Audio

New Audio: TOMORA Returns with Luminous and Euphoric “I DRINK THE LIGHT”

TOMORA is a collaborative project featuring:

  • The Chemical Brothers‘ Tom Rowlands: As one-half of The Chemical Brothers, Rowlands has produced and recorded six widely acclaimed UK #1 albums and won six Grammy Awards.
  • Norwegian artist AURORA: AURORA has released four studio albums and has quickly become one of Norway’s most influential and globally recognized contemporary artists. Her single “Runaway” has amassed over one-billion Spotify streams to date.

TOMORA builds upon a creative relationship that can be traced to the recording sessions for The Chemical Brothers’ 2019 album No Geography. AURORA contributed vocals to three tracks, including “Eve of Destruction.” Rowlands then went on to contribute to AURORA’s 2024 effort, What Happened to the Heart?, which landed on the UK Top 10.

Initially, speculation was rife as to who — or what — the then-mysterious TOMORA was or could be, after the name appeared on Coachella’s 2026 Festival lineup post without any additional information last year. Last December, the duo released their debut single “Ring The Alarm,” which received praise from SpinBrooklynVeganStereogum and DJ Mag. “Ring The Alarm” also received DJ support from Erol Alkan¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U and a long list of others.

The duo’s TOMORA debut single was then released on a very limited and collectible white label vinyl, alongside B-side “The Thing,” which showcases a glimpse of the tender and hauntingly beautiful downtempo tracks that appear on the duo’s full-length debut, COME CLOSER.

Officially released today through Capitol RecordsCOME CLOSER was written and produced jointly by Rowlands and AURORA. The 12-song album sees the duo pairing the Norwegian artist’s distinctive vocal with the acclaimed British producer’s unparalleled studio expertise. The album sees the duo creating their own unique space, somewhere they can produce the kind of magic that comes from flicking through a perfect record collection, flowing from wigged-out 1960s psychedelia to the hyper-futurism of sounds imagined for the 2060s. 

The album is less about two separate and distinct artists finding a fertile middle ground and more the sound of two tenacious individuals connecting in the studio and hitting massive creative peaks together. 

“This is our album COME CLOSER, it is everything we dreamt of. We made it without obligation or expectation, just a joy in creation,” the duo says. “It’s the sound where we meet, the landing zone of our musical escape pods. It is a special place to us. We hope you dig it as much as we do.”

The album also features the previously released “COME CLOSER” “SOMEWHERE ELSE” and its latest single “I DRINK THE LIGHT.” “I DRINK THE LIGHT” is a euphoric and luminous song featuring glistening synth arpeggios and skittering boom bap as a lush yet woozy bed for AURORA’s remarkably Björk-like delivery. Sonically nodding at a slick synthesis of Madonna‘s “Ray of Light,Come with Us-era Chemical Brothers, “I DRINK THE LIGHT” evokes the otherworldly and almost childlike sense of awe and delight of seeing a natural wonder for the first time.

“We wrote ‘I DRINK THE LIGHT whilst watching the light glitter and dance off the shimmering fjord in Norway. We wanted to write a song that felt like witnessing the wonders of Earth for the very first time,” TOMORA explains. “The song is an exploration of light sensations and fluid dynamics. We taste the earth, we swallow the sun, we are one with the fabric of life, and most importantly of all, we drink the light.”

New Audio: JOVM Mainstay The Offline Teams Up with Koralle on a Vibey and Laid-Back Remix of “Enfin, la paix”

Hamburg-born and-based photographer, composer Felix Müller is the creative mastermind of the JOVM mainstay cinematic soul project The Offline. The Offline was deeply inspired and informed by Müller’s travels along the Atlantic coastline of southern France with an analog camera, capturing beach life. Upon his return to Hamburg, he started writing compositions as the sonic counterpart to his visuals.

The German-born artist’s full-length debut, 2023’s Timor Litzenberg co-produced La couleur de la mer was inspired by the work of Francois de Roubaix, and saw him creating a soundtrack to an imaginary film with themes and atypical song structures. Morning from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism, the album’s material incorporated elements of psychedelia, retro soul and hip-hop — inspired by his extensive record collection.

