Pebbledash - The Melody Chamber - Vendredi sur Mer - Hélène Barbier - Howling Bells - Jesca Hoop

Photo - Emily Cardona

Pebbledash - O, The Wind.

Just ahead of the anticipated upcoming EP To Cast the Sea in Concrete (5th November), Cork risers Pebbledash share the haunting indie-folk sweller ‘O, The Wind’. Following the bands sync on the new Netflix series House Of Guiness, ‘O, The Wind’ showcases the blend of traditional Irish folk, shoegaze and post-punk that has seen Pebbledash so widely acclaimed. Led by the haunting vocals of Asha Egan McCutcheon, the track unfolds into an ethereal, dark and emotionally affecting soundscape, intertwining biting, fingerpicked electric guitar with atmospheric swells of strings and synth, warm bass lines, and driving, shuffling drums. The result drifts effortlessly between genres, enveloped in a beautiful haze of reverberated echoes and subtle field recordings.

Speaking about the track, Cormac Donovan O’Neill explains – “I think we all felt that this song represented a major departure for Pebbledash in terms of the barriers of genre we were willing to cross. 

The track’s opening section foregrounds the emotional tumult of Asha’s lyrics exploring isolation in an urban landscape and the surrealism evoked by this floating through time, delivered in the ornamented manner of a traditional sean nós tune accompanied only by soft wheeze of air passing through a harmonium’s body and Fionnbharr’s spare guitar figure. But from there, we wanted the bass and drums to carry Asha’s stark lyricism atop an off-kilter groove more akin to the likes of DJ Shadow or Portishead, propelling the listener in unforeseen directions before the song returns home in its final moments, the vocal standing alone amidst a landscape of Terry Riley-esque arpeggios and eerie sampled vocals. 

We were incredibly excited to share this song as a statement of our development, attesting to the outer reaches of our sound we sought to explore in recording this EP.”

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The Melody Chamber - 1+1.

Richmond, Virginia's The Melody Chamber, a southern gothic new romantic jangle-pop band have just released their third single "1 + 1."  The third single is the perfect blend of Psychedelic Furs meets early R.E.M.. The band came together by happenstance with Wallace Dietz of Silent Boys fame working in the same studio as Dan-O Deckelman and him walking by and hearing a song from another studio and striking up a conversation. 

Dan-O coming from a hardcore and metal background was working on a very Elvis Costello pop track invited Wallace to collaborate and the two just gelled quickly and the songs started to pour out. (There are multiple album already written from what I hear).

The self-titled debut album is out on November 7th, 2025 from HHBTM Records (USA) on vinyl and Too Good To Be True (Europe) on vinyl and CD.

HHBTM Records · 1+1 -The Melody Chamber

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Vendredi sur Mer - Si t’étais là.

Yesterday, Swiss’ Vendredi sur Mer released the single “Si t’étais là”, her first after her album Malabar Princess. The much lauded album includes “Arrêter le temps” featuring the pianist/composer Sofiane Pamart, “Malabar Princess”, “Hard” (feat. Hanni El Khatib) and “Tout résonne,” which are included in the upcoming album! Vendredi sur Mer will be supporting on stage during her 11-date American tour starting in March 2026, tour dates to be announced shortly!

The title track “Malabar Princess” sounds like a nostalgic ode to her native Switzerland and the Swiss Alps in particular. Malabar Princess marks a return to the softness and nostalgia of her early work, following a more combative phase. Born from a writing residency in Montréal, the album reflects her return to the mountains and a search for self. Sam Tiba and new collaborators Adrien Gallo and Owlle helped guide this evolution toward more organic, intimate sounds. Malabar Princess is a sincere, poetic album where the artist fully reveals herself, blending desire and truth. 

“Arrêter le temps” shows Vendredi sur Mer and the renowned French pianist/composer Sofiane Pamart bringing a touch of emotion, making this piano-voice duet a breath of fresh air on the album. Blending touching lyrics and a melancholic instrumental in perfect harmony, the track feels like an open letter, destined to resonate deeply with every listener.

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Photo -  Dominic Berthiaume & Delphine Snyers

Hélène Barbier - Kindness in a cup.

The new single, "Kindness in a Cup," is out now from Hélène Barbier's forthcoming 'Panorama.' The Montreal singer's latest full-length features Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) and showcases Barbier's charismatic and cool songwriting.

Panorama (from Bonsound and out in November), showcases a totally charismatic balance between intellectualism and nonchalance. Parallels may be drawn to Cate Le Bon though Barbier shifts between English and French over cool grooves and vines of guitar that wouldn't be out of place on a Television record. 

