Showing posts with label Mollie Elizabeth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mollie Elizabeth. Show all posts

Wednesday, 20 May 2026

Kindsight - Aderyn - Fool Nelson - Daisypicker - Mollie Elizabeth - Shadowman

Kindsight - The Head (This Body Deserves).

Kindsight are back with the new single and video “The Head (This Body Deserves)”, the first taste of the band’s third album, set for release in autumn 2026 via Rama Lama Records. Over the last few years, Kindsight have built a growing international following through tours across Europe and festival appearances including Roskilde and SXSW. Their latest album No Shame No Fame received strong reviews and support from KEXP, who described the band as “a band that balances noise and melody with confidence, sounding both familiar and forward-looking.”

Inspired by 90s indie rock, alternative guitar pop, shoegaze and krautrock, Kindsight move between noisy guitar layers and catchy melodic songwriting with an energy that feels both loose and precise at the same time.

“The Head (This Body Deserves)” takes the band’s long and chaotic live show closer and turns it into a compact three minute single. The song deals with mathematics and “the head that pilots the body,” while also telling the story of a prophetic dream where Marlon Brando is reborn as the last son of Ursula von der Leyen and is given one final mission by his dying mother: before turning 18, he must convince every person in the world to give up their dreams, by any means necessary.


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Aderyn - Cross Your Mind.

Aderyn returns with her infectious new single 'Cross Your Mind' which is released today May 20th, the first offering taken from newly announced EP 'Hot Pink!' which is released in June 2026.

Aderyn added this about 'Cross Your Mind' "Sometimes you just know in your gut that someone still thinks about you, whether they like it or not. My favourite lyric in the song is ‘strutting in my thigh high glitter boots’, because that line is so me. I’m always strutting around stage in my diamante boots, so it felt like a little wink to everyone who’s seen me live."
                       
"Aderyn gives me this confidence I don't always have in real life - and writing this song, I really let her take over. I wanted the listener to picture Aderyn just stomping through someone's mind, completely unbothered. That image made me laugh when I wrote it." 'Hot Pink!' is Aderyn's sophomore EP. Detailing the chaotic ups and downs of a break-up, the EP careens through genres and emotional states. Please, the opener, is a moody grunge infused track that sounds like modern day Mazzy Star, and explores one sided devotion through religious comparisons. 


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Photo - Andrew Briggs
Fool Nelson - Bad Dreams (Deluxe EP).

Western Australia trio Fool Nelson continue their debut tour of the UK this week in support of the deluxe edition of their 'Bad Dreams' EP (out today via AWAL) with a show in Newquay this Friday (22 May) and Dot To Dot Festival in Bristol and Nottingham this weekend (23/24 May).

Leading on from two national sold-out tours of their own in Australia, plus multiple BBC Radio 1 spins on Sian Eleri's Future Artists, Alyx Holcombe's Indie Show, and Craig Charles' BBC 6 Music show, the bands EP focal point their new single 'Keepsake' opens with lead singer Tom Broadbent’s signature tender croon over a bed of rustic guitar chords, evoking an intensely personal stream of consciousness.

Balancing unpolished grit with heartfelt lyricism and a huge melodic instinct, 'Keepsake' feels as appropriate for solitary headphone listening as it does for a sweat-soaked mosh pit.  

Speaking on the release of the EP, the band said:"Overall, the EP is about sticking close to the people you love. Often we've found ourselves pushing away those relationships when things are difficult or uncertain, but we're learning to put those things first amidst anxiety, ambition, and uncertainty. For us, the EP definitely serves as a bit of an outlet for our anxieties, but hopefully also serves as a reminder of what's important."

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Daisypicker - Mess Around (US Album Release).

Australian band, Daisypicker, have announced that they are releasing their new LP, "Mess Around", in North American via MPLS LTD.

Daisypicker are a Naarm/Melbourne folk-grunge band formed in 2023. With a sound that blends raw grunge and experimentation, and the emotional depth and softness of folk, they create music that’s gritty, delicate, and fuelled by feeling.

Daisypicker is Nadia Phillips (guitar and vocals), Ezra Demchy (viola), Caleb Green (bass), and Jezabel Furlong (drums). The band recorded and mixed on Djaara Country (so-called Castlemaine) at Sound Recordings with Alex Bennett in 2025. Look for the album to be out in the states on June 5th.


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Photo - Sophia Schrank
Mollie Elizabeth - Run Rabbit.

Today, up-and-coming pop artist Mollie Elizabeth shares “Run Rabbit” a snippet of which has already gone viral on TikTok. The song “Run Rabbit” is written by Mollie Elizabeth and Josh Murty, produced by Josh Murty, and coming out via Neon Gold Records / Futures Music.

About “Run Rabbit”, Mollie Elizabeth says: "Run Rabbit, while a very whimsical song, is actually a darker look into what it was like growing up in an unhealthy household. There’s an indescribable feeling that comes along with the baggage of an imperfect childhood, one that begs the question, if you are excused for your immoral coping mechanisms because of your circumstance, or if it is your fault regardless."

Earlier this year, Mollie Elizabeth returned with “The Mirror”, “Dog Eat Dog” that deepens her distinctive sonic and visual universe, weaving eerie, quirky, and subtly dark textures into her signature femme, classic sound. Mollie Elizabeth adds, “Dog Eat Dog” is centered around the concept that all humans are, unfortunately, natural born predators. In my nature, and I think in many others, all I really want to do is cultivate peace and love, but in reality, this world is not peaceful. There are people who will take advantage of you if you do not accept that whether you like it or not, we live in a dog eat dog world.”


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Design by Bureau de Fatigue
Shadowman - Don't Assume.

Shadowman, the new collaborative project from John J Presley, Ben Hillier and Danielle Perry, have announced the release of their self-titled debut album, arriving on 4th September via Nica Records/Republic of Music. Born from a shared creative vision and a desire to make music freely and instinctively, the trio weaves together a rich sonic tapestry, blending crushing guitars with cinematic orchestration, death-march brass with motorik drum machines, layered vocal exchanges and slow-burning post-rock intensity.
 
