Silva Emilia - Lydia Luce - Melanie Pain - Ivan Moult - Victoria Akua - MWSOG

Silva Emilia - Secret Medicine.

Secret Medicine is a melancholic and reflective folk-pop song about quiet emotions and the strength found in uncertainty. Written and performed by Silva Emilia, the track marks the beginning of her collaboration with All That Plazz and offers the first glimpse into her upcoming debut album.

“Secret Medicine is about those moments when you can’t quite explain what’s wrong — but you feel it deeply,” Silva Emilia says. “It’s about learning to trust your heart, even when your mind doesn’t have the answers.”

The Finnish artist first gained attention when her debut single What if we could fly appeared in the Finnish–Swedish TV series Reindeer Mafia, which starred Mikael Persbrandt and Samuli Edelmann. The song earned praise from major Finnish outlets like Rumba and Soundi, and helped establish Silva Emilia as one of the most promising new voices in Nordic folk-pop.

Freshly graduated from Vaskivuori Music High School, Silva Emilia continues to craft music that feels timeless, sincere, and full of quiet strength.

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Photo -  Katie Silvester 

Lydia Luce - Mammoth (Album).

Nashville singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lydia Luce releases her stunning new album Mammoth this week. Produced by longtime collaborator Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose) and recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, Mammoth reflects the natural world and the stillness in it. The new single, "Belly," illustrates how Luce comes to trust herself over the course of the album, reassuring herself as she sings "We grow, so slow / We might not see it some days / Take rest, we get to start again / So many ways." 

Lydia Luce explains the origin of "Belly": "This song was written when I was deep in the struggle with chronic pain. I had been lying to myself and those around me, because I was afraid that if I admitted I was in pain I would lose work as a session violist. I remember playing certain songs live on guitar and being so nervous to play bar chords because the pain was so intense. Yet, I kept playing for years. It all came to a head when I was about to go on a tour opening and playing violin in the band I was opening for. I was in rehearsal and I couldn’t feel my fingers. This was new and terrifying. Still I didn’t say anything. I used KT tape and kept on going. The bridge of this song is a coming to terms moment when I just accept the pain because the more I hide it the worse it gets. Once I started listening to my body and respecting my body's boundaries, I started to heal. I have developed a connection to my body that I never had, and while I’m not grateful for the pain, I’m grateful for the outcome and the awareness." 

From the sweeping title track to the dreamy "Wisteria" and the tender lullaby "Florence," Mammoth is bound by a common thread of self-love, hope and acceptance, along with a fervent belief in the serendipity of the last few years. These songs are equally inspired by the ambient compositions of Luce's solo Lethe music project and the natural surroundings of the UK countryside, with sounds of blowing winds and morning birdsong woven into the instrumentation. 



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Melanie Pain - Dreamloop.

As Melanie Pain prepares for the release of her upcoming album ‘How and Why’ (out 21 November), her latest single “Dreamloop” stands out as one of the record’s most enchanting and pop-infused tracks.

Beneath its luminous tones lies a darker theme: looping mental states, inner spirals that are hard to escape. “Dreamloop” captures the helplessness of witnessing a loved one’s suffering, that sense of standing by, powerless, as they drift silently - trapped in an endless dream, a true “dream loop.” "Raise the anchor and grab the rope Let it lead you out of your darkness I’d like to form the words you need to hear But my love is breathless" she signs here.

In the vein of Stereolab, Broadcast, or the Velvet Underground, “Dreamloop” embraces deceptively light pop, carried by instrumentation blending psychedelic softness with naïve energy. All instruments launch together: laid-back drums and bass, folk guitar as an emotional thread, piano accentuating the chorus. The tambourine, reminiscent of Moe Tucker, drives a hypnotic, almost ritualistic rhythm. The track unfolds languidly, like a contemporary Sunday Morning, with a simple, insistent melody.

Recorded live in the studio with the band - Raphaël Chassin on drums, Oliver Smith on bass, Jérôme Plasseraud on guitar and mellotron, Alexis Anérilles on piano - the song radiates raw, immediate energy. The spontaneity of the collective performance is palpable from the very first note.

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Ivan Moult - No More Lies.

 Ivan Moult unveils new 'No More Lies' single as release of his new album 'Stood Out In the Storm' fast approaches via Bubblwrap. Cardiff-based singer-songwriter Ivan Moult returns with his most personal work to date, Stood Out In The Storm, out November 7th via Bubblewrap Collective. Following the acclaimed Songs From Severn Grove (2023) - praised for its warmth, intricacy and timeless songwriting - the new album marks a bold and vulnerable step forward. No More Lies is the final teaser before the album drops in full, a week later.

Written in the aftermath of personal upheaval, Stood Out In The Storm traces a journey through darkness and recovery, exploring fragility, resilience and hope. Ivan’s signature sound remains at the core: a seamless blend of 1960s/70s folk and blues infused with modern textures, drawing influence from John Martyn, Terry Reid and Ry Cooder. As with his previous records, Ivan wrote, played, recorded and mixed the album at his Cardiff home studio, and the record sits as a companion piece to Songs From Severn Grove.

