Just Pearls is the project of musician and author Kate Pearl, who grew up in Ohio, USA, and has been living in the Bernese region (Switzerland) since 2001. Her musical and literary biography is as diverse as it is impressive - it includes collaborations with Balts Nill and Ursula Hotz (Rodeo Ranchers; collaborations with Tammy Wynette, Brent Moyer, and Hans Holzherr, among others), as well as personal support from renowned songwriter Tom Paxton.
Just Pearls new single 'Comes Love' was released yesterday August 7th. The song is reminiscent of Tracy Chapman's striking directness, Patti Smith's poetic power, and Courtney Barnett's distinctive energy. At the same time, "Comes Love" is a first taste of the album "Flutterby," which will be released on October 23rd.
The new album features contributions from renowned musicians from the Swiss scene, including Serge Christen, Dave Jutzi ("Pirates of the Caribbean" soundtrack, collaborations with Joe Cocker, Nils Burri, and 4Accord), Tom Gisler (Bo Katzman, Nubya, Zia Lisa & Gattopardo, Mario Capitanio’s bands (formerly Polo Hofer)), and Phillip Bühlmann.
Particularly intriguing: "Comes Love" is part of the album "Flutterby” which is also the musical soundtrack to Kate Pearl's fairy tale and songbook of the same name, to be released in September. Music and literature combine to form a shared story about confidence, connection, and the power of imagination.
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Blank Instrument, the pen name for Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter Kim Franklin, shares her second single of 2026, ’Green and Blue’, released (Friday, August 7). Following the June release of the single ‘Brand New’, ‘Green and Blue’ is the second single from her upcoming debut album, ‘Jumping at Ghosts’, due later this year.
‘Green and Blue’ continues to expand the world within ‘Jumping at Ghosts’, acknowledging her late friend Julie while finding solace in recognising the need for emotional respite. The piano-fronted ballad encompasses the feeling of escape, both physical and emotional, with the song’s warm, lulling tones that encourage reflection and emotional openness.
‘Jumping at Ghosts’ is the product of Franklin's emotional vulnerability and Julie's immense generosity prior to her passing in 2023. Julie and Kim Franklin, long-time friends, brought together by work and sewn together by their mutual love of music, storytelling, and conversation, remained close after moving on to different careers, emphasising the connection between the two women. Prior to her passing, Julie bestowed a gift to Franklin, leaving her some money so Franklin could “pursue her dreams”, a gift that led to the funding of ‘Jumping at Ghosts’, Blank Instrument’s debut album.
Written during a visit to Byron Bay in the months following Julie’s passing, coinciding with what would have been Julie’s birthday, ‘Green and Blue’ weaves warm piano with a mantra of finding escape and “waiting in the blue” for the motions to come to you, accepting what is and what is to come. The track, harmonious and inviting, encapsulates the need for respite and finding emotional clarity, using the picturesque locale of Byron Bay’s grassy coast and rolling waves as motifs for reaching understanding and realigning your beliefs of the world. “Taking the coast road, city streets, a distant memory… Bare feet on a bush track… feel my tension ebb away, each step I’m whole again… my soul is at ease."
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London’s UK-Indian dream-pop group The Music Of Sound are pleased to unveil their powerful new single ‘Shimmer’, released August 7th 2026 via Monochrome Motif Records. Bringing together generations, cultures and musical backgrounds, The Music of Sound has developed a distinctive sound that blends dream pop, electronic music and cinematic songwriting. Comprised of Gen Z musicians Sherin and Elena alongside veteran composer, producer and radio broadcaster Neil March, the trio have drawn comparisons to Beach House, Saint Etienne, Chromatics and Future Islands while carving out a musical identity that defies comparison, and is unmistakably their own.
Originally formed by Neil March for a BBC Introducing performance at Latitude Festival, the band has evolved from their avant-garde and post-classical roots into the immersive electro dream-pop outfit they are today. The Music of Sound’s current incarnation began in 2024 when South Indian vocalist Sherin moved to the UK to pursue a career in music after growing up in a culture where opportunities for young women were heavily restricted.
Meeting Neil March at London’s ICMP music college proved transformative for her, leading to an endorsement from Arts Council England as an ‘exceptional talent’ for a Global Talent Visa, her appointment as the band’s lead vocalist, which proved to be a pivotal role in shaping the band’s distinctive sound. Together with flautist Elena, the trio create music that explores empathy, identity, anti-fascism and social unity.
Following the acclaim surrounding recent singles ‘Tyche’, ‘Paradigm’ and ‘Ebbw Vale’, ‘Shimmer’ continues the band’s evolution through shimmering dream-pop textures, spacious electronic soundscapes and emotionally resonant songwriting. At its heart, the single delivers a message of hope and unity to an increasingly divided world, celebrating kindness, compassion and resilience over fear and hatred.
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Nashville pop-punk band Cherry Vance officially kicks off a new chapter with the release of their single, "better," available everywhere now. Blending hard-hitting instrumentation and emotionally driven lyrics, the self-produced track introduces listeners to a band quickly gaining momentum in Nashville's alternative scene.
"'Better' is about loving someone through their darkest moments and holding onto hope that they'll choose to become the better person you know they can be. Even though the song opens with a breakup, it's really about not wanting that goodbye to be permanent," shares the band. "We self-produced the track and recorded it at East Iris Studios in Nashville, Tennessee."
Self-produced and recorded at Nashville's East Iris Studios, "better" pairs emotionally charged lyrics with infectious pop-punk energy, exploring the hope of reconciliation and believing in someone's ability to change.
Although "better" marks Cherry Vance's first official release, the band has already established itself as one of Nashville's rising alternative acts. Recently praised by the Nashville Scene, Cherry Vance has shared the stage with Slow Pulp, Cameron Whitcomb, and Josiah and the Bonnevilles, and has become a staple at the city's Emo Night and Grunge Night events. The band has also performed at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and will join Ian McConnell on select tour dates this September.
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