featuring @missavaro @baby_snakes @queenofjeans @aaarilee @jproseup @insidertradingband @cocosmith__ @selfishthings @fcukers__
Emerging singer-songwriter Ava Ro returns with her new single, ‘stop this flight’, out now via DOOGOOD. Pop-tinged melodies glide alongside driving guitar-led instrumentation, to form a coming of age track that captures the emotional tension of finding a meaningful connection just as life pulls you in a different direction.
Listen to ‘stop this flight’ via your streaming service of choice below:
‘stop this flight’ is about the bittersweet feeling of falling for someone right before having to leave. It captures that confusing space where everything feels exciting and new, but then there’s a plane ticket waiting for you on the other side. The song explores the push and pull between wanting to stay with someone who feels important to you and knowing your life is still moving forward somewhere else. It’s about timing, distance, and wishing you could pause everything before it changes.
“stop this flight’ is about meeting someone at a time when leaving is already inevitable,” Ava explains. “It’s that feeling of finally finding a connection that feels real, but knowing that you have to leave sooner than you want to. Part of me wants to keep chasing what’s next in my life, and another part just wants to stay where things feel safe” says Ava.
Baby Snakes & The Electric Co., the indie/alternative solo project of producer and Modern Electric Sound Recorders founder Jeff Saenz, officially announce their debut with Ouroboros, a record that sheds its multi-layered skin to reveal a solid steel heart. Repurposing the mythical symbol of the snake eating its tail, the new album, out October 23 via Spaceflight Records, breaks Saenz free from the cycle of the music industry and the endless loop of production work, only to re-emerge as a solo artist with a strong point of view, a passion for creation, and a riveting story to tell.
Saenz also shares “Dark Horse”, the lead single from Ouroboros. Originally written as a last-minute melody hummed into his phone from the shower before the session that day, what was once an off-the-cuff thought transformed into an uplifting rock anthem about endurance, hope, and resilience. Written and recorded in just two days, it adheres as much as possible to the live-in-studio ethos, only adding a dash of tambourine and some harmonies to round it out, giving that classic rock ‘n’ roll sound an arena rock energy.
“This song is about hitting the gas through tragedy, because sometimes the only way out is through,” adds Saenz. “Built from the fire you find yourself in after the smoke clears, it’s the moment you look your person in the eye and decide: are we in this together? The answer is an emphatic yes. Take that love and move forward; a clearing always awaits.”
Philadelphia’s Queen of Jeans return with “Still Learning,” a new single from their forthcoming release on Memory Music, the label founded by Grammy Award-winning producer Will Yip. With shimmering guitars and dreamy melodies, it’s a song about growing older without having all the answers and staying curious along the way.
Produced and engineered by Justin Bartlett, mixed by Will Yip and Bartlett, and mastered by Yip, “Still Learning” swells from introspection into tangled guitars that mirror the song’s emotional uncertainty. At its core is a simple but hard-earned truth: growing up doesn’t mean you have it all figured out; just that you’ve grown more comfortable with change.
Rising London-based artist and creative Ari Lee channels vulnerability into
empowerment with “Expiration Date”.
A fervent follow-up to “Knife Cuts Both Ways”, the rising singer-songwriter and
performer continues the traction with a bold new single that reinforces her
emergence as one of pop’s most promising new voices. Through the familiar
framework of a break-up story, “Expiration Date” underpins a fierce conversation: the ever-present female frustration of feeling like a ticking time bomb, under the weight of a society so heavily centred around the male gaze. Produced by Hong Kong-based producer Daniel Toh and mixed by Gustav Brunn (Yung Lean, Olga Myko), Ari’s new release glistens with a timeless pop edge – from the shimmering synths to her enchanting vocal delivery. But through flashes of indie-leaning grit, in the crunchy guitar riffs and punchy, driving drums, darker undertones are amplified. Set against Ari’s powerful cadence, the lyrics explore the
layers of male and female imbalance that bleed throughout society and the double standards that exist around beauty and ageing – where men have more freedom when it comes to dating but women are bound by an ‘expiration date’. “Another shiny girl is waiting in the wings // she’s got all the things // a newer pretty Barbie doll // I used to have it all” she cries to personify this struggle. And if social constructs of beauty were not enough to contend with, the song charts another uniquely female experience – the internal conflict between pursuing a career or starting a family: “They put a clock in front of every single window of her damn house, it’s ticking louder, wish I could tell her”.
