Welsh, Awen rock band Holy Coves head out on tour at the end of this month. The band will headline nine cities and nine independent venues across the UK kicking off their full UK tour with Bristol and Liverpool in October, then on to Birmingham, Manchester, London, Glasgow and Aberdeen in November, with their final shows of the year taking place in Leeds and their North Wales homecoming show in Wrexham.
This will be Holy Coves first ever fully independent tour run by the band and their team. They will be joined by some of the UKs finest independent bands, The Heavy North, Hazy Sundays, Maze, Box Of Trash, Rivia, Little Juke, Chase The Wild, Monza Express, Transmission Suite, SickRichard, Dakota Avenue, Luke Jones, Healer, The Dassins, Tom Collins, Charlie George Dempsey, Paul Askew and Suns Of Rest.
Tour Dates 30th October – Exchange – Bristol 31st October – Kazimier Stockroom – Liverpool 1st November – Sunflower Lounge – Birmingham 14th November – 33 Oldham Street, Manchester 15th November – Troubadour – London 28th November – Nice n Sleazy – Glasgow 29th November – Tunnels – Aberdeen 12th December – Royal Park Cellars – Leeds 13th December – The Lab – Wrexham
The Stray Pursuit return with their powerful new single ‘Mess with My Head’.
Swansea band The Stray Pursuit return with their exciting new single ‘Mess with My Head’ it captures the chaos and intensity of young love, set against the backdrop of living at home and fixating on someone new. With raw emotion and infectious energy, it unravels the tension of heated arguments and the mental tug-of-war that comes with a relationship growing more serious.
Rife with gritty guitars, punchy drums, and emotionally raw yet melodic vocals. It carries a sense of frustration and urgency, blending angst with anthemic hooks. The song’s themes are both personal yet universal, concerned with mental health struggles, overthinking, and toxic relationships, giving it an emotional yet rebellious edge. With its dynamic melodic shifts, big riffing and powerful delivery, it’s an ambitious anthemic rock sound built for singalongs, it channels the energy of bands like Royal Blood and Nothing But Thieves.
The band recorded the track at Longwave Studios in Cardiff, collaborating with esteemed producer Romesh Dodangoda (Bring Me the Horizon, Holding Absence, Nova Twins). on their debut EP ‘Dominio Effect’. Hailing from Swansea, The Stray Pursuit emerges as a dynamic force in the realm of Alternative Rock. Distinctive for their guitar-driven riffs and captivating vocals, each track embodies their eclectic musical tastes. Inspired by bands like Catfish and The Bottlemen and The Hunna, and with echoes of the Welsh rock lineage of The Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, and Funeral for a Friend, in the upcoming months they will release more exciting tracks.
The four-piece consists of lead singer Aaron Morgan, lead guitarist Dylan Cooney, bassist Fred Wilkinson, and drummer Ben Lewis. They have supported Andrew Cushin, The K’s, and Vida, and played alongside The Lottery Winners, Pastel, and Trampoline just to name a few. TSP were featured on This Feelings ‘Big in 2020’. In June 2023, they sold out a headline show at The Bunkhouse for their single release ‘Let It Be Known’. They then went on to sell out two out of five dates of their ‘Domino Effect’ debut EP tour in 2024. One in Cwrw, Carmarthen and the other in The Moon, Cardiff.
The band’s origin story traces back to an unexpected bus ride that led Aaron and Fred to forge an unexpected bond. Despite being rivals in separate bands, their chemistry became undeniable during a jam session. The additions of exceptional talents lead guitarist Dylan and drummer Nicky solidified the lineup. Tragedy struck when founding drummer Nicky Bevan passed away in December 2022. They say “The devastating loss catalysed a renewed purpose for the band: to honour Nicky’s legacy and prove our potential for greatness. He is missed dearly, and will be forever cherished by so many people.”
