The Gentle Good - Julian Shah-Tayler - Womb - Marsha Swanson - Maya Delilah - Liza Lo

The Gentle Good - Ten Thousand Acres.

“Mr Groves is a Wiltshire gentleman, who purchased ten thousand of these almost worthless acres a few years since, and is making a paradise of the wilderness…” - Benjamin Malkin, 1803*

Written in an off-grid cottage during a year-long residency in the Cambrian Mountains, The Gentle Good’s new album ‘Elan’ is a psychedelic portrait of the Elan Valley in Powys, Wales. Featuring songs in both Welsh and English, ‘Elan’ explores the landscape, history and politics of this remote area, which was flooded to provide water for Birmingham at the end of the Victorian era. The second single from the album, ‘Ten Thousand Acres’ is an ode to the valley’s many expressions and a meditation on ownership and our perception of landscape throughout time.

The new album ‘Elan’ is scheduled for release on 16th May 2025, with further singles to be released in the coming months.

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Julian Shah-Tayler - Sufferation.

Here are my thoughts that led to the song: “All the yearning and all the memories can never make good what reality hath wrought to the dreams of the helpless romantic fool”

I wrote this song in the deadening disintegration of the dream and the dawning of prosaic realities not to be faced with poetry. There is a slippery sickening feeling when art and beauty cannot rekindle trust and it’s all fallen apart too far to fix.

All the King’s horses and All The King’s men could never put this back together again. - Julian (16th Jan 2025).

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Womb - Angels.

To add to their string of beautiful new singles ahead of their highly anticipated upcoming album, One Is Always Heading Somewhere, sibling trio Womb has treated us with a new single 'Angels'. 

In classic Womb style, we are invited into their lush, nostalgic world through the song with an equally ethereal music video directed by Angel C. Fitzgerald.





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Marsha Swanson -  Like An Angel.

Renowned singer-songwriter Marsha Swanson kicks off 2025 with the release of her latest single, “Like An Angel,” on January 31st, in celebration of the one-year anniversary of her critically acclaimed album Near Life Experience.

Known for her insightful lyricism and progressive pop sound, Swanson’s work continues to captivate audiences, with Rock and Reel Magazine hailing her as “a songwriter who weaves insightful and thought-provoking lyrics into irresistibly catchy tunes.”

Originally an untitled ghost track on Near Life Experience, “Like An Angel” has been re-recorded with a live band and string section, breathing new life into the song. Accompanied by an evocative music video, the single marks Swanson’s fifth collaboration with award-winning Iranian animator and music video director Sam Chegini, whose visionary work perfectly complements her artistry.

Crafted alongside an accomplished ensemble of musicians, including producer Henry (King Thumb) Thomas, “Like An Angel” was recorded once again at Echo Zoo Studios in Eastbourne. Henry Thomas, whose collaborations include work with Randy Crawford and Paul Weller, brought his expertise to the track, collaborating with drummer Martyn Barker, guitarist Tony Qunta, and keyboardist Anders Olinder to create a rhythmic foundation that supports Swanson’s heartfelt lyrics. The result is a spiritual and sonically rich track, blending elements from the original ghost recording with new instrumentation for a timeless and moving sound.

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Maya Delilah - Squeeze.

Maya Delilah has announced the release of The Long Way Round, her stunning full-length debut album out March 28 via Blue Note/Capitol. The London-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist has also been named a 2025 Spotify “Artist To Watch,” another sure sign of her rising star after she was named to the Fender Next “Class of 2024.” Her debut album makes good on that promise by bringing all the elements of her art together — the intimacy, the ability, the inspiration, the depth, the lightness — into one striking work.

While the 12 songs on The Long Way Round are steeped in soul-pop, they also contain rich strains of country and blues, hints of gospel and choral music, and one full serving of unvarnished funk with the flirty new single “Squeeze” out now. “This album is a combination of so many parts of me,” says Maya. “I get so influenced by different genres, people, places, and experiences that it’s always felt hard for me to fit my music into a consistent sound or mood. It took me a long time (hence The Long Way Round) to realize that it’s a beautiful thing to have a body of work that explores so many different influences.”

Making the album was also a literal journey, from a barn-based studio in Devon, England, to a home studio in Los Angeles, and back to various rooms across London. All with a cast of friends new and old, including producers Peter Miles, Josh Grant, Doug Schadt, Seth Tackaberry, and Aquilo’s Ben Fletcher and Tom Higham, as well as collaborators including Samm Henshaw, Grace Lightman, members of FIZZ, organist Cory Henry, and drummer Aaron Sterling (John Mayer, Taylor Swift).

Maya’s muse isn’t the only thing tying The Long Way Round together. Opener “Begin Again” introduces a powerful theme. As she looks back at her first car, her first kiss, her first home, she returns to the gentle hook: “Another day, another end / Oh, we begin again.” The idea of cycles frames the set as the album goes on. Depending on your interpretation, The Long Way Round could be about regaining trust in love or losing it entirely. Shuffled, these songs could trace the arc of one relationship from inception to end, or it could be the bridge between a failed romance and a thrilling new one, or it’s a dozen separate vignettes. With these songs — from soothing, psychedelic send-off “Look at the State of Me Now” to Western-inflected codependence tribute “Necklace” to the ‘70s soul music inspired “Actress” — Maya proves herself a master of not just an evocative guitar solo, but of capturing life’s biggest contradiction: why everything matters all the time and also why it’s not that deep.

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Liza Lo - Anything Like Love.

London-based producer and singer-songwriter Liza Lo has released her debut album Familiar via Gearbox Records. The album follows on the heels of a series of critically acclaimed singles — “A Messenger,” “Catch The Door,” “Morning Call,” “Gipsy Hill,” “What I Used To Do,” and “Confiarme” — which have seen Liza earn plaudits from the likes of DIY, The Line Of Best Fit, and more.

