Pebbledash - The Melody Chamber - Vendredi sur Mer - Hélène Barbier - Howling Bells - Jesca Hoop

Photo - Emily Cardona

Pebbledash - O, The Wind.

Just ahead of the anticipated upcoming EP To Cast the Sea in Concrete (5th November), Cork risers Pebbledash share the haunting indie-folk sweller ‘O, The Wind’. Following the bands sync on the new Netflix series House Of Guiness, ‘O, The Wind’ showcases the blend of traditional Irish folk, shoegaze and post-punk that has seen Pebbledash so widely acclaimed. Led by the haunting vocals of Asha Egan McCutcheon, the track unfolds into an ethereal, dark and emotionally affecting soundscape, intertwining biting, fingerpicked electric guitar with atmospheric swells of strings and synth, warm bass lines, and driving, shuffling drums. The result drifts effortlessly between genres, enveloped in a beautiful haze of reverberated echoes and subtle field recordings.

Speaking about the track, Cormac Donovan O’Neill explains – “I think we all felt that this song represented a major departure for Pebbledash in terms of the barriers of genre we were willing to cross. 

The track’s opening section foregrounds the emotional tumult of Asha’s lyrics exploring isolation in an urban landscape and the surrealism evoked by this floating through time, delivered in the ornamented manner of a traditional sean nós tune accompanied only by soft wheeze of air passing through a harmonium’s body and Fionnbharr’s spare guitar figure. But from there, we wanted the bass and drums to carry Asha’s stark lyricism atop an off-kilter groove more akin to the likes of DJ Shadow or Portishead, propelling the listener in unforeseen directions before the song returns home in its final moments, the vocal standing alone amidst a landscape of Terry Riley-esque arpeggios and eerie sampled vocals. 

We were incredibly excited to share this song as a statement of our development, attesting to the outer reaches of our sound we sought to explore in recording this EP.”

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The Melody Chamber - 1+1.

Richmond, Virginia's The Melody Chamber, a southern gothic new romantic jangle-pop band have just released their third single "1 + 1."  The third single is the perfect blend of Psychedelic Furs meets early R.E.M.. The band came together by happenstance with Wallace Dietz of Silent Boys fame working in the same studio as Dan-O Deckelman and him walking by and hearing a song from another studio and striking up a conversation. 

Dan-O coming from a hardcore and metal background was working on a very Elvis Costello pop track invited Wallace to collaborate and the two just gelled quickly and the songs started to pour out. (There are multiple album already written from what I hear).

The self-titled debut album is out on November 7th, 2025 from HHBTM Records (USA) on vinyl and Too Good To Be True (Europe) on vinyl and CD.

HHBTM Records · 1+1 -The Melody Chamber

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Vendredi sur Mer - Si t’étais là.

Yesterday, Swiss’ Vendredi sur Mer released the single “Si t’étais là”, her first after her album Malabar Princess. The much lauded album includes “Arrêter le temps” featuring the pianist/composer Sofiane Pamart, “Malabar Princess”, “Hard” (feat. Hanni El Khatib) and “Tout résonne,” which are included in the upcoming album! Vendredi sur Mer will be supporting on stage during her 11-date American tour starting in March 2026, tour dates to be announced shortly!

The title track “Malabar Princess” sounds like a nostalgic ode to her native Switzerland and the Swiss Alps in particular. Malabar Princess marks a return to the softness and nostalgia of her early work, following a more combative phase. Born from a writing residency in Montréal, the album reflects her return to the mountains and a search for self. Sam Tiba and new collaborators Adrien Gallo and Owlle helped guide this evolution toward more organic, intimate sounds. Malabar Princess is a sincere, poetic album where the artist fully reveals herself, blending desire and truth. 

“Arrêter le temps” shows Vendredi sur Mer and the renowned French pianist/composer Sofiane Pamart bringing a touch of emotion, making this piano-voice duet a breath of fresh air on the album. Blending touching lyrics and a melancholic instrumental in perfect harmony, the track feels like an open letter, destined to resonate deeply with every listener.

