Kelsey Lu – Running To Pain

Running To Pain is from Kelsey Lu’s second LP, Help Me God with 10 tracks blending distorted guitars, choral swells and dark electronic pulses into a sonic landscape that moves between devotional intensity and cinematic scale. At the same time Kelsey sings about broken hearts and failed relationships with a potency that’s hard to ignore. The classically trained cellist and singer based in LA, Kelsey has created an album that will have you in tears if you head to the short movie based on the album title. Two lovers in a barren unforgiving landscape, frolic, then taunt each other and eventually distance themselves. The movie cuts to an indoor scene where Kelsey sits on the edge of a bed while their love rants and raves, speaking in French to “Look at me!” The closing scene has Kelsey Lu writhe along on unforgiving terrain all the while shredding her flowing clothes. Although beautifully shot, mesmerizing in parts, be sure to avoid if you too are going through a breakup. 

Mad Honey – I Am A Wall, I Am A House

Tuff Sutcliff is the lead vocalist for this fine band from Oklahoma City and a superb job she does. Restrained yet confident Tuff’s voice is well matched with the her fellow bandmates as they expertly unfold eleven snapshots of both platonic and romantic heartaches. Bridge Over Cumberland is one of those special albums you need to spend time with to fully enjoy. I don’t know enough about Mad Honey to evaluate their progression yet I do know this is a group of talented people who have created an important collection of songs. Very cool sleeve photo, too. Highly recommended. 

Cats – Gay Skeleton Club

Under A Cat – Brian Bilston and The Catenary Wires

The Pet Sounds album presents 15 funny, poignant, satiric and affectionate songs all about pets, a rambunctious selection well suited for the time you need a little distraction from the doom and gloom often overwhelming us. Plus, there are some truly cool songs here including Fido, Your Leash Is Too Long by The Magnetic Fields. Available on the always Skepwax imprint. Do not overlook.

Hank Deadwood – Watching Vultures Glide

Hank Deadwood – Slum Lord

The story goes like this: In 1979, two young men left the North East of England for London, each fronting their own punk band and chasing the same dream. Ian Lowery would go on to found The Wall and later Folk Devils. Dave Hodgson founded Parting Shots. Connected through mutual guitarist Joe Hammond, their paths diverged — then kept crossing. Years later, Dave would serve as tour manager for the Screaming Blue Messiahs while Ian’s Folk Devils shared the bill. Ian Lowery passed away in 2001. When Folk Devils reformed in 2016 to celebrate a career retrospective compilation, there was only one man they trusted to step into Ian’s shoes as frontman: his old friend Dave Hodgson. It was during that same period that Ian’s elder brother David unearthed something remarkable — a collection of home-recorded cassette demos from the 1980s. In 2025, those recordings found their way to Dave Hodgson. Armed with the modern technology now available to him, Dave spent months in deep experimentation — stripping back Ian’s original audio, re-recording with his own vocals, and rebuilding each track from the ground up. The project is released under the name Hank Deadwood — a character born in Folk Devils’ celebrated 1984 indie chart hit and John Peel favourite Hank Turns Blue, and one that both Ian and Dave have inhabited when performing the song live. It felt like the only fitting name for a collaboration that transcends time. Ian Lowery: Unreleased & Re-imagined, Volumes 1 & 2 collects 20 tracks spanning a range of genres, each transformed from raw demo sketch into a fully realized arrangement. Songs written over 40 years ago, finally heard as they deserved to be. Released across two volumes, each marking a milestone anniversary in Ian and Dave’s shared history. Crucial! 

Miriam Ingram – Cling

Out of Dublin, extremely talented Miriam Ingram with Cling from her forthcoming LP Mariana Trench. Miriam, an experimental singer/songwriter uses acoustic and electric elements to create her music and she has been on my “watch list” for some while. Miriam says Cling is a dramatic sea shanty that fuses ancient folk imagery with urban chaos. The track tells the story of life, death, and the moment a choice has to be made.” Miriam Ingram will join me for a conversation via Zoom shortly.

Hanson St. Dub – Bubbling’ Around

There can never be too much Dub! Especially when it’s brilliant as Bubbling’ Around from Hanson St. Dub, a trio out of Wellington, New Zealand. The EP is titled Street Echo and deserves to be in your collection.

The Bug / Dis Fig – Vanishing

Continuing on in an Electro-Dubby-Stylee from Brussels, producer The Bug aka Kevin Richard Martin & Berlin-based producer and performer Dis Fig aka Felicia Chen present Vanishing. Besides the title cut there are four top-ranking Dub versions. This one comes to us via Martin’s brand new Ladybug single series on his own Pressure imprint. Impressive.

Swapmeet – Halfway

Halfway is from their long-player Mount Zero, which this outfit, Swapmeet from Adelaide collectively wrote, performed, recorded, produced and engineered. They are Maxwell Elphick, Josh Doherty, Venus O’Broin and Jack Medlyn who clearly have a serious intent with their music. Take time to listen carefully as the band says the songs here circle common themes: first loves, first heartbreaks, first embarrassments, first disasters, all harnessed together by each members writing skills. Another good ‘un.

Nalan (Slimgirl Fat) – I’ve Got Nothing To Say

Now when you use the moniker Slimgirl Fat you can be sure the artist has a cool sense of humor. Here then is Nalan Karacagil or Slimgirl Fat with I’ve Got Nothing To Say from the LP, 2009. The Berlin-based musician, producer and DJ says the album was primarily recorded in Istanbul and Berlin, she makes no mention of the slightly disturbing-funny sleeve photo yet keeping that sense of humor in mind – it makes perfect sense. Top marks!

Alewya – Zero

Singer, songwriter, producer and multidisciplinary artist from London, Alewya with her Ethiopian – Egyptian heritage artfully blends diasporic sound on her debut album Zero. She tells us, “Both my music and art are deep brooding throughout euphoria, heartache, melancholy and back again.” No reason to doubt that. Do check out Alewya’s exciting videos.

Show Of Hands – Football Fan

You probably heard there is a World Cup going on? Two Vancouver-based DJ/producer duo Bobby Myseh & James Hearn have cobbled together a long-player as a tribute with World Cup Dubs. They say it started as a ‘wouldn’t it be funny’ remix idea, and gradually grew into a genuine attempt to make a record that could make both football trainspotters smile with nostalgia and get soccer novices up & dancing at summer parties. This also happens to be a fundraiser for Distro Disco, a nonprofit supporting unhoused communities in Vancouver through their free mutual aid store. It’s a charming thoughtful effort. Well done lads.

Photograph of a Porcelain monkey, Chinese circa 1780 seen at Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, England, May 2026. Courtesy of Norman B’s collection