Musically, old spaghetti westerns are invoked with the big guitar sound played through rotary speakers, sounding like it’s echoing through the Grand Canyon. It sets the atmosphere with that captivating bassline so the duet can tell their story of love and anguish. In a way, love and anguish are a duet of their own, how inseparable they are – always tied to one another like sworn lovers, one never fully present without the other lurking close behind. That tension plays out in the arrangement itself: the hypnotic, wailing guitars and the frantic collision of voices in the middle eight aren’t decoration, they’re the unraveling the lyric is describing, rendered in sound rather than just told in words.

St. Divine has made a habit of transforming hard subject matter into something cathartic rather than simply heavy, and “The Devil That You Know” continues that. The dual harmonies the band is known for do real work here, carrying both the tenderness and the chaos without losing either. With the full album arriving June 12th and a release party at Mama Tried on July 2nd, this title track sets a serious tone for what’s coming.

Musically, this is one of those golden examples of someone recreating a style of song that was once popular but successfully imprinting their own identity onto it – effectively making something fresh. Structure-wise, it’s a very 80s song; the chords themselves and the songwriting DNA, if you stripped it back and played it acoustically, would land squarely in that decade. But the textures and the performance itself are what make it uniquely Tether the Star’s. The synth work from Connor Hall and the production choices push it into a contemporary space without erasing the bones of where it came from, and Lanahan’s vocal delivery carries the emotional whiplash the lyrics demand – the verses are anxious and pulled in multiple directions, the chorus flipping from compliance to outright defiance on the same phrase. I believe that’s what they set out to do, and they really did achieve it.

The lyrical device at the center of the song – “make me” shifting from a plea to a dare within the same breath – is the kind of writing that earns the production around it. Tether the Star has a full album on the way, and if “Degeneration” is the temperature check, it suggests a band with both something to say and the craft to say it memorably.

This is a much darker sound compared to “Travelin’ Heart” – a much bigger, more powerful, and catchier one too. The guitar strumming keeps your interest by just how locked in rhythmically it is, very hypnotic in its syncopation. The song also earns the adjective psychedelic because of some very clever layering in the more spacious sections, where the arrangement opens up, and the elements that have been circling each other finally get room to breathe and unsettle simultaneously. The brass arrangements are the unexpected piece – they don’t resolve so much as accumulate, adding to the forward momentum without ever letting the tension release.

Turner has said the goal wasn’t to explain the feeling but to recreate it in sound – unsettling and strangely grounding at the same time. That’s a difficult balance to strike, and “The Shadow Remains” gets there. For a project that announced itself with dust-road Americana, this is a genuinely surprising second move.

Featuring elements that effortlessly evoke both classic and modern rock influences, Dave’s Manual manages to create something distinctive with “Electrical.” The song is driven by catchy guitar riffs, infectious melodies, and memorable harmonies that keep its energy alive from start to finish.

The arrangement moves seamlessly between sections. There is a natural balance between intensity and restraint, allowing the song to breathe while still delivering plenty of energy. These subtle shifts help create a dynamic listening experience that mirrors the excitement and unpredictability of a memorable night out.

The production serves this style particularly well. Thick guitar textures, an active rhythm section, and a compelling vocal performance come together to create a sound that is both organic and powerful. While the track carries a sense of nostalgia for classic rock, it never becomes confined by its influences, instead using them as a foundation for something fresh and contemporary.

“Electrical” by Dave’s Manual is a vibrant addition to the alternative rock genre. Blending nostalgia with modern sensibilities, the single showcases the band’s knack for crafting engaging, well-written songs while leaving listeners eager for what comes next!

“Me and My Gold” is a song about longing for change while gripping the patterns you can’t quite bring yourself to break. It is an indie rock anthem with a vocal delivery that pays respect to Rufus Wainwright’s unguarded emotionalism. The song has been closing the band’s live sets all year, consistently earning encores from audiences across Sweden.

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Northern Trails make warm, melody-first guitar pop that feels like it was always there — somewhere between the emotional depth of R.E.M.’s Automatic for the People, the sweeping melodic instincts of Keane, and the quiet grandeur of early Coldplay. Rooted in the 90s indie tradition, they make music for people who still believe in the power of a well-written song.

The band came together in Uppsala, Sweden in May 2022, when Christer Tinnerholm and Thomas Isberg decided it was time to spend a little less time on ultra running and a little more on pop music. Joined by Per Larsson and Ulf Eklund, they recorded Hearts Went Frozen EP and released it late 2023. Thomas Strömbom heard the single “AQ” on Swedish radio and asked if the band needed a keyboard player. Northern Trails has performed as a quintet ever since.

Since then the band has built a steady catalogue of singles and a growing reputation on the Swedish live circuit. In spring/summer 2026 they return with a run of new singles and a new EP.

The Don’t Waste My Time (LA mix) EP drops June 16th as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl alongside a digital release, with the A-side getting the full treatment and the B-side already out in the world. Both tracks feature Grammy-winning pianist and synth player Leo Genovese, drummer Johnny Radelat, and bassist George Athanas – a lineup that gives the project serious weight behind the performances.

