Listen: Paradigm by Heron

Opening with rapid-fire crunchy drum patterns, the latest single from Heron hits the ground running, basking in a joyous lo-fi pop aesthetic. Having previously been signed to Virgin Records, Heron took an extended break from music due to health issues, and difficulties with his voice. Now back, Paradigm is the latest and fourth single to be taken from Heron’s forthcoming album, Underground Sky, which is being released through Heron’s own label, Cracked Analogue, one song at a time.

Paradigm itself is a psychedelic synth-pop track that leverages the angular aesthetic of post-punk, landing in a space not dissimilar to Metronomy or Hot Chip. At the same time, Heron’s inspiration is personal, rather than drawn from specific musicians, and the ambition is for each song on Underground Sky to explore a different sound and genre, whilst weaving them together into a cohesive whole.

As a song, Paradigm is notably modern, whilst channeling a retro stylings. Falsetto vocals, a Hammond organ and a 60s aesthetic meeting contemporary production techniques. Combined with lyrics that deal with notions of introspection and progress, the result is a bright retro-futurist slice of music that gradually builds momentum as it progresses. The result is disorienting, fast, and playful.

Check out Paradigm below:

Listen: Just Wanna Be Yours by Lynz

Buffalo-born songwriter and producer Lynz started making music at the young age of 12, performing at local festivals, venues, and charity events. She then went on to produce her debut album, Dusk At Dawn, at the age of 16, before winning the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame songwriting competition. Following the win, Lynz was awarded a full scholarship from the GRAMMY Camp to study Audio Engineering at the University of Southern California, all whilst she was still in high school.

Having since moved to Los Angeles, Lynz has been further enhancing her production capabilities at Westlake Studios whilst building a standing as a sought after collaborator on the LA indie-pop scene. Just Wanna Be Yours is Lynz’s second release in 2025, following on from the playful Fallin’.

Where Fallin’ taps the fizzy excitement of new-found attraction, Lynz’s follow up represents a darker side to love. The playfulness is gone, and in its place, a gently strummed guitar channels the naked vulnerability of someone yearning to have their affection reciprocated. As the song progresses, however, the guitar is consumed by synths, creating a cool yet somewhat aloof feeling.

The instrumental pairing reflects the central tension of the song. Whilst the song’s title and chorus could be mistaken as those of a conventional love song, a closer listen to the lyrics reveals that Just Wanna Be Yours is really about the push and pull of love. Lynz’s vocal reflects a need to pull away, even while knowing she is hurting her partner. The music builds to a dramatic crescendo before fading away, leaving the song’s central plea front and centre, presumably alone, with Lynz having already left.

Lynz’s latest single is one of several set for release this year, ahead of a planned sophomore album. The sophisticated production and emotive vocal performance of Just Wanna Be Yours mark her as one to watch.

Listen: Our Love by Rosk, Lea Shico

Inspired by, well, fucking everything right now, Our Love is a passionate and determined song about rising above the increase in bullshit hate speech and discrimination we are currently experiencing in the world. It follows rollbacks in the rights and equality extended to the LGBTQ+ community, including the removal of the ability to discuss gender identity in schools in the US, and legal efforts to restrict passports to showing gender assigned at birth.

Our Love is the result of a collaboration between Lea Shico, a Colombian artist who combines queer pop, electronic music, and Latin rhythms, and Mexico City’s Rosk, the pop and electronic rock project of Roman Sashida. Having already been partners in life, the pair came together out of a painful need to be heard at a time when many are attempting to quiet voices like theirs. In sharing the song, the duo said, ‘This song is not just a response. It’s a promise: we’re going to win this war by loving.’

Despite the dark and depressing nature of the subject matter, Our Love is an uplifting and optimistic song. The eclectic, colourful and layered sound reminds me a little of the rise of Day-Glo indie in the 00s from the likes of I’m From Barcelona and Architecture In Helsinki. Layered vocals create the rousing, inclusive and inspiring experience of pride protest marches.

When Rosk sings the line, ‘You dirty patriarchs don’t you try to erase, you know that we know how to slay’ you could almost feel sorry for the people whose worldviews are so inevitably going to be cast aside. If they weren’t so toxic, of course. Rosk is bold and forthright as the song hits its Star Wars referencing chorus, ‘Our love will outrun your dumb, glum hate speech’. Despite the deeply painful political reality of our moment, it’s hard not to believe her. Those that love and include and embrace will win.

Listen: Says I’m Home by Théa Marie, Kiriku

On her new song, Says I’m Home, Théa Marie combines a wistful guitar melody with pulse quickening bass guitar to create something beautiful and haunting. Her vocal takes centre stage, however, acting as a cooling balm against the baking sun and the creeping sense of alienation that can come from extended time away from home.

Hailing from France but finding herself floating aboard a narrowboat on London’s canals, it is perhaps unsurprising to hear Théa create this ode to home. Having collaborated with producers from around the world to release 52 songs in a single year, the singer, songwriter, and vocal producer is now focused on creating her own sound and space. Here on Says I’m Home, Théa is collaborating with Kiriku, who lives between London and Ibiza. Both homes influence Kiriku’s sound, which spans from groove-led downtempo to clubby, organic house.

With Kiriku’s production work, Says I’m Home shimmers with the warm heat of a Balearic sunset. Centred on the sense of calm and belonging that ‘comes with returning home, especially to the Mediterranean’, the sun-baked aesthetic and feeling of relief that comes from Marie’s vocal are clearly both purposeful and striking. The song reaches a climax with a bridge that kicks in during its third minute, Théa’s vocal cut loose against a backdrop of scratchy instrumentation and shuffling percussion. It is a moment that begs to be extended, and with the EP, Shades Of Longing, featuring a remix from French musicians dOP, we have something akin to just that. For the moment, I’ll slowly click back to the song’s beginning, as I endure the UK’s current heatwave.

Listen: Costumes by Bonbonfire

Opening with a reverb heavy intro, Bonbonfire’s new single, Costumes, is centred around piano keys that sound as though they are being scattered across bare floorboards. A vocal duet picks its way through an environment of emotional detritus, as layers of percussion and instrumentation gradually come together to create an increasingly resonant experience.

Bonbonfire are a US-based male-female duo. He is an electronic music producer, and she used to dream of being a country music star. Having both become certified music therapists, they work together to create a combination of electronic and acoustic sounds as a musical outlet.

Costumes was originally a single from 2020, but is a focus again as part of Bonbonfire’s 2025 album, This Wasn’t The Plan. The costumes in the title reflect the song’s exploration of imposter syndrome and identity crisis, themselves triggered by some of the world events through which we have all lived in the past few years.