Olivia Rodrigo – ‘bad idea right?’
We’ve all been there – acting like we’re over an ex only to be falling back under their spell after one too many drinks and a few “U up?” texts. Olivia Rodrigo knows this will end badly, but she goes ahead and does it anyway, telling “the biggest lie I ever said” – “I only see him as a friend” – in a spiky, anthemic burst of messy fun from her upcoming second album, ‘GUTS‘.
Baby Queen – ‘All The Things’
At long last, Baby Queen has announced the imminent arrival of her debut album, ‘Quarter Life Crisis’, sharing another preview of it in the lowkey ‘All The Things’. More muted than some of her recent releases, it shows an understated side to the London-based artist but without sacrificing any of the wide-eyed beauty that makes her music so captivating. Inspired by the relationship of Heartstopper’s Tao and Ellie, ‘All The Things’ is a tender ode to falling utterly and completely for another person.
Jazmin Bean – ‘Favourite Toy’
Jazmin Bean’s latest single presents two clashing extremes – the gorgeous gleam of elegant, euphoric melodies and the crunching distortion of big, sludgy riffs. Somehow, it works – brittle and beautiful in equal parts. These opposing sounds reflect the push-and-pull in the lyrics, which battle with longing to be someone’s “favourite toy” and detailing a hollow feeling inside the musician.
English Teacher – ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’
English Teacher’s latest single, ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’, isn’t just complicated in sound – those intertwining guitar melodies are wonderfully intricate – but in subject matter too. A tale of two halves, it deals with the idea of how growing up in the countryside has shaped singer Lily Fontaine, and that of being a small-town celebrity.
Noname – ‘Balloons’
Acclaimed Chicago rapper Noname’s second album ‘Sundial’ has been long-awaited, arriving five years after her debut. It was worth the wait, especially when it comes to songs like the Jay Electronica-featuring ‘Balloons’, which finds Fatimah Warner moving dextrously over an ever-so-slightly discordant piano backing and choppy beats.
