The Wildmans - Mollie Elizabeth - Jazmine Mary - Mariel Buckley

Photograph by Magnolia Ellenburg

The Wildmans - Autumn 1941.

The Wildmans will release Longtime Friend on July 11, 2025 via New West Records. The 12-song set was produced by Nicholas Falk (Hiss Golden Messenger, Dori Freeman) and recorded by Chris Bittner at Applehead Recording in Woodstock, NY. Longtime Friend’s sound itself is at the sonic crossroads of Americana, Alt-Country, Bluegrass, and Folk with the brother-sister duo of Aila and Elisha Wildman being joined by Dori Freeman, Jeff Hill, Sam Leslie, Sam Fribush, Redd Volkaert, and Nicholas Falk as well.
 
Not far from the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the childhood home The Wildmans. A veritable hotbed of bluegrass, old-time, and mountain music, Aila and Elisha Wildman have been immersed in the rich, vibrant music scenes surrounding them for as long as they can remember. As kids, Elisha picked up the guitar and mandolin, while Aila reached for the fiddle. They became enamored with their instruments, which parlayed itself into a presence at regional festivals and also winning numerous renowned competitions around Southern Appalachia. Both recent graduates of the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, The Wildmans’ Longtime Friend showcases both their musical virtuosity and the interlacing harmonies which are specifically unique to siblings. The sound itself takes the essence of their intricate musicality in the bluegrass and old-time realms and slides that into more contemporary tomes of Americana and indie-folk.

One of the albums highlight is “Autumn 1941.” The Wildmans said, “We first heard the song when co-writers Roger Brown, former Berklee College of Music President, and Mark Simos, Berklee songwriting professor, brought it to us. They thought we would connect to the story being from our region and this being a part of Appalachian history not often told. It immediately sparked interest. Different versions of this story of eugenics prove to be true across Appalachian regions and more largely other minorities throughout American early-mid 20th century history. Our good friend, Dori Freeman, who is singing the background vocals on this track, told us she had read a book about this same movement in Virginia and communities like Floyd, our hometown. We felt we could take this song and make it our own. Once we got into the studio with it, the song just flowed and out came a haunting authenticity we hadn’t yet discovered in our music.” 

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Photo - Sophia Schrank

Mollie Elizabeth - Until We Meet Again.

21-year-old Washington State-based artist Mollie Elizabeth reveals her third track “Until We Meet Again” via Neon Gold / Virgin Music. Mollie Elizabeth notes: “I think we all have people that we only truly get to visit in our dreams- whether it’s ones we’ve lost through life or love. I find it beautifully devastating to know that our minds will continue to hold them in our hearts and in our souls, even if only a silhouette.”

“Until We Meet Again” is produced by Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone). The dusky amour of “Until We Meet Again” is Old Hollywood glamour through and through. Mollie perfumes her music with a rare kind of chic, one that comes with a winking self-assurance and a genuine sweetness.

In January, she first introduced herself with her first viral song, “Vegas Venetian”. Elizabeth adds: “To me, every melody is a tiny world that invites you in—an invitation to be both fierce and delicate, and to celebrate who you are, who you have been, and who you are becoming. My music isn’t just for listening—it’s for wandering, for imagining, and for finding a piece of yourself in a place you’d forgotten.”

Last month, she revealed her second track and a perfectly matching music video (dir. Maya Sassoon) for “Dinner For One”, produced by Dean Reid (Lana Del Rey, Marina) and co-written with Reid and GRAMMY-nominated Casey Smith (Olivia Rodrigo, Ashe, Benson Boone).

Mollie Elizabeth · Until We Meet Again

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Photo - Jim Tannock

Jazmine Mary - My Brilliance.

Flying Nun Records are very pleased to welcome noir folk artist Jazmine Mary to the whānau! Their album, 'I Want To Rock And Roll' is out digitally and on black vinyl LP on 13th June.

'I Want To Rock And Roll' is Jazmine Mary's third album, following on from the critically acclaimed, 'Dog' (2021) and the award-winning 'The Licking of a Tangerine' (2021). Recorded at Tāmaki Makaurau's Roundhead Studios by De Stevens, the upcoming self-produced album features musical contributions from some of Aotearoa's greats: Louisa Nicklin, Cass Basil (Tiny Ruins), Cello Forrester (Womb), Dave Khan (Marlon Williams) and Arahi.

Possessing one of the country's most esteemed and idiosyncratic folk voices, Jazmine Mary's new single 'My Brilliance' showcases their crystal clear vocal abilities that sit atop their signature rhythmic changes; a wonderfully bright, folk gem. Flying Nun Records couldn't be more stoked to have Jazmine aboard our train.

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Photo - Maggie Geis

Mariel Buckley - Vending Machines.

Unapologetically genuine, wry and soft-hearted, Mariel Buckley has planted her flag firmly as a songwriter who’s in it for the long haul. Never one for following the rules, she aims to find herself squarely on the fringes and exactly where she belongs: writing songs for the underdogs. Raised in the heart of Canada’s rodeo and country music scenes, she was destined to challenge the boundaries around her, both in life and in song. With a fearless spirit that’s consistently broken through both genre and personal barriers, Buckley’s unique blend of angst-driven alt-folk has made her a standout artist, offering a fresh and dynamic perspective on modern Americana music.

Her latest single, “Vending Machines”, marks the beginning of a new sonic and individual chapter. While familiar, darker instrumentation and themes are sprinkled throughout. She shares: “I was itching to try something a little heavier than my previous stuff. I wanted to move away from synths and keys in general, citing references from indie rock, pop music, and alt-country.” An avid admirer of his work, Mariel connected with Nashville based alt-Americana producer, Jarrad K (Ruston Kelly, Lucie Silvas, Fancy Hagood, Goo Goo Dolls) for the new single.

