Tulpa are very new: nothing has been released up until now, not even a digital single. Despite this, they attracted the attention of Marc Riley & Gideon Coe, who invited the band to record a live BBC6 Music session this summer. Around the same time, Skep Wax Records were sent the finished album and knew they had to release it. Meanwhile, in the creative hotbeds of the UK’s DIY festivals and indie venues Tulpa are quickly gathering a loyal following. They have recently supported Throwing Muses, Pale Blue Eyes and Bug Club and will be playing a series of headline gigs in October and November 2025.
What is a Tulpa? It’s a mythical being manifested into existence through the act of concentrated thought, like an imaginary friend brought to life, but (sometimes) scarier…
The album "Monster Of The Week" is out on 28th November. This album has some of the same qualities. A whole set of loud, catchy, perfectly-crafted pop songs have been conjured into existence - and want to be part of your life. Josie’s hyper-melodic lead vocals are cool and crystalline - but the lyrics are warm and human. The twin guitars create a sonic mesh, a web of textures that traps you, whether you like it or not. And yes, something scarier does lie below the surface. Occasionally the guitars force their way to the front, furious and intense. And sometimes those lyrics aren’t as innocent as they first appear. The danger, just below the surface of the songs, is maybe that’s what makes this album so arresting…
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| Photo - Dan Mac |
What feels like a late-night confession spilled over the hum of guitars, ‘No Place’ finds Boorloo/Perth outfit Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town wrestling with grief, distraction, and the struggle to find steady ground. Out yesterday (October 17), the single captures Brown at his most unguarded, channelling pain into jangly indie / alt-rock noise.
Frontman Clay Brown has spent the past decade tracing a path across shoegaze, grunge, jazz fusion and stoner rock, supporting bands including Fuel, Gyroscope and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. He’s now stepping out with his first solo project, Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town. Following a run of solo shows in London and Edinburgh, and now with a third single on its way, Brown leads a new chapter that places his songwriting and voice firmly at the centre.
‘No Place’ channels the grit of indie and alt-rock, driven by picked guitars beneath Brown’s casual, nonchalant delivery, coloured by his Australian accent. The verses feel personal, almost conversational, before the track swells into a falsetto chorus that lifts it into something both vulnerable and defiant. Catchy guitar hooks push the song along, while a swirling slide guitar bridge adds a little alt-country edge.
At its heart, ‘No Place’ is a reflection on being caught between grief and the fragile beginnings of something new. Brown explores the dissonance of trying to give yourself to another person while still carrying the weight of loss, and the frustration of realising that your head and heart are not yet aligned.
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Zoey Tess is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and pianist whose sound channels early jazz and contemporary work into the folk-rock traditions that shape her powerful voice. A Berklee College of Music attendee who chose an independent path, Zoey's sound is deeply authentic and informed by her classic musical training (piano, violin).
"Knocking at Your Front Door" is the fiery lead single from Zoey's forthcoming debut album, There's Gonna Be a Reckoning.
The single shines an unapologetic spotlight on brutality and corruption, giving a distinct nod to the spirit of protest anthems of the sixties and seventies. Musically, it recalls the acoustic urgency of legends like Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Townes Van Zandt (whose song "Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel" is covered on the album).
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| Photo - Stephanie Senior |
There is a bittersweet beauty that surfaces when heartbreak is given a voice. On her debut album 'Busy Being in Love', out yesterday Friday, October 17, Boorloo/Perth indie-folk/ alt singer-songwriter Sophie Lilah gathers the fragments of loss and longing, distilling them into songs that feel both tender and resolute.
'Busy Being in Love' moves with both delicacy and force, shifting between stripped-back folk ballads that feel raw and earthy, and rock-driven songs steeped in blues and groove. Sophie threads in touches of jazz phrasing, classical flourishes, and R&B-inspired vocal rhythms, shaping a sound that is organic, real, and deeply emotive.
At the centre of it all is Sophie’s vocals that dance and flutter across the arrangements. Poised but powerful, each phrase carries the ache of truth. It is an album alive with contrasts, where intimacy sits beside a yearning to be heard and understood. Speaking on the album, Sophie shares:
“'Busy Being in Love' is an album about heartbreak, not just the kind that shatters, but the kind that lingers and reshapes you. Each song became a place to set down the weight of that pain, to make sense of the different shades of loss."
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Alt-pop artist Natalie Holmes has released her highly anticipated second album, Opposite Day. Following the success of her debut self-produced album, Vitamin Be (2022), Natalie’s new project takes listeners on a kaleidoscopic journey through the paradoxes of human existence. Like Alice down the rabbit hole, we tumble together through accidental worlds of style and sound that mirror the disorienting beauty of being alive today.
Reaching her arms wide, ’Opposite Day’ involves a team of outrageously talented musicians - Boci, violin; Rob Pemberton, drums & mix, Alex Heane, bass & William J Stokes, co-production - Holmes proudly prepares to release this collection of genre-blurring alt-pop that ping-pongs between introspective ballads and upbeat anthems. With influences ranging from Caroline Polachek & Aurora to The Japanese House & Bon Iver, Opposite Day continues to showcase Natalie’s signature blend of ethereal vocals and thought-provoking lyrics.
Natalie’s musical journey has already seen a sea of milestones. After starting with grainy YouTube videos in 2010, she’s since released several EPs, collaborations, and her debut album, Vitamin Be, which received praise from BBC Radio 2, BBC 6, Clash, and EARMILK. In 2016, she joined Above & Beyond as a lead vocalist on their Acoustic World Tour, performing at legendary venues like the Hollywood Bowl and Royal Albert Hall. Her solo material has captured the attention of fans and critics alike, with Tom Robinson on BBC 6 calling her work “fresh, adventurous, and really assured.”
“An inspired return from a songwriter we will enjoy watching develop over the coming months and years,” wrote Clash about her debut. And indeed, with Opposite Day on the horizon, Natalie is poised to continue that trajectory—finding new ways to connect with listeners through her rivers of wordplay and arresting reflections on the human condition.
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