Scorie - Ben Chapman - Eric Gabriel - Simone White - Lottie McLeod - Licorice Chamber - The Great Emu War Casualties

Scorie - Room Full of Gangsters.

The new single from French outfit Scorie "Room Full of Gangsters," is released this week. This new track heralds the release of the band's first 5-track EP, "Gallodrome," arriving on April 24th via Géographie. Room Full Of Gangsters, like an epic Western Spaghetti, tells the advent of an end, and glorifies human vice in order to ridicule it. This track is first and foremost a tale of self-awareness, through some sort of Death Row, where redemption does not exist. It’s the story of a monster whose epiphany occurs only when he ends up surrounded by his peers. 

This Purgatory’s waiting room, orchestrated by a burning crescendo, where trumpets rub against screams and punkish dirt, explores the classic theme of the last day of a condemned man, who fights his true nature to finally accept who he is, a preacher thirsting for decadence, a shabby, sweat-smelling Tony Montana, a lost sheep dreaming of being the Big Bad Wolf.

Scorie is a beef bourguignon where the red wine has been replaced by two bottles of  cognac. It’s a sunset drive with one wheel missing. It’s a tank top in the dead of winter and a  100% polyester turtleneck in the middle of a heatwave. After more than a year of meticulous distillation, the band is set to release their first 5-tracks  EP “Gallodrome” on Géographie. 

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Photo - Aubrey Wise

Ben Chapman - Everything’s Different.

Last year brought profound change for Nashville-based roots rocker Ben Chapman. Within ten months, he learned that his then girlfriend fellow singer-songwriter Meg McRee — was pregnant, they married in the spring, and welcomed their first child in September. It’s no surprise, then, that the phrase “Everything’s Different” were the words that defined their 2025. Now, today Chapman is officially entering a new era and releasing his first single of the new year titled “Everything’s Different” via Soundly Music. Written by Chapman, McRee and Bryan Simpson the homespun track finds Chapman reflecting on the passage of time over an ageless Southern rock sonic landscape with jangling keys, resonant organ and Chapman’s signature fluid guitar playing.

It was also recently announced that Chapman is featured in the 2026 music documentary Ten Year Town, which follows nine Nashville singer/songwriters across a pivotal stretch of their lives. The film celebrated its world premiere earlier this month at the Belcourt Theatre, and tonight Chapman will put on his first Peach Jam show of 2026 at the Basement East featuring other artists from the film including Brit Taylor, Gabe Lee, Chris Canterbury and more. 

“In a way this song was kind of a self fulfilling prophecy,” Chapman explains. “When we wrote it, the hurricane that was approaching my life hadn’t hit just yet, but just a few short months later we were expecting a baby and getting married. Even though 2025 changed everything, sometimes I still feel like the same kid trying to navigate it all. I love the way a song can grow in meaning long after the day it’s written, and this one definitely has.” 

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Photo - Alex SK Brown

Eric Gabriel - Lucky Day Roadrunner.

On a day off from tour in Phoenix, AZ, a curious stranger gestured toward Eric Gabriel from across the street. Following the direction of her finger, Gabriel saw the roadrunner perched on a curb. Remarking that they are always in motion, the binocular-clad woman said, “It must be your lucky day.”  

Fittingly, the NYC native's sophomore effort 'Lucky Day Roadrunner' is about the odd and meaningful connections found by taking a minute to look around or follow the directions of a friendly stranger. And it was a lucky day. Not just because he had never seen a roadrunner before, but also because the stranger shared her excitement, creating a collective experience and a new meaning in Gabriel's solitary, otherwise aimless walk in an unknown city.

Compared to his first solo record, Samara (2025), the album feels a bit looser, a bit less serious, and welcomes more roughness around the edges. Full of twists and turns, dive bars and long drives, Lucky Day Roadrunner presents a cohort of characters who feel as down on their luck as they do certain their luck is about to change. After all, we often feel luckiest when we escape near tragedy, or something bad almost happens: When a car almost crashes in “Blinded by the Light” or when the boy changes his wish over a birthday candle before "blowing it" on “Looking Back.”  The songs weave in and out of truth and fantasy, childhood memories and present moments, vulnerability and a humorous deflections — all together presenting a collection of magnetic stories filled with light-hearted cynicism and bittersweet nostalgia. 

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Simone White - Blueprint.

For her latest act, White conjures a curious baroque-pop composition that is as engaging as it is enigmatic. Reminiscent of complex, non-linear outings of Laurie Andersen, Agnes Obel, or Aldous Harding “Blueprint” finds White's gossamer vocal enveloped by dancing string arrangements by neoclassical minimalist composer Brent Arnold. 

A song that asks as many questions as it ever gives answers, “Blueprint” deconstructs urban settings familiar to all of us and unravels their existential mechanics, line by line. “How much do you think it weighs? Is it possible to learn from within the maze?” she wonders here. The single is accompanied by an official video, which is directed by Mark Benjamin. Layered, gliding and hypnotic, it lulls the viewer into a thoughtful reverie. 

“Blueprint” is taken from Simone White’s forthcoming album ‘Letter To The Last Generation’, available on CD + Digitally on 1st May 2026 (via Ghost Palace / Cargo). Something of a lost album, ‘Letter To The Last Generation’ has floated around the internet for some years. Lost in the twilight period of those first few weeks of the pandemic as the world readjusted to a new era, the album received an extremely limited vinyl release, before disappearing into the ether. With the majority of its tracks written and recorded in the weeks before White made a major move from LA to NYC, ‘Letter to the Last Generation’ feels like a collage from an artist in a restless, transitory state.

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Photo - Carrie McLeod

Lottie McLeod - Important To You.

