Weekly5

In today's selection of new tracks, we travel around the globe, from smooth Australian jazz by Nina West to IAMTHELIVING's soulful R&B originating in Vancouver. We lay over in Germany for the haunting compositions by ÄTNA and Edwin Rosen.

The final station is Scotland, where «it's raining all the time.» But when Theo Bleak sings it, it's not so bad after all.

Nina West – Trouble

Trouble, the debut single by 21-year-old Australian/British multi-instrumentalist Nina West, is a shimmering outlook to a bright future. The song's jazzy soul vibe invites to relax; however, the lyrics tell the story of ignoring red flags. Trouble isn't easy, but a demonstration of West's musical sophistication with her not only singing but playing the piano, alto sax, and bass.

ÄTNA – Alive

German duo ÄTNA are known for their delicate and eclectic electronic songs like Come To Me. However, in their latest single release, Alive, they sound refreshingly reduced and acoustic. The piano takes centre stage in this balladesque song, while Inéz Schaefer's voice still evocates the same atmosphere that ÄTNA's tracks usually encompass—a beautiful piece.

IAMTHELIVING – Make It Home Alive (feat. Jake Isaac)

Raised in Peckham, London, Rian Peters is now working out of Vancouver as IAMTHELIVING. Collaborating with South London's rising neo-soul star Jake Isaac, he released the compelling single Make It Home Alive. Their voices complement each other perfectly over a laid-back yet soulful rhythm. It's a song that drips like honey, immediately prompting an emotional bond.

• Buy this track on Bandcamp

Theo Bleak – Raining All The Time

Hailing from Dundee, Scotland, Theo Bleak released her fourth EP, Pain, on October 31. With a bit of delay, we still wholeheartedly recommend the EP's closing track, Raining All The Time. The song starts innocent, like a classic indie-pop ballad, but then erupts into a louder, rockier chorus while Bleak's voice ethereally hovers over the dark, rumbling composition.

Edwin Rosen – kontrollverlust

Edwin Rosen: Posterboy of Germany's new wave of post-punk artists and child of pandemic bedroom sound. After a surprising breakthrough with single releases like leichter//kälter in 2020 and Vertigo (2022), Rosen follows up with his second track this year, kontrollverlust. Pushing his fast-paced sound again, combined with pleading, echoing vocals, the song is another anthem for the lost youth.

From vulnerable melodies to the raw power of rock—welcome to today's Weekly5 edition. Curated from an array of astounding new songs, the following five tracks encompass contemporary (but not dull) pop sounds, nostalgic shoegaze, and haunting compositions.

Tusks – Artificial Flame

After two celebrated albums, London-grown singer-songwriter Emily Underhill, aka Tusks, returns to the spotlight with the new single, Artificial Flame. Juxtaposing a fragile piano with cathedral-esque synthesizers, the composition remains reduced but also overwhelming. It's gigantic intimacy.

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HOME – JOHJI

Founded in 2020 in Okinawa, Japan, the trio HOME haven't yet found their way to European ears. But if their second single, JOHJI, is any indication, their global aspirations become evident. Combining a pop melody with post-punk-styled drums and wrapping everything in an 80s vibe—it's an intriguing recipe.

ill peach – HUSH

Jess and Pat wrote for Pharell, SZA, Miley Cyrus, and K. Flay. But in 2020, they sailed off to new shores with their own project, ill peach. THIS IS NOT AN EXIT, the duo's eclectic, synth-infused pop-rock debut album, was released on Friday. HUSH feels a bit like Metric—melodic, yet aggressive, loud, and radical.

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A Certain Someone – Pathetic Fallacy

René Arbeithuber, member of the bands Slut and Pelzig, embarks on his solo journey as A Certain Someone. Pathetic Fallacy, the German's debut single, promises excellent guitar work in a melancholic shoegazing soundscape, clearly inspired by the likes of Depeche Mode or Interpol.

