When Melina Duterte spoke to The Forty-Five about new album ‘Belong’, she reflected that this record made her feel “back”. Having last released a LP under the Jay Som name six years ago, it’s a poignant realisation. One that...
When Taylor Swift’s record-smashing Eras Tour concluded in Vancouver last December, the pop mega star shimmied her way off stage at the very pinnacle of her imperial reign. The mammoth trek spanned 149 shows in 51 cities across five...
Blondshell, Gigi Perez – ‘Arms’
Grunge-pop soloist Sabrina Teitelbaum, better known as Blondshell, has launched this unlikely but exciting collaboration with folk singer Gigi Perez of viral ‘Sailor Song’ fame. The duet between the two American artists is a brooding...
Long Fling is the brainchild of Dutch indie musicians Willem Smit of Personal Trainer and Pip Blom of her self-named band. As well as a ten-year, personal relationship, the two artists have an intertwined history on the Amsterdam music...
On new '80s-inspired album ‘Vie,’ Doja Cat leans heavily into neo funk, experiments with French, and collaborates with R&B powerhouse SZA. Though on top of this, the American rapper’s fifth album ticked all her usual boxes: shimmering synths, rap...
Dry Cleaning – ‘Hit My Head All Day’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7V6zQFU6w
The first taste of Dry Cleaning’s third album offers a tantalising glimpse of what’s to come. Florence Shaw’s sardonic spoken word unfurls over Lewis Maynard’s grooving bassline, creates a psychedelic soup with...
Spare a thought for the Little Monsters. After twenty years of clawing through Lady Gaga’s every era, outfit, and outrage, their overlord has served so many bananas looks that choosing just one to replicate feels near impossible. And yet...
Since its inception in 2008, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts have been a stalwart marker of success for stars of the past and the future. Each sub-15-minute instalment features a different artist performing a stripped-back set in a cluttered, unassuming...
Magdalena Bay – ‘Second Sleep’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAe2faaZ3sY&list=RDJAe2faaZ3sY&start_radio=1
Magdalena Bay are fast becoming one of the most talked-about acts in indie music, and it’s easy to see why. New single ‘Second Sleep,’ released with B-side ‘Star Eyes,’ is a trippy space-age lullaby. Combining...
Samia – 'Cinder Block'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpfnV1IGzFs
'Cinder Block' is a standalone release from the same universe as Samia's recent album 'Bloodless'. Samia said she wanted the track to feel like 'treading water' and it's an apt metaphor; devoid of chorus, the song...