Composed of Irish duo DJs Ian Ball and David “Not the Talking Heads guy” Byrne, The Dirtbirdz are launching the WYTE LBL label with their powerful Warcrimes EP.
Starting with the bumping, thumping, and slightly terrifying “Death March,” the duo mix one of Rudyard Kipling‘s most famous poems (“Boots”) with swirling synths and thudding bass and drums to excellent effect. “Air Raid” uses synths to mimic sirens. “Surgical Strike” has a relentless beat that feels like it’s broken up now and then with synth pulses, but it really isn’t.
The drums of “Extraction” are pure jungle beats with sizzling hi-hat and slick vocal sounds added in for good measure. The EP ends with the peppy, hypnotic “Retrograde” to keep you dancing until the sudden fade out that’s like the sun coming up over the horizon as you wrap up the rooftop party.
Take a jazz guitarist (Diego Barber) and a jazz percussionist (Alejandro Coello) who have had a long interest in electronic music, put them in the guitarist’s home studio, let them go nuts, and you get MAMBEC and their first EP 846 KM2.
The EP is four tracks of cool as ice electro and house music. “MBC 21” calls for us to “dance all night and dance all day.” I mean, what better response in this batshit crazy world right now? The bumping beats and skronky synths sure help. “MBC 24” starts off with hi-hat work so sizzling that it sounds like Coello might be frying eggs on it. Then come the symphonic synths to make the track sound like a mysterious scene in a sci-fi film.
“MBC 25” continues the sci-fi thrills, bumping up the beats per minute in case you need a chase scene, and the use of vocals on it would make Moby envious. Finally, “MBC 26” ends the EP with thumping bass to keep your hips moving while metallic industrial sounds create a weird, funky beat mix to keep your attention.
It’s a solid EP, making you wonder, “Where are MBC 1-20? And 22 and 23?” You’ll want them all.
I, for one, did not have “krautrock-psych banjo record” on my bingo list this year. Nor did I expect such a record to be one of the best records I’ve heard in 2026 so far.
Allison de Groot (an award-winning clawhammer banjo player) and Rich Ruth’s (a. multi-instrumentalist and producer of minimalist, ambient, and synthwave) self-titled album is lovely, trippy, and mesmerizing. As the story goes, Ruth was going to produce a solo album for de Groot, but the two of them began composing together not long after the recording process started.
Lead single and track “Nervion” immediately lets you know this won’t be a folk record or a bluegrass record. It’s something otherworldly. Heck, “New Intervention” could be an alien transmission for all I know. de Groot’s banjo often sounds like a harp while Ruth creates soundscapes around her like what a robot farmer might listen to upon booting up and drinking a hot cup of machine oil before tending to the chickens. “Bass Crust” and “10-14” have some traditional banjo work in them, but also lots of weird synth sounds and motorik beats (and screams?) to increase the fascination.
Birdsong blends with banjo on “Distance from Then” for the first minute or so and then the tracks expands (blooms?) into a floating, sometimes playful ambient track that shifts your perception. “Sorgin” is straight-up synthwave, and I’m all here for it. You’ll hear de Groot “shredding” on “Rocks from the Moon” as he puts down a hypnotic rhythm and Ruth’s synths and guitar become swirling mist around her.
The closing track, “A Wizard and a Stork,” not only has the coolest name of all the tracks (It sounds like something The Sword might have come up with one night while playing D&D.), it also has the most expansive sound on the album. It grows with each chord, emerging like a sunrise.
It’s a fascinating record and one that I’ll probably give to at least a couple people for Christmas this year. Don’t miss it.
Hailing from Ukraine, Nana Koloda and Sayhelooo (AKA Dymtro Snizhko) bring a neat approach to electronic dance music. Koloda is a dancer, DJ, and composer who approaches EDM with the mind of a performer. Sayhelooo is a composer and producer who specializes in music for film, commercials, and other media. The two of them combine their super powers to create an uplifting EP appropriately titled Lift Him Up.
You’re know you’re in for a good time with the first bass beats of the opening title track. The gospel choir chorus and the bumping synths practically levitate you to the dance floor. The extended mix of it is just as good, stretching out your sweaty dance session a bit longer.
The remaining three songs on the EP are also extended mixes. First up is “Krakatoa,” named after the infamous volcano. It bubbles and flows like lava until Koloda says, “The eruption is coming. Proceed to the dance floor.” and alarm klaxons sound. The song then slowly builds, keeping you waiting for the explosion. “Zozulia” sounds like a lost trance classic, and “Gandara” is thick with bass and wicked beats.
It’s a solid EP from a duo who are probably going to do a lot more sharp work. Get on board now and say you were there for the beginning.
