With a wide range of influences and a voice beyond her years, Birkenhead’s Lois Levin will be releasing her highly-anticipated new EP Motions on 4th July.
Since releasing her debut single, Lois has become one of the hottest new talents in the North West with multiple editorial playlists from Spotify, A-List adds with Jazz FM, and airplay on BBC Radio 2, BBC 6Music and BBC Merseyside. Having previously collaborated on an EP in 2023 with Baltic Jazz Recordings, the upcoming release Motions (out 4th July) marks the first EP to be recorded solely under Lois Levin’s name, offering a more unfiltered glimpse into her artistry and the different facets of her identity.
‘I feel the EP’s quite direct – I’m not that good at hiding how I feel which is why a lot of my songs are quite literal,’ explains Lois.‘There’s sarcastic lyricism, vulnerability, frankness and romance all across this EP. It’s not so much different from my previous music, more of a personal insight to who I am.’
Opening track ‘Call Me Names’ is a great introduction to the world of Lois Levin; candid lyrics, enchanting musicality and enticing vocals aplenty. The bouncing beats of ‘Sugar’ allow a little playfulness to come through (‘Sugar, darling… Honey, I’m free’), described by Lois as ‘one of the few uplifting tracks I’ve written!’ On the flip side to the fun of romance, recent single ‘Felt’ aches with a quiet intimate desperation, seeking real connection in a distant world.
With Lois’ admission that hidden meanings aren’t her style, she suggests that ‘you could say the overarching theme to Motions is “time” – to not waste it and spend it well.’ This is pretty clear in EP highlight ‘Excuse’, its smooth and slow sway contrasting against delightfully blunt lyrics calling out the bullshit of mixed signals and wasting one’s time.
However, this theme takes on a whole new meaning for the stunning closing track (and Lois’ favourite), ‘Pass You By’ – a song dedicated to her late mother.
She explains: ‘I wanted to reframe how I felt about her passing and talk about these moments we had together and immortalise them. “Pass You By” is a message I wanted to share about not taking the love that exists right now for granted, because I suppose in some ways I have regrets that I did as I was naive to how fast life can do just that, “pass you by.”’
Evident throughout the EP, Lois’ old-school influences mix with new-school flourishes to showcase a fully-formed artist ready for the attention she deserves.
After nearly a decade-long hiatus, The Albert Square makes a powerful return with Swallow You Whole, a new EP out August 1 via Sneak Dog Records. The lead single, “Waiting for the Heartache to Heal,” is out today alongside a new music video.
“Waiting for the Heartache to Heal” captures the moment the light at the end of a very dark tunnel is found. Grappling with themes of acceptance, resilience, and self-forgiveness in the aftermath of trauma, the track fuses Castro’s punk energy and melodic sensibility into an anthem for anyone learning to live with their scars.
“I think it’s really easy to be cynical and throw your hands up to fate or resign to terrible circumstances,” said Castro. “Retaining some sense of hope and channeling that into finding a path forward is truly the hard work.”
Originally formed in the heart of San Jose’s DIY scene, The Albert Square began as the songwriting vehicle for Sim Castro, whose blend of jagged guitar melodies and heartfelt lyricism quickly found a home alongside peers like Hard Girls, The Sidekicks, and Jeff Rosenstock. Following the release of the band’s debut album I (Assume I) Know What I’m Doing in 2015, Castro stepped away to contribute his talents to bands like Kitty Kat Fan Club, Ogikubo Station, Cloudbusters, and Teens in Trouble, sharpening his craft on the road and in the studio.
Now, with Swallow You Whole, Castro reclaims The Albert Square as a space for raw emotional truth. The EP explores the psychological toll of trauma, the weight of cumulative grief, and the slow, often messy process of coming out the other side.
With its heart-on-sleeve vulnerability and dynamic, fuzzed-out arrangements, Swallow You Whole is both a homecoming and a rebirth. The Albert Square is back – louder, wiser, and more honest than ever.
Submersion Festival returns October 2–4, 2025, for its fifth edition at Paradise Lakes Campground in Hammonton, New Jersey. Independently produced by Aspire Higher and Transmit, Submersion has grown into a staple event for underground music fans across the East Coast and beyond.
Following a strong Phase One reveal featuring artists like BLAAP (Of The Trees x Freddy Todd), CONDUCTA, EAZYBAKED, IVY LAB (D&B Set), K MOTIONZ, MONRROE (US DEBUT), MOODY GOOD, TAIKI NULIGHT, TERNION SOUND, and VIBE CHEMISTRY, the festival is now proud to unveil Phase Two, expanding the lineup with another wave of groundbreaking talent. Additions include BUUNSHIN (US DEBUT), CHAMPION, CHEF BOYARBEATZ (DOWNTEMPO YOGA SET W/ SKODA), CRAZE x Chris Karns, DIGITAL MYSTIKZ, EPROM, GENTLEMENS CLUB, JUSTIN MARTIN (Sunrise), KURSA & ALICIA KIAH, ROME IN SILVER, THE WIDDLER b2b THELEM, VCTRE, and many more. Plus Label Takeovers from Mike Wallis’s Colony Productions, and Of The Trees’ Memory Palace Records
With over 75 acts already announced and more still to come, Submersion continues to blur genre lines; fusing dubstep, drum & bass, garage, house, experimental bass, and everything in between.