What Barbier does is distinct and enviable. It's rock music but it's made by someone who is clearly a consummate artist. Beneath the artful minimalism here there is a kind of maximal meaning and emotional charge that crystallizes with repeated listens. Now we have the pleasure of sharing the second single, "Kindness in a Cup" built around a hypnotic bass line, the track culminates with sublime violin arrangements, perfectly highlighting the singer and bassist'ss distinctive vocal patterns.

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Howling Bells - Heavy Lifting.

Howling Bells have announced 'Strange Life', their first album in over 12 years, will be released on the 13th February 2026 on Nude Records. Having recently released their comeback track 'Unbroken', a brooding yet soaring anthem, today they share 'Heavy Lifting', a song featuring loose-limbed drums and bluesy intonation as Juanita takes aim at the entitled and the opportunist.
 
She explains: "'Heavy Lifting' is a hazy and grunge-fuelled declaration. Like anyone who’s worked at the thing they love tirelessly, you build up great resilience. The callouses on your hands, the muscles you’ve strengthened, the swagger in your stride. 'Heavy Lifting' is a song about the thousands of miles you walk to acquire this kind of confidence; this is not anything that can be stripped away from you".
 
The single is accompanied by a video directed by Orlando Cubitt. Howling Bells will return to the stage for a very special full band sold-out show at the iconic Lock Tavern in Camden on 5th November, with more live dates to be announced soon.

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Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now.

Ahead of tomorrow’s (24 October) release of her new reworks album, Jesca Hoop shares a new video for ‘Memories Are Now’. Tomorrow, California-born, Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop will release Selective Memory - a live, unplugged reworking of her acclaimed 2017 Memories Are Now (Sub Pop). Joining the cast of stripped back album versions for her first three releases, this new collection finds Hoop and her two bandmates, Chloe Foy and Rachel Rimmer, capturing the record in its entirety live in Hoop’s Manchester home.

Opening the door to an intimate performance space, Selective Memory shines a new light on one of Hoop’s most beloved albums. Raw and immediate in its delivery, the record brims with luminous harmonies, lyrical richness and unguarded emotion. It is sweet and bitter, fresh and raw, and very much of the moment.

Though a return to songs first written over a decade ago, Hoop notes their continued urgency: “Though I wrote these songs 12 years ago, strangely they feel so very relevant to me today. And the album ends in one hell of a protest song… if I do say so myself.”

Ahead of the album’s release, today she is sharing her new version of the album’s title track, ‘Memories Are Now.’ Stripped of its original production, this reimagining lets the song’s core message stand in sharp relief - a defiant declaration of autonomy and strength. As Hoop sings, "Clear the way. I'm coming through. No matter what you say, I've got work to be doing. If you're not here to help, go find some other life to ruin. Let me show you the door."

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The Happy Fits - Great Lakes - BirdBelly - Howling Bells

The Happy Fits - Lovesick (Album).

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits have released their anticipated new album Lovesick, which is available everywhere now. Their first full-length album in over three years, Lovesick arrives in the wake of an emotional maelstrom of events that turned the band’s world upside down in every way imaginable. Rather than let it break their stride, the quartet leaned into the turmoil, transforming all the heartbreak and uncertainty they experienced into their most exhilarating, adventurous, and cathartic record yet.

The band also shared their brand new music video for “Lovesick #1 (Misery),” a scathing kiss-off anthem that begins deceptively as a melancholic, heartsick ballad before exploding into an emphatic, rock-fueled scream-along. Frontman Calvin Langman stated, “‘Lovesick #1 (Misery)’ is probably the most accurate depiction of what it’s like for me when I become limerent for someone. I bask in the desperation. I become melodramatic over everything. I can’t sleep at night. There’s a great irony in how much I truly love how painful it all feels to not have something I want so badly. I am all the characters in the full album of ‘Lovesick’ but I am most like the one in ‘#1 (Misery).’”

“The making of the video was greatly inspired by teen rom-coms of the early 2000’s,” Langman continued. “We really wanted to play into troupes of that miserable, besotted feeling we can have when you love someone but it’s completely unrequited. So what do you do? Invite your best friends over to scream, dance, and thrash around your bedroom decorated in all of your favorite things. The set decorating was one of the best parts about making this video because I had a trunk filled with all of my teenage and childhood memories that we meticulously displayed all over the guest bedroom in my apartment, along with some amazing eBay and thrift store finds. 