As the story goes, Ed O’Brien had just released his first solo album, Earth, in 2020 and then the world shut down. He was barely able to promote it and then, like all of us, had to enter a period of isolation. Having that time alone, even while with his family, gave him time to brood, which led to a dark depression and a cataloguing of ideas that he kept for four years until he was able to take time away from being Radiohead‘s guitarist to write and record his excellent second solo album – Blue Morpho.
The album is named after a butterfly, and O’Brien does indeed spread his wings and transform across the album’s length. “Incantation” starts off the record with psychedelic folk flavor with O’Brien’s guitar sounding like it’s melting at one point. The title track unfurls like the titular butterfly enjoying the sun for the first time, and O’Brien did find a reconnection with nature while writing the album in Wales and spending a lot of time in the woods. The soft vocals of “Sweet Spot” reveal O’Brien’s vulnerability as he felt the world shifting around him (and the rest of us) and wasn’t sure what, if anything, to do about it.
The groove of “Teachers” is outstanding, reminding me a bit of Boz Scaggs‘ stuff. O’Brien has acknowledged that he wasn’t so much interested in rock on Blue Morpho as he was jazz and trip-hop. “Midway through life, I just lost my way,” he admits. Dude, been there. Also, O’Brien’s solo absolutely shreds on this track.
“Solfeggio” is an instrumental drone track that makes me think O’Brien was trying to capture the fuzz in his mind as he tried to wrangle all the thoughts he was putting to paper, and “Thin Places” is another instrumental that’s calmer and meditative…as if O’Brien found that the best way to wrangle all those thoughts was to set them free to land where they wanted and not grasp them so hard (if at all).
The album ends with the nearly ten-minute “Obrigado.” “Sunny days are awaiting me,” O’Brien sings, and you believe him. We can all have those sunny days where “every day’s a symphony” if we allow them to happen. The song is bright, lush, and brilliant.
The cover image of Tokyo Tea Room‘s new album, Feel Forever, is, if you ask me, perfect for the sound of the record. You might look at it and think, “It’s just a photo of crumbled aluminum foil.”, but after you hear the dreamy, soulful psych-pop of Feel Forever, you think, “Oh yeah, I get it.”
Sam Teather‘s opening drum roll of “Hypnotised” is a perfect start to pretty much a perfect record. Beth Plumb‘s vocal style is like hearing dandelion seeds floating on summer winds, and the rest of the band (guitarist / producer / songwriter / jack-of-all-trades Dan Elliott and bassist Ben Marshall) groove like they’ve been doing it since the mid-80s. “Eyes Off You” is a love song you’ll put on every mix you’ll send to a lover from now until the end of time. “Leave You” has Plumb wanting to stay with a lover a bit longer because returning to the rat race is just…so…boring.
“All Night” continues this theme (with a shimmering groove) of wanting to extend the joy just another night more instead of calling it quits. The slow, smooth sound of “Feeling High” is great, with Teather putting down tight, simple jazz beats and Elliott’s synths and keys acting as icing on Plumb’s vocal cake. Marshall shines on “Always in the Sun” as his bass dances along like a happy cat and the band shows off their love of soul.
Elliott’s guitar on “You’re Mine” moves from desert rock to jazz with ease. “Temporary Love” has Plumb wanting a one-night stand to become a several-night stand at least, and “Last Time” has her wanting to seize the moment with a lover before its over and they go their separate ways. “Slip Away” floats us to bed as Plumb encourages us to “Stay inside, the world outside can wait.”
Getting back to the cover image, Feel Forever is as shimmery and reflective as the pictured aluminum. It’s also just as tactile and malleable. You feel it when you hear it as it wraps around and forms to you.
In September, Adult DVD will be releasing their self-titled debut LP on Fat Possum Records. The Leeds-based sextet have become one of the most talked-about live bands in the UK over the last couple of years, playing festivals like Glastonbury, Green Man, End Of The Road, on the strength of their early EPs. Their momentum has continued gathering behind the band since the announce of their signing to Fat Possum, with the band making their US debut at SXSW earlier this year where they were hailed as one of the best bands of the festival. The band followed that up by touring Japan where they were greeted by fans in homemade Adult DVD merch, played a series of sold-out shows and saw posts about their performances go viral with millions of views.
The band announced their record with the single “Cowboy On Aisle Three” last month, that Stereogum described as “a deranged banger….[that] explodes with DFA-indebted infectiousness.” Today, Adult DVD are back to share a new preview of the album, a track called “Rolling Face,” an acid house exploration of a wild night out that ends with its main character out of his mind.
Singer Harry Hanson says of the track: “A job in a suit can only get you so far, which is what the character from rolling face soon realizes, he’s at the deep end of a pretty ugly night out, which ends in him losing his mind and money.”
