introvertone more angel [a tribute to raul malo] – eric alexandrakis
The verdict
“eric alexandrakis transforms a raul malo classic into a joyous, full-hearted celebration of life and legacy”
'one more angel [a tribute to raul malo]' started as grief and became something brighter. eric alexandrakis spent months wrestling with this cover from malo's solo album lucky one, cycling through tempos and time signatures before landing on the truth: this shouldn't be melancholy, it should be a celebration. the full band arrangement opens up with warmth, layered contributions from collaborators giving the three-chord song real lift, and paul david hager's mixing brings it all home with clarity and punch. there's genuine affection in every note here, a tribute that honours the mavericks frontman's legacy by capturing what made his voice so beloved: joy. it's a lovely, heartfelt piece of work, offered freely to anyone else coping with loss.
eric alexandrakis is a greece-based artist with one of the more remarkable cvs in independent music. discovered by duran duran's john taylor, he produced the first digitally watermarked cd and has collaborated with john malkovich, david lynch, yoko ono, dolores o'riordan, and members of the cure, the smiths, and tom petty & the heartbreakers. a limited-edition vinyl of just 500 copies is coming soon, with all proceeds going to the american cancer society in raul malo's name. that gesture tells you everything about where this one came from. a beautiful song.
thank u for making this eric alexandrakis 🕊️
the worst of everything – delta fire
The verdict
“delta fire strip their sound to bass and drums for a stunning rock ballad that hits like a bruise”
'the worst of everything' is the fourth single from delta fire, and it marks a real shift in tone. where you might expect the glasgow four-piece to come in heavy, they pull back instead, building the whole track a restless, rock groove. it's a ballad of sorts, slow and deliberate, letting the rhythm pound in an almost tender way. there's a touch of britpop in the arrangement, giving the song a 90s tone that is borne out by the chorus. which really does kick off, in the best possible way.
delta fire are a four-piece alt-rock band forged in glasgow, drawing from a wide spread of influences, taking that 90s vibe, with a pinch of 60s blues, spinning it all into something distinctly their own. they've built a reputation for guitar fireworks and introspective lyricism, but this release shows they know when to hold back too. it's a smart move for a band still early in their catalogue, proving there's genuine range underneath the swagger. a great single, more of this please lads.
thank u for making this delta fire 🖤
king of nothing – moonarch
The verdict
“moonarch build a towering dystopian dark rock anthem where greed meets its hollow throne”
'king of nothing' is a bleak, stadium-sized warning shot. the track paints a world gutted by rulers too focused on power and progress to notice there's nothing left to rule - sounds familiar, right? - but with imagery of empty kingdoms and thrones presiding over dust. guitars, bass, drums and keyboards were tracked by the band themselves, with vocals captured at hannover's sae institute. the song came together fast, born from a spontaneous evening session between burau and harden before gjergo added lyrics that gave the whole thing its weight. the production is great, for a complex piece it never gets busy, and the chorus lands with real scale. it's commanding, epic and built to fill a room.
moonarch are a six-piece melodic dark rock band from hamburg, germany. frontman alessio gjergo anchors the sound, moving between warm low tones and soaring high outbursts that give them serious emotional range. the band layers stomping guitars against ethereal synth, choral vocals against melodic leads, balancing vulnerability with intensity. they've been releasing steadily since 2024 and building a live presence to match. that collaborative spirit shows in how tight 'king of nothing' sounds, every part serving the whole. a stunner.
thank u for making this moonarch 👑
song of reflection – water fire music
The verdict
“water fire music craft a potent anthem about carrying weight and finding light on the other side”
'song of reflection' arrives on 23rd september 2026 and it's built around a feeling rather than a story. the lyrics stay deliberately open, never pinning down exactly what kind of heartache they're describing. but god damn it's there. which gives the whole thing room to mean something different to whoever needs it. the production took shape across four countries, with musicians in costa rica, brazil, portugal and the united states each recording their parts without hearing what the others had done. best of all; it just sounds great. a warm, soft rock texture that meets indie folk in a careful, thoughtful way. and great harmonies too. it's a lovely piece.
water fire music is the project of richard jimenez and vincent euliano, a tampa, florida duo who first started playing together in high school. both went on to earn bachelor's and master's degrees from the university of south florida, where they learned how to shape music and lyrics into something cohesive. their writing leans toward hope even when the subject matter gets heavy, and that balance is what makes this one land. there's real craft in how they've kept the emotional core intact across such an unusual recording process. we love it.
thank u for making this water fire music 🌅
eleven one – fading signals
The verdict
“fading signals capture the terrifying joy of falling completely in love on a sweeping, danceable new wave stunner”
'eleven one' dropped at the start of the month, and it's a love song stripped of complication. the track is about that slightly terrifying moment when you realise you've fallen completely for someone and there's no turning back. musically, it moves fast, melodic and built for the dancefloor, with a sweeping synth line running through it that could have scored some strange late-'70s sci-fi film. underneath that cinematic wash, the rhythm section is tight, and the vocal is brilliantly evocative. four out of five members say it's the best thing on their debut album, which is good enough for me. it's a full-hearted, joyful alt-synth banger.
fading signals are a portland, oregon based alternative rock band built around five longtime friends spanning multiple generations. the lineup, jacqueline mae mendro on vocals and lyrics, scott calhoon on electric guitar, aliyah (arrow) faith burgess on keys, andrew gonzales on bass and zavier andrew gonzales on drums, draws from joy division, new order, depeche mode, skinny puppy and stevie nicks without settling into any one of those lanes. and it's from their debut full-length, metanoia, which we'll be checking out this week, cos this one's great.
thank u for making this fading signals 💜