London based artist and producer J P Rose returns with his new single ‘leave it lone’, a fun, feel-good bouncy and soulful hip-hop/R&B jam, powered by self-love. It is a groove-led single about leaving alone all things that aren’t serving you. Written, produced, mixed and performed entirely by J P Rose, the track showcases the self-contained, multi-disciplinary artist’s hands-on approach to making music, building songs from the ground up and shaping every detail himself.
‘leave it lone’ is available now on your streaming service of choice via APOLLO Distribution.
Listen to ‘leave it lone’ HERE.
Speaking on the track, J P shares: “This is an upbeat, uplifting and light soulful tune which will make your head bop and feet move. The song is about leaving alone all the things that don’t serve you, and putting yourself first. It is a tune for self-love!”
Operating at the intersection of alternative R&B, hip-hop and soul, J P Rose has developed a sound that resists easy categorisation. Drawing from a wide range of influences, his music is rich in texture and detail, balancing smooth melodies with left of center production and guided by instinct rather than genre.
Glasgow post-punk band Insider Trading return with new single ‘Porcelain’ a sharp-edged and unsparing track that captures the band’s restless presence at the forefront of the UK’s underground alternative scene.
‘Porcelain’ is available now on your streaming service of choice via APOLLO Distribution.
Listen to ‘Porcelain’ below:
Built around wiry guitars, restless rhythms and a vocal that swings between accusation and confession, ‘Porcelain’ finds the band at their most direct. The song emerged from frontman Cameron Bilsland’s year studying for a Masters degree at the University of Oxford, where feelings of social and cultural alienation surfaced.
“As a working-class Scot, I was naturally alienated from the polished halls of Oxford,” says Bilsland. “‘Porcelain’ melts my various situationships from that year into one hateable, fuckable persona. It’s essentially a diss track on my type: aloof, wealthy, intellectual boys pursuing some obtuse artistic field.”
New York City’s Coco Smith is excited to announce their signing to Brooklyn-based indie label, Vinegar Hill Sound Records. Heralding the news is the announcement of her new album, You Won’t Get My Message but You’ll Hear It, which arrives July 10, 2026. Pre-orders are available now. “Multiform” arrives today, with delicate strings and an airy atmosphere, but with an undertone of tension and frustration. Plucky guitars anchor the song into an array of sounds, as Coco’s voice floats above it all.
Speaking about the first single, Coco shares, “It’s about anger that I can’t get out, so it manifests in this song.”
Alt rockers Selfish Things are excited to share “Violence (feat. Mike Froh)”, the latest single from their highly anticipated new album, Receptivity, set for release on October 9, 2026, via FLG. Watch the brand new music video, featuring Mike Froh of the metalcore band The Holly Springs Disaster, here.
Alex Biro stated: “‘Violence’ was one of the last songs I’d written before rehab. When we approached it years later, the song felt more like a foreshadowing than it did a meditation on what it means to confront yourself. The second verse houses the belief that you lose all ego and persona when you die and are given the impartial and eye-opening choice as to whether or not you proceed into the afterlife. That your decisions are played back to you without the benefit of ego or maladaptive self-perception.
“To have Mike Froh on it, a wonderful friend in recovery who changed all of our lives through his music in high school and then many more in his work as a leader in the recovery community, is one of the greatest moments of my life musically”, he continued.
Toronto artist ARK IDENTITY (Noah Mroueh) shares “Social Dopamine,” a gritty 90s-inspired alternative single that examines the addictive pull of online validation and the slow erosion of self that can come with it. Blending fuzzed-out indie rock textures with emotionally direct songwriting, the track captures the tension between who we are and the carefully curated versions of ourselves we project into the world.
