Australia’s answer to Gonerfest is a killer mix of bands reactivating for the gig and tons of new and current bands making their marks in the garage, punk and general rock genre.

After the pandemic lockdown, Holy Wave wondered what kind of world awaited them on the other side. Survival was top of mind for the Austin, Texas, shoegazing/dream pop drifters, as they recorded 2023’s Five of Cups and toured in early 2022, before swimming even deeper in their liquid, darkly intoxicating sounds while conjuring material for Studio 22 Singles and B-Sides, with “Cowprint” and “Chaparrel” floating and spinning freely in hazy pop epiphanies.

Indie rock duo The Bolshoi Brothers have released their debut eponymous album. Made up of Trevor Tanner and Paul Clark, both original members of legendary Beggars Banquet-signed 80s new wave band The Bolshoi, the two artists decided to continue their musical journey together as a duo. Many years since their London band parted ways, Tanner and Clark are now both US-based. The two hadn’t recorded or played together since the band’s fateful breakup 35 years ago. Due to working on this album during Covid lockdowns, they recorded the tracks remotely from their respective home studios – Trevor in Florida and Paul in Seattl

Raised in rural Shropshire and based in Tottenham, North London – the music of Oaken Lee is informed by both places. Acoustic guitars and field recordings, drum machines and distorted bass. Traditional folk storytelling painted with a progressive palette. Oaken Lee’s first full-length offering, Home (is a folk-rock mixtape) is coming to Spotify (and tape) – Summer 2025.

Even before you get to his musical career, Gary Dranow has an exciting and impressive resume. A young equestrian turned motocross champion, a clothing line entrepreneur turned mortgage broker, a renowned ski instructor, and an academy founder. Gary Dranow has undoubtedly grabbed life with both hands and squeezed a lot out of it.

For over 4 decades, Fishbone has been a band that has been influential, game changers, replicated but never duplicated. Starting in High School, these 6 young men kicked off playing talent shows and parties as Megatron. When getting out to the live gig life and getting taken under the wing of The Bus Boys, the band was encouraged to take the name Fishbone…and that was that

Sometimes we need to step away from our daily lives, get back to how it all started and “feel it again”. Feel It Again is about how a weekend away by the sea reset and rescued a long-term relationship. Though the song is of course highly personal, it will have a universal appeal. Fans of Nick Cave will note the Boatman’s Call reference in the song.

Pillowprince, an Oakland-based indie band, will release their debut EP pretty, baby! via Dune Altar. This collection of four tracks blends indie rock, shoegaze, slowcore, and queercore into a sound that’s raw, emotional, and unapologetically queer. Produced by lead vocalist/guitarist Olivia Lee and mixed by Beau Sorenson (Death Cab for Cutie, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down), the EP showcases the band’s ability to craft deeply personal, yet universally resonant, songs that invite listeners into a space of rebellion, empathy, and joy.

The past is an insistent presence for Duane Hoover. The Atlanta musician always has one ear turned toward distant history, finding refuge and inspiration in the sparked melodies of bands like The Kinks and The Animals. His innate sense of how to mix sunshine pop rhythms with something a bit wirier left him threading a path between genres, finding common ground between the mod scene of the ‘60s and the late ‘70s UK punk rock scene. He feels a further kinship with early rock and rollers like Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison, pulling apart and adapting influences that spanned a considerable acreage of sonic landscapes.

YEV’s self-titled debut blends cinematic folk rock, modern blues, vintage pop, and world music with the soulful essence of his Ukrainian heritage. Inspired by his immigrant journey and the resilience of Ukrainian refugees, the album explores hope, loss, and belonging through evocative melodies, heartfelt vocals, and rich instrumentation. Produced by Stephen Helvig with stunning visuals by Greg Gorman and Norway’s VJUS, it offers a deeply moving, culture-bridging experience.

West Coast artist Restless Mosaic presents his third album Quality Mirrors, and 11-track offering saturated with surprise, following up his 2022 album ‘Made By Thawing Ice’. The haunting and hypnotic focus track ‘Circling the Canopies’ was inspired by electronic music legends Delerium. The album’s lead track ‘Lost Within This Time’ features Anji Bee of iconic dreampop duo Lovespirals.