Recent months have seen Ivan gain strong support from Huw Stephens across BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio Wales, including a feature on Roundtable and a live session for BBC Wales – recognition that continues to grow his reputation as one of Wales’ most distinctive and emotionally resonant songwriters.

Ivan Moult · No More Lies

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Photo - Camilla Vodstrup Øverup

Victoria Akua - Songs to Soften the Heart (Album).

Today sees the release of the album (via Greywood Records) 'Songs to Soften the Heart' by Victoria Akua from Copenhagen, Denmark. Victoria describes her music as a genre mix of indie pop, folky singer-songwriter and meditative music. This is a beautiful collection of songs and fulfills our highest expectations based on what we had heard so far, highly recommended!  

Victoria Akua on her album: "Each song on the album reflects a step on my journey toward inviting more softness, clarity and (self)love into my everyday life. I’ve found a lot of inspiration in nature, through my close connections and by having a dedicated focus on keeping my heart open as I move through both challenges and openings. For me, the songs are, in a way, timeless, as the meaning and support of each song evolve and change over time together with me. I hope the songs will bring you calmness, joy and a soothing embrace on your way.“

Victoria's music is based on her own journey, which began at a young age, searching for more balance and a deeper peace and understanding within herself. In a hectic world where it is so easy to be pulled in many directions, she wants to find ways to stay centered with an open heart in the hope that her music can support others on their own paths. The intention of the music is to have a nourishing, calming and healing effect. Music that comes from the heart and that reflects and creates inner peace, trust and self-love - and connects us. Her music is inspired by the rhythms and cycles of nature, healthy and nurturing connections between people and creating spaces for expression, creativity and loving energy. Through the simplicity of the music, the listener is invited directly into a calm cocoon where breathing becomes deeper and the mind can rest.

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MWSOG - Chwyldro.

The wild Welsh wanderers MWSOG unveil their much-anticipated debut single “Chwyldro”, released 31st October on BWGiBWGAN - a celebration that binds ancient Cymru to its modern heartbeat, reimagining Welsh folk storytelling for a new generation.

Sonic pilgrims at the altar of ’70s acid folk and mystical trad, MWSOG channel those ancient spirits through a darker, heavier prism. “Chwyldro” (“Revolution”) opens like a galloping spell - drums and harmonium lock into a primal rhythm as harmonised voices rise like smoke over standing stones. The result is acid-folk meets ritualistic rock, where the spectral beauty of Bert Jansch collides with the storm-laden power of Black Sabbath, fronted by the elemental voice of Mari Mathias, whose vocals summon something raw, ancient, and otherworldly.

Mari reflects, “MWSOG allows me to embody the teachings of the Mabinogi, ancient voices so old we can no longer trace their source. Perhaps they walk among us still, or linger in the ivy and moss that find life in impossible places, pressing through concrete and stone. Much of what we write follows these quiet threads - the weaving of nature and metal, the pulse between the industrial and the soil.”

The nine-piece collective conjure a sound both fearless and timeless - carrying the defiance of a people who’ve never stopped singing their rebellion. “There is a darkness in what we do, which reflects deeply in the folkloric history and myths of our country,” Mari continues. “Yet, there is also a light that is ever so playful. I sometimes feel as though I am dancing in my own time capsule - luring travellers and like-minded spirits to join us in this sacred space.”

MWSOG · Chwyldro

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Jesca Hoop - Salarymen - Lydia Luce - Drift City - Meghan Clarisse - Clover County - The Grahams

Jesca Hoop - Simon Says.
 
California-born, Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop has shared a new unplugged version of her track 'Simon Says'. The single is the second to be taken from 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.

Of the new single, Hoop says: "In Simon Says I am speaking from my Gen X perspective. Oh how times have changed. I thank the heavens that my childhood was feral and free and that I knew every climbing tree."

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.”

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Salarymen - If You Want Me.

After strategically drip-feeding singles throughout 2025 to build anticipation for their debut album Take It Or Leave It (October 31st) Sydney’s indie duo Salarymen are ready to deliver the final piece of the puzzle with "If You Want Me" released this weekend. 

Four years in the making, this devastating duet captures the raw ache of lost love with cinematic beauty. As the oldest song on the album, “If You Want Me” has been mesmerising live audiences nationwide, becoming the track fans most desperately wanted to see released. Now, Renee de la Motte and Thomas Eagleton finally deliver this highly anticipated gem – a vintage-laced psych pop ballad that channels the dreamy melancholia of Beach House, Mac DeMarco, and Arcade Fire. With male/female harmonies taking center stage, the track captures a similar nostalgic romanticism to Stephen Sanchez's "Until I Found You," though "If You Want Me" was written years before that breakout hit.

