Gitika Partington - Susto Stringband - Derby Hill

Gitika Partington - Call Your Name.

Gitika Partington just dropped a new lyric video for ‘Call Your Name’ from her record breaking ‘Twelvefold’ project. As a reminder: Songwriter and choral director/arranger Gitika Partington has released thirteen albums simultaneously, and without originally setting out to, she has broken the current world record for the most albums released in one day, which as of 2025 stood at twelve.

Comprising 130 original songs written and recorded over a five-year period, the project began with the idea of nine albums. Then ten. Twelve became the structure. Thirteen turned up anyway.

Thirteen albums, crafted over five years and released simultaneously, represent more than just a prolific outpouring of music. This act is not intended as a grand statement or a play for acclaim, but rather as an invite, open permission for everyone to embrace their creativity without having a critic in the room or in their head. It also feels like a proper ‘release’ akin to setting a huge flock of birds free all in one go in one sky, rather than drip feeding the algorithms. The simultaneous release encourages us all to let go of the need for approval or traditional measures of success, reminding us that art can exist purely for its own sake in whatever form we like. And that it is bloody good fun. One little piece of fun can turn into a volume of work if you just keep doing it regularly and steadily.

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Photo - Mia Al-Taher

Susto Stringband - Hard Drugs Ft. Morgan Wade.

Susto Stringband, the alt-country group led by frontman Justin Osborne, announces the release of Susto Stringband (Volume 2) on May 29 via Missing Piece Records. This LP follows last year’s Susto Stringband (Volume 1), which featured bluegrass and old-time reworkings of seven SUSTO favorites alongside two new compositions in collaboration with Asheville’s Holler Choir. The upcoming album continues this collaboration, with a solidified line up of Clint Roberts, Jackson Grimm, Nat Copeland, Helena Rose and Joey Brown plus with the added help of friends Morgan Wade, Joshua Hedley and Madeline Dieruaf.

To preview the project, the group has shared first single “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade)”, a heart wrenching reimagining of the classic Susto track.On the upcoming LP, Osborne reflects: “This album was so much fun to make over the last year. The band really came together on the road after the release of Volume 1, and this new record naturally came together too, along the way. Between shows we were writing songs in the van, and squeezing in studio time whenever we could. It was a really fun and natural process, and I’m really proud of the finished product.” 

About “Hard Drugs (featuring Morgan Wade),” he shares: “Having Morgan join us for ‘Hard Drugs’ was a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of her music and who she is as a person, for a long time, and I was so glad she was interested in collaborating for this project. She picked ‘Hard Drugs’ as the song to feature on, and I’m so glad she did, because her vocals brought that song to life for me in a whole new way, and I’m excited to finally be sharing this version with the world!”

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Derby Hill - Restless and Forgiven.

Derby Hill is a Detroit-born, Chicago-based singer-songwriter recognized for his "Neo Sincerity" approach to Americana and folk music. His work is deeply rooted in the imagery of blue-collar neighborhoods and the "grit and glitter" of everyday life. Hill’s music blends elements of folk, country, roots, and rock. 

Drawing inspiration from legendary storytellers like Steve Earle, Leonard Cohen, and John Prine, he focuses on narrative songwriting that explores themes of family, love, struggle, loss, quiet hope and redemption. Hill describes his artistic mission as documenting "ordinary lives with uncommon" observation, seeking to provide a sense of connection through unvarnished, truthful storytelling. 

Indie Dock Music Blog noted that his music "wears its working-class credentials not as affectation but as essential DNA," adding that he "understands that the most profound truths often emerge from the least adorned spaces". Illustrate Magazine wrote that "Derby Hill leans in close, as it reminds you that resilience often leaves you feeling, somehow, a little less alone".

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Libby Ember - TANGIENTS - The Foot & Leg Clinic - Bluestronica - Keeley

Libby Ember - News at the Party.

Following the January 2026 release of “Let Me Go,” Montreal singer-songwriter Libby Ember returns with “News at the Party,” an energetic yet emotionally heavy indie-pop single that captures the dissonance of heartbreak unfolding in real time. Upbeat and instrumentally vibrant while lyrically raw, the track explores the quiet isolation of receiving life-changing news in a room full of people.