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Photo -  Dominic Berthiaume & Delphine Snyers

Hélène Barbier - Kindness in a cup.

The new single, "Kindness in a Cup," is out now from Hélène Barbier's forthcoming 'Panorama.' The Montreal singer's latest full-length features Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) and showcases Barbier's charismatic and cool songwriting.

Panorama (from Bonsound and out in November), showcases a totally charismatic balance between intellectualism and nonchalance. Parallels may be drawn to Cate Le Bon though Barbier shifts between English and French over cool grooves and vines of guitar that wouldn't be out of place on a Television record. 

What Barbier does is distinct and enviable. It's rock music but it's made by someone who is clearly a consummate artist. Beneath the artful minimalism here there is a kind of maximal meaning and emotional charge that crystallizes with repeated listens. Now we have the pleasure of sharing the second single, "Kindness in a Cup" built around a hypnotic bass line, the track culminates with sublime violin arrangements, perfectly highlighting the singer and bassist'ss distinctive vocal patterns.

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Howling Bells - Heavy Lifting.

Howling Bells have announced 'Strange Life', their first album in over 12 years, will be released on the 13th February 2026 on Nude Records. Having recently released their comeback track 'Unbroken', a brooding yet soaring anthem, today they share 'Heavy Lifting', a song featuring loose-limbed drums and bluesy intonation as Juanita takes aim at the entitled and the opportunist.
 
She explains: "'Heavy Lifting' is a hazy and grunge-fuelled declaration. Like anyone who’s worked at the thing they love tirelessly, you build up great resilience. The callouses on your hands, the muscles you’ve strengthened, the swagger in your stride. 'Heavy Lifting' is a song about the thousands of miles you walk to acquire this kind of confidence; this is not anything that can be stripped away from you".
 
The single is accompanied by a video directed by Orlando Cubitt. Howling Bells will return to the stage for a very special full band sold-out show at the iconic Lock Tavern in Camden on 5th November, with more live dates to be announced soon.

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Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now.

Ahead of tomorrow’s (24 October) release of her new reworks album, Jesca Hoop shares a new video for ‘Memories Are Now’. Tomorrow, California-born, Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop will release Selective Memory - a live, unplugged reworking of her acclaimed 2017 Memories Are Now (Sub Pop). Joining the cast of stripped back album versions for her first three releases, this new collection finds Hoop and her two bandmates, Chloe Foy and Rachel Rimmer, capturing the record in its entirety live in Hoop’s Manchester home.

Opening the door to an intimate performance space, Selective Memory shines a new light on one of Hoop’s most beloved albums. Raw and immediate in its delivery, the record brims with luminous harmonies, lyrical richness and unguarded emotion. It is sweet and bitter, fresh and raw, and very much of the moment.

Though a return to songs first written over a decade ago, Hoop notes their continued urgency: “Though I wrote these songs 12 years ago, strangely they feel so very relevant to me today. And the album ends in one hell of a protest song… if I do say so myself.”

Ahead of the album’s release, today she is sharing her new version of the album’s title track, ‘Memories Are Now.’ Stripped of its original production, this reimagining lets the song’s core message stand in sharp relief - a defiant declaration of autonomy and strength. As Hoop sings, "Clear the way. I'm coming through. No matter what you say, I've got work to be doing. If you're not here to help, go find some other life to ruin. Let me show you the door."

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Home Counties - The Pairs - Keaton Henson - Dubmatix

Photo - Luca Bailey

Home Counties - Roundabout.

Home Counties have released the new single 'Roundabout', the final taste of the band's eagerly awaited second album 'Humdrum', out this Friday, 24th October via Submarine Cat Records - produced by Al Doyle (of Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem). Built on clipped guitars, elastic basslines and a nervy sense of momentum, ‘Roundabout’ finds Home Counties at their most playful and immediate, musing on social fatigue amidst a small-talk spiral.

