[su_dropcap style=”simple”]L[/su_dropcap]ast august, I introduced you to a French artist called Bizar. He caught our attention with his two singles “Daylight” and “Something Real”, so we named him “Newcomer of the Week” back then. We knew that he had an EP on the way … So here it is! “Greatest Hit I” is finally here, including 3 news songs “Les Foules”, “Burning Man” and “R.O.W” but also his two previous releases.

Bizar impressed us once again with his debut EP, as he has the talent to insert some pop beats and groove this his songs that make you feel like you’re enjoying a Caipirinha on holidays. We completely had this feeling on “Something Real” while “Daylight” was more like a summer daydream and in his new single “Les Foules”, you’ll still find this great fresh vacation vibe. On the other side “Burning Man” and “R.O.W” are two touching ballads where Bizar exposes himself to something less joyful but still as beautiful.
I had the chance to ask him a few questions about the process of the EP , his new single and also his expectations.

HighClouds: What inspired you to create « Greatest Hits I »?
Nothing especially, I just really wanted to make music.

Where does the title come from and why?
I find it hilarious. Because it’s neither the greatest nor hits. My selling expectations are about 50 digital copies. So it’s ironic. And I didn’t find better too…

Do you feel you evolved between your two first singles and now? Did it affect the other songs in the EP?
Not really, even if « Les Foules » was made a bit later it’s still the same period to me. What changed is that I learnt a lot with my two friends who helped me on the production. I think you’ll see a real evolution for the next EP. Hopefully, there will be a wider spectre of genres and languages.

Why did you choose « Les foules » as the single to « introduce » us to the EP?
With my marketing team and my associates, we thought it was a good choice to sing in french. The last two songs that weren’t on soundcloud were a bit too ‘suave’ to be a single too.

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Can you explain the video of your new single?
I didn’t put a lot of philosophical thoughts into it. I think it says you can have a face covered by a yellow hat, it doesn’t matter for true friends. You can leave crowds, « les foules », if you find crazy ones, « les fous », to be with

What are your expectations for « Greatest Hits I »?
I expect to do as good as Prince the day I released the EP. No sincerely, I’d like it to be a starter to play live and release other stuffs.

Listen to “Greatest Hits I” on Spotify and buy the EP on Itunes.

[su_dropcap style=”simple”]I[/su_dropcap] probably have listened to Braids‘ latest album a hundred times. It was honestly one of the best albums of 2015. The trio decided to unveil a new EP called “Companion” made of 4 songs that were composed during their writing of “Deep In The Iris” but were left unfinished. The EP is due to be released on May 20th, but get a foretaste with the spacious video of “Companion”, the title track of the EP.

Kevan Funk, who directed the video, managed to bring a harmonious atmosphere to complete the song as he perfectly caught the vast universe of it and recorded a beautiful video that is a breath of fresh air and is as beautiful as the place where it was shot as it was shot in the Palm Desert of California.

I don’t remember losing you / Early in Spring that year

Raphaelle Standell-Preston sings about a love she lost in spite of her and she represents in the video all of the solitude and emptiness it left inside of her. Her loss changed her, to transform her in a sad and depress version of herself, which she shows in the video and sings to herself.

I don’t remember the last time I saw you / But your hair was long and blond

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoYfBhMAEUE” width=”640″ height=”360″]
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“For one reason or another, these songs were left unfinished. At the time they felt separate to the songs that made up DITI – strong in their own right, but left as unknowns to a larger compositional work.” – Braids

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Pre-order the Digital EP here or buy the CD/Vinyl here, set to be released on May 20th.

In case you missed it, the band did a playlist for us a few month ago. Listen to it below.

[su_dropcap style=”simple”]T[/su_dropcap]race is a LA-based singer of whom we were quite expecting a lot from her in 2016, as she hooked us with her debut single “Heavy Shoulders” which was our #100 of our favorite tracks of 2015. After releasing her first single of 2016 “Honey”, Trace presents us “Low”, a sparkly and honest electronic song.

“Low” starts with some guitar riffs to open up on a galactic melody that will transport you on a small trip into Trace‘s universe. That’s what I like about her, she always manages to transform her songs into a smooth ballad that will directly go straight to your heart. Well done Trace, you got me one more time.

“I think we should talk. / I think you should leave.”

“I prefer better, though I prefer you. / I used to be sweeter, but I prefer you.

