Posts tagged with "NME"

TAYLOR SWIFT TOPS UK CHARTS

TAYLOR SWIFT SCORES NUMBER 1 ON THE UK OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART WITH MIDNIGHTS

“ANTI-HERO” TOPS THE UK OFFICIAL SINGLES CHART

MIDNIGHTS IS THE UK’S FASTEST SELLING ALBUM OF 2022 AND ACCUMULATES THE BIGGEST FIRST WEEK VINYL SALES IN MODERN UK CHART HISTORY

“ANTI-HERO” IS THE BIGGEST SPOTIFY UK DEBUT FROM AN INTERNATIONAL ARTIST

TAYLOR BECOMES THE FIRST FEMALE ARTIST IN ALMOST A DECADE TO DEBUT AT NUMBER 1 ON BOTH UK CHARTS SIMULTANEOUSLY

Following a record-breaking week for Taylor Swift, her critically acclaimed tenth studio album Midnights tops the UK Official Albums Chart, while lead single “Anti-Hero” tops the UK Official Singles Chart.

Taylor’s Midnights is the fast-selling album of 2022 in the UK, with 204,000 sales, more than doubling her previous biggest opening week in the UK (with 1989 in 2014). Meanwhile, “Anti-Hero” is the Biggest Spotify UK debut from an international artist in history. Taylor is the first female artist to debut at Number 1 on both the UK Singles and Albums Charts simultaneously since Miley Cyrus in 2013.

Taylor also rewrites UK Official Charts history this week as Midnights accumulates the biggest first week vinyl sales since modern chart records began (in 1994). Midnights was certified gold in the UK after just two days of its release.

With nine consecutive Number 1 albums now under her belt, Taylor Swift sets a new all-time Official Chart record, generating the fastest succession of nine UK Number 1 albums of any female artist.

Earlier this week Taylor broke records across all the major music streaming platforms. She became Spotify’s “Most Streamed Artist in a Single Day”, while Midnights became Spotify’s “Most Streamed Album in a Single Day” (with 185M+ Streams). Taylor Swift now holds the top 5 biggest streaming debuts in Spotify’s global chart history. Midnights also broke the record for the biggest pop album of all time on Apple Music by first-day streams. On Amazon Music, Taylor received globally the most first day album streams, the most first week album streams and the most Alexa requests of any artist ever.

Globally, Taylor’s Midnights has accumulated over 2.5 million album equivalents that includes over 1 billion streams, after scoring 67 #1’s on iTunes.

In the U.S., Midnights is already the best-selling album of 2022. It has sold over 1.4 million overall and over 1 million physical albums, with 500,000+ of that sum attributed to Vinyl sales. It has also accumulated the highest week 1 sales since Taylor’s Reputation in 2017 and is the biggest week 1 seller on vinyl since the ‘90s. While “Anti-Hero” became Taylor’s 55th #1 hit on iTunes singles – the most of any artist in history.

Midnights also marks a first for Taylor in Europe, as it sees her score her first ever Number 1 debut in the album charts of both France and Germany.

Right out of the gate, Midnights earned 5 star reviews from The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The Independent and more. It has already gathered some of the most enthusiastic and unanimous praise of her career to date from critics and fans alike.

Listen to Midnights —HERE.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT Midnights

“5 Stars” – The Guardian, Alexis Petridis

“With its confident songwriting and understated synth-pop, Swift’s sophisticated 10th album indicates that she no longer feels she has to compete with her peers.” – The Guardian, Alexis Petridis

“5 Stars” – The Independent, Helen Brown

“Midnights will make you feel as though you’re sleeping over at her house while she spills secrets and settles scores into the night.” – The Independent, Helen Brown

“5 Stars” – Rolling Stone, Brittany Spanos

“Her tenth album returns to the dazzling synth-pop of records like ‘1989’ and ‘Reputation,’ with lyrics caught between a love story and a revenge plot” – Rolling Stone, Brittany Spanos

“‘Midnights’ heralds the return of a pop-music mastermind.” – Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood

“4 Stars” – The Sunday Times, Dan Cairns

“Swift’s leaning-in vocals and neat lyrical twists elevate her songs far above the pretenders that crowd round her.” – The Sunday Times, Dan Cairns

“4 Stars” – Rolling Stone UK, Mark Sutherland

“The latest remarkable album in Swift’s current white-hot streak gently presents itself as a sort of greatest hits composed of songs you’ve never heard before.” – Rolling Stone UK, Mark Sutherland

“4 Stars” – The Times, Will Hodgkinson

“Midnights appeals because, for all its modern touches, it is essentially an old-fashioned singer-songwriter album about human weakness.” – The Times, Will Hodgkinson

“4 Stars” – NME, Hannah Mylrea

“A shimmering return to pure pop.” – NME, Hannah Mylrea

“4 Stars” – The Telegraph, Neil McCormick

“The songs are strong. Indeed, I’d go as far as to say that Swift has never written a bad song…” – The Telegraph, Neil McCormick

“8/10” – Clash, Matthew Neale

“It may reasonably go on to be recognized as her best album to date, a reminder that magic prevails beyond the frustrations, fantasies and damnations she casts across her latest near-perfect body of work.” – Clash, Matthew Neale

“4.5 Stars” – American Songwriter, Alex Hopper

“Taylor Swift Delivers Her Dreamiest and Most Introspective Album to Date with ‘Midnights’” – American Songwriter, Alex Hopper

“The superstar has delivered a focused, legacy-extending new project” – Jason Lipshutz
Billboard

“You’d be beyond cynical not to realize that there’s a real heart being exposed here, amid an adroitness for honest self-revelation that’s as canny as anything we’ve gotten out of a reigning superstar since John Lennon told us he didn’t believe in Beatles.” – Variety, Chris Willman

