Hello and welcome to the third instalment of Mini Melon Mix Ups. On todays edition we have a whole heap of tunes that the fruit loops down at Purple Melon HQ have been bopping along to. Enjoy our specially curated playlist below!
First up is the bright and colourful NZ power pop duo ‘Foley’ who have dropped their debut EP ‘Vacation’ today. We are particularly enjoying the single ‘Anything Before You’ which features strong, confident vocals over the top of a funk inducing bass line. Seriously catchy Indie pop at it’s absolute finest!
“Anything Before You was a chance to check ourselves and affirm what we were both feeling – that it’s OK to feel overwhelmed by your emotions and feel like your life has been reorientated with someone else. As much as there’s power in being confident by yourself, there’s definitely power in accepting someone else and it’s reassuring to embrace that new reality for no reason other than the fact it makes you feel good”. – Foley
Follow Foley on Instagram here.
Next up we have RAZÉ who has recently released R&B, Hip hop infused track ‘Do Me One’ ft Omega Levine. Filled with unique rhythms and percussion from the get go, this tune oozes light, fruity and summer fuelled vibes, all polished off with RAZÉ’s sweet silky vocals which float perfectly on top.
“With the song “Do Me One” the inspiration came from an experience anyone can have by meeting somebody at a bar or anywhere, eventually building up a desire to talk to them and leading it to maybe a One Night Stand or even one kiss. My aim was to keep my Hip-Hop routes with that Old-School feel and with those RnB vocals to give that sultry yet intimate feel.” – RAZÉ
Follow on RAZÉ on Instagram here.
Also on our radar this week is debut single ‘Crying Past Midnight’ from Leeds based artist Agi. Softly starting with smooth, whispered vocals, this song begins minimally and builds into a soundscape of popping synths throughout. A unique reflection of left field pop and we are here for it.
“This song is about an inevitable breakdown of a relationship. Not only is it very personal and close to home, but it also represents the way I want to be as a person. In hard and challenging situations, I always want to be graceful and understanding. I treated it almost like a conversation that I would want to have with the other person. Even when we’re both hurting, it’s about still being full of love and passion and wanting to lift the other person up so they don’t suffer.” – Agi
Now we move onto Aussie band daste. and their recent single ‘Here With Me’. Now this is a seriously sexy, sultry slice of laid back R&B VIBES. Smooth, soft, sensuous. This tune is simply made for those romantic evening, dinner plan playlists.
“Here With Me was written on a rainy night during quarantine last year. I wrote the chords and some basic melodies from the verse and chorus, then brought what I had to the rest of the group. We went all in and essentially had the whole song ready to show DVNA in one session.Here With Me is about wanting to hold somebody close and forgetting about all of the other problems in life, because when you’re together you are the strongest.”– daste.
Follow daste. on Instagram here.
Moving on, we have lead single ‘Late Night Drive’ from Zedsdead’s upcoming mixtape ‘Catching Z’s’. Conjuring visuals exactly as the name suggests, this tune features effortless samples and superiorly selected synths all whilst an undulating piano plays. An ambient, industrial style yet downtempo electronic piece, ‘Late Night Drive’ uses chilling chord progressions to combine with sweeping 808s.
Follow Zedsdead on Instagram here.
Getting you up and dancing are TYNAN ft. Aaron Gillespie with newest single ‘Undone’. With a plethora of sounds and layers, ‘Undone’ launches you into the world of electronic dance music from the first 10 seconds. Combined with rock like, punchy vocals, make sure you can keep up with this explosion of pure energy.
If you would have told me in middle school I would have a track with the singer from Underoath, I would have laughed in your face and slapped you for good measure. This track is a dream come true for me. I wanted to match the raw intensity of Aaron’s vocals with a track that captures his energy and stays true to myself and my sound. I’m so excited to release this into the world and I hope people enjoy it.” – TYNAN
Follow TYNAN on Instagram here.
ALIGN swoops in now to take you back down to earth with some super summery vibes in the form of ‘California Coast’ featuring the capable vocals of Sarah De Warren. Layered with light, chiming synths and glittering percussion, ‘California Coast’ captures those sun soaked beach vibes and transports you instantly.
‘California Coast’ is the first single off of my 2nd EP titled ‘VISTA.’ For me, this track has a golden hour / summer vibe. Sarah was great to work with the first time we created a track together, and I wanted to bring in another track with her on it. ‘California Coast’ became a nice mixture of both of our sounds.” – ALIGN
Follow ALIGN on Instagram here.
Amber Jay has returned to us now with her debut EP ‘Never Too Far From A Dark Thought’. Lead single ‘The House’ has been a firm favourite for our playlists of late. Unique, raw and honest, its an extra special piece of alt-pop realness with symbolic lyricism and minimal track, showcasing Ambers versatile vocals.
“The House is a menacing, raw and psychological track about a mutual understanding with someone who is going through something you’ve experienced. It explores the idea of being caught in a crossroads, when you have to decide whether to continue to live in a way in which is to please others but pains yourself and confronts the discomfort of admitting the truth. It’s also about lust and giving into feeling something so strongly that even if it was just a temporary interaction, you believe it is so right you’d give up everything just for that one experience.” – Amber Jay
Follow Amber Jay on Instagram here.
Next up we’ve got a fantastic new track from Scottish indie musician Martin Leary who dropped the memorable, guitar-led single ‘Watch the Sun Burn Your Eyes’ back in February. Speaking on his latest release, the Glaswegian states:
“The songs is about the frustrations of modern day life,” explains Leary, “finding ‘real love’ right now, especially in lockdown, is going on dating apps to me that filtered CV dating is brutal.” He also explains the lead line“has lot so meanings: you’re desperately looking for hope so long it hurts? Perhaps the future’s so bright you can’t take it? Or you’re prepared to take the pain in hope for better?”
Follow Martin Leary on Instagram
Last but not least we have Korean-American artist, Kevin Chung’s new track, ‘Friends to Lovers’, an upbeat, sparkling pop song with dreamy instrumentation and touching, heartfelt lyricism that’ll melt your heart.
PURPLE MELON 