Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 174
January 13, 2025
Rosa Bordallo shares "Leavetaking," the final single from her forthcoming album 'Isidro'
STREAM: "Leavetaking" -
Streaming Services / YouTube
Rosa Bordallo (f/k/a Manett) is a singer-songwriter and a Chamorro from the island of Guam. She has been living in New York City since the age of 19, and has written,
recorded, and released several albums and EPs as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock band, cholo. Her second full-length solo album, Isidro, will be released January 31, 2025.
"I picked up guitar in high school, and I started writing songs right away. Being a
performer both terrified and beckoned me."
She supported her musical projects with money made working an office job and
moonlighting as a restaurant host, before switching full-time to the service industry.
Between rehearsals, recording sessions, shows, and the day job, she also juggled
being a single parent.
"Music has always been my outlet, my pressure valve. I was a really shy and awkward
kid, but I loved listening to the albums that my older siblings brought back from the
[United] States. Artists like Björk, PJ Harvey, David Bowie and Pixies. I wanted to have
an impact the way those musicians impacted me, on the other side of the world."
It's the other side of the world that concerns her more and more these days. Her
homeland in the Pacific is not just threatened by climate change. The Mariana Islands is one of the most militarized places on the planet - America's so-called tip of the spear-and the people of Guam are facing yet another buildup of the American military bases that occupy over a third of the island.
"I wrote these songs in 2021 and 2022, in the shadow of the pandemic and New York
City's recovery. I was grieving personal tragedies as well as the collective loss. It was
the realization that my ancestors survived their own catastrophic near-demise that gave me perspective. I'm a survivor. We all are."
Bordallo composed all the music and lyrics for the album, but when it came time to
recording it, she enlisted the help of Ben Etter, a recording engineer and producer
based out of MAZE Studios in Atlanta. His work with Deerhunter and Hazel English,
among others, had impressed Bordallo.
"I found Ben from the album credits of one of my favorite albums. I reached out and sent him some examples of my work, and when he agreed to work on the album, I was overjoyed. He gave me the encouragement I needed."
At Etter's suggestion, Bordallo finished writing and recording all her demos in advance of their recording session. Etter and Bordallo tracked the album in eight days at MAZE Studios. Atlanta musicians Sean Zearfoss filled in on drums and Keegan Krogh provided production assistance.
The result is a heady blend of indie pop and lush, psychedelic electro-rock. At turns
grand and intimate, the dulcet tones of Bordallo’s voice thread through a rich and
polyphonic tapestry of shimmering synths, lively rhythms, and searing guitar solos.
The last song on the 10-track album is also its first single, and its ironic tongue-in-cheek title belies the blistering emotionality of its orchestral rock wall-of-sound. Just like the rest of the album, “I Feel Numb” leaves the listener feeling anything but.
Bordallo explains the background of "Leavetaking":
“This song is a callback to the first song on the album, ‘Home’ - but then it veers off into its own universe. It’s a wistful song, but also joyful. And in a weird way about getting older. I don’t think anyone likes being in the rat race and yet we often find ourselves there anyway. Time spent with loved ones. That’s what I’d like to strive for. Everything else is secondary.”
Rosa Bordallo
Isidro
(Self-Released)
Street Date: Jan. 31, 2025
Pre-order HERE
Track List:
1. Intro
2. Home
3. Forest Honey
4. Rogue Wave
5. Crasseux
6. Leavetaking
7. Cycads of Micronesia
8. Silk Moth's Revenge
9. Buried Treasure
10. I Feel Numb
Charm School shares new single "Without A Doubt" from new LP 'Debt Forever'
Charm School shares new single "Without A Doubt" from new LP Debt Forever
STREAM: "Without A Doubt" -
YouTube / Spotify / Bandcamp
Charm School is the latest project from Andrew Sellers (fka Andrew Rinehart) and longtime collaborators Matt Filip, Drew English, Brian Vega, and Jason Bemis Lawrence. The name change signals a move away from Sellers' previous songwriting efforts (as evidenced by his recent duet with Bonnie Prince Billy) toward a much darker and more aggressive sound. Think 70s Post-Punk & No Wave mixed with 90s Post-Rock and you’ll be close.
Originally from Louisville, KY, Sellers has paid his dues in both the NYC and LA DIY music scenes, and his various bands have played with seminal acts like Joan of Arc, Grizzly Bear & At The Drive-In.
Charm School's forthcoming LP (titled Debt Forever) is due out on January 24th, 2025. You can pre-order the extremely limited vinyl version HERE
Press photo by Destiny Robb
Sellers offers this background on the new single, "Without A Doubt"-
"This song is a bit of a throwback to the kind of music I was doing before Charm School started a year and a half ago. It's by far the most pensive, melancholic song on the record, and it seems fitting that it's coming out right now, amidst all the turbulence in the world. The main theme of this new record is financial uncertainty (or just uncertainty in general), so the main thing I remember about this song is the refrain "Please don't let me run out of money" coming out randomly during practice one day. I didn't think anything of it cuz I was just filling space, but over time I started to realize that I really truly did have that fear, and it came from a very deep and maybe even unconscious place. It's funny because I had a good job when I was writing the song, in fact it was the best and most well-paying job I've ever had. Of course I always knew that could change though, and it did - I got laid off a year or so ago. I definitely feel that line when I sing it now. I'm very curious to see how the next year goes in this country. I have a feeling a lot of people are gonna start waking up to how little capitalism really cares about any of us."
