Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 93
May 15, 2025
Charli xcx Releases 'party 4 u' Video
[Photo Credit - Stolen Besos]
[Thursday 15th May, London]
Charli xcx today releases the official video for ‘party 4 u’.
Based on an original idea by Charli, you can watch the Mitch Ryan-directed video HERE.
Despite being released five years ago and never being an official single, ‘party 4 u’ has become a phenomenon online in recent months and is now one of the biggest trending songs globally with over four million unique creations and over five billion views on TikTok.
The ‘party 4 u’ video arrives on the fifth anniversary of the release of Charli’s acclaimed album ‘How I’m Feeling Now’. To celebrate the anniversary, a special limited edition pressing of ‘How I’m Feeling Now’ on clear glitter vinyl with an exclusive new poster will be available to fans for 72 hours. You can purchase the limited edition fifth anniversary pressing, available until 18th May, HERE.
‘party 4 u’ is a staple of Charli’s performances and featured throughout her recent North American arena tour, culminating with four sold out nights at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. This summer, Charli will take her acclaimed ‘BRAT’ live show to festivals across Europe including a headline slot on The Other Stage at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday 28th June.
Her iconic sixth studio album ‘BRAT’ stands as the most critically acclaimed album of 2024 and continues to shape the cultural zeitgeist. The record’s global success saw Charli sweep award season, winning five BRIT Awards (Artist Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Dance Act & Songwriter Of The Year) and three Grammy Awards (Best Dance/Electronic Album, Best Dance Pop Recording & Best Recording Package), not to mention being named Wall Street Journal’s ‘Music Innovator’ in October and Variety’s ‘Hitmaker Of The Year’ in December.
Charli has been working on multiple film & TV projects; she is producing and starring in A24’s ‘The Moment’, an original concept created by her and the first co-production venture from studio365. Charli will also produce and star in the next film from prolific Japanese director Takeshi Miike through her new studio365 venture.
In addition, she is co-executive producing the score for the A24 film ‘Mother Mary’ with Jack Antonoff and will star in the Daniel Goldhaber remake of 1978 cult horror film ‘Faces of Death’, Greg Araki’s erotic thriller ‘I Want Your Sex’, Cathy Yan’s upcoming independent film ‘The Gallerist’, Julia Jackman’s period fantasy ‘100 Nights Of Hero’, Romain Gavras’ satirical action ‘Sacrifice’ and Pete Ohs’ intimate drama ‘Erupcja’.
Charli xcx 2025 Live Dates:
Thu 05/06/25 - Barcelona, ES - Primavera Sound
Sat 07/06/25 - Paris, FR - We Love Green Festival
Thu 12/06/25 - Porto, PT - Primavera Sound Porto
Sat 14/06/25 - London, UK - Lido Festival
Sun 15/06/25 - Manchester, UK - Parklife Festival
Tue 17/06/25 - Dublin, IE - Malahide Castle
Wed 18/05/25 - Belfast, UK - Ormeau Park
Sat 28/06/25 - Somerset, UK - Glastonbury Festival
Sun 06/07/25 - Roskilde, DK - Roskilde Festival
Wed 06/08/25 - Budapest, HU - Sziget Festival
Thu 07/08/25 - Oslo, NO - Oya Festival
Fri 08/08/25 - Gothenburg, SE - Way Out West Festival
Sun 10/08/25 - Helsinki, FI - Flow Festival
##
https://www.instagram.com/charli_xcx/
https://www.tiktok.com/@charlixcx
https://twitter.com/charli_xcx
Laufey's new album A Matter of Time out Aug 22 + "Tough Luck" premieres today!
