On May 30, Idiot Mambo will release their sophomore album, ‘Shoot the Star’, on Strange Mono. Idiot Mambo started as a bedroom project from primary songwriters Benji Davis and Leah G. Shoot the Star is a kaleidoscopic homage to their eclectic influences, from punky pop and thrift-store glam to country sparkle.
Joined by Jared Brey, Dan Timlin, and Dan Angel, whose drumming and engineering prowess laid the foundation for a newer, more polished sound. The ban embraced experimentation, layering synthesizers, pedal steel, and even a pill bottle shaker to create sound that’s both raw and meticulously crafted. “Our first studio session features Dan Angel on drums and Jared on bass,” says Benji. “We have one rehearsal prior. Dan learns the tunes, lays down amazing rhythms, and engineers the session, living up to his reputation as the hardest working man in show business.”
Lyrically, Shoot the Star is a wild ride through themes of insomnia, existential musings, and partying through the chaos. “The record has reckless homages to all sorts of stuff,” says Benji. Several songs on the album were written in collaboration with spoken word poet Colbert Root, who joins the band live as a theatrically effective orator.
Tracks like “Tailchase” and “Deathdriver” explore failure and rebirth, while “Bop Til U Drop” and “Light Bulbs” deliver infectious, off-kilter energy. With its reckless charm and genre-defying spirit, Shoot the Star is a record for the nowhere people. Idiot Mambo is here to remind you that rock and roll is alive, weird, and undeniably fun.
Yard has today released their eponymous EP. After a breakout year and a storming start to 2025, Dublin-based electropunk trio Yard crash into the spotlight with their self-titled debut EP, Yard. A volatile fusion of post-punk intensity and pulsating techno, the four-track record doesn’t just announce the band’s arrival – it detonates it. Raw, relentless, and impossible to pin down, this debut solidifies Yard as one of the most boundary-pushing new acts to emerge from the UK and Ireland’s underground scene.
With a sound as relentless as it is immersive, Yard is known for its gripping live performances and eerie stage presence, often embodied by their unsettling mascot, Bucketman. Their sonic identity—genre-less yet grounded in intensity—draws from the DNA of acts like Death Grips, SUUNS, and Nine Inch Nails, yet lands firmly in its own dystopian universe.
The EP opens with “Trevor”, a sprawling, cinematic track that launches listeners into Yard’s volatile landscape – an electrifying mix of screeching vocals, euphoric techno, and razor-edged synths. Follow-up “Appetite” explores themes of compulsive self-destruction through a relentless groove and a haunting vocal performance by Emmet White, inspired by a chilling line from Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024): “I am an appetite.”
“At one stage in the film Count Orlok, speaking to Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), proclaims, ‘I am an appetite”. There’s a vampiric force in Ellen’s life which she cannot escape, and it’s unending in its consumption of her.” Emmet White
Third track “Slumber” trades bombast for pressure, beginning with claustrophobic unease before expanding into cathartic, club-ready territory. It’s a sonic metaphor for breaking out of routine – an underground rebellion shaking beneath the surface.
Closing track “Sunlight” is perhaps the EP’s most visceral moment. A live favorite finally captured in recorded form, the song burns with thundering rhythms and layered synths, invoking chaos, disconnection, and refusal to conform. Its entrancing middle section wouldn’t be out of place in a warehouse rave, yet it remains deeply emotional – a rare feat in electronic rock.
“The four tracks on this EP have existed on our live set, in one capacity or another, for quite some time now. In many ways, they represent some of the earliest iterations of our vision for Yard. It’s music for escapists – those who need a healthy distraction from the challenges of everyday life. Until now, you could only hear these tracks live at our show, which is still where they’re best experienced – but it’s great to have them out in the world for regular listening.” Dan Malone
Yard’s Debut EP is a declaration. With their unflinching creativity, genre-defying production, and unmistakable live presence, Yard is carving a new lane in modern music. This debut marks the beginning of a long, loud, and unstoppable journey.
Your album art for YARD has these stunning quadrants of black and white line art. Do the shapes represent anything inside your debut EP? A different one for each of the four songs, perhaps?
The artwork for each song, as well as the EP cover art, was designed by Claire Schorman (@byclaireschorman). Each art piece touches on different themes explored throughout the EP while remaining stylistically consistent throughout. You’ll notice that each track has its visualizer on YouTube as well as a video canvas on Spotify that mirrors the track artwork.
The tracks and accompanying artwork explore themes of incompleteness, loss, dissociation, confinement, escapism, and vampirism, among others. However, like the musical content, the artwork is left open to interpretation by the listener.
The track “Trevor” is so intense and sonically enticing. What do the mysterious lyrics mean?
Lyrically, ‘Trevor’ explores the concept of anthropomorphism (the human tendency to attribute emotions and meaning to inanimate objects). Emmet has a habit of naming inanimate objects that have played a significant role in his life. In this case, ‘Trevor’ was the name of a bike that he had for many years, which was passed down to him by his brother.
Sadly, one night, it was stolen outside of work. The loss of Trevor hit him far harder than he had expected, as it felt like he had lost a friend or a companion.
What kind of synths did you use in the single “Slumber”?
There are a few different synths featured on Slumber. For the lead lines, we used a combination of the Novation Peak and the Arturia MiniFreak, and for bass, we used the Arturia MiniBrute and the Moog Sub 37.
You once said you liked performing away from home. What is your favorite location to tour/perform in mainland Europe?
It’d probably be the Netherlands. There’s just so much going for it. The PA systems at Dutch venues and festivals are regularly top of the line, and the organization process itself is second to none. Plus, the transportation, food, and accommodation are always great.
Last year, you mentioned leveling up your percussive elements over the course of the band. How has your percussion in these songs evolved, and how has it stayed the same?
As with any recording process, you put each element under the microscope to make sure it’s as good as it can be. For us, because we have been playing these songs live for some time now, we wanted to make sure that we struck a balance between what sounds good live and what sounds good on record. In the past, we’ve found that percussive elements, which sound great live, don’t always sound the best on headphones.
For this EP, we wanted to ensure that the studio versions of the tracks were reflective of their ‘live feel’, which ironically necessitated percussive changes away from the previous ‘live versions’ to achieve this.
How did it feel to see this EP with your one-of-a-kind sound finally come to life?
Really good – until now, you could only hear these tracks live at our show (which is still where they’re best experienced), but to have them out in the world for regular listening is great.
When did you first begin performing your EP’s closing track, “Sunlight,” live? What was the reason for its composition in the first place?
Sunlight has gone through various iterations from as far back as January 2023. It’s a song that was written during the COVID lockdown. One night whilst staying up incredibly late playing video games with friends online Emmet started to lose sense of time and space. This was pretty far into the social isolation of lockdown, and any sense of routine, structure, and/or in-person contact was completely gone.
At one stage, he turned around to look out the window and realized the sun was completely up. It looked so unfamiliar as he felt his sense of time being warped and shattered even further. The song approaches the sense of isolation but also the deep sense of loss that we all felt during lockdown. Loss of structure, loss of meaning, and the loss of loved ones. The “lost cause” is ourselves and the lives that we’ve had to leave behind in that time.
The Sunny Smiles Three are set to drop their new single titled ‘Toys’ on May 26th, as the first single from their upcoming album, releasing soon.
With bits of the past and reminiscence of better musical times, this is a track that beckons to what the world of music is becoming and counterbalances those lofty and harsh styles to become something for the rest of us. Those of us who want a little true music with a passion and earnestness not found in today’s world.
‘Toys’ is a wall of sound that cascades simply yet poetically in a signature style that can’t be mistaken. Bits of old school radio with new kid cool make up a monster hook that creeps up on you like that drunk uncle at family reunions who taught you all the swear words. That cool and that mysterious, filled with wonder.
About The Sunny Smiles Three
Possibly the world’s leading alt-indie acoustic psych-folk trio singing about life, love, loss, death, the meaning of life, and various ‘weird stuff’, The Sunny Smiles Three are drums, bass, and acoustic guitar recorded mainly live in the studio with occasional splattered bits of assorted ‘other stuff’ with singing on top. And occasionally surrounded by a train set.
