An electro-psychedelic four piece from London, Caspian’s Island are the rising stars of the indie world. With spots on BBC Radio 1, an appearance at the Truck Festival alongside The Horrors, Mystery Jets and Young Fathers, as well as a score of magical live shows, the band have cemented themselves as the ones to watch.  Following the success of their mesmerising track “My Lips, You Lips”, Caspian’s Island are back with an accompanying music video, filmed at Angel Studios and capturing them in their natural, laid-back state. 

With all that’s going on in the world, you’d imagine 2020 might prove a challenging year to form a band. But, whilst the rest of the world gorged themselves on banana bread and too many boxsets, Express Office Portico have been hard at work establishing themselves as one to watch. Following on from the pronounced acclaim of their debut single ‘I Like It Weird’, ‘Mishmesh’ considers the destructive capacity of alcoholism and the compulsive tendencies that facilitate it

Following on from the success of his debut EP Polaris, Violet Temples releases the infectious ‘Enemy’, a smooth and punchy look at personal flaws. Bathing in the lighter melodies of alternative pop, the track marks a distinct move from the darker synthpop undertones characterising his earlier work. Taking inspiration from the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen and Sigrid, ‘Enemy’ is the product of a meticulous production.

“This bop is for the modern beach-heads… Doesn’t that sound Tubular, dude?” Say hello to Yellow Trash Can, the psychedelic lovechild of multi-instrumentalist Jason Navarette and songwriter Jitta On The Track. Borne from scandal, the duo decided to take over the company’s name and release music of their own. Dealing in “nostalgia-driven vibes”, Yellow Trash Can excels in 90s basslines and laid-back instrumentals.

There’s a warmth to ‘Stay A While’. Stemming from Julia Lucius’ rural childhood growing up in an RV park, the track has a distinct feeling of contentment. Her chosen genre is disco-country, a term coined to depict the “marriage of her rural upbringing and love for the city”: a liminal space that negotiates the ties of home and the yearning for something else.

With an emphasis on traditional guitar tracks, there’s a nostalgic feeling to ‘Pounding the Pavement’. Anthemic yet intimate, the track celebrates the expansive powers of soft-rock. “Dry your eyes tonight. Tomorrow we’ll continue driving… To where we can belong” sings lead vocalist Patrick Davis in his trademark soft cursive. Emphatic drums underscore the track in a style not dissimilar to Circa Waves and Tom Petty. Above all, it’s a cry for help amidst the monotony of feeling stuck.

Set against his trademark electronic production process, Jamieson is a master at celebrating the personal in his music. He has a penchant for finding the perfect hook, captivating the listener within the first few bars and tantalising them with percussive fingerpicking. Carefully introducing stringed instrumentals, Jamieson darts between the acoustic and the technological in a familiar yet surprising celebration of the creative process.

Loud, boisterous and unapologetic, ‘Chimes’ isn’t afraid to take up space. Utilizing an army of electric guitars amidst ear-splitting percussion, the track opens with full energy. Frontman Dave Norris sustains the track vocally with an immediately-accessible hook that repeats over gradually building instrumental crescendos, breaking occasionally for riffs that triumphantly showcase the immense talents of the wider collective.

With a research period spent in the pubs and streets of New York, it perhaps comes as no surprise that ‘Your Eyes Are Fighting’ follows its own rules. For the city that never sleeps, the rhythms of metropolis don’t fit into the neat confines of expectation, and neither does ‘Your Eyes Are Fighting’. It opens with a lone riff, immediately exploding into Joshua Zero’s piercing rock vocals.

With their signature blend of nostalgia and novelty, Transistor is a band formed through happy coincidences. Consisting of Patrick Davis, Drew Sikes, JT Ward and Mason Richardson, Transistor traces its beginnings to Patrick’s and Drew’s chance meeting on a music app – and the realisation that they live in the same building. With JT and Mason coming on board, the band was able to fully flesh out their indie-rock sound and have since played multiple shows across the American south and have recently released their debut album, ‘Maybe in the Summer.’ 

Removing the boundaries between self and space, this enchanting songstress has concocted a sizzling blend of indie trip-hop. Created in isolation during the pandemic, she explores a shrinking world through an expansive soundscape of delicate lyrics, earth-shattering synths, and white noise equalised through Amour Haider’s tender production.

The perfect single for anyone who hasn’t been able to shake Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘good 4 u’ from their head, this LA-based artist answers questions which rattle through her mind. Providing thoughtful answers for the world with the help of her soaring vocals and spluttering guitar. Made, as all good riotous tracks do, as a result of heartbreak, this single breaks from her ska routes. Allowing her to set her sights on a darker world of indie.

Cal in Red are an indie-rock brother duo with a love of disc golf (look it up). Having begun their joint music career in 2018, the pair remain faithful to their personal, DYI approach, recording and mixing all of their music at home – or in their cousin’s basement studio. Their sonically sun-bright, atmospheric music deals with everyday anxieties and disconnects, while simultaneously injecting a sense of youthful optimism into these moments of reflection.

A ballad of self from the self-proclaimed connoisseur of millennial angst, this queer artist wipes the slate clean after coming out and rediscovering what love could be. Lyrically letting go of her previous experiences and jumping into a whole new world of dating, this guitar-led track will leave you wondering if ettie is the queer version of Avril Lavigne you have been waiting for.

Alternative punk-rockers Voodoo Bloo are back with a follow up single “MMA”, hot on the heels of their widely praised debut “Her Name Was Human”. Led by singer/songwriter Rory McDonald – the former frontman of Lucifer Gunne – the band is dripping with attitude and pure punk madness. Their upcoming debut album, ‘Jacobus’, will present their more conceptual and personal side, paying tribute to McDonald’s late friend and drawing attention to the issue of teen suicide. 

Rooted in the rugged lands of the Scottish Highlands, ‘Jessica’ is a contemplative and heart-breaking foray into the lonely depths of victimhood. It’s a “meditation… for inner peace”, and a deeply personal exploration of one woman’s navigation through the aftermath of domestic trauma. There’s a profound duality to the track; and Forgotten Garden find a certain beauty within the unspeakable – and otherwise incommunicable – experience of assault.