We Speak Music
Phonseca release highly anticipated sophomore album ‘Everything Lasts Forever’ and joyous new electro-pop single ‘English Night’!
Five years after their debut album ‘Between A Dream’, Bristol synthpop duo Phonseca return with ‘Everything Lasts Forever’, an album that sparkles and shimmers.
‘Between A Dream’ was championed in the UK on BBC Radio 6 Music by both Gideon Coe and Steve Lamacq. With Steve Lamacq featuring it in his “Recommends” show. It also picked up lots of airplay and excellent reviews around the world. ‘Everything Lasts Forever’ is a joyous, upbeat record which picks up where ‘Between A Dream’ left off and unashamedly embraces more of a synth pop feel than its acclaimed predecessor.
Phonseca brings together Bristol’s much respected keys/synth player Matthew O’Connor and radiant Swedish vocalist Kristina Sheppard. Matthew’s classical piano training has an influence on his work. In addition to Phonseca, he has composed Library Music where his work has been synched on primetime TV like BBC1’s – The One Show, Channel 5 programs and National TV in most of Europe. This was the catalyst for first writing with Kristina, initially working on songs for a Disney project which followed a chance meeting at a wedding fayre, where they had stalls directly opposite each other. Since its release, the pair have spent the past few years promoting the debut album while writing/recording ‘Everything Lasts Forever’, which is now ready for release via Old Bad Habits Label.
‘Everything Lasts Forever’ happily takes its inspiration from the likes of New Order, The Beloved, Chromatics, The xx, Robyn, Pet Shop Boys and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The range of Kristina’s voice perfectly captures the variety of feelings that the lyrics portray. Putting herself at the centre of songs which cover Love, Grief, Clubbing and Internationalism. Also included is their take, on timeless pop classic Downtown.
In addition to the vocal tracks, there are a number of ambient/soundtrack inspired instrumentals, completing a varied yet balanced album of effervescent, nocturnal and emotive pop music. The album ends with the poignant, solo piano track ‘Our Star’, allowing you to pause, and reflect on things.
On the album, O’Connor states, “I realised recently that almost all of these tunes have a nocturnal element to them in one form or another. There is definitely a thread of pure optimism too, even in their bleakest moments, running through them and they lend the album its title. Everything Lasts Forever, comes from the theory that when something dies, it doesn’t end there, it’s atoms and energy carry on, long after, until the stars go out.”
Alongisde the album release, Phonseca also release new single ‘English Night’ today with an accompanying video. ‘English Night’ is a joyous upbeat electro-pop track that is laced with positive synth moods and soaring uplifting vocals.
On ‘English Night’, O’Connor states, “English Night is the most optimistic song we’ve ever written. It is Bizarre Inc meets Sophie Ellis Bexter with a dash of St Etienne. I’ve always wanted to pay some kind of homage to clubland as it has inspired me so much over the years. The middle section is my favourite part of the entire album, a real hands in the air moment. I can still recall the exact moment Kristina came up with it, jaw dropping, it gets me every time.”
“An absolute tune!”- Melvin Odoom, BBC Radio 2.
TIHANE’s debut album ‘The War on Love’ is a genre-blending journey that flips the classic love song on its head—featuring romance, rage, and resilience through a sound inspired by her Polynesian Croatian roots she calls ‘Indigenous Soul’. Blending vintage soul, hypnotic grooves, and electronic textures with raw storytelling, this album explores the mysteries of life, love and healing.
Co-produced by Segnon Tiewul and TIHANE, ‘The War On Love’ features vintage record samples and rich live instrumentation, bringing together artists and producers from across the globe—including Ghana, India, Bermuda, the UK, and the US—and blending genres from R&B and Neo-Soul to AfroHouse and World Fusion. One moment you’re in a smoky jazz room steeped in golden-era soul; the next, you’re dropped into a futuristic Afro House beat flip.
The first single from the album, ‘Throw It Back,’ has dropped on VEVO with a stunning visual of TIHANE wrapped in a python snake, Polynesian dancing in a lush jungle. The track, which has picked up BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music airplay, fuses exotic melodies with a strong beat and thick low end that feels sensually, spiritually, and wildly alive. Directed by TIHANE with cinematography/camera by Chris Oeurn, color grade by Cris Blyth and assistant camera operation by the song’s co-producer, Segnon Tiewul, the ‘Throw It Back’ video boasts a motley crew of adventurous creators who merge cinema with raw ceremony.
On the single, TIHANE says; “I hadn’t produced a track in years. But one day—mid-heartbreak—I locked myself in a studio and let the pain move through me. No plans. Just pure flow. It was raw. It was sensual. It was powerful. That was the moment I realized just how much of my power I’d been giving away—like so many women do. Performing love. Proving worth. Fighting to be chosen. This song became the sound of me remembering my own pulse. The lyrics came through fast, like they’d been waiting. A feminine force—both fierce and tender—took over. She wasn’t asking. She was commanding me: back into the body, back into pleasure, back into truth. Throw It Back might sound like a dance track—and it is—but it’s also ceremonial. It’s for anyone who’s had to move through ache… and figure out how to dance in that fire.”
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TIHANE currently lives between Los Angeles and London, crafting sonic sanctuaries for those ready to feel again and rise again. The single and album follow the release of her track “Ain’t That A B!tch” last year, which got significant acclaim from Clash Magazine, EARMILK, CULTR, and more.
TIHANE’s powerhouse vocals have drawn comparisons to Amy Winehouse, Sade, Cleo Sol, and Adele—delivering the kind of soul you feel in your bones. From nostalgic melodies to her signature twist of rap-singing and percussion-driven drops, her sound is a dynamic force. She’s performed across four continents—from historic venues like L’Olympia (Paris) and Bush Hall (London) to cultural platforms like TEDx, Stamp The Wax, and BBC Introducing. Festival highlights include SXSW, Soho House NYC, Homecoming (South Africa), Nyege Nyege (Uganda), and Africa Nouveau (Kenya).
TIHANE’s debut album ‘The War on Love’ — an ode to radical tenderness— is both a personal testimony and a universal offering that invites listeners to feel deeply, move freely, and remember who they are.
Catch TIHANE performing at Pizza Express Live in London on July 22, 2025.
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