2024’s Les Cigales saw the German-born JOVM mainstay building upon the head-nodding blend of hip-hop and 70s soul jazz that he developed on his debut with the effort’s material taking sonic cues from 1960s and 1970s film and TV scores, while nodding at Francois de Rouabix, David AxelrodSurprise Chef and Robohands.

Last year, saw Müller release the live EP, The Offline In Session, which featured live renditions of some of his previously released work including “Théme de la couleur de la mer,” and “Cap Camarat.”

Interestingly, his forthcoming effort, Révisé is reportedly a look back into his growing catalog — but this time with the hip-hop and beatmaker ramped up. The effort will feature contributions from highly sought-after producers across the global, lo-fi hip-hop scene including, Koralle, Knowsum, Jake Milliner and 53 Keys, as well as rising underground emcees like SANITY, Summer SonsTURT and Physical Graffiti.

“One of my main motivations for The Offline project was to create a modern version of television and film music from the 60s and 70s, with an analog touch reminiscent of the old funk and jazz albums that hip-hop artists used to sample,” Müller explains. “After releasing several albums an [sic] EPs, the idea arose to change perspective and look at the music from the point of view of hip-hop artists and beatmakers, leading to the remix project Révisé.”

Révisé‘s lead single, sees Müller team up with Italian producer Koralle on a remix of Le couleur de la mer album track, “Enfin, la paix.” The Koralle remix adds anecdotes a laid-back, lounge/headphone hip-hop feel with congo, boom bap beats and dub-inspired textures paired with the original’s twinkling and reverb-soaked Rhodes, Müller’s soulful and psychedelic guitar lines and sun soaked vibes. The remix is perfect for that Chill Out/Make Out/Daydream playlist you’re thinking of.

New Audio: Blue Earth Sound Shares Meditative and Hypnotic “Chartreuse”

Blue Earth County, Minnesota-born, Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist and composer James Weir is the creative mastermind behind the instrumental project Blue Earth Sound. Named after his birthplace, Blue Earth Sound sees Weir blending cinematic jazz, soul and psychedelic textures into rich, atmospheric soundscapes that reflect a sense of place and his collaborative approach to creating music.

Weir’s Blue Earth Sound debut, last year’s Cicero Nights was released by Root Records to praise from Clash Magazine and airplay from BBC Radio 3, BBC 6 Music and KEXP. The album consisted of eight, immersive compositions inspired by late-night city wanderings, and recorded with a cast of Chicago-based players including International Anthem engineer Dave Vettraino and Resavoir‘s Will Miller (trumpet).

Weir’s forthcoming The St. Louis Sessions EP will feature a collection of recordings documenting a spontaneous creative moment shared between friends and collaborators in the newly built, St. Louis-based home studio of drummer and long-time collaborator Austin LeMoine.

Weir brought a handful of demos to LeMoine’s home studio to experiment and workshop. “Austin was hip to the some local brass players, Jawaad Spaan and Josiah Burton, from the St. Louis scene that we invited over for experimental session tracked in his living room. After bonding over shared taste [sic] and drinks, we recorded the horn takes live together over my demos,” the Chicago-based composer and multi-instrumentalist explains.

As it turns out, the relaxed but inspired sessions unfolded with the recordings capturing the warmth and spontaneity of musicians sharing a room, following their instincts and balancing hypnotic grooves, dusty Wurlitzer tones and soul-tinged arrangements with moments of late-night reflection. And as a result, the EP is a more intimate snapshot of the project in motion, with material moving fluidity between improvisation and carefully curated post-production.

The St. Louis Sessions EP‘s lead single “Chartreuse,” is a meditative tune, anchored around a hazy, trance-inducing groove, some soulful and expressive brass that seemingly channels Kind of Blue-era Miles Davis and Giant Steps-era Coltrane but with a subtly modern sensibility. Interestingly, the composition emerged as the group of musicians were learning the ins-and-outs of the new studio set up and captures the uncanny simpatico of musicians in a room jamming together and creating something new.

