Billy Idol - Soot Sprite - Winter Gardens - Adore - Jo Schornikow

Photo - David Raccuglia

Billy Idol - Still Dancing.

Rock legend Billy Idol is set for the release of his first full-length album of new music in over a decade. 'Dream Into It' is out on 25th April on Dark Horse Records, featuring appearances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart of The Kills. In anticipation of the forthcoming record, today Billy Idol is debuting the new single 'Still Dancing' alongside a video directed by Steven Sebring.
 
“‘Still Dancing’ is really a reflection of my whole journey,” explains Idol. “From the punk rock period through to now. And I’m still looking towards the future, still living the life I set out to live. At the start of the song I’m recalling the early times in London, when I was living in squats or at friends’ apartments, all my belongings in a plastic bag. Everybody at home or work told you what you were doing was never going to happen. But punk rock gave me an opening. I was surrounded by people who loved the music as deeply as I did and you were going to throw caution to the wind, believe in what you were doing and grab on for dear life. “As the song says, there have been many moments along the way where I’ve been self-destructive. But what’s seen me through is that unflinching belief in the music that started all those years ago. That’s been the greatest gift of all.”
 
Additionally, Idol is returning to the road for It’s a Nice Day To…Tour Again! Produced by Live Nation, the run of arenas and amphitheatres kicks off at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix on 30 April and will see him return to the UK for a very special date at the OVO Wembley Arena on Tuesday 24th June. This show comes two days after Billy’s appearance at the Forever Now Festival at The National Bowl, Milton Keynes. These are Billy’s only UK appearances in 2025. He will be joined by special guests and post-punk legends New Model Army.

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Soot Sprite - All My Friends Are Depressed.

Rising Exeter, England trio Soot Sprite have announced that their debut album, Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon, is set for release on May 16th via Specialist Subject (FRESH, Jeff Rosenstock, Doe, Muncie Girls). Alongside the announcement, the band have shared new single 'All My Friends Are Depressed', is a reflection on the widespread mental health crisis.

Since the release of their debut single in 2018, Soot Sprite has grown from a one-woman lo-fi bedroom pop project to a fully-fledged touring alt-indie shoegaze outfit. Their debut album sees Elise Cook (lead vocals/guitar), Sean Mariner (bass/backing vocals), and Sam Cother (drums/backing vocals) fully embrace the dynamic highs and intimate lows that define their sound.

Of their new single, Cook says: "This is my observation of the mental health crisis we’re in, how widespread it feels and how sociopolitical factors are playing such a huge part. It’s also a reminder to myself that I need to stop distracting myself from my issues and try and change something or face things or nothing will happen and I’ll never shake off the episode,"  

Sonically, Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon takes influence from many alt-indie greats, creating a sound that blends shimmering melodies with raw, visceral energy. “When I started Soot Sprite I was hooked on Clean by Soccer Mommy and Hovvdy’s Cranberry but with this record I was listening to a lot of Sweet Pill’s catalogue, Ovlov & Wednesday,” explains Cook. Written over a span of four years - some tracks taking shape just weeks before recording - the album was captured in September 2024 at The Bookhouse in London, with the help of former lead guitarist Abi Crisp and production by Tom Hill.

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Photo - Fern Rose

Winter Gardens - Anthropocene.

Brighton-based quartet Winter Gardens return with their new single, ‘Anthropocene’ (today), the final stand alone single to be taken from their forthcoming EP Uncomfortable/Unlovable (March 26th). Engineered & mixed by Luke Marsden and mastered by Andy Miles at Star Delta, ‘Anthropocene’ layers synths, pianos, and electronics with the punching live drums and biting shoegaze influenced guitar riffs to create a soundscape which is atmospheric and dark. Led by dual vocals from Ananda Howard and Jasmine Ardleys, the celestial harmonising takes listeners on a journey through an eclectic ray of dynamic, disparate sounds. A kaleidoscopic assembly of ethereal shoegaze atmospheres glued together with a pulsing post-punk attitude and a brooding gothic undercurrent creates a stylistic and instantly recognisable sound topped with lyrics evoking a sense of cryptic intimacy.

Speaking about the track, the band adds: “The Anthropocene reflects our growing sense of entitlement to pleasure and satisfaction, often at the expense of everything else. In an era dominated by over consumption, materialism, and insatiable greed, we rarely stop to consider the true cost of our indulgences.

Whether it’s human exploitation, the suffering of animals, or the degradation of the environment, our immediate gratification consistently takes priority. The relentless pursuit of personal desires has led to a world where we expect comfort and convenience, disregarding the long-term consequences. In this age, the planet and its inhabitants—who ultimately pay the price—are pushed aside in favour of short-term satisfaction.”

Since the band’s inception, Winter Gardens have secured support slots for a number of high-profile names including Echo & The Bunnymen, Gary Numan, Modern English, Piroshka and Pale Blue Eyes. The band have also been regular festival favourites, most recently playing Rockaway Beach in January alongside the likes of OMD, Self Esteem and Peter Hook & The Light. Through the last few months, the band has had a number of European performances (Left Of The Dial, Supersonic) as well as playing live for John Kennedy’s The Remedy and Season and packing out countless shows in their home city.

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Photo - Paula Trojner

Adore - Stay Free Old Stranger.

 Irish trio Adore today release new single 'Stay Free Old Stranger,' ahead of three nights supporting Chalk in Belfast. Adore today also announce their debut headline shows in the UK with stops in Southampton, Hull and London in May. Adore's music is crystallised in its dichotomies; emotional, dynamic, loud, sensitive. Hailing from Dublin, Donegal and Galway respectively, the trio consisting of Lara Minchin (guitar, vocals), Lachlann Ó Fionnáin (bass, vocals) and Naoise Jordan Cavanagh (drums) possess an innate understanding of one another - "We are three feens with guitars and drums. We make music that feels right to us," the band say.

