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Music

RJ Thompson Celebrates Relationships That Endure on "Kids" (premiere)

British singer-songwriter RJ Thompson's latest single "Kids" is a vibrant slice of 1980s inspired alt-pop.

Music

Halsey's 'Manic' As a Genre-Bending Force

On her third studio album Manic, Halsey peels away the layers and exposes the woman behind the persona.

Music

Little Scream Combines Easygoing Pop with Serious Lamentations About Politics and Culture on 'Speed Queen'

Montreal's Little Scream offers up reflections on class and poverty disguised as sweet low-key pop songs on her real grower of an album, Speed Queen.

Music

'Cheap Queen' Establishes King Princess' Talent

Cheap Queen undoubtedly establishes King Princess' talent, but it encounters issues with contrived affectations and productions that show less experimentation than seen on previous singles.

Music

Pop Meets Soul Meets Experimentation in Sequoyah Murray's Debut

Atlanta's Sequoyah Murray has delivered one of the best albums of 2019 with his extraordinary debut Before You Begin.

Music

East India Youth's William Doyle Discusses His New Solo Album and Music

William Doyle speaks to PopMatters about the end of East India Youth, his experience of living in the suburbs, and how his new album, Your Wilderness Revisited, came into being.

Music

Cigarettes After Sex Resurface With Another Smoldering Collection of Libidinous Lullabies on 'Cry'

Brooklyn dream pop darlings, Cigarettes After Sex re-emerge from the touring circuit with their second record of lust, longing, and nicotine-stained regret.

Music

Sean O'Hagan Breathes New Life Into MOR with 'Radum Calls, Radum Calls'

The head High Llama, Sean O'Hagan reaches way beyond pop to make the surreal easy listening album, Radum Calls, Radum Calls.

Music

Deep Tan Amplify the Groove on New Single "Shimmer" (premiere)

London's deep tan further their distinctive electropop/alt-pop sound on new single, "Shimmer". Fans of Foals, the XX, Maribou State, and Beach House listen up.

Music

Shura Herself: A Conversation with the Pop Singer About Her New Confidence and Sound

Electropop's Shura chats with PopMatters about her latest album forevher in which she infuses soulful grooves into her sound. Shura is currently touring the US and is set to begin her European tour in November.

Music

Brits in Hot Weather #17: Pelicandy, Chay Snowdon, Tom Fleming, GLOWS, Baby Taylah

Up now on Brits in Hot Weather, we have swaggering alt-pop from Pelicandy, rousing indie from Chay Snowdon, electrifying synth-rock from former Wild Beasts co-vocalist Tom Fleming, the melodic electronics of GLOWS, and the brooding debut single from Baby Taylah.

Music

Wallis Bird Unleashes an Album for Our Troubled Times with 'Woman'

Prolific singer-songwriter Wallis Bird tackles inequality and a world in crisis with her compelling, freewheeling new album, Woman.

Music

Ezra Furman Blasts Off on 'Twelve Nudes'

On Twelve Nudes, Ezra Furman demonstrates how an explosion of negative feelings can create an enjoyable sensation.

Music

'Charli' Sometimes Sounds at Odds with Charli XCX

The long-awaited third LP from Charli XCX is here at last, and nearly half-a-decade of anticipation weighs heavily on the artist and everyone else's expectations.

Music

Jay Som Is Not Saving Dream Pop. It Doesn't Need to Be Saved.

Jay Som speaks to PopMatters about handling expectations, agents of change, and how her newfound sobriety influenced her new album Anak Ko.

Max Totsky

Music

Jay Som's 'Anak Ko' Embraces Difficult Change

DIY musician Jay Som's Anak Ko exudes tentativeness in the face of subtle personal upheaval, but a veil of motherly tenderness offsets the loneliness and desperation.

Music

Lana Del Rey Brings SoCal Ennui to the Masses with the Astonishing 'Norman Fucking Rockwell'

Lana Del Rey's sixth studio album is a brazen, honest exercise in studied sophistication as well as the art of not giving a fuck.

Music

Shura's ‘forevher' Is an Earnest Depiction of Nascent Love

Expanding her electropop sound with soulful grooves, Shura finds inspiration in personal experience on forevher.