Despite having grittier undertones, the writing is intentionally vulnerable and specific, resulting in something inviting and universal. “Vending Machines” explores themes of self-doubt, uncertainty, and questioning one's path. It beautifully captures the feeling of restlessness and being in a constant, seemingly cyclical state of transition, unsure of where things are headed, and trying to find a way forward. Buckley confides, “I was genuinely questioning my career, personal life as a result of that career, my distant-feeling relationships with family and friends, and how I could restart after yet another big change. It should feel looping, liminal and never ending, like an endless travel day.”

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TEOSE - The Hill - Libertino Records Various Artists - Phonosonics

Photo - Aodhan Gallagher

TEOSE - Part II.

Glasgow alt-pop four-piece TEOSE have released their new single, ‘Part II’, which marks a bold new chapter for the band, showcasing a more polished and pop-forward sound while staying true to the raw emotional honesty that has become their signature. 

Formed in 2018, TEOSE, comprising Melissa (guitar/vocals), Sean (bass), Axel (keys) and Jordan (drums), blend four distinct musical backgrounds into a sound that’s earned comparisons to The Cure from the Scottish Alternative Music Awards.

Self-recorded at Chime Studios, ‘Part II’ is the title track from their forthcoming album, capturing the essence of their musical evolution. Compared to earlier DIY recordings laid down in their tiny Dalmarnock practice space, the new material features cleaner production and an infectious energy that hints at their pop sensibilities without losing the heartfelt grit that defines them.

At its core, ‘Part II’ explores the often-overlooked realities of social anxiety. Set against buoyant rhythms and dreamy textures, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of feeling out of place at a party, desperately seeking escape and the solace of home. From a jittery bass-driven intro to an unexpectedly playful and chaotic outro, the track mirrors the emotional rollercoaster of the night it describes.

"It’s one of my favourite songs we’ve ever written," says Melissa. "It takes you on a real journey—from feeling awkward and out of sync to finding that little bit of peace when you finally get into bed... then right back into the spiral of overthinking every awkward thing you said!"

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The Hill - See You There.

Gearing up for their new album release due this summer, The Hill have released the new single “See You There,” today May 16, 2025. The song and upcoming album are produced by Mike Slo Mo Brenner. Brenner was involved in several notable projects in 2024, including producing Susan Werner - Halfway to Houston (Best Album of 2024 by the Folk Alliance) and playing on Wild Pink’s, Dulling the Horns, (Paste Rock Album of the Year). He also played on several tracks with The Philly Specials, a project that also involved Stevie Nicks and Jon Bon Jovi.

“Mike was juggling some interesting projects, but once we finished the “Let This Storm Pass,” a previously released single (also on the upcoming LP), we got into a flow with the rest of the tracks,” said Jon Kowit, singer-songwriter and founder of The Hill. John Anthony (Solas, The Brothers McMullen, Backstreet Boys) was brought in to engineer the new single and the upcoming LP.

The Hill was featured as WXPN spotlight artist of the week and received terrestrial radio play in the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa. Their debut album Get In Line continues to build an audience organically, as it has been saved over 11,000 times on Spotify and routinely gets Shazam’d around the world.

About The Hill: The Hill is an Americana project founded upon the songs of Jon Kowit, a music junkie/former record store employee. The debut album Get In Line released in 2024 was recorded after he reconnected with indie music steel guitar/ multi-instrumentalist Mike Slo Mo Brenner (Jason Molina, Wild Pink, Marah, Susan Werner). The forthcoming album Noble Station is expected in July 2025.

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Libertino Records - SWIGOD! (Vol 1. Various Artists).

As a label, we’ve never been ones to look back. We’ve always been chasing the dreams of our artists, celebrating the now, and carving out space for the futures they’re building. After Covid, we thought briefly about releasing a compilation—but there was so much new music, so much to say in the moment, that the idea was quietly set aside. Until now. WHY NOW? Maybe because it finally felt right to stop for a moment, breathe, and take in what’s been built.

Nearly a decade of storytelling through song, of standing by our artists through every high and low, of staying true to something bigger than ourselves. This is a moment of change—an end of a chapter, and the beginning of something new. SWIGOD isn’t just a compilation. It’s a celebration of everything Libertino has stood for since day one: being fearlessly independent, pushing Welsh music beyond borders, and believing—always—that music is magic, and that the world needs to hear it. This album is a love letter to everyone who’s believed in this journey with us. It’s not a retrospective—it’s a statement of intent. This is only the beginning.

Libertino was born out of a moment of pure inspiration on a dance floor in Carmarthen’s iconic venue, The Parrot. It was a flash of clarity at one of ARGRPH’s and Adwaith’s first live shows that ignited a passion to create a label that would amplify a new wave of Welsh artists, breaking free from outdated expectations. It was a moment that made it clear that there was no other choice but to build something that would champion these voices and give them the platform they deserved.

From the outset, Libertino was founded as a fearlessly independent, bilingual, alternative and progressive label-one that wasn’t just about releasing music but about reshaping the industry itself. We wanted to be a catalyst for change, making the Welsh music scene more open, ethical and supportive-not just for young artists but also for the larger creative community around us. We are deeply artist-centred, creating an environment that feels like a family, where musicians can grow, experiment and explore their creativity in a dynamic and inspiring space. The glass ceiling that has held back so many Welsh artists, especially those singing in Welsh, needed to be shattered. Our mission has always been to take Welsh music beyond its borders, reaching larger UK and international audiences while staying true to the artists’ identities.

