Prolific singer-songwriter Dan Miraldi returns with his new single “Magic in the Air,” out May 15 via Wicked Cool Records. Featuring garage rock queen Palmyra Delran, the track blends Miraldi’s heartfelt storytelling with bright, infectious power-pop energy—delivering a reminder that even the most ordinary moments can feel extraordinary.
Inspired by life in New York City, “Magic in the Air” finds Miraldi reflecting on fleeting encounters and small, transformative moments. “I like to leave interpretation to the listener,” he says. “But to me, it’s about finding joy in everyday life. The world can get you down, but every now and then something mundane can feel miraculous and empowering.”
The song came together with unusual ease. “Sometimes you really have to wrestle with songs,” Miraldi explains, “but ‘Magic in the Air’ felt pretty effortless.” That spontaneity carries through to the recording process. With the exception of live drums and Delran’s vocal, the track was recorded in Miraldi’s bedroom using GarageBand—capturing a raw, immediate energy. The recording also features contributions from Michael Guggino (Brooklyn psych trio Freaky Wildness) on lead guitar and Jay Nemeyer (DC electro-rock outfit Color Palette) on bass, both longtime collaborators in Miraldi’s orbit.
Delran’s presence on the track adds both chemistry and emotional weight. “When I was writing the song, I could hear Palmyra’s voice singing it,” says Miraldi. “Having her actually on the recording is extremely special. She’s so talented and has been a constant source of encouragement for me.”
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| Photo - Alistair Jutel |
It’s clearly not widely known enough, but the dashing duo Double Françoise is quite simply one of the pop gems of the Kingdom of France, the title of their debut album certainly didn’t lie. Les Bijoux, which followed an excellent first EP, already had them exploring avenues beyond the bossa nova they revere and know so well how to honor.
This new EP, titled La Poursuite, sees them return as pre-World War III Elli and Jacno with five utterly irresistible songs packed with cheesy synths and playful backing vocals. With tracks that are by turns melodic, haunting, playful, and lush, this admirable collection of songs never lets up. In 1979, Double Françoise would have released their records on Ze Records or Celluloïd and would have dominated the charts.
Since 2015, they’ve been signed to the Belgian label Freaksville and, by all logic, should have the world at their feet within a few weeks. The pursuit of happiness ends here—you’ve arrived.
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Brand New Heartache, the Nashville husband-and-wife duo of Eleese and Matthew Meschery, are set to release their debut album A New Alchemy on July 24 via Mule Kick Records. Blending authentic Americana with dreamy indie-pop textures and soaring harmonies, the record explores the emotional realities of long-term love — the tension between devotion and doubt, spark and staying power.
Originally formed in Oakland before relocating to East Nashville, the duo have built a sound shaped by influences ranging from Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris to The New Pornographers and Mates of State, while collaborating with players connected to Counting Crows, Chuck Prophet, and Aimee Mann.
Produced by Michael Patterson (Beck, The Notorious B.I.G.), A New Alchemy unfolds almost like a relationship timeline, from the intoxicating uncertainty of the title track to the cinematic longing of “Montreal” and the myth-inspired emotional depth of “Eurydice.” Early singles “Raise The Shade,” “Precious Days,” and “New Alchemy” showcase a lush, emotionally resonant collection that feels equally rooted in Laurel Canyon warmth and modern indie sensibilities. The band will support the release with performances in Nashville, California, and select appearances during AmericanaFest this September.
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| Photo - A l'affiche Montreal |
Hailing from Montreal, Canada, The City Gates blend post-punk, shoegaze, and darkwave into a reverb-heavy, atmospheric sound driven by pulsing basslines and cinematic intensity. Their albums Forever Orbiter (2018) and Age of Resilience (2021) earned international acclaim, establishing them as a standout act in the global dark alternative scene. Drawing on themes of history and social unrest, their music balances melancholic introspection with explosive momentum.
The band has now released their new album LP “Chimera’’ (May 15, 2026, via Icy Cold Records and Velouria Recordz) a dark, expansive 8-track record that unfolds like a nocturnal landscape, blending post-punk urgency with shoegaze atmospherics, brooding rhythms meeting shimmering walls of sound. Each song lingers with a haunting, dreamlike intensity, caught somewhere between collapse and transcendence.
The lyrics drift between intimacy and decay, lingering on themes of isolation, memory distortion, and emotional disconnection, delivered in a stark yet haunted voice. They dissolve into the atmosphere — half-whispered reflections on longing, loss, and the blurred edges of perception, channeling existential tension and urban alienation through fragmented, observational imagery.
Recorded, mixed, and produced at Velouria Studios, the band’s own studio in Montreal, CA, the album took shape from within, built on live drums, guitars, and bass driven through amps, and the haze of vintage synths, with tone, space, and atmosphere gradually coming into focus.
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The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies) returns with 'Damsels', the second track to preview from As We Once Were — a bold, unflinching new album from one of the UK's most distinctive voices. With the album landing this August via Last Night From Glasgow, the 14-track record marks her third studio album release, following the Welsh Music Prize-nominated The Art Of Losing and the cult favourite Confessions Of A Romance Novelist.
'Damsels' arrived yesterday Friday 15 May 2026. Musically, it channels the urgent energy of Manic Street Preachers while lyrically paying tribute to generations of feminist icons. "It takes inspiration from the history lessons I got as a teenager listening to 'Faster' and 'PCP', except this time it's strictly a girl zone," says Davies.
The song sits at the heart of an album shaped by themes of motherhood, generational resilience and female strength in the face of loss and trauma. Set against a dreamy 4AD-inspired 12-string guitar shoegaze soundtrack, think Cocteau Twins meets Sharon Van Etten, the new song features angelic guest vocals from Secretly Canadian-signed newcomer Eaves Wilder.
As We Once Were is the long-awaited follow-up to the UK Top 40 album The Art Of Losing, which received wall-to-wall critical plaudits upon its release in 2021. With Sir Elton John naming it "one of my favourite records of the year" and Caitlin Moran calling it "the inadvertent, beautiful and truthful soundtrack to this moment", it went on to sell over 10,000 physical copies via the power of pure word of mouth.
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| Photo - Kyle Rothwell |
The Jaws of Brooklyn have released their new EP Unstoppable. Co-produced with Grammy-winner and Alabama Shakes keyboardist Ben Tanner, the seven-track project finds the Seattle five-piece blending Motown melody, Muscle Shoals soul and West Coast rock & roll with girl-group glitter and garage grit. This week, guitarist Bryan Cohen shared insight into each track on the new EP.
Blurring the lines between genre and generation, Unstoppable expands on The Jaws of Brookyn’s signature melting pot sound of ‘60s/‘70s influences and thickly stacked vocal harmonies, which have earned praise from American Songwriter and Billboard over the years. As showcased on singles like the shimmering “Where Are You?”, the bombastic “Lie To Me” and the effervescent “Up All Nite”, these songs delve headfirst into love triangles, relationships and ride-or-die friendships – all anchored by front woman 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 re-energized 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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