Home Counties - Ant Thomaz - Kramies - Cherry i

Photo - Luca Bailey

Home Counties - New Best Thing.

Home Counties today release their new single 'New Best Thing', a stomping, synth-laced thrill ride and the latest preview of their eagerly awaited second album 'Humdrum', out 24th October via Submarine Cat Records - produced by Al Doyle (of Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem).

Written in a rare moment of spontaneity, 'New Best Thing' unspools like a strobe-lit meltdown - half blog-era dance-punk, half indie sleaze fever dream. Synths squelch and guitars stab between swung, danceable rhythms, as vocalists Will Harrison and Lois Kelly skewer the kind of brash self-belief that thrives in a world of instant gratification and blurred moral lines. 

Will Harrison explains: “Inspired by the electroclash of Peaches with the Cowboy-guitar blues rock of Alabama 3, we tried to make something that was fun and immediate – something that wouldn’t feel out of place on a PlayStation 2 driving game. Pairing swung drums and obnoxious synths and guitars, it felt sleazy and swaggering.

"This feeling inspired the lyrical content, capturing the overconfidence that comes from consumption and how society either tolerates it or looks down upon it depending on class. Writing the lyrics and music quickly also added to the general immediacy of the song. It was a rare moment of not allowing ourselves to overthink things, which I guess in a way reflects the carelessness of the subject matter.”

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Ant Thomaz - Feet on the Ground.

Ant Thomaz is a Glasgow-based singer-songwriter and musician with roots from the Bayou of southern Louisiana. Drawing from a vibrant mix of folk, soul, pop, zydeco, and rock, his music carries a raw, lived-in warmth shaped by years of self-taught songwriting since the age of twelve. Known for his heartfelt lyrics and a sound that blends grit with soul, Thomaz weaves personal experience into every note, echoing both his Southern heritage and his journey as an artist.

His latest single, “Feet on the Ground,” is a warm, sincere tribute to real love, written with his wife and creative partner, Frances. The track speaks to the importance of presence, and the power of staying grounded through life’s distractions, worries, and external noise. Opening with the lyric “walking through the rain without even a stain, not knowing anyone’s name…”, the song sets the tone for a reflective journey about choosing peace, clarity, and connection over chaos. It’s a reminder that even when the world feels uncertain, love can be an anchor.

Inspired by their late-night conversations as artists, parents, and partners, Thomaz uses the song to explore what it means to grow in love without losing your sense of joy and self. “Feet on the Ground” is also an expression of gratitude for the strong women who inspire him daily, especially Frances, whose impact on his life and artistry is woven through every lyric. At its core, the song urges us to hold on to our youthful spirit, to slow down, and to honour the everyday beauty of life and love, free from ego or comparison.

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Kramies - Hollywood Signs.

As the summer scurry fades and autumn winds drift eastward, the days grow shorter, the lights dimmer - Kramies makes his timely return. And “Hollywood Signs”, the lead single from an upcoming new LP, is a clear departure in sound for the cult Ohio songwriter. 

Three years after his critically acclaimed self-titled LP—which earned multiple Album of the Year accolades and saw Billboard christen him “The Dreampop Troubadour” - in 2025 Kramies begins anew and turns the page to his next chapter with its follow-up.

Operating in a genre of his own devising that he dubbed Folklore Dreampop - a blend of dreamy textures, poetic myth, and spectral beauty - his self-titled debut offered a collection of songs steeped in wonder that found the singer-songwriter drifting deeply through a series of otherworldly realms. But for his next act, Kramies marks a creative shift from any former labellings with the decisively titled new album: ‘Goodbye Dreampop Troubadour’. 

Seeking to expand his creative world into new dimensions, his upcoming work finds him collaborating with Grammy-winning producer Mario McNulty (David Bowie / Prince) to conjure dusky soundscapes shaded with nighttime colors and a nostalgic melancholia. Unlike previous releases that have been scattered with the stardust of luminaries such Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Patrick Carney (Black Keys), Alma Forrer, Jerry Becker (Train) and more, his new album is a stridently confident solo creation, with Kramies playing 90% of the instruments across the album. 

