Kat Koan

25 BEST TRACKS OF 2025… So Far

Posted on by JL

ALL TOGETHER


.
TRACK BY TRACK

– 1 –

Band: THE SLOW READERS CLUB
Who: Alt-pop rockers
from Manchester, UK.

Track: BOY SO BLUE
Single from their notable 7th album,
Out Of A Dream released last March.

“‘Although it’s a big, joyous dance track, it’s about hiding deep emotional pain and trauma and how hedonistic coping mechanisms, like drugs, alcohol, and womanizing, are just temporary distractions. They ultimately fuel a self-destructive cycle. There’s a deliberate contrast between the euphoria of the music and the melancholy of the lyrics, capturing the subject’s duality of light and darkness.”

TUTV: This is what great pop-ular music is all about. Big tune, big emotions, big orchestration. Euphorically cacthy despite its dramatic ‘real life‘ story. Aftermath
soul-searching can work cathartically, and here it sounds pretty boosting.

24 Carat pearl.
Hands down.

Linktree – Spotify
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– 2 –

Band: PANIC SHACK
Who: 4 pop punkettes from Wales. In 2022 they
released their 6-track debut EP Baby Shack.

Track: GIRL BAND STARTER PACK
Single from their forthcoming self-titled
debut LP, out this Friday, on July 18th.

TUTV: These utterly cool Welsh punkettes drive you bonkers with
this bass-insane punk ‘n’ roll uppercut. Kick-ass band, kick-ass attitude,
kick-ass blast.

Party! Party! Party!

Instagram – Linktree
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– 3 –

Band: PUNCHBAG
Who: A new brother-sister party duo, from South London colliding the raw unfiltered energy of punk, with the overflowing ecstasy of pop. With fierce tempos and ferocious energy, their music is an explosively cathartic release of raw intensity and unapologetic fun.

Track: I’M NOT YOUR PUNCHBAG
From their same titled debut EP,
released last May.

TUTV: Ecstasy. Elation. Exhilaration. This flamboyant electro-slam makes
you bounce and jump like mad. Punchbag kick you in the teeth without
asking while having uppercut fun. And they’ve only just started.

Amazeballs.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 4 –

Artist: FANCLUBWALLET
Who: Canadian outfit led by
songstress Hannah Judge from
Ottawa.

Track: COTTON MOUTH

“I wrote this one when I was feeling stuck and stagnant, but when I finally
brought it to the band they really breathed new life into it and made it feel
magic again!!”

TUTV: This sickly sticky steam-riff-roller drives me crazy. Head-twisting stonker.

Instagram – Spotify
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– 5 –

Band: BOB VYLAN
Who: Controversial hip-punk-hop
duo from London.

Track: DREAM BIGGER.
A re-worked, re-named jackhammer single from
their 3rd album, Humble As The Sun released
last April.

TUTV: It features roasting vocals by the fantastic Australian punk
daredevil Amyl Taylor from Amyl And The Sniffers. She’s the perfect
sharp-mouthed match for this fierce flametrohwer.


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Instagram – Linktree
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– 6 –

Band: KNEECAP
Who: Belfast‘s sharp-mouthed, notorious rap team KNEECAP – Mo Chara,
Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí – hip & hop around with a knife between their
teeth since 2017.

So far they released 2 albums.

Lately, they make headlines with their loud and clear, ongoing support for Palestine.
They got heavily critiqued for it when they played Coachella Festival in Indo, California
last April.

Then the UK’s right wing politicians jumped into it, and prosecuted Mo Chara after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah last November (no verdict yet), and tried to get them banned from playing Glastonbury Festival next week. It gained them, rightly so, countless support from musical colleagues and fans.

To emphasize the whole political charade, the band just released a new single, named
THE RECAP, going after Tory politician, business and trade minister Kemi Badenoch who started to hunt them back in 2023 when he withdrew an arts grant awarded to the band.

The trio brought a discrimination case against the U.K. government
and won, donating the proceeds to Belfast community groups. Yes!

Free Palestine.
SHOUT! SHOUT! SHOUT!

Instagram – Linktree
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– 7 –

Artist: JEHNNY BETH
Who: France-born, former frontwoman of
female post-punk band Savages (2011-2017)

Track: OBSESSION
Single from her upcoming, 2nd solo LP,
baptized You Heartbreaker You. It’ll
land on August 29th.

Beth: “We’re living in a dark time, full of drama and barbarous tragedy.
It became clear to me that, in these times, we either learn how to scream
really well, or we learn how to whisper.”

TUTV: With this savage industrial shocker it’s crystal clear what Beth meant
when she talked about her amadant intention to make an agressive sound
on her new record. Obsession is a nine inch nails bombshell. Volcanic
2025 gloom and doom eruption.

Helter skelter.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 8 –


Press photo by Damien Sayell

Band: MCLUSKY
Who: Notorious Welsh noiseniks feat. angry man
Andrew Falkous, also the mastermind of Future
Of The Left.

Track: CHEKHOV’S GUNS
Piece from their 4th full length, called
The World Is Still Here And So Are We.

TUTV: Post-punk aggression at its Mclusky‘s sharp-biting best,
gas-powered by a cast iron bass/drum tandem, schizo guitars
and Falkous‘s intimidating sneering.

Chop, chop, chop.


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Instagram – Linktree
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– 9 –


Photo by his wife Daryl Hannah

Band: NEIL YOUNG & THE CHROME HEARTS
Who: You know who.

Track: LETS ROLL AGAIN

Single from the brand new excellent
LP, named Talkin’ To The Trees.

TUTV: No pension whatsoever for the incomparable 79-year-old rocker in
the free world. Middle-finger straight up, in the face of billionaire monkeys.

“If you’re a fascist, then get a Tesla”

Instagram – Linktree
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– 10 –

Band: WHOLES
Who: A fresh, rowdy hit team led by Belgian
 musical chameleon Wolf Vanwymeersch.

Track: MODERN DAY DRAMA
Single from their upcoming debut LP
‘A Mass In The Water, which lands
on 14 November.


Single artwork by Maxime Rouquart

TUTV: This hellraiser’s ominous mid-tempo dynamics, distorted vocals, and
riff-roasting razzmatazz resonate like if you are listening to the goosebumps
theme song of a horror movie.

Creepy tension in the air, melodrama about to happen. Yes, at the 2.30 minute
mark all hell breaks loose. Decibels up, amps up, temperature up. From a whisper
to a scream. From planet Earth to Dante‘s inferno.


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Instagram – Facebook – Bandcamp
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– 11 –


Press photo by Danny Clinch

Band: ARCADE FIRE
Who: The famous pop-rock
collective from Canada.

Track: YEAR OF THE SNAKE
First single from their forthcoming 7th album, named
Pink Elephant ready for release on May 9th. 2025 is
the ‘year of the snake‘ in the Chinese Zodiac.

TUTV: It’s a sublime, crystalline pop nugget, with its hypnotizing guitar riff,
the non-stop banging drum beat and the intertwined, spellbinding vocals of
Win Butler and his spouse Régine Chassagne.

Sterling stroke.

Instagram – Shop
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– 12 –


New album artwork

Band: PULP
Who: Sheffield‘s guitar-pop heroes
fronted by the charismatic songsmith
Jarvis Cocker.

Track: SPIKE ISLAND
single from their first LP in 24 years.
More came out on June 6th.

TUTV: A vintage, mid-tempo, pop thrill with a grandiose
chorus. Wake up common people, here’s some more pulp.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 13 –

Band: THE LATHUMS
Who: British folk rockers with a massive following,
countless Mumford & Sons fans included.

Track: HEARTBREAKER
From their 3rd LP, titled
Matter Does Not Define,
released last March.

TUTV: Expect an adrenalizing, hurly-burly track that drags you into
its head-over-heels flow, from the very start. Ridicously infectious.

Top-drawer earworm.

Instagram – Facebook
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– 14 –

Artist: BAXTER DURY
Who: The playboy son of his
late playboy father Ian.

Track: ALLBARONE
Title track of his 8th full-length,
available from September 12thn.

TUTV: Baxter invites us all to the dancefloor with
this ultra-contagious disco stomper. Jump in
Dury‘s gondola below.

Instagram – All Albums
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– 15 –


Credit: The Irrational Library

Band: THE IRRATIONAL LIBRARY
Who: The Irrational Library is a Dutch-American rock band with its roots
firmly planted in both the regional and international counterculture. The
Dutch-American band produces a raw, dirty groove influenced by punk,
provo and punk icons. Their poetry is packed with social criticism.

