Celestial Bums - Pressgang Mutiny - Sunnan - Raivo Jackson

Celestial Bums - A Dream (Guide Me From the Stars).

Ethereal psychedelia ascends in Celestial Bums’ new single A Dream (Guide Me From the Stars). Barcelona’s Celestial Bums present A Dream (Guide Me From the Stars), the third single from their upcoming album Minutes From Heaven, arriving on February 13th, 2026 via the Italo-American label We Were Never Being Boring (WWNBB).

With this new chapter, the band leans fully into its most luminous and atmospheric side: washed-out guitars drifting like distant memories, glowing synths weaving soft halos of light, and vocals that float with a weightless, almost heavenly calm. A Dream unfolds with the slow-motion clarity of a half-remembered vision — intimate yet expansive, fragile yet radiant — offering a piece of astral pop designed to drift, dissolve, and guide listeners gently toward the stars.

After the more elaborate, almost tour-de-force construction of Ascend, and the studio-driven experimentation of their third album, Minutes From Heaven marks a deliberate return to immediacy, instinct, and identity. It is the band’s freshest and most spontaneous work since their 2010 self-titled debut, but this time enriched by a decade of experience. More importantly, it represents a reconciliation with the band’s true DNA, reclaiming a way of writing and sounding that is uniquely their own. Where previous records wandered into new territories, this album embraces what Celestial Bums truly are at their core, and its strength lies precisely in that honesty.

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Pressgang Mutiny - Old Mick.

Toronto’s rowdiest keepers of the shanty flame, Pressgang Mutiny return with “Old Mick,” the second advance single from their forthcoming album Departure, out March 13, 2026 on Slammin Media. Known for reviving the raw, working-class spirit of traditional sea shanties, the quartet pushes that legacy forward here, blending their signature four-part firepower with contemporary urban production. It lands like a deck-stomper, full of rhythm, grit, and the kind of communal lift built for crowded rooms. Pressgang Mutiny have built their reputation on the road and at sea, traveling the world to uncover shanties, work songs, and the people keeping them alive. Departure marks their most ambitious leap yet and explores the musical connections that have always lived inside this tradition.

The sea shanty cannon, a synthesis of African-American and AfroCaribbean rhythmic call and answer forms combined with gritty Irish folk vocals, are wedded on this album with historical shanty samples, drum machine production, and musical collaborations with Toronto hip-hop, reggae, and dancehall veterans and rising stars, all weave into the album’s wider vision without losing the salt and sweat that define their sound. “Old Mick” unapologetically kicks open a door while keeping one boot planted in tradition.

The track pulls from its capstan and railroad song roots, built on calland-response vocals shaped for muscle and momentum. Pressgang Mutiny deliver it with thick harmonies, tight phrasing, and a rhythmic push that feels equal parts archival and alive and new. Their arrangement nods to the versions they have encountered across the Atlantic, but the energy is unmistakably theirs, delivered with a hard hitting modern North American attitude. It is loose, loud, and meant to be sung shoulder to shoulder. There is a lived-in credibility here that comes from singers who have actually handled lines, decks, and sails, not just chased the romance of the stories.

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Sunnan - Sail (Lady In Waiting).

Following their Swedish Grammy–nominated debut and the success of the Cinema Sound System EP, critically acclaimed cinematic soul outfit Sunnan returns with “Sail (Lady In Waiting)” the introduction to their forthcoming sophomore album Spaghetti Soul hailed for release 2026. Rooted in Morricone-inspired soundscapes and classical aesthetics, the track captures what Sunnan describe as “the manifestation of a new genre.”  "Sail (Lady In Waiting)" occupies a  space where Hendrix’s electric swagger collides with the melodic ambition of The Beatles’ most experimental eras, all framed by lush, cinematic orchestration. The result is a sound that feels timeless yet strikingly current.

Built on a foundation of vintage soul, the song weaves psychedelic textures and rock ’n’ roll grit into a distinctly modern production. It honours the golden age of soulful sophistication and raw rock energy while pushing confidently into new territory — transporting listeners across decades without ever losing its contemporary pulse.

