New Music Friday | Featuring ‘Higher Than Heaven’ by Ellie Goulding

This week’s new music Friday includes tracks from Ellie Goulding, Daniel Caesar, HMLTD, Billie Marten and more, setting you up for a bank holiday weekend.

Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven

Ellie Goulding returns with her fifth studio album, Higher Than Heaven, an unadulterated pop record that the singer will be taking out on tour throughout October and November. Here’s its titular track.

Daniel Caesar (feat. serpentwithfeet) – Disillusioned

As smooth as ever, Daniel Caesar brings us his latest album, Never Enough – a record that feels so lusciously produced at times it almost floats. Speaking on all matters of the heart, it’s a soulful listen, with ‘Disillusioned’ embodying that to perfection.

HMLTD – Past Life (Sinnerman’s Song)

Taking a very explicit (and sonic) reference to Nina Simone’s version of ‘Sinnerman’, this seven-minute-long track is the very best of HMLTD. Read our full review of their latest album, The Worm, here.

Billie Marten – God Above

Billie Marten’s fourth record, Drop Cherries, out today, is as fresh and natural as its album title – embodying the folksy Somerset and Welsh landscapes in which it was recorded. Its best two tracks – ‘I Can’t Get My Head Around You’ and ‘Nothing But Mine’ – have already been released, so flying the flag for this album is ‘God Above’. Read our full review of Drop Cherries here.

Blondshell – Salad

Definitely a name to keep tabs on, following not just her impressive spate of singles, but her new debut, self-titled album released today, is Blondshell – the moniker of Sabrina Teitelbaum. ‘Salad’ has some serious bite, described by our reviewer Lucy Harbron as “one of the most cutting, outright takes on rape culture I’ve ever heard”. The rest of the album, albeit composed predominantly from previously released singles, holds up impressively for a debut. Read our full review of Blondshell here.

Indigo De Souza – You Can Be Mean

The third and final release ahead of her forthcoming album All of This Will End, set for release on 28 April, Indigo De Souza sets us up one more time. To find out more about the album, and the depth of human exploration Indigo went to in its creation, read our interview with her.

Melanie Martinez – FAERIE SOIREÉ

Melanie Martinez dropped an intriguing alt-pop album this week, PORTALS. Preceded by popular singles ‘DEATH’ and ‘VOID’, the album is going very strong on the Billboard 200 and may well even bag top spot.

nineteen97 – PSA

Taken from rapper, producer and composer nineteen97’s CHROME II EP, ‘PSA’ demonstrates the Birmingham artist’s hybrid of Grime, RnB and garage – featuring Capo lee & Reek0 and produced by close friend and collaborator OffKey.

Louis Dunford – Lucy

Louis Dunford is riding high, much like Arsenal atop the Premier League – for whom his track ‘The Angel – North London Forever’ has become a stadium favourite. His latest track ‘Lucy’ adds another lyrical depth to the fast-rising songwriter and is paired with bright and breezy melodies to get you in a feel-good bank holiday mood.

Towa Bird – Wild Heart

And last but by no means least, Hong Kong-born, LA-based Towa Bird drops her debut single ‘Wild Heart’ – an emotional release of a track which demonstrates a clever use of wordplay and marks the singer out as one to keep your ears out for.