“Charm School has tapped into a well of influence that includes both The Fall and Pere Ubu and more modern No Wave-esque post-punkers Lithics and Protomartyr." - Queen City Sounds & Art
“Emanating from a place where the B-52s, PIL, The Fall, and Gang of Four might find a shared sonic playground.” - Post-Punk.com
TOUR DATES:
1.24.25 Zanzabar (Louisville, KY)
2.1.25 Purgatory (Brooklyn, NY)
2.2.25 The Upside (Lancaster, PA)
2.8.25 Cafe Bourbon Street (Columbus, OH)
2.21.25 TBA (Dayton, OH)
Charm School
Debt Forever
(Surprise Mind)
Out January 24, 2025
Pre-order it HERE
Track List:
1. Debt Forever
2. Je t'aime (A Quoi Bon)
3. Boycott Everything Everywhere
4. Crime Time
5. Cherry Red
6. Breaking The Waves
7. I Wanna Feel It
8. Without A Doubt
9. Youthquaker
10. Figure 8
11. Happiness is a Warm Sun
RELATED LINKS:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/charmschool.band
FB: https://www.facebook.com/CharmSchool777
Twitter: https://x.com/CharmSchoolUSA
Bandcamp: https://charmschool777.bandcamp.com
Current Joys, Brad Stank, Camille Jansen + More Announce 'A Tribute To Nirvana, The Songs of MTV Unplugged in New York' Out Feb 7th Via All DSPS & CD
Announce 'A Tribute To Nirvana, The Songs of
MTV Unplugged in New York'
Brad Stank Shares "All Apologies" Cover via Paltrocast
New LP Out Feb 7th Via All DSPS & CD
PRESAVE & CD PREORDER: A Tribute to Nirvana, The Songs of MTV Unplugged in New YorkPreSave
LISTEN & SHARE: Brad Stanks - “All Apologies”
Stream
In 1993, Nirvana broke the mold with MTV Unplugged in New York, a concert that surprised everyone and unveiled a different side of Kurt Cobain and his band.
Stripped of amps and artifice, the group delivered raw, vulnerable rock—a true sonic confession that still resonates today. Thirty years later, this album remains a cornerstone of rock and a source of inspiration for countless musicians.
To honor the 30th anniversary of MTV Unplugged from Nirvana , seven artists from the UK, US, and France (Current Joys, Camille Jansen, Brad Stank, Levitation Room, Casino Hearts, Chris Staples, and Far Caspian) have come together to reinterpret some of the album’s most legendary tracks. Each artist brings their unique style and story to these songs while staying true to their original soul, reminding us how Nirvana captured the essence of a generation searching for meaning and authenticity.
This tribute captures the raw emotion and energy of Unplugged, infused with a fresh, contemporary sensitivity brought to life by today’s voices and sounds. It’s an homage that doesn’t aim to imitate but rather explores these tracks through a new lens, with honesty and creativity. This record is for longtime fans and those discovering Nirvana for the first time—a bridge between eras, connecting the timelessness of rock’s past with its present.
TRACKLISTING:
1. Camille Jansen - "On A Plane"
2. Brad Stank - "All Apologies"
3. Levitation Room - "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam" (Version 1)
4. Casino hearts - "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam" (Version 2)
5. Chris Staples - "About A Girl"
6. Current Joys - "Dumb"
7. Far Caspian - "Pennyroyal Tea"
SPILL TAB DROPS NEW SINGLE "DE GUERRE"
SPILL TAB RELEASES NEW SINGLE “DE GUERRE”
ON BECAUSE MUSIC
STREAM “DE GUERRE” HERE
WATCH THE VISUALIZER HERE
Spill tab photo credit Jade Sadler
LA-based French-Korean singer, songwriter, and producer spill tab has just shared another glimpse into her forthcoming debut full length with the release of “De Guerre” (stream it now). The new song follows the release of “PINK LEMONADE” late last year, which arrived alongside the announcement of her signing to Because Music. Co-produced by spill tab and apob alongside Mikey Freedom Hart (Taylor Swift, Empress Of), the track exudes hyperpop eclecticism, threading nonchalant French spoken lyrics over a buzzing synth-bassline and pounding drums, building an intricate soundworld of speeding melodic motifs. “‘De Guerre’ is my personal soundtrack to a chaotic night out on the town,” states spill tab, “dancing, sweating, going absolutely feral, indulging in my vices, ignoring every consequence, and just being in my body.” That sense of freneticism is embodied by the accompanying visualizer - watch it now.
In light of the ongoing devastation in her hometown of Los Angeles, spill tab is suggesting that fans with the resources to do so consider a donation to the LA Fire Department Foundation, who are currently diverting resources to providing critical support to first responders in the area: https://supportlafd.kindful.com/?campaign=1040812
“PINK LEMONADE” and “De Guerre” mark spill tab’s (real name Claire Chicha) first releases since last year’s widely heralded KLEPTO EP, which came on the heels of her stint supporting Sabrina Carpenter on the Emails I Can’t Send tour and a standout performance at Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcase, both of which saw her lauded for captivating crowds with her electrifying, high-energy sets. Since her 2019 debut with “Decompose” she’s released three EPs: *Oatmilk* (2020), *Bonnie* (2021), and *Klepto* (2023), collaborating with a broad swatch of artists including Metronomy, Matilda Mann, Gus Dapperton and Tommy Genesis. Her dynamic live performances have earned her spots touring with Sabrina Carpenter and Wallows across North America and Australia.
