in-the-life of the Detroit native. The track comes off his debut full-length release, white ceilings, and is a reminder that the people around you have to be your foundation, especially in darker times. This idea will come to fruition in his next mixtape, grae ceilings. Although he just finished high school, his lyrics are vulnerable and introspective, which you might not expect from someone his age. After a near-death experience, whiterosemoxie decided to start making music alone in his basement. Now, he is moving up and beginning to collaborate on the song making process with others. There is a slight feeling of anticipation at the beginning of the song, not knowing where the beat is going to go until the drums kick in. The down-tempo track exemplifies his artistry and only adds another layer to his musical identity. Check out “west side boys” and the new music video out now.
Tyrone’s Jacket has dominated the live performance scene with their dynamic shows that boast high musical/visual production value and energetic acts that have earned them spots on three national tours and multiple music festivals, including a national tour with Dirty Heads. Their satisfied audiences have hyped the band up to almost mythic proportions since so little of their recorded material has been available– until now. Their newly released single, “Streets”, is an emotional musical and visual narrative that chronicles the homeless epidemic in LA. It’s a deeply emotional and revelatory alt-pop ballad with a soulful vibe that’s driven by frontman and vocalist KnowaKing (son of the Commodores co-founder, William Wak King). While the band consists of KnowaKing (lead vocals), The Grateful Carl (vocals and guitar), and Ry Toast (DJ), the two-time Grammy-nominated producer King David is thought as an extension of the band itself through his faithful work with the band since their inception. His skilled, and gentle but prominent production knows exactly when to lift up the vocals, and when to strip things back to let the powerful lyrics stand on their own. KnowaKing’s vocals dance with the line between raspy and smooth, simultaneously pleasing the ears and allowing them to engage with the song’s message. The subject of homelessness in combination with the real-world images in the music video and the anthemic beat create a powerful environment that invites the listener to sing along, but more importantly, pay attention to what the band is trying to say. About the track, “Streets is a love song in every sense of the word,” explains vocalist KnowaKing. “Spawned from a broken heart while congregating with derelicts, the pursuit and ultimate discovery of self unknowingly was my destiny. In a city the size of a small country, we become desensitized to the downtrodden because they reflect our greatest fear. But they have a story, they have ideas, they have dignity and they deserve attention.”
“Streets” proves that Tyrone’s Jacket is just as captivating in the studio as they are on stage. The band’s debut self-titled album will be out in November, with more new music following on the heels of “Streets.”
Zanya is releasing a new track called, “Wake Up”, that calls people to action and to take a look into current and past problems. There is no better time than now to release a song that deals with equality and speaking up for what needs to be done. Zanya and her bandmates created another pop-rock track with a unique twist, with serious lyrics that will inspire listeners to think about the subject matter. The lyrics, “it’s not been equal / since day one / we have to speak up, to get it done,” are a reminder of the inequality people face daily and encourage you to take action.
Zanya began collaborating with bassist Patrick Reaves and guitarist Drew Carsillo shortly after moving to Los Angeles. Since then, they have continued to push each other to create music that draws on their fascinations and passions in life. Listen to “Wake Up” now and get inspired to make some changes for the better. Keep up with Zanya here.
Each month, we bring you an ever-evolving list of our favorite new tracks out. We reach into every genre, and to far corners of the earth for this talent. And we’re very pleased to see it all unfold over the course of the month — you’ll go from EDM to country rock to pop all in the course of a few songs. We DIG THAT. We LIKE TO INTERRUPT. Yes, the journey of an album in its entirety is important to us. But that’s up to the artist. We’re here to get you out of your comfort zone and help you discover new sounds you may not otherwise be privy to.
So set yourself up for some newness, and hit “PLAY.” Because it might be the only out-of-the-box thing you have any control over right now. And that’s okay.
Listen. Music is great and all that, but we are between seasons on a ton of our favorite shows, other key series are being pushed for COVID-safe filming, and big companies can’t decide if they are going to release their new blockbusters to theaters or directly to streaming.
All this to say, we’re lacking unique visual stimulation. (Or, at least the kind that doesn’t entirely turn your brain to mush.) So, let’s keep ourselves entertained – and educated – a bit more and hang out with some awesome new videos released this month!
New videos added regularly until October, so check back for more!
