SOM SOM • safe space • 2026

welcome to 'safe space', an EP contemplating loss, moss and acceptance. a collection of lo-fi but lush songs about coming to terms with yourself and reclaiming your voice through making peace with your circumstances and submitting yourself to the unknown.

 

Fuses • Drive It Into The Ground • 2026

Born out of a long-distance correspondence, Sweden/New York-based transatlantic duo Fuses craft songs that feel like signals sent across oceans. Their debut album ,Sawdust in the Transmission out June 26 via Having Fun Records, the rock imprint of Toronto’s We Are Busy Bodies, bridges geography and emotion with a sound steeped in 60s folk rock and classic country. Echoing the timeless jangle of The Byrds, the pastoral storytelling of Fairport Convention, and the bittersweet warmth of artists like Gram Parsons and Jason Molina, the record connects the Swedish urskog with the Canadian muskeg. Lush vocal harmonies and reverb-soaked steel guitar create a sound that is both melancholic and hopeful, timeless yet uncommon.

INSTAGRAM

 

ifitbeyourwill Podcast #181 • Magic Castles

On this episode of ifitbeyourwill Podcast Jason Edmonds of Magic Castles joins us for a conversation that begins in a basement record collection filled with psychedelic treasures and winds its way to Realized, the band's latest album. Along the way, we talk about the enduring pull of 60s psych, building a musical universe outside the spotlight, recording in Minnesota, and why Magic Castles continue to make music that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a place to disappear into. A thoughtful, cosmic conversation with one of modern psych's most quietly compelling voices.

At a time when the world is in a shambles, we need music like this to sustain us, to help us escape from cold reality, at least for a short time. The band is well named, for they spin magical notes in every tune. The record opens with the majestic ‘Hey Alright’, which includes baroque elements, whether from programming or actual strings. Then the guitars and drums crash in like a rogue wave, amping up the energy. Vocals arrive around the 2 minute mark, joining the psyched out party. This is music for stretching out and enjoying the moment, maybe with a cat or two in tow. ‘Abandoned Mansions’ is lovely, a dappled slice of psych pop with sweet harmonies. ‘Samata’ is a personal favourite, with a strong melody and slightly hazy vocal lines. Just stellar! ‘Mary Anne’ is one of the singles, and it will draw you in and worm its way into your ears! Echoes and dust

ifitbeyourwill Podcast #177 • zzzahara

On this episode of ifitbeyourwill, zzzahara talks about the new album Distant Lands — a record shaped by distance, emotional drift, and the search for connection inside everyday uncertainty. The conversation moves through formative musical memories, relationships, identity, and the comfort of making songs that don’t try to hide their bruises. From discovering emotion through the Selena soundtrack to embracing vulnerability in their songwriting, zzzahara reflects on creating music that feels lived-in, intimate, and deeply human. A thoughtful conversation about longing, memory, and finding clarity inside the noise. 

Zzzahara’s latest album came to them in a dream. Despite being born and raised in Los Angeles, Zahara had never really gotten into David Lynch. When he died at the start of 2025, they dove into his archive of films and interviews. “He's so weird,” they laugh. “Always talking about how ‘everything's a dream!’ And you know what? At that moment, I couldn’t remember the last time I dreamed. I thought, that’s fucked up. So I started taking magnesium and shit, trying to see what it was like to dream again.”

ifitbeyourwill Podcast #176 • Sungaze

Cincinnati's Sungaze make the kind of shoegaze where the haze finally lifts. On this episode, married duo Ivory Snow and Ian Hilvert trace the unlikely arc from death-metal speed runs to restraint—the notes you don't play—and the slow build toward a sound with intent. They talk Slowdive and Tame Impala, a homemade guitar gifted for a 26th birthday, and the quiet domestic alchemy of writing as a couple. Their new record, I Am No Longer Afraid of Heights, lands May 22nd, ahead of a June tour through New York and Boston.

https://www.sungazemusic.com/

ifitbeyourwill Podcast #173 • Should

Marc Ostermeier and Tanya Maus of the cult shoegaze duo Should stop by for their first ever podcast interview to celebrate the deluxe reissue of Feed Like Fishes, out now via Numero Group.

From basement 8-tracks in early 90s Austin to a new generation of fans discovering their music on Instagram — Should's story is one worth hearing. Marc breaks down his obsessive approach to crafting atmospheric sound, Tanya reflects on finding her voice in unexpected places, and both drop a tantalizing hint about new music.

