Ruth Lyon - Caswell - Looms - Chwaer Fawr

Photo - Valentyna Vasylevska (c) 

Ruth Lyon - Poems & Non-Fiction (Album). 

Ruth Lyon has just released her remarkable debut album 'Poems & Non-Fiction' it's now available to stream and purchase on 12" vinyl via Pink Lane Records. 

Poems & Non-Fictionis the debut album by Newcastle’s Ruth Lyon—a major waymark for a powerful songwriter who weaves deeply evocative narratives and potent meditations, with an artistry that balances delicacy and strength. Forged by her experiences as a disabled woman and a life-long sense of otherness, she explores the beautiful mess of existence, challenges social norms and ignites a journey towards self-acceptance, empowerment and perhaps most importantly, hope. “ I have surprised myself with the raw honesty in these songsand I hope these stories inspire healing and growth”. 

Working with acclaimed producer John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding) and influenced by artists like Adrienne Lenker, FionaApple and Moondog, the songs are rich with poetic nuance and the unconventional insight of a young life lived to capacity—a mesmerizing blend of analogue and angular indie-folk that gives as much attention to silence as sound, with understated yet muscular grooves. Shimmering between the abstract, the archetypal and the naked truth, meaning lingers just beneath the surface, daring listeners to both reach out and dig deep; to give emotion a solid, tangible shape. 

Coming off the back of concerts from across the world—most notably performing at New York City Hall where she received the prestigious Danny Award, Brighton’s Great Escape international showcase and Glastonbury Festival—as well as receiving the flagship PPL Momentum Grant and being included on the Power 100, that named her among the most influential disabled people in the UK, Poems & Non-Fiction, set for release this year, promises to further cement Lyon’s reputation as a singular voice in the contemporary music landscape; one that dares to challenge, comfort, and captivate in equal measure. 

Ruth Lyon · Poems & Non Fiction

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Photo - Lydia Cooper

Caswell - Final Call.

Suffolk (England) Alternative-Pop riser Caswell returns with the radiant new single ‘Final Call’ (13th June), taken from the anticipated upcoming debut album Break/Bleed/Bloom (1st Oct). 

Blending elements of downtempo electronica, ethereal deampop and indie musicality with pop sensibilities, Caswell brings a sonic intelligence and melodic clarity which sets her music apart. Lush, immersive and emotive, the new single ‘Final Call’ continues this trend, with a tight lo-fi beat and fuzzy modulated bass with splashes of sparkling synth creating a transportive and rich soundscape. Caswell’s tender and commanding lead vocal pulls the track forward through its instantly repeatable melody, creating a feel which is at once cinematic and intimate, marked by a delicate interplay of vulnerability and strength to reflect playful, yet heartfelt lyricism. 

Speaking about the single Caswell explains: "Final Call explores the concept of reincarnation and feeling a playful curiosity about death, which is something so often seen as negative and taboo in our culture. Nature has always been an incredible way of helping me to feel present and there is beauty in knowing that we are connected to this ancient and cyclical network of life, and that one day when we will inevitably return to the earth that we are made from. Maybe death is simply a fallow period of rest, after which our energy lives on in the natural world in some new way."

Known for her magnetic stage presence, Caswell first grabbed attention by winning a nationwide competition to support Ed Sheeran, performing for 40,000 fans on his Divide tour. She’s since lit up stages at major festivals including the likes of Reading & Leeds, Latitude, and Bearded Theory, each performance showcasing her ability to balance the softness of her sound with undeniable stage energy. 

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Looms - The Iron and the Rust.

We’re thrilled to introduce Looms — the newest addition to the Paper Garden family. Their music blends dreamy guitar tones, layered harmonies, and emotionally rich storytelling, grounded in a decade of Brooklyn indie roots.

Just released: “The Iron and the Rust” is a shimmering, late-summer track that captures both intimacy and expanse and the first single from their upcoming Big Dream EP, arriving Sept 19.

Music isn’t just something we hear — it’s something we feel. Whether you’re listening for inspiration, connection, or discovery, this track invites you to take a moment, lean in, and see what emotions rise.

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Chwaer Fawr – Byw yn ôl y Sôn.