On the release of 'Roundabout', singer Will Harrison said: “This song is about desperately trying to escape a conversation with someone at a party who won’t stop talking about themselves. ‘Roundabout’ is definitely one of the most light-hearted moments of the new album. To capture the atmosphere of the subject matter, we ended up recording our friends talking shit in the pub garden of our local in Homerton, which you can hear during the bridge. I think you can hear Bill talking about HS2 at one point. It might not be the deepest moment of the album, but it might be the most fun!"

Across the 10 tracks on new album 'Humdrum', Home Counties capture the unease of saying too much or not enough, the quiet resentment of being out-charmed, and the spiral of overthinking. Told through the dual voices and perspectives of lead vocalists Will Harrison and Lois Kelly, 'Humdrum' trades in wiry grooves, synths that lurch between menace and euphoria, and razor-sharp pop instincts - wrapping knotty ideas into songs that feel both meticulously constructed and joyfully unhinged. 

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Photo - Ruth Kavilhati

The Pairs - Together on a Rock (Album).

London, Ontario-based folk trio The Pairs release their new, fourth album, Together on a Rock, on all major platforms, today Oct. 22, 2025. Known for their three-part harmonies and heartfelt songwriting, The Pairs chose to record Together on a Rock live-off -the-floor, returning to their folk roots with a mostly acoustic, intimate sound that puts their gorgeous vocals front and centre. 

Together on a Rock aims to create connection – through honest lyrics and a warm, stripped-back atmosphere. In a time where it’s easy to feel disconnected, the songs invite listeners to slow down, reflect, and find common ground. The album explores themes of personal responsibility, humility, and re-connection — not just with each other, but with the wisdom of the natural world. The album was recorded live-off-the-floor with minimal overdubs of instrumentation, in Northfield, Connecticut, with producer Tracy Walton at On Deck Sound Studio in September of 2024.

Two telling facts about Together on a Rock: the title embodies the common humanity of our situation on this planet; and the three members of the group -- Renée Coughlin, her twin sister Noelle Frances Coughlin, and Hillary Watson – all agreed to lock away their cellphones for the two weeks during which they made the album.

The Pairs Music · Together On A Rock

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Photo - Danielle Fricke

Keaton Henson - Loose Ends / Past It.

Following the announcement of new album Parader (out November 21 via Play It Again Sam), Keaton Henson is back with 2 new singles "Loose Ends" & "Past It". This new material hints at Henson beginning to shed the “quiet boy” persona that has defined much of his career, now embracing the grunge-infused sounds of his youth.

Keaton Henson is an English musician, composer, visual artist, and poet. He has released six studio albums, a wordless graphic novel titled Gloaming, published by Pocko and a book of poetry called Idiot Verse. Henson suffers from anxiety, and as a result, he rarely plays concerts. On his official website in the 'About' section it simply say's "Keaton Henson is a musician, artist and composer from England he doesn’t like to talk about himself." 


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Dubmatix - Echoes Of The People (20 Years Of Fan Favourites).

From the deep echo chambers of 2004’s Champion Sound Clash to the uplifting spirit of 2024’s Lion of Judah, “Echoes of the People” is a celebration of two decades of dub, reggae, and bass culture through the ears of the massive.

This 20-track collection brings together the songs that have resonated most with fans across the world as I’ve toured, listened to feedback, and seen on radio playlists. Each tune represents a moment in the Dubmatix story, a connection between artist and audience built on heavy groove and a passion for the genre.

Over these two decades, I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with an incredible lineup of singers — from reggae legends like Anthony B, Eek-A-Mouse, Linval Thompson, Ranking Joe, and Tippa Irie, to modern torch-bearers Exile Di Brave, The Hempolics, Longfingah, Brother Culture, and Lone Ranger — Echoes of the People stands as both a retrospective and a renewal.
Mykal Rose,Brother Culture, Tippa Irie, Tenor Fly, Dennis Alcapone
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A Better Place - Talking Violet - The Indie Pea - Nick & June

A Better Place – Light In The Sea (EP).

