Dan Miraldi feat. Palmyra Delran - Double Françoise - Brand New Heartache - The City Gates - The Anchoress feat. Eaves Wilder - The Jaws of Brooklyn

Dan Miraldi feat. Palmyra Delran - Magic in the Air.

Prolific singer-songwriter Dan Miraldi returns with his new single “Magic in the Air,” out May 15 via Wicked Cool Records. Featuring garage rock queen Palmyra Delran, the track blends Miraldi’s heartfelt storytelling with bright, infectious power-pop energy—delivering a reminder that even the most ordinary moments can feel extraordinary.

Inspired by life in New York City, “Magic in the Air” finds Miraldi reflecting on fleeting encounters and small, transformative moments. “I like to leave interpretation to the listener,” he says. “But to me, it’s about finding joy in everyday life. The world can get you down, but every now and then something mundane can feel miraculous and empowering.”

The song came together with unusual ease. “Sometimes you really have to wrestle with songs,” Miraldi explains, “but ‘Magic in the Air’ felt pretty effortless.” That spontaneity carries through to the recording process. With the exception of live drums and Delran’s vocal, the track was recorded in Miraldi’s bedroom using GarageBand—capturing a raw, immediate energy. The recording also features contributions from Michael Guggino (Brooklyn psych trio Freaky Wildness) on lead guitar and Jay Nemeyer (DC electro-rock outfit Color Palette) on bass, both longtime collaborators in Miraldi’s orbit.

Delran’s presence on the track adds both chemistry and emotional weight. “When I was writing the song, I could hear Palmyra’s voice singing it,” says Miraldi. “Having her actually on the recording is extremely special. She’s so talented and has been a constant source of encouragement for me.”

============================================================================

Photo - Alistair Jutel

Double Françoise - La Poursuite (EP).

It’s clearly not widely known enough, but the dashing duo Double Françoise is quite simply one of the pop gems of the Kingdom of France, the title of their debut album certainly didn’t lie. Les Bijoux, which followed an excellent first EP, already had them exploring avenues beyond the bossa nova they revere and know so well how to honor. 

This new EP, titled La Poursuite, sees them return as pre-World War III Elli and Jacno with five utterly irresistible songs packed with cheesy synths and playful backing vocals. With tracks that are by turns melodic, haunting, playful, and lush, this admirable collection of songs never lets up. In 1979, Double Françoise would have released their records on Ze Records or Celluloïd and would have dominated the charts. 

Since 2015, they’ve been signed to the Belgian label Freaksville and, by all logic, should have the world at their feet within a few weeks. The pursuit of happiness ends here—you’ve arrived.

============================================================================

Brand New Heartache - Precious Days.

Brand New Heartache, the Nashville husband-and-wife duo of Eleese and Matthew Meschery, are set to release their debut album A New Alchemy on July 24 via Mule Kick Records. Blending authentic Americana with dreamy indie-pop textures and soaring harmonies, the record explores the emotional realities of long-term love — the tension between devotion and doubt, spark and staying power.

Originally formed in Oakland before relocating to East Nashville, the duo have built a sound shaped by influences ranging from Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris to The New Pornographers and Mates of State, while collaborating with players connected to Counting Crows, Chuck Prophet, and Aimee Mann.

Produced by Michael Patterson (Beck, The Notorious B.I.G.), A New Alchemy unfolds almost like a relationship timeline, from the intoxicating uncertainty of the title track to the cinematic longing of “Montreal” and the myth-inspired emotional depth of “Eurydice.” Early singles “Raise The Shade,” “Precious Days,” and “New Alchemy” showcase a lush, emotionally resonant collection that feels equally rooted in Laurel Canyon warmth and modern indie sensibilities. The band will support the release with performances in Nashville, California, and select appearances during AmericanaFest this September.

============================================================================

Photo - A l'affiche Montreal

The City Gates - Chimera (Album).

Hailing from Montreal, Canada, The City Gates blend post-punk, shoegaze, and darkwave into a reverb-heavy, atmospheric sound driven by pulsing basslines and cinematic intensity. Their albums Forever Orbiter (2018) and Age of Resilience (2021) earned international acclaim, establishing them as a standout act in the global dark alternative scene. Drawing on themes of history and social unrest, their music balances melancholic introspection with explosive momentum.

The band has now released their new album LP “Chimera’’ (May 15, 2026, via Icy Cold Records and Velouria Recordz) a dark, expansive 8-track record that unfolds like a nocturnal landscape, blending post-punk urgency with shoegaze atmospherics, brooding rhythms meeting shimmering walls of sound. Each song lingers with a haunting, dreamlike intensity, caught somewhere between collapse and transcendence. 