Chwaer Fawr new single 'Byw yn ôl y Sôn' is out now via Klep Dim Trep. Chwaer Fawr is the solo project of 'Mari Morgan', known for her time with Rogue Jones, Bitw and Saron. Her debut album (due June 27), oxymoronically titled Diwedd ('end'), is a quiet turning point marking both a conclusion and a beginning. Written and recorded slowly, at home and with friends, Diwedd grew organically and patiently. After years of playing in other people’s bands, this time it's her own quietly defiant voice that's front and centre.

Sung entirely in Welsh, Diwedd explores the tension between innocence and responsibility, between personal vulnerability and quiet resistance. It hints at the duality between the wonder of new motherhood and the anxiety of the modern world, threading in themes of peace, hope, and the urge to rise above it all. Birds and flight are recurring images throughout as symbols of freedom, fragility, and defiance. The album doesn’t seek resolution, but offers space to sit with discomfort, wonder and change.

Musically, Diwedd lives in a wonky, artful corner of alt-pop. It balances off-kilter textures with melodic clarity, gentle warmth and sharp detail. The record features contributions from a reliable circle of collaborators, including Llŷr Pari (Gwenno, Omaloma), Alex Morrison (Cate Le Bon, H. Hawkline), and Gwion Llewelyn (Aldous Harding, Villagers), with production from Gruff ab Arwel (Bitw, Y Niwl), who helps shape its tender strangeness.

Despite it's title, 'Diwedd' isn’t a full stop; rather, it’s the exhale after a long breath in. It marks the end of the slow, steady making of a debut, and the start of a more personal musical chapter. The album is both a personal journal and a quiet protest, not against one thing, but against forgetting what matters. It might not shout, but it stays with you. Sometimes, an ending is the most powerful way to begin.

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heddlu - Chorus of Courage feat. Mèr - Maya’s Radio Orchestra - Ryan Dunn

heddlu - Wish You Were Her.

The Welsh Electronic & Indie Artist 'heddlu' has a new single 'Wish You Were Her' out this week via Zawn Records. Heddlu is the new musical project by Rhodri Daniel. The Ceredigion native was a founding member of renowned Welsh band Estrons who had a major impact on the industry having gained rave reviews from the likes of NME, Vice, DIY and Clash to BBC Radio, Radio X, Ultimate Guitar, The Guardian and Independent.

After finishing the band in 2019, Rhodri became aware that his hearing was severely damaged. Years of touring the live circuit had taken their toll, Rhodri ultimately being diagnosed with hearing loss, tinnitus and severe sensitivity to noise. The effects were so acute, Rhodri was unable to play live music, leading to him composing his critically acclaimed debut album (Cantref, 2022) in his head whilst completing the entirety of the Wales Coastal Path (900 miles). His family and namely his sister, were great sources of comfort and hope during this difficult period. Serendipity led Rhodri back to music, and heddlu was born. Meaning ‘Police’ in Welsh, from the words ‘peace-force’, heddlu's music has been true to its’ name, offering a force of peace to the songwriter.

Rhodri spent the next few years writing and experimenting with new sounds and instruments as his hearing slowly recovered. Whilst writing and recording his 2nd album, life found a way of both disrupting and influencing the creative process, leading to multiple re-writes and an entire album being erased. Eventually, despite the interruptions, heddlu’s 2nd album, ‘Tramor’ - was completed. Meaning ‘Overseas’ in Welsh, ‘Tramor’ is series of intimate and volatile songs, detailing years of loss, estrangement, trauma and hope. 

“Wish You Were Her”, is the 2nd single from heddlu’s 2nd album ‘Tramor’, it is a raw emotionally charged track that pleads for someone close to grow into a better version of themselves—driven by equal parts frustration and love. Both confrontational and compassionate, it’s a self-aware lament that blurs the line between calling someone out and looking inward, capturing the messy beauty of caring deeply and hurting honestly.

heddlu · Wish You Were Her

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Chorus of Courage feat. Mèr - Let's Fight. 

Chorus of Courage and singer-songwriters Mèr (Cindy Doire and Sarah Burton) unveil “Let’s Fight,” a powerful new single that confronts the emotional trauma of narcissistic abuse and the difficult journey toward self-liberation. With unflinching honesty and a calm, cinematic soundscape, the track captures the moment of finally breaking free from manipulation, gaslighting, and cycles of harm — and the quiet strength it takes to say “I’m done.”

