‘CONFESSIONS II’ is the sequel to 2005’s ‘Confessions on a Dancefloor’, one of Madonna’s most critically acclaimed projects. It’s a seamless update of the original’s noughties club music influences, drawing from cutting edge sounds from across modern hous…

Acrobotik is just one of the projects of local lad Brian Feral, and this, the fourth Acrobotik album, is simply sublime. He’s a man who pushes electronica into some very progressive directions, and the ten masterful tracks contained on this release are a …

Martin is currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of his seminal 1986 debut album ‘Boat to Bolivia’. In this collection, Martin has taken a few steps back to re-record the Daintees’ very first songs. It was recorded at the Bunker, the epicentre of Sund…

Featuring lead singer Dave Smith (who fronts local blues rock band The Panic Buyers) and guitarist Tony Schofield (who has played with country rock band The Katy Freeway), The Burnin’ Sensations play sizzling bluesy-rock that is thrumming with good vibes …

The debut album from this Hartlepool three-piece is all kinds of stunning. They say their music sits at the intersection of “alternative rock, post-industrial electronica and dark wave”, which, yes, it does, but their tunes also have a quite glorious lyri…

If you know, you know – but if you don’t, then it’s about time you learned that Nev Clay is one of the finest singer/songwriters in the north-east. He wrings such gorgeous melodies from his exemplary guitar playing, and his tales about everyday life – whi…

The second album from this Morpeth-based fella is a shimmering, poppy delight. He says the release deals “with serious illness and bereavement, looking back at the place I grew up, and the urge to escape” which may make it sound heavy-going, but these ful…

Tasha’s fourth album is a breathtaking masterclass in intentional, sun-dappled chamber folk. The Chicago-turned-New York artist replaces the scrappy indie-rock detours of her past with lush, theatrical precision. It opens with the exquisite, a cappella ti…

On Styrofoam Winos’ third album, the chemistry and impressive musicianship across this trio just oozes out of their music; they frequently swap instruments and singing duties, which lends a diverse yet cohesive feel to these 11 tracks. The Winos strike an…

As they bid adieu to their 40 year career, wacky experimental rock outfit Butthole Surfers have taken a final left turn by releasing After The Astronaut - a 1997 album shelved by Capitol Records due to being “unsellable”. It’s a woozy, disorienting listen…

Silent Pictures (LAB) Few things bring me more joy than discovering a fresh new act that I love - this month, it’s Mouth Ulcers. The London-based four piece are an amalgamation of Joy Division and The Cure (two of my favourite bands) into a beautiful Fra…

Unfortunately, I was not wowed by ‘The Wow! Signal’. A maximalist sound and themes of space have worked well for the band in the past - see ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, ‘Starlight’, etc - but there is too much going on here sonically. There’s input from the…

You might have seen the two fellas who make up Mind Enterprises on social media, spinning disco beats while clad in vintage sportswear and necking copious amounts of Campari. On their new album you can almost smell their unfiltered tabs and Paco Rabanne a…

Just in time for summer, Bleachers have dropped this album of sunny indie pop beats and anthemic choruses - a light and airy type of album I’m usually fond of around this time of year. However, after reading his blogs on the importance of staying true to …

Maisie Peters’ ‘The Good Witch’ is one of my favourite pop albums ever - so I was nervous when the singles from ‘Florescence’ were sounding like quite the departure. However, this softer, stripped back and country-leaning version of Peters gives her writi…

Once dubbed “America’s most exciting punk band”, this quintet, fronted up with fiery aplomb by singer Victoria Marie, is still a thrilling proposition, and, what’s more, their new album is their most expansive yet. Taking in everything from clattering ind…

MEIOSIS is the musical project of Martin Thompson and his tenth album sees him pushing an indie sound into some very interesting places. ‘Cartoon Cats (Looking For My Friends)’ deploys a louche exotica – like Nick Cave trying his hand at fronting up a hou…

This Australian-born, but now Berlin-based, duo has acknowledged their debt to 60s psychedelia and 90s grunge, which certainly came over in their initial EPs. Their debut album is still thrumming with starry-eyed melodies, but here they’re beautifully str…