Inspired by a real experience, “News at the Party” reflects on the moment Ember learned that someone she cared about had begun seeing someone else and the emotional performance that followed. “For the rest of the night, I just had to pretend to be okay with that and act like I never cared in the first place,” she explains. “But the second I was alone that night, all I could do was start crying.”

While the song was written the same night after returning home from the party, its evolution stretched far beyond that initial moment. The recording process marked a shift in energy, bringing together a full band arrangement featuring jazz guitarist Baron Tymas and drummer Thomas Sauvé-Lafrance. The result is a layered and kinetic soundscape where flute, piano, guitar, and drums intertwine, mirroring the emotional overwhelm at the heart of the song.

Libby Ember · News at the Party

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TANGIENTS - The Ether.

Just released, the first single, “The Ether” from the long-awaited full-length debut of Los Angeles duo TANGIENTS, Embers, arrives with a nocturnal pulse. Dreamweaver Chelsea Ray evokes ethereal sweetness with her vocal delivery, landing somewhere in between Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser’s lush murmurs and modern alt-pop icon Aurora’s soaring call. A nostalgic, romantic feeling whisks the song into a dreamy splendor. Seriously glittery guitars send the track swooning into the stratosphere like stars hanging speechlessly in the sky, leaving ample space and pause to reflect between pulses. The interstellar transmission is situated atop a laid-back yet tightly knit percussive backbone.

“The Ether” is the first single from the upcoming full-length album Embers, out May 1, 2026. "Embers is about self-discovery and the one thing we all must do: survive. To me, it is a reminder to live in the now.”

The music video for “The Ether” enchants with an evocative fantasy quality, featuring vocalist Chelsea Ray’s sweetly delivered siren calls from a celestial milk bath adorned with flower petals. Surreal cracked-skin effects on both band members lend additional vulnerability and surrealism to the aesthetic. Layers of dreamy gauze create more interdimensional immersion — and a nebulous state of consciousness where reality meets the immaterial, and experience transcends the ordinary.

TANGIENTS are a Los Angeles-based duo comprised of multi-instrumentalists Chelsea Ray and Be Hussey, who craft modern nu-gaze gems inspired by ‘80s post-punk, ‘90s shoegaze, and dream pop. Combining Chelsea Ray’s dreamlike vocals with a melodic sonic wall of blissed-out guitars, the duo melds together dreamworlds of gazed-out delight. After releasing 2018 single “White Foam” and 2019’s “Hazel,” the band carved a name for themselves amongst fans of dreamy post-punk and ethereal wave. Now, they return with the contemporary yet timeless collection of songs that make up their hotly anticipated debut full-length, Embers. 

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The Foot & Leg Clinic - Sit Down for Rock and Roll (Album).

Glasgow wonk-rockers The Foot & Leg Clinic (fka The Wife Guys of Reddit) return with Sit Down for Rock and Roll (released via Bingo Records), a raucous, restless, and unexpectedly tender debut album led by the urgent new single ‘Where did all the fruit go?’. The Foot & Leg Clinic — Niamh R MacPhail, Arion Xenos, Angus Fernie and Elise Atkinson — arrive at this album following what MacPhail describes as “a bit of a shiter the past couple years.” Written and recorded across illness, close bereavements, and a year-long break from live shows, Sit Down for Rock and Roll is the sound of a band forced to slow down and discovering they benefit from it.

With a new name and a deliberately slower creative process, the album marks a clear turning point for the band, grappling with adaptation — personal, societal, and bodily — using humour, surreal imagery, and sharp hook. “We were kind of forced to work at a slower pace,” says MacPhail, “but probably for the better of the final product.” Xenos agrees: “It still feels eclectic, but it’s a little bit more focused. We definitely thought about this as an album project when working on it, as opposed to other things before.”

Sit Down for Rock and Roll balances humour with weight, absurdity with emotional clarity. Side One opens with folk-rock curtain-raiser ‘Intro – Showtime’, before darting through the jaunty menace of ‘The Early Bird’, the skittering anxiety of ‘Hot Air’, and the stream-of-consciousness rush of ‘Dear Bongo’. Genre is treated as something elastic rather than fixed, moving easily between bossa nova absurdism (‘Worms 2’), early music textures (‘Music for Baby Fairy’), and 90s jangle (‘I’m living in the…’).

