Growth rarely comes easy. It stumbles in late, knocks things over, and leaves its mark in quiet, unexpected ways. On her new EP 'Lessons Learnt', out today Thursday, September 25, Abbey Lane traces the winding path of early adulthood with tenderness and insight, offering six intimate reflections on what it means to evolve, to unlearn, and to begin again.
These songs bloom in different shades. Some burst with the bright defiance of indie rock, all shimmering guitars and propulsive drums, while others slip into softer spaces built on slow-burning alternative pop. Her voice moves between restraint and release, drawing strength from stillness one moment, then soaring with conviction the next.
"This EP is all about growing, learning and navigating your way through early adulthood," Abbey shares. "All the songs on this project revolve around different concepts of growth, whether it's about learning from mistakes, feeling lost in life decisions, or learning from young relationships."
The EP holds a series of emotional swells where vulnerability builds into something bold and unflinching. It is a sound that carries the weight of growth, not always graceful but always honest, as each track traces a new contour of becoming.
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'Underneath' is the second single leading to Dandelion and The Drop's second album (due early November 2025). The song searches for answers hidden in the folds of existence.
Dandelion’s lyrics reach into life’s unseen dimensions, where material wonders meet the inner depths of love, mind, body, and soul, tracing with appreciation the unseen threads between them. The journey begins with the grind of frozen, icy guitars, as the band conjures the vision into being: deep, resolving basslines, powerful drums, and swelling horns that rise like waves.
Each element builds toward a functional beauty—a sound that is both urgent and searching, yet liberating and radiant with warmth. "Underneath" is a journey into the beauty of being, a soundscape of seeking, and the sound of meaning.
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| Photo - Felix Raphael Compass |
Yesterday, Berlin live artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Felix Raphael dropped his forthcoming album’s second single, "Compass (how to stay aligned)" via [PIAS] Électronique – his new album, 'Do You' is out November 28.
The LP’s theme is mental health, exploring Raphael’s own mental health challenges as a successful international electronic music artist and also his professional social work experience, aiming to help others both inside and outside the music industry by delving into these universally felt experiences. Split into four phases, Do You charts the peaks and nadirs of life as a touring musician, cycling through anxiety and struggle, mood swings, bliss, and finally equanimity.
Raphael achieves this through a blend of melodic and organic house with indie folk elements, purpose-designed for live performance as he plays guitar, piano, synths and the Fluegelhorn which he taught himself specifically for the album as part of its signature sound and hopeful feeling. He deploys his rich, warm vocal gifts, his voice a reassuring anchor throughout.
While the LP will highlight issues such as comparison with others, dealing with both successes and failures, industry genre-conforming pressure and the courage needed to be open about mental health problems, it is also ultimately a positive record - in celebrating the true joy of creativity and sharing it with others.
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| Photo - Jaxon Whittington |
As anticipation builds for their sophomore album Celebrator, LA indie rock quartet Dear Boy deliver the collection's final single with "The Address," arriving ahead of the full album's October 17th release via Last Gang Records.
Reuniting once again with producer Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma, Been Stellar, Snail Mail), "The Address" finds Dear Boy operating at peak creative power. The track seamlessly balances nostalgic influences with forward-thinking song craft, built on a guitar-driven foundation that perfectly complements Ben Grey's compelling vocal delivery and incisive lyricism. From its opening Happy Mondays-esque drum groove, the dynamic rhythm section of Keith Cooper (drums) and Lucy Lawrence (bass, vocals) provides the propulsive energy that makes this their most immediately captivating release to date.
"The Address" rewards both casual listeners and deep-dive explorers – hooky enough for instant connection, yet layered enough to reveal new details with each encounter. The song exemplifies Dear Boy's remarkable ability to channel the golden era of British alternative rock while infusing it with their distinctive West Coast sensibility. There's an effortless quality to their approach, creating something that feels both comfortingly familiar and entirely fresh.
Quoted on the new single, Ben from Dear Boy states: "The Address is about waiting to fall in love with your own life. Sometimes the good things are all there in front of your face, but you just can’t get them to look back at you."
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