Margaux Regan - Ally Row - Romanie - J.MYSTERY - Anna Smyrk - Winona Oak

Margaux Regan - After Thought (EP).

With almost a year of successful singles under her belt, rising singer-songwriter Margaux Regan released her debut EP After Thought on February 20th.
 
Written almost entirely by Margaux herself mostly composed on her bedroom floor the four-track collection captures the quiet chaos of growing up: the overthinking, heartbreak, self-doubt, and small moments of clarity in between. After Thought maps the transition between nineteen and twenty-one, blending organic instrumentation with contemporary pop sensibilities and country-tinged storytelling. The process wasn't always easy. Halfway through writing, Margaux developed vocal cord issues that forced her to re-evaluate her relationship with music. When she returned, she wanted to be more open, more playful, and less afraid of imperfection.

"The title mirrors my inner world and the way I process my experiences," says Margaux. "These songs are the thoughts that linger after everything else has been said.” Among the EP's deeply personal tracks, "Sob Story" stands out as an emotionally raw ballad that navigates the conflicting emotions of anger and grief that accompany heartbreak. Inspired by the confessional songwriting of artists like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, the track showcases Margaux's country-soaked approach to heartbreak, with her vocals effortlessly floating above acoustic instrumentation that feels both intimate and devastating.

"I wrote this with my friend Daniel Haughey, who helped get the words out of me when I couldn't myself," explains Margaux. "After experiencing the kind of love where denial made you ignore the red flags, I wanted people to relate to the emotion rather than just the words. The bridge is almost a furious but devastating word vomit that makes the song just that much more devastating."

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Ally Row - Numb to the Touch.

Gippsland duo, Ally Row, release the final radio single “Numb to the Touch” (via Red Rebel Music / MGM Distribution) from their hit album, “Something More”, on Friday 20th February. The song is a stunning slice of melancholy perfection with both Alice and Rowan taking the reins on lead vocals. The gorgeous melody wax and wanes with lush, layered vocal harmonies, eery electric banjo and strings played ever so beautifully by Robyn Blann - proving they are more than energetic crowd pleasers.

Alice confides, “this song is all about acknowledging my own flaws and reminding myself that relationships take work because they contain two imperfect individuals. But sparks have to fly if you want to start a fire, right?” Rowan says, “when our faults aren’t recognised and accounted for, we start trying to be someone were not. this can be physically and mentally draining. We all just want to be loved for who we are.”

Ally Row kicked off 2026 with a successful stint at the Tamworth Country Music Festival that featured a stellar opening spot for Melody Moko that left people raving. Just hours after walking the red carpet at the 2026 Golden Guitar Awards and running on a few hours’ sleep, they were back in the car driving to Melbourne to perform at the 2026 Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne. Then off to Tasmania to support Shaun Kirk before heading back to Victoria to support Alex Lloyd.

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Romanie - Falling / It’s Not That Funny (Album).

Romanie reveals her impressive second album ‘It’s Not That Funny’ along with an exceptional music video for focus single ‘Falling.’ Arriving as a bold new chapter, ‘It’s Not That Funny’ takes shape as a deeply personal project. Through pure-vocals, tender lyricism and Romanie’s infectious charm, the album transforms powerful reflections into relatable and profound morsels of endlessly playable indie-pop. 

The duality of playful charm and hard-hitting vulnerability is immediate from the album’s title alone: “‘It’s Not That Funny’, which relates to trying to convince your therapist you’re funny and that anything that’s ever happened to you ‘wasn’t all that bad’,”. Romanie explained further; “I think that growing up in Belgium, we’re always told to keep a brave face and to keep going no matter what – which is great for endurance and resilience; but sometimes as humans, we just want to be soft. As women in society I feel like we always have to strive for perfection; but I think that with this album I wanted to seek out the imperfections; uncover what’s behind the jokes.” Over the eleven track body of work, Romanie displays her dedication to artistic honesty and social justice, never shying away from the complex and difficult topics. 