The lyrics drift between intimacy and decay, lingering on themes of isolation, memory distortion, and emotional disconnection, delivered in a stark yet haunted voice. They dissolve into the atmosphere — half-whispered reflections on longing, loss, and the blurred edges of perception, channeling existential tension and urban alienation through fragmented, observational imagery. 

Recorded, mixed, and produced at Velouria Studios, the band’s own studio in Montreal, CA, the album took shape from within, built on live drums, guitars, and bass driven through amps, and the haze of vintage synths, with tone, space, and atmosphere gradually coming into focus. 

============================================================================

The Anchoress feat. Eaves Wilder - Damsels.

The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies) returns with 'Damsels', the second track to preview from As We Once Were — a bold, unflinching new album from one of the UK's most distinctive voices. With the album landing this August via Last Night From Glasgow, the 14-track record marks her third studio album release, following the Welsh Music Prize-nominated The Art Of Losing and the cult favourite Confessions Of A Romance Novelist.

'Damsels' arrived yesterday Friday 15 May 2026. Musically, it channels the urgent energy of Manic Street Preachers while lyrically paying tribute to generations of feminist icons. "It takes inspiration from the history lessons I got as a teenager listening to 'Faster' and 'PCP', except this time it's strictly a girl zone," says Davies.

The song sits at the heart of an album shaped by themes of motherhood, generational resilience and female strength in the face of loss and trauma. Set against a dreamy 4AD-inspired 12-string guitar shoegaze soundtrack,  think Cocteau Twins meets Sharon Van Etten, the new song features angelic guest vocals from Secretly Canadian-signed newcomer Eaves Wilder.

As We Once Were is the long-awaited follow-up to the UK Top 40 album The Art Of Losing, which received wall-to-wall critical plaudits upon its release in 2021. With Sir Elton John naming it "one of my favourite records of the year" and Caitlin Moran calling it "the inadvertent, beautiful and truthful soundtrack to this moment", it went on to sell over 10,000 physical copies via the power of pure word of mouth.

============================================================================

Photo - Kyle Rothwell

The Jaws of Brooklyn - Unstoppable (EP).

The Jaws of Brooklyn have released their new EP Unstoppable. Co-produced with Grammy-winner and Alabama Shakes keyboardist Ben Tanner, the seven-track project finds the Seattle five-piece blending Motown melody, Muscle Shoals soul and West Coast rock & roll with girl-group glitter and garage grit. This week, guitarist Bryan Cohen shared insight into each track on the new EP.

Blurring the lines between genre and generation, Unstoppable expands on The Jaws of Brookyn’s signature melting pot sound of ‘60s/‘70s influences and thickly stacked vocal harmonies, which have earned praise from American Songwriter and Billboard over the years. As showcased on singles like the shimmering “Where Are You?”, the bombastic “Lie To Me” and the effervescent “Up All Nite”, these songs delve headfirst into love triangles, relationships and ride-or-die friendships – all anchored by front woman Gretchen Lemon’s powerhouse presence.

Unstoppable keeps the momentum going after the band’s 2025 album Crush On You, which was released during a whirlwind of change. Following the addition of Lemon as the group’s electric new singer, they felt re-energized and in turn, their show-stopping performances cemented their reputation as a must-see live act, booking festival slots at SXSW and Bumbershoot, as well as packing out shows at venues on both coasts.

============================================================================

Lewis Jack Inman - Futurebirds - Octavian Winters - The J.O.B. - Sparkle Blood - Tom Emlyn - Hannah & Nathan

Lewis Jack Inman - The Squeeze (Album).

Leeds based musician Lewis Jack Inman returns with his 4th Album The Squeeze released today 15th May. Once again Inman's latest offering is another alt rock record perfect for fans of Courtney Barnett, Pixies and Queens of the Stone Age. True to his own style, it's a record that doesn't conform to predictable patterns, Inman takes you on a journey that makes complex themes and music seem simple with the guidance of his soothing vocals, a key trait in his solo work since 2019.

Since going solo in 2019, he's released 3 albums (Another Winter, Far Away and Fly) as well as numerous singles throughout that time. Lewis returned to the live scene in 2025 with a new live band formed up with two of the local scene's hardest working musicians Sam Green and Dan James. They quickly took the scene by storm with appearances at Lending Room and Hyde Park Book Club in the space of a few months

In late 2025, Lewis released the Fossilz Collection, a mix of his previous bands work containing material that still exists in his shows today plus recordings from live show recorded in Leeds

All of Lewis' previous releases have been solely recorded with him playing all instruments and whilst The Squeeze is no different in that respect, it is his first release he's self-produced too making it an entirely DIY record with no external contributions showcasing just how versatile an artist he is.