Cover Art “Otherworldly artist”—TIME“There’s a little bit of magic in every Laufey song”—ELLE“She is a musical tour de force”—Los Angeles Times“Laufey’s ascendency to major-league pop artist is one of the most heartening musical phenomena of the last couple of years”—VarietyMay 15, 2025—A Matter of Time, the highly anticipated new album from GRAMMY®-winning Icelandic-Chinese artist, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Laufey, is set for release on August 22 via Vingolf Recordings / AWAL. Last month, Laufey teased the album release with a first sampling in the track “Silver Lining,” which she performed with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil at Coachella last month, as well as during her headline set at New Orleans Jazz Fest. Today, Laufey is debuting the album’s new single “Tough Luck.” Of the song, Laufey explains, “‘Tough Luck’ is a fiery song about love gone wrong. I wanted to reveal an angrier side of myself—a side that this unfortunate relationship brought out in me.” Listen / share HERE. As Laufey began to craft A Matter of Time, she felt freer than ever. “Every new album for me is a blank book of stories to write,” she says, and it’s true. An artist who pours her life experiences into her work, she infused 2022’s Everything I Know About Love with coming-of-age tales revolving around leaving home, and for 2023’s GRAMMY®-winning Bewitched she dove headlong into young love. Brought to life with sweeping orchestral arrangements, interwoven strains of bossa nova and jazz, and Laufey’s honeyed alto, those albums cemented Laufey as a star who can make sounds from bygone eras feel timeless.Now on A Matter of Time, Laufey further crystalizes her singular sound—one still rooted in her beloved influences, but which forgoes any strict standards or rules. “I’m constantly thinking about classical and jazz, how to properly preserve them and pay homage. For this album,” says Laufey, “I just wanted to let my heart wander.” To that end, she teamed with a pair of co-producers, one comforting and familiar—Spencer Stewart who worked with Laufey on her first two albums —and one new to her but deeply attuned to artists looking to open up: Aaron Dessner (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran). Feeling sonically unrestrained gave Laufey the space to share new sides of herself while exploring sometimes heavier themes. “People expect a pretty façade of girly clothes, fantastical stories, and romantic music,” she says. “This time, I was interested in seeing how I could draw out the most flawed parts of myself and look at them directly in the mirror.” A Matter of Time finds Laufey at her most daring—and also playful—as she captures the experience of “real love” in its many forms and what it means to observe as it strips you down to your most vulnerable and anxious.Laufey (pronounced lay-vay) has captivated a generation with virtuosic songs of love and self-discovery by manifesting her vision of jazz-and classical-infused pop music. She has become a bridge for the older music she adores, from Chet Baker to Carole King to Ravel, by offering her bold interpretation to a younger crop of listeners who have become deeply connected over time. This was all by design — Laufey’s self-assigned raison d’être — and it worked, allowing her to bring to life the whimsical universe known as “Laufey Land.”Raised between Reykjavik and Washington, D.C., she learned piano and cello as a child, later studying at Berklee College of Music. There, she wrote her debut EP, 2021’s Typical of Me, whose striking single “Street by Street” debuted at No. 1 on Icelandic Radio—the first of many achievements that have grown to include 5 billion global streams, a social media audience of 25 million, the biggest jazz LP debut in Spotify history and an album in Billboard’s Top 20 (both for Bewitched), a growing pile of Platinum plaques, a Forbes 30 Under 30 designation, and being named one of TIME’s 2025 Women of the Year. She’s sold out the Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music Hall, and London’s Royal Albert Hall; performed backed by the LA Phil, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the China Philharmonic Orchestra; shared the stage with the likes of Jon Batiste and Raye; and collaborated on records with artists ranging from Beabadoobee to Norah Jones. More recently, Laufey announced The Laufey Foundation, with the primary mission of supporting young musicians with the resources they need, especially through youth orchestras, to reach their full potential.A Matter of Time is available for pre-order here.
Photographer credit: Emma SummertonLAUFEY LIVEMay 27—The Teatro Metropólitan—Mexico City, MexicoMay 31—Popload Festival—Sao Paolo, BrazilJuly 30—Virginia Arts Festival at Chartway Arena—Norfolk, VA*July 31—Virginia Arts Festival at Chartway Arena—Norfolk, VA*August 2—Chautauqua Institution—Chautauqua, NY†August 3—Chautauqua Institution—Chautauqua, NY†August 7—Blossom Music Center—Cuyahoga Falls, OH‡August 9—Saratoga Performing Arts Center—Saratoga Springs, NY§*with The Virginia Symphony Orchestra†with The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra‡with The Cleveland Orchestra §with The Philadelphia Orchestra Website | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | X
Eighties Post-Punk/New Wave Legends Modern English Release Twin Tribes Remix Of "Not Fake," Tour With Simple Minds & Soft Cell Kicks Off Tomorrow!
