Features

There’s something quietly fascinating about The Vlade’s journey, Bulgarian-born, Vancouver-based, once a seasoned cartoonist, now channeling that same visual imagination into music. And with It Could Be Better, he dives headfirst. This 14-track record swings between hard rock punch and introspective balladry like it’s second nature, refusing to sit neatly…

Matthew Jones has been steadily carving out a space for himself in contemporary Christian music, and with “What Else Do I Need,” he leans fully into what he does best, which is creating intimate and wholesome worship numbers. Having evolved from his earlier alt-rock roots into a more devotion-centered sound,…

With his latest single, “YAMA,” BLAGODAT’ shows us he isn’t here to play safe. Coming out of Birmingham with a fully self-built approach, he writes, produces, and shapes every inch of his sound on his own terms, which bleeds into every second of the track. All about immigration, loss, and…

Brighton’s Cello, with her debut single “Vitamins,” released fittingly on International Women’s Day, brings punch, serving up a wiry, post-punk critique of modern womanhood that’s as cheeky as it is cutting. Trained as a classical cellist but clearly done playing by the rules, Cello channels that discipline into something taut…

Cyberville Bandit, aka Wally Flint, doesn’t exactly follow the usual playbook, and you get that through “Rock Jazz Manifesto.” A solo artist with roots stretching back to the jazz-fusion boom of the ’70s, Flint finally lets decades of ideas spill into one genre-blurring track, born in long-haul truck routes across…

Junichi Yano leans into warmth and nostalgia with “Dazzling Girl,” a melodic pop release that captures the quiet fascination of being drawn to someone just out of reach. Known for blending emotional Japanese lyricism with accessible pop sensibilities, Yano delivers a track that feels both intimate and universally resonant. There’s…

Ellery Twining and Ben Bostian converge on a shared creative wavelength with this release, crafting a piece that feels as much like a concept as it does a listening experience. Rooted in the idea of synchronicity and artistic overlap, the track draws from their intersecting backgrounds – Bostian’s academic immersion…

Valkyrie’s Bard brings a sense of controlled intensity to “Movement,” a track that blends structured composition with raw emotional undercurrents. Led by Sarah Miller, the project draws from a strong classical foundation, and that influence is immediately apparent in how the song is constructed. Rather than relying on excess, “Movement”…

Knife and Needles lean into sun-soaked escapism with “Coconut,” delivering a breezy, feel-good track that blends surf rock, reggae, soft rock, and folk-pop into a seamless summer-ready sound. Built around a relaxed groove and an easy sense of charm, the song captures the carefree energy of fleeting romance and coastal…

KHROTO, a Tokyo-based beatmaker, has been steadily shaping a sound that reflects both the city’s evolving musical identity and a broader global influence. Working at the intersection of alternative R&B and hip-hop, his approach leans heavily into atmosphere, often favoring mood and texture over excess, allowing each production to feel…