Magan-djin/Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Lottie McLeod who has quickly built a reputation for atmospheres and lyrics that connect and resonate deeply, tapping into art's ability to comfort and even quietly heal wounds this week shares 'Important To You', a song that dives into the complexity of "setting boundaries for your own preservation", especially when both parties are struggling. 

Released following the recent announcement of her signing to ABC Music, joining labelmates Emily Wurramara, Playlunch, Flynn Gurry and more, 'Important To You' and its bayside black-and-white visualiser is the first new music from Lottie since her critically beloved debut EP Bug (2025) and live performance for triple j's 50th birthday. With the single marking a maturation in sound and perspective for the young artist, 'Important To You' is out now via ABC Music.

On 'Important To You', Lottie McLeod's initially soft but assured vocals carry grief, regret and determination across low-slung guitar and a bed of plaintive, stare-out-over-the-sea indie/alt-folk instrumentation that builds with fuzzed-out guitar, McLeod's increasingly resolute voice and splashy drums to a spontaneous scream of release in the track's dense, noisy outro.

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Licorice Chamber - Remnants (EP).

Led by goth siren Layla Reyna, darkwave / goth rock quartet Licorice Chamber from Tacoma, Washington, have just released their new Remnants EP (24 February 2026), ahead of a string of US West Coast live dates. Remnants is Licorice Chamber’s third EP since forming in 2021, and the first to feature new drummer Cory Sorrentino in place of the drum machine: joining guitarist Marc Jones (also a former member of Strap On Halo), and bassist Joe Fox. Discussing the themes explored by the new three-song Remnants EP, Layla Reyna says:

“The EP title Remnants suggests aftermath, what survives destruction. Rather than romanticizing despair, the songs feel like they’re exploring what’s left when illusions fall away. ‘Heavy’ explores the invisible weight of self-condemnation and the lasting impact of what we carry in silence.

With ‘Never the Same’, I was thinking about that moment when you realize there’s no going back and that something changes you permanently. Its origin is a dream I had that tasted like falling — the idea behind my first EP, and what ultimately convinced me to start Licorice Chamber. ‘Feign’ explores the armor we wear. The ways we perform strength when we’re actually unraveling.”

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The Great Emu War Casualties - Wanna See You.

'Wanna See You’ (out Friday, February 27), the second single from The Great Emu War Casualties upcoming debut album, ‘Public Sweetheart No.1' (out Friday, March 27), is a slice of everyday happiness in the band's otherwise cathartic and emotional repertoire. 

Following on from their earlier single this year ‘Donut’, ‘Wanna See You’ is proof that the band can write a happy song - if they choose to. Their previous three EPs sing to broken hearts, existential reflections, and candid commentary on life, but as the band moves into album territory, ‘Wanna See You’ breaks up that anxiety and reminds us that life can still be ok. Joe Jackson shares:

“Wanna See You is proof that I can write a happier song and just choose not to 95% of the time. It’s actually not that happy is it? It’s a simple song about the fact that I wanna see you every time you call and sometimes that’s all you need.” 

Even for their ‘happy song’, The Great Emu War Casualties have demonstrated their skill in contrast, combining the light and the dark through their bleak but evocative imagery, and bright, spirited musicality. Continuing with their sharp and observant lyricism, ‘Wanna See You’ explores that feeling of wanting to see someone when they call. 

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Joe Pernice ft. Aimee Mann - Bea Elmy Martin - The Foot & Leg Clinic - The Green Apple Sea - Fur Blossom - Chloe Violette - St.Arnaud

 Photo - Colleen Nichollson

Joe Pernice - Deep Into the Dawn (ft. Aimee Mann).

Joe Pernice of the Pernice Brothers and Scud Mountain Boys will release his debut solo studio album Sunny, I Was Wrong on April 3, 2026 via New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by Pernice and features Aimee Mann, Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub. Rodney Crowell, Jimmy Webb, and includes liner notes written by Warren Zanes (author of Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska). Pernice is also joined by Jim Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies, Mike Belitsky of The Sadies, Mike Evin, and Mike McKenzie as his backing band across the album. Sunny, I Was Wrong follows the 2024 Pernice Brothers album Who Will You Believe. 

This week, Pernice shared the album highlight “Deep Into the Dawn (ft. Aimee Mann).” He says, “Of all of the recordings I have ever made, this is my favorite. The musicians played beautifully and what can I say about Aimee Mann’s singing? As I was writing the song I had her voice in mind. I’ve said a lot already about her greatness as a songwriter, musician and performer. She’s a legit hero of mine. Obviously, I was pretty stoked when she agreed to sing with me. And she sang perfectly. I’m so pleased with how the song turned out. I’m almost able to listen to it as if it were not mine. Almost.” Pernice previously shared the album’s first single, “The Black and the Blue” as well. 
  
For the past 30 years, Joe Pernice has crafted a remarkable catalog that boldly reinterprets and recasts classic American pop. First with the alt-country legends Scud Mountain Boys and then with the indie-pop mainstays Pernice Brothers, he has etched bittersweet stories out of songs that echo Jimmy Webb, Burt Bacharach, and Paul Williams. Instead of the Pernice Brothers moniker, he emerges as a solo artist with Sunny, I Was Wrong, his first studio album under his own name (after two solo efforts home-recorded and self-released during the pandemic in 2020: Richard and the Barry Manilow tribute Could It Be Magic).  “It was always just me and other people, but in this case there’s almost none of those other people. My brother Bob sings one vocal and Patrick Berkery plays one drum track. They’re the only two left who I was playing with regularly. It felt like it was time to move on.”

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Bea Elmy Martin - Anouk.

Bea Elmy Martin is quietly carving out a vital space within the UK alternative landscape. London born and bred, her music is defined by emotional precision, blending ethereal vocals, orchestral intimacy and brooding electronics. Raised on the sounds of classic soul artists like Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway, Bea developed an early understanding of melody and feeling, using songwriting as a way to process life, love and loss from a young age. She describes songwriting as her journal, a way of breaking overwhelming emotions into something tangible and manageable, allowing moments of beauty, pain and connection to surface gently rather than being forced.

