Weekly5

From afrobeat to avant-garde. From the darkest corners into the sunny warmth. Yes, today’s edition stretches quite far. Enjoy our latest, considered picks.

❶ Alina Amuri – Take My Time

The dragging rhythm seems odd at first, but then you get hooked. Alina Amuri’s Take My Time is a hymn to deceleration and the perfect tune to unwind and celebrate the moment surrounded by a captivating fusion of afrobeat and neo-soul.

❷ XHER – Sobriety

Sobriety is the debut single of Zurich-based Polish-Ecuadorian artist XHER. A promising clash of hyper-pop, post-punk energy, and Goth aesthetics symbolising the darkness in a digitised dystopia.

❸ Hathors – Special Bird

Taken for their new album, When The Sun Is Out (When The Skies Are Grey), Switzerland‘s Hathors find the balance between a raw grunge-styled rock anthem and a regretful, heavy-handed ballad in Special Bird. As if the Foo Fighters fell into depression.

❹ Dressed Like Boys – Jaouad

Jaouad is a heartfelt and touching admiration of Muslim LGBTQIA+ icon Jaouad Alloul. Within the song lives hope and strength—for anyone who needs to hear it: «Do you wanna be understood without having to be understandable?»

❺ Minor Conflict – Parallels II

A weird and unique sound is hailing from Bristol. Trio Minor Conflict’s Parallels II brews an unusual yet eclectic cocktail of folk, drone, post-rock, field recordings, and krautrock. An easy-listen? Definitely not! But for the brave and experimental minds: Give it a spin.

❶ Searows – to be seen

Taken from his new EP flush, Searows’ to be seen is an exceptional work of beauty, exploring the urge to be fully recognised by a loved one. Alec Duckart arranges his haunting voice with piano and strings to a profoundly intimate ballad. It’s a touching, even heartbreaking song.

❷ Melicious – Flooding The Bus

How explosive can a track about crying on the bus be? Switzerland’s Melicious says: Yes! Flooding The Bus is the perfect amalgamation of pop music with the driven energy of fun punk. You should check out the new EP Ugly Starts and Promises.

❸ Mary and the Sharks – Prophecy

In her new single, Prophecy, Berlin-based Mary and the Sharks farewells juvenile jauntiness with a pinch of regret and nostalgia but also welcomes the continuous change and grounded moments coming with age. Underlined with an almost post-punky indie-rock.

❹ Albert af Ekenstam – Ghost in Us

After six silent years, ‌the Swedish singer-songwriter Albert af Ekenstam returns with the impressive Ghost In Us. A folk song that escalates ever more into this overwhelming and seemingly infinite composition. An experience that leaves you vulnerable and invigorated.

❺ Moyka – Rear View (Heartbreak Edition)

Moyka’s Rear View is a raving masterpiece of Nordic electropop. The Norwegian artist has released a severely reduced Heartbreak Edition of the track: no beats but vast synths expand, and her raw voice in the most stunning and chilling performance. Wow!