Thirty years later, Should still sounds like nothing else.

Available on Bandcamp. Go give it a listen. 

http://www.words-on-music.com/should/

ifitbeyourwill Podcast #171 • The Leaf Library

The Leaf Library Have Been Right This Whole Time

Six years is a long time to believe in something. Matt, the engine behind The Leaf Library, will tell you it requires a specific kind of delusion — the ability to convince yourself, and eventually everyone around you, that the record you're making is worth the time, the money, and the slow erosion of certainty. After the Rain, Strange Seeds is proof that the delusion held.

The band's fourth album landed on Fika Records this past March, and it sounds like exactly what it is: decades of instinct refined into something weightless. Dream pop that leans pastoral, folk textures dissolving into lo-fi haze, Kate's vocals sitting just above the mix like something half-remembered. It's the kind of record that doesn't announce itself — it accumulates.

In this conversation, Matt traces the long road here: a Stereolab ad in Reading, a John Peel spin, a DIY infrastructure that taught him more about music than any lesson could. He talks about the band's finally-settled lineup, the collaborative friendship with Kate that stretches back to 1996, and a forthcoming project built around drones traded with Japanese artist Teriyuki Kurohara. He's thoughtful, self-deprecating, and quietly certain that this one cut through for a reason.

He's right. Go listen. 

the-leaf-library-the-ivy-house

Sungaze • I'm No Longer Afraid of Heights • 2026

https://www.sungazemusic.com/

Helmed by songwriters Ian Hilvert and Ivory Snow, Sungaze examine nostalgia without rose-colored glasses on their fullest exploration of Midwest emo, shoegaze, and alt-rock to date. "I'm No Longer Afraid of Heights" opens with slide guitar floating atop acoustic guitar and a steady drum beat, immediately invoking those long summer days of childhood when the world felt full of possibility, before the first chorus quietly shifts the emotional weight from comfort toward resigned hopelessness, even as Snow's vocal delivery barely changes. 

A poignant bridge confronts time's indifference head-on, propelling the song away from resignation and toward something more urgent. The music video, shot over three days in the small Ohio town that inspired the song, uses water, movement, and live performance as parallel paths toward release, with a dual ending cutting between Snow floating serenely in a childhood river spot in office attire, and crowd-surfing at a Sungaze show in a white lace dress.

START THE TRACK: VOL. I • 2026

start-track.com

ifitbeyourwill S06E18 • sundayclub

A happy mistake at a concert.

A guitar rediscovered in the back of a closet.

Two students on totally different paths who somehow found the same sound.

That’s the origin story of sundayclub, a rural Manitoba duo whose music feels like it was pulled from an ’80s Polaroid—warm, hazy, and quietly intentional. Their new EP, Bannatyne, captures that balance perfectly: pop instincts wrapped in dream-pop atmosphere, four tracks that melt into one continuous mood.

When you talk to Courtney Carmichael and Nikki St. Pierre, you get the sense that their process is equal parts chaos and craft. Courtney writes with a diarist’s honesty, often chasing the feeling a moment left behind. Nick builds the sonic world around those words, leaning on production chops and an obsession with tone. A simple tuning shift to open C cracked something open—suddenly, new harmonies and melodies started falling out of the guitar.

They work fast to capture the spark, then slow down for the final stretch, refusing to rush a lyric or sand off a rough edge just to be “done.” That patience shows. Banatine isn’t a playlist of singles—it’s a short film in sound, one that breathes and unfolds with intention.

Their path to Paper Bag Records came with its own lucky breaks—a well-timed mastering grant, a few key community ties, and a lot of persistence. Listeners have already gravitated toward Nuclear Fallout, a track that wasn’t meant to be the standout but hit something unexpected. Courtney and Nick say that kind of connection means more than any genre label could.

Looking ahead, they’re teasing a reimagined “Last Christmas”, a run of Canadian shows, and new singles that stretch their sound without losing its heart.

If you’re into indie pop, dream pop, odd guitar tunings, and the craft behind a cohesive EP, this one’s for you. Stream the episode, spin Banatine front to back, and see which moment sticks. And if you love what you hear, share it with a friend—because that’s how good music travels.

