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Brannen Follows Debut Success with Melodic House Single “Keep Dancing With Me”

Sistra News Team
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Brannen Follows Debut Success with Melodic House Single “Keep Dancing With Me”

Scotland – Scottish producer, musician and drummer Brannen returns with “Keep Dancing With Me,” a melodic and emotive house track centred on living in the moment and holding onto the fleeting experiences that make life meaningful.

Following the strong early response to his debut single “Tulips,” Brannen continues to develop his signature blend of warm melodies, atmospheric production and progressive house influences. Clocking in at 124 BPM in G major, the new track pairs an uplifting instrumental with an expressive vocal performance, sitting comfortably between melodic house and the deeper, more emotive side of dance music.

Vocals were recorded with sound engineer Brian Hurren, while mixing and mastering were handled by Jack Wiles at Moonshift Audio, delivering a polished, club-ready finish that retains the track’s emotional character.

“Tulips” earned international coverage, radio support and curator interest, surpassing 2,000 Spotify streams. Reviews described it as “stunning melodic house, immersive and beautifully paced” (BOPS), “the best possible fusion of a drummer’s instinct and melodic house production” (Introvert Disco), and proof “that house music can move your body while quietly getting under your skin” (Musikepool). Further praise came from The Musical Road, Sistra and Testing Melodies.

With growing momentum around the project, “Keep Dancing With Me” marks a clear next step in Brannen’s developing sound, melodic, atmospheric and emotionally driven, while keeping the organic musicality that runs through his work. For blogs and curators seeking melodic electronic music with genuine emotion, strong songwriting and a dancefloor pulse, it is a release to discover.

About Brannen
Brannen is a Scottish producer, musician and drummer creating melodic, organic and emotive electronic music. Drawing on more than 20 years of musical experience, he combines atmospheric production and emotional melodies with the rhythmic instincts of a live drummer. His debut single “Tulips” received strong early support from independent media, radio and curators. “Keep Dancing With Me” continues that trajectory.

“Keep Dancing With Me” is available now.

Tony Frissore and AXIOM Confront Service, Identity and Disillusionment on New Single “Stolen Valor”

Sistra News Team
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Tony Frissore and AXIOM Confront Service, Identity and Disillusionment on New Single “Stolen Valor”

Dark trip-hop collaboration pairs AXIOM’s spoken-word reflection with Frissore’s
cinematic production

Producer Tony Frissore and rapper/spoken-word artist AXIOM will release Stolen Valor, a somber trip-hop collaboration examining military service, identity, and the complicated emotions that can emerge when deeply held beliefs about an institution collide with
the direction that institution is taking.

Built around a slow, funk-inflected groove, atmospheric synthesizers, and distant sirens, Stolen Valor provides the backdrop for AXIOM’s intensely personal reflection on his career and his experience navigating today’s Department of Defense.

Rather than using “stolen valor” in its traditional sense, the artists turn the phrase inward.
“The question at the center of the record is what happens when someone who genuinely served begins to feel that the meaning they attached to that service is being taken away from them,” said Frissore. “AXIOM put that conflict into words. I built the music around them.”
The song does not attempt to speak on behalf of veterans or the broader military community.
AXIOM’s performance reflects his own experience, including his hurt, anger, and shame as he considers his career against developments within the Trump administration’s Department of Defense.

Frissore’s production deliberately leaves those tensions unresolved.
“We made Stolen Valor because there were things we were struggling to say in ordinary
conversation,” Frissore and AXIOM said in a joint statement. “Our experiences gave us
friendships, purpose, opportunities and identities that neither of us takes lightly. This record comes from trying to reconcile that history with what we see happening around us now. We aren’t asking anyone to agree with us. We’re documenting what that conflict feels like from inside it.”

