The Draize

Based in South London, The Draize met mainly over social media. The band consists of Ant (vocals), Louis (guitars), Jack (guitars), Paul (bass), and Steve (drums).

*banner image courtesy of the band.

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Liquid

Louis and Jack’s languid guitar style serves up dreams that become hazy life-long memories with those you forge friendships with within the formative years. The dreamy work of early Real Estate and the pop-shoegaze of Andy Bell’s debut album, ‘The View from Halfway Down,’ combine on this understated but never outgunned journey.

Nothing New Under The Sun

Mesmerically lazy! Stripped back psyche, eloquent harmonies, and a sense of finding light in isolated times unite to forge a new dawn for guitar music.

Ellis Murphy

Ellis Murphy is a singer-songwriter hailing from Liverpool. The righteous souls at Shiiine On tipped us off about Murphy last year and we’ve been blown away by his work since.

*image courtesy of Ellis Murphy

In 2024, Murphy put out two EP’s via Soundcloud. Let’s look at a track from each:

Oh Help Me

Murphy reminds us all that a guitar and voice are enough to change the course of history. His vocals and guitars are raw yet so utterly vital. They don’t just demand your attention; they’ll take it!

Dylan's power has been reborn on Merseryside!

Ellis Murphy · Oh Help Me

Queen of Hearts ft Dan Astles

From Dylan to Simon & Garfunkel, Murphy lights up this folk single with great melody and drama. His storytelling is intensely gripping, and every track is a journey, as exemplified here.

A breathtaking talent that is destined to define a generation.

Ellis Murphy · Queen of Hearts ft. Dan Astles

The North

The North are a four-piece band based in Leeds. They comprise of vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Billy Memphis, Sian Keates (drummer), and Kobi Griggs (lead guitarist).

In February, the band will play the Leeds edition of This Feeling’s Big in 2025. Let’s see why:

Soundtrack Your Soul

Beautifully too slow, holding you in a 4th gear stasis, forcing you to revel in their wry lyrics (“and the revolution is just a t-shirt away”) and their eloquent guitars. The beauty of Bloc Party’s ‘So Here Are’ jangles in rock ‘n’ roll moonlight before Memphis cuts loose with a Nick Valensi solo.

The build in the latter stages will induce heartwarming memories of so many 00s bands who may not have lasted the distance but left indelible marks on souls. The spiritual uprising of The Open, the dynamism of Battle, and the sense of destiny of Alterkicks all culminate in one of the decade's finest debut singles.

 Click the image below to their This Feeling show:

Shale

Shale

Shale are a four-piece from Cardiff consisting of Samuel (vocals & rhythm guitar), Austin (lead guitar & backing vocals), Rohan (bass), and Zach (drums).

They’ve been gathering steam lately with 6 music plays from Huw Stephens and Emily Pilbean. Let’s see why:

Fuzzy identities

The innocence of DMA’s, The Kairos' grit, and Spangled's playful jangle unite and provide Samuel the perfect platform to deliver one 2024’s finest indie vocals.

Samuel pulls from the urgency of James Douglas-Clarke (Goa Express) and the angelic tones of J. Fender (Afflecks Palace) to conjure something truly resplendent.

Green Light Red Light

Lawrence (Felt) and Luke Haines’ (The Auteurs / The Servants) sense of play and Dream Machine's ramshackle splendour come alive on this blessed indie record.

The Stingrays

The Stingrays are a three-piece consisting of Hector Delicious (bass), George Van den Broek (vocals), and Milo-G (drums). The trio have been writing, recording, and touring with Yellow Days since their teenage years, but recently, Hector and Milo stepped away from the pressures of Yellow Day’s live responsibilities.

From there, they formed The Sting Rays together, and Van den Broek latterly joined after missing playing with his lifelong friends. Their latest venture took them to Dom’s Sums on Hackney Road to record ‘My Everything’ and ‘Just a Fish in the Sea’ with guitarist The ib.

*Banner image credit: Jay Izzard

Let’s check them out:

My Everything

Through their simplicity and spacious sound, they impart the weightlessness of being utterly in love. den Broek’s vocal oozes the laissez-faire soul of ex-Childhood’s Ben Romans-Hopcraft (Warmduscher) and takes TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe to a more base realm.

Just a Fish in the Sea

A record of complete bliss. Straying from George Harrison to romantic ‘50s crooning, The Stingrays have delivered something completely freeing from reality.

freyahopedixon

Singer-songwriter freyahopedixon came to our attention via the impeccable Best New Bands playlist courtesy of This Feeling.

Not for the faint-hearted, she dives into mental health struggles and serves up pin-drop moments.

