Global Artists Spotlight: Sabriel, Gino The Ghost, Leah Clark And More

NO1KNOWS & KVNE – “Time Of Death”

On their recent collaboration, Australian/British producer NO1KNOWS and Canadian singer KVNE are out with a heart-racing new track titled “Time Of Death.” The pumping dance number is backed by dreamy guitar layers as well as pop and R&B elements and even a hooky vocal section.

Blood Wine or Honey – “Testing Time” feat. Zoë Brewster

Hong Kong-based electro-jazz duo Blood Wine or Honey presents the lead single to their upcoming album DTx2 in the shape of the hypnotic “Testing Time” featuring vocals from Zoë Brewster. The track features saxophone parts, densely layered cello sections as well as silky electronic production. There’s tasty synths as well as menacing bass parts while the vocal melody dips in and out of the instrumentation.

Leah Clark – “Not Like Them”

U.S.-based alt-pop artist Leah Clark showcases her vulnerable side through her haunting new single “Not Like Them.” Clark juxtaposes atmospheric electronics, deep sub-bass and piano parts while also throwing in melancholic instrumentation that flows elegantly under her delicate vocals that make for a crisp dream-pop soundscape. About the song, Clark says, “I wrote ‘Not Like Them’ at a time in my life when I was struggling mentally. I felt like everything was out of my control. I felt powerless and fearful of the world but more so, the people that were in it. My emotions are raw in this song, ‘Not Like Them’ is my think piece.”

Number One Popstar – “Forever 21”

American singer/filmmaker Kate Hollowell aka Number One Popstar’s latest single is the jumpy and youthful “Forever 21.” Accompanied with a self-directed music video, the upbeat song is injected with Eighties drums and keys bits that make it highly danceable. “I initially started writing ‘Forever 21’ when I found myself looking back on my early 20’s, wanting to recapture the hopeful and dumb feelings of my youth. But the longer I spent on the song, the more it became a reflection of the loss I faced when my parents passed away in my early 20s,” says Hollowell.

Waiting For Smith – “Hopelessness Of Love”

U.K.-based singer-songwriter Harry Lloyd aka Waiting For Smith’s acoustic ditty “Hopelessness Of Love” was inspired by a challenging love episode. The musician penned the song with the need to express that there’s always going to be hardships in relationships. “It’s about the inevitable collision that happens in any relationship, there’s ups and there’s downs – that’s just life,” says the artist.

Frankie Zulferino X Melii – “Hit That”

New York City-based singer and dancer Frankie Zulferino has teamed up with musician Melii for a bouncy new number titled “HIT THAT.” Inspired by the pop sounds from the last few decades including the early 2000s, Zulferino and Melii together have created quite a banger with funk and R&B elements.

Gino The Ghost – “Cough Drop”

Detroit-bred and Los Angeles-based songwriter/producer Gino The Ghost’s latest offering is the bumping new single “Cough Drop.” The artist drops melodious verses as an excitable beat runs through the track.  Gino The Ghost has also dropped an enigmatic video to go with the song as well.

Sabriel – “Fox in the Henhouse”

Las Vegas-based singer-songwriter and producer Sabriel’s neo-soul-soaked sounds illuminate magnificently on her newest song, the textured “Fox in the Henhouse.” While the lyrics narrate the feeling of betrayal, the sonic nature of the song is filled with throbbing synths, a slow and soothing beat as well as Sabriel’s glittery voice.

Savannah Conley – Surprise, Surprise

Nashville-raised singer-songwriter Savannah Conley is out with her brand-new six-track EP Surprise, Surprise. Interspersed with her rock and country influences, the record is a total earworm. The EP opens with the flowing “Being Around You” before we hear the effervescence of “Dream Boy” and the melancholy of “Not Where I’m Going.” The record picks up with the rocky “Never Want To Be In Love” before it closes out with the moody title track.  

Kyd the Band – “Glory”

Filipino-Spanish alt-pop artist Kyd The Band reflects on his early years and inspires others with his encouraging new song “Glory,” accompanied by a music video that highlights the stories of an artist, a ballerina and a fighter.

Tetrarch – “Negative Noise”

Atlanta-bred, Los Angeles-based metallers Tetrarch have popped up as an intriguing testament to the indomitable sustenance of the nu-metal sound. Recalling elements of Linkin Park, KoRn, Slipknot and more, there’s still a freshness (or rather, they at least avoid sounding stale and copycat) that builds from the nostalgia value of the early 2000s era of angsty, unrelenting energy. Their 2017 album Freak led them to touring slots alongside the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, DevilDriver and their own heroes KoRn, but they’re clearly looking to level up with their second album Unstable, which released on April 30th via Napalm Records. It’s pissed off, no holds barred rampaging that any fan of modern metal will rage to.

Boss Keloid – “Gentle Clovis”

British prog metal/rock band Boss Keloid have spent over a decade establishing themselves with equal parts steely and chunky riffs and ornate riffage. Their upcoming fifth album Family The Smiling Thrush (out on June 4th via Ripple Music) clearly stacks up on the riffs (courtesy of Paul Swarbrick) and canyon-like commanding vocals from Alex Hurst, as heard on the lead single “Gentle Clovis.” Reminiscent of Mastodon as much as King Crimson, there’s a heaviness that Boss Keloid bring together that hits like a slab of bricks.

TWINKIDS – Nobody Likes Me

Drawing from experiences of defeat and deep-seated insecurities, Los Angeles-based queer pop duo TWINKIDS (Tokyo-born singer-songwriter Jin Fukui and Florida-bred pianist-producer Matthew Young) are their vulnerable and unfiltered selves with their debut album Nobody Likes Me. Whether it’s dreamy musings (“I Know,” “Nobody Likes Me,” “I’m Not Confused”) or nostalgia-fed synth indie pop (“Feeling Small”) or more dancefloor-centered tunes (“911 I’m Sad”) and a Japanese track (“Shetland Ni Hoho Wo Uzumete”), TWINKIDS are at their comforting best.

Millennium Parade – “Trepanation”

Tokyo-based collective Millennium Parade – founded by producer Daiki Tsuneta in 2019 – push the boundaries of eclectic music for the digital age even further with their latest single “Trepanation.” The turbulent electronic-pop track, which features vocals by Friday Night Plans aka Masumi, is also the theme song for Netflix’s horror film/manga adaptation Homunculus. And while that’s a live-action film, the music video for “Trepanation” is a trippy animated offering that clearly has a life of its own.