Summer is officially here and so much incredible new music has been released during the month of June! To kick off the season in the best possible way, we take a look at some of the month's outstanding new indie singles that have landed on our musical radar - from Samuel Jack, Da Buzz, Russell James, Need For Speed, Rex The Dog, and Steve Everett. Read on and round out your Summer playlists with these impressive tracks and artists!
SAMUEL JACK | "Feels Like Summer"
Kicking right off with the perfect Summer vibe is the appropriately-named "Feels Like Summer," the anthemic, feelgood single from London-based singer-songwriter Samuel Jack. Showcasing his unique brand of contemporary soul, authentic songwriting, and rugged soulful vocals, the single bursts with vibrancy, all consumed by shimmering soundscapes. Lyrically, "Feels Like Summer" celebrates the good times and how something can make you feel so alive that you wish you could live in that moment forever.
Samuel reveals, "There’s definitely a sense of nostalgia about the whole song. I wrote it at a time when I needed those good times to see me through some stuff. Music can totally transcend time and space and take you to all sorts of places when you’re not exactly where you want to be. That's what this song is for me. It takes me back, it takes me forward, it takes me through.”
"Feels Like Summer" is the first taste of music from Samuel's much anticipated debut album, slated for release Autumn 2019.
DA BUZZ | "Touch My Soul"
I first fell in love with the music of Swedish dance group Da Buzz back in 2002 with their summery and uplifting single, "Wanna Be With Me?" After a lengthy hiatus, the last new music we heard from the band was 2018's vibrant and energized comeback single, "Where My Heart Lies."
Currently comprised of Per Lidén and Annika Thörnquist, Da Buzz returns just in time for Summer with their brand new dance single, "Touch My Soul" - a bright, melodic and carefree anthem that finds the band sounding as strong and as fresh as ever!
RUSSELL JAMES | "1994"
Taken from Pay Attention!, the forthcoming album from Albuquerque-based, dream-folk singer-songwriter Russell James, new single "1994" finds the artist reminiscing on an influential, formative period of his life. The song follows on the heels of Russell's previous single release, "You Got Me Bad," a track that has been featured here on SoundThread Music Blog.
Russell reveals, "Coming of age in the 90's was amazing. Good music was plentiful and inspiring, life-long friends were made, divisions were sown. Sneaking out at night resulted in being grounded for a month. As I grow older I find myself looking back on this watershed year in my life with both fondness as well as pain. On ‘1994’ the music has shifted deeper into the realm of what I call Dreamfolk: or traditional songwriting accompanied by ethereal and airy accents.”
Watch the single's accompanying music video that incorporates elements of the period and presents a cinematic visual accompaniment.
NEED FOR SPEED | "Gold Rush (I Keep On Waiting)"
It has been reported that the Swedish electronic duo Need For Speed has recorded over 150 songs since their formation less than two years ago, yet only five of their songs have officially been released. The Malmö-based band, consisting of musicians Martin Nilsson and Felix Mårtensson, releases their delicate, pulsing and gorgeous new single, "Gold Rush (I Keep On Waiting)." Need For Speed's highly-anticipated debut album (no release date confirmed) is co-produced by Johan T. Karlsson (a.k.a. the artist Familjen) and Joakim Lindberg. While we await the forthcoming album, be sure to check out the band's previous stunning single releases ("c/o", "Loved One", "Soft Touch").
REX THE DOG | "Vortex"
If you've never heard the pulsing, electronic creations of British electronic composer, music producer and remixer Rex The Dog (a.k.a. Jake Williams), you are missing out! With his self-built modular synthesizer, Rex The Dog creates and performs some of the most unique and instantly recognizable electronic compositions you will hear. Follow him on Instagram, and you can virtually travel along as he carries his DIY machinery around the world, through airport checkpoints and departure lounges, bringing his idiosyncratic sounds to packed crowds at clubs, festivals and parties.
Brilliant, new single "Vortex" is the also the title track from Rex The Dog's latest EP - featuring the signature, pulsing analogue sounds that will make you want to jump out of your chair and dance about.
Watch the following "modular video" to watch Rex The Dog's modular synthesizer in action. You can find lots more of these captivating videos on his YouTube channel.
STEVE EVERETT | "Pick Your Head Up"
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Steve Everett has released three new singles in just one month. His most recent release, "Pick Your Head Up," produced by Kyle Dreaden, features Steve's authentic storytelling with a pronounced, electronic accompaniment that works perfectly for this upbeat, infectious track. The track is garnering quite the attention, with Rolling Stone recently naming "Pick Your Head Up" as one of the '10 Best Country and Americana Songs to Hear Now'.
On his social media sites, Steve explains the origins of the new single, "I wrote this song with Britney Monroe last winter and was immediately excited about it. It's from the female & male perspective about getting out of your own head and your own way."