Gold Baby – ‘Rabbits’ EP review


Gold Baby self-release their debut EP, ‘Rabbits’, on 26 March. The four songs find Siân Alex offering astute observations on everything from her own struggles with OCD to female identity, American ghost towns and the medieval notion of cockaigne – an imaginary place of luxury where physical comforts and pleasures are always availble. Sole drumbeats…

En Garde – ‘Debtors’ EP review


Akron, OH-based duo En Garde (Ross Horvath – vocals/guitar – and Andy Hendricks – drums) have shared a collection of songs recorded back in 2012 with Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Algernon Cadwallader) via the always sublime Count Your Lucky Stars Records. The EP opens with the urgent, intense and impassioned ‘Our Hands’. Reminding us of…

Blanketman band National Trust EP review

Blanketman – ‘National Trust’ EP review


Already favourites of Annie Mac, Steve Lamacq, Marc Riley and Lauren Laverne, Manchester four-piece Blanketman are getting set to release their new EP, ‘National Trust’. The songs cover everything from the band’s exasperation at Britain’s national identity to personal fears, escapism and the consequences of financial, social and geographical divisions. The early Maximo Park-style art…

Merpire – ‘Dinosaur’


Merpire (also known as Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt) has shared new single ‘Dinosaur’ – a Soccer Mommy-meets-Basia Bulat-style song that was written on the ukulele after playing covers of Toro Y Moi and Unknown Mortal Orchestra songs. It was inspired by Sam Neill’s line in Jurassic Park – ‘If you stay still, they can’t see you’ –…

Grandmas House – ‘Small Talk’


Following support from 6 Music, Dork and DIY and shows with Stef Chura and Frankie Cosmos, Bristol-based queer punks Grandmas House have shared new song ‘Small Talk’, a 96-second fusion of riffs and anger that finds them pushing back against the way women are cornered into small talk in bars by so many men with…

Bleach Lab band Flood stream

Bleach Lab – ‘Flood’


Bleach Lab follow up ‘Never Be’ and Old Ways’ with new single ‘Flood’ – the final song to be released ahead of their debut EP ‘A Calm Sense of Surrounding (out on 19 March). Jenna Kyle says ”Flood’ is one long metaphor for being completely overwhelmed and overcome by someone and losing all sense of…

Bedrooms – ‘For Today’


Dublin’s Bedrooms have shared ‘For Today’ ahead of the release of their debut EP ‘The Afterglow’ in April. The band recorded the new songs with Bill Ryder-Jones and they incorporate the same kind of emotional and sonic space as the singer-songwriter and producer’s solo material into this track. Bedrooms bassist Dane Staunton says: ”For Today’ is…