today’s rock picks move through blues-rock heat, stadium-sized reflection, grungy emotional chaos and heavy queer alt-rock release. these four tracks bring desire, struggle, delusion and time into bold, guitar-led focus.
wildfire – beau veldkamp
beau veldkamp turns desire into a stunning, striking blend of raw, fiery blues-rock
wildfire is a raw blues-rock track with country edges, gritty vocals and a live-band heat that feels impossible to tame. built around feminine power, desire and untamable attraction, it glides along with a groove and a half, but also a lovely sensual tension and a rootsy force that gives every line a grounded emotional charge. by the time the organs and the brass are in, i’m fully sold and i’m wondering when we can catch this live.
beau veldkamp is a dutch singer and songwriter known for a soulful, storytelling-led sound that moves between english, dutch and drèents. her music blends blues, soul and roots influences with a raw emotional edge, always performed with presence and feeling. taken from her upcoming album limerence, this release explores lust, obsession and the fire that takes over before anyone can control it. it’s got bags of character, and we’re excited to share this banger with you today.
thank u for making this beau veldkamp 🔥
down on the river – neil valmonte
neil valmonte brings stadium-sized hope into a reflective rock anthem
down on the river is an anthemic rock track built for big voices, wide rooms and the feeling of everyone joining in at once. it starts from introspection, but the soaring arrangement turns struggle into something communal, carrying positivity through a sound inspired by classic arena rock scale.
neil valmonte is a solo producer, songwriter and musician from westport, working independently from his basement studio. the song began as an acoustic guitar and vocal idea recorded on a phone before growing into a fuller production shaped by live instrumentation and ai-assisted vocal treatment. inspired by the participatory spirit of queen, metallica and 80s and 90s stadium shows, it feels like a hopeful call for listeners to step into the moment together.
thank u for making this neil valmonte 🌊
car crash – pressuremaps
pressuremaps turn delusional love into a grungy, crashing rock anthem
car crash is a grungy alternative rock track driven by distorted guitars, melodic basslines, dynamic drums and sensitive vocals. it starts with soft, almost church-like vocals and a plucky guitar part before the full band hits with force, pushing the chorus into an anthem about emotional speed and impact.
pressuremaps are a brisbane/meanjin band blending alternative rock, alternative pop and grunge into a raw but melodic identity. inspired by a real close call while driving, this release turns that moment of tension into a wider story about love, delusion and losing control. it builds like a chase, ending in the kind of crash and burn that makes the metaphor hit hard.
thank u for making this pressuremaps 🚗
everything goes – holylight
holylight make time, rest and surrender feel colossal
everything goes is a heavy yet ethereal alt-rock track with grungy guitar weight, infectious drums, sparkling synths and a deep sense of release. it captures the strange calm of accepting that time keeps moving, turning the pressure of a fast world into something flowing, emotional and huge.
holylight is the dublin-based queer alt-rock project of alex rosenberger, songwriter, producer, frontperson and multi-instrumentalist, joined by eden matthews, sarah dexter and nathan o’maoilearca. born from the cruelty and kindness of time passing, the song leans into the idea of floating with the current rather than fighting it. with 90s grunge-gaze energy and candid lyricism, it feels sincere, expansive and completely alive.
thank u for making this holylight 🌙
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