TWIN TRIBES REMIX OF “NOT FAKE”
“NOT FAKE” FEATURED ON MODERN ENGLISH’S LATEST ALBUM, 1 2 3 4,
PRODUCED BY MARIO J. MCNULTY (DAVID BOWIE, LOU REED, NINE INCH NAILS)
ADDITIONAL 1 2 3 4 REMIXES FROM HUGO BURNHAM (FOUNDING MEMBER OF
GANG OF FOUR), KONTRAVOID, MS. BOAN, INHALT, ACTORS, NUOVO TESTAMENTO
AND SUNDOWNERS dB TO BE RELEASED ACROSS 2025
SUMMER TOUR WITH SIMPLE MINDS AND SOFT CELL KICKS OFF TOMORROW, MAY 16
IN RIDGEFIELD, WA WITH INSTORE SIGNING TAKING PLACE AT MUSIC MILLENNIUM
IN PORTLAND, OR TONIGHT
"I MELT WITH YOU" HONORED WITH MILLION-AIR AWARD FOR 8 MILLION
BROADCAST PERFORMANCES AT 2024 BMI LONDON AWARDS
“A searing new single which takes aim at leaders on both sides of the pond.” — Rolling Stone
"The cold clang of post-punk guitars and synths sounds very 'now', but the veteran band
brings a depth and worldliness to these songs that sets them apart." — Mojo
“Not unlike ‘I Melt With You’, 1 2 3 4 taps into political themes reflective of the last
four years.” — SPIN
“'1 2 3 4' remains firmly rooted in a 1980s New Wave aesthetic of sharp-edged guitar jangles
and world-weary, vaguely sarcastic and gently political lyrics." — UNCUT
STREAM: “NOT FAKE” (TWIN TRIBES REMIX)
(ON YOUTUBE)
STREAM AND PURCHASE: 1 2 3 4
(ON ALL PLATFORMS)Legendary British new wave/post-punk band Modern English is excited to present the Twin Tribes remix of “Not Fake,” a track lifted from the band’s latest album, 1 2 3 4 , produced by Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails). Transforming the swirling and atmospheric indie of the original to a deeply dark and moving electronic offering, the “Not Fake” Remix from the Texas-based, Mexican-American darkwave duo is the first of several remix offerings from Modern English set to release across 2025 that will be provided by Hugo Burnham (founding member of Gang of Four), Kontravoid, MS. BOAN, InHalt, Actors, Nuovo Testamento and Sundowners dB. "It was such a privilege to have worked on this remix for a band of Modern English’s caliber, who continue to create meaningful music that connects with people all over the world,” Twin Tribes said. “Rooted in nature and honesty, this track speaks to the deep need for realness in a world full of illusion.” Stream the Twin Tribes remix of “Not Fake” on YouTube HERE .
1 2 3 4 is Modern English’s first album of new material in eight years, a collection that retains the intrinsic spirit of the band’s early post-punk days and a sterling sonic example of what Modern English have always done best. The album encompasses seething songs with a punk bite (“Long in The Tooth,” “Plastic”), keyboard-forward melodic rockers ("Not Fake,” "Crazy Lovers") and simmering, darkwave-meets-post-punk gems (“Exploding,” “Out to Lunch”). With a touch of subtle themes lifted from After the Snow (1982) and Ricochet Days (1984) that include the environment, aging, failed relationships, love, politics and more, 1 2 3 4 finds the legendary band delving into nostalgia but, as always, exploring new creative territory. Stream and purchase 1 2 3 4 on all platforms HERE .
Modern English. Credit: Raymond Ahner Kicking off tomorrow, Friday, May 16 at the Cascades Amphitheater in Ridgefield, WA, Modern English will tour the U.S. with Scottish icons Simple Minds through June 22. The 24-date, Live Nation-produced tour will represent Simple Minds’ biggest North American run in four decades and feature support in all markets from Soft Cell. Remaining tickets are on sale now via Modern English’s site
HERE
, and a full listing of dates can be found below. Modern English co-produced their sophomore effort, 1982’s After the Snow, with Hugh Jones (The Sound, Echo & The Bunnymen), pairing trademark moodiness with spiky guitars and shimmering keyboards. In addition to the UK top 40 hit “Life in the Gladhouse," the LP became known for “I Melt With You,” which became a top 10 hit at U.S. rock radio and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. A paragon of consistency, Modern English have become widely respected over the years as innovators, thanks to younger generations discovering their catalog and new artists citing the band as an influence. This increased popularity has translated to sold-out tours performing their early albums and a main stage appearance at the 2023 Cruel World Festival in front of more than 25,000 people.
It’s been a big journey for everybody, and our early days are really important to us,” frontman Robbie Grey says. “We haven't changed that much. We're still the same people inside. And the original members are the sound of the band; if you take some of those components away, you won't have the Modern English sound.”
Modern English will be making the following appearances this summer with Simple Minds and Soft Cell. Dates below.
