Advertise with The Big Takeover

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shop our Big Takeover store for back issues, t-shirts & CDs


Recordings
Subscribe to The Big Takeover

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shop our Big Takeover store for back issues, t-shirts & CDs


Follow Big Takeover on Facebook Follow Big Takeover on Bluesky Follow Big Takeover on Instagram

Follow The Big Takeover

Killcode - Ride (DJ Johnny Juice High Roller Remix) (Mother West)

22 February 2026

New York City’s KILLCODE has never played it safe, and in 2026, they’re doubling down. The five-piece rock powerhouse returns with “RIDE (DJ Johnny Juice High Roller Remix)”, a fearless cross-genre collaboration featuring DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy, marking one of the band’s most ambitious and boundary-pushing releases to date.

Vi Talli - Running (soundPUPPY)

22 February 2026

Raised among a family of musicians and performers, music became Vi Talli’s first language and constant companion. In 2022, just as she was preparing to release her debut solo album in Ukraine, Russia’s invasion scuttled the release and forced her and her younger sister to flee their homeland. Finding refuge in France, Vi performed wherever she could, on streets, cafés and in small clubs, transforming loss into expression. Those experiences reshaped her, blending the emotional depth of her upbringing with the diverse musical influences of being on the road in countries far from home.

Sophia Garvey - Let The Cat In (Score Global)

22 February 2026

Sophia Garvey doesn’t knock. She scratches. She screams. She shoves her way through the cat flap. Her new single “Let The Cat In” (via Score Global) arrives with three chaotic minutes of lust, desperation, and feral confidence. This is pop-rock with claws out, sultry, aggressive, and deliberately unhinged. Sophia is the cat refusing to be house-trained.

Eythor Arnalds - Promenade nr. 7 (Alda Music)

22 February 2026

Icelandic cellist and composer Eythor Arnalds announces the release of his new single “Promenade nr. 7”, the latest preview of his forthcoming second full-length album Music for Walking, arriving May 29, 2026 via Alda Music. Following his debut album The Busy Child (2025) and the live EP String Theory (2025), Arnalds continues to develop a distinctive body of work situated at the intersection of neo-classical composition, ambient music, and cinematic sound.

SAMLOW - Magazine (self-released)

22 February 2026

London-based indie artist SAMLOW introduces himself with “Magazine,” a high-voltage debut single that fuses indie-rock grit with electronic pulse, low-frequency tension, and undeniable forward motion. Built around driving basslines, taut synths, and choruses that cling like static, “Magazine” marks the first transmission from an artist who has spent years tuning his signal before stepping fully into the light.

Should – Feed Like Fishes (Deluxe) (Numero Group)

21 February 2026

Eric and Marc Ostermeier and Tanya Maus emerge not as cult curiosities but as architects of a deeply considered sonic language. ‘Feed Like Fishes’ stands as evidence that some records do not age into relevance; they simply wait for the world to catch up.

Plato III - Grown (Polyvinyl Records)

21 February 2026

For those who value the tactile beauty of live performance, the interplay of musicians, and the subtle architecture of thoughtfully arranged songs, ‘Grown’ is less a genre exercise than an invitation to listen differently.

Jay Som - Belong (Polyvinyl Records)

21 February 2026

This is an album that understands that finding where you fit is not a solitary act, but a dialogue between the self and the world. It is a sophisticated, beautifully rendered collection that confirms Jay Som as a vital force in the modern musical canon.

Patricia Wolf - Hrafnamynd (Balmat)

21 February 2026

What ultimately distinguishes ‘Hrafnamynd’ is its empathy. Wolf does not impose emotion onto the images she accompanies; she listens to them.

Zabus - Avoidance Moon (Saccharine Underground)

21 February 2026

Avoidance Moon is album #6 from the prolific avant-garde post-punk outfit Zabus, helmed by Jeremy Moore: founder and curator of Washington D.C.’s Saccharine Underground label. With Avoidance Moon, Zabus delivers a confrontational and immersive album that fuses gothic atmospheres, psychedelic rock expansiveness, and the abrasive edge of no-wave and noise rock

Matt Basile - In the House of the Lord (self-released)

21 February 2026

Matt Basile is a Country Western singer and songwriter based in New York City. With his distinctive bass-baritone, insightful lyrics, and a repertoire of familiar favorites and sleeper classics, each performance is an engaging look at the history of American music and songs.

