I don’t know about you, but our lockdown optimism is dwindling. Gone are the aspirations of reading a book per day, or writing that concept album from your bedroom.
We can, however, make some baby steps towards squeezing some positivity out of this crisis. Smash out 30mins of yoga each morning, learn a new language, get better at cooking, or watch every single episode of the BBC quiz show Pointless. We are rich in the valuable commodity of time, RIOT readers, so get creative.
Look after your mental health, get some exercise and wash those damn hands before kicking back with our release radar. -ed
Girl In Red // midnight love
Back with her first song of the year Marie Ulven (aka. Girl In Red) dropped the stunning ‘midnight love’ on us this week. The ode to fuckbuddies once again continues in the stride her previous releases have hit, and we can’t get enough of it. –PG
The Streets & Kevin Parker // Call My Phone Thinking I’m Doing Nothing Better
Two heroes of left-of-centre pop have combined to create one of the most surprising releases of the year. Kevin Parker continues his reign as the most in-demand collaborators in music. MG
Jamie XX // Idontknow
Jamie has re-emerged with his first original solo material in years. ‘Idontknow’ has been doing the rounds for a little while now, but one third of The XX has finally put his name to it and formally released the track. MG
Declan McKenna // The Key To Life On Earth
Quarantine has us seeing double as Declan drops his latest single ‘The Key to Life on Earth’. Following on from the mega banger that was Beautiful Faces, The Key to Life on Earth is accompanied by a video which sees Declan shadowed by End Of The Fucking Road’s Alex Lawther. With his second album, Zeroes, scheduled for release in August, we can’t wait for what else Declan has under his sleeve.
Marlin’s Dreaming // Alike
With new album Quotidian arriving in the very near future, now is the time to become acquainted with Kiwi band Marlin’s Dreaming. Also check out recent single ‘Outwards Crying’. MG
Mellah // Family Fun
Dropping the first track from his debut album, as well as announcing his biggest show to date, Mellah has shared the lo-fi bop Family Fun. Turning into an instant earworm, the track is also accompanied by a video filled with, well, family fun. PG
Florence & The Machine // Light Of Love
Dropping an unreleased track from her last album, High As Hope, hit her with the stunning Light Of Love. Pledging to donate all proceeds from the song to The Intensive Care Society Covid-19 fund, this track is a perfect little way of calming the anxious spirits. PG