The pandemic-induced hiatus and Fred finishing university provided growth for the band. Emerging from this break in June 2022, and Ben joining the band later in April 2023, The Stray Pursuit reentered the practice room, channelling their energy into crafting new tracks and elevating their stage presence and live performance, for the songs on their debut EP ‘Domino Effect’.
Ideal for fans of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Motown. Echo Bass Records proudly presents the latest single from Ashley Stacey, “Archipelago,”. Blending the gritty charm of indie rock with the infectious melodies of Britpop, Ashley Stacey delivers a fresh yet nostalgic sound that’s distinctly it’s own. “Archipelago” captures the spirit of introspection and adventure, weaving evocative lyrics with driving guitars and an anthemic edge.
Ashley says of the track: “In it’s simplest form, this is a tale of lost love. The age old story of one leaving to pursue better things at the cost of their partner’s heartbreak. In this instance, the protagonist reminisces whilst dreaming of what could have been, oversees on the idealistic exotic island. Let the sounds of this warm, modern Motown toe tapper soothe your soul and whisk away to the Archipelago!”
Ashley Stacey is an Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll artist from South East London, celebrated for his catchy melodies, sharp lyrics, and a nostalgic Britpop vibe. With a mix of fresh energy and classic influences, Ashley crafts songs that are both heartfelt and stylish.
In late 2021, Ashley released his Single ‘The Morning Sun’ and in 2023 his debut EP ‘Telepathic Love’ recorded at Tileyard London, mastered by Jon Astley (known for his work with McCartney, The Rolling Stones, and more). Since then, Ashley has supported acts like Reverend and The Makers, performed at iconic venues such as The Albion Rooms and 100 Club, and played Priory Live Festival in August 2023 alongside Britpop legends Dodgy, Stereo MCs, and Toploader headlining the Kent Radio stage. He’s also played major stages like Chislehurst Rocks (with over 10,000 attendees), Soul Town Festival alongside Jocelyn Brown, Aswad, and Joyce Sims, and supported Dermo of Madchester’s Northside at The Lexington.
In February 2025, Ashley signed with Echo Bass Records and is gearing up to release his new single Archipelago, the first track ahead of his upcoming EP. Stay tuned for more updates, including tour dates and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. The single is available now on all major streaming platforms
The Don’t ARgue project is complete, seven songs in seven styles which have been years in the making.
Don’t ARgue were a student band in a leafy Cheshire town in the mid 90s who had put some songs together, played a few gigs, won a battle of the bands and went their separate ways, fast forward to today and The Fods have spent the last 15 months revisiting what went down in the 90s and rebuilt these songs using some incredible indie talent. Several protagonists from our native North West England have been involved, along with talent from Scotland, the North East and the South West of the UK, together with contributions from New York, New Jersey and Toronto in the Americas.
With a collaborative approach, each song has its own individual vibe, but being underpinned by The Fods distinctive guitar-forward sound. An eclectic mix of songs keep the listener intrigued from beginning to end. A must listen album.
SUNWHEEL are back after a 26-year hiatus featuring the original line up of Mark Gould on Vocals & percussion, Bobby Manners on Lead guitar, keyboards, harmonica & backing vocals, Andy Richardson on Guitar & backing vocals, Matt Shaw on Bass guitar and John Middleton on Drums & Percussion.
SUNWHEEL were formed in the heady days of the 90’s, a golden age of indie rock. Touring the university circuit and the London scene Sunwheel were known for their soaring ‘Verve like’ choruses and great musicianship. Fast forward to August 2024 and the original 5 members from Derby, England are back and they are raring to go with some new music as well as looking forward to performing live some of the classic Sunwheel anthems.
The brand new song to be released by the band, Ferris Wheels & Laser Beams is a song about loss, then finding love and being immersed in the whole overwhelming (but universal) experience, and power of those emotions.
Composed collaboratively by the band earlier this year, the track showcases the guitarists’ distinctive riffs, complemented by pulsating rhythms and captivating vocal harmonies.
The new track is a massively appealing anthem with a distinct vibe to the songs of the band’s heyday while still managing to sound fresh and exciting to a whole new audience of fans.
