Enfnts Terribles

1. Nina Chuba — Fieber and Glatteis

German Nina Chuba is ending the year in style with two new singles from her upcoming debut album. “Fieber” is a calmer song, where she is a bit more sentimental and, in terms of vocal lines, resembles Rosalía—in German, of course. On “Fieber”, she proves that besides being a good rapper, she can also sing very well. “Glatteis” has been one of the highlights of Chuba’s set for some time and was long awaited by her fans, who already saw her at work last summer. In the first stanza, she stays in the same, quiet register as on “Fieber”, before steadily building up to the most eager beat drop we heard in a while.

2. angelus — bad reputation

As on their previous single, French artist angelus harks back to their hyper-pop roots, but at the same time, we get delightfully grungy guitars to go with it. The result once again gives us a real adrenaline boost and shows why angelus is already considered one of the emerging artists to keep an eye on in France and beyond. Indeed, by bringing together well-known elements, they form a more than refreshing mix. “Bad Reputation” can only reinforce that good reputation.

3. Memphis LK — Coffee

“Coffee” is exactly what we need to wake up to on a difficult morning. Australian artist Memphis LK manages to meld house and pop into a fine whole again, providing the perfect soundtrack for both the brightest day and the darkest night. Her voice exudes a certain softness that fits perfectly with her fun production. Memphis LK is an artist to follow closely, as both her production skills and her sense of writing a fun pop tune will be able to take her very far.

4. Just Wondering — “3000”

“3000” was born from a conversation between the Dublin-based trio in which they expressed their desire to be loved and found beautiful. Just Wondering’s alt-pop song is about an insecurity that men often do not show, however, their single is nothing to be insecure about. Wale Akande, Jack O’Shaughnessy, and Adam Redmond give each other enough space to express their individual talents in this song, allowing each to truly bring out the best in themselves. “3000”, in other words, is the perfect introduction to Just Wondering if you didn’t already know them.

5. Spring & I — Believe Me

That Danish duo Spring & I’s musical quest can lead them to cool insights can be heard on their brand-new song “Believe Me”. The single starts off quiet, but the interesting details give it more and more musical depth. Distorted voices, beats that could be straight from UK Garage, and dreamy synths culminate in “Believe Me” in a captivating interplay. So we can look forward to the first EP from this talented duo.

6. Chanel Loren — F4U

To end this great year even more beautifully, British-Caribbean Chanel Loren unloads one last single with “F4U”. In the song, she talks about a relationship in which she ignored every red flag but eventually had to admit that breaking up was the best option. On a wonderfully dreamy production, she lays down her soft vocal lines, exuding tremendous sensuality and charge. “F4U” may be her last song of 2022, but it might be our favorite single of hers so far.

7. The Pink Lemons — Crumbs

We hear a lot of evolution in The Pink Lemons’ new song. A melancholic haze immediately takes over and won’t let go for three minutes and 36 seconds. An endearing fragility characterizes “Crumbs” and, above all, it shows that 21-year-old frontwoman Jessica King has a voice that will move a lot of people. In “Crumbs”, the Belgian quintet’s musical and vocal accents are set at the right moment, keeping us enthralled and even allowing a tear to roll down our cheeks. A phenomenal ending showcases the qualities of this band, which will undoubtedly make a lot of waves in 2023.

Picture by Gianni Gallant