Music

Hear Lydo’s adrenaline-fuelled blend of fast techno and trance
Hard beats with sweet melodies from the Brooklyn DJ and designer.

Rated by The Face: a weekly playlist
Listen to ferocious lyrics from Megan Thee Stallion’s alter ego Suga, the latest from Afropop artist Darkoo and a climate crisis anthem from Kelly Lee Owens.

Soccer Mommy makes “perfect little songs about being bummed out”
New album color theory is a synesthetic portrait of the 22-year-old singer-songwriter’s demons, but it’s not all doom and gloom.

Paris’ rowdiest rap party pick the capital’s best MCs
Club night Yard select six French rappers who always get the function turnt up.

An oral history of Frank Ocean’s former songwriting alias, Lonny Breaux
Frank Ocean got his first taste of the music industry as a songwriter in the latter half of the ’00s. Collaborators detail first impressions of a young Lonny Breaux, his studio ethic and eventual rise to worldwide success.

Listen to London-via-Sheffield DJ Nyra’s unpredictable, club-inspired mix
Fresh from playing at London’s much-loved Adonis party, the former professional cyclist joins the Face Mix series.

Lyrical gangsta: Darkoo
Volume 4 Issue 003: The London rapper is riding music’s global collaboration wave and fucking with gender in her own easy way.

The Jaiy Twins are The 1975’s secret weapon
The band’s fans can’t get enough of the dancing duo.

Doja Cat is doing it for the fans
The Juicy rapper pays homage to Haley Sharpe in the video for her new track Say So – the 17-year-old helped the track go viral on TikTok via a dance that was copied over 16 million times.

Rated by The Face: a weekly playlist
A brand new banger from the legendary Gaga, a genre-bending track from experimental duo 100 gecs and the return of London-via-Eastbourne collective, 404 Guild.

6 Figure Gang: the UK’s most exciting club music crew
Volume 4 Issue 003: Dobby, Fauzia, Sherelle, Jossy Mitsu, LCY and Yazzus are the London DJs tearing up dancefloors nationwide.

Listen to Justin Cudmore’s potent house cocktail
Proper club bangers from the Brooklyn-based DJ/producer.

Watch 404 Guild’s video for bittersweet single, Perfect Dark
The left-field, London-based rap collective returned to Eastbourne for this tender new track from subsidiary group Elison 404. Watch exclusively via The Face.

How emo made a comeback
From the fervour surrounding My Chemical Romance’s reunion gigs to TikTok’s E-Boys and E-Girls – via Billie Eilish’s green and black hair – emo is back. Here’s how and why.

The proud tradition of alter egos in female rap
Both Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj have announced new personas, continuing a culture of female rappers channelling unfiltered anger through fictional characters.

100% Shaybo: UK rap’s new queen bee
London’s self-proclaimed Queen of the South affirms her crown with her latest track Anger, out now.

“I represent the culture”: uniting music scenes with YouTube’s Tuma Basa
When Octavian met Burna Boy: an all-star Excellence Brunch shows how the video platform is bridging the gaps between artists, audiences and wider music communities around the world.

Ten TikTok smashes: the viral hits that gave obscure artists their 15 seconds of fame
Volume 4 Issue 003: From Lil Nas X to Ashnikko, we chart ten musicians who‘ve gained meteoric commercial success off the back of the video-sharing app.

Rated by The Face: a weekly playlist
Listen to fresh indie pop from Jay Som, a slinky tune from Nigerian star Rema and Manchester's finest Aitch at his best.

KSI is the bandana-wearing YouTube star turned rapper
Volume 4 Issue 003: With the third-most followed music channel in the UK (behind Ed Sheeran and One Direction), KSI has transitioned from bedroom gamer right to the very top.

Hip-hop’s go-to producer Pi’erre Bourne picks ten moments of pure musical perfection
The producer rapper on music that hits him where it heals.

Weatherall Report #1
Andrew Weatherall, 6th April 1963 – 17th February 2020.

Man Alive! King Krule returns with some of his finest songwriting to date
Review: Archy Marshall’s third album as King Krule looks forward, leaving as many doors open as it does closed. Was he born in a barn??