The Bracknall: 229, London

London outfit The Bracknall played their last, and biggest, gig of the year at 229 this past Saturday. The sold-out gig capped off a year which saw their second album chart at .., support slots with The Ks and The Enemy, and a debut big top slot at the Isle of Wight Festival.

*banner image credit: This Is Gary

Image credit: This Is Gary

Breakout year? On paper, yes. At the 229, the reality felt more akin to the festive seasons' lean into nostalgia. They had the aura of a huge band playing a smaller venue as a rare treat for their fans. Nothing about this night said a new band was making their way. Every song is rapturously sung back at the band, with the band name being bellowed out between songs

‘Good to the Bone’ was the personification of this. Frontman Jack Dacey’s vocals, boisterous but pure, carried a weight of emotion that spilt over in the crowd. Arms aloft, grown men in tears, hugging, singing, dancing, hell, one couple got engaged during it. This year may have been dominated by rock ‘n’ roll's past, but its present and future were right here. Euphoric escapism oozed from their guitars with the kind of guts and glory that leaves dirt in your fingernails and scars on the soul.

The second album, arguably a masterpiece in waiting, bathed the set in a glow of aching power. ‘Ain’t It Shame’ rose like a ready-made anthem, transforming heartbreak into collective release. ‘Get Better’ tapped into something wilder and more primal, sending the room spinning with energy, and it’s key change, oof! It drops with the ecstatic rush of a rave classic, it washes through the crowd like a lifetime’s worth of joy compressed into a single, breathless moment.

Every verse and chorus hit with the force of a triumphant return, welcomed like prodigal sons stepping back into the light. The crowd hurled their fists into the air, banishing their demons as the room ignited with a unity not witnessed since The Enemy. Brutal, beautiful, and utterly human, this was the resurrection of rock ’n’ roll. Once dormant, now blazing, its pulse thundered through the night with undeniable life.

Image credit: This Is Gary

Pastel: Shiiine On Weekender '25

“I don’t have to sell my soul”

What began as a straight-up live review, a celebration of how a new band has tapped into the soul of Shiiine and its people, changed overnight. Pastel was going to be the story: a young group reigniting the electricity of The Verve, with flashes of Oasis and Ride stitched through their sound.

Banner and article image credit: Paul Hunt Media

That was the plan.

Then, on 20 November, the tragic news broke that Gary “Mani” Mountfield had passed.

Everything stopped. The words felt hollow. As Steve Mason put it so perfectly, “we were left without the nation’s cooler older brother”. I spent the days afterwards humming ‘Waterfall’, sometimes singing it under my breath while holding my newborn and my two-year-old—often with tears running down my face, thinking, the review is pointless.

Then Shiiine On resident DJ Dan Fulham dropped his tribute to Man on Cyndicut. Grief turned to celebration. Music felt joyful and meaningful again.

From sweatbox venues to supporting Liam at Knebworth, Pastel have been blowing the competition away. As they stride onto the main stage at Shiiine, their raw power has the gravitational pull of the Death Star, hauling in a huge crowd.

Onstage they had the nerve to bite the hand that fed them, mocking their own set length, taking the piss out of the festival machine, and doing it all with that feral spark Mani never bothered to hide. Draped in pristine Spezial, they didn’t just take the stage, they seized it. Not with empty swagger, but by dragging us straight into their world. No smoke, no gloss, no industry-approved sheen. Just the volatility of youth and great songwriting.

Mani’s passing brought back memories of the kind of character he was. A lovable rogue, opinionated, defiant, challenging, and welcoming. The kind of presence the modern industry has pushed to the margins. And yet, in Pastel, that same collision of talent, attitude, and warmth is happening again.

Watching Pastel so soon after losing Mani made something clear: the lineage isn’t broken. The spirit of character, of charm, of defiance, of music that hits you square in the chest lives on.

Maybe that’s the point after all.

