Gilanares - El Tee - Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band

Photo - Eden Mili

Gilanares - your brain is in the sink (EP).
 
We have already featured a couple of songs from New York-based artist Gilanares superb debut EP and it's a real pleasure to feature the collection in full, along with a fabulous video for 'Mom! The world is ending anyway' a song that should grab our attention by the title alone. Her music has been described as having raw intensity and cinematic emotion,  and yet is as vulnerable as it is electrifying. We have to agree, it's all of that and an exciting debut that should gain considerable attention, it deserves to! 

The 7-track project features standout single “water my own garden” plus “Mom! The world is ending anyway” accompanied by a mesmerizing visualizer in its simplicity. Earlier, she released “if chaos killed the dinosaurs”, "cats out of the bag” and “F33D TH3 B3AST” alongside a visuals directed by her creative collaborator, Eden Mili, in thematic liminal spaces. Gilanares adds: "Water My Own Garden is about my journey of learning to nurture myself after experiencing the cost of letting others drain my energy.”

Be sure to embark on a profound musical journey with Gilanares, an artist who fearlessly explores the intricate landscape of mental health, media's impact on youth culture, and complex, ever-changing relationships. Through a kaleidoscope of genres, Gilanares delves into the raw and often unspoken experiences of the mind, offering solace and understanding to those who have faced the labyrinth of emotions. Gilanares’ introspective lyrics, coupled with evocative instrumentals, create an immersive experience that resonates with the shared struggles and triumphs of the human condition.


============================================================================

Photo - Nick McKinlay

El Tee - Kind Safe Cool (EP).

After a string of critically-acclaimed singles, indie-folk artist El Tee finally unveils her EP Kind Safe Cool, a searing six-track exploration of identity, autonomy, and emotional reckoning. Building on the success of her 2020 debut Everything Is Fine, this latest release marks a bold evolution in El Tee’s songwriting, dissecting love, self-worth, and survival with unflinching clarity. For fans of Julia Jacklin, Mitski, Angie McMahon.

Throughout Kind Safe Cool, El Tee’s lyrics cut deep: grief and rage simmer beneath the surface of soft vocals. Whether reflecting on a love that lingers in recent singles ‘I Still Sing About You’ or the reckoning with the fear of asking for what you need ‘Too Afraid To Ask For Love’, the EP holds a mirror up to the messy, often contradictory truths of healing. “I wrote these songs while trying to make sense of emotional duality, how anger and love, strength and fragility, can exist in the same breath,” El Tee explains.

In ‘Always, Forever’, she reclaims destruction as agency, wielding heartbreak like a weapon. ‘Helpless’ delves into the tension between the deep need to belong and the hard-won strength of being okay alone. The EP’s most vulnerable track ‘I’m Just A Woman’ is a standout, a Ethen Cain-reminiscent feminist slow-burn that interrogates gender, power, and the illusion of safety in toxic relationships. Repeating the titular refrain like a mantra, El Tee transforms passive language into a powerful act of reclamation. “‘I’m Just A Woman’ is about peeling back the veil on weaponisation of vulnerability,” she shares. “It’s angry. It’s dark. And it’s incredibly vulnerable”.

The track is accompanied by a music video shot by rcstills: a slow, atmospheric portrait that embodies the song’s emotional weight, a confrontation with the struggle to reclaim her voice.


============================================================================

Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band - Stuck.

Bastian Pen, lead singer of the band Tricklebolt, steps into new creative territory with a fresh project under the moniker Baba Pen. Collaborating with a group of talented friends, they form Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band, a collective destined to make waves. Their debut album, set for release on October 10, 2025, blends 60s-inspired psychedelic rock with hints of folk and cosmic country, all wrapped in the lush, intricate production style of Jonathan Wilson.

