The Thing, one of New York’s most provocative rock bands, today releases the second set of A/B-sides from their upcoming self-titled LP, “Can You Help Me?” and “Family Business,” both with official videos out later in the day. Arriving two songs at a time, The Thing will be out in full this summer. The album is fully analog, tracked live to tape without the use of a computer, and sees The Thing really reaching their full form — Stream today’s new tracks.
An unforgettable staple of the band’s live show, “Can You Help Me?” is The Thing’s first song where all three verses are sung by alternating band members, and one of the first tracks written for the record. Rotating their stage positions, the band makes the sheer depth of their talent and coolness look so nonchalant, and elicits a sense of locked-in awe from the crowd every single time.
Frontman Zane Acord shared that, “The inspiration behind ‘Can You Help Me?’ stems from the feeling of discontentment when you have other people do things for you. Whether it is having other people ‘give you a song’ or control your thoughts and life.”
Emerging from the depths of his basement studio in Vaughan Ontario, Canada, 21 year old Aidan Skira is driven by a visceral need to get his dark and yet hopeful perspective out into the world. Growing up in a working-class suburban family, Skira’s “sheltered upbringing”, hid him from the atrocities of the modern world. Now deep into the trials & tribulations of adolescence, he is discovering the realities of adulthood & using his music and animations to makes sense of it all. A one man show, he has a vision all is own; he is self-taught, self-produced, & self-animated. With an organic following of bedroom-music-heads & kids from the suburbs who relate to the heartbreak of being exposed to the truths of life, Aidan Skira knows he has a unique perspective to share – & is bringing his people with him.
Making a name for himself on the underground live-music scene in Toronto, Aidan Skira is a one man show with a vision all his own. Driven to inspire others from the “no attention span generation” to find light in dark times, he has a dedicated following of bedroom-music-heads who relate to the sadness of being exposed to the truths of adult life. A true visionary, Skira is pushing boundaries & defying expectations, creating all of his music & visuals from his basement in Vaughan Ontario. Originally discovered on Soundcloud, Skira is gaining momentum on a global scale with his consistent releases, relatable lyrics and palatable passion he has for getting his music out into the world.
Discovered by early traction on Soundcloud, Aidan Skira has been building his project behind the scenes from his basement in Vaughn Ontario. Now ‘he’s outside’ – currently in Thailand at an international songwriting camp (collab coming!). Growing his live-fanbase, Skira plays NXNE & Departure Fest this spring, where he will announce an exciting Rick & Morty song-collab. Driven to inspire kids from the “no attention span generation” to get off their phones, Skira is building an immersive brand from the bottom up.
In celebration of their 35th anniversary, Leftover Salmon, the legendary bluegrass-rooted jam band, is thrilled to announce their new studio album, Let’s Party About It – due out on May 9 via Compass Records. Along with the album announcement, the band has shared the first sampling of the new album with the release of “Big Wheel.” The message is simple, according to Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman: “The world keeps turning. Find a spot to watch it fly by and ride the wheel.”
The new studio album reaffirms their status as pioneers of blended bluegrass and showcases their unmatched musical chemistry. For the first time ever, the band wrote the album together in a single session as a group. Longtime friend of the band and storied songwriter Aaron Raitiere (Lady Gaga, Lukas Nelson, Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Anderson East, The Lone Bellow, Trace Adkins, and more) also joined the band for the writing session. The resulting album captures the energy and camaraderie that have defined Leftover Salmon’s three-and-a-half-decade-long career.
The album was recorded at Compass Sound Studio (formerly Glaser Sound Studio, aka “Hillbilly Central”), the iconic birthplace of Outlaw Country, with the band joined by special guests such as Del McCoury (vocals), Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin), Jason Carter (fiddle), Jeff Coffin (saxophone), and more. The band captured an unmatched level of talent and energy, which shines through on every track.
Australian based alt-rock grunge rap artist LAB RAT releases his debut album ‘In The Walls, We Wait” this Summer via Mushroom Pillow. This is preceded by his latest single ‘Lost In Soho’ – OUT NOW. His previous critically acclaimed singles are ‘Drunk’, ‘Exit Path’ and ‘Rolling Loud’.
