Winners at the Jazz FM Awards 2026
The Jazz FM Awards 2026 took place at KOKO in Camden, honoring top talent across public‑vote and main categories. Fergus McCreadie captured Album of the Year for "The Shieling," while Emma Rawicz was named UK Jazz Act of the Year. Other highlights include Samara Joy as International Jazz Act, Emma‑Jean Thackray winning the Innovation Award, and Verve Records receiving the Gold Award. The ceremony, backed by sponsors such as PPL, PRS for Music and industry partners, underscored the vibrancy of the UK jazz ecosystem.
Fame From the Practice Space to the Stage: South Arcade and Haku. (ハク.)
In the streaming era, indie bands South Arcade and Haku. are gaining global attention by posting raw rehearsal footage on TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. The unpolished clips showcase chemistry, tight musicianship and the bands' personalities, turning practice rooms...
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in 1915 to teenage, impoverished parents and endured a childhood marked by abuse, an attempted rape, and institutionalization. After a stint in prostitution, she auditioned at a New York speakeasy at age fifteen, captivating...
Kim Gordon at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London: Live Review
Kim Gordon delivered a 20‑song performance at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, centering on her newly released solo album Play Me. The set blended trap‑infused beats, menacing synths, and distorted guitar tunings, highlighting tracks like “Dirty Tech,” “Not Today,” and a co‑written...
Souled American on “Sanctions” And Never Having Gone Away
Chicago alt‑country duo Souled American have issued their first album in three decades, *Sanctions*, after a protracted, pandemic‑stalled recording process. The band, active from 1988‑1996, never formally broke up but faced financial and equipment hurdles that delayed new material. Fan...
Tom Waits and Massive Attack’s New Song “Boots on the Ground” Is Here
Tom Waits teams up with Massive Attack for "Boots on the Ground," the first new Massive Attack track since 2020 and Waits' first original song since 2011. The single drops on streaming platforms and will be issued as an EcoSonic...
Hank Alrich – Broken River
Hank Alrich, co‑founder of Austin’s legendary Armadillo World Headquarters, is releasing his new album *Broken River*. The record blends folk, blues, jazz, and country while dedicating roughly half the songs to climate‑change themes. Tracks like “Blue Guru” and “Denial River...
Ashnikko Live in Detroit With Princess Nokia
Ashnikko returned to the hyperpop spotlight with her new album Smoochies, swapping the metallic edge of WEEDKILLER for bubble‑gum, identity‑centric tracks. She capped the first leg of the Smoochies Tour with a sold‑out show at Detroit’s historic Fillmore, where Princess Nokia opened...
Record Store Day - What Events Are Happening Around Ireland This Saturday?
Record Store Day returns to Ireland with a slate of live shows, DJ sets and pop‑up stalls across Belfast, Cork, Limerick and Dublin. Independent shops such as Freebird, Plug’d, Steamboat and Sound Advice are pairing limited‑edition vinyl releases—including Irish acts...
Charli XCX Begins Rollout for 'BRAT' Follow-Up: "I Think the Dance Floor Is Dead, so Now We’re Making Rock Music"
Charli XCX is gearing up for a new album that marks a stark shift from her recent dance‑centric work to a rock‑infused sound. She cleared her Instagram feed, posted a minimalist photo, and renamed her secondary account to b.sides, where...
Rosali – “Other Side”
Rosali released the new single “Other Side,” a gritty track that opens her latest set backed by Mowed Sound. The song, described as a “raucous highlight,” tackles the hour‑by‑hour cultural collapse and serves as a defiant anthem to American decline....
Melbourne’s the Gnomes Share New Single ‘Magic Man’
Melbourne garage‑pop quartet the gnomes have released their new single “Magic Man,” a high‑energy track that fuses psychedelic rock with skate‑punk swagger. The song serves as a teaser for their upcoming EP “More,” slated for release on May 13. Lead singer...
GURL Drop Forecast Video
The indie band released their new single "GURL," a hybrid of pop‑punk energy and rock‑n‑roll swagger that’s already resonating with skate‑video creators. The track’s jangling guitars and dynamic drums preview the sound of an upcoming LP slated for a Fall...
