Edwina van Kuyk - Night Swimming - Victoria Staff - Kyle Morgan - Brook Fox - Scott Fisher - Rachel McCartney

Photo - Joshua Mulholland

Edwina van Kuyk - Here To Stay.

Edwina van Kuyk returns with “Here To Stay,” just arrived (May 22) on all streaming platforms. The song is a stirring new single that expands beyond her signature indie soundscape while remaining unmistakably her own. Blending delicate piano melodies, cinematic strings, gospel- inspired percussion, and a swelling choir, the track unfolds as both an emotional confession and an anthem of hope.

Opening with Van Kuyk’s intimate vocals floating over soft piano and strings, “Here To Stay” gradually builds into a rich, gospel-infused crescendo. Thunderous drums and layered harmonies elevate the track into something both deeply personal and spiritually resonant. Throughout the song, Van Kuyk’s distinctive jazz-flared vocal delivery anchors the emotional weight of the piece, bringing warmth and honesty to every lyric. “My favourite artist growing up was James Morrison, and I loved how he brought elements of gospel music into his songs,” says Van Kuyk. “I've always dreamed of recording with a live choir, and on this track, it became a reality. I feel very lucky to have the students from St. Kevins Community College involved. They really brought my vision to life.

“Here To Stay” explores the instinct to protect oneself from heartbreak. Van Kuyk captures the fear that permanence may not exist at all: “I learned the hard way that hardly anyone stays, Come to realize that leaving is on its way.” The track wrestles with self-sabotage, emotional guardedness, and the exhaustion of expecting abandonment before ultimately arriving at a fragile but transformative hope. By the song’s close, the repeated fear that “nothing’s here to stay” shifts into the possibility that maybe something finally will. “Here To Stay” ultimately reflects the tension between wanting permanence and confronting the reality that nothing really is.

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

Photo - Derek Bremner

Night Swimming - Melting, Sometimes Bleeding (EP).

Bath, UK-based five-piece Night Swimming just released their second EP 'Melting, Sometimes Bleeding' via Venn Records (Bob Vylan, Witch Fever, High Vis). The band have also shared two new live recorded videos of EP tracks 'Dark Clouds' and 'Nothing Safe Is Technicolour', shot and recorded at Bam Bam Studios. Expanding from shadowy trip-hop minimalism into surges of crushing melodic shoegaze and intoxicating indie-rock, 'Melting, Sometimes Bleeding' is a confident and spellbinding statement of intent from the Bath outfit.

Produced by longtime collaborator Peter Miles (Orla Gartland, Nina Nesbitt) and mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott, the new EP features previously released singles including latest taster 'Nothing Safe Is Technicolour', the hypnotic, rhythmic dream-pop of 'Poison Berry' and the restrained urgency of 'Submarine'. "The EP is a collection of songs exploring themes of identity, de-personalization, stilted connection and loss," says vocalist and lyricist Meg Jones.

Following their 2024 breakout debut EP 'No Place To Land' which cemented them as a vital addition to the country’s new wave of dream-pop acts, Night Swimming have since drawn admirers from some of the genre’s original icons and toured extensively with the likes of Heartworms, bdrmm, Miki Berenyi and Pale Blue Eyes.

Night Swimming · Melting, Sometimes Bleeding

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

Victoria Staff - Pink Magnolia (Album).

Toronto’s Victoria Staff unveils her debut album Pink Magnolia alongside its lead single “Take Me Home,” arriving together as a fully realized introduction to her world. Equal parts playful and reflective, the record captures both the thrill of being young and untethered and the quieter, more complex process of figuring out who you are.

Written and recorded alongside producer Will Crann, Pink Magnolia embraces collaboration and imperfection. From spontaneous studio moments to trying ideas with no clear outcome, the process was guided by curiosity rather than precision. “It reminded me why I fell in love with music,” Victoria notes. That sense of freedom runs through the record, giving it a loose, lived-in quality that mirrors its themes of growth and self-acceptance.