“Midnights is the mastermind’s ultimate power move” – Rolling Stone, Rob Sheffield

“4 Stars” – The Irish Times, Ed Power

“Swift has, with Midnights, made a tangled, twisting tour de force…” – The Irish Times, Ed Power

“8/10” – Esquire, Alex Bilmes

“’Midnights’ Is an Instant Classic.” – Esquire, Alex Bilmes

“4 Stars” – Metro, David Bennun

“She’s back – and boy does she deliver…” – Metro, David Bennun

“4 Stars” – The i Newspaper, Kate Solomon

“On one of her most personally revealing albums yet, Taylor Swift invites us into a woozy, soft-focus world of self doubt and moonlit conversations. Midnights sounds and feels like a grown-up sequel to the synthy, ‘80s pop world of 1989; she is no longer the wide-eyed ingenue twirling onto the New York streets but a hardened adult with all the self-awareness (and liberal swearing) that goes with it.” – The i Newspaper, Kate Solomon

“5 Stars” – Dork, Abigail Firth

“She’s consistently confessional, but ‘Midnights’ finds Taylor Swift at her most human.” – Dork, Abigail Firth

“4 Stars” – The Mail On Sunday, Tim De Lisle

“It’s breathy, twitchy and thoroughly catchy”– The Mail On Sunday, Tim De Lisle

“4 Stars” – The Observer, Kitty Empire

“Poised between self-flagellation and pure bliss, Pastoral phase behind her, Swift is back in the city with an album of fascinating small-hours contemplation.” – The Observer, Kitty Empire

“4.5 Stars” – The Sun, Jacqui Swift

“The singer-songwriter knows just how to make her millions of fans happy” – The Sun, Jacqui Swift

“5 Stars” – Daily Star, James Cabooter

“Back to her confessional best, Taylor Swift’s 10th album Midnights is her crowning glory.” – Daily Star, James Cabooter

“10/10” – Gigwise, Lucy Harbron

“The strongest reinvention we’ve seen from Taylor Swift in the most honest way.” – Gigwise, Lucy Harbron

“5 Stars” – The Sunday Mirror, James Cabooter

“This is as close as you get to pop perfection” – The Sunday Mirror, James Cabooter

“In the loneliness of the dark, Taylor is just as exposed, flawed and anxious as the rest of us. You can’t help but wonder what else might be keeping her up at night — here’s hoping she’ll tell us about it soon.” – i-D, Alim Kheraj

“4 Stars” – DIY Magazine, Ben Tipple

“In keeping with the record’s theme – thirteen tales of individual sleepless nights – it’s arguably her most candid release to date.” – DIY Magazine, Ben Tipple

“This makes Midnights the closest thing to a concept album Taylor Swift has ever created, and also lends a dreamlike, transient quality to the record as a whole.”- Consequence of Sound , Mary Siroky

“Despite the restless-slumber concept that drifts through its songs, a serene acceptance lurks beneath the singer’s 10th studio album.” – Entertainment Weekly, Marc Hirsh

“Atmospheric. Subtle. Introspective. Painful. Triumphant.” – HITS, Holly Gleason

“Swift uses Midnights as a way to rethink the sonic rhetoric of first-person storytelling and shake off habits that have served her artistically and commercially for more than a decade.” – NPR, Ann Powers

“8/10” – Hot Press, Paul Nolan

“Midnights sees Swift comfortably retain her status as one of modern pop’s most fascinating and compelling artists.” – Hot Press, Paul Nolan

“Taylor Swift releases the record of the year with ‘Midnights’” – Marie Claire, Bree Player

“Midnights might be her most relatable album yet, and it comes at a time where we all feel so disconnected. Politics has become farcical, the cost of living crisis means stress levels have never been higher, and we’re all healing from the fact we literally just came out of a pandemic. In a world of change, Taylor is my continuity, despite the fact she always surprises us.” – Stylist, Chloe Laws

“Much like 1989 before it, this album will stand the test of time, and will be enjoyed increasingly in the years to come.” – AV Club, Saloni Gajjar

“The new album finds the superstar bringing together the best of Folklore with the best of what came before.” – Slate, Carl Wilson
“She’s not only offering us her most personal reflections – a high bar in Swift’s world – but imparting them with poetic grace and an elevated level of storytelling.” – USA Today, Melissa Ruggieri

“Swift at her best, reminding you of her unparalleled ability to make any emotion feel universal.” – AP News, Elise Ryan

“Midnights is perhaps her most self-aware work to date (with some of her best writing to boot)…” – Paste, Ellen Johnson

“Midnights is Swift at her finest, using her quill/fountain/gel pens to write some of her most vulnerable lyrics, screaming at the top of her lungs even through whispers.” – Alternative Press, Ilana Kaplan

“4 Stars” – Sydney Morning Herald, Giselle Au-Nhien

“There’s a self-discovery within this record that feels incredibly satisfying to bear witness to, and it doesn’t hurt that the songs, clever and eclectic, get more addictive with each listen.” – Sydney Morning Herald, Giselle Au-Nhien

“Midnights” is Taylor Swift’s best album. Midnights has the confessional, diaristic elements of Debut, Fearless, and Speak Now; it has the storytelling prowess of Folklore and Evermore; it has the sonic multiplicity of Red; it has the synth-laden bops of 1989 and Lover; and it has the no-fucks-given attitude of Reputation.” – Buzzfeed, Ryan Schocket

“Impressively finding yet another new way to reinvent herself as an artist, Taylor Swift has crafted an intoxicating concept album shimmering with honesty and creative experimentation.” – The Forty Five, Cordelia Lam

