Welcome back to our weekly NMF roundup. Here's what we think you should be listening to this week!

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Motorbike (Wild Ones) - Smallpools

IYL: Magic Man, The Colourist, CRUISR

Nashville/LA indie-rockers Smallpools erupted onto the scene with their head turning opening statement, “Dreaming” (now RIAA Certified Gold). The song surged to the top of the HypeMachine chart; quickly earning the band support from alternative radio stations across the country, multiple late night television appearances and a home on the road as the opening act for Twenty One Pilots, Walk the Moon, Grouplove and Two Door Cinema Club on their national tours. Smallpools then released their acclaimed, debut album LOVETAP! and spent the majority of the next two years selling out venues nationwide in support of its release.

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Talking Phase - Butterfly Garden

IYL: 3 Way Kiss, Exit 109, Sunwade

Proof that Central Jersey exists. Butterfly Garden is Crosby Collins (vocals/guitar), Lucas Ihnat (vocals/guitar), Kieran Collins (drums), and Matt Banks (bass).

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unfamiliar, like i used to - Savanna Leigh

IYL: ken xox, Kylie Muse, Devon Gabriella

putting my feelings into songs so I can find ppl who feel the same 🫶🏽

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Cherry Lips - AR/CO

IYL: Caroline Byrne, Lewis Thompson, Hayley May

Imagine if MGMT met Daft Punk at a dusty desert rave, and you’ll have an idea of the enigmatic and infectious soundscapes of rising electro duo AR/CO. Operating at the intersection of escapism and reality, AR/CO have already exceeded 15 million streams between just three collabs: ‘Under The Sun’ (with Franky Wah, premiered on Radio 1 as Danny Howard’s Hottest Record), ‘Hot Air Balloon’ (with Don Diablo), and ‘Run Run’ (with Will Clarke and Jaded). Now AR/CO unleash their official debut single ‘Call Me By My Name’. A product of feverish imaginations, AR/CO blazes a trail between two equally uplifting styles: the inspiring all-in energy and community spirit of a classic summer dance anthem, and the adventurous, kaleidoscopic of radiant psychedelic pop. The music’s spark is further illuminated by the duo’s sleek male/female vocal stylings. AR/CO was born during lockdown, but their sound celebrates life, unity and international togetherness. Their mission statement is to leave your inhibitions at the door, set your worries aside, and use their liberating dance hits as a stepping stone towards a new age.

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My Ghost - Haley Faye Rosenthal

IYL: Jazz Robertson, nobodi, Lady Starbeast, Olivia Frances

A multi-talented singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor based in NYC, weaves her art into a poignant reminder that the trajectory of your life isn’t determined by what you battle behind closed doors. With music rooted in storytelling and the art of survival, Rosenthal glows. With stunning vocals, powerful lyrics, and an inspiring backstory, the Florida native has carved her unique niche within Alternative Pop and stands as a rising artist to keep your eye out for. At 16 years old, Haley nearly passed away from SJS/TEN, a rare disease contracted from medical negligence. During her treatment, she was told she wouldn’t be able to perform again. Instead of accepting what the doctors said, she looked at them and said, “watch me.” Her illness has never stopped her from making her dreams part of her reality. After completing her undergraduate degree from Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music, she moved to NYC to pursue her now quickly budding career. Haley's debut EP exemplifies her dedication to using her platform to bring attention to chronic illnesses, offer solace to immunocompromised individuals, and inspire a global spirit of perseverance.

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Prelude to Ecstacy - The Last Dinner Party

IYL: Picture Parlour, Chappell Roan, boygenius

You are cordially invited 🏹

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How Have You Been? - Giant Rooks

IYL: Magic Man, The Colourist, Leoniden, FIL BO RIVA, KYTES

giant what?

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Daisies - The Orphan The Poet

IYL: Fuller, TWIN XL, Friday Pilots Club

two pals from ohio makin' alternative music

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Waffles - Olen

IYL: 1990nowhere, Olivver the Kid, CRUISR

Olen Kittelsen has always been “kind of a late bloomer” – and nearly a decade into his music career, he’s ready for his big debut. Making pop music with a personal twist, Olen’s songs run the gamut between boisterous and reflective. The singer/songwriter from Orange County, California has a penchant for spilling his heart out over bright, buoyant melodies: Whether he’s soaring high on a radiant anthem or dwelling in a tender ballad, at the core of his art is a person just trying to make sense of his world.

