2:19 Special are a blues-soaked rock duo blending synths and drum machines with live guitar, vocals, and drums. Following the success of their debut 7" single in 2025, they now feature on Falmouth, Freakzone Compilation Album No. 2 with their track “Come to Fix.”
Cornish two-piece 2:19 Special released their debut single "Don't Shake My Tree" on Tuesday 23rd September 2025 via indie label Krautpop!. The track came spinning into the world as a limited-edition lathe cut 7” single (hand-made in Cornwall by Sam Stacpoole) with “Jim, Say it Again” on the B side.
2:19 Special formed in 2024, when Mark and Vicki met at an open mic in Penryn, Cornwall. Their music draws inspiration from 60's garage, minimalist electronic music and old films. The result is a blend of echo laden distorted guitar with simple beats and intriguing lyrics.
"Don't Shake My Tree” is essentially about when you are feeling cranky…don’t keep pushing and prodding or you’ll eventually snap!” says the track’s lead vocalist, Mark Arend. “Jim, Say it Again is about chronic illness which is all around us, it’s about being kinder to ourselves and each other.” says Vicki Gilbert, who sings and drums on the song.
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| Photo - Bjørk Ellingsbø |
Pop riser Lemi just released a fearless new single 'Monster', the latest taste of the Norwegian newcomer's upcoming debut EP, out 5th June, following a widely praised showcase at Norwegian tastemaker festival Vill Vill Vest. Written in anger and frustration as a bid to reclaim control, ‘Monster’ is a blast of teenage-fury pop, pairing acoustic guitar with Lemi’s soaring vocal. What starts as a private confession grows into something openly defiant, as Lemi explains:
"The song explores violent fantasies of justice when a 'no' goes unheard and questions how to stop a monster without becoming one." Hailing from Bergen - the same vibrant musical breeding ground behind AURORA, Alan Walker, and Kygo - Lemi's music crystallises the volatility of being 18 and finding your place in the world.
With each new single, Lemi offers a deeper understanding of the emotional terrain her upcoming EP maps out. Together, the songs trace a vivid journey from victim to survivor - a story she feels compelled to share, not just for herself, as she explains:
“I wrote it for me, but even more for everyone else who can relate. It’s not about what I’ve been through, but about something so many people experience. I get really angry, and then I have to write about it.”
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A sonically bombastic retro soul banger inspired by the Black Puma’s, Baby Huey, Alabama Shakes, and a little Rage Against the Machine, “No One Else” is anchored by infectious rhythm, layered with atmospheric keyboards, and backed by an explosive horn section.
At its core, the song is a rejection letter, repelling the advances of the liars and conmen who seek to control us. The lyrics are steeped in the frustration of someone who has been ripped off, taken advantage of, used, and left for dead.
“This song is a reflection of how, in the current world of manipulation and misinformation, we continue to allow deceitfulness to cause harm,” says Bywater Call’s guitarist Dave Barnes. “In the end, we have the strength within to defeat evil and take back our own power. If we don’t, there is no one else to blame but ourselves.”
“No One Else” is indicative of Bywater Call’s mission to meld old and new sounds and influences, while continuing to carve out a lane of their own. This journey to evolve and experiment as a band, while aiming to deliver the emotion and musical drive that followers have come to love, can be heard throughout the new album Broken Souvenirs.
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Grammy-winning artist and legendary voice actor Grey DeLisle and powerhouse soul vocalist Les Greene share “I’m Gonna Let You Call Me Baby,” a tender, late-night ballad from their forthcoming collaborative LP Grey & Greene, out June 5 via Hummin’bird Records. Sung by Greene, the track showcases a different side of the powerhouse vocalist. Best known to some audiences as the voice of Little Richard in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis and for his high-voltage performances with Les Greene & the Swayzees, Greene pulls things way back here, trading his trademark firebrand energy for quiet heartbreak and restraint.
“I had just hosted the Ameripolitan Awards where I saw Les perform for the very first time,” says DeLisle about the song’s inspiration. “I couldn’t get his voice out of my head. I wanted to write the perfect song for him. He’s the kind of performer that really inspires a songwriter. It really pushes the boundaries of my mind when I’m not constrained by a singer’s abilities,” she continues. “He can sing anything!”
After years focused on her prolific career as one of the most recognizable voices in American animation, DeLisle’s songwriting fire reignited during the isolation of 2020, setting off an expansive creative run rooted in storytelling, collaboration, and a deep reverence for Americana tradition.
Produced by rockabilly veteran James Intveld with additional production from the late Andy Paley, “I’m Gonna Let You Call Me Baby” leans into classic soul and country balladry, pairing warm B3 organ, subtle percussion, and rich harmonies from backing vocalists Mika Lett and Marika Knight. “I’m Gonna Let You Call Me Baby” follows lead single “The Pieces,” a slow-burning meditation on long-distance love sung by DeLisle that first introduced listeners to the chemistry and vintage spirit at the heart of Grey & Greene.
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| Photo - Taija Grey |
Self-proclaimed cottage core rockstar Kari Lyn unveils “Killing Time (the Fish Song),” a hopeful, theatrical folk-country rocker that marks the beginning of a brand new era. The first single from an upcoming six-song EP, the track embraces spontaneity, adventure, and the joy found in life’s in-between moments. Equal parts playful and reflective, “Killing Time (the Fish Song)” feels like driving into the sunset with the windows down; cinematic, pulsing, full of possibility.
The song was written during a summer spent back in Kari Lyn’s hometown of North Rustico, PEI, where she challenged herself to write as much as possible while soaking in the fresh air, familiar landscapes, and temporary freedom from day-to-day work. “I believe I finished 11 songs that summer that I was willing to share,” she explains. “Killing Time (the Fish Song)” was one of them. Being home stirred deeper reflection too. “I was thinking about how proud little Kari Lyn would be and how I’ve become someone she would have looked up to.”
Though initially written as a playful experiment with chord progressions and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, the song quickly took on a life of its own. After performing it casually for friends, fans, and at a few live shows, one thing became clear: people wanted “the Fish Song.” “They’ve been asking for it for almost two years now,” Kari Lyn says.
At its core, “Killing Time (the Fish Song)” is about embracing the moments that quietly shape who we become. “Life is all about the moments in between,” Kari Lyn explains. “The moments we are ‘Killing Time’ are what make us who we become.” That idea is woven throughout the song’s freewheeling spirit, capturing both the rush of adventure and the clarity that often arrives when you least expect it.
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French garage-psych outfit Prisoner return with their new digital single “La femme qui s’était faite toute seule,” released May 15 via Wicked Cool Records, alongside preorders for their upcoming self-titled album, out August 7th on Wicked Cool Records. The track captures the band’s singular approach—where the drama of classic film scores collides with the raw immediacy of garage rock and the shadowy pulse of post-punk.
Built around the idea that no one is truly self-made, “La femme qui s’était faite toute seule” unfolds like a lost soundtrack to an imaginary film—tense, stylish, and unpredictable. Trombone stabs cut through driving rhythms, while surf-leaning guitar lines and hypnotic grooves give way to sweeping, cinematic flourishes. “No one is self-made. You only need to listen to ‘La femme qui s’était faite toute seule’ by Prisoner… to realize that.”
The band’s sound draws heavily from the golden era of 1960s and ’70s television and film scoring—think bold arrangements, memorable themes, and a sense of drama that feels both nostalgic and immediate. But Prisoner don’t just reinterpret the past—they expand it, creating original compositions that feel like they belong to a parallel universe of cult TV classics.
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