Having completed a sold-out EU / UK tour with Australian indie-folk songwriter Harrison Storm as well as a more recent run of UK dates both headlining and in support of Steph Strings and Vraell, Liza has been on a rapid word-of-mouth ascent with shows around the UK and Europe. The album follows her self-released Flourish EP, which saw her earn widespread playlist support and early plaudits at both press and radio, for her tender and meditative take on indie-folk.

Recorded at Damon Albarn's Studio 13, with her band and Jon Kelly (Kate Bush, Paul McCartney), the album sees Liza touch on everything from the loss of a friend to a brain injury, to moving away from her home in Europe, to the many subtle intricacies that come with modern day relationships. It's full of uncanny and intimate guitars, retro pop-inflected synth and bass, and crystalline piano that intensify and build into widescreen, driving poignant songs about vulnerability and emotional fulfilment. It’s a real exercise in both fragility and self-found strength.
 
Speaking on the album, Liza says, "The name Familiar reflects this element of going back to records I grew up listening to, this way of recording that makes music feel familiar and a way that brought my creative process close to what Jon, my mentor and co-producer on this record, is a master in too. I also wanted the word to tie in with the stories I was telling, the intimacy of family, the tales of romantic love in my life, but also the inevitable loss that comes with living and how to manage that. All these feelings we come across recurrently in life, from losing a friend, to falling out of touch with yourself and others, to the beauty of falling in love."
 
To celebrate the release of the album, Liza has shared a new single titled "Anything Like Love," a soft and gentle song that Liza describes as "a love song for friendship, romantic love and familiar love. I like to sing it at family get-togethers and birthdays. A song for my mum, my best friends, my brother and my love."

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Ruth Lyon - trost&treibstoff - Red Telephone - Autumn - Kat Greta - Laurel Smith

Photo - Tash Barker

Ruth Lyon - Wickerman.

Newcastle singer-songwriter Ruth Lyon returns this week with haunting new single "Wickerman". Produced by John Parish (Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey), "Wickerman" is the first new music to be heard from Ruth Lyon since her 2022 EP 'Direct Debit To Vogue'. With the release of "Wickerman" and its transfixing accompanying video (directed by Sel MacLean), Ruth Lyon also announces a UK headline tour, with stops in Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, York, Newcastle, and London - following notable festival slots at SXSW, The Great Escape, Latitude and Secret Garden Party.

Known for her transportive folk songwriting and a distinctive voice which ranges from powerful and expressive to beautifully intimate, Ruth Lyon blends the raw emotional honesty and poetic lyricism of Fiona Apple with the melancholic world-building of Regina Spektor.

New single "Wickerman" reflects upon vulnerability and betrayal. A powerful expression of resilience in the face of adversity, dreamy clarinet and melancholic strings sit diffused like sea light on top of the mesmeric groove of the piano and bass with shimmering drums and guitar cutting about like fish coming up for air.

Speaking more on the release of "Wickerman", Ruth said: "Wickerman lives in the borders between lucid dreaming and painful reality and I wrote this at a time I found myself alone yet haunted. The iconography of the burning wickerman evokes the chasing away of winter through fire and ceremony, welcoming the Spring; a re-seeding of soul into new light. Unravelling life changes can be disorientating, kicking up heavy questions to ask and the only answers I found were in time, nature and spirit. I wanted to be remembered and more importantly to remember myself."

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trost&treibstoff - Widely Scattered.

Alright, the name trost&treibstoff ("comfort & fuel") might be a bit perplexing. You wouldn’t immediately associate it with a band rooted in punk and raw indie rock. But as soon as “Widely Scattered,” the new single by musician and artist Rolo Schwegler from Zurich/Switzerland, starts playing, you feel its roots. Under the name trost&treibstoff, Schwegler creates powerful indie songs inspired by post-punk and pop.

Schwegler cites bands like The Cure, Tocotronic, and Watchhouse as his influences. Although the name might be new to the indie scene, Rolo Schwegler is no newcomer. Before founding his one-man project trost&treibstoff, he released a series of albums under his own name, with evocative titles reminiscent of Element of Crime lyrics, such as Das Leben jetzt (2005) and In den Tälern zieht die Sonne ein (2009). Under trost&treibstoff, works like Thermik (2011) and Warten auf die Gegenwart? (2013) followed.

So, what’s the story behind “Widely Scattered,” the new single by trost&treibstoff? “The song tackles a topic that most of us deal with more or less regularly and that can occasionally make life hell. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who has such vivid nightmares every night that she wakes up drenched in sweat—and her strategies for coping with it. The harmonies are designed to offer comfort and act as an antagonist to the whims of neurotransmitters,” explains Rolo Schwegler.

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Photo - Rhianedd Sion

Red Telephone - Faithful.

After a string of single releases, Cardiff’s Red Telephone finally unveil their excellent sophomore album today entitled Delay The New Day a rebellious manifesto wrapped in melodic psych and darkwave textures. Drawing inspiration from MGMT and St. Vincent, the Welsh quintet crafts a cinematic journey that blends industrial post-punk grit with haunting electronic noir. Alongside the album, they surprise fans with a brand new music video for the album’s lead single ‘Faithful’

At its core, Delay The New Day emerges as a fight for meaning and sanity. A defiant statement against institutional pressures, the band positions creativity as a powerful tool for individual resistance. “It’s not about any one thing, it’s as much about asking questions of yourself as it is answering them” 

Lead singer Declan says of the album “We’ve always found ourselves fighting pressures to fit in and play the game. Sometimes it’s seductive and you’ve really got to fight those temptations, so we wanted to use the creative process and our instincts as a guiding light. The whole process was about embracing a spirit of independence”

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Autumn - Venice.