With Light In The Sea, A Better Place pull all the threads together. Across four tracks, the band proves why they’ve quickly become one of the most exciting new voices in indie rock.

From the drizzly intimacy of debut single It Rains, to the dreamlike haze of Don’t Mind, and the heartfelt punch of Someday—already spinning on Amazing Radio UK—the songs carry the DNA of ’80s/’90s alt-indie greats like Polvo, Dinosaur Jr., Unwound, Sebadoh, Teenage Fanclub, and The Posies, but with a freshness that’s entirely their own.

New track Remember When completes the story: a slow-burner that starts with gentle guitars and relaxed vocals, before erupting into a midtempo surge of energy. It’s nostalgic and forward-looking all at once, a reminder of why this band resonates so deeply.

Radio stations in the UK, the Netherlands, the US, and Belgium are already tuned in, and live, A Better Place is the kind of band that wins you over in one set flat. Light In The Sea isn’t just an EP—it’s a statement. Indie rock, recharged and reimagined.

TCBYML · A Better Place - Light In The Sea

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Talking Violet - Destroy.

Talking Violet seamlessly melds shoegaze, grunge, and dream-pop into a genre-defiant wave they’ve coined “dreamo”—a sound that’s as lush as it is emotionally piercing. The Windsor, ON four-piece, formed of Jillian Goyeau (vocals, guitar), Jayden Turnbull (guitar, vocals), Jeremie Brousseau (drums), and Dylan Iannicello (bass), craft a powerful sound, touching on themes that wrestle with the grief of personal change, especially in relationships.

Now, the band returns with their latest single “Destroy,” following the release of their recent track “In Your Mind.” Where “In Your Mind” explored the helplessness of loving someone through pain and uncertainty, “Destroy” turns inward, offering a sense of closure and acceptance. “Destroy is about closing a chapter in my life where I experienced a lot of change which I talked a lot about throughout our Everything At Once record,” shares Goyeau. “Before moving on I kinda needed to say goodbye, so that’s what Destroy does. It’s me finally accepting that people can both love you and hurt you at the same time and vice versa. You can love someone even when they aren’t meant to be in your life anymore.”

“Destroy” continues the emotional thread of their recent album Everything At Once, drawing from the grief of interpersonal change. “These tracks draw on a lot of grief of change, most specifically, the grief of relationship changes in our lives,” Goyeau explains. “I was going through changes that I now see as necessary but were incredibly painful at the time. It made me realize how much I had depended on my relationships with others for my identity. I had to slowly relearn who I was—and spent the next few years healing my people-pleasing baseline. It’s still something I work on every day.”

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The Indie Pea – Reflected Hearts (EP).

Some bands take years to find their voice. The Indie Pea needed only one. After their acclaimed debut The Questions in April 2025, the Dayton-based band returns with Reflected Hearts — a five-track EP that feels less like a follow-up and more like a radiant leap forward. Where the album asked, this EP answers.

Across these songs, The Indie Pea refine their signature blend of shimmering indie rock and orchestral pop, carried by Campbell Anderson’s warm, unhurried vocals and the band’s seamless interplay of guitar, strings, and rhythm. It’s a sound that balances clarity and complexity, intimacy and scale.

From the searching pulse of Echoes And Answers to the reflective shimmer of Mirrored Days, the luminous rush of Electric Bloom, and the guiding calm of Heartbeat Guide, each track feels like a facet of the same story. The closing Cross Bridges ties it all together — a finale that looks both back and forward, capturing a year of rapid growth with unshakable confidence.

Reflected Hearts is more than a snapshot; it’s a statement. A band stepping into its own light, finding resonance in reflection, and proving that sometimes one year is all it takes.