Track: TRUTH SERUM
First single from the quartet’s new, upcoming
5th LP ‘The Saying Of It All’. More details TBA.


Artwork by political cartoonist TRIK

TUTV: TIL is back in town. And they move and groove again with brio and gusto
motorized by a striking drum/bass tandem, while a 60s psychedelic flute flutters
like a butterfly throughout the song. Frontman Joshua Baumgarten draws your
aural attention (as usual) with his near-rapping phrasing of the clear-cut lyrics.

Gutsy groover.


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Instagram – Facebook
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– 16 –

Band: SKUNK ANANSIE
Who: Famous British noizz rockers,
fronted by the charismatic Skin.

Track: AN ARTIST IS AN ARTIST
Single from their 7th LP The Painfull Truth
which came out last May.

TUTV: An Artist Is An Artist is a sizzling sledgehammer
pushed by a mind-boggling speedy velocity, Skin‘s
hyperactive vocals, a paranoid sax and a flabbergasting chorus.

Skintastic flare-up.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 17 –

Artist: LAURA JANE GRACE
Who: Chicago‘s notorious singer-songwriter who’s around since the 90s.
She makes a lot of noise with her punk group Against Me! (7 albums so far)
and solo (2 albums so far).

Track: YOUR GOD (GOD’S DICK)

Grace: “Does God have a dick? Is that what those of the faith believe when they refer to their Lord as “he” & “him” & “father”? Well, imagine that! Oops, I think I may have imagined a little too hard and gone and written a song about it. He lord’s heavenly hammer must swing mighty! And away we go!”

TUTV: This is both a hilarious and punktastic choir chant reminiscent
of scream and shout Celtics Dropkick Murphys with a blustering storm
of surf riffs chainsawing your stereo into pieces.

Wowzers.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 18 –

Band: THE NEW EVES
Who: Must hear/see indies from Brighton (where everybody is in a band).
They cruise from folk to punk, using, besides traditional instruments (guitar,
bass and drums) also cello, flute, violin, and other classical gear.


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Track: HIGHWAY MAN
Piece from their upcoming debut longplayer
The New Eve Is Rising , out on August 1.

It’s a darkly-energised, female-first retelling of
writer/poet Alfred Noyes classic 1906 romantic
poem.

TUTV: These four musical mavericks don’t care about rock ‘n’ roll rules. They do what they want, the way they want to do it, annex unseen visual presence on stage and in video clips. On Highwayman they rattle and brattle full speed ahead motorized by restless drum/bass teamwork.

Here and there the tune, goes, eh, out of tune, and it sounds totally perfect for this emotional belter. No arty farty production for TNE. Winder-Lind‘s awesomely agitated vocals put a spell on you. My, oh my.

Instagram – Linktree – All Singles – Tour Dates
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– 19 –


Photo by Graham Noble

Band: DECLAN WELSH AND THE DECADENT WEST
Who: Post-rock-punk combo from Scotland. So far
they recorded/released two albums.

Track: CAREFREE

TUTV: A razzle-dazzle steamroller that gets under your skin faster
than you can say “this is bloody superb”. Its insane, mind-bending
course doubles your serotonin production on the spot.

Blimey.

Instagram – Linktree
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– 20 –

Artist: MARK STEWART
Who: One of the most adventurous/inventive/original post-punk & dub artists/performers
ever. He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group The Pop Group and released lots of solo and collaborative records. Unfortunately, he passed away 2 years ago,
only 62.

Track: MEMORY OF YOU
Single from Stewart‘s solo album The Fateful Symmetry,
that was completed early 2023, not long before his passing.

TUTV: Haunting, synth-symphonic and boom-tastic,
with Mark‘s characteristically energetic voice on top.

Mark Stewart Facebook – Mute Records
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– 21 –


Photo by Shelly Reese

Band: THE LIVING PINS
Who: Indie outfit featuring, Carrie Clark and Pam Peltz, who found each other on
the edge of the delicately ramshackle playground of the 1990s Austin (Texas)
music scene. They released their 4-track debut EP Let It Be So in 2023.

New single: GOLD

TUTV: Gold is a bluesy, foot-tapping garage ripper that has an instant impact on your greedy ears with its solid swagger, its gloriously cracking guitars, with a feverish solo somewhere in the middle, and its cool duet vocals.

Shake your booty.

Instagram – Facebook – Bandcamp
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– 22 –

Artist: LIFE COACH
Who: The musical project of singer-songwriter-poet Jamie Cameron. Hailing from
the Scottish Borders, the music blends lo-fi beats, synths and guitars with spoken word lyrics in which he discusses subjects ranging from politics and premonitions to self help culture, and a modern society obsessed with economic thinking.


Jamie Cameron

Track: SQUADDIES IN HAIR NETS
Highlight from his 2nd full length
A Love Letter To Your Yearning Heart,
released last May.

TUTV: Life Coach are on fire, again. This new rattling rap ‘n’ punk roll crackerjack
swings forth and back, left and right and Jamie Cameron’s full of vim and vigour
word-flow activates all of your insatiable limbs before he relaxes towards the
synthy end. Kinetic kick. Hands up for the coach.

Let the siren blare.


.
Instagram – Facebook
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– 23 –


Image Credit: Euripides Altintzoglou

Band: LIONS OF DISSIDENT
Who: Electrifying outfit from the Midlands (UK).
They released their debut album Ghost Behind You
in 2022.

Track: SIRENS AT THE SEA

Tim Baker (founder and creative director): “The best of what we do in one song,
it’s a tune that really carries the soul of everything good we have stood for over the
last ten years”.

TUTV: Expect electrifying energy from the kick-off. Delirious guitars set
the haywire tone and hyperventilating vocals augment the buzzing fuzz.
A modern-day post-punk roller coaster.

Rapturous ride.


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Instagram – Linktree
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– 24 –

Berlin-based artist KAT KOAN offers her first music of
the year with a new, jaunty little gem, called COCOON.

Koan: “It’s a little circus themed escape world. I wanted to create a bit of a dreamy
break from daily worries. It’s pretty crafty and full of cool instruments. It also features
my daughter for a brief moment. It’s my favourite song I’ve made so far.”

TUTV: Leave your own cocoon and move to Koan‘s one where she will treat
you with this lighthearted tune that swings in mid-tempo from left to right
and back.

It relaxes your mind, triggers you to set your busy plans on a hold, and invites
your body to have a waltz-y dance that transfers you to a utopian circus
place for a while, far away from our daily, suffocating rat race.

Don’t worry, be happy.


.
Linktree

– 25 –


So, who’s Yorke and who is Prichard?

Artists: THOM YORKE and MARK PRITCHARD.
Who: Radiohead & The Smile orchestrator and
the pioneering electronic musician/producer.

They had their first collaboration on a track called
Beautiful People which appeared on Pritchard‘s
2016 solo LP Under The Sun.

Track: BACK IN THE GAME
From their longplayer Tall Tales,
released last May.

TUTV: Spooky and trance-like electronic jam.
Mesmerizing and hypnotizing. Emotive vocals
by Yorke.

Instagram

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20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – FEBRUARY 2025

Posted on by JL

ALL TOGETHER


.
TRACK BY TRACK

– 1 –


Photo Credit: Kalpesh Lathigra

Artists: THE WAEVE
Who: Blur‘s guitarist Graham Coxon and
his partner and singer/keyboardist Rose
Elinor Dougall

They launched their rad sophomore album,
titled City Lights, last year, following their
splendid self-titled debut LP.

Track: LOVE IS ALL PAIN.

It’s the harbinger for a 3-track EP, titled
Eternal, that will be out on 14th March.

TUTV: The Waeve rock out big time on this new riveting ripper.
The glowing intensity at work here expands with a hair-rising
velocity as the stormy trip rushes on.

Never thought that painful love
could sound this invigorating .

The Waeve: Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 2 –

Band: THE SLOW READERS CLUB
Who: Alt-pop rockers from
Manchester, UK.

Track: BOY SO BLUE

Piece from their 7th album,
titled Out Of A Dream slated
for launch on 14 March 2025.

TUTV: 24 Carat pop gem. Hands down.

Linktree – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 3 –

Artist: LAURA JANE GRACE
Who: Chicago‘s notorious singer-songwriter who’s around since the 90s.
She makes a lot of noise with her punk group Against Me! (7 albums so far)
and solo (2 albums so far).

Track: YOUR GOD (GOD’S DICK)

Grace: “Does God have a dick? Is that what those of the faith believe when they refer to their Lord as “he” & “him” & “father”? Well, imagine that! Oops, I think I may have imagined a little too hard and gone and written a song about it. He lord’s heavenly hammer must swing mighty! And away we go! Here is the first offering from the songs I recorded over the summer in Athens, Greece while there on a Fellowship through the Onassis Foundation.”