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Photo - Zosia Kibalo

Cherry i -The Arsonist.

London outfit Cherry i emerge today with their unsettling and cinematic new single ‘The Arsonist’, produced by Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Youth Lagoon, Soccer Mommy). A slow-creeping art-rock dirge that draws from myth and modern conflict, the single reframes harrowing events through a cryptic, surrealist lens: a divine arsonist trapped inside a dog, prowling the streets of Kyiv.

Built on detuned guitars and submerged percussion, ‘The Arsonist’ drifts through the liminal space between The Smile’s unsettling surrealism and King Krule’s shadowy melancholy, with glints of Portishead’s brooding atmosphere and Beth Gibbons’ fragile intensity. The result is vivid and enigmatic - anchored by singer Nikol’s spectral delivery, her voice carrying a distinctive, quivering lilt that shifts between whisper and lament.

On the release of 'The Arsonist' Nikol said: “The lyrics came out of a very tough time. I wanted to take a fairy tale or Greek myth-style approach to something too difficult to look at head-on. Some of our band members are Ukrainian refugees, so the song became a way to process those feelings, by creating distance without losing the truth. It revolves around themes of processing the trauma of war, displacement and loss. The lyrics themselves take on a more vague approach consisting of a fairytale-like reimagining of events wherein The Arsonist is this Greek god type destructive force, trapped inside a dog wreaking havoc on the streets of Kyiv."

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Nels Johnson - Louie & The Wolf Gang - Jeremy Garrett - Cassi Marie - Kramies

Nels Johnson - The Light That Guides Me.

Nels Johnson recently released the Americana single “The Light That Guides Me". It’s off the upcoming album release, “Ios,” due out October 14. “The Light That Guides Me” delves into a father/son relationship asking, “If he passed away, how would I want to remember our time together?” The single wistfully remembers and processes loss while finding hope within it all.

The single takes a nostalgic look at positive memories growing up, some real, some contrived, all of them gone and not here anymore. Johnson says, “I love the nostalgia of the first verse, of finding a picture of an old loved one in an attic and being surprised at how different and young they used to look, and just remembering them in a new and different way.” The song also looks to the past as a guide through challenges in the present, “as I travel through this distant and foreign land, longing to grow into a man.”

On “Ios,” Johnson leans into the theme of surrender, coming to grips with who you are as a person and what makes you happy. The songs embrace the human experience and stories that shape and change us along the way. A visit to the Grecian island, Ios, inspired the record’s theme. Johnson wrote three songs on the album, “Rest,” “Holy Men,” and part of “Surrender,” while on the island. He says, “It was a place of total relaxation, which freed me up to slow down, quiet all the loud voices and get in touch with what I was feeling. It’s hard to describe, but I experienced a sense of freedom and just comfort in my skin that I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced before.” Those themes are captured in the songs that led to the album being named after the island.

Nels Johnson · The Light That Guides Me

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Louie & The Wolf Gang - Hot Wheels.

Louie & The Wolf Gang have been causing quite a stir in Swiss rockabilly-scene over the last months. They have already thrilled audiences at concerts at major festivals such as the 'Tiki Bash' or 'Rockabilly Stomp' at the legendary KuFa Lyss - where they were immediately invited to play again on 23.9.22 with legendary The Polecats and others. Since spring of this year, the band have also been playing in numerous renowned clubs and festivals.

No wonder, their sound makes you dancing an partying. At the same time, the three-piece are enjoying airplay on radios across the globe - from Rete Uno/Tre, SRF1, Option Musique, BeO to countless international stations.

Just in time for their next tour dates, Louie & The Wolf Gang release their new single 'Hot Wheels'. The track is another rousing rockabilly smasher, inspired by scene-heroes like The Stray Cats, Restless and The Blue Cats.