Musically, Stolen Valor occupies the darker edge of trip-hop and alternative hip-hop, combining downtempo funk with cinematic sound design and spoken word. Its sonic territory recalls artists including Massive Attack, Tricky and UNKLE, while AXIOM’s narrative places the record within a distinctly American military experience.
The single arrives October 30, ahead of the November 3 U.S. midterm elections and Veterans
Day on November 11. Its creators intend the record not as an answer to the questions
surrounding service and institutional loyalty, but as an invitation to confront them.
STOLEN VALOR

Artist/Producer: Tony Frissore
Featuring: AXIOM
Release Date: October 30, 2026
Genre: Trip-Hop / Alternative Hip-Hop / Downtempo Funk
For Fans Of: Massive Attack, Tricky, UNKLE
Available: Spotify, Apple Music, and major streaming platforms.

Availability:

The single is available as of October 30th, 2026, on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms.

Ooberfuse Release “Electrify” A Timely Electronic Pop Statement

Sistra News Team
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Ooberfuse Release “Electrify” A Timely Electronic Pop Statement

London, UK – London electronic pop duo Ooberfuse release “Electrify” on 9 October, timed ahead of World Mental Health Day. The single confronts anxiety, the pressure to conform, and what happens when disagreement is treated as a problem to diagnose.

“Electrify is about making room for people to speak and be heard,” says Hal St John.

Built on the duo’s signature alternative electronic pop sound, the track pairs socially outspoken songwriting with an urgent, contemporary production. An accompanying video by filmmaker Haydn West combines analogue film, live performance and selective AI animation in an ambitious DIY production that mirrors the song’s themes of expression and resistance to enforced uniformity.

Ooberfuse, from Woolwich, London, have built a reputation as a powerful live act, performing hundreds of shows worldwide. They are equally at home in front of 2 million people in Madrid, in one of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, or before the House of Lords. Recent touring has taken them across the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Canada, the Philippines, China, India, Romania and Iraq. Prestigious UK stages include the O2 in Greenwich, Leicester Square Theatre and the London Palladium. They have completed two national UK tours supporting Heather Small (M People) and The Overtones.

Support for their music has come from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 2, Music Week, Rolling Stone India, Guardian Music and DJ Mag. Greenbelt Festival described them as “one of the hottest acts… Loved everywhere from DJ Magazine to BBC Introducing. They’ve made a record ft Snoop Dogg about homelessness and even the Pope is a fan.”

With “Electrify,” Ooberfuse continue their commitment to electronic pop that carries a clear social voice while delivering strong melodies and live energy.

About Ooberfuse
Ooberfuse is an alternative electronic pop songwriting duo from Woolwich, London. Known for socially engaged songwriting and powerful live performances, they have played major stages including the London Palladium and the O2, toured extensively across multiple continents, and received support from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 2 and international press. “Electrify” continues their focus on music that makes space for honest expression.

“Electrify” is available now.

R. Nelson Expands a Single Idea into a Full Conversation with the “Cup Of Tea” EP

Sistra News Team
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R. Nelson Expands a Single Idea into a Full Conversation with the “Cup Of Tea” EP

Washington, DC – R&B artist, songwriter, and producer R. Nelson releases Cup Of Tea, a six-track R&B/soul EP that transforms one soulful album cut into an extended conversation. The project features alternate interpretations, a female response, and the collaboration “I Didn’t Change, I Expanded” with Geese Da Goon.

Rather than simply reworking a song, Cup Of Tea opens the original idea into multiple perspectives and emotional layers. The result is a cohesive, reflective EP that prioritises atmosphere, intention and honesty over trends.

R. Nelson is a Washington, DC-based artist known for blending reflective storytelling with emotionally layered production. His music centres on vulnerability, growth, relationships, accountability and the quiet emotional moments many people experience but rarely discuss. Drawing from classic soul traditions while embracing modern sound design, he creates records built around mood, tension and cinematic scale. Traditional songwriting sits alongside contemporary production tools and AI-assisted workflows as part of a broader creative process focused on emotion and narrative.

Previous releases including “Gravity,” “Why Are You So Beautiful” and “Do I Deserve Love” have helped him build an international audience, earning support from independent curators, radio stations, playlist networks and music blogs across multiple countries. Operating independently under Ashy Knuckle Productions, R. Nelson approaches music as both storytelling and emotional documentation.

His wider creative world sits under the Nelson Creative Group umbrella, which connects music, media and apparel through themes of individuality, intentionality and authentic expression.

