Stream: Barricade (Matter Of Fact) - Yumi Zouma

Barricade (Matter Of Fact) got unveiled last week and it's another great track from Yumi Zouma in advance of their debut album Yoncalla.

Barricade started life as a collaborative jam session - a first for the band at the time. The end result is apparently a long way from those initial moments of lofi freeform collaboration, when band members Josh and Charlie sat in Charlie's apartment with an unplugged bass and guitar respectively, Christie humming out melodies. Whilst Barricade is much more polished than its origins would suggest, that collaborative approach enabled the band to be more collaborative and distil the best bits into the track you hear now. The result is stunning as always - I can't wait to get my ears around the album.

Stream: Losing Any Sleep - Elle Watson

Losing Any Sleep is the tense and brooding new track from relative newcomer Elle Watson and it follows her track Body, featured here earlier this year.

In Elle's words, "The song is about inner conflict... I wanted to get across a feeling of chaos that intensifies towards the end. Using backing vocals & production to fight against the lead vocal providing context to the overall song".

The result is a layered and constantly shifting record, collage-like in texture. Watson's exposed vocals gradually become overwhelmed in the complex drama that unfurls around her... Losing Any Sleep is a gorgeously structured record.

Stream: Satellite - Sara Hartman

Satellite is the new track from up and coming artist Sara Hartman, who has already had her first two releases (Monster Take Me Home and Two Feet Off The Ground) featured on BlackPlastic.co.uk.

The track is an inscessantly catchy record, feeling like Hartman's biggest shot at a hit yet. Hartman describes Satellite as "a call to arms disguised as a love song". A track that became something of an anthem for the artist, she describes the effect it has had on both her and her forthcoming debut EP, "It made me feel strong in being honest and vulnerable which set a tone for the rest of the record."

Stream: Twentythousand - EXES

EXES are LA-based electronic pop duo Allie and Mike and they are current in a project that sees them release a new song once a month... New track Twentythousand is one of those tracks.

The guys claim to be inspired by feelings of nostalgia, lending the music a dreamlike and wistful sound.  Twentythousand is about first love - the leap 20,000 feet into the unknown and the lasting impact first loves tend to have on us all. This track actually reminds me of Oh Wonder (check their lovely single Livewire here), who had a similar project last year.

Check out Twentythousand below.

Stream: Finest Hour - Ryan Egan

Finest Hour is the new single release from Ryan Egan and follows on from his debut EP Postures, released late last year.

Whereas Postures was produced in collaboration with Luca Buccellati (known for his work with Tei Shi), Finest Hour is the sound of Egan taking over full production duties. The result isa slickly presented pop record with soft touches that hint at inspiration taken from the 80s.

In the words of Egan:

This particular release is special for me because it is the first time I've put something out that I wrote, arranged, and produced fully. Coming up playing in bands and other collaborative projects, including my first solo release, it is an important step for me because this is what I've always wanted to do. I've always been most intrigued by the self-sustainable artists like Prince or Kevin Parker or anyone that can efficiently take on the various different roles within music.  I also want to thank Jake Aron (Chairlift, Jamie Lidell) for lending his mixing skills on this one.