Speaking on “Take Me Home,” Victoria explains that she “...wanted to embody the excitement of meeting someone new and that mutual attraction. Dating gets a bad rap, but there’s a lot of fun in a young, single era.” Built around a simple, instantly memorable chorus, the indie pop track leans into spontaneity and connection, offering a snapshot of youth in motion. A song that has already become a live favourite, its singalong energy taps into something immediate and communal.

While “Take Me Home” captures a single, vivid moment, Pink Magnolia expands that lens outward. The album explores the broader emotional landscape of coming into yourself: searching for peace, sitting with uncertainty, and learning to accept where you are. “It’s about hunting for peace, looking for ease, and maybe always having it evade you,” Victoria says. “It’s not really a happy or sad album. It just is.”

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

Kyle Morgan - Ghost of a Problem (Album).

A fine nerve runs through Ghost of a Problem, Kyle Morgan’s second solo record after 2022’s Younger at Most Everything (Team Love Records). The album is a car swerving in and out of the passing lane, driver scanning the rearview mirror for the bloody mess he’s certain he has left behind. Hit-and-run or phantom tollbooth? All in the mind, or real as red? It’s an awkward thing about life, that you’ve got to live it in forward while trying to understand it in reverse. Still, dodging traffic on the PA Turnpike amidst a beat-up Elliot Smith record, the sparkling pick-up of the Cactus Blossoms, or the blissful, wide-open lane of an Emmylou Harris album, Ghost manages to gain some perspective.

Basic tracks were laid down in May and June of 2023 under engineer/ producer Ryan Dieringer of Welterweight Sound in New Paltz, NY, performed by the trio of Morgan on guitar and piano, Sean Cronin on bass and Rachel Housle on the drums.  “We did a lot of the arranging together, the four of us, there in the studio, ”Morgan wrote about the initial sessions.

“Some I had more fleshed-out demos for, some we constructed together from the ground up, like with the title track, for instance. It was a really fun process. Less recreation of the demo and more collaborative, more defined by a band playing together, which is what I always want it to feel like.”  The result is a record that feels like a new bough grafted onto an old apple tree, deliberate in its arrangements and production while staying exploratory and organic in the actual playing.

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

Brook Fox - Everybody’s in Love (EP).

Blending intimate lyrics with Sam Fenderesque guitar, ‘Everybody's In Love'’ captures the excitement of discovering that any place can feel special when shared with the right person. The EP was built around acoustic instrumentation, and Fox’s distinctive and emotive lyric delivery, the EP explores themes of connection, devotion and finding comfort in companionship. 

It’s an indie rock take on the current state of the world, a kind of social commentary touching on themes like elites, billionaires, and the sense that everything is “in flames.” But I didn’t want it to feel heavy or defeatist. There’s a thread of hope running through it, because that’s what people really need in times like these.

Support for the EP's singles has come from BBC Radio, achieving the BBC Radio Wales Welsh A-List playlist for two consecutive weeks. Further support included, Newport City Radio, Phoenix FM, Bombshell Radio and a string of US Regional plays. 

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

Scott Fisher - A Billion Suns (Album).

Scott Fisher returns with his seventh studio album, A Billion Suns. Serving as the follow up to 2023’s Kingdom Of Ego the new record finds Scott at his most confident and unapologetic yet. Available now via all streaming platforms, A Billion Suns balances sophisticated production and raw instrumentation over the span of nine chill, yet emotionally impactful tracks. Following behind a trilogy of introspective jazz-influenced singles including “The Great Unknown”, “Dangerous Game”, and title track “A Billion Suns”, the new album further cements Scott’s role in the indie soul landscape. At its core, the record explores the power of duality and the poise between improvisation and craftsmanship, creating a sonic haven for those overanalyzing their place in this world.

Often critics have accurately compared Scott’s guitar deliveries to those of John Mayer’s, although vocally Fisher bears a more refined and honed in sound, similar to Leon Bridges or Father John Misty. In terms of the album, Fisher is an expert at mashing together various different genres including soul, R & B, rock, and much more — proving that A Billion Suns is one of his richest and most diverse pieces of music thus far.

