Ringing – another cycle in the cosmic wash

My love affair with the bands of Julias War Recordings continues unabated with the sounds of Brooklyn’s Ringing. I swear to god this label has the midas touch.

Ringing are Colton Walker, Marcos Rocha and Josh Matthews, a trio who work in really immediate terms. Their debut album another cycle in the cosmic wash was recorded live in a single session back in 2024, and you can hear that immediacy in every track. Such was the haste at the time that Walker later removed the original lyrics after realising they were saying very little. What was left behind was a record that felt open, searching, and guided by sound rather than fixed meaning. Walker had this to say.

“The album reflects on the cyclical nature of recovery. Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re destined to repeat the same mistakes forever, but over time you start to recognize the pattern and learn how to navigate it. The important thing is to just keep going.”

Let’s keep going and dive headlong in to the spin cycle.

That sense of immediacy comes through straight away on ‘datamosh’, where smeared guitar tones blur into one another as the band settle into a loose, shifting groove. We teeter somewhere between shoegaze, grunge and slacker rock and it really works.

A more considered touch comes through on ‘pool 2’, where the guitars pace themselves with a stop start intent. I get big Sonic Youth vibes as the song evolves into its anti-melody phase. The drums and guitars settle into a mirrored thrashing rhythm before the song sputters out leaving us breathless.

If you caught my March DKFM Shoegaze Radio show you would’ve heard me spin ‘incandescent’. It plays with quiet loud quiet structure. It feels more accessible than some of the other tracks and is a great ‘in’ to the bands sound. The chugging guitar has ‘Coffee and TV’ vibes whilst simultaneously sounding nothing like it. This band really like to keep you on your toes.

On ‘rose/bud/thorn’ the band pull things back. Notes hang longer, the space between them becomes more noticeable. It creates a more reflective moment that has its own beauty. This is as close to a ballad you’re going to get from Ringing! Clocking in at over five minutes in run time the song takes its time and in doing so you find yourself getting more and more sucked in each time. Its my album highlight for sure.

We’re back in thrashy, scrappy territory with ‘familiar’. Right from the opening it feels like a track that will ignite the mosh pit. It’s not a long song by any means but it sure leaves its mark!

‘want2want2’ hits us with a doom-laden intro before mellowing out for the verses. That contrast is only further augmented by the textures used in those heavier passages. The bass is employing some kinda modulation that really thickens the sound up is a really pleasing way.

Unlike its predecessor ‘moria’ opens up all quiet and sneaky like. Then those guitar textures stretch outward, opening up the sound in a way that feels expansive. The rhythm section holds everything together without closing that space down. Another to the point number that doesn’t outstay its welcome.

With ‘straylight bleed’ the band lean further into fragmentation. Is it dreampop? Is it shoegaze? Is it Grunge? Yes is the answer. It’s all of that at oncw creating a restless feel that keeps you alert. It is one of the more abstract moments on the album, yet it still feels connected to the session as a whole.

A quieter intensity settles over ‘3am’. The band ease back and let small details come forward, each note carrying more weight as a result. It’s intimate without losing the sense of space that runs through the record. The rumbling bass never sounded more menacing.

By the time ‘delusion lake’ closes things out, Ringing seem content to let everything settle on its own terms. This sounds like a final track on an album if that makes sense. It feels like a culmination of all that’s come before. That ascending chord sequence really bringing that home.

Spending time with another cycle in the cosmic wash feels like stepping into a moment that was captured rather than carefully assembled. The live session approach gives it a real sense of presence. Each listen reveals small shifts in texture and interaction that are easy to miss the first time through. You come away with the sense that the cycle keeps turning, each pass through the wash bringing something new to the surface.

another cycle in the cosmic wash is out now on cassette via Julia’s War Recordings and on vinyl via Signal//Noise Records. You can check it out over on the Ringing Bandcamp page.

You can follow Ringing on social media here…

Cashier – The Weight EP

Cashier come straight out of Lafayette, Louisiana, where they have spent the last couple of years building their name the old-fashioned way, through singles that hit hard, live shows with giants of the modern guitar underground, and a sound that links grunge, shoegaze, post hardcore and alt rock without ever feeling pinned down by any one tag. Signing to Julia’s War Recordings (yes, I know, I know. I’m obsessed with this label) feels like a natural next step for them. It puts them among artists who understand how grit, melody and emotional force can coexist on the same record. What makes Cashiers The Weight EP stand apart is the directness at the centre of it all. Kylie Gaspard sings like every line has already sat in her chest for too long, while the band around her keep the songs tense, loud and sharply shaped. That band features on guitar Joseph Perillo, on bass guitar Austyn Wood and drummer Zachary Derouen.

Gaspard put it plainly when speaking about the title track.

“As the title track of the EP, I wanted to tie the themes of all the songs together. In this song, we wanted to create something that honoured the influences that came before us. While staying true to having the guitar as the focal point, the lyrics make this a coming-of-age piece, trying to find where we fit in this life, and how we long for connection.”