“There’s weight in the quiet. Power in the pause. Intention behind every line.”

With Cup Of Tea, R. Nelson continues developing a catalogue rooted in real experience, emotional depth and timeless feeling.

About R. Nelson
R. Nelson is a Washington, DC-based R&B artist, songwriter and producer whose work blends classic soul influences with modern production and reflective storytelling. His songs explore vulnerability, growth, relationships, and the quiet emotional spaces between confidence and doubt. Operating independently under Ashy Knuckle Productions and the broader Nelson Creative Group, he focuses on atmosphere, intention, and authentic expression. Cup Of Tea is his latest EP.

Cup Of Tea is available now on major platforms.

Elias Dream Unveils Dark Cinematic Story-Song “Serra”

Sistra News Team
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Elias Dream Unveils Dark Cinematic Story-Song “Serra”

Elias Dream releases “Serra,” a gripping narrative track that blends direct conversational rap with powerful rock elements and cinematic production.

“Serra” follows a disturbing progression from attention to obsession, stalking, and threat. Tension builds steadily as the story unfolds, driven by conversational rap that pushes the narrative forward while guitars, cinematic textures, and the distinctive Hammond organ sound create an increasingly intense atmosphere.

At its core, the track embodies what Elias Dream is about: songs that feel like short films emotional, visual, and propelled by a story that leaves listeners wanting to know what happens next.

Elias Dream is a storytelling-oriented artist who combines rap, melodic singing, rock influences and cinematic production. The project centres on songs that unfold like short films, exploring themes of love, loss, fear, hope and the difficult decisions that can change a life. A recurring signature of the Elias Dream sound is the warm, organic character of the Hammond B3 with Leslie, which provides a distinctive contrast to modern production. Rather than simply describing emotions, Elias Dream constructs scenes, characters and turning points designed to draw the listener into the story.

With “Serra,” the artist delivers another tightly crafted piece of narrative-driven music that prioritises atmosphere, character and escalating tension.

About Elias Dream
Elias Dream is a storytelling-focused artist whose work blends rap, melodic vocals, rock elements and cinematic production. His songs unfold like short films, centred on emotional narratives of love, loss, fear, hope and life-changing decisions. A hallmark of the sound is the warm, organic Hammond B3 with Leslie, which contrasts with contemporary production techniques. “Serra” continues this approach of creating immersive, character-driven stories in song form.

“Serra” is available now on major platforms.

Album: Thoughts Of Love by Weslie Brown & Her Band of Men

Abdelrahman Khaled
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Album: Thoughts Of Love by Weslie Brown & Her Band of Men

At the peak of her buzz in late-1980s Los Angeles, Weslie Brown stepped onto a ship and vanished, leaving it all behind to sail around the world. She had been a headliner on the city’s artsy, experimental scene alongside names like Sandra Bernhard, Lydia Lunch and Katey Sagal, playing underground venues such as the Lhasa Club and The Anti-Club. Thoughts of Love, released on September 18th by Barton Avenue Records, finally presents ten recordings from that era with Her Band of Men, restored with modern audiophile technology. It is the first full-length in a series of never-before-heard archival releases, and it follows her debut EP Theatrical Jazz.

There is so much to love about this album that it is hard to know where to start, but the first song that made my ears perk up was “Will My Survival.” It is incredibly catchy and danceable, and I couldn’t help myself; I had to get up and move to it. It is amazing how, with such simple textures, such a rich song can be created. It all comes down to the composition, with great melodies and incredible groove from the piano and bass. Here the band of men is really working it to support Weslie’s amazing vocals.

“Run Run Run” follows swiftly, and it’s safe to say I did not expect it to be a musical theater number. That is just me being ignorant, since I had no idea her debut EP was titled Theatrical Jazz. I deeply enjoyed it. I thought the pacing was amazing, and it created such a vivid image in my head, which is what musical theater is all about.

What really pushed this album over the top for me, however, was “Ships.” That song is pure magic. It feels otherworldly in a unique way that only Weslie Brown can do, as if a force of nature were singing, with the harmony sustained in the background like fog through its drone sounds. It is simply ethereal and goosebump-inducing.