Jemma Johnson is a rising singer-songwriter from Derby, UK. She has gained a following of over 64,000 on YouTube and has racked up over 20 million streams on Spotify alone, having featured on several curated playlists including ‘New Pop UK’, ‘Easy’ and ‘All New Punk’.
‘Sing It With Me’, the new song from rising talent Jemma Johnson, is an anthem for a heartbroken youth that we never knew we needed. In the wake of a difficult breakup, ‘Sing It With Me’ was written “after a solo night out trying to move on from someone and no matter what I did, the music kept pulling me back to how much I missed them” after hearing their song at a gig.
From the masterful production to the infectious vocal arrangements, ‘Sing It With Me’ is a delicious slice of mainstream pop. Minimalist in instrumentation but powerful in execution, Jemma delivers an immaculate vocal performance – cementing herself not only as one to watch, but as one of the most talented songwriters emerging from the independent music scene today.
Jemma has supported Charlie Simpson, Beth McCarthy and James Walsh and has played gigs curated by Jake Gosling. Festival slots have included Y-Not, Off The Tracks, Bearded Theory and Acoustic Festival Of Britain. Jemma has recently toured the UK and has confirmed slots for more summer festivals yet to be announced.
Jemma’s songs have received airplay from national, regional, and internet radio stations including BBC Radio 1, Radio X, Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing. Recently, BBC Introducing have backed Jemma more than ever following the release of her last single ‘Love Rush’, not only playing the song every week since, but recently filming an exclusive session and interview. Jemma has also been a featured artist (interview and session) on Coop Radio, which was broadcast in-store across the UK.
The China-based, UK-born Liam Dutch returns with ‘Freaky Dreams’, his first music of 2023, following up last year’s critically acclaimed ‘Melancholy Junction’ EP.
Setting an instant relaxed vibe, ‘Freaky Dreams’ takes the listener on a journey through Liam Dutch’s mind The result is an epic and sweeping anthem that captivates the listener until the end. Dutch’s trademark vocal is layered with authentic tones and is akin to classic songwriters of this generation such as Richard Ashcroft and Alex Turner.
Recorded in Graham Wann’s (Bricolage, The Sexual Objects) studio in Shenzhen,China, ‘Freaky Dreams’ was mixed and mastered by Dutch’s longtime collaborator, Ian Flynn.
On crafting the song, Liam said: “I had the title for quite a while but nothing concrete ever came of it. I think I had the chords and then the opening line came – I remember writing it up until the second chorus and it was clear to me then that I wanted the song to do something different – the next parts came shortly after that. Once I started the demo process, I knew I wanted piano. I did have a piano arrangement written but it was simple – I got a friend who’s a pianist to come down and help out with that.”
‘Freaky Dreams’ is a natural progression and development of Dutch’s sound. It moves on from previous well-received singles ‘What’s Your Problem?’ and ‘Settle Down’ while maintaining his ability to write a catchy and well-formed track.
Liam Dutch has more singles and an EP on the way as Liam explains: “The next single won’t be too long away. I’m really excited about these tracks, lyrically I think it’s my best work yet and also musically, it’s interesting. I wouldn’t say ‘Freaky Dreams’ is indicative of the other tunes on the record though. There are vulnerable moments but also a lot of mystery. I’m looking forward to it. The EP is all recorded, it’s just a case of tweaking things now.”
After achieving success in London-based band Dead Natives, (who had tracks played on Soccer AM and BBC Radio as well playing live shows with The Sherlocks), Liam Dutch now resides in southern China where he writes and records his solo material.
OK Cane are the indie/rock band hailing from Leicester, UK fronted by the incredible young rising star and multi talented musician/singer/songwriter Harrison Gent. Following the highly praised release of debut single ‘Wait’ earlier in the year, Harrison realised that a song that started life as a previous jam session between two pals, had way more potential than to be just a memory in time, so he headed back into the studio taking on the roles of Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar and Bass Guitar and together with the help of some friends and session musicians created the phenomenal new track that he is bringing to us today entitled ‘Pointless Pride’.