“‘Sail’ is the bridge from Cinema Sound System to our sophomore album Spaghetti Soul,” the band explains. “Leaning into our cinematic roots and timeless soundtracks like ‘Hurricane’ and ‘All Along the Watchtower’, the song portrays the legend of a life well lived — beauty preserved in memory, and hope for one last ride.”

That vision carries into Spaghetti Soul, an album that deepens Sunnan’s cinematic exploration while expanding their sonic palette. If debut album Cinema was the feature film and Cinema Sound System the afterparty, Spaghetti Soul is their most immersive statement yet: a bold fusion of Italian Western grandeur and classic soul, filtered through a modern lens. With "Sail (Lady In Waiting)" as its gateway, the album positions Sunnan at the forefront of their self-defined genre, where orchestral drama meets raw emotional immediacy.

Sunnan · Sail (Lady In Waiting)

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Raivo Jackson - Swimming Under Ice.

Raivo Jackson blends blues and spaghetti western vibes on the new single Swimming Under Ice, the third and final single from Raivo Jackson’s debut album Tangled Up in Roots, due to be released on Thursday. The track is one of the album’s most swinging cuts, where the band’s blues-infused groove is given extra color by a spaghetti western–inspired atmosphere.

Swimming Under Ice tells the story of a person who falls in with the wrong crowd and loses their way. It’s a tale about how difficult it can be to find a path back to the surface from deep waters. The song leaves the listener wondering whether a way to safety will ultimately be found or whether the character will remain trapped beneath the ice.

Released on Thursday, January 15, Tangled Up in Roots showcases Raivo Jackson’s versatile and narrative-driven expression, where rhythm and melody go hand in hand with strong, evocative moods.

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Konradsen - Howling Bells - Tyce Delk & Trinity Lake - Dani Ivory

Photo - Marthe Thu

Konradsen - Efficiency (feat. Beharie).

Northern Norwegian duo Konradsen - the project of Jenny Marie Sabel and Eirik Vildgren - just released their new single ‘Efficiency’, alongside an animated visual by Jacob Grönbech Jensen (Kelly Lee Owens, Prins Thomas). Arriving shortly after their recent collaboration with Gia Margaret, 'Nick of Time', the track provides a second glimpse of a new body of work expected later this year. Konradsen will mark the beginning of this new chapter with a special show at Oslo's MUNCH Museum on 10th April.

Written while the duo were also composing for a short film rooted in Jenny’s home village Storfjord, ‘Efficiency’ grew out of a request for something “slightly souly” in 6/8 - inspired by jazz singer Solveig Slettahjell’s version of ‘Borrowed Time’ by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The song ultimately wasn’t used in the film, but the constraint proved pivotal, pushing Konradsen into a register they might not have explored otherwise.

Produced with Hans Olav Settem and Marith Othilie Thorvik, ‘Efficiency’ features guest vocals from Norwegian singer-songwriter Beharie. Set against softly strummed guitars, sparing strings and unhurried percussion, his expressive delivery deepens the song’s emotional centre: a portrait of love that persists through routine rather than drama:

"'Efficiency' portrays a kind of love that isn’t always immediate or all-consuming, but one that endures nonetheless — a relationship where time, patience, and a willingness to see the beauty in each other’s imperfections are essential. It touches on a phase many people recognize: when the distance between two people can feel greater than before, yet the bond remains strong." 

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Photo - Orlando Cubitt

Howling Bells - Melbourne.

UK-based Australian trio Howling Bells has just released their latest single 'Melbourne', marking the final release before the arrival of 'Strange Life', their first album in over 12 years, on 13th February.
 
Juanita explains: "Melbourne is a song about deep yearning and ultimately grief. It explores a unique inner conflict many of us feel when we leave our homes and families to start anew somewhere else. This aching can be especially intense when we’re faced with something traumatic and all we want is the safety and warm embrace of the familiar. I experienced a heightened version of this when I returned to Melbourne a few years ago to play some shows, having not been back for a while. 

It felt slightly surreal and tragic being there without any family to share this with, as they had also left Australia over the years. Then, within 24 hours of touchdown, I got a call from a hospital in England telling me that my father, who was ill, had taken a turn for the worse, and so I had to pack up and return to the UK before I’d even played a show. It was brutal. I felt a thousand things that day, from the physical weight of having to lug around 2 huge suitcases full of merch I was planning to unload, to sitting alone in tears at the airport in Singapore during the layover. 