The Sunny Smiles Three are “Vaguely acoustic music for the vaguely thinking person”. Members: John Parkes (singing, acoustic and electric guitar, misc. sounds), fronted several groups much beloved by night-time Radio One DJs (and more latterly 6 Music), including the late, legendary John Peel, who played something from every record John made over 14 years. Bands include indie guitar heroes The Chorus, Greenhouse, Fuzzbird, The Sinister Cleaners, and Whole Sky Monitor.
Alaric Lewis(bass guitar)–played bass guitar for various bands including Breaking The Illusion and more recently, currently the Cyanide Pills and Suzy Blu, though he is mostly off on tour with various bands working as a backline technician.
Simon Smith(drums and percussion) –best known as the drummer in The Wedding Present for their ‘major label years’ as well as being in THE Sinister Cleaner, the first line-up of the Ukrainians, followed by Cha Cha Cohen and some playing with Beachbuggy, Groop Dogbill and others. Simon is also mostly off on tour, in his case working as a tour manager.
The band formed (in Leeds, UK) around 2018, though due to conflicting schedules only get to meet up for a few days here and there. The name is from the 1960s / 1970s fundraising scheme ‘Sunny Smiles’ whereby small black and white pictures of orphaned children were torn out of a booklet and sold by school children to other school children for money to be given to charity. Got that?
Recorded by Neil Ferguson (renowned alt-folk producer and chief engineer/member of Chumbawamba), the band released a 4-track EP ‘Loveland’ in 2019, the first album ‘Fireman Spaceman Mermaid’ followed in 2020. Since then, several short recording sessions have been possible, and 2025 finally brings the release of 2 singles and the ‘Some Everyday Hazards’ album. This has been recorded by Will Jackson, known for recording (among many others) The Kaiser Chiefs, Pigeon Detectives, The Music, Embrace, and, er, The Smurfs.
Four years after their album “Forever”, Belgian indie rockers Teen Creeps are back with a new single. The gruff “No-Show” is a return to form: fuzzy guitar riffs, energetic drums, and a dash of melancholy immediately make it clear that the band is still hungry after over 10 years. A ripping guitar solo is the cherry on the cake.
You could call it Dinosaur Jr. on speed or a distillate of the best of the Foo Fighters. But equally, you can discern the influence of indie hero Sparklehorse. So, as always, Teen Creeps eagerly harks back to the nineties. “That’s in our DNA. But we’re not a retro band. We want to carry the torch. Or at least keep the fire burning,” says Joram De Bock (guitar).
‘No-Show’ is the first single from the new album “Today is the Day”, which will be released on 5 September via [PIAS] Recordings.
Fusing the speed and attitude of skatepunk with the passion and precision of melodic hardcore, Nuraghe delivers a raw yet polished punk rock experience. Inspired by genre icons like Frenzal Rhomb, NOFX, and Ten Foot Pole, the band injects their distinct energy into each track, offering high-velocity riffs, anthemic choruses, and lyrics that hit where it hurts.
Formed in Barcelona in late 2016, Nuraghe first made waves with a pair of DIY EPs and their debut LP Ubuntu, which was released alongside a custom comic book. In 2023, after lineup changes and a pandemic-induced pause, they signed with Too Loud Records and dropped the acclaimed EP Xenoglossia, showcasing their evolution and renewed fire.
Now, with An Elephant Was Swinging On A Cobweb, Nuraghe has pushed their sound further than ever before. The album was produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Riccardo Daga at Titans Lab Recording Studio (Ferrara, Italy), known for bringing out the raw edge in heavy, heartfelt music.
The record features the already-buzzing singles “Older than a Forest” and “Jesus Christ”, which offer a glimpse into the band’s sharpened songwriting and sonic depth.
This release cements Nuraghe’s place in the international punk scene and marks a new chapter of unrelenting creativity and DIY spirit for the band.
Vancouver shoegazers Movieland return with ‘Now & Then’, a vibrant new collection of songs via 604 Records. Following the acclaimed 2024 release, ‘Then & Now’, a reissue that introduced Movieland’s immersive soundscapes to a new generation, ‘Now & Then’ showcases the band in full creative stride, blending their signature haze-drenched intensity with a renewed sense of exploration and immediacy.
When 604’s Jonathan Simkin approached frontman Alan D. Boyd about reissuing the band’s early work through the label’s Decades initiative, Boyd saw an opportunity. “I asked if he’d be interested in me recording a few new tracks for a follow-up release,” says Boyd. “He said yes and gave me a budget for an EP. Of course, I went and recorded an album.”
The result is Now & Then—a collection of songs written across years and continents, recorded between Boyd’s former studio in London and sessions in Edmonton and Vancouver. “The tracks on Now & Then are a selection of songs that came together over the 30 years I’ve been in London,” Boyd explains. “Some were written in basements in the ’90s, some were demos that had been waiting for the right time, and a couple came together just days before we hit record.”
Boyd laid down the foundation of the record in Kentish Town, London, before bringing in collaborators from both the original Movieland lineup and longtime friends from the UK and Canada. Contributors include Rex Roulette (Eagles of Death Metal), Freddie Cowan (The Vaccines), Ev Laroi (Idyl Tea), and Tom Murray (Old Reliable), along with past bandmates John and Clancy, who added drums and bass from afar. “It was the last big project I completed in my studio,” says Boyd. “So it feels pretty special to me.”
Now & Then features the punchy lead single “Just a Second,” a tightly wound alt-rock track clocking in at just over two minutes. “That song came together fast,” says Boyd. “It was written in about ten minutes while I was experimenting with a new tuning. We demoed it in a minute, then blasted it out three times in the studio to build it out.” The accompanying video, directed by Charlene Rule, features Boyd’s niece’s band DIVYNE, his nephew as the lead character, and archival footage from early 2000s New York. “We had a blast making it,” Boyd adds.
Other standouts include “Save My Soul,” first recorded on an 8-track in a Nottingham basement in 1998, now reimagined with vocals from Charlene Rule and guitar from Freddie Cowan; “C’mon Let’s Go,” a road trip anthem about chasing freedom and wide open space; and “Latin Quarter,” a swirling ode to Parisian nights and poetic obsession, featuring guitar by Rex Roulette and a crowd-pleasing video shot guerrilla-style in Paris.
About Movieland
Originally formed in 1991, Movieland made their mark with immersive guitar textures, hypnotic rhythms, and melancholic melodies—traits that remain front and center on Now & Then. With nods to shoegaze pioneers like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, Movieland’s sound continues to evolve without losing its emotional core.
“It’s been fun playing a few shows, mixing in the old and new tunes,” Boyd reflects. “Trying to do it solo has made me rethink how to recreate those layers with just guitar and voice. But we did a show in my hometown [Edmonton] with a full band, which knocked it out of the park. I hope to get out and play more of this solo and with a band. Plus, I’ve got 15 more songs ready to go… so let’s see!”
Kansas City progressive rock trio Lorraine-Dietrich evades simple descriptions and categorization while breaking typical genre stereotypes with their newest single, “Everybody Wants Some Love”.
Frontman Peter Grebenyuk shares his thoughts on the themes of the fresh track: “The song explores the idea of meeting the right person at the wrong time and how a lack of clarity and communication leads to unnecessary drama. The song also explores the idea of actively finding ways to achieve mental wellbeing through understanding your wants instead of passively brooding.”
Alternating funky jazz rhythms with gritty style and technique, this trio has filled their cups and are spilling the wine with this eclectic offering, sure to inebriate your senses with celebration and splendor that is bound to get the floor bouncing.
Check out our other features with Lorraine-Dietrich HERE.
Peter Murphy has today released his new album titled ‘Silver Shade’ via Metropolis Records. With obvious hints to what was and came before, this is an album of transition with hints of what is to come.
Peter Murphy has long ago solidified his base, planted his roots, and spread his wings in multiple genres of music with an unmistakable signature sound through the decades, but this is evidence that he is one of those rare breeds that can remain fresh as well as relevant.
Each song feels like a story, and while any one of them could be a single, none of them claim to be. They are too far into their realms to pretend to be in the ‘mainstream’. But what is mainstream, anyway? Something or someone who dictates what should be popular? Peter Murphy, and ‘Silver Shade’ are much too personal for that.
Check out our other features with Peter Murphy HERE.
About Peter Murphy
Peter Murphy’s initial foray into the music world was as the inimitable singer for the pioneering early-80s band Bauhaus. The youngest of seven children, Peter was a book-binder’s apprentice before joining Bauhaus with childhood friend Daniel Ash. Forged in the flat fields of working-class Northampton, Bauhaus helped create what became known as the post-punk genre.
