It’s commonly acknowledged that whenever you are in a place of self-doubt, there are few that can get you feeling Special quite like Lizzo. And so, you can imagine our excitement when Lizzo’s studio album landed on our new music playlists — the audial equivalent of a hug from your best friend. While each song looks at the different ways in which we must learn to celebrate the fact that we are broken but still here, Special delivers a refreshing narrative of mental health — encouraging growth and prosperity even in our darkest hours.

Creating a collaborative effort with Sampha and Ghetts, Lil Silva delivers yet another heartfelt banger with “Still” — hacked from his 10-years-in-the-making debut album, Yesterday Is Heavy. Poignant yet groove-laden, infectious yet hard-hitting, “Still” is a track that releases the burdens of the past— and we know it is only going to get lighter from here.

“Nothing is a song I wrote about invisibility. It’s a song for anyone who has not been seen, and for me, it was an opportunity to explore how that feels,” says Santigold on her brand new single. A powerful assertion of self-worth, Santigold effortlessly commands her fans to listen to her voice. Juxtaposing ethereal vocals with a speaker-shaking baseline, Santigold warns of the dangers of stereotypes — where appearances should never define value.

It would seem that releasing chart-topping hits whenever they fancy is becoming a bit of a habit for pop-rock band, 5 Seconds of Summer — but, of course, we are not complaining. Unveiling their latest effort “Blender”, they sing of an all-encompassing love underpinned by gritty guitar strings and a sparkling melody. And, as if “Blender” was not enough of a treat, they also announce a one-night-only album release show The Feeling of Falling Upwards live from the Royal Albert Hall. Here’s to many more seconds of summer.

Offering us a welcomed change in tempo, RJ Thompson unleashes his brand new single, in turn getting all of his fans to “Feel Alive”. Infectiously happy and unavoidably danceable, “Feel Alive” warms the blood and widens the eyes — allowing everyone who listens to charge into the weekend with new-found energy.

Fuzzy, hard-hitting and slightly off-kilter, the experimental sounds of Brotherkenzie come out in full force in his brand new single, “Die Broke”. Hacked from his forthcoming album Nathan – due for release on August 26th via Thirty Tigers, the moody, pessimistic yet utterly addictive track has quickly become our go-to listen for a quick wind-down from the mundane pressures of the outside world.

In the signature raspy vocals that only the most soul-soaked of artists can attain, Harvey Jay Dodgson offers us a touching guitar-led track that reminds us of the childish innocence of love while touching on the poignant pains of adulthood. Singing to his anonymous lover, Harvey Jay Dodgson gently paints a picture of hope, trust and true love — a refreshing ode to the elation that reciprocation can provoke, something we often forget to savour and enjoy in those rare falling-in-love moments.