Bartees Strange reaches into his bag of sonic tricks in support of his newest record, Horror.

Zachary Mason is a 27-year-old artist based in Guildford, UK. Since the spring of 2021, Zachary has created around 200 demo tracks on a recording kit gifted to him by a relative. He creates music in different genres, using acoustic and electric guitars, and also keyboards.

La Need Machine’s new album — Pourquoi? C’est L’Amour! — showcases the band’s clever songwriting skills and passionate musical aptitude. La Need Machine stand out by combining soaring harmonies, insightful lyrics, and contagious rhythms to power the band’s innovative sound. Pourquoi? C’est L’Amour! joins these elements into a stronger whole that gives the album a hopeful, positive and uplifting vibe. Neurodivergent Lead Singer Elise is not afraid to talk about her successful life with Autism.

Alternative art-rockers Ecce Shnak present ‘Prayer On Love’ Live at Backroom Studios, a class performance of one of the highlight tracks on their debut Shadows Grow Fangs EP. A quintet that seemingly never sleeps, they shared videos for the EP’s high-energy title track and it’s only ballad ‘Stroll With Me’, just a few weeks ago.

Live at the Biltmore isn’t just an artefact of a live performance; it’s a cathartic release, both for the band and their audience, offering a profound connection for those who need it most.

What do you get if you blend hard driving rock, memorable Hendrix-style guitar riffs, and the funky stylings of the Red Hot Chili Peppers? You get The Sunmills, a band from Highland, Utah who are doing their best to revive 90’s alternative rock. Their songs drip with irony as they poke fun at today’s lifestyle of attachment, yearning for success, and deliberate apathy, even as all their band members suffer from these traits to one degree or another.

Garnering snowballing critical acclaim for her outstanding gift to deliver pockets of human emotion, shrink-wrapped in melodic parcels of pop tracks, the incredible singer/songwriter Asta Bria now announces her new single, ‘Our Bible’, released 30 May. With a vibe and beat reminiscent of a gently-funk infused pop/soul serving from the likes of Lionel Richie or Kool And The Gang, ‘Our Bible’ sees Asta step into the hopefulness of Spring with a delicious soulful journey with flecks of 80s, mingled with the present moment.

Chicago-based indie pop-rock outfit Push Puppets presents their new single ’Similar’, the third single from their fourth long-play album Tethered Together out on May 16 via Flowering Tree Music and produced by Doug McBride (Smashing Pumpkins, Veruca Salt, Silversun Pickups, Cheap Trick). A favorite at the band’s live shows, this recording captures that energy with a little elegance on top.

The Fifth Hammer, the fifth studio release for songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Martin Walker in the guise of Art Schop, finds him at the full peak of his powers as he works at the intersection of emotional honesty, philosophical inquiry, and vivid storytelling. As always, Walker populates his latest songs with characters that are tactile and evocative, whether it’s Ludwig Wittgenstein or a guy who uses his rejection of Leibniz as an excuse to be a bum. But through this realism, he explores profound philosophical and existential questions, investigating interconnected themes and inviting listeners into a richly textured sonic and intellectual universe.

British electronic artist Max Rael has announced the forthcoming album The Enemy Is Us, his debut solo effort, out in June via London imprint Liquid Len Recording Company, preceded by a traditional A / B side single ‘Brighter Future’. An alternative electronic pop song with spoken word vocals, ‘Brighter Future’ questions avoidant strategies of coping with life in a seemingly increasingly chaotic and unsafe world and queries how we can reverse course from an anticipated dystopian future.

Los Angeles-based indie pop outfit NoVanGogh has shared their new single ‘Weight of the World’, a timely offering given the current state of affairs in society. The song’s foundation, reminiscent of The Police’s signature semi-reggae-pop fusion, is wonderfully enhanced by a charming, seemingly spontaneous electric violin that takes the music to another dimension as it progresses.

Speaking Is A Gun’s first full-blown rock ‘n’ roll track bursts with raw energy, breakbeat grooves, and rap-like vocals. Think Chili Peppers meets Stones with a twist of Chuck Berry. It’s a joyful ode to first love and sensory overload, with lyrics that taste, devour, and celebrate desire. Recorded in Berlin, mixed by Leonard Vaessen, and topped off with party sounds captured live in the studio. Wild, groovy, and full of life.

