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Bin your umbrellas and bust out your sunglasses: May marks the beginning of UK Festival season! Whatever the weather, we’ve got a brand new collection of music to see you through the next month. Maybe you’re going to see Bjork or The XX at All Points East (25th May – 2nd June), or perhaps you’re treading the pebbles for The Great Escape Festival in Brighton (17th-19th May)? Either way, scroll through our tracks and listen to our Spotify playlist for new music inspiration…

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Zero’
All Points East Festival kicks off on May 25th with headliners LCD Soundsystem in Victoria Park, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs are performing on the same bill. They have four albums worth of gems to pick from, but I’ve chosen ‘Zero’ from 2009’s It’s Blitz! purely because I love watching Karen O parade through the streets in her studded leather jacket in the accompanying video. I’m planning to mimic her every move/cry when I hear it live (it’s my birthday, and I’ll cry if I want to). (Kate Crudgington)

Janelle Monae – Pynk (feat. Grimes)
What a song, what a woman. The first note of ‘PYNK’ right the way through to the end is pure and simple PLEASURE. Janelle Monae collaborating with Grimes has delivered us a pure slice of vagina-pop, where the video is as important as the music. The description of which declares “PYNK is a brash celebration of creation. Self love. Sexuality. And p-ssy power!” Need I say more. (Tash Walker)

Amaroun – ‘Indecisive’
Written about emerging from a period of deep denial, ‘Indecisive’ – Amaroun’s latest captivating single – oozes a sweeping emotive power and heartfelt lyrical richness. And, as Jay Brown’s stirring vocals sing the perfectly relatable “I can agoraphobic, London can be overwhelming. Yes, I am addicted, I’ve learnt to live through all the noise”, it’s impossible not to be completely swept away by this dreamy sonic delight. (Mari Lane)

Elsa Hewitt – ‘Catvision’
My favourite festival – The Great Escape – takes place this month, and I’ve started putting together a list of artists I want to catch when I’m down in Brighton. The experimental electronic sounds of Elsa Hewitt have been swirling around my skull since I discovered her on the website, so I’m keen to hear ‘Catvision’ live when she plays at the KOMEDIA Studio Bar on Saturday 19th. (KC)

Alyss – ‘Envirus’
Producer and singer Alyss’ EP 3EARTH was released last week and it is gold. Taken from the EP, Envirus is dense in its electronic production, tribal in its beats and soulful in the vocals – needless to say the results are addictive. (TW)

Art School Girlfriend – ‘Measures’
Another artist I’m hoping to catch at The Great Escape, I’ve been soothed by the somber, subdued sounds of Art School Girlfriend. She’ll be playing at The Walrus on Friday 18th. (KC)

Rookes – ‘The Game And The River’
Having supported the likes of Stealing Sheep and She Makes War and set to play at The Great Escape later this month, Birmingham artist Rookes graces our ears with her new single ‘The Game And The River’. Filled with the stirring passion of her deep emotion-strewn vocals, it flows with twinkling folk-tinged melodies and a subtle, soulful splendour, making for a truly uplifting slice of heart-warming alt-pop. (ML)

LIINES – ‘Cold’
Manchester trio LIINES have been a long term favourite of ours, especially since blowing us all away their riotous, impassioned energy at The Finsbury a couple of months back, and so we’re beyond excited that their brand new, debut album is due for release on Friday! An immense blast of post-punk perfection, latest single ‘Cold’ is an epic taster of what’s to come. (ML)

Chroma – ‘Vampires’
Chroma were recommended to me by the marvellous Queen Zee (interview coming soon to the website!), so I’m chuffed that both bands will be in Brighton for The Great Escape. I’m excited to see Chroma in the flesh at Latest Music Bar on Thursday 17th – potentially my first gig of the festival! (KC)

Suzie Stapleton – ‘Negative Prophet’
Exuding a dark, brooding atmosphere, ‘Negative Prophet’ is Suzie Stapleton’s protest in an oversaturated world where the powerful feed on the powerless. As the immense power of her deep, raw vocals drift alongside reverb-strewn, blues-ridden hooks, it’s a majestic, and spine-tinglingly captivating, creation. We can’t wait to see Suzie headline for us at The Finsbury next Friday, 11th May! (ML)

Men I Trust – ‘Show Me How’
Canada’s Men I Trust first came to my attention when elusive electronic producer H1987 remixed their track ‘You Deserve This’. I love the reassuring nature of their psych-tinged, lo-fi indie anthems, and I’m hoping to catch them at Komedia on Thursday 17th for their Great Escape set. (KC)

i2m1 – ‘Illusion’
i2m1 is the solo recording project of Irene Carson from Colorado Springs. Starting back in 2015, it has since developed into a multimedia project featuring artist Graham Gale. Their second release Zoo is a collection of 20 songs, “one made for a year of my life..” Irene explains, which reflect her ongoing story. ‘Illusion’ is all synth-laden and dreamy pop – a big slice of me which has me going weak at the knees. (TW)

S4U – ‘Refrain ft JD Reid’
Refrain is the latest single from Londoners S4U featuring JD Reid, which is set for release on 1st June via Different Recordings. Low-slung R&B, and dark electro base all mixed together with some heavy 90s influences. Yes. Please. (TW)

Nova Twins were already on our ‘Hitlist’ after we reviewed their knockout EP Mood Swings last year, but with the release of new single ‘Hit Girl’ they’ve rocketed right back to the top of it.

Accompanied by a sleek monochrome video, ‘Hit Girl’ seethes with Nova Twins’ trademark lethal attitude and deviously distorted bass lines. “I’m just a girl / I’m feeling hostile” snarls guitarist & vocalist Amy, a line that resonates as deeply as Georgia’s thundering bass lines. The pair want to show the world that women – particularly women of colour – are not going to be overlooked in music anymore.

When speaking to AFROPUNK, the girls explained: “We wanted to kill people’s perception of what a rock act – and women in music – should look like/sound like! Women of colour still get pigeon-holed into genre specifics, like R&B or Hip Hop, and although we are amazing at performing these genres, we also pioneered a lot of other things too.”

With their defiant new single and existing dedication to challenging industry norms, Nova Twins have us riled and ready for more ferocious new music in 2018. Watch the video for ‘Hit Girl’ below and get your tickets for their headline gig at The Victoria on 24th May here (tickets are also available on DICE)