Listen to the playlist on Spotify…

It’s a big day for hip hop culture! One of the US’ foremost rappers, J. Cole, has rarely been far from the headlines of late, and with the release of this surprise LP, we expect that to only increase. Might Delete Later is moody and meticulous, with Cole is classic self-righteous form. He calls for Kendrick, links up with Central Cee, and flaunts his stylistic evolution. Imperfect but innovative, the new record is Cole at his epitome.

Grammy-nominee Omar Apollo is settled into his seat as one of America’s key musical exports of the past five years. He’s back, hinting at a new album, and with an unsurprisingly vivacious and sun-kissed new single, “Spite”, a narrative-driven, stripped back number that showcases Apollo at his introspective best.

Global hitmaker Kehlani has long been amongst the most prominent names in contemporary R&B. She returns with her first solo material since 2022’s sublime Blue Water Road LP; the fresh cut “After Hours” samples the iconic “Coolie Dance Rhythm”, and offers a groove-laden, summer-ready anthem that sees the legendary songstress in enthralling form.

One of electronic music’s must captivating names Peggy Gou has shared the exciting news of the release of her long-awaited debut album, I Hear You, due 7th June via XL Recordings. She celebrates the announcement with the release of a tricky, translucent new single, “1+1=11”. The glittery new number is accompanied by a thoughtful and utterly fun video starring artist Olafur Eliasson dancing inside a light installation at his studio in Berlin. A must watch!

Punjabi singer-songwriter and producer AP Dhillon has risen to one of India’s biggest musical exports, continuing to find his feat in the western industry with this latest single. Linking up with South London’s finest Stormzy, “Problems Over Peace” is cinematic, well-crafted and characterful pop rap, a slick and intelligent collaboration for both artists respectively.

A new-old to new-gen crossover for the ages, front-running vocalist, producer and DJ Eliza Rose enlists the godfather of UKG MJ Cole for a stellar cut. Plucked from her upcoming four-pronged EP, “Business As Usual”, the title track is a melting pot of sound and style, a crisp and characterful cut that draws on a menagerie of sounds, from jazz to garage.

Genre cross-over act ODIE has emerged as a fearless and expressive name in the US alt scene. Drawing from a cacophony of styles from afrobeat to rap, the Toronto-raised artist has started a captivating new body of work in “N.F.A. DEMOS”, showing an impressive artist progression since his debut LP Analogue back in 2017.

Continuing to defy the boundaries of alternative music, one of the brightest new British bands of the decade, UGLY, have brought their meticulous and magnificent sound to the surface of the UK scene with the release of their debut EP, “Twice Around The Sun”. Imaginative, emotional and at times heartbreaking, it’s a fantastic collection of cuts that twist and turn through to masterful conclusions.

“Bright Yellow”, the latest cut from Lazy Day, the brainchild of London-based creative Tilly Scantlebury, is progressive indie-pop at its finest. Their first release since a string of impressive release around the turn of the decade, this new one traces to her study of Queer American Art, and explores love, identity and human nature.

This year has been bountiful already in terms of new guitar music, with Irish (mostly) five piece Soft Launch the latest to emerge into the spotlight. The group have shared their debut single, “Cartwheels”, a track that merges eras and styles with ease, backed by a gentle but gorgeous vocal performance, supreme instrumental technicality, and an ultra-fun video to top it off. Remember the name, you heard it here first!

Dublin band Bricknasty are drawing their mature and distinct sound further away from generic convention with every passing release. This latest jazz-touched single “Boyfriend” is arguably their strongest to date, subtle, emotional and instrumentally progressive; not to mention frontman Fatboy’s incredible vocal performance.

Pop colossus Ava Max continues to cement herself as a global superstar with the release of her playful new single “My Oh My”. The multi-platinum singer-songwriter brings a vitality and effortless energy to the dance-leaning instrumental. She heads out n her biggest world tour to date later this year.

From South East London to Sydney, singer-songwriter Chanel Loren is well travelled, an you can hear it in her sound. Her latest single, “Zone”, sees her journey into soul-tinged R&B tendencies reach its latest destination. Stripped back and colourful sonically, Loren is a dazzling centrepiece but vocally and lyrically. A really captivating track, this.

Experimental Australian pop act DeepFaith walk the glorious line between absurdity and genius. Their new EP, the fantastically named “GLORIA IN TUMULTU, VERITAS IN FRAGORE PROPHETUS INSANUM”, is set to be released 19th April, but for now we’ve been treated to its lead single, “Patti Smith”. Lyrically visceral, vocally erratic and sonically arresting, the new cut is a punk-infused gem that is as entertaining as it is odd.

House Of Pharaohs member Blaze YL has started the year strong, renowned for his skippy flow and ability to cross genres within the rap space, his musical output weather its through the notorious rap collective House of Pharaohs or his solo releases cannot be ignored. Returning alongside AntsLive and Joe Unknown, ‘Toxic Minds’ a stylish video shot in South London featuring two of the underground scenes most exciting artists.

East London newcomers Good Neighbours are quickly building steam, and with “Keep It Up” only their sophomore single, they lay down a marker. Anthemic and cleverly produced, the new one is a throwback aesthetic, a hopeful and wholesome track that could really take the duo to new heights.

One of South London’s most exciting emerging artists Proph returns with all-new single “Milano’” The track carries an effortless bounce signalling his attention to detail across wordplay, delivery, and instrumentation co-produced by J.LBS who worked across Kendrick Lamar’s Mr Morale & The Big Steppers. Proph weaves a one-of-a-kind richness into his real-rap aesthetic that has excited Stormzy, Wretch 32 and Ghetts and more along the way.