After the release of her 2021 debut single “Blue Escape”, which earned early BBC tastemaker support from Jack Saunders and Lauren Laverne, Bea began a slow, intentional creative journey alongside her producer Dominick J Goldsmith (HÆLOS). That collaboration led to Under The Yew (Vol. 1), released in May 2025, a luminous, grief-to-beauty infused meditation on loss and renewal. Rather than chasing momentum, Bea allowed the work to unfold over time, sustaining its emotional thread through subsequent singles “Lost” and “Born To Fly” from Under The Yew (Vol. 2), before returning in January 2026 with “Unscarred" a track that continued her exploration of transformation and inner strength.

Her new single “Anouk”, offers one of her most intimate moments yet. Written about her best friend, whom she met at university, the song evolved slowly as their relationship changed and deepened over time. “Anouk is a song I wrote about my best friend,” Bea explains. “While recording it, we were living on opposite sides of London, which was challenging at times, but we made it work. Because the song is about someone I love very deeply, every session I felt a push to make it sound more and more ethereal because she is so special to me.” The track became one she revisited more than any other, its structure and feeling shifting alongside the friendship itself. “In a way, the song moved alongside our friendship as it grew and changed. Going back into a song multiple times doesn’t mean you lack intention. Sometimes it’s exactly what a song needs.”

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The Foot & Leg Clinic - Where did all the fruit go?

Glasgow wonk-rockers The Foot & Leg Clinic (fka The Wife Guys of Reddit) return with Sit Down for Rock and Roll (released March 13th via Bingo Records), a raucous, restless and unexpectedly tender debut album led by the urgent new single ‘Where did all the fruit go?’. The Foot & Leg Clinic — Niamh R MacPhail, Arion Xenos, Angus Fernie and Elise Atkinson arrive at this album following what MacPhail describes as “a bit of a shiter the past couple years.” Written and recorded across illness, close bereavements, and a year-long break from live shows, Sit Down for Rock and Roll is the sound of a band forced to slow down and discovering they benefit from it.

With a new name and a deliberately slower creative process, the album marks a clear turning point for the band, grappling with adaptation — personal, societal, and bodily using humour, surreal imagery, and sharp hook. “We were kind of forced to work at a slower pace,” says MacPhail, “but probably for the better of the final product.” Xenos agrees: “It still feels eclectic, but it’s a little bit more focused. We definitely thought about this as an album project when working on it, as opposed to other things before.”

The lead single ‘Where did all the fruit go?’ distills generational unease into a deceptively simple question: “I’ve got nothing to show”. Breathless, hook-heavy and charged with live energy, it’s one of the band’s most immediate and relatable songs to date, pairing jangling urgency with a chorus that lingers long after the last note. “It’s about getting to a point in your life where you thought you’d have a bit more to show for it,” says MacPhail. “To find that you don't.”

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The Green Apple Sea - dark kid (Album).

The theme running through the episodes on the album "Dark Kid" is Stefan Prange's not always easy childhood and adolescence. The fact that his stepfather nicknamed his father "Satan" only seems a bit strange in retrospect. The fact that his stepbrothers chained him to a stair railing with a bicycle lock when no one else felt like watching him might seem a bit cruel in hindsight. But for 10-year-old Prange, it was nothing out of the ordinary. When he tells these stories and sings lines like "I wasn't afraid to die, I was just waiting to die," it's meant with the same pragmatic naiveté with which the protagonist, "Dark Kid," accepts his surroundings.

"Dark Kid" isn't about making the audience feel childhood trauma or depression. It's about transforming sadness into melancholy, bitterness into a shrug, anger into an outstretched hand. The resulting folk songs are so smooth and gentle, so utterly timeless. The term "indie" is only used because The Green Apple Sea have always played in small clubs, stoically carrying on. They were one of the first bands to make this distinctly American music here in Germany. Long before the hype and long after.

The album titled "Dark Kid" doesn't try to impose itself, but Prange can sing the songs on it hundreds of times without ever growing tired of them. The stories hidden within can be told countless times. As a listener, you can hear the songs a hundred times, discovering small, loving details and finding new meaning in individual lyrics. (We know this because we already have.) The tracks on "Dark Kid" are episodic, like a new season of a TV series. But if "Dark Kid" is a season of "The Green Apple Sea," then the series is rather old-fashioned. One in which the heroine sends a demon back to hell in every single episode. One in which she ends up holding a hand, or strolling in a sunset, or—best of all—laughing with her friends. The Green Apple Sea distills all the album's stories down to a single sentence in the final song. It's a quote from Terence McKenna: "Oh, I know this now. It's all about love. Making someone else's life a little bit better." Freeze frame, end credits.

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Fur Blossom - Goldsmith.

Coming back out of the haze, Melbourne’s Fur Blossom are fronting the evolution revolution with their latest single ‘Goldsmith’, out Friday, February 20. In 2025, Fur Blossom released their debut EP ‘The She Said Sun EP’, a kaleidoscopic exploration of psychedelic rock. Following up with a regional Victorian tour, the four-piece band have taken to the scene with an unrelenting ferocity. This year will see the band make their festival debut, first at Mordi Festival (Melbourne), then in Tasmania this March at Good Gumnuts Festival, before heading up the East Coast in support of their new single ‘Goldsmith’.

Combining classic elements from the pioneers of the 60s and 70s, and the sleek modernness of the 21st century, ‘Goldsmith’ is a zeitgeist in its own right. Musically, it evokes the time and spirit of an era from the past, but lyrically speaks to the ageless conundrum of changing yourself for someone else, or someone from your past.  

