Following the release of her latest single, "The Ride", Flex caught up with Brooke Hall to find out what inspires her heartfelt, story-driven indie sound. Drawing on small-town memories, personal experiences and a love of vivid storytelling, Brooke's music captures the fleeting moments that leave a lasting impression. If you enjoy Brooke's picks, be sure to check out "The Ride" at the end of the article. 1. Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Sweet Home Alabama” I was in the school band playin

Following the release of his latest single, "Feelin' Good", Flex caught up with Israel Portnoy to find out what inspires his soulful blend of country, gospel, folk and roots music. Rooted in spiritual storytelling and shaped by collaborations that span continents, Israel Portnoy's music explores themes of faith, self-worth and human connection. If you enjoy Israel's picks, be sure to check out "Feelin' Good" at the end of the article. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garf

Following the release of his latest single 'Like Liam Gallagher', Flex caught up with Lewca to find out what influences his swaggering alt-indie rock sound. If you enjoy Lewca's picks, be sure to check out 'Like Liam Gallagher' at the end of the article. 1. Da Bush Babees : Pon de attack I grew up in an environment where kids of all ages would hang out together doing stupid shit, so I must of been eleven or twelve when I heard this tune at a get together I definitely shouldn’

Football anthems live or die on sincerity, and Impact Sound Lab have built theirs on a foundation that runs deeper than tournament hype. ‘Rise Up England (We Shall Never Surrender) – Radio Edit’ is the work of songwriter-producer David Matheson and producer-mixer Norm Sabourin, a duo whose decades in pop, rock, country and hip-hop converge here into a stadium-ready rock anthem built for the Three Lions’ latest push for glory. The track wears its classic British rock lineage p

Photo Credit: Vasvi Bhardwaj Following the release of his latest single “Passing Fix”, Flex caught up with Francisco to explore the influences behind his emotionally charged alt-folk sound and the world of emotionally detailed songwriting that shapes his work. If you enjoy Francisco’s picks, be sure to check out “Passing Fix” at the end of the article. 1. It’s My Life - Bon Jovi Picking 5 songs that have influenced me throughout my life is a bit of a tough pick, but I do thin

Way Back Home was supposed to be an EP. Then it became an album. And then, right at the end, came ‘My Love’ and everything clicked into place… The story of how ‘My Love’ came to exist says a lot about how REFLEKTA operate. The Sydney Brit rock outfit had already written a full debut album, having pushed well past a planned EP because the sessions with engineer Oscar were going too well to stop. The record was done. And then, on what the songwriter describes as a typical Frida

With The Goddess in the Room, Mané transforms personal healing into a communal experience. The Swiss queer singer-songwriter's second project is a striking fusion of atmospheric pop, spiritual ritual, and emotional storytelling, offering listeners an album that feels designed as much for reflection as for listening. From the opening title track, Mané establishes a sense of ceremony. The songs unfold with deliberate intention, each chapter contributing to a broader narrative o

There was a moment in Reese Harper's story where everything stopped making sense. A marriage ends. A faith dissolves. A software company he spent nearly a decade building is liquidated. Three versions of himself, gone. In response to this, Harper drove to the mountains. Specifically, to a cabin in the Utah wilderness, and an upright piano he hadn't played seriously in years. What followed wasn't therapy, exactly, and it wasn't performance. It was something closer to survival

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