“I’ve got heroes blood running through my veins”

The Rogues – Oh Gena

Newport outfit The Rogues have returned with their new single ‘Oh Gena’. Written by frontman Andrew Flannelly, it was recorded in Newport, with producer Richard Jackson in the summer of 2025. 

*banner image credit: Tom Damsell

Despite the showmanship on display from lead guitarist Alex Ainsworth his playing has a universality to it which renders it accessible to the masses. Something frontman Flannelly latches on to with his soulful indie vocal. He wraps himself around the licks with a grace that enriches the soul and allows us mere mortals to peer into their world.

Ainsworth’s hook playfully nods to Bo Diddey’s classic ‘Hey Mona’, which provides a platform for him to unfurl a flourish of Britpop, enthused with joy. Everything about his playing screams, “Come and love this band”.

It’s not the best single of the year, but it’s the perfect counterpoint to their previous work in 2025, which is. Uplifting and embracing, The Rogues have shown a craftsmanship that continues to cast their indie net wider.

Masi Masi – The Café

‘The Café’ is the fourth single from Bradford singer-songwriter Masi Masi. It’s taken from his upcoming debut album ’51 51’, which is due for release in April ’26.

In a crowded market, Masi’s distinct vocal and willingness to stroll rather than sprint sets him apart as a songwriter. He meanders from lost to found, from quaint to defiant with a grace that seasoned pros would pay good money for.

*image courtesy of CDP Radio PR

Don’t mistake his casual cadence for timidity, though. This is the sound of a soul being laid bare. It’s the essence of youth trying to find its way via the tenderness of Graham Coxon. His higher notes are nothing short of ethereal magic. What begins as stripped back soars in its climax to concretely prove that Masi is a supreme talent to be reckoned with.

Click the image below for tickets to Masi Masi’s upcoming shows:

JW Paris - Anything

London-based JW Paris recently released their latest single ‘Anything’ via Blaggers Records.

*banner image credit: Taylor Conboy

Artwork credit: Daniel Collins. Courtesy of Vanadian Avenue

With Blur’s ‘Tracey Jacks’ emblazoned across their hearts, JW Paris takes a wry look at modern life in London. Soaked in Camden’s past, they point to a broader, far more dystopian present in this anarchy-driven moment of guitar joy.

London may not sprawl endlessly, but it remains disorienting enough for anyone to lose their footing. The protagonist here edges close to being overwhelmed by the city’s intensity, searching for meaning and a sense of cultural or political quiet, only to find the opposite.

Musically, the track draws on the razor-edged guitar work of Elastica and the melodic sensibility of ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’. Danny Collins and Aaron Forde deliver verse vocals with a controlled, cunning quality reminiscent of Louise Wener’s ‘Bedhead’-era performances. The chorus then opens out into a rush of art-rock euphoria straight from the mid-’90s playbook, anchoring the song firmly within its influences while keeping its own voice intact.

Time and time again, JW Paris proves they’re nothing short of remarkable. Soon, the world will catch up!

The Ariston – Fiction

The Ariston returned with their latest single ‘Fiction’ on the 7th November. Released via Right Track Records and Universal Music Operations, it coincided with their biggest gig of the year at London’s 229 for This Feeling.

Fiction cover art credit: Charlie Wright and Ethan Muscat 

*banner image courtesy of This Feeling.

Angelic licks and a vocal searching for meaning open this single to a world of potential. It allows a brooding intensity, the kind that comes alive in the shadows. The sound of youth in the throes of a social life that’s barely in control.

When frontman Luca Slade and bassist Will Parsonson catch fire here, they bring latter-day Foals’ driving ambition to the fore. They land the sonic explosion with enough poignancy to leave a mark. Still, you can’t shake the feeling they’re just one killer hook or soaring solo away from landing a true knockout blow. It’s the kind of moment Foals spent years chasing, yet The Ariston already seem on the brink of capturing it.

Bold, ambitious yet shy and uncertain, they have put down a marker now that, if they never fall below, will see their small sold-out venues rapidly rise to the academy stages and beyond!

