Best New Artists of the Month

When we first heard El Paso singer Khalid, he was 17 years old, going by the name Kai!, and releasing acoustic demos like this one. Those demos were promising, but on "Location," Khalid's potential is fully realized over a simple, thumping beat produced by Syk Sense, Tunji Ige, and Smash David. Khalid has a classically soulful voice, but instead of creating retro music reeking of the past, he seems to have his sights set firmly on the future.

Indigo 2 hits from the jump—the opening bars of the EP's first track "GrownBwoy" is a chorus of machine guns and creeeping synths and set the tone for everything that follows. Lil West is riding on the furthest edge of modern rap, and he's pushing it in the right direction. That opener is pretty ruthless, but things get even better on the Night Lovell-featuring "Fukk!!CodeRed" and "2BADHOES."

This is music for strobe lights and late nights, even if the 17-year-old isn't old enough to hit the clubs quite yet. The DMV is rising, and Lil West is one of the reasons why.

British independent label Big Dada is best known for releasing experimental electronic music and underground rap from the U.K. and beyond. With Samuel, however, they have come up trumps with a different sound.

Brought up in Ireland, and now based in South London, the singer teamed up with producers Kwes, Lockah, and Okzharp for his new EP Luv Cry, and on songs like "Killr" the production stands out from the very start. "The producers I work with have an optimism threading through their makings that I relate to," Samuel told us, and combining his talents with theirs, he delivers a unique blend of heartfelt pop, R&B, and endlessly evolving production.

The Luv Cry EP is out June 10.

We don't know much about Lance Skiiiwalker yet, but the fact that he's TDE's next new artist speaks volumes about what to expect. And true to form, what we've heard so far ("Speed" and "Could It Be") has been excellent.

The songs are complex, surprising constructions that defy singular classification. We can tell Lance likes finding a groove and riding it—the second half of "Could It Be" is great for that reason—but he's not afraid to lean in to some Thundercat-style dissonance on "Speed."

Those pining for rock's golden years will find solace in Trudy and the Romance. The Liverpudlian band is full of jangly guitar riffs and wildly expressive vocals. "He Sings" is especially raucous, displaying the bands ability to work as a cohesive unit, stopping and starting on a dime to great emotional effect. But the dynamics only set the scene—their love of Jonathan Richman and King Krule shines through in the vocals, and the result is an electrifying new voice for rock's near future.

"We wanted noise, ruckus," they said of "He Sings." "It’s a bit of a mad love song really. It’s a slapper, stomper. It’s a good one for the dance floor."

Promise Keeper makes music steeped in the the sounds of the past. From the film noir feel of his press photo to the slinky, late night funk of “Porous Silk,” the London-based artist is carving out his niche with his debut release, out May 27 via Fnord. Promise Keeper is joined by a mystery female singer on both “Porous Silk” and “Side Decide,” their smooth vocals intertwining with the crisp drums, sharp guitar, and keys.

See the unique answers Promise Keeper gave when we interviewed him here.

British trio Strong Asian Mothers (Amer, Josh, and Kalim) have been friends since childhood, and they sounds as if they're having a lot of fun making music together on their latest EP, Lynx Africa. Pounding percussion, vibrant synths, and even a bombastic brass section gives their music an infectious energy—perfect festival stage fare.

London-based artist Anna Straker only has one song out, but she's already showcased her talents by handling back-up vocals for other major acts like Years & Years and Rudimental. Her first single "Late Night Swimming" is one of those songs that sounds exactly like the title suggests—it's cool, mischievous, and a little dark while still maintaining an upbeat vibe. It's a great introduction, and the fact that Straker wrote, sang, and produced this one herself is proof that she's more than a back-up singer.

Since relocating to Nashville from New York City, Jonny P has been churning out an excellent array of modern blues. It's a timeless sound that's exceedingly easy on the ears when done right, and Jonny P is doing it right.

"I don’t think it’s anything negative to pull inspiration from other eras," he told us. "I hope people do that from us living now. But at the end of the day, we have the opportunity to advance the story of a genre and we have to do that."

The Love List Presents: Jonny P from The Love List Presents on Vimeo.