Brand new single from Joshua Woo

London-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Joshua Woo has spent the last few years building an audience that many rising artists would envy. Through a steady flow of reworks, covers and music-focused content, he’s racked up millions of views, drawing listeners into his world one release at a time. Though while that visibility has helped establish his name, Joshua’s artistic journey stretches beyond viral moments; since unveiling his original music with the 2021 debut single “Future Tripping,” he’s continued to develop a sound and identity that feels increasingly personal, all pointing towards a much larger creative statement.

That next chapter arrives with “Don’t You Forget It,” the lead single from his upcoming debut album. Entirely written and self-produced by Joshua Woo, the track serves as an introduction to a project that explores memory and loss through an ambitious blend of alternative rock, shoegaze, psychedelic textures, lo-fi aesthetics, goth influences and electronic experimentation.

“Don’t You Forget It” acts as a doorway into a wider conceptual landscape, offering listeners their first showcase of the themes and sonic atmosphere that define the forthcoming record. The album takes inspiration from Yōko Ogawa’s novel The Memory Police, a work concerned with disappearance, remembrance and the fragile nature of identity. Those ideas become the thematic pillars for Joshua’s latest creative exploration. Avoiding using memory as a static archive of moments, the upcoming record appears interested in what happens when those memories begin to fade, distort or vanish altogether.

The fact that the work has been shaped entirely by Joshua himself makes it especially compelling and writing and producing “Don’t You Forget It” alone allows his artistic vision to remain truly uncompromising, ensuring every sonic detail contributes to the larger emotional context. The release also represents a natural step forward from the path Joshua has followed over the last five years. Multiple singles and an EP have gradually expanded his catalogue, giving listeners windows into his songwriting and production talents while allowing him to develop his sound further.

Set up by the sound of footsteps, the arrangement swells with bright piano, layers of guitar chords, airy notes and pattering percussion, before simmering down as Joshua’s expressive voice enters. Floating above the soft taps of percussion and delicate instrumentation with gentle delivery, bursts of surging instrumentation injects an energising sense of ebb and flow while tender vocal melodies glide above, casting a stunning soundscape that’s dreamy and enthralling in equal measure. Deftly balancing the melodic appeal of pop with the charging energy of rock, “Don’t You Forget It” delivers a magical musical moment unlike any other.

Putting his songwriting flair and performance panache on full display, it’s a spectacular slice of Joshua Woo’s highly original and thoroughly memorable musical vision. With his highly anticipated debut record on the horizon, we can’t wait to see what this exciting singer-songwriter has in store next on his thrilling musical adventure. With “Don’t You Forget It,” that journey enters a new chapter where the millions who first discovered him through reworks and covers are invited into something more immersive and entirely his own.

Listen to Don’t You Forget It below

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