Douglas McGuire Delivers Summer Anthem, ‘Island’

Alternative-pop singer-songwriter DOUGLAS MCGUIRE shares his brand new new summer anthem ‘Island’. Having collaborated with Grammy award-winning engineer James Auwarter of Coda Room Audio (Kanye West, Rhianna, Jay-Z, amongst others), McGuire creates fun and uplifting material that connects to his listeners, largely due to the dedication and commitment that can be heard in every word he sings.

Speaking more on the release, Douglas explains: “This song is the final in a trilogy of songs about a girl I only dated for a couple of weeks, but who had a very profound impact on me and my life. The lyrics carry strong nautical themes, which collectively come to represent the ups and downs of the relationship I once had, and where I am right now in life as well as with respect to the relationship I had with this girl.”

Born in Croydon, and raised in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, the France-based producer/singer-songwriter has been described by fans and professionals alike as Taylor Swift/The 1975 hybrid – with a distinctive, sombre, and smooth vocal tonality and an endearing honesty behind his lyrics, juxtaposed with major, uplifting chord progressions that have an undeniable mainstream appeal.

Have a listen to ‘Island’ below…

Song of the Day: Fake Me – Richard Orofino

Brooklyn based singer-songwriter and producer RICHARD OROFINO‘s single, ‘Fake Me’ is a dark pop masterpiece. Switching between all moods of new wave pop, with a trippy autotuned vocal, the track that is quickly becoming a signature musical move of Richard’s. 80s synths and 808’s fill the track and encapsulate that angsty mood that Orofino has created with such an ease, with an extra mixture of drum samples sitting underneath his swooning vocal.

Describing the meaning behind ‘Fake Me’, Orofino explains:

“Fake me is about your own doppelganger. The self-punishing evil twin that constantly tries to convince you that what you believe to be truthful about yourself, is wrong. I live in this dilemma a lot, where I have some sort of issue involving myself and then decide to confide in myself only to find I’m my own biggest enemy.

This self-doubting twin of mine who lives in my head, always tries to tell me to do things for other people. “Give other people what they want, and you will find yourself in a successful position.” Rather than creating and working on something that I most definitely love and feels personal, be that image of what you expect other people to respond to.”

Check it out below…

Zola Shares Magical Single, ‘Glitter And The Gold’

The San Franciscan rising star, ZOLA‘s first single off her forthcoming EP, ‘Glitter and The Gold’, speaks of the singer/songwriter’s hesitancy to move to Southern California.

“‘Glitter and the Gold’ was written directly after a phone call with someone telling me that if I didn’t move to Los Angeles I would never be successful… “Glitter and the Gold” flooded out of me in less than an hour. I wanted this song to be about how family, community, and knowing yourself are more important than going to any party or signing any deal because the money looks appealing. It’s about knowing who is on your team and making sure they genuinely believe in your authentic self and art. I want to work with people who know me because knowing me is understanding the music I make.” – ZOLA.

Here’s your chance to check out ‘Glitter and The Gold’ below…

Song Of the Day: When Will I Learn – Tora

Australian band TORA‘s single ‘When Will I Learn’ – the second cut from their upcoming album, ‘A Force Majeure’ – is laced with melancholic but calm dynamics with dark harmonic undertones, which lyrically examines human self-reflection and self-care amidst trying times.

Speaking on the new release, the band said: “’When Will I Learn’ is about the harsh realities that we all have to face at times in our lives, it’s about going inwards and engaging in self reflection, which becomes the catalyst for rapid growth and expansion, and how sometimes you just need to face problems head on to solve them.”

In early 2020, Byron Bay’s Tora relocated to Amsterdam, set to make the city their base; an anchor around which a full year of European and American touring was to revolve. Soon after their arrival however, the threat of COVID-19 became a very real presence, forcing Tora to cancel their entire tour schedule, but also retreat into a strict new locked-down lifestyle.

Though the opportunity to perform was taken away, the band’s love for creating music remained and so, across the next eight months, Tora’s focus became set on A Force Majeure. The 11-track project follows their richly-textured 2019 album ‘Can’t Buy The Mood’ and their 2017 debut full length ‘Take A Rest’. Over the course of the two albums the band have received support from respected members of the international music community including both Annie Mac (BBC Radio 1) and Sir Elton John (Beats 1), press from The Guardian to Pigeons & Planes, with their catalogue now boasting upward of 150 million streams.

‘When Will I Learn’ is taken from album, ‘A Force Majeure’ slated for release 3rd September. Check out the official video for the single below…

Song of the Day: YSB – Nimkish (ft. ASCXNSION)

NIMKISH‘s collaboration with ASCXNSION, ‘YSB’ (Young, Sick, Broke), is about the need for healing, freedom, and to be heard.

The Canadian indie-pop artist explains further of the release: “This song is about feeling like you can’t get ahead, and specific issues that we as Indigenous women work through on a daily basis. Our generation has been left to deal with trauma and we are continually fighting for equity. It can feel exhausting to constantly try to be truly heard.”

Nimkish has made quite an impression on the scene with her 2019 debut album, ‘Heartbreak On The Coast’, which was charted at #1 on the CiTR Discorder Charts within a week of its release.

Check out the powerful single below, produced by Darren Metz of Snotty Nose Rez.