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Olen’s debut EP, So CoDependent, finds him coming into his own, both as a human and as an artist. The record opens with the exuberant lead single “Got a Name,” a grand, sweeping pop song with undeniable charm and a blissful, sun-kissed bounce. Within his energetic performance is an earnest search for purpose and understanding: “My parents called me Olen and I’m still trying to figure out what that means to me,” Olen sings, contrasting his inner reckoning with a rousing, singalong chorus hook, “Oh, I’ve got a name.” With Olen, the artist reminds us that self-discovery is ongoing and ever-present, rather than an end in itself. Without a doubt, Olen’s debut EP is the work of a late bloomer coming into full bloom.

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California Baby - TWINSICK, BADVIBES

IYL: AIR APPARENT, Zima, VAVO

original music loading...

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Stay Cool - James Vincent McMorrow

IYL: Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Ben Howard, Volcano Choir, Matt Corby

Irish singer/songwriter James Vincent McMorrow made his name in the 2010s with a dreamy and soulful brand of indie folk centered around his supple vocals. While his albums firmly established him as both a critical and commercial success, he also gained renown for his delicate renditions of hits which could be heard on high-profile advertising campaigns. Hints of lush pop and R&B infiltrated his sound in the latter part of the decade and he remained largely silent for two years until the 2020 release of the intimate "Headlights" single, which preceded his fifth LP, 2021's Grapefruit Season. The following year he issued two eight-track full-lengths. McMorrow began his musical life when he was well into his teens. Initially a drummer, he was drawn to the harsh sounds of At the Drive-In, Refused, and Glassjaw. He mellowed some while at college, where he discovered the more acoustic-oriented sounds of Sufjan Stevens and Band of Horses. He picked up a guitar at 19. Eventually developing a writing and performance style that suited him, McMorrow began playing shows in local pubs, where he was received warmly. He decided to record an album, moving into a small house on Ireland's coastline and holing up with his guitar, a keyboard, a microphone, a computer, and several other instruments. He wrote and cut what would eventually become his debut self-titled EP, and his first album, Early in the Morning. In 2018, McMorrow returned with the stand-alone single "Me & My Friends," which was inspired by the birth of his first child.

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my mind (now)- Paris Paloma

IYL: Kiki Rockwell, SOFIA ISELLA, The Amazing Devil, CHINCHILLA

what did I do wrong will you tell me what I did wrong what did I

Was it a first offence? How long had you been harbouring that venom? You could have used your words, then you wanted them to hurt and so I let ‘em never would I beseech you as some sadistic vengeance exercise to endure what you put me through I don’t think you would pull out on the other side

I know you had a temper but I guess I thought I was immune Felt it as you severed my mind, tore it all of the way through and I was strawberry picking, you were gathering ammunition to use And the shrapnel digs in my mind has not been silent since you

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Make It Better - Lana Lubany

IYL: zeyne, Zeina, Elyanna

the west + middle east = Lana Lubany <3

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The Sun - The Narcotix

IYL: Kronik Leila, Lucy Gooch, L'Rain, Joviale

The Narcotix is a West African art-folk band based in Brooklyn, with feathers all over. It is many-limbed and limber, a five-piece with voices, guitars, bass, keys and drum set. Reverb-laden vocals blur and swell in dissonant intervals, buoyed by a riverbed of shimmering Congolese guitar riffs, thumping P-bass, cavernous synths and traphouse hi-hats. The result is a compelling musical statement whose relationship to identity is as fraught, complex and ever-changing as anything else in this time.original music loading..

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whole heart black - Kate Peytavin

IYL: Mat Clanssen, Alekz Rush, Zooey Celeste, VEME

EGGS FOR LIFE!

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popmoneyhits- The Greeting Committee

IYL: Atta Boy, Vista Kicks, Arlie, Del Water Gap

the spirit of purposeful sharing has served as something of a lifeline for The Greeting Committee. From the sense of community that surrounds their live shows to the subject matter of their music, the band has created a warm world where all are welcome to shed the weight of living and simply experience a moment together.

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Shooting Stars- Jazzy

IYL: Belters Only, RoRo, Clementine Douglas, Hannah Laing

GEWAH 🇯🇲 🇮🇪