TCBYML · The Indie Pea - Reflected Hearts

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Photo - Luka Popp

Nick & June - Anthem.

Berlin duo Nick & June have recently announced the release of their new album 'New Year's Face' on 5th December. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon Van Etten,) and recorded in Bridgeport, Connecticut, 'New Year's Face', which includes collaborations with Owen Pallett, The National’s Kyle Resnick and Ben Lanz, The Antlers and others, will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally. 'New Year's Face' is the duo's first release since 2023's 'Beach Baby, Baby EP', which enjoyed over 30 million streams, widespread critical praise and led to sold-out shows across Europe. 

This week they share new single 'Anthem': indie rock, driving drums, shimmering synths, majestic horns sweeping across the scene like a signal over the city. Everything feels massive and airy, hymn-like yet casual. It’s a song about preserving moments, holding onto fragments that would otherwise slip away. A breath between melancholy and force. A song that, in its ambivalence, captures the fleeting intensity Nick & June are always chasing.

At the end of a long relationship, you don’t usually find yourself sitting at a studio piano with your ex, writing songs. Or do you? In this case, you pack a suitcase, get on a plane, decamp to the small and melancholic harbour town of Bridgeport, Connecticut and begin work on a new record. 'New Year’s Face' is the outcome of this strange experiment: two ex-lovers, one studio, months of work and discovery. Together with Grammy-winning producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon Van Etten, Stars), they settled in and shaped ten songs that feel at once intimate and expansive, fragile and resilient.

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Sir Petrol - The Womack Sisters - Sophie Hiller - Blooming Fire - Jolie Anastasia

Sir Petrol - Evil Design (Album).

Sir Petrol is the alter-ego of Rebecca Magri, musician and composer from Parma (Italy), already known as a member of bands such as Upupayāma (Fuzz Club), Kaptain Preemo and Ayahuasca, and for her collaboration as sitar player with Boris Williams (The Cure). 
 
Rebecca started Sir Petrol in 2024 as her solo project, developing a polished yet accessible sound built on trip rock, psychedelia and alt-pop, also incorporating jazz contaminations and rough guitar sounds, all tied up by Rebecca's expressive and mature vocals, which range from velvety and harmonious to acid and fiery.
 
Sir Petrol can be imagined like a cosmonaut who from above, beyond the atmosphere, observes the world and notes its evolutions (and involutions). He studies them, faces them and judges them. Each song on the album sounds like a sentence, describing the mood and the feelings unconsciously triggered by watching the world passing by from a distance. The introspective lyrics explore those complex feelings and the twisted human dynamics that often put individuals at survival risk.

Sir Petrol herself explains: For me, this album was a form of exorcism and denunciation. A necessary psychotherapy to reach a state of individual evolution and a study of today's society. Songs like Enclosed, Cuts and Guts and Made Out of Stone delve into the paranoia and lies we tell ourselves, however I Wanna Look Good Naked, Swallow and Destroy and Evil Design deal with the external influences imposed by society, standards, and events.

Sir Petrol · Evil Design

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The Womack Sisters - If You Want Me / I Just Don't Want You.

The A-side (& B-side) to The Womack Sisters Daptone debut is available digitally now. "If You Want Me" displays uncompromising rawness with pop-sensible control in equal measure. Propelled by the percussive attack of the piano and the hard-hitting call and response vocals the track has a satisfyingly feel-good swing, allowing the groove to accentuate the hook.

The Womack Sisters, BG, Zeimani, and Kucha Womack are a new generation of soul royalty, renowned for their blend of R&B, soul, and gospel influences drawn from their rich family legacy. As granddaughters of the legendary Sam Cooke, daughters of renowned soul and R&B artists Womack & Womack, and nieces of Bobby Womack, they carry on the Womack family’s musical traditions, infusing their work with the soul and passion that has defined the family’s impact on music for generations. Growing up in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Thailand, The Bahamas, and Kenya, the sisters were immersed in music from a young age.

