NEW SINGLE | Mooneye - Branches

Mooneye unveils new single ‘Branches’ Mooneye's second single from their forthcoming sophomore album is a wonderfully delicate indie folk pop song, even calling to mind the great Paul McCartney’s Jenny Wren, and a perfect addition to your playlist. Previous single Lover To Stranger is flying high on big radio stations such as Studio Brussel (BE) and radioeins (DE), the new album is out on 23 February 2024 and tickets for the release tour in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany are selling like hot cakes.

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NEW SINGLE | Isaac Roux - Autumn Love

Isaac Roux unveils new single “Autumn Love” Like Bon Iver singing to a gentle acoustic guitar and piano track by Sufjan Stevens, that’s how this gorgeous “Autumn Love” sounds, a song perfect to enjoy with a nice cup of tea on a dark and cold autumn day.  “Autumn Love is about the fact that people often break up in autumn/winter because these are the periods when we doubt ourselves the most.” Louis explains. “Whereas spring and summer often do the opposite.” Isaac Roux is a project fronted by Louis De Roo who, after a jaw-dropping performance on TV show The Voice, graduated from Sir Paul McCartney’s LIPA. After successful singles ‘White Rose’ (winner of the notorious ‘De Nieuwe Lichting’ contest at Belgian national radio Studio Brussel) and ‘Colours’, it’s the next step to indie folk stardom for Isaac Roux, whose debut album comes out in 2024.

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Ão and Isolde Lasoen nominated for MIA's 2023

Vote here: https://mias.vrt.be/

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NEW EP | Aure - A Few Notes

Aure presents beautiful haunting EP “A Few Notes”  Sit down and luxuriate in the timeless class of Aure, whose EP “A Few Notes” provides a warm soundtrack for these dark and cold autumn and winter days. With her first ever release the French singer-songwriter with the characteristic husky voice is on the threshold of a very promising career. The six songs of ‘A Few Notes’ almost all originated when Aure was living in Mexico for a couple of years. There the architect by profession took her first real steps as a musician and started writing compositions and songs. Former classmate Ambroise Willaume (aka Sage, and member of French band ‘Revolver’) helped with the arrangements, while English singer-songwriter Piers Faccini rewrote the lyrics for the songs in English. Aure also sings one song in French and one in Spanish, all in that deep and mellifluous voice that inevitably calls to mind icons like Nico and Françoise Hardy. The songs were all recorded in one take in a small Romanesque chapel in her native region the Cevennes in the south of France. The building’s architecture intensifies the stripped-down production of the songs, and leaves plenty of room for the surrounding’s identity to fill in. Aure sings about doubts and about love confronted with time, in sparse, direct lyrics, like emotional snapshots, without artifice. The stripped-down production, with mainly guitar and voice, further emphasizes this directness, like a contemporary Nick Drake or Leonard Cohen, or more recently Jessica Pratt and Mariee Sioux. Three songs already found their way to the audience as singles: debut ‘The Line’ was received enthusiastically in Belgium and France, and follow-ups ‘Dans La Plaine’ and ‘Suddenly’ only added to the growing fame in the rest of Europe. The Pariesienne’s songs were picked up by big international Spotify playlists, while press wrote in superlatives and big radio names in France (Les Inrocks, FIP) and the Benelux (Radio 1, Studio Brussel) were eager to give the soul-stirring songs extensive airplay. Onstage Aure leaves audiences breathless, supporting Andy Shauf on his European tour, or headlining her first shows in her home country. She will be supporting fellow label artists Marble Sounds and Ão later this fall, and many more tour dates are to follow next year, along with new music. But for now, it is time to indulge in the beauty that is ‘A Few Notes’.

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NEW SINGLE | Meltheads - Night Gym

Meltheads return with new single “Night Gym” “Reminiscent of Iggy Pop in flamboyance, there’s a righteous sensibility to their music which recalls The Birthday Party, or perhaps The Gun Club” - Clash (UK) “Brutal and gnarly in the most streamlined and satisfying way” - DIY (UK) Belgium’s answer to IDLES and Shame returns with another excellent piece of post punk madness, a raging bull featuring an ultra-catchy chorus and Sietse Willems’ characteristic primal rasp. “Night Gym” is the third track from the band’s eagerly anticipated debut album, ‘Decent Sex’, which will be released on 9 February '24. “I guess there are some places where love is for sale.” Sietse says enigmatically on the track’s origins. “I don’t like those places. ‘Night Gym’ is about a place like that in Prague.” Getting a big thumbs up for previous singles from prominent names like Clash (UK), DIY (UK), KEXP (US) and Visions (DE), and having supported dEUS across Europe, Meltheads are ready to take on the world in 2024, starting at the highly influential ESNS on 17 January '24.

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NEW ARTIST | Eosine

Mayway Records welcomes ... Eosine! Eosine is a four-piece from Liège (Belgium) and, for now, a well-kept secret of the Walloon indie scene, but not for long. Formed by now 21-year-old Elena Lacroix (vocals, guitar), the band also consists of Dima Fontaine (guitar, vocals), Benjamin Fransen (drums) and Brieuc Verstraete (bass, vocals). Eosine's songs start from the wall of sound and ethereal sounds of shoegaze, emphasising progressive structures, chiselled vocal harmonies and forthright melodies, which fans of My Bloody Valentine, Lush and Psychotic Monks will love. Their live shows are fiery and psychedelic, and this was also felt at the Concours Circuit, a renowned music contest in the French speaking part of Belgium, where they snatched first prize, late last year. With their controlled, but sometimes cathartic frenzy, Eosine have already been allowed to open for The Haunted Youth, DITZ, Lambrini Girls and at the farewell concert of Belgian indie icon BRNS in the Rotonde of Le Botanique, Brussels. Earlier this year, they performed at festival such as Left Of The Dial (Rotterdam), Les Nuits Botanique (Brussels) and – cherry on the cake! - Dour Festival.

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Arend Delabie new artist in residence at Wilde Westen!

Info: https://www.wildewesten.be/nl/nieuws/arend-delabie-is-onze-nieuwe-lotto-wild-talent

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NEW SINGLE | Meltheads - Theodore

Meltheads new single “Theodore” Confirmed for ESNS 2024  Meet “Theodore”, Meltheads' newborn big mouth, packed with a post punk attitude and ready to kick up a rumpus. “It’s a song about trying to love yourself” frontman Sietse Willems explains. “The things you fuck up and the love you get from your friends. I love my friends, they adore me. I adore my friend Theodore.” With debut album ‘Decent Sex’ coming out on 9 February 2024 and previous single ‘I Want It All’ picked up by KEXP, WDR and MTV, Meltheads are becoming one of the most exciting guitar acts around. Belgian rock legends dEUS invited them as their support act for 17 European shows, taking Meltheads from Cologne to Paris and London, and 4 (!) nights at the iconic - and sold out - AB in Brussels. Meltheads will be touring Europe in 2024, kicking off at the influential ESNS showcase festival on 17 January. More dates to be announced.