All these experiences left me with a deep well of sadness and a longing to return to my homeland to find what it is I’d now lost forever. This is something I carry around with me every day. All it takes is the glimmer of the sun at a certain time of day, or the occasional scent of an eucalyptus tree, or the sharp twinge of nostalgia when I hear the melody of a particular song, to remind me of the sadness and beauty that is now my Australia".

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Photo -  Josef Lloyd

Tyce Delk & Trinity Lake - Adaline.

Rising country star Tyce Delk shared a special duet version of his streaming hit “Adaline” with Oklahoma country-pop artist Trinity Lake. Her soulful vocals complement the blues-infected country ballad, which surpassed 1 million streams in under a week and currently sits at over 23 million U.S. streams to date (Luminate). “Being able to give 'Adaline' another life as a duet has been awesome,” shares Delk. “Trinity added another level to this song that it needed, couldn’t have thought of a better person for it. Thankful she was up for it!” 

Lake adds: “I’ve been such a fan of Tyce and this song since he first started promoting it on social media. It’s been so cool getting to know Tyce on a personal level, and I’m super grateful he asked me to be a part of this reimagined version!” 

Late last year, Delk released his debut EP Enough Ain’t Enough to praise from MusicRow, Country Central and Holler, who exclaimed, “The second you hear [Tyce] stretch out and land that opening ‘Baby’ on his debut single, ‘Adaline,’ he blows every other country singer around out of the water. His voice has a depth and power and an ability to lift a song up and send it somewhere otherworldly that few other singers in modern-day country music have.” Grounded in Delk’s Red Dirt New Mexico roots with Western swing touches and radio-ready hooks, the EP paired high-energy country stompers with tender ballads that showcased his rich, emotive voice.

A fourth-generation farmer, rancher and musician, Delk's soulful storytelling springs from a lifetime of wide-open skies and family heritage. Growing up amidst the rhythms of crops and cattle, and the melodies of swing-era music passed down through generations, Tyce’s artistic identity is steeped in generational legacy.

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Dani Ivory - Anymore.

Dani Ivory’s new single “Anymore” arrives with quiet intensity, capturing the moment when clarity finally cuts through confusion. Built around a rich piano line and unflinching vocal performance, the track unfolds like a confession, turning heartbreak into resolve. It’s tinged with folky, Americana-esque guitar textures, seamlessly blended with soul and pop elements, giving the song a warm, grounded feel without losing its modern edge.

The song centers on reclaiming autonomy and spirit after emotional control, with Ivory delivering lines that feel lived-in and resolute: “When I had a hunch you were creepin’ behind closed doors / I’m not yours / No, no, no, no / I’m not yours anymore.” Rather than dramatizing the breakup, Ivory leans into restraint, allowing honesty to do the heavy lifting.

Ivory shares, “I wrote ‘Anymore’ after leaving someone who mistook control for love. It’s about waking up from the fog of infatuation and excuses and realizing you’re done letting someone else’s insecurity cage you. It’s a reluctant release — part mourning, part reckoning — and ultimately a return to my true self. Even when you know it’s good for you, letting go can still hurt.”

That release shows up in the song’s smallest victories — the freedom to exist without fear or expectation: “When I step out on the street, I can be who I want to be / Makeup-free in my faded, beat-up jeans / ’Cause I ain’t got no one threatenin’ to leave.” Ivory also reflects on the future she once imagined, now left behind: “You had my heart beatin’ and even wedding dreamin’ / Until the sweetness turned sour.”

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

Bywater Call - Only.

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

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

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

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Cathleen Ireland - Coastin’.

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

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

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

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

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Baldy Crawlers - Boy.

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

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

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

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Photo - Matilde Pretolesi

Kodaclips - 27.

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

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

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

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Eileen Carey - This Is Where.

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

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

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

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

Eileen Carey · This is Where

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The Clockworks - Well Well Wellness.

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

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

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Cheyenne - The Jack Rubies - Mesh - Alice Costelloe - Hirta - The Orielles

Cheyenne - Anticipating You.

The indie artist's latest drop bridges the intimate polish of Harry's House with the confident pop sheen of Sabrina Carpenter and Dua Lipa.
 
