Techno-pop provocateur Sam Quealy has announced her sophomore album “JAWBREAKER,” set for release next year. Known for her futuristic, candy-colored sound, the Paris-based Australian pushes pop into bold new territory — melding synth-pop, electro, Eurodance, and disco into a high-voltage vision of what’s next.
Alongside the announcement comes the project’s first single, “Londontown,” a shimmering ode to nostalgia and longing. Pairing euphoric synths with Quealy’s lush vocals, the track captures the romance and heartbreak of chasing connection in a world that never slows down. Its accompanying video leans into that tension, with Sam and her dancers delivering a kinetic performance that radiates joy and catharsis.
Quealy’s trajectory has been anything but quiet. Since the release of her acclaimed debut “Blonde Venus” — spotlighted in Vogue France, Harper’s Bazaar France, and Les Inrocks — she has gone on to sell out venues across Europe and beyond, from Paris’s Zenith to Berlin’s Berghain and New York’s Terminal 5. Festival appearances at Solidays, Fusion, Flow, Montreux Jazz, and more have solidified her as one of pop’s most unpredictable live forces.
Beyond the stage, her music has scored syncs with Netflix (Élite, Under a Dark Sun), Swarovski, and Babybel’s 2025 global campaign. With a reputation as both a magnetic performer and fearless creative chameleon, Sam Quealy is making waves in the world of pop.
Stream “Londontown”: https://idol-io.ffm.to/londontown_
Nigerian-Irish artist Tolü Makay returns with her most vulnerable project yet, “People Still Cry in Summer.” The six-track EP charts a journey of resilience, healing, and self-discovery. The bold lead single “I AM” sets the tone with its unapologetic declaration of peace and independence.
Makay celebrated the EP’s arrival with an intimate launch event at The Big Romance in Dublin on September 26. It will be followed by a performance at Cork Jazz Festival (October 25) and a headline date at Grove House, Westport (October 26), with more live shows to come.
Written over the past four years from voice notes, poems, and reflections, “People Still Cry in Summer” captures Makay rebuilding her confidence and reclaiming her voice after personal and industry challenges.
“This project is about resilience, a reminder that we are always more than our pain,” she said.
Known for her soulful vocals and fearless storytelling, Makay has established herself as one of Ireland’s most compelling independent artists, blending alternative soul with cinematic production. From national radio hits to orchestral collaborations and a support slot for Gabrielle at Dublin’s 3Arena, her path has been unfiltered. With “People Still Cry in Summer,” she turns vulnerability into empowerment, offering a resonant soundtrack for anyone standing at a crossroads.
Stream “People Still Cry in Summer”: https://songbox.com/s/67407e7d-3aa7-4dcd-a2d8-ad49ef7141e1
Rapidly rising producer and DJ Tobias Bergson released a new remix of Nativalien’s track “On & On” featuring Pinwheel Valley. The rework follows the July release of the original, which drew support from tastemakers including YourEDM, This Song Is Sick, and La Belle Musique.
Where Nativalien’s original glowed with chill house warmth — layering piano lines, taut grooves, and emotive vocals — Bergson pushes the track into hypnotic, progressive territory. His remix fuses melodic house textures with techno’s drive, creating a buoyant, entrancing cut for fans of Eli & Fur, Tinlicker, and Yotto.
“Blending beautiful vocals with a touch of melodic techno,” he said. “In the end, I’m really happy with how it turned out and excited to share it with you.”
Bergson has become a fast-rising voice in electronic music, supported by Don Diablo, Lost Frequencies, and Steve Aoki, and featured in publications like Mixmag Germany, Electronic Groove, and DJ Mag.
Behind the original, Nativalien — aka Pinwheel Valley frontman Qais Khoury — draws on a cross-cultural background spanning Amman, London, Vancouver, and Cyprus, where he runs Hot Soap Studios Ltd. With over 2 million streams and features in Billboard Argentina, CLASH, and NOTION, Khoury has established himself as a purveyor of deep, emotive electronic music.
Together, Bergson and Nativalien transform “On & On” into something both elegant and urgent: a radiant track reborn as a late-night weapon.
Stream “On & On”: https://orcd.co/onandonremix
Choice Music Prize–nominated artist Elaine Mai returned this autumn with her highly anticipated second album “For Us,” out September 26. A striking expansion of her electronic sound, the record channels themes of intergenerational trauma, belonging, and release — turning heavy emotions into moments of communal, dance-floor catharsis.
Mai will bring “For Us” to the stage with a headline show at Dublin’s Button Factory on October 25, with tickets available now via Eventbrite.
Alongside the release, Mai is also launching a new series of one-day production workshops supported by the Arts Council. Inspired by her own formative mentorships with UK producers Shadow Child and David Phelan, the sessions are designed to give participants practical skills in production and mixing. With a focus on women and under-represented groups, the workshops aim to break down barriers to entry and empower more people to create and release music independently.
“Focused time with a mentor was invaluable when I started out. It helped me push my music to the next level,” she said. “These workshops are about giving that same opportunity to others, so they can build the skills and confidence to release music in a sustainable and accessible way”.
Since her debut in 2012, Mai has become one of Ireland’s most compelling electronic voices. Her remix of Loah’s “Nothing” topped the Irish Radio Airplay Chart for independent songs, while her debut album “Home” earned Choice Music Prize nominations for both Album and Song of the Year, bolstered by breakout single “No Forever” (feat. MayKay).
On “For Us,” Mai collaborates with a range of voices including Soda Blonde’s Faye O’Rourke, who appears on the defiant single “Aim” as well as the album’s closing charity track “We Are” — a collaboration with MayKay and young people from the Aida Refugee Camp in Palestine.