Produced by and recorded with Gilla Band bassist Daniel Fox, new single 'Stay Free Old Stranger' explores an acceptance of detachment, delivered with an urgency that is distinctly Adore's. "I wrote Stay Free Old Stranger when I was 16 years old with my best friend Lauren, and sonically was inspired by a lot of what I was listening to when I was a teenager: The Jam, Misfits, Frank Iero, Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre," says singer Lara Minchin.

With its scorched guitars, energetic drums and an unexpected jazzy interlude a fitting precursor to the song's explosive, chaotic finale, 'Stay Free Old Stranger' embraces the idea of peaceful coexistence with "old strangers" who drift in and out of your life, and ultimately celebrates the "freak" within.

Speaking more on the song's inspiration, Lara says: "It was written at a time of great social anxiety which was seemingly breaking into a carefree disregard for small talk and empty relationships which I had once harboured to make myself feel wanted. I was badly bullied throughout my childhood and into my teens and because of that I was so eager for people to like me -and I would give time to people who didn’t have my best interests at hand. I had always been a freak and I had grown up in an unconventional manner. And although I didn’t change my interests and my way about life, I definitely covered up parts of myself to make myself more palatable. The lyrics are juvenile. They are telling the story of being aware that some people might not care for you and that’s okay because you don’t have to care for them either. You don’t have to be everybody’s friend."

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Photo - Emily Dorio

Jo Schornikow - Upstream.

Jo Schornikow shares the new single “Upstream,” the first track from Quiet Excerpts. The EP is a collection of meditations– instrumental pipe organ pieces, ambient washes, and downright hooky pop songs collected as Quiet Excerpts. Schornikow writes about “Upstream”: “I was sitting with the ache of wanting something out of reach. And thinking on the time I saw a ghost. What exactly is energy, anyway?”

The EP follows her 2022 album ALTAR, which burst at the seams with joyful talismans of love and relationships. The longtime Phosphorescent keyboardist recorded these songs in the Nashville church she plays piano and organ at and in her mate's Melbourne, Australia living room. It's a document of a musician's life, basking in moments of calm between motherhood, studio recording, and Phosphorescent tours.

“For me, Quiet Excerpts is like hearing music in the far-off distance. Walking toward the sound, a huge old wooden door slowly creaks open. I find myself in a sacred space.” Since releasing ALTAR, Schornikow has delved deeper into community in Nashville, recording albums and performing live with Sunny War, Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears, Tré Burt, and William Tyler and the Impossible Truth.

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Stephen Wilson Jr. - Jackie Venson - Poster Club

Photo - Jessica Hood

Stephen Wilson Jr. - Cuckoo.

Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. releases the official music video for “Cuckoo” from his critically-acclaimed debut double album søn of dad (Big Loud Records). Directed by Tim Cofield, the clip paints a psychedelic picture of life in an Indiana holler featuring a frenetic dive bar performance from Joey Breaux, a Midwestern Gothic family scene and HARDY + Wilson Jr. playing catch with a ball of fire.

Wilson Jr. is currently in the midst of the entirely sold-out 2025 U.S. run of his søn of dad tour with stops in Detroit, Toronto and more. Earlier this month, it was announced that he will join HARDY on his Jim Bob World Tour on select dates from May through September, including the final show at Madison Square Garden.

“‘If one don’t drive ya then the other one will…’ running on cognitive American fumes at times,” shares Wilson Jr. “we’re all afraid of something. this video is a fiery glance at the ones whom haven’t given up but have given up on the game. these are not actors. a kaleidoscope of humans living and being. unashamed of their shame. ‘cuckoo…’”

“‘Cuckoo’ is the eighth video SWJ and I have made together,” shares Director Tim Cofield. “While ‘Holler from the Holler’ was the most ambitious concept we've co-directed, ‘Cuckoo’ is a planet in its own solar system. All these ideas come from Stephen's brain. For example, the character driving backwards in the truck. Stephen actually knows a guy who has to drive to work backwards ‘cause his truck only drives in reverse. My favorite thing about the ‘Cuckoo’ video is that all these characters you see are real people, not actors. There's also some easter eggs hidden in there for diehard fans (look for wolf heads and aliens).”

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Jackie Venson - Young.

Jackie Venson returns with “Young,” the latest single from her new album, The Love Anthology! Following the momentum of her previous single “Alone”, “Young” showcases Jackie’s signature blend of blues, rock, and soul with her unmistakable guitar work and dynamic energy.

Jackie is also hitting the road this Spring around the Midwest and Southeast in support of The Love Anthology, and she’s available for interviews, in-studio performances, or call-ins while on tour.



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Photo - Sarah Connor

Poster Club - Circuits.

Glasgow’s genre-spanning post-punk outfit Poster Club are back with new single ‘Circuits’, via Electric Honey Records. Following the success of their recent singles ‘Tradeston’ and ‘Goth Parade’, which leaned into dance and synth influences, ‘Circuits’ takes listeners on a journey back to the band’s raw, punk-inspired origins.

With its thumping pace, dissonant guitars, and a high-octane climax, ‘Circuits’ showcases Poster Club’s ability to merge punk swagger with their signature blend of post-punk and new wave sounds. Introduced with apprehensive guitar chords, the song quickly launches into a driving rhythm, reflecting themes of vulnerability and emotional honesty.