 

https://www.sundayclub.band/

Cylindre • Ingénue • 2025

Cylindre is a New York City–based duo weaving together indie rock, post-punk DIY, and dirty dream-pop into something both atmospheric and immediate. Formed by Tim and Riley, the band’s debut album Ingénue, out now on Clearly Records, captures the spark of two artists discovering their shared sound through instinct and experimentation.

clearlyrecords.com

ifitbeyourwill S06 E17 • Mirrorball

 Dream pop isn’t about turning everything down — it’s about tuning everything in. That’s the pulse of our talk with Mirrorball, the Los Angeles duo behind those lush, cinematic songs that somehow still feel like they’re whispering right to you. From the first late-night demo to a surprise label release, their story drifts through noisy beginnings, an obsession with sound, and the quiet confidence that comes with learning when not to play.

We get into how they write: Scott starts with grooves, guitars, and synths in Logic. Alex listens, and melodies spill out — sometimes all at once, sometimes over time. Some songs bloom in a day; others sit for months, waiting for the right mood to arrive. Recording, for them, is a kind of home — layering overdubs until the room disappears and only the song remains. Playing live, though, demands something different: less control, more trust. The goal isn’t to be louder, it’s to make people feel. Small choices, big emotion.

There’s honesty, too, about what it means to be an indie band now. Without a label, they’ve handled everything themselves — the videos, the press, the endless scroll — keeping things moving with a steady run of singles. Now they’re building toward a full LP, something that captures the whole arc of who they’ve become. With producer Chris Coady’s touch — tiny shifts in timing, arrangements that breathe — the songs pulse and shimmer instead of shout. At home, Alex tracks vocals dry, chasing raw takes; Scott trims the noise, staying closer to what feels real.

If you’re drawn to guitars that glow, vocals that drift just out of reach, and rhythms that dance a little behind the beat, this one’s for you. Press play, sink into Red Hot Dust, and stay awhile. If it hits, tell a friend — the dream gets brighter when more people are in it.

https://mirrorballband.com/

the bittersweet wonderment of “Red Hot Dust” signals a truly enchanting debut is on the way. 

—grimy goods

CHRIS GARNEAU • riot • 2025

"With 'For Celeste,' Garneau has returned with an undeniably lush and soulful ballad and a moving tribute to owning identity and casting off shame."
- Under the Radar

"The song is anchored by a plucky harp that swells into an expansive string arrangement of viola, violin, and cello which adds depth to Garneau’s guilelessly wistful and liberating lyrics about calling out boundaries."
- KEXP

"Chris Garneau has always pursued his own strange sonic path, drawing on a diverse array of influences to create an otherworldly, haunting and distinct lane in the singer-songwriter universe."
- Billboard

Website

sundayclub • Bannatyne • 2025

“One of the strongest debuts you’re likely to hear this year” - Analogue Trash

Formed in the stillness of rural Manitoba, Courtney Carmichael and Nikki St.Pierre started sundayclub as a way of processing the strange limbo of early adulthood: that feeling of being caught between who you were and who you're becoming.

The band blends hazy indie pop and dreamy textures with unfiltered storytelling. Their music feels like a guided tour through snapshots of growing up, growing part, and growing into your skin. As sundayclub's sound sharpend, so does their sense of self. 

sundayclub -  NOVEMBER 2025 LIVE DATES

November 14, Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage

November 18, Toronto, ON @ Collective Arts

November 20, Ottawa, ON@ House Of TARG

November 21, Montreal, QC @ NOMAD Nation (M For Montreal)

November 22, Montreal, QC @Toscadura (M For Montreal)

November 25, Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern

Oh, Rose • For Art • 2025

Exploring themes of long-term commitment and partnership—both in romantic and platonic relationships, as well as to artistic practice itself—the six tracks on 'For Art' navigate the complexities of closeness. Wading through feelings of disillusionment, the album is ultimately a hopeful work, one of recommitment and perseverance.

Winter • Hide-A-Lullaby (feat. Tanukichan) • 2025

Winter returns with “Hide-A-Lullaby,” a smoldering, gazey track featuring dream-pop artist Tanukichan, with whom she trades hushed lines. The dreamy new short film/music video directed by David Milan Kelly features the band performing at the LA river and narrative sections inspired by the album's fictional story of an indie rock romance set during a lost L.A. summer. The second half features documentary interviews with Winter and visual artists from her community discussing their process and inspiration.

The Noisy • "Twos” • 2025

Philly dream pop/synth rock band The Noisy announce signing to Audio Antihero (Frog / Avery Friedman / Magana / CIAO MALZ) with “Twos,” a vampy, queer, and silent-movie-esque new music video from director Sam Cush, which teases ‘The Secret Ingredient is Even More Meat,’ an upcoming deluxe edition of their debut album.