No Expectations 142: Wants For Everyone
No Expectations 142 marks the return of the newsletter’s Taste Profile interview series and delivers a fresh 15‑song playlist alongside new album, movie, and book picks. The editor announces a brief vacation to Arizona and teases the upcoming issue, while reminding...
Cactus Lee
Kevin Dehan, performing as Cactus Lee, has released his new album "Lee’s Dream," marking a shift from bedroom recordings to a full‑studio production. The ten‑track record was captured at Billy Horton’s Fort Horton Studios in Wyldwood, Texas, and blends 1950s‑70s...
Jaco Jaco Announce On the Levee
Indie pop duo Jaco Jaco is set to drop their new single “On the Levee” on July 10. The track pairs feather‑light vocals with a subtle drum roll, ambient washes and light guitar strums, creating a dreamy pop soundscape. It will...
Tim Burgess Will Be Busting Out "Psychedelic Heavenly Social Classics" In West Cork This Weekend
Tim Burgess, famed frontman of The Charlatans, will DJ at Connolly’s of Leap in West Cork on Saturday, April 18. He’ll be joined by Irish producer Arveene Juthan, who will warm up the crowd with his own dance‑floor pedigree. The ticket...
Leah Senior – “Mothersong”
Australian singer‑songwriter Leah Senior is set to release her new album Pt. Roadknight on June 19, 2026. The lead single “Mothersong” blends 1960s‑70s British folk textures with her baroque‑leaning songwriting, featuring fiddles, flutes and harmonies with her sister Andi. The...
Icarus Phoenix Drop Depresso Dragon Bop
Drew Danburry, under his Icarus Phoenix moniker, has dropped the new single "Depresso Dragon Bop" with backing from indie pop‑punk outfit Steve and the Ohs. The track fuses his recent folk‑rock sensibility with high‑energy pop‑punk, drawing comparisons to Ben Weasel’s classic...
The Chop Prepare Third Window EP
Indie act Dancer is set to release the Third Window EP on April 24 through the Lost Sound Tapes label. The six‑track collection leans into a minimalist aesthetic, pairing airy synth textures and light percussion with Gemma’s emotive vocal delivery. Described...
The DADA Project – Beach Boy
The DADA Project, a new collaboration between healing‑music veteran Diane Arkenstone and Grammy‑nominated composer David Arkenstone, has released the chill‑pop single “Beach Boy.” The track blends dreamy vocals, lounge‑style beats, and new‑age textures, evoking a sun‑lit beach vibe. It serves...
White Fence :: Orange
Tim Presley, operating under the White Fence moniker, returns after a seven‑year silence with the album "Orange." The record pairs Presley’s signature jangly guitars with Ty Segall behind the drum kit and co‑producing duties, delivering a bright, optimistic sound. Critics...
Jorja Smith Steps Into Spy Mode in Cinematic Video for Price of It All
Jorja Smith has dropped a cinematic, spy‑themed video for her new single “Price of It All,” which serves as the lead track on the “Bait” Inspired‑by soundtrack for Prime Video. Directed by KC Locke, the visual mirrors the series’ blend...
First Floor #308 – Trying Something New
Veteran UK producer Mr. Mitch launched his new single "kindlullaby" on a custom vintage‑Apple‑style website that deliberately degrades the audio file with each listen, now sitting at 45% integrity. The experiment underscores a growing appetite for novel distribution methods that...
Adam Bogdan – ‘Omega Soul’ EP
Miami‑based producer Adam Bogdan has dropped the “Omega Soul” EP, a four‑track collection that fuses deep tech, minimal and house elements. The record opens with the bass‑driven “Melting”, moves through the synth‑rich title track, and closes with “Mika’s Monkey”, each...
Review: Teen Suicide – ‘Nude Descending Staircase Headless’
Sam and Kitty Ray’s indie duo Teen Suicide returns with the album “nude descending staircase headless,” dropping on April 17, 2026 via Run for Cover Records. Produced by Mike Sapone, the record shifts from bedroom‑lo‑fi to a fuller studio sound while retaining the...