STREAM “DE GUERRE”
https://spilltab.lnk.to/deguerre
WATCH THE “DE GUERRE” VISUALIZER
https://spilltab.lnk.to/deguerre/youtube
STREAM “PINK LEMONADE”
https://spilltab.lnk.to/PINKLEMONADE
WATCH THE “PINK LEMONADE” MUSIC VIDEO
https://spilltab.lnk.to/PINKLEMONADE/youtube
“De Guerre” single artwork, credit Alex Rizk
About spill tab:
Claire Chicha, also known as spill tab, is a French-Korean songwriter and producer based in LA. Raised by a French Algerian composer father and a Korean pianist mother, Chicha spent her early years immersed in music at her parents' post-production studio, absorbing jazz, classical, and other diverse influences. Following a childhood spent between LA, Thailand, and Paris, where she picked up guitar and soaked in a variety of musical traditions, Chicha developed a distinctive sound blending raw-edged guitar confessionals with anthemic pop hooks. Since her 2019 debut with "Decompose," she’s released three EPs: *Oatmilk* (2020), *Bonnie* (2021), and *Klepto* (2023), collaborating with artists like Gus Dapperton and Tommy Genesis. Her dynamic live performances have earned her spots touring with Sabrina Carpenter and Wallows across North America and Australia.
FOLLOW spill tab
January 10, 2025
YOASOBI’S ikura shares solo track as Lilas, "In Bloom (Hyakka Ryōran)" out now
OUT NOW, THEME FOR ANIME
THE APOTHECARY DIARIES
Cover Art
January 10, 2025—ikura, one half of J-pop superstar duo YOASOBI, releases a new solo song, “In Bloom (Hyakka Ryōran),” as Lilas. Listen/share the song HERE.The popular anime The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 also premieres today, with Lilas’ new track acting as its theme—her landmark solo song for a television show.This follows their successful trip to the U.S. last summer, with a landmark performance at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, followed by Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway. They also played Chicago’s beloved Lollapalooza music festival. These performances followed their Coachella debut and sold-out in Los Angeles and San Francisco earlier in the year.YOASOBI are currently amid their largest Asia arena tour to date this winter—also the largest arena tour by a Japanese artist ever. Comprised of composer Ayase and vocalist ikura, YOASOBI are record-breaking international superstars in the making. Their first song, “Into The Night (Yoru ni Kakeru),” was released in November 2019, immediately attracting attention by achieving #1 on numerous streaming charts in Japan and appearing on viral charts in several countries. It was #1 on the 2020 Billboard JAPAN Combined Song Chart and Streaming Song Chart, and in January 2023 the total plays surpassed 900 million streams marking a first in Japan. YOASOBI gained international attention and reached #1 on the Spotify charts for the Japanese Artist Most Played Internationally in 2021. Their song “Monster (Kaibutsu)” was named one of the 10 Best Songs of 2021 by TIME.YOASOBI’s TikTok LIVE performance achieved the highest ever viewership for a Japanese artist on the platform when it was streamed by more than 630k fans with simultaneous viewers surpassing 120k. Their first arena tour “YOASOBI ARENA TOUR 2023 ‘Denkosekka’” consisted of fourteen shows in seven cities with a total of 130k attendees as the duo continues to attract attention in all directions of their career.Their global smash hit song “Idol” was named the #1 Song of the Year in 2023 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart . It smashed a multitude of records, amassing 22 consecutive weeks in the #1 spot. The song also broke the record for the fastest single to reach 100 million streams on the Billboard Japan chart and surged to #1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart .
IDER Share New Single "Attachment Theory" | New Album 'Late To The World' Out Feb. 21st + North American Tour
IDER
SHARE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO
“ATTACHMENT THEORY”
NEW ALBUM
LATE TO THE WORLD
OUT FEBRUARY 21ST
LISTEN HERE | WATCH MUSIC VIDEO
Photo Credit: Sami Weller
January 10th, 2025 - Following recent single “Know How It Hurts” and after recently announcing their third album Late To The World set for a February 21st release, leftfield alt-pop duo IDER have shared their poignant and anthemic new single “Attachment Theory,” out today via Nettwerk.
“Attachment Theory” follows recent singles “Know How It Hurts,” “Unlearn,” “Girl,” and “You Don’t Know How To Drive,” and is a soaring and reflective synth-pop anthem that is lyrically confessional, discussing the themes of love language and attachment styles. Alongside the track, the band have shared an understated, yet relatable video filmed in London on 16mm film by Basha De Bruijn.
Speaking about the track, they say, “We wrote ‘Attachment Theory’ after a friend asked us to write a song about attachment styles. It seems as though everyone is obsessed with the idea and with self-diagnosing, so we decided to write a confessional song about ours. On a deeper and more emotional level it's about the fear of being defined by the way you love and desperately wanting to change it.”
Discussing the video, they say, “We made the video for ‘Attachment Theory’ with director and friend Basha De Bruijn. The concept was simple - us crying and "getting through life" in everyday situations filmed around London and at Meg's flat, to capture the raw and real message of the song. The video was shot on 16mm film which made the final visual and the filming experience as true to life as possible.”