After signing with Electric Honey Records—the label responsible for launching icons like Biffy Clyro, Belle & Sebastian, and Snow Patrol—Poster Club’s profile has only grown. Their first single with the label, ‘Goth Parade’, earned a feature on Billy Sloan’s BBC Radio Scotland show, and their genre-blurring style continues to capture the attention of national and international audiences.

‘Circuits’ marks another chapter in Poster Club’s musical evolution. With its heartfelt lyricism, pacey riffs, and dramatic tempo shifts, the single exemplifies the band’s ability to blend authenticity and innovation. This isn’t a band tied to one sound—Poster Club uses a sonic palette of punk, techno and synth, and everything in between.

“‘Circuits’ is about opening up and letting someone truly see what’s inside you—both emotionally and literally,” explains vocalist Konrad. “The lyrics, ‘“rip me open, look at my circuits,” are raw and unfiltered, inspired by artists like Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit and Brian Sella of The Front Bottoms, who have this incredible knack for honesty in their writing. It’s a concept that felt personal and urgent to explore.”

Poster Club · Circuits

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Mookie and The Bab - Mercury's Antennae - Juanita Stein

Mookie and The Bab - The Tide.

Mookie and The Bab all-acoustic indie-folk new single 'The Tide' has just been released on Kycker. Fuelled by long drives across desert landscapes taking inCalifornia, Nevada, and Texas, Bradford’s own Mookie + The Bab are an all-acoustic indie-folk group whose acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, layered vocals, and occasional trumpet capture the sound of the American Southwest – yet remainstrue to British working class roots.

Moved by climate emergency, Floods, fires, desertification, and exploring organic sounds with rousing harmonies, multi-instrumentalists Abi Otway, Marc Otway and Conor Magi’s Americana-Yorkshire folk blend is steeped in nature, emerging from their unique bond after many years making music together and travels playing festivals internationally and across the UK.

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Mercury's Antennae - The Reflecting Skin (William Faith Remix).

Currently based between Switzerland and the US, the trio comprises Dru Allen and Cindy Coulter of This Ascension, and Erick r. Scheid of The Palace of Tears. Their sound incorporates influences from shoegaze pop, ethereal darkwave, and unadorned acoustic beauty, while also drawing inspiration from ambient and modern electronica. Through the iconic Projekt label, Mercury’s Antennae released their debut album, A Waking Ghost Inside (2014); followed by The Guides EP (2015); and sophomore album, Beneath the Serene (2016).Their debut for Sett Records was 2018’s The Moon Viewing Garden EP, followed by appearances at prestigious festivals Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig, Germany; and Tomorrow’s Ghosts Festival in Whitby, England. ‘The Reflecting Skin’ is the lead single from their long-waited third album, Among the Black Trees, forthcoming from Sett Records in Spring 2025.

With its driving chorus bass, serpentine swirl 12-string guitar, spacious ambient electronics and Dru Allen’s siren voice, the single release of ‘The Reflecting Skin’ is graced with a remix by the goth “all father” William Faith. His remix showcases a haunting, driving, hypnotic and atmospheric interpretation of the song: a sonic alchemy that seems to emanate from another time, another place. William says:

“Getting to remix ‘The Reflecting Skin’ was very much like going home for me. Having worked closely with Dru and my sister Cindy in This Ascension beginning some 32 years ago, this was very comfortable and familiar territory, though Erick’s sensibilities brought something new and different to work with, making for a dynamic and exciting creative endeavor. Overall, I feel like I managed to bridge the time gap with an interesting take on the song that is at once nostalgic and classic in feel, while updating the sonic depth and breadth in a way that suits the moment. It was a blast for me -- love it!”

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Juanita Stein - The Old World.

Juanita Stein warms up for her imminent solo headline tour with the release of an Orlando-Cubitt-directed video for ‘Old World’, taken from her critically acclaimed fourth solo album ‘The Weightless Hour’ (out now, Agricultural Audio). Following recent UK tours with Evan Dando and Travis, the Howling Bells frontwoman will embark on her own UK solo headline dates, which include a performance at London's Lower Third on 25th March.
 
Stein says of ‘Old World’: “This was a song that was written in one long breath, in a room, in a house, in a village in the South of France. After having taken a long walk through the woods, the light streaming through the pine trees, I found myself reflecting on what it means for me, to have ended up living and travelling in Europe, like so many of my family before me.
 
This song recalls the first time I travelled to Europe, which was with my family when I was 16. Having lived a life in Australia, a country in its infancy by comparison, I was confronted with a rich and bloodied history whose roots ran centuries underground. The generational trauma that came with learning about my own family history there, was a reckoning. We brought along my grandmother, who hadn’t returned to Czechoslovakia since she was 14, when she was forced to flee the Nazis. We visited the crumbling house she grew up in. I stood in the streets of many Jewish ghettos and burnt out synagogues that were forced to become churches. I visited Holocaust Memorial museums, I learned of the slow rise of right-wing fascism reawakening in a new Europe, all of this coupled with the acknowledgement that I had relocated to Europe myself to start a family and the conflict that causes within the body. I learned what it felt like to be the “other”, to be hated for the religion you were born into, and simultaneously, to also be hated for being perceived as a Westerner, as when someone yelled at me, “bloody American” when they looked down at my ripped jeans, or when me and my brothers were hauled into a police station in Prague for potentially spying when using our disposable cameras outside a cemetery. This was not Australia. This was The Old World.”

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IDER - Dream Cycle Inc - Lily Monaghan

IDER - Killing The Game (new video) / Late To The World (Album).

