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Indie Pop Newcomer hoxie rae Debuts with Quiet Power on ‘Best of Luck.’

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There’s a lot of music out there right now that tries to be loud—sonically, emotionally, metaphorically. hoxie rae’s “Best of Luck.” takes a different approach. It’s deliberate, careful, and confident in its own scale. It doesn’t try to overwhelm you, but it doesn’t play small either.

The song rides a slow, moody groove built on piano and space. It leaves room to sit with the lyrics, which are clear-eyed and sharply written. There’s a noticeable restraint in her vocal delivery, which works to the track’s advantage. She’s not trying to belt emotion—she’s letting it simmer, which in some ways makes it land harder.

She’s not hiding the darker stuff—family betrayal, emotional abuse, years of self-doubt—but she’s also not turning it into a spectacle. There’s control in how she shares, and that’s what makes “Best of Luck.” work: it’s strong without having to shout.

What sticks with you isn’t just the production or melody, but the tone: quiet conviction. hoxie’s not putting on a performance about heartbreak—she’s working through something real, and she’s inviting you in, not pushing it on you. That choice creates a kind of intimacy that a lot of debut singles miss.

Her backstory helps contextualize that tone. The writing began in isolation, during a period of personal collapse, and you can hear how much of that early processing still lives in the music. It doesn’t feel overly polished or engineered for viral moments—and that’s refreshing.

As the first in a series of singles, this track suggests we’re going to get a wide emotional range from hoxie rae. If the rest holds onto this kind of thoughtfulness, she’s building something with staying power.

Finnish Metal Trio Kivisydän Releases New Single ‘Suru’ Ahead of Debut Album ‘Kuoleva Aurinko’

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Finnish melancholic metal band Kivisydän invites their listeners into a world where fragility and strength coexist, and where the weight of sorrow feels both crushing and liberating. Melodic, symphonic metal meets powerful vocals and lyrics that delve deep into sorrow, despair, and pain, but ultimately also into hope.

The new single “Suru” (Sorrow) is the third single from the debut album Kuoleva Aurinko (Dying Sun) to be released later this autumn. The album was mixed by Heikki Marttila / Guru Studio, and mastered by Miro Kiiski / Miromastering.

Pianist Sofiane Pamart Announces North American Tour Following Olympic Spotlight and #1 Billboard Chart EP

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Award-winning pianist Sofiane Pamart has announced a North American tour for September. The dates will be for Pamart to perform in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, and Montréal (two shows). The shows follow the official release of Pamart’s cover of “Imagine” (Live at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics 2024), which he performed with Juliette Armanet, as well as the release of his Cercle performance with NTO.

A regular on prestigious stages in France and abroad, he sold out his first three North American tours, he was the first pianist to sell-out the Accor Arena in Paris (20,000 cap) and he also played under the Northern Lights in Lapland. Last year, Pamart performed during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Sofiane’s first body of work, PLANET, offered a journey around the world, while 2023’s NOCHE plunged into the depths of the night. Mastering his craft at the Conservatoire de Lille and leaving as a gold medalist, Pamart says he was “addicted” to learning more about music as the classical piano became his truest form of expression.

Collaborating with artists from various genres, Sofiane has been carving out a space of his own with his music and image both exceptionally dynamic. His work was recently featured in campaigns for Louis Vuitton, and in 2024, he released a collaborative EP with Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Charts.

North American Tour Dates:

September 7 – The Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
September 9 – The Ford, Los Angeles, CA
September 11 – Théâtre St-Denis, QC (Sold Out)
September 12 – Théâtre St-Denis, QC
September 13 – Koerner Hall, Toronto, ON
September 15 – Brooklyn Paramount, Brooklyn, NY

Hip-Hop Visionary Kal Banx Announces Debut Album ‘Rhoda’ Featuring Isaiah Rashad, SiR, Maxo Kream & More

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  • Dallas-born artist, DJ, and Grammy Award-winning producer Kal Banx has announced his debut album Rhoda, set to drop on August 15th via TDE. The album will feature collaborations with Isaiah RashadSiRMaxo KreamSminoBuddyMezBaby TatePink SiifuChildish Major, and more. Banx handles the bulk of the production himself, with additional contributions from Thelonious MartinMez, and others.