Peter Murphy burst onto the music scene as an exhilarating, radical, and visceral performer, known for performances that mesmerized audiences. His dramatic brooding beauty and unique, sonorous baritone set the standard for an endless number of imitators who attempted to follow in his wake. A masterful interpreter, Peter had a remarkable knack for getting under the skin and deep into the heart:
“My creations as part of Bauhaus, my first foray into music making, allowed me the license of simply expressing a primal, more direct kind of reflex output using my voice, words, and body in performance, with hardly any notion of rules on how and why I should do what I do… doing for doing’s sake with no ulterior motive other than to create a world of possibilities, a kind of raw innocence.”
Bauhaus released a groundbreaking body of work that remains relevant and influential in the worlds of music and culture. Their seminal release, Bela Lugosi’s Dead, was recorded for 12 pounds in Wellingborough’s Beck Studio and was the first song Bauhaus ever recorded. Peter recorded the vocal in a single take, and it was the first time he had ever heard himself singing through headphones. Citing references as broad as Doris Day, Irish rebel songs, Catholic hymns, and T. Rex, Peter remembers the catalyst that propelled him into music:
“From early on, I would whistle on my dreary walk to school, and there was music everywhere in my Catholic school. But there was music at home, too.. And I used to think, ‘I can do that!’ I don’t know where that came from, but when I was at a concert, I always knew that I’d rather be onstage than be down in the audience. There was a pivotal moment when I was about 14, and we were driving home from seeing relatives. It was nighttime, and I was nodding off on the back seat with my head in my arms, and I just shot up with a great sense of urgency and said, ‘I’m going to be a singer!’ And that was that. They just turned round and said, ‘Right. Go back to sleep.”
After the breakup of Bauhaus in 1983, Peter Murphy joined with former Japan bassist Mick Karn for the Dali’s Car project. They released one album, “The Waking Hour”, before splitting. They reformed briefly in 2010 to record material for the EP “InGladAloneness”, which was recorded in the final months of Karn’s life.
With the encouragement of Martin Mills, the founder of Beggars Banquet, Peter Murphy embarked on his solo career, releasing “Should the World Fail to Fall Apart” in 1986 with Ivo Watts-Russell producing.
In his solo career, Peter Murphy has released a total of 10 acclaimed solo albums, with 4 in the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart (“Love Hysteria”, “Deep”, “Holy Smoke”, “Lion”), numerous EPs, live albums, and various collaborative projects. “Deep” was a breakthrough commercial success, reaching number 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The album’s second single, “Cuts You Up,” sold over 250,000 copies in the U.S. in just three weeks and occupied the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart for 7 weeks, longer than any track had previously spent in the top spot.
In 2018, Billboard named the song the 9th Greatest of All Time Alternative songs. The 2011 release of Peter’s ninth solo album, “Ninth, “was called “one of the strongest of his career” according to the LA Times. With 2014’s “Lion”, Peter began a collaboration with producer and Killing Joke bassist Martin “Youth” Glover, following up with his much-anticipated 11th studio album. Peter’s spellbinding voice and the lush romanticism and depth of his lyrical style continue to enthrall his fans, old and new alike, creating a richly woven tapestry that perfectly balances meaning, melody, and rhyme:
“With the release of ‘Love Hysteria,’ Peter had created for himself a fantastical niche from where he musically captivated and bewitched his fans, both old and new. ‘Love Hysteria’ was a mythical, dreamlike landscape in which he evoked the bardic storytelling tradition. Jumping out of the album, he grabbed the listener by the hand and pulled them into his journey. Amid the symbolic verse that never fails to enchant is the beguiling application of arrangement, where even the mystery of silence is recognized. A kick of the drum is like the pounding of an intoxicated and joyous heart, and a single sustained note offers a moment to catch a breath”. (Elizabeth Dameron)
In 2024, Peter created his label, Silver Shade, to release rare live performances and previously unreleased material.
Known as an innately charismatic and courageous live performer, Peter continues to grow his fan base across continents and generations. He remains a commanding stage presence, a performer who reaches all eyes, hearts, and minds in the room and takes them on a sonic odyssey. In recent years, Peter has played to sold-out crowds all over the world and performed career-spanning residencies of all of his solo albums performed in their entirety in 2019. His live performances are an unmatched, alluring mix of enigmatic theatrics, artful guile, pure rock and roll swagger, and a voice that is evocative and transcendent:
“I’m in a really rare position, in that I’ve got this loyal audience, which spans the generations, from teens to fifties, sixties – yet I’m without the commercial shackles. I’ve always been on independent labels, even though I’ve been licensed to major labels. So I get to do what I want. You must be an enigma. This is what creates attraction to beauty. You walk on and you do it, and this is what I have always felt. The moment I walk on stage, I live there….”
In addition to Peter Murphy’s prolific solo touring, Bauhaus reformed for a worldwide tour in 1998 and then again for an exalted performance at Coachella in 2005, when Peter entered on a crane high above the stage and sang the entire nine and a half minutes of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” hanging upside down. This performance has been cited by many as one of the top moments in Coachella history. A world tour followed and included a series of outdoor stadium shows with Nine Inch Nails.
In late 2019, Bauhaus announced a single reunion show at the Hollywood Palladium, which sold out in minutes. Three more shows were added, which also quickly sold out. After a touring delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter wowed crowds and critics along with Bauhaus at The Cruel World Festival in May 2022, and additional worldwide shows were performed through the fall of 2022.
Cedarsmoke has today dropped their new single titled ‘Kicking Drugs’, as a preview of things to come, with their upcoming third album, releasing soon.
A solid mix of pop and indie folk rock, ‘Kicking Drugs’ is a showcase for the lyrics with a sublimely powerful beat driving the chord progression. This is one of those types of tracks that artists use as a ‘showcase track’. Something to let you know what they are about. And it works. It feels like an introduction to something different and new.
The mix is solid and fits the track. While it chugs along, it feels like a journey as much as a song. Almost quietly anthemic. The duality and diversity of the guitars are the hidden gems. Taking the contrast between them and making it their signature.
My only complaint is that this song is all too short.
Check out our other features with Cedarsmoke HERE.
About ‘Kicking Drugs’
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 a fresh start after kicking an old habit.
The nostalgia and hope for the future of the song lend themselves 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.
Cedarsmoke has always been Jon Cloumassis’s project in any form it takes, and this new era of group-focused music ushers in a new era of musical opportunity. Both psychedelic and psychological, ‘Kicking Drugs’ embodies this new era. Cedarsmoke says,
“Influenced by Jungian Colour Psychology, Kicking Drugs is orange – the colour symbolising vitality, stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing new experiences.”
About Cedarsmoke
Cedarsmoke is a Brisbane/Meanjin-based Indie-folk-rock band. With a lyric-driven approach to songwriting, Cedarsmoke uses a range of rock, alt-country, folk, and psychedelic sounds to adorn their bittersweet narratives and melodies. Originally formed in 2016 by singer-songwriter Jon Cloumassis, the band has been prolific in their output, with 4 EPs and 2 LPs, each with diverse lyrical and musical themes.
Releasing their debut indie-rock-influenced album, Into the Wild World (2021), they followed up with the folkier The Great & The Terrible (2023). As they prepare to usher out their third full-length album, the band takes on a new dynamic with members Tamala Wright (drums/vocals) and Matt Cloumassis (lead guitar) as they now explore experimental and otherworldly soundscapes.
Adult Leisure has today released their new single titled ‘See Her’, featuring guest saxophone from longtime The 1975 & Sam Fender collaborator John Waugh, from their upcoming album ‘The Things You Don’t Know Yet’, dropping on October 3rd.
‘See Her’ is a near-perfect example of instrumentation creatively filling the spaces. John Waugh is a solid addition to this song. The saxophone defines the track.
The hook is a monster. It literally reminds me of the glory days of radio, for me, being the early to mid-eighties, when every song was a standout and every artist a star. ‘See Her’ clings to your memory, becoming a part of you. This is a much-needed addition for anyone’s summer playlists.
Check out our other features with Adult Leisure HERE.