New Audio: Jerk Returns with Funky and Soulful “alarmed”

Prolific Brooklyn-based producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Joni Kinney is the creative mastermind behind, the rising recording project Jerk. And with Jerk, Kinney has released five albums and several EPs that feature a sound that draws from J. DillaMadlibPatrice RushenEarth, Wind & FireLouis ColeKnower, and Roller Trio. Never content with just music as a creative output, Kinney is also an avid writer and video essayist. 

Late last year, the Brooklyn-based producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist released the first part of a two EP narrative cycle, as night falls. The two EP cycle sees Kinney using the project’s sound into new territories, taking listeners on a journey through a fusion of electronic influences, midnight funk and forward-thinking jazz. 

as day breaks, the second EP of the narrative cycle is slated for a May 15, 2026 release through DeepMatter Records. as day breaks EP will see a limited vinyl release, alongside last year’s as night falls

While the first EP of the cycle explored the darker side of human nature through a blend of midnight funk and electronic-tinged jazz, as day breaks, which was created with long-time friend and collaborator Martine Wade, is a journey through daylight anchored around uplifting, soulful, instrumentals paired with house grooves, breakbeats, bird song and the sounds of NYC. “This joint album project is the essence of Jerk — neither day nor night, but something more ethereal,” Kinney explains.

as day breaks EP will include the swaggering, funky “steppin’ out,” the slow-burning and meditative “wait,” and the EP’s final pre-release single “alarmed.” “alarmed is a Bob James-like bit of jazz funk that opens with a intro that evokes the beginning of the day with a bop-like strutting opening before morphing into a free-flowing improvisational section with a soulful and explosive sax solo from Kinney.

“The track is made up of two distinct sections, with an A section meant to evoke those first moments of consciousness, as well as a B section meant to evoke the baggage we all carry day to day,” Kinney says of the new single.

New Audio: Dmc Reigns Shares Woozy “Wahala”

Dmc Regins is a rising Nigerian-born, Berlin-based artist, who blends Afro-fusion with spiritual and contemporary influences. His music draws from early experiences in church, where he began singing when he turned nine, under the guidance of his mother, a choir leader. By the time he turned 12, he was writing his own songs, later experimenting with hip-hop and Afro-pop influences while he was in school.

Although he later went on to study medicine, music was a constant presence. After completing his studies, he decided to fully pursue music, building momentum through early social media releases and grassroots support, with his siblings among his first listeners.

He relocated to Berlin to 2022 and since then, the rising Nigerian artist’s sound has continued to evolve, influenced by a diverse and eclectic scene while still remaining rooted in his early musical foundations, combining faith, identity and cultural storytelling into a distinctive artistic voice.

The Nigerian-born, Berlin-based artist’s latest single “Wahala,” is a genre-defying yet hook-driven tune that sees him blending elements of classic highlife with woozy neo-soul and electro pop. The track was born from a fortuitous studio accident: While collaborating with producer AceKeyz on a separate project, AceKeyz mistakenly send Dmc Reigns a beat originally intended for OdumoduBlvck. Rather than return the beat, the Nigerian-born, Berlin-based artist seized the moment and took advantage.

“At first, I wasn’t sure, since it was a highlife beat with a cultural dynamic. I decided to experiment,” Dmc Regins explains. “I blended that classic highlife with a modern twist. As soon as I finished it and AceKeyz told me how much he loved it, I knew it was a vibe.”

Sonically, “Wahala,” which means “trouble” in Nigerian Pidgin English, evokes the intoxicatingly woozy push-and-pull of a toxic, intense and deeply fucked up relationship or situationship in which both parties are inexplicably drawn to each other, and yet they know better.

New Audio: Danny Waters Shares Lush and Euphoric “Memories (Radio Mix)”

Danny Waters is a Portuguese DJ, producer and founder and label head of Sonic Frequency Records. As a DJ and producer, Waters has crafted material across a wide range of electronic music genres and subgenres including house, deep house, deep tech, tech house, progressive house and techno — with a deep interest in protest and probing social questions. 

