Toronto alt-pop force Jay Feelbender (aka Jacob Switzer) returned today with his anthemic new single “Benny’s Sleepover,” a bittersweet and high-energy ode to the chaos of first love.
Fueled by infectious guitar riffs and unrelenting energy, “Benny’s Sleepover” captures the sting of adolescent heartbreak — watching your best friend unknowingly win over your crush — balanced with the warmth and hindsight of adulthood. It’s a universal coming-of-age moment, distilled into three minutes of cathartic, shout-it-out-loud rock.
That mix of honesty and intensity is central to Jay Feelbender, the latest project from Switzer, a seasoned performer known for his work in “Goodbye Honolulu” and “Luna Li.” Over the past decade, he’s shared stages with Hinds, The Beaches, and other international acts, building a reputation for high-voltage live shows across North America.
“Benny’s Sleepover” offers a taste of Feelbender’s upcoming debut album “Gallery of Desire” (out Fall 2025 via Victory Pool Records). Produced by Braden Sauder, the record balances roof-raising singles like “Disco Disco,” “Angel,” and “Benny’s Sleepover” with moments of raw introspection, cementing Feelbender as an artist unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.
Playful, unfiltered, and deeply human, Jay Feelbender is here to make you feel it all — and scream it back with him.
Stream “Benny’s Sleepover”: https://open.spotify.com/album/0bM0N75DZ4FlAuXArBggLx
Toronto R&B artist, rapper, and producer pHoenix Pagliacci returns with “Monday Jam,” the first taste of her upcoming EP “R&B Diaries,” out September 25. Smooth, intimate, and immediately relatable, the track lingers on the difficulty of staying close to a loved one when life’s demands constantly intrude.
Written in a spontaneous session with Felix Fox-Pappas of BADBADNOTGOOD — who also plays every instrument on the recording — the single unfolds like a conversation set to music. “Turning a house into a home takes time — time you once had, but seem to no longer find,”pHoenix reflects, capturing the bittersweet ebb and flow of love.
With a nod to Stevie Wonder’s “Tuesday Heartbreak” and echoes of Dionne Warwick and Diana Ross, the song feels both classic and contemporary. Its title continues pHoenix’s playful campaign to “bring back song titles with time relations,” while its lyricism reads like a diary entry set to melody.
“Songs are just diary entries we’ve made public,” pHoenix said. “With ‘Monday Jam,’ I wanted to capture that feeling of regret and disconnect, when love is still present but requires intention to survive.”
The single sets the stage for “R&B Diaries,” a five-track EP featuring production from Fox-Pappas, Clairmont The Second, Jonny Tobin, and longtime collaborator Truss. A companion visual album arrives October 14.
With roots in acclaimed hip-hop collective The Sorority and continued success as half of duo TRP.P, pHoenix has earned a reputation for fearless honesty and musical boundary-pushing. On “Monday Jam,” she delivers one of her most personal and resonant statements yet.
Stream “Monday Jam”: https://soundcloud.com/phoenixpagliacci/monday-jam
Acclaimed guitarist and songwriter Laura-Mary Carter, best known as one half of UK alt-rock duo Blood Red Shoes, returned September 17 with her sharp new single “Four Letter Words” and its accompanying video. Shot in a farm shop in West Wales, the clip finds Carter waiting for someone who never arrives — transforming the empty aisles into her own private stage.
The track arrives just ahead of Carter’s long-awaited debut solo album “Bye Bye Jackie,” set to be released September 26, and a full run of UK and European headline shows this winter. With its driving rhythms, restless energy, and Carter’s trademark lyrical wit, “Four Letter Words” explores love’s contradictions — its absurdity, its volatility, and the way it keeps us coming back despite the chaos.
“‘Don’t be late’ sets the stage, though in truth I am rarely on time myself,” Carter said. “What follows is a sharp-eyed tale of affection’s push and pull, where the four-letter word could be anything, you decide what it is, with a knowing eye-roll at the chaos of caring for someone who drives you round the bend. It’s irony wrapped in melody, humour folded into heartbreak, all carried by a beat that refuses to stand still.”
Following the atmospheric “June Gloom” — which featured a stormy guitar contribution from Lee Kiernan (IDLES) — the new single cements “Bye Bye Jackie” as a record of emotional immediacy: heartbreak with humour, intimacy with intensity, and Carter fully stepping into her own spotlight.
Stream “Four Letter Words”: https://soundcloud.com/laura-marycarter-music/four-letter-words
Pre-order “Bye Bye Jackie”: https://www.lauramarycarter.com/
London-based indie rock/power-pop duo Fitzsimon and Brogan (FaB) are back with their striking new single “Flowers at Her Door,” out now via Booster Music France. Written by Neil Fitzsimon and brought to life by Bee Brogan’s vocals, the track pairs sharp lyricism with a timeless melodic edge — bridging the classic songwriting spirit of the ’60s and ’70s with a fresh, modern feel.
