Saturday, February 15, 2025

AJ Tracey and Jorja Smith Reunite For ‘Crush’

On February 12th, AJ Tracey and Jorja Smith released ‘Crush’, an English song about love that connects the West London rapper and the vocalist from Birmingham in service of love. 

This is the first collaboration between the two artists following AJ Tracey’s 2019 hit song ‘Ladbroke Grove’ in which he sampled Smith’s ‘Wandered Romanticism’ and their BBC Radio 1 cover of ‘Flowers’ by Sweet Female Attitude.

Five Acts You Can’t Miss At The 2025 Great Escape Festival

It is once again time to start considering the line-up of The Great Escape and, perhaps, become a little fretful about the looming shadow of stage clashes. Running from May 14th to 17th and attracting artists from the UK, Europe, and beyond, the Brighton alternative music extravaganza is always a landmark event for lovers of music of all stripes, as well as for those who are always keen to discover new and exciting acts. 

With such a long and diverse line-up, however, analysis paralysis is a very real threat when it comes to deciding what to see, both for the returning connoisseur and for those approaching the beautiful chaos of The Great Escape for the very first time. While the standards of this year’s line-up are so high that even picking a set at random is likely to allow for the discovery of something interesting, if you still don’t know where to start in planning your Brighton adventure, here are five picks, in no particular order – from the innovative, to the well-established, to the truly cult – of sets which promise to  deliver something truly special.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Music, Mosh Pits and Madness: BILK Perform At Manchester’s Academy 3

The gig was an explosion of chaos. 

It had everything you could want from bands and audiences alike, with raw talent, high energy and true cohesion between the two filling the room from when the doors opened to the very final song. There was not a body in the room free from the sweat of a good time, or a voice that didn’t end up croaked and hoarse for the best reasons possible. 

Alessia Cara returns with ‘Love & Hyperbole’

On Valentine’s Day, Alessia Cara releases ‘Love & Hyperbole’, her fourth full-length album in which she explores all facets of love and falling in love.

This project is a blend of jazz influenced arrangements and contemporary pop, occasionally accompanied by keys and horns. This jazzy influence can particularly be heard in ‘Dead Man’, the album’s second single and third track of the record, where Alessia Cara discusses emotional distance and past relationships that left a lasting impression. With a jazz orchestra playing an instrumental bridge that transports us to the 1910’s, the song begins slowly, grows and then erupts. 

A Strangely Charming, Peculiar, And Captivating Dive Into Another World For Anyone But ‘Cowards’

As they say, third time’s the charm, and Squid does anything but disappoint with finding yet another dimension to dive into musically and lyrically.

Much like their previous albums, it feels like dipping into a dystopian world, different in style but with the same goal of criticizing society. Experimenting more with synths and creating more unusual sounds, Squid’s newest album ‘Cowards’ feels like a dark tale, where the music leads the listener through a modern upside-down dreamworld, neither escaping nor being fully there.

Squid consists of vocalist and drummer Ollie Judge, guitarists Louis Borlase and Anton Pearson, with Laurie Nankivell on bass and trumpets and Arthur Leadbetter on keyboard. The Brighton-formed band has been around for nearly 10 years now and their longtime bond shows in their music. With their unique musical vibe and dark but honest lyrics, the songs speak for themselves. 

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Waxahatchee Mulls Over Relationship Woes in New Single ‘Mud’

Waxahatchee’s reign over Americana continues with the release of her new single ‘Mud’, an outtake from her excellent 2024 album ‘Tigers Blood’. Coming off of a nod at last week’s Grammy Awards and a newly announced summer tour with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and Sheryl Crow, Katie Crutchfield is keeping her project’s the momentum going with the new, spirited single.

Mud’ describes a complicated relationship between Crutchfield and a partner over a peppy, poppy, and banjo-laced tune. Despite being billed as an outtake, the single could easily stand among the rest of 'Tigers Blood’, blending perfectly with the bright acoustic twang and bluegrass hooks across the album.

Rachel Chinouriri is Breaking Out of Boxes With New Single

Ahead of the BRIT awards in a few weeks, nominee and breakout English star Rachel Chinouriri is further cementing herself in the indie music scene. The singer, who began her career on Soundcloud, has released a fresh new take on her song ‘All I Ever Asked of You , which originally came out in 2022. The initial upbeat melody and tone of the song have transformed it into a different version of itself with the help of a new collaborator: sombr

Sombr is from Los Angeles but lives in New York. As a fellow alternative and indie self-producing music maker, sombr and Chinouriri’s collaboration has added a darker layer to the song. 

The track is about the end of a relationship and the sorrow and hurt that follow. Chinouriri sings about how she gave everything to her partner, only wanting to be loved and giving her love in return. There are deep emotions but an overall sense of strength.