After teasing their next full-length project over the last few months with the singles ‘Know How It Hurts’, ‘Unlearn’, ‘Girl’, ‘You Don’t Know How To Drive’ and ‘Attachment Theory’, leftfield alt-pop duo IDER have just shared their third album ‘Late To The World’ alongside focus track ‘Killing The Game’ out now via Nettwerk.
 
Produced by Dann Hume (Laura Mvula, Troye Sivan, Tkay Maidza) and recorded on residency in his church-cum-studio between summer and autumn 2023, ‘Late To The World’ pushes IDER’s tender sound in a tougher direction. It is both bigger in scale and deliberately restrained, honing its contrasting textures of lush electronics and blistering indie rock. The result, they say, is the album they’ve “always wanted to make”.
 
Drawing on a mix of dejected British new wave, euphoric electro-pop and swooning alt rock in the vein of Mazzy Star, the resulting sound is as cinematic as their storytelling – with an added dash of grit and the introduction of live drums (while they’ve always used a live drummer on tour, this is the first time they’ve been laid to record) that reflect the album’s real world footing.

As liberated in subject matter as it is in sound, ‘Late To The World’ represents IDER’s long and continuous journey of self-discovery both as individuals and as a band. It’s an album borne from weathering the confusion of your twenties and stepping into the clarity of your thirties; its 12 tracks acting as rallying cries for rejecting societal pressures and turning up to life at your own pace.
 
Focus track ‘Killing The Game’ is the penultimate song on ‘Late To The World’ and wholly embodies the central theme of the album; being a late bloomer. A calm yet powerful electro-pop track, lyrically it looks at how the world can sometimes feel it moves on without you, unable to keep up and unsure if you want to. The band say; “Killing The Game is for the socially anxious. Set at a party, watching people enjoy themselves whilst you feel like you’re on the outside - the perception that everyone is ‘killing the game’ whilst you are being left behind”.

IDER · Late to the World

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Dream Cycle Inc - Good Boy / Sea Shel (l) ter (feat. Amalia).

The ambient-infused dub of Dream Cycle Inc. is atmospheric, hypnotic, and immersive—blending deep, pulsating basslines with ethereal atmospheres and intricate rhythmic textures. Sonically, it draws from ambient, dub techno, and progressive house, creating a world where synthetic textures and organic elements merge seamlessly. There's an underlying sense of movement—like drifting through a futuristic metropolis at twilight, caught between euphoria and introspection. The sound of dissolving, and rediscovering reality through a hazy, melodic lens.

To truly grasp Jan's diverse musical preferences, we must delve into his teenage years, a time when he unearthed his second profound passion amidst the haunting melodies of gothic rock and the pulsating beats of dark electro: the realm of adventurous dance music. The 90s unfurled an exhilarating tapestry of sonic exploration, birthing a myriad of dance music genres. Jan found himself captivated by the pioneering spirit of labels like Planet Dog, which wielded immense influence over his musical odyssey. Acts such as Eat Static, Banco De Gaia, Children of the Bong and Future Loop Foundation, all stalwarts of the Planet Dog roster, expertly fused elements of dance, trance, dub, ambient, and drum & bass into spellbinding compositions.

Jan found solace in the label's seminal compilations, like the transcendent ‘Feed Your Head’ series, which whisked listeners away on psychedelic voyages through ambient-infused dance realms. Another gem in his musical trove was the legendary ‘Dubnology’ compilation, which further enriched his sonic landscape. It was through these sonic escapades that Jan encountered bands like Dreadzone, opening the door to the mesmerizing world of techno-infused dub, leaving an indelible mark on his musical psyche. With Dream Cycle Inc., Jan endeavours to revisit and reanimate the very essence of these transformative sounds that have left an indelible imprint on his musical soul.


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Photo - Tanjeryne Hoffman

Lily Monaghan - Willing To Wait.

Following her autumn 2024 single “Mona Lisa” – heard everywhere in Canada on CBC, in the U.K. on Alternative Roots, and in the U.S. on stations such as KTAL in Las Cruces, New Mexico – Lily Monaghan is back with “Willing To Wait,” a song that sees her expanding her sound beyond its traditional singer/songwriter origins.

Made in collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Kurtis Schultz in Lily’s hometown, Edmonton, Alberta, “Willing To Wait” places her within a full-band context for the first time, with stunning results. With Lily’s enchanting voice at the forefront, the song demonstrates that she’s more than ready to take the next natural step in her musical evolution.

She says, “‘Willing To Wait’ is meant to encapsulate that feeling of stagnation that accompanies existing in your mid-Twenties. When I wrote the song, I was hyper aware of the different life stages my longtime friends and I are all at, despite being the same age. Some have careers, apartments, pets and relationships, while others are full-time students or unemployed.

“Life takes us in different directions and there is nothing we’re able to do about it. With age comes an inevitable distance within some relationships; ‘Willing to Wait’ acknowledges this and is a love letter to these people in my life. Declaring that no matter how far away life pulls us, I will always be here and waiting for the day we come back together again.”

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Mountaintop Junkshop - Oswald Slain - Phoebe Green

Mountaintop Junkshop - I'm Still Looking For The Light.

Leicester UK-based alternative folk unit Mountaintop Junkshop are thrilled to share their latest single "I'm Still Looking For The Light", available now across music platforms courtesy of Electric Blanket Records.

"I'm Still Looking For The Light" acts as the latest sample from the group's upcoming album Misadventureland, due to be released on March 20th. A heartfelt blend of love, hope, and redemption, "I'm Still Looking for the Light" is a retro-inspired folk track that weaves together elements of Americana, country, and indie folk. With gentle guitars and soaring violins, the song evokes themes of resilience and desire, creating a rich, emotive sound that feels both timeless and deeply personal.

