Victoria Akua - Eve Goodman & SERA - McCabe - Jonathan Jeremiah - Lloyd & The Leftovers - Maygen & The Birdwatcher

Photo -  Camilla Vodstrup Øverup

Victoria Akua - You Remind Me.

Victoria Akua from Copenhagen, Denmark, releases her new single „You Remind Me“ on July 11, 2025 via Greywood Records. Victoria describes her music as a genre mix of indie pop, folky singer-songwriter and meditative music. Victoria Akua on her new single: "‘You Remind Me’ was inspired by an experience I had of being reminded how to look at myself with softness and kindness, by looking into the loving eyes of a friend. At the same time the song is also about being courageous enough to accept oneself, even when others don’t get you or share the same point of view. - Victoria Akua

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.

============================================================================

Eve Goodman & SERA - Blodyn Gwyllt.

Blodyn Gwyllt (‘Wildflower’ in English) is the first in a run of singles by singer-songwriters Eve Goodman and SERA from their upcoming collaborative album, Natur, due for release in the Autumn of 2025.  Blodyn Gwyllt is about being true to your nature and living freely. It is also a celebration of both our natural environment and women (two themes that run alonsgide each other throughout the album).   

The duo share this ‘West Coast’ folk-rock inspired track just in time for the summer. Alongside their harmonious vocals and guitars, the track features pedal steel (Gwyndaf Williams) and bass guitar from co-producer Colin Bass (member of Camel and also producer of the Tincian album from 9 Bach which won ‘Best Album’ at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award in 2015). 

The song was recorded at Wild End Studio near Llanrwst, North Wales.  Eve Goodman and SERA began working together after they were selected as BBC Horizons Artists in 2019. Both folk singer-songwriters, with rising solo careers and both had grown up in Caernarfon. Being part of Horizons brought them together and after just one writing session they found common ground in their connection and curiosity for nature. Surrounded by the beautiful North Wales landscape that is such an important part of their lives and Inspired by the Lost Words - Spells Songs project, they began to explore the Welsh names for birds and trees, flowers and fish. 

The song tendrils soon grew to touch upon the cyclical element of both nature and women, and soon enough a body of work was growing, each song a hymn of love to both.  2020 started off as an exciting year for the pair, performing on Heno, then live at BBC Maida Vale Studios, and released two popular tracks (Gaeafgwsg and Rhwng y Coed) which were playlisted on BBC Radio Cymru. Of course, Covid lockdown hit, and the project paused for a few years. Thanks to a Ty Cerdd Lottery grant  and then the Horizons launchpad fund, the two were able to make time to write the remaining tracks for their album, they took part in Can i Gymru 2023 with Tangnefedd, then went into the studio.

SERA · Blodyn Gwyllt

============================================================================

McCabe - Sunset Boulevard (Album).

The wait is finally over for fans of London’s experimental soul-artist McCabe as he drops his debut album Sunset Boulevard on July 11th. Blending vintage Motown sounds and emotive string-based pop with darker, experimental excursions into dub and trip-hop, McCabe’s debut LP navigates themes of love, loss, stardom, madness, and paranoia across ten meticulously crafted tracks. The album stands as a truly genre-bending odyssey, refusing categorisation as it weaves between pop, soul, R&B, indie, electronic, and avant-garde sensibilities with fearless originality. 

"Throughout the process, the intent was to marry my love of pop music and experimental music," McCabe explains. "I threw the idea of traditional songwriting structures out of the window and chose a free-flowing, stream of consciousness approach instead, improvising many of the lyrics in the early stages and letting the song direct me rather than me directing the song."

From the sun-drenched melancholy of 'Vicious' to the west coast-inspired title track, ‘Sunset Boulevard’ showcases McCabe's artistic depth and versatility. However, it's the focus track 'Borderline' that reveals McCabe at his most cinematic – a lush soundscape featuring warm, velvety strings and infectious guitars beneath his hypnotic vocals. "Borderline is about being betrayed by friends in a time of need and the feeling of not fitting into the musical and social landscape but continuing on anyway with the belief that one day it will all be understood," McCabe shares. Masterfully fusing soul elements with indie influences like The Smiths or The Strokes, McCabe creates a compelling centerpiece that encapsulates the album's emotional core.