"If You Want Me is the most emotional track we've ever written. It's about two people who can never really let go of their past, and how your world can be flipped upside down after parting ways. Thom and I are essentially playing the guy/girl who are admitting that they've wronged each other, and lamenting the fact that it's over “ explains de la Motte.

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Photo - Ryan Usher

Lydia Luce - Ephemeral (Ft: Luke Sital-Singh).

Lydia Luce shares "Ephemeral," a moving duet with celebrated British singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh. An important and sober declaration of self-love, this is the latest single from the Nashville singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist's forthcoming album Mammoth, which releases on October 30.

Lydia Luce on the new single: "This song is a love song to self. When I had to go back on tour after my injuries, I made a promise to myself to take care of myself no matter what. I had to learn how to trust myself again. I hadn’t earned my body's trust, and if I was going back into this environment I had to do it in a way that would honor my body. The moment I decided to ask my friend Paul Hammer to play guitar for me on that tour I felt the stress fall off of my body. I cried to my husband. I didn’t realize how terrified I was to be back in pain playing that much. I made more and more decisions like that on that tour. I brought my own pillow, I booked aisle seats on planes so I could stretch, and I asked for help constantly. I wasn’t in pain on that tour, and now I completely trust myself to make the right choices for my body." 

Recorded in just one week at Peter Gabriel’s celebrated Real World Studios, Mammoth was produced with longtime creative collaborator Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose), with whom Luce runs the Nashville-based string collective Lockeland Strings. 

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Photo - Natalia Via

Drift City - The Seeds.

Kentucky bred and based Drift City proudly present the lead single from their latest EP, “The Seeds”. A serendipitous taste of what’s to come, the single is the first offering from the upcoming EP, Spectral Heart Mosaics, coming in late October.

Available via SU Records, “The Seeds” is an offering that took twelve to thirteen years in the making. Produced mainly by lead vocalist Jason Rivers, additional touches were provided by the renowned Kevin Ratterman and were recorded in the summer of 2025. A melancholic tune analyzing the pain and heartbreak of a slowly dissolving long term relationship, “The Seeds” sonically mirrors these nostalgic feelings.

Described as coming to lead singer Jason Rivers as a "vehicle of my own needed new beginning",  “The Seeds” offers a refreshing listening experience. Rivers’ powerful voice calls back to greats such as The Blue Nile or Cass McCombs, clearly demonstrating the pain and emotional agony he’s experienced. Drift City's ethereal harmonies and twangy pedal steel allow the track to lie in a comforting bed of folk rock. A track about self-growth, releasing inhibitions, and achieving peace and freedom, “The Seeds” is all yours to enjoy now.

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Meghan Clarisse - Shadows of a Ghost Town (Album).

Shadows of a Ghost Town is a deeply personal and poetic exploration of place, memory, and mortality, told through the lens of the American West. Rooted in the traditions of Americana and brushed with shades of country and bluegrass, this album is both a love letter to the land and a reckoning with the ghosts we carry.

Set against the backdrop of wide-open skies, dusty trails, and abandoned towns, each track captures a moment suspended between the living and the lost. There are stories of a quiet ache that follows when something-or someone-disappears. The mountains aren't just scenery here; they're characters. So are the shadows, the silence, and the wind.

With raw instrumentation, vivid storytelling, and melodies that rise like cann winds and fall like dusk over the plains, Shadows of a Ghost Town weaves together the grit of bluegrass with the soul of country and the heart of folk. These songs don't shy away from sorrow, but they don't dwell in it either. Instead, they honor it. They ride through it.

At its core, this album is about transience-how everything we know and love eventually fades, and yet somehow, that makes it all the more beautiful. Whether it's a home, a way of life, or a person you thought you'd never lose, Shadows of a Ghost Town reminds us that some things linger even after they're gone. You can still hear the music if you know where to listen.

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Photo - Luke Rogers

Clover County - Finer Things (Album).

Emerging Georgia singer/songwriter Clover County releases her debut album Finer Things via her own label Undercover Lover Records in partnership with Thirty Tigers. Produced by Carrie K (Noah Kahan, Maggie Antone, Koe Wetzel), the album is a coming-of-age soundtrack that explores romantic, familial and platonic love with a winking charm and an observing eye. Clover shares: “Finer Things is the shoebox I keep under my bed full of old love letters and trinkets I can’t quite let go of. It's polaroids, bottle caps, and plane tickets. It’s a memorial for all the ways I’ve loved and been loved.” Along with the album she has shared the single 'Sweeter'.

Clover continues: “These songs began when I was 18 – scrawled in notebooks, half-sung into voice memos, carried with me through the years. I started recording them at 23, and at 24, they’ll start to find their place in the world. Unintentionally, they trace a timeline: from naive to knowing. Finer Things is about all the ways I’ve shown up in love and how it’s shown up for me, the fleeting and the forever. Romantic, familial, platonic. The sweetness, the sting, and the spaces in between.

