Albums | Rol3ert Releases video and single for “HOPE”
Posted by VMan on May 13, 2025
Meet Rol3ert—the 19-year-old Japanese artist making waves on a global scale by rewriting what modern J-pop can sound like. His latest single, “HOPE,” is a genre-defying release that confirms his place among a new generation of emotionally driven innovators.
On “HOPE,” Rol3ert draws inspiration from genre-benders like The 1975 and keshi, delivering a sound that is equal parts tender and towering. The track’s production leans into retro 8-beat rhythms that echo the spirit of the ’80s, while still feeling unmistakably modern. It’s in the subtlety that Rol3ert shines—his voice rising from a hushed whisper to passionate crescendo, giving weight to lyrics about the uncertainty of love, the fragility of trust, and lingering regrets.
The music video is just as compelling: Rol3ert, riding through rural roads on the back of a pickup, later performing in open fields as the sunlight fades. It’s the perfect visual metaphor for the song’s journey—quietly dramatic, beautifully solitary, and full of yearning.
After the viral impact of “meaning” and its international remix contest hosted via SURF MUSIC, Rol3ert has quickly gained traction outside Japan. The winning remix from KIDCOZY brought new ears to his already-expanding fanbase, and with “HOPE” now trending across Instagram and TikTok, it’s clear that this is an artist people are ready to follow across genres and borders.
Only three tracks in, and Rol3ert is already signaling a global pop future built on vulnerability, style, and emotional storytelling. If “HOPE” is any indication of what’s next, this is just the beginning.
News | La Clara Sofia Fuses Groove, Gaze & Gesture on Seductive New Single ‘Lança’
Posted by VMan on May 10, 2025
La Clara Sofia’s new single “Lança” is all about tension—specifically, the kind that charges the air when a glance becomes an invitation and a rhythm becomes a dare. Drawing from the swagger of samba-rock and the shimmer of disco, the track reimagines the Brazilian phrase “lançar a luva” (to throw down the glove) not as confrontation, but as seduction. It’s a challenge to move closer. To give in. To feel.
The track marks the first release from her upcoming EP Abrasa, due October 10, and it sets the tone with purpose. Built on playful basslines, rich percussion, and her unmistakable vocal phrasing, “Lança” isn’t just catchy—it’s embodied. Everything about it moves with grace, from the poetry in her lyrics to the flirtation in her delivery. It lands somewhere between Rita Lee and Ana Frango Elétrico, but La Clara’s mix of physicality and restraint feels wholly her own.
A live session video, filmed inside the Centre Culturel Irlandais, reveals just how much breath and spirit the song carries in its bones. Backed by Lucimara Bispo, Nicolas Fleury, and Lucy Miller, she reinterprets “Lança” with a stripped, soulful intimacy that makes the groove feel almost sacred. It’s also a clear look at the world La Clara Sofia is building—one where tradition and experimentation meet, always pulsing forward.
With “Lança,” La Clara Sofia isn’t just releasing a new single—she’s extending a hand. The invitation is clear. The dance has already started.
News | ‘Shake’ Is Martial Simon’s Most Playful Club Weapon Yet
Posted by VMan on May 10, 2025
Start with “The Hokey Pokey.” Now set it on fire. That’s essentially what Martial Simon’s done with his newest single “Shake,” out now on Liftoff Recordings. The track opens with familiar playfulness, but within seconds it’s driving straight into the kind of high-impact drop you’d expect from a peak-hour festival set.
Simon has always played with nostalgia, but “Shake” is pure confidence. It’s irreverent, absurd, and totally addictive. The production slaps with tight percussion, magnetic rhythm, and a touch of childlike glee twisted into something rowdy.
He’s been climbing steadily—14 million Spotify streams, massive TikTok engagement, and a growing remix résumé including Jared Leto’s “Seasons.” But “Shake” is something else: bold, absurd, and absolutely built for the rave.
