Hello world,
Here’s your latest FP Picks update. We’ve got a host of banging tracks from Heartworms, Chiedu Oraka, BODEGA & loads more. If you like what you hear please follow and share this playlist, it helps us keep doing our thing by getting the algorithms on our side. Also please support the artists featured in any way you can!
Until next week
Helen (Futureproof) x
Nieve Ella – Sweet Nothings
Nieve Ella has shared infectious new single Sweet Nothings, taken from the EP Watch It Ache And Bleed. Of the track, Ella says: “It’s all about celebrating that rush of happiness and feeling lovely in those first two weeks of dating someone. I’m daydreaming about that exciting moment when someone new is falling for me.” The track starts with Nieve singing “I would like to wake with you / Every single morning” with readily open arms. Immortalizing the feeling of fixating on a new crush, she pines after the routines that come with a new relationship. Her elongated notes in the chorus lines “You can bury me in sweet nothings” swirl with eager desire, establishing a dreamlike tone for the track. Nieve has vowed only to make music that feels true to herself– music that doesn’t need to be polished and wrapped up in a bow.
Heartworms – Warplane
Unique post-punk artist Heartworms has dropped gripping new single Warplane, taken from her upcoming album Glutton for Punishment. Her music has often revolved around imagery and stories of the Second World War, her self-confessed obsession, so it feels appropriate that the announcement of her debut album is made with this track. It is dedicated to William Gibson Gordon, “a Spitfire pilot who was killed in action by an Me109 at just 20 years old. The song ends how I imagine his falling Spitfire sounds to me, like an angel losing its extraordinary wings.” Synths roar like planes peeling into tailspin, while breathy vocals infuse the scene with human tension. The chorus again emphasises the human, overlaying the mechanical artifice of the music with a choral chant hailing the airplanes.. Wow – what a haunting, emotive track – stunning.
Johnny Lloyd – If You Love Them, Let Them Go
Singer-songwriter Johnny Lloyd has shared heartfelt new single If You Love Them, Let Them Go, taken from his upcoming album Punchline. Laced with gossamer guitar lines and a pin-drop presence, the track marks a majestic return for the singer. Reminiscent of Bright Eyes, Elliot Smith, or even Nick Drake, the first solo material from the artist since 2021’s La La La album, arrives with an understated grace and a hymnal aura. Johnny states: “If You Love Them, Let Them Go is a song that started life quite heavy and it wasn’t until I got it in the studio, that I realised how personal it was and it needed a softer more Elliot Smith type delivery. It feels new musically to me and it was recorded beautifully by Luke Glazewski at HoxaHQ onto tape.” Great lyrics, sung with meaning – a stunning track.
Chiedu Oraka – Counselling (orchestral version)
Yorkshire wordsmith Chiedu Oraka has dropped an orchestral take on his track Counselling. Chiedu’s unique sound comes straight from the heart and he states: “You don’t often hear of many UK rap artists making songs with a live orchestra. I wanted the challenge and believe it paid off. Counselling is such an impactful song in itself, so creating an orchestral version has taken the track to a different stratosphere, both in meaning and in sound. My vulnerabilities are laid bare, even more so than the original release with the lyrics standing out, almost unfiltered, against the strings. The live instrumentation has enabled me to create a raw, stripped back moment that will hopefully give the listener the same goosebump feeling I got myself whilst performing it.” It’s an unflinching confrontation of past traumas, giving a voice to the silent crisis of black men’s mental health. Heightened by a live orchestra, the track takes on a new depth of gravitas.
SOFY – mine
Alt-pop artist SOFY has shared new single mine, taken from her upcoming mixtape Another Day In Paradise, with her signature blend of introspective lyricism and captivating melodies. Tackling the emotional terrain of unspoken feelings, the track addresses the anxiety and excitement that comes with admitting her true emotions for a love interest. SOFY perfectly captures the mix of desperation and vulnerability that defines those moments of confession. Her lilting, angelic vocals glide over a production anchored by electric guitars and a head-bopping chorus, creating an irresistible listen that sticks with you long after it ends. Poignant lyrics and beautiful vocals on this catchy anthem.