Brown, a Berklee graduate, later composed multiple full-length stage musicals and wrote songs for the film I Hate Musicals, and her songs have appeared on Dexter and Charmed. The album pairs her originals with hand-picked standards across a tight 30 minutes. Thematically, the songs are about love from multiple angles and perspectives, and sonically it is an absolute delight, with variation from straightforward great jazz tunes to theatrical pieces to danceable songs. It is an easy recommendation to any music lover.

 

 

Album: Bright Colors by Trevor Robertson

Abdelrahman Khaled
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Album: Bright Colors by Trevor Robertson

An album called Bright Colors might sound cheerful, but bassist and composer Trevor Robertson wrote it out of loss. The music emerged from consecutive periods of great loss and growth in his life, and it pays tribute to his departed loved ones while exploring mortality, grief, and the celebration of life. Released on August 7th, it was recorded live in 2025 at Ornithology Jazz Club, Scholes Street Studio, and the Brooklyn Public Library, with a quintet of Hina Oikawa on saxophone, Seoyeon Im on violin, Charles Colizza on guitar, and Ben Freidkin on drums alongside Robertson himself.

The title track comes first, and it sets expectations not to set expectations, because this album is wildly unpredictable. Given the length of each song, there is honestly an entire album of ideas in each one, though not texturally, since the textures stay mostly similar across the record. It feels like a live set of great musicians pushing the boundaries of improvisation and live composition in a very avant-garde fashion, so the title is very fitting.

Seoyeon Im gets to really shine on “Hyacinth Season,” taking the main head melody and the lead melodies and emoting in a tender, delicate way. It is probably my favorite song on the album. My second favorite is the funky “On,” where Robertson’s bass work is incredible in the pocket and gives the lead instruments an intuitive rhythm section to take things away from. “More Powerful Than You Can Possibly Imagine” approaches noir territory with its dark and brooding harmony. Speaking of brooding, Colizza gets some really long, melodic solos on this one that feel lonely, even with sophisticated harmony accompanying them throughout.

The range of ideas is wide. The album’s description points to polyphonic counterpoint, experimental noise and free improvisation, Afro-Cuban Bembe-derived grooves, drum-and-bass beats in the style of Roni Size, and swing approaching 400 bpm alternating with headbanging halftime rock grooves. Robertson’s bass heroes include Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Christian McBride, and Edgar Meyer, and he alternates between arco and pizzicato in his solos.

This is a very challenging album that requires you to sit down and actively listen, and it doesn’t try to grab your attention with shiny hooks. It really is a conversation between accomplished musicians, and if you tune in, you’ll be rewarded. Robertson, a two-time winner of the Local Arts Support Grant from Brooklyn Arts Council and co-host of the “Jazz in the Basement” jam session in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, has made a record that earns that attention.

 

Inner Child ft. Emmie te Pas by D’Z

Abdelrahman Khaled
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Inner Child ft. Emmie te Pas by D’Z

Some songs wait a long time for the right moment. Drummer, songwriter, and producer Hans-Peter de Zeeuw, who records as D’Z, wrote “Inner Child” more than thirty years ago and has only now released it on September 25th. The Arnhem artist calls it a children’s song for adults, a joyful piece about rediscovering the playfulness, harmony and simplicity that daily life tends to push out. Dutch jazz vocalist and songwriter Emmie te Pas sings the lyrics, and the whole thing plays like a short trip back to a calmer time.

The band has incredible groove chemistry, and the musicianship is top-notch. The pure joy in the performance is infectious, and it is practically impossible not to smile the whole way through. There is a clear gospel influence in the vocals and in the arrangement as a whole, music as medicine for the soul.

That arrangement is a rich and warm tapestry, built from D’Z  on drums, Emmie te Pas on lead vocals with backing vocals from her and D’Z, Hananja Olthuis on bass, Jasper Mellema on keys, and Kjell Jacobson on guitars. A string quartet adds to the weave, with Roland Heijligers on first violin, Miriam Peeters on second violin, Victor Brasoveanu on viola and Alain Plasschaert on cello. Percussionist Jeroen de Rijk, who has worked with George Duke, Bruno Mars and Michael Jackson, joins as a special guest. D’Z  handled the composition, arrangement, production and lyrics himself.