Produced by Dann Hume (Laura Mvula, Troye Sivan, Tkay Maidza) and recorded on residency in his church-cum-studio between summer and autumn 2023, Late To The World pushes IDER’s tender sound in a tougher direction. It is both bigger in scale and deliberately restrained, honing its contrasting textures of lush electronics and blistering indie rock. The result, they say, is the album they’ve “always wanted to make”.
Drawing on a mix of dejected British new wave, euphoric electro-pop and swooning alt rock in the vein of Mazzy Star, the resulting sound is as cinematic as their storytelling – with an added dash of grit and the introduction of live drums (while they’ve always used a live drummer on tour, this is the first time they’ve been laid to record) that reflect the album’s real world footing.
As liberated in subject matter as it is in sound, Late To The World represents IDER’s long and continuous journey of self-discovery both as individuals and as a band. It’s an album borne from weathering the confusion of your twenties and stepping into the clarity of your thirties; its 12 tracks acting as rallying cries for rejecting societal pressures and turning up to life at your own pace.
IDER recently announced a world tour for Spring 2025, including headline dates in North America. Tour dates below.
LISTEN TO “ATTACHMENT THEORY”:
https://idermusic.ffm.to/attachmenttheory
WATCH “ATTACHMENT THEORY” MUSIC VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC7ivC5G7Pk
North American Tour Dates:
April 10th, 2025 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
April 11th, 2025 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
April 12th, 2025 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
April 15th, 2025 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
April 16th, 2025 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
April 18th, 2025 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
April 19th, 2025 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake
April 22nd, 2025 – Washington, DC @ DC 9
April 23rd, 2025 – Boston, MA @ The Rockwell
April 24th, 2025 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Sultan Room
LATE TO THE WORLD LP Tracklist:
1. Late To The World
2. Attachment Theory
3. Unlearn
4. Girl
5. Know How It Hurts
6. Hard Enough To Let You Go
7. Zero
8. You Don’t Know How To Drive
9. Quiet Violence
10. Good Fight
11. Killing The Game
12. Encore
IDER Socials:
Julia Michaels Releases "Scissors" Ft Maren Morris
JULIA MICHAELS CUTS TO IT WITH LATEST SINGLE “SCISSORS” FEATURING MAREN MORRISOFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO OUT TODAY
WATCH |
LISTEN
“SCISSORS”
Multi-diamond and platinum-certified powerhouse Julia Michaels cuts to the chase and into the new year with a brand new single “Scissors” featuring the internationally acclaimed and adored artist Maren Morris.
Inspired by “shitty ex-boyfriends and stupid boys,” Michaels and Morris bring the sass with their latest collaboration following their 2024 release “cut!” The official music video for “Scissors” premiered today, making its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, MTVU, MTV Biggest Pop and on the Paramount Times Square billboards in New York City. Directed by Blythe Thomas, the playful video serves as a tantalizing follow-up to Julia’s critically lauded “ Heaven II ,” officially marking the beginning of a new era as an independent artist.
Watch the official music video for “Scissors” HERE.
No one has had more of an impact on reshaping the pop landscape than GRAMMY® nominated Julia Michaels, whose razor-sharp perspective on love, loss, and the wide spectrum of the human experience has deservedly catapulted her to the forefront of her industry. Lauded for her work on hit singles by artists like Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Niall Horan, Janelle Monáe, Shawn Mendes, P!NK, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Hailee Steinfeld, The Chicks, Keith Urban, Jessie Ware, and more, Julia has spent the last decade honing her craft and delivering fans some of the most evocative music of a generation.
Now with 13+ billion combined primary artist streams, 60+ billion credited streams, 18 RIAA Diamond and 194 Platinum Accreditations, 40 billion combined video views, five GRAMMY® nominations, plus countless songwriting credits, including songs on both Sabrina Carpenter and Dua Lipa’s latest studio albums, Julia Michaels is truly owning her mastery, experience and genuine talent with her own body of work, uncensored and unapologetically so.
Listen to “Scissors” HERE .
More exciting news to come.
About Julia MichaelsIn 2017, Julia Michaels released her 5x-platinum selling debut single “Issues.” A year later, her peers recognized her stunning work with Grammy® Award nominations for “Best New Artist” and “Song of the Year.” She released a series of critically acclaimed EPs, including 2017’s fan-favorite Nervous System and 2019’s critically acclaimed Inner Monologue Part 1 and Inner Monologue Part 2. She also embarked on The Inner Monologue Tour, which marked her first-ever U.S. headline tour following an enviable run touring with Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Shawn Mendes, Niall Horan, and P!NK. 2021 saw Julia release her highly anticipated full-length debut album, Not In Chronological Order, while her music continued to connect with songs like “What A Time” and “Heaven” going on to achieve Platinum status. To date, she has also notched 25 Billboard Hot 100 entries as a songwriter, including two number 1’s for Justin Bieber's "Sorry" and Selena Gomez's "Lose You to Love Me,” in addition to four top 10 hits. She received her third Grammy® Award nomination in the category of “Song Of The Year” for the hit song “If The World Was Ending” and her fourth Grammy® Award nomination for her work on H.E.R.’s album Back of My Mind. With the release of “Sorry To Me Too” at the end of 2022, Julia gave fans a taste of what they can expect from her next chapter as a solo artist. She recently contributed original songs for the Disney film, “Wish,” starring Oscar winner Ariana DeBose. She continues collaborations to extend her incredible songwriting legacy.