Following the release of their debut single 'Flowers', which was championed by Iggy Pop and Steve Lamaq on BBC 6Music, today they share 'Don't Assume', the latest preview of their forthcoming album. The new single is accompanied by a video directed by The Thrill Of Losing/Laura-Mary Carter.
 
About the song, Danielle explains: "I've played a Fender Rhodes alongside John J Presley for a while now, and the riff we got for this tune was the one I'd been waiting for.  There's something the bass of a Rhodes provides that just can't be replicated, really. Lord knows I've tried, but every time I went back to my 54-key heavy HEAVY beautiful Rhodes. The tone is so malleable, and it cuts through so well in its own silky way. We always imagined punchy late-night Chicago horns on this in the middle 8, and Pete Wareham just got it right away. There's a glint in the eye with the lyrics on this one... and sadly, since we wrote it, some of the lyrics have become very of this moment on the world stage. Suffice to say... we find war abhorrent and wish for a peaceful, respectful world".

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Friday, 17 April 2026

Carly King - Lauren Minear - Mama’s Broke - Chris Pellnat ft. SaKy - Natalie Shay - The Jaws of Brooklyn - Mollie Elizabeth

Photo - Bob Kelly
Carly King - Loving you is Easy.

Nashville’s indie Americana artist Carly King has shared the second single from her forthcoming debut ‘Loving you is Easy’ out May 15 on First City Artists (Coco, Alexa Rose). The song gradually builds from gentle piano flourishes and tender imagery (cartwheels in the kitchen / running down the stairs / talk about it later / if we still care) into combustive percussion and howling celebration (Loving you is easy / it’s a life that’s hard / it’s the world that’s breaking / not my heart); it’s a heartwarming, and undeniably alive ode to finding the right person.
 
Carly King shares: This song is the sound of my heart beating. It’s a love letter, to him, to her, to you, to me. It’s the love song I’ve wanted to write my whole life but never really could until I fell in love with both my fiancé and myself. My music usually works through something heavy or unresolved, and there’s often a heart-wrenching thread running through it. With this song, I faced that head-on and realized love doesn’t always have to be hard—it can be light, it can be easy.
 
Produced by Shane Travis (Evan Honer) at Cloverdale Records, King’s debut full-length is an earthy and emotionally stirring collection of folk country earworms, driven by King’s distinctly sandy vocals and alight with sparkling pop sensibility RIYL Kacey Musgraves, Madi Diaz, Courtney Marie Andrews. Today’s offering follows lead single, “Three Martinis” praised by The Bluegrass Situation as “lovely and tender… full of memories, nostalgia, and lush with imagery of falling head over heels… wrapped in a cozy and gauzy folk-country package”
 
Born in New Jersey, King lost her father at age four to the terrorist attacks of September 11th. She grew up with a vivid sense of life's uncertainty, driven by a search for its purpose. On her first full-length, she discovers that meaning in the humblest details of humanity—dusty floors, school buses, bobby pins, weathered boots—penning odes and anthems to the magic of the mundane. In a life where everything precious is fleeting, King holds simplicity as sacred thread: Loving you is easy / It's a life that's hard.


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Lauren Minear - Bruise (made of glass version).

New York–based alternative singer-songwriter Lauren Minear returns with “Bruise (made of glass version),” a stark and emotionally exposed acoustic reimagining of one of the most devastating moments from her latest album, Boxing Day. Stripped to its bare bones, the track magnifies the quiet intensity of the original, allowing the fragility of Minear’s voice and the delicacy of the guitar arrangement to carry the emotional weight.

Recorded live at Studio 42 in Brooklyn, “Bruise (made of glass version)” captures the intimacy and vulnerability that sit at the heart of Minear’s songwriting. The performance preserves the raw immediacy of the moment while subtly reshaping the song’s sonic landscape. Though Minear often performs the track live in a lower key, the team chose to retain the original key for its lyrical prosody, allowing the guitar’s natural register to mirror the emotional fragility of the vocal performance.

“This live acoustic version is especially lethal and difficult for me to perform or listen to,” Minear explains. “It comes from a deep pain that maybe only a song can express. There’s something to that though, because it’s also the song that my listeners respond to the most.”

The title itself carries a subtle nod to Minear’s broader creative universe, referencing a lyric from another song on Boxing Day. Though simple on its surface, “Bruise (made of glass version)” embodies one of Minear’s guiding artistic principles: radical honesty. Her songwriting consistently challenges both herself and her listeners to sit with difficult emotions and find connection within them.

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Mama’s Broke - Heaven.

Mama’s Broke, the Nova Scotian duo of Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria share their new single “Heaven,” out now via Free Dirt Records and Forward Music Group, and announce their ‘Analog Tour’ throughout North America. “Heaven” offers the first glimpse of the pairs’ forthcoming album and fans will be able to purchase physical copies exclusively and hear the new material at the upcoming shows.

For more than a decade, Mama’s Broke have been in near-constant motion, bringing their folk-without-borders approach to small clubs, DIY spaces, and everywhere in between. This tradition is continued with their upcoming tour across the US and Canada this spring.

“Heaven,” the new single from Mama's Broke forthcoming album (due later this summer) is about stepping back from the cycles of distraction and urgency, and devoting time to what you love. Says Mama's Broke:

"We’ve been fed the distant promise that, through diligence and quiet perseverance, we will someday reap the rewards of our labor. In reality, we’ve been left with a system collapsing under the weight of its own greed and corruption. The gap between rich and poor has reached unprecedented levels; a minimum wage no longer suffices to keep both the lights on and food on the table, and our air and water are more polluted than ever before." 



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Chris Pellnat - VRChat の歌 - ft. SaKy.

We are always on the lookout for new music that invites us to explore something a little different, whilst being accessible and enjoyable rather than a test of our patience (I know, it's a getting older thing). Well Chris Pellnat has been featured here before and always well received, so it's a pleasure to explore something a little different, whilst happily enjoying the moment.

Some background: "VRChatの歌" is sung in English and Japanese by SaKy. Why English and Japanese? Because those are the two languages most spoken in VRChat. VRChat is a virtual reality platform where you can explore thousands of immersive worlds created by talented artists, and you meet people from all over the world. This youth-driven ecosystem is evolving organically and has a strong Japanese anime aesthetic.