With the backing of the Womack family’s musical legacy, the sisters continue to captivate audiences with their dynamic voices, emotive lyrics, and heartfelt performances. Under their new home, Daptone Records, The Womack Sisters are creating soul music true to its core.

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Sophie Hiller - Fake Diamond Earring.

Becoming a first-call backing vocalist for some of the world’s most prominent and well-toured international icons is somewhat of a mixed blessing for a multi-talent like London born and raised singer/songwriter, Sophie Hiller. On one hand, she’s been able to see the world and appear on multiple TV shows touring with the likes of Tom Jones, Lady Gaga, Nicole Scherzinger, Carly Simon and UK greats Paul Young and Ronan Keating. On the other, she’s been somewhat in the shadows for several years, singing behind icons and writing songs with and for other artists while keeping the true depths of her artistry a bit under wraps. Though Sophie has developed a following in the UK in recent years with residencies in her hometown and at the Isle of Wight Festival, and had a #1 hit in Germany as a featured artist with electronic band Schiller, she’s only now revealing the immense depth of all she can do, as well as her musical destiny, as a solo recording artist.

If the first tasty piano chords, the funked-out grooves, fiery brass and the sultry vocal sass Sophie brings to her first Woodward Avenue Records single “Fake Diamond Earring,” makes you think “Amy Winehouse meets Tower of Power,” there’s good reason. The late singer was a family friend of the very musical Hillers as well as a source of encouragement and inspiration throughout Sophie’s childhood. Those rising horns and punchy accents and that super-tight rhythm section come from a mix of musicians from Winehouse’s and Tom Jones’ bands. 

Written by Sophie and her dad Lawrence (Lolly) Hiller, a singer-songwriter and veteran TV and film composer, and produced by Lawrence and Kevan Gallagher with a poppin’ horn arrangement by Henry Collins, “Fake Diamond Earring” is a powerful coming out party. It’s steeped in cheekiness and the singer’s desire to explore what she calls the “fun, interesting and sassy sides of her character,” with some humor and the sly theme of a wronged woman taking her power back. The infectious, hard-hitting track is the perfect showcase for Sophie’s towering voice, tremendous range and keen ability to draw people into the emotion of her incisive, fanciful storytelling. Though the song features more of her contemporary side, it includes a delightfully jazzy piano solo by Rob Taggart followed by some crackling electric guitar improvisation.   

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Blooming Fire - Waterfalls.

Indie rock unit Blooming Fire released their third single from their forthcoming debut LP, riPPle eFFect. Chasing behind singles “Angel” and “TK”, the refreshing new track “Waterfalls” is out now on all streaming platforms.

Sonically paying homage to Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, and Dirty Heads, Blooming Fire's “Waterfalls” is a cathartic listening experience. With themes of leaving your past behind and experiencing freedom without judgement, Blooming Fire fuses together elements of jazz, hip-hop, indie rock, and much more. To put it in the band's own words, the new track exercises a "journey of trying to loosen the grip of heaviness and divisiveness and reclaim a sense of love and freedom to express ourselves in a world trying to shut us down". 

In the video, Blooming Fire is shown escaping from the grips of technology, doom scrolling and overwhelm by seeking solace and connection in nature; while embarking on a hunt to destroy the computer that never dies. "Waterfalls" is an anthem inspiring those to shed their past like an exoskeleton, the new track is a relatable journey to those who encounter it.

Sierra Madre of Blooming Fire speaks in further depth about the new album: “Our album is grounded, spiritual, revolutionary, and intimate all at once. The lyrics convey how nature is a symbol for freedom and healing. There is a lot of discussion about cleansing, transformation and letting go and this is represented by different bodies of water like the rivers, waterfalls and rain. We are nature and nature is us; peace, clarity, destruction and renewal.”

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Photo - Shjaane Glover

Jolie Anastasia - Lucky To Find.

