Lush and hypnotic old-school trip hop vibes bring mellow ethereal mixing alongside organic guitar riffs and softly spoken melodies. Germany’s ATOMIC FRUIT capture a sense of alternative brilliance, in my view, with the humility and dark melodic stylings of Medicine.
Rebecca Cullen
UK acoustic vibes blending long riffs and summertime world-music rhythms with conceptual depth. Akiva Zneimer takes us back to the lightness of the warmer seasons, with a song fusing rap and melody to that alt-folk bounce of a style once made underground famous by the likes of Will and the People.
Ambient post-punk escapism of short rhymes and tuneful refrains – Manchester’s Lucigenic bring through a dreamy and rather anthemic indie hit, for the mighty Shine On.
Openly unfiltered, MMAM is a diary-like account of personal connection and longing. Don’t Let Me Fall soothes the mood after the first track, presenting a sort of comforting alternative vibe – capturing the essence of desire in a way that helps distract us from the pain of separation and lostness.
Harmonised backing vocals and crisp guitar riffs orchestrate a country pop arena of colour and contemplation. Blue Julius master the songwriting space once again, with the mighty poetic sentiments and scenes, of a beautifully enchanting Is The Bloom Off The Rose.
From ambient vocal harmonies through an upbeat indie pop arrangement that’s timeless in its fusion of light dance and intimate heartbreak, FERDIE blends melancholy and optimism quite seamlessly, with the gentle to impassioned single Till Dawn.
Hailing from the Netherlands, New Key is an elusive modern artist, writing and recording songs organically, and with little concern for social media or image – the music speaks for itself.
COOL REBEL TUESDAY continues, another epic indie hit from the American rap force SC4REAL. The Interview brings a quirky old-school bassline and hi-hat combination, with tripped rhythms and that clean-cut vocal depth again drawing you in to the centre of a creative free-flow that’s grounded but playful.
Based around the fascinating story of Holly Butcher, a 27-year old who wrote a boldly inspiring letter, shortly before her death, Holly’s Letter guides Intuitive Conversations through a discussion on the shared values of life. It’s the perfect podcast episode to listen to as we wrap up the chaos of last year, and seek to enter a brand new year, 2026, with a breath of realism and positivity that’s crucial in embracing the beauty and wonder of life.
Ultimately feeling like a huge power-pop ballad at its peak, the essence of Selfish is again that twist of angst and unexpectedness that runs throughout Kyle Jaymes’ songwriting. The music is beautiful, but the sentiments are loaded with pain and self-preservation; an outcry against someone whose Selfish choices have been unignorably suffered for far too long.
“The main values I want to represent in the indie folk music world are authenticity, integrity, and kindness.”
For those of us who’ve spent a lifetime drawn back and forth between the euphoric escapism of electronic dance music and the sheer ferocity and passion of rock, UAE powerhouse Sarah R Jay brings two worlds together, with her evocative and intimate tribute, to a song that proved immensely influential during her younger years.