Brought to life in collaboration with acclaimed producer Patrick James Fitzroy, (known for his work with Sorry, Katy J Pearson, and PVA) this ambitious hi-fi production features contributions from 17 musicians, including David Zbirka (Drum Store Romeos) on drums and Nat Phillipps (Crack Cloud) on saxophone. "It was a great experience working with Patrick," McCabe reflects. "We both have very different qualities. He is very technical and detail-focused while I am more stream of consciousness and untrained in my approach." The creative journey wasn't without challenges – at one point, a studio blackout led to lost files that Fitzroy had to meticulously reconstruct. "One expects the making of an album to have these incidents," he adds, "and it adds a character unto the world in which it exists."

============================================================================

Photo - Glenn Dearing

Jonathan Jeremiah - Kolkata Bear.

With “Kolkata Bear,” Jonathan Jeremiah announces his new album We Come Alive, set for release on November 7th via [PIAS] Recordings. A musical statement full of soul, suspense, and cinematic grandeur, the track is energetic and charged, driven by dramatic strings, lush arrangements, and layered choirs—all held together by Jeremiah’s unmistakable baritone voice: warm, direct, and stirring. 

Thematically, the British singer-songwriter weaves together family history and imagination. “Kolkata Bear” was inspired by a story his father told him about Jeremiah’s grandmother, who—as a child—had a bear as a pet. This animal companion lived on a farm in India before being given to a prince’s zoo. This surreal anecdote, combined with the loss of his beloved dog Lilly, became the starting point for a song that oscillates between memory, grief, and strength. 

The upcoming album We Come Alive presents a seasoned songwriter at the height of his expressive power—personal, bold, and stylistically expansive. The record was created between a remote farmhouse studio in Somerset (UK) and the bustling Oost district of Amsterdam. The result is a musical patchwork of European pop history, warm soul, orchestral richness, and intimate moments. 

============================================================================

Photo - Paris Williams

Lloyd & The Leftovers - Spin The Wheel.

Lloyd & The Leftovers take a moment to get honest in their debut album's title track, 'Spin The Wheel', and explore the daydream in its companion music video, both out this weekend. Their debut album will follow on Friday, August 8. Hailing from Walyalup (Western Australia), Lloyd & the Leftovers are five-piece indie-folk/rock band that take the sounds of americana and adds an Australian twist.  Known for their vibrant live shows and DIY recordings, they've left their mark on the scene at festivals like In The Pines RTRFM Festival and the City of Fremantle Winter Festival, and see a range of support from Apple Music, ABC Country, Double J, RTR FM, AAA Backstage and many more

Harmonica and unconventional percussion add a country twang to Lloyd & The Leftovers' indie folk/rock sound in their album's title track 'Spin The Wheel'. Built from strings of emotions, this single is packed with the authenticity that Lloyd & The Leftovers is known for. With vocals packed with longing, singer-songwriter Luke Giglia-Smith takes a walk through a love confession: 

"I want the song to give a sense of longing for someone and weighing up feelings for someone who lives that same life of working on the road, always being far away from home and out of service, counting the days until you can get back and lift all the weight of these feelings off your chest."

Shot like a short film, the music video dives into a daydream of a fish and chip shop worker as she finds escapism in a love story with herself and a customer at the centre. Contrasting the dull tones of a fish and chip shop with the warm and sun-soaked colours of the day dream, the girl imagines a life with the man, complete with arguments  and apologies, dances and drives, until she comes back into reality at the end, simply exchanging a smile with him.


============================================================================

Maygen & The Birdwatcher - Elizabeth.
 
This week, the Minnesota-based group Maygen & The Birdwatcher announce that their sophomore LP The Americana Dream will be released on October 10 via Yellow House Music Collective / Missing Piece Records. It reimagines the traditional definition of the American Dream, shifting away from the aspirational nature of the concept itself and moving towards a full embrace of the literal definition of Americana – the vast geographical, historical and cultural expanse that reflects Maygen & The Birdwatcher’s roots as well as this country as a whole.

Alongside the album’s announcement, the band is releasing cathartic new single “Elizabeth,” which pairs Maygen Lacey’s soft voice with a high energy banjo and a bouncy fiddle to sing about someone who is unequivocally magnetic but is perhaps concealing something more ominous. The group will continue touring through the summer and into the fall with a variety of headline and festival dates. They will also travel south later this year for a series of visits to Americana radio stations such as Nashville’s WMOT and Louisville’s WFPK who have invited them to play on-air sessions. See below for a full list of dates.