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Stainwasher – Circle Trails

Residing in Stockholm, the enigmatic sound of Stainwasher invites you to lay in darkness and fall into an ethereal universe. Circle Trails, the musician's latest single, features a faint, slow banjo sound, overshadowed by eerie, vast synths and commanded by Stainwasher's mystical singing.

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In today's Weekly5, we cheer to the long-hoped return of the gloomy Swiss band Les Yeux Sans Visage, question the state of the music business with LNA, and chuckle at Hearts Hearts' sarcastic new track.

You can also blow off some steam with Taranja Wu or dance away to Compact Disk Dummies. Enjoy another broad and handpicked selection of the latest music.

Les Yeux Sans Visage – Roman Reports

After their debut album, Tomorrow Is A Million Years, in 2013 and a reformation of the band in 2018, Les Yeux Sans Visage finally announced their sophomore record, Chair Of The Desolate. With Roman Reports, the Swiss quintet offers a convincing, eerie glimpse of their gloomy sound.

• Support the band on Bandcamp

LNA – WANT WANT

Thematising the workload of musicians, LNA's new single WANT WANT is not only bold fingerpointing at the current state of the music business but also a captivating track, drawing from R&B, electro-pop, and some Middle Eastern flavours mixed in between.

• Buy this track on Bandcamp

Hearts Hearts – STOP BEING POOR!

Austrian's indie-rock rising stars Hearts Hearts take a sarcastic stab at the rich kids' lifestyle with their latest single release, STOP BEING POOR! The short track comes with a rough, fuzzy groove that builds up to a massive, brass-supported chorus—demonstrating once more the band's hymnic qualities.

Taranja Wu – Leonora

After the early passing of the musical companion, Olifr M. Guz, the duo Naked in English Class is no more. But Taranja Wu ploughs on and presents with Leonora a breathless, raw track in the trenches between garage rock, synth punk, and gothic vibes. «It's out of control!»

• Buy this song on Bandcamp

Compact Disk Dummies – fomo

Belgian brothers Lennert and Janus Coorevits, aka Compact Disk Dummies, embrace the easy-to-remember melodies driven by synths and pulsating rhythms. Their latest single, fomo, is all about longing, envy, and the fear of missing out. It's electrifying and danceable.

Today's hand-selected curation of new music features the up-and-coming talents of Marlin, Panik Deluxe and Bo Milli alongside more established electronic artists like Moyka and Psycho Weazel.

From upbeat R&B, frantic indie-rock, and dark synth-pop to psychedelic and mystic electronica—today's Weekly5 has you covered.

Marlin – Juice

22-year-old Marlin from Aargau, Switzerland, released a hymn to self-confidence. Juice is a compelling and fast-paced R&B track about being enough and coming to peace with being alone. With Juice, Marlin should definitely end up on any artists-to-watch list.

Panik Deluxe – full stop

Taken from her debut album, without hope I am nothing, Panik Deluxe's full stop hides happiness in plain sight. The Austrian artist juxtaposes the theme with the dark and vibrant synth-pop sound that encompasses the entire record.

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Moyka – Never Say Sorry

After multiple single releases, Moyka presents her sophomore album, Movies, Cars & Heartbreak. The self-proclaimed Norwegian pop witch's track Never Say Sorry again features danceable beats intertwined with a 2000s-feeling and Nordic mystique.

Bo Milli – Making Friends

Making Friends is the namesake song from Norwegian Bo Milli's latest EP. The 21-year-old indie newcomer plays herself into a coming-of-age rush, influenced by growing up during a pandemic yet ultimately countering existential angst with hopeful hooks.

• Buy this track on Bandcamp

Psycho Weazel – bateau abstrait

The retro-futuristic sound of Switzerland's duo Psycho Weazel is as eclectic as it is engaging. The track bateau abstrait, released on their motif Ep., transports a nostalgic feeling of electronic music, decorated with slight psychedelic elements, and finished with flickering synths.

For the most part, today's edition of Weekly5 is a raw, maybe even unhinged, collection of songs. From the slightly drunken sound of Botticelli Baby to the spoken word punk of Mr. Linus to Fomies' fuzzy attitude.

