For more than 55 years, Just Jody Project has lived at the intersection of craftsmanship and creativity, shaping a distinctive multi‑genre sound through a lifetime immersed in music. His work is defined by an extraordinary collection of custom‑built guitars and handcrafted stringed instruments—each one a reflection of the curiosity, skill, and artistic devotion that fuel his signature style.
That sonic identity reaches new heights on No Need to Sing the Blues, the debut 10‑track independent album that blends smooth melodies with rich musical textures and expressive performances. The project is elevated by close collaborations with world‑renowned producer and multi‑instrumentalist Chris Birkett, whose classical arrangements add cinematic depth, and acclaimed pianist/keyboardist Bill King, whose Hammond B3 performances infuse several tracks with soulful warmth and vintage character.
Drawing inspiration from heavy metal, hard rock, blues, reggae, jazz, and folk rock, Just Jody Project channels decades of experience into a sound that is both eclectic and deeply personal. The album’s layered arrangements, handcrafted instrumentation, and genre‑spanning influences create a warm, immersive listening experience that celebrates authenticity, exceptional musicianship, and the enduring power of live performance.
Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Just Jody Project continues to expand his musical world—one handcrafted instrument, one collaboration, and one heartfelt composition at a time.
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Forget Them Wendy are an indie pop/grunge duo made up of Newcastle-based songwriter Laura James, and Edinburgh-born producer and guitarist Oliver Price, now living in London. The band take their name from a line in J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: “Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again.” Shaped by their shared love of 90s records from bands including The Cranberries, Smashing Pumpkins and The Breeders, the pair combine indie pop melodies with grunge influences and playful, self-aware songwriting.
Their latest single, “Apple Pie”, sees Forget Them Wendy showing a softer side, with acoustic guitar taking centre stage. Written in the height of summer, the track is inspired by those hazy, lazy days that seem to stretch on forever. Laura sings, “‘Life’s an apple pie, let it float on by’”, a line she admits she doesn’t really know the meaning of, but somehow knows is important.
In true Forget Them Wendy fashion, “Apple Pie” doesn’t stay quite as laid-back as it first appears. Towards the end, the track takes an unexpected turn, becoming more psychedelic before coming to an abrupt stop. The final moments reference Paul Bowles’ novel The Sheltering Sky and its themes of death and impermanence, bringing a darker thought into a song initially inspired by endless summer days. Maybe the summer won’t last forever after all. The duo’s chemistry runs throughout both their music and creative process. Laura describes the project as “about owning who you are, even if you’re not entirely sure who that is,” as well as “liking someone so much you forget who you are.” “You mean me?” asks Olly. “No,” Laura replies.
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Sam Paige’s debut full-length album, I Am Sam, is an intimate introduction to an artist who has never been afraid to put her most honest thoughts into words. Across nine tracks, Paige delivers her most personal and fully realized work to date, blending the heart of country storytelling with modern pop sensibilities — memorable melodies — and unfiltered honesty. Rather than hiding behind perfection, I Am Sam embraces the complicated, messy, and sometimes uncomfortable parts of growing into yourself.
At the center of the album is the standout track “Anxiety,” a deeply candid exploration of the invisible battles that can exist beneath an otherwise composed exterior. Paige captures the contrast between how someone appears to the outside world and what is happening internally, turning anxious thoughts into something listeners can immediately recognize. “There's a pounding in my chest / There's an aching kind of stress / Thoughts spinning / But at least I'm awake / Mirror says I'm doing fine / But it's a little different in my mind.” The song becomes one of the album’s most vulnerable moments, allowing Paige to transform a deeply personal experience into something listeners can see themselves in.
That honesty carries throughout I Am Sam. Paige’s songwriting has a conversational quality that allows deeply personal experiences to feel universal. Her lyrics explore self-doubt, identity, relationships, growing up, and the pressure to understand yourself before you necessarily have all the answers. The album becomes less about having everything figured out and more about giving yourself permission to be a work in progress.
On “My Tattoos,” Paige turns physical self-expression into a reflection on emotional identity. The song examines the relationship between confidence and insecurity, suggesting that the things we choose to put on our bodies can also represent the experiences we carry within us. “I find a little more truth every time the ink dries on my tattoos.” The tattoos become more than decoration — they represent memories, choices, growth, and the freedom to claim every part of yourself.
