Single / Album Reviews

Read about the latest singles and albums here

Album Review: Mima Merrow – Almost Home

By Jen O’Mahony A simply beautiful and elegant record. Belfast born and Glasgow based singer-songwriter Mima Merrow is returning with her debut album on the 23rd of September. Gaining previous success with her single ‘Freckles’ featuring on ”BBC Scotland” and ”BBC Radio 6 Music”, Merrow established herself as a talented poet and writer who is…

10 Til’10 By The Vanities Out Now – Reviewed And Approved

By Megan Hughes Round about this time last year I posted a review of a single released by Glasgow garage punk group called the vanities.  If you had listened to me then you’d be following them and know that last month they released a new single 10 Til’10.  If you did not follow my advice…

St Dukes – Glaswegian Group Worth a Watching and a Listen

Glaswegian four piece powerhouse made up of Lewis, Fraser, Sarah and Max are moving like a freight train through releases and performances as they are garnering more fans and followers as the up the ante with the anticipated album launch marked for a release in May. Getting noticed in a city like Glasgow can be…

Single Review: Brownbear – One More Night

By Megan Hughes The cool and charming musical gift that is Brownbear (braunber) is making their wonderful return to our ears tomorrow with the release of their new single one more night. Some of you may have been lucky or committed enough to enjoy a previewed listen through BBC Radio Scotland on Tuesday night. One…

Fake Lips Showcase their Undeniable Musical Chemistry with New Demo Single – ‘Community’ Review

West Lothian and Glasgow based Rock/Punk duo Fake Lips released their fourth single ‘Community’ on Tuesday the 21st of December. Their intention was to launch the new track at midnight, after their headline show at Broadcast Glasgow, however, the big thing that is cancelling everyone’s plans right now happened to unfortunately strike again. Despite this,…

in earnest produce a compelling argument for our ‘reasons to stay alive’

[in earnest – ‘reasons to stay alive’ EP cover] By Sandy Power Essex trio in earnest have been making waves this past year with their deeply personal and moving songs, which have covered themes of mental health, their lives and even their dogs. Their latest EP, ‘reasons to stay alive’, is now supplemented by a…

Uninvited are winning us over with their pleasant rock/pop with a flavour of country running through it.

Listening to ‘Diet Cigarette,’ the first thing that grabs my ears is the velvety-textured voices of Gillian Dhlakama (guitar/ vocals), and Taylor-Ray Dillon (Bass/ vocals), interlaced with Gill’s pealing harmonising, offering detailed and layered vocals that really gives the song a special feeling. The record overall is warm and easy on the ears, with the…

EL REY HQ RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE ‘SUNSHINE HONEY BLOW’.

The legend that is El Rey has just released ‘Sunshine Honey Blow’ and it is certainly something special. Based in Manchester, the Irish artist has set the bar high with his debut single. Following his name, he is the true king of writing belters. ‘Sunshine Honey Blow’ is the perfect indie alternative hit! The track…

Jack Hinks courts introspection in melancholy ‘The Emperor’

[Jack Hinks – ‘The Emperor’ art] By Sandy Power Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter and producer Jack Hinks continues with his series of songs circling the stages of grief with a morose study of depression in ‘The Emperor’. The song resides in solitude, glancing at the introspection of grief and pointing to sacrifice, maturity and change. In the…

‘Whispers’ are all Sapienn needs in order to be heard

[Sapienn – ‘Whispers’ single art] By Sandy Power Sapienn is the solo project of Glasgow singer-songwriter Scott Simpson. The multi-instrumentalist, who spent his formative years as a guitarist in the city’s underground metal scene, has seen his solo acoustic project grow arms and legs over the last year or so, with broader arrangements and stylistic…

Single Review: Fauves – Ends Of Me

Glasgow six-piece Fauves gifted us with their new single Ends of Me on the 6th of August 2021. With life rapidly changing from what we have experienced over the last eighteenth months, Ends of Me is a track which works perfectly to fuel our collective feelings of relief and excitement for the prospect of a…