About ‘See Her’ & ‘The Things You Don’t Know Yet’
The track follows February’s celebrated release ‘Dancing Don’t Feel Right’, championed by The Line of Best Fit, Pop Journal, and Ones To Watch. The album’s previous singles ‘Kiss Me Like You Miss Her’ and ‘Borderline’ saw support from BBC Radio 6’s Indie Forever show, The Line Of Best Fit, Fresh on the Net and multiple Spotify editorial playlists with ‘Borderline’ being used to open an E4 Made In Chelsea episode, their first national TV sync placement.
‘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 sing-along choruses that Adult Leisure are fast becoming known for, ‘See Her’ offers a sarcastic take on the breakdown of a relationship and the biting realization that you’re happier now that it’s over.
On the singles’ 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 realize 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 discovered he was interested in joining the project, we were over the moon – he adds the perfect spice this tune has been waiting for since its inception.”
“This song means everything to us, and we cannot wait for people to hear it and sing their lungs out to it.”
A 12-date headline album tour has just been announced, commencing at London’s Sebright Arms and ending at Liverpool’s Kazimier Stockroom, including renowned venues such as Manchester’s Night & Day Cafe and Bristol’s Thekla, their biggest hometown headline to date. See below for dates.
About Adult Leisure
Formed in 2020, the band released a string of celebrated singles before unveiling their debut critically acclaimed EP ‘The Weekend Ritual’ in December of 2022, streamed over 65,000 times to date and championed by BBC Radio 1, Variance Magazine, The Independent, RTE and more, which soon saw the band embarking on multiple tours of the UK, earning a handful of rave live reviews along the way.
Their second studio EP ‘Present State of Joy and Grief’ was released in November of 2023, supported by BBC Radio 1, Wonderland Magazine, and picked by producer Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, One Direction, Paloma Faith) to be played in Hotel Chocolat stores worldwide.
Since their sold-out debut show in July of 2022, Adult Leisure have gone on to tour the UK four times and have supported the likes of The Family Rain, Afflecks Palace, The Twang, Human Interest, and The Luka State, and have played a variety of UK festivals. September 2024 saw the band head to Europe for the first time to play Sweden’s Live At Heart Festival.
In Spring 2024, Miki Berenyi Trio (MB3) toured the US with Lol Tolhurst x Budgie as support. Terrific times were had, bonds were formed, and fast-forward a year, MB3 will be playing a six-date tour in Europe with Lol and his son Gray, which begins this weekend. In celebration, Miki Berenyi Trio share a brand new standalone single made in collaboration with alt-rock legend and old friend Lol Tolhurst and his son Gray. Billed as Miki Berenyi Trio x Lol Tolhurst x Gray, the new single is titled “Stranger”. It is a sublime slice of shoegazing psychedelic beauty, recorded in Los Angeles, London, and St Leonards, and produced by MB3’s Oliver Cherer. Miki Berenyi Trio will continue to tour the UK this Spring and North America this fall.
Oliver Cherer comments, “Stranger arrived as a demo from Lol/Gray, with guitar, synth, and drums, with loads of room to develop riffs, hooks, and melodies. I liked the insistent repetition of the long outro and was instantly minded to explore a Talk Talk approach, which is where the piano line with the Ashes to Ashes flanger wobble came from. The outro was extended to make a virtue of the repeated progression, and the strings and synths were added to help swell that into a wall of crescendo. Miki then took over, adding lyrics and the gorgeous vocal melodies. Moose added layers of shimmering guitars, and a rough mix was sent to Lol, who added drum parts, recorded by Martin Fleischmann in Los Angeles, before it all came back to St Leonards for a mix where I also sneaked in a nice fat, squelchy Moog part. It developed quite naturally and easily, with each person’s contribution making the song bigger and more beautiful at every turn.”
Miki Berenyi adds, “The lyrics are about being a friend to a long-term couple splitting. The tragedy at the centre is the people breaking up, but the repercussions ripple outward.”
Lol shares, “Sadly, Budgie couldn’t make this tour, but my son Gray is taking time out of his band Topographies to perform my set with me. ‘Stranger’ will feature all five of the touring party playing live together, and we’re excited to have a unique song for the shows”.
Check out our other features with Miki Berenyi Trio HERE.
Kings County has just premiered their new video for their rendition of Marilyn Manson’s classic ‘The Beautiful People’, dropping tomorrow. Kings County is one of those established signature sounds. Instantly recognizable with a mix of rock, metal, and gritty guitar buzz, smothered with sensible hooks and rebellious beats and rhythm that fits any stage from club to stadium with equal fervor.
The video surely emulates the vibe of Manson, while channeling the sheer originality of everything that has become a part of Kins County. Industrial mixed with desolation filtered through that storied lens that makes everything relevant again.
Re-making a song like ‘The Beautiful People’ is a tricky task. Taking it just enough into this era with said signature sound while retaining enough to make the track accessible and likeable to those that love the original, while highlighting the still relevant lyrics and message, is tricky, to say the least. What Kings County does, and does well, is take it ahead in the right places while still retaining everything that made the original what it is, classic. Fuck the feels and spin the wheels, is how I would put it. Let the song breathe and increase the heartbeat. Kings County shows us that the best way to remake a song is to re-envision it, from the ground up.
Check out our other features with Kings County HERE.
About Kings County & ‘Beautiful People’
Kings County has re-imagined Marilyn Manson’s 1996 single, “The Beautiful People”, dropping May 9, 2025, where the track still resonates in today’s music world.
Kings County is Rob Dexter (Vocals, Bass), Steve Bell (Guitars, Vocals), Joe Lopez (Drums), and Bill Kania (Guitars, Vocals).
Rob says, “We’ve always been fans of shock rock, even going back to the days of Alice Cooper and all of his antics. Marilyn Manson was just an extension of this, except he rose out of the 1990s. In the end, it comes down to the song. “The Beautiful People” has this raw tribal feel to it that was quite infectious. Our whole idea was to throw on some modern ripping guitars and some great screams, and there ya go, the making of a great remake.”
The band’s main intent was to take an almost 30-year-old proven song, modernize it, and bring it to life today, while still keeping the essence and integrity of the original track. Rob says, “This all started with how we initially recorded it with producer Chuck Alkazian. Thunderous drums make for a great foundation to build the song. After layers of heavy guitars and those signature Marilyn Manson screams, you’re all set up for one bad ass recording. Sonically, we surpassed all expectations.”
Kings County knows that it takes a great song to create a great video, which is what they did with “The Beautiful People”. They were so blown away by how the recording came out that they knew they had to work with music video director Jon Vulpine again, who has created magic with their last four videos.
‘“The Beautiful People”, video idea came together fairly easily. Jon’s location scout found an awesome abandoned building in Rome, GA., which used to be an old mill from the early 1900s”, says Rob. “Whenever you get a safety briefing before you enter a building, you probably should be concerned, and that’s exactly what happened here. The building had huge holes in the floor that dropped down 30 feet, broken stairs, glass, and a ton of dust, not to mention the asbestos warning. Being in the Atlanta area, Jon was able to put together a veteran crew who were on break from filming “The Walking Dead”, Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” and “Cobra Kai.”
Besides creating killer songs with incredible videos, there are a few things you may not know about Kings County. Rob and guitarist Bill Kania both played in the band for illusionist Criss Angel. They did it for 3 years, and it was quite the experience for them. Drummer Joe Lopez is the only member who isn’t from New York, where the band originated. “We met Joe after we made the move to Florida. Joe is also the only bilingual member. Another surprising thing people might not be aware of is that the band started as a house band for Disney World. It’s hard to believe Disney would welcome a hard rock band like us, but we surely were.”
Currently, Kings County has another single coming out following “The Beautiful People” and is planning for the future by keeping busy. Rob says, “The last five years have flown by in a blur. There have been so many recording sessions, traveling, and performing live. We hope to keep writing music and creating more videos that people appreciate and continue to support.”
Finnish power pop veterans The Bablers and Big Stir Records can now announce the album release their fans have been waiting for: the new and definitive edition of the band’s ‘Like The First Time’, long out of print and previously only available in Japan and Finland. Featuring a new track sequence and freshly remixed and rearranged tracks never before heard anywhere – and no fewer than six hit indie singles from the past three years.
The story of The Bablers has become much more widely known outside their native Finland in recent years for good reason. It’s been over forty years since the band came together as teenagers in the late ’70s and took Finland’s nascent power pop scene by storm with their debut album WHAT’S ALL ABOUT and its hit title track.