There’s a certain presence that comes with hearing Jolie Anastasia sing—a wisdom far beyond her years, wrapped in a voice equal parts tender and unshakable. With her debut full-length album 'Guiding Light' arriving November 7, 2025, and the title cut out now, the Collingwood based singer-songwriter is quickly establishing herself as one of folk and roots music’s most promising new voices.

Jolie’s music doesn’t rush. It lingers, reflecting on heartbreak, healing, and the fleeting beauty of everyday life. In her songs, listeners encounter a rare gift: the ability to transform personal trials into universal truths that speak across generations.

Born and raised in Collingwood, Ontario, Jolie Anastasia (née Jolie Smith) has been steeped in song since childhood. “I am a deeply emotional and sensitive person. I find solace in the strum of a guitar and the hum of a tune,” she reflects. That instinct to create has led her from living room strums to festival stages, crafting a style that balances raw honesty with refined artistry.

Her forthcoming album 'Guiding Light' is a family affair, shaped by the guidance of her producer and father Craig Smith. “Ever since I was young he always encouraged me to play music, so naturally, as soon as he noticed I was writing anything worth recording we jumped straight into the studio,” Jolie says. What began as solo expression soon blossomed into a full-band endeavor, expanding her sonic palette without losing the intimacy of her earliest songs.

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A.S. Fanning - Living Hour - Mariel Buckley - Malena Smith - Josh Ritchie

Photo - Neil Hoare

A.S. Fanning - Romance.

Irish songwriter A.S. Fanning announces his fourth studio album Take Me Back To Nowhere, arriving February 6th via K&F Records. Now he kicks off the album lead up with ‘Romance’, offering the first glimpse into Fanning's most disorienting and immersive work to date.

Opening with layered synths that build into an anthemic crescendo over a steady drumbeat, ‘Romance’ showcases Fanning's distinctive baritone voice—drawing comparisons to Nick Cave—delivering a stark, disillusioned meditation on love and human connection. The track maps emotional desolation onto stark sonic terrain, stripping love down to its rawest components: fear masquerading as desire, need mistaken for connection.

"This is a disillusioned love song," Fanning explains. "Representing a feeling of hopelessness through imagery of a barren physical landscape. There's also some hint of room for hope or vulnerability in the line 'love lets you in…' but it's generally quite a cynical song suggesting that romantic feelings are just a confused mixture of fear, need, and desire."

The single introduces broader themes that run throughout Take Me Back To Nowhere: inescapable isolation and the idea that our relationships are shaped more by our internal chaos than any genuine connection with others. "In some ways it touches on the wider themes of the album," he continues "That everyone is isolated and that their own issues and interior processes are what's informing their relationships with other people—that who you fall in love with is just based on your own particular cocktail of neuroses, which you somehow find reflected in another person." 

a.s. fanning · A.S FANNING - Romance

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Photo - Alex Squire

Living Hour - Internal Drone Infinity (Album).

Winnipeg-based Living Hour releases their new album Internal Drone Infinity. With 10 tracks coming in around a 30-minute runtime, the latest record sees the indie rock band move away from dreamy shoegaze sounds in favour of tightly controlled and cathartic sonic release through heavily distorted guitar riffs. 

“Everyone’s kind of angry, we’re getting pissed, the world is fucked, and sometimes it feels like I can’t just be in a nice indie rock band anymore playing twinkly things,” lyricist Sam Sarty says about the change in style. “It’s still nice to do that, but I think there needs to be a release, a scream, or a grunt or something.”

With a lifelong practice of noticing the little, mundane details, and framing them to show potential beauty, Sarty has honed her composing and songwriting skills to the point of finding moments of beauty in places full of literal garbage. 

"Texting is written from this really mundane but intimate point of view of trying to explain Winnipeg to someone over text," she says. "In the winter, everything disappears in the snow, but when the snow melts, we’re left with the mosaic of shit. I keep a list on my phone of things I see on the sidewalk: garbage that breaks my heart or situations that I try to explain, either to myself or over text – that blue bubble carrying my thoughts somewhere else."