Music

Marika Hackman Cranks Up the Volume and the Honesty with 'Any Human Friend'

With Any Human Friend, British singer-songwriter Marika Hackman largely ditches her folk leanings and makes a sharp, emotionally resonant statement.

Music

Alt-Pop's Annabel Allum Conquers Workplace Boredom on "When the Wind Stopped" (Premiere)

The irreverent video for British pop singer-songwriter Annabel Allum's dynamic new single sees a group of weary office workers finally follow their dreams.

Music

'Doom Days' Indeed for Bastille

On their third studio record, Doom Days, Bastille continue their slide into mainstream blandness.

Music

Delena Releases New Alt-pop Anthem "Animal" (premiere + interview)

Replete with energetic hooks and spiky melodies, Delena's "Animal" is a modern pop song with a sting in its tale.

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British singer-songwriter RJ Thompson's latest single "Kids" is a vibrant slice of 1980s inspired alt-pop.

On her third studio album Manic, Halsey peels away the layers and exposes the woman behind the persona.

Montreal's Little Scream offers up reflections on class and poverty disguised as sweet low-key pop songs on her real grower of an album, Speed Queen.

Cheap Queen undoubtedly establishes King Princess' talent, but it encounters issues with contrived affectations and productions that show less experimentation than seen on previous singles.

Atlanta's Sequoyah Murray has delivered one of the best albums of 2019 with his extraordinary debut Before You Begin.

William Doyle speaks to PopMatters about the end of East India Youth, his experience of living in the suburbs, and how his new album, Your Wilderness Revisited, came into being.

Brooklyn dream pop darlings, Cigarettes After Sex re-emerge from the touring circuit with their second record of lust, longing, and nicotine-stained regret.

The head High Llama, Sean O'Hagan reaches way beyond pop to make the surreal easy listening album, Radum Calls, Radum Calls.

London's deep tan further their distinctive electropop/alt-pop sound on new single, "Shimmer". Fans of Foals, the XX, Maribou State, and Beach House listen up.

Electropop's Shura chats with PopMatters about her latest album forevher in which she infuses soulful grooves into her sound. Shura is currently touring the US and is set to begin her European tour in November.

Up now on Brits in Hot Weather, we have swaggering alt-pop from Pelicandy, rousing indie from Chay Snowdon, electrifying synth-rock from former Wild Beasts co-vocalist Tom Fleming, the melodic electronics of GLOWS, and the brooding debut single from Baby Taylah.

Prolific singer-songwriter Wallis Bird tackles inequality and a world in crisis with her compelling, freewheeling new album, Woman.

On Twelve Nudes, Ezra Furman demonstrates how an explosion of negative feelings can create an enjoyable sensation.

The long-awaited third LP from Charli XCX is here at last, and nearly half-a-decade of anticipation weighs heavily on the artist and everyone else's expectations.

Jay Som speaks to PopMatters about handling expectations, agents of change, and how her newfound sobriety influenced her new album Anak Ko.

DIY musician Jay Som's Anak Ko exudes tentativeness in the face of subtle personal upheaval, but a veil of motherly tenderness offsets the loneliness and desperation.

Lana Del Rey's sixth studio album is a brazen, honest exercise in studied sophistication as well as the art of not giving a fuck.

Expanding her electropop sound with soulful grooves, Shura finds inspiration in personal experience on forevher.

With Any Human Friend, British singer-songwriter Marika Hackman largely ditches her folk leanings and makes a sharp, emotionally resonant statement.

The irreverent video for British pop singer-songwriter Annabel Allum's dynamic new single sees a group of weary office workers finally follow their dreams.

On their third studio record, Doom Days, Bastille continue their slide into mainstream blandness.

This week we have urgent post punk from Guru, murky alt-pop from JW Ridley, gorgeously life-affirming soul from Amahla, soaring electropop from Salt Ashes, and the welcome return of former Wild Beast frontman, Hayden Thorpe.

Methyl Ethel's Jake Webb looked inward, writing, producing, and performing his third album as Methyl Ethel all on his own. To celebrate, he counts down his "Five Great Palette Cleansing Albums for the Sedentary Listener".

Replete with energetic hooks and spiky melodies, Delena's "Animal" is a modern pop song with a sting in its tale.