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 |
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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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 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.
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| Photo - Camilla Vodstrup Øverup |
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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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.”
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