Hannah Scott - Argo & The Violet Queens - I See Orange - TRAITRS - Scarlett Macfarlane - Hector Gannet

Hannah Scott - In Your Light.

It's been a while since we last featured Hannah Scott and Beehive Candy are delighted to share her latest release 'In Your Light' the first single from her forthcoming EP, Threads (due 19 June). Hannah is a Suffolk-born, South London-based contemporary folk artist, whose consistently produced fabulous songs with the latest being no exception. As a gentle teaser for the EP I'll just add, if you like this song, you are going to love the rest!  

Hannah tells us: Some songs are written, recorded and released within months, while others wait patiently for their time to shine. In Your Light falls firmly into the latter camp, having been written as a gift for Hannah’s mother’s 50th birthday - some 15 years ago - because she couldn’t afford to buy her a present. The song showcases Hannah’s gift for storytelling, with gentle, poignant lyrics and nostalgic warmth, enhanced by her rich vocals and soaring string lines.

Threads follows Hannah’s widely praised 2024 album Absence Of Doubt and marks the first release she has both written and produced. She worked alongside acclaimed engineer Adrian Hall (Tori Amos, Anna Calvi), and recorded piano, acoustic guitar and vocals at home, with a makeshift vocal booth inside her wife’s wardrobe! These songs are inspired by family, nostalgia and grief - and, perhaps unexpectedly, a desire to change the rental market for the better.

As the lyric suggests (“With grace and thought and faith // You taught me to create”), Hannah’s mother, Judith is also an artist. She has created a series of artworks for the EP and its two singles, all featuring Hannah’s childhood home, which is the theme of title track.

Hannah Scott · In Your Light

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Argo & The Violet Queens - Casablanca.

Argo and the Violet Queens are a psychedelically driven band based out of Washington DC, who aim to synthesize and reimagine the 20th century’s most pre-eminent genres in a modern setting. Sonically, all four members make unique contributions to the band’s sound, from their implementation of seventies dance sensibilities, abstract auditory textures, and rhythmic flourishes informed by jazz tradition, the band maintains an open canvas for their eclectic influences to take form.

A guiding ethos for Argo and the Violet Queens comes from the band’s deliberate explorations of contexts in which dance music has previously flourished. By drawing comparisons with our current moment, Argo and the Violet Queens create the conditions for critical reflections of social issues to occur in tandem with celebrations of resilience and community. Ultimately, though, Argo and the Violet Queens make killer psychedelic-rock tracks which hold a mirror up to the listener, allowing one to engage with sonic worlds that are pensive, and hopeful in equal measure.

When writing and recording their new single ‘Casablanca’, Argo and the Violet Queens took inspiration from Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary ‘Get Back’ and sat down together in the studio as a full band as if they were going to perform live. No separation, no over-dubs or studio trickery, just the refreshing raw electrifying energy and of a band that have grown up together, playing together.

One of three live studio recordings the band completed in the last days of 2025, ‘Casablanca’ is a potent distillation of the chemistry Argo and the Violet Queens have developed over three tours, over 65 live shows and countless hours spent rehearsing that year.

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Photo - Peter Smith

I See Orange - Wine Boy.

Rising alternative post-grunge trio I See Orange return this March with their new single 'Wine Boy'. The new single comes fresh off the back of performances at New Colossus Festival in New York City, before heading to Austin, Texas for SXSW, with backline provided via the band's new sponsorship from Orange Amps. These consecutive US showcase appearances mark a significant step in the band’s international growth, following a strong run of UK festival performances across 2024–2025 and expanding global radio support.

Blending the grit of 1990s grunge with a modern melodic edge, 'Wine Boy' continues to define I See Orange’s heavy yet hook-driven alternative rock sound. Built around driving basslines, textured guitars and powerful vocal delivery, the single grows from its spacious, tight verse to the grungy tones and layered harmonies, blending fuzzy guitar work with infectious melodies to showcase both a rock intensity and a commercial edge. 