TUTV: Your God (God’s Dick) is both a hilarious and fucktastic punk
choir chant reminiscent of scream and shout Celtics Dropkick Murphys
with a blustering storm of surf-like riffs chopping your stereo into
pieces.

Wowzers.

Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 4 –

Band: BIKINI BEACH
Who: Three turbulent indies
from Konstanz, Germany.

Track: MILES FROM MY MIND

Highlight from their brand new
boisterous 5th album Cursed.

TUTV: BB produce kamikaze electricity that electrocutes all the nerves
in your body. Ballistic hullabaloo to start a solo moshpit in your bedroom,
bathroom, kicthen, wherever you want. Just jump up and down like a
kangaroo on dope.


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Instagram – Linktree
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– 5 –

Band: CLUTTER
Who: Full-energized indies
from Stockholm, Sweden.

Track: KRAUT

From their upcoming debut EP
Loves You, out 11 April.

TUTV: From the get-go a rotating guitar riff and repetitive drum beat sneak
and creep under your skin until the very end. Kraut grooves and improves
unstoppably, while eager vocals roll over its hypnotic flow. Your head spins
around and all your other limbs join the ride on the spot. Ace.


.
Instagram – Spotify
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 6 –


So, who’s Yorke and who is Prichard?

Artists: THOM YORKE and MARK PRITCHARD.
Who: Radiohead & The Smile orchestrator and
the pioneering electronic musician/producer.

They had their first collaboration on a track called
Beautiful People which appeared on Pritchard‘s
2016 solo LP Under The Sun.

TUTV: They found each other again on this
spooky, trance-like, electro-catchy jam.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 7 –

Band: SUCK
Who: Ferocious punks
from Kassel, Germany.

Track: GIMME GABBA GABBA

TUTV: Right from the blistering start, these punk motherockers
trash and slash your shocked stereo speakers. No rest for the
wicked. Watch your back, Amyl & The Sniffers.

Gimme Suck Suck!

Linktree – Tour Dates EU
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 8 –

Band: LONELY LITTLE KITSH
Who: Canadian indie duo – Kristen Goetz and Nolan Jodes who took their name
from “…just another future song, lonely little kitsch” from the late genial Bowie‘s
1974 banger Diamond Dogs

Track: HOW DO WE GET HERE

Goetz (vocalist): “It’s a song about second chances vs. leaving the past behind.
When you reach a point that you can try again or keep moving on and making
progress… in this case, the decision is to keep going forward. It’s a Pixies meets
pop-punk track.”

TUTV: Fast forward we go from the kick-off. Power-driven pop punk fun all the way peaking when the high-voltage chorus kicks in. That’s why LLK got here in the top-10
of TUTV’s best tracks of this month.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 9 –


© Eva Vlonk

Band: HEISA
Who: Belgian LOUD rock trio whose sound draws influences from bands such as
Black Midi, Tool, Battles and Swans, blending dissonance with a strong sense of identity. Their music balances chaos and control, mixing unsettling atmospheres with hypnotic rhythms and sharp distortion.

Track: FLOWERS

2nd single from the band’s third LP
‘TROIS’, landing on March 28th.

TUTV: Flowers is a slow progressing outburst of earsplitting
noizz turmoil. Schizophrenic guitars, bashing drums, and eerie spooky vocals
conspire to mess up your head, the way you like it.

Instagram – Facebook
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 10 –

Artist: ANIKA
Who: Charismatic
Berlin-based sonsgtress.

Track: HEARSAY

First single from her upcoming 4th full length,
baptized Abyss and will drop on April 4th.

TUTV: Hearsay‘s sound resonates richer than before. The song has a rockin’ groove
and poised drive with a psychedelic effect. On top comes Anika‘s mesmerizing voice
and she tackles the polluting media brainwashing people. Rad effort.

Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 11 –

Band: LEATHERETTE
Who: Buzzing indie
trio from Italy.

Track: ITCHY

It’s a cathartic breakup song, blending the raw energy of post-punk with the angular charm of new wave. Written from the perspective of an inept and creepy protagonist, the track navigates the emotional chaos of a crumbling relationship, where frustration, anger, and reluctant self-realization collide.

TUTV: Indie guitar pop/rock at its piercing best.
Both unbridled and melodic, soundtracking
barbed emotions. Bone-chilling whack.

Instagram – Facebook
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 12 –

Band: VAZUM (Detroit, Michigan)
Who: Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm. They describe their sound as deathgaze,
combining the raw energy of deathrock with the depth of shoegaze. So far
the duo released six albums and a handful of singles and EPs.

Track: PRETTY BRUTAL

It’s the title song from the duo’s forthcoming album due later
this year. It follows last year’s acclaimed Western Violence LP.

TUTV: Vazum rock out with urgent panache and
puissance. Full steam ahead the first chord on.
Emily Sturms‘ sensual vocals add a sense of
seductive mysteriousness. Striking stroke.


.
Instagram – Facebook
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– 13 –

Band: THE BLACK KEYS
Who: The blues rock
luminaireers from Ohio.

Track: THE NIGHT BEFORE

A warm-up for their 2025 tour,
billed No Rain No Flowers.

TUTV: chipper feel-good pop tune as we got several
ones on last year’s highly entertaining LP Ohio Players.

Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 14 –


Photo by Laura Talja

Band: SLICERRR
Who: 4-piece garage-punk band from Helsinki, Finland. The band’s sound
is straightforward, brute and chaotic. The songs are bass-driven and catchy.

Track: LOSING MY GRIP

Opener from their brand new
self-titled debut EP. Discover
it here.

TUTV: If you want to lose your brain, than this sick mindfucker is what you need.
These Finnish dogs cut it sharp with a vicious bass-riff, shizo guitars and agressive
vocals. Helter-skelter.

Instagram – Bandcamp
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 15 –

Band: SKLOSS
Who: Formed in Austin, TX as a husband-and-wife duo between American drummer/vocalist Karen Skloss and Scottish guitarist/vocalist Sandy Carson
during the COVID lockdown.

Track: MIND HIVE

From their upcoming debut album The Pattern Speaks. Out on March7th.

TUTV: After a short cracking, distorted guitar intro all hell breaks loose. They
produce a raw and rough clangor that grabs you by the throat and holds its
firm grip all the way. No arty farty stuff for this garage punk blues tandem.

Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 16 –

Band: SMITT E. SMITTY & THE FEZZTONES
Who: Kooky Boston-based glam and glitter
rock octet.

Track: #1 MOST LIKELY

TUTV: Pure pop gem, feel-good injection, sticky easy-going booster. You
can sing along, swing along, shake along, whistle and hum along. Its merry
melody works like a magnet. It’s an all together now chant for all lovers out
there.

Until EVERYONE is convinced to be at least a tolerant human being, we
need to spread John Lennon’s All You Need Is Love message, like Smitt E.
Smitty and his flourishing party gang do their flamboyant way, on repeat.


.
Facebook – Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 17 –

Artist: KAT KOAN
Who: Femme fatale songstress
from Berlin, Germany.

Track: COCOON

Koan: “It’s a little circus themed escape world. I wanted to create a bit of a dreamy
break from daily worries. It’s pretty crafty and full of cool instruments. It also features
my daughter for a brief moment. It’s my favourite song I’ve made so far.”

TUTV: Step into Koan‘s cocoon. It relaxes your mind, triggers you to set your busy plans
on a hold, and invites your body to have a waltz-y dance that transfers you to a utopian circus place for a while, far away from our daily, suffocating rat race.

Don’t worry, be happy.


.
Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 18 –


📷 Kate Russell Photography

Artists: COCOROSIE
Who: Folktronica siblings Sierra Rose Rosie”
and Bianca Leilani “Coco” Casady

Track: YESTERDAY

Single from 8th album in 20 years. It’s named
Little Death Wishes. It comes out on 28th March.

TUTV: Trippy, cheerful and jaunty vibes.
Listen to it yesterday today and tomorrow
too. It’ll put a big smile on your face.

Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 19 –


Photo by Simmcat

Artist: ADULT MATTERS
Who: The solo project of Luigi Bussotti. 90’s guitars,
honest and brutal lyrics. Their music is a secret
diary of a non-binary queer person.

Track: SUPERMAN

TUTV: Jazzy, saxy, and impassioned ebullience.
Sky-scraping vocality and ardent horns. Masterly
composition.