California-based electronic pop artist Matthew Nowhere presents his single ‘Transforming’ feat. Lunar Twin, the latest taster of his forthcoming debut record ‘Crystal Heights’ (out May 23), one of two tracks on the album where they feature on this epic 13-track album.

The Setting Son, a Danish rock band known for its distinctive blend of garage rock, psychedelic pop, and fuzzed-out melodies, returns with their fourth album, Cul-De-Sac, set for release on vinyl and digitally on June 6, 2025.

Empty Pinata’s “Bonfire” ignites a personal narrative into indie-pop flames, chronicling the aftermath of a relationship through the lens of scorched memories and burned hoodies. Co-produced with Gamal, the track masterfully blends bedroom-pop intimacy with soft rock undertones, creating a sound that’s both vulnerable and vibrant. The song’s authenticity shines through its storytelling, as Empty Pinata transforms a real-life breakup bonfire into a melodic confession.

“Show & Tell” is a song that lives between the pleasures and pitfalls of vulnerability. The nervous euphoria of nakedness, asking if love or abandonment awaits after the whole self is revealed. Recorded at Way Out Studios with producer Trevor Spencer, “Show & Tell” is the pilot single for Ghost Fetish’s Second LP, which will be recorded with and produced by Spencer this Summer (2025).

Mister Rabbit has unveiled its latest single, “Soft Delusion.” Influenced by the likes of the Las and early Oasis, this release showcases a blend of acoustic and electric guitars complemented by strong melodies & harmonies. The track delves into themes of seeking closure from past relationships, offering listeners a poignant narrative underscored by the band’s signature sound. Recorded live at Boxcar Sound in Hamilton, ON, “Soft Delusion” stands out as a diversion from their other releases, “End Of History Illusion” & “The Era Of Good Feelings”, and shows that Mister Rabbit may have more than one trick up theirsleeves.

Poke A Brain is the culmination of over two decades of songwriting and performance by a seasoned multi-instrumentalist and composer. The project brings together original compositions performed by the artist alongside a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists, creating a dynamic, genre-spanning body of work.

Sirenglas returns with their latest single, “Glass Between Us,” an evocative darkwave anthem that plunges listeners into a shadowy world of passion, mystery, and irresistible rhythm. Known for their compelling blend of swirling guitars, pounding beats, and sultry female vocals, Sirenglas once delivers a mesmerizing experience that is equal parts gothic romanticism and electrifying dance-floor intensity.

MothBreath’s influences are wide and varied, but describe their sound as a melding of the vaporous, atmospheric textures of Dream Pop, underpinned with a Down Tempo, Trip-Hop aesthetic. Along the way anything else is up for grabs, from Post-Punk to Electronica, to produce a sound that is distinctively their own.

Mary Knoblock, experimental avant-garde artist and neo-classical composer, has created art her whole life, starting as a painter. She walked into the music industry in 2016, soon after being supported by various record labels and distributors who helped her build her music platform, Produced by a Girl.

Goldberg’s penchant for storytelling is remarkably effective on this album, and it will undoubtedly appeal not only to prog rock fans but to anyone drawn to expansive, emotionally charged compositions.

After three successful album releases, Dark Alien Pop (2018), Invisible (2020), and Radiation Skies (2023), gloryBots fulfilled their intergalactic journey toward a 4th, full-length album entitled MAD END, which deals with the harsh reality of our times. To this effect, much of the songwriting occurred just after the pandemic and 2023, where the last LP was written during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Only this time terrestrial noisemaker Jalal Andre, the architect behind gloryBots’ sci-fi landscapes and cosmic rock riffs, is accompanied on his current voyage by Ilya Krisa (bass) and Don Gunn (drums), forming a dynamic and adventurous trio.

Taylor Robert’s latest release Brighter Day was written after a trying time in his life. After experiencing immense love in a 13-year relationship/marriage and a heartbreaking divorce, he wrote these 10 songs trying to process a reset and start everything over. He knows no other way to write other than to look deep inside himself and process emotions through songwriting. The album displays a range of emotions and styles that truly encapsulate his self-proclaimed ‘Roll N Soul’ sound. For anyone who has known up times and the down times, this music will truly resonate.