Libertino · SWIGOD!: Libertino Cyfrol / Vol 1.

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Phonosonics - Everything I Do.

Sung by long-time Phonosonics guitarist Aidan Snider, this sunny breakup tune is the story about an ex you just can't get out of your head (much like the chorus!). This is the first single from the band's forthcoming album, which is almost entirely recorded live, giving listeners worldwide a sense of the band's sensational live sound.

This one gets back to the band’s Rocksteady and Early Reggae roots, and their reverence for vintage Jamaican riddims and recording techniques. The Phonosonics hope this one reminds you of a love from days gone by.

Composed by Aidan Snider and The Phonosonics.
Aidan Snider - Guitar and Lead Vocal.
Spencer Cleave - Backup Vocals, Saxophone, Piano.
Ned Saric - Drums.
Luis Meneses - Bass.
Matt Shamas - Organ.
David Bamford - Trumpet.

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Amanda DeBoer Bartlett - HalfLife - Brian Dunne

Photo by Aleksandr Karjaka

Amanda DeBoer Bartlett - Quick Trips.

Amanda DeBoer Bartlett’s final single “Quick Trips” is out this week. It's the second single we have featured from her forthcoming album and once again we are superbly impressed by the whole thing. Beautiful heartfelt vocals, along with a superbly crafted and melodic musical backdrop, this sets up the new album to be something very special. Written while touring with babies in tow, it’s a tender, road-worn reflection on gas station coffee, fleeting cities, and the disorienting beauty of life in motion.

It’s the last preview before her full-length album Braided Together arrives June 6, a sweeping blend of country, folk, classical, and experimental music, recorded at Electrical Audio with standout Chicago players. Amanda’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Bandcamp Daily, I Care If You Listen, and more.

Braided Together is Amanda DeBoer Bartlett’s second collection of original songs. Blending her roots in country, folk, classical, and experimental music, the album delves into Bartlett’s childhood in Nebraska, her life as a young musician on the road, and the transformations of early motherhood. The songs pay tribute to gas stations and cheap motels, embrace the chaotic sweetness of raising babies, and contemplate reckless escapes into the clouds. With powerful and expressive vocals, Bartlett brings these themes to life through intricately crafted songs, recorded with Taylor Hales at the legendary Electrical Audio and performed by some of Chicago’s most admired players in the folk, jazz, and indie rock scenes.

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HalfLife - Nothing New.

Nothing New is about moving on from people and places, and being able to embrace that while also acknowledging how much you miss them. We wrote this song towards the end of our last year of high school, as we were all preparing to say goodbye to friends and colleagues that we’d known for years.

Artist Bio: We’re a pop rock band, composed of two girls and two guys, who met in high school in Geneva, Switzerland. Now at university, we meet up in the summer to record new music. We released our first song “Never Going Back” in January 2024, a few months before we graduated. In August of that same year we recorded our debut EP “Epilogues”, which was released a couple of weeks back.

For our EP, we drew on a plethora of influences, from Oasis to Bloc Party, from No Doubt to Olivia Rodrigo, as we tried to craft an identity for ourselves. Our EP was written entirely by the band members (plus our bassist’s sister on one track), as well as produced, mixed and mastered by us.

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Brian Dunne - Play The Hits.

Indie singer-songwriter Brian Dunne shares the bittersweet new single "Play The Hits," his first solo release since 2023's Loser On The Ropes, out today on Missing Piece Records. A punchy song about aging and self-destruction built around fatalist drama, "Play The Hits" becomes more of a pep talk as Dunne approaches the main character with so much empathy and humor that you can't help but root for them.

Along with the release, Dunne shares a live acoustic performance of the song, which was recorded at the Red Hook, Brooklyn restaurant Pitt’s.  

“'Play The Hits' is a song about the constant struggle to swim upstream, and the inevitable surrender of your once sanctimonious and youthful idealism," says Dunne. "It’s a bittersweet, humbling day when you have to lay down your sword; when you find yourself in dire straits (the situation, not the band), and there’s only one way out. So play 'em the hits. The odds were against you from the start.”


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Home Counties - Leslie Jordan

Photo - Luca Bailey

Home Counties - Spain.

With the release of 'Spain', Home Counties return today not with a continuation, but a clear-eyed creative pivot. Produced by Al Doyle (of Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem), the London six-piece's new single takes aim at the creeping fear of becoming everything you once stood against, a disillusioned version of yourself hiding under the Spanish sun. 'Spain' premiered on Steve Lamacq's BBC 6 Music show last night. The band also today announce a full UK headline tour for November and December, culminating in their biggest headline show to date at Scala, London.

The first music to be heard since the band's acclaimed 2024 debut album 'Exactly As It Seems', new single 'Spain' was written about confronting your own moral decay through the metaphor of a British expat. Built around glowering synths and a darker, more expansive palette, the song captures a volatile internal dialogue between two versions of the same person – one idealistic, the other world-weary. It's a portrait of internal erosion, delivered with a deadpan intensity and a tightly coiled rhythmic pulse that leaves little room for resolution.

Reflecting on the compromises and contradictions of adult life with dry wit and dancefloor-ready conviction, it marks a confident leap forward in sound, tone and ambition for Home Counties. While their debut 'Exactly As It Seems' traded in bright edges and eccentricity, 'Spain' dives into something leaner, colder and more thematically complex.