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Bluestronica - Dark Beats & Electric Soul (Album).

After Midnight Sessions, Dark Beats & Electric Soul is the second release in the Bluestronica series. Here the blues is pulled out of its comfort zone and wired into modern electronics. Gritty vocals, overdriven guitars, and dirty harmonicas collide with heavy beats and dark, hypnotic grooves.

Featuring artists like Boo Boo Davis, Byther Smith, Mississippi Big Beat, BLu ACiD, ElectroBluesSociety, Rivherside and miXendorp, this compilation bridges deep-rooted tradition and contemporary production. The focus stays on feel, grit and groove. These tracks don’t polish the blues—they rough it up. Tradition is the backbone, but the sound is restless and electric. This is blues that sweats, growls, and refuses to sit still.

The Album features: The Snake – Boo Boo Davis (miXendorp remix) -- Go For A Ride – Big George Jackson (miXendorp remix) -- Hurricane – Mississippi Big Beat (Tibor Bicskei remix) -- Deep Slide – miXendorp -- Sorry Baby – Boo Boo Davis -- Same Thing On My Mind – Byther Smith (miXendorp remix) -- Elektrance – miXendorp -- Georgia – BLu ACiD feat John Blake -- Big Mama’s Door – Mississippi Big Beat -- SixSixtySix – Turnip Greens (miXendorp remix) -- Back Door Man – ElectroBluesSociety feat Boo Boo Davis -- Come Over Here – Rivherside -- Dirty Dog – Boo Boo Davis (miXendorp remix) -- A Lie – BLu ACiD.

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Photo - John Emerson

Keeley - Trains and Daydreams.

Dream-rock trio Keeley, fresh from their recent UK headline tour, present the latest video from their acclaimed third album ‘Girl On The Edge Of The World’. 

"Trains and Daydreams" features a rousing backing vocal from special guest Simon “Sice” Rowbottom, singer of Brit-Pop heroes The Boo Radleys, a band much admired by the Keeley camp, and with whom the band has toured in the UK. The video was filmed and directed by Glasgow-based film-maker Laura Meek using vintage VHS techniques, and the results are both dream-like and visually sumptuous. 

Singer and songwriter Keeley Moss notes… “this is the most out-and-out pop song on the new album, it possesses an ethereal dreaminess but also a biting fuzziness and a pure pop melodic buoyancy in addition to a bittersweet poignancy. The song tells the story of my muse Inga Maria Hauser on her first train journey in England in late-March 1988 when she travelled from Harwich International Port to London”. 

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Hannah Scott - Argo & The Violet Queens - I See Orange - TRAITRS - Scarlett Macfarlane - Hector Gannet

Hannah Scott - In Your Light.

It's been a while since we last featured Hannah Scott and Beehive Candy are delighted to share her latest release 'In Your Light' the first single from her forthcoming EP, Threads (due 19 June). Hannah is a Suffolk-born, South London-based contemporary folk artist, whose consistently produced fabulous songs with the latest being no exception. As a gentle teaser for the EP I'll just add, if you like this song, you are going to love the rest!  

Hannah tells us: Some songs are written, recorded and released within months, while others wait patiently for their time to shine. In Your Light falls firmly into the latter camp, having been written as a gift for Hannah’s mother’s 50th birthday - some 15 years ago - because she couldn’t afford to buy her a present. The song showcases Hannah’s gift for storytelling, with gentle, poignant lyrics and nostalgic warmth, enhanced by her rich vocals and soaring string lines.

Threads follows Hannah’s widely praised 2024 album Absence Of Doubt and marks the first release she has both written and produced. She worked alongside acclaimed engineer Adrian Hall (Tori Amos, Anna Calvi), and recorded piano, acoustic guitar and vocals at home, with a makeshift vocal booth inside her wife’s wardrobe! These songs are inspired by family, nostalgia and grief - and, perhaps unexpectedly, a desire to change the rental market for the better.

As the lyric suggests (“With grace and thought and faith // You taught me to create”), Hannah’s mother, Judith is also an artist. She has created a series of artworks for the EP and its two singles, all featuring Hannah’s childhood home, which is the theme of title track.

Hannah Scott · In Your Light

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Argo & The Violet Queens - Casablanca.