Jodie Rae shows a different side on latest single ‘Glance’

[Artwork credit: Shot by Will] By Kieran Cannon Fresh off the back of her first live gigs since Scottish lockdown restrictions were eased, Ayrshire based artist Jodie Rae has returned with her second single – the follow up to ‘Creepin’, released late-April. Produced by SoundMagic Studios and Circa16 Recording among others, you can stream it…

SHEARS helps us out of pandemic blues with a ‘Pick Me Up’

[SHEARS – ‘Pick Me Up’ single art] By Sandy Power Edinburgh based Singer-songwriter SHEARS has returned with her new single ‘Pick Me Up’, which eschews the dark overtones of previous releases with a chirpy and creative arrangement and toe tapping personality. The song begins with crisply mixed stomping and clapping percussion, married with pulsing synths…

Holly Roseanna seeks to preserve ‘Eden’ on majestic folk-pop number

[Holly Roseanna – ‘Eden’ single art by E Collins Creates] By Sandy Power Kirkcaldy based singer/songwriter Holly Roseanna’s latest single ‘Eden’ gives off light 90s RnB/Soul vibes whilst tackling the pressing issue of coastal erosion. Sung in her distinctive Fife twang, the vocal describes a series of coastal images, evoking both its beauty and fragility.…

The Awkward Release New Track ‘Ride The Wave’.

Hailing from the Netherlands, The Awkward have just released their newest single ‘Ride The Wave’ and it’s an absolute bop. The band have already been picked up by the likes of Spotify’s New Music NL, Amazing Radio and many more which shows that The Awkward have got big things ahead of them. The Awkward beautifully…

Hadda Be come to ‘Another Life’ on debut album

[Hadda Be – ‘Another Life’ album art] By Sandy Power Hadda Be is a four-piece indie-pop/post-punk band from the joint hometowns of South London and Brighton. Formed under the band’s previous moniker Foundlings in 2018, the group have built up an extensive repertoire of EPs and singles both as Foundlings and more recently as Hadda…

Dance, Disco and Dark Themes weave their way into the Signature Riffs and Drum fills of Royal Blood. Typhoons is a meticulously curated third album instalment from the Rock Duo.

Like Royal Blood’s previous albums, Typhoons is short and to the point. Granted there are only two tracks longer than four minutes in length, but the songs have a new dynamic thanks to a more eclectic spread of instrumentation into the mixes, such as the electronic opening on ‘Million and One.’ There is a sense…

Two Skies Release Summer Anthem ‘Loser’.

Hailing from the North West of England, Two Skies have just released their second single ‘Loser’ and it’s the anthem for the summer. After only forming during the pandemic the duo have been making strides with the music they have been making. ‘Loser’ follows the successful debut single ‘Another Way’ and it 100% lives up…

Not Now Norman Release ‘Shut Your Mouth’.

Hailing from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Not Now Norman are the ultimate rock powerhouse. If you are a fan of The Pretty Reckless, Foo Fighters and Halestorm then Not Now Norman are the perfect band for you! They have just released their new single ‘Shut Your Mouth’ which addresses the serious topic of domestic abuse. Frontwoman Taylor said…

Liverpool’s Turquoise Noise Release Single ‘Closer’.

Hailing from Liverpool, Turquoise Noise are a fresh new band made up of Paul Alan Waters, Josh Moore, Nick Jones, Jake Massey, Adam Stokes and Graham McDonald. They take inspiration from a variety of artists like: Pink Floyd, Tame Impala, The Beach Boys and The Bee Gees. Turquoise Noise have just released their debut single…

The Willow Trio weave dreamlike melodies on debut single Oystercatchers

[Oystercatcher single artwork by Sam MacAdam/Romy Wymer] By Sandy Power The Willow Trio are a Glasgow-based clarsach trio formed in 2020, consisting of multi-instrumentalist Sam MacAdam, composer Romy Wymer and the award-winning Sophie Rocks. The trio play a broad range of music, from classical to traditional, to their own original contemporary compositions. Ahead of the release…

Dog on a Swing returns with another set of musings on love.

