Emily Hamilton is the daughter of Chinese-Malaysian and New Zealand born parents, who immigrated to Australia at an early age. Encouraged by them, she began her musical journey at the keys of her family piano. Ultimately, armed with just a MIDI-keyboard and a Macbook, San Mei was born. She describes her current musical direction as ‘guitar heavy, delay ridden, dreamy pop’. Basically, this means: listen for yourself to find out.

Her new single Hard To Face is an excellent reason to start checking her out, if you didn’t already. It was produced by Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy, Ali Barter, Alex Lahey), and introduces her upcoming EP.

With Hard To Face, San Mei brings awareness to a widely relatable feeling that is not often articulated. “It felt like every time I looked around everyone else was kicking goals and ticking boxes”, she explains. “And I just felt kind of stuck, and wanted to be where they were or have what they had.” Hard To Face was born out of that frustration. “It felt good to write a song about it. Not that I don’t struggle from time to time, but I think focusing on all the positive things in life helps negate those feelings. I’m learning that having perspective and gratitude is vital in keeping a healthy state of mind.”

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

The last, say, ten years, radio has been changing more rapidly than ever before. Thank (or blame) the arrival of streaming and other alternative ways of discovering music for that. But radio used to be slow business, which may make it hard sometimes to them to accept (and adopt to) new realities. In this changing environment, music directors like artists to stay true to themselves. In other words: to continue doing what they did, thus providing some sort of stability, music-wise.

However, artists are creative people, who like to re-invent themselves from time to time. Personally, I love them for that.

Take Mattie Vant, for example. The first incarnation of his band Vant was a pure rock outfit. A few years later, older and wiser however, he decided to surround himself with other musicians and infuse his songs with electronic elements. This resulted in his second album Conceived In The Sky, which already features four singles. The fifth one, Best Friends, should be a no brainer for radio. It’s mid-tempo, and has a vocal melody as sweet as honey. With guitars providing an edge to the track, this is as pop as Vant will ever be.

Recommended as well:
Vant – Mary Don’t Mind
Vant – Exoskeleton
Vant – Propaganda Machine
Vant  Beetlebum / Talk Like Thunder

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

How many bands do you know that still exist 34 years after their break-through hit? Nada Surf never ceased being popular, thanks to a career full of great songs and loyal fans. They release a new album every few years, making upcoming long-player Never Not Together (7 February) their ninth.

Something I Should Do was a very fine introduction to the album, but So Much Love deserves to be a bona fide hit. It’s a radio-friendly song with gentle guitars, pretty piano progressions and a captivating chorus.

“So Much Love is a song that celebrates good will between people”, says Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws. “Sometimes it can be hard to remember that it’s there. But it’s all around us. A little tolerance and acceptance can be built on. Small gestures add up. We’re good at love and being kind. It comes naturally to us, but so do other things. You just have to keep looking for the right way to lean.”

Recommended as well:
Nada Surf – Something I Should Do

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

Following last year’s great single Before It Goes Dark, Northampton’s Sarpa Salpa just put out their debut EP Say Something. The catchy title track is the band’s new single. A bass-based banger with soaring synths. With Say Something, Sarpa Salpa created another upbeat, danceable track. Expect unexpected changes, hidden meanings and undeniable influences from the likes of Everything Everything, Tame Impala and Foals.

Recommended as well:
Sarpa Salpa – Before It Goes Dark

For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.