REVIEWS | New Music Discoveries: Pop-Folk, Neo-Soul & Indie Highlights with barkou, OOMA & More
- SHOWGRAPHERS
- Nov 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 12
In this edition of new music discoveries, we highlight a selection of haunting, soulful, and deeply poetic releases from some of today’s most compelling emerging artists. NYC singer-songwriter Elizabeth Winterbourne casts a spell with the cinematic pop-folk anthem “Salem”, while Paris-based quartet OOMA blend neo-soul warmth with jazz sophistication on their debut “Cursed”. barkou’s evocative EP "swimming lessons" offers lush indie-pop introspection, and Tallinn’s Inochka delivers stripped-back emotional resonance on “Intertwined”. Together, these tracks capture the spirit of modern artistry — intimate, fearless, and beautifully human.
“swimming lessons” by barkou
Paris-based artist barkou invites listeners into a vivid emotional landscape with "swimming lessons", an EP that feels as fluid and reflective as its title. Created with Margot White, the project channels the quiet poetry of the natural world into layered indie-pop textures that shimmer with honesty. Each track flows into the next like movement through water — tender, and full of small revelations. barkou’s writing is sharp yet deeply human, unafraid to explore fragility and change. With an extended version of “sylvia plath” on the way and live shows ahead, "swimming lessons" cements her as one of Paris’s most affecting new voices.
“Lush, lyrical, and deeply personal — barkou turns introspection into art.”
“Salem” by Elizabeth Winterbourne
Elizabeth Winterbourne conjures something both powerful and poetic on “Salem", a haunting pop-folk anthem that turns witchy symbolism into a cry of defiance. Built on shadowy atmospherics and cinematic intensity, it’s a track that channels centuries of fear and control into modern empowerment — the sound of reclaiming your voice. Winterbourne’s lyricism burns with purpose; her delivery is equal parts spell and statement. It’s visceral, vivid, and utterly compelling — a reminder that resistance can still sound beautiful.
“A spellbinding anthem of strength and rebellion — Winterbourne at her most fearless.”
“Cursed” by OOMA
Irish vocalist Tansy Greenlee and her Paris-based quartet OOMA debut with “Cursed”, a gorgeously nuanced blend of neo-soul warmth and jazz elegance. The track flows like smoke — graceful yet unpredictable — as Greenlee’s voice moves between vulnerability and quiet power. There’s a lived-in intimacy to her tone, the kind that makes every word feel personal. Lyrically, “Cursed” reclaims softness as strength, weaving themes of womanhood and endurance through lush, cinematic instrumentation. As the first glimpse of their upcoming EP A Timeless Echo, it’s an arresting introduction to a band that clearly has something special.
“Soulful, sophisticated, and effortlessly emotive — OOMA sound destined for bigger stages.”
“Intertwined” by Inochka
Tallinn artist Inochka delivers something beautifully fragile with “Intertwined”, a soulful, quietly devastating piece built around live guitar and haunting vocal layers. The track moves with unhurried grace, unfolding like a whispered confession — every note deliberate, every lyric drenched in feeling. There’s a rare intimacy here, the kind that makes you lean in and hold your breath. Minimal yet deeply evocative, “Intertwined” captures the ache of human connection with poetic precision.
“Gentle, honest, and unforgettable — Inochka finds strength in simplicity.”