Photo Credit: Valeria Melnykova Following the release of his latest single 'All I need is love', Flex caught up with Slovak singer-songwriter Alan Murin to discover what influences his uplifting pop sound. If you enjoy Alan's picks, be sure to check out 'All I need is love' at the end of the article. 1. “Legend” by Drake If I had to choose five songs that define different chapters of my life, the first one would be “Legend” by Drake. Drake was probably the first artist who tr

Barcelona-based artist and spoken word performer, Msb Mario, is back with his unique sound and live set for two huge dates at either end of the UK. Performing in Brighton and Newcastle, at the Folklore Rooms and The Cluny respectively, Msb Mario's distinctive sound is sure to wow crowds. Described by Spanish outlet Kamikaze Sonoro as “An experience that goes beyond music. Msb Mario El Niño de la Pili tells stories that touch people's hearts”, Msb Mario comes off the back of 2

Some songs arrive carrying more than a melody. They arrive with history attached to them - fragments of past selves, unfinished conversations, and questions that have only become more relevant with time. For Labrador Labratories, ‘Coded to be Free’ feels like exactly that kind of return: not a comeback built on nostalgia, but a thoughtful reintroduction from a band revisiting their origins through a contemporary lens. The story behind Labrador Labratories has always occupied

Colorado-based outfit Dirty Snowman Society continue to carve out their own lane within modern rock on “Slow Water,” a darkly cinematic single that balances crushing heaviness with emotional restraint. Rather than relying solely on force, the band build tension through atmosphere, pacing, and carefully layered instrumentation, creating a track that feels immersive long before it reaches its most intense moments. Rooted in the true story of a murder that took place years ago i

Following the release of her debut single 'Obvious', Flex caught up with singer-songwriter Lala Vale to discover what influences her blend of indie-pop and neo-soul sound. If you enjoy Lala's picks, be sure to check out 'Obvious' at the end of the article. 1. Suzanne Vega - Luka “Luka” is written from the perspective of a child experiencing domestic violence. As a mother to two children I’ve adopted, both with a difficult past, it always deeply moves me. Suzanne Vega’s writin

Photo Credit: Cindel Oh Following the release of their debut single 'No Intention', Flex caught up with London-based artist Ary Maudit to find out what influences their punchy alt-pop-punk sound. If you enjoy Ary's picks, be sure to check out 'No Intention' at the end of the article. 1. Jesus Of Suburbia – Green Day An absolute 9 minutes and 8 seconds of punk rock opera perfection — if such a thing exists, this band invented it. Green Day have been pivotal in my creative jou

There is a quiet grace that defines “Without You,” a sense that Colm Warren is less concerned with performance than with presence. The song unfolds with a measured pace, allowing its emotional core to emerge gradually, almost imperceptibly. Inspired by his sister’s family and the life of his nephew, it carries with it a depth of feeling that is both specific and universally resonant. Warren’s voice is at its most compelling when it leans into vulnerability, and here he allows

Curly Mouth’s Watermelon & Ginger is messy, ambitious, and a bit all over the place—in other words, it’s got proper personality. Across 19 tracks, this thing refuses to sit still for even a second, jumping from scrappy folk to glitchy chaos to dreamy indie detours like it’s got somewhere urgent to be at all times. When it hits, it really hits. Tracks like ‘Calm Me Down’ and ‘Gotta Leave Without Running’ show off Curly Mouth’s knack for sticky melodies and emotionally blunt ly

Following the release of their latest single 'Petri Dish', Flex caught up with US duo Dancing In Tongues to find out what influences their captivating mix of electronic indie dance and avant-pop sound. If you enjoy Dancing In Tongues picks, be sure to check out 'Petri Dish' at the end of the article. 1. BRUX "I Wish I Could Talk in Technicolor" BRUX's Halcyon Phase album is the pinnacle achievement of her career, highlighting her compositional potential and deep spiritual sid

Corban Chapple’s Maybe We’ll Make It is a quietly striking debut that privileges emotional honesty over spectacle. Rooted in introspection, the EP charts a journey through uncertainty and self-discovery, guided by a sensibility that feels both contemporary and classically informed. Its understated elegance invites listeners into a reflective soundscape shaped by longing, growth, and resilience. Conceptually, the project unfolds with literary precision. Structured as a prologu