Working this way suits him. As a non-vocalist, D’Z  picks the right voice for each song, and here that voice is Emmie te Pas, who carries the longing for simplicity at the center of the lyric. His earlier work includes “ONE,” which won Best Jazz Single at the AEE Music Awards, and a reimagined version of George Michael’s “Freedom” with Sandra St. Victor that picked up nine nominations and awards.

“Inner Child” is a warm, light-hearted addition to that catalogue, and a good pick for anyone who needs a mood lift. Given how long it waited to be heard, it’s good to finally have it out.

Ólekú by Sayralex

Abdelrahman Khaled
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Ólekú by Sayralex

A song about betrayal that makes you want to dance is an unusual thing, and that contrast is the whole idea behind “Ólekú.” Lagos Afrobeat artist Sayralex released it on September 18th, and he built it around the hurt of trust being broken by someone close, then turned that experience into energy and rhythm. In her own words, betrayal may hurt, but it does not have to break you. The song is about refusing to be defined by it and finding the energy to keep moving.

The groove is incredible here, which is not surprising, honestly, given the talent behind the song. These are musicians channeling what makes this genre so incredible, working at the renowned Sambol Studio in Lagos. If someone introduces me to a song by saying it’s inspired by Fela Kuti, I’m going to set high expectations for deeply soulful music, and “Ólekú” clears them with flying colors, quite literally, because it is a very colorful song.

Producer Akindimeji Samuel Onasanya shaped the track around a strong, groove-driven Afrobeat foundation, and it was released through Sambol Production Company. Sayralex sings in Yoruba, which gives the song a cultural identity and a natural rhythmic quality, while keeping the emotional message direct. Beyond Fela Kuti, the influences she names are Hugh Masekela, the Lijadu Sisters and Angélique Kidjo, but the stated goal is to build on those artists and not imitate them, leaving room for Sayralex and Onasanya to develop a contemporary sound of their own.

The production aim was to keep things simple, getting the balance right between rhythm, vocal expression and emotion so that the performance feels genuine and the production supports the story without getting in its way.

There are no confirmed live dates yet, though Sayralex and her team say they are exploring opportunities to bring the song to audiences in person. For now, “Ólekú” is an easy recommendation for Afrobeat fans.

Electrify by Ooberfuse

Abdelrahman Khaled
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Electrify by Ooberfuse

What happens when disagreeing with someone gets treated as a symptom? That question sits at the center of “Electrify,” the new single from London electronic pop duo Ooberfuse, released on October 9th, just ahead of World Mental Health Day. Written by Cherrie Anderson and Hal St John, the song takes on anxiety, the pressure to conform and the way a different opinion can end up labelled as a problem to be managed.

St John says modern life can leave anyone anxious, exhausted or overwhelmed, and that mental health deserves to be taken seriously. His concern is that the language of mental health can sometimes be used to silence a person who disagrees, which he describes as a form of social control. The song is about “making room for people to speak and be heard,” and it asks how freely anyone can speak when being different risks being labelled. The demand to keep up, stay productive, and fit in can leave people overwhelmed and reluctant to admit it, so the song links personal freedom with the need for compassion.

That outlook is consistent with the rest of their work. Ooberfuse, who come from Woolwich, previously released “Hard Times” with Snoop Dogg, a song about homelessness that drew on filmmaker David Fussell’s experience of living on London’s streets. Their 2026 EP Songs of Courage, featuring Cameroonian musician Abdel Tchatchet, looked at displacement, grief and belonging. In each case, the duo returns to people whose experiences are too easily reduced to labels, and “Electrify” turns that attention toward a more intimate question of whether people feel safe enough to be themselves.

The release comes with a campaign called Dangerous Minds: The Electrify Sessions, running through October, and an official video by British filmmaker Haydn West. West shot live performance footage on a hacked Panasonic GH2, combined it with analogue photographs taken on an Olympus Pen EE2-S, and used AI selectively to animate some of the stills and create one extra image. The result is a DIY production that blends older cameras with new tools, for a song that asks whether anyone is prepared to listen.

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