That sense of connection runs right through The Weight. Let’s dive in and see if we can connect too.

The first thing that hits you on ‘A Curse I Know So Well’ is the sense of urgency. It comes charging in with a wiry guitar line that feels ready to buckle under its own tension, then the whole band snaps into place around it. Gaspard sounds vital but measured, never overplaying the emotion, which gives the track even more bite. Perillo’s guitar work adds that extra scrape and sting around the edges while the rhythm section keep the song taut underneath. You can hear traces of nineties guitar music in the bones of it, but Cashier bring their own edge to it.

That energy carries into ‘Like I Do’, though this one feels leaner and more pointed. The guitars feel less like a wall and more like interlocking lines, each one pushing at the next while the drums keep everything moving with real purpose. This is one of those tracks where the band’s melodic instincts really show themselves. Underneath the distortion and grain, there is a song with real shape to it, one that sticks in your head long after it ends.

By the time ‘Part From Me’ lands, Cashier sound fully settled into their own language. The opening guitars have a clipped urgency that immediately raises the pulse, but the thing that stays with you is how emotional the whole performance feels without turning theatrical. The vocals have an ache that cuts right through the centre of the mix. The band sound huge here, but they also sound disciplined. Every chord, notably here played off the beat, feels chosen with care, every shift in volume there for a reason. It gives the track a sense of momentum that mirrors the song’s emotional subject, that painful back and forth of a connection starting to split while some part of you still wants to hold it together.

Then ‘For I Never Knew You’ changes the script. After three songs built around motion and melody, this brief noise piece feels like a jagged interruption.

‘Same Mistakes’ follows it with a slower, heavier emotional swing. This is one of the EP’s most affecting moments because it feels exhausted in a very human way. The guitars still swell and bite, but there is more space in the arrangement, more room for the weight of the lyric to settle. You can feel the song wrestling with repetition, with the frustration of seeing yourself stuck in old patterns and still walking back into them. The band match that feeling beautifully. The performance stays measured, letting the mood build gradually until the whole thing feels like it might cave in on itself.

The title track closes the EP with a sense of hard-won clarity. ‘The Weight’ gathers together the themes Cashier have been circling all along and gives them their fullest expression. The guitars soar more openly here, sounding broad and bright even as the song keeps its feet planted in uncertainty. Derouen’s drumming gives it a firm backbone, while Wood’s bass holds everything together beneath the swirl. It’s a coming-of-age song in the truest sense, full of longing, confusion, self-knowledge and the uneasy acceptance that growing older means carrying things you cannot simply shrug off. It closes the record on a note that feels both open and heavy, which is exactly where Cashier thrive.

These songs deal with desire, insecurity, disconnection and the awkward pain of trying to work out where you belong. Cashier give those feelings a physical form. You hear it in the guitars grinding against each other, in the rhythm section driving everything forward, and in the way the melodies still find daylight inside all that force.

What makes The Weight such a strong debut is the way Cashier keep emotion and volume in balance. They never let the songs collapse into murk, and they never sand down the rough edges that give this EP its character. You come away feeling like you have heard a band who understand how to turn messy inner life into something tangible, something you can feel in your chest as much as hear through the speakers. For a first statement, this is strikingly assured. Cashier sound ready for bigger rooms and even bigger stages, yet they still hold onto that DIY core that gives the songs their honesty. The Weight leaves its mark because Cashier know that growing up, falling short and carrying on all come with their own weight.

The Weight is out now on CD and Cassette via Julia’s War Recordings. You can check it out over on the Cashier Bandcamp page.

You can follow Cashier on social media here…

Photo Credit

Olivia Perillo

Geography of the Moon – Stay Clear Stay Sharp

Geography of the Moon have a special place in my heart. I often feel I get to experience their travels vicariously through their music.  Let me rewind for those new to their sound.

Since forming after meeting in East London back in 2016, the Glasgow based Scottish, Italian, French duo have put in serious miles, playing more than 1,400 shows across Europe and Asia and building a body of work that already includes the SAY nominated album Fake Flowers Never Die, their second album Aberdeen Hiroshima and the widely praised EP The Unraveling. Largely influenced by bands from the 80s and the 90s, somewhere between psych rock, post punk, new wave and indie rock, they create their own brand of mashed up styles: Psychwave. It’s important to know all this when you come to their new single ‘Stay Clear Stay Sharp’ because this single feels like the product of all that lived experience.

The band have this to say.

“Inspired in part by the events in Nepal, the song is dedicated to friends who fought — and won. “Stay Clear Stay Sharp” encourages listeners to remain alert, to look closely at the world around them and to resist the pull of political despair. Beneath its understated tone, the song carries a simple message: stay aware, stay engaged, and keep working toward a fairer system.”

I think we can all get behind that message! Let’s hit play.

The first thing that gets you is the pulse. Andrea locks into that fast four to the floor pattern and keeps it taut, giving the song a sense of forward motion that mirrors the track’s lyrical intent. You can hear how it grew from a live setting where the room itself forced the band to simplify and trust repetition. That decision pays off here. The guitar keeps the whole thing moving with a wiry insistence while the drum machine gives it that clipped, mechanical push Geography of the Moon do so well. Over the top of it all, Virginia sings / orates with a measured calm that makes the message feel even more pointed. She never overplays it. She lets the lines sit in the track and do their work.