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Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________

– 20 –

Band: STEREOPHONICS
Who: The Welsh rock heroes.

Track: THERE’S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMETHING

First shared song from their upcoming 13th LP, called
Make ’em Laugh, Make ’em Cry, Make ’em Wait on
April 25.

TUTV: A sweet little melancholic gem you can sing/hum/whistle
along. Okay, it’s Sterephonics by numbers, but a good number.

Instagram – Linktree

KAT KOAN – Berlin Songstress Invites You For A Jaunty Circus Waltz On Her New Single ‘COCOON’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

13 February 2025

Berlin-based artist KAT KOAN offers her first music of
the year with a new, jaunty little gem, called COCOON.

Koan: “It’s a little circus themed escape world. I wanted to create a bit of a dreamy
break from daily worries. It’s pretty crafty and full of cool instruments. It also features
my daughter for a brief moment. It’s my favourite song I’ve made so far.”

TUTV: Hello people, leave your own cocoon and move to Koan‘s one where she will treat you with her new lighthearted tune that swings in mid-tempo from left to right and back.

It relaxes your mind, triggers you to set your busy plans on a hold, and invites your body to have a waltz-y dance that transfers you to a utopian circus place for a while, far away from our daily, suffocating rat race.

Don’t worry, be happy.


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Linktree

20 BEST BALLADS OF 2024

Posted on by JL

ALL TOGETHER

TRACK BY TRACK

Band: THE MYSTERINES
Who: Impassioned powerhouse pop indies from
Liverpool fronted by ravishing voice Lia Metcalfe.

Track: SO LONG
From their 2nd LP
Afraid Of Tomorrows.

Haunting femme fatale tragedy.

Linktree
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Artist: BILL RYDER-JONES
Who: Singer-songwriter who was co-founder
of Merseyside heroes The Coral.

Track: THIS CAN’T GO ON
Piece from his 6th solo LP
Lechyd Da.

Choral magnificence.

Instagram – Spotify
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Artist: NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

Track: WILD GOD
Title song from their
18th full length.

Orchestral grandeur.

Linktree
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Artist: T BONE BURNETT
Who: Legendary American songsmith and lauded producer who worked
with many greats (Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, John Mellencamp and many
more) and scored movie soundtracks all through his long career.

Track: WAITING FOR YOU
From his intimate and warm
longplayer The Other Side.

Goosebumps beauty.

Linktree
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Band: FAT WHITE FAMILY
Who: Notorious UK squad, led by the charismatic
voice/songwriter/author Lias Saoudi.

Track: RELIGION FOR ONE
From their 4th and best LP
Forgiveness Is Yours.

Enigmatic tearjerker.

Instagram – Spotify
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Peter Murphy – photo by Jolene Siana / Boy George – photo by Dean Stockings

Artists: PETER MURPHY and BOY GEORGE
Bauhaus maestro and Culture Club voice/face.

LET THE FLOWERS GROW
The song was originally written by Boy George with its initial message being
“one of
personal acceptance about being gay. As the song developed, it took on a more expansive and universal scope with its lyrics extending beyond sexuality and embracing race, gender, creed and religion.”

Epic.

Boy George – Peter Murphy
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Artist: PETER PERRETT
Who: Former frontman of legendary British new
wavers The Only Ones (1976–1982, 2007–2017)

Track: FOUNTAIN OF YOU
Song from his 3rd solo album
The Cleansing.

Still a romantic at heart.

Instagram

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Band: HEARSING
Who: Long-time American
musical friends.

Track: SILICON PRAIRIE
Opener of the tandem’s 5-track
debut EP Pastoral.

“The song incorporates themes of longing and desperation I felt in my own
life at the time that found a home in anecdotes of the desert and its characters
experiencing these feelings for reasons far removed from my reality.”

Americana tristesse in motion.

Linktree


Press photo by 📸: Dean Chalkley

Artist: RICHARD HAWLEY
Who: British master of melancholia.

Track: HEAR THAT LONESOME WHISTLE BLOW
Reverie from his 10th LP In This City They Call You Love.

Fanciful idealisation.

Instagram
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Artists: THE GLASS HOURS
Who: American songwriters Brad Armstrong and Megan Barbera.
Their music blurs between Sunday afternoon country-folk and
the golden age of the 1970s.

Track: SAME OLD YOU
From their heartfelt
self-titled debut LP.

Bittersweet country magic.

Website – Instagram
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Artist: KAT KOAN
Who: Entrancing songstress
from Berlin.

Track: DREAM GIRL

Whispering nightclub sensuality.


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Linktree

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Artist: KIM DEAL

Track: ARE YOU MINE?
Song from her solo debut album
Nobody Loves You More.

Captivating love song for her mother.


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Linktree
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Band: THE BLACK KEYS

Track: ON THE GAME
Song from their 12th, bluesy dream pop,
longplayer Ohio Players. Stellar record.

Spellbinding.

Instagram
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Artist: OLIVER HOHLBRUGGER
Who: Norwegian songwriter.

Track: BLACK CANVAS.

“It’s about that someone you’ll never be with and that you allow to remain
inside you as a perfect unspoiled thing, yet still you measure and hold your
real relationship up against it. It’s a dream, an illusion, an unfair fantasy.
Nothing and therefore able to be perfect.”

Yearning amorousness.

Linktree
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Band: THE SMILE
Who: Two radioheads – Thom Yorke and
Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner.

Track: Instant Psalm
Highlight from their 3rd and
best full-length Cutouts.

Vintage Thom York blues.

Instagram
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Band: MGMT
Who: Psych-pop star duo
from Connecticut, US.

Track: PHRADIE’S SONG
Composition from their 5th LP
Loss Of Life.

Candlelight sensibility.


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Instagram
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Band: MONOSCOPES
Who: Italian psych-pop act.

Track: HEY ATLAS
Cut from their notable 2nd full
length Endcyclopedia.

Starry-eyed nostalgia.


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Instagram – Spotify
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Artist: JOHNNY CASH
The immortal country icon.

Track: HELLO OUT THERE
One of the 11 self-penned songs from 1993 that weren’t
released until now, on the new longplayer Songwriter.

Affecting as ever.

Instagram
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Artist: RINGO STARR
No pension for 85-year beatle.

Track: TIME ON MY HANDS
Starr goes country again. New LP
Look Up out early next year.

Little drummer boy.

Instagram
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Band: THE VEILS
Who: New Zealand‘s guitar-pop veterans
centered around singer/songwriter Finn Andrews .

Track: THE LADDER
From new, upcoming 6th LP Asphodels
that will arrive on January 24th.

Endearing moments.

Linktree – Spotify

20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – OCTOBER 2024

Posted on by JL

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

Band: STRAND
Who: Power pop quartet from Dublin, Ireland which
changed their group’s name from Soundstrand to just
Strand.

Track: PROGRESS
Their first single as Strand, part from their
upcoming 5-track EP that’ll land early next
year.

“Progress is a song about changing places, people and times.”

TUTV: Epic. Grandiose. Staggering. Amplified guitar-pop at its mind-blowing best.
Get the exciting picture? Progress has a promptly goosebumps impact. It’s one of
those not-everyday puissant standout tunes that overwhelms your emotions from
the first listen.


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Linktree
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Artist: FATHER JOHN MISTY
Who: Drummer for dream pop ensemble
Fleet Foxes from 2008 until 2012.

Now he’s almost ready to launch his new solo album
named Mahashmashana. It arrives on November 22.

Track: SHE CLEANS UP

A solid retro rocker. Something we’re not really
hear often from the well-known crooner.

Instagram
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Band: AVALANCHE PARTY
Who: Hefty bohos from Yorkshire, UK.

Track: JOHN COLTRANE’S MOSCOW SKYSCRAPER
Definitely one of this year’s weirdest song titles.

TUTV: I have no clue what this vociferous punk headbutt has to do with
the late legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, but this deafening
wall-of-hells-bells havoc we experience here isn’t exactly a bebop tune.

Imagine two trains coming from opposite directions at an insane
speed crashing into each other. That’s what happens here. Beware.


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Linktree
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Band: AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS
Who: The punk rock whirlwind from down
under fronted by the utterly cool Amyl Tylor.

Track: JERKIN’
One of the singles of their brand
new 3rd LP Cartoon Darkness.

Another punktastic Aussie outburst.

Instagram – Website
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Band: DITZ
Who: Post-punk dropouts
from Brighton, UK.

The turbulent bohemians have their sophomore LP, named
Never Exhale. It’ll show up on 25 January 2025. Pre-order
info here.