The album's focus single ‘Falling’ is a stand out moment that erupts into catharsis. Sharing more, she shared: “Initially, Falling was written about falling for the wrong people; but after recording it I felt like it was more of an omen of my own breaking down. Falling is the most fun to play live and the music video was shot at my 30th birthday party -I had to pay for a venue hire and was super broke at the time so Young Ha Kim [director] and I joked that we should shoot a music video to be able to claim it on tax. I had convinced all my friends to dress up in a wedding dress, kind of as a joke but everyone pulled up looking absolutely stunning. It’s really a representation of what the album means to me: no matter how rough life gets, my friends are there to hear me sob and pull me through hard moments as much as I want to be there for them.”


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J.MYSTERY - Change.

J.MYSTERY is a singer-songwriter from Portugal. He is an enigmatic artist who defies categorization, seamlessly blending various musical influences to create a captivating and ethereal sound. With a unique approach to songwriting and an unmistakable presence, J.MYSTERY takes listeners on a journey through mystery and introspection. His sound weaves alternative rock, electronic, and atmospheric pop elements, resulting in a beautiful and profoundly reflective sonic landscape.

The enigmatic persona of J.MYSTERY is reflected not only in his music but also in his stage presence and visual aesthetics. His captivating performances create an otherworldly atmosphere that envelops the audience. J.MYSTERY is carving a unique path in the music industry, challenging traditions and pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration. As he explains, “Music was always something deeply personal for me, something I loved rather than something I imagined as a career.”

His brand new single, “Change,” marks one of the most emotionally ambitious moments in his catalogue to date. Written and recorded in Portugal, the song began in his home studio before being developed alongside longtime collaborator and producer Francisco Reis, who has worked with him since day one. Expanding the process further, “Change” became his most collaborative project so far, featuring a string quartet and cinematic arrangements by Nikolai Gimaletdinov and IAN, giving the track a sense of scale while retaining its intimacy. Reflecting on the process, J.MYSTERY describes it as “one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve created to date.”

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Photo - Michelle Hunder

Anna Smyrk - Line by Line.

Leading the way for her debut album, Anna Smyrk returns with gorgeous new single ‘Line by Line.’ Written in the bathroom of an airplane, Line by Line is quietly introspective. It beckons a glimmer of light after darkness and serves as a reminder to take things as they come, one step at a time. Sharing more, Anna said: “I was flying home after a tour around Germany, feeling exhausted and really missing my dad, who had passed away a few months earlier. I watched a sad movie on the plane, then the chorus came into my head while the credits were rolling in the dark. I locked myself in the bathroom for a few minutes, singing quietly into my phone, and that was the seed of the song.”

Line by Line is the final teaser to arrive ahead of Anna’s debut album ‘Spectacular Denial’ which will be out on the 20th of March via Community Music. Shaped by her deeply personal journey with grief and her exploration of the many forms denial can take, the new album sonically sits in a rich space between indie, alt-pop, and folk, drawing inspiration from Blondie, Phoebe Bridgers, Garbage, Angie McMahon and Hozier. Listeners can anticipate a beautifully compelling body of work which looks to be an impressive milestone in Anna’s rise as an indie-pop artist to watch. 

Ahead of her upcoming debut album, Anna has already road tested her unreleased tracks during the recent Community Garden Tour around Australia. Her honest and reflective songwriting and approach to grief has been quietly resonating with audiences. “People have come to talk after the shows about their own losses,” says Anna. “It’s like we can share a little moment of solidarity’.

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Winona Oak - Stay the night.

Swedish singer-songwriter Winona Oak continues to showcase her new era with her candid new single ‘Stay the night’ out now via Nettwerk. Winona released her EP ‘Salt’ this spring, which was a poignant personal documentation of her physical and emotional states. Throughout this year, she has been working on new music and a progression in her raw and unvarnished sound, whilst still writing about the highs and lows of life; loss and repair, heartbreak and love, resistance and patience. 
 
With her new single ‘Stay the night’, Winona unveils a more organic approach by collaborating with renown Swedish producers Martin Stilling and TF, embracing live instrumentation and an emotive sonic palette to deliver a cinematic, deep and personal track. The intimately delicate filmed video by Studio Förgätmigej visually displays Winona being pulled between both strength and fragility.   
 
