Total Fucking Darkness is the off kilter musical triumvirate of the illustrious; Torquil Campbell (Stars) on vocals, Stephen Ramsay (Young Galaxy) and Tom McFall (U2/REM/Bloc Party) on production.
Mar 13, 2026
The New Cut • EP Sleepers, Mourners • 2026
The 4-piece blend the energy of The Fall, Wire, and The Monochrome Set with modern themes, a melange which is showcased across 6 tracks which express their individuality whilst coming together as an exhilarating whole. The brooding guitars of ‘London, Out There’ mark the bands turn into a more reflective and introspective sound, whereas taut, sparky EP opener ‘Oversight’ covers darkwave elements akin to Nick Cave, or Molchat Doma.
Mar 10, 2026
ifitbeyourwill #166 • The Flip Phones
The Flip Phones Know Something You've Forgotten
There's a version of music-making that doesn't care about the algorithm. No release schedule optimized for Spotify editorial. No singles engineered to hook in three seconds. The Flip Phones — Lindsay and Ryan, a married couple turned band — make music on their own clock, and it shows in the best possible way. Their new EP, Spinning Adrift, is the document of that philosophy.
Two People, One Sound
Lindsay brings a classical background and a journalist's precision with language. Ryan traces his listening from 60s pop through Britpop. You can hear both at once: melodic instinct that feels inherited, lyrics that feel reported. What they've built is an acoustic-led sound held up by harmonies, melodica, and a stubborn commitment to writing songs that say something specific.
Where the Songs Come From
A guitar fragment. A notebook line. Something half-remembered and left to sit longer than it probably should have. Spinning Adrift spans years of accumulation — pandemic-era writing, older material that finally found its shape. Some drafts, they explain, deserve time to ripen. In 2025, that reads almost like a radical act.
The Room the Record Was Made In
A trusted producer who drums. A bassist who colors the edges. A visual artist whose cover art feels inevitable. The studio process favored flow over speed — including a deliberate decision to close on the record's darkest note. It doesn't surrender hope. But it doesn't lie about where the light is, either.
The Deeper Aim
The dream of a TV or film sync is real and spoken out loud. So is something harder to quantify: songs that outlast the week they're released. Fewer. More considered. Built to last longer than a social post.
After the conversation, we close with Where The Space Falls Away. Stay for it.
Follow the show, share it with someone who misses when music felt like it had somewhere to be, and leave a review if you have two minutes.
Sister Ray Davies • Holy Island Baby • 2026
Holy Island is a rare debut. Thoughtful, melodic and full of intent without ever becoming heavy handed. The lads have built something that feels as if it has always existed. You sense the fun they had making it and the meaning they found inside it. I really struggled to find musical parallels to help you understand who they are and the noise they make. I can only think of the Beachy Head project for a couple of the songs. Other than that, this is very much its own thing and if you let it, it might very well become yours too. SSClub
Mar 8, 2026
Wormy • Big Loser • 2026
Shark River finds Rauchwerk embracing vulnerability with a collection of songs that explore loneliness, heartbreak, and the comforting but ultimately doomed escapism of life on the road. Skillful production and backing vocals from his bandmates Conti and Samia drench the LP in a sepia-toned indie glow, complete with the occasional pedal steel, but Rauchwerk’s vocals betray his fondness for emo-leaning folk luminaries like Bright Eyes and the Mountain Goats. Sometimes, his singing feels more or less like melodic speaking, a friend telling you about a hard day over a couple of beers; other times, you can feel his panic as he shouts into the microphone. On Shark River, Rauchwerk finds himself grappling with the splintered friendships, shattered relationships, and stagnating uncertainty produced by a life in constant motion.
Common Holly • Anything glass • 2026
“I think it’s an exploration of the projections that get cast onto girls and women to embody the highest moral standard, the picture of perfect angels,” muses Brigitte of the title-track. “And it’s about the receptive position of the impressionable child, the way messaging leaves deep imprints on how they experience the world. Maybe it’s also a kind of call to reclaim, for them to take their brains and bodies back and determine for themselves what they believe in.”
“Common Holly is anything but a common artist who is unafraid to push the boundaries of her creativity.”. - Chorus.fm
“Lulling piano and doubled vocals give "Aegean blue" a dreamlike quality, with faint woodwind trills padding out its gentle percussive pulse.” - Exclaim!
“Beautifully accomplished, there’s a devastating edge to her voice, with every word stamping itself on the listener” - CLASH
“blends soft folk with evocative imagery” - Psychedelic Baby
Mar 7, 2026
waterbaby • Memory Be a Blade • 2026
To spark inspiration for her new lyrics, waterbaby reflected on a past break-up. She had mostly moved on and was seeing someone new while recording the album. But when the newer relationship ended, she witnessed how much the album took on a new meaning to reflect the heartbreak she hadn’t anticipated experiencing.
Scout Gillett • Tough Touch • 2026
Tough Touch, Scout Gillett's sophomore album, emerges from years of relentless motion—a period the Missouri-born, Brooklyn-bred, and now LA-based artist describes as one of growth, vulnerability, and learning to trust her instincts. We hope you enjoy!!