Featuring an impressive roster of musicians, A Billion Suns was recorded at East West Studios, featuring co-production and bass guitar by Tim Lefebvre (David Bowie, Black Crowes, Sting) and Joey Waronker (Thom Yorke, Beck, Oasis, Roger Waters) on drums. 

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

Rachel McCartney - Taming Dragons (Album).

 Rachel McCartney has released her fourth studio album, Taming Dragons, marking her first album release in seventeen years. If you were in the Boston area in the early 2000s, chances are you were aware of McCartney’s burgeoning music career. Even if not, it’s likely that you heard her voice wafting through your local MBTA train/bus station, as she was deeply committed to her morning busking shift, even after late nights of playing shows. After over a decade spent nurturing her nursing career and her family, Rachel McCartney is returning to the stage with a batch of songs and stories that have been quietly incubating, waiting for the right moment to be shared. 

Taming Dragons is produced by multi-instrumentalist/producer Zachariah Hickman (Josh Ritter, Ray LaMontagne, Rose Cousins, Mark Erelli). In addition to Zach’s musical contributions, he assembled a dream-team of session musicians to fill out the rest of the seats: Rich Hinman, Dave Brophy, and James Rohr, along with harmony vocal contributions by Rose Polenzani, Vivian Sessoms, and McCartney’s longtime collaborator, friend and co-writer, Teddy Goldstein. 

At the album release show in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Teddy Goldstein will kick off the evening, celebrating Taming Dragons’ release at Club Passim on May 28, 2026. The event marks a true homecoming, as Passim was a steady haunt of McCartney’s back in the day, and Matt Smith of Club Passim was one of the early champions of her music. The last time McCartney took the Passim stage was the album release of her previous record, New Days Nightly, where she was 7-months pregnant with her now-teenage son. Many of the studio musicians that played on Taming Dragons will be there to bring the songs to life in person, as well as some very special guests.

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

Ruby James - Paper Citizen - Brook Fox - Murray & The Movers - Mon Rayon - Scustin

Photo - Sally Jaye

Ruby James - Honeydripper.

Some songs don’t announce themselves. They take their time. Ruby James’ “Honeydripper” moves that way. It doesn’t rush to explain itself. It settles in, holds its ground, and builds until it gives way to something heavier, and impossible to ignore.

“Honeydripper” traces back to a writing session at the Holiday Music Motel’s “Love on Holiday” gathering in Door County, Wisconsin, where James connected with songwriter Kate Vargas and built the track from instinct. It began with a simple groove, and a shared sense of chemistry.

“I’d wanted to write with Kate for years,” James says. “She has this incredible voice and presence. When we finally connected, it just clicked.” What began as a playfully, provocative point of view has since taken on a different meaning.  James says, "It’s really become about owning your sexuality and your power - all the girls want to be Honeydrippers.”

It was also the song that caught the attention of Lucinda Williams during James’ first Nashville performance. Williams remarked,  “That’s the tune. That funky, soul-driven feel really suits you. Lean into that.”  With “Honeydripper,” Ruby James isn’t fitting into a lane. She’s carving one out, equal parts grit, groove, and a slow burn that eventually explodes."- Ruby James.

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

Paper Citizen - Station.

Paper Citizen have just released a new single Station, a song that doesn’t wait for permission; it sprints ahead. It feels like platform lights flickering past. A last call echoing through the speakers. Your bag already packed before you’ve fully decided where you’re headed.

There’s no overthinking here. No perfect plan. Just movement. Just instinct. What starts as anticipation becomes momentum. What feels uncertain turns into something electric. At its heart, Station has a question. A simple one that keeps coming back around: “Who you waiting for?”

There’s a restless energy running through it emulating late nights, loud shows, and chasing something just out of reach. The kind of feeling that pushes you forward before doubt has a chance to catch up. But this isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about leaving hesitation behind and trusting the pull of whatever’s calling you.

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

Brook Fox - Anywhere with You.