“Taylor Swift opens her long-awaited album Midnights by inviting listeners to “Meet me at midnight.” And goddamn it, we will be there, ma’am. We will be there with 13 bells on.” – Pedestrian, Matt Galea

“She is one of pop’s most distinctive vocal melodicists, able to sound conversational and highly tuneful at the same time, with a wonderfully deft use of tone and phrasing.” – Financial Times, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney

“On Midnights, Taylor Swift sounds more herself than ever” – New Statesman, Emily Bootle

“As is Swift’s creative fingerprint, Midnights is as lyrically taut, literary and tongue-twisting as any of her projects.” – SPIN, Bobby Oliver

“Midnights is something brand new, while still ultimately encapsulating all that Taylor Swift is known for – songwriting that leaves her listener feel comforted, understood, and content, in the most beautiful way.” – Notion, Rachel Martin

“I’ve really come to admire and respect Taylor Swift’s approach, both to music and to celebrity.
After all the shit she’s copped, she’s decidedly removed herself from the minutia that comes with being a celeb and only engages with the public on her own terms: every few years through her albums.” –Matt Galea, Pedestrian

“4 Stars” – Toronto Star, Aisling Murphy

“Midnights might be the best album of Swift’s discography.” – Toronto Star, Aisling Murphy

““[Midnights] a return to sleek pop.” – The Australian, Andrew McMillen

“The album is like a confession uttered in the depths of night: It’s honest and authentic in a way that bares the soul.” – Harper’s Bazaar, Dani Maher

HAUSKEY – Heartache & LSD: Act II

Following the release of Emilee: Act I earlier this summer, Australian artist, producer, and one-to-watch Hauskey reveals the second act of his three-part mixtape project entitled Heartache & LSD: Act II, out via slowplay/Republic Records on August 12th—listen HERE. Exploring the highs and lows of Hauskey’s mental health journey over the past two years, the psychedelic Act II finds him attempting to break free from his depression (“Emilee”) and confronting his mental health and sense of self.

Hauskey says, “In Act II, Heartache & LSD, the struggle begins. I start to break away from Emilee and wrestle my sense of self and mental health back. I deal with that all important first LSD trip in the title track, my struggles with body image and self-love in ‘Love Me’, my innate habit to doubt myself in ‘Second Guess’, and reflecting on a childhood that wasn’t so drowned in anxiety in ‘Head In The Clouds’.”

All songs in the mixtape series were written, produced, performed, and mixed by Hauskey. Praising Act I, Notion described the second and third acts as “a trippy re-examination of self and the well-earned resolution in which he now resides.”

He previously shared the meaning behind Emilee, saying, “I really wanted to name my depression and make it a character in the story. I landed on singing names ending with ‘e’ by chance, googled a few ideas and found Emilee means ‘rival, laborious’ and figured that fit pretty damn well. With my nemesis named, the song may as well have written itself.”

Hauskey first debuted in 2020 with his breakout hit “Slow.” The sunshine bop was followed by a slew of fan favorite singles, like “Somewhere” and “Silver Lining,” and his critically acclaimed debut EP, Slow. In 2021, Hauskey followed up this early success with “Go Wrong,” “Cream Shirt,” and his first collaboration, “One Minute” featuring Hope Tala, along with sold out headline shows across Australia. Along the way, he confirmed himself as an artist to watch—receiving international support from triple j and BBC Radio 1, as well as praise from press around the globe, including NPR, Billboard, MTV News, SPIN, NME, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit, Notion, DIY, Dork, Coup De Main, Ones To Watch, and many more. Not to mention, during a very special live performance at the 2021 APRA Music Awards, Hauskey teamed up with Sycco and Stevan for a cover of Tame Impala’s “Lost In Yesterday,” bringing Kevin Parker and his family to tears—watch the performance HERE.

Stay tuned for Act III to come from Hauskey this fall.

HEARTACHE & LSD: ACT IITRACKLIST

“Heartache & LSD”
“Love Me”
“Head In The Clouds”
“Second Guess”

ABOUT HAUSKEY
2020 and 2021 proved to be landmark years for Australian artist and producer Hauskey. He introduced himself to the world with his breakout single “Slow,” released his debut EP of the same name, sold out dates across Sydney and Melbourne, and dropped fan favorite singles “Go Wrong,” “Cream Shirt,” and more, tallying millions of streams along the way. He also incited widespread critical applause from NME, Clash, The Line of Best Fit, Notion, DIY Magazine, DORK Magazine, Billboard, Coup De Main, and Ones To Watch, to name a few. Last year, Hauskey graced the stage of the APRA Music Awards for a seismic rendition of Tame Impala’s “Lost In Yesterday” with Sycco and Stevan, which left frontman Kevin Parker and his family in tears of joy. However, Hauskey only parlayed this momentum into his most ambitious creative output to date, the three-act mixtape Emilee, Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. The ebb and flow of the first installment, Act 1, sets the stage for an honest, yet hard-hitting and heartfelt exploration of mental health struggles in one of the darkest periods of Hauskey’s life. He explains, “The project follows my mental health journey from low to high—from being suicidal to loving life again. There’s a song for every stage; from utter depression, to getting help, to dealing with my self-worth and body image, to seeing how things might be brighter.”

DOMi & JD BECK – NOT TiGHT

DOMi & JD BECK have released their highly anticipated debut album NOT TiGHT, which is out now on Anderson .Paak‘s new label APESHIT in partnership with Blue Note Records. The duo keyboardist DOMi Louna and drummer JD Beck are joined on the album by a line-up of special guests which includes .Paak, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Herbie Hancock, Thundercat, Mac DeMarco, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. NOT TiGHT is available now digitally and on CD, with a vinyl release to follow on November 11.

