Hazel Gaze bring a raw sense of character to Do As You Please, the lead single from their live project Strung Out: Live & Unplugged at the Brooklyn Conservatory. Rooted in classic rock but stripped back enough to let the songwriting breathe, the track finds the New York quartet trading studio polish for the immediacy of a room full of musicians playing together. Strings add a cinematic edge to the arrangement, giving the song a richer scale without taking away from its rock ’

Radiola’s Version of Life is the kind of debut that refuses to reveal all its cards at once. The Paisley outfit move through indie rock, Americana, post-punk and experimental guitar music with an instinct for contrast, creating an album that feels exploratory without becoming unfocused. Following their sold-out BBC Introducing showcase at King Tut’s, it’s a strong introduction to a band clearly intent on carving out their own space within Scotland’s guitar scene. The album’s

Atticus Roness makes a spirited case for the enduring power of rock ‘n’ roll on Rock ‘N’ Roll Hit Parade, a 13-track album that embraces the melodic invention of The Beatles, the swagger of The Rolling Stones and the youthful exuberance of The Lemon Twigs without becoming trapped in the past. Years in the making, the record feels less like an exercise in retro revivalism and more like a celebration of everything that makes great rock music so infectious. Roness has a clear af

Some songs have a short life. They are written, recorded, released, and eventually replaced by the next idea. “Streets of Love, Pt. 1” took a very different route. Nearly eight years after Calcutta-born artist weyvir first wrote the song as a high school student, it has finally arrived as a fully realised piece of indie rock songwriting. The track began with its chorus, which came from the emotional confusion of heartbreak and the frustration of feelings that could not quite

There’s something immediately familiar about Sanjay Michael’s ‘Baby Baby’. The Singapore-based singer-songwriter and guitarist taps into the swagger, groove and sheer fun of classic rock, bringing plenty of big riffs and bluesy attitude without making the track feel like a simple trip down memory lane. Drawing on the spirit of ’70s and ’80s rock, the track carries echoes of Hendrix, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Van Halen, but Sanjay gives those influences plenty of room to breath

Atticus Kane’s “Love Me Not” is a spirited and sharply observed piece of indie rock that turns an intensely personal experience into something considerably larger. Fast-paced, melodic and propelled by a restless energy, the song explores immigration, identity and belonging without sacrificing its sense of immediacy. Kane takes the unlikely inspiration of persistent political robocalls and transforms it into a thoughtful meditation on what it means to love a country while rema

There is something wonderfully unruly about Scizzorman’s HOW TO GET YOUR LIFE RIGHT WITH WHAT’S LEFT. After stepping away during the post-pandemic period and emerging from a bout of writer’s block, the Australian alternative funk-rock and psychedelic outfit return with a seven-track album that seems determined to resist every obvious definition. Across just over 30 minutes, the band move between funk, glam, psychedelia, stoner rock, swamp blues and trip-hop influenced ambienc

The most compelling alternative rock often comes from artists who understand that the genre's greatest strength is its ability to hold contradictions. Anger can coexist with melody. Vulnerability can sit beside bravado. Humour can make a political point more effectively than outrage alone. Red Head Redemption understand these tensions instinctively on Sunny With A Chance Of Fallout, a compact EP that turns the pressures of contemporary life into an invitation to resist passiv

Collaborative recording project Hardy Mums from Southern Ohio deliver a masterclass in organic, nostalgia-tinted indie rock with their video-single for "Muldoon," off the album “Return to Doggerland”. Produced by project mastermind Eddie Ashworth, the track hits an immediate sweet spot with its lush, 70s-inspired instrumentation and warm studio air. The dynamic vocal pairing of Ashley LaRue and Benny Coleman anchors the tune, bringing genuine soul and grit to a vibe rooted i

The Mighty Pines have always had a knack for making roots music feel inviting, and Good Luck, Nice To Meet You is a great example of what happens when a band knows exactly how to bring different influences together. The St. Louis quartet blend bluegrass, soul, rock & roll and Americana with an easy confidence, creating a record that feels familiar without ever becoming predictable. The title track is an immediate highlight, driven by an infectious groove, warm harmonies and a

