Sudanese and Scottish singer/songwriter Eliza Shaddad is building a catalogue of intricate, intelligent rock songs. Her latest single "The Man I Admire" finds her in a dream, standing in a burning home, waiting for this man to "save her from the smoke, but he takes off his shirt instead." The sincere intersection of desiring protection and mutual affirmation from a man, all the while understanding your own legitimacy and ability to protect yourself, is a subject rarely broached in feminine songwriting. Eliza executes this masterfully here. This song is an empathetic peek into the heart of a woman standing in front of a man and asking him to adore her with no caveats. It's true vulnerability, and the lyrics of the first two verses—feeling scared of the dark and being alone in a burning room—illustrate this beautifully. The theme is so succinct and yet totally complete. That's what makes Eliza's poetry so excellent. 

Shaddad's first LP, Future, was released in 2018. "The Man I Admire" is one of four singles released this year ahead of her second album The Woman You Want. Pre-order The Woman You Want here, and look out for the UK-based singer on tour this summer. Photo by Flore Diamant.

We are delighted to premiere Coma Culture’s beautiful new single “Martha,” prior to the release of their debut album, Camouflage. Coma Culture is the new indie-rock project from Young The Giant’s Eric Cannata and Francois Comtois, along with producer/songwriter Jon O’Brien. 

Previous releases found Coma Culture dealing with the complexity and shallowness of modern life, as well as the feel-good, carefree joy that comes from falling in love. Mixed by Yuuki Matthews, “Martha” finds them pushing into complex emotional territory as they candidly navigate the struggles of addiction. 

Soft swirling synths and gentle keys establish an unwavering honesty that is present throughout, as ghostly vocals let us know from the start that this is a direct confession to the narrator’s wife, Martha. Droning sounds mimic the repetitive background pull that is dependence, while the narrator reveals “Sometimes I wake up in a cold sweat / And I need something in my veins”. The beat intensifies, different elements of percussion set in and a whirlwind of synths come forward as though we’re moving through a maze of old alluring habits and resisting them. Despite that, there is also a felt sense of a glimmer of hope, something that keeps grounding the narrator and it comes in the form of another person, in this case, Martha herself. 

On the track, O’Brien said: "'Martha' is a story about waking up and fighting through the haze of addiction—choosing to live selflessly for at least one day and attempt a change for the person you love most. My biological father has spent most of his life in prison and drug addiction has always been a constant battle. The song is based on the premise that there is a fork in the road, a choice is to be made, and the future looks daunting but hopeful."

The optimism mentioned by O’Brien is felt when swelling strings arise, giving us a sense that the right choice will be made and despite the difficulty, the narrator will be able to pull through for the person they love. This stunning instrumental outro ends with the words “I woke for you today, Martha,” hitting us straight in the gut and reminding us of the truly positive ways other people can help shape our lives. 

Pre-order Camouflage, due out June 25th via Gourmet Music and Repost by Soundcloud. Photo by Kelly Victoria.

New Jersey's Annie Blackman is no newbie to the world of turning pain into lyrics, but with her latest single "Souvenir," that pain feels less metaphorical and more concrete. As you listen to her calm voice softly sing "Separately / I’m struggling and / standing at the sink / I deserve whatever hurts / I think," it feels like watching yourself experimenting piercing aches, so far removed from the hurt but knowing exactly what it feels like. Perhaps this is the way she paints a picture, through comparing her body to physical objects as she expresses the feel of the touch and how badly it stings. Even the titular "Souvenir" is nothing but the aftershock of the undeniable crash. "Souvenir" is Blackman's second single under the label Father/Daughter Records. Photo by Daniel Dorsa.

True to its name, Sexy Pigeon’s “Hold My Hand, Sunshine” is a feel-good summer sunshine track. Playful barbershop harmonies announce the beginning of the adventure, quickly displaced by some lighthearted ah-la-la-la-la’s. It’s like a setup to a good-natured joke by that one friend who always wears a smile and has a knack for coaxing a grin out of everyone else they meet. Buoyant bass bounces along the track, reminiscent of those little pointers that bob along karaoke tracks, tracking the words as you and your friends are singing your hearts out. Fluttery synth parts of various textures spring up and fade out, as though the song is trying on different hats trying to find one that best fits the vibe of the day. It ultimately closes with a reverb-ed-out shortstop, echoing in the exact way the surface of the water does when you cannonball into a pool on the first 100-degree day in July. Sweet and refreshing, it’s sure to tempt your toes into the water of all the summer pop to come. Photo by Pjotr van Kleef.

Born to an immigrant Pakistani father and a first-generation Turkish American mother, Philadelphia-based artist Ali Awan has a unique take on music, informed by his upbringing and passion for expression. His upcoming EP Moon Mode is a collection of stylistically varied songs tied together by a unified emotion. On Moon Mode, Awan takes on a strenuous quest from darkness to light. His latest single “Climb” finds him right in the midst of that journey. 