Following their sold-out shows at the Blue Note Jazz Festival in NYC last month, DOMi & JD BECK will be performing at the Napa Valley festival this weekend. Last week the band made their TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with an incredible performance of TAKE A CHANCE featuring .Paak. Watch them perform WHATUP live at VEVO, and don’t miss the unforgettable official videos for TAKE CHANCE and SMiLE.

See what the critics have been saying about DOMi & JD BECK:

bold, bizarre, and intriguing just as every great new band ought to be. NME

Ambitious and accessible, fearless and endearingly freaky. The Guardian

a duo of virtuosic post-jazz Zoomers who seem to have leaped out of a cartoon, and whose wow factor is suited to the small screen… Redolent of lounge, 70’s fusion, trip-hop, and breakbeat, this LP offers [a] nonstop dopamine drip…New York Times

Since they first started breaking the internet with their hyperarticulate strain of beat music, DOMi and JD BECK have gradually burrowed their way into the jazz mainstream. Or maybe it’s that the mainstream has sidled up to them? However you want to put it, there’s no doubt that DOMi, the ponytailed keyboard savant born Domitille Degalle and Beck, the mop-headed drum virtuoso are now turning heads beyond the funhouse perimeter of viral stardom. NPR Music

The future is here. DOMi & JD BECK are two jazz prodigies signed to Anderson .Paak‘s Apeshit label, who are starting to build some serious buzz… they infuse child-like fun into complete and utter mastery of their instruments and itߣs them who will surely continue to spread the gospel of real next-level jazz music to future generations. UPROXX

LOUNA’S iNTRO
WHATUP
SMiLE
BOWLiNG (feat. Thundercat)
NOT TiGHT
TWO SHRiMPS (feat. Mac DeMarco)
U DON’T HAVE TO ROB ME
MOON (feat. Herbie Hancock)
DUKE
TAKE A CHANCE (feat. Anderson .Paak)
SPACE MOUNTAiN
PiLOT (feat. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Anderson .Paak)
WHOA (feat. Kurt Rosenwinkel)
SNiFF
THANK U

Before now, if you wanted to learn about DOMi & JD BECK the internet’s most hyped jazz duo you had to visit their website, click a rat playing saxophone, and read a story about a 12-year-old physicist (DOMi Louna) and a 6-year-old sheep investigator (JD Beck). Let’s fix that. My philosophy of life is don’t take shit too seriously, says DOMi Louna, born Domitille Degalle. And that’s fair. But the vibrant world she and her collaborator have given us demands exploration.

They would reveal a bit more on their Instagram profiles, via clips of their jams, with JD on a simple drum kit and DOMi Louna on MIDI keys. She favors sounds that evoke ’70s jazz fusion and the colorful blips of 2000s Pokemon soundtracks, while he tunes and plays his snare in ways that can sound electronic, channeling IDM and boom bap. Sometimes they’re stuffed into a bathroom and sometimes the drums are muffled by pretzels stacked on the hi-hat, or toilet paper tossed on the snare. Their music finds both humor and greatness in harmonic complexity and rhythmic shiftiness, abruptly adopting and ditching tempos, toying with time signatures, and sneaking extra beats into bridges.

The collaboration began under silly circumstances. DOMi Louna was a teen proteg at Berklee by way of the Paris Conservatory; JD, four years her junior, had gigged since grade school around his hometown, Dallas first in producer Jah-Born’s band where he duetted with MPC beatmakers and DJs spinning Dilla. In 2018, they were both invited to join an ensemble performing at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show and played in a room full of blaring instrumental demos, surrounded by a chaotic din. It was so bad, we couldn’t hear anything, JD laughs. They bonded over gauche keyboard effects and mom jokes, and a more audible jam that night sparked interest in working more.

Along the ride, DOMi & JD BECK have sat in with Herbie Hancock and backed Thundercat, Ariana Grande, Mac DeMarco, Eric Andre, and more. They also co-wrote Skate on .Paak’s GRAMMY-winning album with Bruno Mars as Silk Sonic. Neither can believe what’s happening, but leave it to them to skewer the moment. When JD suggests people might hate the new album, DOMi Louna says, That would be sick! Booo. They suck!

BASTILLE – FUTURE

BASTILLE ANNOUNCES GIVE ME THE FUTURE + DREAMS OF THE PAST OUT AUGUST 26^TH

NEW SINGLE “REVOLUTION” OUT NOW

OFFICIAL VIDEO COMING SOON

LISTEN HERE

WATCH HERE

PREORDER HERE

Earlier this year, Bastille released their hotly anticipated #1 album, Give Me The Future, a record that explores a futuristic wonderland free from restrictions. The album embraces a new wave of technology, which enables us to get lost inside our imagination and travel back and forward in time to be anyone or do anything.

Now, the band are adding a further instalment to this critically acclaimed release, sharing a three-part extended edition of the album, dubbed Give Me The Future + Dreams Of The Past, featuring another album’s worth of new songs, collaborations, covers, and reprises. Watch HERE.

“In releasing this version of the record, we wanted to give the complete picture of what we intended with this album and also explore the idea that you can choose your own adventure,” frontman Dan Smith says. “You can dive into the ideas of the future and an electronic world, or you can fall back into the past – away from technology and into ideas of memory and nostalgia – both thematically and musically. Or you can choose full-on dancefloor heartbreak escape.”

With the original album on part one, part two continues some of the themes and narrative from the original record, delving into songs that are shot through with notions of technological dependence, human connection, and the limitless possibilities of life online. Part three, meanwhile, acts as a mini return to the band’s acclaimed “Other People’s Heartache” Mixtape series opening the four-piece up to collaborations, covers, and concept-free creativity.