"‘Spain’ is essentially an argument with yourself,” explains frontman Will Harrison. “It's about growing older and fearing the person you might become, or are already becoming. Taking the form of a conversation between a starry-eyed idealist and life-weathered realist, it imagines watching an argument between a younger and older version of yourself. It’s about figuring out if you can grow up without losing sight of your values or if it’s just a worthless endeavour."

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Leslie Jordan - The Agonist (Album).

Nearly a decade ago, when sent photocopies of her late, wayfaring grandfather’s poetry and short stories, singer-songwriter Leslie Jordan knew that the treasure trove would eventually make its way into her musical story. He wrote short stanzas of evocative poetry, short stories of provocative men and women, and long journal entries about his love affair with alcohol and his brother's wife, Sylvia. With pages of typewritten entries, Jordan pieced together the story and set it to song with her beautifully melancholy Americana and roots sensibilities. This month she released the stunning collection, dubbed The Agonist.

The story of how this record came to be, a granddaughter sifting through a found box of her estranged beat poet grandfather’s musings and turning it into this beautiful project,  is worth the price of admission alone, but Leslie Jordan, per usual, pours out her entire heart, soul, and tear-inducing voice with effortless emotional intensity and mystery...You’d do yourself well to listen to the whole experience top to bottom and enjoy what’s been one of my favorite voices in Americana music... If you’re not part of the club already, take this record for a spin and see what all the fuss is about. - Sean McConnell.



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BCMR - Beehive Candy Music Radio - Update.

Two things - Firstly we have been thrilled with the number of unique listeners whilst we are just setting this up - thank you!

Secondly, we have had to roll back our initial launch date for a variety of reasons, however we hope to considerably expand the playlist in the coming weeks and fix a number of technical issues (sound levels etc). More information will come, but again thanks to everyone who has listened and shown an interest.
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Cassady Southern - Caitlin Cannon - The Family Battenberg

Cassady Southern - One More Chance,

Released at the end of last week 'One More Chance' is one feisty piece of raw rock'n'roll. Cassady's vocals have a little bit of 'don't mess with me' determination to them whilst the guitar driven song has a catchy and timeless feel to it - Beehive Candy.

Fans of rock guitar and vintage swagger, rejoice. Cassady Southern’s new single, ‘One more chance’, delivers a raw, riff-heavy throwback that echoes the sound of one of her biggest musical influences, the Rolling Stones.

Channelling the attitude and allure of Stones classics, like ‘Honky Tonk Women’ and ‘Miss you’, ‘One more chance’ explodes with country rock solos, gritty emotional vocals, rock’n’roll piano and a rhythm section that struts with unrelenting cool. It’s an ode to a golden era of music just as it is about making up and being given the proverbial ‘last chance’.

“We didn’t set out to emulate the Stones with this track but after being infused with this music throughout my childhood it has obviously seeped into my songwriting and performing”, Cassady said. “Luckily I have been able to play and record with great musicians who share a love for this same style of blues, rock, and honky tonk and who helped me bring the track to life”, she said.

CassadySouthern · Cassady Southern - One more chance

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Caitlin Cannon - Love Addict (Album).

Nashville’s Caitlin Cannon has released her new LP, Love Addict. The album, a bold, genre-defying body of work produced by Misa Arriaga (Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson), blends dreamy Americana with classic country; think “cosmicana”—a sonic landscape as deep and evocative as Cannon’s storytelling. Its 10 tracks swirl with intergalactic pedal steel, gritty grooves, and raw, unguarded lyrics. Recorded live, the album captures the spontaneity of guitars bleeding into keys, drums, strings, and more, creating a sound that feels both timeless and fresh. While arguably more 'vibey' than some of her earlier work, Love Addict still delivers her signature sneak attacks with a wink.
 
Cannon’s songwriting expertly balances humor and vulnerability, satire and sincerity. Songs like album track “Let It Hurt Some” provide introspective moments and channel the authentic country sound of 60s and 70s Nashville.
 
Album track “You’re Losing Me” captures the quiet panic of losing a lover to apathy. “Not to genderalize, but have you ever known a man who’s stunned when a relationship ends, while the woman’s been emotionally checked out for months?” she asks. “I wanted to put it in simple terms for the guy exiting my life at the time, and give advance notice for anyone who might enter.” “Jesus Is My Lover” is Cannon’s sarcastic and seductively absurd journey into the depths of desire that begs us to take a ride into a world where the only real danger is taking oneself too seriously.

Lead single “Love Addict,” an immersive, slow-burn confession full of intoxication and reckless abandon, is equal parts romantic escapism and raw self-awareness. The video, filmed and directed by Jesse Weeden, features cameos from Pam Tillis, Logan Ledger, Oliver Bates Craven (Sierra Ferrell), along with Cannon’s studio band—Jon Murray (Miranda Lambert), Eddy Dunlap (The Grand Ole Opry Band, The Time Jumpers), and the album’s producer, Misa Arriaga.


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The Family Battenberg - Anteater.
 
Welsh Garage Rockers 'The Family Battenberg' recently released their new single ‘Anteater,’ out now via streaming platforms. This track is an independent release by the South Walian four-piece. Written in just a day, it was recorded at Tom Rees’ (Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard) studio while he was on holiday. To master the recording the group sought out long-time collaborator Eddie Al-Shakarchi (Boy Azooga, Loathe, Swim Deep.)

Aligning with the soundscape that’s signature to them, ‘Anteater!’ is The Family Battenberg finessed. Drenched in fuzzy saturation, spacey vocals ricochet between a blistering guitar, all while a double-tracked mono drum plays like a call to action.