[Dog on a Swing – ‘On Love II: Love Harder’ EP cover by Eve Alvarez] By Sandy Power Dog on a Swing [DOAS] has been a regular fixture of the Edinburgh alternative music scene for a number of years, releasing two EPs and a full-length album up until this latest offering, ‘On Love II: Love…

Singer-Songwriter Modern Sonder Teams Up With UWS Midwives For A Celebration of International Day Of The Midwife – ‘With Women’ [Review]

By Daniel Thomson Glasgow based singer-songwriter Modern Sonder (Jazz Dey) has released a beautiful new track alongside the University of the West of Scotland midwives in aid of midwifery scholarships. After releasing her excellent EP ‘Crisis, Grace and Growth’ back in October, the artist has returned with this sea-shanty style song for International Day of…

New Indie-Pop Duo Two Skies Release ‘Another Way’.

Hailing from Warrington, Two Skies are a new indie- pop duo! If their debut single ‘Another Way’ is anything to go by this duo are set for a bright future. Two Skies are made up of Cal and Brad, they have definitely started the band with a BANG! ‘Another Way’ is the perfect indie -…

Nicha Releases Brand New Single ‘Saltwater Song’

I first discovered Nicha and was blown away by her talent so you can understand my excitement to see that she has just released her new single ‘Saltwater Song’. Also known as Lucy Robinson, Nicha is a 23-year-old Northern Irish native. Nicha has a massive music taste but takes influence from the likes of; Tash…

TONTO ARE TONTO

By @myrrenporter Rock n roll revellers Tonto released their debut single ‘Down the Hatch’ last month and we cannot get enough of it. The single is only a snippet of what is yet to come from the Alloa quartet – previously known as Kieran Fisher and The Reel Movement before Lyle Finlay, Scott Archibald and…

Fife Five – Artesan Gaining Momentum With New Release Lifesaver

By Megan Hughes Artesan is a five piece modern rock group hailing from Falkirk. The band is led by father, son duo Ronnie and Bryce Bisset. With the former on lead vocals and the latter playing lead guitar. The band is heavy on the strings with a second guitar player in the midst, Will Treeby,…

Volka appeared to have ‘Become Undone’ over the past year, but they’ve bounced back with cultivated cohesity, and staying power that pandemics and long distance have been unable to shake.

The new single ‘Become Undone’ is their best work to date. I spoke with singer Tam, and bassist Calum to better understand what was going on beneath the surface that led to this release. As a disclaimer, I am a long-time fan of this band, but we’ll try to keep superlatives to a minimum. The…

An Ode To The Beatles, EP A Piece Of The Poppermost Is Out Now

By Megan Hughes Joe Kane a born and bred Glaswegian is quite literally a one man band.  His stage name, which you are more likely to know him by, is The Poppermost and his music sounds like that of a band with any number of musicians. Kane plays bass, lead guitar, harmonica, rhythm guitar –…

Single Review: The Utopiates – Anitdote

By Myrren Porter In February, indie rock and roll band The Utopiates released their second single ‘Antidote.’  The track comes hot on the heels of the London four pieces’ debut single which premiered in January this year. After recently forming in the height of lockdown in 2020, the group have provided us with two new…

James Mackenzie Releases Brand New Tune ‘Where You Are Going’.

Originally from Inverness, James Mackenzie has released his brand new track ‘Where You Are Going’ at the start of March. James has been spending time living between both the UK and Germany for the past couple of years. He has kicked off the year with a bang after being made ‘Single Of The Week’ by…

Sarah Connolly Releases New Track ‘Wishing Bone’

Newcastle based Sarah Connolly has just released ‘Wishing Bone’ on the 1st March. It is the perfect chill out song and I can’t seem to turn it off. Sarah takes influence from artists like Lucy Rose, Lianne La Havas and Norah Jones. ‘Wishing Bone’ starts with a some nice simple guitar strumming that creates a…