Waters’ latest single “Memories” is a lush bit of melodic, pop-leaning house anchored around euphoria-inducing hooks and choruses and pulsating beats that sounds perfect for the club, the lounge and the rooftop party. But at its core, the song is meant to invite the listener to simultaneously relive old memories and to create new ones that they’ll relive later — hopefully on the dance floor.

New Audio: MABLONDE Shares Dance Floor Friendly “1973”

French producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter MABLONDE‘s career started in earnest back in the 90s as a beatmaker. But since then, his work has gradually morphed to a sound that features elements of electro pop, electronica and synth wave and makes references to the styles and aesthetics of the 1980s and 1990s.

The French artist’s latest single “1973” is a sleek, hook-driven, club banger that’s one-part LCD Soundsystem, one-part indie sleaze, one-part 70s glam rock and one-part 1980s-era Giorgio Moroder.

New Audio: st. art Shares Shimmering “Lonely People (Special Edition)”

st. art is a Los Angeles-based collective of self-described “quantum artists.” In a a lengthy statement, the collection writes: “We do not create — we tune the field.

We are synthesizers of probabilities.

Our canvas is the energy field.

We are the Quantum Synthesizer. We assemble reality from probabilities, synthesize worlds from sensations, and create music from fields and meaning. We do not simply play notes — we give birth to new layers of being, shifting the “quantum” states of perception. For us, silence and light are equal oscillators. We are the voice of the Universe, passing through the soul. . . .”

The Los Angeles-based collective’s latest single “Lonely People (Special Edition)” is a sleek, futuristic banger featuring layers of glistening and twinkling synths and a supple and soulful bass line paired with thumping beats and a chopped up sample from The Beatles‘ “Eleanor Rigby.” The result is a song that places a beloved and familiar song within a bold, completely novel and modern context while being accessible.

New Audio: Calle Mambo and Kumbia Boruka Team Up on Dance Floor Friendly “Acordéon Rebelde”

Formed back in 2013, Valparaiso, Chile-based dectet Calle Mambo blend the richness and diversity of Latin American folkloric music — quena, quenacho, cuatro, charango, tiple, timbal, zampoña, ronroco and more — with urban music and electronic production to create something unique and personal.

Lyon-based octet Kumbia Boruka features musicians from Mexico, Chile, Argentina and France but the band’s roots lie in Monterrey, Mexico, where cumbia is the sound of the streets — and where Mexican cumbia legend Celso Piña was born. Kumbia Boruka bandleader Hernán Cortés learned accordion from the legend and accompanied him on international tours. Fittingly, Kumbia Boruka’s sound is inspired by and reflects the sound of Monterrey and Mexico but they blend the classic cumbia sound with reggae, dub, tropical and psychedelia. The band’s arrangements feature an extensive rhythm section including guacharaca and congas, a brass section, and of course, the accordion.

The result is a bold, new take on cumbia that pairs power, tropical sounds with a fierce energy that embraces Latin American rhythms.

The Chilean dectet and the French octet teamed up for “Acordéon rebelde.” Released last month, the collaboration is a Vulcan mind-meld between the two acts that boldly pushes the boundaries of cumbia with subtle nods to surf rock and tropicalia while showcasing both acts knack for crafting catchy hooks.

“Acordéon rebelde” was written as a tribute to the legendary Celso Piña. Both bands feature members, who have played with him during his “Cumbia Around the World” tour, which gives the song a deeply human connection to its subject while being indebted to him.

Calle Mambo will be embarking on a lengthy European Union tour. Tour dates, as always, will be below.

New Audio: Plain Mister Smith Teams Up with Tyson Motsenbocker on Lush, Painterly “Lucian & Francis”

Vancouver-based Mark Jowett, the mastermind behind Plain Mister Smith is a Canadian indie scene veteran who has had stints in Moev and Cinderpop, as well as a stint playing cello with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra

With Plain Mister Smith, the enigmatic Canadian artist draws influence from an eclectic range of artists including The BeatlesBryce Dessner, Matt MalteseLed ZeppelinThe Zombies and 20th-century classical composers like Prokofiev, who subtly influences his string-driven arrangements. The result is a sound that seamlessly blends elements of indie pop, baroque folk and psychedelia. 