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NEW SINGLE | Aure - Suddenly

Aure presents new single “Suddenly”  European tour with Andy Shauf After already making a deep impression with her first two singles, Parisian singer-songwriter Aure enchants again with new single “Suddenly”, a stripped-down folk masterpiece centred around guitar and her gripping voice, as if Joan Baez and Angel Olsen decided to team up. France (Les Inrocks, FIP) and the Benelux (Studio Brussel (BE), Radio 1 (BE), Radio 2 (NL)) are already falling for her, and a European tour with Andy Shauf, kicking off next Sunday in Ireland, will surely open more doors. Her debut EP “A Few Notes” is set for release on 24 November.

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NEW ARTIST | Dressed Like Boys

Mayway Records welcome ... Dressed Like Boys! Jelle Denturck is the singer and frontman of DIRK., a popular Belgian indie band that – in his own words – ‘has been making a fair amount of noise these past few years’. But in fact he thinks he’s a real softie, with a record collection full of melancholic indie pop and rock music: Bowie, Beatles, Lou Reed, Elton John, Nina Simone, Anohni & The Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens, Perfume Genius, Wilco, Tobias Tesso Jr. … clearly there’s a side to Denturck that doesn’t easily reveal itself in DIRK.’s music. It's about time, Denturck feels. As Dressed Like Boys he wanted to write songs and make a record all of his own. Not to turn it into an ego trip, but by way of self-examination. Denturck sings about the search for personal freedom, about his dearest friends, his homosexuality and relationship, but doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable topics like gay bashing either. It doesn’t get more personal and fragile than this. Musically the influence of Denturck’s record collection is inevitable, and Dressed Like Boys’ sound mainly echoes that of the 70s. Denturck takes it into the 21st century with tape recorders, (real!) strings, Wurlitzers, Rhodes, biscuit tin like drum sounds and a wonderful reunion with the (grand) piano, the first ever instrument he learned to play as a child. For all the noise Denturck likes to make with DIRK., Dressed Like Boys allows him to turn the volume down a bit for an intimate look into his soul.

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Aure supporting Andy Shauf across Europe

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Ão confirmed for Crossing Border '23

https://www.crossingborder.nl/

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NEW SINGLE | Mooneye - Lover To Stranger

Mooneye - Lover To Stranger After the success of debut album Big Enough and the accompanying tour, Mooneye return with a languishing break-up song ‘Lover To Stranger’, the lead single for their sophomore album coming out next February.  Carried by Michiel Libberecht’s angelic voice and building up to a stirring guitar driven outro, it’s another piece of clever alternative song writing. The band can’t wait to share the new music with audiences all around, both on record and in venues for the release tour in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany next Spring. 

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NEW ALBUM | Ão - Ao Mar

Ão debut album “Ao Mar”  No-one sounds quite like Ão, the Belgian fourpiece that in just a matter of months went from well kept secret to sparkling jewel in the crown of Belgian music. Frontwoman Brenda Corijn, Siebe Chau, Jolan Decaestecker and Bert Peyffers masterfully blend saudade, indie, electronica, global and folk into a unique sound that not only appeals to an ever-growing fanbase, but also receives widespread praise and extensive airplay on radio and streaming services. Their debut album ‘Ao Mar’ (‘To the sea’) is out now. Recorded partly in Belgium and partly in Portugal, ‘Ao Mar’ follows the undercurrent of the sea with its vast, timeless, and rugged character, yet also its reassuringly calming presence and immense healing power. Themes include how it feels to be a woman, the longing for both distance and closeness, and of course saudade, the Portuguese/Brazilian feeling of melancholy, nostalgia and longing. ‘And just like the sea, sometimes I’m ebb, and sometimes I’m flow’, Corijn explains. Musically, comparisons inevitably point to Madredeus and Lhasa De Sela, or more recently FKA Twigs, Arooj Aftab and James Blake. But Ão is very much a band with its own sound, making ingenious, multifaceted tracks and captivating acoustic songs. Corijn entwines her warm voice with Chau’s southern guitar, Decaestecker’s ambient sounds and Peyffers’ eclectic percussion, drawing on her Mozambican-Portuguese roots for her lyrics. Other sources of inspiration include tales of her mother, a trip to Morocco, Elena Ferrante’s acclaimed novel My Brilliant Friend and Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story. The fresh summer vibes of single ‘Meninas’ kick off the album, followed by the chilling synth theme of outright classic ‘Mulher’. ‘Avó’ is heart-warming and clever electronica, ‘Crowd’ and ‘Guardar’ show that the band can be intimate as well, and songs like ‘Vazio’ and ‘More’ exhibit the very essence of Ão: intoxicating lyrics bathing in an overwhelming blend of saudade, electronica and indie. ‘Ao Mar’ is a breathtaking debut album, taking you on a marvellous trip along Ão’s vast soundscape. If the album is already impressive, live Ão is something else, a mind-blowing and immersive experience, as showcased on various summer festival stages. Now they’re getting ready for the tour supporting the release of ‘Ao Mar’, playing amazing venues in Belgium later this year, and hitting the rest of the European roads in 2024. TRACKLIST 1. Meninas 2. Outra 3. Mulher 4. Mãe 5. Avó 6. Speak 7. Guardar 8. O 9. Vazio 10. Crowd 11. Caixinha 12. More

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Marble Sounds teams up with Illuminine for new beautiful ambient track

Listen here: https://illuminine.ferry.fan/BAS

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NEW SINGLE | Bobbi Lu - Zoo Interaction

Bobbi Lu - Zoo Interaction Bobbi Lu's new single “Zoo Interaction” is another fine example of her talent for making smouldering, synth and piano driven indie electronica.  The star of this British born Bruges resident keeps on rising, after opening for The Haunted Youth, Sylvie Kreusch and even more so after the buzz created by her two memorable shows at The Great Escape (UK), which was lauded by the BBC amongst others.  Zoo Interaction is also the soundtrack to a pivotal scene in the new - critically acclaimed - tragicomedy TV series ‘De club’ on Amazon Prime.