LAB RAT plays hisfirst ever UK shows at the Great Escape Festival between 14th – 17th May. One of the album tracks ‘Car Crash’ is featured in the forthcoming new Netflix series ‘Olympo’this June.
The forthcoming album landing early Summer: ‘In The Walls, We Wait’ sees LAB RAT transforms struggle into sound, forging a powerful collection of songs that rise from the depths of despair toward a future fueled by resilience. Each track channels raw emotion through intense riffs and anthemic melodies, turning personal lows into fuel for reinvention. This is more than just an album—it’s a declaration of strength, proving that even in the darkest moments, there’s always a way forward. Bold optimism meets unrelenting rock energy.
“The contrast between light and dark moments on the album is its greatest strength. One track might have you feeling unstoppable, lost in the energy and freedom of the moment, while the next drags you into the depths of existential reflection. It’s this balance of contradiction — celebration and despair, pleasure and pain — that makes ‘In The Walls, We Wait’ a compelling listen. The album isn’t trying to provide answers, it’s simply asking the questions that we all face, whether we want to admit it or not.”LAB RAT
GRAMMY® winner, multi-platinum producer and hip hop legend Swizz Beatz has unleashed, “Pain,” the first single from Godfather of Harlem: Season 4 (Original Series Soundtrack).
Swizz once again serves as the executive music producer of the critically acclaimed soundtrack to Godfather of Harlem, which he did for the first 3 seasons. The anticipated new season is set to premiere on MGM+ on April 13. The full Season 4 soundtrack will be released on April 18 via Epic Records.
“Pain” is performed by GRAMMY® nominee Tobe Nwigwe and Houston star Sauce Walka. Stream the new single, available now.
Nwigwe and Walka take turns describing their respective journeys to light from darkness over the agile Swizz-produced instrumental, which includes a deft sample of DMX’s classic record “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” originally produced by Swizz in 1998.
Swizz’s work on the official Godfather of Harlem soundtracks has been headline-worthy. Rolling Stone, Okayplayer and Billboard have taken note of his commitment to meticulous curation of the soundtracks, and in conversation with Billboard, Swizz revealed how detailed his approach can be. “I give [the artists] a story on what we’re shooting, how we’re shooting it,” he says. “Some of them, I’ll let them see the scenes that we’re thinking about.”
A wide range of acts has appeared on the soundtracks previously, including Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Bilal and Wale. As a result of Swizz’s vision, the projects have racked up tens-of-millions of streams.
Stream “Pain” today, and get ready for the full, star-studded soundtrack, the fourth installment of Godfather of Harlem and Swizz Beatz’s relationship, arriving April 18.
the emerging pop-soul sensation Marco Giovanni unveils his smooth new single, “Happy Ending.” This expertly crafted track arrives also with contributions from renowned production duo The Audibles, consisting of Dominic “DJ Mecca” Jordan and Jimmy “Jimmy G” Giannos—proven collaborators with music icons such as Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, and Sam Smith.
DDG unleashes the official music video for his new single “MOTION” featuring DaBaby. Watch HERE.
Last Monday, DDG concluded a 7-day streamathon event on his Twitch channel, where he was live 24 hours per day while he worked on the new body of work. He brought fans in via Twitch chat every step of the way as he brought audiences in on the process of creating an album. The “hit-a-thon” saw an exciting level of artists and producers come by to write and record feature verses on tracks and collaborate with DDG in real-time, including, of course, DaBaby. Fans gave feedback on lyrics, beat choices, and more, and saw a full 360 view of a week in the life of an artist – even doing media interviews and content while live—directly through the powers of Twitch chat. On the final night of the stream, DDG was the #1 live channel in the world on Twitch. He grew his subscribers substantially and is currently the #6 ranked streamer in the entire world based on active subscribers. To celebrate the milestone subscription number, he cut his locs off live, a literal transformation as he steps into a bold new era of his career.
Fi McCluskey’s stirring new single ‘Scream’ is an odyssey. The Irish-British alt-pop artist’s latest call to arms, is a continuation of her artistic expression, which she calls “sonic activism”. It is at once an anguished statement of discontent and an empowered declaration of solidarity with the human race.
