introvertimprint – james crowley
The verdict
“james crowley wades into queer desire and family inheritance with a warmth that makes 'imprint' stun”
'imprint' is the title track from james crowley's new ep, and it sits right at the heart of what makes this record work. the song wrestles with how past relationships leave their mark on us. not the dramatic endings, but the other ways former lovers shape how we move through the world after. co-written with wolf alice's joel amey and produced by mike horner, there's a fullness to the arrangement that lets crowley's voice do the heavy lifting without ever feeling sparse. and the voice? wow. the production walks a line between indie folk intimacy and something with real pop reach, and that balance suits the subject matter. earlier singles from the ep picked up bbc radio 6 music, radio x and amazing radio, and you can hear why. it's tender, direct and beautifully put together.
james crowley is a london-based singer-songwriter whose writing centres queer identity with a candour indie folk doesn't always make room for. imprint, out 18 september via tripel records, follows his 2024 release play to win, which first connected him with producer mike horner and opened the door to working with joel amey. his vocal harmonies pull from folk tradition while reaching somewhere more immediate: think laura marling or big thief, but with a melodic sensibility that's entirely his. more please, james.
thank u for making this james crowley 🌿
secret child – stu hillstead
The verdict
“stu hillstead's 'secret child' is a tender folk meditation on the path of becoming, it's an ugly duckling story told with heart”
'secret child' opens gently, acoustic guitar and voice carrying a narrative about a child born into a world that doesn't yet recognise what he'll become. it's a coming-of-age story with a fairytale edge, the ugly duckling reimagined as something more grounded and human. the arrangement stays spare throughout, letting the lyrics do the heavy lifting, and they earn that space. hillstead's delivery is the standout here; all warm vibes without being precious, finding genuine and honest, emotional weight without overselling any of it. it really is a great vocal, and i love thefolk storytelling tradition running through the whole thing. it's warm, well-crafted and affecting.
stu hillstead is a singer-songwriter from hornchurch in essex, united kingdom, and he's built his approach around one central principle: the words come first. his catalogue moves across love songs, life observations and narrative pieces like this one, all held together by that lyric-forward philosophy. he describes himself as keeping alive the wandering troubadour persona, and you can hear it in how 'secret child' unfolds, unhurried and purposeful. there's a sense that he's got a song ready for whatever room he walks into. that versatility shows, and we love it.
thank u for making this stu hillstead 🪶