- Words Notion Staff
A weekly playlist sharing our pick of the best new music from the world's most exciting emerging musicians. You heard it here first.
‘skyy’ by Vayda
Barely hitting the minute mark, Vayda’s latest jumpy rap hit, ‘skyy’, fizzes with youthful braggadocio. Stick on those bejewelled acrylic nails and dig out your flip phones, the track purrs with millennial goodness, cramming in hooks and sharp wordplay into a short run time.
‘HIT or MISS’ by SamRecks
Enter, the colourful world of UK rapper, SamRecks. In the music video for ‘HIT or MISS’, the bar slinger plays GameBoys, PSPs and any other ‘00s console to get nostalgic about. Musically, Rekkie fuses his y2k wordplay with Brazillian funk and wavy 808s, which shine bright like a Nintendo title screen.
‘comet’ by oreglo, Bel Cobain
The British jazz scene’s next big hopes, oreglo, link up with Bel Cobain for a soulful dub anthem. Funky, shuffling percussion matches the hazy tones of the south east Londoner, who charms with her poetically driven vocals.
‘Sarcoustica’ by bar italia
Part of a four-track EP release featuring songs created just after The Twits, ‘Sarcoustica’ creates a gloomy atmosphere with sinister, off-tune acoustic riffs and bar italia’s punky drawl. The surprise project comes after the band’s revered gig at Electric Brixton as well as performances at Coachella and sold-out dates in North America.
‘Life Without Me’ by Ella Eliza
Captivating fans with her compelling alt-pop, Ella Eliza is a singer-songwriter on the rise thanks to her complex explorations of self-discovery. In ‘Life Without Me’, she analyses love and loss through an honest lens, celebrating vulnerability through a deeply personal narrative. Multi-award-winning LGBTQ+ filmmaker Frankie Joe Gommon holds down the visuals, displaying Ella’s fearless exploration of her life thus far.
‘Twin Flame’ by tendai
Taking cues from seminal producers like Burial, ‘Twin Flame’ is tendai’s attempt at a dark and ominous garage track. The Stormzy co-signed producer continues to go from strength to strength, throwing his instrumentals into new territory while keeping that quintessentially spaced-out gravelly tone that’s defined much of his music to date.
‘Jumpstart’ by TYSON
TYSON'S first music of 2024 is a spacey two-step banger, produced by revered beat maker Oscar Scheller. Crooning in delicate tones over chopped and screwed breaks, on ‘Jumpstart’, the singer asks us, "Where do I begin?" before confessing, "It’s going to be a long ride". Whatever the journey, we’ll be here keenly following what she does next.
‘Coastlines’ by Downtown Kayoto
Everyone’s favourite Hull polymath, Downtown Kayoto, "Isn’t used to being second best" on his new single, ‘Coastlines’. Traversing baile funk, jersey and jungle on a melancholic instrumental, the singer-songwriter analyses a relationship on the cusp of breaking down, as he comes to the realisation his love is unrequited.
‘My Trust, My Love’ by Pretty Girl
Concluding the new project by Australian producer and DJ Pretty Girl, ‘My Trust, My Love’ is a brooding, cry-in-the-club dance anthem. Self-released, the six-track EP gets you in your feels with emotional synthesisers and the singer’s sensitive vocals, which wisp in and out of focus across sweet drumlines.
‘Leave Me Now’ by Azu Yeché
Bidding farewell to an unequal relationship, on ‘Leave Me Now’, Azu Yeché summons his intimate side, seeking clarity through the creation of music. Akin to the soulful sounds of Michael Kiwanuka and Lianne La Havas, the single was entirely self-written by the singer on the guitar, as he aims to reassure a lover who isn’t all in.
‘Fake the Move’ by Badbox
Bringing sultry summer vibes with his electrifying new single, ‘Fake the Move’, Badbox provides another Afro tech heater that’s set to shut down festival season. Anyone in search of vibrant beats and an infectious melody this month should look no further than this track, which pays homage to the spectrum of African electronic music that’s defined superstar DJs like Black Coffee, whom Badbox has collaborated with.