The Vancouver-based artist’s new album is slated for release this month and will feature the previously released Forever So-era Husky-like “Dream To Be Free” feat. Jordan Klassen and its latest single “Lucian & Francis.” Released late last month, “Lucian & Francis” feat. Tyson Motsenbocker continues a run of lush and dream-like indie folk.

Inspired by the works of painters Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon, who frequently depicted raw, realistic portrayals of the human body, “Lucian and Francis” is fittingly, a rather painterly track with each sonic layer adding texture, shading and depth to the piece, much like how the painters, who inspired the song would do with color. Interestingly, the lush new single also manages to evoke the colors of early spring after the bleakness of a long winter.

New Audio: Club 8 Returns With Slow-Burning “There Is A Light That Seems To Go Out”

Since the release of 2024’s A Year With Club 8Stockholm-based JOVM mainstays Club 8 — Karolina Komstedt (vocals) and electronic music producer, artist and Labrador Records founder and label boss Johan Angergård — the duo spent last year releasing a single a month over the course of last year, including tunes like “ooo,” “None Of This Will Matter When You’re Dead,” “Staying Alive,” “Born The Wrong Time,” “Sneaky Feelings” and “Daydreams.” 

Earlier this year, the duo released “Echoes Of Our Time,” a nostalgia-inducing bop that channeled classic New Order and 80s pop. And late last month, the duo released their latest single “There Is A Light That Seems To Go Out,” a slow-burning and shimmering ballad that nods a bit at The Smiths, anchored around a familiar heartache over broken promises and things left unfulfilled and unresolved.

New Audio: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Share Swaggering “BATH WATER”

Currently split between Ngunnawal/Canberra and Naarm/Melbourne, the rising Aussie outfit Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers — Anna Ryan they/she, vocals, guitar), Scarlett McKahey (she/her, guitar, vocals), Jaida Stephenson (she/her, bass) and Neve van Boxsel (she/her, drums) — broke out into the national and international scene with 2022’s Pretty Good For A Girl Band EP, which received praise from The Guardian and Teen Vogue, as well as airplay from triple j. 

Pretty Good For a Girl Band EP‘s lead single “Girl Sports” landed at #55 on the triple j Hottest 100 list. Building upon a growing profile, their full-length debut, 2023’s I Love You debuted at #6 on the ARIA Albums Chart and included “I Used To Be Fun,” which landed at #52 on the Hottest 100. Capping off a big year, they opened for Foo Fighters — and were named one of Spotify’s New Noise Artists to Watch for 2024

“I Used To Be Fun” earned the band a J Award-nominations for Australian Album of the Year and Song of the Year for “I Used To Be Fun,” an APRA Award-nomination for Emerging Songwriter of the Year and Rolling Stone Australia Award-nominations for Best New Artist and Best New Single. And they won an AIR Award for Best Independent Rock Album or EP, a MusicACT Award for Artist of the Year and the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist ARIA Award

2024’s deluxe album, I Love You Too featured standout collaborations with Softcult on “Dull” and the rapidly rising The Linda Lindas on “Please Me.

While developing a reputation as one of the Australia’s most exciting contemporary acts, the band has also received attention for their political concerns, including advocating for Green Music’s No Music on a Dead Planet, contributing to an Aussie Parliamentary inquiry into live music and being outspoken supporters of AAM’s Michael’s Rule. The rising Aussie outfit has found ways to channel their passion for music and social change into everything that they do. 

Their sophomore album, last year’s Catherine Marks-produced GLORY, which included “BALCONY” debuted at #9 on the ARIA Albums Chart and #2 on the Australian Albums Chart. The album also was a triple jump Feature Album, while receiving airplay from BBC Radio 1, The Needle Drop and SiriusXM while receiving coverage from The Guardian, 10 Magazine Australia, Rolling Stone, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Sydney Morning Herald, frankie, Ones to Watch and Billboard. They were also a Spotify RADAR artist, with their image on billboards in Melbourne, London, Seoul and New York, as well as cover places on the DSP’s major playlists in multiple countries, including All New Rock, Marrow, Rock Out and New Music Friday. And lastly, “Balcony” landed at #61 on the Hottest 100.