The new songs make ever clearer the link between the future and past, highlighting the ability to choose to go backwards as well as forwards like in more nostalgic cuts such as the Graceland-inspired “Family Ties.” Written about Smith’s memories of visiting his late aunt in South Africa, the warm, wistfulness of the track provides a counterpart to time travel’s usually futuristic sheen – as per new single, the rave-ready electronic club banger “Revolution”—listen HERE.

“Revolution” had always been one of the core songs for Give Me The Future and took inspiration from Quincy Jones’ production and The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face”. “The chorus is about the intimacy of human connection in the context of some science fiction, space-centred imagery. But it’s also about the idea of those amazingly thoughtful people who spend their lives trying to change the world in a positive way,” explains Dan. “I’m totally over-awed by people like that – if you’re one of them, like an inventor, activist or scientist, you have to have the ability to imagine a version of the future that’s better than what currently exists, and then have that energy to actually work to make it happen. Alongside all the other things life throws at you. So, I wanted to nod to those people and the idea that before anything big happens, most of them will have had these little revolutions in their minds, a change of perspective that leads to something bigger.”

On the “Other People’s Heartache” section of the album – Bastille bring that energy to life via collaborations; The glacial groove of “Run Into Trouble” with Alok, the garage stutter of “Eight Hours” with Tyde, a cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic “Dancing In The Dark,” and boundary-less new songs including the irresistible “Remind Me” and the melancholic power ballad “Running Away.”

The last song on the record is the beautifully ethereal “Hope For The Future,” a song which hints at where the band could sonically go next. Written for the soundtrack of the Leonardo DiCaprio-produced documentary From Devil’s Breath – a short film about forest fires, climate change, and tree planting. It centres around an acoustic guitar melody and Smith’s layered vocals. “I was thinking about Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver and all the acoustic artists who manage to write music that is both orchestral and floaty, but also a grounded in some grit,” he says. “It was very much at odds with all of the synthesisers, drum machines, and electronic instruments and the production that we were using for Give Me The Future, but I feel super proud of it.”

Their fourth album, the masterful Give Me The Future, was hailed by many critics as their best release to date, with The Fader describing it as “a grand collection of sci-fi inspired songs attempting to make sense of the world’s fast-moving venture into dystopia.” NME said: “The result is the most expansive, yet cohesive record Bastille have put their name to,” adding that the band may have “created a perfect soundtrack to life after lockdown.” The Independent, meanwhile, declared: “When confined within Bastille’s catchy hooks and imaginative, era-spanning production, what lies ahead suddenly isn’t so terrible. The future is bright – for 30 minutes’ worth of bops, at least.”

Since the release of the record, Bastille has created an immersive experience at their sold-out gigs, bringing the themes of the album to life in arenas across the UK and on a tour of North America.

At this year’s Glastonbury Festival, such was the demand to witness their secret set, the festival organisers had to cordon off the surrounding area at the 1,000-capacity William’s Green tent as festivalgoers tried to descend in the masses to catch a glimpse of their secret performance.

Such fervent scenes will continue across the summer as the band play huge sets at festivals across the UK and Europe, including Boardmasters, Sziget, and two mammoth sub-headliner spots at Reading & Leeds 2022. Following that, they’ll take the “Give Me The Future” tour to South America, stopping in Argentina and Brazil, before continuing the enthralling trek across Europe.

PART ONE – GIVE ME THE FUTURE

Distorted Light Beam
Thelma + Louise
No Bad Days
Brave New World (Interlude)
Back To The Future
Plug In…
Promises (by Riz Ahmed)
Shut Off The Lights
Stay Awake?
Give Me The Future
Club 57
Total Dissociation (Interlude)
Future Holds [feat. BIM]

PART TWO – DREAMS OF THE PAST

Back To The Innerverse (Interlude)
Real Life
Family Ties
Distorted Light Beam (Reprise)
Revolution
survivin’
No More Bad Days
Hope For The Future

PART THREE – OTHER PEOPLE’S HEART ACHE

Other People’s Heartache (Interlude)
Run Into Trouble [Alok x Bastille]
Remind Me
Eight Hours [Bastille x Tyde]
Dancing In The Dark
Running Away

ABOUT BASTILLE:
The four-piece has been experimenting and augmenting the Bastille sound since the release of their last album Doom Days in 2019, the conclusion of an unofficial trilogy. Last year, they released the Goosebumps EP, featuring Graham Coxon on “WHAT YOU GONNA DO???” and producer Kenny Beats on the title track, as they continued to pen songs that seek to understand and offer escape from the modern human condition. Doom Days received huge critical acclaim and charted in the Top 5 in both the U.K. and U.S., the only U.K. band to have achieved this chart landmark alongside The Beatles and Queen in 2019. The record found the band at their most lyrically provocative, most accomplished, and most vital and charts the course of one night in search of distraction from the surrounding apocalypse (sound familiar?). During the course of 2019, the four-piece continued to cement their reputation as one of the world’s most captivating live bands, having played an extensive two month-long sold-out U.S. and U.K. tour. At the beginning of 2020, Bastille received their sixth Brit nomination and their second nomination for British Group. In January 2021, Bastille was the subject of ReOrchestrated, a documentary film that provided a revelatory and bracingly honest new look into the band’s journey so far, framed through their ReOrchestrated shows and diving into themes of motivation, anxiety, and imposter syndrome. With over 11 million records sold, 6 U.K. Top 40 singles, and 1.5 billion video views, Bastille continues to be one of the world’s most streamed bands.