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Photo - Emma Palm

Mariel Buckley - Strange Trip Ahead (Album).

Acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Mariel Buckley returns with her third studio album, Strange Trip Ahead, out now via Birthday Cake Records. Following the success of her 2022 Polaris Prize–longlisted album, Everywhere I Used to Be, Buckley steps boldly into a new sonic chapter — one that blurs the lines between alt-Americana, indie rock, and emotive confessional songwriting.

Serving as the album’s emotional centerpiece, “Anvil” captures the tension of life-altering decisions in a relationship — specifically around the question of whether to have children. Co-written with Nashville songwriter Robby Hecht and featuring Buckley’s brother T. Buckley on mandolin and background vocals, the track is one of the most meticulously constructed on the record.

“Anvil explores the decision around having kids — those ‘will we/won’t we’ conversations,” Buckley explains. “As a woman and as a queer person, the scrutiny around that choice is intense. It forces you to look unromantically at what partnership and permanence really mean.”

Driven by heavy rhythm sections, pedal steel tension, and Buckley’s soaring vocal delivery, the song embodies the weight of love and inevitability — a slow burn that simmers with emotional gravity.

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Malena Smith -Maybe.

St. Louis-based singer-songwriter Malena Smith has shared her latest single, “Maybe,” an emotionally raw preview of her upcoming debut EP, 27 in Maine. Following the transparency of her previous release, “Paralyzed,” this new track, written by Sonca Nguyen, Jack Pordea, and Joshua "Paco" Lee dives even deeper, capturing the tension of love in limbo.
 
Simply put, “Maybe” is a love song, but beneath its gentle melodies lies a layered emotional landscape and an introspective plea, a yearning for the other person to return and affirm your feelings. It's a confession, a question, and a prayer for emotional clarity in a relationship hanging by a thread.
 
With introspective lyrics, delicate harmonies, soulful guitar and skillful mandolin, “Maybe” reflects the intimate emotional spaces we often keep hidden. “I’ll wait for your answer / Just ask me the question / Don’t leave me to figure it out / I promise to show you / Whatever you go through / I’ll be by your side,” she sings, inviting the listener into a quiet but powerful moment of sensitivity. “I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit in my twenties, maybe that’s why it resonates so deeply,” she shares. 

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Josh Ritchie - So Much More Than A Dream (Album).

By the time an artist makes their third album, it’s a safe bet they’ve learned a few lessons. In the case of Canadian singer/songwriter Josh Ritchie, those lessons led to taking control of all aspects of So Much More Than A Dream, with the result being a dynamically powerful 11-song collection that blurs the lines between modern rock, experimental folk, and contemporary r&b.

In some ways, it’s the sound of our age, where genres are fluid, and an artist has the tools at their fingertips to take any idea and construct a unique sonic landscape out of it. In film parlance, it’s been called “the auteur theory” for decades, and for Josh Ritchie, it guided his vision throughout the making of So Much More Than A Dream.

In short, So Much More Than A Dream can be described as a concept album telling the story of a young adult searching for peace and purpose in our increasingly turbulent world. It’s hardly a stretch to say that theme mirrors much of Ritchie’s life to this point, having grown up BIPOC in Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula. Much of his music to date has been a product of his experiences, but on So Much More Than A Dream he pours his soul into each song, as on the first single, “Numb,” which asks the increasingly common question, “Do you believe in anything at all?”

Josh clearly believes in many things, and wants you to believe in them as well. On the anthemic new single “Celestial,” he firmly pins his heart to his sleeve, running through the list of things that sustain his spirit, with love firmly at the top. Later, on the stunning ballad “Vancouver,” he sounds like a young Leonard Cohen, surveying the wreckage of his life amid the wreckage of the inner city. But it’s “Small Town Boys” that Josh highlights as a personal triumph.


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