Listen: Cuts Me Up by Holly Wild

Opening with Holly’s own bluesy, smoky vocals, and a lilting, strummed guitar, Cuts Me Up gives the impression of a certain timidity. That is shattered, however, as the song hits its first chorus, an earth-shaking bass-drop underlining Wild’s delivery.

The result is a song that feels both coy, and knowing. As Holly sings about living with the aftermath of a relationship turned sour, she appears to be both heartbroken, and completely in control. She sings about being cut up, and yet, notably, admits ‘I know I was the one with the knife’.

Born and raised in a musical family, Holly’s father used to while away his evenings, singing and playing Roy Orbison songs on guitar. Holly learnt the foundations of her craft, singing backup vocals with her father, as her (less musically gifted) mother attempted to keep up, and keep in tune. Wild brings that experience, being immersed in the rock and folk music greats, into a contemporary setting.

The result could feel cheap, and yet Holly’s performance transcends the trappings of the electronic elements of Cuts Me Up’s production. The result swings between brassy, classical, bluesy pop, and something much more self-aware — just like Holly’s lyrics.

Watch: Every Feeling by Nieri

Having appeared twice on BlackPlastic last year, Italian-born, LA-based electronic music artist Nieri is back with new song Every Feeling.

Starting with an understated intimacy, the record sees Nieri’s vocal set against a simple-yet-effective synth pattern. As it proceeds, however, Every Feeling builds towards a kind of gospel crescendo. Overdubbed vocal harmonies shimmer with a heavenly layer of reverb as the bass and drums gradually lift Nieri’s vocal performance. By the bridge preceding the final chorus, the song has a buoyancy that reflects the song’s personal, inspirational subject.

Every Feeling tackles ‘the theme of reclaiming personal power and embracing one's emotions without fear or reservation’, and it does so in a way that feels like a revelation of self-empowerment. As the song hits that final chorus, delivered in naked, vulnerable a cappella, it becomes clear this is the kind of song that reaches inside you and reminds you to love yourself. Nieri’s vocals proudly sit with their vulnerability, ‘I’m not scared of my tears, so I just let them fall, I let them show all’, inspiring us all to be okay accepting of our own flaws.

Nieri’s latest single is taken from the EP, Flow State, released alongside Every Feeling. According to Nieri, the uplifting message of Every Feeling acts as a catalyst for Flow State, closing the EP ‘with an uplifting message of self-discovery’. Featuring a track list that includes Where Would You Drive, and Rated X, Flow State is an impressive demonstration of talent for a new artist, and I can’t wait to hear more.

Listen: Hands On The Horizon by Lucky Number You

Hailing from Birmingham, UK, Lucky Number You are a three-piece looking to combine the best of pop, rock, and synth sounds from the 80s and 90s. Having unveiled their debut album, Aftercare, back in 2022, the band are now back with Hands On The Horizon, their latest single.

Taking inspiration from Talking Heads, The Police, and Janet Jackson, Hands On The Horizon is a song about the power of hope in times of confusion and self-doubt. Written, recorded and produced by Lucky Number You, the song was mastered by Tom Woodhead.

With crisp, steely guitars and the kind of jerky, rhythms, Hands On The Horizon wears the band’s inspirations on its sleeve, but combines them to create something new. The overall sound has an uplifting and optimistic sound, with a clean pop aesthetic, that establishes a modern take on a classic 80s sound. The layered vocals provide a level of engaging humanity here, as the group’s first sax solo, courtesy of collaborator Matt Telfor, gets to work in the song’s bridge. The result is a warm, joyous and inspirational song — check it out below:

Watch: Between The Lines by JoBee Project

With a slow, purposeful start, Between The Lines gently enters my ears with JoBee’s distinctive, cinematic vocal performance. With an earthly quality, her voice strikes me as a folksy imagining of the theatricality of a Björk or Róisín Murphy performance.

Born in the small town Lubartow, in eastern Poland, JoBee started her musical journey, at the age of 15, as the lead in a punk group. Taking inspiration from Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Polish jazz and pop-rock, she saw her career take another step in 2008, when she was invited to perform live in Belgium on FM Brussels, leading to her making a career there.

Against her striking vocal, JoBee’s performance on Between The Lines is complimented by gentle, organic sounding instrumentation. Drums hit, pause, stagger and catch themselves in a naturalistic performance that manages to convey the sound of plant growth, animals and natural ecosystems.

Whilst Between The Lines has an earthy feel, it combines this with a starstruck, astral atmosphere. The song is ultimately a love song, and JoBee’s lyrics, ‘read between the lines, my messages from the sky’, are a deliberate invitation to experience and embrace a cosmic form of love.

Listen: Feels Like Home by Dream Say

Hailing from Boston, Dream Say are an electro-pop outfit drawing inspiration from modern both modern acts like Chvrches and MGMT, as well as Prefab Sprout. There is clearly something in the water right now because all three have recently been cited by artists I’ve covered. Or perhaps that’s just my taste showing.

Having connected on Craigslist in late 2023, duo Zach Balder and Sebastian Badon quickly got to work, releasing their first two singles in just a few months. With Balder providing vocals, keys and sax, and Badon guitar, drums and production, the pair create the kind of full, rich sound I love. The clean electronic lines provide the perfect space for Zach’s sax to really shine.

Opening with crisp synths melodies and snappy drums, Feels Like Home has an instantly clear-eyed aesthetic. Starting its life as an instrumental track created by Sebastian, the uplifting sound reminded Zach of the supportive friendship he had found in his housemates. Inspired by the track, and a group of friends who have encouraged his music making since he started last year, the song came together as Balder wrote lyrics in tribute to them.

Overall, Dream Say have created a record full of feeling, underpinned by classy instrumentation and production. I love the modern and uplifting sound created here, and can’t wait to hear more.