2plumdum is back with his latest track ‘Resonates’, and it’s already become one of my go-to tracks. The Alabama-based artist has smashe it here, incorporating hip-hop and pop to create a sound that’s both fresh and infectious.
‘Resonates’ features the combination of sharp lyrics and smooth flows. From the first listen, it’s clear that 2plumdum has a talent for writing memorable, punchy lyrics that stick with you. The beat is just as catchy—foot-tapping from start to finish, with a smooth production style that complements the vocals perfectly. It’s one of those tracks that gets stuck in your head in the best way.
Released on February 19, 2025, ‘Resonates’ is already making waves, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a track that brings energy and emotion, with a universal appeal that feels both personal and accessible.
Interview with Damian Fowler, founding member/chief songwriter/lead singer of The Secret Radio.
Hello, Damian, Let’s talk about The Secret Radio’s new single, “Swimming Pool on Mars,” what is the meaning?
“Swimming Pool on Mars” is a song about loneliness, nostalgia and the dream of reunion with someone who’s far away in space and time. I’d like to think there’s a touch of the Romantic (capital R) longing for the sublime in the song, especially in the chorus. So, it sort of fluctuates between an extravagant fantasy and the melancholy of isolation.
I wrote this song after hearing “Lago en el Cielo” by the brilliant Argentine rock musician Gustavo Cerati, former frontman of Soda Stereo. Though I don’t speak Spanish fluently, I translated the lyrics, which start, “A lake in the sky is all that a heart could wish for.” The song is dreamy, impressionistic, and soaring — all at once.
I also want to say, the song can’t escape the gravitational pull of Life on Mars?, Bowie’s masterpiece from his 1971 Hunky Dory album. Bowie really helped define space as a metaphor for isolation. I love the idea of filing my song in the ‘bibliography of space’ category, hopefully drifting out there with the cosmic classics.
Which artists in the current industry inspire you the most?
I’m drawn to literate artists who perhaps lean toward melancholy. British bands like Elbow and Radiohead have always resonated with me. Nick Cave is endlessly inspiring and smart in everything he sings and writes. If you haven’t already, subscribe to The Red Hand Files. You won’t regret it. One of my songs, “Red,” was directly inspired by Cave’s Murder Ballads album. I love pretty much anything on the Nonesuch label, especially The Black Keys and Lianne La Havas. What else? In recent few years, I’ve been drawn to the music of Birdy and The Japanese House, and lately, Circa Waves’ single, “Let’s Leave Together,” has been on constant rotation.
What is the best thing about being a musician in 2025?
The ability to record and release music with relative ease, whether you’re in a living room or a studio. Since we formed The Secret Radio in 2006, recording technology has advanced dramatically. You don’t necessarily need a Neve mixing desk or a major-label budget to produce high quality recordings. For me, releasing this music is just one part of my life, and while I’m not in a position right now to tour with a band and promote it in a traditional way, I’m grateful that technology has changed the game. Streaming services mean the music can travel for us. It still blows my mind to check Spotify and see listeners on every continent. I’d like to believe that a song, once released, can find its own way in the world.
Is there a certain place you often go to write? E.g a certain room, or environment?
My wife, Magdalena, is a classical pianist, which means we have a 6-foot Yamaha grand dominating our living room. It takes up half the space. At night, after the kids have gone to bed, I love to sit there in the low light noodling on an idea that’s forming. Sometimes it goes nowhere, but other times it sticks around and becomes the seed of a song. I love that moment. I grab my iPhone and record it, so it doesn’t dissolve into the ether.
What is your first memory of music?
My parents had an incredible vinyl LP collection, marking the formative years of my childhood somewhere between the mid ‘70s and the mid ‘80s. On weekends, my sisters and I would be conscripted into house-cleaning duty, but at least we had a killer soundtrack to get us through the dusting. We’d listen to Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, Billy Joel’s The Stranger album, Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home, Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis to name a few.
Eventually, we started buying our own LPs. One sister was into David Bowie and The Cure. She was cool! The first album I ever bought was Ghost in the Machine by The Police. I’m still obsessed by Sting’s bassline on Spirits in the Material World. Great times and great music to which I always return.
“Like An Angel” was originally an untitled ghost track on Near Life Experience. What inspired you to revisit and re-record it?