Knowing the song was shaped by what the band witnessed in Nepal in September 2025 gives it even more weight, yet the brilliance of the single lies in how lightly it wears that context. If this is the first taste of the next record, then the album already feels like one to keep very close on your radar.

For long time followers, there is plenty here that will feel familiar in the best possible way. For newer listeners, this feels like an ideal point of entry just ahead of the album announcement. Geography of the Moon sound alert, focused and fully in command of their own vital corner of post punk. On this evidence, the next release deserves your full attention, and for now the smartest move is simple enough: stay clear, stay sharp people!

‘Stay Clear Stay Sharp’ is out on 26 March 2026 via Home Hearing Records. You can check it out upon release over on the Geography of the Moon Bandcamp page.

You can follow Geography of the Moon on social media here…

a murphy- haunt

I’m a bit of a late-night writer. It’s when I can get complete peace and quiet to focus on the amazing music I’m sent. Last week though I was casually scrolling through my Instagram feed when I heard a song that stopped me in my tracks. I sat there soaking up the wee clip the reel allowed me to hear before diving off to Bandcamp to hear more. There was something in the tone, something in the way the artist played their acoustic guitar that spoke to me. The artist was a murphy and I ended up sending him a message there and then. My instinct told me this album was gonna be special. I love it when I’m right.

Andrew James Murphy has been here before under the name amateur theatre group, building a quiet following through radio plays and festival appearances. He said that project felt like a return to music after a long absence. This new album, haunt. feels like what comes after that return, when the reasons for writing start to become clearer and more personal. These songs come from a place of reflection shaped by loss, tied closely to Murphy realising he has now lived as long without his father as he did with him. That knowledge sits with you every listen, yet it never overwhelms the music. Instead, it’s your window into understanding the songs.

The album opens with ‘intro’, mere seconds long. It’s the sound of the artist picking up his guitar and settling down to play. We’re ready to begin

‘lune’ opens things up proper and brings us into his world. The melody sits gently against a soft bed of instrumentation that leans into that slowcore and contemporary folk crossover. His voice carries a quiet clarity, never forcing emotion yet allowing it to come through in a natural way. Everything is a careful choice here. The picking style of the guitar, the muted brass section that closes the song its all so minimal yet has maximum impact.

With ‘hymnal’ the mood light dims. There is a reflective quality to the arrangement that mirrors the lyrical themes. “Lord, leave a light on, just to help me in the dark” he implores and you immediately connect. You can hear the influence of artists like Nick Drake and Low in the pacing and the openness of the sound. It feels devotional in its own way, like a conversation that he’s been having internally for years and is only now being put into words. You cannot help but be moved by the heart on your sleeve honesty on show.

‘rushes’ shifts things slightly; the insistent strumming pattern grabs you immediately. This feels like something completely new yet you still know where you are and who you’re listening to. The atmospheric snare drum rattles lend the track an anxious energy that gives your ear another layer to uncover. I’m reminded of the band Caroline in the sparse construction that simultaneously feels rich and full. This is where you notice how carefully Murphy has structured the record. Each track builds on what came before without breaking the spell.

‘untitled #1’ arrives a fragment, almost like a memory captured mid thought. There is something powerful in that lack of definition. It allows you to place your own experiences into the space it creates. These shorter, more abstract pieces give you a moment to absorb what you have felt and just be.

‘veneer’ stands out as one of the more direct moments on the record. Knowing the context behind it adds another layer. Andrew says,

“‘veneer’ is about the struggle to keep going during the most difficult moments of grieving, and to eschew the temptation to join the person who is no longer there. The verses draw comparisons between myself and my father – in this case the person the album is essentially about – while the chorus refrain is a call for help in order to survive.”

Anyone who has ever grieved will recognise those complex emotions in ‘veneer’. It’s constant heartbeat of the strummed guitar, the doubled vocals like the father’s voice echoed in his son. This is powerful songwriting and is undoubtedly my album stand out moment.

‘untitled #2’ mirrors the earlier untitled piece, acting as another pause point. It feels like turning a page slowly, taking a moment before moving forward. These interludes really help in shaping the overall flow, giving you time to sit with what you’ve just heard and felt.

The title track ‘haunt’ closes the album and brings everything together. There is a sense of acceptance here, though not in a neat or resolved way. It’s honest. “There’s a haunt in my makeup (And I’ll never be at peace with you)” The arrangement remains beautifully warm and understated, allowing the emotional weight of the song to come through without distraction. The finish the song he even captures the sound of him putting his guitar down again, perfectly bookending the listening experience.  As a closing statement it couldn’t be more perfect.