US ethereal-darkwave trio Autumn (Minneapolis, MN) have unveiled ‘Venice’: the second single and video to be revealed from their forthcoming new album, Songs About Dying. Neil McKay (guitar) and Jeff Leyda (bass) generate a hypnotic, amniotic whorl of pulsing electronics, flickering guitars, and driving bass and drum-machine: echoing a sense of Venice’s transition and movement down through the ages, edging ever-near to a watery grave. It is a backdrop befitting vocalist Julie Plante’s impassioned lament for the ancient city’s uncertain future, whereas the song also celebrates Venice’s endurance as a symbol of romance and majesty, as Plante explains.

“Venice is on one level about the death of a city, in that nothing remains unchanged. Everything we experience in this world, all that we create, it is all in a constant state of transition, whether we realize it or not. Venice is a striking example of slowly drowning under the weight curated by our actions and inaction. Venice is also one of those iconic places that we hold a romantic hunger for, a celebration of decadence in spite of everything going on around it. We want to immerse ourselves in it, even as our collective hunger creates the environment that threatens its survival. So, for that reason, this track is also about resilience, and that beauty, once created, can never truly be destroyed. Its continued existence gives me hope for my own.”

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Kat Greta - Summer Daze.

Fresh from her regional Victoria and NSW tour, multi-instrumentalist and dynamic artist Kat Greta returns with her latest single, 'Summer Daze' (out Friday, Jan 31). With its unique, modern-60s and joyful sound, the track captures the vibrancy of the Australian summer while showcasing Kat’s original and free-spirited style.

For Kat, 'Summer Daze' is a deeply personal project that took years to perfect. “I feel like I’m sharing my most authentic self in this song,” she explains. “Recreating the essence of the ‘60s in a new way was a challenge—it’s not the kind of song that people would expect to hear these days. This song is my love letter to the Australian summer, but it’s also about holding on to the things that matter, especially as I navigate my own cultural identity. As both of my parents are unwell and I’ve lost close family members recently, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what it means to preserve traditions, memories, and the feeling of belonging. This song is my attempt to honour those pieces of myself—my Italian heritage and my connection to Australia—while embracing change.”

Drawing inspiration from icons like Burt Bacharach, The Seekers, and The Beatles, Kat has crafted a sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Her melodies evoke a timeless warmth while embracing a modern energy.

At its core, 'Summer Daze' is a love letter to the Australian summer, a reflection of how Kat’s connection to the country’s traditions shaped her artistry. “The Australian summer has always been a part of my identity—beach days, family gatherings, sunsets, and the warmth that comes with it. It’s a reminder of the simplicity and beauty of our traditions,” Kat shares. “But, as we know, traditions can be fleeting. This song is about cherishing what makes Australia so unique, and finding joy in the moments we can hold on to—especially in the face of change.”

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Photo Tom Seager

Laurel Smith - pink gun.

North-London alt-provocateur Laurel Smith releases her incensed new single 'pink gun'. An exhilarating expression of female rage, on 'pink gun' Laurel gives a voice to the suppressed anger and frustration of women who consistently experience sexism, gaslighting and disrespect, through a torrent of breathless vocal runs and cavernous, brooding beats.

Speaking more on the release of her new single - Laurel said: "I wrote pink gun when I was holding in a lot of anger from my experiences as a woman throughout life. I have felt spoken over, belittled, not taken seriously, gaslit (and at times) unsafe, uncomfortable and taken advantage of. I know most girls and women have felt and experienced all these things too and internalise these feelings. I want them to let it out. pink gun was my outlet and something that made me feel empowered so I hope it will do the same for my listeners."

Grapples with identity, explorations of female empowerment, examinations of human relationships; the protagonists within Laurel Smith's music are rebelling against expectations, challenging societal norms, finding their place in the world. A "hip-hop kid" at heart, Laurel Smith was born into a family with rock and heavy metal at its core. Those two disparate worlds can be heard within Laurel's potent, shapeshifting creations, with her new music radiating an energy and confidence of an artist revitalised.

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Amy Irving - Sugar Crease - The North Sound

Photo - Gabriel Barreto

Amy Irving - Always Will Be (feat. Amy Helm).

Academy Award-nominated actress Amy Irving has announced her sophomore album Always Will Be, out April 25 via Queen Of The Castle Records/Missing Piece Records. Featuring 10 electrifying renditions from her longtime friend Willie Nelson’s iconic catalog, Always Will Be finds Irving marrying the worlds of music and theater to craft a deeply personal autobiography in song, reflecting on key moments from her widely acclaimed career. In the spirit of true collaboration, the album also includes contributions from special guests Willie Nelson, Amy Helm, Louis Cato, Steve Earle, Chris Pierce and Lizzie No. Along with the announcement, Irving shares the title track “Always Will Be” (feat. Amy Helm), a bittersweet ode to her late best friend Judy Nelson, with guest vocals from Helm and a voicemail from Nelson himself.

Irving has also announced album release shows at New York City’s City Winery on May 4 and Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY on May 31. This morning, Variety published an interview with Irving where she discussed how she chose the songs on her forthcoming album, her longtime friendship with Willie Nelson, and her relationship with music and acting.

“Judy Nelson was a great love in my life,” says Irving while reflecting on the new song that’s dedicated to her late best friend. “A blessed friendship, I miss her every day. I sing this song for her, and I know she’s dancing. Amy Helm brought so much to the party! She has such a rich soulful voice – it’s like we added a whole choir!”

The origin story of Always Will Be begins with Irving and Nelson’s decades-long friendship, which spans back to when they first met on the set of the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose. After dueting on a reimagining of his song “I’m Waiting Forever” for her 2023 debut Born In A Trunk, Nelson reached out to his longtime friend with a proposition: Why not record another album, one entirely of his own work? “I knew she’d probably do a lot of my songs and I knew they’d be good. You know, I’m just an old hustler,” Nelson said with a laugh. Irving took him up on the offer, collaborating again with bandleader Goolis (Jules David Bartkowski) to pare down a list of 50 options from the songwriter’s oeuvre to these 10 genre-defying tracks. The end result is an incredibly heartfelt album, one that is ultimately rooted in love and friendship.

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Sugar Crease - Rum Soaked Buns.

