Plastic Mag Round Up: New Music for the New Year

For our first round up feature of 2024, we’ve compiled a selection of some brand new release from essential artists from all over the world to have on your radar and kick off the new year with some fresh sounds. This time we’ve got brand new releases from the likes of Josef Scott, Drew Davies, Conscious Kid, Croquet Club, The Call from Upstairs, lowe, KJ!, BLONDETING and Rusty Reid.

Fire up your speakers, hit play and read on to check out the new tracks from these talented artists. Be sure to add your favourites on Spotify and catch the artists on their socials to stay up to date with their latest news!

Josef Scott – “Summer Dopamine”

Auckland-bred artist Josef Scott sends Southern Hemisphere summer vibes with this stunning lo-fi pop jam. Driven by an infectious groove of snapping drums, pulsing bass lines and skanked guitar chords, “Summer Dopamine” is coloured with soft synth tones and breathy vocal style, capped by alluring sax leads to deliver an intoxicating sound of indie pop filtered through a hazy sonic lens.

Drew Davies – “You’re The Only One”

Hailing from London, Drew Davies has been going from strength to strength since making an emphatic return to music last year after a brief hiatus. With his new single “You’re The Only One” he crafts a timeless indie rock anthem cut with subtle Americana touches, packed full of intricate instrumentation, energising rhythm and lofty vocal leads carrying memorable melodic leads. With his upcoming sophomore album Holloway Nights set to drop on Friday 26th, Drew Davies is set to cement his spectacular comeback across a highly anticipated full-length release.

Conscious Kid – “The Field”

Australian newcomer Conscious Kid dazzles with his debut single, unveiling his sound to the world and making a compelling artistic statement of intent. Bringing us “The Field” he serves up a stunning sound that’s at once hard to define and entirely enthralling. Bold guitar crunch, gentle piano, drum machines and synths all collide on this enveloping alternative pop outing, led by his expressive voice which floats above the powerful and constantly shifting soundscape.

Croquet Club – “Slowly”

Originally hailing from France and formerly working as a lawyer, Croquet Club was quick to catch the attention of leading labels like Anjunadeep when he first set out as a solo artist. With his latest single “Slowly” he lays down a dreamy slice of downtempo pop where smooth piano tones, airy guitar plucks, delicate strings and bubbling synth pips ride the mellow taps of the beat as Croquet Club threads silky vocals above. It’s a beautiful vibe that provides the first taste of his upcoming record Fugue in Twilight, set for release in March via Anjunadeep’s sister label Reflections.

The Call from Upstairs – “Fading”

Starting 2024 strong with a superb new single, The Call from upstairs shares an epic new wave outing with “Fading.” Led by twanging guitar tones, shimmering synth textures and pulsing bass stabs propelled by the laid back march of drums, rich vocals tenderly dance above to create a smokey sound of enduring songwriting delivered via a truly unique sound. Full of emotion, the song hosts the poignant message of wanting to express your feelings towards someone so desperately that the rest of the world becomes seemingly irrelevant.

lowe – “Don’t Wanna Love You”

Romanian artist lowe casts an enchanting spell with her third single “Don’t Wanna Love You,” serving up a slick alternative pop aesthetic threaded with R&B vibes. Driven by the instantly grooving thump of the beat, her soulful vocal soar above to spin elegant melodies as the misty arrangement perfectly bridges the gap between her spellbinding voice and the danceable rhythm.

KJ! – “Lovesick”

As eluded to in his name, KJ! is an artist who lives life with an exclamation point. Following his breakout year, he’s kicked off 2024 with more thrilling original material, bringing us one of his new single with “Lovesick.” Dropping a pop-focused alternative hip hop sound, with “Lovesick,” KJ! creates an upbeat jam full of bouncy rhythm, vibrant instrumental touches and a slick vocal performance that floats between blissful melodic moments and sharp rapped flows.

BLONDETING – “WONDERING”

London-based artist BLONDETING brings a cutting edge drum and bass sound with “WONDERING,” a gripping dance track topped by airy vocal leads that stretch out beautiful melodies before being spliced into stuttered chops to accent the punch of the rhythm. Relentless beats charge up this wicked new cut as velvet synth textures, enticing vocals and poignant lyricism make it a truly addictive listening experience.

Rusty Reid – “American Villain”

American singer-songwriter Rusty Reid captures a timeless sound on his latest single “American Villain.” Lightly gritty guitar tones, shuffling drums, pulsing bass lines, bright synths and heartwarming vocal work all serve to make this moody country rock anthem another highlight from his fantastic catalogue of releases. Rising to anthemic heights and peppered with graceful lead guitar flourishes, “American Villain” delivers another irresistible slice of Rusty Reid’s classic songwriting as he continues to share his original sound with the world.