MAY
16 — Ridgefield, WA — Cascades Amphitheater *
17 — Seattle, WA — Climate Pledge Arena *
20 — Concord, CA — Toyota Pavilion at Concord *
22 — Inglewood, CA — Kia Forum *
23 — Greater Palm Springs, CA — Acrisure Arena *
24 — Chula Vista, CA — North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre *
25 — Phoenix, AZ — Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre *
27 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena *
30 — Austin, TX — Moody Center *
31 — Woodlands, TX — Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
JUNE
01 — Irving, TX — The Pavillion at Toyota Music Factory *
04 — Rogers, AR — The Walmart AMP *
05 — Maryland Heights, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre *
07 — Atlanta, GA — Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park *
10 — Columbia, MD — Merriweather Post Pavilion *
11 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center *
13 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell at Jones Beach Theater *
14 — Philadelphia, PA — The Mann Center *
15 — Mansfield, MA — Xfinity Center *
17 — Montreal, QC — Centre Bell *
18 — Toronto, ON — Budweiser Stage *
20 — Chicago, IL — Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island *
21 — Clarkston, MI — Pine Knob Music Theatre *
22 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center *
* — w/ Simple Minds, Soft Cell
1 2 3 4 Remixes artModern English online:
Official | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Listen to The Bug Club’s “Appropriate Emotions” The New Single From Very Human Features
It’s no surprise that, in poking fun at the familiar, the humour is turned inwards and it’s The Bug Club themselves in their own firing line. It’s a rollercoaster unpicking of whatever-it-is The Bug Club do, while at the same time building on the work done in previous albums and presenting us with layers of creativity piled up atop one another.
Sam and Tilly, combined. There’s a name for that - and it’s tempting to think that they might be, given all the joking around. But the multi-dimensional nature to The Bug Club is what makes Very Human Features just as relistenable as their previous work.
The new single tackles expectations and comparisons, with a loud-quiet-loud structure reflecting the ups-and-downs and outbursts unavoidable in frustration and anger. “Appropriate Emotions” manages to be deeply relatable while making its singers sound about as removed from the human experience as possible - perhaps that’s why it’s relatable.
The Bug Club is currently on the road supporting Very Human Features and their previous Sub Pop release, 2024’s On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System by Means of Popular Music, or the Contemplation of Pretty Faces, Tinned Bubbles and Strife. PLUS! Some of their older songs. Tonight, Wednesday, May 14th they’ll headline L’Aeronef in Lille, France, before a short UK festival run May 15th-May 31st, which includes two appearances at The Great Escape Festival.
Then in June, the band will pair up with Sub Pop label mates Omni for a month-long trek beginning Friday, June 13th in Montreal, QC at Cabaret Foufounes and running through Friday, June 27th in Philadelphia, PA at Johnny Brenda’s.
From July 26th-September 13th, the Bug Club will hit the UK festival circuit once again, with stops at Deershed Festival (Jul. 26th), Utrecht, NL’s Loose Ends Festival (Aug.23rd), End of the Road Festival (Aug. 29th), Manchester’s Psych Fest (Aug. 30th), and Sonic Boom Festival (Sep.13th). They’ll also support Queens of the Stone Age in Sheffield (Aug. 27th). Please find a complete list of current tour dates below.
UK | EU
Headlining Dates + Festivals, Spring 2025
Wed. May 14 - Lille, FR - L’Aeronef
Thu. May 15 - Brighton, UK - The Great Escape Festival @ Paganini Ballroom (Early)
Thu. May 15 - Brighton, UK - The Great Escape Festival @ The Old Market (Late)
Sat. May 24 - Walton-on-Trent, UK - Bearded Theory, Festival
Sat. May 31 - Cheltenham, UK - Wychwood Festival
North American | UK
Headline Dates, Festivals + Support Shows, Summer 2025
Fri. Jun. 13 - Montreal, QC - Cabaret Foufounes *
Sat. Jun. 14 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison *
Sun. Jun. 15 - Detroit, MI - Third Man Records *
Tue. Jun. 17 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle *
Wed. Jun. 18 - St. Louis, MO - Sinkhole *
Thu. Jun. 19 - Nashville, TN - DRKMTTR *
Fri. Jun 20 - Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Art & Music Festival
Sat. Jun. 21 - Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Art & Music Festival
Mon. Jun. 23 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West *
Tue. Jun. 24 - Raleigh, NC - King’s *
Wed. Jun. 25 - Washington, DC- DC9 *
Thu. Jun. 26 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom*
Fri. Jun. 27 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s *
Sat. Jul. 26 - Thirsk, UK - Deer Shed Festival
Sat. Aug. 23 – Utrecht, NL – Loose Ends Festival
Wed. Aug. 27 - Sheffield, UK - Don Valley Stadium ^
Fri. Aug. 29 - Dorset, UK - End of the Road Festival
Sat. Aug. 30 - Manchester, UK - Psych Fest
Sat. Sep. 13 - Burton-on-Trent, UK - Sonic Boom Festival
* w/ Omni
^ w/ Queens of the Stone Age
The Bug Club’s Very Human Features includes the only-very-recently mentioned “Appropriate Emotions,” “How to Be a Confidante,” “Jealous Boy,” and ten other excellent songs. It was produced and mixed by Tom Rees at Rat Trap Studios in Cardiff, Wales, and mastered by Mikey Young.