What stays with me after soaking up haunt for a few days now is how gently it holds something so heavy. These songs earn your attention though meticulous songwriting and stunning performances. You end up feeling different lines landing in new ways depending on where your own head is at that moment. That, for me, is such a rare thing. It speaks to a record that will grow with you as time goes on. I feel like I’ve been trusted with something personal, something that took time to shape and even longer to understand. It also left me with a question sitting in the back of my mind. How do you carry loss while still moving forward? Murphy doesn’t try to answer it for us. He simply shares his side of it and that’s where we meet him. In that common space where we can call all recognise a part of our story in his.

haunt is out now on 10” lathe cut vinyl and cassette. You can check it out over on the a murphy Bandcamp page.

You can follow a murphy on social media here…

Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus – Mindsuckers

I don’t get a lot of out of left field submissions for the blog but Swiss psychedelic band Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus sit right in that space. The quartet of Jonathan Meyer, Jakob Läser, Massimo Tondini and Stefan Cecere have spent more than fifteen years circling each other through various projects before settling into this formation. That long history together shows in the way the band operate. There is trust in the playing and they all seem comfortable following each other wherever the groove leads.

Across their first three albums the band developed a sound rooted in fuzz guitars, kraut rhythms and the sun scorched glow of sixties surf. Their 2022 record Freedomspacecake leaned heavily into that bright psychedelic side and the band took those songs across Europe on a run of shows that turned plenty of heads. Mindsuckers arrives after that touring cycle with a noticeable shift in mood. The guitars still carry that familiar psychedelic bite yet the atmosphere feels darker and more unsettled. Old horror cinema, B movies and strange visions of the near future seep into the record. It feels like the soundtrack to a late-night screening where the film flickers between past and future while the band hold the room in a hypnotic trance.

Let’s dive in and see where it takes us.

The album opens with ‘Wet Rabbit’ and straight away the band pull you into their world. A steady motorik pulse locks in beneath a swirl of guitar and synth. The rhythm section keeps everything tight while the guitar lines snake through the mix. It carries that classic krautrock sense of forward motion where the groove does the talking. This opener reminds me of an amped up West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band.

‘Hope’ follows with a slightly brighter tone though the sense of unease remains. The keys shimmer across the track while the thrashing guitars lean closer to garage rock territory. The song balances melody with a restless energy. You can totally hear how the band’s live experience feeds into these recordings. The groove sits comfortably yet there is always the feeling that the band might push things further at any moment.

‘Bitterkraut’ feels like a nod to the band’s love of motor driven psychedelia. The drums settle into a hypnotic pattern while the guitars form a dense wall of fuzz. The song stretches its legs and lets repetition work its magic. Small changes inside the arrangement keep the listener hooked as the track gathers momentum.

Up next ‘Painting Colours’ shifts the pace slightly. The opening guitar line carries a loose surf flavour that links back to the band’s earlier work. Acoustic guitar gives the track a more organic vibe. That familiar brightness flickers through the song though before darker textures start creeping into the background. Those synth tones colour the edges of the track and give it a slightly dreamlike quality.

‘Moon Reject’ pushes deeper into the shadowy side of the album. The groove slows and the atmosphere thickens. Fans of Pink Floyd will adore this track. Slide guitar weeps while the rest of the band’s sound grows heavier. The rhythm section hold steady to create a steady pulse that feels almost ritualistic. The band sound completely locked together here.

From the moon to the clouds next with ‘Cloud Driver’ opening with a somewhat gentler touch. The guitars ring out clearly while the rhythm moves at a measured pace. The song explores the fragile space between connection and disillusion. As the track unfolds the band gradually thicken the sound until the whole thing explodes in a psychedelic wig out. It’s one of the more reflective moments on the album and it adds an important contrast within the record’s flow.

Pulling us straight back into darker territory is ‘Acid River’. The bass and percussion drive the track forward while the guitars rise and fall around the groove. The song has a cinematic quality. You can picture the band performing it beneath swirling projections while the rhythm locks the audience into its hypnotic pattern.

‘Cosmic Waves’ feels expansive and slightly hallucinatory. The guitars stretch out and the synth textures float around the rhythm section. This is far out and trippy in the best way possible. The band show their patience here, letting the track evolve slowly while the tightest of grooves holds everything together.

The closing track ‘Mindsucker’ brings the album full circle. The song carries a darker edge. Drum machine pulses, shadowy guitar lines and eerie textures combine to create something that feels part psych rock and part strange horror soundtrack. It closes the album with a lingering sense of mystery, like the final scene of a film where the lights come up yet the images stay with you long after the credits roll.

Mindsuckers captures a band who know exactly how to balance groove, atmosphere and melody. Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus continue to pull ideas from the past while shaping them into something that feels alive in the present moment. The record moves between hypnotic repetition and bursts of psychedelic colour with a confidence that comes from years of playing together. By the time the final notes fade you realise the band have quietly pulled you into their world and left you happily under the spell of the Mindsuckers.

Mindsuckers is out now via Taxi Gauche Records. You can check it out over on the Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus Bandcamp page.