In the making of their exhilarating debut album, vocalist Harry Hanson and synth-player Greg Lonsdale, alongside Danny Blackburn (guitar/synth), Jake Williams (synth), Jonathan Newell (drums), and George Manson (bass), went harder on what was already working for them: witty observational songwriting based in real-life characters and a pulsating synth-punk sound perfect for both the rave and the mosh pit. Fusing together an intense musical workout with depictions of a motley crew of figures ranging from 5G conspiracy theorists to an existential cowboy, Adult DVD is the electrifying sound of a band exceeding their own expectations while going just as hard, if not harder than their adrenaline-fueled live shows.
Produced by the band at The Nave Studios Leeds , the general theme of the album is to let go and take life a little less seriously. Simmering with boredom, wasted time, scams and a preoccupation with death and sex, the Adult DVD universe is a place to escape to and also get lost. These are songs that untangle the complicated ways in which people find themselves living, mining both laughter and energy from thinking. “There isn’t that much down time on the album,” Hanson says in reference to its pulsating energy and high BPM count. “It’s got harder in both directions. It’s like the EPs but on steroids.”
Margate, UK’s Tokyo Tea Room release “Always In The Sun,” the third single from their new album, Feel Forever, out September 18th via Nice Guys. Following the “slinky, funky” (Brooklyn Vegan) “All Night,” “Always In The Sun” has future live favorite written all over it, evoking Random Access Memories-era Daft Punk with its fluid funk guitar, swaggering bass and shimmering synths. Vocalist BethDunn sings about a love so intense and radiant that it completely transforms her life. Almost utopian in spirit, “Always In The Sun” captures all of love’s joys.
Tokyo Tea Room— Dunn, Daniel James Elliott, Ben Marshall, Sam Teather, and Sam Ewens—is a timeless project whose message transcends the music itself. The band arouses passions and emotions, taking listeners on a journey within a tender, comforting bubble. Their debut album, No Rush, established them as one of the most compelling emerging acts in alternative music, resonating with a growing global audience. With millions of monthly listeners and a sold-out debut North American tour, the band are rapidly building momentum, particularly in the US, where their audience continues to expand. With Feel Forever, Tokyo Tea Room are entering a defining new chapter, evolving their sound while staying rooted in the emotional depth that defines their work.
Feel Forever was written and produced by Elliott with co-production by Kristofer Harris, marking the first time Elliot worked with a producer. Of the recording process, Elliot says, “We took a yacht rock approach to the recording, taking our time to smooth all the edges and make something that felt more polished than the last record. Both of us spent hours obsessing over the smallest detail, which felt very apt for this album. The result is something that we are all very proud of, it’s a different kind of Tokyo Tea Room that has come out the other side of it, but it feels right and I hope people enjoy listening.”
Tokyo Tea Room will return to North America this fall touring in support of forthcoming new music. A full list of dates are below and tickets are on sale now here.
Tokyo Tea Room Tour Dates: Thu. Sep 24 – Vancouver – Hollywood Theatre Sat. Sep 26 – Seattle WA – Neumos Mon. Sep 28 – San Francisco CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club Wed. Sep 30 – Los Angeles CA – Teragram Ballroom (SOLD OUT) Thu. Oct. 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Fri. Oct 2 – San Diego CA – Quartyard Sat. Oct 3 – Tucson AZ – Club Congress Mon. Oct 5 – Austin TX – 29th St. Ballroom Tue. Oct 6 – Houston TX – White Oak Music Hall Wed. Oct 7 – Dallas TX – Club Dada (indoors) Fri. Oct 9 – Atlanta GA – Terminal West Sat. Oct 10 – Durham NC – Motorco Music Hall Sun. Oct 11 – Washington DC – The Atlantis Tue. Oct 13 – Brooklyn NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg Wed. Oct 14 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom Thu. Oct 15 – Boston MA – The Sinclair Fri. Oct 16 – Montreal QB – Bar le Ritz Sat. Oct 17 – Toronto ON – Mod Club Mon. Oct 19 – Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall Sat. Oct. 31 – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling Festival Sun. Nov. 1 – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtwache Mon. Nov. 2 – Berlin, DE @ Mikropol Wed. Nov. 4 – Cologne, DE @ Yard Club Thu. Nov. 5 – Paris, FR @ Bellevilloise Thu. Nov. 19 – Brighton, UK @ Dust Fri. Nov. 20 – Southampton, UK @ The Joiners Sat. Nov. 21 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange Sun. Nov. 22 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tue. Nov. 24 – Glasgow, UK @ Mono Wed. Nov. 25 – Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club Thu. Nov. 26 – Nottingham, UK @ Bodega Wed. Dec. 2 – London, UK @ The Garage
Keep your mind open.