Winona says, “’Stay the Night’ captures the magnetic pull of desire — the moment you allow yourself to fall again, even while carrying old bruises. With aching honesty, the song explores the tension between surrender and self-protection.” ‘Stay the night is the next instalment in a new chapter for Winona Oak and she will be announcing further new music soon. 

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Lauren Minear - Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Sin Cos Tan - Anna Smyrk

Lauren Minear - Perfect Girl.

New York–based alt-pop singer-songwriter Lauren Minear returns with "Perfect Girl," a razor-sharp, darkly playful exploration of what it means to be a woman expected to shapeshift endlessly to please others. Written from the perspective of a fictional, satirical character, the track leans into the absurdity of "perfection" and the way chasing it strips away humanity in the process.

Built on deliberately hard, robotic production choices, "Perfect Girl" captures the inhumanity of trying to be universally palatable. Minear originally drafted the song in 2021, but it found its true place during the creation of her new album, Boxing Day (released October 17th), a project rooted in anger, honesty, and reclamation. At a co-writing retreat, the track came fully into focus with the help of Dan Weeks, Dan Barrenechea, and Leah Wheatley, who pushed the melody and arrangement into sharper, more subversive territory.

"This song is unlike anything else I've ever written," explains Minear. "It plays with themes of body privilege and power to illustrate how the construct of perfection hurts and disconnects everyone (including men)."

Though the track is built around a fictional voice, "Perfect Girl" taps straight into Minear's longstanding thematic terrain: womanhood, mental health, self-perception, and the quiet wars we wage between who we are and who we’re told to be. "I don't deliberately write about the female experience," she says, "but I am a woman, a mother, and a psychotherapist trained in a feminist relational approach – it comes very naturally to me." In the end, "Perfect Girl" lands as defiant, mischievous, and liberating – a mirror held up to the impossible standards women navigate every day, delivered with a wink, a snarl, and a fully embodied alter-ego.

Lauren Minear · Perfect Girl

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Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Damp.

As the release of their seventh studio album Pale Bloom approaches (February 13th via Unique Records), Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys unveil the record’s final single, “Damp,” which arrived Friday January 16th.

What began as a stripped-back acoustic sketch from Kruger was later reshaped by guitarist Liú Mottes into something more urgent and propulsive, gradually unfolding into a deep exploration of collapse, raw vulnerability, and the fragile promise of renewal. A steady pulse runs through the track, lending it movement and momentum while leaving space for uncertainty. Feelings of isolation are rendered physical and warm, with drifting violas fading in and out like the last light of day.

“Like most of what I write, it’s about a desire for depth and connection—a kind of quiet mocking of the mundane and domestic,” Kruger explains. “The first verse reflects that polite culture of not saying what you mean, of being too afraid to ask for what you need in case you seem too much, or expose the mess of falling apart. There’s a wanting, though—to give in, give up, or simply to give. Eventually, the fantasy of a breakdown moves closer to the tongue, almost reaching release, before slipping back into silence. Something restrained that feels both tender and oppressive, mirroring the path that led me to the mess of not making a mess in the first place.”

At its core, “Damp” wrestles with the distance between feeling and expression. The lyrics circle restraint, politeness, and the fear of asking for too much. The song builds toward release without ever fully arriving, settling instead into a quiet tension that reflects its central paradox: holding everything in, even when it might be easier to let it spill. Kruger adds, “I like that the thought that can’t quite be spoken hovers veiled above a bed of sound that expresses the feeling far better. It’s in that clash—the friction between what’s said and what’s felt—that the song finds its meaning, or at least does justice to its complexity.”

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Sin Cos Tan - In My House.

Finnish synth-pop duo Sin Cos Tan continue their new chapter with In My House, the second single from their forthcoming album Greed. The track deepens and expands the album’s world by highlighting a more rhythm-driven, club-aware side of the band, without losing the melodic precision and emotional restraint that define their sound.