An articulated and undulating guitar riff immediately sets the tone for the slow burn of the extended introduction. The subtle fade in of each instrument creates a false sense of security, and before you know it, you are sucked into a sonic vortex. The crisp and contemplative vocal performance from Craig Tees rises above the instrumentation, before fading back in the chorus, creating depth and dimension to allow every part of the arrangement to speak and demand attention. 

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Photo - Emily Dynes

Chloe Violette - Colourfast.

‘Colourfast’ is made to last. A musical narrative of resilience and reflection, ‘Colourfast’ by Chloe Violette is set for release on Friday, February 20. An artist unafraid to champion topics such as mental health, grief, and claiming space, Chloe blends atmospheric soundscapes with captivating honesty in an indie pop and folk style on her upcoming album.
 
Originally shaped between inner-city Melbourne (Naarm) and regional Victoria on Brataualung Country, ‘Colourfast’ traces Chloe’s shift from city life to small-town living. Swapping the No. 11 tram to West Preston for long V/Line journeys, the now Gippsland-based artist captures a recalibration of pace, place, and identity through songs balancing heartache and hope.
 
‘Colourfast’ is an album born out of lockdown, reflecting Chloe’s inner and outer worlds at a time when motivation felt fragile. It explores themes of monotony, heaviness, and hope, tracing a contrasting emotional journey alongside the sweet, simple moments of humanity.
 
Traces of optimism emerge in the title track ‘Colourfast’, which centres on endurance and forward movement. The lyrics chart a story of graduated resilience, while the music weaves folky acoustic guitars, buttery piano, steadfast rhythms, and subtle harmonies.

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St.Arnaud - Midwest Superstardom. 

St.Arnaud, the indie pop project of Ian St.Arnaud, is set to release "Midwest Superstardom," another insight into their upcoming album, St.Arnaud, due out April 10th, 2026 via Cordova Bay Records. The single arrives February 20th alongside two additional tracks, "Blue Paper" and the already-released "Love You! (For Real)."

The title track chronicles the slow-motion fade of a road warrior who's equal parts delusional and self-aware, chasing the sunset of a forgettable career with a grin still plastered on their face. Built on swaggering, country-soaked instrumentation that explodes into full-throated Americana anthemics, "Midwest Superstardom" asks the question every gigging musician secretly contemplates: "What if the best we can hope for is to be the local touring band? Is that so bad? Are we making it?"

Ian expands on the core concept: "This was an old idea that grew quickly in the fertile soil of a band under pressure in the studio. The question of 'what if the best we can hope for as musicians is to be the local touring band?' wasn't a tough sell of an idea for anyone in the room to reckon with." While maintaining St.Arnaud's signature indie sensibility, the track is part honky-tonk heartbreak, part arena-rock bombast—all delivered with a knowing wink. Ian recalls the creative breakthrough: "After a brief, but very loud, jam of us putting on our best Alberta country band impression, we discovered a little bit of Meatloaf that we tried to lean into."

St.Arnaud · Midwest Superstardom

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Heavenly - Florence Dore - Run Remedy - Keeley - Son Little - Star Print Clad - i - Jody Glenham

Heavenly - Scene Stealing.

Yesterday  Skep Wax released a single from the imminent new album by indiepop scene-setters Heavenly. The band are now hitting 750k monthly listeners on Spotify, mostly driven by a younger fan base. 'Scene Stealing' is sweet, upbeat and danceable, but has a sting in its tail. Are online influencer demigods any more respectful of the women and girls who follow them than the dodgy men who Heavenly took aim at back in the riot grrrl punk days of 'Attagirl'? 

Heavenly are seen as the originators of a whole genre of music – known to some as ‘jangle’, others as ‘twee’ and to the band themselves as ‘indiepop’. As fiercely independent as any punk band, but as sweetly melodic as any chart-topping act, Heavenly combine sharp-edged politics with shamelessly joyful pop music.

‘Highway To Heavenly’ shares this recipe with the band’s first four albums, all of which were released in the 1990s at a time when sensitive indie types in the UK were sheltering from the prevailing macho-rock storm under the Sarah Records umbrella, and when women in the US were starting to find their Riot Grrrl voices in the small town of Olympia, where labels like K and Kill Rock Stars were designing a new creative space.

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Florence Dore - Sunset Road.

Nashville-born, Chapel Hill-based Florence Dore returns with her third album, Hold the Spark - a sharp, funny, deeply human collection that pairs rich storytelling with a killer rock band.
 
“Sunset Road,” the lead single from Hold the Spark, finds Florence Dore stepping outside herself and into character. After writing dozens of songs for the album, Dore stopped wanting to look in the mirror - the feelings were still there, but instead of turning inward, she let the characters take over. Chelsea arrived, and as the song took shape, it shed its complexity and sharpened into a lean, driving rock track. By shifting the focus from artist to character, the story snapped into focus, with the truth bent just enough in service of a better song.

A songwriter with the narrative bite of James McMurtry and the melodic instincts of Lucinda Williams, Dore delivers her strongest collection to date, rich storytelling wrapped in emotional vocals and backed by a killer rock band. The songs span the spectrum, from a tear-jerking love song for her daughter to a hilarious, Stooges-leaning rocker skewering academic meetings, alongside reflections on missed romance and mortality that recall the sharp insight of Aimee Mann.
 
Produced by Don Dixon (R.E.M.) and mixed by Paul Voran (Bon Iver, Nathaniel Rateliff, Waxahatchee), Hold the Spark features an all-star cast of Americana greats including Jason Wilber (John Prine) and Chris Masterson (The Wallflowers, Steve Earle & the Dukes) on guitars, with husband Will Rigby (Steve Earle & the Dukes, The dB’s) on drums, plus guest appearances from Mitch Easter (Let's Active), Libby Rodenbough (Mipso), Robert Sledge (Ben Folds Five), Kelly Pratt (Father John Misty), and Eleanor Whitmore (Elvis Costello, Steve Earle & the Dukes).