SaKy is a singer based in Japan who sings in several languages. She is a vocalist, lyricist, and vocal coach. She has been the vocalist for several original soundtracks. Chris Pellnat is an American singer-songwriter who also plays guitar with the Poughkeepsie-based band, The Warp/The Weft.

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Natalie Shay - Atmosphere (EP).

North London born Natalie Shay writes indie-pop for people who feel everything. A multi-award-winning BRIT School grad and lyrical storyteller, she’s been playing guitar and writing since childhood — soundtracking love, self-discovery and the realities of life in your twenties, blending heartfelt honesty with bright, feel-good energy.

Natalie’s new EP Atmosphere, explores the emotional pull of love, self-awareness and the messy space in between. She describes it as a sonic diary capturing the electric obsession of new love, often tangled up in the chaos of trauma bonds. The title track, “atmosphere,” was written with long-time collaborator and close friend Kaity Rae (Remember Monday, The Shires), circling the question of whether the connection keeping you hooked is real love or simply something in the air. Each song reflects a different chapter, tracing the experiences and lessons that have shaped Natalie’s life since her last release.

Natalie explains, “I bookend eras of my life with bodies of work, so it was important to me that ATMOSPHERE contained all the experiences and lessons since my last EP.” She continues, “I want my music to be the soundtrack to my life as a mid-twenties creative who feels everything deeply. I crave love, but I’ve also been damaged by it.” Written across two years of collaboration and late-night solo sessions, the EP gathers together songs she couldn’t leave behind. “Every song is a confession in a way,” she adds. “I write songs to perform them live. That’s my therapy.”

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Photo - Kyle Rothwell
The Jaws of Brooklyn - Up All Nite.

The Jaws of Brooklyn have shared “Up All Nite,” the next single from their forthcoming EP Unstoppable, which is co-produced with Grammy-winner and Alabama Shakes keyboardist Ben Tanner, out May 15. An effervescent dose of ‘60s girl-group glitter and grit, the playful song tells the story of someone caught between two lovers and simply enjoying the fun while it lasts.

Guitarist Bryan Cohen on the new single: “This was the first song written for this new EP. It’s a combination of The Supremes meets '60s frat-house rock classic - ‘Louie Louie’ with a few twists. The intro is inspired by David Bowie’s ‘Let's Dance,’ while the chorus pays homage to The Rolling Stones classic ‘Get Off Of My Cloud.’ Lyrically, it’s a story of having two lovers – being with one and thinking of the other, and feeling guilty but wanting to have fun. The narrator knows there are consequences but damn… she’s also having fun being in the moment.”

“Up All Nite” follows the bombastic “Lie To Me” and the shimmering call-to-the-dancefloor “Where Are You?”, which also appear on the upcoming EP. Unstoppable finds the Seattle-based group blending Motown melody, Muscle Shoals soul and West Coast rock & roll for their signature melting pot sound, which has earned praise from American Songwriter and Billboard over the years. These songs delve headfirst into love triangles, relationships and ride-or-die friendships, all anchored by frontwoman Gretchen Lemon’s powerhouse presence.

Unstoppable keeps the momentum going after the band’s 2025 album Crush On You, which was released during a whirlwind of change. Following the addition of Lemon as the group’s electric new singer, they felt reenergized and in turn, their show-stopping performances cemented their reputation as a must-see live act — booking festival slots at SXSW and Bumbershoot, as well as packing out shows at venues on both coasts.


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Photo - Sophia Schrank
Mollie Elizabeth - The Mirror.

Today, the Pacific Northwest artist Mollie Elizabeth, shares “The Mirror”, a song about the violence of self-perception. The “mirror” isn’t just literal, it’s symbolic of consciousness, ego, and the human tendency to scrutinize ourselves. The repeated line “Lord damn the man who made the mirror” reads like a prayer turned protest: a rejection of the invention (or evolution) that forces us to confront ourselves too directly. “The Mirror” is written by Mollie Elizabeth and Lucas Sim, produced by Lucas Sim & Davin Kingston and coming out via Neon Gold Records.

About the track, Mollie Elizabeth says: "The Mirror is a more poetic song of mine, but at the same time I feel as though everyone has experienced this same kind of frustration. Vanity, ego, and reflection seem to swallow us whole these days and at times I wish we never even invented the mirror at all."

Earlier this year, Mollie Elizabeth returned with  “Dog Eat Dog” (+ visualizer)  that deepens her distinctive sonic and visual universe, weaving eerie, quirky, and subtly dark textures into her signature femme, classic sound. Mollie Elizabeth adds, “‘Dog Eat Dog” is centered around the concept that all humans are, unfortunately, natural born predators. In my nature, and I think in many others, all I really want to do is cultivate peace and love, but in reality, this world is not peaceful. There are people who will take advantage of you if you do not accept that whether you like it or not, we live in a dog eat dog world.”


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Saturday, 7 March 2026

Mollie Elizabeth - The Yesters - GALVEZTON - Jillette Johnson - Malia Rogers

Mollie Elizabeth - Dog Eat Dog.

Mollie Elizabeth returns with a new song that deepens her distinctive sonic and visual universe, weaving eerie, quirky, and subtly dark textures into her signature femme, classic sound. “Dog Eat Dog” (+ visualizer) is co-written by Mollie and Lucas Sim, who also helmed the production. Mollie Elizabeth adds, “Dog Eat Dog” is centered around the concept that all humans are, unfortunately, natural born predators. In my nature, and I think in many others, all I really want to do is cultivate peace and love, but in reality, this world is not peaceful. There are people who will take advantage of you if you do not accept that whether you like it or not, we live in a dog eat dog world.”

Earlier this year, she shared “The Disappearing Girl” which was written by Mollie Elizabeth, Madison Love and Christopher J Baran, it was produced by CJ Baran, and recorded at VAMP Studios in Los Angeles. 

