James Ellis is wearing his heart on his sleeve and orchestrating it into a full-blown rock-opera tapestry. With his self-titled debut album The Earth & All Within, the Philly-based singer-songwriter jumps headfirst into the deep end, with a wild, beautiful splash. The emotional gut-punch of mid-2000s emo, the stadium roar…

Produced by Sean Beavan (yes, the mind behind Nine Inch Nails and 8mm), the latest industrial-electronic release, “Headache” by Staytus dives headfirst into the chaos of emotional burnout, and echoes your darkest thoughts right back at you. From the first beat, the track pulls no punches. The cymbals crash like…

If there’s one word to sum up Proklaim’s latest double-edged single “CREEPIN/FURTHER (2 IN 1)” from the album CREEPIN/FURTHER, it’s explosive. Dropped on July 17, 2025, this track is a time machine blending old-school boom bap with the pulsating heartbeat of South African Amapiano. Hailing from Windhoek, Namibia, Proklaim is…

With his newest single, “Bottomless Emotions,” Lexington-based artist Trevor Drako lays his soul bare. It’s gritty, emotional, and raw, with no sugarcoating. Right out of the gate, the track hits you with a churning guitar loop that cuts out just in time for the bass to slam in. Drako’s grainy,…

Ettie’s “You’ll Never See Me Cry” is a defiant, gut-punching anthem wrapped in vulnerable vocals and shimmering indie-rock textures. It sounds like it was written at 3 a.m., somewhere between heartbreak and liberation, with the volume turned up just loud enough to drown out doubt. Opening with thumping drums and…

Delving into the inspiration behind the song, Sammm shares a personal story of heartbreak and self-discovery. Drawing influence from artists like Erin Lecount while staying true to her own musical identity, Sammm’s latest release explores the complexities of love and loss with raw honesty and emotion. From the home studio…

The Malaysian-Bornean artist based between London and Cambridge takes us on his time capsule with his alt-pop debut album, young adult fiction. This diary entry is for every emotionally constipated twenty-something trying to make peace with a youth who never quite fit the mold. Opening with the dreamy “autumn city,”…

CS Hellmann’s new single “Burned Romances” hits like a smoky, tender, brooding, and unexpectedly anthemic memory set to a post-punk fever dream. Released on July 17th, this Nashville-born track leans heavily into moody textures and big emotion, offering a swirling sonic cocktail of War on Drugs-style momentum with flashes of…

Karen Salicath Jamali’s latest release, “Angel Raphael’s Touch,” floats into the listener’s consciousness like a breath of fresh air after a long storm. Nestled within her spiritually resonant album Hope of Angels, this gentle piano piece meditates in sound, a moment of stillness in a world that rarely pauses. Karen,…

The New Citizen Kane is back at it again with this downright danceable banger “Ratbag Joy,” with an emotional undercurrent. Serving as the second single off the upcoming multi-sensory album Psychedelika, the track is a masterclass in contrast, where glittery beats and euphoric grooves mask a much darker emotional undercurrent.…

“You Chose Not To Be Mine” is one of those slinky, smoky, and utterly self-assured torch songs that knows exactly what it’s doing. Aly Berry, a rising jazz vocalist and songwriter from Northern England, wraps you in the velvet of her grainy mezzo tone with a sensual and unbothered performance.…

Michellar’s newest single, “Aunque por sea una noche” (translated as “If it’s only for one night”) is a slow-burning, soul-drenched serenade that wraps around you like a warm breeze on a still summer night. Released July 25th, the track marks Michellar’s first foray into Spanish-language music, thanks to Jiji Picazo.…

Sixteen-year-old rising star Sloan Treacy returns with her sophomore EP, was any of it real?, and it’s safe to say she’s not holding back. Recorded between Los Angeles and her new hometown of Nashville, the EP brims with intimate reflections, thoughtful songwriting, and a level of emotional depth that’s way…

There’s a kind of artist who doesn’t stay in one lane. They chase new sounds, new cultures, new experiences. They get bored easily, dream big, and follow curiosity like it’s a compass. That’s The Explorer. Their music is never one-note—it’s an evolving adventure. In this installment of the 12 Musician…

Guitarist Joe Hodgson hails from the village of Ballymagorry in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His music, shaped by his upbringing during The Troubles, mirrors the fierce rain and winds of the Emerald Isle. It is both sweeping and intense, boldly blending rock, blues, jazz, and Irish traditions into finely crafted…

