‘New Music’ what even is it? Most people would say music that’s hot off the press, that’s just been dropped and has never been heard before. I can sign on with that, but I also believe when we look for new music we should at all music – regardless of its release date, a solid tune will remain great for a long time.

               So where do you find new music? There are loads of outlets, and my quick little guide will only cover a few of them. So here it is - my snapshot guide to being first on the scene and unearthing lost treasures. There’s a lot of juicy info here, but worry not I’ll be sharing some great music you can listen to at the bottom – so hang in there buddy.

 Keep Up to Date with New Releases

There are plenty of websites which document known release dates for upcoming singles and albums – these are incredibly useful just for knowing what’s about to drop. Many of these will only be official releases, meaning the material may have been out for ages – as is often the case with singles, but albums will nearly always have unheard content worth a listen.

My fave sites for keeping up to date include:

Metacritic – this is pretty standard, a great shout for all your major upcoming album releases.

TTT – like Metacritic except for singles – most of this will be available online, but it’s still a useful tool for making sure nothing slips through your musical net.

The 405 – another album list, between the two you won’t miss anything (plus it has a cooler name).

Hype Machine – literally a god-send in new music, they document new releases on their increasing popularity. This is how you find future hits, as well as others which are at least noteworthy. You can also customize your search results to include or exclude remixes and more.             

Know Where to Look

As well as knowing when new stuff is going to land it’s important to know where to find it yourself. The internet is absolutely full of ways of finding new tracks, regardless of their age. It’s all about finding people/artists with strong tastes, and knowing what online realms to search – and it’s easier than you think, once you start you’ll find yourself stumbling across more and more gems. Here’s my top tips:

Soundcloud – Get an account, follow your favorite artists and check out their related artists or anyone they share. Through your own tastes you will then be exposed to similar music, and it’s a great way to discover new music, simply sailing through what artists like. What’s more its ‘related songs’ feature actually works. Following artists also means you know the moment they release new and (in some cases) experimental tunes.

Spotify – Again this seems like a no-brainer but there are plenty of ways to make the most out of the obvious. ‘Spotify Radio’ can be a great way of finding new music, that said more often than not I find myself frustrated at its failure to understand that launching a chilled radio does not mean I want dance music. However what may go unnoticed is Spotify’s tailored ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist. ‘Discover Weekly’ is amazing, it uses your complete music taste to pick songs you most likely haven’t heard and it works wonders, I now look forward to Mondays because they bring a whole batch of insane music. Artist playlists are also ones to look out for – nothing bad can come from listening to the same stuff as the artists you like.

HasItLeaked - Aside from having a gorgeous layout, HIL provides around-the-clock info on leaked music. They also have a great taste in music and write insightful blog posts on new music and new releases. There's no better way to know what's fire then to know before its out.

YouTube Curators – YouTube is full of channels curating new music, I’d be surprised if you didn’t follow some already. Some worth mentioning include MrSuicideSheep (and his secondary channel), Majestic Casual,MrRevillz, La Belle Musique, Electro Pose, Proximity, TheSoundYouNeed and Monstercat. The majority of these are all similar genres, so have some fun finding people who love what you love!

RADIO – I can’t stress the importance of radio. BBC Radio 1 & 2 are perhaps the most obvious choices, but their reliance on popular music means you can miss out new or underground bangers – their later shows can be a bit more alternative, but Radio 1Xtra and Radio 6 are great sources for great songs just outside the charts. Perhaps my fave station is TripleJ – it’s just perfect, they play great music and give unknown artists a chance – and who doesn’t love the Aussie accent? Their ‘Like A Version’ is the spiritual counterpart to Radio 1’s ‘Live Lounge’ but gives small and big artists equal exposure and produces some phenomenal covers while doing so.

STUDENT RADIO – Dear god use it. While they may not always be the best presenters student radio is one of the best places to find new music. Student Radio stations are filled with young people searching for new music – their specialist shows (focusing on certain genres/vibes) can be great stops to explore specific types of music. I can’t not put a cheeky plug for my own station, Livewire1350, here – because these guys are good, but wherever you are try and search your local station online and give them a try, you’ll be spoon-fed new songs simply by finding shows that fit your tastes. Often these guys have record labels sending them music before it’s even available to generate hype – student radio can literally be the freshest source.

So there you have it, plenty of ways to get stuck into finding new music. It’s easy to get overwhelmed but calm down, and just pick whichever outlet you want to get into – as long as you keep an eye out you’re bound to be the hottest kid on the music block.