Initially, I liked the idea of it remaining as an untitled ghost track on the album, even if it took years to be discovered. It was conceptually fitting that it could be discovered at the point when it appears to be the end. With the release of singles from the album, I noticed that the closing track “In Touch” (which the ghost track was attached to) was getting traction despite it not being a current single or on any playlists yet. There was no way of knowing whether the interest was in “In Touch” or in the ghost track. However, after one reviewer spotted and described the extra hidden track, many others began referring to it as their unexpected highlight or standout track. A combination of the interest in the track, as well as the approaching one-year anniversary of the album led to two of my band members independently suggesting that I re-record it as a single. I liked the idea of hearing how it could sound when given the same treatment as the rest of the songs on the album and so I was pleased to have the opportunity to do it justice.
This song marks your fifth collaboration with award-winning director Sam Chegini. What makes your creative partnership so special?
When you look at any of Sam’s work, it is evident immediately that this is someone who is in total command of their medium and who also has their own unique artistic vision. When I began collaborating with Sam on my own songs, I was additionally blown away by the depth of his understanding, intuitively and also with his meticulous attention to the lyrics and music. When in conversation, I would feel him deeply attending to my words and he would sometimes pause to jot something down as and when visual images started to appear. Once Sam relates to a concept, he is then able to bring his own rich life experience and empathy into it. When truth and integrity shine through, it has the power to transcend and really move people. Producer Henry Thomas and I would marvel and delight in discovering what new elements we would discover with each new watch even post release! Sam’s work is so layered, visually striking, nuanced, and he can tell the narrative from a place of deepest awareness. Working together over a sustained period of time, we realised that we had a shared value system and approach to both creativity and life. As Henry aptly stated, “When the marriage of music and visual imagery creates a perfect symmetry, it’s impossible to imagine one without the other”.
You describe “Like an Angel” as your most meaningful song to date. Can you share more about the message behind it?
I wanted it to serve as an honouring or an ode to those no longer with us who continue to influence and guide. We carry our attachment figures inside us, internalising their values. The message can also be summarised by the lyrics in the preceding track, “In Touch” which the ghost song was attached to because of its relevance. “All endings can feel like death, all deaths can feel like the end. Love resides with loss. Love can outlive life.” Whilst we have some influence, there is also much in life that is beyond our control, including death. I found comfort in the knowledge that whilst a person can be taken, our love for them can’t. This is a song about acceptance that was made from love about love. As a group of musicians who have all experienced loss, we set out to achieve something rare and beautiful for everyone and we all came out feeling that we had achieved this. That in itself was transformative. This level of combined investment also extended to the video collaboration with Sam Chegini. This process of collaboration during the making of the song and video has brought additional meaning due to the song having been a pathway to forging deep connections between people.
The single features an incredible lineup of musicians, including Henry Thomas, Martyn Barker, Tony Qunta and Anders Olinder. How did their contributions shape the final sound of the track?
Considerably! Meeting the right people to work with is part luck but also connected to what you are giving out and drawing in at different points in your life. Meeting Henry Thomas was one of those definitive connections that changed everything for me and it came about at the right time in both of our lives. Everything we cared about doing was aligned and his whole-hearted commitment and belief was profound.
As a producer, Henry has a unique ability to break-down process analytically and he knows how to bring together disparate elements whilst never losing the core identity. Knowing how to create a conducive environment where all musicians can flourish was key. In order to capture magical performances in the studio, he enlisted the help of highly co-operative, empathic and emotionally robust individuals who would be open enough to offer creative ideas on the spot, but could also let go of them without causing tension.
The rhythm section was the starting point and we needed something compelling that was also sensitive to the lyrics. Henry, Martyn and Tony spent a long time establishing the key groove between them. Tony referenced “The Police” as a 3-piece band who managed to create a very good groove with harmonic and rhythmic depth with just guitar, bass and drums. He came up with simple chords to create a wide landscape, with picked arpeggio notes to give rhythmic movement and interplay with the drums and bass.
Henry suggested a high range shimmery guitar. Tony used close voicings, adding some extra notes extending beyond the standard chords to enhance specific lyrics in a very ethereal kind of way. He also added some lead guitar lines later in the song that he said he wanted to sound “triumphant as well as serene, in line with the mood and sentiment of the song”. Once that strong foundation was established, the expressive piano playing of Anders Olinder seemed to follow effortlessly. The whole endeavour from beginning to end was a very beautiful process and we all came away with the feeling that we had created something transformative.
With Near Life Experience still receiving recognition and airplay, what’s next for you in 2025? Any new projects on the horizon?
2025 is already shaping up to be a very exciting year. There are a few surprises in the pipeline but at this point I can only say, there is still more life in “Near Life Experience” to come!