Hailing from Leicester UK, Mountaintop Junkshop could easily be mistaken for alt/country misfits from some lost California scene. The band make country-tinged minimal torch songs leaving space to hear pins drop and hearts breaking. Since forming they have shared stages with Jolie Holland, Herman Dune, Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance, Nina Nastasia and many more. File in your record collection somewhere between Low, Mazzy Star, Songs Ohia and next to an old, yellowing, red-wine-stained copy of Frank Stanford poems.

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Oswald Slain - Ugly.

Bristol rock group Oswald Slain return with their new single ‘UGLY’, out now, taken from their debut EP ‘Kiss Me On The Mouth’ due for release April 2025.

Formerly known as Little Thief, Oswald Swain’s sound is a rich tapestry woven from the threads of classic Americana, echoing the timeless vibes of Neil Young and The Band, whilst infusing it with the gritty, energetic rock essence familiar from their previous works. Anchored by the driving rhythms and fuzzy guitars, their music offers both reflective depth and an irresistible groove, promising music that resonates with both heart and soul.

Under their previous moniker, the band toured the UK multiple times, playing slots at esteemed festivals such as Glastonbury, Shambala, Liverpool Sound City, Isle of Wight, Kendal Calling and Greenman Festival, receiving support from the likes of Far Out Magazine, RTE, BBC Radio 6’s Steve Lamacq and BBC Radio 1. Co-founding members Charlie Fitzgerald and Rhii Williams, who have been writing music together for over 10 years, made the difficult decision to change the band name and move forward in a new direction.

Born from the creative cocoon of their home studio, Oswald Slain is a testament to both personal growth and musical evolution. Recorded over the miserable January of 2024, Oswald Slain’s music reflects a period of introspection and growth. Having reconciled with the chaos of youth and the trials of aging, lyricist Fitz channels these experiences into sincere, humorous, evocative songwriting alongside the timeless swagger of old retro rock records.

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Photo - Sara Carpentieri

Phoebe Green - Rage Of A Kid.

Manchester's Phoebe Green releases new single 'Rage Of A Kid' - the final taste of new five-track EP 'The Container' out 21st March via The Green Dream Machine. Phoebe will launch the EP with a run of headline dates this April, with stops in Leeds, Bristol, Manchester, Brighton and London.

Marking a significant evolution in her artistry, new EP 'The Container' was written and produced by Phoebe within the intimate settings of her flat in Manchester and her parents' house in the coastal town of Lytham St Annes, lyrically delving into the complexities of intense emotional connections, exploring themes of longing, obsession, and the delicate balance between self-love and self-sacrifice.

'Rage Of A Kid,' the opening track on 'The Container', is a powerful, electronically-tinged ballad about healing from past trauma. Sparse soundscapes evoke loneliness as the lyrics explore suppressed emotions - particularly anger. The song builds to a cathartic release with lush synths and atmospheric textures, culminating in Phoebe's visceral message: "Kicking and crying and taking a bite" - reclaiming the right to feel.

Speaking more on the inspiration behind new song 'Rage Of A Kid', Phoebe said: "‘Rage Of A Kid’ follows the discomfort of growing into myself and healing from past trauma. I spent a long time suppressing anger and any other difficult emotion in order to keep my head above water, but looking back I feel as though I wasted valuable years of my life doing anything in my power to avoid being consumed by it. It got to the point where I found it almost impossible to access, and when I did it was directed towards myself, because I felt so guilty for experiencing an emotion I had perceived for so long as “violent”. I learned eventually that anger is healthy and necessary and it serves a purpose when trying to process negative experiences, and especially in our current political climate, anger towards injustice is vital."

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Gelgia Caduff - Sarah Villiger - Emily Hines - KEYS - Sister Wives

Gelgia Caduff - Socializing.

Critics are consistently raving when Gelgia Caduff, no stranger in the Gothic- und Rockmusic-scene, from the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland, takes the stage or releases music. And no wonder—especially when considering her latest masterpiece. While others, sometimes for financial reasons, perform in duos or solo, using background sounds from a computer, multi-instrumentalist and exceptional singer Gelgia Caduff goes all out.

For her new single "Socializing," she teamed up with an Orchestra and a grand choir. The result is an orchestral rock opus that forms part of a massive rock opera with stunning visuals. The work, titled "Wishful Thinking" (pre-release album stream), is her most ambitious and elaborate project to date. The album will be released in May in both digital and physical formats, offering a mesmerizing journey through soundscapes—from ethereal, fairy-like vocals with delicate subtlety to ecstatic, powerful "Wall of Sound" moments. "Socializing" is just a taste of what’s to come.

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Sarah Villiger - Next Corner.

Yes, soul is alive! Modern, orchestral, and smooth, with pop melodies—that’s how "Next Corner", the new single by Sarah Villiger, sounds. Dark stairways in the city of Bern lead to high rooftops and broad horizons. Perfectionism, procrastination, and despair. Hope and vastness. All of this can be found in the songs of Sarah Villiger, the sister of renowned film composer Martin Villiger. With Next Corner, the title track of her upcoming EP is now being released as a single.

The singer-songwriter writes her music in the attic of her apartment in Bern—diving into a wide range of musical styles from there. Her voice is shaped by pop, jazz, soul, and classical music. The music is built on a pop and jazz foundation, opening doors to synth-pop, neo-soul, hip-hop, and lo-fi.

