We’re nearly a month into the year and there’s already been so much great new music. In this week’s instalment of What’s Going On, we’ve got the latest from New Hope Club, The Get Right Band, Rita Ora, Lil Yachty, and Morgan Heritage. There’s something for everyone! As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow the artists.
New Hope Club – UK pop trio New Hope Club are getting on the serious tip with “Don’t Go Wasting Time”, their poignant new single. Reece Bibby takes the lead vocals on “Don’t Go Wasting Time” with Blake Richardson on production and sharing guitar duties with George Smith. The deep and evocative track urges listeners to seize the day and make the most of this moment in time which makes it the perfect release to start the new year. If you want more New Hope Club in your life, you’ll be able to catch frontman/producer Blake Richardson playing a young Paul McCartney in the upcoming film Midas Man, which tells the story of Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
Listen to New Hope Club’s new single “Don’t Go Wasting Time” below.
The Get Right Band – Psych-rock trio The Get Right Band just announced their new album iTopia, due out on April 7. The first taste of what’s to come from the project is the single “Hell Yes Refresh.” The synth-heavy track looks at how humans are chronically online and craving connection. “Hell Yes Refresh” fits into the concept album’s larger theme of the impact social media and technology has on mental health. Speaking on how iTopia is a reflection of the times, drummer Jian-Claude Mears says: “This album is a story that is taking place right now. It’s a story at the intersection of technological and social evolution in a world in which people feel growing disconnection and discontentment for the people and systems which so greatly affect our lives. It’s a story of the fragility and susceptibility of human nature and a tale of caution that we can all relate to.”
Listen to The Get Right Band’s new single “Hell Yes Refresh” below.
Rita Ora – She’s back! Perennial showbiz fixture Rita Ora is out with her new single, “You Only Love Me.” Her first release since partnering with BMG, “You Only Love Me” is the sort of infectious upbeat pop anthem that’s sure to please Rita Ora fans. The track opens with a voice memo from Rita’s beau filmmaker Taika Waititi. What can we expect from her new music? Rita Ora states: “With “You Only Love Me” and my upcoming album, I wanted to capture the vulnerability I’ve experienced as I opened myself up to love and entered a new phase of life. Learning to let go of the past to make way for new experiences is a deeply personal process, and one I felt compelled to document through my music – the journey was not always easy, but I’ve come out of it stronger and filled with more love than I ever thought possible.”
Listen to Rita Ora’s new single “You Only Love Me” below.
Lil Yachty – Grammy-nominated artist Lil Yachty just dropped Let’s Start Here, his most fully realized and ambitious work to date. Drawing inspiration from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and his own experiences with psychedelia, the new album is equal parts trippy and intimate. The musician and producer worked on Let’s Start Here for the better part of two years and stated his desire to be taken seriously as an artist. The dark and imaginative Crowns and Owls-directed visual for the standout track “Say Something” serves as a great entry point for what to expect from the project. Disturbing, raw, bizarre, and vulnerable, all while set to the rapper’s take on the psychedelic rock sound. Get into it!
Check out the music video for Lil Yachty’s “Say Something” below.
Morgan Heritage – Grammy-award-winning reggae band Morgan Heritage have set their sights on cancel culture on new single “Just A Number.” The track tackles the baggage that often comes with fame and the all too buzzworthy topic of cancel culture. The trio consisting of Peetah Morgan, Gramps Morgan, and Mr. Mojo Morgan knows what they’re talking about, as they are all children of the late reggae great Honourable Ras Denroy Morgan. Further explaining what “Just A Number” is about, Morgan Heritage states: “The song speaks directly to upcoming sports, film, tv, and music entertainers and anyone pursuing a professional career. We want to warn them that it’s possible to work hard and sacrifice all their lives yet lose everything due to personal views or opinion.”
Listen to Morgan Heritage’s new single “Just A Number” below.