‘Stuck’ is a three-minute pop gem that wears its 60s psych-rock heart on its sleeve. Kicking off with a gutsy, swaggering guitar riff, it quickly blooms into bright, harmony-soaked choruses straight from the golden era of pop. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the song sweeps you into a brief, kaleidoscopic synth detour—lifting you off the ground—before dropping you right back into that irresistible final chorus. Lyrically, it reflects on life’s messy crossroads, but musically, it’s anything but heavy—this is an effortlessly catchy track you’ll want to spin on repeat.

Featuring members from Grand East, Money and the Man, Tricklebolt, and Jimmy Diamond, "Stuck" is a captivating taste of what’s to come, offering a glimpse into the diverse sonic landscape of Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band. It's a brilliant first step into an album that promises to explore the many shades of Baba Pen's musical world.

TCBYML · Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band - Stuck

============================================================================

Fishing 4 Compliments - The Moonlandingz - City Cycles - Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band - Lavinia Blackwall

Fishing 4 Compliments - Hard To Please.

The female fronted indie-folk-pop Fishing 4 Compliments new single 'Hard To Please' is released today March 18th, and it is simply wonderful! Fishing 4 Compliments are a quirky Huddersfield-based female fronted indie-folk-pop band which emerged organically around lead singer Eileen’s emotive & enigmatic songs. 

The songs began to be steadfastly encouraged and brought to life initially by Ashley (rhythm guitarist) who gradually reeled in Jim (lead guitar & backing vocals) and Steve (bass guitar & backing vocals) with all three being part of a 60s band at the time. Jim initially played drums on the songs but made the game changing decision (which was to be pivotal to shaping the band’s unique sound) that he’d like to switch to playing lead guitar. Before joining the band officially Steve had long been in the background supporting the songs and had always been their dream bass player and was also to become the group’s guru of harmonies.

All four have long shared a passion for developing and creating a sound they like to call their own which has developed naturally through the eclectic mix of influences from which they draw which include; The Beatles, XTC, Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, The Cure, The Smiths, The Sundays and The Cranberries, to name but a few. 

Over the years the four core members of the band have much appreciated times shared with their initial drummer Ben and later David on drums and percussion and his daughter Fenella who has been a brilliant dep drummer/percussionist for the band on many occasions. Beckoning pastures new and changing life circumstances have dictated that for now the Fishing crew continue their journey as a four piece outfit with these three star contributors remaining close to their hearts. 

============================================================================

Photo - Rachel Lipsitz

The Moonlandingz - Roustabout.

The Moonlandingz that's Adrian Flanagan, Dean Honer and Lias Saoudi share a new single this week titled “Roustabout”, a third preview of their long-awaited second album No Rocket Required, out April 25 on Transgressive Records. “Roustabout”, with Nadine Shah, is a yearning, gothic duet, the Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue two-way for our times. The accompanying music video sees the band collaborate with “The Sign of A Man” director Jeanie Crystal again for another brilliant video.

On the track Johnny Rocket (aka Lias Saoudi) says, “It’s a fictional re-imagining of the complexities, stirrings and courage that appeared to dwell within an unnamed celibate moon faced indie icon from the 80’s!” Nadine adds, “I hope to see this song added to the list of the greatest karaoke duets. Up there with Dolly Parton and Kenny Rodgers ‘Islands in the Stream’”.

The Moonlandingz have returned, seven long years after their debut. When they first emerged from Valhalla Dale they were a semi-fictional band bringing us sticky squelchy pop songs to offer solace and punishment in the months following the Brexit vote and Trump’s first victory. The Moonlandingz conspired with Yoko Ono, Sean Ono Lennon, Rebecca Taylor, Phil Oakey and the Cowboy from The Village People to make one of the great albums of 2017, and we needed it. Interplanetary Class Classics was a dose of unreality equal to the unhinged times we were stumbling into. The Moonlandingz have finally returned – not when we wanted them but now that we need them – galloping in on their four horses, bareback and howling.

============================================================================

City Cycles - Futurist.