Maiani Da Silva Renews Sonic Connections to Nature on “Brouhaha”
Maiani da Silva’s 2026 album Brouhaha: Shaped by Fire presents six new solo‑violin works that intertwine music with anthropology and science. Each piece, commissioned from a different composer, probes a distinct aspect of humanity’s relationship to Earth’s ecosystems. The project includes a 31‑second field...
Pyncher Sign to Heist or Hit and Unleash Explosive New Single ‘One Day’
Manchester indie quartet pyncher has signed to the cult label Heist or Hit and released their new single 'One Day.' The track, recorded with Alex Greaves in Leeds, mixes drum‑machine urgency reminiscent of The Strokes with the fuzzed‑out rawness of...
Massive Attack and Tom Waits' Boots On The Ground Addresses "the American Epoch that Is yet to Be Named."
Massive Attack has released "Boots On The Ground," their first original track since 2016, featuring Tom Waits' first new recording in 15 years. The song and its accompanying film comment on an unnamed American epoch marked by large‑scale ICE protests,...
Tinvìs – Satisfied
Indie band Tinvìs has dropped the single “Satisfied,” a folk‑rock track that opens with a cinematic piano and unfolds into an intimate, lyric‑driven composition. The song earned a glowing review that likens its emotional core to the sound of Mercury...
100%WET Return with Cinematic “Hypergaze” Anthem ‘Eleanor’s Escape’
Copenhagen duo 100%WET released “Eleanor’s Escape,” their first original single of 2026, expanding their signature “hypergaze” sound by fusing shoegaze textures with drum‑and‑bass energy. The track follows a health‑related hiatus that forced the band to cancel UK shows, and signals...
Godwin Is Expanding the Frame With ‘RENDITIONS’
Nigerian artist Godwin is expanding his creative scope with the piano‑driven EP *RENDITIONS*, a reinterpretation of beloved Nigerian classics, while his documentary *Crocodile* chronicles a decade of work with his brothers in The Critics and recently screened at the Berlinale....
The Pretty Flowers – “Convent Walls”
The Pretty Flowers dropped their sophomore album Never Felt Bitter on March 27 through independent label Forge Again Records. The record’s standout track, “Convent Walls,” blends vibrant power‑pop guitars with indie rock energy. The song’s title references a rare 1980s...
CatDraggon – “Hello My Old Friend”
California‑born psych‑rock artist CatDraggon has dropped her new single “Hello, My Old Friend,” a meditation on grief written after losing a close friend to cancer. The track fuses 60s blues‑rock grit with Latin and neo‑psychedelic flavors, while maintaining soulful, vintage‑style...
Angine De Poitrine
Quebec‑based duo Angine de Poitrine, consisting of guitarist Khn and drummer Klek, has issued two concept albums in rapid succession: Vol. I in 2024 and Vol. II just two weeks ago. Their music fuses microtonal guitar/bass, Arabic maqam scales, math‑rock structures and...
Musicians MUNA on Leaning Into Specificity
MUNA’s third album *Dancing on the Wall* leans into hyper‑specific geographic references, anchoring songs like “East Side Girls” in historic queer neighborhoods across major cities. The record also embraces overt political themes—from climate change to LGBTQ rights—reflecting the band’s belief that...
‘The Köln Concert’ by Maki Namekawa & Thomas Enhco
Last Saturday the Barbican hosted a rare live rendition of Keith Jarrett’s legendary *Köln Concert*, featuring pianists Maki Namekawa and Thomas Enhco. Namekawa opened with Part I, following the painstaking 1991 transcription and delivering near‑perfect technical precision. Enhco then tackled the 33‑minute Part II entirely...
How King Saheed Osupa Became A Timeless Pop Culture Icon
Saheed Osupa, the Fuji legend, reinforced his cultural relevance in 2025‑2026 by hosting high‑profile events, collaborating with younger stars, and earning academic honors, positioning him as a Yoruba language custodian. After missing the Olubadan coronation, he staged the Olubadan Appreciation...