Having shaped the sound of many modern hip-hop icons, Banx is now stepping into his own as an artist with Rhoda. Blending southern soul, experimental textures, and hard-hitting drums with raw storytelling and rich lyricism, Banx’s sound strikes a perfect balance between intensity and vulnerability. Not one to shy away from sonic exploration, Banx effortlessly shifts between soulful grooves, high-energy arrangements, gospel-tinged layers, and billowing low-end.

Dallas-born artist, DJ, and Grammy Award-winning producer Kal Banx has announced his debut album Rhoda, set to drop on August 15th via TDE. The album will feature collaborations with Isaiah RashadSiRMaxo KreamSminoBuddyMezBaby TatePink SiifuChildish Major, and more. Banx handles the bulk of the production himself, with additional contributions from Thelonious MartinMez, and others.

Having shaped the sound of many modern hip-hop icons, Banx is now stepping into his own as an artist with Rhoda. Blending southern soul, experimental textures, and hard-hitting drums with raw storytelling and rich lyricism, Banx’s sound strikes a perfect balance between intensity and vulnerability. Not one to shy away from sonic exploration, Banx effortlessly shifts between soulful grooves, high-energy arrangements, gospel-tinged layers, and billowing low-end.

Arriving in two parts, the heart of Rhoda is a journey of rediscovery—of self, of origin, and of what “home” truly means after the recent loss of his mother. “Grief puts certain things into perspective that you don’t even realize you have until they’re gone,” Banx shares. “That led me to realize that home wasn’t just a place; it was made up of all these different feelings and experiences.

Kal Banx is one of the defining architects of modern hip-hop. His production has shaped groundbreaking records for some of the genre’s biggest names, including Isaiah Rashad, SiR, ScHoolboy QWaleBaby KeemSminoDenzel CurryJorja SmithJID, and more. Most recently, his production on Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal earned him a Grammy Award, further solidifying his reputation as a visionary force.

Rhoda Track Listing:

Disc 1
SEQOUIA ft. ROSE GOLD
400 ft. PINK SIIFU, REGGIE & OUTLAW MEL
TECH TECH TECH ft. HITECH. YAKIYN & FELIX!
IG ft. BABY TATE
CRUCIAL ft. KING MILO
CHICKEN ft. MEZ
STEPPING STONE
LOSE CONTROL
SPILL ft. MAXO
1019
574
STAY WITH ME

Disc 2
HOP OUT CHO FEELINS ft. SMINO & BUDDY
ROB THE ROBBER ft. MAXO KREAM
ONNALO ft. AUDREY NUNA
BACK IT UP ft. CHILDISH MAJOR, AKEEM, SIR & KENT JAMZ
MOB ft. SIR
CARE NOW ft. AUDREY NUNA
A WORD 4M MEL ft. OUTLAW MEL
BOSS UP ft. THE ICHIBON DON & DAYLYT
0022ZAY ft. ISAIAH RASHAD
SUN STORY ft. ISAIAH RASHAD
IT AINT RIGHT ft.C.S ARMSTRONG
MEMO2
MAMA PAIN ft. C.S ARMSTRONG

Hip-Hop Powerhouses Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist Announce ‘Alfredo: The Tour’ with U.S. Dates This Fall

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Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist are announcing “Alfredo: The Tour.” Beginning in Philadelphia on September 20th, Freddie will embark on his headlining run of US shows in celebration of the release of his album Alfredo II with stops in Brooklyn, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles this fall before wrapping up in the Bay Area on November 9th.

The tour will feature The Alchemist at select dates in addition to support from Jalen NgondaMAVI and Sven Wunder across various dates. Local presale ticket sales begin August 6th at 10 AM local time, with all tickets on sale from Friday, August 8 at 10 AM local time.

