Category: Indie Pop

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Black Cashmere Shares Woozy “In My Head”

Emerging, Venice, CA-based indie duo Black Cashmere — Devon Sellers and Harry Weil — will be releasing their debut EP, In My Head in July. Recorded at Dream House Studios, the six-song EP introduces their remarkably close creative partnership while exploring their love of retro sounds, soulful house and jazz-tinged cadences.

The EP’s first single, EP title track “In My Head” features Sellers’ sultry, jazz-tinged cadence with a woozy production and arrangement, which sounds a bit like a synthesis of psych pop, neo-soul and trip-hop — in a way that reminds me a bit of JOVM mainstays The Lovelines. The song’s narrator describing swooning and yearning for a love interest, while still recognizing that they’re still stuck in their head.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Develour Shares Lush and Breezy “Celle qui”

Mysterious and mischievous French artist Develour emerged into the Francophone indie pop scene with the release of “La Part des Agnes,” a song which saw him quickly establishing a sound that he playfully dubbed “French touch disco,” a sound that draws from and features elements of chanson, soul, funk, disco and pop. 

“La Part des Agnes” and the French artist’s second single “Un Matin,” which I described as a breezy and summery bop built around a swaggering and infectious 80s-inspired groove, appeared on his debut EP, 2023’s Vert Galant. 

The emerging French artist forthcoming sophomore EP will feature the previously released “Dealer d’Amour,” a dreamy and lush song that prominently features Developer’s yearning, achingly plaintive cooing, and the EP’s latest single “Celle qui.”

“Celle qui” continues a run of lush and breezy, hook-driven tunes, featuring glistening synth arpeggios, a supple and funky bass line serving as a lush bed for the French artist’s yearning delivery. While breakneck and infectious, thematically, the new single, as Develour explains focuses on the fantasies and stories we tell ourselves while deeply fascinated with a potential love interest. He goes on to say that the song sonically and structurally plays on the contrasts between the longing and self-doubt in the pursuit of a desired one.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: JayWood Shares Swaggering, Genre-Defying “ASSUMPTIONS”

Jeremy Haywood-Smith is a Winnipeg-born, Montréal-based, singer/songwriter, musician and creative mastermind behind the acclaimed, boundary pushing project JayWood. Though he was nominated for a Polaris Music Prize, the Canadian artist currently has a day job as a postal worker, which is arguably the least interesting thing about him.

Haywood-Smith’s third JayWood album Leo Negro is slated for a September 5, 2025 release through Captured Tracks. Much like previously released tracks “UNTITLED (Swirl)” and his collaboration with Tune-Yards, “BIG TINGS,” Leo Negro will further cement his reputation for refusing to be easily pigeonholed.

The Canadian artist explains that the album’s title ” . . .came from the main concept of the album which is identity. I asked myself the question of ‘What are some things that make me who I am, no matter what changes occur in life?’ and funnily enough, I was getting really into astrology at the time due to fact that 70% of my friends are queer femmes. I was trying to understand what it means to be a Leo. On the other hand, I’m moving through life as a black man in spaces that don’t always understand me or will try to categorize me.”

He adds, “I know the main identifier for Leos is that they’re super confident and massive social magnets and leaders, but in recent years, I’ve had a harder time leaning into that specific energy, so I started to just dismantle the idea of confidence and leadership by doing somewhat of the opposite. I started to get more vulnerable and share more things about myself: insecurities, fears, anxieties, my scarier truths and my experiences as a black person. Through that, I weirdly started to feel a little more confident. Which brings me to my last point about the title. I now live in Montreal and one thing I realized while trying to learn the language is that the descriptions of things are at the end. For example ‘black cat’ would be ‘chat noir,’ and if I look at my album title, it kinda translates to ‘black confidence’ in my mind.”

Leo Negro‘s latest single “ASSUMPTIONS” is a mind-melting, defiantly genre-agnostic track that sees the Montréal-based artist meshing a swaggering and braggadocio-fueled hip-hop production and neo-soul while subtly hinting at Pharrell‘s “Happy.” While seemingly recalling Tyler, the Creator, Stereolab and Men I Trust among others, “ASSUMPTIONS” showcases a mischievously forward-thinking producer and songwriter, who can pair social commentary and deep introspection within a catchy, deceptively fun bop.

“‘ASSUMPTIONS’ feels like it’s giving myself permission to step into some new sonic territory,” Haywood-Smith explains. “It’s fun and playful while still being pretty focused and lyrically consistent, which is new for me. It’s also one of the funniest songs I’ve ever written. It’s literally about my crippling imposter syndrome but at the same time, I’m staking my claim as a solid artist and a producer.”

Directed by Trent Wayne, the accompanying video is a playful, unpredictable mix of cartoons and live action footage at an equally cartoon colored party, in which he plays his new song. Much like the accompanying song, the video touches on feelings of imposter syndrome, feeling under appreciated yet knowing deep down that you’re fucking dope.

The video’s director, Trent Wayne, while speaking on the production said “JayWood set the tone for us—playful, unpredictable, and musically rich— making a great foundation for the video. Inspired by the song’s genre-blending, we built a narrative to match: starting in a comically chaotic party scene, drifting into a Yo Gabba Gabba!-inspired graveyard, and featuring a cartoon version of Jay performing created by Pete Though, which was sent through a VCR for added analog grit. Our production designer, Sophia Kotowski, built a functional CD-player gravestone that became a psychedelic centerpiece. Collaborating with Captured Tracks to spotlight innovative artists like JayWood is a real privilege for our team.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Dublin’s Galia Arad Shares Brooding and Intimate “This Close”

Galia Arad is an emerging Dublin-based singer/songwriter, who recently signed Dublin-based artist development label Rubarb Music. Arad’s Rubarb Music debut, the self-penned and self-produced “This Close” is anchored around strummed and plucked acoustic guitar, bursts of twinkling synths and skittering beats.