============================================================================

Photo - Jacq Justice

Futurebirds - Fly On.

Athens, GA-born Futurebirds unveiled the official video for their latest single “Fly On” from their first-ever double album Far Out Country that will be released on June 5 via Dualtone Records. The official video follows a casual antique store pit stop that quickly spirals into a transportive day trip, proving you don’t have to travel far to find a little Far Out Country.

Carter King, who wrote “Fly On,” explains, “Conceptualized and directed by Casey Pierce. This video shoot was a real blast. Getting let loose in a possibly-haunted antique store after hours? Felt like an episode of ‘Are you Afraid of the Dark.’ And the moral of the video: there’s no such thing as a free cookie!”

Last month, Futurebirds released Sienna Life EP, featuring three songs from Far Out Country I – “Sienna Life,” “Sleepless in the Cage,” and “Ghost Moon.” The release and double album announcement was met with praise from Brooklyn Vegan, Relix and Stereogum among others, who noted, Far Out Country "is both a title and a mission statement.” In a rare physical-first approach, the band will release the full project as a double vinyl on June 5, with the second half of the album arriving on streaming platforms months later, making vinyl the only way to experience the complete record early.

Fronted by three distinct singer-songwriters – Daniel “Womz” Womack, Carter King, and Thomas “Tojo” Johnson – the band writes in conversation, their voices shaped by a shared history but diverging perspectives. Across 18 songs, Far Out Country unfolds like an honest dialogue about their transition to fathers and family men navigating the tension between the road that made them and their lives back home.

============================================================================

Photo - David Kruschke

Octavian Winters - By the Stars.

Octavian Winters have unveiled a dreamlike new single, ‘By the Stars’, ahead of Wave-Gotik-Treffen appearance. Highlighting the lush, otherworldly side of the band’s repertoire, ‘By the Stars’ is the swooning new pop ballad from San Francisco’s Octavian Winters: a beautifully delicate contrast to the dark, angular post-punk of previous single, ‘Elements of Air’.

Produced once again by William Faith, and released via Stratis Capta Records just ahead of the band’s appearance at Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Germany, ‘By the Stars’ moves with a slow, dreamlike pulse: toms beating softly under glimmering melodies, like distant heartbeats under an endless night sky. Lyricist and frontwoman Ria Aursjoen says:

“The song has the feel of a sea voyage. The images for me were always ones of the vastness of the sky and the sea, and the feeling of the magnificent beauty of the world. The call and answer vocals are like two people calling back and forth across a valley. It’s meant to encompass that feeling of transcendence when you take a meta view of life and of the natural world, and just fall into the beautiful patterns of it all.”

Remarking on the song’s significance both to the band and their audience, drummer Randy Gzebb adds: “I remember playing an all-ages show in Northern California, looked up mid-song and saw these two young goth girls at the front of the stage with tears streaming down their faces. That moment told me everything I needed to know about ‘By the Stars’. You know a song matters when it reaches people like that.”

============================================================================

The J.O.B. - Light Up A Room.

Richmond VA rock band, The J.O.B. have released a new single, Light Up A Room. It’s their fourth individual track of a string of singles to be dropped over the next many months, all destined to appear on the band’s upcoming vinyl LP.

Light Up A Room was recorded at Absolute Future Studios in Richmond VA with producer Jamie Rose (Vulcanite, Book Of Wyrms) again at the helm. 

“Light Up A Room is an upbeat tune about finding one’s true love and the hopeful anticipation of the future they are about to share,” said Jim O’Ferrell, acoustic guitar and vocals. “We tried a few new things musically with this song,” he added. “None of us had heard Jason’s guitar leads until we got into the studio and started recording, and he blew our minds!”

The J.O.B. creates an original blend of Alternative Rock with Blues, Americana, and some Progressive Rock vibes in the mix. All four band members come from different musical backgrounds and share in the song writing process. “We didn’t grow up together,” said Jason Crawford, lead guitarist, “We all bring different musical influences into the band.”

============================================================================

Sparkle Blood - Restless.

Sparkle Blood is the kind of band that gets in, says exactly what they need to say, and gets out—no wasted time, no excess, just sharp, punchy songwriting delivered with total conviction. The Albera-based trio, Tyler Stewart on guitar and vocals, Bailey Kate on bass and vocals, and Bre Day on drums, lock into a sound that feels both scrappy and impossibly tight, balancing sweetly fuzzy guitars with driving rhythms and melodies that hit instantly. 