This is an anti-love song. When unhealthy adoration becomes a quest for romance, or approval in this case, we find ourselves doing strange things. In this story, the protagonist justifies total metamorphosis in the name of subservience. “It’s self-humiliation in the pursuit of a potential suitor’s attention,” as frontman Eliot puts it.

Anyone that has seen this band live before is sure to recognise it from past set-lists. The group have played it as an unreleased track amongst their own shows and a host of major festivals, namely, Green Man 2023, Trans Musicales 2024, Reeperbahn 2024 and ESNS 2025. As budding up-comers, the group have also supported the likes of Getdown Services, Panic Shack, Gruff Rhys and the Bug Club.

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Chimes - Adult Leisure - Lily Monaghan

Chimes - Pile of Parts.

With deep roots in the Gainesville, Florida's music scene, Chimes borrows just the smallest bits from their previous members’ work (Against Me!, Averkiou, and Sunshine State) as they veer towards a more synth-driven sound, striking a balance between post-punk, synth-pop, and dark wave.

Singer/guitarist Mike Magarelli and keyboardist/guitarist Kyle Fick formed the band in 2019 as a vessel for new ideas. Bassist/singer Matt Brink and drummer Todd Weissfeld joined soon after, and Chimes began playing live in early 2020. However, the pandemic quickly paused their efforts, and Todd Weisfeld moved abroad, being replaced by Warren Oakes.

Chimes' debut album, Pile of Parts, is the sound of something unraveling — slow, deliberate, and honest. A record born from the weight of living, where each track leans into the darker corners of the human experience: loss, disconnection, the quiet violence of time. There’s no false uplift here, just an attempt to sit with the ache and translate it into sound. It’s bleak by design — but not without purpose.

Written and recorded collaboratively between 2023 and 2024, the album was captured in Gainesville by Ryan Williams at Black Bear Studios, Kevin Bruchert at Little Wing Studios, and Kyle Fick in his home. Kyle also mixed the record. Mastering was handled by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room. The artwork — stark and fitting — was created by Noelle Shuck. Pile of Parts sees release on May 23 via Ashtray Monument.

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Adult Leisure - See Her.

Bristol-based alt-indie quartet Adult Leisure are proud to announce that their debut album ‘The Things You Don’t Know Yet’ will be released on October 3rd 2025. Its next single ‘See Her’ is out this weekend, featuring guest saxophone from longtime The 1975 / Sam Fender collaborator John Waugh.
 
‘See Her’, recorded and mixed with Ollie Searle at Humm Studios and mastered by John Webber (David Bowie, Duran Duran, Coach Party) is a blink-and-you’ll-miss it pocket rocket of vibrant energy. Through nostalgia-laden melodies and singalong choruses that Adult Leisure are fast becoming known for, ‘See Her’ offers a sarcastic take on the breakdown of a relationship and the biting realisation that you’re happier now that it's over.

On the single’s lyrical inspirations, vocalist and lyricist Neil Scott explains, “We wrote ‘See Her’ towards the end of 2023. In its full form, almost two years later, it's developed into a song unapologetically soaked in pop, yet true to who we are and the stories we want to tell. Lyrically, ‘See Her’ offers a sarcastic take on the breakdown of a relationship. Far from doom and gloom or sorrow, it’s about that feeling you get when you realise just how much better off you are now that it’s over.

“The song features the incredible John Waugh (The 1975, Sam Fender) on saxophone. When we found out that he was interested in joining the project, we were over the moon - he adds the perfect bit of spice this tune has been waiting for since its inception.

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JSLVR Photography

Lily Monaghan - Snow In May.

As anticipation builds toward the release of her sophomore EP this fall, Lily Monaghan is sharing another preview with the single “Snow In May.” A haunting piano ballad, it is arguably Lily’s most affecting song to date, offering emotional swells like the waves on the sea near her current location in Scotland where she has been completing her higher education.

Still, the singer/songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta has also been fully concentrating on her musical evolution, and like Lily’s previous single “Willing To Wait,” “Snow In May” is a product of sessions conducted back home with producer and multi-instrumentalist Kurtis Schultz.

Lily explains, “I wrote this song while watching a snowfall in Edmonton last May. The unseasonable weather seemed ironically reflective of my own mood at the time. I was months away from moving out of Canada and although the change was exciting, I was very melancholic."

She continues, “‘Snow in May’ articulates this sentimental feeling of outgrowing something and the reluctant awareness of aging out of your youth. I wanted the song’s contrasting dynamics to mirror these complex emotions that I was feeling. The isolated piano at the beginning of the tune is me playing on an old upright piano at Blue Willow Studios, which had a very similar sound to the piano at my parents’ house that I’ve used to write the majority of my songs.”

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The Thing - Pascale Cheron - Cedarsmoke - Bethany Weimers

Photo - Art Davison

The Thing - Mr Useless / The Waltz.

One of NYC’s most vital new rock voices, The Thing have announced their new self-titled album 'The Thing' will be released on 6th August, and also share new double-single 'Mr Useless' / 'The Waltz'. The Thing tour the UK and Europe this summer.

As reverent of the city's gritty past as they are hungry to reinvent it, the new double-single marks the third release from the album rollout — unveiling 'The Thing' in pairs of tracks — recorded entirely analog, self-produced, and tracked live to tape without the use of a computer. The result is The Thing at their most immediate and unfiltered.

'Mr. Useless' brims with Byrds-tinged brightness and angular bite. Guitarist Michael Carter explains: “I used David Bowie’s cut-and-paste method to write the lyrics. The song’s about finding meaning in life, as opposed to sitting and watching and waiting for fate to step in.”