GLORY was an exploration of confidence, disgust, inflation and power set against widescreen indie rock that you can strut to, while showcasing the band’s embrace of a lived-in, messy — and often very fun — era.

Slated for an April 24, 2026 release through Mom + Pop Music, GLORY deluxe is an an extended version of their critically acclaimed sophomore album with two new, previously unreleased songs, “BATH WATER” and “GO WASTE MY TIME,” along with stripped back reworkings of four fan favorites, “TALKING,” “DAYLIGHT,” “MINE,” and “WONDERFUL.”

GLORY deluxe’s latest single “BATH WATER” is a a pub rock-meets-arena rock anthem that showcases the band’s unerring knack for big, catchy hooks and even catchier, shout along worthy choruses delivered with a defiantly swaggering strut. But the song is anchored around a mischievously smirking irony.

“BATH WATER’ is a slutty, drivey, fun song about coming home from a night out,” the rising Aussie band explains. “It’s about when you leave a bar and are actually really excited to hang out by yourself and enjoy your own company, in a Ke$ha way, though.”

New Audio: Choses Sauvages Shares Shimmering “Seul”

Last year, rising Montréal-based outfit Choses Sauvages — La Sécurité‘s Félix Bélisle (vocals, synths), Totalement Sublime‘s Marc-Antoine Barbier (guitar), Theirry Malépart (keys), Tony Bélisle (keys), Philippe Gauthier-Boudreau (drums) and Frais Dispo‘s Charles Primeau (bass) — released their third album, Choses Sauvages III through Audiogram.

The album, which featured album singles “Incendie au paradis,En joue,” and “Cours toujours” showcased a decidedly post-punk sound that featured elements of post-punk, New Wave and krautrock. Released to praise from critics across Quebec and Europe, Choses Sauavages III landed on the 2025 Polaris Music Prize Long List and received an ADISQ nomination for Album of the Year — Alternative.

The Montréal-based outfit has played in France, Spain, Belgium, the UK, Germany and Mexico. Back in 2023, they toured as the opener for The Bright Light Social Hour‘s 30 date tour, which saw the JOVM mainstays playing across the US and Anglophone Canada that included a stop at Mercury Lounge. And adding to a growing national and international profile, the band has made the run of the international festival circuit with sets at Pitchfork Music Festival Paris, Printemps de Bourges, MaMA, Pete The Monkey, Mad Cool — and earlier this year, The New Colossus Festival.

“Seul,” their first bit of new material since last year’s Choses Sauvages III, continues a run of hook-driven, shimmering post punk — but while showcasing subtle No Wave elements with bursts of funky horns.

“’Seul’ deals with limerence and the romanticization of toxic relationships. This song is a question directed both outward and inward—a moment when the obsession with finding answers to matters of the heart embraces the vulnerability of a lost child in a shopping mall,” Choses Sauvages’ Félix Bélisle explains. “These emotional states unfold against a sonic backdrop that is at once danceable and abrasive, drawing inspiration from the New York No Wave movement.”

New Audio: Rising Aussie Artist Tullara Shares a Lush, Feminist Anthem

Tullara is a Ramornie, Australia-born, Grafton, Australia-based indie pop and folk/roots rocker, whose 2017 debut EP, Better Hold On went on to win a Best EP Award at the 2017 Australian Roots Music Awards. Since then, the rising Aussie artist, who proudly adheres to a DIY ethos, which includes being self-managed, has amassed over 1,700,000 streams on Spotify.

She has opened for acclaimed and beloved Aussie acts like Xavier Rudd, The Waifs, Ocean Alley, Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey, Cold Chisel‘s Ian Moss, INXSAndrew Farriss, The Dreggs, Jeff Lang, Troy Cassar-Daley and a lengthy list of others. She has also opened for international acts like Donavon Frankenreiter, Wallis Bird, The East Pointers and a list of others during their respective Australian tours. And adding to a growing profile, the rising Aussie artist has made a run of the global festival circuit, playing sets at Woodford Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Goolaholla Festival, Artswell Festival, Robson Valley Music Festival, Cur LeCheile Festival, Umefolk, Floating Castle Festival and a growing list of others.