Formed in 2022 after lead singer and bassist Giselle Medina relocated from Mexico to the UK, I See Orange quickly found creative chemistry with British musicians Cameron Hill (guitar/backing vocals) and Charlie Hart (drums). Their debut EP Lonesome Joy established their signature blend of post-grunge weight, classic rock influence and contemporary alternative energy.

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TRAITRS - Possessor (Album).

After releasing a slew of riveting singles, coldwave perfectionists TRAITRS are proud to share their new album, Possessor. Out this weekend on all streaming platforms, the new album is packed with ten songs filled with reverb-drenched guitars, rushing 808s, and haunting, yet mesmerizing vocals.

Previous singles on the album have been described by critics as evocative and deeply human, driven by themes of grief, isolation, ecstatic release, and the darker corners of the subconscious.“Burn In Heaven” showcases TRAITRS’ signature blend of atmospheric synths, driving rhythms, and emotionally charged lyrics. The song delivers a powerful and anthemic sound that marks a bold evolution in the band's sonic landscape. 

A melancholic meditation wrapped in gothic electronics, "i was ill, you were wrong" finds TRAITRS exploring their most vulnerable terrain to date. It is a track that holds the listener close in the cold, balancing raw intimacy with a sweeping cinematic scale. The single deepens the duo’s position as essential voices within modern post punk.

“Dream Drowning” evokes a sense of urgency with its thought-provoking lyrics. On the captivating new track, TRAITRS aim to analyze the meanings and emotions behind their dreams. Showcasing the horrors of everyday life on an endless loop, the Canadian duo create a track shrouded in mystery.

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Scarlett Macfarlane - Immortal.

Scarlett Macfarlane returns with “Immortal,” a powerful and defiant pop-rock single built around themes of resilience, self-worth, and inner strength. Written as an empowering anthem, the song embraces the idea that while life’s challenges may knock us down, something essential within us remains unbreakable.

“I wanted to write a song that made you feel empowered and inspired,” Scarlett explains. “A song that made you want to put a fist in the air. A song that reminded you of your own strength and fortitude.” For Scarlett, immortality isn’t about living forever in a literal sense, but about the endurance of identity and creation. The idea that what we make and who we are continues long after moments of struggle pass. “Our essence is ultimately unkillable,” she says. “We have this crazy inner fortitude to come back swinging.”

The concept of immortality has long resonated with Scarlett, shaping both the song’s title and its central message. The track leans into bold, arena-ready energy, combining modern pop production with classic rock foundations to create something designed to feel larger than life. “Who comes out the gate with an arena-ready song and sings about all of us being immortal?” she laughs.

The song came together quickly, written during an unexpected moment of inspiration while waiting at the gym. Realizing she didn’t yet have a song in her catalogue that matched the empowering energy she gravitated toward while working out, Scarlett set out to write one herself. The recording process with Grammy-winning producer Scott Jacoby helped bring that vision fully into focus, particularly when the chorus was reworked to drop into half-time, giving it the impact she had imagined from the beginning. “I wanted that sort of Queen ‘We Will Rock You’ impact,” she says. “When we made that change, the chorus really landed the way I always imagined.”

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Vision Impact Photography

Hector Gannet - Seven Signs.

Hector Gannet released their new single “Seven Signs” on Friday, ahead of their third record which is expected to arrive in the autumn of 2026. The band are currently in Austin, Texas for SXSW, adding to their live history with Elbow, Sam Fender and Richard Thompson.

Hector Gannet’s emotive sounds have been praised by music lovers from Chris Packham to Sam Fender and acclaimed as “North Shields’ answer to Crazy Horse” (Uncut Magazine). This reception is now justified by new single “Seven Signs”, a rousing soul sermon which blends the group’s North Eastern heart with touches of Dexy’s, Style Council-period Paul Weller and a bit of the Boss.

The single’s soulful power is there in the sweet brass parts, arranged by North Shields-resident US brass expert Jason Holcomb, who has worked with Ohio soul supremos The O’Jays. But where Hector Gannet’s music is anchored in past rock and pop classicism, the words take it somewhere else – towards a wonderfully literate Tyneside modernism. The song opens with a wheezing Gabriel relocated to the edge of Springsteen’s Born To Run, “Pulling at the feathers / Underneath his motorcycle vest.” The narrative then builds to a widescreen consideration of class, moral responsibility and redemption. A hoped-for state of grace comes “one revelation at a time”.