In a sense it felt like healing some part of my youth because I could look at this collection of stuff, like my Paramore fan club card, old family photos, and talent show awards, and be so grateful for the things I was obsessed with at the time. We made sure to include every band member’s interests as well, like video games, old summer camp pennants, albums that impacted us as musicians, a lava lamp, and fun action figures all placed throughout the bedroom in an eye-spy like way. There’s a few Happy Fits easter eggs in there too if you keep your eyes peeled.”


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Great Lakes - Don't Swim Too Close.

The new single and title track from the upcoming Great Lakes album Don't Swim Too Close was released a couple of days back. Great Lakes is Ben Crum with an all star cast on this album which also features Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby), Jmes Richardson (MGMT), David Gould (Cardinal), and Kyle Forester (Woods). The album is out on November 7th, 2025 from HHBTM Records. 

Background on the song - "I wrote it while recovering from a severe concussion that left me depressed and questioning my future. I honestly didn't know if I was going to come back from it, and it scared me. Luckily, I did get better, and the song ended up being an ironically uplifting country/rock toe-tapper; with heavy lyrics ("I was feeling hopeless, but also helpless and alone / and more than a little dangerous to my soul") set to a groove reminiscent of Doug Sahm, Jerry Jeff Walker, or CCR". 

Over 25 years and eight records, Crum has built a reputation for sharp songwriting and interesting stylistic shifts. Don’t Swim Too Close is no exception, as Crum draws from a classic rock tradition, echoing both the Americana spirit of Neil Young and The Band and the proto-indie rock of Television and the Velvet Underground. 

HHBTM Records · Don't Swim Too Close

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Photo - Karly Ford

BirdBelly - Desert Khaki.

After Alberta-based singer/songwriter Cynthia Hamar unveiled her new identity BirdBelly last month with the single "Black Horses," this weekend she is sharing "Desert Khaki," the second preview of the debut BirdBelly album The Wind The Wood, set to be released on October, 17. Both songs are featured below.

"Desert Khaki" adds more atmospheric vibes to BirdBelly's stellar production values—imagine Stevie Nicks collaborating with The War On Drugs. As Cynthia describes, “'Desert Khaki' is a meditation on moving through a season of unknowns—on the pause, the quiet space we hold when the world is loud and divided. In that waiting, we can feel invisible and insignificant, like a pebble on the beach getting hammered by waves—hidden, yet still part of the whole. It’s about holding that space long enough to understand before we speak, so that when we finally answer, what comes out is love.”

BirdBelly marks the latest stage in Cynthia Hamar’s artistic evolution that began in her teens with homemade cassettes and later, two albums comprised of raw, personal folk-pop.


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Photo - David Titlow

Howling Bells - Unbroken.

Howling Bells return with their first new music in over a decade, a single, 'Unbroken', out now on Nude Records. A brooding yet soaring anthem, 'Unbroken' sees weighty guitars and sweeping melodic pay-offs wrap around singer Juanita Stein’s unmistakable voice, carrying lyrics full of dreamy persistence that still aim skywards: “Always been lost in a big dream”. As Stein says, “You can either call it childlike or stupidity, but you have to have that in order to believe that something greater can happen. Surviving as a band for over two decades requires extraordinary grit and, to some degree, irrationality. None of it really makes sense, except for the will and the love of the music itself. Unbroken is very much a testament to all of this.” 
 
The band’s first release since their 2014 album, ‘Heartstrings’, 'Unbroken' was recorded with Howling Bells’ long-time friend and collaborator, producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Depeche Mode, Elbow) at his Agricultural Audio Studios. The single comes with a performance video that sees Stein, her brother and guitarist Joel and drummer Glenn Moule reunited on stage once more.

'Unbroken' marks a powerful re-entry for a band that helped shape the mid-2000s alternative landscape. Formed in Sydney and relocated to London, Howling Bells first captured ears and imaginations with their self-titled debut in 2006 - a noir-rock classic that fused moody atmospheres with melodic bite. Influenced by the likes of Tom Waits and Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac and Bjork, their recipe created a heady, submersive stew - equal parts sepia-toned romance and gritty rock’n’roll thrills.  They continued to develop over three more albums - 2009’s ‘Radio Wars’, 2011’s ‘The Loudest Engine’ and 2014’s ‘Heartstrings’. 

There was no dramatic dissolution or even an announcement of an intended hiatus but, as Juanita explains, “life just happened”, and the Bells rang silent for a decade. In the interim, all have continued with various projects: Juanita releasing four acclaimed solo albums; Joel making music as Glassmaps, and both he and Glenn intermittently playing in Brandon Flowers’ solo band. Most crucially, all three also continued to be firm friends who always left the door open for more.

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