Welcome to another slice of Mini Melon Mixups! This week we have sourced some mega tunes for you all that the fruit loops at Purple Melon HQ have been bopping along to. Take a listen below & let us know your faves!
First up we have a gorgeous new tune from Los Angeles-based producer and singer-songwriter Andreas Owens. His sophomore single, “falling & falling” is an experimental alternative pop track that samples The Millennial Club’s single, ‘If You Stay‘, and is about our societal addiction to our phones and technology.
“The concept behind ‘falling & falling’ alludes to our collective (and my own) societal addiction to our phones. I remember having a conversation with my friends about how we all kinda want to be on our phones less, but still sadly just find ourselves ‘crawling back’ to them every single day. I think we’ve all had similar thoughts, wondering, ‘omfg how is it possible that I’ve been scrolling through TikTok and Instagram for two hours?’
Oftentimes, while it’s enjoyable to catch up on friends’ lives and see what they’re up to, these days, I feel like half the time I don’t even like doing that anymore because I’ve created such a negative relationship with social media and the online space. The Internet is more relevant now than it’s ever been, and ‘falling & falling’ is a screenshot of my relationship with it.” – Andreas Owens
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Next up, blending an inimitable voice, poignant lyricism and a varying soundscape of contemporary sounds we have London based artist RENÉ. ‘Better U’ was born from RENÉ’s love of early 00’s R&B and the darker side of electronic music, epitomising genre fluidity.
“I think on the surface the song gives an air of confidence, knowing your worth, with a hint of self-importance. But delving deeper reveals this might be more of a defence mechanism and despite not being ‘bitter baby’, perhaps there is still the question of ‘why not me?’ I hope it’s one of those songs that makes you want to sing and dance along to, because Lord knows we all need that release right now!” – RENÉ
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Following on from an American and then a British submission, we have something that combines those two places sitting on opposite sides of the pond. Peak Futures, which is a UK-based collective, looks back to New York City for their new single ‘Broadway’. It’s anthemic in every sense of the word, with a soaring, soulful lead vocal, gospel keys, Americana guitars, organic elements of a hand drum and tambourine, luscious backing vocals and lyrics that strike all the heart strings.
“I lived in New York for 12 years – arriving there like so many others with hopes and dreams. When Joe [Bernie] wrote the lyrics over some progressions we had they resonated with me on so many levels. It’s about a character who comes to the city struggling to make a new life, but who is still tied to their past. Like the generations of musicians that went before me, living in New York had an influence on my musical sensibility that’s hard to overstate.” – Chris Hills, founder, guitarist and songwriter of Peak Futures
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Keep up the cathartic flow of emotions, we join Dutch rising star Julia Zahra who puts her own spin on soulfulness. She’s just dropped her debut album and we’d like to shine a light on the record’s title track ‘Remedy’; it’s a blissful and heartwarming song that muses on the unknown future if she’d grown up with her American birth parents rather than her present family in the Netherlands. Utilising acoustic pop songwriting, soul hooks and cappella backing vocals, there’s a tender vulnerability to Zahra’s music that we simply can’t escape.
“I am aware that by reflecting on my personal development and place in society, by incorporating my sexual orientation and bi-racial identity into my songs, allows me a beautiful and accessible path to my ultimate song-writing goal” – Julia Zahra
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Now we’re heading over to Sweden to catch up with flyckt who is gearing up to release his new EP, although before that we’re being treated to vibrant, radio-ready single ‘One Day’. It’s has huge pop appeal thanks to flyckt’s crisp vocal, sentimental lyrics, euphoric melodies and expert production, all underpinned with an unusual percussion and dance-worthy electro beats. Another highly professional delivery from this promising Swedish talent.
“In the One Day video, we aimed to capture the feeling of making time pass while waiting for the day when everything will be different. There is desperation and boredom but also hope for a change! The imagery relates to the track but also to the times we all are going through now. The obvious darkness in the not self-selected isolation turns humorous when emphasized on camera, right?” – flyckt
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As we continue our Phileas Fogg-esque journey around the world of music, we’re venturing down under to clasp on ears on the latest work of Midnight Pool Party. The Australian indie-dance duo have just released ‘CREAM’ and it’s an absolutely filthy floor-filler. Part sexual innuendo and part philosophy for life, the track’s central line “you gotta work, fast, hard, solve the riddle, / if you wanna get to the cream in the middle” is in fact about playing hard to get.
“In winter last year we went away up the coast for a weekend to write a bunch of songs and this was one of the songs we wrote that weekend.During that particular session we just vibed with each other.It stood out from all of the other songs we wrote because we’ve never done a track where the verses were sung in a whisper. It brought a whole new dynamic to the song and made it very intimate.” – Darren Morilla, Midnight Pool Party
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Let’s return to the UK once more for a fresh slice of electronica from George Gretton. According to the Nottingham-based artist, ‘Clear’ was the quickest song he has made yet. With just five minutes of recorded to capture some improvised vocals, Gretton then chopped that up into one-line samples, stuck them on a sample pad and experimented until he found a pattern that hooked. In the end, it was written, recorded, produced, mixed and mastered all in a week, although it certainly doesn’t sound like it.