Argo and the Violet Queens are a psychedelically driven band based out of Washington DC, who aim to synthesize and reimagine the 20th century’s most pre-eminent genres in a modern setting. Sonically, all four members make unique contributions to the band’s sound, from their implementation of seventies dance sensibilities, abstract auditory textures, and rhythmic flourishes informed by jazz tradition, the band maintains an open canvas for their eclectic influences to take form.

A guiding ethos for Argo and the Violet Queens comes from the band’s deliberate explorations of contexts in which dance music has previously flourished. By drawing comparisons with our current moment, Argo and the Violet Queens create the conditions for critical reflections of social issues to occur in tandem with celebrations of resilience and community. Ultimately, though, Argo and the Violet Queens make killer psychedelic-rock tracks which hold a mirror up to the listener, allowing one to engage with sonic worlds that are pensive, and hopeful in equal measure.

When writing and recording their new single ‘Casablanca’, Argo and the Violet Queens took inspiration from Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary ‘Get Back’ and sat down together in the studio as a full band as if they were going to perform live. No separation, no over-dubs or studio trickery, just the refreshing raw electrifying energy and of a band that have grown up together, playing together.

One of three live studio recordings the band completed in the last days of 2025, ‘Casablanca’ is a potent distillation of the chemistry Argo and the Violet Queens have developed over three tours, over 65 live shows and countless hours spent rehearsing that year.

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Photo - Peter Smith

I See Orange - Wine Boy.

Rising alternative post-grunge trio I See Orange return this March with their new single 'Wine Boy'. The new single comes fresh off the back of performances at New Colossus Festival in New York City, before heading to Austin, Texas for SXSW, with backline provided via the band's new sponsorship from Orange Amps. These consecutive US showcase appearances mark a significant step in the band’s international growth, following a strong run of UK festival performances across 2024–2025 and expanding global radio support.

Blending the grit of 1990s grunge with a modern melodic edge, 'Wine Boy' continues to define I See Orange’s heavy yet hook-driven alternative rock sound. Built around driving basslines, textured guitars and powerful vocal delivery, the single grows from its spacious, tight verse to the grungy tones and layered harmonies, blending fuzzy guitar work with infectious melodies to showcase both a rock intensity and a commercial edge. 

Formed in 2022 after lead singer and bassist Giselle Medina relocated from Mexico to the UK, I See Orange quickly found creative chemistry with British musicians Cameron Hill (guitar/backing vocals) and Charlie Hart (drums). Their debut EP Lonesome Joy established their signature blend of post-grunge weight, classic rock influence and contemporary alternative energy.

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TRAITRS - Possessor (Album).

After releasing a slew of riveting singles, coldwave perfectionists TRAITRS are proud to share their new album, Possessor. Out this weekend on all streaming platforms, the new album is packed with ten songs filled with reverb-drenched guitars, rushing 808s, and haunting, yet mesmerizing vocals.

Previous singles on the album have been described by critics as evocative and deeply human, driven by themes of grief, isolation, ecstatic release, and the darker corners of the subconscious.“Burn In Heaven” showcases TRAITRS’ signature blend of atmospheric synths, driving rhythms, and emotionally charged lyrics. The song delivers a powerful and anthemic sound that marks a bold evolution in the band's sonic landscape. 

A melancholic meditation wrapped in gothic electronics, "i was ill, you were wrong" finds TRAITRS exploring their most vulnerable terrain to date. It is a track that holds the listener close in the cold, balancing raw intimacy with a sweeping cinematic scale. The single deepens the duo’s position as essential voices within modern post punk.

“Dream Drowning” evokes a sense of urgency with its thought-provoking lyrics. On the captivating new track, TRAITRS aim to analyze the meanings and emotions behind their dreams. Showcasing the horrors of everyday life on an endless loop, the Canadian duo create a track shrouded in mystery.

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Scarlett Macfarlane - Immortal.

Scarlett Macfarlane returns with “Immortal,” a powerful and defiant pop-rock single built around themes of resilience, self-worth, and inner strength. Written as an empowering anthem, the song embraces the idea that while life’s challenges may knock us down, something essential within us remains unbreakable.