There’s an easy chemistry between Stewart and Kate that calls back to the dynamic interplay of The Lemonheads and Pixies, while Day keeps everything grounded with a powerful, no-frills approach behind the kit. It’s hook-heavy, harmony-rich, and just rough enough around the edges to keep things interesting.

Their upcoming LP ZIP ZAP leans all the way into that energy, opening with “Mad About It,” a track that feels like a thesis statement, urgent, a little fed up, but still undeniably fun. From there, the band keeps things moving at a clipped, confident pace. 

“Totally Ignorant” barrels through in under a minute and a half, landing its punch with the kind of efficiency you’d expect from Ramones or Guided by Voices, while songs like “Burning Barrel” and “I Don’t Know” stretch things just enough to let the hooks breathe, pulling from the timeless melodic instincts of Buddy Holly and the punchy edge of Buzzcocks and Hüsker Dü. Across the record, Sparkle Blood strike that sweet spot between catharsis and celebration, pairing real-world frustration with undeniable charm. It’s the kind of album that sneaks up on you, quick, catchy, and quietly addictive after just a couple of spins.

============================================================================

Photo - Alys hardy

Tom Emlyn - Passing Craze (Album).

Swansea Singer-Songwriter 'Tom Emlyn' returns with a brand new album. 'Passing Craze' is released today Friday 15th May 2026. His 6th Studio album will be released Digitally, CD and Vinyl LP via Dirty Carrot Records. 'Passing Craze', Tom Emlyn's sixth solo album in four years, began as a final university project for Evan Collett, who produced the album. Evan and Tom both play in the psychedelic garage rock band Rainyday Rainbow. He needed to make an album for his final project in DBS, Bristol; a university that specialises in music production. DBS stands for Deep Blue Sound. Evan asked Tom if there was any unrecorded material to make another album.  

A few forgotten gems, fragments and songs from years ago were unearthed, some of them going back to the first songwriting undertaken by Tom as a teenager. They seemed to fit together and felt like they had a thread running through them. Recording began in an amazing room at DBS, with an impressive, hugely expensive analog desk. 

The tracks began with skeletal acoustic guitar, doubled in an Elliott Smith style, then embellished with drums, piano, electric guitar and harmonica. It was made more difficult by the university only allowing recording to be booked in three-hour sessions, meaning there was a rush to get the parts done, and it all took a bit longer than expected. Maybe that was a good thing in the end, though. After Evan finished his course, work resumed on the project at home in Cardiff. The project took on more of a bedroom pop sound  with more layers of guitar, vocals, trumpet, melodica, percussion by drummer Jack Patrick, and backing vocals by Alys Hardy. Evan added some interesting production flair, such as slide guitar and playing banjo with a violin bow; just trying to get interesting sounds and do things a bit differently. 

============================================================================

Hannah & Nathan - Love & Labour (Album).

Hannah & Nathan have released their debut duo album 'Love & Labour' where the Ontario Folk duo blends old-time drive, lyrical balladry, and close harmony. Late one rainy night on a Northern Ontario highway, Hannah and Nathan were struck by an SUV en route to a weekend of shows. They walked away unscathed  and performed anyway. On the drive home, they made a decision: it was time to record together.

Love & Labour is their debut duo album, rooted in Appalachian and old-time traditions and shaped by a shared instinct for close harmony and acoustic interplay. Built around claw-hammer banjo, fiddle, and guitar, the record moves between driving, dance-ready tunes and spare, expressive ballads.

Both artists bring deep experience to the project. Hannah is a Canadian Folk Music Award–winning Traditional Singer of the Year (2017; nominee 2024), while Nathan’s band The Barrel Boys has earned multiple CFMA nominations. Since first performing together in 2022, their musical connection, especially their tightly blended vocals has become the defining feature of their sound.

Their singing is central: clear, intimate, and finely balanced. At times they trade lines; at others, their voices merge in close, parallel harmonies that echo bluegrass traditions while retaining the clarity of narrative folk song. The album features eleven tracks: seven originals, two traditional songs, a contemporary cover, and a set of original fiddle tunes. With the exception of the acappella “Turtle Dove,” each track highlights the rhythmic interplay of banjo and fiddle in open tuning, creating a sound that is at once raw, textured, and immediate.

============================================================================

Lily Frost - Jaelee Roberts - Toilet Rats - Old Crow Medicine Show

Lily Frost - More Love.