March will also see the completion of a new musical resource I have been developing for children’s emotional well-being post pandemic, called “TroubleChutes”. It comprises a collection of songs and illustrations covering challenging topics such as bullying, jealousy, sibling rivalry, divorce, and provides a forum for children to develop their emotional literacy. It is being published by karnacbooks.com the leading independent mental health publisher and we will be busy road testing it in our ambassador schools this year. It was recorded during the pandemic by many of the key band members who played on “Near Life Experience”. The whole project has been a huge labour of love so I cannot wait to put it to use!
How did your songwriting process for “Pure and Simple” differ from “Broken Compass”?
My songwriting process hasn’t changed between both albums. The one exception is with the new album title track “Pure and Simple” where Tim Levey wrote the original lyrics. I added the middle-8 lyrics and adjusted a few of the rest. At this point I felt inspired enough to complete the song.
I still look for inspiration from the world around me and from my personal experiences.
What inspired the emotional depth and drum solo in “Felixstowe”?
It was a grey rainy day in Norfolk. I was feeling low, I guess. I had been playing “Old Man” by Neil Young and I liked the F to D chord change that it has in it. I played around on the guitar and got a nice chord sequence by adding a G chord.
“Felixstowe”, at the time, was just a placeholder word destined to be replaced at some point. I googled “Felixstowe “ and found that it has a ferry. The songwriting took on a life of its own and I imagined a grey, wet, dank ferry town and a breakup song.
The drum solo came about because the overwhelming feelings in the songs were loneliness, sadness and anger. I imagined a lone drummer in a boat house thrashing out these feelings as the ferry, with his love on board, left. My producer Aeron Z Jones immediately got it and the drum track came to life.
I’m pleased to say that “Felixstowe”, and two other tracks (so far) from the new album, have been played on BBC radio.
How did working with Aeron Z Jones and Tina Blaber shape the album’s sound?
Aeron always has a huge influence on the sound of every track. He’s a skilled musician and multi-instrumentalist. We work well together and the ideas he brings to each song are usually good ones. I give him space to be creative and he does just that. This was the same on my previous album “Broken Compass”.
I’ve worked with Tina Blaber for many years. She has a spectacular voice and some songs I write really need her female vocal. She is often on my mind when songwriting. It’s great knowing that she will deliver what I need. She sings on “King” and “Doors”.
Tina and I have recently released a co-written single called “The Book” featuring Cutting the Mustard. On this song I play acoustic guitar and sing backing vocals and Tina sings lead vocals. Aeron Z Jones also produced it.
What does the title track “Pure and Simple” represent to you?
It surprised me how much I identified with the words in this song, especially as the original lyrics were written by someone else (Tim Levey). I do like things pure and simple, I’m not that great with change, I like to know what I’m doing in most things, and, like many people I want to love and be loved.
What do you want listeners to take away from “Pure and Simple”?
I’d like people to realise that there’s lots more to come from me musically. I’d like them to come with me on the journey.
What inspired the raw, vulnerable approach on “Watch Me”?
‘Watch Me’ was one of the first concepts I wrote for my second album, definitely 80s dance inspired. The message stems from my determination to prove the naysayers wrong and to be successful in the pursuit of my dreams. I absolutely love the production on this song. Shoutout to my producer, Electropoint, who really killed it with this one! This is definitely one of the dancier tracks on the album, which makes it even more fitting as an anthem of defiance and celebration.
What message do you want “Watch Me” to send?
I want my listeners to realize and understand that it’s okay to be different, and to live a life that goes against the grain. You can be yourself and still have everything you’ve ever dreamed of. For me, as a gay man, I still wanted to get married and have a family. Everybody said I couldn’t have that after coming out, and I just responded with “Watch Me.”
How did writing “Miserable Fck” help you process emotions?
I feel like every song I write is me processing my emotions in some way, shape, or form.
Specifically with ‘Miserable Fck,’ I was reliving an argument I’d had with someone close to me while also processing the fact that I, along with many of my generation, tend to paint a perfect picture on socials while secretly dealing with — let’s call it ‘darkness’ — alone, or behind the scenes. Everyone thinks I have it all, but if that’s the case, why do I feel so miserable at times?
That contradiction is something so many of us experience, but rarely admit to, and I wanted to put that raw honesty into the song.
I’ve come to realize that the more you obsess over what you don’t have, the easier it is to overlook and underappreciate all the great things you DO have. It’s really all about your perspective — think glass half full vs. glass half empty. Hopefully a change in perspective will keep us all out of the ‘Doom Loop.’
Have you ever felt silenced in your career?
Absolutely — Whether by the industry, social media algorithms, or even those closest to me, I’ve faced moments where I felt unheard.
I’ve felt silenced by the industry, when I’d go on countless casting calls and auditions, just to be rejected and feel as though I’m not good enough.