Continuing his unique blend of sonic innovation and thoughtful, original bars and lyricism that has made the Brixton-raised rapper and singer-songwriter one of the most eye-catching-new names of the past few years, Danny Sanchez has dropped off his most impressive release yet, a ten-track, genre-bending debut album titled It Is What It Is, Til It Isn’t. As well as including four previously released singles such as “Ice Tea”, which has already amassed over 300K Spotify streams and counting, the album boasts a plethora of unreleased tracks which immaculately infuse a range of London sounds including UK Garage, alternative R&B and underground Rap and is produced alongside long-term collaborator Kxmel. It effortlessly displays Danny’s distinctive style, outlining a narrative of nostalgia and early personal experiences dipping into fashion and love interests alike.

Medium Build, the creative project of Nick Carpenter, have steadily build a stellar reputation as a free-flowing artist full of intricacy and emotion. The Georgia-born act has unveiled his fifth studio album, Country, an exploration of genre, and a sprawling introspection of Carpenter’s identity.

Say it louder – K-Pop kings TOMORROW X TOGETHER are back! Bridging the gap between projects with the sensational new EP ‘minisode 3: TOMORROW’, epic lead single “Deja Vu” balances angst-ridden rage-pop with emotional vulnerability in signature TXT style. Deliciously layered with lore and lyrical references which intricately call back to their prior hits, “Deja Vu” invites us to uncover the deeper meanings buried beneath its gritty, trap-infused production – this is a career-defining moment, celebrating TXT’s discography by consolidating their greatest strengths while steering their sound into exciting new territory. Tuck into the grungier Anemoia Remix for an extra slice of tear-inducing nostalgia.

Shot on sight in Paris’ dazzling backdrop, “Chanel Bags” instantly emerges with warm, retro-fitted samples and potent trap percussion; a sleek atmosphere for North London prodigy ThaFirst to deliver smart, intricate wordplay connecting his vision for success and the flashy, party-driven angles captured in the VHS video. Blazing to new heights, INFAMOUSIZAK quickly joins the fold with punchy bars as the two emcees perfectly display an upper-echelon brand of UK rap, now cementing themselves as a formidable force crashing into wider consciousness.

One of the biggest names coming from Dublin’s rap scene, Kojaque delivers today a deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed album Phantom of the Afters. “I wanted to make a Directors Cut of Phantom Of The Afters because there were a couple of songs that I loved that got left off the original project,” he says. “All of the tunes feel like they sit in the same world so it felt right to release them as part of an alternative version of the album rather than saving them for a future project.” The new project features his two latest singles, “LONDON LIDO” and “EASTSIDE”, and paves the way for a big year ahead, as he gears up for his first North American tour in May.

Have you seen a pony trotting around? Yes, that’s probably horsegiirL. Following her viral 2023 hits “f0rbiidden l0ve$tory” and “wish ✮⋆”, the Irish powerhouse is now back with a new single, “Obsessed”, a speed-up dance-floor destined hit. Produced by Grammy-nominated producers A. G. Cook (Beyoncé, Charlie XCX) and Tom Demac, the track firmly establishes horsegiirL once again as an equine pop master, inviting listeners into a catchy, camp, and Eurotrance-infused experience.

Ghanaian singer Mellissa unveils today her new single, “Happy”, warming us up for the release of her debut project later this summer. A vibrant celebration of life’s joys and colourful moments, the track catapults Melissa as a genre-defiant artist, blending influences from Ghana’s underground gems, icons from the likes of Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys and South American beats.

R&B rising star Clara La San unveils today a new track, “Don’t Worry About It”, accompanied by a music video directed by Actual Objects (known for work with Dua Lipa and Caroline Polachek). With swirling, celestial melodies and a sensual, trapped-out beat, the single is steeped in a holistic listening experience of myriad musical strands—from early aughts R&B to contemporary rap instrumentals, marking a great start to her new chapter since the 2023 re-release of “In This Darkness”.

London Grammar is back! Their new single “House” arrives as the first taste of their upcoming fourth studio album, The Greatest Love. Out now with a music video to bring it to life, “House” is a powerful statement on the right to assert your boundaries, take up space, and go for what you want from the world. “When I hit my thirties, my mindset shifted, and I no longer felt like a victim of anything – it all felt within my power,” frontwoman Hannah Reid explains about the track. “I thought, making music should be fun, and we’re gonna make that happen.” The Greatest Love is out in September, and available to pre-order now.

Following the diverse array of emotional offerings of her previous singles “Intrusive Thoughts”, “Wish You Were Dead”, and “Conceited”, Lola Young takes us to yet another dimension with “Big Brown Eyes”. Discussing the exhausting and overwhelming nature of an on-again, off-again relationship, the track features a catchy melody, unique instrumentals and soundscapes, and the most relatable of lyrics.

Musician, actor, director, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Joey Pollari has unveiled his sophomore album, I’ll Be Romance. Featuring lead single “So Close”, the soft “Efforts Of Love”, and the folk-infused “Aletheia”, the project explores the worlds of soul, Americana, blues, and all the spaces between. Throughout the album, Pollari covers the wides range of emotions of love in your twenties, with a voice that’s bound to captivate hearts worldwide.

“’Stained Glass Window’ is a declaration of love,” the trio behind Sunday (1994) states. “A personal story about defying the ‘sinful’ label given by old texts and preachers with bad breath.” The second single from Paige Turner, Lee Newell, and their anonymous drummer, “Stained Glass Window” is as spellbinding as its name suggests. Fit for an 80s coming-of-age film, the cinematic track exudes a dreamy, nostalgic aura with its infectious melody and off-kilter guitar progressions. It’s indie at its finest, and we can’t wait for what’s next from this budding act.