*image credit: florin - Tine

Let’s check out a couple of songs:

if i was to go today

Dixon’s world is tangled up in the kind of romance and anxiety that could define teenage hope and woe alike for a generation. Striving forever, tumbling inevitably into despair, the angelic vocals and heavenly pianos will leave an indelible mark on even the coldest of souls.

Dixon’s vocal is so pure of spirit that it’s akin to an epiphany on the mind’s horizon.

i’d consider (you)

Earth-shatteringly lonely. The protagonist is a broken soul, aware of the wrongdoing but unable, through heartbreaking frailty, to shake the feeling that they should be helping, loving, and changing.

Dixon’s ability to pen such unimaginable pain is unrivalled and utterly vital. She must be heard!

The Kowloons

Merseyside band The Kowloons are made up of twin brothers Stephen Ng (vocals) and Anthony Ng (drums), Mason Jones (lead guitar), and Bobby Griffiths (bass).

*banner image credit: Matt Owen

As they gear up for three esteemed support slots with The Real People, JW Paris, and The Kairos this autumn, we check out their latest single ‘Can We Go Faster’:

Can We Go Faster

Jones’ acoustic guitars have the effortless melody of their home city elders The Real People. Jones offsets this with heavier work on the guitar reminiscent of the all-conquering power of ‘Urban Hymns’ era Nick McCabe before blowing a ‘Champagne Supernova’ solo into the ether to reignite what Ticketmaster couldn’t.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

There’s a freedom and romance to this record that unashamedly pulls from their 90s icons. After fourteen years of political misery and the country fraying at the seams this summer, the landscapes of dreamers and hedonistic revelry have all but been forgotten.

Critical to this is Stephen Ng’s on-point vocal! The tendency for frontmen to overdo the nostalgic swagger is vast on records of this ilk. Ng’s refrain is laudable. He hangs back, allowing a freeing groove to take seed and rise effortlessly.  

On Friday, September 27th, The Kowloons will release their next single, ‘Raining (It Don’t Stop)’. Check back to our Singles page for a review early next week.

Little Juke

The West Midlands outfit consists of Alex Ohm (vocals and guitars), Hannah Maiden (bass), Stephen Ashford (guitars), and Tom Crowson (drums). Little Juke recently released its debut single.

Let’s check out their debut single:

Down the Rabbit Hole

Debut singles are often a tirade of influences that leave a chaotic mess of enthusiasm and teenage exuberance. Not for Little Juke. ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’ is as complete a record and sonic vision as a debut single can be.

The haunting keys and Ohm’s delicate vocals lead you via Radiohead and Thirteen Senses, but no sooner as you nestle comfortably into a world of indie does their love of the experimental come to the fore.

The distilled beats of UNKLE and haunting visions of Sebastien Tellier unite around the indie noodling on the guitars to create an exploratory masterclass in alternative music. The world may be going rick-n-roll crazy at this moment in time, but Little Juke has carved out as purer a space in the pantheon of guitar bands as possible in 2024.

Breeze

Hull’s Breeze was formed in October 2021. They’re a literal band of brothers consisting of Albert (lead vox & guitar), Alfred (drums), and Harry Anderson (bass). Having played the Isle of Wight and YNot Festival this year, they were recently handpicked by BBC Introducing presenter Jericho Keys to open this year's By The Sea festival.

Images courtesy of the band.

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Stay Young With You

The magnitude of Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’ and Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ and all the great sweeping melodies of Feeder stand shoulder to shoulder with Albert’s euphoric, occasionally resounding guitars.

Vocally, the harmonies Nigel  Clark (Dodgy) and the aching melody of Chris Helme form the bedrock of Albert’s ability to to remain defiant and composed as the heartache ensues.

Eyes Wide Open

Teenage Fanclub’s rock ‘n’ roll rumble and Pavement’s slacker vibes unite on this blissful throwback. The wayward melodies of The Longpigs surge through this record's veins, allowing joyous debauchery to cement itself once again in music lovers' hearts.

Sonnet

Sonnet are a four-piece from North East Scotland. Its members are Nathan Evans, Archie Hart, Louis Alexander, and Thurston Livesey. They recently made their This Feeling debut at Glasgow’s Broadcast alongside Ecko and The Slates.

This August, the band are set to play at the iconic Tunnels venue in Aberdeen. Let’s see why:

Another Life

Artwork and image courtesy of the band.

Experience the manifestation of a band's creative vision: a myriad of ideas splattered on the canvas in a Jackson Pollock-esque manner. The grandeur of The Cult and the gothic whimsy of The Cure converge with the captivating spirit of indie rock ‘n’ roll.

