clawmarks Britton PREVIEW   ​

I've always loved Britton's work and this song is some of her best. She has a really powerful way of using space and vocal emotion in her delivery whilst putting together gripping production to pair with that. Her lyric writing game is second to none and a new release from her is always a gem. Her use of metaphor and wordplay is always a delight and her vocal layering is so rich. The story she tells in this song is heart wrenching in the most satisfying way.

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SLEEPWALKER (feat. brakence) Aries, brakence PREVIEW   ​

Seeing Aries and and brakence come together on this one was really cool. Aries has been a powerhouse in the Anti Pop/Rap scene for a while now and It's been a while since brakence has released music so it makes it even more satisfying. The thick bass groove and the tight vocal production is very gripping and the visual concept explored in the music video is very rich and intriguing. They have such a defined palette of sounds and production styles which I love. Both of these artists are very worth diving into if this is your first time hearing them.

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Starting Over Nevertel PREVIEW   ​

Fwaahh, loving the energy and crazy vocal and instrumental delivery on this one. The melody in the chorus has been stuck in my head for a while now and it was definitely stuck on repeat as soon as I heard it. This month has been so full of creative projects, exploring, some training and driving from place to place and this track has been perfect fuel for all of it. Nevertel are a growing force and i'm excited to dive into more of their work and see it flourish the way it deserves. Listen to the double time switch up at 2:26 and tell me that's not satisfying as hell. Jeremy Michaels vocals are unreal and they gel so well with the chunky production, drums and guitars fromt he rest of the band. Go listen, go wild.

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Mark Manson

“Real life, the messy, fulfilling kind, demands more than your intellect. It demands the courage to feel, the humility to grow, and the willingness to be many things, not just one”

The more I see just how much life asks of us as humans, the more in awe I am of everyone. Each of us is handed a unique path with no manual and no roadmap. It winds through the brightest stretches and the darkest valleys, calling on us to keep moving and keep growing through it all.

To be alive, to simply walk this path, is a beautiful thing in all its complex, dynamic glory. The more I learn to lean into it, to stay open to the surprises, the curveballs, and the fleeting moments of bliss, the more fulfilling it becomes. Even the hard parts, the ones that feel impossible to carry, start to reveal their meaning in time.

The further I go, the more I see the value in being able to feel your way through it all. To feel forward.

Eleanor Roosevelt

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along. You must do the thing you think you cannot do”

Need I say more. We all carry an idea of what we are capable of and most of the time it is neither true nor accurate. So often the fears that hold us back are self generated and unnecessary. If we can only learn to acknowledge them with respect and walk forward anyway, despite them rather than without them, then before we know it we will no longer be in our own way.
The challenges along the way, even the messiest and most uncomfortable ones, are often exactly what we needed to become the person we would have wanted to be.

I find myself wishing things were easier when I am in the middle of them yet, when I come out the other side, I am almost always grateful that they weren’t.

Will Ahmed

“Success is being excited to go to work and being excited to come home”

It’s such a simple line, but undeniably profound. If you have even one of those in your life, you’re already blessed.
If you get the chance to build either of them, it’s a pursuit worth giving yourself to.The key is to follow what excites you,not the fleeting buzz, but the kind of excitement that feels like it never runs out. Using that as a compass can be powerful, and I’ll be reminding myself of it often.

National Yo-Yo Champion

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I was blown away by this. I can't even remember how I came across it but I just thought it was such an all encompassing performance with so much personality and heart. Though the delivery and expression and delivery was stone cold from Connor, the raw feeling and dedication that was oozing from the performance was undeniable. The synchronisation of the moves to the key rhythmic parts of the song were unreal and the attention to detail was phenomenal. I also spent an unreasonable amount of time laughing at my own joke about the yo-yo championships. I was talking with my dad about how he must have gone through so many ups and downs to get to this special moment 🤣. 10/10 brilliant performance.