“I wanted to write a song that made you feel empowered and inspired,” Scarlett explains. “A song that made you want to put a fist in the air. A song that reminded you of your own strength and fortitude.” For Scarlett, immortality isn’t about living forever in a literal sense, but about the endurance of identity and creation. The idea that what we make and who we are continues long after moments of struggle pass. “Our essence is ultimately unkillable,” she says. “We have this crazy inner fortitude to come back swinging.”

The concept of immortality has long resonated with Scarlett, shaping both the song’s title and its central message. The track leans into bold, arena-ready energy, combining modern pop production with classic rock foundations to create something designed to feel larger than life. “Who comes out the gate with an arena-ready song and sings about all of us being immortal?” she laughs.

The song came together quickly, written during an unexpected moment of inspiration while waiting at the gym. Realizing she didn’t yet have a song in her catalogue that matched the empowering energy she gravitated toward while working out, Scarlett set out to write one herself. The recording process with Grammy-winning producer Scott Jacoby helped bring that vision fully into focus, particularly when the chorus was reworked to drop into half-time, giving it the impact she had imagined from the beginning. “I wanted that sort of Queen ‘We Will Rock You’ impact,” she says. “When we made that change, the chorus really landed the way I always imagined.”

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Vision Impact Photography

Hector Gannet - Seven Signs.

Hector Gannet released their new single “Seven Signs” on Friday, ahead of their third record which is expected to arrive in the autumn of 2026. The band are currently in Austin, Texas for SXSW, adding to their live history with Elbow, Sam Fender and Richard Thompson.

Hector Gannet’s emotive sounds have been praised by music lovers from Chris Packham to Sam Fender and acclaimed as “North Shields’ answer to Crazy Horse” (Uncut Magazine). This reception is now justified by new single “Seven Signs”, a rousing soul sermon which blends the group’s North Eastern heart with touches of Dexy’s, Style Council-period Paul Weller and a bit of the Boss.

The single’s soulful power is there in the sweet brass parts, arranged by North Shields-resident US brass expert Jason Holcomb, who has worked with Ohio soul supremos The O’Jays. But where Hector Gannet’s music is anchored in past rock and pop classicism, the words take it somewhere else – towards a wonderfully literate Tyneside modernism. The song opens with a wheezing Gabriel relocated to the edge of Springsteen’s Born To Run, “Pulling at the feathers / Underneath his motorcycle vest.” The narrative then builds to a widescreen consideration of class, moral responsibility and redemption. A hoped-for state of grace comes “one revelation at a time”.

“Seven Signs is about the God Complex,” says lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Aaron Duff. “And how those suffering from it seem to actually believe in their powers. I used a lot of Biblical references with the lyrics, which informs the vocal delivery and leans into the soulful drive we ended up with. The first time I heard the horns I just couldn’t help shouting 'Dexy’s!’ Jason [the brass arranger] really hit the nail on the head there.”

Hector Gannet · Seven Signs

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Vera Ellen - Jesse Roper - The Dollyrots - North Riding - Sofia Memphis - The Dibs

Vera Ellen - When It's Over (ft. Hemi Hemingway).

The second single from Vera Ellen's upcoming album Heaven Knows What Time is out! When It's Over features a brooding vocal performance from fellow Wellington musician Hemi Hemingway. The two had previously torn through a karaoke classic by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood, and the chemistry was undeniable. 

Mixed and produced by Vera's long-time collaborator Ben Lemi, Heaven Knows What Time is both a question and an answer — an expression of frustration and a surrender to what was never within her control. The new music video was directed by Daniel Fletcher, shot by Nick White, and made with the support of NZ on Air Music.

Named ‘Best Alternative Artist’ at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards, Wellington-based Vera Ellen is a rising star in Aotearoa's indie-rockscape. Vera is an expert when it comes to concise songwriting; every note and beat is exactly the required dose. Her albums are full of hooked-to-the-brim melodies, and guided by Vera’s clear, confident, and relaxed vocal presence.

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Artwork - Andrew McGranahan

Jesse Roper - Sweet Little Caroline.

Victoria, BC-based artist Jesse Roper returns with “Sweet Little Caroline,” an upbeat, infectious new single that blends blues swagger with a head-bobbing groove. Driven by feel-good energy and Roper’s signature guitar flair, the track transforms youthful memories and teenage romance into a catchy, knee-bouncing Americana anthem.

