today’s end of the weekend selection sits a little between widescreen emotion, sharp-edged songwriting and intimate reflection. from raw heartbreak to explosive release, these four picks are ticking all our boxes, so let’s jump in.
red romance – emmie li
emmie li’s wonderful new single captures the stunning rush and uncertainty of falling headfirst into new romance
red romance moves elegantly through shimmering synth textures, layered harmonies and slow-building tension as emmie li turns a fleeting connection into something cinematic and immersive. the track has a great vocal and lovely production flourishes that give it a lovely kind of soaring in the air vibe. it builds somewhere genuinely compelling too; saw-like synths, layers of vocals and heavy percussive elements that make this really stand out.
emmie li is an artist from rosebud, australia whose songwriting centres emotional honesty and vivid storytelling. working alongside producer smallsteps, she builds detailed, vocal-led indie pop that feels both intimate and expansive, with red romance capturing the dizzy pull between vulnerability and desire. it’s fantastic, check it out below.
thank u for making this emmie li 🫶
harry – vie
vie delivers a fearlessly striking debut single built around heartbreak, release and emotional clarity
harry blends stripped-back instrumentation, layered harmonies and a kind of easy groove that contrasts with the cutting subject matter. the sharp lyrical detail feels immediate from the opening few lines, with a theme of frustration and heartbreak laid bare, to brilliant effect. ‘promise you won’t find another’ really lands, and we’re basically hooked.
vie is a songwriter from mirfield, england whose work has already earned recognition through the young songwriter competition and starlight song competition. shaped by huddersfield’s independent music scene and collaborations with producers julë and farangdan, harry introduces an artist with a strong sense of identity and emotional precision. this should be all over the radio, and we’ll be watching vie very, very carefully this year.
thank u for making this vie 🫶
coulda been the man – peachy q
peachy q turns betrayal into a sharp, emotionally charged stunner of a single
coulda been the man mixes hazy production, spoken-word inspired passages and heavy rhythmic momentum as peachy q reflects on broken trust and fractured friendships. we’re definitely in head-nodder territory with this one, it’s got a deep, dark groove that we love. and as the artist mentions, he’s really ‘sharpened his sword on this one’. the bridge stands out especially, pushing the track into darker and more theatrical territory without losing its raw honesty.
peachy q is an independent artist and producer from winchester, virginia who handles every part of his creative process through x caliber productions. his evolving sound continues to pull from unexpected influences, with this latest release showing a more refined and focused approach to songwriting and production. more of this please, it’s great.
thank u for making this peachy q 🫶
fear factory – rupert träxler
rupert träxler’s fantastic new single pushes heavy alternative sounds into bold and unpredictable territory
fear factory crashes between crushingly good guitar work, cinematic shifts and layered vocal textures as rupert träxler delivers one of his heaviest and most adventurous releases so far. the production constantly shifts direction, creating a track that feels inherently restless, intense and bang full of movement. my favourite is the fantastic rhythmic flourishes in the opening section, but it’s not long before we’re down a new and exciting path to enjoy.
rupert träxler is a vienna-based multi-instrumentalist whose solo work blends progressive metal influences with modern alternative production. recording entirely from his home studio, he combines live instrumentation with ai-assisted vocal layering to create a sound that feels both technical and expansive. it’s bags of fun, and a really impressive single.
thank u for making this rupert träxler 🫶
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