Oculate UK's round-up of all the highlights in new music releases from the past week. Featuring KOKOROKO, Skepta, Barry Can't Swim, Wet Leg, Kojey Radical & more.

UK heavyweight Skepta is standing on business. After sparking a debate on UK vs. USA rap, Skepta has dropped his first diss track for Joyner Lucas: Friendly Fire.

Jim Legxacy has confirmed his new mixtape black british music (2025) will drop on July 18 via XL Recordings. It’s his biggest statement yet, building on years of raw storytelling and restless experimentation. With this release, he’s taking his place at the centre of a new generation shaping UK rap on their own terms.

England Women’s team and London-based jeweller Bazanetti have unveiled a limited-edition jewellery collection that captures the evolving spirit of modern football.

The 4th studio album finds Lorde transcending her past works with grit, intent and effortless emotional prowess.

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls are throwing out the usual F1 playbook this weekend. The team has brought on Nigerian-British street artist Slawn to reimagine their car, their racewear, and their entire Silverstone presence. The result is one of the boldest visual statements the paddock has ever seen.

Glastonbury 2025 was packed with surprise sets, emotional moments, and headline turns—from Loyle Carner’s heartfelt Other Stage therapy session to CMAT’s mass karaoke, JADE’s debut rebellion, The Prodigy’s rave resurrection, Lorde’s secret midday thrill, Skepta’s last-minute grime flex, and Kneecap’s protest-fuelled chaos. We hit the highlights and gave you the lowdown.

There’s no denying that it’s been a GREAT week for music, and what’s more, festival season is well and truly underway. Between Glastonbury week, the hottest summer we can remember since 2020, and the return of UK rap legend and national treasure J Hus, we’re sure you’re feeling pretty good today. Nonetheless, This Week In Music is going to make you feel even better. 

Mura Masa takes the north by storm on a three-leg tour, 'Local', powered by Relentless. We went along to the Bradford show to see what went down.

Aries has finally stepped back into the light, or maybe more accurately, into the fire. His new single ‘IN THE FLESH’ is jagged, cinematic, and totally unpredictable.

Royel Otis have dropped their latest single ‘car,' a stripped-down, sun-drenched track built on jangle-pop guitars and bittersweet goodbyes. Serving as the second preview of their upcoming album, hickey, which lands on 22nd August.

Frozemode have dropped their first track of 2025, and it’s a warning shot. “LOOKING AT US” is a loud, unfiltered blast of alt-rap fused with punk guitars and crowd-killing drums, building on their natural extension of the chaos they’ve built onstage over the past year.

Girl Group have released their debut EP, Think They’re Looking, Let’s Perform, six tracks of no-filter, high-energy alt-pop that flips the idea of the girlband on its head. It’s loud, bratty, and smart as hell.

Amethyst's remix is a clean shift. Teaming up with DJ Shafkkat, she’s given her EP standout “Loving Is A Crime” a house flip that trades slow-burn soul for dancefloor energy without losing her voice in the process.

Artist-producer J P Rose gives us a touching yet vibrant offering with his latest single, Lonely Soul, in honour of Mental Health Awareness Month

What a week. If the heat’s got you beat, now’s a good time to cool off with This Week In Music. Stick it on at the BBQ or while hiding from the sun. There’s something in here no matter your mood.

Loyle Carner opens his fourth album with two words: "beautiful accidents." It’s a small phrase that quietly captures everything this record is about.

Moon Panda return with Lost World, the first look at their upcoming album Dumb Luck, out 3 October. It’s a track full of doubt, fear and quiet clarity. What happens when the foundation you’ve built your life on begins to crack? That’s the question Maddy Myers puts under the microscope.

Fred again.. kicks off 2025 with Victory Lap, a heavy-hitting collab with Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax. It’s frantic, hooky and built to destroy dance floors.

Girls Don’t Sync are building their own system. ‘Our House’ is a tight, ecstatic reminder of what they do best: connect sound with bodies, and people with each other. After road-testing it for the past year at shows around the world, the Liverpool-based four-piece finally drops the track that’s become a permanent fixture in their live sets.

King Isis close their three-part chapter with SIRENITY, a compact and chaotic EP that doesn’t aim to resolve anything. Instead, it embraces discomfort, moving through indie grunge, R&B, acoustic alt-pop and distorted rock with help from Bartees Strange, Monte Booker, Greyskiin and Estelle Allen. It’s not an ending, it’s a reset.

Joey Valence & Brae return with ‘WASSUP,’ a wild new collab with JPEGMAFIA that mixes 90s rap, breakbeats and pure mayhem. It’s their first release since NO HANDS and sets the tone for their next era.

Oculate UK's round-up of all the highlights in new music releases from the past week. Featuring: AJ Tracey, Nxdia, Col3trane, Girls Don't Sync, Raghd & more.

