This is the first track I've heard from Naomi Pilgrim, but it's a corker. Sassy dance-influenced R&B, it's a song about those days where everything should be great but you just aren't feeling it so you need that extra little kick to get you out of bed. Love the production, the vocals and the sentiment... One to watch.
Highly emotive pop from 22-year-old Swedish singer Sirena, who spent her years growing up between Barcelona and Stockholm. Sirena has always been inspired to be creative, whether it be through poetry, photography, dance or singing in choirs, but ultimately music making became her calling after a spiritual awakening that saw her drop out of school and focus on it full time.
Another cracking new single from Years & Years... Once again this builds on the warmer, house-influenced sound introduced on previous single Take Shelter. Keen to hear how this will play out across a full LP when we get one!
Desire is out on Polydor on 23 November.
Ilajaly is the first single to be lifted from Cologne three-piece Xul Zolar's debut EP, due in 2015. It's a smart and emotive track full of layers, propulsive drumming backing giving a sense of movement and dynamism to the reverb heavy and melancholic vocals and melodies. One to keep on the radar in the new year.
Following on from January's EP The Brae, Yumi Zouma are back with what in my view is their best track yet. Cue floaty breathless vocals and weightless melodies that feel like floating in a pool of infatuation. There is a slightly more electronic, disco influenced sound here and it suits Yumi Zouma's music perfectly.