This week feels slightly unhinged in the best possible way. These releases lean into emotional extremes, and there’s a strong sense of artists testing the edges of their sound without worrying too much about staying neat in the process.
Ben September ft. FlowaBoii – “JAJA VIBES”
Lifted from his EP 7 Girls, “JAJA VIBES” blends smooth Afro-fusion grooves with contemporary R&B textures, settling Ben September comfortably into late-night reflection mode. FlowaBoii’s guest feature arrives at exactly the right moment, adding another layer to the song’s hazy, after-hours atmosphere without disrupting its understated cool.
Second House – “Time Away”
Beginning bass-heavy and rhythm-driven before opening into a more ethereal middle section, “Time Away” moves with a confidence that feels impressive this early into the band’s trajectory. The DIY nature of vocals captured inside a homemade booth built from stacked chairs and carpets only adds to the song’s cozy immediacy.
Sidepiece – Who
SIDEPIECE channel the emotional whiplash of unexpectedly running into an ex into something loud and ridiculously catchy. Angular post-punk guitars crash into garage rock style as the band balance tongue-in-cheek lyricism with the kind of shout-along hook built for sweaty rooms and cheap drinks.
Jade Olivia – “1234”
On her cover of FEIST’s “1234”, Jade Olivia strips the indie classic down to something softer and more intimate. Built around warm acoustic textures, there’s a quiet sincerity to the performance that makes sense once you realise how tied the original was to her own memories of growing up and driving the Garden Route listening to The Reminder on repeat.
Daisy Arson – “Annihilation”
“Annihilation” sees Daisy Arson fully committing to the industrial-leaning heaviness the duo have been circling for a while now. The track wastes no time tearing into themes of emotional erasure and reclamation through a vocal performance that sounds genuinely feral in places. It’s aggressive, cathartic, and refuses to soften itself for anyone.
Cece Vee – “Delirium”
Cece Vee sinks deeper into the dark, retro synth-pop world she’s steadily building around herself. Heavy basslines and late night synth textures create a moody backdrop for a track exploring the blurry psychological line between love and obsession.
Mia Lord – “Car Park Cult”
This is the beginning of a new chapter for Mia Lord, both sonically and emotionally. Written during a period of isolation and personal upheaval, the track transforms loneliness into something strangely cinematic, pulling from long late-night drives and imagined communities formed between strangers in parking lots. Underneath it all sits a very real hunger for belonging.
Vuyo Viwe – “Geza“
With “Geza,” Vuyo Viwe continues shaping the genre-fluid sound she’s described as “Afroesoterism.” Blending orchestral folk textures, traditional South African rhythms, classical flute, and subtle electronic production, there’s a quality to “Geza” that allows Viwe’s background in both alternative jazz and sound healing to guide the song into something meditative rather than purely cerebral.