On her new single “More Love,” Toronto’s Lily Frost continues to display her musical versatility with a song that gets to the core of how many of us are feeling about the current state of the world. Over a hypnotic sonic backdrop, Frost shares the simple and direct message encapsulated in the song’s title, with the intent to make us all think about what we could be doing better to improve the lives of those around us.

“‘More Love’ is a spell,” Lily says. “It is a calling in of what I want more of and a releasing of what I want less of. I chose the word ‘less’ instead of ‘fewer’ as poetic license to keep the language simple and direct. Mitch Willer created a syncopated beat in the chorus and sang with me to give the song more edge, while the verses return to a hypnotic call-and-release feeling. The song became, in the end, an anti-war, pro-peace spell for the world and each individual toward themselves and others. I send it out from my heart in this time of global distress.” Over the past three decades, Lily Frost has journeyed through the ever-evolving landscape of music and art with poetic instinct and fearless reinvention.

After five years of touring up and down the west coast in various outfits, Lily signed as a solo artist with Nettwerk Records in 2001 for the album Lunamarium. She returned to Toronto in 2004 where she released six critically acclaimed albums on Aporia Records and toured internationally. Her songs have been widely synced in film and television, including the film Crazy/Beautiful and the television show Grey’s Anatomy, earning her recognition for her cinematic writing and vintage-modern sound.

============================================================================

Jaelee Roberts - I’m Putting You Out of My Misery.

“‘I’m Putting You Out of My Misery’ is one of those songs that stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it,” says Jaelee Roberts of her latest single — and first new music since last year’s full-length sophomore album, Let Me Be Lonely. “Terry Herd wrote an incredible song, and I fell in love with it right away. To me, it strikes the perfect balance between that hard-driving traditional sound and a touch of contemporary bluegrass, and I absolutely love how everything came together in the studio. I’ve always enjoyed a song with a little bit of attitude, and this one definitely delivers!”

Backed by a stellar crew — Ron Stewart (Seldom Scene) on banjo; guitarist Tony Wray; Alan Bartram (Travelin’ McCourys, Del McCoury Band) on bass; award-winning fiddler Michael Cleveland, and acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Justin Moses (mandolin, dobro), with Zack Arnold (Rhonda Vincent & the Rage) adding harmony vocals — Roberts tackles the quintessentially bluegrass combination of up-tempo music and downbeat lyrics (including a bit of classic wordplay for good measures) with her signature compelling verve: Woke up today with a heavy heart - The weight of the world is tearin’ me apart - Memories callin' they won't let me stay - So I'm packin' my bags and leavin' today..

“I’m truly proud of how the track turned out,” says Roberts, “and I’m so thankful to each of these amazing musicians for being part of it. I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it!”

============================================================================

Photo - Joe Vaughan

Toilet Rats - Shimmy.

Minneapolis' Toilet Rats shares "Shimmy," a new wave-inspired dancefloor jam that is perfectly postured for this Summer's "Goth Nights." "Shimmy" was mixed by Sean O'Keefe (Motion City Soundtrack, Beach Bunny, Fallout Boy) and mastered by Kris Johnson (Jayhawks, Gramma).

"Shimmy' is a heart-on-sleeve new wave romp written after arriving on the other side of an illness and surgery," says Tommy Ratz. "I wanted to dance with my friends post-recovery, even if we didn't know any good moves. Ultimately, it's an uplifting bop about checking in on your friends, 'cause people did that for me. Everyone needs a boost sometimes. Think Breakfast Club meets The Cure."

Five years deep, and Toilet Rats have never sounded bigger. Black Cats, the groups third LP on Steadfast Records and Sweet Cheetah Records spans 14 tracks of fuzz, synths, drum machines, moody '80s college rock, punk scorchers, and new wave dance floor slammers, all recorded during a period of real disruption.

If you dig songs about ghouls, calamity, surviving illness, and showing up for each other, this album is sure to find a welcome home in your collection. Black Cats sees release on June 26.

============================================================================

Photo - Ed Rode

Old Crow Medicine Show - Last American Waltz" feat. Molly Tuttle.

Today Old Crow Medicine Show shares the gorgeous new single "Last American Waltz" feat. Molly Tuttle, the latest from the band's upcoming album Union Made which releases on June 5 with Hartland Records via Firebird Music. Accompanied by a music video filmed in the dancehall of Nashville's American Legion, "Last American Waltz" unfolds with the kind of warmth and emotional resonance that has long defined American roots music.

"'Last American Waltz' is a love song to America in 3/4 time," says bandleader Ketch Secor. "We wanted it to feel timeless - the kind of song that could drift across a dancehall floor at midnight or echo through an old American Legion hall after the lights come up. Having Molly Tuttle join us on this track brought even more heart and soul to the recording.”