Building upon a growing national and international profile, Tullara will be releasing her highly anticipated full-length debut, Rebound this year. Recorded and produced in Vancouver, Rebound reportedly showcases a bold, genre-defying evolution of her sound that embraces modern pop and rock, while blending her introspective lyricism with catchy melodies and cutting, world-class, modern production.

Released earlier this year, the forthcoming album’s first single “I Don’t Believe in Giving Up” features looping, reverb-soaked electric banjo paired with lush electronics serving as a supple bed for the Aussie artist’s expressive delivery singing lyrics about self-value and self-determination. Drawing from Celtic folk and contemporary pop, the new single sonically brings rootsier Dido to mind while being a feminist anthem.

New Audio: Naná Rizinni Teams Up with Mark Cake on Quirky and Off-Kilter “Fifth Life”

Naná Rizinni is a São Paulo-born, London-based drummer, composer and producer, whose musical journey began in the mid-2000s, studying with acclaimed Brazilian drummers Lilian Carmona, Vera Figueiredo, and Duda Neves. Rizinni has been a highly sough-after drummer and producer in her native Brazil ever since, touring and recording with acclaimed Brazilian artists like Tiê, Johnny Hooker, Ana Cañas, Bárbara Eugênia, and Thiago Pethit, while recording and releasing four solo albums.

In her native Brazil, Rizinni was known for her fluid, experimental approach to genre with her work evolving from the post rock and garage rock textures of her earliest work into a hybrid, jazz-forward language rooted in rhythm, texture and improvisation.

Adding to a growing profile in her native Brazil, Rizinni has recorded music for television, film and ad campaigns while also making a run of the international festival circuit with sets at Lollapalooza, Rock in Rio, SXSW and Primavera Sound among others.

In 2020, the São Paulo-born artist relocated to London, where she wrote and recorded her highly-anticipated album, Epiblast. Slated for an April 24, 2026 release through Bridge The Gap, Epiblast was written and co-produced by Rizinni and saxophonist and producer Mark Cake over the course of the Brazilian artist’s last two years in London.

Epiblast reportedly sees Rizinni diving deeper into experimental territory with the album sonically sitting somewhere between the synth-heavy sounds of The Comet Is Coming and the future jazz of corto.alto while also nodding at the progressive fusion of jazz and electronics pioneered by fellow drummer/producers Mark Guilianna and Richard Spaven.

Thematically the album chronicles a full cycle of life in all of its intensity, beginning with the excitement and joy of new parenthood, along with adjusting to the pace of life and the creation of relationships in her new home. But along with that the album was in many ways a companion for Rizinni’s grieving process after the tragic loss of her brother. “The title Epiblast comes from an early embryonic layer from which the entire organism develops,” Rizinni explains. “For me, it represents multiple births and rebirths — new roles, identities, and directions — capturing both fragility and infinite potential.”

The forthcoming album will include the previously released “Familiar Stranger” and “The Right Side of the Escalator,” which have received airplay internationally from BBC Radio 3, Rinse FM, KEXP, PBS-FM, as well as its third and last pre-release single “Fifth Life.” Seemingly drawing from early Hiatus Kaiyote, and Mildlife‘s “How Long Does It Take,” “Fifth Life” is a quirky and playful composition anchored around an off-kilter rhythmic-driven groove that’s one part Afrobeat-inspired, one-part Brazilian music-inspired paired with a soulful saxophone and flute solo.

“’Fifth Life’ is probably my favourite track on the album,” Rizinni explains. “It has a quirky, playful vibe that I really relate to. I wrote it on top of a beat I had been developing, and when I brought it to Mark, the guitars he came up with reminded me of a band I loved in the early 2000s called Screaming Headless Torsos, and guitarist David Fiuczynski in particular — a connection that added an extra spark to the track.”