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Run Remedy - Jessie's Girl.

Alt-pop artist Run Remedy has turned Rick Springfield’s iconic 1981 hit Jessie’s Girl into a soft-girl, sapphic daydream. Released today, the warm and witty cover version gives an updated perspective on the song, with lush instrumentation, playful key changes and a queer spin. Run Remedy transforms the classic yearning of the original into a fresh, intimate narrative while honoring its timeless emotional core.

“I swear if I’m back home driving around South Jersey, ‘Jessie’s Girl’ will come on within the hour (shout out 95.1WAYV),” says Run Remedy, the alter ego of Manchester based American born songwriter Robin Koob. “It’s been stuck in my head my whole life. That level of cringey yearning is timeless, so obviously I had to make my own sapphic spinoff.”

In her reinterpretation, all the characters are women, flipping the song’s original perspective into a queer, tender slow-burn - one that feels equal parts playful pop maximalism and masterful musicianship. She swaps the guitar solo for a banjo, changes the key twice no less, and reinvigorates the song’s lyrics with playful sapphic twists - all while preserving that iconic riff that music fans know and love.

“The original video is pure camp, so I basically Weird Al’d it with rainbow kids,” Run Remedy explains. “We recreated almost every shot in one day, gorilla-shooting around Manchester, spared my bathroom mirror, and ended the day passing around the wig. Everyone looked better in it than I did, which feels correct.”

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Keeley - Crossing Lands.

Dreamrock trio Keeley, fronted by Dublin-born singer-guitarist Keeley Moss, are thrilled to present “Crossing Lands” from their forthcoming album ‘Girl On The Edge Of The World’ which lands February 20 via Definitive Gaze.

The new track is just one example of the stylistic diversity that threads its way across their new release, driven by a scratchy punk-funk beat that recalls the post-punk heyday of 1981, while retaining the dreampop elements the band has become known for since their debut ‘Floating Above Everything Else’ in 2023.

“Crossing Lands” is an elegy to the vibrancy of youth and wanderlust, incorporating travel themes and the yearning to explore. The song’s visual counterpart is a video shot entirely using vintage VHS techniques. Filmed and edited in Scotland by Glasgow-based film-maker and photographer Laura Meek, the clip captures the kinetic thrill of forward motion and daydreams. 

Moss and her Keeley bandmates Lukey Foxtrot (Bass) and Andrew Paresi (Drums, Programming) head out on a UK headline tour next week and will be showcasing tracks from the new album including recent singles “Who Wants To See The World” and “Hungry For The Prize”. 


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Photo - Jasmin Valcarcel

Son Little - Cherry.

Curiosity about his ancestry has led songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Son Little on a journey throughout the American South that has resulted in his new album, simply titled ‘Cityfolk’ (out 20 March). The West Coast-born, Northeast-bred musician finetunes his craft here and speaks for those enduring tribulations about finding their place in the world. Equal parts cosmic and carnal, on 'Cherry' Little drifts through hazy memories and half-truths, chasing that electric moment when love feels both eternal and fleeting. It’s tender, a little tipsy, and full of wonder - the sound of falling in love at light speed, knowing it might all disappear by morning. Give it a listen below.

Little, whose real name is Aaron Livingston, has sonically travelled everywhere that his songwriting and instrumentation have taken him. He’s toured with the likes of Black Pumas, Kelis and Mumford & Sons and made festival appearances at Newport Folk and Bonnaroo, melding his dedicated fanbase with mainstream listeners. On the soulful fluidity of 2020’s ‘aloha,’ the ANTI- Records act braves his way through realisations about his personal shortcomings, but endeavours to persevere through the madness. 2022’s ‘Like Neptune’ unspools Little’s time in therapy, no longer silencing his inner fire. With a catalogue that has amassed over 250 million streams, Little’s originality has embarked on a new chapter.
 
Now living outside of Atlanta, Livingston attributes the development of ‘Cityfolk’ to going even further south to record in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It was there that Little, whose past collaborations include The Roots and RJD2, connected with two-time GRAMMY-winning musician and Alabama Shakes band member Ben Tanner to flesh out sketches of songs that he’d crafted through epiphanies about his family’s roots. 

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Star Print Clad - Melanie.

Brighton (England) five-piece Star Print Clad share the new single ‘Melanie’ (Feb 12th), the first in a run of singles due throughout 2026. Blending classic 70’s rock swagger with a bubbling indie energy, the band have quickly built a name for themselves on their local scene, becoming renowned for their electric live presence and driving ambition.

Recorded and produced at Salvation Studios (Brighton) with Jake Stainer (Wet Leg, shame, David Gilmour, NewDad), ‘Melanie’ captures Star Print Clad at their most unfiltered, foregrounding emotional sincerity against a guitar-driven instrumental backdrop. Crunchy, weighty and intricately layered guitars, accented by subtle piano, locked-in drums and a grounding bassline, usher the song in with a playful, alluringly awkward groove that contrasts beautifully with the vocal’s heartfelt melancholy. While echoes of Sam Fender and Kings Of Leon are present, the songwriting blooms in the chorus before drifting into a whimsical middle eight, closing on a euphoric final refrain where the guitars swirl around the vocals with a classic-rock flourish.

Speaking about the single, the band explain: “The bones of the single were recorded as a live take with all five of us playing around in Salvation Studio’s live room. This allowed us to capture the raw edge and unfiltered energy of our live sonic profile.

During the time Melanie was being penned I’d just fallen back in love with KoL’s “Aha Shake Heartbreak”, the clash of the guitars, that rasping vocal delivery that winds as it howls until you finally arrive at Caleb’s wavering destination. That sort of attitude is what we wanted to put into this song.  We had an old Selmer and a Marshall stack set up, cut down the road for breakfast, came back, cranked it and the rest is on the record.”

