In this exclusive commentary, the Irish electronic duo 49th & Main count down to the release of their debut album, ‘Happy Tears’ — on Ninja Tune imprint Counter Records — by taking us into the process of making their mash up-style sound; blending indie, garage, house and more. Members Ben O’Sullivan and Paddy King talk about tracks such as “Mr Rain,” which grew out of lyrics that Paddy’s father wrote many years ago. The title track came out as a kind of “country-jungle” song, O’Sullivan tells SoundCloud, “which is unbelievable.” It’s all about a recurring theme: nostalgia. “Living while we’re young,” King notes. Listen now, only on SoundCloud.

Voice Notes: 49th & Main on "Rewind"

U.S. Girls, the solo indie pop project of vocalist and musician Meg Remy, was inspired by a one-off gig with a group of Nashville musicians for her latest album, ‘Scratch It.’ In this exclusive commentary, Remy discusses the making of tracks from the album, and the themes that inspired her lyrics. On “Firefly on the 4th of July,” a song about the fear of nuclear war is turned into “a garage-soul classic,” she tells SoundCloud. The track “Emptying the Jimador” recalls a bout with a bottle of tequila after reckoning with her fraught relationship with her mother, while “No Fruit” is a pent-up response to “someone who said something mean to me once.” As an experimental pop songwriter who grew up on riot grrrl bands, Meg is scratching a new itch. Listen now, only on SoundCloud.

Voice Notes: U.S. Girls on "No Fruit"

Voice Notes: U.S. Girls on "The Clearing"

Voice Notes: U.S. Girls on "Emptying the Jimador"

Voice Notes: U.S. Girls on "Firefly on the 4th of July"

GRiZ wasn’t expecting to drop his latest single, “Coast 2 Coast,” as an official release, until he gave it to a few of his DJ friends and noticed the online response. In this exclusive commentary, the Detroit-born, Denver-based DJ, producer and songwriter talks about the making of the surprise collaboration. He explains how, after taking a few years off from touring, he went through a few vocal versions of “Coast 2 Coast” before enlisting British grime rapper Flowdan to make it complete. “You’re an absolute legend, man,” GRiZ tells his collaborator. “You smashed! So sick.” The final result is the product of, in his own words, “not overthinking or overworking it, just trusting the process and letting the universe do what it does.” Listen now, only on SoundCloud.

Voice Notes: GRiZ on "Coast 2 Coast"

Sub Urban broke through in 2019 with his hit track “Cradles,” garnering a following for his alternative, indie-pop sound. Now, on his second album, ‘If Nevermore,’ he “unleashes the beast” that is his voice. In this exclusive commentary, the singer-songwriter offers insights into the making of several key tracks. “Mycelium Eyes” is about “a sudden transformation, a much-needed paradigm trip,” Sub Urban says. Lead single “What You Sow” is “a love song cloaked in wrath and despair,” while “Make Me Forget” — a sister song to “What You Sow” — uses New Wave references to “completely deconstruct my values, what I want from music and myself,” he explains. Listen now. 

Voice Notes: Sub Urban on "Make Me Forget"

Voice Notes: Sub Urban on "Mycelium Eyes"

Voice Notes: Sub Urban on "What You Sow"

Voice Notes: Sub Urban on "Mascara"

SoundCloud Stories elevates artists’ creative journeys, spotlights vibrant music communities and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the defining sounds of today and tomorrow. Original content includes the Sound Advice interview series, exclusive track-by-track artist commentary on Voice Notes, and the Weekly Download playlist, which highlights essential scenes and groundbreaking artists.

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