Track: SPACE/SMILE

TUTV: Space/Smile is a slash/trash stormer, pushed by fulminating percussion,
schizo guitars and fronman Francis‘ spitting and sneering, fueled by his three
lungs, without breathing, for 108 seconds. DITZ is a mean raging machine.
They mess up your head, whether you like it or not.

Linktree – Bandcamp
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Band: THE SMILE
Who: 2 radioheads, Thom Yorke and Jonny
Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner.

Track: ZERO SUM

From Cutouts their new, 3rd LP
in just 2 years. Their best.

This is a far-out highlight. Motorik Kraut-rock dynamics
boggle your mind from start to finish. Masterstroke.


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Instagram – Spotify
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Artist: GAVIN FRIDAY
Who: The former flamboyant spearhead of Irish
new art wave act Virgin Prunes (1977-1986).

Track: THE CHURCH OF LOVE
Piece from his brand new album
Ecce Homo.

24-carat dancefloor stomper.
Trust me, you’ll want to join
Friday‘s church afterward.


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Instagram
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Band: HEARTWORMS
Who: Psych-pop act led by fast up-and-coming British songstress Jojo Orme.
They drew a lot of aural attention with last year’s EP A Comforting Notion.

The band have now announced details of their debut LP. It’s baptized
Glutton For Punishment and will land on 25th February 2025.

Track: WARPLANE

Warplane is a head-over-heels missile that speeds up sky-high from the get-go, propelled by a disco-vibe infused synth/guitar/bass collaboration and Orme‘s feverish vocals rollin’ all over it. Every time the choir-like chorus comes up your adrenalin’s production doubles . Supersonic stunner.

Linktree
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Press photo

Artist: LAUREN MAYBERRY
Who: Scottish frontwoman of
synth-pop act Chrvches.

Track: SOMETHING IN THE AIR
From her forthcoming solo debut,
out December 6.

Something In The Air is a gigantic tune, a bone-chilling piece of
elevating music with an ace chorus and Mayberry‘s crystal voice
going sky-high.

Instagram – Spotify
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Act: COLD CAVE
Who: Otherworldly LA synth-Goth-wave project.
The brainchild of Wesley Eisold.

Track: HOURGLASS
Single from their new,
3rd longplayer Passion Depression.

A New Order-esque synth-pop gem.
Glossy, trippy, and effervescent.

Linktree
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Artist: KAT KOAN
Who: Berlin-based singer-songwriter.

Track: LOOSE WOMAN

Press info: A light-hearted, humorous, autobiographical documentation of a semi-dramatic nervous breakdown that happend when “one morning all plans went pear-shaped and patience went down the drain”. No longer feeling the need to pretend that everything is shiny and running smoothly, Koan lets rip on this catchy tongue-in-cheek art-pop tune. Influenced by her favourite artist Baxter Dury (yes, the son of).

TUTV: Koan‘s most explicit, unbridled and personal reflection/introspection
so far, bundled in a sensual bass-juiced melody with a nightclub vibe. Explicit?
Well, life itself is explicit, right? Let us dump our shit, ignore what people think,
and feel loose.


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Linktree
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Press photo by LaMendola

Band: GIRL TONES
Who: High-energy rock duo brought to life by two sisters, Kenzie and Laila. Both classically trained musicians, Kenzie transitioned from cello to guitar and Laila from piano to drums in an effort to electrify sentient beings from this galaxy to the next.

Track: FADE AWAY

TUTV: Who needs a Hole reunion if we have these two rock chicks who challenge your
stereo’s potency with inflammable swagger and ablaze gusto. Aggressive guitars, battering
drums, fiery vocals, and a hell-bloody-helly-yeah chorus.

Instagram – Website
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Single artwork

Band: DUMB POSH HIPPIES (hilarious name!)
Who: Psych-influenced, three-piece punk band from
Dublin/Derry with a love for big riffs and pace.

Track: SCRUNCHED UP FIST

Ciarán Fitz (vocalist/guitarist): “This is definitely one of the most outright punkers we have, probably. ‘Scrunched Up Fist’ was literally written in the jam room in 10 minutes. Matthew and James were just playing this thing as I was coming back from a smoke, and I knew I had lyrics
in my phone that would work with it. Added some guitar but not much, and it was donezo”

TUTV: Wham bloody wham bam. Expect a sharp-splitting punk rock juggernaut. Amps up and full steam ahead. No rest for the wicked with this razor-blade cutting, head over heels bombshell spiced with sneering vocals. Wham bloody wah-wah guitars bam. Scrunched Up Fist hits your face really hard. Hurry-scurry stroke.


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Instagram
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Band: DHARMA GUNS
Who: 4 indie rockers
from Helsinki, Finland.

Track: M.I.D.L.I.F.E. CRISIS
Third shared cut from their upcoming debut LP
Ex-Generation Superstars, out November 1st.

Pete (singer): “Some guys buy fast cars and fell for younger women; others purchase expensive guitars and hang them on the wall. And some of us wish to leave a mark in history and/or do the right thing. The verse riff is a bit ‘stonesian’ whereas the chorus of the song is a classical punk rock sing-a-long.”.

TUTV: Yes! Yes! Do you need a badass booster today to get you through the outside
rat race? Here it comes. Dharma Guns offer you a noisy piece of rock’n boogie ‘roll to test your stereo’s resilience with. Think The Black Crowes with a 70s Britpunk attitude. Get the picture? You’ll never get a midlife crisis with these Finnish wackadoos. Yes! Yes!

Instagram – Spotify
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Band: THE WOOD
Who: Indie duo from
the UK.

Track: LET IT LOOSE
Cut from their debut LP Days,
out on November 20.

TUTV: This guitar/drum beat-driven groove melt Southern rock and Motown soul, with its glowing horns and backing gospel vocals. Well, that’s what my ears tell me. Anyway, this catching cracker will active several of your limbs.

Linktree
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Artist: JAMES BAY

Track: GO ON
From the English award-winning songsmith’s his
new, 4th longplayer Changes All The Time.

Tune. Tune. Tune.
Voice. Voice. Voice.

Instagram – Spotify
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Photo by Emily Joy Ashman

Band: THE BROTHER STEREO
Who: Alt-rockers from Massachusetts led by songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist Michael Robert Kelly.

Track: The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)

Kelly: “It’s about being at the top of your game and being a human under a lot of pressure. It’s about the superficiality of the people you meet, keeping up the facade of fame in the eyes of the world and trying to relate to others… I just had Hollywood in mind for some reason and what it must be like for people who are so famous and desirable they can’t walk down the street. Then what it’s like to be the person who used to be that famous and the shit you get for not being as ‘perfect’ or ‘beautiful’ as you used to be. Washed up, if you will.”

Infectious, mixed emotions piece
that moves and grooves with a
doom and gloom sonority.


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Linktree
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Photo credit: Alex Lake

Band: MANIC STREET PREACHERS
Who: Welsh veteran heroes.

Track: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
Singe from their upcoming 15th LP. It’s baptized
Critical Thinking and will be rolled out on
31st January 2025.

As on their last 2 albums the Manics, sonically, go poppy and
mainstream again (and they’re good at it). The days of barbwire
rock are long gone.

It’s the first single with bassist
and lyricist Nicky Wire on vocals.

Instagram – Website
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Credit Kelly Davidson

Band: GIRL WITH A HAWK
Who: The musical moniker of songstress Linda Viens
and some of Boston‘s rock legends working together.

Track: #VOTE (Rock The Boat)

Viens: “Most of us do not want to live in a world where LGBTQ+ people are not safe;
where people of color are not safe, or have the same opportunities as whites; where children are being gunned down daily; where books and education are devalued; and where women don’t have control over their own bodies. No candidate is perfect. We must vote while we still can, especially in this election, to ensure that future generations continue to have the sacred power of their freedom, their choices, and their voices.

TUTV: This song was written about 20 years ago by a Boston musician when George W. Bush was running for re-election against Massachusetts’ own John Kerry and it’s highly relevant again.

GWAH, rockers at heart, turned the encouraging tune, into a jaunty country folk pop
gem you can hum, sing and whistle along all day long. Here in Europe, we are also waiting with anticipation for the election results. Whoever wins the White House, it’ll have an impact on the rest of the world. Here in Europe want democracy to prevail, it takes care of humanity in all aspects. While waiting for November 5 , let’s rock the boat, and vote for GWAH today.


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Band: THE CURE

Track: A FRAGILE THING
Gloomy piece from their 14th album, their first in 16 years, titled
Songs Of A Lost World, and lands on planet Earth tomorrow, Nov 1.

