introvertdeal me in – large teenz
The verdict
“large teenz debut with 'deal me in', a hazy alt-country gem evoking beck chilling in a vegas casino”
'deal me in' opens with slow-burn melancholy that feels lifted from a smoky casino floor at 3am. the production leans into that sea change-era beck territory, my second fave beck era. it's all weary vocals and gently swaying instrumentation, but there's a wry humour running underneath it. lyrically it's an ode to las vegas, to the haze of the tables and the strange hope that keeps people pulling up a chair. it's drunk, it's acoustic but dark acoustic, not singer songwriter acoustic. best of all, there's real personality here. it's warm, woozy, and wonderfully irreverent.
large teenz is a new project from samuel huntington (sammy booii) and patrick manian, co-founders of mobile steam unit, the indie rock band turned audio branding agency. drawing from early aughts beck, kanye west, and vintage simon & garfunkel, the duo interrogates american life with mirth, dismay, and a healthy dose of irreverence. 'deal me in' is their debut single, and i'll be eagerly waiting the next one. a banger.
thank u for making this large teenz 🎰
heels – lj and the ray band
The verdict
“lj and the ray band deliver a funk-fuelled disco gem that earns every bit of its dancefloor confidence”
'heels' opens with a groove that knows exactly what it's doing. the production pulls from classic funk and disco without ever feeling backward looking, instead opting for an irresistible rhythm and a warm, soulful vocal. there's a confidence running through the whole thing, and the track has already hit number 16 on the music week commercial pop chart. broken color called it 'built on vibrant disco grooves, classic funk influences and an uplifting message', and that's about right. it's a track about letting go, finding freedom, feeling good in your own skin. it's a joyful, polished stunner.
lj and the ray band are a uk collective fronted by singer, songwriter and producer lloyd garrett, based out of saffron walden, england. before forming the band, lloyd worked alongside and shared stages with sting, eric clapton, all saints, the brand new heavies, luciano pavarotti and m people. that's a cv that explains where this level of polish comes from. they're drawing from jamiroquai, nile rodgers, jungle and silk sonic, but the sound is very much their own. the mission statement is simple: bring the funk back. on this evidence, they're definitely making good on it.
thank u for making this lj and the ray band 🪩
we're much better people now – michael waters
The verdict
“michael waters crafts a wonderfully tender acoustic folk ballad where regret and redemption find their footing in gentle melody”
'we're much better people now' opens with a warmth that settles in slowly, acoustic guitar and voice carrying the weight of experience. it's a song about mistakes made and the growth that follows. there's a warm, crooner feel to this one; a lovely gentle sentimentality, with a strong emotional core. lyrically, it threads regret through to something hopeful without forcing the resolution. following a string of globally successful singles earlier this year, this one feels like a natural step inward. confident. it's a reflective, heartfelt acoustic ballad that earns its emotional weight.
michael waters is a gravesend, england based singer-songwriter working across adult contemporary, soft rock and indie ballad territory. after making songwriting his central focus, he began recording with world-class musicians in new york in late 2025. 'a baby of my own', performed by kacey greene, spent ten weeks on the world indie music chart peaking at number 12, while 'the boy who really loved you' reached number 4. that's serious momentum, and this record suggests where he shines brightest.
thank u for making this michael waters 🍂
tokyo rose – fierce friend
The verdict
“fierce friend builds 'tokyo rose' from delicate piano into a dense, unsettling meditation on signals lost”
'tokyo rose' begins in stillness, sparse piano figures interlocking beneath an intimate vocal that holds you close before the floor shifts. the song takes the disappearance of amelia earhart in 1937 as its anchor, drawing on the strange aftermath of unanswered signals and phantom transmissions that followed. there's a lovely whirly kinda indie here, an almost super furries-esque vocal and a compelling searching for meaning in static, of interference mistaken for contact. it's twist and turns gradually reveal a striking, deliberately unsettling piece of work.
fierce friend is the solo project of brighton-based diy songwriter and multi-instrumentalist alan grice. his debut album lies that comfort you picked up bbc radio 6 music airplay in 2018, with stuart maconie calling it 'a great sophistipop record.' the forthcoming album blood red hills & the uncanny valley arrives this autumn, with both earlier singles landing bbc radio support. grice has spent years in brighton's indie and art-pop scene as collaborator and writer, and we're very glad we found him our magical mystery musical postbag. a beauty.
thank u for making this fierce friend 📡
good samaritans – harry kappen
The verdict
“harry kappen delivers a firm, bowie-touched rock anthem celebrating the unsung heroes who step up when it matters”
'good samaritans' opens with an energy that announces itself immediately. it's a rock song with real muscle, built around a tribute to the people who help without fanfare, who act out of compassion while the rest of us stand around wondering what to do. the track draws from bowie's playbook, and that influence lands well here, giving the song a theatrical edge without tipping into pastiche. mexican singer danna gomez lifts the choruses with warmth, and the whole thing moves beautifully. it's the second single from 'after the crossing', following 'distant shore', and both sit on an album harry wrote after relocating from the netherlands to mexico. he performs, sings and produces everything himself, and that control shows in how tight this sounds. it's an energetic, heartfelt tribute.
harry kappen was born in groningen, netherlands, and spent years playing in rock bands across stages and studios nationally and internationally. he trained as a music therapist, working in youth care for over twenty years while teaching on an international master's programme. 'after the crossing' is his fifth album since covid, and the recognition has followed: elite music awards for songwriter and musician of the year, plus an issa silver for album of the year. he's currently rehearsing with a new mexican backing band. and we hope we can announce some live dates soon.
thank u for making this harry kappen 🤝