The Institutes - Trick the Light

Coventry outfit The Institutes are back with the first single from their second album, which is due in 2026. ‘Trick the Light’ was recorded at Vada Studios with Matt Terry (The Enemy) producing.

During lockdown, The Institutes emerged like a ray of hope. Single after single, their euphoric singles fought their way through the heavy fog descending upon us all. After a couple of years of great gigs, the band amicably parted ways with their ethereal singer, Reid Currie.

Fans left hollow, the band left spinning. Could they ever come back? Even with the announcement of ‘Trick of the Light’, there was a sense that it would never be the same.

Step forward ‘Trick of the Light’!

The jangle of The Byrds caresses the finesse of their debut album on this ode to hiding pain and burying torment. Where the debut offered a glimpse of hope, they are now offering a new way. One of togetherness, one that’s been damaged but dug the fingernails in the dirt and clung on to their beliefs.

The new vocals hit an enriching sweet spot as they wrap themselves around the effortless guitars. Everyone should be left in no doubt that the band are back and is ready to guide us all back to the promised land once again.

The Slates - Understand the Groove

The Slates have released their new single ‘Understand the Groove’ via This Feeling and Canvas Music. The single was written by the band, produced by Peter Redshaw, and mixed and mastered by James Kenosha.

*banner image credit: Oliver Roberts.

Artwork courtesy of Fear PR

To date, The Slates have been crashing through gates with chaotic indie, searching for the knockout anthem. This time out, they step back into a world of ‘Fools Gold’ and Ride with groove-laden licks and funked-up basslines.

There’s a musicality to them here which proves they’re not just indie fodder. There’s a deftness of touch, a slickness to play which can cut through the post-punk dirge of the guitar scene. Frontman Louis Barnes’ vocal refrains from his archetypal 100mph, steps into an ethereal pocket, only occasionally snarling to add poignancy to said moments. Between Barnes and Joe Briggs, the guitars stride to the front of the stage, bearing a hook destined for radio airwaves!

If you’re going to stray onto John Squire and Andy Bell’s patch, then there best be a solo, right? The percussion and jagged bass of Jude Wales lead The Slates into the majesty of ‘Fools Gold’ and ‘One Love’. Powerful, but short, they get in and get out in indie’s finest heist of the year.

Click the link below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

Fitzroy Holt - Around the Wreakin

Dudley’s Fitzroy Holt is back with his new single ‘Around the Wreakin’, the first to be released via Libertines drummer Gary Powell’s label 25 Hour Convenience Store.

*banner image credit: Patsy Wesson

In 2024, Holt was in a poignant mood. His three singles straying from Love to Shack to Curtis Mayfield. He was setting himself out as a serious player of introspective soul music.

Artwork courtesy of Fear PR

‘Around the Wreakin’, however, is a different beast. Animalistic guitars resound into dank landscapes whilst Holt’s vocal is a rabid monster. A febrile juggernaut careering faster than 100mph to blow a hole into the UK music scene.

A new standard has been set!

The guitars boom like the Black Keys until the closing stages, when the bluesy licks catch fire. There is something truly devastating about his playing here. Even the protracted notes sound like volcanic eruptions.

All sonic development pales into insignificance when Holt lets rip on the mic. Gone are the smooth, crisp vocals we’ve become accustomed to, and in comes brutalist and guttural rage. Holt didn’t need to be set apart from the pack, but this has made said gap irretrievable.

Colour TV – iBaby

“Don’t turn the light off and leave me”

After a two-year hiatus, the South-West four-piece Colour TV are back with their new single ‘iBaby’. Recorded at Cube Studios on the Cornish coast, it was mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott.

*image & artwork courtesy of the band & This Feeling.

In 2023, Colour TV reimagined the purpose of being a Wallflower with great English prose and tunes to rival Bernard Butler-era Suede. Everything was in place to give indie its soul back. Then came the news that frontman Sam Durneen was suffering from mental health issues.