Meanwhile, 'The Waltz' is slow-burning and emotionally raw — a live favourite that builds to a devastating crescendo. Frontman Zane Acord shares: “I wrote it about a toxic relationship: even though it's bad for you, you love it.”

The Thing · The Waltz / Mr. Useless

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Pascale Cheron - Anna Called (Album).

After two years of writing, recording, and mixing entirely on her own, Pascale Cheron has released her debut 24-track album Anna Called, now available on Bandcamp. The title single, a soulful, meditative track also named “Anna Called,” is available on all streaming platforms.
 
To celebrate the release, Pascale is embarking on a spring and summer tour across the East and West Coasts alongside longtime friend and collaborator Sophia Eliana. Titled the Experimental Bangs Tour, the run kicks off May 10th in Bar Harbor, ME and culminates at the Underground Music Festival in Denver in late July. Along the way, Pascale will be performing with local bands comprised of both friends and musicians she discovered through TikTok, creating a genre-fluid live experience rooted in connection, improvisation, and discovery.

“My name was Anna, but my mom changed it to Pascale when I was born,” says Pascale. “She tells me my name has a letter for each one of my aunts. A perfectly consonant string of them all. In honor of the women who made me. The sound of my name. I wrote, recorded, and mixed each song on this album over a period of two years,” says Pascale. “This album is for Anna.”

Anna Called moves through serene ambient landscapes, soulful vocal improvisations, and dreamy experimental textures. Its sound is both intimate and expansive, layering meditative rhythms with powerful bursts of emotion. Each track unfolds like a memory—fluid, surprising, and deeply personal—creating a sonic journey that honors identity, reinvention, and the women who shaped her.

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Photo - Thomas Oliver

Cedarsmoke - Kicking Drugs.

As they venture out into a new era, Cedarsmoke extends an invitation to join them, through their latest single ‘Kicking Drugs’, a psychedelic indie-rock exploration of their new dawn.

With years of experience under their belt since their first releases in 2016,  Cedarsmoke has attracted a flurry of attention from Meanjin/Brisbane’s indie scene, radio stations with their hundreds of plays, and iconic music platforms such as Triple J, Triple J Unearthed, Double J, MTV,  Pilerats, The Music, AU Review, AAA Backstage, Hysteria Mag, Scenestr and more.

Their constant evolution, diverse style, and emphasis on storytelling evoke vivid childhood memories, teenage antics, and precious nights out, and this nostalgia will blend together with the rush of something new as they prepare to usher out their third full-length album. ‘Kicking Drugs’ is a genre-fluid fusion: alt rock, pop-electronica, avant-garde psychedelic sounds and the nostalgic charm of folk blend together into something experimental but classic. With cheerful drum loops, acoustic guitars, blown-out synths and whirling keys, this sobering track feels like fresh start after kicking an old habit.

The nostalgia and hope for the future of the song lends itself to the lyrics, all about breaking free of the shackles of life with good times with friends, and sharing these new experiences together. The unbridled, sunlit spirit of the band takes on a new dynamic as Frontman Jon Cloumassis,  Tamala Wright (drums/vocals) and Matt Cloumassis (lead guitar) explore and experiment together, opening portals to new worlds of soundscapes.

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Bethany Weimers - The Wild One.

Oxford-based independent artist Bethany Weimers’ new single The Wild One is an alt-pop delight that combines her folk-influenced narrative style with pulsating synths and drums, vivid lyrics and a hypnotic chorus. It’s the second track to be released from her upcoming EP The Story I Breathe, and explores themes of hope, self-discovery, and freedom.

“I wrote The Wild One at a time when life as I knew it had disappeared over night. I found myself in this magical state of heightened awareness where anything seemed possible. ‘Gilded in the heat of the wild one’ as I rebuilt my life one adventure at a time.”

With the aid of funding from Help Musicians, Bethany was able to further develop her production and mixing skills allowing the record to be self-produced and mixed in her home studio, with mastering done by 5x MPG Awards nominee Katie Tavini. A testament to perseverance and creative determination, and a powerful anthem for endings and new beginnings.

Bethany’s music has been heard on radio stations such 6 Music, Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing Oxford; and she has toured in both the UK and Europe. Performance highlights include a packed-out show at the National Portrait Gallery in London and an intimate house concert tour in Germany. She has shared bills with artists such as Aoife O’Donovan and Eliza Carthy, and co-written songs for other artists with writers in South Africa and USA. She has a Masters Degree in Composition from Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and combines her solo music career with work as a songwriter/producer for a global education publisher, alongside directing full-cast audio dramas.

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Moving Into Tucson - Sofia Sampaio - Lupus J - Ruth Lyon - Alison Clancy

Moving Into Tucson - People Of The World (Album).

Indie Rock formation Moving Into Tucson is back with their highly anticipated second album, People Of The World, a record that seamlessly blends melody, raw energy, and emotional depth. With 12 diverse tracks, the album moves effortlessly between upbeat Pop anthems, introspective ballads, and electrifying Rock moments.

The title track, People Of The World, is an undeniable anthem of unity, while Are You Ready sets the tone with infectious energy. Songs like Run & Hide and Heart & Soul bring heartfelt emotion, while Everybody Knows and Come On Back To Me inject an irresistible drive. From the playful charm of Stand By Me to the thought-provoking You’re Right, I'm Wrong, every track tells its own compelling story.