You can follow Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus on social media here…

Golden Hours – Beyond Wires

Those legends over at Fuzz Club are at it again. More amazing hitting my inbox this time from Golden Hours.  The group pulls together players whose histories run through Gang of Four, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Tricky and The Fuzztones. That sort of musical history should give you an idea of the calibre of musicians involved in this project. When Golden Hours first appeared in 2023 with their self-titled debut they sounded like a project still finding its centre. Beyond Wires, their second album for Fuzz Club, feels like the moment the pieces truly lock together.

Based between Berlin and Brussels, the quartet of Hákon Aõalsteinsson, Wim Janssens, Tobias Humble and Rodrigo Fuentealba Palavacino operate with two lead vocalists sharing the record. Odd numbered songs fall to Hákon while Wim takes the even ones. It creates an intriguing rhythm across the album. Voices shift while the sonics stay very much connected. Twin guitars coil through layers of fuzz while bass and drums hold everything tight. Underneath that core sit synths, percussion and ghostly textures that slip in and out of the mix. The result carries shades of post punk, darkwave and psych rock without feeling tied to any one tradition.

Let’s drop the needle and see where we go.

‘Whatever Happens Today’ opens the album with a slow sense of anticipation. Instantly it feels cinematic. The guitars trade in shimmering licks, vocals are dark and brooding. The band sound confident from the first moments. The drums are on point, creating room for the bass by shaping a stunning poly rhythmic shuffle. Man, what an opening.  

Up next ‘Heading For The Moon’ brings a more direct and visceral approach. The vocal carries a dry direct tone that suits the churning guitars beneath them. Once again, I really need to shout out the drums. Always moving, always interesting. When we head into the chorus it feels like we’re taking off. Great use of dynamics throughout.

Not content with settling in one place ‘Arctic Desert’ expands the atmosphere again. The guitars stretch into long ringing notes that echo through the track while the rhythm moves with deliberate weight. There is a sense of isolation in the arrangement. Each instrument feels placed with care so you can enjoy each and every twist and turn.

‘The Letter’ arrives with the urgency of a band tightening the screws. Built around fuzz coated guitar melodies, the song hits with purpose. The vocal delivery remains calm even as the instrumentation surges beneath. The contrast works well. The track carries a dark narrative of frustration and mental pressure which gives the song its emotional centre. It might be an obscure reference but I get hints of Edinburgh School For The Deaf in the verses.

We settle into a hypnotic psychedelic groove on ‘Book Of Lies’. The voice sits low in the mix while the guitars hold the line, circling around a repeating pattern. The rhythm section locks it down, tight as a drum with quiet determination. It is only in the choruses that we get the release as the song erupts before being locked back down again.

Drums lead the way on ‘The Same Thing’. Things pivot toward movement again. The bassline falling in line filling out the rhythm section, driving the track forward while the lead guitar adds sharp accents. Guitars flicker around the rhythm like sparks. It’s a lean and purposeful track and shows the breadth and depth of these amazing musicians.

‘Voices’ drops the pace just a little. Arriving like a lumbering beast it asserts itself immediately. Deep deep vocals and chiming reverb-soaked guitars that swell and ebb battle for your attention. This is as close you’re getting to a ballad because this band mean business.

‘Train I Ride’ restores the momentum. The song moves with the steady pulse of its title. Guitar lines are minimal as the rhythm section keeps everything on track (excuse the pun). There is a hypnotic quality here and I really love the use of an acoustic guitar to add another aural texture to their palate.

You’d be forgiven for thinking you were about to hear a new Robert Smith song with the title ‘Pray For Darkness’. Sure, enough it leans deeper into the band’s gothic roots. The guitars carry a darker resonance while the rhythm pushes forward with force. The track balances mood and melody in a way that feels central to Golden Hours’ identity. Uncle Bob would approve!

‘The Water’s Fine’ closes out the album with a sense of calm resolution. The arrangement opens up and allows the guitars to ring out clearly. The vocal carries a quiet reassurance that rounds the album off with warmth after the tension of the earlier songs.

Beyond Wires reveals a band operating with real clarity of purpose. Every player understands their role, yet each part still finds space to breathe and stretch out. The twin vocal approach keeps the album moving while the guitars, bass and drums build a sound that feels rich without ever becoming cluttered. There are nods to the darker corners of post punk history, flashes of psychedelia, and moments of hypnotic groove that pull you deeper with each listen. By the time the final track fades out you realise this record has quietly wrapped its wires around you.

Beyond Wires is out now via Fuzz Club. You can check it out over on the Golden Hours Bandcamp page.

You can follow Golden Hours on social media here…

Snowcuffs – Sweet Gravity EP

Chicago has long been a favourite shoegaze city of mine. You can trace a line from the city’s heavy underground to its long-standing shoegaze and dream pop communities, and Snowcuffs sit right in that lineage. Formed in late 2022 by members of Lightfoils and Astrobrite, the five-piece arrived with Sink Down in 2025 and quickly showed they knew what real gaze was. That debut EP carried real poise. It earned them slots alongside Cold Gawd, Seashine and Cigarettes for Breakfast and a strong showing at Kalamashoegazer.