What followed their announcement of return was inevitable. Questions of whether the world has moved on and can they still do it inevitably arose.

In their time away, Fontaines DC seminal album ‘Romance’ has proved the UK is ready to feel the love through its music again. Meanwhile, the emergence of The North, April Tapes, and Pynch has ushered in a new era of emotion-driven poetry inspired by indie-punk.

‘iBaby’ lands the band right at the heart of a scene seemingly designed for them to thrive. Jack Yeo’s guitars twist and tumble with the drama of ‘Dog Man Star’ and at points, rupture hearts with the isolation of Steve Mason (Gene).

Twisted and tormented, this brand of alt-pop music is essential for these times. Beneath its heartbreak, the song hums with the unease of a world coming apart, the failing relationship echoing a political climate unravelling at the seams. As Durneen declares, “I loved you like a son / Stone you like a mother / it’s never gonna feel how it did when you were young”, their unique sense of agony roared to the surface.

With Gene returning this month, and Suede releasing yet another great album, it’s only fitting that Colour TV return and offer this generation their vision. The spotlight may be on their esteemed elders, but it won't be for long.

Ecko – Danny Mackenzie

Ayrshire outfit Ecko have released their new single ‘Danny Mackenzie’ today ahead of their support slot with Marseille next month.

Basslines this slick should be illegal. They strut with a knowing confidence and dripping with attitude. Residing somewhere between Ronnie Wood’s ragged charm and Mani’s effortless groove allows frontman Jamie Wardem’s laid-back vocal to slide in perfectly on top.

The resounding licks in the closing stages, capped by an intricate solo, are made to raise fists in triumphant rock ’n’ roll victory. Possessed by the devil and locked on target, their sonic lasers are set to enthral. They wrap their debauched sound around your soul, seeping into the veins with dark intent. This kind of murky rock ’n’ roll should be prescribed on the NHS.

Next month they support Marseille, a band who have been making strides behind the likes of Pastel and The Bracknall as the next rock ‘n’ roll horse out of the traps. On this showing, they could be blown off course by the Scottish hurricane that is Ecko.

Charm - Icy Fingers

Birmingham’s Charm released their latest single, ‘Icy Fingers’, at the end of September. The release marks the run to their big hometown.

*Photo: Matt Lansdown 

Artwork Credit: @takiisbranding

There are times you yearn for the past, something you know to be great, to invigorate the soul. Then, in an instant, a song comes along that’s so good, you spit in disdain at yesteryear!

This is that song.

Filthy licks sent from the devil conjure images of early Black Keys and BRMC jamming in their finest leather. When the guitars erupt, it always feels on their terms. They move from hook to crescendo to solo, to the hook again, not because they should, but because they can! All you can do as mortals is look on in awe.

Cutting through the behemoth guitars is their frontman, whose vocals bed in between BRMC’s Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been and Liam Gallagher. Straying from the cool to the defiant lends the record an everyman appeal and allows the listener into their world of behemoth riffs.

History books will note that 25th September is when Charm ceased to be a rock ‘n roll pack runner and became a leader. They’ve set a new standard which now must reach into the four corners of the globe and conquer.

Marseille – Fever

Derbyshire’s Marseille are back with their new single ‘Fever’. Released on the 17th October (Echo Bass Records), it was written by frontman Will Brown and produced by Wolf Alice cohort Michael Smith.

*image & artwork credit: Anya Maya Photography

Back in January, time on ‘History’, Marseille had a sense of destiny about them. Sonically staring over a psychedelic horizon and proclaiming it their own. ‘Fever’ feels more like the prequel to said glory as the guitars drive forward with shoegaze's exploration.

The added layer of synths and production has given their rock classicism a fresher take. It allows yet more mysticism to swirl around Joe Labrum and Lennon Hall’s forever-rising aura as the nation's best guitarists.