Co-produced, mixed, and mastered by Martin Smith (Electric Light Orchestra, Shakin’ Stevens) at Garage Studios in London, the single channels both decadence and grit, inspired in part by Ridley Scott’s “The Duellists.” Brogan also handled keyboards, drums, and engineering, giving the track its textured, dynamic punch.
Already drawing comparisons to Debbie Harry and Nico, the song has earned praise from industry legends including Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello’s band) and Woody Woodmansey (David Bowie’s Spiders from Mars) for its originality and sharp songwriting.
“This song was inspired by the Ridley Scott film “The Duellists”, which depicts the Napoleonic wars and that particular film portrayed decadence, glamour and cruelty in equal measure.” Fitzsimon said. “We’re trying to achieve the standard of the songwriting of the 1960s/1970s for a modern-day audience.”
“Flowers at Her Door” follows FaB’s latest album “This Wicked Pantomime,” which featured contributions from Woodmansey and Thomas, as well as production from Pat Collier (Primal Scream, Maximo Park). Across their career, the pair — once members of Sony-signed Pretty Blue Gun — have released four acclaimed albums, worked with members of The Art of Noise and The Moody Blues, scored placements in film/TV, and even written a musical showcased in London theaters.
With “Flowers at Her Door,” Fitzsimon and Brogan prove once again that great songwriting never goes out of style — it just evolves.
Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/02Gs5h67uywXqQkCLXV128
Stream on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/flowers-at-her-door-single/1835524126
Alt-rock collective Clone returns with “Care To Try,” the title track from their upcoming “Care To Try” EP, set for release October 3 via Portland’s Little Cloud Records. Following the adrenaline-fueled lead single “Galvanized,” the EP showcases three intense tracks penned over the past year by CLONE’s original lineup: LG Galleon, Gregg Giufree (Pilot to Gunner), Max Idas, and Dominick Turi. Production was handled by Galleon alongside Bisi at the iconic BC Studio, with mastering by Fred Kevorkian (The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, Juliana Hatfield).
“Well ‘Care to Try’ is a retribution song,” Galleon said. “A song that cries out for the disenfranchised and undersung people in the world whose voices are never heard above the drowning of the right wing nationalist leaders in this world.”
Clone will hit the road this autumn with LG Galleon (Dead Leaf Echo), Paul Liziragga (Namesake), Alex Cox (The Veldt), and new drummers Avery Brooks and Jeremy Duvall. Known for touring alongside Christian Death, Twin Tribes, Wand, La Witch, Live Skull, and The Veldt, as well as festival appearances including SXSW, the band promises an incendiary live experience featuring their new material.
“A different lineup makes for a novel live experience every time, yet always with incendiary results,” Galleon said. “We’re excited to share these new songs with audiences on tour.”
Last year, Clone released their “CL. 1″ album and 12” vinyl via Little Cloud and 5BC Records, highlighted by the singles “Immutable,” “Dividing Line,” and “Redeemer.” Drawing on raw youthful energy and unbridled creativity, the band continues to craft music that resonates with the isolated and inspires through its redemptive power.
“Care To Try” is available now on Apple Music, Spotify, and Bandcamp. The full “Care To Try” EP drops October 3 on 7″ vinyl and digital platforms.
Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/16oObK5gpWcR1ps54eeu2X?si=4fd1ef4a3d434254&nd=1&dlsi=2027ae21876849b1
Pre-save the EP: https://groupspeed.lnk.to/CaretoTry
Derry’s radical alt-pop duo Beauty Sleep — aka producer/songwriters Cheylene Murphy and Ryan McGroarty — return this fall with their expansive new single “Send It Out To Sea.” The track arrives just ahead of the pair’s highly anticipated sophomore album “The Whole Damn Cake,” out October 17 via Alcopop! Records.
Written during a road trip from Malin Head to Mizen Head, the song was sparked by long days staring out at the roaring Atlantic. Carried by lush synths, hazy guitars, and a pulse of dreamy melancholy, “Send It Out To Sea” captures the strange magic of spilling your secrets to the waves — at once cathartic and humbling.
“There’s certain experiences I don’t think I’ve ever processed, but the waves, the sea, the horizon coax them out of me,” Murphy said. “This song is about that feeling.”
The single is accompanied by a cinematic video filmed with friends at Kinnego Bay in Donegal, close to Inishowen where both Murphy and McGroarty’s families hail from.