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i - Often.

Los Angeles alternative rock band i return with “Often,” a deeply personal and emotionally charged single that blends grunge grit with heartfelt vulnerability. Drawing from the melodic melancholy of Alice in Chains, the emotional storytelling of Counting Crows, and the raw sincerity of Pearl Jam, “Often” stands as one of the band’s most authentic releases to date.

Originally written as a poem for his wife, vocalist Al never intended for “Often” to become a full band recording. “I originally wrote Often as a poem for my wife,” Al explains. “But when the muse sent me the melody, I sent over what I had to Paul, who then wrote the music.” What began as a private love letter evolved into a powerful alternative rock ballad rooted in devotion, resilience, and survival.

The song took on even deeper meaning in 2021, when Al’s wife was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, a rare adrenal gland cancer. After a difficult two-year battle and recovery, the band knew it was time to properly record and release “Often,” not just as a love song, but as a testament to strength through darkness.

Musically, “Often” showcases i’s eclectic influences. Clean, emotive verses bloom into soaring choruses, layered with textured guitars and a warm, analog-inspired atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and immediate. The lyrics balance simplicity and depth: “My angel has no wings - My angel loves to sing -
My angel laughs out loud - Often.”

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Jody Glenham - Love Deficiency Syndrome.

Still Here, Jody Glenham’s self-produced EP, arriving April 24, 2026, marks a new chapter in her nearly two-decade career, centering on emotional endurance and creative maturity. Moving beyond the immediacy and mood of her past work, the collection emphasizes patience and presence, weaving hazy guitars, door-chime synths, and dreamy vocals into a cohesive, timeless set of songs. Lead single “Love Deficiency Syndrome” captures the awkward optimism of post-breakup rebirth, pairing a sunlit, mid-tempo bounce with what Glenham describes as “grinning through the pain.” 

Inspired by an article Lena Dunham wrote about ending a long-term relationship, the track is full of subtle nods: the opening synth-and-guitar hook evokes a drawn-out doorbell waiting for an Uber Eats delivery, and the bridge references computer shutdowns, reflecting both the autopilot of being in a relationship and the process of becoming whole again. “We leaned into really melodramatic imagery,” Glenham says, “as a nod to how a breakup can make you feel like ‘my life is ending,’ when really… you’re going to be just fine.” The result is bittersweet yet buoyant—heartbreak reframed with a confident sense of ease and forward motion.

For nearly twenty years, Jody Glenham has been a notable presence in Canada’s independent music scene. Her 2020 album Mood Rock earned national support from CBC Radio, charted on Canadian college radio, and was considered for the Polaris Music Prize long list, while her cinematic style of indie rock has landed syncs in Netflix series including Snowpiercer, Tiny Pretty Things, and My Life with the Walter Boys. Praised by outlets like NME, Refinery29, and American Songwriter—who wrote that it’s “as if she composes music from the very elements in the air and atmosphere around us”—Glenham’s work offers listeners permission to feel deeply without despair. American Songwriter also notes that she “holds time in her palm on Still Here, an EP that cradles each song like a memory,” a fitting description for an artist whose music consistently balances cinematic sweep with intimate reflection.

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James Tonic - Railcard - ADULT. - The Imaginary Band - Julian Never

James Tonic - Safety II (Album).

James Tonic's Safety II is out now, the second chapter in his dream pop trilogy following 2025's breakout Safety. Released January 28, 2026, this seventh studio album takes the saga further, mixing dreamy vibes with real life edges.

Safety II builds on the first album's indie win (20,000 sales and a solid 60% Spotify save rate), plus the buzz from 2024's Stuck in LA and its sold out West Coast shows pulling in crowds. Early signs show strong fan love: a high pre-save rate and it's on track for 30,000–40,000 units in week one. The 9 song set pairs dark stories with light beats, using live drums, old school synths, and raw plays for that true feel missing in most tracks today. 

James Tonic is a Montreal-born artist blending hip-hop, R&B, and pop roots with soft rock and folk compositions and band instrumentation. Known for albums like Stuck in LA — produced by Chris Peden with live orchestration — and his latest Safety, he explores self-discovery, resilience, and real-life narratives through organic, unhurried sounds. Following successful tours, his work continues in a series into 2026. Beyond music, James is a tech investor building a platform for musicians to automate websites and focus on their craft. 

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Railcard - Day Dream.

Skep Wax are pleased to announce a new single and a limited edition CD album from Railcard, a brand new band featuring Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture), Ian Button (Papernut Cambridge, The Penrose Web) and Peter Momtchiloff (Heavenly, Would-be-goods). The new single, Day Dream, is a perfect indicator of the dreamy Bacharach pop that Railcard have embraced and reinvented. Rachel Love’s vocal sounds as pure as it did in Dolly Mixture.

Railcard formed in 2025 when Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture), Ian Button (Papernut Cambridge, The Penrose Web) and Peter Momtchiloff (Heavenly, Would-be-goods) discovered that they were all born within weeks of each other.  It seemed like a great reason to form a new band, so Love and Button began writing songs together, and Railcard was born. Their original ‘1962’ age limit rule was relaxed shortly afterwards when suspiciously youthful trumpeter Allison Thomson completed the line-up.

Following two limited edition download-only EPs (the first accompanied with a Railcard wallet, the second with a pair of iron-on patches) Skep Wax and Slumberland are proud to release this collection of ten songs as a CD album (release date: 6 February 2026). The seven tracks from those first two EPs are included, along with three new ones. (The fetish for merch hasn’t been overlooked: the CD comes with a useful Railcard information leaflet). 

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ADULT. - No One is Coming.