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Meltheads confirmed for ESNS '24

More info: https://esns.nl/en/festival/artists/meltheads/

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NEW SINGLE | Ão - Vazio

Ão new single “Vazio”  Debut album “Ao Mar” to be released 6 October  Pre-order now Everything Ão stands for comes together in ‘Vazio’: intoxicating Portuguese lyrics bathing in an overwhelming, ingenious mix of saudade, electronica and trip folk. After widespread international Spotify support and radio airplay (including KEXP), Ão are looking far beyond the magnificent Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon where they left a great impression earlier this year as the opening act for dEUS. ‘Vazio’ is the new single for the upcoming debut album ‘Ao Mar’ (‘To the sea’), which is set for release on 6 October. Be sure to check out Michiel Venmans' stunning video as well.  Leading Belgian daily ‘De Standaard’ already took an advance and crowned Ão ‘The Discovery of 2023’. No fake news as far as we are concerned, because Ão is exciting, innovative and just utterly góód: 'The Discovery of 2023'? Yes, please!

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NEW SINGLE | Aure - Dans La Plaine

Aure presents new single “Dans La Plaine” Aure's shimmering debut single "The Line" conquered many hearts in her home country (FIP, Les Inrocks) and in the Benelux (Radio 1, Duyster, Radio2/Blokhuis, RTBF Jam). “Dans La Plaine” is her new single, the first in her mother tongue, and with her husky Nico-like voice and subtle Leonard Cohen guitar picking, it is another gem by this Parisian top talent: a delicate and poetic folk chanson à la Françoise Hardy, Mariee Sioux or Sybille Baier.  The single comes with a beautiful video, directed by Aure herself. Aure: “This song is about duality and doubt in love. The plain (La plaine) represents the vastness of the world in which every couple, every couple has to evolve, with the inevitable falling down and getting up again.” Aure is set to perform at the notorious Leffingeleuren festival in Belgium in September, along with Rozi Plain, Runnner and King Hannah, as part of a line-up curated by renowned Flemish radio icon Ayco Duyster. Other shows in Belgium, Holland and France are confirmed and will soon be announced. Aures debut EP “A Few Notes” will be out on 24 November.

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Ão confirmed for 3 (!) sold out support slots with Arsenal at OLT Rivierenhof

All dates and info can be found via Ão.com

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NEW SINGLE | Isaac Roux - Colours

Isaac Roux presents new single “Colours” Starting off gently and carefully adding layers of drums, guitar and swelling electronica, “Colours” is the new single by Belgian prodigy Isaac Roux, unleashing his inner Ben Howard, My Morning Jacket and Bon Iver for a climax of epic proportions. Isaac Roux is fronted by Louis de Roo who, after a jaw-dropping performance on TV show The Voice, went on to graduate from Sir Paul McCartney's LIPA. After the succesful debut single ‘White Rose’ (winner of the notorious ‘De Nieuwe Lichting’ contest at Belgian indie radio Studio Brussel), “Colours” is Isaac Roux' next step towards international indie folk stardom.

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NEW SINGLE | Calicos - Reliving

Calicos release new single “Reliving” Whenever you’re in the mood for a lovely Kurt Vile vibe with a touch of Cass McCombs, Whitney or even 70s era Fleetwood Mac, “Reliving” (production/mixing: Tobie Speleman) is your go-to song. This is Calicos at the top of their game: gently meandering and masterful guitar, a compelling melody and that blissful voice of frontman Quinten Vermaelen. After the success of ‘Comedown’, this is the second step towards the release of the new album in early 2024. Until then, this formidable Antwerp sextet are ready for a bustling festival summer.

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NEW SINGLE | Ão - Meninas

Ão presents new single “Meninas” Ão, a young and exciting Belgian-Portuguese fourpiece, presents new single “Meninas”. It's dazzling blend of saudade, indie, electronic music and the luscious Portuguese lyrics inspired by the Mozambican roots of singer Brenda Corijn. The song, partly inspired by the series ‘My Brilliant Friend’, is about finding strength by the side of another woman to finally do what you want and who you are'. Singer Brenda Corijn: “ser mulher é mais fácil a lado seu”/"being a woman is easier on your side”. After the widespread praise and airplay of previous singles ‘Avó’ and ‘Mulher’, even on the highly influential Seattle-based KEXP, Ão will be touring intensively before releasing a debut album on October 6. Live, Ão is out of this world, not just a good show with brilliant musicians and an amazing voice, but a mind-blowing, unique and exhilarating experience. Watch ‘Mulher’ live at Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon back in April. Video: Michiel Venmans

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NEW SINGLE | Meltheads - I Want It All

Meltheads presents new single “I Want It All” There was no way of escaping Meltheads this past year (and frankly, why would you want to?), with their big alternative hit ‘Naïef’ and a vigorous live reputation spreading like wildfire in Belgium and The Netherlands. Not bad for a band whose debut album is yet to come out. Their fame quickly went through the roof. Belgian rock legends dEUS invited them as their support act for 17 European shows, taking Meltheads from Cologne to Paris and London, including 4 (!) nights at the iconic AB in Brussels. WDR (German TV) broadcasted their show at Rockpalast in Cologne in full.  After the roaring success of ‘Naïef’, the bar is set high for Meltheads. But these guys have high expectations like these for breakfast and return with “I Want It All” (irresistible riff!) garage punk with an attitude, like Amyl and The Sniffers, The Chats or The Datsuns. The only way is up for Meltheads, and they’ll go fast.

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NEW SINGLE | Bobbi Lu - Pretty Planet

Bobbi Lu presents new single “Pretty Planet” “Enjoyed Bobbi Lu's set at The Great Escape! Emotional and personal storytelling driven by piano and samples.” (BBC Music Introducing)  Rising star Bobbi Lu broadens her sound with new single “Pretty Planet”, adding pounding drums and guitar, and a thrilling pop melody evoking Miss Kittin and Caroline Polachek. Originally from Oxford (UK), like major influence Thom Yorke, Bobbi Lu has been living in Bruges (BE) for some years now. After a string of memorable shows, including opening slots for Sylvie Kreusch and The Haunted Youth in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, many listed her among the standout acts after two (!) impressive shows at the influential The Great Escape festival in Brighton (UK) this month.

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DEBUT SINGLE | Aure - The Line

Aure - The Line Let us introduce you to the timeless class of Aure, a French singer-songwriter from Paris and Mayway Records' first international signing. Her breathtakingly beautiful debut EP “a few notes” is coming later this year. An architect by profession, music has always been an important means of expression for Aure. When living in Mexico for a few years, she took her first real steps as a musician and started writing compositions. Her old architecture classmate Ambroise Willaume (aka ‘Sage’, and member of the popular French band ‘Revolver’) helped with the arrangements, while English singer-songwriter Piers Faccini rewrote some of the lyrics in English.   The resulting 6 songs were all recorded in one take in a small Romanesque chapel in the region of the Cevennes in the south of France. The building’s architecture intensifies the stripped-down production of the songs, whose rather slow and careful orchestrations leave plenty of room for the surrounding’s identity to fill in.  The first single taken from the forthcoming EP is the gorgeous “The Line”, evoking the legendary Nico (that voice!), Mariee Sioux or Aldous Harding.