Very Human Features is available to preorder now on CD/LP/all DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com in North America, MM2 in the UK + EU, and your local record store, will receive the limited Loser Edition on Purple (NA) or Bio Pink (UK/EU) vinyl (all vinyl color editions whilst stock lasts!).
The Bug Club has seen support from the likes of NME, BBC, KEXP, Bandcamp Daily, Brooklyn Vegan, PASTE, Stereogum, see/saw, Dusted, The Stranger Rosy Overdrive, Glide, and more. NME said of their 2024 release On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System…., “…its 11 songs crackle with incisive melodies and funny pop culture-addled lyrics – they reference The Great Escape’s Virgil Hilts one minute, and move on to the horror of Lonsdale slip on daps the next – but they’re in and out in under 26 minutes. Zero fat.”
The Bug Club
Very Human Features
Tracklisting:
1. Full Grown Man
2. Twirling in the Middle
3. Jealous Boy
4. Young Reader
5. Beep Boop Computers
6. Muck (Very Human Features)
7. When the Little Choo Choo Train
Toots His Little Horn
8. How to Be a Confidante
9. Living in the Future
10. Tales of a Visionary Teller
11. The Sound of Communism
12. Blame Me
13. Appropriate Emotions
CLEO REED SHARES NEW SINGLE "ALWAYS THE HORSE, NEVER THE JOCKEY"
CLEO REED SHARES NEW SINGLE “ALWAYS THE HORSE, NEVER THE JOCKEY”
NEW ALBUM COMING SOON
PRESS PRAISE FOR CLEO REED
“Beautiful, unique, and incredibly touching” - BANDCAMP
“Expansive and experiential soundscapes… Reed melds mediums of sound design and narrative-driven, self-directed performances” - NPR
“Emotional and kaleidoscopic, with a regenerative hymn” - OKAYPLAYER
Today, New York-based multi-disciplinary artist Cleo Reed shares a new single, “Always The Horse, Never The Jockey”. On the new track, Reed embraces Black Southern folk styling and presents the symbol of the mule, with a delicate acoustic guitar creating space for Reed’s powerful lyrical offering, “I woke up in spite of fear / I didn’t ask to be here.” Reflecting on the single, Reed says, "It is a harrowing realization to notice and understand that the systems seen in the United States are intentionally designed to fail us. Each day, I’ve seen who chooses to ride right past the dysfunction in search of industry. I can’t help but admit that I feel more in relation to the horse itself than the jockey.” Listen to “Always The Horse, Never The Jockey” HERE.
“Always The Horse, Never The Jockey” follows Reed’s first single of 2024, “Women At War”—a protest song for a generation as the US faces the harshest restrictions on women's bodies in decades. Watch a stirring live folk performance of “Women At War” HERE. Cleo Reed’s new singles powerfully lay the foundation for the sonic landscape and intention of their next chapter, culminating in a new album coming this summer.
Raised in Uptown NYC and DC, Reed’s history with music starts with classical training in percussion at Harlem School of the Arts, to playing guitar and songwriting in the influential New York punk band Pretty Sick, to studying sound engineering and sound design at Berklee College of Music. Since releasing their debut album Root Cause in 2023—including a limited physical release with Vinyl Me, Please and praised by NPR, Pitchfork, Bandcamp, Okayplayer, and more—Reed has emerged as a bold, irrefutable talent, forging forward while staying firmly rooted in their ancestral and cultural lineage.
In recent years, Reed has collaborated with Jon Batiste, developing software instruments for “American Symphony” at Carnegie Hall, an award-winning performance that earned the GRAMMY for Best Music Film at the 2025 ceremony. Reed’s performance practice has taken the form of the “Black American Circus,” an ode to Black queer artists of the late 19th and early 20th century, premiering at AFROPUNK Festival in 2023, and performed at Banlieues Bleues in Paris and the Brooklyn Museum. In addition to their musical practice, Reed has received the prestigious 2024 Map Fund, awarded to performing artists who offer extraordinary ideas while participating in their communities’ vitality.