If we needed a reminder of who’s dominating the UK rap scene right now, then Lotus does just that. Not that we ever forgot - it's Little Simz.

Oculate UK's round-up of all the highlights in new music releases from the past week. Featuring: Little Simz, Wunderhorse, LULU., Niko B & more.

Our favourite Aussie rockers Ocean Alley have today announced a new album titled 'Love Balloon', as well as treating us to the title track.

Oculate UK's round-up of all the highlights in new music releases from the past week. Featuring: Sammy Virji & Skepta, Obongjayar, Olivia Dean & more.

Kojey Radical has returned with his first new music since 2022's debut album, Reason To Smile. His swaggering new single 'Rule One', features fellow UK Rapper Bawo.

Vinyl’s smaller, sturdier cousin – the CD – was born in the late 1970s, but a recent survey from Key Production revealed that 46% of Generation Alpha listen to CDs.

Big Conspiracy is turning five, and in its honour J Hus is heading to the similarly iconic Royal Albert Hall on June 17th for a one-night-only show.

Niko B’s back, and he’s in love. Kind of. Hairclips is a synthy, sunlit track that swaps the ends for infatuation. It’s light on its feet, heavy on feeling, and lands with the charm only he can pull off.

Candy hits you with attitude. Claudia Valentina repurposes that iconic “Milkshake” line into a moody, bass‑heavy anthem about power and self‑assurance.

Young T & Bugsey start 2025 ready for summer as ‘His & Hers’ brings the Nottingham duo back with a sharp, bounce-heavy single featuring South London’s Loski, who jumped on the track after hearing an early cut and recording his verse on the spot.

As quickly as the last one left us, the next arrives. And no, we’re not just talking about our third bank holiday weekend landing quicker than the time it takes to queue for a pint in central London. We’re talking about the arrival of handfuls - no bucketfuls - of new releases that we’ve combed through with love and attention so that you can enjoy the start of this (very well-deserved, we’re sure) bank holiday weekend without even lifting a finger.

Since breaking out in the rap scene in 2016 with his debut album goodforyou, which included his hit ‘Caroline’, his musical output has always been extremely diverse in the various sounds and verses he explores. From dreamy trap songs produced by F1lthy to sultry duets with Summer Walker, he stands out beyond the masses. 

Minimalist, haunting, and heavy with yearning, the party 4 u music video captures everything it’s meant to be. An unfiltered portrait of emotional vulnerability.

For the second year running, the Emirates FA Cup has called upon none other than Slawn to embrace the spirit of the Final, and once again, he’s delivered in style.

Oculate UK's round-up of all the highlights in new music releases from the past week. Featuring: Wolf Alice, Aminé, Little Simz, Jay Prince, Lola Young & more.

Gearing up for Lotus, her highly anticipated fourth studio album, Little Simz treats fans to new single 'Young', alongside a must-see visual...

Jess Young has dropped Lost In You at exactly the right moment; not by chance, but by design. The London artist, producer and astrologer chose to release the track during May’s full flower moon in Scorpio, a time linked to endings and emotional release. The timing lines up with the song’s message: letting go, digging deep, and trying to balance risk with reality.

Fera’s new Dipper Capsule launches Thursday, 15 May 2025, bringing together utility gear, wildlife nods, and outdoorsy irreverence. Think lightweight vests, ripstop shorts, swallow-stitched bucket hats and nature-coded tees - all ready for festivals, fieldwork, or both.

Oculate UK's round-up of all the best new music releases from the past week. Featuring: PinkPantheress, Loyle Carner, Nectar Woode, Venna, CMAT & more.

Since the pandemic over 28,000 licensed venues have closed in the UK, and ultimately, venues are closing because people simply aren’t going. We need to go out and get ugly.

Edge of Earth and Octavious Marks New York (OMNEWYORK) debut their first footwear collaboration, a bold suede mule design that blends global craftsmanship with streetwear flair. 

Oculate UK's round-up of all the highlights in new music releases from the past week. Featuring Jorja Smith, Wretch 32, Mychelle, Olympia Vitalis & more.

Jonatan is an ode to the last decade of Yung Lean, defining a new era and paying homage to everything that came before.

Currently moving in his own lane, driving forwards to the sound of ‘KT.FM’, the Battersea-based artist has channelled his musical vision...

SL’s latest single, Paranoia, continues the shift he started with Robbery. This isn’t just another track, it’s the next piece in an ongoing narrative. One that’s getting darker, tighter, and more personal.

Nia Archives launches her own label, Up Ya Archives, with a punchy debut single “Get Loose” featuring Bristol’s rising jungle artist Cheetah. Combining soca energy with bass-heavy jungle rhythms, it marks the start of a new chapter in her mission to spotlight new-gen junglism.

Versatile, Personal and Exuding Confidence. A Belting Debut Album from Finn Foxell.