Brook Fox is set to release one final single ahead of his highly anticipated debut EP, 'Everybody’s in Love'. Titled 'Anywhere with You', the track arrived yesterday 8th May across all streaming platforms. A highly energetic indie-pop cut, 'Anywhere with You' blends driving momentum with a cinematic sense of escape, pairing the heartland charm of Bruce Springsteen with the jangling guitar shimmer of The Cure. It’s a restless, emotionally charged anthem that captures the tension between nostalgia and the need to leave something behind.

Brook Fox explains: “Anywhere with You' tells the story of wanting to leave your hometown before drama and jealousy boil over. It draws directly from my relationship with Burry Port, a place that shaped so much of my childhood, but one that feels like it’s deteriorating as I grow older.”

The single also serves as a deliberate companion piece to Together, the opening track on 'Everybody’s in Love'. Designed to mirror and deepen the themes introduced at the start of the record, 'Anywhere with You' expands the emotional world of the EP and hints at the narrative arc still to come. With 'Anywhere with You', Brook Fox offers one last glimpse into the world of 'Everybody’s in Love' before the full EP lands on the May 22nd.

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

Murray & The Movers - Dirty Laundry.

Murray & The Movers return with ‘Dirty Laundry’, a slow-burning, late-night blues-rock cut steeped in mood, tension and restraint. Fronted by Lizzie Mack, whose voice moves between raw intimacy and controlled power, and anchored by Murray Cook’s instinctive, minimal guitar work, the track leans into a darker, more cinematic space — where restraint and atmosphere take precedence over excess.

There’s a sense of narrative running through Dirty Laundry. It doesn’t rush to reveal itself. Instead, it simmers — drawing the listener into a world of shadow, suggestion and slow-release energy, with Mack’s vocal holding steady at the centre.

Murray & The Movers will also follow up the release of ‘Dirty Laundry’ with ‘Squeaky Clean’, a frisky, electrified reworking that pushes the song into sharp-edged rockabilly territory. ‘Squeaky Clean’ is released on 22nd May and together, the two versions offer contrasting moods — from slow-burn tension to high-energy release — making them a versatile pairing for film, TV and soundtrack placement.

Together, the two tracks reveal both sides of Murray & The Movers: one slow-burning and shadowed, the other sharper, louder and built for speed. Drawing on blues, country, garage rock and classic soul, the band’s sound is never revivalist. Instead, it lives in a distinctly cinematic space — music with dust on its boots, neon in its reflection, and a sense of backstory running through every musical choice.

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

Photo - Lionel Turner

Mon Rayon - One of a Kind.

Mon Rayon are one of those rare bands that feel entirely their own, somewhere between “a full English breakfast and the Sanremo Music Festival in the 1960s.” Blending orchestral pop, 60s French influences, harpsichord, and sweeping string arrangements, the Stockholm duo create music that feels both meticulous and alive.

Their new single ‘One of a Kind,’ featuring Vira Milton, is the first taste of their debut album, announced for later this year via Flak Records. Written at Miloco Studios with Charlie Hugall, the track brings forward everything that last year’s EP ‘Post Romantic Stress Disorder’ was praised for: tastefulness, melodic sensibility, and a gentle grandeur that continues to define Mon Rayon’s sound.

“Our core idea from the beginning has been that it should feel alive,” explains Josef Ask. “That we play together, that the playing is real. That it should sound organic in some way - that’s probably the idea we’ve embraced most strongly from orchestral pop.”

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

Scustin - The Lock-In (EP).

Irish quartet Scustin release the hotly anticipated new EP The Lock-In (May 8th), a radiant four-track release which blends visceral post-punk with indie tendencies, creating music which delivers intense and evocative bursts broken up by anthemic, melodic turns. Building on a year of rising momentum, the band fully deliver on their promise. From opening for Inhaler at the Royal Albert Hall, Ulster Hall in Belfast, and St Anne’s Park in Dublin, to appearing on major festival lineups and selling out their own headline shows, they’ve steadily proven their ascent. The four-track release showcases some of their most polished and impactful work to date.