Featuring practical effects and vampire makeup by Philly drag talent, “Twos” channels gothic-glam in the spirit of vintage cinema, dripping with theatrical flair and midnight movie camp. Starring local icon Miss Thing, the video follows the success of “Violet Lozenge,”The Noisy’s most recent drag-forward release, which WXPN praised as “glamorous, retro, and proudly queer.”

Front-person Sara Mae Henke (they/them) comments on the upcoming music video for “Twos”:

“I wrote this song like a pop song but wanted the production to bend towards Mannequin Pussy with sludgy guitars and twinkly keys. The music video literalizes the too much-ness of the story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Grey Gardens meets two dates to the prom.”

The Noisy got its start in Knoxville, Tennessee, as a project of award-winning poet Sara Mae Henke. In spring 2023, after evolving from a solo project to a full band, they released “Morricone” with a Strega Nona meets Clint Eastwood music video, launching a crowdfunding campaign for their debut album, ‘The Secret Ingredient is More Meat.’ The band sold merch, raffled a cowboy hat, and ran a GoFundMe alongside a month-long tour, raising over $3,000 to bring this debut to life—an album for their queer community.

To celebrate the first anniversary of ‘The Secret Ingredient is More Meat,’ Audio Antihero will be issuing a deluxe edition entitled ‘The Secret Ingredient is Even More Meat,’ which will include new and reimagined songs.

“Dynamic sound, charming energy, and a confessional tell-all spirit that’s as charismatic as it is irresistible.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE

“Glamorous, retro, and proudly queer.” – WXPN

“The Noisy’s sound isn’t exactly noisy in the abrasive sense, but it is boisterous, embracing the crunch of grungy pop rock and the twang of Sara Mae’s Knoxville roots to create a muscular and freely associated alt-country belter.” – POST-TRASH

“It sounds really formative. Being “sixteen and see-through” is such a vulnerable feeling, one that “Grenadine” captures really well.” – THE ALTERNATIVE

“Their work examines the surreal, the uncanny, body horror, and intimacy....Their album The Secret Ingredient is More Meat is an intoxicating experience.” – RAINBOW RODEO

ifitbeyourwill S05E23 • Pale Blue Eyes

Ever wondered how a great band finds its voice? Sheffield's dream pop trio Pale Blue Eyes offers a fascinating glimpse into the alchemy of friendship, creativity, and musical evolution that shapes extraordinary music.

Fresh off their spring UK tour, Matt and Lucy describe how their most recent performances felt like "one big party" with their best mates, culminating in their biggest London show to date at Islington Assembly Hall. This camaraderie extends beyond the stage; it's the foundation of their creative process.

Their origin story reads like indie music serendipity—a photographer named Aubrey, originally there just to document a studio session, stepped in when a bassist didn't show up. Despite never hearing the songs before, he immediately connected with the material. Six months of rehearsals without gigs or even a band name followed, until they had unwittingly created an album's worth of material right before lockdown hit.

The pandemic, while devastating for live music, became an unexpected catalyst. Their first single "went nuts on Bandcamp," offering what Lucy calls "a beacon" during difficult times. Three albums later, their approach to songwriting continues to evolve deliberately. Matt collects phrases, experiences, and observations in notebooks that later become songs, while the band consciously experiments with different creative approaches to avoid falling into patterns.

What makes Pale Blue Eyes special is their ego-free collaboration. Where many bands falter when "someone thinks that they're it," this trio thrives on their differences. Lucy and Matt bonded over shared loves like Broken Social Scene, while Aubrey brings entirely different influences from disco, soul, and jazz backgrounds. This fusion creates their distinctive dream pop sound that blends shoegaze and synth elements into something uniquely captivating.

Listen in as we explore how three friends from Sheffield crafted one of the UK's most exciting musical projects, and discover why their latest album "New Place" feels like their most honest work yet. Are you ready to discover your new favourite band? 

https://www.paleblueeyes.co.uk/

The third album from Pale Blue Eyes is called New Place – invocation of fresh horizons; swapping creamy Devon for the synth central of Sheffield. The album arrives on the back of extensive and emotional transit. For PBE, 2024 started with a wonderful tour of 12 European countries with Slowdive. Over 12,000 kilometres. Snow and deep cold in Norway and Poland. Drought-stricken landscapes in France and Spain. On and on, joyously so. The year’s end brought more movement for the married couple at the core of Pale Blue Eyes, singer and guitarist Matt Board and drummer and synth queen Lucy Board. Sadly, family tragedy catalysed a move from South Devon to South Yorkshire. 

ifitbeyourwill S05E22 • WOMB

Sibling trio Womb takes us behind the scenes of their dreamy shoegaze sound and shared creative journey. From their childhood musical foundations to the evolution of their distinctive sound, this conversation reveals the beautiful simplicity of creating art with family.