Formed by producer-DJ Jori Hulkkonen and singer-songwriter Juho Paalosmaa, Sin Cos Tan are known for their rare balance of Nordic melancholy, classic pop songcraft, and precise electronic production. Their music exists between nostalgia and the future: timeless synth pop that feels equally at home in headphones, on night drives, or in late-evening settings.

In My House is darker and more direct than the album’s opening single Cutting Losses. It is built on a steady pulse, repetition, and a rhythmic structure that reflects the duo’s long-standing relationship with club music. Rather than referencing house music as a genre, the track draws on it as an understanding of movement and space. There is something distinctly nocturnal about the song, about the moment when rhythm takes over and carries the listener forward. Within Greed, In My House approaches themes of power, ownership, and desire from its own angle, without explanation or emphasis.

Jori Hulkkonen is one of the central figures in Finnish electronic music, with a career spanning over three decades across multiple strands of electronic sound. In the 1990s, he emerged as a key artist on the influential French label F Communications, contributing to the golden era of French electronic music alongside the label’s founder Laurent Garnier and contemporaries such as Mr. Oizo.

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Photo - Michelle G Hunder

Anna Smyrk - Skin Thinner.

Naarm/Melbourne based singer-songwriter Anna Smyrk lets down her walls with ‘Skin Thinner’. The new single is here ahead of her debut album ‘Spectacular Denial’ which will be out on the 20th of March via Community Music. Arriving as a catchy dose of indie-pop, ‘Skin Thinner’ shines a light on the complex processes that come with the loss of a loved one. Sonically upbeat, the lyrics bare an unexpected and powerful vulnerability.

Sharing more Anna explained: ‘I wrote this song about trying to peel away the layers that I put up to protect my mind after my dad passed away unexpectedly. It’s a resolution to try to work through the shock and denial and be open to the world again.  

Denial and staying numb can be a useful part of the process, it can protect you when you’re not ready to feel your feelings. But at some point, if you want to feel all the good stuff as well, you need to find a way to stay open and hold the painful stuff and the joyful stuff at the same time.’

With the release of her first full length album ‘Spectacular Denial’ coming in March, listeners can look forward to a beautifully compelling body of work. Shaped by her deeply personal journey with grief and her exploration of the many forms denial can take, the new album sonically sits in a rich space between indie, alt-pop, and folk.

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Anna Smyrk - ZOCO - Howling Bells - TCBYML

Photo - Michelle Grace Hunder

Anna Smyrk - This is a Drill.

Naarm/Melbourne based singer-songwriter Anna Smyrk shares a poignant moment of catharsis with new single ‘This is a Drill’. The impressive indie-folk offering arrives along with news of a debut album on the way.  Spectacular Denial with be out on the 20th of March via Community Music 

Written in the wake of her father’s passing, ‘This is a Drill’ is born from the unrelenting impact of grief. The track moves from a quiet ache to a raw emotional unravelling, echoing the unpredictable ways that the pain of loss can take hold. Sharing more, Anna explained: “This is a Drill is a song about not being ready to feel my feelings. It’s about the strange, foggy state of denial, where everything feels a little unreal, like normal life is happening on the other side of a heavy curtain, like each day is a drill for the real thing.”

Arriving as a striking, indie folk slow-burner, courageously honest lyricism carries a tender reminder of the ways we cope or don’t when life cracks open. It’s both a whisper and a wail, a confession and a release. Produced and mixed by Anna Laverty (Courtney Barnett, Nick Cave), 'This Is a Drill' captures the suspended, dreamlike space between shock and acceptance. 

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ZOCO - Searching.

Following their debut singles “Restless” and “Diamond In The Rough,” ZOCO the international rock project founded by multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter Marco Zocco returns with “Searching.”  A wistful, yet cathartic anthem, “Searching” explores universal yearning for fulfillment, reflecting on trust issues, doubts about satisfaction, and the complexity of dreams and aspirations. “Searching” serves as the latest offering from ZOCO’s upcoming debut EP LUMANISTA (Part 1), a collaborative project with distinguished rock players, due January 9, 2026. 