Chorus of Courage, a collective rooted in amplifying the voices of survivors of violence provides a home for Mèr’s new song, which resonates as both an act of personal healing and a statement of solidarity for others navigating similar experiences.

Written from the aftermath of emotional abuse, “Let’s Fight” challenges the futility and toll of toxic relational dynamics. “Have you ever had a friend or lover who always wanted to pick a fight? It’s an exhausting cycle of manipulation and hurt,” states Burton. “‘Let’s Fight’ is meant with irony and calm, as if to say, ‘I won’t fight anymore.’”

Though its title may suggest conflict, the song’s intention is the opposite. It’s about reclaiming peace.

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Photo - Laura Meek

Maya’s Radio Orchestra - Garden Variety. 

Glasgow-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Maya’s Radio Orchestra returns with her emotionally intimate and rhythmically immediate, genre-blurring new single ‘Garden Variety’. A harpist, fiddler, vocalist, and string arranger, Maya combines classical instrumentation with modern pop textures to striking effect. In ‘Garden Variety’, disco-inspired strings, layered harp, and urgent percussion underpin lyrics that examine the often-blurry line between compassion and overreach.

“It came together after I gave someone what I thought was helpful advice — but it clearly wasn’t wanted. That made me reflect on the balance between caring for others and maintaining your own wellbeing.”

The track began life as a sparse harp-and-voice demo but transformed after a collaboration with drummer Edwin McLachlan, who brought in an unpredictable, high-energy drum part. Maya re-composed the strings in response, drawing from 70s and 80s disco orchestration. The final result is a confident blend of genres, grounded by the refrain: “You don’t like my common garden variety advice / Your rage blooms, and I’m terrified.”

Originally from a village near Cheltenham, Maya moved to Scotland to study theology — later switching to physics — before turning fully to music. She trained in clàrsach (Celtic harp) and pedal harp at Edinburgh College and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and now works as a performer, arranger, and session musician. Her music fuses traditional instruments with unexpected influences, often layering harp and fiddle over bold textures.

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Ryan Dunn - Lovin' You.

Leicester (UK) born singer-songwriter Ryan Dunn is set to make waves with the release of "Lovin' You' which is available to download and stream now. An irresistible, soul-infused floor filler that seamlessly blends vintage charm with contemporary energy.

Drawing inspiration from the golden age of 60s soul and paying homage to the Motown greats, Lovin’ You transports its timeless essence into the 2020s, delivering a fresh, dynamic sound.

Formerly the frontman of Leicester four-piece Gazelle, from which he gained a reputation as an exceptional songwriting talent, Ryan has embarked on a bold new journey, channeling his deep-rooted love for the retro sounds of the 50s and 60s into an exciting new project. But this isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a carefully crafted fusion of past and present. After months in the studio refining his signature style, Ryan emerges with a sound that captures the best of both worlds.

With Lovin’ You, Ryan Dunn is not just introducing his debut single— he’s bringing a rich musical heritage into the future with style, energy, and undeniable passion. 

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Noiseshaper feat. Simple Straw - Kitty-May - Kissing Other ppl

Noiseshaper feat. Simple Straw - Fly Up.

Noiseshaper returns with FLY UP — the third single from their highly anticipated upcoming album. By 2019, the release of King Size Dub Special: Noiseshaper and Paolo Baldini Dubfiles Meets Noiseshaper rekindled the band’s spark. Reuniting with their former bassist Clemens Handler, the three of them began producing fresh material, giving fans a glimpse of the new chapter with the EP Listen To The Sound in 2023. 

Tracks like Rock Your Bone, featuring Jamaican singer Simple Straw, and a remix of Horace Andy’s Skylarking signaled a revitalized sound. Noiseshaper are internationally recognized for their fusion of dub house and dub techno, with celebrated tracks like The Only Redeemer, We Rock It, and Rock Your Bone. 

Their productions are defined by a unique blend of organic dub roots, soulful melodies, and electronic innovation. A message of flying up…

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Kitty-May - Our Place.

The new single ‘Our Place’ by Kitty-May is out now on Catch 21 Records. This hauntingly whimsical song invites you to take a trip through your most nostalgic memories and journey through a beautiful soundscape music expertly crafted by a young singer Songwriter truly coming into their own. Produced by Gavin Bowers at Catch 21 Records in Norwich with some stunning visuals shot by Adam Barnes.