This Newcastle-based three-piece has seemingly arrived fully-formed if their debut album is anything to go by. They’ve mined rock’s past for its most golden treasures and forged them into something fresh and vibrant. ‘Hearts on the Wire’ has the raw oomph…

The second album from this north-east-based songwriter is every bit as accomplished as his debut (2024’s ‘Be The Change’). His tunes have the kind of polish that befits someone who teaches music for a living – and someone who has paid his dues around the …

This Winnipeg-based indie-pop/dream-pop duo has created a well-deserved buzz, and their debut album offers up all sorts of delights, not least Courtney Carmichael’s ethereal vocals. These sit atop a pleasing melange of shoegaze, slowcore and melodic indie…

In ‘Mother Of Pearl’, Freya Ridings introduces us to a variety of characters: she’s fiery and fearless in ‘Euphoria’, searching for a glimmer of light amidst the darkness of healing in ‘Dancing In The Kitchen’ and fragile in her contemplation of grief in …

Kim Petras’ bimbo-esque pop star persona is central to her music, but ‘Detour’ injects her brand of bubbly hyperpop with a level of creativity and substance that we haven’t yet seen—possibly due to the fact this is her first independent release. ‘Brutalis…

I grew up watching Kerrang! in the 2000s, so a new Evanescence album is always going to prick my ears up. Sanctuary will delight longtime fans by being packed with nostalgia, while being forward-looking enough to launch the band’s sound into a new era. Am…

A previous recipient of our Single of the Month slot, this alt/electro-folk artist’s debut album delivers in spades. It’s a release that sees Frankie Archer grabbing hold of traditional English folk songs and warping them into something new and vital by w…

This sophomore album from Manchester alt-rock outfit False Advertising is their first full-length release in six years and sees the band play with a more expansive sound, while still keeping in touch with their grungy roots. The Sorry Window is reminiscen…

TOMORA is what happens when a folk pop powerhouse (AURORA) and one half of legendary electronic duo The Chemical Brothers join forces. A seemingly unlikely pair, perhaps, but somehow it just works. AURORA’s ethereal softness juxtaposes with Tom Rowland’s …

The musical project, if you will, of Belgian singer/songwriter Camille Willemart, Camille Camille caused quite a stir with her debut album in 2021. This, the follow-up, is another arresting release, steeped in the folk tradition. Deeply evocative, her gen…

Based in North Shields, this lad knocks out indie-rock that has a distinct twang to it; a kind of ramshackle charm that is part bedroom wig-out and part lo-fi goodness, which has been dunked in a big bucket of Sweet. He knows how to pen a lovely melody to…

Led by Sunderland musician and singer-songwriter Andy Fraser, Tunstallachia Upland Boys’ sound sits somewhere between Americana (embracing everything from Appalachian Mountain vibes to the blues) and British folk. Their second album is steeped in the hist…

Apparently it’s true – this Teesside rock band really did play the iconic Whisky a Go Go venue on the Sunset Strip, and this stonking album is the absolute proof. It features eight songs of feel-good Rock (Rock with a capital Rrrr) and it barrels along wi…

Rosa Walton? Isn’t she one half of brilliant duo Let’s Eat Grandma? Yes, indeed! And her first solo album sees her zigging away from the synth-popisms of Let’s Eat Grandma towards a more organic, guitar-driven sound. It’s a move that has infused her new s…

Texas-born artist Diana Darby returns with her first album in twelve-years, and it features 13 tracks that she penned while emerging from a period of deep isolation and personal transition. The arrangements are spare, often featuring close-mic’ed, whisper…

For me, labyrinthine oceans are one of the most exciting acts to have come out of Newcastle, and this latest EP takes things to a whole new level. The band have expanded their signature blend of grunge and gaze into a worldbuilding ability that makes ‘for…

The Black Keys have been spearheading the modern blues rock revival for a quarter of a century now, and yet Peaches! proves that they aren’t running out of steam anytime soon. The 10 tracks on this cover album, largely recorded live, seamlessly run into o…

After adoring The Lemon Twigs’ recent feature on Thundercat’s latest album, I had to give Look For Your Mind! a spin. This may be one of my favourites of the year so far. Granted, it is more concerned with nostalgia than doing anything particularly ground…

