Enfnts Terribles

1. Christine and the Queens — To be honest

Christine and the Queens is one of the most elegant pop projects we know. On his upcoming album Paranoïa, Angels, True Love (releasing June 9), the French artist pays tribute to Tony Kushner’s iconic play Angels in America. The new single “To be honest” is another taste of that and can only be described as an absolute masterpiece. The drama and power of the timeless song instantly give you goosebumps and show how undoubtedly talented Chris is. An instant classic as far as we are concerned.

2. young hoffi — NOW

For his third release, “NOW”, the German artist young hoffi opts for ambient soundscapes, which mesmerize you thanks to the synths and underlying electronic sounds. The emphasis is more on the production, but the layered vocal lines provide the extra atmosphere and draw you into a parallel world thanks to the dreamy, wistful nature of the repeating lyrics. Young hoffi plays with contrasts, textures, and tempo, transporting you from the here and now to something bigger, which is the sublime “NOW”—musical escapism in its purest and most wistful form.

3. Brutalismus 3000 — DIE LIEBE KOMMT NICHT AUS BERLIN

If you think of Berlin, techno temples like the iconic Berghain immediately come to mind. It’s no wonder that the ravishing Berlin-based duo Brutalismus 3000 feels entirely at home in the German capital and pays tribute to the metropolis on “DIE LIEBE KOMMT NICHT AUS BERLIN”. Their mix between gabber, techno, and trance is quite uplifting and helps you quickly lose yourself in their music. With impressive punky vocals in German and Slovakian, this new banger makes us look forward to their debut album ULTRAKUNST (releasing April 7).

4. Moli — Bring on the Rain

“Crying in the Swimming Pool” and “Fool Again” were already incredibly well received, but with Moli’s newest song, “Bring on the Rain”, she might score her first real radio hit. Despite its sentimental nature, it is mainly Moli’s distinctive voice that brings out the sunshine and provides a musical rainbow. The retro pop of the Belgian-British artist has a lot of warm sounds starring acoustic instruments, creating a dynamic and slightly upbeat atmosphere. “Bring on the Rain” shows that after rain comes sunshine, and who knows, maybe Moli will find a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.

5. Róisín Murphy & DJ Koze — CooCool

As part of Moloko, Róisín Murphy already provided us with timeless classics like “Sing It Back” or “The Time Is Now”; after all these years, her music still sounds incomparably cool. Together with German DJ Koze, she brings a layered track with “CooCool”, where she instead goes for a laidback and flawless atmosphere. The Irish artist just has a coolness that she manages to bring to every song, showing that she remains a particularly relevant artist. “CooCool” is yet another testament to that.

6. badmómzjay & Domiziana — Auf Die Party

We delved into the intriguing German scene in recent weeks, and our eyes quickly fell on 20-year-old rap star badmómzjay, who is breaking record after record in her homeland. For her new single, “Auf Die Party”, she is joined by Domiziana, who is another one of the German artists of the moment with her innovative sound and has already scored a big hit with “Ohne Benzin”. “Auf Die Party” is an absolute bop that effortlessly sets a mood and immediately earned a place in our party playlist.

7. Mae Muller — I Wrote A Song

“I Wrote A Song” is not only Mae Muller’s new single but also the song with which she will represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool on May 13. The pop single is playful, catchy, and manages to persuade on the first try. Mae Muller has a perfect pop voice with identity and something slightly challenging, making her a real hit in the making with “I Wrote A Song”. Safe to say, the British pop world has a worthy candidate. So we are curious to see if this single can bring in a few dozen points.

8. Claire Rosinkranz — Never Goes Away

It is remarkable how many up-and-coming female artists like Claire Rosinkranz show determination at a young age and take the reins themselves. On “Never Goes Away”, the 19-year-old American superstar in the making shows off her skills, not needing much more than some finger snaps and a guitar to enchant us. So, with her first debut album on the way, her absolute breakthrough no longer seems far away.

9. Laveda — Troy Creeps

On their upcoming sophomore album, A Place You Grew Up In, New York dreampop duo Laveda paint an honest picture of adulthood while building on their previous success. The dreamy melodies on “Troy Creeps” are boosted by atmospheric drums and, above all, singer Ali Genevich’s powerful outbursts. Fans of acts like Soccer Mommy, boygenius, and beabadoobee will feast on this delightful track.

10. CHELJI — Made It Past October

The 24-year-old British singer CHELJI does not always tackle the easiest themes in her music, but that is exactly what we appreciate about her music. On “Made It Past October”, she talks about suicidal thoughts and pokes fun at everyone by writing off all their pain and sorrow. This single has an important message and represents both life and death.

Picture by Paul Kooiker