Now they return with Sweet Gravity, a second EP that feels more assured in its identity. Stephanie Nikolas handles vocals with clarity and restraint. Neil Yodnane and Weasel Elliott share guitar duties, building layered lines that move between clean, icy patterns and full-bodied distortion. Sarah Sterling’s bass anchors the songs with a low end that anchors everything and Mike Hoyt’s drums snap with purpose. The EP sounds expansive without losing detail. Each instrument has room to breathe while still contributing to a unified whole.

Let’s dive in and see what’s what.

‘Burst’ opens the record with real attitude. The band describe it as a meditation on identity and indecision, inspired by Sylvia Plath’s fig tree metaphor in The Bell Jar. That literary reference might feel lofty on paper, yet the song grounds it in something immediate. The guitars chime and swell while the rhythm section keeps everything taut. I love the melody which is a bit of a call and response from the vocal and the guitars. We’re off to a cracking start.

Up next is ‘In Blue’. From the first bars, the interplay between the two guitars becomes the focus. One traces a cool, minimal line while the other fills the edges with textural layers. The bass sits low and steady, giving the track a sense of scale. As it moves toward its climax, the song takes on this euro vibe. Like a soundtrack to a lost French arthouse film.

The intro to ‘Sunless’ does that neat trick of starving out ears of bottom end so that when the bass kicks in we feel it in our chests. The lyrics circle themes of absence and reflection, and the arrangement mirrors that introspection. You can hear how much attention has gone into dynamics. The chorus in particular is has a that contrast between the drive and thrust of the guitars and drums against the longing of the vocal delivery. Very cool.

‘Cold Memories’ closes the EP with it all left out there. Hoyt’s drumming here is next level. I am always totally tuned in to it when I listen to this track. The bassline is warm and resonant beneath the higher guitar textures. As the final notes fade, you are left with no doubt that Snowcuffs have taken a decisive step forward from their debut.

Taken as a whole, Sweet Gravity feels like the sound of a band settling into their stride. The songwriting feels tighter, the arrangements feel more confident, and each member finds the right space within the mix. Nikolas carries the emotional thread through the record with a vocal delivery that stays calm and clear even when the guitars rise around her. The guitars shape the EP with layers of shimmer and distortion while Sterling and Hoyt keep everything grounded with a rhythm section that feels locked in from the first note. Four songs in, it becomes clear that Snowcuffs are building something with real direction. If Sink Down introduced the band, Sweet Gravity shows exactly where they’re heading next.

Sweet Gravity is out now. You can check it out over on the Snowcuffs Bandcamp page.

You can follow Snowcuffs on social media here…

Photo Credit

David Ritter

Premiere – AIMING – First At The Accident

Today on Static Sounds Club I have the pleasure of sharing a world premiere. The new single ‘First at the accident’ from Yorkshire outfit AIMING arrives here first, giving us an early look at the next chapter in the band’s story. If you have been keeping an eye on the ever-reliable Blackjack Illuminist Records roster you will already know the name. AIMING have steadily built momentum through a blend of shoegaze textures, post punk energy and carefully layered electronics. Early releases such as ‘Brainiac’ introduced a band with a strong ear for atmosphere and melody, recorded and produced within their own York studio setup.

‘First at the Accident’ lands ahead of the upcoming Sail & Wreck EP, due later in March, and it reveals another side of AIMING’s songwriting. If the earlier material leaned toward guitar led haze, this track moves confidently into synth driven territory while keeping that emotional core firmly intact.

From the opening moments you can hear the care that has gone into the sound design. Vintage synths glow with a soft neon warmth while reverberant guitar lines shimmer across the mix. The rhythm carries a steady pulse that gives the track a subtle forward motion without ever rushing the mood. AIMING have always shown a knack for layering textures and here that instinct pays off. The arrangement breathes easily, each element given space to settle and build.

The vocal performance is where the song really lands. That unmistakably English delivery brings a quiet sense of reflection to the lyrics. The song centres on the slow collapse of a relationship and the emotional confusion that follows. It captures that moment when two people recognise the cracks forming yet keep trying to convince themselves everything can still be repaired.

What I enjoy most is how chilled it is. AIMING never force the emotion. The words sit naturally within the arrangement and allow the listener to step inside the story. Images appear quietly through the verses. Laughing at strangers while holding yourself tight. Crying in suburban living rooms while the television flickers. Searching for meaning in half painted graffiti. These details create a sense of real life unfolding inside the song rather than a grand dramatic statement.

Musically the band strike a lovely balance between electronic glow and guitar atmosphere. The synthwave influence adds colour while the guitars keep everything grounded in the dream pop and shoegaze world AIMING first emerged from. It feels like a natural step forward and hints that the upcoming EP will broaden their sonic palette even further.

For listeners who followed the band through The Legend EP, this single confirms that AIMING continue to refine their sound with confidence and care. Their ability to pair reflective songwriting with immersive production keeps growing stronger with each release.

‘First at the Accident’ receives its world premiere today here on Static Sounds Club ahead of the upcoming Sail & Wreck EP.