On Love and Other Acts of Subversion, Forest Mountain Lion swings for the heartstrings and lands every time. This indie-folk-rock gem, dropping July 25, is a sweeping, emotionally-charged journey through love, loss, ecological grief, and spiritual longing, all stitched together with bare-bones honesty and earthy sonic texture. Over three years…

It’s been over three decades since Brighton’s own Joe Average last made noise, but now they’re back and louder than ever. Their July 8 release, “Panic Buttons,” is a fiery, beat-driven track that kicks down the door with a riot of rave nostalgia and modern swagger. From the jump, “Panic…

Sabina Chantouria has done it again. After reviewing her previous single, “Echoes,” and seeing it soar—quite literally, making it onto global airline playlists—I am once seeing her shine like never before with a more introspective song, full of growth and perspective. Her latest release, “Changes,” is a warm, windswept anthem…

Caligula’s newest single “Save Me,” lifted from their freshly revived catalogue as part of their Tricenary celebration, is one moody beast of a track—and in the best way possible. Out since July 11, the song takes no prisoners, plunging headfirst into a sonic pool of piano-driven melancholy, swirling synths, and…

Karen Salicath Jamali never composes the usual way, and honestly, that’s what makes her work such a spellbinding listen. Her latest single, “Angel Haniel’s Clearing,” off the upcoming album Angel Melodies 3, is yet another glistening feather in her already celestial cap. This piece was brought to life through a…

With “Alone in America,” Deep Sea Arcade delivers a shimmering, emotionally rich dream-pop ballad drenched in longing and quiet heartbreak. The track, part of the lead-up to their 2026 album Colourised, serves as a reflective postcard from the band’s last tour with late member Nick Weaver, and you can feel…

Tina Win’s new single “Try Anything,” off the upcoming album Try Anything, is exactly what its title promises. It’s bold, unfiltered, and bursting with a free-spirited charm that dares you to let loose and hit the dance floor like nobody’s watching. Released on July 1st, this one’s already making waves.…

Not every musician is chasing chart-topping fame or viral TikToks. Some are here to drop wisdom, speak truth, and elevate minds. That’s The Sage. More than just an artist, The Sage is a guide—a storyteller with soul, a seeker of knowledge, and a master of depth. Their music is layered,…

“I want you to remember the night,” the song opens, and that first line sparks up memories within, setting the tone for a track that gets you reminiscing. With their third single, Israeli indie rock band lizardream delivers an intimate, layered, and quietly powerful song. Written by bassist Boaz Vexler…

Ink to Spill’s latest single, “South Side,” hits you right in the gut but still leaves you feeling lifted. Released with a striking video set in the streets of Chicago, the track tells the haunting yet hopeful story of a young girl—played by Farrah Adams—who walks through daily urban havoc,…

Saneit’s latest release, “Leave The Light On,” is a late-night heart-to-heart wrapped in velvet. The Chicago-born, LA-based singer-songwriter leans all the way into her R&B roots with this one. Produced by MadeByNeko, the single slides in like a hazy, intimate dream, steeped in longing, that you can’t quite shake. Right…

It’s not every day that a doctor turns a hospital corridor into a recording studio, but that’s exactly the creative alchemy Dr. Alejandro Estrada brings to the table. The Glasgow-based physician-musician behind ESTRADA Music Project has dropped another introspective gem with his upcoming single, “W/L” (Waiting List), a slow-burning, seven-minute…

With his debut LP Fun Times Good Vibes, Cayden Penner is stepping onto the indie music scene. Released on July 1, 2025, the album splits itself neatly down the middle, with Side A (Fun Times) diving into Hip Hop and the ego-tripping chaos of control and power, and Side B…

In his latest song “You No Me” from the emotionally wrought album It’s You, Only You and No Me, Berlin-based artist Marcus Cetera invites listeners into the darkest corners of an abusive relationship with a staggering intensity. From the very first notes, a slow, heavy strum of guitar sets the…

Franky Fugazi has returned to ditch the studio for transparent LIVE takes. “No I Ain’t” is a one-take, live-wire performance straight from Jimmy’s Jukejoint in Alkmaar, The Netherlands. And trust me, you can feel the room. There’s grit, sweat, and something magnetic about the way it all comes together, like…