For decades afterward, they remained a cult favorite among power pop aficionados worldwide until the surprise release of their acclaimed 2021 reunion album ‘Psychadilly Circus’ won the band, in their longest-lived and definitive lineup of leader, singer-songwriter and guitarist Arto Tamminen, drummer Janne Haavisto, bassist Pekka Gröhn and guitarist Hannu Pikkarainen – a much broader and long-deserved audience of fans in the indie pop world. Those bookend releases tell a remarkable tale in themselves, but what keen-eared listeners have been slowly discovering since then is that the amazing story of The Bablers has a secret middle chapter… one that is about to be revealed at last.
The clues have been all over the indie airwaves since 2022, shortly after ‘Psychadilly Circus’ bowed to near-universal acclaim, as a series of new singles from the band began to emerge and captivate the ears of the band’s new fans. The indie hits began with “You Are The One For Me” (chosen by Stevie Van Zandt as The Coolest Song in the World This Week on SiriusXM’s Underground Garage) and “Holding Me Tight Tonight”, followed in 2023 by “Mr. King” and “Thinking Of You”.
Each found its way onto Top 10 charts on terrestrial and online radio in the US, UK, and EU, paving the way for this year’s “Together Forever” and the wonderful surprise of the beautiful and brand new “Where The Wind Blows Free”. Between them, they’ve revealed the band’s unique versatility, varying in style from muscular pure power pop to highly sophisticated, groovy, and infectiously catchy pop. Along the way, the press releases and social media posts from the band have teased the album from which these tunes originate: ‘Like The First Time’, a lost treasure hidden in plain sight for those curious enough to check Discogs, but never released on a global scale until now.
Originally issued only in Japan in 1998 by EMI, the album’s first hit single, “You Are The One For Me,” received substantial airplay on Japanese national radio. Songs from the album were featured in TV commercials for the insurance company Nippon Life, Ford Motor Company, and the Foreign Ministry of Japan. The next hit single, “You Are The One For Me,” became a karaoke favorite and is still widely heard in karaoke bars in Tokyo and elsewhere today.
The album ‘Like The First Time’ would go on to enjoy a Finnish release in 2000, and its songs would soar to greater glory still in the band’s homeland: “Together Forever” was the winner of the Finnish Grammy Award (Emma) for Song of the Year in its Finnish language version, and two Finnish megastars, Samuli Edelmann and Vesa-Matti Loiri, recorded versions of the unforgettable ballad “Where The Wind Blows Free” under the title “Palava Pää”. But the forthcoming reissue of ‘Like The First Time’ is the “first time” the album will be available to a global audience, making it a debut release to most of the indie pop, pop rock, power pop, and classic rock fans in the world.
And what an album it is. Packed with the six now-familiar hits and eight more pop-rock gems cut from the same melodically shimmering cloth, it showcases The Bablers at a mid-career peak between their boisterous beginnings and the mature masterclass of ‘Psychadilly Circus’. Adding a heavy dose of Byrdsy jangle to the ever-present Beatles influences, the band produced a late-20th Century masterpiece that, had it been more widely distributed, would have been spoken of alongside the finest of that era’s power pop revival (think Fountains Of Wayne, Sloan or The Wondermints) and the UK greats of the Britpop era (Supergrass, Teenage Fanclub, and even Oasis).
Beyond the big-in-Japan tracks and the recent radio hits, it boasts more undiscovered classics: the pure ’60s pop-rock throwback “One Of Those Dreams”, the sumptuous string-laden “Sometimes”, the Who-inspired “Could It Be You”, the live-in-one-take wonder “That Little Something”, and more.
Band leader ARTO TAMMINEN, who wrote and sings lead vocals on every track here, describes The Bablers’ approach from the beginning through today, as gloriously displayed on ‘Like The First Time’: “We’ve always been a no-nonsense pop rock band with an attitude. What you hear is what you get. If you hear drums, guitars, and pianos, they are real drums, guitars, and pianos played by the members of the band. No autotune, no samples, just 100% genuine handmade organic pop music. The Bablers always have the song at the center… everything for a good song!”
SOURCE: Official Bio
Check out our other features with The Bablers HERE.
Appalooza has today released their new video for the track titled ‘Magnolia’ from their upcoming album ‘The Emperor of Loss’, dropping this fall via Ripple Music. This is one of those tracks that you just sit there and listen to, and, with the video, watch in pure awe. Ingesting as you intake. Taking it all in before you realize it has you. That whole thing. It’s a package. An assault on the senses.
What gets me first is that heavy hook within the margins. A lucid mix of hoopla and heavy that seeps in and engulfs you with such power that you can’t help but hit that replay button a few times just to relive the past few moments.
For a song to be about Stockholm syndrome, the music gives the sense of a subtle predator, while the lyrics lament the effects on the prey. This gives ‘Magnolia’ that perfect marriage of sound and substance. The music reacts to the subject matter and enhances the emotion. This is music, at its core essence.
About ‘Magnolia’
The fiery French trio takes no prisoners and unleashes all their horsepower on new single “Magnolia”, hitting with more volume, distortion, and grit than ever before. About the song theme, Appalooza says: “This song subtly explores the theme of Stockholm syndrome, delving into a profound sense of loss, isolation, and existential disorientation. The narrator — a woman — seems emotionally stranded, as if caught in the aftermath of a breakup or disappearance that has left her suspended in time, waiting for something she cannot define. Through a subtle irony, the song references the symbolic loyalty and devotion of the Magnolia, twisting it into a darker longing: she yearns for her tormentor, the very person whose absence has left her feeling hollow. As if, without him, she no longer exists.”
The band hints about their forthcoming new album “The Emperor of Loss”: “It will mark a darker chapter than its predecessor, yet it stays true to Appalooza’s core identity. We’re continuing to forge the path that feels authentic to who we are, both musically and artistically.”
About Appalooza
Appalooza is a lost steed thirsting for freedom, drawing inspiration and essence from the dust of an arid desert. After a first American tour in 2015, the band galloped relentlessly and trampled the paths of the studio to record their first album “Appalooza”.
In the winter of 2018, the band returned from an extensive US West Coast tour and signed to Californian label Ripple Music for the release of their second full-length “The Holy Of Holies”, bearing a brand new visual identity and sound. Described as “audacious and explosive” by Rock’N’Force and “a hard rocking beast of an album” by UK website The Sleeping Shaman, the heavy trio held all the cards to make a triumphant ascension among the French heavy rock scene, with Guitar Part Magazine describing them as “Alice In Chains meets Them Crooked Vultures”.
Weaving its storyline around enigmatic Biblical references and a fascinating cinematic approach, their third album “The Shining Son” (2023) presented eight massive-sounding tracks that subtly blend stoner rock, grunge rock, and the trio’s trademark tribal percussions. Propelled in an exhilarating stampede of thick metallic riffs, rumbling grooves, multi-layered rhythms, and frontman Wild Horse’s dazzling baritone vocals, Appalooza delivered their most audacious album to date, a sonic tour de force that cemented their reputation as one of France’s most creative heavy rock outfits of their generation.
Rising 20-year-old British producer Ryder is pleased to announce his debut EP ‘Ryderhood’ and focus track FOMO featuring London rapper Ciel.
Recent singles ‘I Been’ featuring Daniella Wizard and ‘WTF’ featuring Luton rapper BXKS drew early acclaim and support from Mary Ann Hobbs (BBC 6 Music), Sian Anderson (BBC 1Xtra), The Face, Complex, Notion, NME, and DJ Mag. New EP ‘Ryderhood’, co-produced by Leon Jean-Marie, is a culmination of Ryder’s musical evolution, deftly melding various genres, shaping futuristic atmospheres, zipping between BPMs and tempos. Ryder explains: “The concept behind Ryderhood is trying to find new ways to bring artists into my world of production, but not in a way of them changing their style, but more so finding ways to highlight unseen parts of their ability through a change in production.” About the track FOMO: “Built a lot with Ciel this past year, two tracks landed on Spice. ‘FOMO’ was the one that wouldn’t settle. Five versions, 10+ mixes, this is one for the raves.”
Ciel adds: “Don’t get FOMO.”
