IT'S ALL INDIE

Bursting out from Spokane, United States, is Danny Suede, who has recently released his new track titled "shadows on the pavement". The new offering from the American singer-songwriter has already shot to the top of his most popular songs on Spotify, and I can easily tell why from the very first minute. ... a shimmering, uplifting slice of bedroom pop that feels made for sunny days. The opening sequence of the song is a delicate balance of acoustic guitar mixed with his serene vocals and a dash of electronic pulses just to get you all warmed up. For me, the fusion of bedroom pop and alternative pop sounds reminded me of an early Ed Sheeran as he was about to take over the British music scene. With that in mind, it sounds like Danny is also going in that direction. It is such an uplifting track and has brilliant shimmering moments that make this an unmistakably top pick for your Sunkissed playlists. He is an artist who is on the rise, so be sure to listen to him as soon as you...

The Kellows drops the ambitious new tune, "How Many Signs"

The Sheffield-based band The Kellows return with "How Many Signs", with this new song showcasing how ambitious the quartet truly are. It's a very melodic indie rock anthem that truly showcases all of their talents. ... a melodic, timeless UK indie rock anthem that proves The Kellows are a rising force built to go the distance. It's a bit more of a laid-back affair, with this one not being so frantic, but it absolutely highlights that the band really do shine when the tempo is slightly lower. We need to stop comparing them to bands from their home city, as they are rapidly turning into a band that others will soon be influenced by. It's such a charging track, with the vocals being one of the most prominent features, alongside driving guitars and a punching backline that will certainly hook you from the get-go. To me, this sounds like the kind of track that listeners of Radio X would absolutely love. With the likes of BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, and multiple online sites...

Olivia Booth drops her alt-rock banger, "FROZEN"

Manchester-based rising artist Olivia Booth has today delivered a fierce alt-rock punch with her striking new single "Frozen." The track just came out hours ago, but thankfully we got a pre-release stream. I can personally say that I have been enjoying it for the last week since I first landed my ears upon it. It's got an incredible intro that highlights her emotion and vocal prowess from the get-go. As soon as the drums come in, the track steadily builds with extra layers of guitar and a haunting synth tone that just buzzes away in the background before it ultimately erupts at the 1.5-minute mark into an incredibly strong indie rock cut. ... a fierce, gritty alt-rock track bursting with Manchester indie energy and powerful vocal prowess. There's that undeniable Manchester indie grit in the song, and it has a tremendous amount of indie rock energy that is just swirling around the scene in the UK at the moment. There are a lot of acts that are rising out of the Manches...

The Snake Preachers drops their eclectic new tune, "Half Past Midnight"

Coming out of Melbourne/Naarm, Australia, is the outfit The Snake Preachers, and they have recently revealed their moody and groovy new cut, "Half Past Midnight". It's once again a shining example of the incredible music scene that they have down in Australia. Even though this is their first single since 2024, it certainly sounds like they have been touring all over the country already. ... a dark, cinematic masterpiece blending post-punk grit with psych-blues flair and timeless Australian swagger. The track seemingly blends a post-punk edge with some bluesy and psychedelic moments that really help to bring together quite the dark and haunting soundscape. It's incredibly cinematic, and at over five minutes long, it is the type of track that you feel like you'll be well acquainted with by the time it finishes. It reminds me, in places, of The Last Shadow Puppets and even Nick Cave, with lots of charming guitar solos that help to prove their masterclass for all to h...

Alla Igityan reveals her new acoustic gem, "Then It Hits Me"

Berlin-based singer-songwriter Alla Igityan has returned with a deeply resonant acoustic gem in her new single, "Then It Hits Me". Since the year started, she has released a quartet of singles with over 30,000 plays on the new songs, and this new offering is certainly going to add heavily to that. ... a deeply resonant and comforting acoustic folk-pop track that soothes the soul with delicate strings and intimate vocals. It's a very grounded and delicate track, which has plenty of indie folk-pop vibes, combined with soothing string moments and, of course, her intimate vocals that carry plenty of emotion. It is one of those genuinely organic acoustic tracks that can transform your day. It's so relaxing that it can help put to ease all the issues that you might be facing and reminds me almost of Laura Marling at moments, but with more soul and tempo. With her first original English-language song coming out back in 2018, there are plenty of wonderful songs for you to get...

