Listen: Uppercut by Idarose

American musician Idarose positions herself as ‘the cross between brat summer and a theatre kid’ and, having previously produced and written for major artists including Joji, Suki Waterhouse, Two Feet and Lydia Night, she is now releasing her own self-written and produced music.

New single Uppercut is the exception that proves a particular rule of mine… One of my most frequent complaints about music that gets sent to me is a reliance on heavily processed vocals, but here on Uppercut, they lend the song a sense of urgent drama.

Opening with deadpan vocals performed on top of cinematic synths and propulsive drums, Uppercut channels an energy that is equal parts John Hughes and brat punk delivered with an attitude not dissimilar to Olivia Rodrigo. Idarose’s hushed vocals establish the context of a friendship turned sour, quietly seething, before she jumps into a chorus that gives the feeling of being in emotional free fall, buried grievances suddenly given the space and oxygen to ignite. As things proceed through the song’s duration, the whole thing burns bright like lithium.

Describing her inspiration, Idarose says:

‘Over the past few years, through my work with different artists as well as through the creation of an original musical, I’ve really started to figure out what I wanted my artist project to sound like again. After separately exploring both worlds, I began to realize, what if my artist project actually is a mix of the theater kid in me with so many stories to tell and the electronic pop producer in me who loves aggressively loud synthesizers and harmonizers? This song was the first one I had made in a long time that felt so innately Idarose — lyrics where I get to overshare and process emotions about a friendship breakup over production that is loud, dramatic and in your face. Uppercut felt like the perfect way to bring people back into my world as an artist.’

Listen: Stitch by Snake Orange Cake

Snake Orange Cake is the new musical project from Berlin-based artist Julia Carlsson. Blending electronic soundscapes, she creates a shoe-gaze, drone-like aesthetic, meshing loops, samples, and synthesisers together with her spoken-word poetry.

On her latest single, Stitch, Snake Orange Cake creates a deep, transcendental piece of music. Shuffling rhythms rub against low bass tones, guitar sounds and slow synth melodies. The result is cinematic and consuming, encouraging the listener to give themselves over to the sound, with the deadpan vocal delivery blending into the collage of noise, an instrument in itself. I found the experience of listening to Stitch meditative and cleansing, pulling me into the moment and creating a sense of presence.

Carlsson took her inspiration for the song and its lyrics from her experience of taking more risks and exploring the world, embracing a sense of adventure. Her work as Snake Orange Cake builds on her prior work as Leoblu, featured on BlackPlastic last year, which saw her gain international recognition and placement on a Netflix soundtrack.