Haz and Georgette (GiGi) share the remarkable story of their musical heritage, tracing back to a great-great-grandfather who holds a world record for distance-walking while playing the fiddle. This musical DNA flourished when the family relocated from Illinois to Wellington, New Zealand, immersing the teenage siblings in a vibrant DIY music scene that would shape their artistic sensibilities.

What began as Cello's solo project organically expanded to include her siblings, with visual artist Georgette courageously picking up drumsticks despite minimal experience. "I did always fantasize about being a musician when I was little," Georgette reveals, recalling childhood dreams of becoming "Alanis Morissette in leather." This natural progression highlights the intuitive understanding that makes their collaboration special—no formal discussions about musical direction needed, just a shared wavelength that produces their cohesive sound.

The band's creative process reveals beautiful insights into collaborative artmaking. Their innovative "self-imposed residencies" carve out dedicated space for creation away from day jobs and distractions, blending structured music-making with time to connect in nature. This approach has yielded three distinctive yet connected albums, including their latest release "One is Always Heading Somewhere."

Looking ahead, the band hints at exciting developments: Cello's upcoming residency in Spanish cave structures, potential string quartet collaborations, and film scoring projects. After completing what they consider a trilogy of albums, they stand at the threshold of a new artistic chapter, ready to explore fresh sonic territories while maintaining the sibling bond that gives their music its emotional depth.

Listen for an intimate glimpse into how family connections create artistic magic, and how three siblings from New Zealand crafted one of indie music's most distinctive voices.

 

linktr.ee

Womb’s third album, One is Always Heading Somewhere, is a palpable attempt to create just such playlist from scratch – a whole album to serve this sort of purpose, one of reflection, introspection, sadness but perhaps also some release, catharsis, hope and repair.

This is a collection of twelve songs each occupying the same dreamy, floaty and slowly rippling soundscape, apparently made from layer upon layer of synthesisers, plucked acoustic guitars, slowly revolving percussion and Cello Forrester’s reverb-drenched and almost angel-like voice. It’s cinematic, ethereal, melancholic – and clearly a refined and now highly tuned version of their sound now developed over three albums. Music NZ

ifitbeyourwill S05E16 • Darksoft

Ever wondered how music that feels so effortless and dreamy actually comes together? Bill from Darksoft pulls back the curtain on his creative process, revealing the fascinating intersection of mathematical precision and emotional resonance that defines his signature sound.

Growing up surrounded by music—with a cellist mother and pianist father who pioneered home recording—Bill's path to becoming a musician feels almost predetermined. Yet his approach to creating atmospheric indie rock is distinctly his own. "Maybe I never grew up fully," he reflects, describing how childhood musical experiences laid the groundwork for his DIY ethos. Rather than seeing this hands-on approach as limiting, Bill embraces it as both practical and ethical in an industry where margins are thin.

What truly distinguishes Darksoft's music is Bill's conceptual framework. Each album begins with an overarching philosophical idea—his latest release "Rationalism" explores how we understand the world through thought rather than direct experience. This thoughtful foundation supports songs built through meticulous layering: starting with chord progressions (often in drop D tuning), adding sub bass, plucky bass guitar, rhythm guitar, and finally jangly leads. "I've kind of built my own formula or algorithm," he explains, embracing rather than resisting the mathematical patterns inherent in music creation.

The result is music that creates a "swell," gently cradling listeners in waves of sound that feel simultaneously comforting and subtly complex. It's an approach that's connecting with a growing audience, with tours planned across the US and new music on the horizon. Whether you're drawn to the philosophical underpinnings or simply love getting lost in dreamy soundscapes, Darksoft offers a musical experience that rewards repeated listening—each layer revealing itself with time, just as Bill intended.

 Direct Link MP3

https://www.darksoft.band/

Darksoft is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and producer who creates dreamy indie rock sounds. Blending dream pop, shoegaze, and alternative rock with lush melodies and introspective lyrics, Darksoft explores universal truths and existential themes.