“This song is a fragile thing
This song is my everything
Nothing you can do to change the end
There’s nothing you can do to change the end”

TURN UP THE VOLUME
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20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – JUNE 2024

Posted on by JL

The best of the best of the past month

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

1. Hide & Seek by THE JESUS LIZARD (Austin / Chicago)


Press picture

The highly influential The Jesus Lizard (1987–1999, 2008–2010, 2017–present,
still with their classic line-up) have their first album, named Rack. in 26 years
out on September 13.

First single Hide & Seek is an explosive, nervous, race & rushing
missile and sounds like they recorded it 26 years ago.

Hells bells!

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2. ‘O%’ by HELLO MARY (Brooklyn, NY)

Hello Mary are a fierce Brooklyn post-punk trio.

0% is a vicious cryout with schizoid guitars producing a chainsaw cacophony,
bone-chilling howling and primal screams sending shivers down your spine, and
vehement drum/bass ebullition doing your head in. 100% helter-skelter turbulence.

Sonic Youth is dead! Long live Hello Mary!

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3. ‘Doug Yuletide’ by DALE CROVER (US)

Drummer Dale Crover of chaotic veteran rockers Melvins
comes out of the shadow of the band again, for his 3rd solo LP.
It’s titled Glossolalia and shows up on September 13.

The lead single is a killer track. It moves and grooves with power-driven
energy and voltaic dash. Crover says it’s “vampire-story ‘Venus In Furs.’”.
Come again.

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4. ‘Jacked’ by HEARTWORMS


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Heartworms is the psych-pop band of fast up-and-coming British songstress Jojo Orme.
They drew a lot of aural attention with last year’s 4-track A Comforting Notion. And they confirm their upcoming indie star status with Jacked. A flabbergasting guitar-propelling jam rotating in your head before you are aware of it.

Top!

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5. ‘I Know The Future’ by THE LOOKOUT (Montreal, CA)

The Lookout are a melodic punk rock band from
Montreal, fronted by dynamite voice Martha Rockhard.

On I Know The Future all burners and all cylinders are ignited.
The band go fast-forward with unbridled panache and vivacious
vigor.

They fuzz and buzz with revved-up energy, fueled by what sounds like an army of hungry guitars, by a merciless and relentless bass/drum collaboration pushing this barnstormer’s bustling beat to a dizzying level, and avid Amazon Martha Rockhard augments the red-hot-blooded intensity with her commanding powerhouse vocals.


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6. ‘Backbone Slip’ by SEASICK STEVE (Oakland, California)

Late musical 73-year-old blues bloomer just launched his 14th longplayer,
titled A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees with Backbone Slip
as my ears’ favorite cut.


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7. ‘Moodswings’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)


Promo

This is their cover of Mood SWINGS, a cool hip-rap-hop hit
by British artist Little Simz from her new album Drop 7.

Idles threw some samples of Peaches and Chemical Brothers in
their hepped-up version and come up with a dance booster.

Boom Boom Boom.


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8. ‘Houdini’ by EMINEM (US)

Eminem canned his 10th LP and named it The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). Release date TBA. I really feel for Shady, how many times has that poor guy died?

Lead single Houdini echoes his 2002 cracker Without Me and thrives on a
sample of the utterly catchy chorus of Steve Miller‘s 1982 hit Abracadabra.

Now you see him, now you don’t.
Now you hear him, now you don’t.

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9. ‘Feed The Beast’ by THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA (London-based)

London-based poetallica duo of Daphne Ang (Singapore) and Andrea Papi (Italy) return,
after 2 notable albums with this new head-twister. A piece about addiction and recovery.

Feed The Beast dives into the tumultuous inner journey of learning how to live all over again. The emotional and barbed quest starts cinematically with Ang‘s near-whispering voice echoing intriguingly, at the 1-minute mark Papi joins in vocally and metallically causing mental turmoil.

From there on, the mercurial and emotional trip gets fragmented, swinging forth
and back, and drawing all of your auditory attention until the volcanic finale hits
you in the face.

Epic odysssey.


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10. ‘Waiting’ by VERRA CRUZ (UK)

This British trio infuse their guitar-driven sound with emotion, bravado and purely
authentic melancholy. as they prove here, again, with striking stroke Waiting.

With Waiting they hit bullseye with invigorating dash, resonating
somehow like Dinosaur Jr and/or The Lemonheads on a roasting roll .


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11. ‘Worthless’ by GUSH (Belfast, Ireland)

These fresh Belfast grunge rockers just launched
their new 5-track boiling EP Exposure Therapy

My greedy ears picked Worthless for this monthly list.
It’s a guitar-maddening shocker cutting like a brand-new
razorblade.

No, it’s not Courtney Love on vocals but the furious spit and sneer outpouring
at work here makes you think of Hole‘s former punked-up celebrity skin.

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12. ‘Lovely Day To Die’ by FRENCH MOTHERS (UK)

Band: FRENCH MOTHERS
Who: 4 indie rockers out
of Leighton Buzzard, UK

This caring quartet gives depression the middle finger with this urgent riff-ripper
that has a jangly Strokes-esque flow and rattles in your head without asking
from the first spin on.

This is a lovely day to be alive with French Mothers.
There’s always a ‘you only live once’ light at the end
of the tunnel.

“Pleased to meet you, I’ve been lonely too”


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Instagram
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13. ‘Boom!’ by KAT KOAN (Germany)

KK: “This is essentially a happy breakup song. It’s about that moment when you realize
you can actually get up and stand tall, after the tough period of stumbling through the pain that breaking up from a person you care about brings with it – regardless of whether that is a romantic partner, a friend or a project collaborator. Once you come out of it at the other end of the tunnel you know that the transformative process was a character building experience, and that most things happen for a reason.”

Well, why not have a happy break-up song for a change. And Boom! is more than just a happy tune. It’s Koan‘s most inventive piece (so far). A brassy mid-tempo uplifter inviting you to do some of your best dance moves. I hear sultry horns, Eastern and samba vibes, ska trumpets, and lots of fun on this fiesta-like chant.

Bingo!


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14. ‘Starburster’ by FONTAINES D.C. (Dublin, Ireland)

Irish indie stars FONTAINES D.C. already have 3 top-drawer albums
on their résumé. And #4 is bagged now. They named it Romance
and will share it with the world on August 23rd.

On Starburster frontman Grian Chatten
goes on a parlando roll again.

Magnetizing and hypnotizing.

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15. ‘Hero In The Season Of The Gun’ by LIFE COACH (Glasgow, Scotland)

Hero In The Season Of The Gun is an aflame synth-layered flare-up that triggers jump-from- left-to-right moves on the spot. It’s a hopped-up and vivified disco-punk knockout.

Life Coach balances here between the perky moments of fellow countrymen Arab Strap and The Streets with Mike Skinner charged by Duracell batteries. And his rapid-fire verbal ranting adds some more oil to the sonic British Army fire.

Party, party, party.


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16. ‘Death Is Cheap’ by GREAT HARE (Sweden)

The Swedish do what they do best, once again.
Making your day with an instantly sticking guitar/synth
tune that has a both relaxing and brisk impact on your
ears at the same time.

Great harmonies, great pop gem, great hare.

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17. ‘The Right Stuff’ by THE TRAMPOLINE DELAY (Milton, Ontario, CA)

“At its core, the song delves into the aftermath of a regrettable decision and the need
for redemption. However, beyond the surface, it’s an introspective exploration of life’s pressures, the weight of regret, and the awakening to what truly matters. It captures the essence of emotional turmoil and the consequences of acting on fleeting impulses,
ultimately leaving scars on all involved.”

You can whistle along, hum along, and sing along to this chirpy and feel-good
earworm, reminding me of harmonious Scottish nightingales Teenage Fanclub.

Splendid.


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18. ‘They’ by ADIOS MF (Northern England)

Adios MF is a musical project spearheaded by Nathan Keeble carving
fresh dark waves and electronica sounds from the underground of
Sheffield, UK.

AMF about the new track: “They” is a Kitsch by product of existence amid the constant
churn of urban development and the persistent buzz of drilling. It was written as a tonic
to the realisation that resistance is futile; you must simply acquiesce to the world of
urbanism and let it carry you along on its unpredictable journey, set to a naughty
80s beat.”

Expect a swirling, darkwavish electro reviver that bounces somewhere between
the dark side of Depeche Mode and Cold Cave‘s addictive sonority. Infectious beats
and shadow-dancing rhythms.


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19. ‘Coolcats’ by GREEN CROW COLLECTIVE (Belgium)

Green Crow Collective is a new unit from Belgium led
by seasoned singer-songwriter Roeland Vandemoortele.