Bory • Never Turns to Night • 2026
At the vanguard of PNW guitar music is Bory, the solo project of songwriter Brenden Ramirez. His work recalls the pop hooks of the Shins and the thoughtful songcraft of Elliott Smith. Never Turns to Night—the debut release on Ducks Ltd. bandleader Tom McGreevy’s new label Bleak Enterprise—is a totally sticky, emotive rabble-rouser I’ve been listening to all week. “Living Proof” and “We’ll Burn That Bridge When We Get to It” are serious scorchers, and they’re the first two tracks on the album! But “By the Lake” is power-pop perfection on a headphones record full of great tones. Give it five years and we’ll be calling Ramirez one of the best living guitarists. He graduated at the top of his class from Tony Molina’s shredder school. Look, if you’re looking for riffs stacked on top of riffs, or punchy lyricism from a guy who just gets it, Bory’s new joint will brighten every one of your corners. —Matt Mitchell [Bleak Enterprise]
Mar 6, 2026
Trippers & Askers • “Kin” • 2026
I really don’t think life’s about the “I could have been’s” |
I really think that life is all about the “I tried to dos” |
- Nikki Giovanni  |
The Brook & The Bluff • Get By • 2026
“Fun, radiant, and irresistibly spirited”
- Atwood Magazine
“Full-on classic rock 'n' roll for this project, channeling inspirations like The Eagles, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Tom Petty. The record is sewn together by four-part harmonies and a high-voltage sound.”
- The Tennessean
“True to form, the bright, driving energy of the music contrasts sharply with the bittersweet ache of the lyrics.”
- Melodic Magazine
“The Brook & The Bluff are back, and they clearly intend to be heard...Although rock has always been
part of their DNA, this time they’ve thrown diesel on the fire."
- Americana Highways
"One of their most compelling records to date…It’s louder, bolder, and built for bigger rooms — yet still
grounded in the harmonies that got them here."
- Glide
Mar 4, 2026
Greg Mendez • I Wanna Feel Pretty • 2026
"In less than two minutes, Greg Mendez can express a lifetime’s worth of pain, regret, and resilience.” - Pitchfork
“It's at once a grandiose and understated... Mendez’s severe lyrical specificity opens up entire worlds in which the listener can find themselves.” - Rolling Stone
"In Mendez's hands, coming to terms with the worst of times has led to music so grippingly human, you'll want to hear him grapple with his demons on an endless loop." - NPR
"Mendez’s unrefined, plaintive voice, his piercing melodies, and his conversational but haunting lyrics all mark him out as one of the best songwriters to come out of a city teeming with great songwriters." - Stereogum
zzzahara • I Can Be Yours feat. Winter • 2026
"There's catharsis and grit and hardship in these songs, but at the same time...there's a certain kind of freedom to it... I really like the way this record kind of balances a lot of different feelings and sounds around a break-up in a way that still feels really approachable."
— Stephen Thompson, NPR Music
"zzzahara crafts perfect indie rock” — Them
— Stephen Thompson, NPR Music
"zzzahara crafts perfect indie rock” — Them
Dutch Interior • Go Fuck Yourself • 2026
“Country? Slowcore? Piano Pop? This multifarious LA sextet can do it all.” — Uncut
“The music of [Dutch Interior] feels loose on purpose, and it’s held together by something intuitive, a shared language that doesn’t need translating.”
— Rolling Stone, “Artist You Need to Know”
“There’s something about [Dutch Interior’s] music that can’t be copied – a sense of character, an evocative-ness of atmosphere.” — Clash
“It’s easy to get caught up in the fun [Dutch Interior] whips up.” — Pitchfork
“Rustic music that is romantic but not sickly, earnest without becoming cringe, and completely free of ego.” — The FADER
Mar 2, 2026
Ken Park • Crawl • 2026
"'Crawl' captures the emotional crossroads between youthful optimism and escapism," Liam Creemer (aka Ken Park) explains. "Written right after leaving high school, the song channels the thrill of chasing freedom alongside the thoughts of discarding an old life. It's about a coming of age reflection about leaving comfort behind, rebuilding yourself from the ground up and slowly becoming who you were meant to be."
Ken Park is a striking introduction for the budding New York songwriter. Delivered with extreme fervor and conviction, the six tracks on the EP evoke a sense of blissful melancholy–large, modulated guitars collide with pummeling drums, and ethereal soundscapes swirl together with Liam Creamer's wistful, evocative vocals. Ken Park is forward-looking, arriving with a remarkably definitive sound and ethos–made all the more impressive given the band's nascency. The EP solidifies Ken Park as one of the most exciting new voices in indie rock.
Ken Park is a striking introduction for the budding New York songwriter. Delivered with extreme fervor and conviction, the six tracks on the EP evoke a sense of blissful melancholy–large, modulated guitars collide with pummeling drums, and ethereal soundscapes swirl together with Liam Creamer's wistful, evocative vocals. Ken Park is forward-looking, arriving with a remarkably definitive sound and ethos–made all the more impressive given the band's nascency. The EP solidifies Ken Park as one of the most exciting new voices in indie rock.
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