NEW RELEASES
Little Simz has kicked off her 2025 with the release of a mighty new single, “Flood,” and announced her upcoming sixth album, Lotus.
The new album will be released on May 9 via AWAL, and will be her first studio LP since 2022’s No Thank You.
Featuring vocals from both Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly, the lead track marks the first slice of new material from Simz this year. It arrives accompanied by a striking video, which was directed by Salomon Ligthelm.
In February 2024, Simz put out her Drop 7 EP, which was followed by surprise single “Hello, Hi” in December. Throughout the year, she also made a slew of guest appearances on other artists’ tracks: Coldplay’s “We Pray,” Sampha’s “Satellite Business 2.0” and Wretch 32’s “Black and British.” In June, she appeared on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, marking her biggest show to date.
More recently, Simz was nominated in the hip-hop/rap/grime category at The BRITs 2025, which will take place at London’s O2 Arena Saturday (March 1). She has previously triumphed at the awards ceremony, scooping the best new artist gong in 2022.
In January, it was announced that the 31-year-old will curate this year’s Meltdown Festival at the capital’s Southbank Centre. Taking place between June 12-22, the event will see Simz craft a wide-ranging bill of music, art and workshops across 11 nights, with the full lineup expected to arrive soon.
Across the course of an illustrious career, Simz has released five studio albums, among a wealth of mixtapes and extended projects. In 2022, she won the Mercury Prize for her fourth LP Sometimes I Might Be Introvert – her highest charting record in the U.K. to date, landing at No. 4 upon release.
NEW RELEASES
An expanded edition of The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’ is set to arrive with a previously unheard John Lennon demo included in the collection.
Read More: Paul McCartney: “Writing a song is still a magic feeling for me, and hopefully always will be”
The refreshed editions of the celebrated 1965 record will be released on October 2 through UMG and Apple Corps Ltd. Producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell handled the new mixes.
More than 60 years after its original release, the influential album will be available in updated stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes for the first time. The box set will also contain the initial mono mix and the original Capitol US Album edition.
In addition to the familiar tracklist, which includes popular songs such as ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’, ‘Nowhere Man’, ‘Michelle’, and ‘In My Life’, the collection features the double A side single ‘Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out’. Fans will also receive several previously unavailable studio recordings and home demos.
Different versions of the release include the 14 song Special Edition Standard, the 30 track Special Edition Deluxe, and a Blu ray Edition containing 16 tracks and four videos.
The largest package is the Special Edition Super Deluxe, which will be offered as either a five LP box set or a four CD box set containing 68 tracks. Its contents include the new stereo version of ‘Rubber Soul’, two Sessions and Demos discs, the album’s original mono master, the original Capitol US edition, and the seven inch A side single.
Among the demos is ‘Little Girl’, a track written and recorded by Lennon that has never been officially released since it was originally created.
The Super Deluxe packages also feature an 88 page hardcover book with a newly written introduction from Paul McCartney and a foreword assembled using Lennon’s own words.
‘Rubber Soul’ was completed across four weeks in October and November 1965. The sessions took place shortly after the Fab Four played their record setting show for over 55,000 people at Shea Stadium in New York.
Every new edition includes the updated stereo mix of the album, created directly from the original four track master tapes. The team used separation technology developed at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd.
Visit here to place a preorder and see the complete tracklist for the “Special Edition Super Deluxe” package below.
The ‘Rubber Soul Special Edition Super Deluxe Box Set’ tracklist is:
LP1: New stereo mix
Side A
Side B
LP2: Sessions, Demos and The Single, Disc 1
Side A
Side B
LP3: Sessions, Demos and The Single, Disc 2
Side A
Side B
LP4: Mono
Side A
Side B
LP5: US Album
Side A
Side B
Seven inch single
Side A
Side AA
Elsewhere in Beatles news, the group will be explored through a collection of four films directed by Sam Mendes. All four movies are currently scheduled to reach cinemas at the same time in April 2028.
Paul Mescal will portray Paul McCartney, while Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Joseph Quinn will appear as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan will take on the role of Ringo Starr. Each movie will present the band’s journey through the eyes of a different member.
It has also been announced that 3 Savile Row, the famous London location closely connected to the group, will welcome visitors for the first time next year as part of the first official Beatles fan experience.
Earlier this year, Paul McCartney released his latest album, ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’. It marks his first solo project since 2020’s ‘McCartney III’ and includes his first duet with former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr.
Before the record arrived, McCartney spoke with NME about both the past and future of his remarkable career. He discussed his “excitement” about appearing on the upcoming The Rolling Stones album and addressed whether retirement is part of his plans.