“I heard ‘Sweet Little Caroline’ as a stomp-clap blues boogie,” Roper explains. “While my producer Gus (van Go) heard it as a Beastie Boys inspired head-bob slowed down for the jeep people. We went all the way in that direction and I’m glad we did. Instead of just dancing to it with my arms, it gets to my knees and hips too.”

The story behind the song reaches back to Roper’s adolescence. Inspired by a relationship from that time, “Sweet little Caroline” captures the thrill of young love mixed with the awkward tension of parental disapproval. “I used to date this girl way back when I was a teenager,” he recalls. “Her dad thought I was no good whatsoever and he really went lengths to let me know. I’d get all excited to go pick her up for a night out and he’d put a damper on the excitement.”

While the relationship didn’t last, the memory stuck around long enough to spark the playful spirit of “Sweet Little Caroline.” The result is a song that pairs Roper’s blues-inflected Americana sound with a groove designed to get listeners moving. With its catchy rhythm, upbeat mood, and undeniable charm, the track captures the kind of feel-good momentum that defines Roper’s approach to songwriting.

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The Dollyrots - Attention Span.

Helmed by bassist/lead vocalist Kelly Ogden, guitarist/vocalist Luis  Cabezas, and touring drummer Simon Hancock, The Dollyrots are charging into spring with the release of their new single, “Attention Span,” via Wicked Cool Records. The track lands alongside the band’s Spring Break From Reality Tour, which launched March 12 in Minneapolis with Keep Flying supporting.

“Attention Span” continues The Dollyrots’ legacy of punchy, hook-driven pop-punk, pairing razor-sharp riffs with Ogden’s magnetic vocal delivery. The track balances grit and gloss with distorted guitars fueling the engine while melodies hit with sugar-rush velocity. 

"It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the intensity and rate of information thrown our way every day in this modern life. Important connections with each other and the earth seem to get lost in the shuffle. ‘Attention Span’ is a happy-sounding song about the confusion we feel right now," shares Ogden.

Over the years, The Dollyrots have carved out a distinctive space in modern pop-punk with irresistible hooks, high-octane live shows, and a fiercely independent ethos. Their sound fuses classic punk attitude with choruses engineered for maximum crowd participation. 

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North Riding - Mustang.

North Riding's new single “Mustang” has just been released (13th March on Kycker). International award winning singer-songwriter Hayley Mckay and multi  instrumentalist/producer and singer songwriter David Neil Crabtree combine as ‘North Riding'. 

Following on from their 3 month USA tour - North Riding have played some of the biggest festivals in the North East of England, including main stage appearances at Hardwick Festival alongside the Pet Shop Boys and Olly Murs & Mouth of The Tyne Festival. They also performed two headline shows at Durham Fringe Festival and are performing at Lindisfarne festival this summer along with a UK tour later on in the year.

Legendary BBC presenter Bob Harris made North Riding his ‘New Horizon’ country artist of the week in October & played Frio River on BBC radio 2. A week earlier he had seen the band perform live at Rock N Raise in Newcastle alongside Kezia Gill & The Often Herd. 

North Riding’s debut single taken from their recent EP was inspired by the Frio River in Texas! So much so that they actually wrote the song in the Frio river itself. They found time for this between shows at Poodies Roadhouse (Owned by Willie Nelson’s manager) & a huge total eclipse party near Luckenbach Texas, held on a 3000 acre ranch which North Riding called home for several weeks. 

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Sofia Memphis - Goddess.

Sofia Memphis are a rhythm-driven rock band from Helsinki, Finland, built on tight interplay, the warmth of soul, and a strong sense of movement. Their songs carry the grit of garage rock and the touch of roots music. The heart is always in rhythm. Sofia Memphis draw influences freely from all directions and make them their own.

The debut single Goddess introduces the core of Sofia Memphis right away. It doesn’t stay in the background, it gets under your skin. There’s a kind of intensity and motion in the track that can raise goosebumps and pull you in before you even have time to think. The lyrics play with car imagery, while at the centre is a woman, a magnetic figure and a kind of motion that turns heads.

“Goddess is that day when you wake up feeling so incredible that buildings catch fire and people just collapse in front of you as you walk by. It’s a power song for those days when everything is right from the morning onwards, when the goddess is free, wild, irresistible and unbeatable,” says vocalist Foxy Trickster.