Just as she challenges problematic societal norms, Fi McCluskey pushes the boundaries of contemporary music with a unique blend of psychedelic trip-hop and alternative pop rock on ‘Scream’. Her rousing lyricism encourages the listener to embrace individuality, much in the same way that her music is proudly distinctive and eccentric. The witty singer-songwriter embeds a message of moral severity in a compelling concoction of entrancing production and earworm vocal hooks.
Viewing music making as an artistic and social obligation, Fi McCluskey boldly proclaims: “Artists have the ability to turn emotion into something tangible. Music is powerful. It has the ability to engage individuals and unite them, moving the times forwards.” Here is a woman who endeavours to be the master of her fate and the captain of her soul. She uses her music to unite and invigorate her listeners against the greater injustices set upon them by the powers that be.
Directed by Josh Quinton, the single’s music video incorporates a fascinating mix of sleek, old-school illustrated graphics and highly-stylised footage of Fi. It is a fitting contribution to the song’s overall message; its engaging visuals are as expressive as the track, and its almost psychedelic dreamstate lends to the Blade Runner-esque themes of the song. As Quinton describes in his own words: “the video is created all by hand with live action and paper collage animation. We wanted to celebrate hand crafted methods of creation within an era of AI generated art”.
Melbourne/San Francisco alt-pop artist & producer ROHAN shares the confessional, slow-burning earworm “I Wish I Could Tell You” and DIY visualizer out now. With its infectious guitar loop and raw vocals, the vulnerable tune is an open letter to an ex love the artist never formally sends. Last month, ROHAN supported his ex’s (and Chappell Roan’s) favorite pop artist, Devon Again at her sold out San Francisco show where he debuted the track live for the first time.
On the new single, the musician moves towards acceptance as he comes to terms with a heartbreak that is out of his hands. Recorded in his home studio in Melbourne, Australia, ROHAN shares, “I originally wrote it as a folk song on my acoustic guitar in my San Francisco apartment after a volatile, unexpected breakup on the night of Halloween. Despite being lovers for over 4 years, my ex and I haven’t spoken a word to each other since that night, and the song became a release—a place to pour out everything I wished I could tell her but never could.” After he posted the demo on TikTok and received a like from Beabadoobee, he decided to officially release it. Its matching DIY visualizer was done in collaboration with celebrated director Mark Kohr whose work spans iconic videos for Green Day, No Doubt, Alanis Morissette and more.
Following the breakout buzz of “St Glasgow” and the emotionally raw “Crying in Marseille”, Scottish alt-pop trailblazers Pistol Daisys return with a shimmering new single full of heartbreak, groove, and unexpected truth.
“Calling Your Name,” out 30 April 2025 via OneRPM Records, draws inspiration from co-frontwoman Belly’s own experience — an unforgettable night out in Kuala Lumpur that left more questions than answers and planted the seed for what’s now one of the band’s most personal and powerful songs yet.
“It was my first time at Zouk,” Belly shares, referring to KL’s infamous superclub, “My heart wasn’t broken—that was Lorna in Crying in Marseille—but I was surprised by a young six-foot-tall man. I thought we hit it off. One minute we were dancing, and the next, he was gone. When I was leaving, I saw him kissing a man. I called his name, but he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—hear me. That was the last time I saw him.”
Having moved from a conservative upbringing in the peaceful coastal town of Kota Kinabalu to study at Taylor’s University, Belly found herself immersed in a world of late nights, neon lights, and emotional curveballs. “Calling Your Name” captures that jolt of reality—when surface-level charm gives way to something more profound, complicated, and harder to process.
Musically, the track is vintage glitter laced with modern grit—a sparkling lovechild of Blondie and ABBA with a punk-pop bite reminiscent of The Gossip and the flamboyant honesty of Lady Gaga. The result is a dancefloor-ready confession: raw, reflective, and totally irresistible. “It just goes to show that it’s an ever-changing world,” Belly says, “What appears to be one thing on the surface doesn’t show you the whole truth. “Calling Your Name” is for those who want to keep an open mind… and maybe get a snog off the right guy.”
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