"Last American Waltz" follows the band's previous single "My Side Of The Mountain," a generation-spanning collaboration co-written by Secor, Tuttle and Luke Combs, and featuring bluegrass legends Del McCoury and Ronnie McCoury. The song has garnered early attention from The Bluegrass Situation, Relix, Whiskey Riff, MusicRow, AmericanaUK and more. Produced by longtime bandmember Morgan Jahnig and recorded in the band's own East Nashville studio, Union Made is Old Crow Medicine Show's most collaborative project to date, featuring appearances from nearly a dozen guests including Maggie Rose, Turnpike Troubadours' Evan Felker, Jesse Welles, Lee Oskar, John Carter Cash and Ana Cristina Cash. 

============================================================================

Sondre Lerche - Izzy Oram Brown - Pharis and Jason Romero - Nico Cann

Photo - Hilde Solli

Sondre Lerche - Little Kids.

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche has announced his new album 'Acrobats' will be released on 21st August via PLZ / Virgin. His first full-length of brand new music in over four years, 'Acrobats' marks the return of the beloved Norwegian artist with an album that’s bold and bombastic; a polarising reflection on the dichotomy of finding love while in times of soulless global unrest and unfathomable human atrocities.

Yesterday Lerche unveiled the first look at the album with new single 'Little Kids,' a dreamy, sepia-toned melody featuring vivid string arrangements by Sean O’Hagan (High Llamas) and performed by the Stockholm Studio Orchestra. Its video was directed by rising Norwegian filmmaker Lea Meyer and inspires empathy and kindness towards our younger selves when seeking affirmation and love. The new song was co-produced by Alexander von Mehren and Lerche, and mixed by Jørgen Trœen.

“From the first verse’s innocent rejection, to the third verse’s plunge into premature adulthood, ‘Little Kids’ is about trying to avoid looking back in anger, and instead look back with newfound empathy and perspective on adolescent attempts at stumbling towards love, friendship and intimacy,” stated Lerche. “It’s about forgiving who you were and who you were with, and that feeling we get when we see photos of ourselves and realise we were so much younger than we thought at the time. It’s personal, but highly universal.”

============================================================================

Photo - Nico Hedley

Izzy Oram Brown - Got Me Down.

We have the first single "Got Me Down" from the debut full-length by Brooklyn singer-songwriter Izzy Oram Brown. This follows her excellently reviewed EP Mess and a split EP with The Bird Calls and a run opening for the acclaimed guitarist Julian Lage. 

As a fixture in the Brooklyn indie scene, Izzy Oram Brown has been featured as a collaborator in rising bands such as Why Bonnie and Youbet. Stepping into her own with her full-length, What I Want is full of unexpected surprises and moments of instrumentation and sound design that go way beyond a singer-songwriter affair. The 4AD comparisons are strong here.

Got Me Down is an upbeat power pop hit about the moments when you find yourself making things harder by overthinking and getting in your own way.

============================================================================

Pharis and Jason Romero - These Are The Days.

Four-time JUNO Award-winning singers, songwriters, banjo builders, and folk icons, Pharis and Jason Romero are releasing their seventh studio record. Due June 12 via Lula Records, These Are The Days That Turn In To Years is a songwriter’s deep exhale, replete with stories, love, and nostalgia. It’s four years after the duo’s banjo-heavy last release, and recorded in the same eclectically restored riverside barn in Horsefly, British Columbia. With Pharis’ love of storytelling as a base for the duo’s artistic connection, the songs are lush and saturated with their lives: incidental touring, raising two kids, making banjos, and playing this music because they love it. 

The songs are created as much from ideas - from being on the tops of mountains and phone calls with aging loved ones to insomnia, meditation and family feuds - as they are from the joy of playing and recording with a stellar band: fiddle, bass, piano, and percussion. Two people in the thick of their lives, reveling in the music, words, and community.

Now, they are releasing the new single “These Are The Days”, a waltzing exhale of love and affirmation. "These Are The Days" is the final song on Pharis and Jason’s new album, saving the best for last. Here, Pharis turns inward as a songwriter, giving voice to the feelings of a gentle lover who holds and treasures these moments. Ambient strings overlay the delightful piano work of Clinton Davis, while Pharis’s vocals (she sounds so much like herself) and Jason’s intuitively wonderful harmonies sit front and centre.

============================================================================

Nico Cann - Take Me To The River.