The Suggestive Sounds of Paula and Pablo
Argentinian pianist Paula Shocron released *Tarot Sonoro* (2025), a self‑issued album of 22 short piano pieces each mapped to a Major Arcana tarot card, accompanied by original artwork from Sandra Ureta Marín. The music is minimalist, blending quiet piano, subtle percussive accents,...
Canes Of Karabakh ~ S/T
Polish trio Stanisław Matys, Olgierd Dokalski and Paweł Bartnik released *Canes of Karabakh*, centering the Armenian duduk amid the fallout from the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict. The album weaves the doubling of cane‑reed prices into its sonic fabric, turning material scarcity into...
Adam Gaffney Song Premiere – Product of Another Sad Song
St. Louis‑born singer‑songwriter Adam Gaffney is set to release his next album, *Product of Another Sad Song*, next month. The record is a country‑leaning collection that mixes honky‑tonk instrumentation with deeply autobiographical lyrics, many of which recount his battles with...
Another World-Class Orchestra Shuns London
The Cleveland Orchestra announced a nine‑nation European tour for October 2026, marking the final season under music director Franz Welser‑Möst before his departure. The itinerary includes debuts in Slovenia and Greece and rare returns to Bratislava and Budapest, featuring a...
Nameless Friends Double Down with Second Album, ‘The Quiet Part, Loudly’
Queer‑inclusive Canadian collective Nameless Friends releases their sophomore album, The Quiet Part, Loudly, expanding a self‑crafted universe of defiant, dance‑ready protest music. The record jumps from Celtic‑punk anthems to ten‑minute rock‑opera, tackling topics from Canadian genocide to internet fatigue with...
Luxury Nan Smell Make It Hard to Look Away with New EP ‘(Complimentary)’
Luxury Nan Smell, a Birmingham trio of Rose Davies, Emily Doyle and Jacob Spink, released their second EP "Complimentary" in April 2026. The four‑track record tackles systemic oppression, financial anxiety and personal agency through angular post‑hardcore riffs and unexpectedly danceable...
Levi Taschuk – “Benefit of the Doubt”
Levi Taschuk, a Salmon Arm, BC singer‑songwriter, released the single “Benefit of the Doubt,” a moody blend of vocal harmonies, brass, and piano that evokes a haunting, introspective atmosphere. The track explores universal themes of familial doubt and growing‑up anxieties,...
Rory C. McMillan – “Northshore Drive”
Rory C. McMillan, a Knoxville‑based multi‑instrumentalist, drops the instrumental single “Northshore Drive,” featuring Minneapolis drummer Nick Miller. The three‑minute track fuses jazz, rock, and experimental electronic textures, moving from jazzy percussion and bass to melodic piano, synths, and twangy guitars. Critics highlight its...
Gomer – “Hot Dog Hot Car”
Los Angeles‑based indie project Gomer, led by Tate Iverson, released the new single “Hot Dog Hot Car.” The track fuses post‑punk rhythms, buzzy synths, and melodic guitars, delivering a slacker‑rock vocal style that narrates the absurdity of chasing material gain....
Joshua Kaine – “Easy”
Joshua Kaine released the soulful single “Easy,” a track that blends tender guitars, lush strings, hazy synths, and brass‑filled arrangements. The song’s lyrics explore letting go of hopelessness, delivered through butter‑smooth, heart‑on‑sleeve vocals. Kaine’s release appears on Obscure Sound’s curated...
Oui Plastique – “Revival”
Danish electronica duo Oui Plastique has dropped “Revival,” the lead single from their forthcoming album *Forever Will Be Over Before You Know It*. The track marries dark, rain‑soaked synth textures with Depeche Mode‑esque guitar lines, delivering a meditation on resurrection after...
Extreme Sports Club – “Silly Me”
Extreme Sports Club has dropped its third single, “Silly Me,” co‑written and featuring Nima Kazerouni of So Many Wizards. The track fuses hook‑laden alt‑pop with fuzzy guitar riffs, evoking the sound of Last Dinosaurs while delivering introspective verses. It serves...