BASTILLE:

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

FLETCHER – NEW SINGLE

Critically acclaimed queer icon FLETCHER shares her new single Becky’s So Hot; a thrillingly intimate portrait of lusting after her ex’s new girlfriend. The track is the latest single from her forthcoming debut album Girl Of My Dreams, due out via Capitol Records on September 16. Download/stream Becky’s So Hot HERE.

Built on a feverish vocal performance from FLETCHER, Becky’s So Hot explores a particularly complex form of passion.

Says FLETCHER, I wrote Becky’s So Hot a couple years ago after I was creeping on my ex’s new girlfriend’s Instagram while I was in the studio. I accidentally liked a picture of her wearing a vintage t-shirt of my ex’s, one that I’ve worn before. The complexities of moving on were something I wanted to explore and it felt more interesting to me to write something from the perspective of being in awe of her; sort of like damn it kinda stings that she’s so hot, but I can’t even be mad about it because I get it, she’s hot. Girl Of My Dreams picks up where THE S(EX) TAPES leaves off and weaves through my dreams, fears, fantasies, messy moments, and all the fleeting feelings in between. It paints a picture of how pain can evolve and so can you.

Becky’s So Hot sets FLETCHER‘s expression of desire to an intense sonic backdrop (scorching guitar work, trembling rhythms, fiercely pounding drums) with production by long-time collaborator One Love and newcomer Pink Slip. With its dizzying collision of longing and frustration, jealousy and pleasure, the track affirms FLETCHER‘s gift for bringing the most nuanced emotions to wildly dazzling life (from the chorus: Are you in love like we were?/If I were you I’d probably keep her/Makes me wanna hit her when I see her/Cause Becky’s so hot in your vintage T-shirt.

The second song released from Girl Of My Dreams, Becky’s So Hot arrives as the follow-up to Her Body Is Bible (a June release praised by EUPHORIA as a sexy yet emotional single that shows the tenderness of a WLW relationship using religious themes that she manages to give a complete 180-turn to). Executive-produced by Malay (Frank Ocean, Lorde) who also helmed FLETCHER‘s you ruined new york city for me and THE S(EX) TAPES, a 2020 EP that hit No. 1 on iTunes across all genres Girl Of My Dreams reveals her inner world more fearlessly than ever before, documenting the deeply transformative experiences on her way to self-discovery. Fans can pre-order the album HERE and watch the album trailer HERE.

FLETCHER has become known for her magnetic live show, with nearly 100,000 tickets sold globally this year.

FLETCHER will hit the road this fall for the Girl Of My Dreams Tour, a 25-date headlining run of North America. Kicking off on October 10 at House of Blues Orlando, the tour will continue through November 18 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, with sold-out stops at legendary venues like the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. All tickets are on sale now; go HERE for more info, and check out the tour trailer HERE.

About FLETCHER

Praised by leading outlets likeTIME, Wonderland, Harper’s Bazaar, Interview Magazine, GQ, NME, The Guardian, and more, acclaimed singer/songwriter FLETCHER hails from Asbury Park, New Jersey, where she cultivated her passion for music and her unforgettably candid storytelling. In 2019 she released her debut you ruined new york city for me. The widely lauded EP features her breakthrough hit Undrunk, a track that spent several weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, scored the #1 spot on Spotify’s Viral Chart, and emerged as the fastest-rising song at pop radio from a new artist in the past five years. Released in September 2020, FLETCHER’s THE S(EX) TAPES hit No. 1 on iTunes across all genres and drew praise from outlets likeTeen Vogue, SPIN, PAPER, GQ, and more, with the EP’s gold-certified lead single Bitter fast approaching 200 million global streams. FLETCHER continued her triumphant run with recent singles girls girls girls a bold reimagining of Katy Perry’s iconic I Kissed a Girl (released with Perry’s early stamp of approval) and Cherry featuring trailblazing pop star Hayley Kiyoko. FLETCHER was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist and landed on Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2022. FLETCHER‘s music as amassed over one billion combined streams worldwide. She will release her debut album Girl Of My Dreams via Capitol Records on September 16 and her new single Becky’s So Hot is out now.

SG LEWIS’ 2022 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Following the release of his new double A-Side single, ‘Missing You’ / ‘Something About Your Love’, London-based singer-songwriter, producer and DJ, SG Lewis, has announced a new run of North American Tour dates. The 20-date tour will kick off October 6 in Boston, making stops in Brooklyn, Washington DC, Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Seattle and more, before concluding in Portland, OR on November 12.

Speaking about getting back out on the road, SG Lewis reveals, “After years of tentative touring and cautious planning, I’m unbelievably excited to finally announce my first full US tour since 2019. I’m buzzing to be playing in some cities I’ve wanted to visit for so long, and so excited to bring you a completely new live show.“

The local presale begins tomorrow, Wednesday July 13th at 10 AM, through Thursday July 14th at 10 PM local time, followed by an exclusive Spotify Presale on Thursday, 10 AM – 10 PM local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, July 15th at 10 AM local time. For a full list of upcoming live dates and to purchase tickets, please visit www.sglewismusic.com.

These headlining dates will follow his previously announced live shows this summer, including his return to the beloved Palm Springs pool party festival Splash House on Saturday, August 13, and festival performances at Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas (TICKETS) on Friday, September 16 and the Portola Festival in San Francisco (TICKETS) on Sunday September 25.