North America Alfredo: The Tour:

9/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
9/22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
9/25 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
9/26 – Dallas, TX @ Gilley’s Dallas – South Side Ballroom
9/27 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues Houston – Music Hall
9/28 – San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theater
10/3 – Tampa, FL @ Ritz Ybor
10/4 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
10/5 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
10/10 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
10/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
10/12 – Washington, DC @ Echostage
10/17 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
10/18 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Jack White Theatre
10/24 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
10/26 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory Orange County
10/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
10/29 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
10/31 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
11/1 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union
11/6 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
11/7 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
11/9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

Hip-Hop/Pop Trailblazers Black Eyed Peas Announce 25th Anniversary Vinyl Edition of ‘Bridging The Gap’

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Continuing a banner year, six-time Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum Los Angeles-based pop-rap group Black Eyed Peas will unveil the new 25th Anniversary Edition of their seminal second full-length LP, Bridging The Gap, on September 26, 2025.

Pressed on standard-weight 2LP vinyl, it will be available in multiple configurations, including a limited-edition Brown colour variant and standard black vinyl. A special pre-order for Bridging The Gap (25TH Anniversary Edition) is live now on the Sound of VinyluDiscover, and Interscope stores HERE.

Black Eyed Peas originally released Bridging The Gap on September 26, 2000. The 13-track body of work notably boasts staples such as “B.E.P. Empire,” “Weekends” [feat. Esthero], their very first Billboard Hot 100 entry “Request + Line” [feat. Macy Gray], and more.

2025 has seen the group celebrate their 30th anniversary with a series of limited-edition physical reissues. The new vinyl versions of Behind The FrontElephunkMonkey Business, and The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies) are all available HERE.

Bridging The Gap (25TH Anniversary Edition) Track Listing:

A1 BEP Empire
A2 Weekends [feat. Esthero]
A3 Get Original [feat. Chali2na]
A4 Hot [feat. Kim Hill]

B1 Cali To New York [feat. De La Soul]
B2 Lil’ Lil’
B3 On My Own [feat. Les Nubians & Mos Def]

C1 Release
C2 Bridging The Gaps
C3 Go Go
C4 Rap Song [feat. Wyclef Jean]

D1 Bringing It Back
D2 Tell Your Mama Come
D3 Request + Line [feat. Macy Gray]

Gilo & Royal Blue Announce Genre-Blending Debut Folk Album ‘Something Cool’

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Something Cool, the highly anticipated debut album from Gilo & Royal Blue, is officially available worldwide for pre-order on iTunes and other leading streaming platforms, with the album set to release on September 1st, 2025.

Blending classical and country guitar with the emotional power of an award-winning theatrical vocalist, Gilo & Royal Blue have performed extensively in the DeLand and Daytona area, including residencies at The Artisan Hotel and the Daytona Beach Cigar Bar. Drawing from roots in diverse genres of world music, they deliver a fresh yet timeless sound that bridges genres and generations by crafting a unique and sophisticated take on modern folk.

Named after the opening track, their album Something Cool offers a mellow and sophisticated listening experience. Each track is a testament to their musicality and shared vision — to rediscover songs in new ways, breathing life into forgotten classics. Their unique style, at once both repose and highly-strung, weaves a common thread of musicality between unexpected songs to create a cohesive collection spanning decades and genres from smooth 1950s jazz to nostalgic 1990s pop rock. “We seamlessly meld each of our musical inspirations into something new and delicious,” says Gilo. The album includes unique covers of songs by artists including June ChristyLeonard CohenRoxetteChris IsaaksEdith PiafABBA and Radiohead.

Hayley Williams Drops 17 New Songs, Shares Video for “Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party”

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​​Last week, Hayley Williams surprised fans by dropping a collection of 17 singles, produced entirely by Daniel James. Today, she has unveiled a music video for the single, “Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party.” The video was directed by Zachary Gray and features a portrait of Williams’ hometown of Nashville, TN. You can see her contemplating the city at dusk with Representative Justin Jones, sifting through the crowds on Broadway and singing in a karaoke bar.

Williams and Daniel James wrote, played and recorded a variety of instruments across each of the newly released 17 songs, with cross-project contributions from long-time collaborators Brian Robert Jones and Joey Howard, and contributions from Jim-E Stack on “True Believer.”

After 20+ years spent fulfilling their contract for Atlantic Records – a contract Williams signed as a mere teenager – Paramore announced in December of 2023 that they were finally an independent band. This surprise collection is self-released by Hayley Williams on her new venture Post Atlantic, distributed via Secretly Distribution.