Ryder is living proof of the internet’s democratising power, scoring huge online attention for his #skeptacore project, eventually meaning he would make an entire EP 48 Hours in a studio with the grime and rap legend himself. Ryder also counts J Dilla, Labi Siffre, Moby, and Kanye’s production style as musical influences – avant-garde sounds that have soul that don’t always fit into a strictly 4×4 template. Ryder continues to explore his eclectic tastes through his DJing career, having made his debut at The Lower Third with Shortee Blitz in 2024.
Having been granted a scholarship to London’s prestigious BIMM Institute through Spotify. The time and effort he’d put into music paid off, and he moved down to London from Hull in 2022. Ryder decided to take his music even more seriously, splicing a Skepta cappella over a guitar sample and posting it online. This was ‘#skeptacore pt.1’. These attracted views, and he kept going, posting parts two and three. Within two hours of posting the third, friends were ringing him about the rapidly escalating views: ‘Have you seen it?’
Something about Ryder’s reimagination of iconic Skepta bars with inventive production captured the attention of an online generation. He’d put sparring lyrics over jazz and garage fusion, gaining millions of views on TikTok. Labels started DMing him. Ryder was contacted by Skepta, asking him to come to the studio in London to work on an EP.
48 Hours was the result, the name a literal description of their time spent in the studio together. It featured two brand new tracks with Ryder, Skepta, and rising vocalist Dré Six, and #skeptacore parts one to three. The EP connected with listeners, earning over 50 million Spotify streams. Publications including Complex, Mixmag, NME, and Hypebeast rushed to write about it, and he’s had airplay on BBC 1Xtra and been spun by Benji B as well as DJ Target.
Young, bold, and innovative, you sense that Ryder is in search of a bigger stage in 2025.
Dälek has today dropped their new single titled ‘The Essence’ via Ipecac Recordings. Hip-hop is a genre that begs experimentation along with interpretation. A lot of the contemporary artists forget this slight but important fact. Dälek delves into it head first and emerges signature and sound with feet on the ground and fists in the air, demanding a listen.
‘The Essence’ chugs along, anthemically, throughout, with no chance to gasp for air. Hard core to the core with each lyric feeling like a call to arms as much as anything poetic. History is not as happenstance, but as ourstory.
About ‘The Essence’
The experimental hip-hop pioneers are currently in the studio working on their follow-up to Precipice and have given fans a taste of what’s to come in this new single.
Dälek: “’ The Essence’ is a window to where Mike and I are at right now. We quite literally took it back to the essence on this joint. Straight up me on the MPC 3000 and Mike on processed guitar, playing off of each other as we created the track. Lyrics and flow are central to the joint and dictate the direction of the production and how we sculpt the arrangement.”
“As always, there are layers to the meaning, but I also wanted to be crystal clear on what I was spitting. There are minimal to no overdubs. We somehow kept the heavy ‘wall of sound’ feel but stripped away superfluous layers to just the parts and pieces that were needed to complete this as a ‘dälek’ song. This is just a taste of what is coming.”
The lyrics of “The Essence” are full of defiance and energy, something that the band will no doubt bring to their live shows: “We had civilizations interconnected throughout history/Our art and architecture composed with sacred symmetry/I’m seeing these past lives vividly/Refuse to let them kill our joy wit bigotry.”
About Dälek
Forged in the fires of the East Coast underground music scene of the late ‘90s, experimental hip-hop pioneers dälek have spent the past two decades carving out a unique niche fusing hardcore hip-hop, noise, and a radical approach to sound. Their brutal sonic temperament pushes rap music’s capacity for noise and protest to exhilarating conclusion. Following in the footsteps of Public Enemy, while drawing influences from My Bloody Valentine and Faust, dälek have succeeded in adding completely new textural and structural dimensions to rap music.
Since forming in 1997, Union City, N.J., the two-piece outfit has released seven studio albums and a collection of rarities/singles. Rolling Stone dubbed their music “ground-breaking,” Pitchfork said the pair have “fulfilled hip-hop’s potential to exist in an alt/underground/experimental universe while staying true to its roots,” Decibel called their work “immediate and visceral,” and Magnet noted how they “continue to blur genre lines.”
Aiming to bridge the indie music scenes of Japan and the UK, the showcase event SSR (SHIBUYA SOUND RIVERSE), which takes place across various venues in the famous Shibuya district of Tokyo, teams up once again with The Great Escape, featuring an eclectic, genre-melding selection of established and rising stars of the Japanes indie music scene.
This year’s lineup includes The fin., She Her Her Hers, VivaOla, and Ålborg—four acts whose global appeal makes this an ideal opportunity for audiences to discover the diversity of Japanese indie music. The fin. and She Her Her Hers have sold out both their London dates on 18th and 19th May at Oslo in Hackney.
Kazuto Yamazaki, founder of FRIENDSHIP.says: “As the founder of FRIENDSHIP., a digital music distribution service, I started our showcase event ‘SSR (SHIBUYA SOUND RIVERSE)’ in 2022 with one goal in mind—to preserve the warmth and human connection of analog music, even in today’s digital age. SSR was created as a way for people to experience the core of Japan’s indie scene and to give artists and listeners a space to connect directly and meaningfully. The UK has always held a special place in the hearts of many indie musicians in Japan. Its deep musical legacy continues to inspire us.”
For The fin., this appearance carries special significance. After spending several years based in the UK, the band has gone on to perform at major festivals including FUJI ROCK, SXSW (USA), and the Strawberry Festival in China, building a strong international presence. In 2024, a remix by acclaimed UK producer Bad Milk drew further attention to their evolving sound. Now, with their new single “Nebula” set for release on May 7, The fin. return to the UK stage—making their performance at The Great Escape a highly anticipated and memorable highlight.
Yuto Uchino, The fin. adds:“Last time we played, we were blown away by the atmosphere of the city and the festival itself. It stayed with us.”
Her Her Hers take on a major challenge with their first-ever European performance. Their “Pathway” album tour across Japan and China saw them sell out venues with capacities over 1,000. With their dreamy, yet musically grounded sound, they now aim to connect with UK audiences for the first time, from Brighton to Manchester and London.
Tokyo-raised R&B artist VivaOla, who has performed at major festivals across Asia and SXSW in the US, made a splash in 2024 with his collaborative single “RIGHT/WRONG” featuring Korean singer Jimmy Brown. With growing recognition across the R&B scenes in Japan, Korea, and the US, VivaOla’s music blends subtle Japanese sensibilities with a universal emotional depth that transcends borders.
Japan’s rising indie band Ålborg, fresh off the rookie stage at FUJI ROCK’23, brings a captivating sound that fuses folk with chamber pop and alt-rock. Their 2024 album “The Way I See You” showcases imaginative live arrangements—guitars, bass, drums, flute, and trombones all come together to build a lush soundscape that will fully immerse UK audiences.
FRIENDSHIP., the event’s curator, is a digital distribution service run by the Japanese music company HIP LAND MUSIC. In 2024, FRIENDSHIP. brought artists like Kaneko Ayano, LITE, Helsinki Lambda Club, and DOMICO to The Great Escape for the first time, resulting in a packed venue and strong new connections between Japanese artists and UK audiences. Following the event, Helsinki Lambda Club released a song titled “THE FAKE ESCAPE” as a tribute to their UK experience, while Kaneko Ayano is set to embark on a UK tour in 2025.
After “SSR from Tokyo: Curated by FRIENDSHIP.” lights up The Great Escape this May, the main SSR event will take place in Tokyo on September 28, taking over four venues centered around Ebisu LIQUIDROOM. More than just a showcase event, SSR is a platform bridging Japan’s thriving indie scene with the global stage, offering international exposure for Japanese artists and a glimpse into the future of Japanese music for fans at home and abroad.
In this remake of ‘Ghost’, we wanted to capture the raw ache of missing someone who once felt like home — the kind of absence that lingers in every quiet moment. This version strips everything down to the emotion at its core, turning pain into melody and longing into something beautiful. It’s a tribute not only to those we’ve lost, but to the memories that never truly leave us. I hope listeners can find a piece of their healing in this version, the way we found ours while creating it.
Led by the evocative vocals of Miguel Angel, Chasing Stars delivers a sound that is both haunting and invigorating. Backed by Desi Pena’s searing guitar work, Tyler Williams’ deep, resonant basslines, and the driving rhythms of Tony Cardillo on drums, the band crafts a sonic landscape that captivates from the first note.