Sputnik the Band - Northern Lights (Mother West)

21 February 2026

Emerging from the vibrant New York City music scene, Sputnik the Band compellingly explores the American pop tradition. Fronted by the ethereal and dreamy voice of singer/songwriter Genie Morrow, and grounded by the versatile instrumental talents of Nigel Rawles and a rotating cast of New York’s best studio and live musicians, Sputnik the Band creates music that feels like a beloved mix tape left by a gone but never forgotten friend.

Magic Shoppe - Resurrection Machine (Little Cloud Records)

20 February 2026

This is an essential document for those who find comfort in the fuzz and clarity in the distortion, signaling a new, more formidable era for the project.

Comet Gain – City Fallen Leaves – 20th Anniversary Reissue (Tapete Records)

20 February 2026

Comet Gain has always understood that the best music is a shared secret, a collection of moments caught before they disappear.

Jessica Wolfbird – Trees for clouds (Cathartic Frog Records)

20 February 2026

‘Trees For Clouds’ is a testament to the beauty of the atmospheric, proving that the most profound insights often occur in the space where the branches meet the air.

Hen Ogledd - DISCOMBOBULATED (Domino)

20 February 2026

‘Discombobulated’ is not an album designed for casual consumption; it is a challenging, brilliant, and utterly original document of a band that refuses to stand still, proving that Hen Ogledd remains one of the most vital forces in contemporary experimental music.

BruceBan$hee - $trawberry Blues (self-released)

19 February 2026

Introducing BruceBAn$hee, the talented artist hailing from Maryland, United States. Influenced by a diverse array of musicians, including the rejects, neon trees, deftones, nirvana, and turnstile, BruceBAn$hee brings a unique sound to the music scene

Lung - Fog (Yellow Bike Records)

19 February 2026

Described by founder and frontman, Dave White, as their “most raw, fucked up, brutal, honest work to date”, and “possibly the most punk we’ve become”, Fog is the sixth full-length studio LP from influential New Zealand band, LUNG. Fog was recorded over just two days at The Surgery in Newtown, Wellington, with producer Lee Prebble at the helm, and explores more overtly the underlying punk roots of the band’s core influences, as Dave correctly intimates.

Pantomime Horses - Everyone's A Ghost (self-released)

17 February 2026

With chance pre-pandemic email exchanges being their first contact in nearly 30 years, dispersed former bandmates Rob, Tony & Nigel started to develop musical ideas while trying to understand how to coax reasonable-sounding productions from their ancient MacBooks. Eventually, someone suggested that talking to each other could be useful. Nearly four years later, the album Forever Polyester was completed, with the three still not having breathed the same air together since those carefree days.

Amana Melome' - Recalibration (self-released)

17 February 2026

Born in Germany and raised around the world, Amana Melome’ is a Euro-Caribbean-American singer-songwriter whose music bridges jazz heritage, soulful storytelling, and global influence. As the granddaughter of jazz legend Jimmy Woode, former bassist for Duke Ellington, and collaborator with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and *Sarah Vaughan8, she carries a generational legacy of musical excellence. Her debut album Indigo Red became the first record ever distributed by Whole Foods Markets and was later released internationally on Italy’s IRMA Records, launching her into festivals across Europe, Brazil, and Asia.

Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet - The Solastalgia Suite (Pyroclastic)

17 February 2026

Pianist and Pyroclastic owner Kris Davis had two things on her mind when she created The Solstalgia Suite – the ongoing effects of climate change and the desire to write for a string quartet.

Dreamcoaster - Imaginary Reflections (Shelflife)

16 February 2026

‘Imaginary Reflections’ is a sophisticated achievement in independent pop, a record that finds beauty in the act of looking back while keeping its gaze firmly fixed on the horizon.

Various Artists – No Frontiers 5 (Raster Media)

16 February 2026

‘No Frontiers 5’ proves that the vision of a technologically synchronized Europe is best heard through its outliers. These artists are the true pioneers, daring to ignore the successful models of the past to find a sound that originates solely from their own restless, visionary personalities.

Julinko – Naebula (Maple Death Records)

16 February 2026

‘Naebula’ is a staggering achievement from an artist who has spent years perfecting her craft in the shadows. By writing and performing every element herself, Giulia Parin Zecchin has ensured that the record possesses a singular, unbroken frequency.

Mai Mai Mai – Karakoz (Maple Death Records)

16 February 2026

‘Karakoz’ is an essential document of sonic solidarity. By weaving the voices of the past into the frequency-rich textures of the present, Mai Mai Mai has created a work that refuses to let memory fade.