The video was out a week or so ago, however this new single has to be seen and heard. Joyous & surreal indie from Greater Manchester. Comprised of members who have long served the local music scene, Sugar Crease have been "privately experimenting" since 2015, including recording the album Lemon Warhead in 2020. It was not until 2023 when they expanded the line-up that they played their first live shows, culminating in their jubilant sellout summer 2024 gig at local 300 capacity venue The Vale.

Sugar Crease crack open their treasure chest to share a delicious and intoxicating treat. Probably the first indie sea shanty you've heard today, so take the plunge and dip your hip to the rolling rhythms.

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The North Sound - ‘Til The Love Runs Out.

At the heart of great songwriting is great storytelling. For The North Sound, songs are a declaration of joy, a hallmark of yearning, and a tender tale of honesty. Yet amidst the rawness, trials and tribulations, there are notes of hope and happiness. This is the duo at their best.

‘Til The Love Runs Out is a song written in collaboration between Forrest Eaglespeaker and Nevada Eaglespeaker who make up the folk band The North Sound. The first single is a relatable spotlight on the intense joy and sometimes heartbreaking lows that come with relationships.

"Love is the foundation of any strong partnership, but for it to maintain any kind of longevity it requires patience, understanding, compassion, and radical acceptance of yourself and each other. The hard work can sometimes be overwhelming, but with the right stuff, the tree you grow together will bear the sweetest of fruit that will keep you both fed and energized to continue on." The new album What It Takes is out on March 24, 2025 on New Sun Records.

Catbird Music · Til The Love Runs Out Master Wav

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The Indie Pea - Brandi and the Alexanders - The Rishis - City Cycles - Avery Friedman - Ana Cristina Cash

The Indie Pea - Keep Holding On.

Get ready for an exhilarating musical journey with The Indie Pea. Their authentic indie music is a thrilling blend of simplicity and complexity, filled with familiar twists and turns. It's a sonic adventure you don't want to miss! Their sound uniquely combines urban and rural elements, creating a signature style that is truly their own. This characteristic quality of The Indie Pea's music makes it versatile, suitable for any environment or event.

The Indie Pea's new single, Keep Holding On, brings back their original sound with a grand indie pop rock style. This track features beautiful strings, powerful vocal lines, and lively horns. All of this is packed into a tight 3-minute song, making it a must-listen for fans.

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Brandi and the Alexanders - Black Cherry.

Yesterday, NYC-based psych-rock and soul band Brandi and the Alexanders released their new single “Black Cherry.” Drawing inspiration from R&B Queens like Chaka Khan, the subversive funk and harmonic styles of Marvin Gaye, and mix psychedelic experimentation with disco energy, the band has carved out a reputation for their cosmopolitan soul driven by their love for an insatiable groove of grit and heart with a dose of attitude. Lead singer Brandi Thompson, respected as a powerful vocalist in the classic soul vein of Aretha Franklin, Candi Staton, and Gloria Gaynor, brings a lively fire that dances inside the Alexanders’ sophisticated and cinematic heartbeat.

"I mean... I'm telling you to take a bite of my big black cherry — the lyrics came to me all at once after I had the title,” Brandi Thompson explains of the song. "We recorded it during an incredibly sweltering hot summer day with no A/C and the temperature dictated the tempo,” continues drummer Eric Gottlieb. “We all share a taste for the kind of sleazy but smooth post-disco R&B/soul/rock; George Benson, Chic, Rod Temperton and the G-funk West Coast production style which our engineer/producer Greg Teves  immediately understood what we were going for."

Brought together in 2015 first as an 11-piece band before hitting the road in 2017 as a quartet, the band has been a ragtag collective of friends and family honing their sound between adventurous sets on tour. Music blog PopMatters cuts to the chase, “This is music to move to.”

Brandi and the Alexanders · Black Cherry (Official)

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The Rishis - Robot Factory / Coloring.

The Athens, Georgia Elephant 6 band The Rishis return with two new singles "Robot Factory" and "Coloring" off their upcoming self-titled sophomore album on Cloud Recordings. The album comes out on February 21st on digital and vinyl. The Rishis feature members of Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, and more.

The Athens, Georgia based band is centered around the songwriting duo of Sofie Lute and Ranjan Avasthi and has now expanded to a full band with a rotating cast of musicians playing psychedelic folk rock with tinges of world music to add coloring to the mandala. Sofie and Ranjan have been writing songs together for over a decade now with their debut album, August Moon, which arrived in 2022 on the Elephant 6 Recording Company label of Cloud Recordings.

In addition to the duo, the Rishis regularly feature a variety of artists, including members of Neutral Milk Hotel, the Apples in Stereo, the Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, and the Primordial Void Collective. Other guest musicians on this newest outing include Mac McCaughan (founder of Merge Records), Robert Schneider (producer of the Elephant 6 Recording Company), co-producer Chris Byron, and Colin Willard & Gregg White of Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, California. The Rishis self-titled second album, out February 21st on vinyl and digital formats, picks up where August Moon left off, propelling us forward to explore the inner workings of the collective consciousness.

the rishis · Robot Factory

the rishis · Coloring

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City Cycles - Waking Up To A World Unknown.

West coast sixties indie pop rock from London. Meet City Cycles, a fab six-piece of musical maestros, all talent! They've set up shop in always-buzzing London, adding their unique rhythm to its already pulsating music scene.

Introducing the remarkable psychedelic retro rock single 'Waking Up To A World Unknown'. This track expertly blends vintage sounds, choirs, and a nostalgic vibe while maintaining a contemporary touch. Modern indie pop rock meets the 60's retro sound of City Cycles. Experience it now.


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Avery Friedman - Flowers Fell.

Brooklyn-based artist Avery Friedman has announced her debut album, ‘New Thing,’ for release via Audio Antihero on April 18th. The album features James Chrisman (Sister.) and Felix Walworth (Florist / Told Slant), and the pre-order will launch with "Flowers Fell,” the lead single, on January 28th.

