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| Photo - Luca Bailey |
Home Counties today release their new single 'New Best Thing', a stomping, synth-laced thrill ride and the latest preview of their eagerly awaited second album 'Humdrum', out 24th October via Submarine Cat Records - produced by Al Doyle (of Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem).
Written in a rare moment of spontaneity, 'New Best Thing' unspools like a strobe-lit meltdown - half blog-era dance-punk, half indie sleaze fever dream. Synths squelch and guitars stab between swung, danceable rhythms, as vocalists Will Harrison and Lois Kelly skewer the kind of brash self-belief that thrives in a world of instant gratification and blurred moral lines.
Will Harrison explains: “Inspired by the electroclash of Peaches with the Cowboy-guitar blues rock of Alabama 3, we tried to make something that was fun and immediate – something that wouldn’t feel out of place on a PlayStation 2 driving game. Pairing swung drums and obnoxious synths and guitars, it felt sleazy and swaggering.
"This feeling inspired the lyrical content, capturing the overconfidence that comes from consumption and how society either tolerates it or looks down upon it depending on class. Writing the lyrics and music quickly also added to the general immediacy of the song. It was a rare moment of not allowing ourselves to overthink things, which I guess in a way reflects the carelessness of the subject matter.”
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Ant Thomaz is a Glasgow-based singer-songwriter and musician with roots from the Bayou of southern Louisiana. Drawing from a vibrant mix of folk, soul, pop, zydeco, and rock, his music carries a raw, lived-in warmth shaped by years of self-taught songwriting since the age of twelve. Known for his heartfelt lyrics and a sound that blends grit with soul, Thomaz weaves personal experience into every note, echoing both his Southern heritage and his journey as an artist.
His latest single, “Feet on the Ground,” is a warm, sincere tribute to real love, written with his wife and creative partner, Frances. The track speaks to the importance of presence, and the power of staying grounded through life’s distractions, worries, and external noise. Opening with the lyric “walking through the rain without even a stain, not knowing anyone’s name…”, the song sets the tone for a reflective journey about choosing peace, clarity, and connection over chaos. It’s a reminder that even when the world feels uncertain, love can be an anchor.
Inspired by their late-night conversations as artists, parents, and partners, Thomaz uses the song to explore what it means to grow in love without losing your sense of joy and self. “Feet on the Ground” is also an expression of gratitude for the strong women who inspire him daily, especially Frances, whose impact on his life and artistry is woven through every lyric. At its core, the song urges us to hold on to our youthful spirit, to slow down, and to honour the everyday beauty of life and love, free from ego or comparison.
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As the summer scurry fades and autumn winds drift eastward, the days grow shorter, the lights dimmer - Kramies makes his timely return. And “Hollywood Signs”, the lead single from an upcoming new LP, is a clear departure in sound for the cult Ohio songwriter.
Three years after his critically acclaimed self-titled LP—which earned multiple Album of the Year accolades and saw Billboard christen him “The Dreampop Troubadour” - in 2025 Kramies begins anew and turns the page to his next chapter with its follow-up.
Operating in a genre of his own devising that he dubbed Folklore Dreampop - a blend of dreamy textures, poetic myth, and spectral beauty - his self-titled debut offered a collection of songs steeped in wonder that found the singer-songwriter drifting deeply through a series of otherworldly realms. But for his next act, Kramies marks a creative shift from any former labellings with the decisively titled new album: ‘Goodbye Dreampop Troubadour’.
Seeking to expand his creative world into new dimensions, his upcoming work finds him collaborating with Grammy-winning producer Mario McNulty (David Bowie / Prince) to conjure dusky soundscapes shaded with nighttime colors and a nostalgic melancholia. Unlike previous releases that have been scattered with the stardust of luminaries such Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Patrick Carney (Black Keys), Alma Forrer, Jerry Becker (Train) and more, his new album is a stridently confident solo creation, with Kramies playing 90% of the instruments across the album.
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| Photo - Zosia Kibalo |
London outfit Cherry i emerge today with their unsettling and cinematic new single ‘The Arsonist’, produced by Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Youth Lagoon, Soccer Mommy). A slow-creeping art-rock dirge that draws from myth and modern conflict, the single reframes harrowing events through a cryptic, surrealist lens: a divine arsonist trapped inside a dog, prowling the streets of Kyiv.
Built on detuned guitars and submerged percussion, ‘The Arsonist’ drifts through the liminal space between The Smile’s unsettling surrealism and King Krule’s shadowy melancholy, with glints of Portishead’s brooding atmosphere and Beth Gibbons’ fragile intensity. The result is vivid and enigmatic - anchored by singer Nikol’s spectral delivery, her voice carrying a distinctive, quivering lilt that shifts between whisper and lament.
On the release of 'The Arsonist' Nikol said: “The lyrics came out of a very tough time. I wanted to take a fairy tale or Greek myth-style approach to something too difficult to look at head-on. Some of our band members are Ukrainian refugees, so the song became a way to process those feelings, by creating distance without losing the truth. It revolves around themes of processing the trauma of war, displacement and loss. The lyrics themselves take on a more vague approach consisting of a fairytale-like reimagining of events wherein The Arsonist is this Greek god type destructive force, trapped inside a dog wreaking havoc on the streets of Kyiv."
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