Sarah Villiger plays with contrasts, blending deep tones with her bright voice. The result culminates in a mix of analog retro synths and digital sounds—featured on her debut EP Next Corner, set for release in 2025. Sarah Villiger has already made a name for herself in the music world. She has sung for film scores composed by her brother, Martin Villiger, which have been featured on Swiss television. In 2025, she also plans to release new songs that will highlight her versatile voice.

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Photo - Ellie Carr

Emily Hines - Cowgirl Suit.

Nashville-based songwriter Emily Hines has signed to Keeled Scales. This week she releases her new single “Cowgirl Suit.” A self-described chronically-sincere farm girl, Hines grew up on a farm in rural Ohio before moving to Nashville where she played in other songwriters’ projects before recording her own songs on a 4-track cassette recorder.

“I wrote ‘Cowgirl Suit’ when I was in-between farm jobs, pretty fresh out of college. I was working at a local food co-op and seeing someone who wasn’t seeing me. Everything felt precarious and precious. The lyrics are a long list of things I was too scared to say at the time.”

Hines worked with producer Henry Park. Together they drew inspiration from acts like Duster, Laura Marling, and Karen Dalton to record simply and add layers one at a time. She writes, “This was the recording that inspired me to make an album. I had already recorded a few songs with Henry, but when we made this one, we felt validated in our vision. The base of every song we made is a live-take recorded on the cassette. We wanted the recordings to be organic and honest. This is the simplest production on the record, but it guided everything else we made. Something in the drum machine, the tape, and the imperfections came together to create a vulnerable yet dynamic sound. We set out to make a body of work to match it.”

Emily Hines · Cowgirl Suit

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KEYS - What Flavour?

Libertino is proud to announce the release of “What Flavour?”, the brand-new single from @keysmusicuk A bold departure from their past work, the track takes inspiration from the raw, rhythmic urgency of ESG, Liquid Liquid, and the early ’80s New York post-disco underground, channeling the energy of 99 Records into something distinctly their own.

Frontman Matthew Evans explains the song’s unexpected origins: “‘What Flavour?’ began with something my daughter said while staring at the endless choices at an ice cream stand on holiday in Tenby. We instinctively sang it back to her, and before long, it snowballed into a full-blown song. As it unfolds, the track grows more agitated, from playful indecision into the agony of craving what someone else has. We’d been deep into disco and 99 Records bands at the time, so everything came out upside down.

It doesn’t sound like anything we’ve done before, and that’s exactly why we love it.” Built around tight, hypnotic grooves and a growing sense of unease, “What Flavour?” reflects the genre-blurring spirit of early ’80s NYC, where funk, punk, and dance music collided on downtown dancefloors. KEYS distill that restless energy into a song that starts as a playful singalong but soon spirals into something deeper—anxious, urgent, and impossible to shake.

With its percussive drive and warped funk sensibilities, “What Flavour?” marks an exciting new chapter for KEYS, proving that after all these years, they’re still pushing forward, still hungry for the unexpected.

KEYS · What Flavour?

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Sister Wives - Malady.

Sheffield's Sister Wives return with new single 'Malady - their first new music since their 2022 Welsh Music Prize nominated debut album, 'Y Gawres'.

Unearthing forgotten feminist histories through myth and landscape, Sister Wives weave wild tales braiding the Welsh and English language over their signature glam-droog-acid-stomp. The band's songs deal with ever-shifting expectations and injustices, forgone heroines, the divine feminine and the veiled mysteries of ancient lands.

'Malady' is about "an inner ‘beast waking up inside your body; backing you up and empowering you to stand up to bad men," they share. "It’s also about how strong females frighten said bad men and historically this power is perceived as a sickness, madness, or malady..."

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Noonzy - Patterson Hood - Astari Nite - WILDES and St Francis Hotel - Nature TV

Photo - Tone Verswijvel

Noonzy - Mama Mia.

Antwerp-based musician Arnaud Stockbroekx, professionally known as Noonzy, today shares "Mama Mia", the latest offering taken from his recently announced EP Puppies released March 28 via [PIAS] Recordings.

The new single "Mama Mia" showcases a melodica of whirring synth waves, buoyant basslines, colourful percussion all overlaid with sentimental lyrics. Inspired by the warm, euphoric feelings you get when surrounded by friends, and asking yourself “How did I get so lucky to have these amazing people in my life?” Noonzy describes ‘Mama Mia’ as a track that bottles up “the kind of love where you are showering friends with compliments like “You’re the funniest, most beautiful, smartest person ever!” He adds, “the feeling is genuine but you are definitely drunk”.

Comprising five infectious, elegantly crafted avant-pop songs, the EP glides from love-flushed longing (‘Where/When’) to the pleasures and pitfalls of being a lone ranger (‘Fishy’) to a blazing desire for tangible relationships with people (‘Mama Mia’). Impulsively catchy, the songs twinkle and cascade with exuberant expressive basslines and hazy analogue synths, simultaneously evoking the carefree leisure of youth and the spiky anxieties of our modern disconnected age. 

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Photo - Jason Thrasher

Patterson Hood - The Forks of Cypress ft. Waxahatchee.

Drive-By Truckers co-founder Patterson Hood has shared 'The Forks of Cypress (w/Waxahatchee)', the latest single (featuring Katie Crutchfield) from his landmark new solo album, 'Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams', arriving via ATO Records on Friday, 21 February 2025. 
 
An official music video – filmed by Bradley Wagner and Juan M. Soria at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY before Drive-By Truckers took the stage on their Southern Rock Opera Revisited Tour earlier this year and featuring aerial footage of Hood’s hometown of Florence, AL was provided by local pilot John David Apkarian of Wings Over Bama.

