The great Sivu’s latest track is a carefully crafted blend of delicate bedroom beats and the UK singer’s lovely melodic stairstepping washed with one of the best falsettos in the game right now. Of the lyrical content of the song Sivu had this to says, “it’s about being grateful for where you are now, if you could’ve seen yourself today at the age of 16.”. Listen.
Sivu 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
The OG Sharon preps the release of her Are We There? LP on Jagjaguwar with the debut of the plaintive and dusty mid-tempo number “Every Time The Sun Comes Up”. Are We There? is due May 27th.
Sharon Van Etten 
(Official)
Rating 8.8
The immensely talented UK singer and Communion Records signee Annie Eve recently recorded this stunning acoustic version of her track “Elvis” at St. Stephen’s Church, London. We use this reference, only for the sake of a reference, that Annie’s in a league tone-wise with Daughter’s Elena Tonra but as Annie Eve’s American C&W-influenced tone is very much hers.
Rising L.A.-based (via Orlando FL) singer Chris Batson‘s writing/producing ably blends the best bits of R&B, dance music and pop. Marrying the spatially expansive sound of contemporary EDM with skilled soul-informed pop songwriting, Batson is adept at creating both the mechanics of memorable alt-R&B as well as a most compelling, highly personal lyrical arc. We’re pleased to present below the premiere of the excellent “A Thousand Pieces” from Chris Batson. p.s. If you’re in L.A., catch Chris at The Bootleg on Friday May 19th.
Chris Batson 
(Official) (Twitter)
Rating 8.4
The sweet comforting alto of Bonsai highlights the Brooklyn-based songwriter’s delicate c&w-tinged “I Fashion You a Dreamer”. You can pick-up Bonsai’s s/t Kickstarter-funded EP on May 27th.
Bonsai Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.3
The subterranean late-night pop of “Blue Break” is the title track from 19 year old UK singer Jamie Isaac‘s just released EP. “Blue Break” is driven by stabs of simple piano chords that filter down through the mix like tiny depth charges and provide the frame for Jamie’s deep-in-the-pa reverb-y vocal.
Jamie Isaac (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
Moses Sumney, who’s spare loop machine-aided vocal sermon at Central Presbyterian was probably our favorite performance of all of SXSW, releases today “Mid-City Island” his debut EP. The five songs, which were recorded by Moses on a 1980’s-era four track recorder, are dotted with cascading loops of voice and deeply soulful and effective harmony which create the center on which Moses’ singular, boundless in its capabilities, lead vocal orbits about in a romantic ethereal whirl. The number of stunning moments “Mid-City Island” contains are numerous (that outro on “San Fran”, the harmonic voicings around “Plastic’s” instrumental) and we give the EP our highest recommendation.
Moses Sumney (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.5