The Lions Constellation - New Moon Rising (Shelflife)

16 February 2026

By the time the closing notes of “Diamond Sky” fade into silence, it becomes clear that The Lions Constellation have produced a work that transcends regional boundaries. They remain international benchmarks precisely because they refuse to simplify their sound for local palates.

Crimson Whisper - Flutter & Beautify (Shelflife)

16 February 2026

‘Flutter & Beautify’ is a triumph of mood and melody, a testament to the power of anonymity in an age of overexposure. By letting the music speak for itself, Crimson Whisper has crafted a work that is impossible to forget and endlessly rewarding to revisit.

Bad Boy Butch Batson - Bulldog (Bizozzle Records)

16 February 2026

A figure once described by underground tape-traders as an “eccentric, wild & weird, rockabilly crazy man,” Batson emerged from Greenville’s mill villages in the 1990s with two home-recorded albums that circulated internationally among collectors of raw, unclassifiable rock. BRUTE FORCE marks his first new appearance since that era.

Blindness & Light - Just A Few Milligrams (self-released)

16 February 2026

*Blindness & Light is an informal collective stretching from Anglesey to Yorkshire and many places in between, including such far-flung locations as Japan and Argentina. On this track Colin M Potter is the singer/songwriter/guitarist and Helen Reynolds once again is the female vocalist adding ethereal balance to the mix. Mel Dopazo plays bass and Glenn Welman plays drums.

Pacificaze - Savage (self-released)

16 February 2026

Pacificaze is a genre-blurring indie band known for blending nostalgic warmth with modern edge. Their new single “Savage” reconnects with the instinctive, sun-charged side of their sound, echoing the surf-rock energy that shaped earlier fan favourites while sharpening it with modern production and punch

Ryan John Clary - Sunflower Lemonaide (be nice records)

15 February 2026

Sunflower Lemonaide is the upcoming full-length album from Boston-based indie singer-songwriter ryan john clary. Written and produced entirely by clary, the nine-track project blends folk songwriting with pop and hip-hop–influenced production, centering on conflict, recovery, and emotional growth.

French Dogs - Tucker's Having a Baby (Ciao Ketchup Recordings)

15 February 2026

Following the success of their debut EP – which secured early support from Radio X’s John Kennedy and BBC Introducing’s Jess Iszatt (BBC London/Radio 1) – London’s French Dogs return with a sharp, high-velocity jolt to the system. On February 13th, the band releases “Tucker’s Having a Baby,” the frantic first single taken from their highly anticipated debut album arriving this spring.

Eva-Maria Houben, Harmjan Roeles - given (Sawyer Editions)

14 February 2026

Something is always being offered, even if only for a moment. Something is always being lost. And in the quiet persistence of breath through pipe and bow, ‘given’ suggests that this cycle of offering, losing, and receiving again may be reason enough.

Silver Summer - Breath (self-released)

14 February 2026

Silver Summer formed in the Summer 2019, played three successful shows in their hometown of Mankato, Minnesota, and then, like every other musical act in the world, went on hiatus at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown. By summer 2021, Silver Summer had rebooted and were performing again in Mankato. Since then, frontman Colin Scharf has received three Minnesota State Arts Board grants and two Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council grants to fund the production of the band’s debut album, DIE OF LOVE.

Golem Dance Cult - Pretty at Dawn (self-released)

14 February 2026

Golem Dance Cult, hailing from Belgrave, Australia, is the visionary force behind the mesmerizing Original Video, “Pretty at Dawn.” Their unique sound features Inga Liljestrom on vocals and Jean-Philippe Feiss on cello, creating an ethereal and haunting musical experience. With influences ranging from KILLING JOKE to BECK and BAUHAUS, Golem Dance Cult blends dark tones with captivating vocals to create a sonic landscape like no other.

Effusion 35 - Take Two (self-released)

14 February 2026

When you’ve been a band as long as Effusion 35 has (nearly 27 years!), you tend to do things a little differently now than you did then. In this span, the band evolved from a 3-piece, to a 5-piece. What was once a single guitar sound is now a 3-guitar assault. As you can imagine, there’s more stuff going on now.

Bear Jr - Emotion Ocean (self-released)

14 February 2026

Bear Jr is an independent alternative rock artist based in the greater Philadelphia area, known for deep expertise in fingerstyle acoustic guitar blended with modern alt-hard rock production. His sound balances emotional restraint and grit, moving between quiet tension and heavier, textured dynamics.