A talented young artist from East Anglia, making waves as a beautifully wistful Song writer invoking the folk sounds of the 60s and 70s while firmly staking a claim in the modern pop world.

Kitty-Mays Hauntingly laid back vocals float over a powerfully chord driven sound pushed along by some low-fi hip hop beat to create something timeless and interesting in the singer songwriter genre. Weaving together a sound that is both electronic and organic in a truly sonically pleasing way Kitty-May has really come into her own.

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Kissing Other ppl - Ashes of American Flags.

This is an auspicious pairing: Baiman has earned raves from American Songwriter, VICE NOISEY, Folk Alley and has 60,000 monthly listeners. She has collaborated with Erin Rae, Shaboozey, Kacey Musgraves, Kevin Morby, and Molly Tuttle. Under the Radar has raved about Durham, NC-based Viv & Riley’s “warmth and organic joy [on] welcome folk delights.” They’ll be touring this spring with the Wood Brothers. First single “Where’d All The Time Go” (originally by Dr. Dog) came out in May, whilst “Ashes of American Flags” (Wilco) is out today June 13 and the album “Kissing Other People” (Lennon Stella) is due July 11.

The harmonies on this thing are magic. It initially presents as a folk album, but it includes a fair amount of indie rock sensibility and experimentation, from the musicians trying instruments less familiar to themselves to unconventional recording methods (a ‘90s camcorder used to capture room audio, abstract sounds in the Wilco song, off-kilter guitar sound on the Dr. Dog tune, etc.). 

Many of the tracks are drawn from early takes, with the energy and ideas fresh. The band decamped to a studio in the Connecticut countryside but ended up making the entire record in the accompany midcentury modern house, never setting foot in the actual studio, recorded often in the living room and even the indoor pool when they needed extra natural reverb. The idea began when the acts toured together and asked each other what non-folk music they each listened to in the van, and that led directly to a few of the song choices on here, including Lennon Stella and Waylon Payne. “Hold On Magnolia” holds special significance to Riley, as he went to Oberlin, where Jason Molina also attended.

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EDIE - ALA.NI - Gelli Haha - Hilary Hawke

EDIE - Girl’s Girl.

Boorloo (Perth) songwriter EDIE has made a name for herself through biting back at the misogyny that lurks all around, and now she’s turning the camera around to the girls who take part in tearing each other down in her newest single, ‘Girl’s Girl’, out on June 12.

Perth’s indie/ pop-rock princess EDIE is back with the same punch of energy she’s growing to be known and loved for, as shown through her 2024 debut EP and live shows buzzing with electricity. She kick started 2025 with her last release, ‘Bleed’, catching the attention of Triple J, RAGE, Triple J Unearthed, Rolling Stone, and even receiving a WAM nomination in the pop category, showing off how people crave her blend of girliness and edge.

‘Girl’s Girl’ has that signature EDIE bite with its toe-tapping electric basslines and its catchy drum loops, with EDIE’s strong voice helping the lyrics to stand out and be heard. This tune is versatile and addictive, the kind of song that can be listened to as a background track or really heard with the meaning of it raining down. 

This song isn't afraid to call out those who aren't a ‘Girl’s Girl’— Girl's girls lift each other up and aren’t afraid to call out misogyny, even when it’s coming from another woman. As such, this song is a softer side to EDIE’s usually cutting discography, a song more sad than angry. When a man is sexist, it's half-expected, but the friendly fire of a girl turning her back on another girl feels like a betrayal. EDIE says,

“‘Girl’s Girl’ is about the girls who just don’t support other girls! The ones who say they are there for you but then stab you in the back. And the ones who say “I’m one of the boys” or “I don’t hang out with girls, they’re too much drama!” I am exhausted with it! Let’s all support each other and lift each other up!” 

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Photo -  Jerome Witz

ALA.NI - Summer Meadows.

Paris-based singer/songwriter ALA.NI releases new single “Summer Meadows” via No Format Records, her second new song of the year following last month’s “Something You Said.” Drawing from a rich tapestry of influences – from calypso, to jazz, to bossa nova – the track is an intimate, heartfelt homage to her time spent living in Jamaica. The song also arrives with a music video which further celebrates her Caribbean heritage by effortlessly weaving her music with footage from Trinidad’s 1959 Carnival. 