Have you heard before, the sweet ballad that is “Honey” ? It’s her second single.
Listen to it right here.

[su_dropcap style=”simple”]L[/su_dropcap]ast year, we discovered Buoy, a promising Australian singer who’s first single “Took Me Up” was associated to some FKA Twigs. After releasing her debut EP “Immersion” last summer, she’s ready to share a second EP “Break” and she announced it with “Clouds & Rain”, a single produced by Jack Grace.

Don’t be fooled by the beginning of the song… Even if it starts with a focus on the softness of Buoy‘s voice, it will quickly evolve into a wild electro-pop song with beats dropping as if the rain started and kept dropping louder until the calming of the storm, to leave you in an ocean of kindness. “Clouds & Rain” is produced by BUOY herself alongside Jack Grace, with whom she already worked in the past on his track “Hills” but also on her debut EP, and Christopher Port .

Support the artist and buy “Clouds & Rain” on Itunes via October Records.

In case you never heard of her debut EP “Immersion”, you can listen to it below. Especially our favorites ; “Don’t Want To See You” and “Took Me Up”.

Like it ? Buy it on Itunes.

Bonus:
Jack Grace – “Hills” feat. Buoy

[su_dropcap style=”simple”]T[/su_dropcap]he new and fresh female duo Ider from North London will tear your heart apart with their debut ambient-pop single “Sorry” which tells the story of falling out of love with someone.

Ider is formed of Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville who started working together when they moved in the same place a few months ago. Since then, they’ve been hard working to deliver a wonderful and heartbreaking first song. “Sorry” is produced by Aidan O’Brien and is a soft pop track containing Piano chords in waves and a little of percussion with a great RnB aftertaste. All of that along their two harmonious but different tones of voices, which makes it even better.

They’d describe their song as “falling out of love with someone. It goes through the motions; beginning with a bit of doubt and ending with independence. Unlike most love songs it’s about finding your own love for yourself. Despite the songs title, it’s pretty unapologetic- it’s just honest. ” – from The Line Of Best Fit.

[su_dropcap style=”simple”]C[/su_dropcap]olombian artist Kali Uchisis giving us some glamorous retro & pink-colored vibes with her new gorgeous video for her latest Kaytranada-produced single “Only Girl” featuring Steve Lacy and Vince Staples. Where she uses/plays with her toy-boy while Steve & Vince struggle to find her in the middle of Kali look-alike.

Kali Uchis says about the video: “The imagery speaks on how disposable/replaceable “lovers” are treated and the things we will say/do out of loneliness. Kali was inspired by fake love, Edie Sedgewick, Nancy Sinatra and Calle 13.”

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i8UvopEDp4&feature=youtu.be” width=”640″ height=”360″]
Directed by Kali Uchis herself and co-directed by Cory Bailey.

Support the artist and buy the single on Itunes.

]]> 15334 https://highclouds.org/jil-imfat/ Wed, 20 Apr 2016 01:08:47 +0000 https://highclouds.org/?p=15076

[su_dropcap style=”simple”]D[/su_dropcap]o you remember the Electro/Soul trio JIL? They were one of our Newcomers of the Week in November with their song “Emotional Heat”. After a second single “Freak”, the NYC-based band shared a third one called “IMfat”.

Can you feel those smoky and edgy vibrating vocals with this electronic-psychedelic melody that create a soulful aura during the whole song? It will make you feel like you’re floating in the middle of nowhere in space, moving all around the galaxy. Where you only hear the song resonating.

The song was written and produced by the trio with a little help of Fern Souza for the mix.

]]> 15076 https://highclouds.org/nvdes-the-other-side/ https://highclouds.org/nvdes-the-other-side/#respond Fri, 08 Apr 2016 16:38:14 +0000 https://highclouds.org/?p=14455 It’s finally the weekend or almost. Do you want to feel like you’re doing a road-trip between San-Francisco and Los-Angeles during 3.26min? The indie-pop/punk project from the creative collective curated and produced by Josh Ocean aka Nvdes just released his 4th single “The Other Side”.

Nvdes continued to make us travel in his own imagination influenced by some Californian-punk vibes, “The Other Side” is following the great “Don’t Fvck Your Neighbor” and “Fela“. The artist also did a playlist for us recently, have a listen here. Listen to the up-tempo frenzied track below.

“The Other Side” comes from NVDES‘ forthcoming single out this Friday, April 8 via B3SCI Records.

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