Newcastle’s Melanie Baker has backed up all her early promise with a debut album that is packing real heat. She’s taken slacker-adjacent bedroom-indie-pop and blasted it skywards via some crunchy grunge, indie-rock and riot grrrl sounds that have been fil…

I was excited for Holly Humberstone’s new release after being a big fan of her last album. However, ‘Cruel World’ unfortunately fell short of my expectations. There are a couple of stand-out tracks - mainly the singles she has released, such as ‘To Love S…

Arlo Parks is on the dancefloor for her third album, and I’m a huge fan of this new direction of her sound. Her soft vocals and introspective lyrics pair beautifully with the hazy, euphoric production that has flavours of house, techno and garage. She wro…

There are many things to be irked about in the world at the minute and thankfully this Newcastle-based garage-punk band are meeting those things full-on via a real blast of female-fronted spikiness that thrills and exhilarates in equal measure. Hitting a …

Macedonian born Jova Radevska (vocals/lyrics) and London’s Mark Vernon (music) make up YOVA and their third album concerns itself with self-empowerment, healing and spiritual fulfilment – which may sound a bit wishy-washy, but the cinematic sounds that Ve…

This all-female four-piece from Glasgow have built up a bit of a buzz in their hometown and their debut album (produced by Stuart MacLeod) sees them ploughing an unashamedly guitar pop furrow. Their press release states: “Imagine the Tom Tom Club jamming …

This is the second solo album from the Radiohead guitarist and its seven songs contain a multitude of delights taking in everything from psych-folk to subtle shades of trip-hop. Moods are evoked in an instant such as on the title track, which deploys some…

This Hawaii-born singer/songwriter has carved out a real niche for herself with her stuff taking in everything from acoustic folk Americana to electronic indie, and her new release is something of a lost album. It received a limited vinyl release just whe…

This is the solo project of Nick Hinman, the American-born and London-based musician and producer, but he’s collaborated with a whole bunch of top musicians such as John Waugh and George Daniel (The 1975) to produce a debut album that has a nicely frazzle…

Social media virality certainly doesn’t equate musical talent, but this time the internet made the right people famous. Angine de Poitrine’s sound is a maximalist assault of polyrhythms, seamless layers of loops and microtonal melodies, courtesy of a doub…

In IT’S THE LONG GOODBYE, post-punk duo The Twilight Sad are joined by an impressive roster of collaborators, including Arab Strap’s David Jeans, Mogwai’s Alex Mackay and Robert Smith himself. The album is a clear levelling up of their sound: James Graham…

This fifth album from singer and bassist Thundercat serves up a sumptuous display of silky funk, with a side of star-studded collaborations including Tame Impala, A$AP Rocky and a recording from Mac Miller before his death in 2018. Beneath the glossy prod…

Harry Styles’ much anticipated fourth album unfortunately falls flat for me. Despite apparently being inspired by LCD Soundsystem and the Berlin club scene, there is none of the messy, raucous energy or experimental beats here that this suggests. Instead,…

Straddling the line between folk and post- rock ‘It’s a Pleasure of Mine, to Know You’re Fine’ is a chilled out yet thoughtfully crafted EP. The laidback tempos of their tracks create plenty of space for the intricate guitar arrangements to breathe, and …

Up-and-coming Chicago dreampop quintet, Snowcuffs, create a lush and textured soundscape on their debut EP ‘Sweet Gravity’. The melodic, gentle vocals of frontwoman Stephanie Nikolas provide calm amongst the chaos of duelling, distorted guitars and powe…

Eliza Noxon’s first release since 2017 follows her journey through early adulthood with some of the most raw and heartfelt songwriting I’ve come across recently. Her blend of folk and indie is at times expansive, with cathartic choruses that you just wa…

The second album from this Tyneside nine-piece sees them dialling up their “viper jazz” sound for an exuberant release that pushes old-timey swing into some new and ecstatic pastures. ‘Ice Cream for Breakfast’ is real kick- your-heels-off and party stuff …

Newcastle’s Demob Happy knock out up-and-at-‘em indie-rock that thrums with intent. Tracks such as ‘No Man Left Behind’ deploy an infectious and driving motorik beat to power them to a high-plane, while ‘Somethings Gotta Give’ shows that they know how to …