Now here’s for a tasty playlist I'll be updating using the aforementioned tricks:

New Semester, New Gaze 

For those heading back to uni, starting it, or are about to get a mad case of summer blues – this one’s for you. This is my handy guide to the new tunes you should definitely be stocking up on; from studying chill to rebellious bass-pop this is your go-to for the next few weeks of musical bliss!

Hayden Calnin – White Night EP

This is beautiful, one for those rainy nights indoors – as Christmas draws ever nearer and you need to buckle down to work alongside a nice hot chocolate/coffee/tea. The titular track is hauntingly majestic as Hayden always has been, Thrupence (who is worth a listen in his own right) chips in with his furthered chill version of ‘White Night’ – it’s guaranteed to help you wind down. Not to mention the reworked, revamped and restful cover of Elvis Presley the EP offers – I won’t say anything else, but trust me, you want to hear this.

EDEN – End Credits EP

This well paced taster from the EDEN blends poetic melodies with rushing moments of intensity, if you need a soundtrack to empower you with cinematic furore this is the one. Having cemented a more refined style than his previous incarnation as the EDEN Project, with higher production quality End Credits is 25 minutes of emotive momentum. Breaking from the sleeping lulls of ‘Gravity’ and ’02:09’ the tidal waves of passion present in ‘End Credits’ and ‘Wake Up’ are what define this EP as a decent listen, fitting most moods – but this one is generally going to be a solo travel/study in the run up to December!

Teen Daze – Morning World

This one’s for the daydreamers. Already having a memorable Bon Iver remix under his belt, this recent LP from Teen Daze captures the feeling of great expanse that dreams offer us. Brimming with warmth, grandeur and many, many notable moments Morning World is well tailored for easy listening, and is both inspirational and calming. ‘Pink’ as one of the more up-tempo tracks on the record is noteworthy as an introductory track, coupled with the dreamy slows of ‘Garden Grove’ and ‘Goodnight’ you can expect to not only love, but respect Morning World as something that makes you feel.

Halsey – BADLANDS

This little girl is bursting right out of the Big Apple. Halsey’s debut album is a banger, her darker tone of pop is both welcome and remarkable. Few artists are able to explode onto the scene with such a strong first album, but Halsey has done it – and done it with flair. If you imagine Lana Del Rey’s lyrics got dropped into a blender with the Weeknd’s vibes and a whole lot of pump – you get Halsey. I’m not being excessive when I say she is going places. If tracks ‘Colours’ and ‘New Americana’ don’t sell you on this bad bitch, nothing will – but you’d be a fool not give Halsey a try, she’s worth your ears.

The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness

I’ll be honest, I was very excited for this album and I was in no way disappointed. From beginning to end this is a masterpiece, it feels somewhat softer than his last two albums – the drums are cushioned on BBTM, sounding less aggressive (not that they were raging before) than Kiss Land and Trilogy. While it may be a third the length of Trilogy in terms of quality it’s on par with the debut beast, and it stomps on Kiss Land. The album has songs to fit all purposes – ‘Often’, ‘The Hills’, ‘Earnt It’ and ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ won’t feel amiss during a pre-drinks, and ‘Dark Times’, ‘Prisoner’ (with the babe Lana) and ‘Real Life’ are better suited to more mellow settings. I have to give the gold to ‘Angel’ however, this anthem stormed its way into my fave Weeknd songs, and has a grace and passion that most of his other songs can’t hope to match. The 6 minute opus is emotive and the female vocals (who sound a lot like Birdy, but are uncredited) add a raw dimension to this huge track – if you haven’t already listened to this album, go now – bang it on repeat and let ‘Angels’ leave you in awe.

There you have it several new things to sink your ears into, these guys are all great musicians in their own right, some you will likely have heard of - others not. We hope you love this new stuff as much as we do and that they act as an ace soundtrack to your life, or uni adventures whether you're a fresher or a returner!

Laters x

Spector - Moth Boys

Since releasing their debut album Enjoy It While It Lasts in 2012, Spector’s career trajectory seems to have steered closer to that tongue-in-cheek title than the band might have hoped. Despite being signed to a major label and attracting a heady amount of hype, the album failed to reach the Top 10 in the UK Album Charts and was met with a mixed critical reception. Guitarist Chris Burman left the band the following year, leaving the remaining four-piece to reorganise and rethink their approach to the continuation of Spector.

