Discover TURN UP THE VOLUME’s 10 BEST DEBUT SINGLES OF 2024
ALL TOGETHER
.
TRACK BY TRACK
Artist: LEAH MARTEL
Who: Singer-songwriter from Ontario (Canada) who spent her formative
years hard at work training to be a prolific writer, musician, performer, actor,
dancer, activist and cycling through various superpowers via extensive
maladaptive daydreaming.
Single: EVERYBODY OUT
Martel: “I wrote Everybody Out at a point in my life when my social anxiety was really at its peak. When I sat down to write out all the lyrics I wanted to really emphasize the contradictory nature of this kind of anxiety where it has you running for the hills to get away from everyone but only because you so desperately want to connect with people and care far too much about every minor interaction just hoping it will be good.”
TUTV: Social anxiety in motion, uncontrollable emotion, mind-disturbing commotion.
Martel translates all these turbulent sensitivities in a towering power pop gem energized by a pounding, one-note piano beat, her raging voice and the exploding get out chorus.
Wham bam, bloody wham bam. Wowzers. Top.
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Artists: KISS BANG
Who: Fresh power pop duo – Kaya Stewart
and Max Mercier – from Los Angeles
Single: HORRORS OF YOUR HOMETOWN
TUTV: Kiss Bang sound and look glamorous. ‘Horrors Of Your Hometown’ is a hopped-up electro-pop stomper peppered with sexy power vocals and a sultry, sticking chorus. Enough fuel to energize your eager limbs and lose yourself in this bedazzling bliss.
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: LONGSTRYDE
Who: An Irish indie trio, the core of two brothers, Tommy and Ricky. The name ‘Longstryde’ again has familial origins, taken from the brother’s grandmother as she yelled in support of Ricky as he competed in sprints. The name took on a wider meaning for the brothers, becoming a mantra of determination and to succeed in spite of whatever obstacle might disrupt their path.
Single artwork
Single: SUPERHUMAN
TUTV: What a voice, what a tune, what a thrill. Longstryde is a glorious pop anthem that touches heart and soul all the way through, revved up with avid riffage. It’s the stimulating sort of ablaze piece that speeds up your adrenalin flow from the first spin on. Epic debut.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: WENCH!
Who: Fresh indie trio from Hull (UK) who fuse Riot Grrrl punk with
alternative rock & pop. This all-female, all-queer outfit are actively
speaking out about misogyny and mistreatment of women, ensuring
their gigs are a safe space.
Single: SHREDS
“Shreds is a song for anyone who feel intimidated by social situations to an extent they don’t say what they mean. We believe in expressing ourselves in a raw & unfiltered way which can sometimes backfire but enables us to speak from the heart.”
TUTV: Fervid emotions flame up all the way through this exuberant cryout. At its core it’s
a powerhouse pop song hijacked by fierce guitars and relentless drum/bass explosiveness. On the overwhelming chorus, the singer scrapes the sky with hearty vocals and the intense climax tears your overheated stereo to shreds.
SHREDS
.
Instagram – Facebook
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Photo by Ross Dunlop
Band: ESCAPE GOATS
Who: Three rockers from Glasgow who only
got together at the beginning of this year.
Why the name Escape Goats? 2024 is the Chinese year of…The Dragon.
But, The Dragon and the Goat make up one of the most compatible love
matches in the Chinese zodiac.
Single: MUHAMMED ALI
“Despite the tone of exacerbation, we actually do care about lots of things
and, unsurprisingly, none of us can really fight like Muhammad Ali (who can?).”
TUTV: This debut is a cranked-up razor-blade uppercut. Sinewy drumming,
blaring guitars and annoyed, ranting vocals storm together through a hefty haze of post-punk dissatisfaction. It feels like a helter-skelter punch to the face. I don’t think boxing icon Muhammed Ali was a punk, but his vicious left/right puissance is all over this outburst.
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: SOLITARY BEE
Who: A new musical project started
by 3 members of British of psych rock
act It’s Karma It’s Cool
Single: LOVE WAKES UP
TUTV: Love Wakes Up is a sugary sweet psych-pop melody with sparkling guitars
and crystalline vocals. It’s a gratifying song that evokes lovey-dovey feelings,
very welcome in these chaotic times we live in. Hear the brisk bee zooming.
STREAM
.
Facebook
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Artists: THA FLICKER
Who: A duo with contrasting yet complementary artistic journeys. Giulia born in Sesto San Giovanni, infuses the project with her vibrant soul, creating intense melodies, profound lyrics, and a captivating voice. Marco born in Monza, brings an instinctive and meticulous approach to crafting their signature electronic sound.
Single: FADED FLOWERS
The song reflects the disillusionment of a generation grappling with
a world in decline, capturing both fragility and quiet resilience through
poetic imagery and layered soundscapes.
TUTV: This debut reflects our disturbing state-of-2024-mind with lots of human dramas going on all over the globe. Faded Flowers echoes confused emotions with an affectional vocality and an overall feverish resonance, reminiscinet of Florence + The Machine. There’s a Tha Flicker light at the end of the tunnel, people.
Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Artist: AWILD MIND
Who: An Irish songwriter based in Clare, Awild Mind brings a personal and empathetic touch to his music. With a knack for capturing emotions often left unspoken – anxiety, grief, sadness – and balancing them with moments of quirkiness and joy, his music feels both intimate and universal.
Single: BOYS OF THE CHOIR
The song’s narrative delves into the complexities of life – its stress, the weight of nostalgia, and the warmth and authenticity of the lyrics capture emotions that resonate universally.
TUTV: This fully-orchestrated, storytelling pop pearl awakes tender-hearted sentiments and lasting memories. Irish melancholia with an universal appeal in motion. Let the church bells ring, let the choir chorus touch your mellow intimacy.
.
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: SPLEEN
Who: 3 young Italian dogs completing their
high school this year. They produce a melting
pot of grunge, punk, and noise.
Single: DYSTOPIC SCHOOL
TUTV: It’s always a thrilling pleasure to see/hear young gunslingers
get up, stand up and do your head in with a smashing debut. And this
is what happens here. Spleen turn up the amps and rattle ‘n’ rumble their
butts off. My ears detect some Green Day echoes and a salvo of fiery riffs
and sharp-cutting hooks. Way to go, raggazi!
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: DAFFODILDOS
Who: Queer indies from Brighton who are here to shout
about challenging socio-political issues and have a lot of
fun while doing it.
Single: NO PRIDE
The song touches on the fact that people mostly use Pride
as an excuse to party when actually the rest of the year, the
LGBTQIA community suffers from dangerous stigma and
abuse.
TUTV: An explicit middle-finger for all LGBTQIA-haters. To hell
with them. Queer-trans-punk trio Daffodildos entered the indie
scene this year with sharp-cutting knifes between their teeth and
are here to stay.’No Pride‘ is a fast-forward projectile that rattles
and battles for 251 barbed wire seconds.
“We’re here, we’re queer
We’re never gonna disappear.”
.
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________