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Σtella To Release Adagio Available Worldwide on April 4th
On April 4th, Greek Artist Σtella (pronounced Stella) will release her mesmerizing new record Adagio on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. Adagio is a pop record that feels like a warm blanket; it swaddles its listeners with nylon-string guitars, featherlight percussion, psychedelic keyboards, and staccato drums. Written and recorded over the span of five years with a consortium of international collaborators, including !!!’s Rafael Cohen and British songwriter Gabriel Stebbing, Adagio is a 27-minute meditation on love and desire, rest, and time. The album was produced by Σtella and mixed by Edmund Irwin-Singer. Though the bulk of it is sung in English, as all her records have been, Σtella also delivers her first two songs in Greek, “Omorfo Mou,” and a cover of a 1969 cult classic of the Greek New Wave, Litsa Sakellariou’s “Ta Vimata.”
Today, you can watch the captivating new video for the album’s title track, “Adagio,” which was Directed by Debora Maité. Click here to watch.
Adagio follows the release of her 2022 Sub Pop debut, Up and Away, which has catapulted her beyond three million monthly Spotify listeners and has secured key licensing placements in the MAX show Industry and an online H&M Clothing commercial.
Adagio is now available to preorder from Sub Pop. LP preorders from the Sub Pop Mega Mart (North America), Mega Mart 2 (UK/EU), and independent retailers worldwide will receive the album on Clear Pink vinyl in North America and white vinyl in the EU.
More about Σtella’s Adagio
Almost as soon as Stella Chronopoulou began writing Adagio, her fifth album as Σtella, she knew the time had finally come to sing in Greek, her native tongue. It would be a first. She started the record almost by accident in 2019, during an 11-hour boat ride to the island of Anafi. Σtella had recently gone through a patch of personal turmoil and needed a break from home. On the ferry, she pulled out her cell phone as the boat clipped through the Mediterranean and began with a simple melody, steadily piecing together a rough instrumental. As psychedelic keyboards twinkled and swayed above staccato drums, the track suggested some deep exhalation, as if Σtella were letting go of long-unnecessary baggage. For a spell, she set the instrumental aside. She understood the words would eventually need to be in Greek, given how and where she’d written it, the mood of the moment. But she wasn’t ready yet, or in a rush.
Σtella, after all, grew up in a slow place. Truth be told, she wasn’t very far away from the hubbub of Athens, Greece, living just above the historic city in a relatively rural suburb. When her father bought land there several decades ago, his friends joked wolves may eat him. For Σtella, though, it was an idyll: The sounds of passing goats woke her most mornings. She and her friends played unfettered in empty streets, not worried about cars or permission. At night, doors remained unlocked. The living felt easy.
But during the last decade, life has steadily become busier for Σtella, who now lives near downtown Athens. She has become one of modern Greece’s most popular musical exports, with five sophisticated and playful pop albums rendered with international élan. After releasing her Sub Pop debut, Up and Away, in 2022, she soon catapulted beyond three million monthly Spotify listeners. That success was a blessing, of course, but Σtella still sometimes found herself pining for the slower pace of her youth.
That longing is the thread that loosely binds together her fifth album, the entrancing Adagio. Borrowing its name, of course, from the term for music that’s meant to be played slowly, Adagio is a pop record that feels like a very warm blanket, its nylon-string guitars and featherlight percussion swaddling its listeners for three minutes at a time. Written and recorded over the span of five years, with a consortium of international collaborators including !!!’s Rafael Cohen and British songwriter Gabriel Stebbing, Adagio is a 27-minute meditation on love and desire, rest and time. Though the bulk of it is indeed sung in English, as all her records have been, Σtella also delivers her first two songs in Greek here—“Omorfo Mou,” the one that began on the boat, and a cover of a 1969 cult classic of the Greek New Wave, Litsa Sakelariou’s “Ta Vimata.” It is a sign of the self-assurance that radiates throughout these tender and smitten little tunes.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Σtella opted to try some new approaches to writing. Upon the suggestion of a mutual friend, she began exchanging emails with !!!’s Cohen (working now under the name Las Palabras), each sharing links to records and sounds they loved. There was an instant chemistry, and they penned five songs through Zoom and email. (They’ve yet to meet.) Three of them provide the framework for Adagio. There’s “Baby Brazil,” a suave tune about falling for someone, about letting go of the need to control everything. Together, Cohen and Σtella found a spellbinding intersection of Tropicalia, disco, and yé-yé. Pushing and pulling between verses of nylon-stringed guitars and choruses where soft strings and electronics rise like bioluminescent tides, “80 Days” suggests giving into desire and into this song’s sweet sweep.
But the pair’s hallmark here is the opening title cut, “Adagio,” where Σtella sings to the concept of slowness like some long-lost lover. “I want you to know I hear you, Adagio” she offers over gentle samba percussion and jangling chords. “Why you’re tormenting me?” Her guitar solo then cuts through it with a Wes Montgomery verve, curling like a finger that beckons an object of desire. Maybe it seems strange to write a love song to the idea of slowing down, but who hasn’t felt that way in our era of instant everything—the desire to step back and let the world just come to you? When Σtella sings here, it’s hard not to long for that same state of grace. You can hear it again in the mesmerizing instrumental “Corfu” and the sashaying love song “Can I Say,” written in memoriam for Σtella’s stolen bike.