“‘Elizabeth’ is the North Star of our next musical chapter,” shares Lacey. “She’s the one that is helping us break down some genre barriers while also bringing along our favorite parts of where we’ve already musically been. Elizabeth is the one that you let take too much from you. The one you let dishevel all your hard lines in the sand. And maybe you’re ok with that, because she has that certain charm and confidence about her that keeps you wanting to stay within reach. Only through time can you make sense that her confidence and insistence on the limelight was her mask for self-consciousness.” 

============================================================================

Dark and Twisties - McCabe - Ant Thomaz

Dark and Twisties - Grace and Dignity.

Swansea Alt-Folk Band Dark And Twisties released a brand new single 'Grace And Dignity' just a few days back and this is a gorgeous song that just has to be shared. It's a gentle flowing piece with exquisite vocals and harmonies along with a beautiful musical arrangement, it's also one that will sit for sometime on any discerning Alt-Folk fans playlist.     

Prepare to be swept into a world of beauty and shadow with Dark & Twisties, the alt-folk band that’s making waves with their evocative harmonies and story telling. Drawing inspiration from both nature’s power and the depths of the human experience, the group brings a unique sound that intertwines the dark beauty of traditional folk with modern, ethereal sensibilities. Dark and Twisties are; Sarah Birch, Kate Ronconi, Sarah Passmore, Danny Kilbride and Huw Rees. 
 
They have received a rapturous reception since bursting into the scene just months ago, weaving stories old and new into strange and beautiful songs with glorious harmonies and skilful musicianship. This song provides a landscape  that explores the complexities of being. a woman on her own of a certain age. The joy of solo endeavours vs loneliness. masking and unmasking. the pursuit of  a quiet life vs the fear of missing out and the perpetual navigation of  friendship and loss. With an uplifting sadness the Dark and Twisties produce harmonies, counter melodies and  a beautiful arrangement to tell this modern folk tale for all of us : perfectly flawed and flawlessly perfect.

Dark And Twisties continue to build a loyal following across the alt-folk scene with intimate live performances and harmonies that transport listeners into a different realm. Their music is a perfect fit for those who love the eerie, the beautiful, and the transcendent.

============================================================================

Photo - Sam Perry

McCabe - Sunset Boulevard.

Ahead of the release of his debut album Sunset Boulevard on July 11th, South London’s soul maverick McCabe teases fans with the album’s title track this week. Following the success of 'Vicious' and 'Days Of Heaven,' this sun-kissed opener serves as both artistic manifesto and cinematic gateway into McCabe's genre-defying world. Named after Billy Wilder's iconic film, the track establishes the movie-influenced foundation that runs throughout his highly anticipated ten-track  album.

"Sunset Boulevard is about making it in Hollywood – an enchanting, dream-like world where not everything is as it seems," McCabe explains. "This is the first of many references to cinema through the album. Hollywood becomes the symbol for making it to the top, but there's always that sense of deception and forgery lurking beneath the surface."

Drenched in Hollywood mystique, the track captures both the intoxicating allure and dark underbelly of the entertainment industry's dream factory. Working alongside producer Patrick James Fitzroy (Sorry, Katy J Pearson, PVA), McCabe weaves west coast hip-hop synth lines with arrangements reminiscent of Stereolab's Dots And Loops, creating a sonic landscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic. Dub bass lines anchor the piece while horns punctuate its dreamy narrative, drawing inspiration from the surreal atmospheres of David Lynch and the golden age cinema that Wilder helped define.

============================================================================

Photo - Brian Sweeney

Ant Thomaz - Believe.

Ant Thomaz is a Glasgow-based singer-songwriter and musician from southern Louisiana's Bayou region, recognized for his eclectic musical style that blends folk, soul, pop, zydeco, and rock influences. As a self-taught artist, he began composing songs at the age of twelve, cultivating a distinctive sound characterized by rich storytelling and cultural depth. His music showcases a unique fusion of influences derived from his Scottish, Irish, and Coushatta Indian heritage, with lyrics in Scottish Gaelic, Cajun French, and English.

Rooted in personal experience and inspired by his daughter Gaia, his latest single “Believe” is a song for anyone who’s been underestimated. It’s about rising above doubt, holding onto hope, and knowing that you’re just as capable as anyone else. Gaia has continually defied expectations, by embracing positivity, self-belief, and the power of persistence. Her strength and outlook became the emotional foundation of “Believe” and serve as an uplifting reminder that limitations placed on us by others don’t define who we are.