Although only young, the sheer talent and maturity displayed is something quite sensational. The first time I heard OK Cane, my world stopped for a moment. I was blown away and knew instantly that I was witnessing the unveiling of something incredible and very exciting!
It’s perhaps unsurprising to learn that lead guitarist and vocalist, Harrison is no stranger to the music industry having shown an aptitude from a very young age and that although still only of tender years, has already jammed alongside the likes of The Smiths, Andy Rourke, and has played for Oasis founder and Creation Records Legend, Alan Mcgee, performed for IDLES frontman Joe Talbot and supported Fun Lovin Criminals Drummer on his solo project – ‘Uncle Frank’ at Leicester’s O2.
OK Cane’s debut single release ‘Wait’ it’s fair to say, was a massive triumph for the band achieving over 15k streams within 2 months, and it was also picked up by both press and radio alike being championed by John Kennedy on his X-Posure Show on Radio X after he heard it being featured in the soundtrack to the music documentary in which he also featured called ‘Kick Out The Jams – The Story Of XFM’!
‘Pointless Pride’ once again showcases the astonishing amount of talent on display by this band. The pace is slow and bluesy interjected with funky, tribal drumming and a striking harmonica solo. The instrumentals, while incredibly tight and played to absolute perfection, are mostly allowed to simmer in the background allowing the crisp and precise vocals to cut through. It’s a mesmerising track of pure beauty that’s for sure one that will have you running for the repeat button.
‘Pointless Pride’ was written by Harrison Gent and was recorded at Potters View Studio. It was engineered by Andy Headley and mixed and produced by Gabriel Fernandes and Harrison Gent.
‘Pointless Pride’ is available on all major streaming and download platforms now.
Jemma Johnson is the rapidly rising pop singer-songwriter from Derby, UK. Already having racked up over 20 million streams on Spotify and gained a following of over 64,000 on YouTube, it’s clear that this girl is going to be a star and new release ‘Love Rush’ only further cements her status as being most definitely one to watch.
The new single, ‘Love Rush’ is a straight off the bat, high octane, shake off your troubles and dance around the room track that is quite literally an adrenaline rush to the system of ‘you’re so yesterday, I’ve moved on vibes’. Its the ultimate feel good break up song showing the world “I really don’t care, I’m over you”.
With its almost instantly recognisable sound, it’s clear from the very first listen that this track is something pretty special. With comparisons to the likes of Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne, we can tell with this track that Jemma Johnson is most certainly a name that deserves to be up there with these other sensational kick-ass females.
The track features Ed Sheeran’s drummer, Mark Pusey on it who on first listen, having loved the song so much that he immediately asked to play on the recording, further adding to the fresh energetic vibe of the track.
Jemma has said of the track::
“I wrote Love Rush when I’d had enough of toxic relationships and needed to have fun and rock out! I felt like I was a kid again going out into the world without any fears and doubts. It’s a big fuck you to heartbreak and a big shout out to confidence and new me attitude.”
Having gigged with the likes of Charlie Simpson, Beth McCarthy and playing her debut at Y Not Festival this year, Jemma continues to impress and enthral audiences with her amazing vibe and incredible catchy tunes with their relatable lyrics. She’s a musical force to be reckoned with and a name that you will be hearing a lot more of in the coming weeks and months as she continues on her upwards trajectory.
‘Love Rush’ received its first nation radio spin last weekend when it was played by Dean Jackson on BBC Introducing East Midlands and who declared the track as being worthy of being playlisted on the major BBC radio stations and how he would be forwarding it on!
The Lunar Towers are the four-piece garage rock/pop band hailing from London and Cheltenham, composed of songwriters Rory Moore on Bass/Vocals, Joe Richardson on Guitar/Vocals, Rob Sewell on Guitar/Vocals and Bradley Hillier-Smith on Drums.