«Hot Wheels» is a plea for a living club culture. It speaks to those who are bothered as soon as people are enjoying themselves, be it at a club-concert or rockabilly-festival. Louie & The Wolf Gang say: Celebrate instead of complaining about the «noise»! So the track is a homage to the countless clubs and festivals whose lives are made difficult by angry citizens and neighbors - which often leads to the closure of the locations. Until a new album is released in 2023, Louie & The Wolf Gang will release a bunch of new singles.

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Jeremy Garrett - I Am The River Wild.

Earlier this year, Jeremy Garrett (from the GRAMMY-winning Infamous Stringdusters) returned to the bluegrass roots that first brought him accolades and critical attention when he released his third album for Organic Records, River Wild. 

Alongside a successful tour on which Garrett was joined by some of today’s top players, the album’s first single, “What’s That You’re Doin,’” reached No. 1 on Bluegrass Today’s weekly chart and Garrett was featured on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction Sidetracks segment. 

Now, Garrett has released a music video for the album’s title track. Leading off the album, the moody “I Am The River Wild” carries a double meaning, capturing the voice of the river and of Garrett himself. 

“This song, co-written by Rick Lang, is a picture of how rivers are born and become mighty. Untamed and free. Wild. Perhaps they can be held back, but not when the storms come raging in,” says Garrett. “It feels like I am describing myself as the river as I sing this song.” “We made the video for this song in a pristine part of the southern Colorado wilderness, way up in the mountains, where life to rivers begins,” Garrett told The Bluegrass Situation. “The wolf and the moose bring an amazing feeling to the video and the story unfolds nicely in that setting.”

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Cassi Marie - Starving Heart.

At just 20 years of age, Moreton Bay’s Cassi Marie has been consistently achieving success not only as a solo artist but also as a member of two impressive bands over the past couple of years.

Stepping back into the solo driver’s seat for her latest release, “Starving Heart”, Cassi again reminds us why she is one of the most exciting and talked about talents in Australian country music.

“Starving Heart” brings about a more contemporary and edgier sound to her music. Cassi says the song is about “someone who struggles to let love into their heart and finds it easier to run than to let themselves be loved”.

Cassi’s strong work ethic and bubbly personality has seen her tick many things off her bucket list. She won the Gympie Muster Talent Search at just 12 years of age, penned hundreds of songs and released her debut EP produced by the legendary Bill Chambers in 2019. More recently, releasing singles such as “Walls” and “Burn” has seen the young artist continue to evolve in both songwriting and musicianship, playing several instruments on these recordings. Since 2020 she has been working with the bands The Kindly Ravens and The English Rain, lending her voice and songwriting talents to tracks such as “Silver and Gold” and “Everywhere I Go”.

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Kramies - Owl and the Crow.

Originally written while travelling through Ireland, “Owl and the Crow” arrives as another dreamy glimpse into Kramies’ forthcoming self-titled LP. Initially just an acoustic outtake, the new single was finally recorded in one take on a late Californian night in Jerry Becker’s Oakland Studio.

As time went on “Owl and the Crow” only grew, with layers and images captured by Kramies’ on his travels. With glimmering acoustic guitar licks flirting with eerie instrumentals and compelling vocals, the new track follows “Hotel in LA” as a second taster of Kramies’ self-titled LP, arriving on 9 September 2022.

Of the new single, Kramies explains: “I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to say this before, because I can’t really understand completely how I process things without relying heavily on the emotions I use to create everything, but “Owl and the Crow” is one of the songs on the LP that means the most to me.”

“For one of the first times in my life I recognise instantly where the story and emotion from this song comes from. I rarely remember anything that isn’t emotionally heightened, if something doesn’t carry bits of historic emotional imagery then I don’t really care about it or remember it. This song has stayed with me. There are a few unspoken landmarks on this LP for me and “Owl and the Crow” is one of them.”

Set for release this September, the new ‘Kramies’ LP showcases a huge spectrum of creativity and sound in a short span of time. Produced by and featuring a whole host of special guests including Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Tyler Ramsey of Band of Horses and Jerry Becker of Train, the record also includes an appearance from Jim Bogis who has played with Counting Crows and Stevie Nicks.

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