“Seven Signs is about the God Complex,” says lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Aaron Duff. “And how those suffering from it seem to actually believe in their powers. I used a lot of Biblical references with the lyrics, which informs the vocal delivery and leans into the soulful drive we ended up with. The first time I heard the horns I just couldn’t help shouting 'Dexy’s!’ Jason [the brass arranger] really hit the nail on the head there.”

Hector Gannet · Seven Signs

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TRAITRS - AVES - Wormstew - Re Mattei - Sara Hugelshofer - Matthew C. Whitaker

TRAITRS - Dream Drowning.

Toronto-based coldwave duo TRAITRS present their final single before the release of their tertiary album, Possessor. The new goth-horror track “Dream Drowning” is now available on all major streaming platforms. An intricate blend of analog horror, heartthrobbing drum beats, and haunting synths, “Dream Drowning” evokes a sense of urgency with its thought-provoking lyrics. On the captivating new track, TRAITRS aim to analyze the meanings and emotions behind their dreams. Showcasing the horrors of everyday life on an endless loop, the Canadian duo create a track shrouded in mystery.

As avid connoisseurs of post-punk and coldwave, TRAITRS are turning heads with their entrancing soundscapes that penetrate deep. Keeping the spirit of The Cure, Joy Division, or New Order alive, TRAITRS have mesmerized audiences with their electrifying performances and uniquely elevating sound.

With their cinematic blend of horror-based imagery, anthemic choruses, motorik drum loops, atmospheric synths and angular guitars, Canadian cold wave duo TRAITRS stare unflinchingly at our dystopian present while paying homage to artists from the post-punk past. In the decade since their debut record to now, the Toronto-based TRAITRS went from bedroom artists selling cassette tapes on a small boutique record label to accumulating millions of streams worldwide and performing hundreds of shows on massive stages across multiple continents.

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AVES - Justice (feat. IkeN).

Few Finnish groups sound as effortlessly international as Helsinki-based AVES – and even fewer do so with such a meticulous producer's touch. Operating since 2011, Aves has evolved from a band into a music collective where the combination of creators is the idea itself: songs may originate from different members, but they are jointly finalized into carefully selected, polished releases.

The group, originally founded by Antti Ojala, Eino Anttila, and Joonas Hakava, has grown into a music collective with the addition of Alpo Nummelin, Elias Durac, and Markus Perttula. In the collective, the combination of creators is the idea itself: tracks can start from various sources, but they are jointly finalized into carefully selected, polished songs.

The now-released single, Justice, encapsulates the collective's current core: the production can be grand and polished, but it doesn't have to be sterile. It is carefully constructed pop music where the indie background is audible in the details and the warm, human touch. The melancholic pop gem sounds like its creators, not just "ready-made."

The single features Kenyan vocalist IkeN (Ike Ngala), a rising alternative R&B and pop artist based in Britain, whose deep interpretation provides the track with its bright core. At the same time, the collaboration highlights Aves' approach, where guest artists are not an exception but a natural part of the collective's way of writing and finalizing songs.

AVES · Justice (feat. IkeN)

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Wormstew - Spinning.

While Wormstew has existed in various forms, all fronted by LA pop scene fixture Mike Schnee, for years, the band –in its definitive new lineup including bassist/vocalist Teresa Cowles (EZ Tiger, Dragster Barbie, Evie Sands) and drummer/vocalist/producer Michael Simmons (of sparkle*jets u.k. and solo renown) consider their new material their “proper” debut. The band's live shows and prior singles and EPs, as well as Schnee's ongoing surrealist comedy work as his alter ego Chissum Worthington, have earned them a loyal local following, and the strength of their recent songs along with the deftly detailed touch of Simmons as a producer have resulted in an album, Last Days Of Loma, that demands a broader audience. The giddy hooks, winning wordplay and ace harmonies of “Spinning” are the perfect introduction. 