This record lives naturally within the lines of country with its own indie/alternative twists – as a songwriter from the South with a love for the classics, I wanted to nod to legacy artists like Dolly Parton, Shania Twain and Sheryl Crow, while also drawing from the modern textures and tones of Hovvdy, Adrianne Lenker, Waxahatchee, Courtney Barnett and MJ Lenderman.”


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The Grahams - Worst Parts Of Me.

As they prepare to release their fourth studio album, The Bridge, on October 10th, acclaimed Americana-pop duo The Grahams – married couple Alyssa and Doug Graham – have released one more glimpse into the collection with their new single “Worst Parts Of Me.” The playful love song recalls early ‘70s melodic movement and offers a throwback to Carole King’s Tapestry era, an album that has served as an important influence for Alyssa.

“After three decades of a love affair and partnership, people always ask us our ‘secret’,” shares The Grahams. “For years we claimed our rare success was attributed to having no children. ‘Don’t have kids’ we would joke. Upon further reflection and having our daughter, we now understand our secret is deeper than that. To truly love someone in this life and beyond, you need to love not only the best but the worst parts of them.”

About the music video, Alyssa and Doug add, “Although ‘Worst Parts Of Me’ is a song we wrote in order to highlight the depth and strength of our love for one another by acknowledging our lifelong flaws with a bit of humor, we wanted the video to speak to people in a more individualized fashion. We all struggle with what we believe to be our worst parts. The video focuses on accepting our imperfections, fully embracing them and learning to enjoy the balance of the best and the worst in ourselves and how it all makes us unique.” 

The Bridge, available via Nashville’s 3Sirens label, marks the first time The Grahams are giving listeners a look into their personal lives. The deeply personal album, named after the George Washington Bridge, which transported the New Jersey natives to New York City during their formative years, was co-written with GRAMMY-nominated producer Dex Green, singer-songwriter Kate York, and GRAMMY-nominated songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan, finding The Grahams embracing the collaborative Nashville co-write. Alyssa (vocals) and Doug (guitars/vocals) credit these three creative ambassadors with helping them write about their lives honestly and vulnerably, diving deep into their childhood love affair that has lasted over 37 years.

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The Planet Smashers - Romanie - Amanda Pascali - Living Hour - flipturn feat. Old Mervs - Lydia Luce

Photo - Michael Crusty

The Planet Smashers - On the Dancefloor (Album).

Ska-punk legends The Planet Smashers are back with their new studio album, On the Dancefloor, out via Stomp Records (home to Wine Lips, The Anti-Queens, The Real McKenzies, and The Dreadnoughts). 

On the Dancefloor isn’t just a comeback, it's a coronation. Featuring electrifying guest appearances by ska trailblazers Neville Staple of The Specials, Charley “Aitch” Bembridge of The Selecter, and Sara Johnston of Bran Van 3000, the album taps into the rich legacy of 2Tone and third wave ska with heart, swagger, and soul. These collaborations bring an unmatched pedigree and history to the project, linking the band’s infectious energy with the genre’s pioneering voices.

Formed in 1994, The Planet Smashers have carved out a legacy as one of ska-punk’s most vital acts. With over 30 million Spotify streams, iconic tracks featured in everything from MTV’s Undergrads to Japanese cult anime Catman, and a live show that’s equal parts punk chaos and carnival joyride, the Montreal-based crew has spent over three decades earning their place in ska royalty.

On the Dancefloor features 13 high-octane tracks built for movement and uplift: party anthems, heartbreak jams, and protest songs delivered with unapologetic spirit and punchy horn arrangements. The album’s visual aesthetic was brought to life by renowned digital artist Scorpion Dagger, whose artwork matches the album’s vibrant energy beat for beat.


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Photo - Marcus Coblyn

Romanie - When Will We Lose Hope?

This week Melbourne-based Romanie shares her emotive new single ‘When Will We Lose Hope?’ Keeping hope alive against the odds, Romanie’s new single is a sincere and raw offering. Effortless vocals and reflective lyricism share a haunting reminder of the bigger pitcher. When Will We Lose Hope? is an honest and beautiful output, here to gently offer perspective. Sharing more, Romanie said; ‘I wrote this song in January 2024 during Adrienne Lenker’s School of Song workshop. 

I was feeling kind of lost in the world, wondering if making music was the right thing to do in a time of turmoil, reading the news and looking at villains ruling the world and destroying the planet. During the first lecture, Adrienne talked about having to let yourself feel things in order to write music and be curious. I cried during that lecture, and felt so inspired knowing that so many other beautiful songwriters were experiencing the same thing and suddenly writing songs and making music felt like the only straight forward thing to do.

It’s a really sad song, but I really want to emphasize the element of hope in it too, because it’s important to keep loving and caring for community. When Will We Lose Hope? is Romanie’s second single to arrive this year. It follows ‘Uh Oh’ which was released in May marking a new era for the artist, one that blends grit and grunge with softness and emotion in equal measure.

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Photo - Davide Casciolo

Amanda Pascali - Cleopatra.

