Listen: GIRLS! by Jenny Kern

The new single from Canadian-born, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jenny Kern, GIRLS! is a breathless tribute to the liberation of embracing your desires.

Having garnered increasing attention since the release of her debut single, Slow Burn, Jenny has been refining an indie-dream-pop sound. Here on GIRLS!, we get to experience her journey of self-discovery, as she explains:

‘This song is probably my most exciting and empowering song to date. I had this moment in my head where I realized, omg, I think I like girls. This track marks the beginning of a huge journey of self-exploration and coming into what being queer means to me… …I hope people hear this song and feel the same sense of freedom to be whoever they are and love whoever they want.’

Both the song’s message, and the way Kern conveys it, are beautiful. Hearing her commitment to connect-with and be at one with herself is inspirational, as is her desire to empower others to do the same. I also find myself enthused by the contagious affection this record embodies. Jenny bounces from hushed vocals that liken romantic sweetness to Cherry Cola, before coyly singing:

‘What if I told you, that I was in to you? Would that be saying too much? 'Cause I’m down to risk it all: I don’t care who knows it’

The result puts me right into Jenny’s headspace — excited, determined, and awed by a new-found recognition of her sense of self. GIRLS! has a thrilling, fresh energy. I can’t get enough of it.

Watch: N.S.M.L.Y.D by SCHØØL

Formed late last year, SCHØØL are a Parisian four-piece with aspirations to become the band they dreamed of as teenagers.

Inspired by shoegaze outfits from the 90s, including Swirlies and Drop Nineteens, SCHØØL’s sound feels like a wall of sound, chaotic yet buoyant. The slow, melodic dirge of N.S.M.L.Y.D reminds me of creative abundance that aligned with The Horrors’ sophomore album, Primary Colours.

Primary Colours was, in and of itself, an effective reimagining of the intersection of Joy Division and German experimental rock outfit Can. On N.S.M.L.Y.D, SCHØØL position themselves as the natural conclusion of not just those sounds, but My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Somewhat ironically, the melodic playfulness at the centre of all that noise is intended to mimic the kind of catchy earworm you might experience in a classic mobile phone ringtone. In some ways, this feels subversive, and yet I hear a similar playfulness elsewhere in shoegaze, for example in the melody of My Bloody Valentine’s When You Sleep.

Just listening to N.S.M.L.Y.D sent me down a rabbit hole of other artists that I love, and perhaps that is the point. The song’s title is an acronym for “Nothing Satisfies Me Like You Do”, the repeated refrain that makes up its chorus, and the song itself is about the experience of being a fan, and of idolising others. Add SCHØØL to the growing list of artists that satisfy me, and look out for the forthcoming album, promised soon.

Listen: Good News by MANTA

Bringing together elements of garage, jungle, and house, then combining them with a shoegaze aesthetic, MANTA’s new single Good News rides on a sense of urban alienation.

The combination of sounds and styles makes sense for London-based Irish musician and producer, MANTA. Long known for its creative fusing of sounds and genres, London takes its place, a fitting backdrop for the song’s video. Channelling Good News’ sense of isolation, the video sees us take a journey through the city, surrounded by people, and yet immersed in a sense of being alone.

The song itself gradually progresses through a variety of sounds and elements. The garage beat that kicks things off is quickly joined by hollow-sounding, reverberating bass. The various instrumental elements melt away in places, giving space to the vocal from which the track gets its name. Overall, Good News is an effective and affecting tribute to UK dance culture, and the urban experience.

Check out the song below, and head to YouTube for the video.

Listen: Wake Up Again by Afar Odea

Afar Odea is the musical pseudonym of Leipzig-based musician Konrad Jackisch. Having worked on it since 2018, he is now set to release his eponymously titled debut LP in September 2024.

Ahead of the album’s release, Afar Odea has unveiled his latest single, Wake Up Again. Featuring propulsive percussion and, gradually building, looping melodies, the overall sound has a hint of the influential German band Neu! about it. However, where Neu! pursued a mechanical, industrial sound, Jackisch is creating something more organic, and explicitly appealing to our emotions. His vocals tremble and whisper, as the song builds from its gentle foundations, gradually applying a sensation of acceleration.

Beyond Neu!, I hear more contemporary sounds in Wake Up Again. The guitars and cracked vocal aesthetic are reminiscent of Dirty Projectors, and overall Afar Odea creates an aesthetic that feels like a more organic version of that which James Blake employs. Overall, the song is beautiful, memorable, and inventive, all at the same time.

Listen: Doctor by Hawke The Band

Hawke The Band are an up-and-coming Irish pop rock band, based in London. Having appeared on the Imelda May Christmas Special on Sky Arts, their profile is on the rise, particularly following their January single, Proposal.

With Doctor, the group are back with their latest single, and in comparison to Proposal, it bristles with a kind of frenetic energy. Crisp, steely guitars and punchy percussions create a feeling of momentum, as the band tell a story of love turned sour. The verse ruminates and reflects, with the bridge, in particular, asking questions… “How does it feel? I didn’t notice”. It is the jangly, upbeat chorus that makes Doctor soar, however. Rolling drums and earnest vocals fly, as the singer asks, “If I walked away, would you let me go?”

Describing the song’s inspiration, the group describe the song’s name as coming for the automatically tagged location for the vocal recordings. Whilst these were actually taken in band member Richie’s apartment, the device they recorded them on picked up on the fact the location used to be a doctor’s office, and so the concept ended up woven into the song.

The song is sung from the perspective of a patient, of a relationship that somewhat resembles a mutated version of the drama triangle concept. Chasing love, reassurance, and support, the patient here leans on their lover, yet they realise that person may not be as invested in their happiness as they thought. This is turn becomes an almost cyclical and addictive cycle, represented by the high of the chorus and the questioning outlined in the verse:

‘The “doctor” is a metaphor for a dangerous lover who, while we know the consequences and potential heartbreak associated, we can’t help but be intrigued and want more. The uplifting chorus portrays the high of the drug being prescribed (love) while the lyrics talk about the harsh reality and underlying worry felt by the patient.’

The overall song has all the energy and excitement, but also uncertainty and doubt, of a questionable relationship.