Rock ‘n’ roll’s rules are unwritten, but clear. They state, your frontman must be the bollocks. Step forward Will Brown. He induces melody when, for the most part, all around him is expansive and otherworldly. Then, after the jagged edges nod to The Verve’s ‘The Rolling People’, he unfurls one of the genre’s greatest howls. Guttural, demonic, and utterly unhinged, his vocal bruises its way through the ether, harvesting the light of mortal souls.

November sees Marseille back out on tour, and on this showing, it’s not to be missed!

Been Stellar – Always On My Mind

At the end of August, New York’s Been Stellar released their latest single ‘Always On My Mind’. It’s taken from their latest EP ‘Breakaway’ released in late September via Dirty Hit Records.

Not resting on the laurels of last year's debut album, Been Stellar has released three singles to start 2025. Previous releases ‘Adored’ and ‘Breakaway’ both tapped into late 90s early 00s alt-rock influences, and this is no different.

Fuzzy guitars and Sam Solcrum’s vocals, which stray from the purity of Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) and the Kirby James Fairchild (Grandaddy), light up this perfect slice of alt-pop. Then, in the climactic stages, they reignite the poetic fires of Seafood, My Vitriol, and early Idlewild.

Anchoring the sonic is an intense protagonist lost in the throes of love, paranoia, and anxiety. As Slocum decrees, “I need you, I want you because you’re always on my mind”, images of a soul on the edge of a downward spiral flood the senses.

A sublime alt-rock journey that drifts with the carefree spirit of youth before igniting in a burst of euphoric intensity at its climactic peak. After bursting onto the scene in 2024, Been Stellar has written a blueprint in 2025 on how to stay relevant in such a fast-moving world.

The Utopiates - Let’s Make This Happen

This month sees London-based outfit The Utopiates release the title track from their upcoming album ‘Let’s Make This Happen’ (coming March ‘26). Issued via V2 Records, it follows last month’s divine ‘Montezuma’.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

The Utopiates have always had a bullishness to them, despite the groove-laden baggy influences of their first album or the 00s NYC vibe of their recent singles. Here, it emerges coolly and calmly on this ode to self-belief in the last chance saloon.

Musically and spiritually, ‘Let’s Make This Happen’ feels like the natural successor to their last single from ‘Montezuma’. The hazy perfection of that earlier track has drifted back home, recharged and restless. Now, they step into the faceless sprawl of London, ready to carve their path on their own dreamy, self-assured terms.

There’s a kind of pain here - a beautiful, stubborn ache that draws us to the underdog. It spills from them effortlessly; that quiet defiance we so often mistake for heroism, and rightly so. Dan Popplewell’s voice carries the wide-eyed innocence of Rob Harvey and the stoic depth of Bernard Sumner, winding itself around synth lines that shimmer with Kraftwerk’s elegance.

“It can still happen, let’s make this happen”

As the phrase loops, the song’s true beauty unfurls bittersweet and bruised by doubt. Maybe it won’t happen; maybe it will. But it should. Still, they move forward, unshaken, their credibility intact. In another time, with Lammo or John Kennedy behind them, they’d be headlining academy stages, their names inked into flyers and hearts.

But alas, the game has again changed, or perhaps gone entirely. And so, they spiral, beautifully out of sync, refusing to march to anyone else’s beat.

Pynch – Beautiful Noise

London’s Pynch have followed up their critically acclaimed debut, ‘Howling At A Concrete Moon,’ with their new album, ‘Beautiful Noise’ (Chilliburn Records). It was recorded at the band's home studio in Brixton, with frontman Spencer Enock handling production duties and Los Campesinos cohort Jimmy Robertson overseeing the mixing.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band

‘Howling At A Concrete Moon’ was the finest coming-of-age record in a generation. Lost protagonists searching for hope amid a sea of austerity and races to the bottom. Without being an explicitly political record, it lit up the times in the bleak, grey brush strokes that were.

