HELLO 2020! The Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMA’s) are back for another edition, but first we dive into ten exciting releases we’ve picked out for you. This month’s playlist includes everything from hip hop, metal, electronic are more.

In alphabetical order:

Alice Bentley - Come Up

Bursting with an anthemic pop sensibility, underpinned by an incredibly catchy guitar line, ‘Come Up’ is the debut single from singer/songwriter Alice Bentley. Akin to the glorious indie-pop of Clean Cut Kid and The 1975, the track is enough to shake off the winter blues in favour of the sunshine.

Check Masses - DRIPN ANGEL

Combining three people who have helped shape the sound of Edinburgh’s local music scene, Check Masses pull these experiences and eclectic influences to create their debut single ‘DRIPN ANGEL’. A mix of dub, reggae and psych, the track is an enchanting listening that takes you down the Check Masses rabbit hole.

Coping Mechanism - Silver Spooners

The new project from Phillip Taylor of PAWS, Coping Mechanism is quite a departure from his previous works. Crooning over a harsh drum machine, the added electronic sounds inject a new kind of tension into ‘Silver Spooners’. An atmospheric and airy journey, the track stops dead in an anticlimax but offers an interesting look into what’s to come from this project.

Inferiem - Burning Gold

Following from a successful 2019 in which they won the Best Metal Award at the SAMA’s, Motherwell based Inferiem are set to continue their trajectory through the local metal scene. With the latest single ‘Burning Gold’ hitting streaming services just in time for their support slot with Godeater in Glasgow, the quintet will be taking no prisoners.

KLEOPATRA - Ukiyo

Shaking things up with her commanding presence on stage and online, the mysterious KLEOPATRA has released her first single into the world. Fusing dark atmospheric synth line with a stunning vocal performance ‘Ukiyo’ is a deep dive into the Kleopatra’s world. Based on a Japanese concept of the same name the track referring to urban life in the Edo-period. Aligning it in a modern context, the artist brings something fresh and invigorating to the table.

Kryptik - Shattered Dreams

The new project coming from producer/rapper Lloyd Ross (Delivery Room), Kryptik’s debut single ‘Shattered Dreams’ starts off on its strongest foot. With an intense string sample guiding the track throughout, as the anticipation builds Ross does not hold back with his relentless rhymes and bars. A look into a personal history of alcoholism and fragmented family life, Shattered Dreams offers a pocket of hope within the troubles.

Listening Satellites - Ascending

Following from their 2018 release Everything is a Glitch, this new EP entitled ‘Sun Mirrored Sky’, from Inverness outfit Listening Satellites has been eagerly awaited. A highlight from the EP has got to be the ethereal ‘Ascending’, which is coated in washes of synths and beautiful pads. Like the crashing of waves on a secluded beach, ‘Ascending’ is a slice of sheer magnificence.

Misty Galactic - Issues

Based in Edinburgh but originally from Dundee, Misty brings a culmination of trap beats and an eerie melodies in this latest track ‘Issues’. The young artist blends pop sensibility with a dark twist that gives the track an extra element.

Spinning Coin - Ghosting

Evoking the ramshackle spirit of Edwyn Collins and Teenage Fanclub, Spinning Coin’s latest single ‘Ghosting’ is a delightful and energetic track. Embellished with a wall of instrumentation, the vocal and guitar melodies intertwine and complement each other throughout.

Stanley Odd - Where They Lie

Over a hypnotic drum loop, laid under a pulsating bassline, “Where They Lie” is the latest effort from Edinburgh hip-hop heavy weights Stanley Odd. This latest single is a well produced slice of homegrown hip-hop, and an exciting look at what’s to come in 2020.