The result, Moth Boys, is a more nuanced, mature record than its predecessor, and one that brings the early-Killers-esque synths that skirted around the edges of Enjoy… to the forefront of the band’s sound (as signposted by former drummer Danny Blandy’s move to keyboards). Nonetheless, frontman Fred Macpherson offers lyrical nods to Spector’s past, from the ‘miserable girls’ of ‘Celestine’ reappearing in ‘All The Sad Young Men’ to a mention of ‘a Chevy in the parking lot’ in ‘Don't Make Me Try’.

At times, the more subdued tone of Moth Boys can leave you pining for a bit of the energy that defined the debut, but by and large the sonic shift has done Spector good. ‘Kyoto Garden’ is possibly the best song they’ve written so far, an exercise in restraint that sees warm synth pads slowly joined by more twinkly instrumentation as the track proceeds. There’s a moment nearly two minutes in where the track swells and suddenly a syncopated stab of synth seems to act as a countdown to an explosion of noise, but the new Spector manage to avoid such a cliché.

Depending on your point of view, some of the songs on offer here come across as very cheesy, though the band has always had an air of that about them. Case in point: ‘Believe’, which from its title to the synth-brass breakdown seems like a throwback to 90s electropop, but nonetheless packs a killer chorus and ends up being amongst the pick of the album cuts.

It’s not all great; the otherwise pretty good ‘Decade of Decay’ is marred by its refrain of ‘meet a pretty girl/Try to take her home’ which is delivered almost like a nursery rhyme, whilst ‘Cocktail Party/Heads Interlude’ manages to not really go anywhere for three minutes before changing direction and not going somewhere else for the remaining two.

But that is not to detract from a highly commendable effort from Spector to adjust to their new situation. The closer, ‘Lately It’s You’, starts off much in keeping with the album’s sound, but ends building back up towards a more ‘classic’ Spector sound, with organic drums (a rarity on this record) and the guitar and bass of Jed Cullen and Tom Shickle coming back into play. It’s actually quite a cathartic end to a somewhat bittersweet album lyrically and sonically; some might call it a regression, a casting aside of the development the band has undergone over the course of the last three years. I’d call it a band comfortable enough in their new skin to offer a little knowing nod to the fans. It’s the sound of a band who can finally enjoy it all (while it lasts).


By Thomas Rees (who gets major kudos as being our first guest writer!)

SPAIN // FIB Festival

This is a life post, I'm going to be doing some of these as well as the odd little pieces and more random posts - just so we don't get stale and mimic every music blog ever. Fear not, there will be music in this post for you to go and listen to little ones.

Lets go back a few weeks, back to July 16th, and I was in sunny Spain - getting hyped to see Crystal Fighters. This year I was lucky enough to go to FIB in Benicassim, on Spain's east coast - not only was the weather insane, great heat into stunning sunsets but I saw some artists I've wanted to see for a while.

(The stillness of 3am)

We woke up at like 3am, and set off so early the world was still and there were no other cars for miles. It was surprisingly calming, but I managed to get some sleep - the next day I would be at FIB.
Now I've been to a few festivals, this year I was lucky enough to go to Radio 1's big weekend (which was located on my  freakin' university campus!), and I've seen a few gigs and in August I'll be off to Reading for the third consecutive year.
First day of music was my fave by far, I saw Florence and The Machine for the second time this year and she was no less spectacular. Flo has this grace and endearing charm with which the crowd just connects with, as if she was the mother of music. However she wasn't the best act I saw that day - her warm-up act was Crystal Fighters, and boy were they intense. They put on one of the most charged and energetic sets I've ever seen, they were my soundtrack last summer and they absolutely rocked it this year. 'Plage' was a massive highlight, they bust out a load of giant beach balls and the crowd was having the biggest blast ever (link to the madness here).

(me stepping out into the wild, wild heat)

The days to come wouldn't quite top it for me, but I was lucky enough to see huge acts such as Blur, The Kaiser Chiefs and even got to shake Flava Flav from Public Enemy's hand - which was perhaps the most odd yet exhilarating thing. Hudson Taylor put on a monster set, they were overjoyed just to be performing and that they had so may fans - I was majorly jealous of my mum who met them and had a little chat after the set while I was at Public Enemy.
Someone who deserved a better stage time was Madeon, the final act on the main stage on the final day (we're talking 3am start times). Madeon is someone I've wanted to see for ages, you've almost definitely heard his song 'Finale' either on FIFA or in most shops you will have been in last year, and he killed it. The kid is the same age as me and is already touring globally. Madeon sported an insane light show and did some impressive live mixing - including a few classics I didn't expect to see, such as his Deadmau5 remix which sent the crowd wild. If you love EDM and haven't given Madeon a chance listen to that remix, it is absolutely banging and just plain fun!

