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.
Will Sisskind
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.
EP: Diane Young – It’s Happening Again
Boston emo/pop/alt-rock buzzes about acceptance and fear of facing a new era of life, with all the twists and turns that come with it.
Single: The Dead Century – Hey Chicago
Bittersweet post-breakup vibes still make you wanna dance on the Twin Cities’ quartet’s brand new single, their second of 2026.
Album: Cape Crush – Place Memory
The Boston power-emo band’s debut LP emphasizes the power of connection, showcasing and experimenting with their well-honed sound.
Album: Bliss Abyss – S/T
The self-titled debut blends various indie styles to form a scorching testament to seeking pleasure and getting stuck in the poisonous emotional expanse.
Single: Soft No – Probably Fine
Philly dreamo band evokes MTV’s 120 Minutes with a disaffected and delightful sound on their new single, with a new EP on the way.
Single: Carbon City Lights – Certain Things Matter
Michael Venia’s latest single from his group’s upcoming album channels the feeling of healing throughout every element.
EP: Pretty Out – Misery Seed
The Boston punk supergroup’s new EP addresses the ugliness of the world, fighting against its contagion, and coming out for the community.
Single: Overnight Parking – Mercy Might Martyr Me
With their new single, the art-emo band seek to break out of their Long Island basement and take on the world with their raw but well-rehearsed sound.
Album: City of the Sun – Under the Moon
On their third full-length record, City of the Sun celebrate their growth as musicians of the world, using global influences to tell stories through their songs.
Single: Bending Backwards – I See You From Here
Copenhagen trio’s debut single, though a sonic onslaught, takes tender steps to showcase the intimacy and distance present in fledgling romance.
Single: Lunar Bird – The Things We Used To
The Italian dream pop duo from Wales returns with their second single of 2026, capturing through springy synths the tension at the end of a relationship.
Single: ELIKSA – Never Enough
ELIKSA puts themselves on the map with slacker rock from Brighton that transports the heads of “escape artists and daydreamers” to new heights in the clouds.
Album: Thin Lear – Many Disappeared
Thin Lear’s Matt Longo taps into the otherworldly to process loss and loneliness on a superb yet bittersweet sophomore album.
Single: Lozenge – Bird’s-Eye View
Leeds-based shoegaze crew drops single number three in 2026, a crushing soundtrack for a battle against oneself.
Single: Kel Cohen – Hold You
Kel’s debut single is dedicated to the people she loves most, and a shot of love and joy for anyone who could use some.
Album: St.Arnaud – S/T
Setting words of heartbreak to smooth jazz turns cynicism into celebration on St.Arnaud’s third LP, their first as a full band.
Album: Shapes Like People – Under The Rainbow
Shapes Like People return with their second album, an evolution of the first, with jangle pop mastery hitting every hue, brightness, and shadow on the spectrum.
Single: Hollowblades – Slow Decay
Heavy guitars churn over lyrics that evoke images of spirits singing from the warped signal of a lost video tape in Hollowblades’ new single.