Bartees Strange, Matilda Mann, Bakar

Two years ago, Bartees Strange’s debut album live forever was a critical success and put this eclectic and groundbreaking talent on the map. The pop-rocker is signed to 4AD Records and has a massive world tour from March 16 to July 22 and has just released his latest single, “Heavy Heart”, to kick things off. The track is soaring, an alternative rock anthem laced with regret and guilt and a powerful urge to move past all of those things and move forward in life towards a better future.

Listen to these songs on the PM Picks Spotify playlist.

Young West London pop singer-songwriter Matilda Mann returns with ‘Four Leaf Dream’, a shimmering, bright and nostalgic number with synths in the chorus hinting at Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark. In North London, Camden and Hampstead to be precise, Bakar sings of the desire to be “free”. With a gospel organ, afrobeats and Bakar’s experimental approach, he approaches the superb territory of the Young Fathers. Heading west, Vaccines drop their latest poptastic track, “Thunder Fever,” which is super catchy with a killer chorus. After last year’s “Headphones Baby,” the band are on a winning streak with appealing indie pop.

Queen Millz‘Body & Shape’ shows the rough health of British hip-hop these days. The scene is vast, diverse and revolutionary. Hailing from Leicester, Queen Millz brags like the boys do but wraps it up in luscious flows full of intricate rhythms and tongue twisters. She has the flash and sparkle of Steflon Don and the intelligence of Little Simz.

Now, for something completely different, Sarah Johnsone’s “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl” is steeped in classic indie rock stylings with Johnsone’s builds of intensity, pounding drums, assertive guitars and strong vocals. She “doesn’t want to be your girlfriend. I’m sick of men pushing me around and yet I fall in love with someone she shouldn’t as the tempo picks up. It’s a pretty perfect piece of rock. DRIIA started learning electronic production at age 14, and now shares her debut single, “After Dark,” a real electropop banger with her beautiful Lily Allen-esque vocals. It looks like a real dancefloor filler and will be more widely exposed when the video debuts tomorrow.

The Irish Shobsy has a truly extraordinary voice, quite unique and with a breathtaking range. Previously, he was the lead singer of State Lights, but is now going solo with “Vanity.” Shobsy transitions easily from clean soprano to tenor by stretching and bending notes at great pitches. Paired with the vocal gymnastics, there’s a tender, touching melody that gains intensity as the synths build and rise. The track is a one-off critique of self-absorption in the age of social media.

Los Angeles’ Little Luna occasionally drifts “Under the Wave” on her latest song. Deeply melodic, dreamy and sweet, Little Luna guides us through her meditative state in a melody that creates its own warm little world. String plucks generate the rhythm with interpolations of other rhythm-filled elements. It’s musically beautiful, blending organic and electronic under deeply moving vocals.

Mura Masa joins Lil Uzi Vert, PinkPantheress and Shygirl for possibly the most twee track on his discography, “babycakes.” That’s not to say we’re approaching Belle & Sebastian territory with these electrosoul jams, but the cute factor is pretty high here.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian-Belgian singer-songwriter Meskerem Mees shows off his timeless songwriting skills on “Where I’m From.” It’s a melody that begins casually and airily before moving into melancholy and deep contemplation, where a solitary cello enters and creates a beautiful atmosphere. It’s not exactly folk but informed by folk and even Weimar cabaret styles. It’s an astonishing number with an equally intriguing video.