Meet City Cycles, a fab six-piece of musical maestros, all talent! They've set up shop in always-buzzing London, adding their unique rhythm to its already pulsating music scene.

City Cycles continues to carve out their distinct place in the indie pop rock scene with their latest single, Futurist. Building on the foundation set with previous tracks, this new release marks a bold progression in their sound. Futurist is poppier, more epic, and undeniably catchier, showcasing a newfound energy and dynamism that pulls listeners in from the very first note.

Lyrically, the song delves into deep, thought-provoking themes, posing questions about our origins and the uncertain future we face in an increasingly digital world. The lyrics strike a perfect balance between introspection and a call for clarity, as the band explores the crossroads between where we’ve come from and where we’re headed. The evocative line, “Anunnaki of the digital age, Futurist, they write the page”, encapsulates this existential journey, suggesting both the mystique of our past and the unknown potential of our digital future.

With Futurist, City Cycles has crafted a track that not only captivates with its infectious hooks but also invites listeners to reflect on the rapid technological changes shaping our lives. It’s a song that challenges, questions, and ultimately calls for understanding in a world where the future seems both promising and uncertain.

TCBYML · City Cycles - Futurist

============================================================================

Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band - I Can't See You Cry.

Bastian Pen, lead singer of the band Tricklebolt, steps into new creative territory with a fresh project under the moniker Baba Pen. Collaborating with a group of talented friends, they form Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band, a collective destined to make waves. Their debut album, set for release on October 10, 2025, blends 60s-inspired psychedelic rock with hints of folk and cosmic country, all wrapped in the lush, intricate production style of Jonathan Wilson.

The first single, "I Can't See You Cry," introduces Baba Pen as the new spiritual leader from the East. This track unfolds like a medieval love story gone awry, with its unconventional chord progressions leading us through baroque-inspired garden passages. But as the chorus kicks in, the song takes a turn, signaling that things are unraveling within the love-stricken walls.

Featuring members from Grand East, Money and the Man, Tricklebolt, and Jimmy Diamond, is "I Can't See You Cry" a captivating taste of what’s to come, offering a glimpse into the diverse sonic landscape of Baba Pen & The Bim Bam Band. It's a brilliant first step into an album that promises to explore the many shades of Baba Pen's musical world.

============================================================================

Lavinia Blackwall - The Making.

Lavinia Blackwall, the celebrated voice behind Trembling Bells, is set to release her highly anticipated new album The Making on May 30th via The Barne Society, and has just shared what we can justifiably describe as an exceptional title-track accompanied with an intriguing video. A rich tapestry of folk, rock, and psych-power pop, the album showcases Blackwall’s unparalleled vocal prowess and evocative songwriting, further cementing her reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music.

A classically trained soprano, Blackwall first gained recognition as the lead singer of Trembling Bells, a Glasgow-based psych-folk outfit known for their ambitious blending of folk traditions with rock and baroque influences. Over the course of seven albums with the band, she honed her signature vocal style - often compared to Fairport Convention’s Sandy Denny - and collaborated with legends such as Bonnie Prince Billy and Mike Heron of The Incredible String Band. Stepping out as a solo artist, Blackwall released her debut album Muggington Lane End in 2020, which was met with widespread acclaim for its lush arrangements and intricate songwriting.

Following the success of Muggington Lane End, The Making is a deeply personal collection of songs that have evolved over time, shaped by both hardship and joy. Written over a four-year period and recorded at The Barne Studio, the album reflects Blackwall’s journey through personal loss, artistic exploration, and renewed creative energy.

“The whole process took much longer than intended,” says Blackwall. “Life seemed to happen around it. There was a lot of darkness - my partner and collaborator Marco lost his mum in 2021 and very nearly his dad shortly after. I lost my dad in October 2023. But there was a lot of light too, a lot of time spent in Italy and up at our cabin at Carbeth, all of which leaked into the songs on the album,” she continues.

============================================================================