Gearing up to deliver more subtly penned story songs, the 21-year-old Washington State-based artist Mollie Elizabeth only introduced herself last year, and has already delivered a stunning debut EP Dirty Blonde via Neon Gold / Virgin Music. Known for her whimsical, melancholic, and empowering songs, the Pacific Northwest artist describes her music as “tiny worlds”, a refuge shaped by her upbringing in the Washington woods, suffused with old-Hollywood elegance and emotional depth. Mollie co-produced her newest song, including music video for “Doe Eyed” (dir. Maya Sassoon) HERE, along with her Dirty Blonde EP with Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone). 


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The Yesters - Freak Show.

Dark theatrical rock duo The Yesters premiered the official music video for their latest single, “Freak Show,” yesterday March 6, unveiling a cinematic visual that expands the song’s exploration of addiction, spectacle, and the uneasy push and pull between self-control and outside influence. At its core, “Freak Show” tells the story of a woman navigating addiction — not as a solitary struggle, but as a constant negotiation with a world that both entices and judges her. The track pairs brooding melodies with a vintage-tinged rock atmosphere, building a sense of tension that mirrors the emotional volatility at the heart of the narrative.

The upcoming music video, directed by Toon de Melker, transforms that internal conflict into a surreal, carnival-like landscape where exaggerated characters and shadow-filled environments blur reality and performance. Through stylized visuals and theatrical staging, the video positions addiction as a kind of spectacle — a world where temptation, observation, and identity collide. Rather than presenting a literal narrative, the imagery reflects the cyclical nature of being pulled toward and away from destructive patterns, echoing the song’s themes of seduction, isolation, and resilience. de Melker noted, “I wanted to translate both the music and the lyrics into a striking visual experience; unsettling, immersive, and deeply personal, exploring what the world might look like through the eyes of an addict of any kind.”

Musically, “Freak Show” channels a dark cabaret-rock atmosphere, pairing theatrical vocals with an undercurrent of tension that mirrors the video’s off-kilter aesthetic. The result is both playful and unsettling — a commentary on the fascination with spectacle and the shifting roles between audience and attraction.


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GALVEZTON - Roll To G-Town.

Texas-native GALVEZTON presents new single “Roll To G-Town.” An eclectic mix of old school Beck meets dusty roads Americana, the new single "Roll To G-Town" is now available via La Izquierda Records. Dripping with charisma and confidence, the new single by GALVEZTON is a love letter to Robert Kuhn’s home state. GALVEZTON’s forthcoming album, is to be released worldwide April 3rd, 2026, (except in the UK where it will be released May 15th.) 

The original concept of the new single was born from kitchenside pandemic hangs with Robert Kuhn and his acoustic guitar. Featuring psychedelic lyrics, folky guitars, and the entrancing backup vocals of Krystal Hardwick, the new single is a perfect springtime jam. Recorded appropriately in Galveston, TX at La Izquierda headquarters between 2022 and 2024, the new single offers a brand new anthem for the Lone Star State. 

Robert Kuhn, the face and voice behind GALVEZTON describes the impact of the new song in greater detail: “Texas country star Rich O’toole heard me play the song at La Izquierda Surf and Music Festival and immediately asked me if he could record it. I agreed of course and after his version came out, Houston hip-hop legend, Bun-B (UGK), heard it and said he wanted to do a remix. Paul Wall, the People’s Champ, soon heard it and wanted to collaborate too, so joined in and the song becomes a Houston area anthem. “Ima take my money an Roll to G-town!”


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Photo - Josie Dunne
Jillette Johnson - The Pain, My Friend (EP).

Jillette Johnson releases her new EP The Pain, My Friend and released the official video for “Good At Lying” featuring Langhorne Slim. Produced by Johnson’s longtime collaborator Joe Pisapia, the 5-song collection captures the pure, instinctual joy that first drew Johnson to songwriting as a kid. In support of the release, she will hit the road for a run of tour dates supporting Fantastic Cat that will kick off on April 11 in Woodstock, NY and make stops in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and her hometown of Nashville, TN at Row One on April 23. 

About “Good At Lying,” Johnson explains: “I wrote ‘Good At Lying’ at a moment when I was hitting a wall sitting at my piano, trying to write a song and not liking anything that was coming out. I just started banging my hands on the keys and saying ‘I don’t know anything, I don’t know anything,’ and eventually that banging turned into something more musical, and the rest of the song flowed out in the subsequent 30 minutes. It’s about imposter syndrome, a feeling I think every artist feels if they’re doing their art right, which is to say living right on the edge of what’s familiar, peering into the big scary unknown, eventually on their way to making something new. Also, I had a weird feeling while I was writing that I was channeling the spirit of my friend Langhorne Slim, so it’s extra special that he agreed to lend his wild and mighty voice to it. ”

About the EP, she adds: "The Pain, My Friend is a collection of songs about embracing and being with the innate discomfort of being alive, in order to make way for joy. I wrote these songs like I always do, alone in my room, and was so fortunate to record them with some of my favorite musicians out there. The experience was easy and light and fun, and reconnected me with the freedom of making music that I felt when I just started making music as a kid. ”



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Malia Rogers - Sunlight (A Good Death).

Nova Scotia-raised, Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Malia Rogers returns with “Sunlight (A Good Death),” a healing, Celtic-influenced folk single that approaches loss through the lens of gratitude rather than despair. Rooted in the idea that grief is simply love with nowhere left to go, the song reflects on mourning not as an ending, but as evidence of a life deeply shared.

Written while on tour in Ireland in January 2025, the song arrived unexpectedly. After a late night following a show in Tramore on Ireland’s southeastern coast, Rogers woke suddenly at 7:15AM; the exact date and time her grandfather, John Matthews, had passed away four years earlier. A paleoentomologist, teacher, poet, and lifelong music lover, Matthews played a defining role in Rogers’ life and creative development. “We talked about everything, including death and what it might mean to die ‘well,’” she explains. “I cried for two hours alone in that room above the pub, and when I was done, I had this song. It’s a small gift in return for the countless gifts he brought to all who knew him.”

Inspired by the stories shared with her after performances, Rogers is inviting listeners to take part in a collaborative music video celebrating the people who shaped us.