22-year-old Milan-born and London-based alt-rock artist Nico Cann unveils the new single ‘Take Me To The River’, fusing raw emotion with a rich and anthemic sound. The new single comes with news of an upcoming UK tour with The Rifles. Weaned on classical piano and raised by rock bands, Nico’s music sits at the crossroads of introspection and energy, capturing honest stories of growing up in a world that never slows down.

Drawing inspiration from Bruce Springsteen to Sam Fender, his sound merges the warmth of ‘70s and ‘80s rock with a contemporary indie lift, displaying intimate, confessional writing set against a backdrop built to resonate on a larger scale. On stage, he channels that same energy, bringing his anthemic tracks to life whilst still turning every show into a moment of real human connection.

Now building toward his debut album Silver Lining - a body of work written, performed, and produced largely on his own, Nico’s new single ‘Take Me To The River’ highlights his evolution as an artist. Delivering a cinematic, explosive soundscape, blending biting guitar tones, expansive keys, and driving drums, the track channels an ’80s rock spirit beneath Nico’s charismatic and expressive lead vocals.

Analog warmth, youthful uncertainty, and hope collide on the single, bringing a sound which is assured and expansive, yet rooted in genuine, authentic artistry and sincere songwriting. Talking about the single, Nico explains: “I began writing "Take Me to the River" three years ago. The song went through multiple iterations and changes, especially lyrically. Like many of the other songs I'm writing for my debut project, Silver Lining, this one analyses a moment of feeling lost, or better, the limbo of uncertainty right after a breakup. "Should I call her, should I find my way?"

============================================================================

Heliara - The Pintos - Alex Amor - Horace Andy - Star Print Clad

Photo - Curtis Perry

Heliara - Everything’s a Love Song (EP).

Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Heliara shares Everything’s a Love Song, a deeply intimate and emotionally rich EP that explores love in all its forms. Blending pop, rock, indie, and genre-spanning influences, the six-song collection unfolds as both a personal reflection and a universal meditation on connection, vulnerability, and what it means to love and be loved.

Originally conceived under the working title Eclectic Love Songs, the project evolved organically as its deeper thread revealed itself. “I wanted to explore different types of love and different musical genres,” Heliara explains. “When I realized each song reflected a different form of love, the title Everything’s a Love Song just made sense.” The EP culminates in its most personal moment: “Confessions to my Daughter,” a heartwarming and vulnerable closing track that captures the depth of motherhood and unconditional love.

What makes Everything’s a Love Song particularly striking is its unexpected alignment with the Ancient Greek concept of love, which categorizes love into distinct forms such as eros, agape, mania, and storge. “I found out about this after I had already written all six songs,” Heliara says. “When I looked into it, I almost fell off my chair. Each song I wrote corresponded to one of those forms. In two cases, it was right down to the title.” 

============================================================================

Photo - Robert Georgeff

The Pintos - Studio Rain.

The Pintos, formerly Matt Paxton & The Pintos are a Hamilton, Ontario alt-country band that has been gaining international recognition over the past several years for heart-wrenching songwriting, augmented by a distinctive musical chemistry. The quartet comprised of singer/songwriter/guitarist Matt Paxton, bassist Carrie Clark, pedal steel guitarist Chris Altmann and drummer Robin Pirson is poised to release the follow-up to their acclaimed 2023 EP Tornado later this year, with the first preview coming in the form of “Studio Rain,” a hazy excursion into cosmic country territory that boldly displays The Pintos’ new direction.

“Studio Rain” was recorded in Hamilton and co-produced by Steve Pitkin of Juno Award winners Elliott Brood, with Altmann also contributing banjo and electric guitar to the track. "This is the first song we’ve put out since rebranding the band The Pintos,” Matt Paxton says. “After three years we have become close friends, a family, and one as a band. ‘Studio Rain’ is about Hollywood co-stars and their on-and-off-air romances and relationship, and I think it’s gives a good overall impression of our new material. We’ve been listening to Buck Owens, Wilco, Neil Young and Blue Rodeo, to name a few.”

As a singer/songwriter, whether he's on stage or in the studio, Matt Paxton has always worn his heart on his sleeve, delving into themes of love, loss, and self-reflection. With his fellow Pintos now fully in sync with that approach, expect the band to keep building momentum throughout the year with each new single and live appearance.

============================================================================

Photo - Lewis Vorn

Alex Amor - Icarus.

Scottish-raised singer-songwriter Alex Amor just announced her debut album 'Heavenly Bodies' will be released on 21st August via New York independent label VERO Music. To mark the announcement, Amor releases new single 'Icarus' ahead of performances at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton this Friday (15th May), and Footsteps Festival in London on 21st May.