Behind the members’ stage names are familiar figures from Finland’s underground rock scene, the same people who have moved through clubs, bands and projects for well over twenty years, now finally in the same lane.

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The Dibs - Just for You (Album).

The five members of The Dibs have climbed many musical mountains and swam through numerous melodic waters, but they are young at heart. Although the band has been around since 2019, the current lineup is undoubtedly the definitive one, ready for musical happiness, success, fame, and a luxurious retirement! 

With their years of expertise and knowledge, they are the much-needed lifeblood and the heartwarming and hopeful seniors of the rhythm & blues, soul, and roots scene. With a drummer who has only just turned thirty, they can pack a punch like young lions!
 
No musical related style is foreign to them. Blues, soul, funky or jazzy grooves, gospel, a touch of country and a hint of blues rock. The album "Just For You" is full of it. Fifty minutes of pure organic music, made without electronics or artificial intelligence. Rhythm and Blues drenched in a hot soul sauce!

The Dibs · Just For You

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The Pursuit Of Pleasure - The Spongetones - Wynona Bleach - EYRE LLEW - The Jaws of Brooklyn - Maria Taylor feat. Conor Oberst

The Pursuit Of Pleasure - Smash My Heart to Ash.

The Pursuit Of Pleasure have now finished recording their second album and are gearing up to release & tour in the first half of 2026. The new album adds grungier guitars and a 90's indie-influenced sound to the alt-folk, country-tinged Americana of their debut.

The Pursuit Of Pleasure released their debut album "Songs Mostly in Waltz Time" via Chufty Badge Records back in April 2025. The band also performed at several major festivals in 2025 as well as releasing a standalone single "Lava on Snow" in December.

Today the first single "Smash My Heart to Ash" from the forthcoming album has been released. 'Smash My Heart to Ash' is veering a little towards indie rock, with a hint of alt folk and some beautifully powerful dual vocals, collectively it really works and is a fabulous taster for the eagerly awaited second album.  

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The Spongetones - So Long.

Power Pop Hall Of Fame inductees The Spongetones, fresh off the success of their acclaimed live album The 40th Anniversary Concert... And Beyond, return to make good on the promise of that album's trio of new studio bonus tracks by kicking off an on going series of standalone singles with “So Long,” an all-new track featuring all three founding members and showcasing the songcraft and pitch-perfect retro stylings that have made them mainstays on the indie pop and power pop scene for decades. The single is out today March 13.

The Spongetones are singer-songwriters Jamie Hoover (guitar), Steve Stoeckel (bass) and Pat Walters (guitar), joined in recent years by full-time drummer/vocalist Eric Willhelm have been crafting, recording and performing neo-classics in the British Invasion mold together since well before their iconic 1982 debut album Beat Music. 

They've maintained that legacy across the decades on a series of well-received studio albums (nearly ten, depending on how you count them, the most recent being 2009's Scrambled Eggs) and built a catalog of new pop rock classics brilliantly captured with all the band's esteemed onstage prowess and energy on the live album released last year. The real treasure for longtime fans was the inclusion of three brand new studio tracks, also released as singles: “Lulu's In Love,” “Help Me Janie” and “Honest Work,” all hits on global indie radio and tantalizing signs that the album was not just a career summary but a step forward for The Spongetones as well.

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Photo - Anna Burnett

Wynona Bleach - Religion.

Belfast quartet Wynona Bleach share ‘Religion’ taken from the anticipated upcoming sophomore album Animal Style - May 29th via Fierce Panda Records (UK - Coldplay, Placebo, Ash) and Propeller Sound Recordings (US, & UK Retail stores).

Capturing the band’s raw intensity and distinctive alt-rock style, the single delivers relentless energy through punchy drums, fuzz-drenched guitars, and biting lead vocals. Merging grungy guitar riffs with pop-rock melodies and a visceral grit that adds a punk edge, ‘Religion’ showcases the band’s ability to channel the raw power of their live performances while maintaining radio-ready musicality.

Speaking about the single, the band explain: “It’s less a love song, and more a “lust” song. It's about when you meet someone that makes you feel like you’d do anything, even if it was to lie to your true self. It also calls out fake people, fake society, organised religion and how everything made out to be “cool” is usually just a con.”

