Premiere: James — Colleagues

Hailing from Stockholm, Colleagues formed in 2012 and proceeded to release a number of singles and EPs in the subsequent decade. Having picked up radio play in their native Sweden, and on BlackPlastic, they became known for their dreamy Scandinavian pop sound.

Here, ten-years on, Colleagues’ sound is darker, and influenced by the diverse musical paths of the group’s members. Taking in sounds as disparate as neoclassical and minimal pop, the sound we get here on James is modern and emotive. Opening with 80s-style electronic bass notes and ambient-sounding synths, layered vocals weave a hushed melody before giving way to a stark, clean-and-modern falsetto chorus. That chorus switches out the playful bass for a series of sharp lines, delivered in the form of crisp, melodic synth stabs.

The contrasting sounds in James are a pleasure to experience, the song switching gears on the fly and keeping the listener guessing as the two distinct sounds blend in the closing third. Clocking in under three-minutes long, I wish there was a bit more — I find myself hitting play as soon as it finishes, almost to check what I heard is still really there… But isn’t that a great place to leave a listener, wanting more, somewhat disbelieving what they heard?

James itself is a song about caught the moment before a relationship ends — both looking back and looking forward. Opening with the lines, “Stay here, take your time, I won’t let you down, your heartbeat next to mine”, there is a moment of clarity evoked in these lyrics. Taking a moment to appreciate what has been, before moving on. The band note the duality in the production is deliberate, containing “a touch of nostalgia in the bass line but a beat that strives to move forward”.

Check out James below, and look out for a debut album in early 2023.

Listen: Fifteen — Erika Wester

Fifteen kicks off with a heavy feeling bass and kick drum, baggy instrumentation creating the feeling of whizzing down lamp lit streets under starry skies. With a gorgeously vulnerable vocal performance from Erika Wester, there is an anti-folk feeling here that evokes the music of Kimya Dawson, shot through a soft-focus teen-movie filter.

Wester is a singer-songwriting based in Los Angeles, CA, and she focuses on creating music with an authentically raw and vintage sound that lets her delicate vocals take centre stage. As her new single, Fifteen is a coming-of-age song inspired by a relationship with someone close to her who was “feeling really down in life”. Erika’s commitment was to be by their side, even if she couldn’t help directly. Wester considers the song a reminder to “go easy on yourself”. “Go softly,” sings Wester, delicately.

Sometimes being there is the best thing we can do for our friends, and being a friend to ourselves is the best thing we can do for ourselves.

Listen: Lie To Me — Madam Bandit

Hailing from a big family, Madam Bandit grew up as the eighth of nine children. Both music and religion were big factors in her upbringing, with a family that were devout members of an early American Christian cult, and music was as a cornerstone of family life.

As she grew up, Madam Bandit was married in her teenage years, and was encouraged to prioritise raising a family. Whilst she felt a dissonance between what she was told to pursue and her desire to make music, she resolved to pursue both. By the age of 22, she had two sons and was already recording her first album.

Madam Bandit’s ambition led to her releasing multiple successful albums under her given name, Mindy Gledhill, and saw her notoriety grow, bringing significant audiences on streaming platforms, and exposure through advertising and TV shows. Following a period of faith deconstruction, Gledhill has transitioned into Madam Bandit, her electronic pop alter-ego.

Crystalline vocals and minimal production open Madam Bandit’s Lie To Me, the song’s vocal starkly set against a backing of simple chords and a simple rhythm focused on the off-beat. Gradually the song thaws… the vocal shaking its cold, reverb-immersed sound as we reach the first chorus. Madam Bandit pleads for the listener to offer her reassurance, even if it is just a lie.

The beauty of Lie To Me is how it gradually constructs itself around audience. As the performance is embellished with additional details — more percussive detail, guitar melodies and warm bass — Madam Bandit creates a world that feels like the lie that gets bigger, until you no longer know quite what’s real.

Listen: Richard Prince — Lex Helgerson Rides Again

Lex Helgerson Rides Again is the musical project of Portland, Oregon resident Lex. Having been born in Oakland, California, Lex was raised in Portland and now lives there together with her husband and collaborator Dean Vivirito, and her dog Tour Okada.

Lex’s dog lays some claim to the song, Richard Prince, because it was written during the fallow period following a cancelled trip to New Orleans. The cancellation was triggered by Toru’s escape from Lex’s mum’s house, effectively keeping her at home whilst she created the record. A chance near-tragedy from which a creation was born…

Inspired by Lex’s time living in New York, Richard Prince is titled in reference to the artist, and a point in her life where she was just realising her sexuality as a young woman. In her words:

“Richard Prince is inspired by my life in New York City. I lived there twelve years ago, yet writing recently it's like everything from that time has been synthesized; my life then is crystal clear now. Every street corner, every kiss. At the time I was just coming into my sexuality as a young woman, feeling powerful but not really sure how to use and handle that power. It was confusing. Experience has taught me that one's sexuality is something to delight in, and to share, to care for, in a way.”

There is a glassy-eyed emotional weight to Richard Prince, Lex’s over-dubbed vocal betraying some sort of duality, as it sways, alluring and threatening, amidst the slow-keyed melody. There is a jazz-like looseness to the performance, both instrumentation and space coming together to create a sound that is full of tense drama.

Check out Richard Prince below:

Listen: Antidote — Murmur Tooth & Lars Moston

Opening with a simple chord progression and yearning vocals, Antidote has an emotional immediacy that skewered me. The production on Murmur Tooth & Lars Moston’s song evokes electronic pop with Balearic undertones — snappy percussion, sunny bass notes and little textural elements evoke the setting sun on your perfect day… The feeling of a beautiful moment ebbing away, the fear of loss intruding upon a moment of joy, whilst it still unfolds.

Antidote is the result of an unusual pairing. Murmur Tooth is Leah Hinton, who played classical piano, oboe and cello growing up in New Zealand before discovering Nirvana and forming an avant-metal band, El Schlong. Following a second band, Kibosh, she settled in Berlin, built a studio started her “doom pop” project, Murmur Tooth.

Lars Boston, in contrast, is a British-German DJ and producer, who has played dance floors from Fusion Festival to Tomorrowland. His musical productions span a range of influences, and he has seen music released through a variety of labels.

Having met during the pandemic, Moston and Hinton began exploring what their contrasting styles could unlock if brought together. Since collaborating, they have released an instrumental (You, Me, Us, Spines) and a remix of Claptone’s latest single Beautiful. Antidote, which has already received positive responses at Pacha in Ibiza and Paintwork’s in London, is the first single to be released from the pair’s forthcoming LP, No Time To Explain.

Check out Antidote below, or on the streaming service of your choice: