Norwegian Dream-Pop duo Misty Coast have once again entranced listeners with their fifth album ‘Always Sun’, released on April 24th. A whirlwind of synth-induced psychosis, this record traps you in a void of swirling sounds, with harmonies like golden embers, and guitars flickering with sunlight. We are thrown straight into the psychedelic deep end with no arm bands as the titular track begins. Engulfed in smoky synth waves, Linn Frøkedal's ethereal vocals softly speak, “It’

Kick-ass Australian Rock star Courtney Barnett returns from a five-year album hiatus with ‘Creature of Habit’. The album is strong, showcasing Barnett’s signature deadpan delivery and witty lyricism throughout. While it stays rooted in her Indie Rock foundations, there are subtle shifts in texture and influence, with country-tinged flourishes woven into the mix. The record moves comfortably between punchy guitar-driven tracks and more melancholic, stripped-back ballads, showi

This month saw the highly-anticipated sophomore release from Alt-Pop princess Holly Humberstone. Despite its pessimistic title, ‘Cruel World’ is undeniably Humberstone’s most confident, polished release to date. Across its tracklist, she builds an almost ethereal, fictional landscape that moves effortlessly between forward momentum and a lingering trance of vulnerability and yearning. Photo Credit: Silken Weinberg The album starts with the interlude ‘So It Starts…’, which se

Enter Shikari are back with a surprise release album, ‘Lose Your Self’, announced to be dropping at midnight at their intimate gig at Satan’s Hollow in Manchester. The four-piece have been looking back on where they first started, discussing their first ever Manchester show as “the first sense we got that something was happening”. We see through the album they haven’t forgotten their Electronicore roots, using it to push their frustration over the lack of connection growing e

Lime Garden are back with their fresh album ‘Maybe Not Tonight’, spilling out energy and revitalising the spirit of Indie music. The release is the successive album to the band’s debut ‘One More Thing’. The band have evidently kept the momentum going in a fusion of lively vocals, and energetic instrumentation. The album holds its four singles within the first five spots on the album, with each packing its own powerful punch. ‘23’ expertly establishes the feel of the record,

Mary Middlefield’s sophomore album, ‘Will You Take Me As I Am?’ , explores the complexities of identity, relationships and validation. Finding catharsis in creativity, her album was released on March 6 th and has garnered significant praise and visibility. Photo Credit: Valeria Shashenok The first track of the album, ‘Ladida’ , opens with a beautiful string composition and layered vocal harmonies, leading into Mary Middlefield’s heartfelt lyricism. Drawing on a previous l

‘ How To Exist ’ is a sucker punch of an introduction to The Clockworks’ second album, ‘The Entertainment ’. An unfiltered stream of consciousness, the opening track is upbeat and with the final lyric ‘I’m looking for something to believe in’, quickly sets the backdrop of the album. ‘ Best Days ’ follows and is a quick shift in sound and pace. The slowly chugging verses bleed into an anthemic chorus, creating a track that feels effortless and yet carefully crafted, a highlig

Balancing Act are back with ‘ Who’ve You Come As Part 2’ , which picks up straight where its predecessor, the group's debut album left off last October and it has undoubtedly been worth the wait. As per their namesake, they have proven once again their musical versatility and ability to combine influences from several different genres seamlessly. This iteration showcases a more confident, seductive version of the group, as all they needed to do was amplify everything that ma

Belfast duo Chalk lay down a collection of tracks that blur the lines between genres and identity. Capturing the volatile and brash sounds of acts such as Fat Dog , Young Fathers and TOOL , ‘ Crystalpunk’ is an intense, yet emotional reflection on contending with the pressures of everyday life. Photo Cedit: Patricia Rosingana Opener ‘ Tongue ’ is an industrial, head spinning track that like a factory floor is a layer of mechanical noise. ‘ Pain ’, a groovier track, that f

Norwegian rockers Poor Bambi really know how to immerse you in sound. Their music has a knack for making you lose yourself in the middle of a dense sonic whirlwind and this has never been more true that on their debut album ‘Skyscrapers Soaring, Yet We’re Drowning’ . The title track opens the proceedings with an instant wall of noise! A cacophony of densely layered guitar textures and thrashing drums unleash hell and immediately trap you in a dramatic Punk Rock tension. The

Ellur cements herself fully in the Indie Pop genre with her debut album ‘At Home In My Mind’ , a reflective, yet hopeful embodiment of the turmoil of your early twenties. The album isn’t so much about growing up but learning how to exist inside uncertainty, turning overthinking into both subject and setting. Characterised by her impressive vocals and songwriting, tracks like ‘Missing Kid’ land at the emotional core of the album, capturing the strange realisation that you’

Dream Nails has recently shrunk to become a three piece, not shrunk, that’s the wrong word. Exploded into a three piece? Picking up the scatters of electric vocals and lashing drums, they’ve built a softer, smoother melody, into which old pieces of the riot grrrl debris has embedded itself. This has manifested itself in their newest album ‘You Wish’ , a more pop led exploration of the political rage that defines their band. Credit: Marieke Macklon Opening this album is ‘The

Only The Poets is a name that’s flying around the industry at the moment, and for all the right reasons. Admired for their £1 gig initiative, the band have been making headlines. Undoubtedly, the long-awaited release of their stunning debut album, ‘And I’d Do It Again’ will lead to the same effect, as the Reading boys take fans on a journey of emotional turmoil. Addressing frontman Tommy Longhurst’s recent heartbreak, the album is a sophisticated masterclass, transforming pa

On his debut album, 'Gathers No Moss' , Bino Bames condenses philosophical esque questions about legacy, identity and impermanence into an eight track album that feels more like a personal reflection explored through sound and a shifting sense of perception. At just twenty two minutes long, 'Gathers No Moss' , manages to take the listener through an emotional journey, whilst not overstaying its welcome, drawing the listener back in again and again. The opening song feels l

The last 12 months months has produced some incredible albums, from scorching debuts announcing some of the best new acts to albums cementing artists as true greats. From Indie Rock to Post Punk to Folk Pop and more, here's our countdown of our 50 favourite albums of 2025. Adult Leisure - The Things You Don't Know Yet Bristol Alt-Rockers Adult Leisure burst back onto the scene with their jazz-tinged, nostalgia-ridden debut album, ‘The Things You Don’t Know Yet’ . It’s an alb

‘Is It Too Late To Freak Out?’, Lowgirl’s greatly anticipated debut album, is almost too intimate to listen to. It holds the kind of material that Suzanne Vega would write about turning her head away from; yearning and hauntingly dark. At its root, it is pure indie, wandering around like a Laufey tune, stumbling into the gentle embrace of Adrianne Lenker. Yet there is something else that drives it, an electric pulse, a heartbeat that runs through it at 120bpm. It takes on th

Nep kicks down the door and announces herself to the Alt Pop scene with her debut album ‘Noelle’ , a raw yet optimistic coming of age project that explores the highs and lows of her Daytona upbringing. Characterised by acoustic guitar and personal songwriting, tracks like ‘I Will always Love You Alright’, draw on Bedroom Pop influences like Cavetown and mxmtoon . The album’s centrepiece, appropriately titled ‘Daytona’ , epitomises the albums Indie-Rock edge, combining raw

Bite, the debut EP from Liverpool based Sisters , is weird. It is for the people who use old sweet wrappers as bookmarks, and bunch handwritten notes at the bottom of their bag, and lose their black lipstick amongst those notes. These people need a soundtrack, and that is exactly what Bite is. It is frantic in places, with ‘ I can’t see’ cantering towards spiralling thoughts and late nights, and ‘ Sweetness of things’ tumbling into a flurry of panicked drums. It is gothic i

After spending five spins around the sun producing ‘happy music for sad people’ the four-piece outfit Adult Leisure are bursting back onto the scene with their jazz-tinged, nostalgia-ridden debut project, ‘The Things You Don’t Know Yet’ . The Bristol alt-rockers are serving up a ten-track run of jangly gems on a well-polished silver plate, garnished with effortlessly cool collaborations with saxophonist John Waugh . It’s an album that oozes with 80s pop influences on standout

Alright (okay) have been around since 2021, since the release of their debut single ‘Coffee’. Since then, their style and sound, and presence in the local music scene has flourished. They are now known across Liverpool for their energetic live shows, praise deemed unsurprising upon listening to their latest EP ‘Decent (Fine)’ . The opening track, largely instrumental, introduces you to the sonic direction of the project, opening with mysterious guitar melodies, before being i