“Don’t Waste My Time (LA mix)” is the more straightforward of the two – live-feeling rock with a lot of genuine grit behind it. The driving guitar riffs and soulful choruses land with the kind of directness that doesn’t need much ornamentation, and the band chemistry makes it feel like a room full of people playing together rather than a track assembled in pieces. The message – stop letting invisible limitations dictate how you live – is delivered with matching conviction. “Get There Before Noon (LA2 mix)” is the more experimental one, with electronic layers that get quite hairy and insane at key moments in the song. Genovese’s synth work is the key ingredient here, pushing the track into psychedelic territory that the A-side doesn’t venture into, and the contrast between the two sides of the record is clearly intentional – one foot planted in classic rock grit, the other reaching for something stranger and more textured.

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As a 7-inch, the format suits the release well. Two songs, two distinct personalities, one clear statement of artistic range. 4FRO Nick has been building this project across cities and across years, and the LA mixes feel like the sound of someone who has finally landed exactly where they needed to be to make the record they had in them.

The song touches on the challenge of moving forward while remaining attached to the habits you know you should leave behind. Rather than focusing on the straightforward process of changing your life, the band highlights how difficult that journey can be and the emotions that often come with it. There is a strong sense of longing woven throughout the track, yet the narrator also seems resistant to taking that final step toward change.

The release features warm guitar work, appealing melodies, and a vocal performance that feels both convincing and heartfelt. The chorus is especially memorable and instantly catchy. The lyrics, also, portray a narrator who is fully aware of their weaknesses but remains unwilling to let them go, adding another layer of emotional depth to the track.

With the release of “Me and My Gold,” Northern Trails offer thoughtful insight into what it means to pursue change. The song captures the complexity of personal growth in a way that many listeners will recognize, making it an engaging and emotionally resonant listening experience..

Aesthetically, it’s like an alien singing about a very human experience. The lyrics are barely decipherable through the idiosyncratic delivery – a spacey, breathy vocal style that prioritizes texture and atmosphere over legibility. Musically, it complements that approach completely. Thematically, the lyrics are introspective and psychedelic in the sense that they feel like a very small part of a much bigger story, one your head fills in as you embark on the journey with them. Lines like “we hung our souls up with clothespins” and “drink in the darkness in our wrists” land as impressions rather than statements – vivid enough to mean something, open enough that everyone who hears them will mean something slightly different by them.

That quality – giving the listener room to project their own story into the gaps – is the defining feature of the Nick Drake and Low Roar comparisons the press materials reach for, and Taschuk earns them. “A Kiss” is not a song that explains itself, which is exactly right for what it’s trying to do. Dyna Dyvest, if this single is representative, is shaping up to be one of the more interesting debut albums to come out of the Canadian independent scene this year.

Driven by jangling guitars, steady rhythms, and raw vocals, the track blends indie rock, folk rock, and alternative influences into a sound that feels both timeless and contemporary. There is an undeniable sense of urgency running through the song, yet Dexter Flew never allow the message to overshadow the music. Instead, the band’s sharp songwriting transforms complex social and political themes into something accessible, memorable, and surprisingly catchy.

The lyrics touch on power, misinformation, public spectacle, and the lingering uncertainty of recent years without slipping into easy conclusions. Rather than presenting a manifesto, the song creates space for reflection, encouraging listeners to question, observe, and engage with the world around them.

“Crowned” thrives on strong hooks, textured instrumentation, and a dynamic energy that keeps the track moving forward. The balance between thoughtful lyricism and infectious melodies gives the song a lasting impact long after it ends.

With “Crowned,” Dexter Flew demonstrate that meaningful songwriting can still resonate in today’s fast-moving world. It is a bold and intelligent release that challenges listeners to look beyond the headlines while delivering a thoroughly engaging rock experience..

The music earns the weight of that question. Total Reverends have the kind of band chemistry where the playing feels genuinely alive rather than assembled in post, and “Where is God” uses that to its advantage. The rhythm section is the anchor – Monterisi’s drumming is hypnotic without being mechanical, and the bass line is the kind that digs in and stays there. Forni’s guitar work draws a clear Queens of the Stone Age comparison in the press materials, and it’s not wrong: the dynamics shift from high intensity to something groovier and more deliberate in a way that mirrors the song’s own emotional movement. The vocals narrate rather than perform – Forni sounds like someone recounting what they saw, not trying to make you feel a certain way about it. That restraint is the right call for lyrics that are already doing a lot of heavy lifting.

The lyric “no answer” sits at the center of the song’s whole project, and the music doesn’t pretend otherwise. The track builds and releases, builds and releases, and never arrives anywhere conclusive – which is exactly the point. “Where is God” doesn’t ask its question to resolve it. It asks the question to show you the faces people make when they lose everything, and leaves you to sit with that.