Friedman had always felt that songwriting was just something that other people did until she was pushed by a transcendent live music experience and a traumatic mugging to seek catharsis through music. Playing her first show in July 2024, she soon shared stages with h. pruz, Dead Gowns, and Sister., and she impressed the latter’s James Chrisman enough that he offered to record her debut album. The result was ‘New Thing,’ a sonically deep and layered debut that sees Friedman explore her trauma and queerness with a raw open-heartedness inspired by artists like Adrianne Lenker, Squirrel Flower, and Babehoven.

The lead single, “Flowers Fell,” is an ode to transitional stages that uses the changing seasons to demonstrate the growth Friedman has experienced by finally immersing herself in her art. The song’s tense guitar bursts offer an illustration of resistance before a starry-eyed chorus blooms, and Friedman sings, “The flowers fell off when I was asleep / But that’s okay, ‘cause now it’s all green,” as she finds acceptance and resilience in the face of change.

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Ana Cristina Cash - Last Call" / "Tu Última Llamada.

Ana Cristina Cash, the bilingual powerhouse known for her unique blend of Country, Pop, and Latin melodies, has released her latest single, "Last Call" (English) / "Tu Última Llamada" (Spanish). This captivating track marks the next chapter in her evolving musical journey, offering a poignant and empowering message that resonates across cultures.

Written by Ana Cristina Cash, Jodi Marr, and Willie Breeding, "Last Call" / "Tu Última Llamada" is a fiery anthem of liberation and self-discovery. With lyrics that confront betrayal and reclaim personal strength, the song weaves vivid storytelling with Ana Cristina's rich vocals and dynamic musical arrangement. The track bridges genres, blending pop and country influences with a Latin flair in its Spanish version.

"’Last Call’ / ‘Tu Última Llamada’ is about taking back your power. For my first single release of 2025, I wanted to release something with a strong beat that was fun, captivating, and powerful while showcasing a fusion of the two genres I have worked with all of my life: Country music and Latin music," says Ana Cristina Cash. "This fusion of genres has always felt natural to me and is very much a part of my authentic identity. I have always had a strong vision of Country music being a genre that can resonate with people globally, across various cultures. I love to be experimental in my work, and I feel that music knows no boundaries."


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Magana - Kaleida - Luna Morgenstern - Stergin - flipturn

Magana - Shower Song / Half To Death.

‘Bad News’ is a new EP from Magana, the solo project of acclaimed LA-based multi-instrumentalist and photographer Jeni Magaña. Best-known as the current bassist and backing vocalist for Mitski (recently performing on the “Coyote, My Little Brother” / “Buffalo Replaced” single), Magaña is also one-half of the pen pin pop duo with Emily Moore, and has previously played with Lady Lamb, amongst others.

In March, she returned to the Magana project after a three-year-absence with the critically acclaimed ‘Teeth’ LP, which reunited her with Audio Antihero Records (Frog / CIAO MALZ / Nosferatu D2) who issued her ‘Golden Tongue’ debut in 2016. Released to coincide with the peak illumination of the Worm Moon, her return was marked with a “Witchy Rock” sound that combined Acid Folk, Synth Pop, and Indie Rock. Magaña followed this in October with ‘DREAMS,’ a multimedia project released via the UK’s Hand Drawn Hand label, which combined Ambient Electronic music with a spoken word dream diary and a book of her photography.
 
The ‘Bad News’ EP is her third release in a ten month period, and is considered the final part of the 'Teeth trilogy.' Teasingly described by Magaña as “Cozy Core” and “Winter Pop,” these four songs see her return to the singer-songwriter focus of works like ‘Golden Tongue’ and ‘Teeth’ but strip away the Rock and Ambient layers, so to emphasize words, meaning, honesty, and change.

"This EP is the last of what I think of as an interconnected trio of releases. 'Teeth' was made for spring, a period of growth. It was expansive and exploring. 'DREAMS' was made for fall. It was about dusk, the dawning of the restful months. 'Bad News' is made for that period of time between the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Stillness before movement. Each song is about the period of time right before a transition: the realization that change is coming or that it needs to come. As the most lyrically driven of the releases, it is mostly about storytelling. I think of each track as a vignette of a moment in time for four different stories." – Jeni Magaña.

Magana · Shower Song

Magana · Half to Death

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Kaleida - Chalong.

Fresh off the heels of their album ‘In Arms’ and the subsequent tour through Europe and North America, Kaleida (Christina Wood and Cicely Goulder) announce ‘In Arms (Deluxe Version)’, out now via Embassy One. Alongside an unreleased track ‘Chalong’, all five bonus tracks of the upcoming deluxe album – live studio takes of ‘Don´t Turn Me Out’ and ‘Hollow’ as well as stripped down piano versions of ‘Hansaplast’ and ‘Seagull Nun’ – are a testament to the immediacy of transatlantic duo’s stage-presence and the emotional resonance of their songwriting, not to mention their ability to reinvent themselves.

“We're glad to share this one with the world... We made it on the last day in the studio during one of our writing trips... Just a spontaneous creation and it feels good to share it with you and let it be free.” – Kaleida on ‘Chalong’

The discovery of a new artistic frontier is evident on the hypnotic microhouse opener ‘Chalong’ that sees Kaleida thriving in the twilight zone between pulsating club sound and meditative electronica. Christina Wood’s lullabylike chant front and centre with a cavernous, sixteenth note dotted bassline, Cicely Goulder wraps up Wood’s sibilant vocal tone in gauzy synth chords, an intricate texture that is soon juxtaposed with a dynamic interplay between arpeggiated guitar licks and percussive patterns, which lends the track an air of mystery and allure.


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Luna Morgenstern - heartbreak hotel.

Songwriter and producer Luna Morgenstern just released her new EP 'heartbreak hotel', alongside a spellbinding new video for the EP's title track - directed by Anna van der Velde - capturing the stark, untamed beauty of Iceland's volcanoes, glaciers, and endless black beaches.