The broodingly intimate track is a a bit of a change in sonic direction for Arad, as the track sees her blending her long-held Americana-inspired songwriting with an alt-pop sensibility: Strummed and plucked, Country Western-styled guitar, bursts of twinkling synths and skittering beats create a broodingly intimate and lush bed for the Irish artist’s breathy cooing.

“This Close” showcases an artist, who can pair heartfelt, seemingly lived-in lyrics with a remarkably catchy hooks. Arad explains that “This Close explores the tension between craving and control- using vulnerability as a tool to capture after an endless game of chase. The production is inspired by that push/pull, and of course my own desires to kick off my pop girlie era.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: JOVM Mainstays The Lovelines Shares Woozy, Reggae-Tinged “Girl”

Over the past couple of years, I’ve spilled quite a bit of virtual ink on The Lovelines. The duo, which is currently split between Berlin and  Orlando, have been very busy during that same period steady releasing singles that have caught the attention of the blogosphere and elsewhere.

The duo’s latest single “Girl” is anchored around a woozy yet languorous production featuring a reggae-influenced groove, bursts of glistening guitar paired with Tessa D’s soulful, subtly swaggering delivery. “Girl” manages to recall some of the JOVM mainstays earliest material, the new single continues to showcase an act that writes songs with an effortless attention to craft, while being remarkably hooky.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Emerging Artist TomEE Shares Hook-Driven “’bout Time”

TomEE is a mysterious, emerging artist, who over the course of handful of singles has firmly established a DIY, lo-fi bedroom pop sound and approach. Clocking in at a little under two minutes, his latest single “’bout Time” manages to recall JOVM mainstays MUNYA and Kainalu while showcasing an adept and uncanny knack for crafting an incredibly catchy hook.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Essex, UK’s Nukie Shares Swaggering “Face like -_-“

Essex, UK-based artist Nukie is an emerging artist, who is gaining momentum within East London‘s underground music scene. And within a short period of time, he has quickly established a sound that’s a bold collision of punk and British electronic subcultures, blending garage, indie rock, drum ‘n’ bass and grunge. Routinely driven by distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and gritty vocal-led hooks, the rising British artist attempts to channel the tension and urgency of his environment while channeling the disillusionment and intensity of modern life.

Operating with a DIY ethos, the rising British artist oversees every aspects of his creative output from production and recording to visual design, bringing a cohesive and authentic quality to his work.

Nukie’s latest single “Face like -_-” is a bold, swaggering anthem anchored around dusty and glitchy breakbeats, distorted and woozy guitars, enormous hooks and choruses paired with an insouciant, extremely British delivery. The result seemingly channels a synthesis of The Streets, Odelay-era Beck and garage while showcasing at an artist with an uncanny knack for catchy and rousing hooks and choruses.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Develour Shares Slow-Burning and Yearning “Dealer d’Amour”

The mysterious and mischievous French artist Develour emerged into the Francophone indie pop scene with the release of “La Part des Agnes,” which saw him quickly establishing a sound that he playfully dubbed “French touch disco,” a sound that draws from and features elements of chanson, soul, funk, disco and pop.

“La Part des Agnes” and the French artist’s second single “Un Matin,” which I described as a breezy and summery bop built around a swaggering and infectious 80s-inspired groove, appeared on his debut EP, 2023’s Vert Galant.

Develour’s latest single “Dealer d’Amour” is a slow-burning, Quiet Storm-meets-sophistipop-like ballad anchored around an atmospheric yet sultry groove, bursts of glistening synths reminiscent of Hall & Oates “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” The song’s production and arrangement serves as a dreamy and lush bed for the mysterious French artist’s yearning, achingly plaintive cooing.

Thematically, the song questions our unhealthy relationships with dating apps, while openly discussing the wild mix of addiction, hope, disillusionment and loneliness they inspire. And yet, we keep on swiping because what else is there to do?

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Music 4 Diana Shares Heartfelt Ballad “Mil Años”

Diana Jiminez is a Colombian-American, New Jersey-based singer/songwriter and creative mastermind behind the emerging recording project Music 4 Diana. Jiminez’s latest Music4Diana single “Mil Años” is a slow-burning ballad that showcases Jiminez’s gorgeous vocal and deeply heartfelt lyrics.

The emerging New Jersey-based artist explains that the song was written to pay tribute to her father. And as a result, it captures a sense of gratitude while being anchored around a message about love, legacy and the eternal bond between a daughter and her father.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: N3WYRKLA Shares Sultry “Plastic Cup”

N3WYRKLA is a rising pop artist, who will supporting FERG on his upcoming The Darold Tour. Her latest single “Plastic Cup” is the lead single from her highly-anticipated full-length debut. Sonically, the track is anchored around a sleek and sultry production featuring atmospheric synths, skittering tweeter and woofer rattling trap-like thump and buzzing bass synths serving as a lush bed for the rising artist’s yearning delivery — before closing out with a classic R&B piano coda.

The rising pop artist explains that “Plastic Cup” captures the late-night temptation of reaching out to that someone — maybe even someone you really shouldn’t reach out to — after a few too many drinks. But you have needs and those needs are winning out over your common sense. Hey, we’ve all been there at some point.

Fittingly, the accompanying video is as sultry and as sensual as the song.