Coolcats is one piece from their fresh double A-side debut single that
will show up on their debut album Hard Drive Error later in the year.

No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes. Always full steam ahead driven by schizo guitars, steadfast drumming, and cool rock cats meowing all together. A mean machine debut.


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20. ‘Frogs’ by NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS


Promo press

Star crooner Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds launch
their 18th full-length, called Wild God on August 30.

Frogs is a vintage Cave ballad.
Orchestral, lyrical, nightmarish
and goosebumps-gripping.

Cave: “The sheer exuberance of a song like ‘Frogs’,
it just puts a big fucking smile on my face.”

Take that gun out of your hand, Nick.


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TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

All photos are promo/press ones

5 BEST BALLADS Of The Month – APRIL 2024

Posted on by JL

1 May 2024

78-year-old American singer/songwriter and highly respected producer
T Bone Burnett released his 15th LP, named The Other Side a couple of
weeks ago featuring this heavyhearted beauty, called Waiting For You.

Mellow and compassionate romanticism at its candlelight best.


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Instagram
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Norwegian songsmith Oliver Hohlbrugger and sensuous voice
Frøkedal will make your melt heart with this melancholic pearl,
titled Black Canvas.

Hohlbrugger: “It’s about that someone you’ll never be with and that you allow to remain
inside you as a perfect unspoiled thing, yet still you measure and hold your real relationship up against it. It’s a dream, an illusion, an unfair fantasy. Nothing and therefore able to be perfect.”

A yearning and gripping reverie for the midnight hours. Think murder ballad
duo Nick Cave/Kylie Minogue, but also legendary 60s duo’s Nancy Sinatra/Lee
Hazlewood and Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg.

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Time Alone is another glamourous musing by Berlin-based songstress Kat Koan
and her befriended collaborator Freddie Dickson on guitar. It’s a whispering, sexy,
and revealing story about a secret love.

So you’re dimming down the light I should be leaving now I guess
But then, when you touch me right It’s such a beautiful mess
Should be calling it a night It’s better if we don’t
but then you kiss me where my husband wont
Let go it’s alright let go it’s alright


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Press photo

Akron‘s blues brothers The Black Keys have their 12th LP, titled Ohio Players out.
It’s their best, without a shadow of a doubt, with this glowing gem on.

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After being part for 17 years of the duo The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer,
Canadian songsmith Shawn Hall goes his own way as The Harpoonist.

His debut solo LP, baptized ‘Did We Come Here To Dance‘ comes out this
summer, featuring Canadian blues-rock legend, Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson.

Taster Good People reveals, for all who haven’t heard (like me) of Hall, the unique voice he’s blessed with. The song is a pondering blues jam – did we come here to dance or to die? – spiced with some of The Harpoonist‘s retro harmonica play and a warm-hearted organ.

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20 BEST TRACKS Of The Month – JANUARY 2024

Posted on by JL

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. ‘Starting And Sharing’ by GUSTAF (NYC)

The swirling 5-piece from Brooklyn led by charismatic frontwoman Lydia
Gammil released their top-tier album Audio Drag For Ego Slobs in 2021.

They canned the follow-up, more details to follow.
But first the lead single Starting And Staring.

Funkier than the B-52’s in their heyday, and they spin around with more
dash and class than Bodega and Parquet Courts.

Knockout.

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2. ‘Aeroplane’ by THE LIVING PINS (Austin, Texas)

These rockin’ amazons – Carrie Clark and Pam Peltz – have known each other since
the mid-90s, they played in different bands together and decided to give it a go again with some friends.

Enter Aeroplane, a piece from their rawk-ing EP Let It Be So.

Imagine 60s British glam rock legends T. REX and American sassy duo Royal Trux
jamming together. Aeroplane grooves and moves with pithy panache and steaming swagger. Add the saucy and sensual duet vocals, and we have ourselves a winner.

Let’s roll.

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3. ‘Mild Misogynist’ by THE BABY SEALS (UK)

The Baby Seals are three DIY indie grrrls from Cambridgeshire (UK)
who released their debut EP back in 2017.

Mild Misogynist is a ripper from their upcoming debut album Chaos.

The trio have that roaring rawness, unbridled roughness, genuine gusto and spontaneous bravado, Sleater-Kinney had back in the 90s. These three punk Amazons resonate more like Courtney Love when she went mental with Hole ages ago. Garage frenzy rock at its sharp-teethed indie best.

The accompanying self-made video is sheer fun.

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4. ‘Danzing With Myself’ by THE DANDY WARHOLS (Portland, Oregon)


(Photo by TUTV)

On March 15 the Dandys launch their 12th longplayer, named Rockmaker. Last summer the Dandys dropped stand-alone single The Summer Of Hate. An infectious steamroller that will be on the album.

But the first official single is Danzing With Myself.

Courtney Taylor-Taylor (frontman): “It started with a riff that either sounded like
Misfits or Danzig and then got slowed down. Overall, Rockmaker is the manifestation
of our desire to hear a record of heavy raw punk and metal guitar riffs, but it has its
own alley.”

It features Pixies‘ general Frank Black and is a rather gloomy and doomy (yes, Danzig-like) sounding stomper, but vintage Warhols. Its poignant pace creeps faster under your skin than you can say ‘fuck Trump’.

Danze.


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5. ‘To Be Enjoyed’ by Band: PURRS (France)

Purrs are 4 French gunslingers who bring together a singular artistic emergency drawn from Great Britain in the 80s and the current observation of a dark future, and orchestrate a bitter present but which does not refuse hope.

‘To Be Enjoyed’ explores the delicate theme of mental health, highlighting the simple desire to feel better and make progress with one’s condition. Through this composition, we aim to convey the idea that there are different ways of taking care of one’s mental health, and that it’s crucial to find the solution that’s right for everyone. Having all lived experiences more or less close to depression, this song is our way of communicating not only with those facing this illness, but also with their loved ones who accompany them on the road to recovery.

Energetic punk ebullience à la British mavericks Idles. Aggressive, furious and from a
fast beating heart. Trust me, Purrs are going places. 2024 will be their breakthrough year.

Ace.

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6. ‘Gift Horse’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)

Bristol punks IDLES became a top act after 4 splendid albums since 2018. And they’re
not done yet. Longplayer #5 Tangk is waiting in the pipeline for release on 16 February.

Ahead of it, you can go apeshit to new, third single and fierce haymaker Gift Horse.

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7. ‘Soo All The Way’ by CANYONS AND LOCUSTS (Boston, MA)

Who? Two-piece act, Justin Keane (vocals, guitar) and Amy Young (drums, backing vocals), from Boston, MA. Fueled by the current chaos of the world and an urgent need to be part of the conversation, the two took the indie rock foundation they built in previous bands and upped the ante by adding new levels of noise via pervasive, edgy guitar sounds, low and thundery drumbeats, and emotional vocals.

Soo All The Way is a mean motherrocker that easily could have been on an early Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr album. Distorted guitars, raw and rough. Sturdy drum hits. Expressive and punchy vocals. DIY rock ‘n’ roll at its razor blade sharpest.

Hells bells.

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8. ‘Don’t Judge Me Judy’ by FLESH TETRIS (London, UK)

The song is an ode to TV personality Judge Judy

This eccentric ensemble is more eccentric than American eccentric legends Sparks and British eccentrics Sigue Sigue Sputnik were in their early eccentric days. Wacky voices, goofy harmonies, and a ridiculously infectious chorus all work together to cause big fun entertainment.

Get up, stand up, and fight
for your right to go bananas.

Right here, right now.

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9. ‘Bliss’ by ARAB STRAP (Scotland)

The Scots’ new album title I’m Totally Fine With It 👍 Don’t Give A Fuck Anymore 👍
is unquestionably a bona fide contender for weirdest title of the year. Yep, the thumb-up emojis are part of it.

The LP lands on April 1 and follows their tremendous 2021 one As Days Get Darker.

Aidan Moffat (vocalist) about lead single ‘Bliss’: “It’s about women being terrorized online;
it’s about cowardice and bigotry. It’s about how we expose ourselves on social platforms while hiding alone at home. But you can dance to it too!”

Moffat sings/tells his troll story over a trippy dance beat.

Sickly sticky.


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10. ‘Dream Girl’ by KAT KOAN (Germany)

Berlin-based artist KAT KOAN shines again. After releasing her magnific
debut album Lustprinzip in 2022 and three ear-catching singles last year
she has a new track out, titled Dreamirl.