Fast forward two years, with hope still a distant dream for many, and so, ‘Beautiful Noise’ saddles up and searches for more meaning. ‘Forever’ comes out the gates with Grandaddy-esque production and the effortless summer cool of Real Estate as they yearn for “late nights to go see the world To find God in the eyes of a girl”. With the spirit of Billy Bragg’s ‘A New England’ coursing through it, Pynch land you straight back into their out-of-kilter world of Kerouac prose and Jonathan Richman vocals.

Enock’s development on studio duties is enriching on ‘Forever’, but on ‘Revolve Around You’, it gives the band new dimensions. The tinges of drum ‘n’ bass fold in the sound of cathartic chaos. The coming to terms with loss, with unfathomable heartache that catapults your soul into nights of empty sex and excessive booze:

“I lost myself chasing memories / Of things that were never there at all”

They channel their soul through coming-of-age tales, reaching a powerful peak on ‘Microwave Rhapsody’. It's where the divine cool of Is ‘This It’-era Strokes collides with the raw, unfiltered roar of Seafood, a sound both expansive and intimately wounded, as they gaze out across London’s grey skyline, wrestling with life’s big, unanswerable questions.

There’s a hypnotic chaos to their slower songs, a sense of losing control that grips the listener, claws into the spirit, and tears at self-doubt. Memories and dreams blur through their guitars like spectres; the past grins knowingly, its scars worn like armour. The joy, when it comes, is laced with sorrow, aware of its all too fleeting nature.

Elsewhere, they cut through the philosophical torment with the likes of ‘Supermarket’, ‘Hanging On A Bassline’, and ‘Come Outside’. ‘Supermarket’ whilst steeped in youthful estrangement, sonically plays with Graham Coxon and his inclination to b surrounded by “painter and decorators” in the Good Mixer to feel something real. ‘Hanging On A Bassline’ reimagines Beach Boys and The Strokes for London’s youth looking for its freedom. Meanwhile, on ‘Come Outside’, Enock duets with drummer Juliana Hopkins. The lightness of The Cure’s pop-goth guitars sprinkles fairy dust before they race with the glee of Sebadoh and the romance of The Wedding Present circa ‘Seamonsters’.

Pynch documents the isolating nature of your twenties with an innate sensitivity, but crucially, with a burning passion. They wander willingly to the edges of emotional cliffs, staring into the abyss, not with despair, but with curiosity. Music can be playful, even meaningless, but Pynch injects substance into their brand of rock ’n’ roll like a collision of T.S. Eliot and Irvine.

Elsewhere, they cut through the philosophical torment with the likes of ‘Supermarket’, ‘Hanging On A Bassline’, and ‘Come Outside’. ‘Supermarket’ whilst steeped in youthful estrangement, sonically plays with Graham Coxon and his inclination to b surrounded by “painter and decorators” in the Good Mixer to feel something real. ‘Hanging On A Bassline’ reimagines Beach Boys and The Strokes for London’s youth looking for its freedom. Meanwhile, on ‘Come Outside’, Enock duets with drummer Juliana Hopkins. The lightness of The Cure’s pop-goth guitars sprinkles fairy dust before they race with the glee of Sebadoh and the romance of The Wedding Present circa ‘Seamonsters’.

Pynch documents the isolating nature of your twenties with an innate sensitivity, but crucially, with a burning passion. They wander willingly to the edges of emotional cliffs, staring into the abyss, not with despair, but with curiosity. Music can be playful, even meaningless, but Pynch injects substance into their brand of rock ’n’ roll like a collision of T.S. Eliot and Irvine Welsh.

Pablo Carrizo – Bit of Me

Rising Hull starlet Pablo Carizzo recently released his third single, ‘Bit of Me’, via M. A. Promotions.

*banner image credit: Hayden Bell

Artwork credit: Alfie Stanford 

Like a lost classic from The Inbetweeners or Gavin & Stacey, ‘Bit of Me’ waltzes through 00s indie with charm and style, evoking memories of Converse stomping sticky floors and shouting ‘laaaandon’ to Jamie T.