The juxtaposition of club music with raw, biographical lyrics is at the heart of Luna Morgenstern's new EP, 'heartbreak hotel'. Documenting an unraveling of a long-term relationship, each song opens the door to another room within the metaphorical ‘heartbreak hotel’, reflecting on the intricate emotional stages of two people parting ways.

Taking cues on her production from sources including Imogen Heap, Caroline Polachek, Taichu and ML Buch, Luna Morgenstern fuses alt-pop heartbreak with late '90s rave and early '00s club influences.

Speaking more on the video for the EP's stunning title track "heartbreak hotel", Luna said: "For these visuals I partnered up with Anna Van der Velde, a multidisciplinary artist, director and wonderful human being whom’s otherworldly visual handwriting fascinated me from the first time I discovered her work. We immediately connected creatively and personally and from that mutual trust we were able to build a visual world that beautifully reflects ‘heartbreak hotel’. At first, I was really stuck on recreating the ‘heartbreak hotel’ I had imagined while writing the record. But I am glad that I let go of that literal translation and trusted Anna with her vision: To travel to Iceland and let the otherworldly landscapes represent the different stages of grief on the record. So we flew all the way to Iceland, travelled the island in a rental car and shot as we went. We were shooting in freezing cold and windy conditions - it felt like a transformative experience that we went through together. In a way, I was able to relive some of the pain in a physical way and could let go of it."

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Stergin - Here And Now.

Stergin, the eclectic indie artist known for genre-bending explorations, is set to release brand new EP “Here”. Written over a reflective and wildly creative 10-day residency on the Atlantic island of Gomera, “Here" embodies the joy and curiosity of its surroundings—surf pop vibes, playful synths, and dreamy vocal choirs.

With only a laptop, microphone, mini keyboard, and beat-up guitar, Stergin has crafted songs that are fun, whimsical, and textured with sounds both intimate and psychedelic. Expect indie rock and twee pop riffs, mingling with surf and chamber psychedelic twists—a mix aptly being named “Napoleon Dynamite in band form”.

The EP’s track, “Roly Poly,” captures a memorable moment from Stergin’s island life. Each night, he encountered a troop of tiny centipedes (affectionately nicknamed Roly Polies), which he carefully escorted outside before bed. “At first, I was a bit horrified,” Stergin laughs, “but eventually, we made peace. Now they have a song!”

Each track on “Here" will launch individually on streaming platforms starting 24th January 2025, released every six weeks, alongside the full EP also available for download on Bandcamp from 24th January. Listeners can expect music to dance to, dream with, and escape into... "Here" isn’t just an EP; it’s an invitation to get lost in music inspired by wind, waves, and an artist’s journey through grief and joy. This is the beginning of Stergin’s wild quest, offering a light, quirky, and soulful sonic adventure.

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flipturn - Burnout Days.

flipturn, have unveiled their new album Burnout Days via Dualtone Records. The 12 song collection finds the indie-rock powerhouse returning as sonic architects, harnessing their impressive knack for hooks, shimmering soundscapes and “nostalgia-inducing lyrical delivery” (Uproxx). Born from years on the road together, flipturn arrives with more grit, craft and vulnerability than ever before - a clear evolution in the band’s sound, and one that reflects their growth as musicians and individuals. The album has been lauded for its “rays of optimism” (SPIN), “irresistible hooks” (Consequence) and “infectious energy” (Luna Collective) via advance tracks and videos “Rodeo Clown,” “Juno” and "Sunlight.”

Featuring some of their most intimate and cathartic songs to date, Burnout Days recounts hours spent in vans, green rooms, and onstage, all while navigating life in their mid-20s and the constant twists and turns of an industry that can be far from compassionate. As SPIN Magazine puts it, the album is “shining a light on a personal subject.” Lead singer Dillon Basse’s story – from growing up immersed in Celtic folk, by way of his mother, to supporting her through a sobriety journey – is one theme at the heart of the collection.

“‘Burnout Days’ feels like a further push into what our sound can be, whilst also staying familiar to our roots.” says Basse. “Some themes that are explored that I find new for flipturn are toxic positivity, burnout, and acceptance of constant change…It's the most honest we’ve been to our audience about what life has looked like for us the last few years.”

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Filiah - Michele Ducci - Silva Lining - Sofia Härdig - Coley Kennedy

Filiah - Atlas.

Emerging as a deeply personal single ‘Atlas’ chronicles Filiah’s journey through creative paralysis to artistic rebirth. Following her 2022 release For Someone, Filiah found herself trapped in the exhausting cycle of self-management – from booking shows to handling her own PR. The weight of wearing every hat eventually crushed her creative spirit, leading to a complete musical shutdown. The turning point came unexpectedly on the Croatian coast, where welovemelodies, an artists' collective, invited her to a songwriting retreat. "Before writing 'Atlas' I was on a 2-year hiatus from my own music," Filiah reveals. "I felt emotionally and physically exhausted, burnt out and going through a lot of changes and challenges in my personal life."

Surrounded by fellow creators, Filiah found her voice again. The result is 'Atlas' – a masterclass in turning pain into poetry. Here, her powerful vocals float over intricate indie-folk arrangements, while she crafts a meta-narrative about the very thing that silenced her. It's a delicate balance of vulnerability and strength, where writer's block becomes both subject and vanquished foe. In writing about what stopped her from writing, Filiah hasn't just broken her silence – she's transformed it into something beautiful. 'Atlas' stands as both confession and triumph, marking the moment when a promising artist finds her feet again, this time with the support she's long deserved."It was inspired by feelings of self-doubt and the struggle to meet both personal and external expectation," explains Filiah. "It explores the feeling of thinking you're never enough, wired all wrong and struggling to believe that someone will ever get you, while simultaneously wanting nothing more than just to be yourself."

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Michele Ducci - Even Before.

