New music guide The Neu Bulletin (SASAMI, HUSSY, Icehead & more)

‘Not The Time’ is the second single from new Domino signing SASAMI. Formerly a member of Cherry Glazerr, Sasami Ashworth has shared bills with The Breeders, Japanese Breakfast, Liz Phair and more, and ‘Not The Time’ is clearly borne from these kind of indie rock landscapes, with choppy guitars and wobbly synths circling around her calm, steady yet impactful vocal.

She says the song is “kind of like emotionally scribbling a letter on a tear and snot-stained napkin and then re-writing it on fancy papyrus paper to make it look like you have your shit together,” and the confidence with which it’s presented makes sure it’s mission accomplished. (Will Richards)

HUSSY is the project of SE London-based Sophie Nicole Ellison, and new song ‘Slayer’, one half of a new AA-side alongside ‘Playtime’, is a brilliant indie rock song that has the closeness and intimacy of bedroom pop, but with ambition that reaches far outside its walls.

“Can’t quite get it right,” she repeats over rising waves of guitar and drums in the track’s chorus, lamenting a lack of forward motion, and it’s a salve for anyone with the same lingering feelings, transmitted via beautifully understated vocals and rousing instrumentals. (Will Richards)

We first came across new Brighton bunch Icehead with their debut single ‘Out The Door’ ft the distinctive bark of Abattoir Blues vocalist Harry Waugh. The band, who boast other members of AB as well as Birdskulls and Echochamp signing Daniel Moore, now return with second track ‘Losing Sleep’, has less up and down than its predecessor, which flitted between midwest emo and something altogether more epic, but is rousing in its ’90s-esque shuffle, and a confident next step from the multi-faceted newcomers. (Will Richards)

We’ve been hearing a lot of extremely exciting new music coming out of Liverpool recently, and on new track ‘Gated Community’, new bunch Eyesore & The Jinx are another to add to the list.

Balancing fun and heaviness perfectly, the track is fist pump-worthy but also manages to roll along with a massive grin on its face. The band recently supported Protomartyr on their Liverpool tour stop, and there’s more than a few hints of the influence of the Detroit rockers as ‘Gated Community’ folds out into a slow, sharp outro. (Will Richards)

Named after a tea she found in Peru when high one time, 23-year-old Aria’s stage name might seem a little odd, but she more than makes up for it with her sound. Soulful, hazy R&B that sounds like it’s being sung to you from another dimension, ‘Used To’ is taken from the South London singer’s debut EP ‘SENSI’. Comprised of a twinkling piano line and a simple drum beat, the track is simple yet effective, allowing her rich voice to truly be the mesmerising centre point here. (Rachel Finn)

LA synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay are Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, two friends originally from Miami who’ve been making music together since high school. On new track ‘The Girls’, they tell the story of an encounter with a pushy guy in a bar who won’t leave a woman alone. “The song builds on that typical type of encounter and muses on the exasperation and exhaustion that comes with being a woman. From childhood, girls are acutely aware of how men look at them. We carry the weight of that objectification,” Mica explains. It might tackle a more serious subject matter, but mostly it’s just upbeat, glossy pop that’s a whole lot of fun. (Rachel Finn)

Tags: HUSSY, Icehead, SASAMI, Listen, Features, Neu, Neu Bulletin