Marco’s gritty vocals deliver his conversational songwriting which convey the philosophical pondering, desperation and frustration of an age old question: will we ever find satisfaction. In “Searching”, ZOCO explores both the excitement of coming across something promising and the worry that it will not be in the future, leading the loop we all feel at times “will I ever find something perfect for me? Something perfect for both now and the future? Is such a hope doomed to delusion? Written in ambiguous terms, this could relate to anything the listener is “Searching through” as the chorus sings, whether romantic, spiritual, financial or other. 

However, this contrasts with brighter production elements and captivating guitar riffs, giving the song a steady pace and hopeful undertones and suggesting that time can heal these wounds. Like “Restless” and “Diamond In The Rough,” “Searching” also highlights ZOCO’s intelligent and thought-provoking songwriting paired with top-notch production and musicianship. The upcoming LUMANISTA EP comes to life with the help of some high-profile collaborators–production by Gunnar Nelson (Nelson), executive production by Kerry Brown (Smashing Pumpkins) and co-production by Jake Pace and Carmine Rojas (David Bowie, Rod Stewart). 

ZOCO · Searching

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Photo - Orlando Cubitt

Howling Bells - Chimera.

Howling Bells have recently announced the release of 'Strange Life', their first album in over 12 years, on the 13th February 2026 via Nude Records. Ahead of this they have now released another single 'Chimera.'

Since their beginnings, breaking through with their acclaimed self-titled debut back in 2006 amidst a landscape of scrappy British indie and skinny-jeaned male dominance, the Australian trio - vocalist/guitarist Juanita Stein, her brother and guitarist Joel Stein and drummer Glenn Moule - have been something of an anomaly. They might have moved to the other side of the world in pursuit of the dreams that soon became a reality, playing at an NME Tour and then in stadiums supporting Coldplay whilst whipping up acclaim from the most credible ends of the music press. They may have seen various members come and go, but Howling Bells’ hypnotic indie rock always stood apart from the pack and was very much a reflection of their unbreakable union

Juanita explains: "Chimera is a strange word. It means a few different and curious things; in this context, however, I’m using it to mean something of an absurd nature, unattainable, a fantasy. Such is the relationship we have with music at times. This song speaks to my experience as a musician, surviving the perpetual ups and downs of the game. But if you’re lucky enough, you have someone who can cut through the noise and help you realise that the fantasy is half the joy. That the longing is part of the journey and that our achievements along the way are deeply meaningful. At its core, 'Chimera' is a song about hope and relinquishing control".

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TCBYML - Alt Songs (Compilation Album).

Alt Songs is the first TCBYML compilation to bring together everything that defines our current sound — a vibrant, uncompromising mix of indie, alternative, punk, and post-everything energy. Twelve bands, each distinct in tone and vision, yet bound by one shared truth: music that feels real. Featuring: Velcro Sunset · Moving Into Tucson · Song 1 · A Better Place · Death Sells · Uitwaaien · Amber Hotel · Public Divide · The Indie Pea · June Rest · Sun Is Out · Shiverfield.

From the melodic rush of Moving Into Tucson and the cinematic pulse of Amber Hotel, to the lo-fi storms of A Better Place and the hardcore intensity of Uitwaaien — this collection never sits still. It drifts through the wistful haze of Velcro Sunset, the fierce pulse of Death Sells, and the jagged charm of Song 1. It swells with the orchestral glow of The Indie Pea, the sharp hooks of June Rest, and the sunlit shimmer of Sun Is Out. Add the tense explosions of Shiverfield and the razor-edged urgency of Public Divide, and you get a portrait of where alternative music lives right now. This collection captures a moment in motion. — raw, restless, and utterly alive. The moment a label stopped curating genres and started following its gut.

Over the years, TCBYML has evolved from a broad platform into something much more personal — a close-knit community of artists who don’t just share a roster, but a belief: that sincerity beats polish, that imperfection can be power, and that a great song still matters more than anything. Alt Songs isn’t just a playlist, it’s a pulse — the collective heartbeat of a label rediscovering what it truly loves. Each track is a chapter in that rediscovery: fierce, melodic, restless, and alive.

TCBYML · Various Artists - TCBYML presents Alt Songs

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