For those who are enthusiasts of melodies, we can wholeheartedly recommend the new tracks by Mary And The Sharks as well as Rosa Rendl.

Botticelli Baby – Poems

German outfit Botticelli Baby is known for incorporating an impressive number of variables in their sound: punk, jazz, blues, folk, funk, and Balcan elements. Their new single, Poems, stalks in the verses but then explodes with the band's brass section, creating an addictive stir.

Mary And The Sharks – Hollywood

A sinister beat welcomes us to Mary And The Sharks' fresh track, Hollywood. The Berlin-based artist created an empowering, unapologetic anthem for starting over where the dream factory stands as a metaphor for a broken dream. It's dangerously catchy: «Hollywood, you fucked me good!»

Mr. Linus – faust

Raw, direct, and angry; that's the essence of faust, one of three songs on Mr. Linus' new EP, Aporie. The Swiss trio returns after their well-received debut EP, Revue, in 2019. The indie-esque, melodic sound juxtaposed with the rather spoken than sung lyrics creates an edgy yet fascinating cocktail.

Rosa Rendl – Stonehenge - Edit

Originally released as part of Rosa Rendl's 2023 EP, Always, the edited version of Stonehenge adds a lot of electronic elements to the piano-driven composition. As a result, Stonehenge morphs into a lucid electro-pop song, indecisively meandering between dancefloor and dream.

• Buy this track on Bandcamp

Fomies – Glass Pyramid

Hauling from Vevey in Switzerland's French-speaking part, the quintet already announced their fifth studio album with the single Glass Pyramid. The fuzzy, escalating song is a delicious treat for everyone in love with heavy-stomping, borderline psychedelic rock.

• Buy this song on Bandcamp

Sunday morning. The room's filled with the smokey smell of freshly brewed coffee. It's time to lay back and discover exciting new tunes from around the globe.

And exciting it will be with pushing songs like the fresh tracks by Dolphin Love or Willow Parlo. And if you close your eyes, you can travel back in time with Stilla Havet or explode together with Angie McMahon.

But don't worry: A Swiss supergroup will fly you smoothly back into the here and now.

Dolphin Love – i see you

In February 2022, Dolphin Love found his way into Weekly5 with the single areyougoingtobethere. But the German's latest work, i see you, operates on a whole other level: After an intro nodding at The Who's Teenage Wasteland, Dolphin Love pushes all indie buttons, creating a catchy anthem without neglecting an intriguing complexity in the composition.

Willow Parlo – Can't Get Enough

Hamburg's indie band Willow Parlo present a harbinger of their second EP, See U Whenever. The song Can't Get Enough spreads its wide and dreamy wings and carries you away, accompanied by the nostalgia-dripping yet hopeful voice of singer Noemi Bunk. There's an innate beauty to Can't Get Enough, a warm harmony of coming-of-age soundtrack and deep longing.

Angie McMahon – Exploding

There's no doubt that Angie McMahon's upcoming album will be a masterpiece. We got the first proof some weeks ago with Saturn Returning. Now, the Australian singer-songwriter doubles down with Exploding—a composition that subtly gains energy and traction. The vines of rock and pop intertwine and create a larger-than-life hymn where the instruments never overpower McMahon's deep, mystical voice.

Stilla Havet – Januariregn

Swedish musicians Elias Eriksson and August Borg, aka Stilla Havet, have released their fourth studio album, Natten. Weaving together new wave, synth pop, and post-punk, the duo's sound is obviously reminiscent of the 80s darker soundtrack. However, despite its sinister lyrics, Januarirgn also spreads an obscure sense of excitement.

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Löwenzahnhonig – Moewe

Introducing Löwenzahnhonig, a Swiss supergroup by Long Tall Jefferson, Fai Baba, and Black Sea Dahu's Paul Märki. Their second single release, Moewe, is a smooth and sunny instrumental track. The musicians hand each other the torch. It's not only a peaceful sound but an appreciation of excellent guitar work. I am excited for more.

