On her third album, ‘I Got Too Sad For My Friends’, a bohemian Shura finds herself alone in once bustling cities like ‘Leonard Street’, ‘Tokyo’, and ‘Richardson’. Any efforts to combat this post-pandemic mindset—where anxious urgency clashes with depressive lethargy—prove futile, leading Shura to yield to social anxiety, insecurity, and agoraphobia. At times, she fixates obsessively on the fear of death: “I asked you if you thought I was dying / Got mad at you when you said no / Like I’d rather die just so I could be right / And you were trying to prove me wrong” (‘Online’). In other moments, she neglects herself to the point of not changing into new clothes (‘World’s Worst Girlfriend’). She later combines these contradictions, articulating, “If I die, at least I won’t have to pick out a shirt to wear” (‘Bad Kid’, featuring Becca Mancari), portraying the illogical apathy associated with depression. Yet, the music remains lively and rich, all framed through a warm ‘70s-to-’80s folk-synth-pop lens, which feels like a natural evolution for her sound. While 'Leonard Street' evokes psychedelic and introspective ABBA vibes, ‘Recognise’ calls forth the grief-laden melancholy reminiscent of the Pet Shop Boys. “What if I recognise I’m alive?” she inquires. Despite a sense of helpless frustration at the core of ‘I Got Too Sad…’, there’s a gentler, more forgiving reflection on herself. Ultimately, hope remains abundant. ‘I Got Too Sad…’ assures that there is always brightness at the end of perseverance (‘Ringpull’): “They say it’s like the weather / One day, you’ll find it’s better.”
After experiencing feelings of being constrained by self-doubt and industry expectations, Rico Nasty recognized the need to return to fundamentals and rely on her instincts. In her third album, ‘LETHAL’, she has discovered the most powerful version of herself to date.
Mexican-Canadian artist Sophia Be, based in Los Angeles, has released her new single, 'I Still Love You.' This poignant pop ballad features rich piano melodies.
A display of pop creativity.
The cherished band will have support from artists such as CMAT, Black Country, New Road, Everything Everything, and others.
The bank holiday festival once again exceeds expectations in all aspects.
Emilee Petersmark, the co-lead vocalist of the indie folk quartet The Crane Wives, presents a playlist featuring her favorite songs from K-indie bands and reflects on the significance of her exploration of the indie music scene in Seoul's Hongdae neighborhood for Atwood Magazine's AAPI Heritage Month series.
A natural path for her sound to have followed.