Wryly namechecking a film from artistic power couple John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse flex their own brand of marital and creative bliss.

With “You,” Carl Kammeyer transports listeners into a world where heartfelt lyrics and soulful melodies intertwine seamlessly. Crafted in his home studio, this release exudes a sense of intimacy and authenticity, setting it apart with its relatability and emotional resonance.

Greg Hoy’s latest album, Hit Music, is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a testament to resilience, reinvention, and raw musicality. After a health scare forced the California rocker to pause live performances, he turned the challenge into an opportunity, rediscovering his craft in a way he never anticipated.

James Cook’s latest offering, Texican Velvet, isn’t just a return to his musical foundations—it’s a bold revelation of the man behind the music. Recording in the quiet solitude of Seymour, Texas, with The Great Divide’s Mike McClure (a longtime dream collaboration), Cook has crafted his most personal and stripped-down work to date.

Art Cartel is the second album from the Croatian folk indie band New Gondoliers expands their sound from the American folk first release Escape town into a more vibey and fun direction, as remarked by the famous sound engineer Howie Weinberg, who mastered the album (21 Grammy awards).

Jackson Watson is a genre-bending artist from Montgomery, AL who made his debut in 2020 with a standalone single called “Wolf”. He went on to record and release 1 EP and two albums between 2020 and 2022 that were all completely self-produced. His sophomore album, Numb, received positive feedback from many online blogs and critics alike for its “incredible consistency” (We Write About Music), “dripping modern fusion production” (Illustrate Magazine), and “instantly memorable vocal leads and colorful acoustic arrangement” (Plastic Magazine).

For fans of progressive rock—old-school or new—The Far Cry delivers a compelling listen that honors the genre’s past while confidently stepping into its future.

If his debut album is anything like the Anywhere EP, Sembrano is well on his way to capturing a brand new audience of synthpop fans looking to recapture the sound of the classics.

John & Yoko. Jack and Meg. Now Lexy & Mike – a creatively offbeat English husband and wife songwriting and musical duo based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) NZ. Following Lexytron’s genre-bending debut album Something Blue, lead singer Lexy slips into something more electronic on ‘Something New’, pairing an alternative pop rock style with sardonic wit, big choruses, and a painful honesty that has now become her trademark. The album was self-produced in Auckland and mixed and mastered by London producer Marco Meloni.

Harry Kappen is a musician, multi-instrumentalist, music therapist, and producer from the Netherlands. He released the second single, “Break these chains,” from his new album, Four, through MTS Records. His message is to break the ugly chains of fake news, lies, and misinformation.

On the heels of her sold-out arena performances on national and international television (ABC, ESPN, MAX/TNT) last month, her March 2025 feature interview in SPIN Magazine, and her previous single landing as a Rolling Stone Pick-Of-The-Week, Janita continues to garner mainstream success while defying conventions and breaking record-industry norms. Now, she releases the third and final stand-alone single “In Front Of Your Eyes” on April 3rd, from her forthcoming new record Mad Equation, out May 16th

“Escape The Shade” stands out as a motivational and inspirational anthem, exuding an energetic and free-spirited edge that resonates with listeners. The recording process for this original single was truly unique, as it was captured live at the Salinas Sports Stadium during the California Rodeo, with finishing touches added at Jesse’s studio, “The Sanctuary,” and “Cove City Sound Studios.”

Just few months after Electric High dropped their critically acclaimed debut album Colorful White Lies, there’s new music boiling over from Bergen’s high voltage rock collective. The new single, “Thick as Thieves”, struts with classic rock galore. Is it already the first glimpse of a new album we see on the horizon …?

Nick Bellerose is an indie folk singer/songwriter from Canada. He grew up in Montreal and lived around the world, serving his country as a diplomat. His songs are inspired by his experiences abroad, personal, heartbreaking stories, and losses. He created heartfelt songwriting with a unique sound, mixing smooth guitar, keys, synth, and vocal harmonies, which bring an easygoing, nostalgic, and authentic vibe.