The guitars, so muscular in the early part, breed an anticipation of volatility akin to their Scottish brethren Ecko. It’s on the solo where they deviate and become their own animal. Tinges of Vida’s and Oasis’ ‘Alive’ link arms, stoned, they blissfully meander to the close. The ragged vocal and crunching bass lines all the while leaving a level of menace loitering.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming in Aberdeen:

The Clouds

Margate band The Clouds are made up of a core three Tom McLeod (lead singer), Elliott Marks McLeod (piano) and Jake Gutrige (Guitar). Regular session musicians Connor Pearce (drums) and Ethan Ashington (bass). complete the lineup

Mark your calendars for June, when The Clouds will be supporting The Kairos in Margate for This Feeling and Teenage Cancer Trust. This gig is not to be missed, as it promises to be a breakout performance for the band.

Mr Moonman

The melodic drama of OCS’ ‘Get Blown Away’ links arms with the Stones and Stanley Road and Heavy Soul era Weller on this fine rock revival single.

Frontman McLeod adds a steely, smoky, and bluesy vocal that’s steeped in anguish and hope alike. Aiding and abetting Mcleod are backing vocals packed with such emotive power that they’re worthy of the cult hero Luciano Vargas.

You Don’t Know Me

Moonlit indie licks and eloquently powerful keys reminiscent of The Rifles combine with Steve Craddock’s penchant for showmanship. McLeod counters the creative flourishes with an aching sense of regret. His vocal cuts through the influences and conjures a path for The Clouds to walk tall along.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show with The Kairos.

Apostles

Apostles are a five-piece hailing from Wigan. They consist of George Lyons (vocals), James Brown (drums), Ian Morris (bass), Rob Davies (rhythm guitar), and Joe Smith (lead guitar).

Let’s see what they have been up to:

The Mystic

The sound of youthful exuberance desperate to make its mark. Sonically they combine the infectious melodies of The Lathums and the sun-kissed escapism of Shambolics to create a record of genuine potency.

Take It All

The guitars wobbling on the edge of sanity might take it all as professed, but their fragility is where the beauty lay. Chest-out but vulnerable, their rock ‘n’ roll brand is beset with risk and infinitely more lovable for it. 

Idyllic

Idyllic are a five-piece band from Liverpool (where they’re now based) and Manchester. They’re Joe Keech (drums), Josh Peters (bass), Megan Lee (lead guitar), Ben Rogers (rhythm guitar), and Niall Doolan (vocals).

Images courtesy of Trust A Fox Photography.

After catching the eye at last year’s Shiiine On Festival, we follow up by looking at two former singles:

405-Line

The immediacy of The Stairs’ guitars is spliced with hints of The Stands and The Zutons to conjure a sonic as urgent as it is defiant. Dr Feelgood's debauched punky blues give the lyrical clarion call the muscularity the guitar scene needs.

Sick and Tired

Toying with the tempo at will, they serve up a twisting and turning homage to La’s and via their criminally underrated Scouse brothers, The Bandits. Lee’s

Doolan’s vocal taps into the infectious indie-soul of Dave McCabe and the psyche melody of James Skelly. Alongside the purity of Lee and Rogers’ guitars, Idyllic has announced itself as the real deal!

The Underground

What began as busking has evolved into The Underground, who are now making a name for themselves in their home city of Southend.

Lead guitarist James and frontman Brad are the bedrock of the band. They once had James’s brother on drums and Brad’s dad on bass, but the family affair has made way for Aidian (drums) and Mia (bass) in recent months.

*banner image credit: Finn Sexton

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Keep It Undercover

Fizzing indie guitars are met with Brad’s David Byrne-esque (Talking Heads) vocal to capture imaginations instantly. Their lo-fi sound imparts a drunken sway, imparting images of Fred McPherson and Billy Leeson dreaming up the poetic chaos of Les Incompetents.

Burnout

Brad’s vocal pulls from the cute gruffness of David Gedge (Wedding Present) and the angelic defiance of James Hackett (The Orchids). This emotive meandering is worthy of Edwyn Collins at his peak!

Gas Kunst

Formed back in October 2022 as a three-piece and a drum machine, Gas Kunst has evolved to a heavy-hitting four-piece when ex-C33s drummer joined the fold. The Chesire gang are made up of Buzz Vanker (bass), Dick Cable (guitar/vox), Judy Jones (drums/vox) & Justin Case (guitar/vox).

*Photo credit: John Maddock

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Rare Vitamins

The Thermals’ classic ‘No Culture Icons’ returns to chaotic life. Garage-psyche that flits between destruction and righteousness, life and decay, light and dark. A truly astonishing riot!

Cinematic Ocean View

Effortlessly cool Ty Segall licks and Oh Sees freak-beat psyche is boiled down into a two-min banger.

101 2.0

Not since The Hives burst onto the scene has a band condensed so much drama and impact into so little. One minute and fifteen seconds of B-52s and The Cramps magic!