AudioGust wastes little time showing what he’s about on ‘This Time Or Any Other’. The songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist has a clear knack for big melodies and equally big arrangements, bringing indie rock, new wave and post-grunge influences together without letting any one of them take over. Lead single ‘Something in the Water’ is a strong entry point, building from a more reflective opening into an expansive chorus that gives the track plenty of lift. Lyrically

There is something quietly magnetic about Do You Like Me Now?. Rather than announcing itself with bombast, Sakai's debut EP unfolds patiently, revealing layers of emotional nuance and musical sophistication with every listen. It is a record rooted in vulnerability, but one that refuses to be confined by the conventions of indie rock. Instead, the band draw freely from soul, jazz, blues, funk and traditional Japanese music, crafting songs that feel simultaneously intimate and

Jak Lizard’s 'Vulnerable Forms' is less interested in genre allegiance than emotional honesty. Across its shifting terrain of indie rock, folk, lo-fi pop and Americana, Lizard treats stylistic boundaries as suggestions, assembling songs that feel deliberately lived-in rather than neatly categorised. The album’s greatest strength is its intimacy: heartbreak, identity and personal growth are rendered with enough specificity to feel personal, yet never so insular that they lose

Richmond, Virginia’s The Sugar Hollows embrace the freedom of not fitting neatly into one genre. Across 'Resonance', the five-piece blend southern rock, Americana, folk, blues, indie and jam influences into a sound that feels both deeply rooted and refreshingly open-ended. Acoustic warmth, electric grit and lap steel textures give the record plenty of character, while its ten tracks draw on themes of love, loss, triumph, uncertainty and personal growth. More than simply a sho

Italian producer Mazare has never been particularly interested in staying inside the lines, and ‘Ego Death’, the title track from his latest EP, released via Universal Music Italia, makes that instinct impossible to miss. Teaming up with Glasgow alternative rock and post-hardcore outfit Newshapes, Mazare delivers a track that thrives on contrast, pairing atmospheric electronic production with the raw physicality of metalcore and drum & bass. The track wastes little time estab

With 'We Can't Come Back', Oceans Of Oceans continues to carve out a distinctive space where alternative rock, electronic ambience and cinematic songwriting naturally converge. Rich in atmosphere and emotional nuance, the single demonstrates an artist who understands that impact often comes from carefully controlled dynamics rather than constant intensity. The track begins with shimmering guitar lines before gradually unfolding into a layered arrangement that moves effortless

Perth's SCIZZORMAN return with "Mystical Yeast", a colourful and groove-heavy introduction to their forthcoming concept album How To Get Your Life Right With What's Left. Having spent two decades developing an eclectic musical identity, the independent outfit continue to blur the lines between funk, psychedelic rock, glam pop and progressive experimentation with impressive confidence. Driven by an infectious rhythm section, the single wastes little time establishing its perso

There are albums that settle comfortably into a scene, and then there are albums like kas-ee-oh-chenz, which seem determined to wander through several of them before the first side is over. Casiocenz embraces stylistic freedom with infectious confidence, moving effortlessly between psych rock, post-punk, electronic experimentation, indie melodies, and flashes of classic rock exuberance. Remarkably, none of it feels forced. The record thrives on momentum. "Mind Grapes" opens w

Morphide have never sounded like a band content to play it safe, and with Mental, the Latvian modern metal force deliver their most ambitious and emotionally charged statement yet. Blending crushing heaviness with atmospheric depth and progressive ambition, the album captures a band pushing beyond genre boundaries while keeping its intensity firmly intact. Built around themes of grief, healing and transformation, Mental turns personal struggle into a powerful sonic journey. T

Shoegaze has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence in recent years, but few bands approach the genre with the patience and restraint that Zabriskie bring to 'Ghosts In Time'. Rather than leaning on nostalgia, the Swiss trio use the genre's expansive textures as a way of exploring memory, reflection and emotional uncertainty, resulting in their strongest release to date. The EP's lead single, 'Stone Temple', immediately sets the tone. Waves of reverb-soaked guitars and hazy vocals d