‘Ghost’ embodies the essence of Chasing Stars—powerful guitar riffs, introspective yet explosive melodies, and lyrics that strike deep into the heart. The track weaves together themes of pain, redemption, and perseverance, offering listeners an immersive and visceral experience.
With a sound that seamlessly blends alternative rock, post-grunge, and metal elements, Chasing Stars is a force to be reckoned with in the modern rock scene.
Kari Lynn has released her new video for the track titled ‘Heavy Weight’. Feeling as much a travel log as it does a lyric video, the realization is pure when you realize the travel is the one you make through the song while listening to the lyrics as they caress each note in the music.
While simple in the music, it gives the lyrics and meaning a chance to breathe and make themselves known. That is what stands out to me. Music tends to bury the words and cause people to give all of their attention to the rhythm and hook. This is a poem set to music. And, you take from it what you will, depending on who you are.
“Every time I listen to this song, I have to stop what I’m doing and just stare at the wall for a while to reflect on my life. It’s a reminder that we don’t have to do everything alone.” Kari Lyn
About ‘Heavy Weight’
Rooted in the rich textures of modern folk, alternative country, and Americana, the track blends rhythmic acoustic grooves with raw, vulnerable storytelling.
Written during a creatively explosive summer on Prince Edward Island, “Heavy Weight” reflected Kari Lyn’s transition into full-time music. “Everyone knows me as someone who is constantly busy… but the truth is, I’m barely keeping up,” she shares. “That’s what led to the writing of this song.”
Originally titled “I Can’t Stay”, the song began as a story about leaving her hometown. However, a pivotal moment in the studio with producer Dan Hosh (Wild Rivers, Serena Ryder, Arkells) transformed its course. On a whim, Kari Lyn added the track to their session playlist. When Hosh asked why she didn’t love it, his push to rewrite the chorus and bridge reshaped the song and reignited her connection to it. The result? A haunting, honest anthem now fittingly called “Heavy Weight.”
About Kari Lyn
Kari Lyn embodies the spirit of a “cottage core rockstar,” merging rustic storytelling with modern rock grit. Born and raised on Prince Edward Island, her sound is deeply influenced by kitchen party traditions, her “PEI famous” grandfather’s fishing tales, and artists like Amy Winehouse and Johnny Cash.
The acoustic guitar work on “Heavy Weight” draws from Kari Lyn’s East Coast roots, channeling a groove she naturally fell into – one that Hosh immediately gravitated toward. It’s that blend of coastal warmth and big-city grit that makes “Heavy Weight” feel both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Cleveland, Ohio Rockers How We Feel is a powerful new duo consisting of Vocalist Chris Bianchi (Forever in Terror) and Drummer Brian Lamtman. Best friends for more than 20 years, they were inspired to make music together in early 2024. Influenced by Shinedown, Imagine Dragons, and Thirty Seconds to Mars. How We Feel is carving their name into the modern rock scene with authenticity, energy, and purpose, coupled with a sound that has a fresh yet familiar edge.
The album was recorded at the band’s new Warehouse Studio in Kent, OH. It was engineered by John Burke and produced and mixed by Paul Bartolome (Asking Alexandria, Escape the Fate), and mastered by Grammy Award-winning Ted Jensen (Green Day, Bring Me the Horizon, Evanescence) at Sterling Sound in New York.
The band’s Chris Bianchi says, “Making this album has truly been an experience that we will never forget. From not knowing if we could do it again, to taking those first steps, and now here we are: “Ready For War” is an album we’ve put an extreme amount of time and effort into. It has a lot of feeling and emotion related to the things we all face in our everyday lives at this point. I hope that listeners can relate and find their own solace in the album. It tells a story of triumph and overcoming along the way. It’s a story of truth and about how you never give up on your dreams.”
He continues, “We’re fortunate to have grown up in the home of rock and roll. When we were graced with the opportunity to perform and christen the brand-new Cleveland venue Globe Iron, for their Grand Opening on Friday, May 2nd, it was a complete honor and something we didn’t take lightly. Thanks to Chris and the team at AEG for believing in us to be here. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into this live show and are ready to bring Cleveland an epic night that will be sure to kick the club off in style!”
The title track is the focus for the album release, and the “Ready For War” video was directed by Jake Cole in Canton, Ohio (Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame). Bianchi explains, “The video is meant to showcase the daily struggles and obstacles that many face, be it through bills, relationships, daily life struggles, but that love will always win. It helps you find that light in the dark, and at the end, you can win, and you do triumph. The video is meant to show our process: Going from writing in the basement, to recording the song in the studio, and ultimately performing live on stage for our fans.”
About How We Feel
Their demos of emotionally driven lyrics backed with an explosive sound caught the ears of Virgin Music Group, who partnered with Bianchi’s label, Legend Recordings, in the spring of 2024. They went into the studio in May with producer Paul Bartolome (Asking Alexandria, Escape The Fate, and more) and recorded several tracks. The songs were mastered by legendary engineer Ted Jensen (Green Day, Bring Me The Horizon, Evanescence), and the debut single Make It Out Alive, a hard-hitting anthem of perseverance, was released in September of 2024. It was followed by Devil Inside in November and Losing My Mind in December.
The band’s singer, Chris Bianchi, earned a reputation as a powerful frontman from an early age. His band Forever In Terror was signed to Metal Blade Records when he was just 18 years old. F.I.T. toured the U.S. several times, opening for heavyweights Meshuggah, Machine Head, Chimaira, and All That Remains, among others. When F.I.T. disbanded, Bianchi turned his sights towards the business side of music in 2010 when he launched CB Entertainment. He has established himself as a successful entrepreneur and artist manager.
Being immersed in the music business every day with Legend Recordings and his merchandising firm, My Tour Merch, Bianchi and Lamtman were inspired to get back to making music and performing live again. Bianchi says, “We hear so much great music every day, and we wanted to get back to creating our songs. Our goal is to make music that crosses genres and doesn’t pigeonhole us into any specific one. We come from a Hard Rock/Metal background, and that will certainly be part of who we are. But at the end of the day, we want to make relatable music that reflects who we are and How We Feel, that everyone can embrace.”
Across the span of these ten uniquely catchy and instantly classic tracks, themes such as life, death, love, and dedication circulate throughout, creating a relatable experience for each listener. The bulk of Middle of Tomorrow was recorded at Mitch Easter’s (Let’s Active, R.E.M.) legendary Fidelitorium Recordings, with additional production touches being made at Miguel’s Baby in New York City.
Middle of Tomorrow is an album that Knotted Wood describes as being “72 years in the making.” The ten songs you’ll hear offer impeccable storytelling from a man of deep experience. For the last twenty-five years, band brainchild Patrick McDaid has been privately recording songs in his evolving home studio. Now at age 72, McDaid reconciles his artistic identity through Knotted Wood, formed by McDaid and musician/family friend John Alec Ferrell. In addition to McDaid’s vocals and insightful lyrics, the new album features the guitars and production of dAve Hollinghurst (Live Skull, Nicole Atkins), drums, percussion, and background vocals from powerhouse Eric Willhelm (The Spongetones), and bass/guitar/string arrangements by John Alec Ferrell (The Holy Ghost, The All Things, Voidward). Piano and keyboards on the album were brought to the table by McDaid’s neighbor, “Mighty” Melissa Buriss
Patrick McDaid, Knotted Wood’s frontman, speaks in further detail about the inspiration behind the new album:
“This album is a reflection of dreams—both the literal and the ones I’ve carried with me my whole life.” My music is about seeing the world through symbols and stories, and understanding how those visions connect us all. It’s personal, yes, but also universal. Middle of Tomorrow features songs drawn from the fabric of my experiences: “Stand Still” chronicles how I met my wife of 40 years, Terry; “Every Road” captures a traveling man’s determination to return home to family; and “You Are Here” expresses his belief that “the dead are still with us” as long as we carry them in our hearts.”
About Knotted Wood
Formed by Patrick McDaid and Alec Ferrell, Knotted Wood brings together exceptional indie musical talent. Alongside McDaid’s insightful storytelling and vocals, the core band features the rich guitar work and vocals of Dave Hollinghurst and the versatile talents of Alec Ferrell. The album’s sound is enhanced by Eric Willhelm on drums, percussion, and backup vocals, with Melissa Buriss bringing depth and color through her piano and keyboard work. Middle of Tomorrow is out on May 2nd, via Clearly Records, and is the debut project from Knotted Wood.
