Lilts – Too Late

From New York, New York Lilts make distinctive Shoegazey music, a nice steady thumping beat, lots of smart guitar signatures with whispery vocals. This is the collaborative brainchild of John Ross and Laura Wolf, the pair met while touring together in 2017 but it wasn’t until 2021 that they began trading song ideas via email. Both producers and songwriters, it was through the fast paced and natural process of co-writing that their band Lilts was born. I’m certainly grateful they made that connection. A charming sleeve where the two artists are all but obscured. It’s a theme if you check out their earlier releases.

Psychic Seatbelt – Double Dare

“Cannot stop from calling myself a bitch when I get angry” snarls Claire Hamilton on Double Dare. The singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist from Austin gives us a decidedly real rock ’n’ roll voiced as she elongates her words over the rambling instrumentation. Claire doesn’t imitate Chrissie Hynde but she does an excellent job of sounding jaded and ready to flick her cigarette butt in your face. On the Hooky EP, Claire is joined by Austin stalwarts, Thor Harris, Jon Sanchez and Jake Lauterstein. Oh, and you should know that title is not a reference to the legendary bass-player for Joy Division and New Order. And, a tip of the hat for the curiously interesting sleeve art.

The Churchhill Garden – Dreamless

Here we have Andy Jossi who writes the music and plays the instruments, he is out of Luceren and the lyrics and vocals are courtesy of Krissy Vanderwoude originally out of the US of A. I admit I’m tempted to say Dreamless reminds me of…then I listen again…this is beautifully executed music. A flawless blend and balance from start to the spirited end. Gorgeous photo on the sleeve.

The Mistys – Markers: Pulselovers Remix

Andrew and Beth Roberts out of Manchester are The Mistys, they describe their music as Pop, which Andrew admits makes more sense when describing what they do to his mother. Although he does refer to their music as Recombinant Mutant Pop in an interview with Fluid Radio. Markers: Pulselovers Remix from their new EP Detached Arrangement was created from the master tapes of their Detached Engagement album as source material by slicing, chopping, screwing, looping and a host of other audio alchemy. I’ve keeping a watchful eye on The Mistys since 2013, you should certainly investigate their back catalog. 

Japan Review – Go Around

Of course it makes perfect sense that Japan Review hail from Glasgow and their second album comes to us via the mighty Berlin-based Blackjack Illuminist label. Genna Foden and Adam O’Sullivan have crafted a damn fine LP with The Slow Down and I especially like Go Around. All the component parts are in the right places, resulting in a genre-defying song with melancholy hints. Perhaps better described by Blackjack Illuminist head honcho, Alex Donat, “Japan Review thrilled me with their stunning way of combining understatement and vulnerable emotionality, also, they manage to add the necessary sense for experimentation”. Top marks for this one.

Semi Precious – Swim In The Morning (Pt 1 & 2)

I’ll make no excuses, I love the Sun Is Out EP from Guy Baron AKA Semi Precious. This London-based talent describes his music as intimate dreamy lo-fi minimalist bedroom pop. I guess I would add sexy, too. This is everything I want to hear in new music, the instrumentation, the vocals, the production, everything is original. As I’m soaking in Sun Is Out, I’m thinking this would make a perfect soundtrack to the David Hockney film, A Bigger Splash, if it didn’t have a soundtrack already. You are advised to head over to Guy’s earlier releases here.

Deary – Only Need

Since their debut single Fairground earlier this year, I have been championing Deary. In the months that followed Fairground, Ben and Dotty have been racking up a lot of interest. Recent reports from the UK tell of impressive live shows. Now they have released an LP or is it really a long EP? No matter, this is one you must have in your collection. I selected Only Need for this volume in part because I know the trainspotters will be all over themselves doing the sounds-like thing, but if you spend time actually listening instead of trying to top your Shoegaze experts I think you’ll agree Deary have forged their own distinctive sound.

Bright Islands – Tomorrow

OK, let’s not waste any time, Mike Simms’ vocals caught my ear on the very first listen of Tomorrow. That almost laissez-faire vibe is rather charming, Mike does all the instruments, the music, lyrics and Anne Marie Howard does the backing vocals. This duo are out of Liverpool and Mike Simms suggests that they make “Reverb-laced indie pop from North West England”. Worth checking is Road To Nothing on the other side, as is their EP from earlier this year, titled rather modestly, EP. Nice minimalist sleeve art.

Slow Connection – Dust

I do like this cut. And, I do like this duo from Barcelona. They have a substantial back catalog with an array of very listenable music. I’m not sure why but they don’t seem to offer too much information about themselves, although from the videos and promos I’ve seen, they appear to be a very handsome couple and that’s not a bad thing. I’m curious to know what ou think of Slow Connection, do send me your thoughts.

Barrie – Hard Candy

The info that arrived with Hard Candy says “This is an unreleased song that was on a tv show a couple years ago. I’m putting it out now because I like this one and it doesn’t really belong on any other release, it was produced and mixed by me, Barrie”. Brooklyn-based Barrie Lindsay is an interesting artist on the edgier side of pop and I recommend you search out some of their cool videos.

Atka – Eye In The Sky

Sarah Neumann is Atka, she was raised in East-Germany, and is now based in London. Her voice approaches fragility on Eye In The Sky, yet you can hear a strength, a determination emanating from this talented artist. The alternative, electronic songwriter wrote The Eye Against The Ashen Sky EP last year in London parallel to completing her master’s degree in philosophy, in which she intensively studied the French philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre’s, theory of the gaze. Inspired by her research, as well as Nabokov’s novel “The Eye” and various works of utopian science-fiction. Sarah says the EP documents a world of paranoia, where the gaze of an overwhelming otherness is ever-present”. This EP is demanding of your attention, but be aware the alluring photo on the sleeve is an added attraction. I’m swooning.

Kelsey Michael – Music Of The Waves

Ahhhh…Kelsey Michael unselfishly share the voices in her head of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ennio Morricone and Tim Buckley with the lovely Music Of The Waves. Kelsey moved to the rugged and pastoral beautiful countryside of Cornwall in the west of England in 2003. Since then her music has been filled with images of the breathtaking Cornwall landscape. Lethowsow the title of her latest album is an old Cornish word for the Seven Stones reef meaning ‘the milky ones’. She shot a beautiful video to accompany Music Of The Waves, with stunning moments of nature and wildlife footage shot on camcorder during clifftop ramblings, (look for the bees and butterflies). During her career, Kelsey has collaborated many times with Anglo/Irish avant-pop band The High Llamas and their endlessly inventive songwriter, Sean O’Hagan, featuring on five of Sean’s albums.

Vessel & Rakhi Singh – It Can’t be Helped 

This is a cut from a curiously engaging compilation Always + Forever on the Do You Have Peace label out of London. Here is a sort of ambient dub collection, perfect for just sitting back and doing nothing. Please, be well, be safe and you know it makes sense, be nice.

Artwork by Norman B “You swing me around baby, right round” 2009 40″ x 40″ manipulated digital print on archival paper. Courtesy of Norman B’s collection