Allie X – “Catch”
After being touted by Katy Perry as her “spring jam” this time last year, Allie X finally released a choppy yet stunning video for her earworm of a future pop hit ahead of her debut EP out this Spring.
Ghost Beach – “Everytime We Touch”
Ghost Beach opened for bands like Imagine Dragons and Vampire Weekend long before releasing its debut album Blonde last March. The album is a gritty combination of tropical music and alternative pop that ends up sounding reminiscent of Talking Heads.
Kat Dahlia – “Crazy”
Born Katrinia Huguet, this Cuban-American singer’s recently released debut album My Garden contains lyrically sharp tracks coupled with her fraught vocals that cover emotional ground such as toxic relationships, abuse and drug addiction.
Neon Hitch – “Sparks”
https://soundcloud.com/neonhitch/sparks
As someone who’s been following Neon since her signing to Warner Bros. Records in 2010, the termination of her contract last year certainly came as a surprise. Instead of staying down, she sought the help from her fans to release her album Eleutheromaniac the way she wanted. “Sparks” is merely a taste of what’s to come.
Only Real – “Yesterdays”
Hailing from West London, Only Real née Niall Galvin spent much of his 2014 recording his upcoming debut Jerk at the End of the Line in Atlanta. If the sun drenched rock of “Yesterdays” is any indication of what’s to come, get ready to hear tracks off this album all summer long.
Panama Wedding – “All Of the People”
Originally begun as a bedroom project, Panama Wedding gained critical attention with the release of “All Of the People,” with its cascading synths and ultra chilled vocals. Perhaps the group will ride the hype train all the way to an album release this year.
Ryn Weaver – “OctaHate”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTVZdW8pTEM
WARNING: You won’t be able to get this song out of your head. Now that that’s out of the way, Ryn Weaver’s debut single “OctaHate” was produced by Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat as well as having Charli XCX listed as a co-writer. Weaver’s unique vocals truly shine in a monster of a pounding chorus.
The Veronicas – “If You Love Someone”
Okay, so The Veronicas might not be a technically new band, but their new self titled album is due to be released in February. The duo seems poised to fill the void in pop radio with their highly sarcastic lyrics and catchy singles (see “Cruel”).
Years & Years – “King”
The winners of BBC’s Sound of 2015 poll, Years & Years have been perfecting their sound for a large part of the last three years. Enter “King,” a jumping synth heavy track about someone being manipulative with a soaring chorus guaranteed to root itself in your brain.
Zak Abel
If 2014 was the year of the British male crooner with radio eating up the likes of Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, 2015 will be the year that such voices will be mixed with more…interesting production. Abel might be young, but his voice is heavenly against a sleekly re-imagined UK garage sound.