Galloping in on a shuffling beat and an instantly-memorable organ riff, “Spinning” brings a smile right away, especially when Schnee starts singing. The wit of the lyrics and the glee of his delivery simply radiate off of the track, and when Cowles and Simmons join in for the immaculate harmonies of the chorus, the track lifts off into the AM Gold stratosphere. It wouldn't do to say that Wormstew has gotten more “mature” in comparison to their early work: the humor may be more understated and the reasons for Schnee's citation of Neil Young, McCartney and Paul Simon as influences are evident, but there's more than a touch of the childlike enthusiasm of Jonathan Richman and the playfulness of Ween on display, too. 

“I wrote this entire song—everything except the lyrics—years ago: the chords, rhythm, and melody. I couldn’t think of anything to sing about, but I also knew I didn’t want to change a single note. I wanted every syllable to stay exactly as I had 'scat-sung' it on the demo,” says Schnee. “Years later, on a road trip to Lone Pine with Teresa, I finally found the subject matter. As a bonus, I somehow managed to find a real word for every single 'da' I had sung.” Everything gels on the resulting track and it's an ideal jumping-on point for new fans, who can expect the breezy production and warm humor to inform every track on the new album, even as the songs touch on topics from grief, aging, the drive to be a better person and even the characters of the classic movie Jaws.

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Re Mattei - It's A Love Thing.

Re Mattei delivers “It’s A Love Thing,” a warm, soul-stirring single that strips romance down to its truest form. No flash. No status symbols. No polish for polish’s sake. Just the kind of love that hits you in the chest and stays there.

Written by Re Mattei and Courtney Bach, “It’s A Love Thing” is a love song for grown hearts. Sonically, the track glides with effortless confidence—rooted in country and Americana, but elevated by Mattei’s sultry, soulful delivery and a band that knows when to lean in and when to let the song breathe. The result is intimate, timeless, and deeply human.

“I wrote ‘It’s A Love Thing’ because real love isn’t about appearances or what’s sitting in the driveway. It’s not about horsepower or polish—it’s about feeling your heart race when you look in their eyes for the first time and you know they’re the one.” — Re Mattei

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Sara Hugelshofer - Hoffnung.

“Hoffnung” means "hope" – and that's what we need more than ever these days. Winterthur/CH-based art-pop and neoclassical artist Sara Hugelshofer has given it a musical form, together with renowned musician Lisa Oribasi, who produced the single.

Following around 300 plays of her previous release—mostly on international indie radio—a new “art-pop song with soul,” as Sara Hugelshofer describes her sound, is now being released. The first musical sketches for “Hoffnung” were created at the piano during the pandemic. In a time of isolation and inner unrest, the melody became a quiet companion in uncertain moments—and at the same time, an expression of optimism. With the later development of lyrics and production, it grew into a song that today, in a world shaped by uncertainty, conveys a subtle but powerful message of hope and trust.

Sara Hugelshofer spent more than two decades as a classically trained soprano performing on opera and concert stages in Switzerland and Germany. She embodied numerous roles—from the spirited Csárdásfürstin to the ethereal Eurydike—and touched her audiences with expression, presence, and a voice that fills spaces.

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Matthew C. Whitaker - Songs for the Weary (Album).

Renowned Manchester-based musician Matthew C. Whitaker has just finished ‘Songs for the Weary’, a soothing and introspective miniature album designed for those seeking rest.

Following his 2016 record ‘Man With the Anvil Hat’, Whitaker dedicated the following years to recording and touring extensively across the UK and Europe with HENGE, releasing four albums of high-energy, rave-infused prog. In contrast, ‘Songs for the Weary’ offers a serene listening experience - eight gentle compositions featuring subtly intricate harmony, delicate classical guitar, and warm instrumentation.

October 2025 marked the release of debut single “Lucid Dreamer” - a lush, cinematic composition that weaves sweeping strings, nostalgic melodies, and electronic textures into a spellbinding whole. The music finds its visual counterpart in a hypnotic video directed by acclaimed artist Antony Barkworth-Knight. Filmed at Manchester’s Supermassive visual installation, the piece brings Whitaker’s vision to life with breathtaking, ethereal detail.