Kathmandu’s catchy, dreamy songs thrive on the tension between light and dark, exploring the spaces where the two meet. Drawing from the vast realms of alternative music, the band blends introspective reflection with the playfulness of indie pop. Yet, at their most ambitious, their songs will draw you in, leading the way to climaxes of cinematic grandeur. Kathmandu is perhaps best compared to incense smoke. Hazy, but uplifting with an intense melancholy air that lingers.
“Each track on the EP has its own story. ‘Wild Wind’ describes a newfound sense of invincibility after a difficult period. It symbolizes relief, confidence, and, most importantly, new passion. ‘Different Life’ actually reflects on that previously mentioned difficult period. It’s about longing for a different life and feeling stuck in your current situation. It describes my desire to escape and create a completely new beginning for myself.”
“‘If Only’ revolves around the classic story of unrequited love and the search for recognition from someone you admire. For me, it highlights the contrast between hope and disappointment that can arise in a relationship. ‘Pretty Little Lies’ is one of the few songs with significantly darker undertones. I wrote it mainly out of anger, not directed at an individual, but at the world. It touches on themes like dishonesty, manipulation, and despair. And finally, ‘Buckley on Drugs’ explores the struggle between letting go of or holding on to certain bonds. Saying goodbye can be difficult, even knowing it’s for the best. This song, for me, delves into the different shades of loneliness.”
“During the recording process, we noticed how the creative flow worked differently: spontaneous ideas emerged, small details gained more significance, and we learned to make decisions faster together. Working so closely as a team was a new experience for us.”
“What excites me most is how everything comes together in the mix. Each of us had a specific ‘sound’ in mind, and it’s amazing to hear how that now truly comes to life through the speakers. Every time I listen to the tracks, I get the same feeling as when we wrote them, which I find special.”
DIVUS has today released their new album titled ‘DIVUS 3’ via Subsound Records. An atmospheric blend of concept and consciousness, all within the confines of seven tracks. Each diverse in their own way, yet a complete soundscape when listened to as a collective.
‘DIVUS 3’ won’t be a proper taste for everyone listening. It feels more like a long and winding road meant for a solitary time in one’s mind while you give this a listen. Almost a transcendental feel that demands a listen while alone in a room with no distractions. A journey meant for the mind and described by the soul. Each listen is unique to the listener and the time you hear it. This is music as a free thought.
“…it rises, becomes bitter, deflagrates and concludes with an invocation, resumes with lightness, continues with sweetness and ends in oblivion like a comet’s tail that has crossed a solar system and continues its journey.”
About DIVUS & ‘DIVUS 3’
The collaboration between Lamanna and Mai develops in new territories, surprisingly far from their usual sound. Their influences coming from techno and jazzcore/metal are both left aside in favour of a more nocturnal and atmospheric approach to jazz and electronic music: so dreamy, smokey and dark, It could suit a future sci-fi crime movie shot in one dystopian metropolitan suburb.
Luciano Lamanna has a nearly 30-year career as an electronic musician, DJ, and event organizer of the electronic and techno scene, composer, and producer involved in hip hop, new wave, underground metal, and industrial music, as well as numerous musical collaborations where he experiments with numerous musical genres.
Luca T. Mai is the saxophonist of the world-renowned Italian band ZU, a historic experimental rock band with an extensive album production and a very intense international live activity, founded with Massimo Pupillo (bass) and Jacopo Battaglia (drums), later replaced by Paolo Mongardi. The latter is also a member, along with Mai, Lorenzo Stecconi, and Luca Ciffo, of the newly formed Traum band, devoted to psych-kraut sounds.
Lamanna’s synthesizers and Mai’s baritone saxophone gave rise to the Divus project with the 2017 release of the self-titled debut album “Divus,” followed in 2020 by “Divus 2,” both released via the Boring Machines label.
The new album “Divus 3” is released through Subsound Records in a limited vinyl edition in the special “Glow In The Dark” green color, available to pre-order on the label’s webstore.
Brandon Wayne has today released his new single titled ‘Bad Habits’. Country has gone through a massive stylistic shift in the last three decades. While retaining the core elements of the classic genre, most of the contemporary artists have taken a more pop-rock stance for that modern tinge.
Brandon has gone more mainstream, and even a bit of hard rock driven by dirty guitars and an anthemic beat. But the core roots are still there and growing. What caught my ear was the mix of gained-up guitars and classic fiddle sound that the old troubadours used in classic country music. It works. It has an attention that demands a listen. Idea inspiring.
And, while I’m not really a country fan at heart, I learned something today. Good music is everywhere.
About ‘Bad Habits’
Built on soaring, heavy guitars, “Bad Habits” delivers an anthemic energy contrasting with its darker themes. The track captures the push-and-pull of addiction, poor decision-making, and the temptations that threaten to derail even the best intentions. Blending gritty rock instrumentals with country influences, Wayne creates a sound that feels fresh and familiar. A brutally honest look at life’s persistent voices and how they always seem to find a way back, “Bad Habits,” strikes a balance between confessional vulnerability and sonic intensity. Produced by Wayne and Andres Alzate, the track features drums by Ian LeBlanc and violin/fiddle by Tobin Gomez.
Lyrics like “My bad habits have a bad habit of catching up with me” and “I’ve been lost, I’ve fallen off trying to find my soul” paint the picture of someone wrestling with their worst impulses. The high-energy feel of the music contrasts with its introspective core, resulting in a song that hits hard emotionally and sonically. “Bad Habits” is both cathartic and commanding. When discussing the inspiration behind the track, Wayne explains, “[Bad Habits] is a song about finding uncomfortable truths about yourself.” He continues, “I know personally, I’m trying to stay on the ‘right’ path, but I find that temptation is always present, so I continue down this never-ending road constantly battling myself from within.”
Brandon Wayne is an alternative country-rock artist who is no stranger to the stage. He was a part of The Redmoon Band, playing shows at legendary venues like the Viper Room, Whisky a Go-Go, Troubadour, and House of Blues Anaheim. Sharing stages with acts like Trapt, Faster Pussycat, and Rothchild, he has carved out a space in the rock scene with his high-energy performances and raw storytelling. Now stepping out on his own, Brandon Wayne is bringing the same intensity to his solo career, blending hard-hitting alternative rock with a twangy country grit. Diving into life’s raw contrasts, struggles with addiction, and moments of redemption, turmoil, and self-discovery, Wayne creates an unapologetic and unmistakable sound.
About Brandon Wayne
Hailing from Long Beach, CA, Brandon Wayne is carving out his place in the music scene with a bold fusion of country and rock. Drawing inspiration from blues, classic country, metal, and hard rock, his latest single, “No Good,” showcases his dynamic sound and genre-blending talent. Known for his high-energy live performances, Brandon captivates audiences with an electrifying presence that keeps fans coming back for more. Unafraid to challenge conventions, he consistently pushes the boundaries of both his music and his listeners. Just one thing’s certain—if you offer him a good time, he’s all in.
Washington DC indie-infused garage-rock trio Starting Early composed their newest single, “Bethesda,” after being inspired by long driving commutes in the greater DC area over several months.
Drawing deft comparisons between a long drive home and memories of unrequited love naturally flows into contemplating if it could be rekindled. When the wipers clear our vision of the drops that have obscured our ability to see, can we clear the clouds away from our thoughts as we continue forward on the road of life?
Painstakingly recorded at Ivakota Studios, the concerted effort to capture “Bethesda” is evident in the intensely layered vocals and instrumentation.
When describing the musical inspiration embodied in the new release, the members of Starting Early share that the track “explores a different soundscape inspired by the 80s while still maintaining the sound of Starting Early.”
About Starting Early
Starting Early is brothers Rory and Declan O’Donnell (vocals, guitars, and bass) with Paul Mosimann (drums, vocals).
Filed under the nebulous genre of indie-rock, Starting Early has a sound that is unpretentious and fresh. Cutting their teeth by studying Beatles harmonies and instrumentally recreating the sounds of acid rock legends Cream and Led Zeppelin, Starting Early injects a vintage vibe into their exciting and plucky songwriting.
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