“This year’s lineup brought together a mix of fan favorites and up-and-coming artists we genuinely believe are pushing the boundaries of sound,” says Ryan Karolyi, founder of Aspire Higher and co-producer of Submersion Festival. “With Phase Two, we’re doubling down on that mission. We hope this lineup inspires you to dig deeper, discover something new, and maybe even find your next forever favorite.”
“We really wanted to focus on an inclusive lineup that touches all spectrums of sound this year: from the dubstep to the dance, garage, drum & bass, and experimental bass,” adds Jesse Boyer, founder of Transmit and co-founder of Submersion Festival. “We can’t wait to share the dance floor with everyone for our fifth year of Submersion.”
Known primarily for his work as the composer behind the iconic scores for Veronica Mars, High Potential, iZombie, Lethal Weapon, and more, Josh Kramon aims to expand his musical opus on the brand new atmospheric folk-rock project, KRAMON. Most recently, Josh is gearing up to receive a BMI Award on May 14th for his impeccable songwriting abilities. With the new project Evolutions KRAMON, Josh expands his artistry as a writer, musician, producer, and collaborator, delivering twelve original tracks that blend smart, introspective lyrics with infectious, upbeat pop grooves.
Icelandic pianist and post-classical composer Eydís Evensen has released her second single from her upcoming album, Oceanic Mirror to be released October 10th on XXIM Records.
Written in the depths of Iceland‘s winter, “Eternal” unfolds as the second chapter of the new album – a sonic elegy for light and warmth in a season where daylight barely lingers. Brass sighs into slow, spiraling piano lines, capturing the weight and beauty of darkness. “There was a heaviness and melancholia behind this piece, so I love that it’s coming out in the summertime – a sense of positivity even when it’s so dark,” shares Evensen.
She has also announced a series of international tour dates, inviting audiences to experience the music live. You can find tickets here.
That Summer Feeling… Rain, sleet, hail, or snow, Benny the Butcher is always servin, but there’s something about Summertime Butch that has a different feel.
In August 2024, Benny The Butcher re-emerged to hold you down for the rest of the summer with Summertime Butch, which was his first solo-project since the Grammy-Nominated and Emmy-Award-winning artist delivered his Def Jam Recordings debut Everybody Can’t Go. In May of this year, he was outside again and released, Excelsior, which featured collaborations with Boldy James, Styles P, Harry Fraud, Daringer, and his BSF family.
Now, Benny The Butcher is re-activated in summertime mode, with the release of a new single and video “Summer 25,” and with the announcement of his forthcoming new project, Summertime Butch 2, which will be released on 7.16.25 (known as “716 Day” in Buffalo).
Benny The Butcher’s Summertime Butch 2 will be released on 7.16.25.
global music powerhouse, Alesso, officially releases his latest single, “Freedom”. A collaboration with Australian brothers DJ trio, Sentinel, the track is a turbo-charged symphony of sound – arriving on Friday, July 4, 2025 via Alesso’s label BodyHi.
Built for the dancefloor, “Freedom” is energized from the onset by high-powered synths and booming drops before being propelled forward with a driving bassline. The track’s vocals embody its very essence through one remarkably powerful statement – “I need freedom”. Alesso has ignited audiences across the globe with the track in 2025, playing it on some of the most coveted stages including Ultra Music Festival Miami, EDC Las Vegas, and most recently, World DJ Festival in Japan.
Indianapolis-based alternative pop artist and songwriter BAYEM has released his thrilling, collaboration-infused new EP, TAPE 3.1. The 5-song collection features appearances by some of music’s most exciting new artists, including Chloe Parché, girlhouse, TheARTI$t, Tom Ferry, and PARAFRAME.
Toronto, Canada-based post-punk/alt-rock artist ThxSoMch sinks into nostalgia on the unrelenting, equally hard and soft “Sound of You Laughing” out now via Atlantic Records and captures the wistful longing of flipping through old photos in its matching music video.
The latest commanding track took shape after musician Flawed Mangoes sent the artist various instrumentals, whose evocative guitar riff became the song’s foundation. After playing around with them and sending them to collaborator LMG for drum additions, ThxSoMch was so inspired, he freestyled nearly the whole song in one go. The artist shares, “I recorded it the next day and couldn’t stop listening to it. It sat on my computer for a while until I revisited it with grayskies while making more music. ‘Sound of You Laughing’ is both comfort and discomfort.” Defiant and uninhibited, each line is delivered with the slight twinge of pain that comes with digging up the past.
Philadelphia band Her New Knife are excited to share their cover of Björk’s “Pagan Poetry,” digitally available everywhere now via the tastemaking Philly label Julia’s War Recordings. A guitar-forward take on the fan-favorite track off Björk’s 2001 record Vespertine, today’s cover sees the band infuse discordant instrumentation into a deeply emotional soundscape. Her New Knife strives for sonic innovation, turning a familiar track into a completely new experience.
“Björk as an artist has always inspired me. In her songwriting, I’ve always found something very important to take note of. Whether that be her lyrical imagery, sonic texturing, expression and inflection of the voice, or the pursuit of something new and personal and raw in her music,” guitarist and vocalist Edgar Atencio explains.
“In 2024, Ben [Kachler] and I recorded mostly guitar (classical and electric) and voice (additional vocals by Dylan Vaisey & Cassidy Hammond), in juxtaposition to the varied and lush orchestration of the original track, I wanted our version to be sparse and more focused on just guitar and voice- in an attempt to embody the rawness of Björk’s performance. This cover is something that I felt we could do in our own way, as a tribute to all these aspects of her music that I hold close.”
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