Nature Always Wins by Maximo Park – Album Review

by Michael Cameron. ‘Nature Always Wins’: Inward examinations mixed with compelling up-beat pop combine to make a record that resonates well. As we approach the anniversary of the first UK lockdown, Maximo Park are leaning into that uncertainty and sadness and recognising it, whilst offering a light at the end of the tunnel with an…

Single Review: Brí – More Than

The beauty of Irish artist Brí’s musicianship lies in her ability to combine hypnotic melodies with stunningly angelic, yet haunting, vocals. Her new single More Than displays her exceptionally high standard of artistry, both musically and lyrically. More Than is reminiscent of work from artists such as Lana Del Rey, Marina and Annie Lennox. We…

Our Top 5 Releases of the Week

Recommendation 1: Jacko Hooper – This Was The Earth A uplifting breezy melody with impressive strong soulful vocals are displayed within This Was The Earth the latest single from Brighton based singer songwriter, Jacko Hooper. The track oozes listeners in with it’s dreamy acoustics and captivating lyrics creating this unique style that you won’t have…

Gabrielle is back with her latest album ‘Do it again’

By Becca Mcphee Gabrielle made the announcement of her new album after being revealed as Harlequin, a very popular contestant on the hit TV competition ‘The Masked singer’ where she performed amazing covers of new songs such as Billie Eilish’s ‘Everything I Wanted’ and Harry Styles ‘Falling’ she also peformed spine tingling versions of classic…

Have you listened to Broken Youth by Jack Rasmussen yet?

If you’re a fan of Sam Fender and Tom Odell then you will absolutely love Broken Youth, the debut single from North East singer songwriter, Jack Rasmussen. Soft acoustics, catchy uprising melodies and deeply addicting vocals, this track will leave you in awe. Broken Youth shows the high quality talent in Jack’s song writing ability…

Have you Listened to Elkyn – Something yet?!

By Chelsea Ness Indie folk singer songwriter Joseph Donnelly aka Elkyn takes listeners on a journey through inner peace with his latest single, Something. The tranquil melodies collide beautifully with the soft, intimate vocals and quirky synths creating a track that allows listeners to escape. Although the real meaning behind the track relates to feelings…

Single Review: “Olive” by Amerik

by Craig Russell Horne With expert production and university lecture worthy pacing, Amerik has created a rousing synth-ballad with ambient traits that will please casual listeners as-well-as audiophiles. Having captured the attention of BBC Radio Ulster and Nialler9 with his 2018/19 singles, Belfast composer and producer Amerik announces the release of his debut EP, Bouquet. The collaborative project…

Have You Listened to Living in a World Postponed by Loose Puppet yet?

by Myrren Porter Last month, London artist Loose Puppet released his debut single ‘Living in a World Postponed,’ a track which is prevalent to the current climate in which we are living in.  Lyrically, the premiered track deals with COVID related issues which audiences will be able to relate too massively. Lyrics such as ‘I’m…

La Club Royale – ‘Rise Up’ [Single Review]

Visualise yourself, 2D animated, walking to your DeLorean, putting the keys in the ignition, before driving away into the city nights. That’s the intro. The camera then zooms out, showing the city with neon lights and out of tune people, then back to you, just in time for the verse to start. I want nothing…

DMA’S – Live At Brixton [Album Review]

Indie Aussie favourites, DMA’S are back with another banger of an album, this time treating us to their London gig in March 2020. The gig itself was the band’s biggest headline gig to date and ‘career highlight’ selling out the o2 Academy, Brixton, within about a week of tickets being on sale. The band played…

Our Top Releases of the Week (1st – 7th March)

Track 1: Venus Demilo – Alone in My Head Alt rock band, Venus Demilo are back at it again with their latest release, ‘Alone in My Head’. This breezy feel-good track will have you humming to the funky soulful melodies all day. Think Don Broco meets Tom Grennan. It’s clear the band are exploring a…

The Crayon Set – ‘Moment’ [Single review]

‘Moment’ is a beautifully delicate indie-pop track balanced around The Crayon Set’s signature female / male lead vocals, full of sweet sugary melodies and infectious pop hooks. There is a dreamy undertone to ‘Moment’ provided by a bed of reverberated guitar and a beautiful arp line throughout the song.  The melancholy vocals take slightly darker…

Sheffield based SKRUFF releases new single ‘The Juggler’ which challenges society’s views on mental health.

