- Words Notion Staff
- Photo Credit Destinee Condison for Notion 89
On this week's Notion Now, begin your April with new tunes from Lila Iké, Harry Styles, Ella Mai, Knucks, flowerovlove and more.
"True Love" by Lila Iké
Lila Iké drops a warm and thoughtful reggae ode to self-love in her first song of the year, “True Love”, which prioritises kindness to all even in the darkest times.
"As It Was" by Harry Styles
Harry Styles makes his much-anticipated return with “As It Was”, a bright and sunny pop tune with an edge of melancholy under that infectiously groovy beat.
"Leave You Alone" by Ella Mai
Ella Mai keeps up the theme of wearing her heart on her sleeve in her latest taste of her forthcoming album, "Leave You Alone”, where the singer describes the intensity of infatuation.
"Sirens" by Flume (feat. Caroline Polachek)
Flume’s new collab with Caroline Polachek, “Sirens”, takes in the intense anxiety of lockdown life and watching the world go by. On the collaboration, he says, “"Caroline and I had known each other for years, but she'd just moved to L.A. and we bumped into each other living down the street," Flume says. "We started playing weekly games of Magic The Gathering with A.G. Cook and a few friends. We started doing a session, and Danny L Harle showed me a voice note from Caroline with some very early stages of vocals. I loved it and went back in on it during the pandemic."
"Nice & Good" by Knucks & SL
Knucks has been working up a hot streak of collabs lately, having worked with Kojey Radical and TeeZee, and his latest team-up is with SL on the instantly memorable new cut “Nice & Good”.
"Will We Ever Get This Right?" by flowerovlove
Notion One to Watch flowerovlove takes the time-worn theme of a crush and gives it her textbook Gen Z bedroom pop spin in the new tune “Will We Ever Get This Right”.
"made for you" by renforshort
renforshort subverts expectations in “made for you”, a cheerful pop banger that conceals acidic social commentary. She says, “’made for you’ is about changing your entire personality to fit another person’s standards, which is something a lot of women have to struggle with in a society where we’re expected to look and act a particular way.”
"Looking Up" by Foals
Foals’ latest album is all about the joys of being free and going out, and that’s certainly the case in upbeat new tune “Looking High” – but there’s a tinge of regret at the vanishing of nightlife, too.
"Hot Crush Lover" by Blu DeTiger
Blu DeTiger’s “Hot Crush Lover” is truly what it says on the tin – an unapologetically fun and raucous celebration of opening yourself up to love.
"Crash" by Alexander 23
Break-ups can be a time of self-recriminations, but that ain’t the case on Alexander 23’s new single “Crash”, which gleefully waves goodbye to a relationship and an ex he won’t miss. He says, “’Crash’” is about missing someone you were in a relationship with, but not missing who you both became within that relationship.”
"Mass Appeal" by Franc Moody
Franc Moody kick off their upcoming second album’s rollout with the challenging, absorbing new tune “Mass Appeal”, which comments harshly on materialism and capitalism.
"Great Taste" by Miso Extra (feat. NAYANA IZ)
Miso Extra launches her brand new ‘Great Taste’ EP today, and it features the smooth title track with a fitting collab from Nayana IZ. Miso says, “"Great Taste explores the realising that your current state of being might not always be the best and that if nothing changes the future ahead isn’t appealing; if anything terrifying. Its expressing a desire to join hands with those who want to follow their dreams and enter an alternate future. Nayana IZ was able to bring her incredible wisdom of words to the table and further iterates the bitter sweet struggles of self development."
"Cubana" by JOEBOY
Afropop star JOEBOY readies for his US tour alongside the likes of Koffee with his new tune “Cubana”, described as his most playful song yet. He says, “I was in the studio trying to create a ‘heartbreak song ‘with my producer TYPE A, and there was this particular progression that was really vibey and trippy, and I just started playing around with it. ‘Cubana’ started as a freestyle with this very catchy melody that stuck, and we decided to go with the flow, and create something very different from what we had originally intended.”
"Wild Things" by Miraa May
Miraa May’s debut album is set to be a hugely cathartic release, and there’s no better evidence of that than the bold new single “Wild Things”, where May wrests back control of her own story from her father.
"Forbidden Love" by Myshelle & ENNY
Mychelle’s latest track is a collaboration with ENNY – in “Forbidden Fruit”, the pair delve into the complications of developing the wrong kind of crush with a dreamy ambience.
"JOY (Love's Not Real)" by Joy Anonymous
Joy Anonymous have made their names from spontaneous and exuberant pop-up shows, and all of that energy is on display in the disco-driven new single “JOY (Love’s Not Real?)”.
"Lemon Squeezy" by edbl & Kazuki Isogai
edbl teases a new project in collaboration with Kazuki Isogai coming later this month in the new single “Lemon Squeezy”, which also features Taura Lamb.
"Leaving Today" by Alfie Templeman
Alfie Templeman’s debut album is coming in hot, and he’s offered the latest cut from it in the form of “Leaving Today”, a fittingly joyous look ahead to everything he missed about playing live.
"Déjà Vu" by Toro y Moi
Toro y Moi is slowing it down and enjoying the world around him on his latest project, and his new single “Déjà Vu” is fully in that spirit – a tranquil slice of transient Americana.