From the bombastic satire of ‘Dodgy Box Pyramid Scheme’, to the biting commentary on Irish identity of ‘Scustinism’, the fizzing grit and humour of ‘Pub Talkin’ and the hypnotic, anthemic, trad-folk tinted closer ‘The Ballad Of Scampi Fries’, the EP captures the band flourishing both musically and lyrically - making music which manages to offer scathing, thought provoking social commentary, whilst retaining a vibrant and loveable sense of charm and humour. 

Produced by Richie Kennedy (Interpol, The Murder Capital, Shame, Ride, The Libertines, Last Dinner Party), the EPs guitar led sound is broken up with the subtle addition of keys and brass among the bands punk attitude and indie tendencies. Spacious yet rich in texture, the instrumental backdrops carry a strong sense of depth, all brought into focus by the charismatic delivery of vocalists Joe Hearns and Liam Smith, particularly on ‘The Ballad of Scampi Fries.’

Speaking about the EP, the band add: “The Lock-In is the culmination of everything we’ve built so far, a bit of a sonic tip of the hat to the community that’s grown around us. We’ve spent the early years of this band playing and hanging out in pubs, meeting incredible people along the way, and everything always comes back to a few key things: community, humour and sincerity. That’s what we wanted to capture on this record, and I think we gave it a good shot. As we close that chapter, it feels like we’ve landed on something that’s genuinely connecting with people, you can really feel that in the shows.

Scustin · The Lock-In

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

Brook Fox - Ryan O'Reilly - Grasstime - Plasma Driver - Frankie Archer

Brook Fox - Rome.

Brook Fox brand new single 'Rome' is released today April 7th 2026. Brook Fox is an indie-pop/rock artist from South-West Wales known for energetic live shows and emotionally direct songwriting. Brook quickly grew obsessed with songwriting throughout the 2020 pandemic, idolising the likes of Sam Fender and Catfish and the Bottlemen for both their ear-worm literature and working class lyricism.

Drawing inspiration from his personal experiences, his music combines down to earth lyrics with indie pop/rock influences, offering a fresh and authentic soundscape. Brook's five singles have surpassed over 250K streams in under a year, paving the way to BBC introducing, BBC Radio Wales and other media outlets. 

Brook has supported the likes of Liverpool’s “Keyside” and the Welsh Pop Sensation Mali Haf, and has also shared the bill with names such as; McFly and Kaiser Chiefs, at "Tunes on the Bay" and "In It Together Festival".

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

Photo - Linda Esperanza

Ryan O'Reilly - Elizabeth.

Berlin-based songwriter Ryan O'Reilly releases the official studio version of “Elizabeth,” a reflective and memorable alternative folk gem written nearly 20 years ago. Originally penned in 2006 before a summer tour of Canada with future Dwayne Gretzky founders Tyler Kyte and Nick Rose, the song channels O’Reilly’s deep admiration for Gram Parsons into something more country and bluegrass-inflected than typically associated with Irish or English songwriters.

“Elizabeth” offers a preview of O’Reilly’s forthcoming album Native Companion, set for release on April 14th, 2026, his birthday. Inspired by David Foster Wallace’s essay collection A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, the album title nods to the collaborative spirit that defines O’Reilly’s journey from Toronto’s Dwayne Gretzky community to Berlin’s L.A. People. The record features contributions from Spencer Cullum Jr., classical cellist Anastasia Povekvechnykh, Jadea Kelly, Missouri songwriter Ian Fisher, and screenwriter Christopher Moynihan.

Lyrically rich and poetic, “Elizabeth” paints the portrait of an enigmatic, slightly troubled young woman who “steals the show” despite the darkness and loss that surrounds her. The song captures the beauty and unpredictability of young love and the feeling of standing mid-scene in a play, unsure of the ending but fully immersed in the moment.

Recorded at Dwayne’s World studio in Toronto, the track reunites O’Reilly with longtime collaborators Tyler Kyte and Nick Rose, alongside members of Dwayne Gretzky: Simeon Abbott (piano), Adam Hindle (drums), and Dave Dalrymple (bass). Engineering duties were handled by Ian Docherty, guitarist of July Talk.

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

Grasstime - Waltz of Time.