The single arrives via Blackjack Illuminist Records. You can keep up with AIMING and their upcoming releases through the AIMING Bandcamp page.

You can follow AIMING on their socials here….

Dewey – Summer On A Curb

Paris has always had its own relationship with guitar music. It often feels slightly removed from the UK and US narratives that dominate shoegaze history, which makes it all the more thrilling when a band arrives with songs that feel both rooted and refreshingly open. Dewey are one of those bands. An indie rock and shoegaze quartet from Paris, they step forward with their debut album Summer On A Curb, released via Howlin’ Banana Records.

What struck me straight away is how unforced it all sounds. The idea of late nineties nostalgia meeting a modern sensibility feels accurate, yet it only tells part of the story. Yes, you can hear echoes of American basement pop and that soft focus guitar tradition. Yes, there are textural nods to My Bloody Valentine woven through the mix. But what Dewey really have is a knack for melody that lands quickly and lingers.

‘City Has Come To Crash’ opens the album and sets the emotional tone. This was the first track I heard from the record and it still feels like the doorway into Dewey’s world. The guitars arrive in a gentle haze, the rhythm section steady and unshowy. There is a synth driven undercurrent that gives it a faint orchestral sweep, the kind of arpeggiated pulse that quietly drives everything forward. It feels like sitting in the back of a taxi at three in the morning, city lights flashing past, replaying conversations in your head. It’s subdued but never sleepy. A very confident opening.

‘Outside Of The Lines’ builds on that foundation with a little more bite. You may hqve heard this one on my February DKFM Shoegaze Radio show. The guitars have a rougher edge here, chords ringing out with confidence. There is a youthful defiance to the chorus that makes you want to sing along even before you know the words. Dewey understand that pop does not need to be glossy to be effective.

Slowing the pulse next ‘Role Model’ provides breathing space. Berton’s writing favours immediacy over grand statements and this track shows that clearly. It feels like an honest conversation set to chiming guitars. The band never overcrowd the arrangement. Each element has room to breathe. You can hear how self-producing the record has given them freedom to keep what matters and discard what does not.

Then comes ‘Jinx’, the single that introduced many of us to Dewey’s world. Driven by that arpeggiator motif which gives it a bittersweet undercurrent, the track explores the contradiction between chasing popularity and recognising how fleeting trend cycles can be. There is a subtle humour running through it too, mirrored in the video’s playful take on promotional discomfort. Musically it balances sugar and shadow perfectly. The hook is undeniable, yet it sits within a wash of guitar that keeps things grounded.

Up next ‘Face Out’ feels more introspective. The tempo dips ever so slightly, the vocals sit deeper in the mix, and the optimism is dialled up. This is where Dewey’s ability to write what I would call emotional snapshots really shines. The song feels like a moment in time captured in song form.

‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ brings the pace back up. Opening with a weird synth pad it soon blooms into this minor key odyssey. The drums have a looseness that keeps everything human. It is catchy without trying too hard, and that restraint is one of the album’s strengths. Dewey never oversell a chorus. They trust you to meet them halfway.

Bringing us back up to speed ‘Void’ is a highlight for me. The guitars shimmer but it’s the mood that carries weight. It is a reminder that hazy textures can hold real emotional depth when paired with thoughtful songwriting.

The title track ‘Summer On A Curb’ sits at the heart of the album. It encapsulates the record’s blend of warmth and uncertainty. The image the title conjures up is simple and grounded. Sitting outside, watching the world move, feeling both part of it and slightly removed. The band channel that feeling into a melody that feels immediate yet reflective.

‘Tough Crowd’ injects a little edge back into proceedings. There is a playful self-awareness here, a recognition of the pressures that come with creating art in a world obsessed with reaction. The guitars feel a touch sharper, the rhythm section pushing forward with intent.

‘Yesterday After Dawn’ carries a reflective glow. It feels like the calm after a long night. The arrangement is delicate, the vocal delivery sincere. There’s a touch of the Weezer’s on show here. It’s a great reference point as it really suits Dewey’s aesthetic.

Finally, ‘Cardboard’ closes the album with a sense of resolution. We finish up at pace and it’s the perfect way to round out this collection of songs. It’s a pop banger and it shows the confidence of this band that they’d tuck this beauty away at the end of the album.

What makes Summer On A Curb stand out is its balance. It taps into that late nineties and early two thousands sweet spot while feeling current and personal. It nods towards bands like Wishy, Wednesday, Hotline TNT and Slow Pulp without sounding like an imitation. In a French indie scene that deserves far more international attention, Dewey arrive with a debut that feels fully formed yet open to growth.If this is Dewey finding their feet, then the view ahead looks bright. It is rare to find a debut this self-assured, so take a seat and make it your own summer on a curb.

Summer On A Curb is out now via Howlin’ Banana Records. You can check it out over on theDewey Bandcamp page.