Co-produced and arranged in collaboration with longtime friend and neighbor Alan Keary (Shunya), the album weaves Whitaker’s compositions with lush string arrangements and subtle electronic elements. The project also features an impressive lineup of guest musicians, including Alabaster DePlume, Rob Turner (GoGo Penguin, Mammal Hands, Elf Traps), Liviu George (Matt Halsall, Elf Traps), as well as his HENGE bandmates Roy Medhurst, Pete Turner, and Sam Draper.

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Traitrs - C Douglas - Gina Marie and the Golden Bucks

Traitrs - I Was Ill, You Were Wrong.

Following their comeback after a near four-year hiatus with September's explosive single "Burn In Heaven," Toronto coldwave duo Traitrs return with their new single "I was ill, you were wrong," available now. The track arrives alongside the announcement of their highly anticipated fourth album Possessor, set for release on Friday 13th March 2026. 

A melancholic meditation wrapped in gothic electronics, "I was ill, you were wrong” finds Traitrs exploring their most vulnerable terrain yet. Echoing synths create a haunting foundation as guitars surge forward, while brooding vocals howl through the darkness like spectres—channeling the emotional weight of The Cure's most introspective moments. It's a track that holds you close in the cold, balancing raw intimacy with cinematic sweep, and further establishing TRAITRS as essential voices in modern post-punk.

The track confronts humanity's most universal truth: our collective denial of mortality. Exploring how we construct purpose and seek distractions to navigate the daily existence of living, the song examines the psychological defense mechanisms we employ to avoid confronting death—the one thing that unites us all. It's about the fear of being alone, the illusion of "tomorrow," and how a single moment can shatter our carefully maintained bubbles of denial.

"I felt that song connected me to everything and everyone, it's the one thing we all share and have in common," explains vocalist and guitarist Shawn Tucker. "It's also a wake up call to live the life you want to live, we only have one chance at this so go dance in the rain." 

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C Douglas - Around The Corner.

A heartfelt reminder to live in the moment and hold onto what matters most. C Douglas unveils his latest single, “Around The Corner,” a reflective and uplifting track about making the most of life and embracing the present. The song explores themes of mindfulness and gratitude, urging the people listening to not take others and the moments they’ve cherished for granted.

Recorded in Hull with acclaimed producer Steve Cobby of Fila Brazillia, the collaboration marks a fresh turning point for C Douglas in his creativity, Known for his genre-blending, instrumental work, Cobby brings an extra DIY-esq energy and fearless experimentation to the studio.

C Douglas said: “He really opened my eyes and gave me confidence in this new direction, his approach made me realise my music was in the right hands.”

As the song lyrics tell us “One day, this will all end. It always does.” “You don’t know what’s around the corner. You keep moving forwards.”

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Gina Marie and the Golden Bucks - Snake Around.
 
Gina DeGregorio (Gina Marie) is currently performing on the high seas whilst a series of singles from the Gina Marie and the Golden Bucks album 'Pastures of Plenty' are underway. Some words from Gina regarding her current situation: "I am performing in 'The Lincoln Park Supper Club' on the New Icon class ship 'Star of the Seas' with Royal Caribbean International. The show is based on 1930's Chicago Jazz and the cabaret experience is based on the supper clubs and historic rooms I am featured in at home. I was the first Chicago local selected to be featured for the room."

If the name “Pastures of Plenty” conjures memories of the dust bowl balladeer, it is meant to. The album and title track are an intended homage to the life, times, and trials of the American working experience. Chicago-born drummer and songstress Gina Marie DeGregorio has spent 6 years crossing the United States collecting sounds and songs from the rural and industrial past. The result is a curative experience showcasing the full breadth of Americana held together by Gina Marie’s earthy vocal delivery.

​"The Golden Bucks" are a Chicago-based Americana project that blends the most iconic sounds of the American music experience. They choose a mix of Western Swing, Blues, Old Country, Rockabilly, Early Jazz, and Folk from the 20's through the early 60's. The result is a mix of the most pivotal musical influences from the American soundscape.

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