“The Forks of Cypress a real place, a few miles just north of my hometown of Florence, Alabama,” says Patterson Hood. “A former plantation house, once owned by a cousin of Andrew Jackson, it was struck by a ‘lightning cluster’ in 1966 – when I was two – and exploded into flames, burning to the ground in under five minutes. All that was left were these huge columns, in a rectangle on top of the hill overlooking the meadow. It was right by a very creepy rickety one one-lane bridge that the locals called Ghost Bridge. I drove past this (and crossed the scary bridge) every week of my childhood on my way to my Great Uncle’s house (where I spent every weekend). Later, as a teenager, kids would drive dates out to Ghost Bridge and tell ghost stories and make out. The bridge was torn down about a decade ago.  
“I wrote the song as pure fiction, inspired by those great story songs that Bobbie Gentry did, an ‘Ode to Billie Joe,’ etc., where she implies a story without really telling it. In my head, I heard Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) singing it with me and was blessed that she was willing to do so. She’s one of my very favorite artists, and such a lovely person. “The song was fleshed out wonderfully by Phil and Brad Cook (who played keyboards, dobro and bass on it), Dan Hunt on drums, and then Kevin Morby put the cherry on top with a stunning lead part. “Whipped cream and cherry.”

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Astari Nite - Unisex Games.

Astari Nite is delighted to announce the release of their vivid & unapologetic new video for the track, "Unisex Games". The video and single for "Unisex Games" can only best be described in the words of Astari Nite's vocalist, Mychael:
 
"Unisex Games" was written as a sort of tongue in cheek to the max song. I mean, relationships often find an invasive way of telling you how you’re going to spend your time whether you like it or not, right? So, make it worthwhile, have an imagination or get a hobby and try your luck at painting.

For what it’s worth, anyone I’ve ever come across has helped define my unusual ways to this very day and for that, I will always be thankful." Regarding the music video for "Unisex Games", Mychael goes on to say: "The start of the year was a f**king horror story. My therapist recommended doing something amusing and so I did. My bandmates met me at my hotel, and we played pretend for an hour or two making the “Unisex Games” music video. There is a certain kind of magic that takes place when you can find comfort in the people you surround yourself with. Being obnoxiously silly comes naturally for the four of us.

The happiness that is displayed in the video may help some people put a smile on their face for a moment during these chaotic times. This is why I chose to release the video a few weeks before the actual single that comes out on March 14th."

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Photo - Elena Garcia

WILDES and St Francis Hotel - State Trooper.

WILDES and St Francis Hotel today release new collaborative EP Kopfkino, and share a visualiser for previously unheard Bruce Springsteen cover and EP closing track, 'State Trooper'.

"State Trooper is one of our favourite Springsteen songs, but our cover of it came about quite indirectly," explains WILDES. "We were listening to a lot of Suicide around the making of the EP, their drum machines and industrial synths heavily influencing both our work, and Springsteen’s simple, but raw production of State Trooper from 1982. We eventually decided to put our stamp on the song by leaning on Springsteen’s initial inspiration from Suicide, and we ended up with an even darker, grittier, electronic version of this already atmospheric song. It’s an important full stop on the EP, capturing the era we were inspired by and the great artists that have impacted us both as musicians."

Together WILDES and St Francis Hotel bring with them a wealth of critical plaudits, and notable collaborations between them with acts including The Flaming Lips, Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka.

For new EP Kopfkino, the pair delve into the mind's captivating power, exploring the spectrum of human experience from poignant introspection to exhilarating escapism, sonically noting the influence of 80s synth-pop bands such as Erasure, The Human League, and Depeche Mode, as well as trip-hop artists like Massive Attack and Portishead.

From the stark, brooding art-pop of 'In The Floodlight' investigating personal growth and discovery, to 'Are You Gonna Speak?' which offers a shadowy glimpse into WILDES's soul, with raw cries for connection piercing a backdrop of throbbing synths and driving percussion. The EP's title track 'Kopfkino' explores the blurry lines between fantasy and reality, with WILDES's intoxicating vocals guiding listeners through a soundscape of intense rhythms and atmospheric flourishes.


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Photo - Ben Pender

Nature TV - Aways It Goes.

Brighton risers, self professed door to door heartbreak salesmen Nature TV release ‘Aways It Goes’ (Feb 19th), the second single to be taken from their upcoming debut album ‘Unlucky for Some’, due for release May 9th via indie heavyweights Heist or Hit (Her’s / Two Blinks, I Love You / Brad Stank). Released just ahead of the band's first, and almost completely sold out US tour, the band are riding high ahead of their appearance at SXSW 2025.

Building a reputation for their warming alternative-indie sound which overflows with sparkling melody and wistful melancholy, ‘Always It Goes’ perfectly captures the signature sound that sets Nature TV apart—a seamless blend of chilled beach-indie vibes and neo-soul sophistication. Produced by longtime collaborator Solo Major, the track weaves warming, modulated guitar tones with a deep, grounding bass and impeccably tight drums, crafting a soundscape that feels both buoyant and serene as it settles into a gentle groove. Against this restrained yet polished backdrop, the effortlessly melodic lead vocals float with grace, resulting in a track that feels refreshingly vibrant despite its undercurrent of melancholy.

Talking about the single, vocalist Guy explains: “This track is all about reflection. It’s about looking back and having a conversation with yourself about where things ended up for you and how things might have played out differently. Thinking if you had made different choices,or held on to someone else, instead of just letting go of some of the things that you’ve lost, things that could or maybe should have been different. But you’ve made your bed and now you’ve got to lie in it. It’s about making the most of where things are.”