“I definitely wrote this one under my duvet, wishing for sunshine,” shares ALA.NI. “It was December 2023, and mentally, I was back in Jamaica. The contrabass you hear is actually Clément Petit on the cello, while the carnivalesque trumpets and horns were played by Okiel McIntyre, a great kid I met playing music in Jamaica. I needed someone who knew what Caribbean sunshine feels like! I called him out of the blue — and he just happened to be flying into Paris to play with The Skatalites a few days later, so I grabbed him.”

The track takes inspiration from the two and a half years she spent traveling across Barbados, Grenada – where her parents grew up – and Jamaica, a trip that helped her find a renewed sense of self. Music flowed naturally, and she found herself collaborating with many of the Caribbean’s most prominent artists. Back in Paris, she channeled the energy she felt on this journey – thinking of the sunshine, heat, beauty and soul of these islands. 

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Photo - Sophie Prettyman Beauchamp

Gelli Haha - Normalize.

Gelli Haha reveals “Normalize”. Influenced by 80s Nigerian soul boogie, her final single ahead of the release of debut full-length album, Switcheroo, delivers mid-tempo synth-funk underneath a raw but smooth vocal. Gelli Haha expresses her desire to be free of hardships in the chorus, singing “I want to fly away”. The video for “Normalize” adapts Gelli Haha’s live stage performance into film, and is the next chapter of the psycho-science experiment that began in the previous single, “Spit,” revealing Gelli has been transformed into a parachute monster. 

A shapeshifter, a sonic acrobat, a performer with one foot in the cosmos and the other in arthouse theatrics, Gelli Haha (pronounced Jelly-Haha) is a space for pure creative chaos that exists somewhere between Studio 54 and Area 51. Gelli’s music thrives on duality: playful but profound, tongue-in-cheek but sincere. Her debut album Switcheroo, out next month via Innovative Leisure, is the soundtrack to the Gelliverse, a sensory adventure sphere created by Gelli. 

With a shared taste for off-kilter pop and vintage gear, producer Sean Guerin (of De Lux) joined Gelli in turning freshly-formed demos into a high-voltage experiment, abandoning meticulous structure for something freer and more electrifying. Every song on Switcheroo makes use of a myriad of recording toys; wacky analog effects, such as the Eventide Harmonizer, MXR Pitch Transposer, and various Electrix units, fashion an intentionally flawed and strictly silly texture throughout the album. Switcheroo is an exercise in letting go, an inside joke turned theatrical spectacle.

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Hilary Hawke — NYC Waltz.

Hilary Hawke is a genre-blending banjoist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist whose sound is as rooted as it is boundary-pushing. Originally from upstate New York and now a longtime staple of the NYC music scene, Hilary brings warmth, charisma, and grit to every stage she steps onto. Whether fingerpicking with precision or digging into clawhammer grooves, her style radiates a rare combination of technique and heartfelt authenticity. 

She is looking forward to the release of Lift Up This Old World (coming July 11, 2025 on Adhyâropa Records). Featuring contributions from Ross Martin, Max Johnson, Jacob Jolliff, Camille Howes and Bobby Hawk, the album is raw and honest bluegrass and old-time music, exploring themes of self-belief, resilience, and reconnecting with your roots. Born out of heartbreak and the unpredictable journey through life and the music industry, it’s a return to authenticity-just real songs, played and lived. Nine of the 11 tracks are original, touching on themes of strength, perseverance, acceptance, and even a couple of tearjerkers. This album is about trusting your path and creating genuine connections through both traditional and original music. 

The album's first single "NYC Waltz," out today, is an ode to Hilary's locality, written and performed by Hilary on banjo, and featuring Ross Martin on guitar, Max Johnson on bass, Bobby Hawk on fiddle, and gorgeous harmonies by Ruth Merenda. 

Hilary current live project features a powerhouse trio, rounded out by celebrated guitarist Ross Martin and rising fiddle innovator Camille Howes. Since forming in 2023, the group has built its identity around improvisation, original songwriting, and a shared reverence for bluegrass and old-time traditions - while never being afraid to stretch the genre’s boundaries. In 2023, Hilary released Lilygild, an instrumental album, with guitarist Reed Stutz, followed by Open the Doors, a neo-classical collaboration with pianist/synthesist duo Ola & Claude Aldous. 

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