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Friday, 14 November 2025

The Best Around - Wyldest - The Lovely Basement - Mollie Elizabeth - The Gold Needles - Pam Ross - Julian Taylor - Greenness

The Best Around - Call of The Void.

The Best Around have today released their latest single, “Call of The Void.” In the song, The Best Around juxtapose upbeat music with somber lyrics, dancing with the notion that death is always inviting us.

Opening with a synth string orchestra and an almost playful, childlike rhythm, lead vocalist Camron Rushin recalls a moment standing too close to the edge. “I was with an ex-girlfriend at the Pennybacker Bridge Overlook, and she assumed I was afraid of heights because I wouldn’t stand with her near the ledge. I said I wasn’t afraid of heights; I was afraid I would jump.” These intrusive thoughts are what psychologists call “the call of the void.”

The idea for the song came to Rushin during a School of Song class led by Phil Elverum, frontman of The Microphones and Mount Eerie. In the workshop, Elverum explored hidden messages in art—from poetry to painting—that reward those willing to look deeper. The assignment was to write a song referencing another work of art to create a shared point of meaning for listeners while leaving room for personal interpretation. In the third verse, Rushin references Edvard Munch’s The Scream, reflecting on how its frozen anguish mirrored the decorticate state of his cousin Margaret, who died in 2020. The reference quietly echoes the band’s debut single “Margaret” and closes a meaningful chapter in Rushin’s life.

The single features The Best Around’s signature blend of acoustic instruments and synth textures, with Todd Pruner on acoustic guitar, banjo, and bass. It builds toward an electric guitar solo by Jon Merz that feels like staring death in the face. Kevin Hoetger played drums. The track was recorded and mixed by Kyle Crusham and mastered by Erik Wofford at Cacophony Recorders in Austin.


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Photo - Tom Gaiger
Wyldest - The Universe Is Loading (Album).

There aren’t many records you can honestly describe as life-changing, but Wyldest’s fourth album 'The Universe Is Loading' feels precisely that. Out today (14 November) via UK tastemaker label Hand In Hive, the album is her most expansive body of work yet. 

An album of rare scope and intensity, 'The Universe Is Loading' is the product of a period of momentous personal upheaval, examining the world on both a macro and micro level. Grappling with grief, illness ('After The Ending'), estrangement ('All It Would Take Is A Phone Call') and resilience ('Wax Museum', 'Old Flame'), it pairs sci-fi dreamworlds and gothic atmospherics with shimmering, dystopian indie-rock, drawing as much from Angela Carter, Brontë and surrealist cinema as it does from Zoë’s love of gaming (The Last of Us, Zelda, Skyrim).

Across its 11 tracks, Zoë Mead (aka Wyldest) pours herself into her music more fully than ever before. It’s a universe built from contradictions, spiralling into space-theory rabbit holes - parallel universes, AI, simulation theory - before grounding itself in something far more human, as she explains: "It's ultimately an intense realisation that life and love doesn’t always go as planned and sometimes we need to take time to make sense and peace within the chaos."

Leading the release is focus single 'Foolish World', accompanied by a striking new video filmed at the nature reserve Cliff Pools in Kent. Zoë explains: "I wrote Foolish World whilst re-reading Wuthering Heights last summer whilst I walked around a place called Cliff Pools in Kent (where I ended up shooting the video). It’s now an industrial wasteland, surrounded in beautiful blue water, that is now too toxic to swim in. This means humans have now left it alone and nature is now claiming it back and thriving there. Being within this toxic natural wonderland whilst reading gothic romance novels resulted in this breakup song – two people parting in hopes they may thrive elsewhere - like Cathy and Heathcliff. This is a bittersweet love song about moving on and leaving one foolish world for another - we all live through a series of chapters and worlds, so I hope it's relatable to many."



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The Lovely Basement - Lowlands (Album).

This is a superb new album where once again I am left scratching my head and wondering why I have never heard this band before. Still never mind it's always good to have a back catalogue of songs to discover, and we will let the band tell us the rest. Post-cool or too old to care? The Lovely Basement say they set out to mix alt-country with the Velvet Underground. They also say they failed, but quite like the result. So, what do you find in The Lovely Basement? A beautiful slice of alt country-style. Americana, infused with the sensibilities of the aforementioned Velvet Underground – and a chopping guitar that wouldn’t sound out of place on an album by the VU’s British counterpart, Fairport Convention.

Since the release in 2019 of their first album, Just Because You Can, The Lovely Basement have drawn admiring glances from all over the place: “the sweetness of Yo La Tengo and the raggedness of The Pastels”; “not dissimilar to Paisley Underground veterans the Dream Syndicate”; “tossing off songs with the looseness of early Faces”.

The single Cornstalk Girl was the first offering from Lowlands and was picked up by Radio 6’s Gideon Coe, a long-time supporter of the band’s output. Mention was also given to the “excellent” B-side cover of Beat Happening’s Angel Gone. Vocals for the album were recorded by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Howe Gelb, Eels) who stumbled across the band playing live locally and stayed!

Like all Lovely Basement records, Lowlands eloquently covers a range of subjects. From musings on sentience, inequality, globalisation, even theology, to the deep need to hunker down with good friends when the world outside gets too much, all find an often wry voice in this shimmering collection of lovingly crafted songs.

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Mollie Elizabeth - The Disappearing Girl.

Following her debut EP Dirty Blonde, Mollie Elizabeth shares a first glimpse into her next phase, “The Disappearing Girl”. Written by Mollie Elizabeth, Madison Love and Christopher J Baran, it was produced by CJ Baran, and recorded at VAMP studios in Los Angeles. Towards the end of the month, on November 25th, she’ll play Seattle’s Cloudbreak Festival.

Mollie Elizabeth adds: “This song came from a very personal place, where in my life I found my struggles to be turned into a spectacle by friends and family rather than acknowledged as a strain. It’s always easier to put someone in a pretty box than to come face to face with the reality of what they are going through.”

Gearing up to deliver more subtly penned story songs, the 21-year-old Washington State-based artist Mollie Elizabeth only introduced herself last January, and has already delivered a stunning debut EP Dirty Blonde via Neon Gold / Virgin Music. Known for her whimsical, melancholic, and empowering songs, the Pacific Northwest artist describes her music as “tiny worlds”, a refuge shaped by her upbringing in the Washington woods, suffused with old-Hollywood elegance and emotional depth. Mollie co-produced her newest song, including music video for “Doe Eyed” (dir. Maya Sassoon).


