Last month global pop hero Billie Eilish surprise-dropped a brand new two-song EP ‘Guitar Songs’ – the artist’s first release since her unapologetic headlining set at Glastonbury in June.
In a glowing four-star review of her Glasto show, we declared her appearance as proof that the “Gen Z takeover of Glastonbury has begun”. By now, if Billie demands the mic, we listen. That’s why ‘30’, the first track off ‘Guitar Songs’, is a no-brainer addition to the NME Radio A List this week.
Also new to the NME Radio playlist are tunes from fresh faces and stalwarts alike, including Pip Millett’s new track, a cut from Jamie T’s new record, and the latest tunes from Rina Sawayama, Doechii and more.
Check out the rest of the new tracks on NME 1 and 2 below:
On the A List:
Billie Eilish
‘TV’
On Billie Eilish’s downcast anthem ‘TV’, the 20-year-old singer cuts to the chase in confronting recent events which gripped the hearts and minds of her own peers. “The internet’s gone wild watching movie stars on trial / While they’re overturning Roe v. Wade,” she sings over lulling acoustic guitars meant to soothe the most disillusioned of us. The song intensifies as she ropes in her fans to sing the track’s devastating final refrain, “Maybe I / Maybe I / Maybe I’m the problem”.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Pip Millett
‘Slow’
London soul newcomer Pip Millett has released sultry new single, ‘Slow’. This minimal, mid-tempo jam sees her drawing a lover closer atop a killer bassline, soulful guitars and playful vocal effects during the track’s hooky chorus. This groovy earworm is a smash – one sure to be stuck in your head for days to come.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the B List:
Jamie T
‘Between The Rocks’
The South London indie veteran is back with ‘Between The Rocks’, the fizzy third single off his new album ‘The Theory of Whatever’. As energised as ever, Jamie T spits rapid-fire bars about being caught between a rock and a hard place in the music industry, while jagged guitars and a driving beat take us along for the adrenaline rush.
In a four-star review of ‘The Theory of Whatever’, NME’s Rhian Daly wrote, “regardless of why he’s the one to remain at the forefront of British alternative music, though, ‘The Theory Of Whatever’ shows that – unless he chooses to hit the eject button for himself – Jamie T should be sticking around for a lot longer.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Rina Sawayama
‘Hold The Girl’
Genre-splicing artist Rina Sawayama has released the title track off her anticipated second album ‘Hold The Girl’. The third single from the upcoming release finds Sawayama alternating between epic balladry and unadulterated garage bounce as she reaches out to reconcile with her inner child: “Teach me the words I used to know / Yeah, I forgot them long ago / I wanna remember / She is me and I am her” This heartfelt yet infectious new track is an exciting glimpse of what’s to come.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Paddy Mulcahy
‘Angel’s Share’
Irish electronic composer Paddy Mulcahy has released his new single, ‘Angel’s Share’. The downtempo instrumental track features glimmering arpeggiated synthesisers pulsating against a solid backbeat and percussive flourishes, resulting in a moody soundtrack perfect for late-night drives.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Doechii feat. SZA
‘Persuasive’
The peppy new remix of Doechii’s ‘Persuasive’ featuring SZA is destined to drive listeners straight to the dance floor. The breakout artist’s nonchalant delivery sounds effortless against the track’s propulsive beat, a setup worthy of being graced by SZA’s ever-buoyant presence. On SZA’s feature, Doechii exclaimed, “She really ATE! This collaboration is everything I always imagined it to be,” proving we’re not the only ones who think this pairing works perfectly.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Post Malone feat. Doja Cat
‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’
‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’, taken from Post Malone’s new album ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’, is the sugar rush we never knew we needed. A sweet chord progression is juxtaposed against a trap beat while Doja Cat casually brags on her and her lover’s behalf: “I coulda copped a Birkin but I cop Celine / Why we got the same taste for the finer things?”
In a four-star review, NME’s Rhian Daly called ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’ “the most intimate and open look into his life yet, sharing perspective on some of his personal struggles without sacrificing good tunes.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
On the C List:
Rico Nasty
‘Watch Your Man (feat. Marshmello)’
Rico Nasty has released the latest single from her stellar new album, ‘Las Ruinas’. Aligning with vibe of earlier singles like the blistering ‘Intrusive’, ‘Watch Your Man’ shoots for top speed and never lets up. The Marshmello-produced single features drum n’ bass rhythms, heavy bass and Rico’s distorted vocals that are guaranteed to have you headbanging on repeated listens.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Skullcrusher
‘Whatever Fits Together’
In the first single from Skullcrusher’s upcoming debut album ‘Quiet The Room’, Helen Ballentine gets introspective and reflects on her past. Steady, lightly strummed guitars and a gentle beat lead the way as she muses, “Do you ever look back? / Does it all fit together? / If we’re here, does it matter?” In a statement, Ballentine stated, “As I looked back, I saw my life in pieces: some moments blacked out, some extremely vivid, some leading nowhere. Through the song I attempt to piece it together in some non-linear form and accept my disparate story.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Jessie Ware
‘Free Yourself’
The English pop stalwart heralds her return with a groovy new self-empowerment anthem, ‘Free Yourself’. The upbeat dance number sees Ware fearlessly calling for her listeners to be their unashamed selves against a glamorous disco beat: “Don’t you hide under covers, baby / Free yourself / Keep moving up that mountain top”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Alex G
‘Cross The Sea’
Folk-rock shapeshifter Alex G has returned with ‘Cross The Sea’, the third single off his upcoming album, ‘God Save The Animals’. Against muted acoustic guitars, Alex meditates on devotion through auto-tuned warble (“I cross the field for my baby / You can believe in me, yeah”) before closing the track with an abrupt, dissonant outro.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
George FitzGerald (feat. SOAK)
‘Rainbows and Dreams’
The third single from English producer George FitzGerald’s upcoming release ’Stellar Drifting’ has a title which aptly describes its soundscapes. The glistening track blends an upbeat rhythm with ethereal synthesisers and ghost-like vocals from Irish indie-folk singer SOAK, creating a tapestry of sound vast enough to get lost in.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music