Rising singer-songwriter Amanda Pascali shares her new single "Cleopatra," a powerful ode to resilience, identity, and the strength of women who break barriers across borders. Inspired by Pascali’s mother, an immigrant who arrived in 1980s New York City and built a life and career from the ground up, "Cleopatra" fuses Arabic melodies, Spanish guitar, spaghetti Western soundscapes, and world folk elements to reflect the multicultural mosaic of her story. 

"Cleopatra" follows Pascali's previous singles, including a song of unrequited love, "Wake Up, Baby!," and an ode to all-consuming love, "Amuri." Her new album Roses and Basil was produced by acclaimed singer-songwriter and fellow Texan Robert Ellis and will release on September 12.

"'Cleopatra' is a bilingual, genre-blending tribute to my mother — who was born in Egypt and journeyed to America by way of France — and to every woman who has had to fight to make her story heard," Pascali explains. “The song is inspired by my mother’s story, but it’s also about my responsibility as her first-born daughter to carry that story forward. The repeated line ‘I was left with the pen in my hand’ speaks to the urgency I feel, especially in this moment, to tell these stories.”

She continues, "I have had to convince many people that it is compelling to tell stories where women are at the forefront. Today, I am sharing this one: I wrote this song about my mom but it’s also about me, and every woman who came before me. In every story, there are pieces of the writer that seep in. This song celebrates my relationships, past, present, and future with the most important women in my life: my sisters, my mom, and my grandmothers in heaven. We are the main characters of this story.”

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Photo - Lucas Pingitore

Living Hour - Waiter.

Winnipeg band Living Hour releases "Waiter" this week, the second single from their fourth album Internal Drone Infinity, out October 17 via Keeled Scales. 

Lyricist Sam Sarty writes: "This is a song about people who wait. Wait-ers. I find myself waiting without knowing what I’m waiting for. I wait in all these liminal spaces: hotels, parking lots, and even relationships. This song reflects on two relationships where I spent a lot of time waiting; waiting to feel something or to see what would happen."

The song is an ode to time passing after a relationship, becoming self-sufficient after a period of emotional intimacy. Sarty continues: "This song feels like a tribute to all that energy that pours out of me when I’m yearning for someone to be closer to me, but it also acts as a realization that I’ll always have myself. It’s a relief, like feeling that the wait is over."

Anchored by Sarty’s vivid lyricism, shaped by years as a projectionist conjuring stories in a dark theater, the band explores the quiet magic hidden in everyday life. With wistful vocals, textural distortion, and poetic detail, Living Hour capture the ache of memory, the mess of feeling, and the beauty in what remains.

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Photo - Andy Vinson

flipturn - Burnout Days (feat. Old Mervs).

flipturn, "one of the most innovative bands out now" are set to bring their acclaimed album Burnout Days to UK audiences this November, with a run of dates that includes their biggest London show to date at Kentish Town Forum on November 14th, and an appearance at Live At Leeds City Festival.

The announcement comes as the band unveils a special collaboration with Old Mervs on a new version of their title track "Burnout Days", released today (August 20th). The collaboration emerged from the bands' recent sold-out afterparty performance together at Park West in Chicago following Lollapalooza.

"We've always thought 'Burnout Days' was a summer song, and since we will be coming over during the Australian summer we thought they would be the perfect fit," says flipturn frontman Dillon Basse. Old Mervs' Dave House adds, "We are absolutely stoked with this collab with flipturn! 'Burnout Days' is such a fun song and playing around in the studio with it was a blast."

Released earlier this year via Dualtone Records, the 12-song collection Burnout Days finds the indie-rock powerhouse returning as sonic architects, harnessing their impressive knack for hooks, shimmering soundscapes and "nostalgia-inducing lyrical delivery" (Uproxx). The album has been lauded for its "rays of optimism" (SPIN), "irresistible hooks" (Consequence) and "infectious energy" (Luna Collective).

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Photo - Ryan Usher

Lydia Luce - Quiet.

Nashville-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lydia Luce shares "Quiet," the latest single from her new album Mammoth, which releases October 30. A much-needed antidote to the relentlessness of the world around us, the soft-pedaled keys and mellow strings mirror the feeling of sitting in harmonious silence with someone you love. The song is accompanied by an acoustic live video performed with Lockeland Strings.

“'Quiet' is a song for my partner and I," Luce says. "‘Quiet' is about the ability to sit with someone and not have to say anything. To be able to soak up their presence and find contentment, joy and peace in the silence. We are about to have our first kiddo and it's something we've been trying for, for the last year and a half. Everything is about to change in our house and we are truly cherishing these final months at home, just the two of us and our dog."

