Checkmate formed in London out of restlessness rather than intention. Different neighborhoods, different backgrounds, same impulse: to move, to react, to play music that refuses to stand still. Ska was never a costume for them, it was a language. Fast rhythms, sharp turns, humor used as defiance. They grew up surrounded by noise, contradictions, and crowded streets, and their sound reflects that constant motion.

Their music is playful but not careless, political without slogans, chaotic but precise. Each member brings a different energy, and none of them try to smooth those edges out.

Checkmate thrives on contrast: bright melodies against nervous tension, joy next to disruption. What comes out is loud, physical, and alive. Their releases are heard only on Filodyo and NOT FM, where movement matters more than polish and nothing is forced to sit quietly in the background.

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Celeste Rowan is an emerging voice in the world of alternative pop, blending atmospheric synths with evocative storytelling. With a sound that merges dreamy electronic textures and raw emotion, Celeste crafts songs that feel both intimate and cinematic. Her latest release, "Gravity," explores the inescapable pull of connection—where love, fate, and desire intertwine in a hypnotic dance. Drawing inspiration from modern electronic influences and timeless melodies, she delivers a sound that lingers long after the music fades.

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Soleil Vega is the kind of artist who can turn a rainy Tuesday into a rooftop party. Born and raised in Brighton, UK, she grew up surrounded by her mother’s old soul records and the pulse of the underground dance scene. Her music lives at the intersection of deep house grooves, pop sparkle, and feel-good R&B touches, driven by radiant vocals and unapologetically joyful lyrics.

Her breakout track “My Kitchen Stage” is a celebration of everyday magic—the kind you find dancing alone at home with a spatula mic in hand. The track blends warm house rhythms with bouncy basslines and a shimmering vocal delivery that makes you want to throw open the windows and turn the volume all the way up. It’s infectious, playful, and deeply personal.

Soleil’s sound is sun-kissed but grounded. She writes about friendship, late-night cravings, heartbreak, and finding your light—in the club, in the kitchen, or in your own reflection. And when she performs, it’s not a show, it’s a shared moment. Always real, always radiant.

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Say hello to Erica, a gem unearthed from the misty fjords of Bergen, Norway, serenading the world with her dance tunes. This synth-swirling belter could make a sardine shimmy with her infectious energy.

Growing up with classical piano lessons under Norway's perpetual drizzle, Erica found her musical identity sandwiched between her mom's Edith Piaf records and the emotional pull of her dad's synth fascination. While most 16-year-olds are busy amassing Instagram followers, Erica channeled her teenage angst into penning down her first song. It never saw the light of day, but listen closely at her concerts and you might hear her hum those nostalgic notes.

Erica shifted her base to the bustling streets of Berlin at 23, transitioning from a street musician to minimalist stages with a poise that could make Madonna go green. Her biggest hit has to be "DNC", a song that will make your feet tap and heart flutter before you even realize. Ever seen a packed room fall silent? Attend an Erica gig, as her whispers hush the room, except for that one guy always clapping off-beat.

Straddling both cheerful and profound, Erica's music echoes her journey. Dancing through life, one synth-filled melody at a time, she's proving that you can take a Norwegian out of the rain, but you can't take the rhythm out of the girl.

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The Absents are a four-piece synth-pop and modern disco-pop band hailing from Brighton, on the south coast of the United Kingdom. The lineup consists of Elliot Kane (vocals), Ryan Whitford (keyboards & production), Callum Price (bass guitar & synth bass), and Jamie Harlow (guitar & backing vocals). The four met in 2018 at a local music festival, where a late-night jam session revealed a shared passion for blending the melodic elegance of 80s synth-pop with the energy and polish of modern pop production.

Deeply influenced by the infectious hooks and emotive energy of Erasure, The Absents quickly began writing together, crafting songs that pair bright synth textures with tight bass grooves and subtle funk undertones. Their early rehearsals took place in a modest studio near Brighton’s seafront, a space that soon became their creative sanctuary and the birthplace of their signature sound.

In 2019, the band released their debut single, which found its way onto local radio playlists and began circulating through London’s club scene. Known for their vivid light shows, charismatic stage presence, and danceable, high-energy sets, The Absents built a reputation as one of the most exciting new acts in the UK’s pop landscape.

Today, The Absents continue to bridge nostalgia and modernity, reaching audiences far beyond the British Isles. Elliot’s commanding yet soulful vocals, Ryan’s shimmering synth arrangements, Callum’s deep, driving grooves, and Jamie’s melodic guitar lines come together to create a live experience that is as unforgettable as it is electrifying.

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Meet Felix Dobrev, Sofia's best-kept secret, "dance" virtuoso extraordinaire, and ultimate purveyor of auditory happiness. An independent artist with charisma thicker than his grandmother's Bulgarian yogurt, he's ready to make the world "Recognize."

Born and bred in the heart of Bulgaria, Felix bloomed amid the lively buskers and the distinctive throb of the Balkan music scene, watching, learning, and nursing his own musical genius. This maestro of merriment can put a rhythm into anything quicker than a Baba slinging banitsa, and he is already proving to be the 'estest' of Sofia (fastest, and funniest) to hit the independent dance scene.

His most popular song, "Recognize," has the potent magic of turning gloomy Mondays into radiant Fridays, real Sofia-style. The track has genuine Dobrev charm: infectious beats that tug at your heartstrings as powerfully as they force your feet into grooves, making you feel like you're bouncing on the clouds above Vitosha Mountain.