As the 2025 Session Resident at Brooklyn’s prestigious Recess Art, Reed developed CUNTRY: Always the Horse, Never The Jockey, a set of musical works, sculptures, and performances presented with Assembly fellows, working to protest against the demand of labor and productivity in the US. Last week as an Abrons Arts Center AIRspace resident, Reed performed at OPEN STUDIOS, a work in process presentation of experimental theatrical works rooted in their participatory art practice. Today’s new single “Always The Horse, Never The Jockey” cements Cleo Reed as a young, visionary artist with a singular voice, and an unwavering commitment to honoring those that came before while subverting the status quo.
LISTEN TO “ALWAYS THE HORSE, NEVER THE JOCKEY”
https://unitedmasters.com/m/always-the-horse-never-the-jockey
LISTEN TO “WOMEN AT WAR”
WATCH A LIVE SESSION OF “WOMEN AT WAR”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbroFBdrRew
Photo by Matthew Schonfeld
FOLLOW CLEO REED
CATTY enlists Amy Spalding for "sapphic Thelma and Louise"-inspired video for 'Joyride'
Watch video for 'Joyride' HERE
Hi-res Assets HERE
Photo credit: Nat TraxelWATCH 'Joyride' video:
https://youtu.be/S4nXLaR-n8s
"Striking comeback tunes fuelled by raw pop-rock spirit"
NME (Breakout)
"Irresistible and fast-paced...catchy enough to drive you mad"
DIY (Breakout)
"Not your average pop-star"
Dork (HYPE Cover)
"Filled to the brim with kinetic moments of unbridled rage...ominous goth-pop"
Official Charts (One To Watch)
"Cathartic pop rock"
CLASH (Next Wave)
"Brash and abrasive, a serious one to watch for the rest of 2024"
Notion (Undiscovered)
––(15 May) CATTY has revealed her "sapphic Thelma & Louise"-inspired video for new single 'Joyride'. Directed by Sam Kinsella and co-starring Amy Spalding , the video is a defiant burst of queer joy, following the pair as they tear off in a vintage convertible, all wind-in-hair, pedal-down romance. Co-written by CATTY and Amy Spalding, the video for 'Joyride' is a refreshing celebration of lesbian love, freedom, and visibility - in an industry still dominated by heteronormative narratives.
Speaking on the video for 'Joyride', CATTY said:
“I don’t think I would have kissed any of those boys if I grew up with positive queer media. There was either no gay people in the programme or the plot would get good and the gays would get buried. A lot of our stories are rooted in sadness and I’m familiar with them - I’ve dated the girl who would never come out of the closet and I’ve sat alone in the same one. I’ve watched gay people die on TV, on the news, in real life and I’ve seen every single one of my friends be the butt of the joke. It’s important that those stories are told but we need queer joy too, my experience of being in love with a woman has been full of it. We are inherently protective and empathetic and loving and there aren’t many things more powerful than two women with the same goal. I know Thelma & Louise wasn’t an explicitly sapphic piece of media but female empowerment and rebellion against societal expectations is, so we just put our foot down.
“I first saw Amy when she was on the BBC’s first lesbian TV show (which is crazy, in this big year) and I met her for the first time in the smoking area of a show I was doing and I was completely enamoured with her. When she walks into a room, you look at her. I haven’t really stopped looking at her since. Producing and starring in this video with her was truly such a gift.”
Co-star Amy Spalding, added:
"Growing up I used to latch on to any sapphic media I could, it was slim pickings so I savoured every drop. Each source I consumed triggered a pang of belonging somewhere deep inside but hadn’t quite figured out what it was yet. Had I had more reference points perhaps I would have been saved a lot of pain. Everyday I get DMs about the impact that ‘I Kissed A Girl’ had on people’s queer journeys and it just goes to show the importance of seeing yourself and own experiences reflected in the mainstream. Music was such a huge part of my queer self discovery, from Kehlani to Haley Kiyoko (I’ve watched the girls like girls music video so many times it’s etched onto the surface of my brain). Safe to say had CATTY been around in the mid to late 2010s she would have been firmly sat on my secret sapphic yearning playlist wedged between King Princess and Halsey.