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NEW SINGLE | King Viktor - Riptide (feat. The Haunted Youth)

The Haunted Youth’s side project ‘King Viktor’ presents shimmering debut single “Riptide” Take some Radiohead (In Rainbows!), Slowdive and DIIV, add the dreamy synths of The Haunted Youth and soothing voice of frontman Joachim Liebens et voilà: Riptide is nothing short of a dreampop beauty, fascinating indie shoegaze screaming ‘endless repeat’. King Viktor is the brainchild of close friends Tom Stokx and Arno De Ros, born in 2018 as part of the healing process after the passing of Stokx’ father. Originally a live band of four, King Viktor soon evolved into its present line-up: a duo blending indie rock with shoegaze and dream pop, inspired by their love for bands like Slowdive, Radiohead and My Bloody Valentine. Tom Stokx will be touring all over Europe (Rock Werchter, Pinkpop, Eurockéennes, Sziget, Iceland Airwaves, more tba) with The Haunted Youth this year. 'Riptide' will feature prominently in the live set.

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NEW SINGLE | Ão - Avó

Ão is a Belgian-Portuguese foursome, bringing a unique blend of saudade, electronic and indie music, of which the new single ‘Avó’ is a perfect illustration. The international aspect of the project is becoming more and more tangible, since their previous single ‘Mulher’ made it to the playlist of, amongst others, KEXP in Seattle. Also Ão is coming to Lisbon, Portugal, on 2 April, supporting dEUS in the majestic Coliseu dos Recreios. What an honour! ‘Avó’ is based on a story Brenda's (singer Ão) mother brought back from her native Mozambique. She lived as a child in a village on the Zambezi River, and on the edge of that village lived an old, wise lady. There are many crocodiles in the Zambezi, but that lady knew when it was safe for children to swim and play in the river. They called her “a avó dos crocodilos”, the “grandmother of the crocodiles”. And so that's what the song is about. Ão is leaving on tour soon: dates to follow shortly.

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NEW SINGLE | Isaac Roux - Bloodbuzz Ohio

Isaac Roux - Bloodbuzz Ohio Isaac Roux is one of Belgium's most promising indie youngsters. As a teenager frontman Louis de Roo shone in the famous international TV show The Voice (was 2016). In 2019 Louis graduated from LIPA in Liverpool, aka "Paul McCartney's School". Isaac Roux' debut single ‘White Rose’ came out in December and is scoring highly in Belgium (#1 Viral 50) and the Netherlands. Today Isaac Roux releases a mesmerising cover of The National's ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, taking this indie classic to a new level. Honestly? Nothing seems to stand in the way of a fantastic international career. Isaac Roux could be the ‘new Ben Howard or Bon Iver’, but most of all ‘the one and only Isaac Roux’.

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DEBUT SINGLE | Bobbi Lu - Metapwhore

Bobbi Lu proudly presents debut single ‘Metapwhore’ Announced for The Great Escape Festival (Thu, 11 May)  Imagine starving yourself over 4 years as some kind of protest to the invention of smartphones. Sounds fucking stupid right? Which is why British born Lucy Ryan preferred to leave that part of herself behind and move over the water to Belgium, following love, the opposite to what she had been chasing back home.  That was a decade ago. Now, she proudly presents her anticipated debut single ‘Metapwhore’ (no misspelling). Lucy’s intriguing electronic indie sound, built from the bass up and layered with synths, loops and her subdued voice, is reminiscent of Thom Yorke (like her from Oxford) and the art pop of FKA Twigs and Caroline Polachek.   Keep an eye on Bobbi Lu, she is going on EU tour with The Haunted Youth in April, supporting in Amsterdam and Paris, plays with MEYY at Les Nuits Botanique in Brussels, and as icing on the cake, she will return to her home country in May for The Great Escape Festival.

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NEW ALBUM | Isolde Lasoen - Oh Dear

Isolde Lasoen releases her fabulous ‘Oh Dear’ album Isolde Lasoen is not only drummer with DAAN, but also a versatile musician, singer, TV personality and frontwoman of her very own band, whose career takes a new turn with a brand new and ambitious album ‘Oh Dear’. The seeds of la nouvelle Isolde were sown in 2021, when Isolde had a big hit in Belgium with her take on Aphrodite’s Child’s cult hit ‘The Four Horsemen’. The success gave her the desire to work on a new (‘eccentric’ in her own words) solo album, without having to stick to the rules of mainstream music. The idea was to incorporate all her influences, everything she loves, in the record: from her education as a jazz drummer to a wide variety of genres, from vintage soundtrack, psychedelia and progressive rock to French music from the 70s. Less usually means more for Isolde, but in her music she embraces bombast, with rich orchestrations, elaborate instrumentations and compelling harmonies. It’s pretty difficult to file the album under one particular genre, then. Or is it? “This record IS my style. Every song has its own Isolde-like little world”, she says about the album’s 10 tracks, ranging from jazzy, melancholic and groovy to poppy and everything in between. The songs have the cinematic feel of Morricone, Mancini, François De Roubaix or early John Barry and evoke the obscure baroque pop of David Axelrod, suffused with a hint of indie à la Goldfrapp, Air or Sébastien Tellier. The opening and title track is nostalgic and atmospheric indie that has Isolde written all over it. The moving and symphonic ‘Douce Mélancolie’, starring French cult artist Bertrand Burgalat, not only seduced Belgium, but also France, where it reached the biggest radio stations and the homepage of influential music magazine ‘Les Inrocks’. ‘Oh Dear’ is packed with treasures like these, and lush instrumentals like ‘Bed & Breakfast’ and ‘Capricorn Avenue’ sit next to brilliant pop gems like ‘Something French’ (the new single today) and ‘Batterie’, with an irresistible parlando by DAAN, evoking the spirit of Gainsbourg. Isolde wrote, composed and styled ‘Oh Dear’ all by herself. She built every song – now more than ever – up from the drums, vibraphone and her own voice as an instrument, which has become a signature sound and forms layered melodic lines that often define the hooks of the songs. Together with producer Tobie Speleman, she has worked hard to perfect the sound of the drums, the driving force of everything she does in music. Wietse Meys wrote the sublime arrangements for strings and horns, and for the recording sessions of the album Isolde could rely on her beloved and talented musicians. Isolde Lasoen has put her heart and soul in ‘Oh Dear’. This is HER album, and the album that will define her as a Grande Dame of Belgian music. ‘Oh Dear’ is ‘Album of the Week’ on Radio 1 (BE) and made it to the ‘Sélection FIP’ at the well-known French radio station of that name.