‘The Juggler’ is an outstanding track from Sheffield based SKRUFF! The solo project from Joe who is the guitarist in Nottingham based band ‘JupiterMoon’. Joe tackles vital messages about societies views on mental health within the track. ‘The Juggler’ opens with a strong drum beat mixed with some background guitar noise to create a haunting…

“Days”: the First Single from Laura Elizabeth Hughes’ Lockdown Project

By Tresca Mallon Preceding the release of her Lockdown Project, EP “We, Myself and I” on the 5th March, Irish Singer Songwriter Laura Elizabeth Hughes has released the melodically splendid “Days.” Laura has had a busy two years, releasing multiple EPs and the recent success of her 2020 single Pandemonium, which has reached 80,000 streams…

Single Review: Crystal Tides – Headcase

It seems the only way is up for indie, alt-pop quartet Crystal Tides. They have been releasing music since 2018, however 2020 saw their music gain national UK airplay (Virgin Radio, Radio X, Amazing Radio). Their prolific releases have earned them a growing fan base all over the UK, whilst proving that they are undoubtedly…

Top Releases of the Week (21st – 28th Feb)

by Chelsea Ness Track 1: Sienne – We All Look To The Same Sky Liverpool alternative rock four piece, Sienne have been keeping fans in awe during lockdown with numerous releases over the last year and their newest single, ‘We All Look To The Same Sky’ proves this is a band that are just going…

Premiere: Sienne – We All Look To The Same Sky

Fancy listening to some brand new music before it’s release?! Well you’re in luck as we have Liverpool’s very own indie rock band Sienne’s latest song to share with you all! If there’s one band that have been keeping busy during lockdown by providing fans with banging tracks after tracks, it’s Sienne and their latest…

Your Hazy Psychedelic Indie-Rock Needs, Fulfilled – ‘Broken Ties & Stolen Lines’ [Review]

By Daniel Thomson Dundee psychedelic indie rock band Midnight Alleys released their first single of 2021 titled ‘Broken Ties & Stolen Lines’ on the 8th of February. The band consists of Neil Morrison (Vocals/Guitar), Matthew Kermally (Lead Guitar), George Mackenzie (Bass), Fabio Whyte (Keys/Vocals) and Ben Connelly (Drums). This track is another unique and fresh…

Julian Skiboat – ‘Flowers’ [Single Review]

By Kristoffer Hilmarsson The 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist, Julian Skiboat, has been giving wings to his latest release ”flowers”. With laid back and lazy melodies Julian wishes, in his own words, to dive into that feeling of it could be worse and we can make it through this. His debut EP, ‘Nice to meet you’ has garnered…

Glasgow’s White Novels Release New Single ‘Over Again’

Ever since White Novels released their debut single ‘On The Bottle’ back in June I knew this was a band I was going to watch out for! You can imagine how excited I was to see that they were releasing their new single ‘Over Again’ and I can promise you it’s an absolute belter! When…

Single Review: Fido – Welsh Techno

By Craig Russell Horne Fido by Welsh Techno artist “SHREDDIES” is a soaring track born out of the genre of ambient but with a free and playful nature. Fido is the brand new single from Welsh techno newcomer “SHREDDIES” out 20th January on Cardiff label Rose Parade Recording Co . The single is the first…

Andy Bell – The View From Half Way Down [Album Review]

Andy Bell is probably most notable as performing in one of the biggest bands of a generation; Oasis – or as a shoegaze legend as part of Ride. Bell has now taken all his years of experience performing and writing rock and roll and shoegaze to create his debut solo album; The View from Half…

Western Column – ‘Hear Not Say’ [Single Review]

Western Column – ‘Hear Not Say’ ‘Hear Not Say’ is the latest single by DIY Glasgow musician and Songwriter Christopher Devine who goes by the alias of Wesern Column. The track is a glorious shoegaze track filled with dreamy pop hooks to carry you along in the sea of reverb.  The layers upon layers of…

Weekend Debt – Why Don’t You Realise.