Recorded in just one week at Peter Gabriel’s celebrated Real World Studios, Mammoth was produced with longtime creative collaborator Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose), with whom Luce runs the Nashville-based string collective Lockeland Strings. These songs are inspired by the ambient compositions of Luce's solo Lethe music project, as well as the natural surroundings of the UK countryside where Mammoth was recorded, with sounds of blowing winds and morning birdsong woven into the instrumentation. Gone are the boisterous elements of her previous releases, now replaced by something more quietly contemplative that represents this new chapter of tranquility. From the sweeping title track to the dreamy "Wisteria" and the tender lullaby "Florence," Mammoth is bound by a common thread of self-love, hope and acceptance, along with a fervent belief in the serendipity of the last few years. 


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Other Lives - Lydia Luce - The Hello Crows - strongboi

Other Lives - Show Us Some Love.

Following the announcement of their 5th studio album Volume V (out October 10 via Play It Again Sam), Other Lives come back with new song "Show Us Some Love". It’s a love song of sorts, with all the passion and complexities that a relationship contains, in this case, it’s evoked by dialogue between the Gods and man: “about why the other won’t give enough love,” lead singer Jesse says.

Other Lives is an American band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, by multi-instrumentalists Jesse Tabish, Jonathon Mooney, and Josh Onstott. Known for their cinematic sound and orchestral arrangements, the group emerged with a distinct musical identity that blends classical influence, emotional depth, and sweeping melodies. With roots in the windswept prairies of the Midwest, they’ve built an international following through their expansive live performances and richly layered studio recordings. 

Now a five-piece band, the group includes vocalist and songwriter Kim Tabish and producer-percussionist Danny Reisch, adding new textures and creative collaboration to the fold. Across five albums, Other Lives has continued to evolve, expanding their sonic palette while staying grounded in their original spirit of experimentation and storytelling. Their music is both intimate and epic, drawing on a range of influences that span from chamber music to post-rock and modern folk. Whether on stage or in the studio, Other Lives remains dedicated to crafting immersive soundscapes that resonate deeply and endure.

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Photo -  Katie Silvester

Lydia Luce - Mammoth.

Nashville-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lydia Luce has announced her new album Mammoth, is due out October 31st. Produced with longtime collaborator Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose), the new record documents Luce’s triumphant journey of self-discovery and finding a sense of peace. Along with the announcement, she shares the album’s sweeping opening title track, which was inspired by her winding road back to physical health after a period of debilitating chronic pain that forced her to step away from music. Arriving with a dreamy music video filmed in the great outdoors, “Mammoth” also sets the tone for the upcoming album, which incorporates nature recordings into the soundtrack for this current chapter of tranquility.

About the new song, Luce says: “‘Mammoth’ was written with Jake Finch and Collin Pastore, two incredible producers/songwriters. I loved writing this with them, we kept the guitar parts from the day we wrote it because they are so incredible! The music video was created with Jason Lee Denton and Aliegh Shields. We hiked over 30 miles on the Rocky Mountains with my husband Ryan assisting. It was an incredibly magical time in nature with buds. Grateful that we have this time capsule of a video to remember it.”

In 2023, Luce was diagnosed with a herniated cervical disc, bilateral carpal tunnel, tennis elbow and an inflamed bone. At one point, the pain was so bad she could barely hold her instruments. She was medically advised to stop playing at the time but music is her life, quite literally, as an artist and session violinist, and she continued until the pain was so bad she finally had no choice. Surgery, plus a newfound understanding of her body, has left her in a much better place. “I had never asked for so much help,” she says. “I couldn’t open or carry anything. But now I’m happy to say I’m stable, strong and playing my instruments again.”

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Photo - Kelly Baker

The Hello Crows - Red Flag.

Castle Records, Atlantic Canada’s only Indigenous run label, is announcing the label’s first album release from Wabanaki-based band The Hello Crows and sharing the new single “Red Flag.” 

The band's self-titled debut is set for release on September 30th, coinciding with Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Day—a fitting moment for such a resonant and heartfelt record. The album is a bold and clear take on heartland rock that centers indigenous stories and incorporates the native musical traditions of the Wabanaki band, composed of Dylan Ward, Judie Acquin, Emilio Quinn Bonnell, & Mattie Comeau.

Quote from the band on "Red Flag" - “A soulful reflection on red flags in love, this song stands as an allegory for the deep-rooted warnings, betrayals, and unresolved tensions between the Government of Canada and the Mi’kmaq Nation.”

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Photo - Daklis

strongboi - one thing.

This week, strongboi share their latest single ‘one thing’ as they head off on tour with ‘Men I Trust’ around the US. Radiant and full of joy, the release of ‘one thing’ offers a much-needed dose of respite from the world’s darkness. Guided by Alice’s angelic vocals, the track delivers an encouraging moment of quiet self-assurance amongst the buoyant keys and joyous melodies.

The upcoming tour with Canadian indie greats ‘Men I Trust’ will be taking strongboi across North America. ‘one thing’ is the third single to be teased from strongboi’s upcoming new EP and follows on from ‘special’; a blissful offering that arrived back at the end of May. tmrw magazine described it as ‘a stand out example of strongboi's signature playful passion’ and today’s new single looks to be a stellar next step.

strongboi is a passion fueled project of long time friends & collaborators Alice & Ziv. They began with a super lo-fi vision of using mainly casio keyboards & toys, but today they have filled out and evolved as a full band project.