Maze Cricket reveals the immersive new single, "Stranger."

Thessaloniki, Greece-based producer Maze Cricket has recently revealed an immersive and haunting new track titled "Stranger". Released at the perfect time of year, when the nights seem to get longer and creep into your day a lot earlier than ever, this dark pop track has plenty of layers for you to get stuck into. ... a haunting dark pop gem pairing angelic vocals with a scintillating, sub-heavy bassline. One thing I liked was the simplistic beat and electronic sounds that bounce off it, alongside somewhat gorgeous and angelic vocals that sound equally bright yet somewhat mysterious. Backed by 22 years of classical piano training, the artist has seemingly blended in lots of aesthetics that can really resonate with new listeners and old listeners alike. I don't know too much about the Greek music scene, but if this is an example, it could be a vastly underrated country for rising musical artists. This is certainly the kind of track you need to turn up to the max whilst on...

Maddison Breen drops the emotive new cut, "swings and roundabouts"

Coming out of the scene in the Gold Coast, Australia is singer-songwriter Maddison Breen, and today sees the release of the striking new single, "swings and roundabouts". I'd like to just start off with some initial notes from when I first heard the track. The intro alone reminded me of the very best piano-driven tracks that Coldplay have ever released and also gave me massive nostalgic moments for the late 2000s (when the likes of Keane were dominating the airwaves in the UK). ... a striking, nostalgia-infused alt-pop single blending cinematic piano lines with Britpop-inspired vocal emotional weight. Vocally, this sounds like a better version of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and is far more polished in terms of the quality of her voice and the notes that she can hit and the emotions, too. Having been born in the UK, she has certainly got a big influence from the Britpop scene, and you can certainly hear that here, with tones that even sound like The Beatles in places. If th...

Sirenglas shares the hypnotic track, "Still You Move"

Vancouver-based dark electronic project Sirenglas is back with their hypnotic new cut, "Still You Move". As soon as you hit play on this track, you can easily hear how moody and atmospheric it is, with a slight trance beat seemingly intertwined with the vocals, bringing in plenty of atmosphere. As soon as the drum beat comes in, your body will be pumping to the beat. ... a dark and hypnotic EBM track blending industrial beats and synth-pop vibes into a relentless late-night anthem. It's a dark and hypnotic EBM track that pairs darkwave sounds and some industrial beats to give it that dark, late-night vibe. Of the five singles to date this year, this one is the best of the bunch and truly showcases that this act can easily break beyond borders with their unique blend of sounds. It's got a great BPM to it, which gives it a solid workout rhythm, with a subtle hint of '80s synth-pop vibes helping to bring it all together in the background. This is certainly a track th...

heavyskint drop their belter of a track, "Headstone"

Glasgow, Scotland risers heavyskint deliver a fierce, atmospheric punch with their fourth single, "Headstone". As soon as I saw this track land in my inbox, I knew that I was going to be enjoying it. Even though it was released just a week ago, I probably feel like I am responsible for a good percentage of the overall plays on Spotify. They are one of the most exciting acts to come out of Scotland in the last few years, and they have been recently nominated for the Sound of Young Scotland award, which, to me, is no surprise. ... a fierce, post-punk-infused indie rock power trip packed with 90s guitar grit and soundtrack-ready swagger. We've previously had them on the website, and if you are new to them, they are a five-piece that blends together alt-rock sounds with a strong amount of post-punk revival grit, with a dash of 90s guitars. You could almost put them into that early- to mid-2000s indie rock scene and they would not be out of place. This is yet another string to...

Javier Batista reveals his new single, "Eden"

Coming out of Mebane, North Carolina is singer-songwriter Javier Batista, and after 17 years away from music, he has made a triumphant return with "Eden". It's a very warming indie-folk track that blends together plenty of organic acoustic guitar work and even smatterings of piano tones. Considering that he has been away for 17 years, this sounds like the kind of single that is going to be an instant, timeless classic. ... a deeply authentic and warming indie-folk return that feels like an instant, timeless classic. There is a delightful nostalgic warmth to this song, with his vocals beckoning you forwards. Even on the first play, I found myself leaning into this track more than I usually would, as it just felt like I was listening to an artist I've heard thousands of times before. His vocals are tremendous, and the production values on this song are also quite delightful. Be sure to keep an ear out for the backing vocals towards the second half of the song, as that i...