By Michael Cameron. The latest installment from Weekend Debt, ‘Why Don’t you Realise’ (WDYR) has had an excellent release in the run up to Valentine’s day, which it turns out was deliberate, after some excellent content on the band’s socials. The main thrust of this piece however, is the story of collaboration and creative progress…

Single Review: Tom Rogan – Here We Are

19 year old singer song writer Tom Rogan has released his latest single ‘Here We Are’ following on from his single ‘Lonely Hearts of Everton Park’ The musician from Liverpool who at present is unsigned to a record label, is already making his mark with his newest single currently sitting number 1 in the iTunes…

Warrington Musicians Release Charity Tribute To Viola Beach

5 years on from the tragedy that took away Viola Beach, tipped to the next biggest band to come from the UK – a group of musicians from their local town of Warrington have released a charity cover of their much loved single “Swings And Waterslides” with funds going to the family’s charity of choice.…

Moonlight – Dictator

by Michael Cameron. Moonlight is single number five for Dictator, and though this track is more chilled in feel, the boys are showing no sign of slowing down.The voice of Michael Campbell rings out clearly, while managing to slot nicely into the mix. Laid bare against subtle production, it feels intimate, and gives a sense…

Album Review: Pale Waves – ‘Who Am I?’

by Emily Duff Manchester outfit, Pale Waves, have just dropped their second album, ‘Who Am I?’, which is a huge move away from their debut, ‘My Mind Makes Noise’, due to the band’s crazy experience in the near-3 years since its release. Heather’s lyricism demonstrates the beginning of truly questioning themselves – as implied by…

‘The Symphony’ – Brand New Single From Static Satellites.

It’s a new year and Static Satellites are back, welcoming us in to the month of February with open arms and a brand new single. ‘The Symphony’ is the latest single and the second track due to feature on their upcoming debut EP, also featuring previously released ‘Fortify’.Prior to the hellfire experience that was last…

Single Review: ‘Finite’ by Layaway

by Michael Cameron Layaway have blasted into 2021 prepped with their first release of the year – ‘Finite.’ Recorded, mixed and mastered by lead singer Stewart Mathieson, ‘Finite’ is dominated by a great combination of his commanding lyrics and the solid musicianship of his bandmates Rob, Euan and Fraser. A real sense of melancholy hangs…

Single Review: Beafets – Open Letter

East Kilbride, indie four-piece Beafets released their new single Open Letter earlier this month and we have had it on repeat since! Trust us when we say that it definitely worth checking out. With melodic guitar riffs, buoyant rhythm guitar and poetic lyrics, Open Letter is reminiscent of bands such as The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys…

Single Review: Pale Waves – She’s My Religion

by Emily Duff Pale Waves have just dropped ‘She’s My Religion’, the second track to be released from their upcoming album Who Am I?. A track following the story of a cynical girl and the speaker’s love for her, it fights against the usual stigma that darker characters are unlovable and Hollywood’s preference for positive…

The Music Files: Ones to Watch 2021

We’re celebrating our first birthday and after a jam-packed year of discovering some of the best bands / musicians in the music scene. we just had to share with you our ones to watch… Garden Party – selected by Ryan Mcconnell: ‘Their single ‘In The Middle’ is undoubtedly one of my favourite tracks over the last 12…

The Music Files Top Tracks of the Year – Part 3 (no 20 -11)

We continue the countdown of our favourites tracks of 2020… Make sure you view part 1 here and part 2 here. In no particular order here is numbers 20 to 11… Number 20: Emma Kelly – Drunk Released: June 5th Selected by Orla Brady: ‘It seems only suitable to listen to this track from Emma Kelly…

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