A few years after that boat ride across the Mediterranean, Σtella finally revisited the instrumental she had written on board. She’d always resisted writing and singing in Greek because its words often felt too heavy and intense, the tone not suited to her lilting songs. Still, she knew this one had to be Greek. She thought about the beautiful phrase “Omorfo Mou,” a common pledge of Greek adoration that loosely translates into “my beautiful one.” It soon became a song of want and longing, the antithesis of the way she felt back on the boat, when she was getting away from rather than going toward anything. What’s more, its swaggering rhythm only emerges after Σtella’s winning cover of “Ta Vimata.” The bass and percussion bounce beneath her curling voice, faithful and new, linking her to a lineage of sophisticated Greek pop and the country’s famed New Wave. Two circles close with these two songs, a kind of dual homecoming.
Start to finish, Σtella sounds more at ease and comfortable than she’s ever been on Adagio. No, these fetching songs will not slow her career or grant her that title track’s wish. Still, for half an hour, Adagio does add an extra measure of warmth to the world, with time loosening its grip even if it doesn’t slow down.
Σtella
Adagio
Track Listing:
1. Adagio
2. Ta Vimata
3. Omorfo Mou
4. Baby Brazil feat. Las Palabras
5. Can I Say
6. 80 Days
7. Too Poor
8. Corfu
9. Caravan
MOONCHILD SANELLY Releases Acclaimed Album 'New Moon' + Shares Video for "Falling"
MOONCHILD SANELLY - FULL MOON
NEW ALBUM OUT NOW VIA TRANSGRESSIVE
WATCH VIDEO FOR FOCUS TRACK “FALLING” HERE
“South African superstar-in-waiting Moonchild Sanelly…melds pop, kwaito and hip-hop on her exuberant third album, Full Moon, which features tunes about the perils of tequila and flexes” - THE GUARDIAN
“brings her sex-positive vibes to a personal accounting of forgiveness and acceptance with a new electro-pop album." - WALL STREET JOURNAL
"she writes an earworm!" - NPR MUSIC (NEW MUSIC FRIDAY)
“Falling” Video Still
EARLY PRAISE FOR FULL MOON
"Over electronic production that switches from sugary on the hook to metallic on the verses, Sanelly raps and sings of her constant drive to be autonomous and seek pleasure at every turn."
OKAYAFRICA
“[Full Moon] is music that demands attention, rewards repeated listens, and proves that the future of pop isn’t just bright – it’s blindingly brilliant.”
DORK
★★★★★
“Full Moon is an utter joy… the perfect balance of bold, brash and unabashed.”
THE SKINNY
“‘To Kill a Single Girl (Tequila)’ is likely to stick in your head from the vocalist’s first insistent, vocoded recitation of the line “No tequila”... with the minimal beat leaving plenty of space for those words to resonate.”
FLOOD MAGAZINE
“South African superstar-in-waiting Moonchild Sanelly melds, pop, kwaito and hip hop on her exuberant third album, Full Moon”
THE OBSERVER
“...the funk-pop diva we need right now.”
THE TIMES
"Known for her fearless fusion of funk, electronic, and afro-punk....
Moonchild continues to push boundaries."
QUEERTY
Moonchild Sanelly is kicking off the year with the release of her highly anticipated third studio album, Full Moon, out now via Transgressive. The album from the musical shapeshifter, exhibits Moonchild’s lyrical prowess and liberating energy – LISTEN HERE. Along with the album release, she shares her latest video for the beautifully melodic track “Falling.” Filmed in Johannesburg, it is co-directed by Jesse Roth and Lauren Roth de Wolf and features an appearance by Moonchild’s eldest daughter Artemis. Watch HERE.
Full Moon was recorded in Malawi, the UK and Sweden, and produced by Johan Hugo (Self Esteem, MIA, Kano). It is a collection of 12 tracks showcasing Sanelly’s unique sonic fingerprint, joyous attitude, distinctive vocals and genre-bending hit-making prowess. Full Moon’s club-ready beats oscillate between electronic, afro-punk, edgy-pop, kwaito, and hip-hop sensibilities, including tracks “Do My Dance,” “Scrambled Eggs,” “To Kill a Single Girl (Tequila)” and “Big Booty.”
Moonchild said - “I can’t believe it’s 2025 and I can finally share with you my most personal, raw and honest record ever, which is OUT TODAY!!”, adding “I called this album FULL MOON because it’s ALL of me.”
She went on to say - “My last album Phases showed you the different sides of me one at a time and FULL MOON is all of me, lit up in my entirety. FULL MOON is the arrival of my whole self, the sum of everything I’ve gone through & every emotion I had to feel… Childhood trauma, fights, letdowns, abandonment, sadness, survival, getting back up, letting go, forgiving, accepting and rebuilding everything for me and for my kids. So here I am, a FULL Moon - and I’m so excited to share my whole self in this record, but also on my UK tour in March. See you on the road Boobeams!“
WATCH & SHARE THE OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR “FALLING”
Moonchild kicked off her return in May with the release of first single and “audacious anthem” [CLASH] Scrambled Eggs, with two further singles Sweet & Savage - which premiered with an exclusive show for COLORSxSTUDIOS - and the “infectiously tongue-in-cheek hit’ [DIY] Big Booty lighting up the crowds at festivals across Europe, including ten shows at Glastonbury alone. Album track Gwara Gwara has been included on the EA Sports FC25 Soundtrack, listen HERE. Recent single Do My Dance saw the trailblazing South African ghetto-funk superstar further revealing the breadth, scope and ambition of Full Moon. High octane and anthemic, the song bounces across styles and tempos, with rapid-fire verses underpinned by a Happy hardcore beat, bursting into a bright, bold singalong chorus. Watch Moonchild perform Do My Dance on Later… with Jools Holland last month - WATCH HERE.
