It was a crazy week for the music industry. Lin-Manuel Miranda is releasing The Hamilton Mixtape in early December and pulled just about every big-name artist into the studio to complete it. Beyoncé joined the Dixie Chicks onstage at the 2016 Country Music Awards for a historical performance. And let’s not even get into A Tribe Called Quest having an album featuring André 3000, Jack White and Kendrick Lamar coming soon. As the music scene plays out in its regular chaos, enjoy this week’s edition of Push Play Monday.
1) “Energy” by Fortunes.
Conor McCabe and Barnaby Matthews make up this electronic/R&B duo from Melbourne, Australia. The two first met in high school in New Zealand. After they both relocated to Melbourne, they began making music together. They released a couple of EPs independently in 2015 and 2016. As of a few weeks ago, the duo signed to Future Classic Records, under which the two plan to release their debut studio album soon.
2) “TBC” by Am Lou
This is quite the debut track for the young British talent, Ama Lou. The 18-year-old’s haunting vocals are laced through the track, unapologetically singing allusions to Black Lives Matter, feminism and the media’s use of propaganda.
3) “Window Seat” by Thomston feat. Wafia
Another 18-year-old making waves across seas is Thomston, a young New Zealander. He humorously told Pigeons & Planes that he is already tired of the comparisons to Lorde. “Any New Zealander who releases pop music is instantly the second coming of the Lorde,” he told them. The track’s feature, Wafia, often pairs up with Australian producer Ta-Ku. This song serves as a fresh take on her startlingly beautiful vocals.
4) “Smile Good” by Jay Prince
East Londoner Jay Prince has been all over music blogs lately, as his music has many listeners drawing comparisons to Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper, mostly due to the complexity of his lyricism. His music will draw you back to the debut days of sunshine rap, with a groovy vibe that flows through even his saddest songs. He is currently on tour in the United Kingdom, but his freshly dropped Smile Good EP is more than enough to tie over fans until he gets back into a studio.
5) “I, U, Us – Rom Remix” by Raye feat. ROM
Though simplistic, the lyrics to 18-year-old Raye’s song from her debut EP are perfect for the track. Rachel Keen, known onstage as Raye, left school in England to pursue her songwriting career. She has collaborated on songs with many artists in the past, but began working on her solo work after signing to Polydor Records. Her EP, Second, released in August, is an assuring five-track introduction to the young woman’s future.
6) “C’est la vie” by Maurice Moore
This track debuted with The Fader about two weeks ago. The 19-year-old Canadian R&B singer paired with the Los Angeles production duo Rice N’ Peas to create it. With a vibe reminiscent of Bruno Mars’ “The Lazy Song,” the track emits a laid-back feel designed for the days when nothing seems to be going right. This comes from the mixtape he plans to release in spring 2017, tentatively titled The Amber Room.
7) “Be Without You” by Kstewart
Kate Stewart (“Kstewart”) is a West Londoner who gained fame for her features on Oliver Heldens’ and Matoma’s tracks. Not much is known about the 21-year-old other than she belongs to Ego Music and has a handful of singles out. Enjoy this thickly layered track until more is discovered about this budding talent.
8) “Get Away” by Great Good Fine Ok
New York-based synthpop duo Great Good Fine Ok is Jon Sandler and Luke Moellman, who met living around the corner from one another in Brooklyn. The band shot to fame with its 2013 single “You’re The Only One For Me,” and have since released many singles with a rumored album on the way.