The newest Grasstime single 'Waltz of Time' is rooted in the rich, dark soil and the quiet heartbreak of rural life, Grasstime’s upcoming album is a soul-stirring journey through love, loss, and memory. The collection blends timeless Americana with a raw emotional honesty that feels like a series of letters from a dusty backroad—intimate, weathered, and undeniably true.

The heart of the project is the title track, "Waltz of Time," written by Mike Richards and Laura Leigh Jones. Inspired by the personal experiences of Mike and his mother Pat’s journey. Mike mentioned “it came on quietly, almost unnoticed, or we pretended her minor lapses had no real meaning. One day she didn't show up to meet us at a place in town she had been a thousand times….no call, no show. It's hard on her, my dad and family. We are thankful we still have her”. The song draws from Mike’s personal reflections on memory loss, enduring love, and a shared dance.

“This song is so meaningful to me. 'Waltz of Time' resonated with me the moment Kristy sent it to me. I instantly knew I wanted to record it when I heard it. Because of what my family faced with my mother Deloris’s passing from Lewy Bodie and my grandpa Robert’s journey with Alzheimer’s. I know these horrid diseases impact so many people, and there are so many trying to figure out how to navigate them. In the song I could see my folks dancing in the living room in their earlier years throughout the later, and it really moved me. I sincerely hope this song brings back some joy and pleasant memories for folks, like it did me. ” Robbie Morris

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

Plasma Driver - it.

We are catching up a little with the song 'it' which has been out for a short while however Plasma Driver have enough plus point's for Beehive Candy to happily feature their latest single, “it,”  It's described as "a thought-provoking and visually driven release that explores the absurdity of the human search for meaning through a uniquely playful lens." Some background: The band’s name came from lead singer Bryan’s early experiment with an Erica Synths modulator called a Plasma Drive... and so, Plasma Driver was born. 

Blending atmospheric indie rock with narrative-driven songwriting, Plasma Driver continues to carve out a distinct identity rooted in existential themes, dark humor, and cinematic world-building. Inspired by artists such as Interpol, Queens of the Stone Age, and Arctic Monkeys, the band pairs British influenced introspective lyricism with a creative approach that draws from film, anime, poetry and classic animation.

At its core, “it” examines the contradictions in how people and media attempt to define life’s purpose. Rather than presenting a straightforward answer, the track leans into ambiguity, personifying loneliness and cosmic indifference as characters within a surreal narrative. The result is a concept that feels both philosophical and oddly entertaining.

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

Photo - Rob Irish

Frankie Archer - Death and The Maiden.

Northumbrian electro-folk musician and producer Frankie Archer shares new single 'Death and The Maiden' the latest taste of her debut album 'The Dance Of Death' - out 5th June via prrr of the bear. Frankie Archer will tour the album this autumn with dates in London, Liverpool, Gateshead, Bristol and Birmingham.

Drawing on a 1907 retelling of Death and the Maiden, the track centres on a young woman’s futile attempt to bargain her way out of mortality - a premise rooted in folklore, but delivered here with scale and urgency. What begins in stark, folk-led minimalism gradually unravels, expanding into a dense, unpredictable arrangement where traditional instrumentation is pushed into something far less contained.

Speaking on new single 'Death and The Maiden', Frankie Archer said: "The inevitability of death has haunted humans throughout history. In folklore, Death appears personified as a shadowy figure who comes to claim you when it is your time. There are countless tellings of people trying to bargain with death. In my version, based on one collected in 1907, a maiden offers death gold, jewels and expensive clothes, just for a few more years of life. But death is final and undeniable.

"When I was arranging my version of the song I did some research on the story of Death and the Maiden and I found a string quartet by Schubert with that name. The opening phrase floored me and it perfectly matched what I’d produced so far. I recorded the first few bars straight away at home, pitch-shifting my fiddle to mimic the cello and double bass, and that’s what you hear in the song. As the album opener I wanted it to hit hard so there’s voices in multiple octaves, huge drums and an unhinged guitar solo, which is my first time playing guitar on a recording."

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