At long last – Raye’s debut album has arrived. After “Escapism” took TikTok by storm, listeners have been hungry for more; the young artist has finally delivered. Traversing vast emotional landscapes — from addiction in tracks like “Mary Jane”, to the perils of being spiked in “Black Mascara”, Raye opens us up to her inner world. Bringing together jazzy, club, and contemporary beats — Raye’s skilful wordplay takes place overtop. Seeing as this is Raye’s debut project, we’re more than impressed. Snowballing her success beyond TikTok — My 21st Century Blues is just what we need.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL. PinkPantheress has linked up with Ice Spice to bring us a remix of the already sensational “Boy’s A Liar”. Honestly, this collab is the blessing we didn’t know we needed – and in this track they did the damn thing. Ice Spice’s verse is (as always) tight. Pouring her heart out over a “bum”, PinkPantheress’ OG track is brought to new heights. The jersey beat goes hard with the sparkling 8-bit synths. Coupled with PinkPantheress’ angelic vocals, along with Ice Spice’s bars – “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” is just *chef’s kiss*.

Anne-Marie’s latest offering is a feat of self-worth. Unapologetic, and bold in its vulnerability – we’re simply obsessed. Bright production, and crescendoing instrumentals underpin Anne-Marie’s vibrant vocals. Lyrics like “Being sad is SO last year” are at once humorous yet relatable. On how the track came to be the artist imparts: “SAD B!TCH is a song about not being sad anymore. Whether you’ve had a break-up, lost someone, you’re feeling down or just hate your boss. It’s time for happiness. Time to put yourself first. A new chapter, a new storyline. A new you.”

Skrillex, an icon in his own right, has been churning out a slew of banging collaborations as of late. From “Way Back” with PinkPantheress, to “Real Spring” with Bladee – whenever Skrillex gets into the studio with other artists, magic is made. This time around, Skrillex joins forces with Palestinian powerhouse Nai Barghouti for the track “Xena”. A woman of many talents, whether that be singing, composing, or playing the flute – Barghouti is a maverick. The singer’s Arabic lilt pairs perfectly with Skrillex’s mind-bending production chops, as her voice is de-constructed, and then re-constructed into a percussive feat. We’re not sure who else Skrillex will link up with, but we’re eager to see.

Rocketing to great heights at lightning speed, newcomer goddard. has been churning out banger after banger. Coming back to bite, the electro artist joins forces with alternative maverick Greentea Peng to dream up a rework of “Downers”. Riding the wave of the D&B renaissance, goddard. has a knack for imbuing the genre with an atmospheric flair. “Downers (Rework)” is just that. Greentea Peng’s honey-like voice is the perfect ingredient in goddard.’s musical concoction. Spacey, yet driven – this track is the perfect addition to your going out playlist.

Embarking on a new musical era, M1llionz returns with “Right Dere”. Coupled with equally enticing visuals – M1llionz is back, baby. The rapper’s commanding bars have their fun over an exhilarating beat, and M1llionz’s storytelling comes back to bite. Bars like, “I keep telling bro it’s not worth it but I’m a hypocrite, ’cause I got so much to lose but still I’m in this park looking inconspicuous” valiantly tackle the idea of self-growth. The music video finds M1llionz in the middle of political conflict in Nigeria, brinigng to light very pertinent social issues. Reflecting on his new era the rapper says: “My return to music is going to be different, I’m not just a drill artist and I don’t want to be labelled that. Right Dere is my last drill song for a while and I had to make it extra special for my fans.”

Based in sun-soaked LA, rising star Kayla Rae offers up new single “Blue”. Drawing inspiration from ‘90s and ‘00s R&B, “Blue” is utterly addictive. Rae’s sultry voice lilts the song along a sonic landscape of sparkling production, and floating beats. The visuals are equally stellar, with neon light spilling onto almost every scene. Channelling the feeling of watching someone you have feelings for move on with another person, Rae’s vulnerability is infectious. And, we don’t mind getting infected.

Ah. There’s nothing like the perils of having a sneaky link. It’s the highest of highs, yet the lowest of lows – and DWN MSS’s latest single chronicles this emotional rollercoaster. “Do It Right” marks the artist’s return to the music scene after bringing life into the world. Having to navigate motherhood, and the dating landscape – these changes have brought about a whole new musical focus. In the track, pared-back percussion underpins twangy guitar strings. Muted piano keys and driving synths are brought into the crescendo, while lyrics such as “All of a sudden it changed, starting acting like a wasteman” – are raringly relatable. We see you, DWN MSS!

Newcomer Deyaz has been doing the rounds on TikTok. His latest offering “I’ll Scream (All The Words)” has already captivated the ears of many, and it’s in no small part to his searing intimacy. Lyrics like “I’m still thinking of all the ways I can get through to you” are undeniably universal, as the track propels into a gut-wrenching plea. Tentative guitar strings underpin Deyaz’s lilt, all in all making for a triumph of a track. Channelling the ability to channel pain into art, we tip our hats to Deyaz.

Hailing from London’s concrete jungle, the multi-talented songwriter and producer Samfire blazes into 2023 with a sonically layered new single “My Potential”. The track is jolted into action by hypnotic backing vocals, while Samfire’s utterly soft voice is put to spine-tingling use. Sonic embellishments whiz and whirr, while the track builds, and snowballs into euphoric bliss. Tapping into the surreality of everyday life, the young artist imparts her listeners with a sense of magic; Samfire has certainly put a spell on us.

London-based artist Asya Satti blazes onto the music scene with her debut single “Look At You Now”. Leading you by hand into her dazzling inner world, Satti’s medley of musical references are a diamond in the rough of the monotonous music scene. Soulful, and driven – Satti wields Afro-fusion influences to imbue the popscape with some much-needed vitality. Reflecting on the track Satti says: “It’s about seeking forgiveness for the times you were cruel to someone you love, and moments when you could have stood up for someone you cared for – but didn’t.” The artist’s vibrant vocals are heightened by her bilingual abilities, and for a first go at the music thing – we’re extremely impressed.

Ash Olsen has been dominating the scene with her skillful worldplay, and raring bars. The Norwegian rapper’s latest offering is “CRAZY BITCH!”, and it’s a departure from her usual gritty sound. This time around, Olsen bestows us with something acoustic, and overall softer. Her hard flow is replaced by an almost-whisper, as her rap sensibilities meet a chill, pop edge. Showing off her versatility, we’re refreshed by Olsen’s latest release. As an artist on the up and up, we’re eager to see what else she pulls out of the bag.

BRIT School alum, Rarelyalways, hits us where it hurts with new track “URGENT”. The second single to be unleashed into the world ahead of his debut album WORK, the whole project is set to grace us on March 10th. His latest output is a feat of musical artistry; atmospheric synths meld with triumphant brass. Hypnotic in its repetition, and elucidated by Rarelyalways’ forceful flow – we simply can’t get enough. The self-proclaimed “shapeshifter” reflects on the track: “I avoid gold plating simple tasks as it’s a waste of precious time.”

The French-American duo Pearl & The Oysters has come back to bite with the dreamy, twangy track “Konami”. Drawing inspiration from a white noise machine, the duo delved deeper into its ‘surf’ setting – dreaming up “ocean waves in the hypnagogic hallucinations of a slightly obsessional mind.” And hallucinogenic it is. Kaleidoscopic in its sonic landscape, listeners are subsumed into Pearl & The Oysters’ analog dream world. Coupled with an equally dazzling music video – fit VHS footage and hand-drawn greenscreens – colour us impressed.