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NEW ALBUM | DIRK. - Idiot Paradise

DIRK. album: ‘Idiot Paradise’ Have you met DIRK. yet? DIRK. surfaced in 2018 with their debut record ‘album’ and reached national indie stardom with their 2020 sophomore album ‘Cracks in Common Sense’ and characteristic geeky indie rock sound – warm like Weezer, edgy like Pixies and Fugazi. Over the past two years the band has worked hard to become an even more close-knit fourpiece, and surgically removed what little baby fat was left. The result can be heard on new album ‘Idiot Paradise’, where DIRK. sounds more focused and ferocious, while at the same time exploring new musical territory and adding a touch of sheer international class and wit, much like Blur did towards the end of the 90s (“13”). The album's lead single is ‘I Can't Sleep’. An insanely catchy slacker indie track, this might just be the song Pavement forgot to write and include on 'Wowee Zowee'. Add some Car Seat Headrest and Deerhunter, et voilà, this is alternative college rock at its finest! Take it from us, ‘Idiot Paradise’ is going to be a game changer for DIRK. The album will be showcased at a sold-out Ancienne Belgique (Brussels!), in the hottest club in France and The Netherlands, and at the coolest European summer festivals. Being the raucous live band they are, you’ll want to be there. DIRK. can’t wait to see you.

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NEW SINGLE | Calicos - Comedown

Calicos release new single “Comedown” Brand new single by Calicos and first step towards the new album, expected in early 2024. ‘Comedown’ is jubilant indie americana, combining Bruce Springsteen’s sparkling pop sound of the 80s, The War On Drugs’ epic melodies and Jonathan Wilson’s superb songwriting. Imagine driving down a desert road, car window down, arm out, and this high-spirited alt country song blasting out at full volume. Calicos won the Belgian renowned and bi-annual music competition Humo's Rock Rally in 2018 (previous winners: Novastar, Meskerem Mees, Whispering Sons, ...) and achieved great success with the single 'Nova' in 2020. Now they're back, and could well become the surprise of the year!

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NEW SIGNING | Isaac Roux

It’s just a small step from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) to a record deal, and Louis De Roo (26) takes it with ease. Now he can fully focus on writing songs, making a debut album and working hard for his predestined big breakthrough, under his nom de plume Isaac Roux. If LIPA doesn’t ring a bell, then ‘Paul McCartney’s music academy’ certainly will. In 2015 De Roo was one of the lucky 100 applicants that were admitted to study there for four years, even having the chance to work on some songs with Sir Paul himself. His English has also made great strides forward, which was, in his own words, one of the most important reasons to go to England in the first place: with a perfect accent he puts his emotions and soul in his songs, wrapped in guitars that build up at the right moment. Think: Bon Iver, Ben Howard, Perfume Genius and My Morning Jacket or, closer to home, Novastar. ‘White Rose’ is one of those songs, heavenly indie folk with just the right amount of edge, a full sound, not slick, and the warm glow of De Roo’s characteristic voice. It was White Rose that brought him victory in ‘De Nieuwe Lichting’ (‘The New Class’), a steppingstone to a thriving career, following in the footsteps of fellow label artists The Haunted Youth and Mooneye. Radio stations in Belgium and The Netherlands were head over heels, and Spotify didn’t hesitate to provide full support. Live the combination of warm indie folk and alternative rock works even better, if possible, and Isaac Roux never fails to leave a crowd open-mouthed. No wonder he’s already supported acts like The Haunted Youth, Mooneye, Marble Sounds, Portland and The Bony King of Nowhere. With all that in mind, every normal person would start to swoon, but not Louis De Roo. With the experience he already has and his feet firmly on the ground, he has what it takes to fulfil the promise, without rushing things. Isaac Roux has a lot more beautiful stuff in store for us, and in the distance, somewhere in 2024, a sensational debut album is already peeking.

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NEW SINGLE | Mooneye - In Between

Mooneye - In Between Tour BE/NL/DE Mooneye starts a new chapter with the sparkling ‘In Between’, an indie folk gem from the land where also R.E.M. and Sam Fender live.  The producer is Koen Gisen (Meskerem Mees, The Bony King of Nowhere, ...) and you can hear that at once: his craftsmanship (perfectly balanced, full sound and subtle arrangements) allow Michiel Libberecht's 24-carat pop songs to fully come into their own.  Mooneye will do an extensive club tour in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany in March and early April. Lots of tickets were sold beforehand, which proves that the live reputation is intact and the hunger and appetite of band and fans is big ànd mutual. The Netherlands has been along from the very beginning (radio/press/shows/ESNS '22) and doors are also opening in Germany after a particularly successful passage at Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg) last September. Six club shows are scheduled for early April. The album release is set for early next year.

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NEW SINGLE | Isolde Lasoen - Oh Dear

Isolde Lasoen presents ... ‘Oh Dear’ Eponymous album to be released 8 March ‘Oh Dear’ is the stunning opening track from the album. Its lush, almost cinematic, semi-psychedelic elements blend perfectly with the articulate pop and indie tunes and arrangements, all composed by Isolde Lasoen herself. An impressive title track for an impressive Grande Dame who will take France (her previous single with Bertrand Burgalat ‘Douce Mélancolie’ is played nationwide on French radio), and the rest of Europe by storm this year.  As icing on the cake, the album will be labeled ‘Sélection FIP’ at the renowned Paris radio station of the same name. ‘Sélection FIP’ is also where it all started for her labelmate Meskerem Mees in La Douce France. Doigts croisés for Isolde Lasoen!

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NEW SINGLE | DIRK. - No

DIRK. unveils new single ‘No’  Kicking off 2023 (we wish you good luck!) with a bang, this is DIRK. as we know and love them: punchy, ridiculously catchy and radio-friendly indie rock, blending the best of Pixies and Weezer into that undeniably DIRK. sound. Producer Bert Vliegen (aka Whispering Sons, Sophia) and mixing wizard Tobie Speleman (aka blackwave., The Haunted Youth, Isolde Lasoen) have succeeded in creating a splendid and crystal clear sound. The single deals with toxic masculinity and grabby alpha males for which singer Jelle Denturck and his band have a concise but clear message in store: “No!” ‘No’ is the third single from their forthcoming third album ‘Idiot Paradise’. The album will be out on 3 March, followed by a string of blistering shows in Belgium (Ancienne Belgique!), Netherlands and France (Paris!).  Being the raucous live band they are, you’ll want to be there. DIRK. can’t wait to see you.

