First Listen Fridays – New Music to Know – 29th August 2025

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Welcome back to First Listen Fridays, and the final instalment of this feature for the month of August! As summer draws to a close, we have some fresh tunes to keep your playlists hot. From artists you haven’t heard of yet, to the big names hoping to storm to the top of the charts – we have handpicked the ten top tracks that dropped today. Whether you’re into dancehall, jazz, or alt rock is more your vibe, delve into the tunes IndustryMe editors Tom and Kloe think are worth your time this weekend.

Tom’s Picks

Monifé – Nothing Is The Same

Starting off my picks is this moody bit of R’n’B. Monifé’s delivery not only shows off her gorgeous vocals but also a confidence in her performance. This artist sells this tale of being done dirty and letting this situation stagnate. The synth-heavy production with a very present sprinkling of kick drums gives the track a real oomph to match the performance. The ad-libs and echoing vocal spots are nice additions to really sell this one.

Overmono & High Contrast – If We Ever

Three Welsh dance music icons come together to create this fresh version of a beloved D’n’B banger. What is different is the bassy synths that are sure to explode your eardrums at a live show. The duo knows how to take a classic, similar to what they did with ‘Turn The Page‘, and pay homage to the original, while not playing too much into nostalgia. I’m sure this has gone down a treat during festival season. I will be eager to have a dance to this in a rave very soon.

Buy the track here.

Nova Twins – Glory

Having first come across this duo back in 2020 when they collaborated with Bring Me The Horizon, I have enjoyed keeping up with their rise in the world of alt-rock. As the opener for the new album, ‘Parasites & Butterflies‘, this goes down nicely. Those wavey guitar riffs and toned-down/autotuned vocals match the sinister nature of the instrumental. In the second half, we get some energetic guitar playing and nice ad-libs to get things going. I will be interested to see what the rest of the new record sounds like.

Mnelia FT. Strandz – hold you down

The R’n’B/rap crossovers have made for some great music over the years, and this record stays true to the ethos. The reverberating background vocals make for an earworm of a beat, while the chemistry between these two is great. The moments when they come together on the chorus, in particular, hit that sweet spot. Mnelia puts in a good performance, bringing catchiness and fun, while Strandz’s calm delivery and nice flow are the cherry on top. A great collab and you will not get that beat out of your head, I promise.

Kojey Radical FT. Planet Giza – Expensive

It is not long till we get a new album from Kojey Radical, with previous singles like ‘Rule One‘ leaving us excited. Here we have a U.K./Canada crossover between an extremely talented artist and a group who you should definitely check out (Go listen to ‘Ready When You Are‘ after). That production provides smoothness in abundance that allows each artist to float over that beat, like they’re in the clouds. That chorus is catchy as hell, and the verses are the same. Nice to hear from this trio again, and as for Kojey, that new LP can’t come soon enough.

Kloe’s Picks

Ebubé – Dreamland

Rising R&B talent Ebubé has us hypnotised. Fresh off his solo debut EP ‘Slow Jam SZN’ the former No Guidnce member further showcases that he is a superb soloist. Here, he offers a track dedicated to the trance-like state you can fall into when falling in love. Armed with vocals akin to some of the all-time greats, this is a swoon-worthy single that melts all your doubts away about where the future of R&B is headed.

DESTIN CONRAD and Terrace Martin – wASH U AWAY

One of my favourite artists of this new era, DESTIN CONRAD has just dropped a jazz-infused R&B album, ‘wHIMSY‘, that is of serious quality. I didn’t expect anything less, and this 11 track project is brimming with songs worth noting. However, it is ‘wASH U AWAY’ with Terrace Martin that is going viral today. From the epic sax sounds throughout and a show-stopping instrumental solo at the end, to the energetic drumming that keeps listeners captivated – this single shows how live instrumentation still touches the heart. DESTIN opens up on his addiction to his lover despite their faults, “This ain’t nothin’ but another relapse.” he sings.

Tay Iwar – MERCY PLEASE

The world is Tay Iwar’s oyster at the moment. The Nigerian artist has joined the ranks of his country’s superstars taking the global music scene by storm. Today, the former Grammy nominee drops a new Afrobeat single ‘MERCY PLEASE‘, and it’s a sexy, lush sound. The young musician glides on the track despite being practically on his knees, begging the woman he is captivated by to take it easy with his heart. Get ready for an undeniable groove you’re going to want to move to.

Offica FT. Konshens – Gyal Over There 

Rap and dancehall come together splendidly in an unlikely collab that I can fully get behind. This is another club-ready single to add to Konshens’ impressive catalogue. The Jamaican dancehall don features on Nigerian-born, Ireland-raised Offica’s latest, with this artist departing from his traditional sound to showcase his versatility. This is a flirtatious, rhythmic single that is reminiscent of early 00’s R&B whilst still giving carnival vibes.

Alabama Shakes – Another Life

It feels like yesterday that an album called ‘Sound & Color‘ was booming through my headphones as a teen, emboldening my musical taste and giving me a feel for alt rock, blues, and folk sounds. That was 10 years ago and solidified me as a true Alabama Shakes stan, only for them to go quiet on us. But good news has come today – the trio are back in their first drop of the decade. ‘Another Life‘ is an ode to the many paths open to us in life and the choices we make and the what-ifs we leave behind. Genre-defying, vocally stunning, and in their trademark experimental style, the band have made a firm return.

Follow IndustryMe on Instagram, Threads, X, or YouTube. Press play on our First Listen Fridays playlist below to enjoy all our top picks. Read last week’s picks here. Don’t forget to follow the playlist on Spotify below or Apple Music.

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