We spend the majority of our evenings hopping between the sweaty basement venues that keep the local scene alive, scouring smaller shows for the best new emerging talent across the north-west. However, every once in a while it’s a good for us to experience the other end of the spectrum and sample the very biggest stars performing in sold out stadiums to get a taste of the shows the bands we cover dream of playing. Photo Credit: @okaynicolita What better opportunity to do this

The Royston Club  have grown steadily over the last two years, cementing themselves as one of the current top indie newcomers. The release of their second album ‘ Songs For The Spine ’ earlier this year saw the Wrexham based foursome announce their biggest UK tour to date. It was in Manchester, a city that’s been central to their meteoric rise, where the boys announced their arrival to the scene.  Photo Credit: Liam Vaughan Shouts of ‘Royston, Royston, Royston’ fill the room

Home Counties  want you to dance with discomfort.Their new album, ‘Humdrum’ , is full of twitchy, body-shaking songs about the world-weary disillusion of Britain’s young. And who can blame them? It’s an absolute shitshow out there. Powerless in the face of increasing social division, media gaslighting and persistent government fuck-upery, Home Counties , like many, have concluded that you might as well be dancing, if only to feel something other than dread.   Photo Credit: Lu

The melancholic rage of Larlin’s  latest release ‘Limbo’ further   enhances their presence on the music scene. This powerful single portrays the frustration of vulnerability and heartbreak embodied within a hard-hitting bittersweet rock anthem. The impactful vocals of Maryann Hoar drive home the contrasting themes of love and despair; resonating delicately in the verses, before erupting into a chorus that pours ambition. ‘ Limbo’ is the perfect portrayal how the ambivalence o

As soon as the bubbling electro tones of Ailbhe Reddy’s latest single ‘Align’ hit your ears, you can’t help but be sent into a dream-like state. The soothing yet melancholic pulses are contemplative and moving. They make you feel like you’re sat on a train reflecting on cherished memories and love lost; it’s a sound that has a bittersweet, futuristic edge that could have fit seamlessly into the ‘her’ soundtrack.   Photo Credit: Su Mustecaplioglu Ailbhe’s soft, rounded vocal

Reform are on the rise, people's dad's are painting roundabouts and our our public sectors are struggling. It has always been music that has led the charge against these situations, and 2025 is no different.  KC Blackwater's newest single 'Machina Vult' is a politically charged anthem, warning against Andrew Tate and tech oligarchs, in a Kneecap -esque power ballad. They are punk to their core, with furious guitar and thrashing drums, the pace of 'Bad Brains'  and the rage o

Milk & Bone , one of Montreal’s most exciting emerging Electronic Pop duos, released their latest single ‘Hoops’ last month. Part of their upcoming EP, ‘A Little Lucky’ , set to be released in December, ‘Hoops’  is an energising taster of what’s to come. The track has an upbeat and enticing sound from the get-go. With sweeping melodies and a feel-good chorus, ‘Hoops’  delves into late-night confessions of yearning and desire. Produced by Chromeo , the single layers tones and

There is a time in everyone's life when they think about hell, a lot. Maybe you've just got the videos back from a night out, maybe you laughed at a stranger tripping over or maybe, in the case of Bad Self Portraits , it's when you think about what Jesus is doing with his alone time.  The contemplation of this has led, luckily for us, to an Ethel Cain - esque grapple with religion in the form of ' I Think I'm Going To Hell' , the title track off of Bad Self Portraits debut a

Bulgarian Cartrader’s  single ‘Toothpicks’  is a dynamic, layered track from his latest album ‘Greetings from Soulgaria’ . After a long-awaited return, the album dropped on the 10 th  of October and is a whimsical medley that defines Bulgarian Cartrader’s  bold new chapter. Tracks like the electronic slow-builder 'Meditations' and the muted, groove-laden 'Palace Gates' showcase their range and knack for a rounded production, yet 'Toothpicks' is undeniably our favourite. Photo