The group deliver a lively combination of bright, melodic guitar sounds, 60s revivalism, and infectious three part harmonies to form hook-filled pop songs that draw influence from some of their favourite artists including: The Byrds, Buzzcocks, Teenage Fanclub, Ride, Michael Head and The Apples in Stereo.
School friends Rory and Joe met by chance at the age of fifteen, when they found themselves seated together in a French class at school. The pair instantly found common ground musically when Rory noticed Joe’s poorly hidden Oasis t-shirt and Morrissey inspired haircut. During this period, they quickly realised their shared love of lyric writing and guitar music old and new, which set them on the path to forming their first band in their hometown of Cheltenham, as teenagers. In 2021, following a period of national lockdown in which they had sent demos back and forth, the boys reunited in the garden of Joe’s London home, along with old school friend and fellow music obsessive Rob, who brought his own blend of blues style guitar and melodic vocal sensibilities to the group. The duo had now become a trio with a deeper chemistry and insatiable hunger for crafting memorable pop songs.
Since then the group has grown into a full band outfit with the addition of drummer Bradley, who had worked with Joe in a previous band.
The band recently recorded ten tracks with producer Richard James. All tracks have been mastered by Pete Maher with additions from Andy Crofts (The Moons/Paul Weller band).
The Lunar Towers’ first three single releases were featured on Radio X, BBC Radio London, Boogaloo Radio, BBC Radio Gloucestershire and various other stations and playlists worldwide. ‘Wire’ and ‘Happy as Larry’ were also featured in the July 2022 issue of Shindig, described as an “ace pair of singles,” as well as Dead Good Music, It’s all Indie and various other music journals.
The Lunar Towers are now back with their latest offering in the form of their debut EP ‘Hurry Up and Wait’. The new EP consists of four melodic, garage pop songs.
The EP’s opening track ‘Plastic Glass Towers,’ blasts through the speaker with a fast-paced, jangling energy right from the off and sets the tone perfectly for the record. This infectious, hook-filled three and a half minute pop song portrays the ever-changing social conditions of London, with Joe on lead vocals and Rob delivering some ethereal harmonies.
Next comes ‘Pillar 2 Post’ with Rory on lead vocals and Rob on backing vocal duty. The song’s lyrics explore a broken relationship between two people and how someone can move from emotional blindness to forgiveness over time and gain a deeper understanding of pain passed down through generations. This track stands out for its thundering rhythm section, effervescent lead guitar parts and huge chorus which boasts a powerful blend of Rory and Rob’s vocals.
The third song on the EP is the previously released single ‘Southern Love’ which maintains the brightness and pace, delivering wonderful lead vocals from Rob, complemented by backing from Joe and Rory. A real highlight here is the song’s shift into an unexpected coda section which serves as an irresistible dopamine hit and sing-along for the listener.
The EP concludes with a slight change of pace as ‘Back To You’ delivers dreamier, laid back guitars, walking bass lines and delicate lead vocals from Joe, while still packing a punch at the very end. This track contains many great moments, at times reminiscent of songs from Richard Hawley and The Velvet Underground, while the lyrics centre on the ruminations of someone in a relationship and how romantic and spiritual connections can be lost and refound.
The cover artwork for ‘Hurry Up and Wait’ continues the collage theme developed collectively by the band for their previous three singles. These striking images have added a vivid framework of intrigue and beauty to the group’s releases and the artwork for their debut EP is no different. The collaged cover inspired by a convergence of the sacred refuge of home and the profane yet wondrous nature of the city streets, provides a bold and thought-provoking sleeve which mirrors deeply the character of the songs within it.
‘Hurry Up and Wait’ was written by Rory Moore, Joe Richardson and Rob Sewell. It was produced and mixed by Richard James at Vacant TV and Cable Street Studios and the tracks were mastered by Pete Maher.
The EP is being released under Coloroma Records(run by Andy Crofts from The Moons/The Paul Weller Band and John Britton) and it will be released digitally and as a limited edition CD.
Indie Revolution 