(Here is a pic of my sis enjoy)

Aside from the incredible festival I had plenty of fun exploring Barcelona, getting to visit all the Gaudi building and doing general touristy stuff. However, find of the week was hipster-heaven shop We Are Moloko, hidden underground was a treasure-trove of threaded loot, in a minimalist white-washed room, with the occasional rusty bicycle strewn out on the floor. We Are Moloko curates from several international clothing suppliers, many of which are Danish - proving that Danish fashion totally rocks. Unfortunately I didn't buy anything (student problems) but go check out their website and bathe in the glory they offer, what sucks the most, though, is that you can't buy any of their stock online - so if you fall in love with their clothes, like me, you better start saving for tickets.

(This is the cool, yet unassuming, entrance to my fashion dreams)

If you've got this far, thank you - I know this is a big post in comparison to prior ones, and there won't be loads of these don't worry. The focus is music, mostly, so if you've skipped to the end you can now enjoy this piece my pal Joanna recommended me, it's by a dude called Lukas Graham - released earlier this year as a single it's called '7 Years' off his second album, and it is powerful. Enjoy. (click me for massive tune)

Laters x

(It is me oh boy)

RHODES

               RHODES burst onto the scene in 2014, with ‘Your Soul’ gaining popularity – over 500,000 views on MrSuicideSheep’s YT channel (one which is an absolute killer source for new music btw). Since he surfaced he’s released 4 EPs and a few singles, all of which point towards him being the next big thing.

               As far as I’m concerned the singer-songwriter hailing from Hertfordshire has already sold me on his upcoming debut album: Wishes, which drops September 4^th. Combining influences from folk and bathing them in majesty as they soar into their triumphant choruses, there is a softness in his work – his voice keeps it on the fringe of easy listening.

               RHODES’ latest single ‘Close Your Eyes’ is a must-listen, it’s the kind of intense sound the charts have been missing lately. The same goes for recent single ‘Somebody’ – its dramatic piano gives a cinematic air to the piece, while RHODES own velvety yet raw voice allows for one to easily place his music in a mental soundtrack for an imaginary film.

               If you do happen to go and check RHODES out, first of all go hit up his Live-Lounge’s on YT, they’re incredible (here’s his Florence cover – it’s massive). My recommendation is his song ‘Worry’ from his first EP Raise Your Love, it opens on Keaton Henson-esque guitar riffs, but soon transcends the mellow acoustic stage with one hell of a finishing peak; if Wishes sounds like this I’ll be buying it for sure.

               RHODES has his own sound, it’s not overly unique or imposing but it is his, and it is wonderful – go indulge yourself in his bliss here.

Laters x

Hudson Mohawke - Lantern

Let's talk Mohawke. Scottish producer Hudson Mohawke is known for his colourful flavours of hip-hop and, more notably, trap music. Signed to Kanye’s G.O.O.D label, and having produced some of Yeezy’s songs ('Blood on The Leaves' anyone?) Hud Mo has fashioned himself a distinctive style for blaring electronic music. While this is fundamentally what makes Hud Mo, Lantern works as an effort to flex his skills – showing he is more than bass.

While some tracks do resemble his previous works, with 'System' providing his staple of confused electronic whirls alongside thundering bass drums, many tracks on the record are surprising.

Perhaps the most notably unique track is 'Kettles', a trill orchestral piece with a cinematic charm. 'Kettles' sounds like its been ripped straight from a fantasy soundtrack, it delivers an expansive grandeur - the kind that upcoming film Pan might offer. 'Kettles' is great, it breaks up the endless drums and offers a little down time, easing the unrelenting bass thumps.

I was surprised to find out 'Forever 1' didn't make the album - his first single this year, 'Forver 1' was released as part of Hud Mo's annual Valentines' Slow Jam mix. It shows how chill the Mohawke can get, and that he can create high-quality productions at any pace. On an album that seems to be an exploration of his own sound it seems amiss to not have included it. It doesn't detract from the album, just feels odd.