Cheyenne has made it clear that in 2026, she's here to smolder and wow audiences, and she is not holding back. With her latest single “Anticipating You”, the rising singer-songwriter blends the sensual pulse of retro inspired synth-pop with fun, modern textures. Built around shimmering synths, sun drenched guitar strums, and a radiant vocal, “Anticipating You” sounds like radio ready, chartworthy pop. Think Steve Lacy by candlelight or Harry Styles in his late-night, off-the-record era. “Itʼs craving this personʼs touch, intimacy, closeness, personality. Itʼs being so in love you canʼt get enough. You crave their touch and everything about them. Itʼs also craving the emotional intimacy that comes with sex and being intimate" Cheyenne says.
 
The track traces that longing with the perfect lyrics: “Lying wide awake, while you saturate every part of my brain…” she croons. There's a commanding, confident ownership in the way Cheyenne delivers on “Anticipating You.” She's unapologetically open to pleasure and that magnetic pull that changes your chemistry. As she readies a new body of work for 2026, her sound is expanding, her vision is sharpening, and her message is clear: vulnerability is power, and self-expression is sacred.
 
Coming off a standout Pirate Studios showcase and four previous singles that mapped her evolution, Anticipating You marks Cheyenne's fifth and final release before a new musical era begins in 2026. With upcoming shows slated across the East Coast, she's inviting fans into the next chapter of her story.

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The Jack Rubies - Be Good Or Be Gone.

With their new album Visions In The Bowling Alley announced at the end of last year and set for release on Vinyl, CD and Streaming in late January (23rd), UK postpunk veterans The Jack Rubies ofer up one more single to preview the record. “Be Good Or Be Gone,” a slice of groovy guitar pop as danceable and hook-heavy as anything from the band's four-decade history, is out today January 9, 2026.

may have emerged from the British C86 scene and be more often thought amongst the likes of Shriekback or Nick Cave, but there's something about the groove and hooks of “Be Good Or Be Gone” that whispers “Madchester” – think “Fool's Gold,” “Step On” or “Groovy Train”. You can most certainly dance to it, and the vocal interplay between Rubies frontman Wright and guest Cat Henry(returning after the last album's hit single “I'll Give You More”) is thrilling. It sounds like a party, and while the words betray an underlying darkness, it's of an almost pop-classicist bent, as direct as a set of Johnny Cash lyrics: “You crucify me then you dance up and down on my grave/That’s what I say even though it isn’t true.” Taken together, it's the stuf of which enduring hit singles are made.

“It's based on an almost forgotten sketch from yesteryear and with a nod to our past,” the band ofers, “a dance-favored and nostalgic meditation on the closing of a chapter.” The Rubies' SD Ineson features on harmonica, adding to the rootsy favor, and delivers signature guitar lines that complement Wright’s slide guitar and and tight postpunk funk rhythms. Drummer/producer Peter Maxted’s keyboard textures foat, then punctuate, while bass and percussion hold the beat close until gradually letting go as the track wistfully concludes. “It’s time to move on. Two empty deck chairs are all that’s left on a deserted beach,” the band says in summary. 

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Mesh - Exile.

Mesh unveil the stylish music video 'Exile' as the first new song from the UK alternative electronic duo since nine years! This single is an edit of the opening track of the English band's forthcoming new album "The Truth Doesn't Matter", which has been scheduled for release on March 27, 2026. 

Mesh comment on 'Exile': "I was trying to write some music that was uplifting but had a dark and moody undertone", Richard explains. "I had the chord structure and the chorus, but felt something was missing. That's when I added the arpeggio type line at the start. This changed the character of the song and gave it that hypnotic, driving feel. It is the glue that holds it all together. After we had finished mixing the album and almost a year after the music was written, Mark sent me the track with the vocals added. It was one of those moments when I knew immediately that this track had to be the single. It was as quick as that."
 
"We were about to go to Germany to mix the album with Olaf", Mark adds. "I still had a couple of instrumentals from Rich which had no lyrics or vocals. I loaded one into Cubasis on my phone and started working on it in dead time during the mixing. I needed inspiration, and Judit, the wife of our producer Olaf, gave me the only English books that she had: 'Chicken Soup for the Soul – Stories for a Better World' by various authors, and 'The Man Who Fell to Earth', which is a Bowie biography. I was also reading Heinlein's 'Stranger in a Strange Land' on my pad. The lyrics kind of just fell out of those influences. I recorded the vocals on the phone outside on Olaf's balcony and recorded them properly when I got home. It was all very last minute, but worth that last push."