When Catty first sent me Joyride the first image that jumped into my head was Thelma & Louise with a sapphic twist. The collab was very organic and we just started spit balling ideas from there. Selfishly I really just wanted to make out with my girlfriend in a vintage sports car."
'Joyride' is the first new music to be heard since CATTY's breakout debut EP 'Healing Out Of Spite' - released late 2024. 'Joyride' was premiered on BBC Radio 1's Future Pop as Jodie Bryant's Future Bop (listen back to the interview here), and this week CATTY is Spotify UK's RADAR First Listen Artist of the Week.
Written in what CATTY calls "pure panic," 'Joyride' is part love song, part breakdown, part surrender - capturing the emotional freefall that follows a year of holding everything back. Messy, theatrical and emotionally unfiltered, ‘Joyride’ surges with baroque keys, stabbing strings, and spiralling brass - setting the stage for CATTY’s powerhouse vocal.
Navigating emotional whiplash in real time, CATTY cycles through self-doubt ("Here next to you I throw it all away / Watching my dignity circle the drain"), fatalism ("I don’t even care if I get out alive"), and blind hope ("Am I the one? Before the one that stays?") - all set to a rush of pop-rock drama.
On the release of 'Joyride', CATTY said:
"Everything I write is unfortunately a little too true to life. I was in the studio with Nathan and Juliette (the co-writers) and I was telling them about this girl I’d met in the smoking area of a gig but I’d sworn off love for 14 months, hadn’t even kissed anyone in a bar. I was done - love had chewed me up and spat me out but I couldn’t stay away from her. So I tried what I think is called a situationship for all of two weeks (what the fuck is a situationship?) - I hated it. I've never been casual about anything and I would have followed her into the depths of hell. So Joyride is basically me saying, I'm all in, please don’t hurt me."
CATTY's rise in 2024 was fast and undeniable. From selling out her debut headline show in 20 minutes (upgrading to a bigger venue - Oslo Hackney and selling that out almost instantly too), through support slots with Dylan and Beth McCarthy and a once in a lifetime opportunity opening for her idol, Stevie Nicks at BST Hyde Park last summer. She closed the year with a triumphant sold-out headline at Lafayette in London, marking her as an irrefutable one to watch.For 2024's debut EP 'Healing Out Of Spite', CATTY received widespread press adoration from NME Magazine (who named her a Breakout artist), Popjustice (who nominated the EP's title track in their beloved Twenty Quid Music Prize), Dork Magazine (who made her an online cover star), CLASH Magazine (Next Wave), Official Charts (One To Watch), DIY Magazine (Get To Know) & many more.
Elsewhere there's been phenomenal support from Spotify (including cover placements on editorial playlists Fresh Finds: Pop and New Pop UK) and unwavering support from BBC Radio 1's Mollie King, Jodie Bryant and Maia Beth.
CATTY's new single 'Joyride' is out now via AWAL. CATTY plays The Great Escape Festival this Thursday 15th May, headlines CloseUp Festival at Colours Hoxton on 22nd May, and plays Birmingham Pride on 24th May before playing Latitude Festival in July.
LIVE DATES
15 May, Brighton - The Great Escape Festival
22 May, London - CloseUp Festival, Colours Hoxton
24 May, Birmingham - Birmingham Pride (Main Stage)
27 July, Southwold - Latitude Festival (Sunrise Stage)
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST ARTIST MOLLIE ELIZABETH REVEALS “UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN” ON NEON GOLD RECORDS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST ARTIST
MOLLIE ELIZABETH REVEALS “UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN”
ON NEON GOLD RECORDS HERE
THE FOLLOW-UP TO HER STUNNING VIRAL OFFERING
“VEGAS VENETIAN” HERE + “DINNER FOR ONE” HERE
Artist photo credit Sophia Schrank
Today, the 21-year-old Washington State-based artist Mollie Elizabeth reveals her third track “Until We Meet Again” via Neon Gold / Virgin Music.
Mollie Elizabeth notes: “I think we all have people that we only truly get to visit in our dreams- whether it’s ones we’ve lost through life or love. I find it beautifully devastating to know that our minds will continue to hold them in our hearts and in our souls, even if only a silhouette.”
“Until We Meet Again” is produced by Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone). The dusky amour of “Until We Meet Again” is Old Hollywood glamour through and through. Mollie perfumes her music with a rare kind of chic, one that comes with a winking self-assurance and a genuine sweetness.
In January, she first introduced herself with her first viral song, “Vegas Venetian”. Elizabeth adds: “To me, every melody is a tiny world that invites you in—an invitation to be both fierce and delicate, and to celebrate who you are, who you have been, and who you are becoming. My music isn’t just for listening—it’s for wandering, for imagining, and for finding a piece of yourself in a place you’d forgotten.”