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NEW SINGLE & INTRODUCING | Ão - Mulher

Ão presents ‘Mulher’, a unique blend of enchanting saudade, contemporary indie and subtle electronica In the wake of successful international acts like Rosalía, Arooj Aftab, Madredeus, James Blake and Lhasa de Sela comes Ão, a young and very promising Belgian-Mozambican-Portuguese foursome with their unique blend of saudade, indie and ambient electronics. The mesmerising single ‘Mulher’ is musical ingenuity, grandeur and friskiness all in one … the mellifluous voice of the singer Brenda Coryn draws you into the song from the very first syllables lyrics, only to lay you back down after four spellbindingly beautiful minutes. … and above all: ‘Mulher’ is a 24-carat pop song, chorus, climax and that impressive synth thump that lifts the song to seventh heaven. Ão are the most recent addition to our roster and are due to release their debut album in autumn 2023.

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NEW SINGLE | DIRK. - Half-Life

DIRK. unveils new single ‘Half-Life’ Album ‘Idiot Paradise’ arrives 3th March 2023 If Sonic Youth and Fontaines D.C. were to join forces, the result would probably sound a lot like this spellbinding opening track and second single from DIRK.’s forthcoming third album ‘Idiot Paradise’. Infused with a generous amount of 90s alternative guitar noise, ‘Half-Life’ is the go-to song for anyone in need of some raging indie post-punk Take it from us, the new album ‘Idiot Paradise’ will be a game changer for one of Belgium's leading guitar bands DIRK. It’s set for release in the spring of 2023 and will be showcased at an already nearly sold-out Ancienne Belgique on March 31st, and the coolest European club and festival shows that follows. Being the raucous live band they are, you’ll want to be there. DIRK. can’t wait to see you.

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NEW SINGLE | Isolde Lasoen & Bertrand Burgalat - Douce Mélancolie

Isolde Lasoen and Bertrand Burgalat: Douce Mélancolie  Album “Oh Dear” to be released 8 March! Isolde Lasoen takes Gainsbourg, Hardy and Morricone into the 21st century in this magnificent, richly orchestrated pop duet with French music great Bertrand Burgalat.  Burgalat is a musical genius. Besides being a solo artist, he works as a producer, composer, producer, mixer and arranger. He has collaborated with artists like Depeche Mode, Ladytron or Robert Wyatt, but above all, Bertrand fell in love with Isolde Lasoen's new album ‘Oh Dear’ (release: 8 March '23) and travelled to Belgium to record the duet ‘Douce Mélancolie' with her.  The irresistible melody, the clever hook and the epic finale give the song a familiar classic feel... you feel like you've always known it.

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NEW EP | Meskerem Mees - Caesar

Meskerem Mees share new EP ‘Caesar’ The year is 2020 when Meskerem Mees rises to fame with her dreamy debut single ‘Joe’. After a number of successful follow-up singles, including instant classic ‘The Writer’ and the comforting ‘Seasons Shift’, the long-awaited debut album ‘Julius’ sees the light of day towards the end of 2021. It’s a critical and commercial success that stretches to all corners of the continent: Meskerem wins the Montreux Jazz and Music Moves Europe Awards, and embarks on a triumphant string of shows all over Europe. 2022 won’t bring a new full album, but in autumn Meskerem will be releasing the EP ‘Caesar’, containing new, old and unreleased songs that perfectly sum up her first couple of years as a professional musician. From the raw ‘The City’, written in 2017 and recorded in her bedroom, to her hypnotizing cover version of ‘Cod Liver Oil and Orange Juice’, the fruit of her recent discovery of and fascination with Scottish cult singer Hamish Imlach. The EP is preceded by the single ‘Try You Might’. Almost as a matter of course, the song is again of unworldly beauty, Meskerem does not go for less.(that outro !) As with ‘Julius’, ‘Caesar’ is produced by Koen Gisen, who expertly knows how to mould Meskerem’s musical ideas into a compelling piece of art in which less consistently means more. A minimalistic approach that Meskerem takes onstage as well, in gripping orchestrations and supported on cello and backing vocals by Frederik Daelemans, who, in a very short space of time, has manifested himself as her perfect musical partner. Caesar 1. The City 2. Best Friend 3. Doesn't Matter 4. Try You Might 5. Away The Sparrow Flies 6. Charlemagne 7. Cod Liver Oil and Orange Juice 8. Great Dandelion

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NEW ALBUM | The Haunted Youth - Dawn Of The Freak

The Haunted Youth conquers its demons with fascinating debut album ‘Dawn Of The Freak’ What a year it’s been for The Haunted Youth! And the best is yet to come for the band centred around Joachim Liebens (29) with the release of debut album ‘Dawn Of The Freak’.   The Haunted Youth became indie darlings in Belgium and The Netherlands from the very first single they released. And what’s more, early singles like ‘Coming Home’ and ‘Gone’ also attracted attention in the UK and US straight away, earning praise from such big names as Consequence, KEXP, KCRW and NME.  The international release of the album is preceded by the single ‘Teen Rebel’, a dream pop anthem you think you’ve known all your life and that will stay with you all your life. The previous singles also return on ‘Dawn Of The Freak’, like close friends that wrap their arms around you, raising the glass to celebrate life with all its highs and lows. Because for all the highs The Haunted Youth have experienced so far, Liebens has had his share of lows in life. For him making music is a way of facing the demons of his past and writing them out of his system. “It’s therapy, a way of dealing with my existence”, Liebens says. “And I hope this album will be universal and accessible enough for others to enjoy it in the same way.” As dark as the lyrics often are, as a whole and musically the album exudes salvation and connection, implying that it’s okay to feel like shit sometimes. And “it’ll all be over someday soon, I promise you”, Liebens leaves a glimmer of hope in the mesmering closing song ‘Fist In My Pocket’. Liebens put his heart and soul in ‘Dawn Of The Freak’, writing all the songs and producing the album. The music of The Haunted Youth echoes the shoegaze and dream pop of musical heroes like Slowdive, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine and DIIV. But the band also has a very characteristic and instantly recognizable sound with that typical dreamy guitar, melancholic synths and Liebens’ velvety voice. A sound both the seasoned indie connoisseur and the average festival goer love, judging by the live sensation The Haunted Youth have become in no time, and the rapturous reception at festivals like Rock Werchter, Dour, Best Kept Secret, Into The Great Wide Open, Pukkelpop, Canela Party, Tomavistas and Reeperbahn (including a nomination for the prestigious ANCHOR Awards!). They will do it again at ESNS 2023, where the band is nominated for the Music Moves Europe Awards. The Haunted Youth will be playing sold-out album release shows in The Netherlands and the Main Hall of legendary Brussels venue Ancienne Belgique, followed by an extensive string of release and festival shows all over Europe in 2023. Dawn Of The Freak 1. Dawn Of The Freak 2. Teen Rebel 3. Stranger 4. Gone 5. Shadows 6. Broken 7. I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die 8. House Arrest 9. Coming Home 10. Fist In My Pocket

