Dark and thumping electro goth rock duo Erica Nockalls opened the night as requested by McCulloch himself. The two took the stage and instantly took their audience in their grip. Their sound fills the venue and makes those outside think that they are listening to a full band, while it’s just two music virtuosos creating warm and colourful soundscapes that perfectly blend into the atmospheric and anthemic sounds of Echo and the Bunnymen! A band that has been performing as long as Echo and the Bunnymen have bring certain expectations. Last night they lived up to those expectations with an explos ..read more

A glimmeringly dark new wave song was released by one-man gothic rock artist The Sweet Kill. His latest is ‘Undead’, The Sweet Kill has created a sound for those that admire The Slow Show and IST IST. On ‘Undead’ he ponders the dark world of the occult he explored in California, including forests, warehouses, and graveyards… Of course. The song illustrates the struggle of an immortal in love with his mortal girlfriend who’s sick. A story that made me think of Dracula and a vibe a la the Frankenstein-monster, the song being an overwhelmingly confident, dark and charming soundscape that due to b ..read more

Before we bid farewell to 2022 and gear up to highlight the bands of tomorrow we have an exciting announcement to share for fans of synth-driven post punk slash new wave. IST IST have just released their new philosophical and synth-layered single ‘Mary in the Black and White Room’, it comes with video and is taken from the upcoming third album ‘Protagonists’! At the same time they announced a series of UK tour dates for 2023, tickets go on sale on the 7th of December at 10am and you can get yours here. Find all tour dates below. Theirs is a dark and driving post punk sound that reflects and t ..read more

Model and musician Phasez is releasing his debut single ‘Trust Me’ tomorrow and we have the exclusive premiere for this intriguing new wave-infused pop track. ‘Trust Me’ is an echoing and atmospheric song with a colourful soundscape and mesmerising vocals. Phasez is the alias of Canadian artist Miguel and with ‘Trust Me’ he entwined his influences and inspirations and created a song and sound all of his own. Inspired by Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Interpol, The Cure and White Lies, we hear a dark sound, that is nearly haunting at times, but its light-tinted elements lift the song up and make i ..read more

We got hooked to Monakis punchy alternative punk rock and they’ve recently released a new single which got us hooked, again. ‘Rich’ is loud, aggressive and driven by riffs and pungent vocals! The Brighton-based new wave punk trio create rough and heavy hitting tracks that are fast paced and striking. ‘Rich’ is one of those songs that help us imagine what a live show of Monakis would look and sound like, it is the energy resembling that of Slaves, and the IDLES’ Joe Talbot-like vocals that make us want to be at a live show, being pushed around in the pit! Their lyrics can be taken literally, an ..read more

A new and charming, atmospheric pop track was released by, wait a minute, Arn-Identified Flying Objects and Alien Friends. The band with the unbelievably long name released a warm-hearted and soothing alternative pop song with theatrical elements weaving throughout its musical fabric. “‘No Sweet Dreams’ is on the surface a song about illness (or maybe drug abuse), but in its core a sad song about love, or at least memories of love.” The song is a combination of up-tempo pop, power pop and influences of indie rock. Its vivid drums rolls and fun, light-hearted whistles fill the room while its en ..read more

The Volclays‘ five track counting EP ‘Talk It Over’ was released earlier this month and it’s a smooth and synth-driven piece of pop rock. The five-piece are inspired by 80’s alternative rock, goth, psychedelic and surf sounds and have blended those to become their signature sound, a refreshing take on a light-hearted and festive but open-hearted vibe. Hitting it off with the title track of the EP, the band give us four minutes of unhurried and almost soothing psychedelic surf pop. ‘Talk It Over’ is a catchy and inventive piece with sing-along lyrics and a singular soundscape. We continue with ..read more

Glasgow’s alternative new wave outfit Bottle Rockets have just released their new single ‘When I Tell You’, an explosive yet subtle track with a grand soundscape and echoing vocals. The band is inspired and influenced by bands such as The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees and New Order, and we can certainly hear that dark, addictive gloom on their latest piece of work. It is their mix of alternative new wave influences that make, in particular ‘When I Tell You’, such an interesting track, different from others and eclectic thanks to its progressive soundscape. Their sound is one that could still ..read more

Play Dead – Six Hours Later Heavy, loud and thumping… It doesn’t just describe Play Dead’s latest single, but also the situation one of their friends found themselves in, a situation that inspired their latest single ‘Six Hours Later’. Have you ever overdosed on ADHD pills and felt like you were dying? One of the South London-based punk band friends’ has, “he had overdosed on ADHD pills, he was dying and he had school in the morning…” A situation I have never found myself in, yet ‘Six Hours Later’ sketches the situation vividly, packaged in an upbeat, hasty punk rock track. Cabbage – Get Outt ..read more

A new spin on modern new wave has been released into the ether by emerging indie pop band Danama. ‘1:31am’ is their new single, a modern take on the new wave sound of the 80’s, with gut-punching rhythms and contrasting vocals. It’s upbeat, electrifying and energetic and lyrically, brings us a new summer anthem that will work a treat on festival stages.  “The name ‘1:31’ is a play on the time the first draft of the song was finished. After some time in the studio writing and recording the song, we decided to keep the unique, playful and fitting name.” Danama’s new release is a fun indie po ..read more