The charming end of The Coral’s singles and Zutons links arms with the Violent Femmes on a sonic dalliance for indie kids to stomp feet and spill cider once again. His acoustic solo lifts this beyond 00s rehash with a skill level that demands respect.

Meanwhile, Carizzo’s breathy and soulful vocal toys with cadence a la Jack Penate’s debut to amp the allure. It demonstrates a wisdom and risk-taking approach that far exceeds his fledgling status. Easy to see why This Feeling tipped him back in January

Tuesday Night Whites - Time

Lancashire’s Tuesday Night Whites on the 19th September. Produced by Tom Hale, it was recorded at the now-defunct All Silk Recording Studio.

*banner image credit: Liam Maxwell

As The K’s announce their huge shows at Castleford Bowl and Halifax Piece Hall, the indie doors open wider. Emerging from the shadows, with The K’s songwriting style emblazoned across their hearts is ‘Time’.

An intro blessed with youth’s desire to break free is met with frontman Ollie’s most urgent vocal to date. Together, they capture a generation straining at the leash to be given their shot at glory.

Jack and Nathan’s guitars lean heavily into Ryan Breslin (The K’s) enthralling style, allowing an immediacy to rise up. Death-defying, desperate, and brilliant, these licks are going to catapult the band into a world that The K’s have opened for so many. Come one, come all. Bands. Are. Back!

The Cases – Leaving Behind

Preston outfit The Cases released their latest single ‘Leaving Behind’ last week. Recorded at Kempston Street Studios, it was produced by Chris Taylor (The Courteeners, The Coral, The Lathums.

*banner image credit: Izzy Scott

This autumn sees the band support The Lilacs, Arkayla, and travel to Sweden’s Viva Sounds. They’re a band on an upward curve in a hurry. This is reflected in their condensed intro on this ode to letting go.

Frontman Harry’s vocal cadence dances with a kind of youthful mischief, cleverly disguising the heartache woven through the lyrics. From the sting of unrequited love to the ache of rejection and the simmer of quiet resentment, The Cases channel the raw, tangled emotions of adolescence. Through Harry and Will’s guitars, they craft a build that feels less like a song and more like a rite of passage, a short, aching crescendo that doesn’t just echo teen angst, but exorcises it.

It may be a simple song with minimal thrills, but they do it well. They deserve their shot this fall, watch them take it.

The Utopiates - Montezuma

The Utopiates released their latest single, ‘Montezuma’, at the end of July via V2 Records. It’s the fourth single from the upcoming second album due in early 2026.

The previous three singles have taken the band on a journey away from the elegant baggy grooves of their debut album. ‘Neighbourhood’ and ‘Reputation’ took them to NYC and Nu-rave, whilst ‘Evanescent’ became their most left-field track to date with its Skint & Demoralised-esque spoken word.

Banner image & artwork courtesy of the band.

On ‘Montezuma’, the flirtations with LCD Soundsystem, Tom Vek, and The Rapture chill out and mesh with the effortlessness of the debut album. The bassline has the funk of those above but has been given Peter Hook’s iconic dose of bliss.  

The keys glisten on sun-kissed waves lapping over pristine beaches, allowing frontman Daniel Popplewell to paint pictures of love in technicolour. Lyrically, this is comfortably Popplewell’s finest moment to date. Too many writers leap to the feeling of love as a get-rich-quick songwriting scheme. Popplewell takes you on a journey from the bleakness of 9 to 5:

“So, pleased to meet you and what do you do? / I fake all these friendships for cash / It’s dragging me down and it’s stealing my prime”

Then reminds you of why you sell your soul to get there:

“Dream of the horizon / Close your eyes and see, / We lived and died in Montezuma”

The Utopiates may be in a lazy mode sonically here, but the creativity at play is making next year’s album a drool-worthy prospect.