Led by reverb-soaked drums and slow-burning, guitar-driven arrangements, 'Icarus' moves with a dreamlike unease, as Amor’s radiant unflinching vocal cuts through the haze at its centre - capturing the helplessness of watching someone disappear into themselves.

Speaking on the song, Alex Amor said: "Icarus was inspired by my love of Greek mythology, and born from accumulated frustration in my personal life. I’ve watched too many men I love - friends, family, partners - struggle with addiction and self destruction over the years. There’s something so innately human in the urge to escape: to outrun the mundanity of everyday life and the discomfort of being yourself. That’s what drew me to the myth of Icarus.

"This song tells that story from the sidelines, as a witness to the chaos, and feeling powerless in that position. It’s about loving someone who is chasing their own oblivion, and realising that no matter how much you care, you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to save themselves. Sometimes love isn’t enough. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is to walk away, and allow someone to make their own mistakes so they can find their way back to the shore, without you."

============================================================================

Horace Andy - The Voice In Sound (Album).

Horace Andy’s ‘timbre’ is definitely of the “once heard, never forgotten” variety, regardless of whether you first heard it on one of the numerous Jamaican reggae singles he released during the 1970s or, as most people did on one of the Massive Attack albums to which he contributed vocals. His falsetto and characteristic slow-motion vibrato have breathed a unique spirit into tracks like “Spying Glass”, “Cuss Cuss”, “Skylarking”, and “(You are My) Angel”.

His origins are in the roots reggae of the 1970s, but he has always enjoyed experimenting: whether with British dub master Mad Professor (who also dubbed Massive Attack's “Protection” into “No Protection”), house master Ashley Beedle and the New School album on the legendary Strut Records label, or most recently with On-U Sound legend Adrian Sherwood.

Echo Beach continues this tradition – and, of course, the much older tradition of versioning – by inviting friends of the label to treat Horace Andy's classics to a new sound outfit. This is also very much in the tradition of Echo Beach, which 25 years ago created a perennial hit much embraced by free-spirited sound systems across Europe with the Black Star Liner remix of his song “Do You Love My Music” (Select Cuts From Blood & Fire Vol.3).

Horace Andy’s voice has become deeper with age, but by no means weaker, as can be heard on this album, where Echo Beach invites old acquaintances and new faces to take a seat behind the mixing desk: the cast includes Rob Smith aka RSD, who, as part of More Rockers and Smith & Mighty, was just as important to Bristol’s musical reputation as Massive Attack or DJ Krust & Roni Size. From Munich come the legendary Captain Yossarian (percussionist with La Brass Banda) and aDubta, now a versioning legend. Both conjure up superb versions, from extreme, super-quirky delay settings to perforated dub treatment with the legendary Roland Re-201.

============================================================================

Photo - Dominic McKenzie

Star Print Clad - The River.

Brighton’s Star Print Clad return with real intent on their new single ‘The River’ (12th May), the second release in a striking run of singles arriving throughout 2026. The single comes ahead of the band's appearance at this year's Isle Of Wight Festival. Following the release of ‘Melanie’ earlier in 2026, ‘The River’ brings intricate, soaring guitar work, carrying a vibrant blend of classic rock aesthetics with blues and indie-rock undertones. It captures the full force and chemistry of the band’s live shows while showcasing the tight musicianship and unflinching songwriting that make them such a thrilling new name to watch.

Recorded and produced at Salvation Studios in Brighton with Jake Stainer (Wet Leg, shame, David Gilmour, NewDad), the track unfolds with effortless momentum drifting through atmospheric verses, before breaking into explosive, hook-laden choruses. Vocal lines carry a free-inspired swagger, while a simmering tension builds throughout, finally erupting into a soaring, high-impact guitar solo that lands with real weight.

Speaking about the single, guitarist and lead vocalist Joseph explains: “The majority of The River was recorded off of the back of the ‘Melanie’ session, the final hour we had the place. I remember laying down the bones, and most of the rest, in this whirlwind repetition of chasing to and from the control room between takes to make sure everything was captured. 

When it came to the acoustic overdub I believe we had around fifteen minutes left on the clock, I went in to check that Jake had caught the take and didn’t even stop to listen to it once he’d given the thumbs - I recall we did lay down some vocals then, as well as on the back end of another recording session a month or so later, both against the clock, of course.  In the end that gave the vocal a desperation in its delivery, I feel it’s fitting for the track.  The solo was cut in that second session too, a Selmer Zodiac Twin, double tracked and pushed to have the notes shake through the floor… That was fun.”

============================================================================