Every week, Music News and Liberty Music look at the best new releases from emerging and self-releasing artists.
Southside Café - ‘Like Sparks From The Sun’ Southside Café close out the year with ‘Like Sparks From the Sun’, a sweeping, emotionally charged single that grows from delicate introspection into a powerful, cinematic wave of alt-rock. Showcasing Anders Ljung’s commanding vocals and Johan R. Norberg’s melodic craftsmanship, the track blends ’90s rock influence with a timeless, deeply personal sound.
Nino Mayanna - ‘Aje’ Nino Mayanna returns with ‘Aje’, a vibrant Afrobeat-R&B-pop single that radiates determination, self-belief and the hard-won resilience behind her artistic journey. From growing up on the streets of Lagos and an unexpected childhood brush with royalty to surviving a life-altering gas explosion, the UK-based artist transforms lived experience into boundary-pushing music, pioneering the use of the talking drum in contemporary R&B.
Leodis - ‘Days Like These’ Leodis return with ‘Days Like These’, a reflective new single that evolved from a 2021 breakup song into a broader meditation on loss, change and the lingering weight of absence. Blending classic rock grit with soulful, country-tinged storytelling, the Leeds trio capture why some moments still pull us back, no matter how much time has passed.
ÆTHR - ‘Santa Maria’ ÆTHR unveils ‘Santa Maria’, a dark, cinematic electro-pop release that fuses gothic atmosphere with dance-floor intensity, marking another bold step in his rise as one of Portugal’s most exciting emerging pop artists. Written in a flash of inspiration and later expanded into a high-octane, theatrical soundscape, the track reflects his mission of confidence, self-love and unapologetic self-expression.
Nik Barrell - ‘Lost’ Nik Barrell returns with ‘Lost’, a haunting, road-worn single from his EP ‘Almost Home’, written and recorded in his self-built van-studio while travelling through Spain and Portugal. Shaped by grief, solitude and shifting landscapes, the track captures a fragile clarity born from motion, turning disorientation into a quiet act of self-discovery.