Written over three years, largely at Daithí’s Aspen Lane Studio in Ballyvaughan, the album was guided by Rick Rubin’s philosophy of making art for yourself before opening it to others. The result is a record that captures transition, resilience, and shared release, marking another milestone in Mai’s ongoing evolution as one of Ireland’s most vital electronic artists.
Stream “For Us”: https://amplify-agency.disco.ac/playlist-new/24888720?date=20250828&user_id=335772&signature=bKKQQb1F8biJ9rtWhlm-uPQrzxY%3Axl8mVPZj
Hull’s lo-fi indie pop trio Matt Edible & The Obtuse Angels have announced a run of select UK shows this October, including support slots with cult favourites The Lovely Eggs and newly reunited The Paddingtons.
For frontman Matt Edible, the tour carries a sense of full-circle joy.
“I first heard The Lovely Eggs years ago when they released ‘Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion’ and fell in love immediately,” he recalls. “[…] It’s an absolute honour to get the chance to support them to celebrate the 41st birthday of our spiritual home, The New Adelphi.”
On sharing the stage with The Paddingtons, he adds: “I’ve seen a couple of The Paddingtons’ shows this year and they’ve been absolutely incendiary. Definitely not to be missed.”
The band are hitting the road in support of their latest album “The Optometrist,” released earlier this year via Inedible Records. A vibrant nine-track collection, it captures Edible’s unmistakable songwriting flair — shifting from the soulful “Triage” to the tongue-in-cheek “Better Than Oasis” and the furiously political “Dog Dirt.” The record has earned praise from The Arts Desk, Under The Radar, and tastemakers including God Is In The TV Zine and Joyzine, while picking up airplay on Radio X, BBC Introducing, and Amazing Radio.
A longtime fixture of Hull’s music scene — whether fronting cult heroes Edible 5ft Smiths, or BBC 6 Music favourites The Holy Orders — Edible is now producing some of the most vital music of his career with The Obtuse Angels. Following standout sets at Truck Festival and Humber Street Sesh, their October run looks set to showcase a band thriving in the spotlight.
Stream “The Optometrist”: https://kycker.ffm.to/theoptometrist
Rising producer and DJ Astrality has unveiled a hypnotic remix of Tommy Down’s soulful hit “Mrs Blue,” released September 26, 2025 via Declo Grey. Premiering on tastemaker Magnetic Magazine, the rework finds Astrality layering his signature blend of techno, house, and pop over Down’s velvet vocals, transforming the tender ballad into a club-ready anthem.
“As soon as I heard the record I was very interested in giving it my own spin,” Astrality shared. “The challenge was preserving and even accentuating the intense emotional delivery of Tommy’s vocals.”
Astrality’s career has been marked by subtle yet emotive production — earning praise from Benny Benassi (with whom he collaborated on “Fade to Black” and “Golden Knights”), Disclosure, Friendly Fires, and Diplo. His influence effortlessly stretches from playlists to festival main stages, including Tomorrowland Belgium 2024 and Nameless Festival.
Originally released on Down’s acclaimed 2024 album “21st Century Living,” “Mrs Blue” has already racked up support from CLASH, NOTION, Earmilk, and METAL Magazine. Down’s soulful songwriting has taken him from Camden Rocks Festival (headlined by Frank Turner) to HBO’s hit series Industry, where six of his tracks have been featured across three seasons.
Anchored by a stripped-back, Al Green-inspired rhythm section, the original “Mrs Blue” balances intimacy with aching melancholy. Astrality amplifies those emotions with pulsing house rhythms, meticulous melodies, and lush electronic textures — keeping the weight of Down’s vocals intact while reimagining the track for dancefloors from Ibiza to Tomorrowland. Fans of Solomun, CamelPhat, and ARTBAT will find themselves right at home.
Stream the Astrality remix of “Mrs Blue”: https://ffm.to/xe75vz5
With a voice that cuts like a blade and a presence too commanding to overlook, Montreal newcomer Sally Phantom makes a striking entrance with her debut single, “Going Insane.” Rooted in alt-pop rock but bending toward gothic soul, cinematic grunge, and torch-song balladry, Phantom’s sound feels both familiar and fresh — think the drama of Amy Winehouse colliding with the darkness of Evanescence, with shades of Lana Del Rey, Ethel Cain, and Paramore woven through.
Co-written and produced by Canadian music veterans Hugo Mudie (The Sainte Catherines, MUDIE), Karl Houde, and Adrian Popovich (Sam Roberts Band, DFA1979, The Sheepdogs), the track began as a spontaneous idea before evolving into something larger: a brooding, addictive statement of intent. Driving guitars and synths walk the line between gritty and cinematic, but it’s Phantom’s fearless performance — wide in range, unflinching in tone — that carries the weight.
Lyrically, “Going Insane” confronts addiction, identity, and the unraveling of love.
“It’s a conversation with God,” Phantom said. “A personal letter to my addictions, and a reflection on the pain of loving someone I couldn’t have.”
She said writing the song meant returning to the moment she realized something had to change.
“Addiction had controlled my life since my teens,” she shared. “At 23, my dad sent me to rehab, and it saved me. Sobriety gave me the courage to feel again — and this song was how I admitted that to heal, I had to finally feel.”
Raised on Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and nurtured by childhood dreams of performing, Phantom has always chased self-expression — even when addiction threatened to silence it. Now, with a team of seasoned collaborators and a full-length album planned for 2026, her debut feels less like a first step and more like a fully formed arrival.
“Going Insane” isn’t the spark of a bedroom-pop hopeful or a viral gamble — it’s the calculated first strike of an artist built for longevity. The machine is in motion, and Sally Phantom is steering it straight into the spotlight.
Stream “Going Insane”: https://orcd.co/goinginsane