[I’ll feel like I’m always in the sun if you subscribe.]
MAQUINA. (João Cavalhiero – guitars and effects, Halison Peres – drums and vocals, and José “Mendy” Rego – bass) took more time to craft their second album, Body Transmission, than their debut album (Prata, which more more focused on improvisation), but that only means they had plenty of opportunities to make sure it would be relentless.
The opening riffs and beats of “dança” (with Dame Area helping on vocals) are your passcode to the dance floor and also the lock on the door as it closes behind you, because you won’t be leaving for a while. “4-to-the-floor” has Cavalhiero chugging out near-metal riffs while Peres’ vocals take on gritty, distorted, growling menace.
Already feeling tired from the dancing? No worries, because “collapsing” will keep you from doing just that with its wild vocals, chainsaw guitars, and driving bass line. Rego’s bass on “agony” is designed to push you through the aches and dehydration of all the dance floor aerobics…because we’re not even halfway through the album. Cavalhiero’s guitar work on “bizarro” sounds like a sawmill full of hornets.
The short instrumental “valve” gives you just enough time to chug a small bottle of water before the great-for-grinding (either hunks of metal on a stone or bodies on bodies) “simulation.” Then, is it just me or do the opening drums of “step on me” reveal Peres’ love of ZZ Top‘s Billy Beard? Rego’s bass on it is perhaps his grooviest of the whole album.
Peres shouts / roars his vocals through “out of fear” to encourage us to shake off our fears through action (in this case, dancing). The album ends with “pressure / pleasure,” a sweaty, sizzling, throbbing dance-punk track to leave you exhausted and a bit euphoric.
Body Transmission is another winner from MAQUINA. The album’s title fits, as the songs feel like they’re being directly transmitted to and through your body from them. The way it makes you move transmits signals from your body to others, which repeats the process throughout the room, club, bus station, or wherever you are.
Keep your mind open.
[Transmit your e-mail address to the subscription box.]
Today, Adult DVD are announcing their hugely anticipated self-titled debut album which will be released September 25th on Fat Possum Records. The Leeds-based sextet have carved a niche as one of the most talked-about live bands in the country and an irreverent new voice existing in the space between electronic euphoria and spiky hardcore energy.
Both unique in their approach and thrilling in impact, the band’s music has been shown love by Stereogum, Rolling Stone and The Line of Best Fit among others. Their breakout moment came with the single “Bill Murray,” an incessantly catchy distillation of people on the internet believing Tom Hanks and Bill Murray are the same person. More recently, the glitchy and anthemic “Real Tree Lee” was an A-list record at BBC 6Music and had support from BBC Radio 1.
At both Brighton’s The Great Escape and SXSW in Austin this year the band were championed as one of the buzziest acts of the festival with snaking queues of people waiting hours to see them perform . A relentless touring schedule in 2025 saw them hone their status as festival headliners in waiting, picking up a global army of new fans and playing to huge crowds at Glastonbury, Green Man, End Of The Road and more. The band recently toured Japan where they were greeted by fans in homemade Adult DVD merch, played a series of sold-out shows and saw posts about their performances go viral with millions of views.
To announce their debut, the band are sharing a new single entitled “Cowboy On Aisle Three.”
In the making of their exhilarating debut album, vocalist Harry Hanson and synth-player Greg Lonsdale, alongside Danny Blackburn (guitar/synth), Jake Williams (synth), Jonathan Newell (drums), and George Manson (bass), went harder on what was already working for them: witty observational songwriting based in real-life characters and a pulsating synth-punk sound perfect for both the rave and the mosh pit. Fusing together an intense musical workout with depictions of a motley crew of figures ranging from 5G conspiracy theorists to an existential cowboy, Adult DVD is the electrifying sound of a band exceeding their own expectations while going just as hard, if not harder than their adrenaline-fuelled live shows.
On Adult DVD Hanson and Lonsdale continue to take a screenwriter’s approach to songwriting, filling their lyrics with stories pulled from the outskirts of society yet painting a vivid and comic picture of modern Britain. “We don’t take things too seriously,” Lonsdale explains. “The lyrics have got sillier, the songs have got sillier. We make music for people to enjoy, so let them have a laugh.”
Produced by the band at The Nave Studios Leeds , the general theme of the album is to let go and take life a little less seriously. “Cowboy On Aisle Three” conjures an image of a wrangler swapping the rodeo for a supermarket over a swaggering synth riff . It’s an EQ-pushing beast that merges an existential crisis with the band’s playful spirit and relentless pursuit of bangers.
Speaking on the new single, the band’s frontman Harry Hanson says:
“I came up with the idea when I was in Lidl. I’m sure everyone has thought, ‘Imagine if I just went nuts now,’ to get out of doing the big shop.”