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Alice Costelloe - How Can I.

London singer-songwriter Alice Costelloe shares new track 'How Can I' this week, the final preview of debut album 'Move On With The Year' out 6th February via Moshi Moshi Records. One of the album's most revealing moments, new track 'How Can I' skips blithely, all honeyed harmonies and tambourine shakes, while Costelloe wrestles with a dichotomous truth, both a question and a statement: “How can I / Still adore / You know I still adore you”.  

“So much of my childhood I had this feeling that something wasn’t right, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it,” Costelloe admits. “My dad was so different: he’d fall asleep mid-sentence with a lit cigarette in his mouth, he couldn’t be woken up no matter how much you tried, and when he wasn’t sleeping he’d take us on strange, and in retrospect, insanely dangerous adventures.” It wasn’t until her early teens, when her older sister confirmed his substance abuse, that those memories came into focus - an awakening that threads through the album’s writing.

Speaking more on the song release, Alice said: "When I was finishing the song, I read a quote from Feist where she said, ‘When you say something or sing something enough times, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy – it’s almost like casting spells.’ It made me think about what it would feel like playing songs full of sadness, night after night, and whether those were the spells I wanted to be casting,” Costelloe explains. “So I added the line ‘I am good, I’m enough, I’m surrounded by love’. I know it’s unbearably cheesy, but I wanted a moment in the set that could counteract some of the darker parts of the record and manifest something more positive."

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Photo - Ash Drummond.

Hirta - Black Chimneys.

"Black Chimneys", is the second single from Hirta's new LP 'Soft Peaks' to be released in February 2026. The song is the perfect anthem for blessing your new year. In Alistair's own words, "...it feels appropriate to share the song 'Black Chimneys’ as a simple New Year greeting, as we all do the thing we do every year where we take stock of where we are in our lives and reset to begin another year. 

The song itself is a reminder to myself of what’s important and, while not necessarily written as a new year song, has the recurring line, ‘Lang may yer lum reek’ - this is a traditional Scottish phrase that people use to toast or say farewell to friends and family around New Year. It translates as ‘long may your chimney smoke’ and symbolizes warmth, and having enough of what you need to be warm, safe and prosper, so it’s extra nice to be able to share it with you at this time."

Hirta is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Alistair Paxton and this record hasn't left my rotation since I first heard it last autumn. Hirta’s ‘Soft Peaks’ finds solace in the natural world and comforts through an intriguing map of familiar trailheads and newly chartered terrain. The debut official release from Scottish - American multi instrumentalist, Alistair Paxton, ‘Soft Peaks’ casts a windswept and lonely spell yet retains an air of optimism across its ten warm and desolate tracks. 

This album was self produced and recorded in 2025 in sessions split between the Hudson Valley town of Nyack, NY and rural Bovina in the Western Catskill mountains culminating in both vinyl and digital releases under Paxton’s own imprint, Half Painted Door.

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Photo - Neelam Khan Vela.

The Orielles - You are Eating a Part of Yourself / To Undo the World Itself.

The Orielles have today shared double-single "You are Eating a Part of Yourself" and "To Undo the World Itself", two new tracks taken from their fourth studio album, Only You Left – out March 13 via Heavenly – a meticulous yet exploratory record which sees them emerge anew from their seven-year cycle where they began with Silver Dollar Moment (2018).

"To Undo the World Itself", has hints of Tara Clerkin Trio in the repeated, reverb-drenched vocal melodies, but also leans towards the expansive post-rock of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky in its cathartic forward-motion and "You are Eating a Part of Yourself" shares a similar dark euphoria as both gradually submerge the listener in a glitch-laden tide of feedback and noise. Coupled with the rising harmonic progressions there’s a pervasive sense of bittersweetness, of time irrevocably passing by.