Billy Peake’s Manic Waves refuses one of indie rock’s most persistent temptations: nostalgia. Despite its sonic familiarity—echoes of college rock, new wave shimmer, and power-pop structure—the album resists the urge to treat any of these influences as comfort. Instead, they’re deployed as tools in a present-tense argument about attention, responsibility, and cultural exhaustion. What distinguishes the record from many of its contemporaries is its refusal to romanticize eithe

Four walls, a chair, a computer - and, if you're Jackson Mercer, this is the starting point for your most honest work yet. The pop artist and songwriter returns with "Anxiety", a track that does exactly what its title suggests: it sits with discomfort, turns it over, and finds something worth sharing on the other side. For Mercer, the song began with a guitar riff he couldn't shake, which led him somewhere more personal. "I thought of my childhood growing up within school and

An Authentic & Refreshing Listening Experience There is a particular kind of artist who never quite fits the timeline the music industry expects: No viral moment, no industry co-sign, no carefully managed trajectory. Just decades of playing, writing, touring, living, and making music because it is simply what they do. Dr Wippit is that kind of artist, and ‘Yup’, his new single, sounds exactly like someone who has made peace with that and is glad they did. Originally from Chi

Photo Credit: Dan Donovan Following the release of his official music video for 'No Fear', taken from his solo debut album 'Art', Flex caught up with Northern Irish singer-songwriter Paul Archer to find out what influences his blend of indie and alternative rock sound. If you like Paul's picks, be sure to check out 'No Fear' at the end of the article. 1. The Verve - So It Goes I love the early Verve work (Storm In Heaven and A Northern Soul). Vast echoic beauty and powerful s

Photo Credit: Callum Connah Following the release of their latest single 'Got To Go', Flex caught up with UK band Molly Gone Mad to discover what influences their Funk and Soul sound. If you enjoy Molly Gone Mad's picks, be sure to check out 'Got To Go at the end of the article. 1. Use Me - Bill Withers A song steeped in soul and funk, it's one I will never forget. The character in every musicians playing, the groove, the vocal delivery, all of it I love and can't get enough

If ‘Rising From The Ashes’ is anything to go by, 2026 belongs to Brunhilde… The German hard rock outfit have never been a band that does things by halves, but their latest single feels like a gear shift even by their own standards. This is Brunhilde distilled — everything that makes them essential, cranked up and pointed directly at your chest. From the first riff, it’s obvious something has changed. Not in the sense that the band have abandoned what makes them great, but in

A Night With A Sazerac arrives April 17th, and the timing is everything. Rose White's sophomore EP is a record about the past, released by someone who has genuinely left it there. Written entirely by White across a period of hurt and upheaval, and recorded live in the room with producer Ollie Clark in around two takes, the EP carries the warmth and grain of something captured rather than constructed. Joshua Woolf handled the mix and master. Soul is the gravitational centre,

Award-winning pop singer-songwriter Matt Thompson has built his career on big hooks, emotional honesty, and a sharp instinct for crafting unforgettable pop moments. With millions of streams, chart success, and a growing list of accolades—including a Billboard Grammy Contender nod and a standout performance at SXSW—Thompson continues to carve out a distinct lane that blends vulnerability with high-energy polish. His latest single “Echo” leans into Y2K-inspired nostalgia while

Photo Credit: Karim Iliya Following the release of his latest single ' Opening', taken from his upcoming album 'Music for Walking' (May 2026). Flex caught up with Icelandic cellist and composer Eythor Arnalds to discover what influences his immersive neoclassical sound. If you enjoy Eythor's picks, be sure to check out 'Opening' at the end of the article. 1. Autumn (redux) · Joep Beving Joeb Beving comes from my beloved Amsterdam like Reinbert de Leeuw who introduced Satie to

Maryann Connolly continues to carve out a distinctive space with ‘Etched In Love’, a track that leans into her signature fusion of pop-rock, Americana, and subtle country textures. The production feels rich yet restrained, allowing her airy, emotive vocals to take centre stage. There’s a natural ebb and flow to the arrangement, with full-band instrumentation adding depth without overpowering the song’s intimate core. There’s a cinematic quality to the sound, but it remains gr