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Berries - Aistis - Will Johnson - Oslo Twins

Photo Derek Bremner

Berries - Narrow tracks.

In their new video for “Narrow Tracks”, Berries splice fuzzy live footage together with shots of lead vocalist Holly Carter ripping up jigsaws, devouring books backwards, and walking the pavement like a tightrope in her crimson Converse. Each shot reflects the indecision and doubt that runs throughout the song’s lyrics, with many playing in reverse or at an unnatural speed.

“Doubts tingle with the facts, like passing trains on narrow tracks,” the band sing as the video cuts to live shots of the band performing at their BBC Introducing session earlier this year. The new release also acts as a lyric video, layering handwriting-style text over each shot.

The band explain the themes of the song: “'Narrow Tracks' is a song for anyone who struggles with OCD. It speaks of those tingling doubts, the constant stream of dark thoughts and the longing to be able to do the simplest of tasks, but ultimately it’s an optimistic track. It’s about fighting back and finding strength to keep those thoughts at bay.”

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Photo - Sophia Perras

Aistis - Nothing Here Ever Changes.

Art-folk songwriter Aistis delves deeper into theatrical arrangements and introspective lyricism in his most ambitious work yet. Using wit and candour as mortar and pestle to grind the ego into finer granules of inner truth, Lithuanian-Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Aistis returns with his third full-length album, Caviar For Seagulls.

With “Caviar For Seagulls” Aistis has conjured up a sweeping odyssey that delves deep into the complexities of the human experience. His latest compilation is a poignant testament to the power of storytelling, evoking the lyrical mastery of Leonard Cohen and David Berman. As Aistis weaves together folk traditions and theatrical flourishes, he creates an immersive world where vulnerability and theatricality entwine, giving birth to a deeply personal yet universally resonant collection of tracks.

From the whimsical "Nothing Here Ever Changes" to the soul-stirring "Rejoice", and the poignant ode to Leonard Cohen in "86/Dove", Aistis takes listeners on a sonic journey that is both deeply introspective and cinematically grand. Even in the midst of exploring the darker corners of human struggle, the artist finds solace in the words "A part of me believes the best is yet to come". This album is a masterclass in blending melancholy and resilience, crafting a sonic tapestry that is both sorrowful and hopeful. Aistis cements his status as a singular voice in alternative folk, leaving an indelible mark on the genre, with “Caviar For Seagulls”.

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Photo - Jackie Lee Young

Will Johnson - Floodway Fall.

Prolific Texas songwriter Will Johnson announces his 10th solo album, Diamond City, today, sharing the lead single “Floodway Fall.” The Centro-matic frontman and current member of Jason Isbell’s band The 400 Unit, writes: “The idea for ‘Floodway Fall’ cropped up before a summer 2022 rehearsal with Scott Danbom. We were still setting up, getting sounds and levels. I remember him looking out the window, loosely playing along on his fiddle, likely unaware that I was recording it. I quickly forgot about it, then stumbled across it a few months later and decided to see the song through. For the most part, it's a small town document of tension, travel, and ultimately undying love.”
 
The lead track on the album unfolds with Johnson’s distinct cinematic sound, bolstered by longtime collaborator Britton Beisenherz’s production contributions. In the past year Will Johnson has shared stages with Guided By Voices, Alejandro Escovedo, Little Mazarn, and Renée Reed. Next month his full band Will Johnson & Wire Mountain will play SoCo Stomp at C-Boy’s in Austin, TX on Wednesday, March 12th.

Diamond City, out April 4th on Keeled Scales, surveys mythical places whose spirit dwells among barren Midwestern landscapes and stark Southern outlands, reflecting the hollows of Johnson’s childhood in southern Missouri and the spartan Texas expanse where he now lives. Like many towns that line America’s midsection, Diamond City’s fancy name belies its reality. As  with albums such as John Prine’s “John Prine” or Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska,” Diamond City’s vast fortune is found in its gritty folk tales — of hovering ghosts, open wounds, tender hearts, little jokes, and the everyday people and scenery that compose a cracked iconography. Like Muhlenberg County, Kentucky or Mahwah, New Jersey, Diamond City is a place that people may leave but never truly escape.

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Photo - Freya Davies

Oslo Twins - I Wake Up Slowly.

Bristol-formed, London-based outfit Oslo Twins today release new single 'I Wake Up Slowly' a riveting, pulsating new taste of forthcoming EP 'Tresor', out 14th March via Half-Normal Records.

Produced by band members Eric C. Davies and Claudia Vulliamy in their east London studio, new EP 'Tresor' highlights a rejuvenated sonic depth for the London outfit - drawing influence from Nation Of Language, Angel Olsen, This Mortal Coil, Everything But The Girl, Lamb, Chromatics, Grace Ives and Ladytron.

New single 'I Wake Up Slowly' is thudding and transportive - "Plunging in plum coloured sleep / Bruises from another dream" sings Claudia Vulliamy, drifting between the spiralling, minimalist synth-pop arrangements.

Speaking on the song's lyrical inspiration, Claudia Vulliamy said: "In a sense it’s about beginning to move after being stuck inside your head, going from something statuesque to something dynamic. That’s why the upbeat rhythm and pace of it, the syncopation and the repetition, felt essential. But it’s also about literally waking up and trying to remember something that felt significant to your sleeping self. For me, the deepest sleep produces dreams that feel deep purple, a colour that matches the sound of a deep, rumbling bass and sometimes feels like a bruise upon waking."

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