I’ve felt silenced by The Algorithm, for not allowing me to access a larger audience that so many other content creators seem to have found, and generated a genuine and long-lasting connection with.
I’ve felt silenced by my inner circle, whom have often discounted my music, even before experiencing it.
That’s really what “Shut Up & Listen” is all about. It’s about embracing self-expression and lifting each other up, always. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but only I have my story, and I choose to tell it through this medium. So STFU and listen! 😉
What can fans expect from the Watch Me music video?
There are many many layers to the ‘Watch Me’ music video. It begins in a chaotic toddler environment, where I’m tripping over toys and kids are crying in the background.
It’s apparent I need a break, so I lock myself in my room for what I like to call a “daddy timeout.” I put on my virtual reality headset and escape to my Pop star fantasy world. Cue the music, choreography, and leather chaps!
At its core, the video mirrors the song’s message: stepping into your own power and demanding to be seen for who you are.
Shoutout to my incredible choreographer, Amanda Arenas, and dancers — Laura Hertziesen, Tianna Brown, Maya Shah, and Joicy Yang — Y’all slayed! I can’t wait for the next one. 🙌🏼
Ervin Munir returns with his second studio album, “Pure and Simple”, which is out now. Ervin demonstrates here his powerful heartfelt storytelling, delivering an introspective collection of songs that explore love, sorrow, loss, and self-discovery with profound sincerity.
The album is a blend of folk sensibilities with unique musical arrangements and it strikes a perfect balance between raw emotion and polished craftsmanship. Collaborations with skilled musicians elevate the record’s depth, notably Aeron Z Jones, whose bass, electric, and slide guitar work adds a dynamic edge to several tracks.
It is an album which you can get play time and time again and enjoy something different and it will be stuck on repeat I am sure!
There’s something truly magical about Julia Thomsen’s compositions—each one feels like a journey into a serene, dreamlike world, and “Romantic Embrace” is no exception. From the very first note, this latest piece envelops you in a wave of warmth, inviting us to slow down and simply feel.
With a delicate yet expressive touch, Julia paints a picture of tranquility, blending gentle piano melodies that resonate with the heart. Inspired by nature’s beauty, “Romantic Embrace” carries an air of timeless elegance, much like a quiet sunrise or the tender rustle of autumn leaves. The piece unfolds with a graceful simplicity, yet beneath its soothing surface lies a depth of emotion that lingers long after the music fades.
“Melody Of The Music Man” by Secret Wish combines modern electronic polish with nostalgic dance energy to create pure dancefloor bliss. The song, which is suited for both underground clubs and large festival stages, begins with a mesmerising piano melody and develops into an exhilarating blend of soaring synths and a heart-pounding bassline.
Grammy-nominated mix engineer Benny Steele’s master touch elevates the production, adding a clear, radio-ready gloss while preserving the track’s party vibe. It seems both familiar and new because to the smooth blending of modern EDM components with vintage Eurodance feelings.
Adding to the track’s unstoppable momentum, “Melody Of The Music Man” has earned support from some of the biggest names in the electronic music world. DJ heavyweights like Oliver Heldens, Don Diablo, Dimitri Vegas, and Yves V have backed the release, alongside a diverse lineup of tastemakers including Joachim Garraud, Judge Jules, and Gambafreaks.
Marsha Swanson, the progressive-pop singer is still firing on all cylnders and her new release, “Generational Transmission” proves yet another standout from her “Near Life Experience” album. There is a beauty surrodning this track which is easy to get lost in and it is the ideal track for the festive season with its warm glow.
There is a depth and a boldness present on this track which sends goosebumps right up the back of the neck. The vocals from Marsha are perfectly delivered, likely her best vocal performance to date and she synergies flawlessly with the myriad of sounds beneath her such as strings, piano tones and gripping drum rhythms.
AKA KELZZ, the Berlin-based singer originally from the UK, has dropped their highly anticipated album Odyssey, and it is nothing short of an ear-worm. The album blends genres, moving through intricate layers of electronic beats, dreamy synths, and soul-infused vocals. It’s a journey that captures both the stark realities and the euphoric possibilities of life, much like the concept of an odyssey itself.
From the opening track, AKA KELZZ takes us into their world with a unique mix of introspection and celebration. Their voice, smooth yet powerful, carries a sense of longing and wonder that resonates throughout the album. The production on Odyssey stands out for its ability to merge electronic and organic elements. There’s an undeniable Berlin influence, but the UK roots of AKA KELZZ are felt in the way she weaves in elements of grime and dub, which gives their sound a raw edge. It’s this blend of electronic precision and emotional depth that makes Odyssey an album to savour!