Whether you want to dance, reflect, or sing your heart out, People Of The World has it all. The album captures the essence of Indie Rock, melodic, catchy, and deeply moving, while pushing the boundaries with Rock influences and lyrical depth. With unforgettable hooks and dynamic arrangements, Moving Into Tucson proves once again why they are a band to watch. This is more than an album; it’s an experience. Are you ready?

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Sofia Sampaio - Better Off Bored.

We have to say this is a beautifully layered and textured song from Sofia Sampaio. Her dreamy melodic vocals are fabulously placed above a musical backdrop that builds from acoustic to something more powerful but never overwhelming, Beehive Candy love it! 

Sofia Sampaio is a 21-year-old alternative singer-songwriter blending the rich rhythms of her Brazilian roots with the emotional grit of 90s rock. Born in Brazil and raised in Texas, Sofia began writing songs at the age of seven, inspired by her musically inclined parents. At 17, she taught herself guitar and began developing her distinctive voice as a songwriter.

A transformative move to London at 18 led her to study at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, where she honed her craft and embraced music as her true path. Now based in Houston and continuing her studies in songwriting and production at Berklee Online, Sofia brings introspective lyricism and global influences to her growing body of work.

About Better Off Bored: Better Off Bored is the dreamy, emotionally charged debut single from alternative singer-songwriter Sofia Sampaio. Blending ambient rock textures with intimate storytelling, the track explores the push-pull of infatuation and emotional detachment through spacious chords, raw lyrics, and ethereal melodies. Inspired by personal confusion and vulnerability, Sofia captures the bittersweet realization that sometimes, solitude feels safer than obsession.

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Lupus J - Beautiful Smile.

Beautiful Smile gently works it's way into our day, with soft yet refined and definitive vocals, whilst the flowing soundtrack ebbs and flows adding depth and an engaging atmosphere, this is one very fine song.

Behind Lupus J. we find Jan Nilsson, a songwriter who bases his songs on melodies. We asked him about his music and got this fantastic answer back: "The most important thing for me is that the melody is felt in the heart. My music is straightforward and actually quite simple.

What I strive for is that the music should convey joy and other positive emotions. Then whether it's pop, rock or whatever you want to call the genre - it doesn't matter much. The reason I make music is because it's fun. The creation itself is so fun.

It has also become a way for me to disconnect from everyday life. I dream in the form of music. What sparked my interest in music from the very beginning, a long time ago, was Deep Purple. Today, it's still the melodies of the 80s that inspire me!"

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Photo - Sel Maclean

Ruth Lyon - Perfect.

Newcastle indie-folk singer-songwriter Ruth Lyon just released her new single ‘Perfect’. Released today alongside a new video directed by Sel Maclean, 'Perfect' is the latest compelling glimpse of Lyon's forthcoming debut album 'Poems & Non-Fiction' - out 13th June on Pink Lane Records and available to pre-order here. The track follows earlier singles ‘Books’ and ‘Wickerman’.

Produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding), 'Poems & Non-Fiction' draws on influences from Adrienne Lenker, Fiona Apple, and Moondog, combining analogue textures and angular indie-folk sensibilities. Lyon’s songwriting gives as much weight to silence as to sound, with poetic nuance and muscular understatement. Her voice floats between the abstract, the archetypal, and raw vulnerability, inviting the listener to both reach out and dig deep.

New single ‘Perfect’ is the album’s most pop-adjacent moment: a sharp indie-pop that critiques the cult of curated living. The sardonic hook: “Isn’t it all so perfect / Sundays were made for worship”, sits uneasily against Lyon’s deadpan admission: “my skin is crawling / I want to shout.” As the production closes in during the middle eight, her voice sounds buried beneath the surface: “I can’t leave.”

On the release of 'Perfect', Ruth said: “It’s about how modern life traps us in a toxic pursuit of perfection – we’re all celebrities of our own life, worshipping at the altar of our egos. It’s kind of infected us all, I think. The perfect mother, the perfect wife, the perfect health and a perfect body flaunting perfect hair/skin/tits/bum blah blah blah.”

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Alison Clancy - The Valley.

Alison Clancy's haunting new track reflects the questions and ambiguities that just keep coming. Co-written and co-produced with Stephen Masucci of The Lost Patrol and engineered by Larry Alexander (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Diana Ross), the single is an expansive soundscape that shimmers with the melodic nostalgia of a rainy day, laced with a twinge of foreboding strangeness. 

Clancy's voice sounds fragile as it drifts along the razor's edge between vulnerability and power. Are her words questions or statements? Tension hums like a storm on the horizon, but pain, pleasure and release are washed over with piano cascading into misted fantasy.
 
A multi-gifted artist, when she’s not weaving adventurous sounds, Alison is busy dancing with New York’s Metropolitan Opera, where she wrote this song in the basement rehearsal rooms. Alison Clancy released her IPR debut, 3-song EP Mutant Gifts in 2022. Composed and recorded when Clancy was invited to live as an artist in residence in St. John’s Church in NYC’s West Village, the EP was mixed by Noah Georgeson (producer for artists such as Joanna Newsom and Devendra Banhart). Of Mutant Gifts, Backseat Mafia said it’s “expansive, avant-garde, brooding, it’s a helluva way to announce your arrival.”

Independent Project Records (IPR) and singer-songwriter Alison Clancy announced that her latest single, “The Valley,” is released this week via MRI & Proper Music to all digital music platforms.

Alison Clancy · The Valley

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Gwenno - Josienne Clarke - Lou-Adriane Cassidy - The Slackers

Gwenno - War.