‘Even Before’ is the second single from the ‘live in the studio’ album ‘NUBA Live Tape’, by Michele Ducci. The album contains alternative versions of 3 tracks from his debut album, ‘SIVE’, released in June 2024, along with 4 new songs. ‘Even Before’ starts as an upbeat Samba played on a Bontempi keyboard, a sunny love song with an uplifting chorus: 

“Sunshine
Rain falling
I know what my love means
When the day rises
And I was smiling even before”

The track then slows into a dreamy waltz for the outro. Letizia Mandolesi’s bright backing vocals in the chorus and delicate sighs in the outro beautifully accentuate Ducci’s warm melodic vocals. Accompanying the single is a cosmic animated video created by Ducci and Mandolesi. About the song, Ducci says, “Even Before was born in scenes, as a movie. I had found a ten euro Bontempi keyboard and I let it do almost everything, playing it all live together with Letizia.

I have been reflecting for a long time on the absolute of change: it gives itself as an inverted perspective. It’s like a chorus in a song: coexistence of past and present, of a past that insists on a present that coexists with it and that, passing by, is the intrusion of an unpredictable novelty. You always find yourself in the middle of an act that was already in action before it was done and that, being fulfilled, becomes something that is no longer possible but fatally real. Deja: Jamais: Encore. It is an eternal return that is like a magical infinitesimal calculation, lived in the depths of what I call myself. It is the experience, the passage, that resonates in its immediate data like a chorus: an ocean of sive, of ‘that is’, that are the foundation of every ‘where’ and every ‘when’, as in the passages between verse and chorus: an incessant translation into, which is a crossing, not an impasse, but an impassage: an even before to which we must go back to probe the experience in its immediate data. It is an experience of variation that is done at the limit, near infinity.

Letizia and I drew the video by hand, and it is a sort of twin of the song: a cosmic paraeidolia…the experience that makes itself felt in the foreground like a procession of faces still in the making: a chorus. The song as a sort of paramnestic paraeidolia of creative evolution. All of my work is all about that.”

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Silva Lining - Only Today.

Silva Lining's first single of 2025, "Only Today," starts off with a bang. This Latin Rock-inspired track features snappy brass riffs, energetic percussion, and plenty of solos—just the way they love it! The upbeat nature of the song contrasts with its somber message: one person in a couple wants to end the relationship but lacks the courage to do so. This song is the second duet in the band's repertoire, with Tiago and Catarina sharing the main vocals, all accompanied by that classic Silva Lining big band sound.

Born in Lisbon, raised in London. Born in London, raised in Lisbon. Three generations, two cities, one family. Nuno, Catarina and Tiago, Portuguese roots with English charm fused to create the Silva Lining Band.

Most people would say less is more… but not when it comes to the Silva family. The more the merrier is the family motto and Silva Lining is no exception with the band’s debut album “Lisboa” including over 12 musicians spanning various genres ranging from Funk to Swing Jazz to Rock.

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Sofia Härdig - Pale Fire.

Multi-instrumentalist and genre-defying artist Sofia Härdig continues to push boundaries with her latest single 'Pale Fire,' a mesmerising collaboration with renowned musician Bebe Risenfors (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello)

The track emerged from an intense period of creative isolation during which Härdig wrote hundreds of songs. "I wrote on my own in solitude for almost two years. I read a lot, wrote a lot, and recorded more than hundred of songs," Härdig recalls. "I was in this cave of writing.” The magic of 'Pale Fire' crystallised when Risenfors, who spontaneously joined Härdig for a performance in Malmö, added his distinctive touch to her original demo. "I remember opening the song on my phone and listening on headphones while sitting in a park. I started crying and listened on repeat. The best birthday gift ever," says Härdig of first hearing Risenfors' contributions.

'Pale Fire' showcases Härdig's signature sound, which draws influence from alternative rock, post-punk, and New Wave, while maintaining her distinct artistic voice. The track is part of a larger body of work that represents what Härdig describes as "the tip of the iceberg of a long cycle of lyrics, often a novel/short story that I have built in solitude." Anchored by brooding piano work and haunting chord progressions, 'Pale Fire' unleashes the full force of Härdig's commanding vocals while highlighting her masterful touch as both producer and songwriter. The single is accompanied by striking visuals created in collaboration with a close friend and photographer Jessica Nettelblatt, who was so moved by the demo that she immediately envisioned the cover art, listening to the track on repeat during the photoshoot. For fans of Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, and Anna Calvi, 'Pale Fire' further cements Sofia Härdig's position as one of Sweden's most compelling alternative artists.

Her upcoming album Lighthouse of Glass, self-produced by Härdig, represents a bold step forward in her artistic evolution. Recorded between her home studio and a three-week residency at Visby Center for Composers, the album features an impressive roster of collaborators. The recording process became a unique blend of creativity and community, with Härdig's kitchen and tin roof serving as unconventional meeting points for the musicians. "Working with Bebe was such a treat - he really got what I was after," Härdig explains. The album also features contributions from two of Sweden's finest guitarists, Robert Johnsson (Robert Johnson and the Punchdrunks) and long-time collaborator John Essing (Bob Hud), with Grammy-awarded Nille Perned handling the mixing duties.

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Coley Kennedy - Neptune Blue (Album).

Coley Kennedy (known for his work with the bands Welcome to Ashley and Black Vincent), who is currently based in Jackson, Michigan, released his solo debut Neptune Blue just a week ago.
 
Neptune Blue collects seven Coley originals and a cover of "Don't Let Your Hunger Die" by Justin Collins (Justin and the Cosmics) and continues his path of producing stylish post-punk, this time with an emphasis on 80's synth pop and new wave. 

The album features contributions from Welcome to Ashley's Pete Javier, Scott Collins (The Smoking Flowers), Marie Vavro, Larry Roy Sumner Jr., and Jennifer Kennedy.

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Shilpa Ray - Heather Maloney - The Delines - DownTown Mystic - Adwaith

Shilpa Ray - Portrait Of A Cat Lady.