Written about the constant search for approval through social media, “Social Dopamine” explores the strange cycle of external validation that has become second nature for so many. “We’ve all curated our personas online so heavily. We’ve become so consumed by how we’re perceived that we start to lose touch with who we actually are,” Noah explains. At the heart of the song is the fleeting rush that comes with attention, a momentary high that quickly disappears, only to be chased again.
“Social Dopamine” also marks the beginning of a larger chapter. The single serves as the title track to ARK IDENTITY’s upcoming EP, sitting at the centre of a new body of work that expands the sonic and emotional world Noah has been building.
composer and multi-instrumentalist Deniz Cuylan announces his new album For Luca, out September 18 via Hush Hush Records, the Seattle-based label run by KEXP’s Alex Ruder. His latest full-length of globally informed classical, folk, and electronic music is a heartfelt tribute to his dearly departed dog, Luca. Rooted in the universal experience of loss, the album emerged from a desire to transform grief into something communal, inviting friends and collaborators into the process of remembrance. “Dealing with grief is much easier when it’s shared with others, so I reached out to my musician friends,” Cuylan reflects. “With Peni Candra Rini, Makoto Kubota (Les Rallizes Dénudés), Thor Harris, Casper Clausen (Efterklang), Felbm, Sarah La Puerta and many more, we celebrated our profound and fragile bond with other beings on this earth. Luca would’ve enjoyed lying next to me in the studio, listening to these songs in various languages from all around the world.”
Winnipeg-based artist Zach Riley shares “Wasting Away,” an upbeat and emotionally charged pop-rock single that captures the desire to leave everything behind and disappear somewhere new with the person you love most. Blending energetic hooks with driving guitars and sun-soaked production, the track transforms emotional overwhelm into a liberating anthem built for open roads, warm nights, and fresh starts.
At its core, “Wasting Away” explores the universal fantasy of escape; the urge to run from the weight of everyday life and start over somewhere unfamiliar. “I’m sure a lot of people get that feeling at some point in their life to just pick up everything and run away to a place where nobody knows who you are,” Zach explains. “Life can get overwhelming a lot of the time and the idea of starting over can be really enticing.”
Fcukers debut two exclusive RADAR performance videos as the latest part of their Spotify RADAR US artist collaboration. The campaign continues with an intimate live recording of their standout single “L.U.C.K.Y,” as well as a cover of “Anemone,” an homage to the original track by The Brian Jonestown Massacre chosen by Shanny specifically. The duo continues to feature the cover in select live sets as a tribute to Jackson’s father and a celebration of their influences.
The live performance videos come on the heels of the duo’s new title as Spotify’s RADAR US artist, joining previous honorees Tyla, Peso Pluma, and Doechii. The campaign has highlighted the band’s creative partnership and features one of the band’s first longform interviews to date.
This also follows the New York natives’ announcement of their opening slot for The Strokes at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on October 2nd – a nod to their shared NYC roots. They will also be joined by Beach House and TV On The Radio.
Fresh off a sold-out headline tour across North America and Europe and a string of festival appearances at Primavera Sound, Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo, the duo will be joining Harry Styles on the Together Together Tour in Brazil on July 17th, 18th, 21st and 24th, and RÜFÜS DU SOL’s North American Tour. Fcukers will continue their massive festival run later this year at Shaky Knees, Portola, and Austin City Limits.
LA-based, multi-platinum singer-songwriter and producer Gwen Bunn delivers her
highly anticipated self-produced album, The Interim Vol.1 – her first body of work
following her debut GRAMMY win this year.