Aside from 'Ryderz', which uses vocals in a chorus, Lantern has only 4 vocal tracks. While the albums production is solid and the instrumental pieces rock it, these 4 do stand out as being more iconic, more memorable. For an artist that is trying to show himself as a singular force, the reliance on vocalists may appear adverse to his intentions. Yet it doesn't, the vocals simply illuminate the masterful builds, bridges and breakdowns - his tracks aren't made by the voices on them, they have their own voice which are complemented by vocals.

On one of my personal favorites 'Deepspace', Miguel’s voice lends itself to work in tandem with spacey synths to create an unwinding power ballad. In what seems worlds away from the Hud Mo we know and love, tracks like 'Deepspac'e show us just how incredible the king is – not limiting himself to his previous style he has painted a spectrum of sound. This is definitely one of the tracks that gives the album momentum, and is one of the more enjoyable tunes - giving off M83 meets Machinedrum sounds.

  'Very First Breath' – one of the earlier singles, fits well within the album: despite the variety of tracks there is a persistent sound seemingly present in every song which ties them all together – recognizable in the almost mechanical yet ethereal background synths, and the staggered drum beats.

'Warriors' has a great spiralling build into its choruses, which are uplifting without bordering on pretentiousness – perhaps a reliance on simplistic lyrics here detracts from the insane level of production. Nonetheless 'Warriors' is a massive tune, one of the catchier ones on the album, surpassing 'Ryderz' in terms of party playlist worthiness.

'Scud Books' carries some traditional sounds forward, but gives them more of an identity than previous ones such as 'King Kong Beaver' – the same drum driven manner has been adopted but 'KKB' struggles to stand out from the masses akin to it, Scud Books shines. Its deep, looming, horns work well to add texture to the track, which has a colourful sound overall - and is possibly the best among previously released singles.

Winner of best track goes to 'Indian Steps', featuring Anthony, first thoughts of this one are that the prominent Woodkid  feels that it radiates. And while it sounds like it may belong to another artist, I feel that it indefinitely demonstrates Hudson Mohawke's breadth of talent - it stands out as a laid-back track which when considering 'Blood on the Leaves' you wouldn't believe it to be the same artist. Its Hud Mo's ability to effortlessly create any style of music he pleases that sets him up to go places - could this be the next Beck in terms of diversity? Perhaps not, but Hudson Mohawke's sound is a diverse one, with its own identity, and his exploration of that in Lantern only teases us with what future records may hold.

Laters x

LANY - i loved you. (EP)

LANY burst onto the scene in 2014 with their two-track Hot Lights EP, the title track of which was refreshing and unforgettable - they had their own unique sound. All of LANY's music brims with the feeling of the cool breeze on a summer's evening, they are brilliant for chilling out on those slow summer nights. This thick clarity, as it can only be described, continues into their latest EP: i loved you. .

The new EP has 2 previously releases singles, '4EVER!' and 'Someone Else', a remix of 'Bad, Bad, Bad' and then a 2 previously unreleased singles. '4EVER!' has some rather annoying drums and beeps behind its verses, but if you struggle through those you get some charming, though intermittent, guitar riffs. 'Someone Else' is the most ambient track on the EP, what I would describe as a "late night glow" track, the kind where time slows down and you just drift through moments, it's a great song for winding down. The remix however lacks any substance, it feels generic and while most remixes work upon or restyle an original to give it a new voice, this one only takes away from its source song, and feels misplaced on an EP fit for relaxed cruising.

The two new songs are also worthy of the listen, 'youarefire' feels hazy, like a thick fog, but its pleasurable - despite its simplistic lyrics, which tend to try a bit to hard to appeal to teen listeners, bordering on trashy at times. 'I Don't Care' follows the teen rebellion vibes, but its calm vocals and soft synths again work in its favour, making it a great song for night drives - it has a soft warmth to it.

The EP is strong, with '4EVER!' providing a slight relief from the crawling pace of its fellows, the latter providing solid chill tunes. It must be said that it does pale in comparison to their older EP's and singles, with Acronyms and Hot Lights both being notably better pieces of work, and '4EVER!' fails to beat its predecessor 'Made In Hollywood' as their upbeat champion (upbeat being used lightly with LANY).

To cut it short, if you don't currently listen to LANY - go and check them out, seriously, their stuff is refreshing and great for easy listening, if you liked The 1975's Music for Cars EP you're going to enjoy LANY. While i loved you. isn't as great as their previous work, its still a brilliant listen, here's to hoping they continue to pump out brilliant music - just perhaps laying of the teen fantasy lyrics yeah?

Laters x