BAD OMENS - Specter (Official Music Video)

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Holy moly! Bad Omens are back with a bang. I would have put this down as one of my top songs of the month, but the video deserves its own spotlight. It’s framed as a film by Bad Omens and it truly feels like one. The atmosphere, the imagery, the detail, all perfectly matching the weight of the song. Noah’s vocals are unmatched and the production, especially the switch-up, makes it one of their most striking tracks yet.

What makes it hit so much harder is the story behind it. The song and video are rooted in Noah’s loss of his father in a car crash that allegedly only he survived, a grief he carried and tried to suppress but could never escape. Now he has poured that pain into this song, turning something deeply personal and sorrowful into something hauntingly beautiful. You can feel every ounce of it.

MARO - WE COULD BE (Live Trio Sessions)

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This makes me feel endlessly warm and uplifted. It's so pure and light despite having a subtle melancholic undertone. The dynamics between the three artists is such a treat. If I ever want to get lost in an undying love for music and where it can take you then I will dive back into this. Oh how I wish I could have been there in the room to soak the bliss of the sound and experience in. I hope you enjoy it and it adds some light to the soundtrack of your coming days.

How do you deal with writer's block?

I honestly find this such an interesting topic. It’s amazing how commonly shared the experience is, and perhaps one day I’ll speak to it in a video, but for now here is my own roadmap through writer’s block.

First, I’ve heard many people say there is no such thing and that it is really just perfectionism in disguise. You are always physically capable of writing something, but you hold yourself to such a high standard that you reject each idea the moment it comes because it feels “not good enough.” The first step is to remove that critical filter for a while and just create with no expectation or judgement of quality. Let the tap run, and though the water may come out muddy at first, before long the clear stream will start to flow. Sometimes you need a period where nothing truly clicks, but by showing up and creating anyway, you make the moments when gold does appear even more rewarding.

Second, you need material. If you have not lived anything recently that sparks inspiration, writing will naturally feel difficult. I’ve made it a habit to record ideas, notes, film scenes, or quotes that move me, so that when I sit down to write I can draw from a well of sparks waiting to be realised.

Third, change your environment. Go somewhere new, whether it is an invigorating, exciting place that stirs energy in you, or even somewhere quiet and uneventful where the urge to create becomes irresistible.

Finally, create with others. There is often magic that only reveals itself when a catalyst is present, and there is nothing quite like a good friend, an inspiring artist, or someone who draws out your playful side to unlock it. Remind yourself of the joy and the power of making music for yourself, and you will surprise yourself with what emerges.

New Music with Finn HP

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I’ve been working really closely with Finn HP recently and it’s been such an awesome process.

Speaking of writer’s block and getting out of your own way, Finn has had such a compelling journey through it all. He is an incredibly talented artist and has made some of the best covers of songs we all know and love. But when it came to sharing his own original work, something felt stuck. Maybe it was the comparison to the production and writing of the popular songs he covered, and the fear that his originals might not live up to that “perfect” standard. Maybe it was the unexplored territory of expressing his own story, rather than channeling his energy into someone else’s. Or maybe it was the thought that friends, family, and followers might not connect with his originals as much.

It’s hard to say exactly what held him back, but now that he has pushed through that block and put his music out into the world, I couldn’t be more delighted for him. I’m genuinely proud of his courage to go for it. All the things I mentioned in my answer to the question of the month really came to life in the making of these songs. We had fun, made dumb jokes, and never took the writing too seriously, even while aiming for something great. We switched up the environment, going outside into the city to write. Finn had real life experiences to draw from, and we channeled them into the music. And most importantly, we worked together, playing to each other’s strengths. I’m so hyped about how it’s all turned out and I can’t wait for more of Finn’s music to be out in the world. This one has truly been the 'song of the summer' for us.

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We also made a music video for worlds away which was an absolute blast to put together with Finn. This was a 2 person project, filmed, directed, produced and edited by us and we couldn't be more delighted with how it turned out. Add the songs to your playlist and watch this space for more!

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