INDVGO Unveils Lush, Haunting Music Video for “How Is It Love”

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Following the success of her introspective single, How Is It Love,” emerging R&B artist INDVGO returns with a powerful visual counterpart that deepens the emotional world of the track. Directed by Koji, the music video is a glamorous, slow-burning meditation on vulnerability, emotional resilience, inner peace, and the disorienting contradictions that define modern love.

Filmed across a series of intimate vignettes, the video opens with INDVGO alone, draped in shadow and soft spotlight. She’s grounded, luminous and holding heavy emotions — not shown through grand gestures, but through glances, postures and presence.

As she moves through sun-drenched rooms filled with florals, books, and candlelight, the visuals lean into warmth, but never abandon their melancholy. Reflections in glass, silhouetted shadows, and recurring water imagery, including moments of body submersion, anchor the video in its core themes of emotional contradiction, self-reflection, and the slow work of healing. There’s softness here, but it’s hard-won.

From long shots in solitude to intimate close-ups that feel almost confrontational, INDVGO doesn’t perform pain so much as sit with it, letting it wash over and through her.

‘How Is It Love’ is really about emotional chaos and finding peace within yourself. Healing starts when you fall deeply in love with your own soul.” – INDVGO

With dreamy lighting, soft shadows and blurred motion, the video moves with a poetic stillness, allowing space for grief, beauty and quiet contemplation. As INDVGO drifts between scenes of solitude and self-reflection, she tells a story of someone reclaiming power after emotional chaos.

At the 2-minute mark, the mood shifts and the softness gives way to something deeper with a beat drop. The scene transitions to the city streets at night, signaling her emergence into fully embodied self-acceptance. INDVGO is seen walking through a rain-slicked cityscape, the lighting fractured, her reflection blurred in car windows and wet pavement. It’s a pivotal turn: she’s no longer just reflecting, she’s moving forward. Still aching, but in motion.

The video deepens the emotional resonance of the song, which has drawn comparisons to Jhené AikoSummer Walker, and Kehlani, with a hint of Masego’s flair. The song’s moody, atmospheric instrumentation invites reflection, while INDVGO’s vocals are rich with longing, her lyrics brutally honest:

“You the one, couldn’t fight that / So in love, it’s a mind trap / I’m gone, then I’m right back”

The visual narrative captures this tension: beauty and melancholy, light and shadow, and showcases INDVGO’s skills as a fully formed visual storyteller.

Overall, the song acknowledges love as both a source of strength and vulnerability, addressing its contradictions from emotional hurt to healing, self-discovery, and ultimately, peace. It’s a celebration of inner strength and self-acceptance, offering a reflection on what it means to love and heal.

Danger Mouse and MorMor Blend Soul and Synth on Dreamy New Collaboration “Wonder”

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Danger Mouse and MorMor have shared a mesmerizing new single “Wonder,” their first collaboration together. Listen HERE.

“Wonder” is co-written by Danger Mouse and MorMor, produced by Danger Mouse, and released on 30th Century Records. 

Created spontaneously from scratch during an impromptu studio session, “Wonder” draws equally from Danger Mouse’s formative years spent listening to new wave music as it does from the childhood soundtrack of soul provided by his parents’ record collection. Together, with MorMor’s musicianship and beguiling vocals, the pair have made this unlikely yet alchemic blend of musical styles a lush reality.

Reflecting on the genesis of the song, MorMor says: “My relationship with Danger Mouse started when he invited me to meet and play music. From time to time we’d hang out and listen to records or watch films; not necessarily making music – I think we were both seeing if we could find an intersection where it’d make sense to pursue an idea. “Wonder “came from exactly that.” 

Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) is one of the most versatile and prolific talents in modern-day music. His wide-ranging endeavors include; Broken Bells and Gnarls Barkley, collaborative albums with Karen O, Black Thought and MF DOOM; production for A$AP Rocky, Gorillaz, Adele, U2, Michael Kiwanuka and more; plus helming his own label, 30th Century Records. He is a twenty-two-time Grammy nominee and a six-time Grammy winner.   MorMor (Seth Zara Nyquist) is celebrated for his introspective blend of indie pop, R&B, and dreamlike synth textures. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, MorMor crafts emotionally rich soundscapes marked by vulnerability and sonic depth. “Wonder” is MorMor’s first release since his 2022 debut album, Semblance.