Last week, SG Lewis returned with two brand new singles: the nocturnal dancefloor-filler ‘Missing You‘ and the italo-influenced anthem ‘Something About Your Love.’ Right out of the gate, ‘Missing You,’ which The FADER hailed as an “80s synth-rave carried on the back of a snappy Linn drum-sprinkled beat that would make Starboy-era The Weeknd salivate,” reaches for dancefloor glory with its shimmering synths and neon bass line, nodding to eighties new wave with a chantable chorus, “I’m not missing you like I’m supposed to.” On the flip side, ‘Something About Your Love‘ fuses a funk-inflected bass line and tambourine with a luminous refrain. The release was celebrated by Dancing Astronaut, who said “Altogether, Missing You / Something About Your Love affirms SG Lewis‘ status as a musical auteur with a knack for merging the sounds of earlier decades with today’s sonics in an ever novel, dance floor-facing fashion.” Both tracks are available to buy/stream as a double A-side single today via Astralwerks.

Listen to ‘Missing You / Something About Your Love’ HERE.

Ushering in a brand-new chapter, the 70s and 80s have provided a rich seam of inspiration for contemporary artists like SG Lewis (real name Sam Lewis) and nowhere is this more potent than today’s releases. ‘Missing You‘ illuminates Lewis‘ unmatched ability to take underground club music somewhere fresh and towards a new generation and reaches for dancefloor glory with its shimmering synths and neon bass line, nodding to eighties new wave in timeless pop ecstasy. On the other end of the spectrum, the Daft Punk inspired ‘Something About Your Love‘ showcases 70s-era drums, a funk-inflected bass hook, disco-styled groove, and a luminous refrain. Both tracks are classic but deeply contemporary cuts with one suited to the adrenaline rush of your wildest night out, and the other to the blissful ride home at sunrise. This duality is a theme that permeates SG Lewis‘ new era.

Speaking about ‘Missing You,‘ SG Lewis reveals, “Conceptually, it felt like the perfect introduction. It’s a story about temptation and dwindling fear. Your eyes are wandering.” On ‘Something About Your Love,’ SG adds “It’s no secret I’m a massive Daft Punk fan. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever made to a tribute to them. I was listening to Discovery a lot, and there’s a specific technique to it. I chopped up the sample of these seventies keys and drums. It came together easily. Lyrically, It’s a pure confession of admiration for someone. It’s the perfect contrast to ‘Missing You’.“

The new tracks follow on from Sam’s debut record times, released during lockdown last year, which found one of modern pop’s secret weapons stepping out front and center, taking listeners on a voyage through soaring electronic dance and kaleidoscopic future disco with a blockbuster collection of guests. Features included Robyn and Channel Tres on ‘Impact‘ (“a house track so physical your feet may begin to move involuntarily,” according to NPR), Nile Rodgers on ‘One More‘ and Lucky Daye on fan favorite ‘Feed The Fire.’ The album received widespread critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork (who hailed it as “a pristine album”), NPR, Billboard, NME, GQ and much more, with LP highlight track ‘Chemicals‘ amassing over 55 million Spotify streams and counting, catapulting SG Lewis‘ total stream count to over 1.4 billion.

SG Lewis has cemented his status as one music’s most sought-after producers and has collaborated with the likes of Elton John, Dua Lipa, Clairo, Tove Lo, Khalid, Aluna, Victoria Monet, Raye, Ray BLK, The Neptunes/N.E.R.D’s Chad Hugo, Gerd Janson, Conducta + many more. Louis Vuitton also launched their pre-Fall campaign with Soulwax’s remix of ‘Impact’ earlier this month and Sam is well regarded in fashion circles, attending, and performing an array of parties across his illustrious career. Behind the scenes, he also produced Dave’s seminal breakout track 100’M’s’ and co-wrote ‘Hallucinate‘ for Dua Lipa‘s record-smashing number one album, Future Nostalgia. Sam has sold out headline shows across the US, Asia, Australia, and Europe as well as multiple festival appearances including prime-time slots at Coachella and Glastonbury – his raucous live shows not only make him one of London’s hottest talents, but also a formidable artist capable of making a splash on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

Mallrat – Tour

Multi-faceted artist and producer Mallrat announces her 2022 World Tour to take her brand new, critically acclaimed debut record, Butterfly Blue on the road, with headline shows and festivals across Europe, the UK, North America and Australia. The highly anticipated album was released on May 13th to praise from NPR, Teen Vogue, NME, PAPER, MTV and more, and marks a triumphant debut from Mallrat, solidifying her reputation as a master of clever, timeless pop.

Hot off the heels of an opening stint for Conan Gray in the UK and Europe, the new tour will see Mallrat playing new tracks from the album such as “To You,” which comes fresh off the back of the year’s most unexpected collaboration, “Surprise Me (feat. Azealia Banks),” and its much loved predecessors “Your Love,” “Teeth” and “Rockstar.”

Sweeping across vast, airy production, Butterfly Blue is often surprising, with samples and sounds tucked under the surface: chopped-up Gangsta Pat bars, a flipped recording of a children’s choir performing Lisztomania, and more. Distorted effects were recorded from discarded children’s toys – a sonic gift from producer Clams Casino. Layered like an instrument all their own, her signature breathy vocals are more assured than ever.

Butterfly Blue is available at all digital retailers HERE.

About Mallrat

Prized producer, songwriter, and collaborator Mallrat – aka Grace Shaw – is a master of clever, timeless pop. Her trio of early EPs – Uninvited (2016), In The Sky (2018), Driving Music (2019) – are documents of an artist on the rise. Mallrat has garnered attention from the NY Times, NYLON, NPR, and more. PAPER named her in their “100 Women Revolutionizing Pop,” after making it onto the “Best of” lists by The Fader, Billboard, NOISEY, NME, Triple J, and Teen Vogue. At home in Australia, she continues to place Top 5 on Triple J charts. In the states, she made her late-night TV performance debut on the Late Late Show With James Corden, while in the UK, winning “Best Australian Solo Act” at the NME Awards. She has toured both at home and internationally, including European and North American support for Maggie Rogers, Post Malone, and King Princess, selling out headline shows from London to New York, and collecting fans in the likes of Mark Ronson and Azealia Banks along the way.