“I’ve been living back at my parents’ house over lockdown here in Nottingham. Since everything is closed and I haven’t seen my friends, it’s been kind of hard to do the living required to write experience-inspired lyrics.So,I’ve been looking at myself a lot. This song is about the distance between present and past versions of yourself, better and worse previous versions of yourself. In your own head, it’s clear to you who you are and who you want to be. But to others you could be any of these different versions you’ve presented at different points. Even if you’re the most consistent person in the world, to everyone else you’re just their impression of you.” – George Gretton
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We’ve been following Berlin-Based producer and songwriter LO for a while now and with each release our fondness for the artist grows. Today’s release features his first remix of the single ‘BLU’ taken from his recent album drop NIGHT OWLS. Having teamed up with Golden Era, new life has been breathed into this track, giving light to a chilled and gentle melodic build up with shimmering, jewelled tones studded through. The perfect tune to soundtrack a sunny Sunday afternoon.
“Love is a strange thing and break ups are even stranger. BLU talks about this feeling of someone still having power over your thoughts and actions long after they have departed. The universal dilemma of the head versus the heart. “ – LO
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Detroit hailing, psych-rock outfit and cosmic coalition Michigan Left are next on our list. Today marks the drop of their second full-length studio album ‘Capsize’. This newest project truly showcases the vast and glorious spectrum of the bands impressive talents. Vibrant, thrilling, playful, refreshing and utterly youthful. ‘Capsize’ really has it all. A song suitable for every occasion, from start to finish it goes through the motions offering something for everyone. ‘Capsize’ oozes dynamism and captivates the listener from the very first note. Pop it on and let it play!
“Originally, “Capsize” (the track) was written as an encouragement to a friend. They were going through a really tough stretch and I wanted to let them know what they meant to me. In the context of the record, the song is a rebirth. It’s like you’ve fallen apart and it’s time to pick up the pieces. I guess that’s why we called it “Capsize”. It’s like you are giving yourself over to a certain kind of death, knowing that it’ll lead to new life.” – Michigan Left
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Rain Man has returned with his next single ‘Still Young’ ft OLY. This latest offering marks the beginning of a brand new era as he moves towards the next stage in his artistry. ‘Still Young’ is a bouncy, energetic track that oozes enthusiasm, optimism and hope. Another for the EDM fans, this upbeat dancey number captivates with the layers of glistening production and soaring vocals. A perfect tune for the Summer that awaits us!
“What I love about ‘Still Young’ is the emotion it evokes within when I listen back to it. It feels like a powerful reminder that everything is possible, and all of our hopes and dreams are right in front of us; all we have to do is reach out and grab them.” – Rain Man
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Staying in the realm of EDM but trailing off down the House route, our next stop features a new tune from Morgin Madison via heavyweights mau5trap. ‘Feels Like’ is the third release, leading up to Morgins debut LP ‘Living the Phantasm’ out April 23rd. Swelling with synths and oozing with those gorgeous progressive house elements, this latest offering takes us straight to the shores of Ibiza. Summery, euphoric and mesmerising, we just wish it also served as a teleportation device. Another absolute Summer anthem, we’re bringing the warm weather to you via the top hits of the upcoming season ahead.
“To me, ‘Feels Like’ is a bit of a sibling song to ‘Start Again.’ They’re both heavily inspired by the 2010 era of progressive house, except ‘Feels Like’ carries more of a vocal/club aesthetic. Dance music fans that were into electronic music a decade ago are definitely going to understand where this is coming from, and this song is certainly a love letter to that time.” – Morgin Madison
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Next up is a really special one. I feel like we have been on a never ending, yet extremely welcome ride of releases from the mysterious and alluring producer juuku. With a work ethic second to none, 2020 featured a mammoth 22, yes you read that correctly, 22 releases from the talented artist and it has all now culminated in his debut EP ‘Warmth’. Containing 7 tunes in total, it feels like we have finally reached the tip of Mount Everest and what a journey it has been. Overflowing with compelling melodies and with a signature bass-driven narrative, ‘Warmth’ encapsulates the sound that juuku is well known and well loved for, yet reminds us his versatility and artistry cannot be limited nor contained.
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On our radar next is a music video from Hotel Decor for his new single ‘All The Rage’. Canadian artist Csaba Laszl makes up this indie, dream pop outfit and the visual is directed by close friends Charlie Sirovyak & Pavel Roman. With soft vocals and light melodies, the dreamlike, accentuated tones of the video perfectly match the mood and vibe of the song itself. The repetitive almost howling like synth accompanies the driving guitar which contributes to the flowing feeling of the tune. An exciting new release from an exciting new artist. Watch this space!
“Stylistically I wanted to make something definitely pretty wonky and catchy. The theme of the song kind of came about subconsciously. I ended up freestyling a lot of the vocals and just going with the flow of whatever was coming out while I was tracking. I think I must have been feeling pretty boxed in and kind of bored with my circumstances as that’s what the song ended up being about.”–Hotel Decor
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Last but absolutely not least we welcome Dead Slow Hoot and their newest single ‘Low Road’. This single marks the second release of 2021 for the Sheffield/London based indie quartet and takes on a darker tone for the band. Haunting vocals speak of an honest yet “toxic insecurity” and are partnered with full and roaring instrumentals. Drums and guitar back the emotive filled voicing, culminating in a soaring and cathartic release. Accompanying this single comes the announcement of their EP ‘A Kinder Kind’.
“I wrote Low Road in the midst of what turned out to be a personality crisis and it kind of earmarked the onset of a really toxic insecurity where I was so eager to relate to new people that I would sideline other people in my life and just act out in pretty cruel ways. It’s summed up in the lines – ‘I’m using outside to colour my cheeks and leaving myself just out of reach’ It’s a companion song to Taller Tree in subject matter, but written from a much darker place because, at the time, I didn’t even realise it was about myself” – explains vocalist Hugo Lynch
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