Jangly chords set the stage for an iconic guitar line that plays throughout. Supported by stirring drums and a deep bassline, Awan recounts the uncomfortable and taxing position he finds himself in. However, he is quick to grasp his own agency and capacity in order to get out. Bright samples from collaborator Will Brown (Astronaut Jumpshot) play as Awan slowly starts to move towards greater clarity, singing earnestly, “Dirt up on my knees / Looking kind of crazy / But feeling alright.” He vividly conveys the physical and emotional effort it takes to come out on the other side of a murky ditch. 

Awan is generous with his hard-earned wisdom as he shares some advice: “ I wanna let you know / Climb up of all those holes you dive in / Pick every piece back up.” He celebrates his triumph with a flurry of guitars, samples and a shimmering sitar, creating a mesmerizing soundscape that lets us know we can do it too. Moon Mode will be released on June 11th via Born Losers Records. Photo by Don Vincent Ortega. 

A standout track from girl in red’s debut album if i could make it go quiet, tl. Beginning with hollow, echoey keys and rolling, fast-paced drums, the raw emotion in the music is a slow build that rises alongside the lyrics. Here, Norwegian singer/songwriter girl in red, born Marie Ulven, is irrevocably honest; by emoting lines such as “You’re so fake / It’s all lies / Was she good? / Just what you like? / Did you come? / How many times? / Tell the truth / Wait, never mind,” she captures the vulnerability that comes along with realizing that you’ve just asked a question you don’t really want the answer to. By being so straightforward, Ulven chronicles the disintegration of a relationship and the confusing feelings that follow in a way that everyone can relate to, proving that what is most personal is most universal. Even more impressive, however, is the way she does all of this while reclaiming herself and her power—which is always the best revenge. Photo by Jonathan Kise. 

"Anybody Else" is another unique and masterfully distinct offering from spill tab, the latest in a string of wonderful releases. It’s hard to pin her "sound," yet this feels so clearly her. That is part of the excitement of a spill tab release—not knowing quite where it’ll take you. But there are some familiar puzzle pieces here: a beautiful vocal performance, a chorus that’s both massive and personal, production that’s willing to be adventurous from the very first second, honest and tender songwriting, an explosive finish. And like every song of hers, it packs its devastating punch in but is over in a blink of an eye, and you’ll be left craving more. This one in particular rides alongside our narrator, consumed with passion, as they walk up to the edge of new love. The final chorus, with its raw and vulnerable first few lines over a single guitar. It’s a palpable and relatable uncertainty, but lucky for us, spill tab leans all the way in like The Fool taking the next step off the cliff and into the unknown, just trusting life will catch them. And catch them it does. A bit of feedback bubbles up, cueing the band’s return at full force, with a choir of voices to belt the final lines together. It’s a bold love song and a distinctly spill tab love song. Another gem from the rising pop star. Photo by Jade Sadler.

Jack Broza’s latest single, "Walk a Day," is a love song for trees and walks. It’s an ode to mundane joy to be found in your local greenspaces. Counterintuitively, the upbeat track begins lyrically by mourning the loss of a favorite tree. It sometimes feels silly to miss a tree, but they are living things; not quite sentient, but with a cherished coexistence that you expect to be around forever. It’s always a shock to reconcile that mortality applies to trees too—to remember that everything that lives, grows old and also someday dies. It’s a thought that could easily send you spiraling into an existential crisis about the finite nature of time. It might also nudge you hard the other way, re-dedicated to appreciating life where it is and mourning what is lost only once it is actually lost. "Walk a Day" certainly seems to float in that more positive direction. Cheerful and breezy, a sauntering melody wanders through each layer until you find your steps keeping pace with it. The lyrics invite you to reflect on all the different, distinctive ways walks can feel good. They can be a welcome reprieve or a stimulating adventure. Walks provide time and space to process emotions and dream up ideas. Where the lyrics fall off, humming vocals sit underneath it all, just like when singing a little song to yourself, arms swinging as you walk. More than anything, "Walk a Day" sounds like a good walk feels. Or all of them, in fact. Photo by Chad Hilliard.

“Away,” the newest single by School of X, is a sonic journey. From prominent bass lines in the early verses of the song to alluring saxophone solos, mixed with his unique confident vocals, “Away” provides listeners with a nostalgic pop anthem. Based in Copenhagen, School of X’s moniker comes from Eksskole, an anti-establishment art school from the 1960s. Like the school after which the act is named, School of X provides space for Littauer to create outside of labels. On “Away," Rasmus Littauer, the man behind it all, channels that energy for a rich and progressive landscape with no boundaries. As Littauer recounts the immediate feeling of loss one faces after a break-up, we admire the beauty of the melancholy atmosphere, laced with perfectly hidden synths and dreamy electric licks within “Away.” Littauer’s instant regret is captured as he sings, “I know I told you to be gone / But I think it’s too hard / So don’t ever go away again.” It’s not only missing a lover, but your best friend, and going from having everything to nothing. Photo by Jonas Bang.