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NEW SINGLE | DIRK. - Idiot Paradise

DIRK. unveils new single ‘Idiot Paradise’, new (and eponymous) album arrives 3 March 2023 ... and will be showcased on 31 March at Brussel's iconic Ancienne Belgique Tickets now on sale! Have you met DIRK. yet? DIRK. is one of the biggest and most played indie acts in Belgium, having scored two successful albums and a string of alternative chart-toppers, with three (3!) singles simultaneously storming the indie charts in 2020, one of them (‘Hit’) even reaching number one. As one influential music magazine put it after their triumphant gig at the Pukkelpop festival in 2021: “DIRK. has what it takes to be one of the best Belgian bands around, simply because they already are.” So, we think it’s about time the rest of the world gets to know DIRK. a little better as well. DIRK. surfaced in 2018 with their debut record, simply called ‘album’, and reached national indie stardom with their 2020 sophomore album ‘Cracks in Common Sense’, sounding warm and nostalgic like Weezer, and edgy like Pixies and Fugazi. In the past two years the band has worked hard to become an even more close-knit fourpiece, and surgically removed what little baby fat was left. DIRK. sounds more focused and ferocious, and at the same time explores new musical territory, adding a touch of sheer international class and wit, much like Blur did towards the end of the 90s (“13”). Take ‘Idiot Paradise’, the first single and title track of the forthcoming third album. It’s packed with 3 minutes of ultra-infectious hooks, before shifting to a coda of crunchy riffs, a soaring melody, and thumping drums, screaming Silversun Pickups, Pavement and Car Seat Headrest. Take it from us, the album ‘Idiot Paradise’ is going to be a game changer for DIRK. It’s set for release in the spring of 2023 and will be showcased at Brussels’s iconic Ancienne Belgique venue on March 31st, and the coolest European festivals in the summer that follows. Being the raucous live band they are, you’ll want to be there. DIRK. can’t wait to see you.

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NOMINATED | The Haunted Youth is Music Moves Europe Awards nominee @ ESNS '23

The Haunted Youth nominated for Music Moves Europe Awards @ ESNS For the second year in a row a Mayway Records artist has been nominated for the prestigious Music Moves Europe Awards. Last year Meskerem Mees went home with the Grand Jury Prize, this year The Haunted Youth is among the candidates. These are exciting times for The Haunted Youth: a few weeks ago the band was also nominated for the Anchor Award at the Reeperbahn festival and their debut album ‘Dawn Of The Freak’ will be released on 4 November. The MME Awards 2023 will be presented during the ESNS/Eurosonic showcase festival in Groningen (18-21 January 2023). You can vote here for The Haunted Youth ... thanks!

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NEW ALBUM | Marble Sounds - Marble Sounds

 Le nouveau Marble Sounds est arrivé! During his career spanning more than 10 years, Pieter Van Dessel has never stopped challenging himself, pushing back the frontiers in his music and songwriting. Now, on his fifth album, he takes a more inward approach, going to the very core of Marble Sounds, which is why the name of the band is also the title of the album. “I will probably never get closer to the essence of what Marble Sounds is, and what I am as a musician, than on this album”, Van Dessel says. “Artists sometimes say they step out of their comfort zone, but I have the feeling that for this record I actually went into my comfort zone.”  A comfort zone that is largely built around piano and strings. Together with co-producer David Poltrock, Van Dessel placed three pianos on a stage: a grand piano, a self-playing grand piano and a self-playing upright piano, both controlled through a laptop. “By defining the sound’s essence in advance, musically this has become the most homogeneous Marble Sounds album. A genuine album, rather than a collection of songs”, Van Dessel, who produced the record himself, feels. Within that musical frame he does, however, push the boundaries, from the Air-like electronic sound of ‘Axolotl’ to the neoclassical touch in ‘My Initial Intentions’. The lavish ‘Soon It’ll Make Us Laugh’ features a Bulgarian choir, and you’ll even hear Van Dessel’s young daughters singing along. Pre-album singles ‘Quiet’, ‘Never Leave My Heart’ and ‘Axolotl’ already gave a foretaste of what the new album would sound like: songs that, developing around a mesmerizing piano, strings and Van Dessel’s velvety voice, flow into wonderfully lush orchestrated indie pop gems à la Sufjan Stevens, Nils Frahm or Damien Jurado. The singles were very enthusiastically received in Belgium and abroad, and ‘Quiet’ even played a big part in the final episode of the popular Netflix series ‘Undercover’. As homogeneous as the album sounds, it’s the heterogeneous stories that pull you into the songs. Van Dessel sings about his wife (‘The Jacket’), the climate (‘A Drop In The Bucket’), regeneration (‘Axolotl’), breaking up (‘The Ever After’), living life at your own speed (‘Quiet’), and the kind of setbacks that’ll turn out to be great stories to tell later on in life (‘Soon It’ll Make Us Laugh’). ‘Marble Sounds’ is the band’s fifth album, and the follow-up to 2018’s ‘The Advice To Travel Light’. It’s Marble Sounds’ first album with Mayway Records. Supporting the release of the album, Marble Sounds will embark on an extensive tour along the best venues in the Low Countries in November. (tickets/info)

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NEW SINGLE | The Haunted Youth - I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die

The Haunted Youth unveils new dream pop wonder ‘I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die’ Debut album Dawn Of The Freak arrives 4th November Pre-order HERE Featuring The Haunted Youth's signature dreamy guitar and synth sound, ‘I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die’ is the missing link between The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’ and Slowdive’s ‘Sugar For The Pill’. And even though the title is dark, the message is positive, saying it’s ok to feel bad sometimes. After global indie smash hit ‘Broken’ (in heavy rotation on KEXP!), ‘I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die’ paves the way for the eagerly awaited debut album ‘Dawn Of The Freak’. Frontman Joachim Liebens put his heart and soul in it, writing all the songs and producing the album. To say The Haunted Youth has been making waves across Europe would be a hefty understatement. In fact, enviable slots at Rock Werchter, Best Kept Secret, Pukkelpop, Tomavistas, ESNS and Reeperbahn have seen Joachim’s stock rocket during this first year of releasing music. So much so that THY along with Lime Garden and EKKSTACY were nominated for Reeperbahn's 2022 Anchor Award!

