Prestatyn three-piece Bau Cat return with a fantastic double A-side release, Ordinary People / Conversations with America, ahead of their four-track EP Price of Life, due out on 6th November via Libertino. Known for their energetic, playful and joyful live performances, the band have already earned attention from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio 6 Music, KEXP and Radio X.
The two tracks showcase different sides of Bau Cat's songwriting. Ordinary People draws on the melodic warmth of The Beatles' Rubber Soul, while reflecting on the challenges of making a living as working-class musicians in an increasingly expensive music industry. It's a heartfelt and wonderfully relatable song, summed up perfectly by the band's description: "This one's for all the ordinary people out there like us, failing so beautifully."
Conversations with America takes a wider look at an increasingly divided and troubled world. Inspired by The Cure, Blondie and R.E.M., it opens with a driving bassline and distorted megaphone before developing into something wonderfully melodic and hopeful. Despite its darker observations, the song ultimately delivers a message of love and togetherness.
There's plenty to admire about Bau Cat's ability to combine thought-provoking subjects with infectious melodies, humour and an uplifting musical spirit. Beehive Candy love the energy, honesty and individuality of this double A-side! A terrific introduction to Price of Life and a band well worth keeping an eye on.
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French collective Le Bien continue their musical evolution with Losers, the first instalment of an exciting two-part EP series, arriving on 27th November 2026. Following their 2025 debut release Sheeplanding on Tadam Records, the band return with a wonderfully offbeat collection that turns life's everyday frustrations into something surprisingly joyful.
Born out of setbacks, including a cancelled tour and the departure of their original label, Losers embraces boredom, anxiety, pleasure and addiction with plenty of self-deprecating humour. Rather than becoming weighed down by its subject matter, Le Bien counter their sharp observations with upbeat rhythms, quirky musical flourishes and an irresistible invitation to dance away life's neuroses.
The band's increasingly collaborative approach is at the heart of this new chapter. Drawing inspiration from spontaneous jam sessions in an underground French bar before developing the material in Marseille, their music captures a wonderfully raw, communal energy. There's a particularly appealing combination of primal rhythms, infectious melodies and a sense of togetherness that feels made for sharing.
Losers sounds like a refreshing and adventurous step forward for Le Bien, demonstrating that even life's less glamorous moments can inspire something exciting. Beehive Candy love the playful spirit, infectious energy and wonderfully unconventional approach of this release.
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| Photo - Olivia Renouf |
Aotearoa-based dream-pop duo Purple Pilgrims, sisters Clementine and Valentine Nixon, return with Look to the Moon, the latest single from their forthcoming third album, Given to the Night, due 27th November via Flying Nun Records. Accompanied by a beautiful new music video directed by Britt Walton, it's another captivating glimpse into the sisters' wonderfully atmospheric musical world.
Described by the duo as "a mantra, a sisterly love song — a communion with the universe, an anthemic prayer", Look to the Moon explores the connection between love, nature and the wider universe. Their signature kaleidoscopic sound is full of dreamy textures, beautifully layered vocals and an enchanting sense of otherworldliness.
Recorded during an off-grid countryside retreat in New Zealand, Given to the Night explores the spaces between dreams and reality, light and darkness, with the sisters allowing intuition and spontaneity to guide their creative process. Previous singles Innocence Lost and Outside have already offered tantalising glimpses of this intriguing new direction.
Look to the Moon is a gorgeous, immersive piece of dream-pop that highlights the extraordinary musical connection between these two sisters. Beehive Candy absolutely love its hypnotic atmosphere, beautiful harmonies and uplifting sense of wonder.
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Manchester post-punk favourites PINS return with No Tears, the second half of their new double A-side release, following recent single All Over. It's an exciting taste of what's to come from the four-piece, who have also announced their fourth studio album, If I'm Alive Now, Then I Was Dead, arriving 12th February via Haus of PINS.
Marking a fresh chapter for Faith Vern, Lois MacDonald, Kyoko Swan and Abbi Phillips, No Tears finds the band embracing a more organic, analogue sound. Recorded at London's Holy Mountain Studios, the track combines yearning, heartfelt lyrics with gritty guitars and gorgeous 60s girl-group harmonies, building into a wonderfully emotional celebration of love, friendship and the people we've been along the way.
With more than a decade of acclaimed releases behind them, PINS demonstrate that they still have plenty of creative fire. There's a lovely warmth and vulnerability to No Tears, while retaining the raw energy and distinctive attitude that have always made the band such an appealing proposition.
Beehive Candy love this track. It's a beautiful, heartfelt return from PINS and a promising glimpse of an album that looks set to mark a significant new beginning for the band.
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| Photo - Scarlet O’Neil |
Nine-time JUNO Award winners Arkells are back with a timely surprise single, ‘Handshake Thugs’, their first new music since the release of their latest album, Between Us, earlier this spring. Featuring the No. 1 singles ‘Next Summer’ and ‘Money’, the album explored the noise of modern life and the search for meaning, themes the band now push further with a sharp-edged song aimed at leaders who divide people while protecting their own power.
Written in early September, recorded just weeks later with producer Gus van Go, and already finding its way into the band's live set during their UK tour, ‘Handshake Thugs’ is a direct and uncompromising statement. Frontman Max Kerman explains that while society often imagines thugs as troublemakers on the streets, the real ones are those at the top, making deals for themselves and putting their own interests first. He describes the track as “a song for the 99%, inspired by the 1%”.
Arkells are now bringing their Between Us tour back to Canada with a fresh run of their distinctive City Takeover shows. Giving fans the chance to see the band across three nights in three different local clubs, the intimate events put live music and personal connection at the heart of the experience. Previous sold-out takeovers have taken place in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
The latest dates begin in Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Ottawa, before the band round off the year with eagerly anticipated holiday shows in Niagara and St. John’s, Newfoundland. With ‘Handshake Thugs’, Arkells prove they are still ready to speak their minds, delivering an energetic new anthem that takes aim at the powerful and stands firmly with everyone else.
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Canadian alt-country talent Joe Ray McDonald returns with Harvester, an impressive 11-song collection arriving almost exactly a year after his 2025 breakthrough album Cowboy Cake. Based near Ottawa, McDonald is a remarkable roots musician, combining the heartfelt storytelling of Townes Van Zandt with flashes of dazzling guitar work reminiscent of Billy Strings. Once again, he has recorded virtually everything himself, showcasing an extraordinary range of musical ability.
Building on the success of Cowboy Cake, McDonald has pushed his sound further, placing guitar playing firmly at the centre of Harvester. He describes the new record as a blend of Jerry Reed's virtuosic picking and Townes Van Zandt's emotional depth, with a lighter touch than its predecessor. The result promises plenty of musical variety, balancing impressive musicianship with songs that have genuine feeling and personality.
One standout is ‘Palomino’, whose intricate arrangement and evocative lyrics capture McDonald's cinematic approach to songwriting. ‘In The Morning’ is equally special, inspired by the experience of looking after his family's farm at around 20 years old. A series of mishaps, including frozen pipes, a blown tractor tyre and a heavy snowstorm, eventually gave way to a moment of calm when the song came to him.
That combination of lived experience, vivid storytelling and exceptional guitar playing makes Harvester a compelling next step for McDonald. He's an artist with a real gift for bringing traditional roots influences into his own distinctive world, and this latest collection should further establish him as one of Canada's most exciting alt-country voices.
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