Harry Styles – ‘As It Was‘
King HRH HS is back, and he ain’t no April Fool. With its jaunty indie melody and lyrical introspection, ‘As It Was’ is everything fans could have hoped for, delivering on enough costume, catchiness and new-era intrigue to launch a thousand new etsy fan-merch shops. For our full deep take on the song, check out this week’s Subtweets column.
Angel Olsen – ‘All The Good Times‘
With the ‘Wild Hearts’ tour coming up, Angel Olsen has shared the first insight into upcoming album ‘Big Time’, recorded just three weeks after losing her mother. A dose of gentle, lamenting americana with a big dramatic finish, ‘All The Good Times’ will break hearts and mend them at the same time, unpicking the struggles of emotional distance in a relationship before ultimately finding the strength to let people be who they are. There are shades of Lana Del Rey and Adrienne Lenker in the vocals, but the warmth is all Olsen’s, a true great songwriter of our age.
Amunda – ‘Did you Get That?‘
Remember noughties dayglo teens Operator Please and their song about ping-pong? Under her own name, band leader Amunda returns with ‘Did You Get That?’, a supercool, streamlined take on Indie-R&B. Amunda might now be based in Copenhagen, but she’s kept hints of that sugary Aussie sunshine; that glitchy hook will have us shimmying for days.
FLO – ‘Cardboard Box‘
If Destiny’s Child and Sugababes had a child, it would likely sound a lot like FLO. The hottest new trio on the block, ‘Cardboard Box’ is an impressive introduction, inviting one’s ex to kindly take their shit and evacuate the vicinity. Produced by MNEK and directed by LOOSE (Joy Crookes, Berwyn), both beats and aesthetics are on impeccable point; shoutout to the bejazzled Motorola Razr, the undisputed icon of the noughties secondary schools experience.
Emeli Sandé – ‘There Isn’t Much‘
Champion of a heartfelt ballad, Emeli Sandé is back with a vengeance, a new pep in her step after openly declaring the life-affirming joys of her same-sex relationship to the world. The 80s synths of ‘There Isn’t Much’ deliver her trademark soul while also nodding towards a more futuristic cool, similar in tone to Laura Mvula or Jessie Ware. With new album ‘Let’s Say For Instance’ on the way, we’re excited for the next chapter; this side of Sandé really, really suits her.