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NEW SINGLE + VIDEO | The Haunted Youth - Teen Rebel

The Haunted Youth share the ethereal video for ‘Teen Rebel’ Debut album Dawn Of The Freak arrives 4th November Pre-order HERE What a year it’s been for The Haunted Youth! And the best is yet to come for the band centred around Joachim Liebens (29) with the release of debut album ‘Dawn Of The Freak’ on November 4, marking the pinnacle of a dazzling ride that started in the spring of 2021. New single ‘Teen Rebel’ exemplifies these talents with perfection. Owing as much to classic shoegaze outfits like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine as it does to the toe-tapping momentum of artists such as MGMT. To say The Haunted Youth has been making waves across Europe would be a hefty understatement. In fact, the two thousand tickets available for Dawn of the Freak’s release show in Brussels has proven to be insufficient to meet demand, and the sibling performance in The Netherlands’ has followed suit in selling out. Enviable slots at Rock Werchter, Best Kept Secret, Pukkelpop, Tomavistas and Reeperbahn have seen Joachim’s stock rocket during this first year of releasing music. So much so that THY was nominated alongside Lime Garden and EKKSTACY for Reeperbahn’s 2022 ANCHOR Award; with Celeste, Yard Act and Shame among those who have previously been shortlisted. Joachim writes & records all of the tracks on Dawn of the Freak himself, and The Haunted Youth remains a deeply personal project. “It’s therapy, a way of dealing with my existence”, Liebens says. “And I hope this album will be universal and accessible enough for others to enjoy it in the same way.” As dark as the lyrics often are, the album as a whole – both musically and ideologically - exudes salvation and connection, implying that it’s okay to feel like shit sometimes. In between its perfectly captured moments of vulnerability, there is also a hell of a lot of joy to be found throughout Dawn of the Freak. The unstoppable momentum of ‘Coming Home’ packs its very own main-character moment, and ‘Broken’ is fitting to soundtrack the climax to any coming of age movie, as a snap of 80s-inspired drumbeats provide the percussion to a reverb-heavy, 10-track dream sequence of a debut album. Dawn Of The Freak 1. Dawn Of The Freak 2. Teen Rebel 3. Stranger 4. Gone 5. Shadows 6. Broken 7. I Feel Like Shit And I Wanna Die 8. House Arrest 9. Coming Home 10. Fist In My Pocket

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NEW SINGLE | Isolde Lasoen - Ghosting

Welcome at Mayway Records ... Isolde Lasoen! First single is ‘Ghosting’ Five years after her debut album ‘Cartes Postales’, Isolde Lasoen's solo career is moving up a gear with ‘Ghosting’, a gloriously thumping indie electro track nodding towards LCD Soundsystem, Charlotte Gainsbourg or Metronomy, and urging to be played at full volume. Lasoen is best known as the drummer for DAAN and Absynthe Minded, and more recently for her TV appearances in Belgium, her home country, but there's no doubt she'll soon be in the forefront of the Belgian indie scene, right up there with label buddies The Haunted Youth, DIRK., Meskerem Mees and Mooneye.

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NEW SINGLE | Marble Sounds - The Ever After

Marble Sounds brings you glorious new single ‘The Ever After’ Self-titled album to be released on 7 October. Pre-order HERE ‘The Ever After’ is the new single by Marble Sounds and the glorious closing title of ‘Marble Sounds’, the self-titled album by the project around Brussels-based Pieter Van Dessel, which will be released on 7 October. The song, it's melody and structure (that 'chorus'/'theme'!!) is reminiscent of the best of Sigur Rós, Sufjan Stevens, or ‘The Soft Bulletin’, the 1999 classic by The Flaming Lips. ‘Marble Sounds’ is the fifth album by Marble Sounds and in many ways their Magnum Opus. From the enchanting piano of opener ‘Quiet’, to the Sigur Rós-esque outro of ‘The Ever After’, the ten wonderful songs get under your skin and lock themselves in your heart, never to leave it. Pieter Van Dessel: "This is as close as I can get to the essence of Marble Sounds and myself as a musician. Artists sometimes say that they step out of their comfort zone, but I have the feeling that with this record I just stepped into my comfort zone."

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NEW SINGLE | EMY - Chasing

EMY releases new single ‘Chasing’ ‘Chasing’ is the new single by EMY, and is the official kick-off of the great debut album adventure (release: autumn '23) by the project around Ghent-based multi-talent Emy Kabore (23). ‘Chasing' is a fantastic chunk of contemporary indie R&B/neo-soul and - this might sound grotesque - we dare write that this song comes very close to the level of current big names such as Little Simz, SAULT or Sampa The Great. A short, sexy, in-your-face world track ... la nouvelle EMY est arrivée ! The three previous singles, ‘Freestyle’, ‘Inconvenient’ and ‘Illusions’ did very well on radios and streamers at home and abroad, the latter reached #4 and stayed in ‘Next Wave Neo-Soul’, the global leading Spotify editorial in this genre, for months. And, fresh off the press: ‘Chasing’ is now on the cover of ‘Movement’, the Benelux counterpart to the above playlist. Add to that a steaming live reputation (e.g. Dour Festival, Best Kept Secret, Les Nuits Botanique) and you know that EMY is ready for - roll roll - 'The Big Break'!

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NEW SINGLE | Meskerem Mees - Best Friend

Meskerem Mees presents new single ‘Best Friend’, a joyful and - of course - enchànting indie pop gem EP ‘Caesar’ to be released 10 November. Pre-order HERE The year is 2020 when Meskerem Mees rises to fame with her dreamy debut single ‘Joe’. After a number of successful follow-up singles, including instant classic ‘The Writer’ and the comforting ‘Seasons Shift’, the long-awaited debut album ‘Julius’ sees the light of day towards the end of 2021. It’s a critical and commercial success that stretches to all corners of the continent: Meskerem wins the Montreux Jazz and Music Moves Europe Awards, and embarks on a triumphant string of shows all over Europe. 2022 won’t bring a new full album, but in autumn Meskerem will be releasing the EP ‘Caesar’, containing new, old and unreleased songs that perfectly sum up her first couple of years as a professional musician. The EP's lead single is ‘Best Friend’, an alluring folk gem in which Europe's favourite indie troubadour sings about her rise to fame. She is supported on cello and backing vocals by Frederik Daelemans, who in a very short time has manifested himself as her perfect musical partner, both in the studio and onstage.  As with ‘Julius’, ‘Caesar’ is produced by Koen Gisen, who expertly knows how to mould Meskerem's musical ideas into a compelling piece of art in which less consistently means more. A minimalistic approach that Meskerem takes onstage as well, in gripping orchestrations and supported on cello and backing vocals by Frederik. Meanwhile, the conquest of Europe continues, with Meskerem performing at a number of music festivals this summer, including Best Kept Secret (NL), Sziget (HU), Haldern Pop (DE), Pukkelpop (BE) and Les Francofolies de La Rochelle (FR). Caesar EP 1. The City 2. Best Friend 3. Doesn't Matter 4. Try You Might 5. Away The Sparrow Flies 6. Charlemagne 7. Cod Liver Oil and Orange Juice 8. Great Dandelion

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