You’d think with a name like Sugar Rush, the latest single from dreamy shoegazers Cosmic Strip would be an adrenaline burst of sheer psychedelic energy. Instead, the band subverted expectation and dropped a mesmerisingly irresistable slice of psychedelia that echoes the atmosphere of The Horrors at a stead, hypnotic pace.

Marshalled by supremely talented frontwoman Camella Agabalyan, the London outfit have already attracted a ton of praise with widespread acclaim throughout the online community. With the band’s debut EP also dropping today, it’s a perfect gateway drug to get you hooked on Cosmic Strip.

“I wanted to write a song about the feeling of addiction whether it’s sugar, love, a drug, whatever your vice is”, Camella stated. “I personally really connect to dreamy, druggy songs like Air, My Bloody Valentine, Beach Fossils, Slowdive, The Jesus & The Mary Chain etc so I wanted to inspire myself from that feeling but also show the darker side of addiction that you might not always get from those types of songs.”

Off the back of poignant opening one-two Anchorage and Alone At The Severance, Boy Bjorn‘s new single Now I’m Running is the knockout hit for the alternative artist.

The symphonic elements we’re used to remain on Now I’m Running, yet a more upbeat drive is also apparent, thrusting his trademark ethereal tones skywards. It is also somewhat of an emotional liberation.

The last tune to be written for Boy Bjorn’s upcoming album, Now I’m Running came to fruition a mere matter of hours after the original seed of inspiration took hold. It sees Boy Bjorn tackle his anxiety head-on, an expression of how it feels to be inside his head during an attack, as well as when he has a clear mind and the right perspective.

“I wrote it as an olive branch to others who have suffered or suffer” he says, “I needed that insight when I was in the worst of it. I needed to know that others couldn’t control it as well, that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I needed to learn that every day was a step towards healing. It’s ultimately a celebration of the scars it left me with. That I wouldn’t give up my experience for softer skin.”

Leading the way as one of the most consistent artists in the trap scene, UZ is about to embark on another tour. He toured his most recent LP The Rebirth in a global tour, and will now head to North America for the UNDERGRND tour.

He will be joined by talented Kiwi producer Montell2099, with whom UZ has just made a single of the same name. They bring a serious dose of depth and cinematic energy to the table with their UNDERGRND, which is packed with suspense and bassline depth. The single features jaw-dropping production, and certainly works as a great momentum-builder for the duo’s show dates.

Give UNDERGRND a listen here. If you want to find out more information on the tour, and how to grab tickets, head here. 

Hot off the heels of a festival appearance, Reading’s guitar pop maestros Saltwater Sun have shared visuals for exhilarating new cut Hot Mess, providing another example of their limitless potential and firmly re-positioning the quintet at the heart of the indie landscape.

An impassioned plea to let go of any shackles and never take yourself too seriously, Hot Mess sees frontwoman Jen Stearnes deliver another impeccable vocal performance, ably supported by a series of punishing riffs and infectious harmonies.

Rising alt-rockers FEVA storm back into the limelight with gripping new single Uneasy, furthering their reputation as one of the North East’s biggest emerging indie talents.

With a seemingly endless production line of ready-made anthems, the Newcastle quartet continue to impress with their heaviest release to date, a relentless onslaught of noise that draws welcome comparisons to the likes of Sundara Karma and The Amazons.

“It’s not as much of a story but more of a statement”, the four-piece reiterated. “The expectations of life can often leave us well and truly out of our comfort zone, torn between yesterday and tomorrow. Uneasy is a punk song at heart, simple and very, very angry. Forget yesterday, forget tomorrow, you’ll get it right eventually.”

Along with Sigrid, Tove Styrke is arguably at the forefront of the next wave of pop that is beginning to break over the mainstream. The artist has had a string of pop anthems drop over the past year and has now teamed up with NOTD for Been There Done That, the latest pop powerhouse to dominate summer.

Carried by a bouncing key line and the vibrant melody inherent in Tove’s vocalwork, the track is your typical feelgood modern pop hit. Claptracks and loose drum rhythms underpin a bold synth lead that complements Tove’s empassioned vocal lines. It’s run of the mill playlist-baiting pop from an instrumental perspective, but Tove adds a stroke of personality and colour to the mix, making for a track that stands out just enough to highlight Tove’s pop prowess.

We’ve got high praise for Minnesota’s bass label Outer Realms, because it keeps on doing the damn thing and doing it well. It releases a brand new EP from Canada’s very own Pigeon Hole this week, who have been switching between festival shows and studio time to make Noise Parade. 

Something of a forward-thinking release with roots in trap, dubstep and bass, their technique is nothing short of dazzling throughout. Look out for atmospheric builds with the EP’s starting point Wolves, before getting pacier and more intense in its follow up Front Row. Symbols is a drum-led wonder and we’re pretty hooked on Chamber, which is a murmuring finale to the whole ensemble.

Get your ears around this one now – hit the stream below.

Latina. Bold. Colorful. Passionate. Driven. Vulnerable. These are just a few of the characteristics Zairah embodies and infuses directly into her music.

Her upcoming debut EP, Nectar, is looking set to be no exception. Laced with a groovy melody, intimacy inspired by past relationships, dark-rich vocal tones, and intense bass drops, Zairah’s ready to showcase her pop musical prowess.

In the run up to this, Zairah has played her cards perfectly right, dropping the ideal debut single in the form of Sex + Cigarettes. The track serves as a teaser of what’s to come. Lyrically a melancholy love song and girl-power roller coaster of intimacy, but melodically catchy and synonymous with dancey feel good music. It’s seductive, silky and you won’t want to miss a beat.

Precognition is probably the biggest EP this week has to offer.The producer behind it is the somewhat mysterious oddprophet, who popped up on Never Say Die’s Black Label imprint with a collection last year. Having worked on his sound and style over the past twelve months, he now releases this four-track banger.

It’s little wonder dubstep titan SKisM has taken oddprophet under his wing. One flick through Precognition and it will leave you reeling at its quality. The loaded Check comes in thick and fast with almost anthemic swagger, before Never Knew keeps you guessing with its quick switches.

The title tune will provide you with that edgy, cavernous “classic” sound, and our favourite, Listen, will make sure you don’t forget about oddprophet for a long time to come.

If you’re ready to hear this one, head down and stream it right away.

Marking himself as one of the most promising artists to emerge from Uzbekistan in recent years, producer and songwriter IZZAT has shared the music video for his latest single Another Life (ft BRBN). TWith the single having already garnered praise from fans around the world, the video looks set to raise Izzat’s international profile further.

Sitting comfortably in a relaxing area between EDM and pop, the single carves itself a unique identity in the ever-popular electronic music scene. The track brings in elements of world music to set apart the instrumentation and incorporates the powerful, melodic vocals of American singer BRBN to deliver an all-round solid experience perfect for summer evenings.

The music video was shot in Los Angeles, California and stars Paige McGarvin daydreaming of another life; one worlds apart from the LA storm drain where she is walking.