Etta Marcus – ‘Teenage Messiah’
Americana meets gothic in Etta Marcus’s offbeat brand of indie pop. Never allowing herself to be boxed in, the South London-based soloist has drawn comparisons to a broad palette of legendary musicians from Lana Del Rey to Alanis Morisette. She reaches new heights with the lead single from her latest EP ‘Devour’ with enchanting vocals, tell-all lyrics, and fuzzy guitars.
ĠENN – ‘Reverberations’
Anglo-Maltese rock quartet ĠENN’s new single ‘Reverberations’ is quietly formidable, fighting back against the UK’s hostility towards minorities. The seven-minute track culminates in a haunting, echoing three-minute instrumental section deserving of every second it is awarded. Stylistically, ‘Reverberations’ plays into grunge and post-punk, cementing the band as an important part of the new wave of queercore artists.
YAKKIE – ‘Kill The Cop Inside Your Head’
YAKKIE are a brand new punk band formed of Janey Starling, Robin Gatt, Maeve Westall, and Laura Ankles. Each member has a background in various groups on the punk scene, but as a team they are more powerful than ever. Their debut single is everything punk should be: fiery, unabashed, and politically-charged, standing against authoritarianism and indoctrination. The group have opted to keep the track off Spotify as part of the anti-fascist boycott; it can instead be streamed on Bandcamp here.
Kelly Lee Owens – ‘132 TECHNO’
Kelly Lee Owens started out as a vocalist, but has made her name as an innovative producer with a wealth of high-profile collaborations under her belt, including Daniel Avery, George Daniel, and John Cale. Her latest track ‘132 TECHNO’ is five minutes of club perfection; with a minimal bassline and hints of jungle, Owens conjures up a headrush in sonic form.
Layyah – ‘Feel Like’
South London-based Layyah is a breath of fresh air. She brings a soft, unapologetic femininity that the UK rap game has been missing for so long. Having been releasing music for just over a year, she is already onto her seventh single. ‘Feel Like’ is a love song that fuses classic afrobeats with a gentle, easy-listening melody that perfectly complements her eloquent rap verses.