Accompanied by a video directed by Neelam Khan Vela which spans both tracks, the band said: "'You are Eating a Part of Yourself’ began when a durational guitar loop was released from the archive of improv’s recorded in Henry’s bedroom. The title, which comes from a video artwork dating 1996, captures the darkness emanating from the original recording, and reflects the clarity to be able to define that feeling some years later. Through music (and some words) we unfurled the emotion captured back then, as we put our ears up to the organs of the body orchestrating their own symphony and dissonance.

Closing track of the album ‘To Undo the World Itself’ sings of rebirth and reversal, or outstanding finality, depending on the impression that ‘Only You Left’ leaves you with. The cathartic crescendo meant that this was a favourite to play in the various live rooms that we wrote / recorded in, where it was trialled against the backdrops of thunderstorms and peaceful sunsets alike."

Neelam added about the video: "After almost a decade of collaborating with The Orielles, we share a connection that makes our creative process completely intuitive, like a long rally where ideas are passed back and forth without needing to be spoken. The band filmed with Lewis and Giulia in Manchester, and from that starting point I let the emotional pull of the tracks guide the edit, completing the video through what the music evoked and what the evolving images seemed to ask for."


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Heavenly - Hannah Schneider - Project Earthbridge Feat. Aubrey Illurimo - Julian Never

Heavenly - Excuse Me.

The single, 'Excuse Me', is an outburst of punk energy, as effervescent as a song on the first Undertones album, recalling a teenage romance with the nerdiest person in school. It's a foretaste of the album "Highway To Heavenly" which has been announced this week and is out on 27 February. 

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

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

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Hannah Schneider - In This Room.

In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping the music industry, Danish artist Hannah Schneider is choosing a completely different path. On her upcoming album ‘In This Room’ (released February 27, 2026), she insists on presence, intuition and craftsmanship as the driving force in the creation of music.

To create the album, she invited a number of musicians she admires to her residency at Thorvaldsens Museum in Copenhagen. Here, the museum's historic space became the setting for a musical experiment in which both composition and recording were turned on their heads: What happens when acoustic instruments become the starting point for modern electronic music?

‘In This Room’ - the title song from the forthcoming album is a meditation on the stories we hold, the rooms we return to, and the moments that define us — even when nothing seems to change. With this new single release, which has already received BBC 6 Music & Radio X airplay, Hannah Schneider continues to solidify her place as a singular voice in Nordic electronic music, blending introspection, poetry, and immersive production into a quietly powerful statement. Driven by active piano figures, and the distinct drumming by fellow labelmate Øyunn, the song catches the ear, asking the question- “if these walls would talk, what would they say?”.

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Project Earthbridge - Love Will Always Be Near (Feat. Aubrey Illurimo).

"Love Will Always Be Near" was born after co-writer Anders Hasselquist (music/lyrics) heard on the radio than a young person in Sweden commits suicide every week, wanting to write a positive uplifting song about reaching out to people in distress. He approached Thomas Karlsson (music) and Jimmy Granstrom (lyrics) about writing a song on this theme, later joined by Filipino singer Aubrey Illurimo who recorded the vocals for the song.

Project Earthbridge consists of the Swedish duo Jimmy Granstrom (music and/or lyrics) and Thomas Karlsson (music/production) as well as invited collaborator(s), which will vary between songs. Project Earthbridge's songs have been played on the radio in at least 12 countries on five continents, from Australia and South Africa to Sweden, France, Belgium, Peru, England and the USA. The singles "Alicia" and "Made Of Stars" were selected for rotation on P4 Sörmland, which is a major Swedish radio station equivalent to a regional BBC radio station in the United Kingdom.

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Julian Never - Say Something.

Los Angeles' Julian Never shares the second single and video from its forthcoming Everyday Is Purgation LP for Mt.St.Mtn. “Say Something” is about trying to fix yourself by making the same mistakes and following the same attachment patterns. You’ve just wrecked your life, and this relationship isn’t going to fix you. An artist drops into your life—only to disappear as fast, ending things through a cryptic screenshot posted by their friend on Instagram.

You expected more of yourself for getting vulnerable like this, for caring as much as you did. You know you weren’t owed anything, but it still stings. It bruises the ego. Give yourself a rest. This wasn’t meant to be. Move on.

“Say Something” is a country-ballad take on jangle pop, featuring Josh Yenne on pedal steel. It’s about that raw feeling of being left behind—caught in the loop of rumination, waiting for words that never come.

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