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The Gold Needles - Crescent Moon.

Big Stir Records is very proud to announce the December 12 release of a new album from England's own The Gold Needles on CD and Streaming worldwide. Mood Elevator, the fourth full-length release from the Kingston-Upon-Hull-based indie rockers and their first for BSR, features no fewer than four indie hit singles released across the past year including last month's “Turns To Gold” and their 2024 label bow “I Don't Know About That.” 

With Mood Elevator, The Gold Needles (Simon Dowson, lead vocals, guitar; Dave Burbage, lead guitar; Mark English, keyboards; Carl Slaughter, bass; Will Jones, drums) have taken a definitive leap forward in an already acclaimed career. There's a new polish to the production that retains all the band's energy, and the tunes are the catchiest the Needles have ever crafted. 

The strength of the singles –the pure power pop of “I Don't Know About That,” the lush textures of “Supernature,” the hooks of the acerbic “Turns To Gold” and the sheer beauty of the current “Crescent Moon” (already taking the global indie rock airwaves by storm) are evidence enough that an already exciting group has leveled up, but the depth of the album is still a revelation.


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Pam Ross - Reading Your Text.

Award-winning Americana and country-rock artist Pam Ross releases her powerful new single, “Reading Your Text,” today November 14th, 2025. The song fuses the emotional wreckage of heartbreak with the all-too-real dangers of distraction behind the wheel—proving once again that Ross is one of the most fearless storytellers in modern Americana music.

The inspiration struck, as so many of Ross’s songs do, in an everyday moment that became something more. “I was driving down the road when the person in front of me started swerving all over,” Ross recalls. “I thought she was drunk. When I passed her, I saw she wasn’t—she was texting. I drove away thinking, what makes someone act so stupid? Being a songwriter, I went home and wrote about what would make a person text and drive.”

That spark became “Reading Your Text,” a hauntingly cinematic song that turns a literal danger into an emotional metaphor. Behind its catchy hook and rock-infused Americana groove lies a deeper message about grief, distraction, and the way love can cloud our judgment long after the goodbye.

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Julian Taylor - Don’t Let ’Em (Get Inside of Your Head).

Fresh off a string of acclaimed releases, 5x JUNO-Award and Polaris Music Prize–nominated artist Julian Taylor returns with “Don’t Let ’Em (Get Inside of Your Head),” a soulful new single that brings together alt-country grit and blues rock urgency with one of modern music’s most distinctive voices: Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

Recorded at Gold Standard alongside Aaron Goldstein, David Engle, Tony Rabalo and Anna Ruddick, the track carries both raw spontaneity and emotional weight. What began years ago as an electronic-leaning demo that Taylor and Engle wrote for film/TV sync has evolved into a fully organic, groove-driven anthem that feels as natural as it is powerful. “This song came together in such a special, innovative, and exciting way,” Taylor recalls. “It just seemed to flow out of everyone in the room.”

The connection with James came about in true serendipitous fashion. A chance encounter at the LA Forum, where Taylor was performing at the Robbie Robertson Tribute (directed by Martin Scorsese) at the invitation of longtime friend Allison Russell, sparked a friendship between the two artists. Years later, Taylor decided to send James the track.

“When this song was almost done, I thought to send it to Jim and see what he thought of it. He loved it, so I asked if he’d be down to sing on it, and he said yes,” Taylor shares. “I love how our voices blend together – it’s effortless and natural. Jim brings a tender urgency to the track, and it’s an honour and real gift to have him singing on it. He’s a true gem of a human and one of the world’s great unique talents.”
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Greenness - Honeymoons (Album).

Three years in the making, this new collection of songs playfully intertwines the theatrical energy of art-rock with orchestral, folk, jazz, retro pop, electronic and ambient influences. The result is a lavish cornucopia of sounds led by driving beats, layered guitars and powerful vocals, with lyrical themes ranging from love to loneliness, gratitude to greed and desire to death.

In stark contrast with the duo's debut Sunrooms (an intimate and ethereal affair, recorded as a two-piece in isolation), Honeymoons ushers in an eclectic troupe of creative collaborators, including multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Glasson (Nick Cave, Graham Coxon...), double bassist Tom Bailey (Buffo’s Wake, Nine Dead Mice...), harpist Fíor Anderson (Sekinue, Ultimate Tigerfrog...), cellist Robin Squirrell (Night House, Bee & Jackrabbit...) and classically-trained clarinettist, Emily Lamb. On stage, the band is joined by drummer Jeremy Noble (Lunatic Calm) and bassist Dom Hall (Code South).

Lead singer and songwriter Cess Greenness explains: "I think of this record as the final episode of a trilogy that started with Florilège - a compilation of our earliest recordings - and continued with Sunrooms, which explored ideas of growth, unfolding and blossoming. Honeymoons incarnates the next natural stage, the harvest season, so it is full of ripe fruit imagery and symbolism around temptation, abundance and decadence... we're bringing all the drama with this one!"

The 12 songs of Honeymoons were written, arranged, recorded and produced by Greenness in their home studio, including singles Hilltop, Meltdown and Psychopomps. "This hands-on approach allows us to enjoy complete creative freedom", says Graham Greenness, who mixed and mastered the record as well as playing most instrumental parts, including guitars, electric bass, mandolin, synth, organ, flute, piano and percussion. "It's a DIY mindset that also extends to the visual narrative of our work, such as the music videos, which we co-directed and edited. It's been amazing to craft this project together and see our vision flourish!"


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Sunday, 13 July 2025

Isabel Rumble - KĀMA - Mollie Elizabeth - Maddison Kate - MF Tomlinson

Photo - Elise Idiens
Isabel Rumble - Soften.

