Listen: Runner’s High — Olivia Reid

Runner’s High is the new single from NYC-based musician Olivia Reid, who “blends indie acoustics with exploratory electronic pop soundscapes”. Which basically means her music strikes a beautiful mid-point between pop and folk, akin to those Taylor Swift and Justin Vernon collaborations, but in one tastefully cohesive individual.

Here on Reid’s new single, the running is as much a metaphor as anything — a depiction of the necessary struggle in achievement… As an artist, she reflects on the fact the race isn’t about the competition, but the feeling, as she sings, “All this time, I was a runner, searchin' for that runner's high.” Describing that inspirational feeling, Reid says:

“Runner’s High describes the way I’ve conditioned myself to be a workhorse… A product of growing up in America, I guess.”

Olivia’s vocal performance stands out as clear-eyed and determined, as piano keys play out a series of relaxed chords. Chunky-yet-loose percussion grants Runner’s High its necessary feeling of pace and movement, the four-four beat of the chorus slapping like feet on the pavement. In the song’s final minute we get a bit more of a left-field outro, luscious instrumentation evoking some of that Vernon experimentation as the whole song shimmers and then, ultimately, evaporates. This is the kind of record I love — it is pop, but intelligent, sophisticated, and emotive pop.

The outro was a key jumping off point for the song’s creation, which was developed with co-producers Ry Jones and Bastian Testori. Jones shared the track with Olivia through Instagram, noting that the saxophone at the end felt like a perfect callback to Reid’s 2018 single Organic Bloom:

“When I heard the early version, I was so inspired. I immediately asked if they wanted to collaborate on it. The concept for Runner’s High came so quickly. This song feels like that moment when I’m sprinting, and my legs finally seem to move faster than my thoughts. My mind is free. At that point, the high, the bliss – feels earned – and it’s most definitely addicting.”

Listen: Fuck Around Phase — Housewife

Housewife’s Fuck Around Phase has the unapologetic sound befitting a song whose title pretty much guarantees it no radio airplay.

Housewife is the musical project of 20-year-old Toronto-based singer Brighid Fry. She originally made her name in 2017 with an eponymous EP, which went on to win a number of awards including a Canadian Folk Music Award and a Toronto Independent Music Award. Having continued to build her name with 2020’s EP Better Daughter, and her 2022 release You’ll Be Forgiven, Fuck Around Phase is Fry’s first new music of 2023.

Rambunctious, grimy bass and thumping drums invoke the heavy feel of DFA 1979’s pure bass guitar and drum-driven sound. Paired with Housewife’s outspoken drenched vocal and a brief dash of fizzy pop in the form of a soaring childlike vocal harmony, Fuck Around Phase has attitude and authenticity a plenty.

On Fuck Around Phase, Housewife is looking to pursue a more intentional indie-rock sound that combines distorted guitar and pop melodies. Describing the song’s inspiration, and sound, Brighid says:

“This song is about learning to enjoy yourself and be present after going through a difficult time … I want to embrace being messy and not take things too seriously!”

Watch: Lost Without You — San Cisco

Lost Without You is the kind of song that really shines for one specific glorious reason: It has a bloody fantastic chorus.

San Cisco buzz with the kind of sunny West Coast vibes befitting of their name, but they actually come from Fremantle, in Western Australia. Having carved out a career creating indie-pop, the three-piece have been making music together for forteen years, and are on the verge of releasing their fifth album.

Fittingly, the band split their recording sessions for their new material between Fremantle and Los Angeles, working with producer Jame Ireland (Pond, Cuco). As reflected in that chorus, Lost Without You is a self-described anthem for the work you have to put into relationships. In the band’s own words:

“It isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and it takes a conscious effort to make things work. We can also forget how important someone is to us and all the meaningful history and challenges that come with a longer relationship. ‘You're my best friend and I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else, but fuck it's hard sometimes.’”

What makes the chorus of Lost Without You so great is how it manages to strike an optimistic and rousing feeling, whilst simultaneously delivering a vulnerability around the reality of relationships. It can be tempting to trick yourself into thinking that good relationships are easy, and that if a relationship is hard, there must be something wrong. In reality, most relationships need some work at least some of the time. Lost WIthout You is the perfect soundtrack to celebrating the fact that the work is worth it.

Listen: Shake It — Bad Heather

Metro Station aren’t an act I am particularly familiar with, but the rock band hail from Los Angeles, and in the lates 00s achieved some success with their combination of synth and emo pop sounds. Their song Shake It is an infectious, glossy slice of sugary punk pop.

Bad Heather is the musical project of 22-year-old Utah musician Porter Chapman. Having been hand-chosen by Andrew Tolman, of The Moth and The Flame, and Imagine Dragons, Chapman toured with The Moth and The Flame as their drummer on a 2019 national tour. This led to his growing reputation as a talented drummer, and further tours with members of The Killers, Neon Trees and the Dave Matthews Band.

Here, Chapman takes Metro Station’s Shake It and gives it a more sophisticated flavour, whilst retaining the original’s charm. The song has a nostalgic feel – more overtly channeling the 80s harmonies of the original, whilst layering in contemporary production sophistication:

”I took a lot of inspiration from The 1975 and the Dirty Hit roster. I loved Jack Antonoff’s production on the last 1975 record and his approach to heavy compression on softly played things. I wanted the track to feel nostalgic and modern at the same time; slick, but without losing the raw energy.”

Chapman’s version comes from a place of genuine admiration, however, as he notes… “The OG still shreds, so I wanted to avoid sounding too similar to it so that I could bring something new.”

Check out Shake It below.

Listen: Ascend — REGALJASON

The musical approach that REGALJASON applies to his new single, Ascend, feels expansive in the styles and inspiration deployed. R&B stylings meet art-pop vocals in a way that lands right at the intersection of Miguel, Autre Ne Veut, and the Dirty Projectors.

Born in Jamaica, raised in Panama and now in London following a stint in LA, REGAL channels the sounds he has absorbed along the way. Ascend is REGAL’s first release of 2023, and sees him throw down an inspirational song about rising above the adversity he has faced along the way:

“As an independent artist, I face many obstacles in my journey to let my voice be heard. When releasing my debut EP Megafauna, besides writing, producing, directing, and more, I also had to monitor the data, a task I found to be in opposition to my artistic process. Constantly checking figures such as likes, streams, and views, among other things, took a toll on my creativity. I also found it hard to find my footing in the digital arena especially with my sound being heralded as genre-less and inventive. ASCEND is my response to the emotions I felt during this time. I had to make a choice to own my individuality and promise myself that I will continue the climb regardless of the “figures” that might tell me otherwise.”

The result is something of a triumph — if REGALJASON felt the pressure to define a sound that is uniquely his, whilst also finding an audience, I can’t help but feel like Ascend delivers in spades. Drums punctuate REGAL’s lyrical flow with a sense of determination, as distorted, thick bass creates a building drama. The result is thrilling, artful, and confident as hell.