This summer also saw the release of “Big Man,” a collaboration with the acclaimed artist Self Esteem which was hailed a Song of the Summer 2024 by The Guardian, a track which saw the “alt-pop future superstars” team up for “a big, buoyant, ball-buster…”; as well as "Mad (ft. Moonchild Sanelly)” which saw her join creative forces with Steve Aoki, and most recently “Streets Is Calling” with Ezra Collective and M.anifest.
Full Moon is available via CD, Digital Download, and Limited Edition Glow-in-the-dark Vinyl LP. Order / save Full Moon HERE and read the album’s full bio HERE for more on this incredible project.
Full Moon Tracklisting
1. Scrambled Eggs
2. Big Booty
3. In My Kitchen
4. To Kill a Single Girl (Tequila)
5. Do My Dance
6. Falling
7. Gwara Gwara
8. Boom
9. Sweet & Savage
10. I Love People
11. Mntanami
12. I Was the Biggest Curse
TOUR DATES
03/12/25 - VooDoo Club - WARSAW, PO
03/14/25 - Musicbox - LISBON, PT
03/15/25 - Astin - BARCELONA, ES
3/17/25 - Clwb Ifor Bach - CARDIFF, UK
03/18/25 - YES (The Pink Room) - MANCHESTER, UK
03/20/25 - The Grand Social - DUBLIN, IRELAND
03/21/25 - The Wardrobe - LEEDS, UK
03/22/25 - King Tut’s - GLASGOW, UK
03/24/25 - Hare & Hounds - BIRMINGHAM, UK
03/25/25 - Strange Brew - BRISTOL, UK SOLD OUT
03/26/25 - Village Underground - LONDON, UK
06/01/25 - Mighty Hoopla (Queertopia Stage) - LONDON, UK
07/26/25 - Deer Shed - TOPCLIFFE, UK
07/27/25 - Truck Festival - OXFORDSHIRE, UK
08/02/25 - Kendal Calling - CUMBRIA, UK
08/28/25 - 08/31/25 - End of the Road Festival - SALISBURY, UK
FOLLOW MOONCHILD SANELLY
January 9, 2025
Artist/Producer Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) Announces Ambitious New Solo Album
STEVEN WILSON PRESENTS THE OVERVIEW
6X GRAMMY® AWARD-NOMINATED ARTIST/PRODUCER
ANNOUNCES WILDLY AMBITIOUS NEW SOLO WORK
THIRTY-SECOND ALBUM TEASER STREAMING NOW - WATCH
FIRST SOLO TOUR IN MORE THAN FIVE YEARS
BEGINS MAY 1 IN STOCKHOLM
NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICAN HEADLINE DATES
TO BE UNVEILED SOON
THE OVERVIEW ARRIVES IN WIDE ARRAY OF FORMATS
VIA FICTION RECORDS ON FRIDAY, MARCH 14
PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW
Photo Credit: Kevin Westenberg
6x GRAMMY® Award-nominated musician/songwriter/producer Steven Wilson has announced the release of what may well be the most audacious work of his already visionary career. The Overview arrives via Fiction Records in a wide range of formats – including digital, CD, LP, Blu-ray, D2C exclusive boxset, D2C exclusive red vinyl LP (with poster), and retail exclusive mint color LP – on Friday, March 14. Pre-orders are available now.
A 30-second album teaser video is streaming now on YouTube.
PRE-ORDER THE OVERVIEW
WATCH 30-SECOND ALBUM TEASER
Written, produced, and mixed by Wilson at his home studio between December 2023 and August 2024, The Overview sees the world-renowned artist once again expanding the parameters of progressive music, a genre he has long helped redefine through both his groundbreaking solo career and landmark work with Porcupine Tree. The 42-minute collection is comprised of just two epic tracks, “Objects Outlive Us” and “The Overview,” each made up of distinctive musical sections that flow from one to the next, playing out as unique and continuous pieces. Once again, Wilson’s resolutely expansive music incorporates everything from glistening electronics to post-rock and beyond, pushing forward the singular sound and vision that has long defined his wildly ambitious body of work for more than three decades.
“The Overview is a 42-minute long journey based on the reported ‘overview effect,’” says Steven Wilson, “whereby astronauts seeing the Earth from space undergo a transformative cognitive shift, most often experiencing an overwhelming appreciation and perception of beauty, and an increased sense of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole. However, not all experiences are positive; some see the Earth truly for what it is, insignificant and lost in the vastness of space, and the human race as a troubled species. As a reflection of that, the album presents images and stories of life on Earth, both good and bad.”
Although initially conceived as a solo recording, The Overview sees Wilson backed by frequent collaborators Craig Blundell (drums), Adam Holzman (keyboards), and Randy McStine (guitars), alongside lyrics from XTC’s Andy Partridge that help form the story that drives “Objects Outlive Us.” Consistent with Wilson’s illustrious reputation, The Overview will be presented as a true audiophile experience, with spatial/Atmos audio versions available both physically and digitally; vinyl editions of The Overview have been specifically mastered at half-speed at London’s Abbey Road by 3x GRAMMY® Award-nominated engineer Miles Showell (The Beatles, ABBA, The Police).