Indie-folk songstress Isabel Rumble just released her captivating single 'Soften' and its elemental music video. Her 2023 debut album 'Bird Be Brave' was embraced by the music scene with open arms, drawing praise for its intimate songwriting, gaining a Folk Alliance Australia Award nomination, and going on to spur an international tour across Europe and Australia. Having supported artists like Lior & Domini, Daniel Champagne, Holly Arrowsmith and Ireland’s David Keenan, Isabel Rumble is a rising star in Australia's sky. 

'Soften' is a perfect picture of the kind of songwriting that has earned Isabel Rumble her flowers: she aimed to write a song that encapsulated "acceptance of choices made, and a longing to return to the knowing of the body," and delivered in full. 

Exploring how it feels to surrender to an inevitable change through soft, intertwining guitar riffs and tender vocals this song feels like listening to a careful, vulnerable conversation. Then, with a gentle burst, the song blossoms with keyboard and slow-jam drums, exploring the quiet strength drawn from those who came before.

Filmed on Thaua Country, Yuin Nation, in the far southern valleys of NSW, this sepia-toned visual offering moves with the land that shaped it. Minimal and elemental, the video captures Isabel's body in gentle motion amidst ancient rock formations. It is a quiet conversation between self and place. 'Soften' is a song that teeters on the edge between light and dark, softness and strength, and this video captures that dance.


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KĀMA - Is It So Or Not.

KĀMA recently released the single Is It So Or Not, taken from the debut album Propaganda. Is It So Or Not blends post-punk, art-rock and experimental minimalism influences for a romantically restless anthem. 

The sonic energy crosses industrial territories: the tinkling of the guitars weaves a hypnotic plot for a gentle and deep baritone voice questioning the nexus between reality and imagination, while the pressing bass riff and the nervous and broken drums prepare an imaginary meeting between the Smiths, the Jam, the Talking Heads and the Einstürzende Neubauten; the rhythmic breaks wink at the concrete experimentations of Pierre Schaeffer; the crooked intersection of the final guitar arpeggios pay homage to the minimalist phasing of Steve Reich.

The song is paired with a surreal video clip, featuring the metamorphosis in negative blue of the faces of the four members of the band, as a visualizer for the reality-imagination nexus on which the song's lyrics are built. With Is It So Or Not, KĀMA confirm their unmistakable style: contaminated, cultured, in the sign of the most audacious and contemporary alt-rock.


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Mollie Elizabeth - Doe Eyes.

Following her debut EP Dirty Blonde, Mollie Elizabeth delivers a visually stunning music video for “Doe Eyed” (dir. Maya Sassoon). The 21-year-old Washington State-based artist Mollie Elizabeth released her debut EP via Neon Gold / Virgin Music, known for her whimsical, melancholic, and empowering songs, the Pacific Northwest artist describes her music as “tiny worlds”, a refuge shaped by her upbringing in the Washington woods, suffused with old-Hollywood elegance and emotional depth. Mollie co-produced her newest song, “Doe Eyes”, along with her Dirty Blonde EP with Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone).

Mollie adds: “I have always had a bad habit of romanticizing things/people that are now lost to time. This song is really the anthem for all the girls and guys out there who just can’t help but think one more night might be a good idea- even though it’s definitely not!”

Last month, Mollie released “Until We Meet Again” - a dusky, cinematic ballad steeped in Old Hollywood glamour. With a rare blend of chic elegance, playful confidence, and sincere sweetness, she infuses the track with timeless allure. The single was produced by Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, MARINA) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated songwriter Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone).


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Photo - Samuel Murray
Maddison Kate - More To Me.

Meanjin-based folk artist, Maddison Kate, continues to deliver raw emotion with her warm tones and tender melodies in her single 'More To Me' (just out Friday, July 11). She brings a contemplative and honest energy on this stunning new track, providing a glimpse of her upcoming EP 'What I'd Say To You', out on Friday, August 8.

Maddison Kate's journey into music started at age 9, where she would perform at open mic nights with just her vocals and her guitar, and since then her career has taken off to soaring heights. Now, she has a number of notable venues under her belt, including Gympie Music Muster and Queensland Music Festival, and recently, opening for Kyle Lionhart, on the Queensland leg of his 2024 ‘Careless’ Tour. 

Her poetic sound, folk melodies, and earthy tones have led to plenty of eyes on her and won her competitions like the 2TM Discovered Competition for Tamworth Country Music Festival and Queensland Music Festival’s On Song competition. 

'More To Me' is an introspective tune made from the gentle plinking of piano, soaring violin, charming guitar and vocals that play with the spectrum of emotion and become something angelic. This gentle song explores the overwhelming feelings about being better off without someone unless they grow and change, and hoping for that change regardless.  With her enchanting voice and delicate composition, this song is an introspective and meditative folk-pop number that moves like a playful dance. 

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Photo - Andrea Zvadova
MF Tomlinson - Die To Wake Up From A Dream (Album).

MF Tomlinson releases new album 'Die To Wake Up From A Dream' on PRAH Recordings. Tomlinson plays a run of in-store dates this coming week before embarking on a headline tour this October.

MF Tomlinson's third studio album 'Die To Wake Up From A Dream' marks the final chapter in a trilogy of self-produced full lengths, following his 2021 debut 'Strange Time' and 2023's 'We Are Still Wild Horses', respectively drawing universal praise from Uncut, Mojo, The Times, The Arts Desk, Record Collector, The Line of Best Fit, CLASH Magazine and many more.

An opus on human experience, new album 'Die To Wake Up From A Dream' is an urgent and vivid description of the times in which we live. Inspired in part by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov’s installation Labyrinth (My Mother’s Album), the album confronts darkness head-on; mapping the psychic geography of our reality, journeying through personal and collective dreamstates before emerging into a nuanced, grounded sense of hope.

Encompassing folk, shoegaze, art-rock, prog and orchestral traditions, the new album was produced by Tomlinson in his studio in Poplar, London. Meticulously captured one instrument at a time, 'Die To Wake Up From A Dream' is a psychoacoustic odyssey of impossible proportions.

From the post-punk pulse of today’s focus single 'Dream Of You' and the grandeur of album opener 'Blink And You’ll Miss It', to the liminal landscapes of instrumental pieces 'A Dream' and 'A Meadow (Part I)', Tomlinson’s work remains characteristically expansive.