Originally written as shared meditations and short stories between father and daughter, Thomaz explains, “I witnessed her developing trust in her own resilience.” He continues, “There was no plan to make it a song as such, but then, discussing recording music at the studio with my friend Chris, I shared the words and emotions and it evolved into ‘Believe.’”

============================================================================

Gitta de Ridder - Common Holly - McCabe - Charlie Nieland - Lloyd and The Leftovers

Photo - Dewi Veldhhuizen

Gitta de Ridder - Heroes For a Day.

Acclaimed Dutch folk artist Gitta de Ridder released ‘Heroes For a Day’ on May 23rd, the final single taken from her upcoming record N(i)e(u)w Land due out on June 20th. Produced by Jonatan Backelie and released on her independent label Little Memories Records with an album launch at the Green Note the same month, ‘Heroes For a Day’ is an insight into the themes of self-acceptance, longing, grief and change on this personal yet universal collection of works.

Built around a gentle, fingerpicked guitar and delicately layered string arrangements, ‘Heroes For a Day’ offers a sparse yet emotionally resonant soundscape that merges folk-rooted storytelling with a pop-leaning lightness. Gitta’s double-tracked vocals bring an intimate immediacy, inviting listeners in: “It’s about the magic of everyday life, the beauty of sharing moments of joy and play, even amidst heavier feelings.... A commitment to always return to life's lighter side while also embracing the dark.”

Created in the midst of profound life changes - becoming a mother, grieving the passing of her father, and navigating a world in the aftermath of lockdown - N(i)e(u)w Land is a deeply introspective and healing body of work. Recorded in her home studio between feeds and first steps, it reflects both the fragility and resilience of life. “The songs speak of longing, of hope, of getting in touch with all of ourselves; our scars, our hurt, our joy and our playfulness,” says Gitta. “The light and the dark. The duality of life.”

While previous records were self-produced, acoustic and more traditionally folk, a new collaboration with Jonatan Bäckelie as producer sees Gitta skillfully crossing the boundaries from modern folk and new acoustics to pop while maintaining a distinctive and recognisable sound. Where poetic lyrics meet the honesty and rawness of folk music, she adds a lightness and pop edge without losing sight of meaning and authenticity.

============================================================================

Photo - Aabid Youssef

Common Holly - Terrible hands.

Montreal-based singer-songwriter Brigitte Naggar (aka Common Holly) has announced her new album, Anything glass, set for release on June 13 via Keeled Scales and Paper Bag Records. Naggar describes the forthcoming record as "intimate, full of silence and space, warm, gentle, and sometimes spiky." The impressive range of genres and moods she explores on Anything glass showcases her masterful skill as a songwriter, musician, and storyteller. 

Now, following the quietly powerful hum of “Aegean blue” and the playful vulnerability of “Enough,” Common Holly shares “Terrible hands,” a delicate, piano-driven jazz-pop fusion. The track features a twinkling piano melody played by Naggar herself, alongside her signature soft, layered vocals. Midway through, the song breaks into a repeated chorus “Are we made of plastic or of stone?” and “Are we still together on our own?”—before returning to a jazzier deep bass section, reminiscent of Norah Jones’ soulful sound.

The accompanying video, directed by experimental media artist and filmmaker Ana-Maria Trudel, plays with shadowy hand imagery and multimedia snapshots of Naggar from shifting perspectives and landscapes. On the video, Trudel explains, "I was thinking of the sun faded quality of an old newspaper left on the dashboard - images that get prettier when they are forgotten. I wanted this video to feel nostalgic and delicate like a private journal entry you never meant to show anyone. We ended up using a lot of the b-roll to stitch this video poem together which gave it an intimate fly on the wall feel."

Brigitte Naggar on the track, "One of my oldest songs on the record, Terrible hands is a reflection on our place as humans on a planet in decline, as part nature and part consumer, and on the ways we carry shame for choices we have made both knowingly and unknowingly. I always think of the bloodstained hands of Lady Macbeth. I loved working with Ana-Maria on a video that gives us this contrast between black and white brutalism and enjoying a nice day in the park."

============================================================================

McCabe - Days Of Heaven.

