A Decade Without a New Genre: What Happened to Music’s Next Big Sound?
Earlier this year, discourse emerged around the idea that it has been a decade since the music industry last created a new genre. Ten years ago, 2016 brought us the whimsical sounds of bedroom pop, with infectious bangers from the late indie duo Her’s, to Girli’s incredible run of pop sizzlers (“Girl I Met On […]
First Impressions: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, ‘Alien Metal’ Album Review
Only a fool bets against King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard staying still. Symphonic bombast one year, deep-fried Southern rock hoedowns the next—the Melbourne septet’s discography reads like a dare to their own fanbase. So, of course, album number 28, Alien Metal, finds them chasing a different high entirely. This time, it’s a dark, sweaty […]
First Impressions: Nina Winder-Lind, ‘Wild Love’ Album Review
Nina Winder-Lind might have built her name fronting The New Eves, the Brighton four-piece behind the “Hagstone rock” sound. But Wild Love, her solo debut, is a different animal entirely. Expanding on 2023’s The Spirit Is Carnal EP and her 2025 poetry collection Röd Ska Jag Leva, the latest project finds Winder-Lind stripped of the […]
How Andy Mundy-Castle Frames Resistance While Living Through It
For years, Andy Mundy-Castle has planted himself at the center of socially conscious filmmaking. Whether 2020’s White Nanny, Black Child or the 2025 TV show White Man Walking, his work reflects his activism through projects that challenge social injustices. Shoot the People, Castles’ latest documentary, is no different. It tells the story of Misan Harriman, […]
First Impressions: Cheekface, ‘Podium’ Album Review
To paraphrase Benny Feldman, making music with a comedic slant feels akin to abstract art – in the sense that, upon observing it, the average person might observe that they could likely do it themselves. In both cases, it’s about striking a balance between subversion and subtlety. The songs have to be as catchy and […]
First Impressions: Opus Kink, ‘The Sweet Goodbye’ Album Review
Lifting the Underworld’s skirt, to reveal a world of ancient impulses worthy of Hieronymus Bosch’s paintings, is Opus Kink’s debut album, The Sweet Goodbye. Formed in Brighton, the British seaside town, Opus Kink have already released two beefy EPs and carved out a unique presence on the live scene. Led by Angus Rogers’ vocals, the […]
Frankie and The Witch Fingers @ Strange Brew, Bristol
There’s nothing better at a show than when the support acts complement the headliners so well that the entire evening disappears in a high-octane flash. That was exactly the case last Thursday at Strange Brew, which hosted a triple-decker club sandwich of overdriven psych. The venue sold out at 330 capacity and packed in so […]
Release Radar: Indie Albums Dropping August 2026
August is stacked with releases that pull in wildly different directions, from hardcore holdovers to hushed singer-songwriter fare. Margaret Glaspy and The Mountain Goats kick off the month with a quieter, more interior approach, while Ceremony and Cancer Bats are slated to close out the month on a much heavier and louder note. The music […]
Glimmer @ Exchange Basement, Bristol
With the unholy trinity—summer, a Sunday, and the FIFA World Cup Final—all working against any band hoping to draw a crowd, it was no surprise that Glimmer’s first Bristol show was sparsely attended. The NYC outfit has been quickly gaining traction in the city’s underground scene with their self-styled “grungegaze” sound. But on this occasion, […]
First Impressions: Swapmeet, ‘Mount Zero’ Album Review
Every so often, a debut lands that makes you wonder where on earth this band has been hiding. Enter Australian quartet, Swapmeet. They’re one of the most exciting new prospects to land on this writer’s stereo all year, and new project Mount Zero proves exactly why. If you’re after a record that can pull at […]