Kat Koan always knows how to entrance the listener with stylishly, graciously
and also sensually designed music that stirs heart and soul. The sentiments
expressed here may be familiar to many of us and can be a comforting companion
on your headphones with the lights dimmed, while relaxing on your couch, dreaming
of your own dream-self.

Endearing.


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11. ‘Peace Sign’ by RIDE (UK)

Last September, British shoegaze heroes Slowdive returned to the scene with praised LP Everything Is Alive, their first full length in five years. Their Boston peers Drop Nineteens followed two months later with Hard Light, their first album LP in thirty years.

And now the equally veteran shoegazers Ride join the revival.

Their 7th LP, named Interplay, their first since
2019, is planned to be released on March 29.

First single Peace Sign is an ecstatic tune.

Potent drums/bass determine the upbeat pace and whirling vibe of the track all the way. Peace Sign is a pure pop earworm with an orgasmic chorus. Picobello. Welcome back.

Enjoy.

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12. ‘Entwined’ by PRETTY AVERAGE (Germany)

Who? Musical act born from the lifelong musical collaboration of Candy Bassas (vocals and guitar) and Sergi Cabanes (lead guitar). After relocating to Berlin from Barcelona, the duo formed a four-piece band in late 2021, which takes inspiration for its noisy-yet-ethereal sound from artists such as Galaxie 500, Spiritualized, New Order, the Cure, and Lou Reed.

New single Entwined is a cut from their upcoming
debut EP, titled All I Wanted, out on 2 February.

A tenacious tandem of bass and drum take care of this striking song’s backbone beat
all the way through. From the kick-off, Entwined has the impact of a sonic magnet.

Its ongoing flow creeps under your skin without asking. Scorching, shoegazy guitars
add some more electricity and quirky vocals (made me immediately think of the singer
of former Irish indie band JJ72) create a spooky atmosphere. Give it a couple of spins
and you’re hooked.

Press play.

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13. ‘Blush’ by VAZUM (Detroit, Michigan)

Who? Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm. Their musical project started in 2017.
They describe their sound as deathgaze, combining the raw energy of
deathrock with the depth of shoegaze. So far the duo released five
albums and a handful of singles and EPs.

New single/clip: BLUSH

Think Siouxsie and the Banshees going fast-forward. Glistening guitar electricity and a pumping bass dictate the ongoing revolving rhythm, while Sturm‘s ghostly vocals roll all over it. No brakes, no breaks. Probably the most upbeat tune Vazum has ever delivered. Blush is a sonic whirlwind, a flamboyant flurry, a turbulent twister.

Watch/listen.

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14. ‘Nowhere To Run’ by ATOMIC (Germany)

Who? German pop-rock team So far they have
3 albums on their résumé and #4 is canned.

Nowhere To Run is the 4th shared piece from their upcoming
4th album, named ‘If This Wall Could Sing’, out on 1st March.

Expect an irresistible drive. Fast-forward. Heartening vocals. Atomic is an unadulterated pop gem. A sprightly summer song for freezing winters like this. It could have easily been
a bonus track on Miles Kane‘s newest, perky album One Man Band.

Atomic has an atomic single out with a sky-high starry-eyed bliss.

Run to them.

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15. ‘Hey Atlas’ by MONOSCOPES (Italy)

Who? Italian act started by Paolo Mioni, former member of Jennifer Gentle,
spearhead of the Italian psych scene. They released their debut album
Painkillers And Wine last year.

With new single Hey Atlas Monoscopes draw you into their psychedelic world where surrender and hope are the only options to handle life. Hey Atlas sends shivers down your spine. It’s both a melancholic and harrowing jam bringing the mellow moments of Interpol to mind. It touches and moves heart and soul. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. That comforting given should inspire all of us who are confused and fidgety these days.

Mesmerizing.

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16. ‘Bye Bye’ by KIM GORDON (US)

Today, Gordon announced the upcoming birth of her
2nd solo LP. It’s titled The Collective and it’ll land on
March 8.

First shared track Bye Bye, is a dazzling piece of music. Its hypnotic trap beat sonority and fuzzy chainsaw rotating synths are the motor of this dazzling jam. It creeps forward like an industrial rock serpent in slow motion. All over it come Gordon‘s chilling spoken-word vocals citing a series of consumer products. Eerie and enigmatic.

The accompanying video features her daughter Coco Gordon Moore and is directed by photographer Clara Balzary, who is the daughter of Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.

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17. ‘Empty’ by NERVES (Ireland)

These Irish punk hound dogs release their new EP Glorach on March 15.

First shared track Empty is a brutalist slab of heavily effected droning guitar and bass, corrosive blasts of feedback and gut-wrenching vocals centered around the persistence
of grief over time.

Deafening sledgehammer.
Screamo disorder.
NIN on acid.

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18. ‘Opinion’ by pMAD

Who? The moniker of Irish musician Paul Dillon who draws inspiration
from bands like The The, The Cure, Killing Joke, Echo and the Bunnymen,
Rammstein, and Depeche Mode, and developed a unique sound that
traverses genres from Darkwave Post-Punk to Trash Metal Indie Rock.

With Opinion he delivers a Curesque meditation. Pulsating bass, darkwavish melodiousness and wondering vocals and enquiring thoughts. No matter
what you think, say it, sing it, express it, write it down.

Stream/buy.


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19. ‘Same Old You’ by THE GLASS HOURS (US)

Who? American songwriters Brad Armstrong and Megan Barbera.
Their music blurs between Sunday afternoon country-folk and
the golden age of the 1970s.

Same Old You is a crystalline lullaby with a melancholic country aroma. Tender,
moony, and enticing. The endearing duet vocals and melancholic guitar sparks
augment the soul-stirring effect of this bittersweet humdinger.

It’s a candlelight pearl, a heart-warming companion on these freezing winter nights. Romanticism in motion. Think of the quietest moments of Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten and Willie Nelson.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

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20. ‘Shiver’ by THE LIBERTINES (UK)

London‘s beloved bohemians have their 4th LP, called All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanada out on 8 March 2024.

It’s a pronto ear-catching pop tune with a melancholic feel and emotionally
moving and melodramatic vocals by Doherty. The Libs shine again.


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TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

Berlin-based Songstress KAT KOAN Entrances Again – Hear Her New Moody Reverie ‘DREAM GIRL’ Here

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

17 January 2024

Berlin-based artist KAT KOAN shines again. After releasing her magnific
debut album Lustprinzip in 2022 and three ear-catching singles last year
she has a new track out, titled DREAMGIRL.

Koan shared her thoughts about the song via her socials.

I’ll add this. Kat Koan always knows how to entrance the listener with stylishly,
graciously and also sensually designed music that stirs heart and soul. The sentiments expressed here may be familiar to many of us and can be a comforting companion on your headphones with the lights dimmed, while relaxing on your couch, dreaming of
your own dream-self.

STREAM


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BUY


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KAT KOAN: Facebook – Instagram

KAT KOAN – Berlin Songstress Drops New Romantic Single ‘DREAM GIRL’ For Charity

Posted on by JL

13 December 2023

Berlin-based songstress KAT KOAN released her arresting debut album
LUSTPRINZIP last year. This year, she recorded/shared two rad singles,
Slow and You’re So Cool

And here’s number three, named DREAM GIRL.
A special one, as all profits from the track go to
UNICEF.

The song is co-written with Freddie Dickson and a producer friend
from Florida, Howard Merlin. Dream Girl is a romantic reverie with
near-whispering vocals by Koan, sensual as ever.

Lyrics

I wish, I wish you could have seen
that wide-eyed girl I was in my dream
you’d see her sparkle for a mile,
you’d want to dive into that smile
So light, so light her feet off the ground
she’s floating, and she is roaming around
her hair dancing free and wild in the wind
brushing against her soft bare skin
I didn’t catch her by her name but we played her little game
She was a dream girl
Made me feel as though it matters what I do, what I do
She was a dream girl
threw me a vision of a carefree life then cut me loose, cut me loose

The taste of honey on her lips
and the whole wide world at her fingertips,
her tummy full of butterflies
you’d want to dive into those eyes
you should have seen how she can play. Oh we had a grand old day
She was a dream girl
Made me feel as though it matters what I do, what I do
She was a dream girl
threw me a vision of a carefree life then cut me loose, cut me loose.

That wide-eyed girl in my dream, that wide-eyed girl in my dream

Made me feel as though it matters what i do, what I do
threw me a vision of a carefree life then cut me loose, cut me loose
She was a dream girl

Buy the song here via
Bandcamp and help children
in need in Gaza.


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KAT KOAN: Instagram
TUTV: Facebook – Instagram