"Portrait of a Cat Lady" is a reflection on aging, and a refusal to be invisible. "My body trashed by time / Do you like my story? / Am I captivating?" Ray says the song was influenced by Lucinda Williams, ABBA, Dick Dale, Big Star, and The Byrds. It's genuine, infectious, and fierce. Fans of  Ray's rich catalogue will not be disappointed.

"Portrait of a Cat Lady" is the first single from a collection of post-pandemic / post-hysterectomy songs from iconoclastic singer-songwriter, Shilpa Ray.

The lyrics tell a coming of middle age story from a writer who refuses to disappear and is set against a musical backdrop of what Americana could sound like from a second generation immigrant perspective.

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Heather Maloney - Exploding Star.

Exploding Star was never intended to be released. Written after the death of her father, the songs were the most vulnerable body of work ever created by Maloney- meant and written only for her. The idea of releasing and then promoting an album went against her instincts to keep this art near and dear. Luckily for us, her closest friends and family convinced her otherwise.

Maloney was able to track for 2 days in her childhood home- recording songs, backing vocals, the crickets in the yard and even percussion played directly on the walls and floors of the house itself. The result is raw and exquisitely personal. 

“That house is the backdrop to so many moments with my father that became song lyrics on the record, so having *the house itself* be a part of a few songs was such a beautiful and intense experience for me,” Maloney reflects. “I will never forget what it felt like to return to the place those memories were made, and sing them with such grief and gratitude. At times I felt that my dad was still somewhere in the house, and I was singing directly to him. At other times it felt like I was surrounded by all of our young and distant ghosts.”

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The Delines - The Haunting Thoughts.

The Delines just shared their new single “The Haunting Thoughts,” the next offering from their upcoming album Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom, out February 14 via El Cortez Records. Led by tender piano and sauntering instrumentation, the poignant song tells the story of a woman who’s reeling from an existential crisis, with Magnet Magazine praising its “film-noir feel.”

“‘The Haunting Thoughts’ is about a woman who can’t shake the fear that the world she’s in is going to collapse,” says Willy Vlautin, songwriter and guitarist for the band. “She sees all this desperation around her on the streets of Portland, Oregon, and she’s worried it’ll catch her, too – that she’ll end up on the streets. We wanted that uncertainty and vulnerability inside the fabric of the song. It’s one of those rare tunes that worked from the get-go. It just played itself. Cory's piano is so great on this one and it's my favorite Amy vocal to date. Amy has this pure way of getting inside the world of the lyrics. She just kills me on this one.”

Vlautin on the video: “We’ve been really lucky to get Greg Schmitt and Efrem Peters to film these videos. And Zach Jones who edits them. They’re all so cool and so good. They filmed the band stuff at The Showdown in Portland and the rest was shot driving around the city. Portland has such an edge to it right now, with so many people living on the streets, in broken-down RVs, in cars, and in tents. I’m endlessly heartbroken by it and also I’m scared hitless that it could be me one day. The song has that edge to it and I think the video carries the same edge.”


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DownTown Mystic - One More Chance.

With 7 releases in 2024, US roots rocker DownTown Mystic isn’t skipping a beat to start 2025. The artist has been building momentum with airplay on over 100 Non-com Radio stations with each release.

Following the successful Better Day Digital 45 in October, the new One More Chance single sets the stage for DownTown Mystic’s next album project, The Wish, which shows DTM’s unique RnR style & sound evolving.

The One More Chance single features co-writer and longtime DTM musical Ally Bruce Engler on Lead Guitar. It also features one of the last sessions by drummer Tommy Mastro, with PJ Farley (Trixter, Fozzy) adding tasty bass lines. The single is a mini opus of sorts. Besides a musical interlude in the breakdown section, One More Chance also features the band recorded jamming live as the track fades out, making for a unique musical statement. Check out the One More Chance AI Video.

As with Better Day, DTM offers up another positive message with One More Chance. DownTown Mystic Writer/Producer Robert Allen comments, "I want to put out positive vibes in the world with my music. It's why I make music. One More Chance is a song of hope and light."


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Adwaith - Heddiw/Yfory, Purdan, Y Diwedd, Ni.

Critically acclaimed Welsh trio Adwaith continue to captivate with the release of four new tracks from their forthcoming album, Solas: ‘Heddiw / Yfory’, ‘Purdan’, ‘Y Diwedd’, and ‘Ni’. Meaning “light of being” or “enlightenment” in Celtic, Solas (out Feb 7th via Libertino Records) marks a significant milestone in the band’s journey. Recorded across diverse locations—including the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, Lisbon in Portugal, and multiple studios in Wales—Solas reflects Adwaith’s growth and evolution as artists. Overflowing with romance and magic, this 23-track double album completes a coming-of-age trilogy chronicling their transformation from teenagers into empowered women, exploring themes of self-discovery, escape, and resilience.

Of the new tracks, the band shares: "'Heddiw / Yfory' is a deeply nostalgic song that captures the intense bond we have with places that shaped us. It reflects on the comfort and familiarity of returning home, where even the simplest things—like gazing out a bedroom window or walking familiar paths—can evoke a powerful sense of belonging.

'Purdan' was written and recorded during our time in Lisbon. The song explores the complexity of being lured into a false sense of security by someone or something, feeling drawn to them despite knowing they might not have your best interests at heart.

‘Y Diwedd’ is a breakup song that delves into the poignant moments of knowing a relationship is nearing its end, yet fearing to acknowledge it. It captures the bittersweet tension of those final moments together, where both parties are reluctant to let go, even though the inevitable looms.

'Ni’ is a song about unity, love, and the importance of finding your tribe—the people who truly understand, love, and support you. It’s a reminder that, even in a world of 8 billion people, there are those out there who will love, embrace, and accept you for who you are."

Libertino · Adwaith - Heddiw Yfory / Purdan / Y Diwedd / Ni

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