Felix Dobrev isn't just any go-to party playlist contender. He's better. A creator of endorphin-evoking dance tracks that sparkle with joy and jive with wit, Felix is setting musical trends faster than the city’s tramcars. Prepare yourself to get caught up in his upbeat, unmistakable rhythm... just remember to "Recognize" where you first heard it!

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Meet Harper Quinn, the embodiment of a Chinatown fairytale with a beats-filled twist. Born and raised amidst the flurry of noodle houses and dim sum joints in NYC's throbbing heartbeat, Harper is every bit a child of the Big Apple and the city’s ceaseless rhythm pulses through her music.

Harper is the oldest daughter of a Chinese immigrant family, her father a wizard of culinary arts in one of the busiest kitchens in Manhattan. Her music is a distinct fusion of her rich cultural heritage and the neon grit of New York - think Peking duck served with a side of just-spun electro. With catchy tracks like "Summer Romance", she’s setting the dance genre ablaze and, inadvertently, becoming the sovereign of store playlists nationwide, thanks to a serendipitous contract with Filodyo.

Infused with radiating positivity, Harper’s tunes have the power to transform even the dreariest grocery aisles into club-worthy catwalks. Expect a dose of her irreplaceable mirth in every single beat – the Harper Quinn experience is a joyride on a candy-colored dragon, soaring through the summer's neon haze!

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Callum Hayes, known to many as the life of the party and to some as simply "that crazy guy with the decks," is a Swedish DJ and music producer. Crafting infectious beats and dance anthems is his forte, with his breakthrough track "Dancing The Pain Away" causing quite a stir in the local music scene.

Callum's journey into the world of music production began somewhat unexpectedly, in the adrenaline-fueled arena of advertising music. After one too many late nights tweaking jingles for brands too dull to mention, he decided to take his talents to the club scene instead. Hayes' wicked sense of humor is reflected in his artistic process; he often jokes about resigning from his ad gig with a dramatic flip of his work desk only to realize he was working from home – no audience, no theatrical exit.

Collaborating with various vocalists, Callum has brewed a wide range of flavors in the grand cauldron of his music. Be it power-packed EDM or chilled-out trance music, Hayes serves his listeners an exotic buffet of tunes. He has managed to carve out a niche within the competitive domain of independent artists, becoming a regular feature at local Swedish venues where he inevitably brings the house down.

In the spunky and tenacious spirit of indie artistry, Callum Hayes continues to dance his pain and ours away. His energetic personality and infectious tracks make every night feel like a weekend and with Hayes at the helm, the party rages on. Callum Hayes might not be a global name just yet, but those Swedish nights have never grooved harder.

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Giulia Sereni is an Italian-born pop artist whose name has become synonymous with modern disco-infused anthems and unapologetic confidence. Born in Florence in the mid-90s and raised between Rome and Milan, she grew up surrounded by both classical Italian melodies and the glossy, international sound of late-90s Euro-pop. That duality shaped her musical DNA: bold, cosmopolitan, and undeniably stylish.

Before pursuing music, Giulia studied fashion communication in Milan, a background that still influences her sharp sense of image, choreography, and performance aesthetic. She blends the elegance of Italian couture with the playful freedom of global pop, creating a persona that feels as at home in glossy editorials as she does on streaming playlists.

Her debut singles—produced exclusively for Filodyo and distributed only through NOT FM—instantly caught attention for their mix of shimmering synths, punchy basslines, and Giulia’s powerful yet intimate vocal delivery. Songs like “Undeniable” and “Crown” quickly became listener favorites, praised for their ability to balance disco nostalgia with forward-thinking production.

Giulia Sereni is more than just a singer—she is a storyteller of empowerment. Her lyrics celebrate independence, resilience, and the glamour of living life on your own terms. Critics have noted that her sound carries the sophisticated energy of continental Europe while embracing the universal accessibility of pop.

Despite growing international buzz, Giulia remains intentionally selective about her presence. She has chosen to keep her releases exclusive to Filodyo and NOT FM, building a cult-like following among music lovers who appreciate her refusal to conform to the mainstream industry model. This exclusivity has only amplified her allure: fans know that to hear Giulia, they must enter the Filodyo universe.

With her magnetic voice, fashion-forward style, and anthems designed for both the dancefloor and the headphones, Giulia Sereni stands as one of the most exciting fictional European exports in contemporary pop. For those tuned into Filodyo and NOT FM, she represents not just an artist, but a movement.

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Born in 1989 in Dayton, Ohio, James Rolly’s life was anything but straightforward. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood, he found himself drawn to music at an early age, learning his first guitar chords from an older cousin who played in local bars. But his teenage years spiraled into turbulence — run-ins with the law, school expulsions, and a revolving door of juvenile detention centers and rehabilitation programs marked his adolescence.

It was during a six-month stay at a rehab facility in Cleveland that James began writing his own songs, using music as a way to process his frustration and loneliness. The stark, confessional style of those early lyrics became the foundation of his artistic voice. He often says the rehab’s battered common-room piano was “the first place I ever told the truth.”

By his mid-20s, James was performing in small clubs across the Midwest, blending gritty Americana storytelling with modern soul and rock influences. His husky voice, commanding presence, and refusal to glamorize his troubled past earned him a loyal following. The shaved head, beard, and head tattoos became part of his unflinching image — a visual reminder of where he’s been and how far he’s come.

Today, James Rolly’s music reflects both the scars and the survival. From intimate acoustic sets to explosive full-band performances, he channels every ounce of his history into a sound that’s raw, magnetic, and unapologetically real.

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