Dutch Mustard – Thank You
Netherlands born performer, songwriter and producer Dutch Mustard (aka Sarah-Jayne Riedel) has shared the exceptional new single Thank You and it’s another glistening, ethereal pop number that’s built on a hotbed of scintillating synths and catchy melodies. Sarah-Jayne states: “Thank You is about the euphoric feeling of being freed from a situation never meant for you. It’s a song to remind you that you’re in charge, and that you can always flip the script”. Recently visiting the studio of Anthony Genn – a producer/songwriter and former Pulp bassist – the two spoke for hours about music, and sifted through her demos. “He told me Thank You was his favourite and gave a few production tips. That’s when I decided that it should be the next single. One specific piece of advice that stood out most was the backing vocals advice, which I took on board for the track.”
BODEGA – Myrtle Parade
BODEGA have dropped new single Myrtle Parade which will be included on the new deluxe edition of the band’s last album Our Brand Could Be Yr Life, now entitled Brand On The Run. Band member Ben Hozie stated: “Myrtle Parade was a song I originally wrote for an earlier version of Endless Scroll but it was far too sunny and breezy to fit with the minimalism of that album. It’s a song set in a smoky DIY warehouse venue (Brookyln’s defunct and much missed Aviv) about feeling out of place and going through the motions at a show where the atmosphere is cramped and the social anxiety is high. The verse lyrics feature impressionistic snippets of overheard conversation at the venue where I imagined gossip about Myrtle, a fictional scenester emblematic of the BK rock world I associate with the Myrtle Wyckoff and Myrtle Broadway subway stops.” Great melody and witty lyrics on this infectious banger.
HotWax – She’s Got A Problem
Hastings rising trio HotWax have dropped new single She’s Got A Problem, taken from their upcoming debut album Hot Shock and it’s a driving grunge-rock anthem that has become a live favorite during their packed summer tour. HotWax recorded the album live at London’s RAK Studios and during their US tour, they also collaborated with Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa in Joshua Tree, further infusing the record with the dynamic energy of their live shows. While Hot Shock is made to be blasted on stage, it also explores the more vulnerable side of life on the road. “Touring and constantly living in the moment can be chaotic, but with experience, we’ve become more fearless,” explains bassist Lola Sam. Despite their young age, HotWax’s high-octane performances have already caught the attention of music icons like Beck, Karen O, Courtney Love, and Wolf Alice.
Humane The Moon – The Curb
Exciting emerging artist Humane The Moon has shared highly anticipated EP Debris Joice, consisting of four scintillating tracks including a feature from in-form UK rapper Jeshi. The EP follows recent live performances at MOTH club and Paris’ Pitchfork Festival. The Curb delivers the gritty, grungy edge his audience have come to love, but with a welcomed twist—an upbeat, pop-tinged beat that highlights the artist’s evolving artistry and cements his status as one to watch in the indie scene. He states: “The Curb is a song about hope. At the time of writing this one, I’d written a few bleak ones on the trot and Joe suggested we write a more upbeat bit of music next, probably to avoid either of us having some sort of breakdown. So when writing The Curb, I consciously tried to keep it optimistic. It didn’t end up completely working but the sentiment’s there I reckon.”
Automotion – Inferno
Automotion have shared the first single Inferno from a nine-track developmental series, which will see them pair up with a range of producers in the coming months and it’s a fuzzy, proggy number produced by Patrick Fitzroy, whose credits include PVA, Sorry and Katy J Pearson, to name a few. Of the series, vocalist and guitarist Jesse Hitchman said: “The idea here is that this will allow for greater experimentation. To experiment means to create work in which the result is not pre-determined beforehand. Part of this move has been motivated by a newfound influence of electronic music. The idea is not a direct turn towards electronic music but to experiment with ways in which the intersection between a live band and an electronic one can take shape.”
You can check out the whole playlist here. Please follow the socials below for our weekly updates and share about the place!