You can follow Dewey on social media here…

Heavenly – Highway to Heavenly

It feels strange to write about Highway To Heavenly without first acknowledging just how much ground Heavenly have already covered. Thirty years is a long pause between albums. In that time scenes have risen and fallen, genres have been repackaged and resold, and entire generations have discovered indie music through algorithms rather than fanzines. Yet here we are, with a new record from a band who helped define what indiepop could be in the first place.

Heavenly emerged from the same fertile soil that gave us Tallulah Gosh, and in many ways they became the emblem of that jangling, politically alert, defiantly independent strain of British guitar pop that grew under the wing of Sarah Records. Across the Atlantic they found a home on K Records, aligning them with the Riot Grrrl spirit that was reshaping Olympia at the time. Heavenly fused the romantic rush of C86 with the DIY urgency of punk, and they did it while singing in a voice that sounded like real life rather than rock theatre.

The original quartet of Amelia Fletcher, Peter Momtchiloff, Cathy Rogers and Rob Pursey return here, joined by Ian Button on drums, releasing the album through their own Skep Wax imprint. The shadow of original drummer Mathew Fletcher’s loss has always been part of the Heavenly story. It adds weight to everything they do, without ever dimming the melodic brightness that defines their sound.

Let’s dive in and see what they have for us.

The album opens with ‘Scene Stealing’ and it sets the tone with intent. There is a pulse here that nods toward disco pop, a subtle echo of Blondie in the rhythm guitar and tight groove. Lyrically it takes aim at self-absorbed influencer culture and the casual disrespect that still shapes how women are treated in public spaces. The hook is immediate, the critique sharp. It feels current without chasing trends.

‘Portland Town’ follows with chiming guitars and a buoyant vocal exchange between Amelia and Cathy. This is Heavenly doing what they have always done best. They write about belonging with honesty rather than slogans. The line about wanting to feel you fit in lands with quiet force. The song celebrates community while acknowledging how fragile that feeling can be.

‘Press Return’ stretches out slightly, both musically and thematically. Peter’s guitar lines circle the melody with precision, understated but essential. The song dismantles tech bro bravado with calm clarity. It never feels preachy. It simply states the emotional cost of mistaking power for worth.

Up next ‘Skep Wax’ carries a playful self-awareness, named after their own label yet rooted in something more universal. There is a conversational quality to the lyrics. The refrain about being ‘differently the same’ captures that Heavenly knack for turning small observations into resonant truths. The band sound locked in here, comfortable but never complacent. Fans of Camera Obscura will find a lot to love in this song.

There’s a darker undercurrent on ‘Deflicted’. The bassline has bite, the organ tones add texture, and the opening line sets up a tension that runs through the whole track. This is classic Heavenly relationship writing. Sweet melody, complicated emotions. You find yourself replaying lines to unpack them fully.

‘Excuse Me’ arrives with a burst of punk energy. It is brisk, sharp, and full of self-deprecating humour. I hear the spirit of early New Wave bands in its economy and bounce. It captures the awkward thrill of teenage romance without nostalgia clouding the edges.

Like some lost Pulp single ‘A Different Beat’ bursts on to the speakers. This is one of the album’s centrepieces. The narrative arc is clear. Falling, realising, leaving. The metaphor of dancing to your own rhythm is simple and effective. The bassline carries the song forward with confidence. By the final chorus it feels like an anthem for anyone who has chosen freedom over comfort.

‘Good Times’ arrives with a waltz like sway and a hint of melancholy beneath the surface. The title carries irony. The vocal interplay between Amelia and Cathy adds warmth. It feels reflective, almost domestic in its imagery, yet the emotional stakes are high.

‘The Neverseen’ stretches into more spacious territory. The guitars shimmer and there is a gentle patience to the arrangement. Details like a spider plant creeping across a room or a kettle steaming up a window give the song its intimacy. These are the kinds of specifics that elevate Heavenly’s writing. They ground big feelings in everyday scenes.

‘She Is The One’ leans into that boy girl dynamic that Heavenly have always handled so deftly. The rhythm has a subtle Latin lilt, and the message of recognition and acceptance feels earned rather than sentimental. It radiates empathy.

The album closes out with ‘That Last Day’. It’s direct, unguarded, and devastating in its simplicity. Writing about bereavement without slipping into abstraction takes courage. Amelia’s vocal is steady, almost conversational, which makes the emotion hit harder. It may be the most affecting song here, and yet it still carries that pop instinct that invites you to sing along through tears.

What strikes me most about Highway To Heavenly is how fully it inhabits its own values. In an era where independence is often aesthetic rather than structural, Heavenly remain genuinely self-directed. They have influenced bands like Belle and Sebastian and The Cardigans, yet they still sound uniquely themselves. The melodies are bright, the politics are personal, and the conviction is unwavering.

For older fans this feels like stepping back into a familiar room and finding the light even warmer than you remembered. For younger listeners discovering them through TikTok clips of ‘P.U.N.K. Girl’, this album confirms that Heavenly were never a footnote. They were the blueprint.

Highway To Heavenly is out now via Skep Wax. You can check it out over on the Heavenly Bandcamp page.

You can follow Heavenly on social media here…