ADULT. is not cooperating. For over 25 years, the dystopian Detroit synth-punk institution founded by Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller has embodied steadfast frustration, distrust, and apprehension. One might expect the edges to soften with time, but ADULT. is not interested in the comforts of legacy. The duo’s music has never sounded as visceral, urgent, and downright angry as it does on the culminating, uncompromising Kissing Luck Goodbye, their scorched-earth 10th LP and fourth with Dais Records.

Built with upgraded gear and a whole new library of sounds, the material is crushingly dynamic, louder yet clearer, with Kuperus’ commanding delivery given greater prominence in the mix, outlining an arsenal of vivid, caustic calls, chants, and musings. Laughter, whether in the lyrics or as a possessed presence, serves as a leitmotif that speaks to the menacing absurdity of modern times. 

“No One is Coming”, the album’s lead single is a poignant, bassline-driven industrial anthem that turns feedback into melody, the track attacks inaction in the face of fascism.

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The Imaginary Band - Polka Hands.

The Imaginary Band, longtime Chilliwack, BC-based musician Andrew Christopher's latest project, steps fully into focus on their debut single, "Polka Hands." A carefree, roots-leaning indie-folk single, it celebrates intuition, creativity, and the beauty of not overthinking life's next move.

"At first, The Imaginary Band only existed vaguely in my mind," explains Christopher. "But when I wrote 'Polka Hands,' I learned to fully embrace the concept." Without a bass player at the time, he began playing a bassline on guitar, imagining exactly how it would feel once the right players arrived. "Immediately, an imaginary drummer sat behind the kit in my head, laying down a groovy but straight-ahead rock beat. Just sitting in the pocket. That's still the intro of the song."

The clarity of this vision unlocked something new; not just musically, but emotionally. Written during a lazy afternoon at a pump track while watching his son ride his bike, the lyrics came naturally and without force. "They speak of taking chances, doing hard things, accepting the reality that life is inherently complex, and that it's beautiful that way," Andrew shares. With real-life bandmates who are ever-so imaginative now filling the roles once envisioned, "Polka Hands" becomes both a song and a statement of intent. 

The title itself reinforces the song’s central message: don't overthink it. Inspired by a recent polka band performance at a friend's 40th birthday and lyrics referencing a barroom scene and a game of Texas Hold'em, the original phrase "Polka Bands & Poker Hands" was quickly distilled. "It was a bit too wordy," Andrew laughs. "So I went with 'Polka Hands' without overthinking it."

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Julian Never - Anything.

Los Angeles' Julian Never shares the third single and video from its forthcoming Everyday Is Purgation LP for Mt.St.Mtn. “'Anything' tries to hold all the things you’ve done, good and bad, and all the love you carry in one song. Repeated words that have lost meaning. So much energy wasted for little purpose, connection or insight.  Sometimes capturing a moment is enough. Maybe each time the song plays it will teach you something. 

“'Anything' is a song about a time of desperation with a brief and relevant reference to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic novel, Tender is the Night.

 “'It’s 5 o'clock in the morning. Awake again and no place to go.' The early morning sets the tone for an entire day, whether the skies are clear or opaque. 'Anything' is about the search for peace when you’re not sure if you’d recognize it. The pull toward chaos, and the strange comfort found in distortions. It’s a reflection on the patterns we return to, even when we know better. - JAE, 2026.

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Bywater Call - Cathleen Ireland - Baldy Crawlers - Kodaclips - Eileen Carey - The Clockworks

Bywater Call - Only.

Canadian Roots, Rock, and Soul band Bywater Call are excited to announce the release of their first studio single of 2026, “Only.” “Only” is a throwback to the timeless soul anthems of the 60’s and 70’s. Featuring Meghan Parnell’s signature smokey vocals and a smooth, slow groove, this losing-of-love song is a heartfelt plea to remain together, while attempting to downplay the pain of breaking up.

The emotional melody, accompanied by the rich background vocals of Joanna Mohammed (Aphrose) and Claire Davis, captures perfectly the feeling of loving more than being loved. Often transcending genres, Bywater Call is known for their dynamic, emotional live shows, featuring powerful vocals and exciting interplay between all band members.  

Reminiscent of the classic artists of the genre, but infused with modern influences such as Adele and Amy Winehouse , “Only is a simple, yet emotionally powerful tune that shows off a sweet, softer side of Meg’s usual powerhouse vocals” says guitarist and co-writer Dave Barnes. The song was recorded at Palace Studios in Toronto, captured and mixed by Patric McGroarty, and mastered by Kristian Montano of Montano Mastering.

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Cathleen Ireland - Coastin’.

Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Cathleen Ireland kicks off the new year with the January 9th release of her uplifting new single, “Coastin’.” The song is from her latest album, “In The City.”

“Coastin’” is a sunlit, groove-driven anthem rooted in gratitude, presence, and self-acceptance. Blending warm pop, soul, and coastal R&B influences, the track captures a moment of calm after the climb — when the noise fades, the shoulders drop, and joy feels both deserved and deeply felt. With breezy melodies, relaxed rhythms, and Ireland’s expressive, soulful vocal delivery, “Coastin’” invites listeners to slow down and savor where they are right now.

Lyrically, the song celebrates appreciation without pretense. Lines like “I’m thankful, grateful, I’m so blessed to be here” land not as platitudes, but as reflections shaped by experience. “Coastin’” speaks to anyone who has weathered uncertainty, pushed through doubt, and emerged on the other side with clarity and peace. It’s a reminder that fulfillment doesn’t always come from chasing what’s next — sometimes it’s found in simply being present.

The single continues Ireland’s strong creative momentum following the release of “In The City,” further showcasing her ability to balance infectious, radio-ready hooks with emotional depth and authenticity. As both a songwriter and producer, Ireland remains hands-on in shaping a sound that feels modern yet personal, polished yet human.