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Sunday, 29 June 2025

From the Dirt - Juliet Lloyd - Chwaer Fawr - Mollie Elizabeth

From the Dirt - Colored Edge of Memory (Album).

From the Dirt is an Americana band from central Maryland fronted by Daniel Kenny, with Jeff Karn (Mandolin), Megan Leigh (harmony vocals), and Eddie Dickerson (fiddle). Their harmony-soaked songs reveal Bluegrass, Celtic, Americana and rock & roll influences. The songwriting is imagery and wordplay, with songs of heartache, addiction, love, loss, and loneliness.

The new Album, Colored Edge of Memory  was produced and recorded by Jerry Brown (Doc Watson, Lucinda Williams, Watchhouse / Mandolin Orange, Steep Canyon Rangers) at The Rubber Room studio in Chapel Hill, NC. Guest musicians include Joseph Terrel (Mipso) on guitars, Joe MacPhail on drums and keys, Rick LeFleur (banjo), and Robbie Link (Townes Van Zandt) on upright bass.

In “Silver Maple Spinners” we hear a dream of a lost love - back as a ghost - set against a tense Celtic rhythm. “Afterwards, on the Greyhound” is an atmospheric tale of strangers, together in their loneliness, with a crescendoing outro of fiddle virtuosity. Bluegrass songs such as “Angeline” and “Trainwreck at the Bluegrass Jam” pick up the tempo and reduce the tension, while “Quitter” and “Trick of the Dark”, songs of addiction and loss,  raise it up again. “Luthier” is a tour-de-force anthem about the joy of playing music together, the beauty of woodworking, and the threads that tie us to those who have come before. 


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Juliet Lloyd - Reno Cure.

Ahead of her first ever UK tour starting next week, acclaimed US singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd just launched a new single ‘Reno Cure’. Written with and produced by Todd Wright (Lucy Woodward, Butch Walker, Toby Lightman), ‘Reno Cure’ is an epic, emotionally packed, Americana-tinged track that sees Juliet once again dealing with the ending of her relationship.

“I thought I was done writing about divorce,” says Juliet. “My last album, Carnival, was full of songs inspired by the experience of going through it, the aftermath, and moving on. Turns out I wasn’t quite done with the topic. Last year, I read a book about the famous “divorce ranches” in Reno, Nevada in the 1950s. At the time, Nevada had the loosest divorce laws in the country. All you had to do was reside in the state for six weeks, and you could get a no-fault divorce.”

Shortly after releasing her sophomore album in 2007, US-based singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd walked away from music completely for more than 10 years, feeling burned out and unhappy with her career progression like so many other independent artists. After going through a divorce in 2019 and in the midst of a global pandemic, she found herself pulled back toward the siren call of songwriting and again making the leap to pursue it full time. Her latest album ‘Carnival’, released in 2024, is in many ways the culmination of those decisions, and the reintroduction of an artist who now has the wisdom of experience.

There’s an unmistakable urgency you can feel when a song is written and performed from a place of complete honesty. That feeling permeates ‘Carnival’. “I’ve always been envious of writers who say they write songs because they have to, because they had these things they just had to get out of themselves,” Juliet says. “I had never really felt that way until this album. I’ve become someone who writes because they have to.”


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Chwaer Fawr - Diwedd (Album)

Chwaer Fawr is the solo project of 'Mari Morgan', known for her time with Rogue Jones, Bitw and Saron. Her debut album (released this weekend), oxymoronically titled Diwedd ('end'), is a quiet turning point marking both a conclusion and a beginning. Written and recorded slowly, at home and with friends, Diwedd grew organically and patiently. After years of playing in other people’s bands, this time it's her own quietly defiant voice that's front and centre.

Sung entirely in Welsh, Diwedd explores the tension between innocence and responsibility, between personal vulnerability and quiet resistance. It hints at the duality between the wonder of new motherhood and the anxiety of the modern world, threading in themes of peace, hope, and the urge to rise above it all. Birds and flight are recurring images throughout as symbols of freedom, fragility, and defiance. The album doesn’t seek resolution, but offers space to sit with discomfort, wonder and change.

Musically, Diwedd lives in a wonky, artful corner of alt-pop. It balances off-kilter textures with melodic clarity, gentle warmth and sharp detail. The record features contributions from a reliable circle of collaborators, including Llŷr Pari (Gwenno, Omaloma), Alex Morrison (Cate Le Bon, H. Hawkline), and Gwion Llewelyn (Aldous Harding, Villagers), with production from Gruff ab Arwel (Bitw, Y Niwl), who helps shape its tender strangeness.

Despite it's title, 'Diwedd' isn’t a full stop; rather, it’s the exhale after a long breath in. It marks the end of the slow, steady making of a debut, and the start of a more personal musical chapter. The album is both a personal journal and a quiet protest, not against one thing, but against forgetting what matters. It might not shout, but it stays with you. Sometimes, an ending is the most powerful way to begin.

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Mollie Elizabeth - Dirty Blonde (EP).

This weekend, the 21-year-old Washington State-based artist Mollie Elizabeth released her debut EP, titled Dirty Blonde via Neon Gold / Virgin Music. Known for her whimsical, melancholic, and empowering songs, the Pacific Northwest artist describes her music as “tiny worlds”, a refuge shaped by her upbringing in the Washington woods, suffused with old-Hollywood elegance and emotional depth. 

Mollie co-produced her newest song, “Doe Eyes”, along with her Dirty Blonde EP with Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone). 

Mollie Elizabeth about her debut EP: “I always knew my first collection of work that I put out would have a story to it, a through line that connected all of the songs together. “Dirty Blonde” represents the tale of most every relationship I've ever experienced, romantic or otherwise - it starts out with a story of self love and discovery, taking yourself out for dinner and gathering crushes on the beach, before galavanting into the riptides of love and loss. I hope you can find your story in it too!”



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Quiet Houses - Phoebe Green - The Veils - Jenny Reynolds - Alex Henry Foster - Libby Ember

Photo - Meg Henderson Quiet Houses - we're all in love (Album). Edinburgh-raised, London-based indie-pop duo Quiet Houses have released...