Spanish Love Songs – Heavenhead (Feat. Illuminati Hotties)
Spanish Love Songs are well versed with misery. But ‘Heavenhead’ deals with an emotion that’s perhaps even more uncomfortable than sadness. The latest single lifted from the upcoming EP A Brief Intermission in The Flattening of Time – released November 21st via Pure Noise – ‘Heavenhead’ see’s band collaborating with Illuminati Hotties to document the nature of fleeting happiness in a time of abundant grief and the terrifying prospect that all joy is only briefly temporary. In true Spanish Love Songs fashion, the track is one of pure juxtaposition, one that contrasts bright instrumentation and harmonies with the kind of lyricism that’s concerning, albeit all too relatable. – Dan Hillier
Jasmine 4.t – Find Your Ppl (Feat. Jacob Alon)
Taken from the forthcoming charity compilation All Things Go: 10 Years, ‘Find Your Ppl’ see’s Jasmine.4.t collaborating with Jacob Alon in order to present a wonderful new version of a track that’s in the key of identity and community. Whilst the original version of this song was released earlier this year via the deluxe version of Jasmine 4.t’s debut LP, this new rendition only furthers it’s inherent message of trans liberation and finding oneself via the power of fellowship. Simply, it’s a genuine and heartwarming track; one complete with indie, shoegaze and folk motifs abundant and one born from liberation and the wonder of likeminded collaboration. All Things Go: 10 Years is released November 7th via Futures, with all proceeds being donated towards the The Ally Coalition and the work they do supporting LGBTQ youth. – Dan Hillier
SUDS – Hook Me Out
Ahead of their long awaited sophomore LP Tell Me About Your Day Again and February headline tour alongside Exeter emos Soot Sprite, indie-punk quartet SUDS specialise in songs to scream to, cry to, and contemplate to. Latest single ‘Hook Me Out’ is a more slower tempo than their previous singles, but still has undeniable impact in thanks to it’s twinkly guitar patterns which contrast with lead singer Mae Carter’s dreamy vocals and glimmers of horns that harken thoughts of classic bands like American Football. A wonderful listen from one of UK indie’s best kept secrets. – Ez Luscombe
pulses. – I Wish Elijah Wood
Reviving the spirit of early 2000s post hardcore, Virginia’s pulses. bring it up to date with fresh perspectives and a desire to push that original sound in new directions. Their excellently-titled new single ‘I Wish Elijah Wood’ is the first taste of new music since 2023’s It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This. Leaning into a more frantic, chaotic side of themselves, it’s taken from their upcoming pulses. pack 1, a project they’ve described as them exploring outside the typical EP/album format, and it’ll include covers of N.E.R.D. as well as collaborations with returning friends. It’ll be fascinating to see where the band take their sound with it as they continue writing their fourth album. – Will Marshall
HEALTH – Thought Leader
The third single to be taken from the upcoming record Conflict DLC – released December 11 via Loma Vista – ‘Thought Leader’ certainly doesn’t temper the overarching sense of existentialism that permeated the singles that came before it. If anything, HEALTH only push it further. Dealing with the cynicism, isolation and numbness that the digital age has wrought upon us, ‘Thought Leader’ see’s the US industrialists tap into the utmost grinding hopelessness that defines the ever-spreading cyber-hellscape that many of us live our lives through. It may be not be as reckoning as respective previous singles ‘Vibe Cop’ or ‘Ordinary Loss’, but there’s no denying that ‘Thought Leader’ certainly carries a sense of despair that many will be familiar with in this current time. – Dan Hillier
TRC – Pressure
Legendary UK hardcore crew TRC are back with new music, coming hot on the heels of their return live appearances earlier this year. The first new music from the band in over seven years is as balls out and brash as you’d expect from the cockneys. ‘Pressure’ is chock full of swagger, groove and is liable to fill all who hear it live with a brazen disregard for anyone in the nearby vicinity. Time hasn’t mellowed or slowed down TRC, as shown by their frantic live shows of late and this newest track is just another sign that the boys are back in town, and they’re bringing the heat. – Chris Earl
Brutalligators – Train Wreck
Ahead of their Christmas show alongside Other Half and Period Drama, Luke Murphy, lead vocalist of Hertfordshire emo and punk quartet Brutalligators, envisioned their latest single ‘Train Wreck’ to have a big chorus laden with gang vocals, unserious lyrics and the wild concept of not taking life too seriously. On all counts, they certainly deliver. With their trademark fuzzy tones and lyrical nihilism being pushed in a more lighthearted direction, this fully allows Brutalligators‘ harmonies to shine against a chugging, pop-punk influenced guitar riff, and a more chilled and lo-fi influenced middle eight section. Brutalligators never miss and are truly an underrated gem. – Ez Luscombe
Hellripper – Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ibex-worshipping thrasher is back. Serving as the project’s first material to be released via their new home of Century Media Records, ‘Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)’ see’s Hellripper – the brain child of James McBain – peddling the kind of high-octane, smile-inducing blackened trash that has allowed them to become one of the most demanded names in the game. However, unlike the majority of their previous material which mainly deal with the history and mythos of the highlands, ‘Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)’ takes inspiration from a tale more personal. “Lyrically, the track was inspired by my experience growing up in the North-East of Scotland in Aberdeen (the Granite City), and reflects on what it’s like to feel trapped in a certain environment”, states McBain on the track. “I wanted to show a side of Scotland that is not necessarily the magical “postcard” that a lot of people picture when thinking of the country.” – Dan Hillier
No Cure – Death Disguised As Salvation (Until The End cover)
Happy Edge day (That was actually on the 17th of October) everyone! A day celebrating people who live and embody a straight edge lifestyle, No Cure are one of the best and hardest working edge bands of modern times. Their contribution to the days celebrations is a cover of the legendary edge band Until The End’s 2001 track, ‘Death Disguised As Salvation’. It’s a hard track to cover, and the highest praise to give is that No Cure’s version stands toe to toe with the passionate, righteous fury of the original. A wonderful little treat from No Cure who remain one of the most vital bands of the current scene and if this song turns people onto Until The End or makes one person consider straight edge, then their job is done. – Chris Earl
PREYRS – Into the Blue
A brand new band on the scene, PREYRS fuse alt rock and some post-adjacent sensibilities. Ahead of the release of their debut album The Wounded Healer, out November 14 on Pelagic Records (always a good sign for quality releases), their latest single ‘Into the Blue’ draws comparisons to the likes of Julie Christmas or Chelsea Wolfe with its more experimental slant. There’s some bluesy riffs later, but its first half flirts with electronica and darker pop melodies. It’s certainly an interesting blend, and makes the Belfast outfit an intriguing prospect. – Will Marshall
Poppy – Unravel
It’s been another memorable twelve months for Poppy. With two Grammy nominations for her highly acclaimed last album Negative Spaces, a collaboration with frontwomen of both Spiritbox and Evanescence and also releasing a cover of Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ last week, it’s always interesting to see what musical direction Poppy will delve into next. Being no stranger to experimentation and flirting with metalcore, ambient sounds, and reggae pop, (just to name a few) the mericiual metaller’s latest endeavour is 50% pop, 50% rock, but 100% enthralling due to an attention-grabbing and stadium ready chorus combined with liquid d&b inspired breakbeats, an existential middle 8 and a general feeling of bewilderment. No doubt many will be wondering what will Poppy do next. – Ez Luscombe