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Baldy Crawlers - Boy.

Following the critical acclaim of their evocative single “Bring Me a Flower,” California-based folk-Americana project Baldy Crawlers returns with a haunting new release, “Boy,” available January 9, 2026, on MTS Records. Written and produced by Martin Maudal, the track continues his unique fusion of handcrafted sound and lyrical introspection—this time delving even deeper into the abstract spaces between identity, love, and the ineffable.

“Boy” began not with an idea or image, but with a feeling. “I’m not sure I can even tell you what this song is about,” Maudal admits. “This one was music before it was words. The chords came first, and then there was that first line—‘Your back is a road, boy.’ It just stared back at me. The rest of the song followed where it wanted to go. I didn’t try to force meaning into it. I think people will have to find their own.”

That intuitive, open-ended approach gives “Boy” its haunting depth. The song unfolds like a riddle, each verse a brushstroke in a portrait that never fully reveals its subject. Over Maudal’s signature hand-built guitar tones—rich, resonant, and unmistakably organic—the arrangement gains additional dimension through the contributions of an exceptional ensemble: Elizabeth Hangan delivers a stirring and intimate lead vocal, while Norrel Thompson and Maudal himself add harmony vocals that echo like spectral companions. Marc Weller’s guitar, Carl Byron’s Hammond B3, and Ross Schodek’s bass enrich the soundscape with warmth and tension. Maudal further grounds the track’s rhythmic pulse with acoustic guitar and drums, shaping the song’s dreamlike motion with both delicacy and drive.

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Photo - Matilde Pretolesi

Kodaclips - 27.

Kodaclips re-emerge with their new single 27, a track that defines the band's evolved identity. Showcasing a revamped lineup, the song melds shoegaze-influenced vocals with a gritty post-punk instrumental attitude. Released yesterday, 27 is the first of two singles out via Ravenna-based label Bronson Recordings. Self-produced by the band, the track was recorded at Farmhouse Studio (Rimini) by Lorenzo Ricci, mixed by Andrea Volpato (Fox Recording Studio, Seattle), and mastered by Manuel Volpe (Okum Produzioni).
 
Drawing on the driving energy of post-punk legends such as Echo & the Bunnymen and Joy Division, the ethereal textures of 90s shoegaze icons (Slowdive, Lush) and its revival wave (Nothing, LSD and the Search for God), 27 introduces Kodaclips's new vocalist Linda Capuano. Her voice glides effortlessly over guitar-driven walls of sound and a pounding rhythm section, offering a fresh, dynamic impression of the band's current direction.

27 plunges the listener into a vortex of stillness, disassociation and fear of failure. It explores a distinct sense of nostalgia in a world spinning too fast to grasp. As the lyrics suggest "I feel, I’m nothing at all" even the simplest things feel unreachable, trapping the narrator in a cycle where "our days fly by."

Kodaclips is an italian shoegaze and alternative band formed in the second half of 2021 in Cesena, near Italy's northern Adriatic coast. Drawing from a wide range of individual artistic backgrounds, from psychedelia to stoner and progressive, this project successfully fuses these elements to create a distinctive sound that strongly recalls '90s aesthetics. Their shared passion for the second wave of shoegaze, particularly the italogaze movement, serves as the cohesive force behind their unique blend of melodic and experimental textures.

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Eileen Carey - This Is Where.

"This Is Where" is a reflective, uplifting breakup song about two people who outgrew each other but carried the courage, love, and lessons forward—realizing the end of their story is actually the beginning of who they’re becoming.

Eileen Carey is an award-winning country-pop singer-songwriter based in Altadena, California. Known for her infectious optimism and genre-blending sound, Carey has become a standout figure in the independent music scene, earning accolades such as the New Music Awards’ AC/Hot AC Breakthrough Artist of 2025 and the Independent Music Network’s Entertainer of the Year in 2025.

Her music, described as “West Coast Pop-Country”, is upbeat, accessible, and emotionally resonant. Carey’s singles like “Land with You” and “Good Bad Girl” have topped radio charts and earned praise for their empowering messages and danceable melodies1.

A dynamic live performer, Carey has shared stages with legends including Don McLean, Rita Coolidge, Jefferson Starship, and The Motels, captivating audiences with her “Gretchen Wilson-meets-Miranda Lambert” stage presence. Her shows are known for turning passive listeners into active participants, with line dancing, singalongs, and standing ovations. 

Eileen Carey · This is Where

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The Clockworks - Well Well Wellness.

Galway via London four piece The Clockworks kick off the new year with their introspective and tender new single ‘Well Well Wellness’ ahead of their second album ‘The Entertainment’ released on 27th March 2026 via V2 Records.

Lyrically, singer and lyricist James McGregor writes with purpose, integrity and emotion, balancing light with darkness and finding poetic intrigue in everyday life. They will release their new album ‘The Entertainment’ in March, which was largely written and recorded in isolation, and is a project that looks to isolation, loneliness and connection in its exploration of life in the modern world.
 
New single ‘Well Well Wellness’ straddles both joy and sadness with its uplifting melody and forlorn lyrics. Self-produced, led by Sean Connelly, it examines the feeling of helplessness when someone you love is suffering and is being treated as a problem rather than a person. Speaking about the track, the band says;
 
“’Well Well Wellness’ was a collision of two songs that came about while I helplessly watched someone I love navigate chronic health issues. The first song was about the slow erosion of faith in an outdated approach to health care that treats real, desperate, suffering people like cheap toys on an assembly line. The second song was about the insidious allure of the Wellness industry: the side of it that equates being ‘healthy’ with being ‘good’ and treats real, desperate, suffering people like cows to be milked for money and attention. These songs met at the current chorus, and I realised that I was digging the same tunnel from both sides.”

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