Single: Lip Lift – sadness 
EP: fleecepantwarm – be with me 
Single: Phantom Sugar – FADEAWAY 
Single: Lip Lift – sadness
Marie Demnig’s soft, angelic crooning adds an ethereal element to the song, characterizing the whole dream-pop aesthetic.
EP: fleecepantwarm – be with me
As a musical project, be with me is good. But pair it with the emotion behind it and the accompanying short film, and it’s absolutely great.
Single: Phantom Sugar – FADEAWAY
The Toronto four piece’s lamentation on heartbreak stands out as one of the most memorable indie ballads of the year to date.
Single: The Doomstompers – Political Jokes
Whip-smart and timely lyrics make the first track from the Doomstompers’ upcoming album an exciting preview of new music from a rising name in ska.
Single: Waking Hours – foxglove
An impressive example of making the most of musical dynamics, the new single from this Minnesota quintet is an absolute joy.
Album: Sun Era – Bedroom Cowboy
Sun Era drops their fourth album, a testament to their DIY ethic, traversing their own frontier with inspiration from the indie explorers before them.
Album: The Never Donts – Never Dont Party
The SLC band stakes its claim in the realm of ska-core, where anger and aggression are mandatory and where messaging is paramount.
Single: ultrasaturated – New Love
The lead track off the Italian dreamgazers’ new EP provides the perfect backdrop for dancing in the sun.
Single: Birds? – Leaves
“Leaves” is an articulate exploration of nostalgia and change—a swan song to a memory told through the sepia-tinged imagery of autumn.
Album: Big Weather – Big Weather
Big Weather cuts a path for themselves in bite sized packets of home.
EP: Twin Court – Ithakarta
A fusion of traditional Indonesian Javanese Gamelan and Western post-rock/slowcore sensibilities, this New York ensemble has crafted something moving, beautiful and really impressive.
Album: Pretty Baby – Layaway Plot
On their debut LP, Charlotte’s Pretty Baby point their melodic post-hardcore toward the grave and put all their grief and anger into the music.
EP: Nico de Luz – (Don’t) Go Away Tonight
Arizona native Nico de Luz (aka Nico Osorio) seems to wear many hats. A graduate
Single: Kilo Tango – Sweet Tooth
‘Sweet Tooth’ is Kilo Tango’s two-part, springtime song of self-destruction turned to challenging yet joyful redemption.
Single: Creepy Crawly – Dead Cat Song
Creepy Crawly turns a traumatic childhood tale into a crisp indie track, full of their trademark layered vocals and lush synth and guitar sounds.
Single: GRAZER – A Wretch Like You
The sounds of heaven have flown down from their peak and planted their roots in
Single: Paper Sister – Marry Me
Unrelenting and enchanting in equal measure, the new single from Austin, Texas quartet strikes just the right balance of ferociousness and melody.
Album: Best Bear – When
Revisiting the Philly post-emo band’s 2022 debut LP confirms their sound and range of talent is as refreshing as ever.
Single: Mister Blank – Panic! at the Costco
Seattle ska punkers return with their second single of 2026, which doesn’t reinvent anything, but makes for pure fun in an anxious world.
Album: Snailgun – Glass Walls
Noisy, frantic, and messy, the Melbourne/Naarm three-piece’s debut LP roars with a sound much bigger than the sum of its parts.