Cutting her teeth alongside some of the biggest artists in the world, from producing
an iconic record for ScHoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar to co-signs from Steve Lacy,
SZA, Donald Glover, and H.E.R. – the latter exclaiming “I’ve been listening to her
since I was 16” – Gwen has built one of the most exciting and potent discographies
across the US landscape. Her raw, conscious commentary and lyricism, paired with
warm, eclectic, and completely self-produced records, continue to mark her as a
true musical architect in the game with further nods from legendary producers 9th
Wonder, Rodney Jerkins, and Bryan Michael-Cox. Winning her first GRAMMY award
this year – contributing across Leon Thomas’s acclaimed record Mutt – Gwen affirms
her free-flowing, characterful proposition across a brand-new album and sonic
direction that feels both polished and explorative.
NYC art-rockers Ecce Shnak present ‘Eddie, Legalistic Homeslice’, the second single from their full-length album “Dandy Variances”, anticipated later this year via Records, Man Records. Recorded and produced by Jeff Lucci, this single was mixed by Grammy award-winning producer Mario McNulty (David Bowie, Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Julian Lennon),
Formed in the mid-noughties and forged in NYC’s experimental scene, Ecce Shnak (pronounced Eh-kay sh-knock) is made up of David Roush (composer, bassist and baritone vocalist), Bella Komodromos (vocals), Chris Krasnow (guitar), Gannon Ferrell (guitar), and Henry Buchanan-Vaughn (drums).
“Like ‘Larry, Sleepover Friend’ from our 2019 ‘Joke Oso’ EP, our new song is a garage-rock homage to a beloved friend of mine. Like ‘Larry’, ‘Eddie’ explores big themes in great friendships: their gnarly ambivalences, their absurd misunderstandings, their inside-jokes, and their contradictory mix of irreverence with utmost care,” says David Roush.
‘Eddie’ reaches its lyrical denouement with what is said to be the “oldest prayer of friendship,” and also sounds like a throwaway Rivers Cuomo line: “I pray you don’t be a rat in a rat-suit! Pray you don’t be a rat in a rat-costume!”
Kyoto-born, Berlin-based composer and producer Midori Hirano announces The Juniper Tree, her new album recasting the score for the debut film by Nietzchka Keene, out October 2 via Viernulvier Records and Thrill Jockey. Originally commissioned by Kunstencentrum Viernulvier for its acclaimed Videodroom series, in which contemporary experimentalists reimagine the musical accompaniment of classic arthouse cinema, the score now receives its first standalone release.
A feminist retelling of the Brothers Grimm story and Björk‘s first on-screen role, The Juniper Tree premiered to critical acclaim at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival. Shot in haunting black-and-white on location in Iceland, it follows two sisters who flee after their mother is executed for witchcraft, standing as a powerful allegory of misogyny and its consequences. “The film shows many raw aspects of human nature, such as madness, silence, loss, love, seduction, friendship, deception, self-preservation and innocence, but they are all expressed in a fantastically fragile way. The exciting challenge for me is to incorporate that fragility in the music while keeping its strength,” shares Hirano.
Coinciding with the announcement, Hirano shares two tracks: “Take Me With You” and “Spell On You,” which reveal two respective sides of the score—piano and synthesizer compositions, both imbued with the same sense of restraint as the film. On the former, Hirano explains: “This is a piece played in the scene where Margit (a medieval witch played by Björk) is searching for her mother on the shore. A simple ambient synth tone repeats at regular intervals, slowly changing in timbre, reflecting Margit’s quiet calls for her mother.” On “Spell On You,” she adds: “A simple piano piece, evoking a sense of both eeriness and sacredness. This appears multiple times throughout the film whenever Margit’s sister Katla casts a spell.”
After climbing Billboard’s TikTok chart to #14 with “20 Min,” Fort Worth rapper Jace! Is entering a new era with his new album EAT SHIT, which is out now on all streaming platforms via SLANG. Alongside the project release, the underground artist also shares the music video for lead single “no hoe in my bones,” produced by frequent collaborator Hecto. Embracing his inner Justin Bieber on its melodic hooks, Jace! assures listeners he won’t go away without a fight. In the video, he passionately performs the song in designer sweats, looking directly into the camera and daring anyone to challenge him. “no hoe in my bones” is currently featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday, New Joints, No Cap, and This Is Frequency editorial playlists.
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