South London experimental soul artist McCabe returns this week with ‘Days Of Heaven,' the second single from his debut LP Sunset Boulevard. The track builds off of the momentum created by the April 11th release of ‘Vicious’, the first single on the genre-defying album.

Drenched in sunshine and soul, ‘Days of Heaven’ captures summer romance in musical form. Masterfully weaving rich Motown textures with contemporary pop sensibilities, McCabe sites Amy Winehouse’s ‘Valerie’ as the track’s architectural blueprint, a reference he reverently describes as "one of the great modern pop songs.” Driven by crisp percussion and uplifting melodies, the chorus soars with choir-like harmonies that spark joy and nostalgia, yet beneath its bright exterior lies a hint of melancholy, giving depth to its carefree vibe.

"I wanted to create a song with a world that was feel-good and summery as a form of escapism for the listener," McCabe explains. "Days Of Heaven is a summer holiday love story with a dreamy narrative. Lyrically it is a rarity for me because it has a story-like quality to it, like a novel. It is about love at first sight and the excitement and romance of it all, with a hint of the impending expiry of this feeling."

The track strikes a perfect balance between mainstream appeal and artistic vision, evoking George Michael and Anderson .Paak while McCabe's vocals channel elements of Justin Timberlake and Thee Sacred Souls. The spirit of Marvin Gaye resonates throughout, creating something fresh yet timeless. Working with acclaimed producer Patrick James Fitzroy (Sorry, Katy J Pearson, PVA), McCabe transformed the original concept. "We reworked the structure using Valerie as a reference. The final version turned out quite different from the demo," he explains – a creative evolution that birthed this irresistible summer anthem.

============================================================================

Charlie Nieland - Drown.

It's been five years since we last featured Charlie Nieland, then with his band Lusterlit who we got very excited about. Now we have a solo offering ahead of a new EP, and based on the track Drown, we can get all excited again - this sounds very good!  NYC-based producer indie music veteran Charlie Nieland presents his new single 'Drown', a stunning reverb-laced offering and the first taste of his forthcoming 'The Ocean Understands' EP, set for release on June 20. The expansive and visceral music video was directed by NYC-based multi-faceted artist Hypnodoll.

"The track 'Drown' was inspired by Monique Vescia's book 'Hole In The Sky', which I read for the Bushwick Book Club songwriter series in 2021. It depicts a dark world, where an authoritarian won the US presidential election of 2020. So I made this mythical tale from the past, told in the future, where all the stories are jumbled up - a celebration of destruction," says Charlie Nieland.

"Of course, it all feels quite prescient as we sift through our present wreckage, searching for grace in the violent forces underneath. It's a white-hot psychedelic siren song with an oceanic undertow."

It's been four years since Nieland released his 2021 widely acclaimed ‘Divisions’ with its sweeping melodies and restless rhythms. Renowned for tastefully blending post punk, dream pop and progressive rock, he has been writing, playing and producing music for decades, with a focus on the atmospheric and the imaginative.

============================================================================

Photo - Paris Williams

Lloyd and The Leftovers - Tried it on Tuesday.

Lloyd & The Leftovers are bringing a classic sound into the new age with ‘Tried It On Tuesday’, an indie folk song released yesterday Friday, May 23rd, influenced by the American folk revival.

A five-piece folk rock band from Walyalup (Western Australia), Lloyd & the Leftovers are set on bringing the sounds of indie-folk americana to Australian shores. With their performances at festivals like Nungarin Festival and the City of Fremantle Winter Festival, album and single features on radio station RTRFM, and their sold out headline shows at the Buffalo Club and Clancy's Fish Pub, it’s clear their fanbase is eager and growing, and with their electric, energetic live shows and character-packed DIY recordings, it’s clear why.  

‘Tried It On Tuesday’ is the culmination of their creative nature: a hopeless romantic’s ode to their creative partner. With a fitting vocal twang and skilfully plucked guitar, the song conveys an atmosphere both wistful and hopeful.  The clear, open vocals and perfectly balanced mixing let the lyrics of the song really shine, along with the story within them.

This song is a cathartic look into the challenges that can come with a relationship with a creative collaborator, and the phase where the collaboration stops flowing as easily as it used to. The song acknowledges that it’s something that might be hard, and might be more trouble than it’s worth, but that it’s something neither of them are willing to give up on, so the cycle begins anew, hanging onto the past while time marches on.

============================================================================