Produced by Wynona Bleach’s own Jonny Woods alongside Andy Bradfield (Bjork, Rufus Wainwright, The XX, Manic St Preachers, Spice Girls), and Avril Mackintosh (Bryan Adams, Marillion), the upcoming album showcases some of the band's most complete and incisive work to date.

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EYRE LLEW - Miningsby.

EYRE LLEW, the Nottingham-based alternative-rock trio hailed by BBC Radio 6 Music's Chris Hawkins as "Britain's answer to Sigur Rós," released their new single "Miningsby," two days ago on March 11th.

Born from frost-lit January mornings and the quiet weight of bearing witness to a loved one's struggle, the track marks a profoundly intimate moment in the band's evolution. "Miningsby" is not a song about fixing or saving—it's about staying. Written as vocalist Sam Heaton watched a loved one navigate a period of anxiety, the track forgoes grand gestures in favour of something far more difficult: the simple act of being present when someone feels cold inside.

"Rather than trying to dramatise that experience, 'Miningsby' is about something quieter and harder: staying, listening, and offering warmth," the band explains. "It's a love letter to emotional endurance, grounded in small moments and the hope of better days ahead."

The title itself emerged from beautiful happenstance. When the original demo files were saved in an old rural Lincolnshire studio, they were geolocated to Miningsby, a tiny nearby village. The name became an unintended marker for a place and time that no longer exists but continues to resonate through the music—much like the fleeting moments the song memorializes.

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Photo - Jason Griego

The Jaws of Brooklyn - Lie To Me.

The Jaws of Brooklyn have shared their new single “Lie To Me,” the next offering from their upcoming EP Unstoppable, out May 15. Effortlessly channeling ‘60s girl-group glitter and garage grit, the cheerful tongue-in-cheek song grapples with a relationship that’s falling apart while clinging to the comfort of denial.

Guitarist Bryan Cohen on the new single: “‘Lie To Me’ is about a long distance relationship that is not working – at all. It's the otherworldly feeling of knowing that you and your person aren’t connecting anymore and are stuck miles apart. The protagonist knows they are not getting what they need but it's too painful to confront or end it. Instead, they keep kicking the can down the road and continuing the illusion that the relationship will work out. Who hasn’t been there? The music is inspired by Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).’ The idea was always to have lots of vocals and keep the music sparse but groovy and danceable.”

“Lie To Me” follows the shimmering call-to-the-dancefloor “Where Are You?”, which also appears on the upcoming EP. Co-produced with Grammy-winner and Alabama Shakes keyboardist Ben Tanner, Unstoppable finds the Seattle five-piece blending Motown melody, Muscle Shoals soul and West Coast rock & roll for their signature melting pot sound, which has earned praise from American Songwriter and Billboard over the years. These songs delve headfirst into the human experience, vulnerably writing about love triangles, relationships and ride-or-die friendships, all anchored by frontwoman Gretchen Lemon’s powerhouse presence.


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Photo courtesy of  Maria Taylor

Maria Taylor - Sorry I Was Yours” (feat. Conor Oberst).

Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Maria Taylor just released “Sorry I Was Yours” featuring Conor Oberst, the final pre-release single from her first album in more than 7 years, Story’s End, that will be released on April 3 via Oberst’s Million Stars Records. She will celebrate the album with release shows on April 10 at Sid The Cat Auditorium in Pasadena, CA and on April 15 at Night Club 101 in New York City. 

About the new single, Taylor reflects: “I met Conor close to 30 years ago. Music has always been such a strong part of our connection. As soon as we met, I started periodically touring with Bright Eyes as either the keyboard player or the drummer. Our friendship turned into a romantic love that lasted 7 years which eventually morphed into the love we have now, which feels like family.

A couple of years ago we decided we wanted to write a song together, so I went over to his house with my guitar and computer. I was playing him songs that I was working on and when he heard this one, he perked up and ran inside to grab his pen and notebook. Hours later we finished the song and even made a demo. So many beautiful contributions from these friends that made the song better than I could have imagined: Brad Armstrong, Mike Mogis, Macey Taylor, Ben Brodin, Nate Walcott, Tiffany Osborn, Hannah Murray, and Paul Cartwright.” Conor Oberst added, “Writing this song was a full circle moment. We’ve made so much music together over the years, it was just like going home.” 

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