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| Photo - Adrien Bossa |
Rising solo artist Efro returns with her new single ‘Lipstick Stains’, a heat-hazed ode to Summer, which arrived 14th August. Another example of Efro's stylistic, instantly recognisable sound, 'Lipstick Stains' pairs psychedelic textures with gritty, vintage-inspired production and lo-fi charm, settling into an effortlessly laid-back groove.
Built around fuzzy bass, biting guitars, distorted keys, boxy drums and subtle washes of synth, the track fuses hazy indie-rock with an alternative edge, shifting between psychedelic flourishes and understated lo-fi aesthetics. The result recalls artists such as PJ Harvey, Sun Room and Dope Lemon, while echoing the timeless cool of Lou Reed and The Strokes. Evoking the warmth of summer, 'Lipstick Stains' reflects on fleeting romance and the memories that linger long after the season has passed, wrapping its wistful nostalgia in a sun-faded glow.
Speaking about the single, Efro explains: “Lipstick Stains began as a visualisation of a perfect endless idealistic summer. I first started writing the lyrics by having in mind the things that make summer what it is, long days at the beach, listening to the waves crashing, summer love. Then I came up with the bassline keeping the song moving no matter what and later came the bridge with the song reaching its climax there, kind of portraying those more spontaneous summer moments we all know and love. It’s a love song about summer.”
Originally from Athens, before studying in Brighton (UK) and now based in Berlin, Efro has developed a distinctive sound that fuses indie garage rock energy with sun-soaked, surf-leaning textures. Efro’s debut EP ‘Year of Yearning’ established an early identity rooted in indie rock nostalgia and emotional directness, acting as a foundation for a growing catalogue shaped by introspection and melodic instinct.
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| Ezra Tsai Photography |
Niki Kennedy - Gardenias.
On her soaring new single "Gardenias" Toronto singer-songwriter Niki Kennedy begins a new chapter in her musical story, offering hope in the face of grief, a message complemented by a gorgeous, string-laden arrangement. “Gardenias” is a preview of Niki's full-length debut album The Space In Between, out Oct. 2, and is an example of the open-hearted approach she has applied to her music since beginning to work on the album. Niki explains, "I wrote 'Gardenias' to honour my grandmother, and it took a long time as I wanted it to convey joy rather than grief. It finally became a celebration of her life and I hope it can help others who have lost loved ones find some peace."
Finishing "Gardenias" has been part of Niki's transformation over the past few years. Like many emerging young artists, she realized she had fallen into the trap of chasing expectations set by others as she established herself through a handful of independent singles.
Niki ultimately decided to try something different—ignore what she “should” be doing, and simply start writing songs that drew from her life experiences, often in a vulnerable manner she had never attempted before that unmasked and confronted her insecurities, frustrations and fears. Niki has channelled all of it into The Space In Between, which showcases her entrancing voice in inventive arrangements rooted in modern adult pop with hints of country, R&B and reggae.
She says, “I didn’t go into this process trying to ‘write an album,’ but to capture the messy human journey of figuring it all out. At the end of it, I had a collection of songs that felt true to this chapter of my life and artistry. I chose 12 of them for this album, and it was at that point that I went into the studio with long-time friend and collaborator Shane Stephenson, who mixed the record and helped me bring it to the finish line.”
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Available this weekend on streaming platforms worldwide, Jasmin Stone’s “Faceless” is the latest offering from Jessicat Records. The new single arrived after the video clip for the track.
Exploring the lack of humanity demonstrated in recent times, "Faceless" reflects on the feelings of isolation and being trapped behind a screen, and how this impacted society in various ways. The music video for “Faceless” helps bring this to life, by showcasing various characters in everyday life, engaging in parallel realities. Although all of the characters seen in the video appear to be coexisting, there is an ever growing feeling of distance that can be felt throughout.
Sonically, "Faceless" shares a clear inspiration to 80s soundscapes. Jasmin Stone perfectly bridges the gap between futurism with more “ancient” styles, creating an ethereal world that’s all her own. A cross between Air or Goldfrapp, the single’s ties to dream pop could not be more clearer.
Jasmin Stone is an acclaimed multi award winning songwriter composer and multimedia artist renowned for her distinct cinematic approach to indie pop. With an extensive experience in the film and television industry, she has established herself by weaving deep narrative elements and striking visual storytelling into her musical creations.
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