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guccihighheels – Heartbreak Highway

Genre-defying artist, producer and songwriter guccihighwaters has released his major label debut EP, heartbreak highway. The six-track collection is available to stream and download via Public Consumption in partnership with Elektra Music Group HERE. To celebrate the EP’s arrival, guccihighwaters has unveiled a brand new official music video for intimate piano ballad, “believe.” Watch the Ross Ginsberg-directed visual on guccihighwaters‘ official YouTube channel HERE.

“My goal with this new EP was to showcase how much I’ve grown over the years, especially with my lyrics and vocals,” shares guccihighwaters. “I’ve been having so much fun experimenting with new sounds, and I truly believe this is my best music yet. I’m so glad to put it out into the world.”

In late 2021, guccihighwaters holed up in a Los Angeles studio with producer Courtney Ballard [Waterparks]. He absorbed the spirit of diverse inspirations, ranging from Lionel Richie‘s “Dancing on the Ceiling” and the Drive Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to The Weeknd. “Courtney played a bunch of eighties beats for me,” guccihighwaters recalls. “I was into a lot of synth-revival music, so it was cool to hear where it came from. I took the synths and the drum grooves and morphed my style to fit those elements. It felt natural.”

guccihighwaters announced his signing to Public Consumption last month alongside the release of tracks “crash my car” and “devil on my shoulder.” Earlier this month, he formally announced the heartbreak highway EP and unveiled the synth-driven single “the chase” alongside an official music video. Signifying a new era in guccihighwaters’ ever-evolving sound, the EP’s early releases arrived to immediate praise from Alt Press, Consequence, Ones To Watch and more.

guccihighwaters is currently on the road in North America supporting nothing,nowhere. The 25-city trek kicked off last month and will conclude on May 27 in New York, NY at Irving Plaza. The bill also includes Poorstacy, carolesdaughter and Snarls. This fall, guccihighwaters will support nothing,nowhere. on tour in the UK and Europe. A complete list of upcoming tour dates can be found HERE.

heartbreak highway follows guccihighwaters’ 2021 album joke’s on you. Arriving to widespread acclaim, KERRANG! promised, “Whatever genre you label the tunes, the music of guccihighwaters doesn’t joke around when it comes to conveying emotion in its rawest form.” Alt Press lauded the “accomplished artist poised to be a star,” while Ones To Watch proclaimed, “the sounds from singer/producer Morgan Murphy are as raw as it gets.” Billboard applauded standout single “rock bottom” [feat. nothing,nowhere.] as “the highlight of guccihighwaters’ joke’s on you album,” and NME praised the track as “an introspective blend of alt-rock and dark hip-hop flourishes—a marked progression from the online emo scene.”

About guccihighwaters

guccihighwaters glides through a soundscape familiar enough to catch your attention, yet futuristic enough to hold it. The artist, singer, and producer not only blurs the lines between alternative, R&B and hip-hop, but also the boundaries between yesterday, today and tomorrow. Growing up in between Long Beach, NY and Ireland, he maintained a diehard passion for music. After discovering Yung Lean at 18-year-old, he crafted beats all night. A year into this evening ritual, he picked up a microphone and penned lyrics to anesthetize the pain of his first breakup. His first collection of songs comprised the post death EP in 2017. Among many standouts, the fan favorite “i’m so sick of this” gathered 51.6 million Spotify streams and counting. In its wake, he unleashed music at a prolific pace, including multiple EPs and his 2021 full-length debut, joke‘s on you. Along the way, he toured with Lund, Lil Lotus, Smrtdeath, guardin, and nothing,nowhere.

paris jackson – lighthouse

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress and activist paris jackson unveiled her brand-new single entitled “lighthouse” out now via Republic Records—listen to “lighthouse” HERE. The song was produced by singer, songwriter, musician and producer Butch Walker.

The single is released alongside the official music video, which was inspired by the iconic video for Nirvana‘s “Sliver.” In the video, paris pays homage with a photo of Kurt Cobain—a full circle moment to the original video. Watch the “lighthouse” video HERE.

The song channels unbridled nineties rock energy as it harnesses the power of a classic alternative dynamic with a twist of its own. paris’ hypnotic verses give way to a chantable chorus, “I can feel the lights go low, but I don’t wanna let go now, maybe if I turn around you’ll see me, and what you used to be,” before a hummable guitar solo.

On the song, paris says, “I continued to write about this same old heartbreak that wilted is about. A lot of the new songs coming out are similar stories about the same person and heartbreak. I guess I’m just exploring different feelings. wilted was a more melancholy record, and now I’m exploring more of the anger…”

paris recently lit up SXSW with her debut performance at the festival, landing looks from Billboard, The Recording Academy’s Grammy U and more. Back in 2020, she delivered her debut album, wilted, joined by collaborators Andy Hull and Robert McDowell of Manchester Orchestra. Upon arrival, it captured #1 on the iTunes US Alternative Albums Chart and incited the applause of NPR, Rolling Stone, Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, E! News, People, NME, NYLON, Refinery29, WWD and more. Additionally, she ignited late-night television with an emotionally charged rendition of “let down” on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!. paris remained prolific in 2021 with The Struts’ collaboration “Low Key In Love,” before sharing the lost EP as a surprise gift for her fans in early 2022. Now, paris jackson re-introduces herself with an honest and raw signature sound.