News | Jules Liesl’s “Cherry” Remix Is Darker, Louder, and Ready to Burn Through the Floor
Posted by VMan on May 9, 2025
The sugar has melted. Jules Liesl just dropped the James Hurr & Karsten Sollors remix of “Cherry”, and it trades the flirt for full-body intensity. Everything’s tighter: the beat, the phrasing, the attitude. What was playful is now fully weaponized.
James Hurr and Karsten Sollors bring the club credentials—and it shows. Tribal rhythms meet clean bass programming. The remix is simple, direct, and aggressive in the best way possible. It hits like a set opener, but it finishes like a closer.
This release isn’t filler. It’s the backbone of a rollout that’s clearly built with intent: Traxsource chart placements, a heavy remix lineup, and Jules performing to thousands before even launching a second single. Most debuts start small. This one started with a mainstage.
And it’s not slowing down. Behind the scenes, Halogen is assembling something intentional and lasting. With visuals that sparkle, co-signs that matter, and producers who know how to deliver for crowds, Jules is no longer just a debut artist. She’s a growing presence in a genre that’s craving personality.
Albums | TaReef KnockOut drops new single with video for “BABYLON”
Posted by VMan on May 9, 2025
Florida’s own TaReef KnockOut delivers “BABYLON”, a fiery new single and video born out of Tampa pride and lyrical ambition. A strong reminder he’s not just in the conversation, he’s coming for the spotlight. When asked about the song’s inspiration he said “BABYLON was born out of inspiration. After hearing Doechii’s Grammy acceptance speech where she shouted out Tampa and called on labels to pay attention to the city, it felt like she was speaking directly to me—even though we’ve never met. That moment truly inspired me. Babylon is my response, my statement, and my way of saying: I’m here, and I’m ready. I just need the opportunity—and when it comes, I promise to make the most of it.?” Check out the music video for “BABYLON” above now and keep TaReef KnockOut on your radar!
Chill | “Calling” Finds TWO LANES in Quiet Motion, Expanding Their Organic-Electronic Universe
Posted by VMan on May 7, 2025
“Calling” comes at the listener with a calming presence. It arrives softly, humming with reverb and restraint with each tone placed like a step into calm water. TWO LANES build a soundscape that is truly them while speaking for itself as a individual track. The May 2 release is the first offering from their next EP and hints at a deeper exploration of their hybrid sound.
From the first notes, there’s a tactile stillness, creating a unique environment before the details fall into place. Felt piano rests underneath, analogue synths glide above, and string textures hover like mist.
Brothers Leo and Rafa very much go their own path when it comes to their sound – it’s paid off. With half a billion streams and a dedicated global following, TWO LANES continue to prove that staying true to your palette—however understated—can be the best choice of all.
Albums | The Basement Party Ride a Gritty, Reverb-Drenched Wave with ‘High Tide Era’
Posted by VMan on May 5, 2025
The Basement Party return with “High Tide Era,” a brisk, riff-forward single that leans confidently into their surf-skate punk identity. The trio waste no time getting to the point: driving guitars, thick low-end, and tight percussion all snap into place as the track barrels forward. Released independently, it marks the beginning of a new rollout that points toward their debut full-length album arriving this summer.
There’s a sharper edge to “High Tide Era” compared to their 2023 EP My Human Condition and single “Don’t Look Back.” It sounds like a band with a clearer head and a firmer grip on what they want to say – and how they want to hit. No gloss, no over-polished corners. Just dialed in and turning up the volume on a sound they’ve already made their own.
Formed in 2023 and rooted in Chicago, The Basement Party fuse reverb-laced surf guitar work with the bruising energy of old-school skate punk. Think of them as a handshake between Dick Dale and Suicidal Tendencies, delivered with the enthusiasm of three guys who treat every basement show like it’s the last one before summer ends.
They’ve been building momentum throughout the Midwest circuit, tightening their live set with more and more gigs. With that said, “High Tide Era” is the single that locks it all together.
With more releases and shows lined up throughout 2025, The Basement Party are making their moment one step at a time.