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Penny & The Pits - Electric Litany - Lydia Luce - Ketch Secor - The Happy Fits

Photo - Nicole Cecile Holland

Penny & The Pits - Headcrusher.

Penny & The Pits have just shared "Headcrusher" along with a video, whilst the new LP Liquid Compactor is due June 27.  You might be familiar with Penelope Stevens from their role as bass and keys shredder and sometime vocalist in Canadian avant-rock trio Motherhood (whose 5th LP Thunder Perfect Mind came out recently and was described as "wildly entertaining" on Bandcamp Daily and "a welcome, alien presence in today’s musical landscape" on Post-Trash).

We are told that “Headcrusher is about trying to blame yourself for someone else's bad behaviour. But then it's also about refusing to do that anymore and just sending them out to die at sea." Fans of Motherhood, Amyl & the Sniffers, and other jagged and sometimes mathy rock with blown out guitars will find a lot to love.

Liquid Compactor, the debut statement from Penny & The Pits, is the result of Stevens putting their voice front and center for the first time. It’s a gritty, adventurous punk-rock album that processes feminist joy, rage and revenge. Across the album’s ten tracks, Stevens tears through a series of personal and collective traumas with a pulpy sense of exuberance. “I spent a lot of time making challenging work that would test both myself and the listener,” they reflect. “Now, I’m trying to make music that feels good; music that connects the heart to the body.” 

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Electric Litany - Diamonds.

Gleaming with handmade DIY synth chimes, syncopated drum machine drills,  loping Hooky-like basslines, and the otherworldly resonance of the Persian santoor - an instrument now synonymous with the Electric Litany sound; “Diamonds” is an understated gem from the London four-piece. As complexly faceted as it is sparklingly polished, it finds the band distilling the primordial post-punk thrills of early Cure or New Order, via the modern pop productions of the here-and-now to create something both familiar and enigmatic, nostalgic and contemporary, all at once.

With singer Alexandros Miaris’s haunting refrain, of “it’s not too late…” rippling across its multilayered plateaus, his reflective vocal offers a glimmer of reassurance in a track that grapples with this age of uncertainty.

Reciprocating the archival touchstones at the heart of “Diamonds” the track is accompanied by a retro-shaded official video. Taking an unconventional approach, by using vintage BBC 1970s tube valve cameras (bought on eBay for £10), the video shot by cinematographer Ruth Woodside is both fragile and timeless in its aesthetic. Produced by Electric Litany alongside longtime collaborator George Botis, “Diamonds” was recorded at the revered studio Fish Factory, a former fish-packing warehouse in Neasden, London.

Having already road-tested “Diamonds” in the spectacular setting of the Mayan Warrior stage at Burning Man 2025 (as part of Alexandros Miaris’s collaboration with renowned electronic artist Echonomist), the track was met with an electrifying reception on the festival’s main stage and signals the way towards one of the band’s most ambitious and forward-thinking releases yet…

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Lydia Luce - Wisteria.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Lydia Luce shares her new single "Wisteria," a dreamy celebration of hope and the space to change. Produced by Jordan Lehning (Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose, Kacey Musgraves) and co-written with songwriting duo Jake Finch and Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus), the track gently wraps around Luce's vocals before building into a swell of strings as she declares "Everything seems possible / Anything is possible." The accompanying music video finds Luce exploring the English countryside after the song was recorded at Real World Studios. 

Lydia Luce on the new single: "Quite often I’m at home and I hear my partner laughing or singing to himself upstairs. It makes me so happy. I sometimes can’t believe we are where we are. Our relationship began with substance abuse and codependency and we have found our way to a safe and loving marriage with the help of therapy and the willingness to grow. This song is about hope and believing that change can happen. I feel that way with our relationship and with my chronic pain/injuries. It’s so beautiful it makes me want to cry. We will continue to face challenges and there will be weeks of physical pain but I know we can get to the other side with time. For now it feels so good to sit on my couch with my dog and listen to Ryan sing to himself upstairs."

She continues, "The music video for 'Wisteria' was filmed in the English countryside with Katie Sylvester. We had just finished recording at Real World Studios in Box and we stayed a few days extra to film in the area. We wandered through fields of cows and sheep and filmed at the beautiful Iford Manor gardens." 

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Photo - Jody Stevens

Ketch Secor - Catch Me If You Can.

Old Crow Medicine Show frontman Ketch Secor shares his new single “Catch Me If You Can,” the next offering from his debut solo album Story The Crow Told Me, out July 11 on Equal Housing Records via Firebird Music. Featuring Old Crow alums Critter Fuqua and Willie Watson on backing vocals, the song grapples with the life of a hard-touring musician and arrives with a music video co-starring singer-songwriter Gowa Gibbs.