From familiar voices and names to new acquaintances from Great Britain to Niger's Sahel. You'll discover polished gems, exotic sounds, and raw punches in today's Weekly5.

Train Blues Duo – Nothing Left Open

Tom Paul Fischer's voice doesn't only work for the escalating electro-pop of TOMPAUL. With Train Blues Duo, Fischer and Nici Struchen explore the dusty prairies. Here's a different sound at play: A groovy blues and Western vibe haunts Nothing Left Open. You can feel the vastness, and hear the tumbling weed scratch over the dusty ground.

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Blanco White – Una Noche Más

The British indie-folk artist Josh Edwards, alias Blanco White, is about to release his new record Tarifa. Its final herald, Una Noche Más, lives off the simplicity, carried mostly by the ukulele, accompanied by White's delicate voice. Although a song about the difficulty of letting love go, Una Noche Más embraces the pain with healing beauty.

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Soft Loft – Rose Colored

A band on the rise: Jorina Stamm's band Soft Loft enters Weekly5 for the third time after Is It Me and Safe Space. Their latest release, Rose Colored, not only justifies it but demonstrates Soft Loft's talent for refined indie-pop songs and their attention to detail. Above the composition, however, shines again Stamm's emotive, vibrato voice. Soft Loft are going places.

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Bombino – Ayes Sachen

Niger's first Grammy-nominated musician, Bombino, released his latest album, Sahel. The 43-year-old Tuareg fuses Western rock and blues influences with African tunes to an earthy, meditative result. Ayes Sachen flirts with reggae, blues, and smooth guitar escapades, and while those familiar sounds open the door, an exotic ambience awaits.

Sperling – Verlieren

A composition that compares to FJØRT's punchy wall of sound, and rapping vocals similar to German rapper Casper: It's a powerful combination that post-hardcore band Sperling, hailing from Hunsrück, Germany, promotes. Maybe the lyrics are a tad too teenage angst, but Verlieren has a dark and despairing promise. This heavy sound offers intrigue.

Like waves, today's edition sways between tender, bittersweet and fast-paced, rough songs. And for once, our recommendations mainly originate not in mere single releases but from albums or EPs, allowing you to dive deeper into the artist's work.

Seed to Tree – Major Lydian

A Little Tree, the latest album of Luxemburg's Seed To Tree, features eight carefully crafted indie-pop songs. Major Lydian is a thoughtful yet forward-facing plea, filled with Wanderlust and equal love for the small nuances and big gestures. It's the quintessential greatness of the genre: The hymnic pensiveness.

Deeper – Glare

Chicago's Deeper have just published Careful!, their third studio record. It's an eclectic work of art, an amalgamation of indie-rock and post-punk, juxtaposing staccato lyrics and minimalistic compositions with a feel for melody. Glare pushes this stylistic marriage to fulfilment.

• Buy the song on Bandcamp

Cornelia Murr & Alice Boman – Heart of Scorpio

Two brilliant voices united. The duet of Los Angeles-based Cornelia Murr and Swedish Alice Boman simply oozes smoothness. Their collaborative song, Heart of Scorpio, sounds otherworldly, dreamy, almost ethereal. While Boman's sonic signature is apparent, Murr's voice brings a more US-flavoured folk sound to the table.

• Buy the song on Bandcamp

kinda fragile – Alone

Cameron Holland, alias kinda fragile, fuses the rough sound of the 90s. The LA-based artist's debut album, Milk, features everything that makes up for a noisy composition—shoegaze, alternative, and sometimes a hint of post-punk. Yet, in the song Alone, there's a distinct notion of lo-fi Grunge present.

• Buy the song on Bandcamp

Marissa Burwell – Either Way

Either Way, the heartfelt and reflective EP by Canadian singer-songwriter Marissa Burwell is a shimmering gem. The namesake song is a tender composition, a folky tune on the surface, but one that expands to infinity if you listen carefully. Either Way, the song and the EP, are the perfect soundtrack to roam in one's heart and soul.