Jamaican-born singer-songwriter Masego makes a bold return with his triumphant new single “King’s Rant”. The “Tadow” musician asserts himself as king in his latest track, hitting back at critics and fans, stating reasons to why he doesn’t do PR or any kind of promotionL “I keep to myself/ I do everything, I don’t need no help/ So don’t be talking’ ‘bout ‘Masego is slept on’/ J.Cole, Will Smith in my cell phone/ You lucky I don’t wanna be famous.”

Masego’s flow and lyricism is an industry rarity, his witty and honeycombed vocals bolstering the track.

In the past decade, The Weeknd has established himself as a cult R&B figure with hits such as “I Can’t Feel My Face”, the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack hit “Earned It” and the sexually-charged hit “Often”. Now Abel Tesfaye is taking a dive back into his roots with this latest album After Hours. Revelling in sadness and angst, the artist delivers a sad boy persona, leaving the often cold and heartless tone behind,.The Weeknd has us clutching tissues with sinister sub-bases echoing through the start of the album. “Hardest to Love” is a standout track, with a spiralling chorus reminiscent of 60s pop and punching drum and bass percussions making the album is perfect for a quarantine and chill session.

London might not be holding the crown of UK rap for much longer for Nottingham-based duo Young T and Bugsey are making a strong claim. Fun and catchy melodies mixed with hip-hop waves dictate the duo’s debut album Plead the 5th. The “Strike Me A Pose” hitmakers are giving us the perfect music to party to with bubbling and infectious beats, making it the perfect soundtrack for a night out. The album has features from Drillers x Trapper rapper Headie One and Harrod’s most loyal customer Fredo. The album is full of hits and it’s difficult to pinpoint a favourite, so put on your party shoes and dance away in your living room with this on repeat.

She’s one of house’s smoothest artists with a level of chill that takes you to a whole new level. The Korean-American musician Yaeji has released her new single “Waking Up Dawn” off her forthcoming and highly anticipated mixtape WHAT WE DREW. The effortlessly cool track boasts deadpan vocals and chilly high-end riffs, with her vocal harmonies leaving you in a trance. The part-English part-Korean track weaves a tale of the simplicity of childhood, and of course, staying hydrated. And the mesmerising visuals are inspired by a classic anime opening that’ll have you reminiscing on your easy childhood days.

Dynamic house duo Disclosure are back with a disco and soul-inspired new song “Ecstasy”. The Surrey-hailed brothers are taking us back to the 70s with samples from Aquarian Dream’s “Fantasy” punching throughout the track and singer Gloria Jones’ vocals sprinkled for a deep house vibe. House-stepper’s will be cutting shapes all night long with the song’s funk-filled bass lines and heavy percussion breaks. It is clear the duo go back to their deep house roots as throughout the EP throbbing basses and infectious catchy lyrics are at the forefront of the 5-track EP.

The social media disrupter turned superstar Conan Gray has finally dropped his long-awaited debut album Kid Krow. The singer who featured in our Spring 2020 issue, holds nothing back on this album and bares all, pulling inspiration from his childhood, plus stories of unrequited love. His fearlessness and approach to addressing sensitive subjects are rare for someone of his age, and showcase the artist’s maturity and talent. The album’s closer “The Story” mentions suicide, living in the closet as an LGBTQ+ youth, and abuse, but Gray provides hope to these subjects reminding us that there can be difficulties but “it’s not the end of the story”.

With over 1 billion global streams, the Indian singer-songwriter Armaan Malik has released his new track “Control”. Malik collaborated with industry veteran Wayne Wilkins for bouncy ear candy track, that describes the push-and-pull feeing of being trapped in a controlling relationship. The catchy hit is the Indian singer’s first English language song, bringing his talent, and representing India on a global stage. “This music is inside of me, it’s my DNA,” says Armaan. “This has always been my trajectory.” Malik has cemented himself in the South Asian music industry, and is now ready to dominate the global pop market.

The British producer ELDERBROOK has released his first single of the year “Numb” The man behind ELDERBROOK, Alexander Kotz has released a powerful and emotional track, with deep vocals and beautiful atmospheric vibes. Percussive elements and amazing melodies, with repeated chopped vocals kick off the track. The powerful visual for the track continues ELDERBROOK’s love for storytelling as it addresses emotions of solitude, detachment and the importance of paying attention to the people around you. With the promise of his long-awaited debut album this year, we can’t wait to hear more from this multi-instrumentalist artist.

Finish pop-punk supremo ALMA is back, releasing a trio of tracks with the lead standout single “Stay All Night”. The punchy pop-tinged hit rings in your ears and will have you singing along instantly. Alma says: “I wrote this song for myself, which confuses a lot of people as it feels like it’s for someone else. At the time I really needed some encouragement to be free and not think about the ‘what if’s’ in life. Now when I’m feeling anxious I just ask myself ‘would it really be that f**king bad?’ – maybe I should just stay all night.” In just three years the singer has topped global charts with her incredible vocals and irresistible melodies, and this hit song will lead the charge for a new wave of female powerhouses.