About the new song, Secor says: “Twenty-seven years ago when I started Old Crow I couldn’t have imagined how people I loved could ever turn into people I once loved. But so are the highs and lows of life on the road in a band. The conditions are right for a few things to thrive and a few more to falter, and ultimately fail. Friendships, allegiances, marriages, these are often the casualties of a life like the one I chose and yet I can’t go back and make it any different, nor would I.”

He continues, “Ever since I was young, people have inevitably made a pun with my name. From Catcher In The Rye to Heinz vs. Huntz, I tell ya life ain’t easy for a boy named Ketcham. One phrase I always heard was ‘Catch Me if You Can.’ Well, last spring when I was going through this catharsis of playing back the hands of time in the proverbial rearview mirror, I sat down with Jody Stevens and wrote this song in a short bittersweet burst. I wanted to explore the feeling of sacrifice that it takes to love someone like me. Someone who probably is going to miss your birthday party because I’m going to be playing a show in Newfoundland, Newark, New Orleans, or Newport News. I hope it was worth it.” 

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Photo - Anna Koblish

The Happy Fits - Cruel Power.

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits announced their new album Lovesick will release on September 19th. Their first full-length album in over three years, Lovesick arrives in the wake of an emotional maelstrom in which the band’s world turned upside down in every way imaginable. Rather than let it break their stride, though, the acclaimed 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 new single “Cruel Power” along with an official video featuring world-renowned dancer and choreographer Lucy Vallely. A gritty, chip-on-the-shoulder rocker, “Cruel Power” embodies the push and pull of a toxic breakup, inviting heartbreak, if only for the rush.

“This track lives in the messiest corners of attraction,” stated frontman Calvin Langman. “It’s about knowingly putting yourself in a situation that’s bad for your heart, and doing it anyway. The lines between friend and lover blur, and suddenly you’re watering someone else’s plants and wondering how you got here. There’s humor in it, self-deprecation, and a little lustful chaos. I wanted it to feel like a late-night spiral in song form. It captures that ridiculous, electric moment when you know you’re being played—but part of you kinda loves the drama.”

Of the video, Langman continued, “I love one-take music videos. I love how it breaks down the convention of band and crew and it forces everyone to assume the role of performer. Every movement is carefully planned and the entire set has to move like one giant hive mind. This video was a huge group effort.”

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Lydia Luce - Headshrinkers

Lydia Luce - Matter of Time.

It’s no secret that an artist’s surroundings directly influence their output, but in the case of Lydia Luce’s new single “Matter of Time,” it isn’t so much about the beautiful nature in which the song was written. Moreso, Luce’s ethereal tune focuses on what might become of her Eden with the upward trend of wildfires and climate change.

Written during her time as an artist in residence on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington—only a couple of months after a series of devastating heatwaves in the Pacific Northwest—it was greatly apparent to Luce that her refuge was threatened. “I was on this incredibly beautiful island immersed in nature thinking about the effect of climate change in that area.

In that moment, I was grateful to be able to be there and experience the beauty,” she says, recounting the genesis of “Matter of Time.” “I tried to stay present and really absorb it all because every year we are seeing changes to our world.” “I want to stay in the light, because I know it’s a matter of time,” she sings.

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Headshrinkers - The Sea Has No Friends.

Expertly tapping into and memorialising a certain place and time in history, the latest single from the Black Country-based newcomers is a lofty expanse of a track that merges spoken-word lyrics with velvety vocal harmonies and opulent stretches of instrumentals.

As gentle acoustic guitar strums and skillfully-crafted poetry descend into an exhilarating crescendo of steady and majestic drums, jubilant riffs and increasingly urgent vocals, “The Sea Has No Friends” ingeniously boasts the band’s breadth. Straying slightly from the rip-roaring post-punk of their earlier singles, the new track stays true to the band’s knack for capturing the imagination and evoking the sights and sounds of a specific — and at times long forgotten — moment in time.

Of the story behind the track, vocalist and songwriter Garran Hickman explains: “It was quite the reflective day when I wrote that piece. Words and melody were both written in half an hour. It’s just two entwined memories really: one is of my older relatives sharing stories of their loved ones in the war, and secondly the opening line, ‘the sea has no friends’, are words my dad used to describe the sea.”

Produced and mixed by Gavin Monoghan at Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton and engineered by Liam Radburn, the track comes as an astute follow up to the band’s most recent single “Monocle”. Headshrinkers are Garran Hickman (vocals), James Knott (guitar), Xavier Al-Naqib (bass) and Scarlett Churchill (drums, backing vocals). Having formed in 2019 and bonded over a shared vision of capturing the intricacies of modern life within their music, the Black Country-based foursome have been quick to make a name for themselves on their local music scene and beyond.

Carving out an unmistakable sound characterised by its unflinching poetry set atop searing and confrontational guitar riffs, thunderous basslines and pummelling drums, Headshrinkers were dubbed as Brum Radio’s ‘Band of the Year’ for 2020, and named on This Feeling’s ‘Big in 2021’ list.


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