“The Whole Damn Cake” marks a new chapter for Beauty Sleep. Recorded almost entirely in their own custom-built studio, “The Dream Factory,” the album finds the duo stepping fully into their roles as both producers and songwriters. With only a few guest contributions — including drums from Ross Bickerstaff — the record reflects a maximalist approach: playful, emotional, and overflowing with invention.
Since their debut “Be Kind” (2019) — shortlisted for the Northern Irish Music Prize — Beauty Sleep have earned over a million streams, played festivals from SXSW to Other Voices, and picked up support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music, RTÉ 2FM, and tastemakers like Clash and Hot Press. Recent singles “BIG + BAD” and “Big Sky” have only stoked anticipation further.
To celebrate the album, Beauty Sleep will hit the road for a UK headline tour in November, including a release show at Belfast Empire on November 20. Tickets are on sale now.
With “The Whole Damn Cake,” Beauty Sleep are serving up their biggest, boldest vision yet — equal parts dizzying synth-pop, indie-rock catharsis, and pure emotional release.
Stream “Send It Out To Sea”: https://bfan.link/send-it-out-to-sea
Pre-save “The Whole Damn Cake”: https://ilovealcopop.co.uk/collections/beauty-sleep
Rising emo torchbearers Bicycle Inn make their long-awaited return with “Longsword (4th Place),” out now on all streaming platforms. The single marks the Boston quintet’s first new music since their acclaimed 2022 EP “Baldr the Beautiful is Dead, is Dead” and signals the beginning of an ambitious new era.
Formed in 2016, Bicycle Inn has built a reputation for weaving warm melancholy with a modern spin on traditional emo. The band — Declan Moloney (bass), Noah Aguiar (guitar/vocals), Dylan Ilkowitz (guitar/aux vocals), Gilmar Perez (lead guitar), and Josh Giaquinto (drums) — recorded “Longsword” as a five-piece for the first time. With Ilkowitz rejoining and Perez and Giaquinto making their studio debut, the result is the band’s fullest and most dynamic sound to date.
Thematically, the song dives into the exhaustion of monotony. “‘Longsword’ is about the struggle of mundanity; doing just enough, scraping by and ‘making the cut,’” The band explained. “It embodies the moment of realization in which it is no longer sustainable to keep doing what you are doing, because it is actively disintegrating you. You have become this ‘Saint of the Rut;’ a perfect representation of stagnancy.”
Guest vocals from Ryan O’Rourke (Innerlove.) also heighten the track’s emotional weight, adding new dimension to the band’s already textured sound.
Recorded across two sessions in 2023 and 2024 with Gary Cioni (Soundacres Studio), the single bridges the heavier sonics explored on “Baldr” with forward-looking momentum that hints at what’s to come.
Known for raw and resonant performances, Bicycle Inn have shared stages with Mike Kinsella (Owen), Crime in Stereo, The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, The Obsessives, Ben Quad, Taking Meds, and more — cementing themselves as a name to watch within the emo and indie underground.
Stream “Longsword (4th Place)”: https://open.spotify.com/track/6R0G3pOZjcWd0Z5XmzN485
Alt-pop rising star Pip Lewis returns with “Naomi (Stripped),” a lush, orchestral reimagining of one of the standout tracks from her debut album “Growing Pains” (out now via Enci Records). The single marks the first installment in a new series of stripped-down versions of album tracks, with more reinterpretations set to arrive in the coming months.
“The reimagined version of Naomi flaunts a very cinematic take on the original song,” Pip said. “The narrative was very dramatic in the original—a story of a jilted lover, a cautionary tale—but the orchestral version takes the drama to new heights. After listening to the original for so long during the production process, this new version evolved into something entirely unique and exciting. It was so refreshing and rewarding to work on this track.”
Released earlier this year, “Growing Pains” introduced Pip as a fearless songwriter whose blend of shimmering synths, striking honesty, and undeniable melodic hooks earned early acclaim. Framing the project as a “sonic autobiography,” Pip traced themes of love, loss, and self-discovery with refreshing vulnerability. Songs like “When It Comes To You” showcased her ability to transform raw emotions into immersive pop soundscapes, while “Naomi” emerged as one of the record’s most powerful and dramatic moments — making it the perfect starting point for her Stripped series.
With more reimagined versions of “Growing Pains” tracks on the horizon, Pip continues to expand the world of her debut, offering fans fresh perspectives on the songs that introduced her. Each “Stripped” release pulls back the layers to spotlight the intimacy and versatility at the heart of her artistry.
Whether in its synth-laden original form or these cinematic reinterpretations, Pip Lewis proves she’s an essential new voice shaping the future of alt-pop.
Stream “Naomi (Stripped)”: https://onerpm.link/naomistripped
