An interesting edge of character draws you into the colourful grooves and hooks of this project. Washington DC band Stephen Sol & The & 7 blend the excitable musicianship of folk-rock, with the softer conceptual and melodic stylings of pop, for their five-track EP Sunshine Wine.
Folk Rock
It’s a song about hidden wisdom, loyalty, honesty, but it’s complex – not linear but meandering between various thoughts and feelings. The music and lyrics alike walk you through this hallway of introspection, and it’s catchy, uplifting, and confronting.
Cardiff-based creative Daddy Drwg (Richard Proctor) gets the chemistry just right with this one. Following a dreamy acoustic riff through a softly pulsating ambiance, with short, harmonised vocals rising and falling like waves, Wise Guys is simple but distinct; unforgettable but in a calming fashion.
Soft-rock Americana and folk anthems with a fine blend of heartfelt images, catchy hooks, and acoustic to rock and roll arrangements – Brendan McMahon highlights the very best of his dynamic songwriting abilities, with the addictive and aptly-titled new album Turn Up The Radio.
Standing tall on a great sense of groove, carefully blending a strong acoustic riff, organic musicianship and funky rhythms – a spacious and soulful, catchy mix, with a clear sense of evocative depth at its core. Exit12 highlight the wonder and beauty of their uniquely genre-fusing and immensely impressive album Condition: Human, with the perfectly distinct, engaging and frankly euphoric Known.
Award-winning songwriter and musician Sean Martin fronts the brilliantly unique genre-fusing indie rock act The Quarantined, delivering this summer an incredibly original story and set-up, for the passionate and powerful Skeleton Chair.
McKay are an act upholding the realness and talent of organic, man-made bands and songwriting, at a time when we need that more than ever. They write youthfully fearless, thoughtful and intelligent lyrics, with fresh melodies and blissfully harmonised performances, and for all of these reasons, they’re a personal favourite act from the past couple of years, and Casino is incredibly special as an original project.
Alternative rock with a twist of punk rebellion and pace – an indie project openly opposed to division and arising dictatorships. R.L. Wolf blends sarcasm, scorn and satisfying tuneful explosions, for the unapologetic God Bless The 1%.
Nobody tells a story and soothes the soul quite like John Jenkins. An artist and songwriter whose integrity and charm have let his organic music naturally build a lasting reputation across the independent scenes of the UK. And here, we get not just another stunning album of original songs, but perhaps his most impactful project yet.
Following the colourful creative storytelling of his band’s 2024 album The Waking Giant, Georgia’s Ukulele-rock pioneer Winchester 7 returns with a five-track EP that’s distinctly more grounded, and devoted to the memories and nostalgia of snapshots or Postcards from a life.
UK band The Hanging Bandits – a great name and a worthy level of intrigue for the inventive music that follows. Their single, Shipwrecks & Forgetful Skies, is a sensational lyrical and melodic outpouring.
Norwegian artist and songwriter dePresno impresses again, capturing a new moment in time, with lush vocals and an organic instrumental build-up united, to ultimately present a powerful set of lyrics that are piercingly original and loaded with soulful realism.