Oruã – Slacker (K Records)

13 February 2026

Oruã has managed to capture the heat of a Rio dawn and the cool mist of a Seattle winter in a single, continuous entity; a song cycle that proves the best art isn’t found in polish, but in the honest, chaotic vibration of the human experience. Easily one of 2025’s finest.

Earth Tongue – Dungeon Vision (In The Red Records)

13 February 2026

Earth Tongue has created a record that is articulate in its heaviness and intelligent in its construction, eschewing the clichés of stoner rock for something far more idiosyncratic and compelling.

Felsmann + Tiley - Protomensch (Mute Records)

13 February 2026

This expansive work functions as a dialogue between the synthetic and the organic, exploring what it means to possess a soul in an increasingly automated age.

Cate Le Bon – Michelangelo Dying (Mexican Summer)

13 February 2026

It functions as a sonic exorcism where Le Bon abandons the architectural precision of her previous era for something more fluid and dangerously visceral.

Wilson Tanner Smith – Perpetual Guest (Sawyer Editions)

13 February 2026

Recorded by Wilson Tanner Smith in the skeletal remains of the Kreenholm Textile Factory in Narva, Estonia, the album exhales the heavy air of a borderland caught between historical trauma and modern tension.

Tomeka Reid Quartet - dance! hop! Skip! (Out Of Your Head)

13 February 2026

She’s definitely a bandleader, but she’s not a star, preferring to mold her troop into a tightly bound juggernaut of collective improvisation.

Bory – Never Turns To Night (Bleak Enterprise)

12 February 2026

‘Never Turns To Night’ is an articulate testament to the power of the solo voice, proving that Brenden Ramirez is a craftsman of the highest order, capable of finding the extraordinary within the mundane.

Midniter - Sugar Man (SugarTank! Records)

12 February 2026

Midniter is the indie electronic project from queer, Charlotte-based singer-songwriter, Nic Pugh. At 36, Pugh has been a traveling musician for almost 20 years, playing in mostly punk and rock’n’roll bands, with highlights including Paint Fumes and Jaggermouth. Creating Midniter in January 2024, the project formed as an antithesis to his previous guitar bands. Although influences (including Radiohead, Justice, The Knife, LCD Soundsystem, Aphex Twin, Square Pusher, and M83) stem from many genres, Midniter was parented by the bands of the Indie sleaze era.

Dying Habit - There Is No Sky (13-57 Records)

12 February 2026

Based on the rugged island of Anglesey, Wales and fronted by brooding and emotive vocalist Nathan Jones, DYING HABIT hurl out potent 90’s inspired alt-rock framed by courtesy of the pulsating rhythm section of Mark Jones (drums) and Daniel Garner (bass); and the cultured riflery of guitarist *Alan Hart8.

Plans to Sand - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (self-released)

12 February 2026

Plans to Sand, hailing from Philadelphia, United States8, is making waves with their latest release. Following the success of their original works, including the acclaimed album “So What,” the band decided to delve into the realm of covers. Their rendition of “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” by the *Postal Service was born out of co-leader Adrienne Swiatocha’s deep admiration for the band. After receiving overwhelming praise from fans for their live performance of the cover, Plans to Sand decided to immortalize it as a studio track, showcasing their unique interpretation of the beloved song

Vé/Zé - New Car (feat Rádi Nóra) (self-released)

11 February 2026

Emerging from Mogyoród, Hungary, Vé/Zé, also known as Zoltan Varga, is a multi-talented artist who wrote, performed, and produced the original single “New Car” featuring the captivating vocals of Nóra Rádi. Drawing inspiration from legendary 90’s AOR performers like Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, and Sting, Vé/Zé’s music encapsulates the refinement and honesty of that era while infusing a modern twist.

The Real Anthem - Heaven Come Down  (self-released)

11 February 2026

The Real Anthem, hailing from Arizona, United States, is an alternative rock band comprised of Shawn Helton on vocals and lyrics, Andy Mitchell on guitars and backing vocals, and Matt King on guitars, synths, programmed drums, and mixing engineer. Their latest original single, “Heaven Come Down,” released on January 31, 2026, captivates listeners with a blend of catchy pop elements and intense vocals, drawing influences from the likes of Peter Murphy’s production style and 90’s alternative rock.

Heron - Fell In Love Again (Cracked Analogue)

11 February 2026

UK artist, songwriter, and producer Heron returns with “Fell In Love Again,” the sixth single from his forthcoming album Underground Sky, released one song at a time on his independent label, Cracked Analogue. Blending alternative R&B, soul, and psychedelic pop, the track marks a defining moment in Heron’s evolving sound.