Last month, she revealed her second track and a perfectly matching music video (dir. Maya Sassoon) for “Dinner For One”, produced by Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone).
Listen / download Mollie Elizabeth “Dinner For One”
Watch official music video
Listen / download Mollie Elizabeth “Vegas Venetian”
Watch official music video
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SunYears New LP out 8/21 + New Single w/Lisa Hannigan & Sam Genders
(Photo Credit: Tina Axelsson)
New York, NY (May 15, 2025) – Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John) has been releasing delightful and delicately crafted alternative-folk music under the SunYears moniker for the past few years. Their debut full-length, Come Fetch My Soul!, featured collaborations with Jess Williamson on the title track, Ron Sexsmith and Eric D. Johnson. Today, SunYears is thrilled to announce the forthcoming release of their sophomore album, The Song Forlorn, due August 21, 2025 via Villa, and share album standout “Last Night On the Mountain” featuring Lisa Hannigan and Sam Genders, and its accompanying music video. It follows on the heels of the recently released singles “Dark Eyes” and “(Going To A) Cruel Country.” The Song Forlorn also features guest appearances and collaborations from Nicole Atkins, de clair and Madison Cunningham.
“Last Night On the Mountain,” a folk ballad in waltz-time, is about trust, hope, and holding on in hard times. Genders is a critically acclaimed songwriter and founder member of folktronica pioneers Tunng and member of Diagrams, and Hannigan is an accomplished singer-songwriter in her own right, having collaborated with Damien Rice and Bell X1.
WATCH “LAST NIGHT ON THE MOUNTAIN” FT. LISA HANNIGAN & SAM GENDERS
Speaking on how the collaboration with Genders and Hannigan came to be, Morén says “Sam Genders was a delight to work with. ‘Last Night On the Mountain’ feels almost sea-shantiesque. The verse stood against a bigger rhythmical chorus and a middle-eight that is very ‘me’ somehow. A nice construction, feel and sentiment on the whole. I can’t exactly remember how we did it, but I do think the majority of the lyrics came from Sam and the majority of the music came from me.I was happy with the result, but I always heard more voices. And the first voice I thought of in this context was Lisa Hannigan. I love her records, I’m a longtime fan, and just knew it would fit.”
STREAM “LAST NIGHT ON THE MOUNTAINT” FT. LISA HANNIGAN & SAM GENDERS
For her part, Hannigan recalls “I was thrilled to hear from Peter about collaborating on a song. I loved switching between the melody and the harmony as the colors change, my favourite place to be.” As for Genders’ contribution, he says “I've been a fan of Peter's work since the earliest days of being in Tunng, and I was excited to connect with him after moving to Sweden a few years ago. A real Swedish musician!”
Peter is currently out with Peter Bjorn and John in North America for their Writer’s Block tour - dates HERE - as the album nears its 19-year anniversary. The band just played a set at the Just Like Heaven festival, where they shared the stage with TV On The Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Sounds and Courtney Barnett. Morén also recently produced the new Robert Forster album Strawberries released in May 2025. The LP features Morén on guitar and he’ll be joining Forster, the former frontman of The Go-Betweens, as part of his touring band when he heads out in Europe this fall to support Strawberries. While Morén continues to explore new sonic territory through collaborations and side projects, The Song Forlorn reaffirms SunYears as one of his most intimate and emotionally resonant outlets to date—anchored in melody, storytelling, and a deep love of collaboration.
The Song Forlorn Track Listing:
01.) Where Are We?
02.) Dark Eyes
03.) Last Night On the Mountain (feat. Lisa Hannigan & Sam Genders)
04.) Your Dad Was Sad
05.) (Going To A) Cruel Country
06.) If You Were To Ask (feat. De Clair)
07.) Spanner In The Works
08.) The Body (feat. Nicole Atkins)
08.) Swamp Mob
09.) The Song Forlorn (feat. Madison Cunningham)
(Download album artwork HERE)
WATCH “(GOING TO A) CRUEL COUNTRY” VIDEO
Connect with SunYears:
Apple Music | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | X | YouTube
May 14, 2025
DEAN WAREHAM @ Lodge Room WED May 14th 2025 // THE PORTABLE INFINITE
All photos by Alexander Laurence
BIG SEARCH @ Lodge Room WED May 14th 2025 // THE PORTABLE INFINITE
All photos by Alexander Laurence