'War' is the brand new single from Gwenno's new album 'Utopia.'which is set for release on July 11th, 2025. Having released three albums in Welsh and Cornish, 'Utopia' is Gwenno Saunders’ first album recorded predominantly in English, and presents a very different side to her life and songwriting.

Forty-three years into her life, Saunders has been many people. The disaffected Cardiff schoolgirl; the teenage Las Vegas dancer; the singer in indie pop group The Pipettes. There was a turn in a Bollywood film, a nightclub tour, a stint cleaning floors in an East London pub. Long before she would become an acclaimed solo songwriter in both Welsh and Cornish, a winner of the Welsh Music Prize, a nominee for the Mercury, a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh, there were the days of Nevada, London, Brighton; of Irish dancing, techno clubs, messiness and chaos.

'Utopia', Saunders’ fourth solo album, is an extraordinary exploration of all of these selves. If the singer regards her first three solo records — 2014’s Y Dydd Olaf, 2018’s Le Kov and 2022’s Tresor as “childhood records”, rooted in her upbringing, her parents, her formative identity, then Utopia captures a time of self-determination and experimentation. These are songs of discovery, of the years between being someone’s daughter and becoming someone’s wife and someone’s mother. They range from floor-fillers to piano ballads, via contributions from Cate Le Bon and H. Hawkline, and encompass William Blake, a favourite Edrica Huws poem, and the Number 73 bus. It is her finest work to date.

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Josienne Clarke - Tiny Bird’s Lament.

Critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and guitarist Josienne Clarke announces her raw and intimate new album Far From Nowhere, due out this autumn via Corduroy Punk. Alongside the album announcement, Clarke shares the first single ‘Tiny Bird’s Lament’, a haunting, minimalist track recorded direct to tape in a remote Scottish cabin. The single offers the first glimpse into the stripped-back sound and emotional clarity that define the new record.

The album will be accompanied by a short film titled Deluded, directed by Alec Bowman_Clarke, offering a candid, behind-the-scenes portrait of the album’s creation. Currently screening at festivals, the film will be shown throughout Clarke’s UK tour this October - full dates now announced - before its general release on November 30th.

Long admired for her crystalline voice and unflinching lyrical gaze, Clarke has always had an ability to evoke a communal melancholy. But with this LP, recorded at a remote Scottish cabin, she’s achieved the feat of stripping away the barriers between artist and listener. What emerges is a record of remarkable intimacy and integrity as Clarke embraces stillness and vulnerability. She sought total isolation but ended up creating something even more profoundly connective.

Also born of practical constraint, Far From Nowhere is a natural step and defiant response to the logistical and emotional tolls of trying to eke out a living in the music industry in 2025. “Making music today, for me, often feels like an exercise in retreat,” Clarke says. “The structure of the industry slowly suffocates the spirit of artists, starving them of the self-esteem that comes from remuneration for a job well done, so retreating to a cabin in the woods to make my album made sense.”


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Lou-Adriane Cassidy - Triste Animal (Album)

Yesterday, fresh off the critical acclaim of her last project, Journal d’un loup-garou, Canadian singer-songwriter Lou-Adriane Cassidy returns with a bold and unexpected follow-up: Triste Animal. A raw, genre-defying album recorded entirely live to tape with zero edits, the album arrives just three months after her previous release, and marks a daring turn toward spontaneity and artistic freedom.

While wrapping up Journal d’un loup-garou, an album celebrated in Quebec for its cinematic scale and theatrical live shows, Cassidy found herself craving something looser, more instinctive. "After two years of deep focus on that project, I just needed to let go," she explains. That urgency led to Triste Animal: eight songs captured live over four days by eight musicians, with no overdubs or polish. The only exception? A guitar solo on “Adieu”, because, as Cassidy puts it, “our guitarist couldn’t make it that day.”

The result is a stripped-down, emotionally potent record that foregrounds Cassidy’s mesmerizing voice and sharp compositional instincts. Backed by some of Quebec’s top musicians (Alexandre Martel, Thierry Larose, Vincent Gagnon, PE Beaudoin), and with vocal arrangements crafted and sung alongside her longtime collaborators Odile Marmet-Rochefort, Ariane Roy, and Lysandre Ménard, the album captures lightning in a bottle: real-time performances that breathe and bleed.

Stylistically, Triste Animal is Cassidy’s most eclectic effort yet, weaving together threads of folk, soul, West Coast country, chamber pop, samba, jazz, and even traces of acoustic grunge. Tracks like “Tout le monde dans autour” (penned by filmmaker-musician Stéphane Lafleur) showcase heart-wrenching tenderness, while the brooding intensity of “Adieu” and the driving, dissonant “Valse frustrée” highlight her dynamic vocal range and emotional grit.

Lou-Adriane Cassidy · Triste Animal

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The Slackers - My Last Star.

New York City’s longtime ska/reggae legends The Slackers have released their newest single “My Last Star,” now available everywhere fine records are sold as a 12” UV Printed Single from Pirates Press Records.

“My Last Star” began as a dream that Greg Lee of Los Angeles’s Hepcat had the week before his death in March of 2024. Greg dreamed of a Slackers song. The Slackers have completed this song, and released it into the world.

Now that the song is finally out for all to hear, and The Slackers, along with a team of close associates head up by writer/direct Pat Byrne, have crafted a poignant music video to accompany this beautiful collaboration with - and tribute to - their longtime friend.

The Slackers are currently stationed in the Los Angeles County area, where they are gearing up to perform five shows in six nights from May 7th through the 11th. These shows in Hepcat’s hometown will function as the record release for “My Last Star,” and they will be playing the song every night.

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