Wilson will mark the arrival of The Overview with a wide-ranging EU/UK headline tour – his first solo tour in more than five years. Highlights include four shows at the historic London Palladium in London, England (May 12-13, 19-20) and a three-night stand at Paris, France’s famed Salle Playel. North and South American headline dates will be unveiled soon. For updates and ticket information, please visit stevenwilsonhq.com/tour-dates.
In addition, The Overview will be accompanied by a full-length film directed by Wilson’s longtime visual collaborator Miles Skarin. Both the film and the album will be officially unveiled with a world premiere event and exclusive Q&A session taking place on Tuesday, February 25 on Britain’s largest cinema screen, London’s BFI IMAX. Tickets for the premiere event go on sale to BMI members on Friday, January 10 at 12:00 pm; all remaining tickets will then be available to the general public at 4:00 pm.
ABOUT STEVEN WILSON:
Hailed by David Fricke in Rolling Stone for his “fighting spirit and truly progressive ideals in rock composition, group improvisation and emotionally authentic storytelling,” Steven Wilson is, among his many guises, a visionary solo artist, founding member of GRAMMY® Award-nominated British rock band Porcupine Tree, and pioneering spatial audio remixer known for his work with such artists as King Crimson, Yes, Tears For Fears, XTC, New Order, and many more. The Overview follows Wilson’s seventh solo studio album, 2023’s The Harmony Codex, which debuted at #4 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart amidst worldwide critical applause from the likes of MOJO, which praised the groundbreaking collection as “a sonic journey where you never quite know what’s round the corner.”
2022 saw the internationally acclaimed release of Porcupine Tree’s long-awaited eleventh studio album and first release in over 12 years, Closure/Continuation, which debuted at #2 on the UK Albums Chart and reached #1 in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. An epic world tour followed, making stops in North America, South America, and Europe before culminating with a triumphant sold-out show at London’s famed OVO Arena Wembley. 2022 also saw the publication of Wilson’s much-applauded first memoir, Limited Edition of One (Little, Brown).
What’s more, 2024 was highlighted by The Itself of Itself, the first full-length release from Wilson’s experimental solo project, Bass Communion, in more than 12 years. The album’s limited-edition release was celebrated with Wilson’s only live appearance of 2024, a sold-out performance at London’s intimate Cafe OTO, as well as the long-awaited arrival of the previous Bass Communion catalog at all leading streaming platforms.
In addition, The Overview will be accompanied by a full-length film directed by Wilson’s longtime visual collaborator Miles Skarin. Both the film and the album will be officially unveiled with a world premiere event and exclusive Q&A session taking place Tuesday, February 25 on Britain’s largest cinema screen, London’s BFI IMAX. Tickets for the premiere event go on sale to BMI members on Friday, January 10 at 12:00 pm; all remaining tickets will then be available to the general public at 4:00 pm.
PRE-ORDER HOME INVASION: IN CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
PRE-ORDER HOME INVASION:
IN CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL (4K UHD BLU-RAY)
WATCH “HOME INVASION / REGRET #9 (IN CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL)”
# # #
STEVEN WILSON
THE OVERVIEW
(Fiction Records)
Release Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
Tracklist:
“OBJECTS OUTLIVE US” (23.17)
No Monkey’s Paw
The Buddha Of The Modern Age
Objects: Meanwhile *
The Cicerones
Ark
Cosmic Sons Of Toil
No Ghost On The Moor
Heat Death Of The Universe
“THE OVERVIEW” (18.27)
Perspective
A Beautiful Infinity I
Borrowed Atoms
A Beautiful Infinity II
Infinity Measured In Moments
Permanence
* Lyrics by Andy Partridge.
# # #
STEVEN WILSON - THE OVERVIEW TOUR 2025
MAY
1 – Stockholm, Sweden – Cirkus (SOLD OUT)
2 – Oslo, Norway – Konzerthaus (SOLD OUT)
4 – Copenhagen, Denmark – KB-Halen
6 – Dusseldorf, Germany – Mitsubishi Electric Hall
7 – Brussels, Belgium – Cirque Royal (SOLD OUT)
9 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall
10 – Bristol, UK – Beacon (SOLD OUT)
12 – London, UK – The London Palladium (SOLD OUT)
13 – London, UK – The London Palladium (SOLD OUT)
15 – Newcastle, UK – O2 City Hall
16 – Glasgow, UK – Royal Concert Hall
18 – Manchester, UK – The Lowry (SOLD OUT)
19 – London, UK – The London Palladium
20 – London, UK – The London Palladium
22 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live
24 – Paris, France – Salle Pleyel
25 – Paris, France – Salle Pleyel
26 – Paris, France – Salle Pleyel
28 – Lyon, France – Bourse Du Travail
29 – Lyon, France – Bourse Du Travail
30 – Stuttgart, Germany – Porsche Arena
31 – Munich, Germany – Zenith
JUNE
2 – Berlin, Germany – Friedrichspalast
3 – Hamburg, Germany – Sporthalle
4 – Warsaw, Poland – Torwar
5 – Gliwice, Poland – Prezero
7 – Milan, Italy – Teatro Degli Arcimboldi
8 – Rome, Italy – Parco Della Musica
10 – Zurich, Switzerland – The Hall
11 – Marseille, France – Cepac Silo
12 – Barcelona, Spain – Para-lel 62
13 – Madrid, Spain – Riviera
CONNECT WITH STEVEN WILSON
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