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BRIT-Nominated Soul Force Joy Crookes Brings Her “Juniper Tour” to North America This Spring

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Joy Crookes is having a landmark year, and the North American leg of her Juniper Tour makes it official. The BRIT and Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter brings her sophomore album ‘Juniper’ to intimate headline venues across the US and Canada this spring, alongside a run of arena dates as direct support to Lewis Capaldi. For fans who want to experience one of contemporary music’s most compelling voices up close, the headline shows are the ones to catch. Listen to the album here.

‘Juniper’ has already earned the kind of press that most artists only dream about. Rolling Stone UK called it “urgent commotions of layered instrumentation, heartfelt soul-pop lyricism with sprinkles of dry wit and her timeless, bluesy vocals that powerfully intertwine the personal with the political.” The Guardian praised it as “impressively fresh and individual.” Wonderland called Crookes “the most charismatic name in UK soul.” The album explores love, loss, identity, and resilience with a depth and sonic ambition that builds meaningfully on her debut, ‘Skin.’

Crookes arrives in North America off the back of a remarkable 2025. She was named War Child’s newest music ambassador, wrapped an acclaimed European tour, and curated a Tate Late at London’s Tate Modern, performing inside Do Ho Suh’s Walk The House exhibition. That kind of breadth, activist, curator, performer, is what sets Crookes apart from the field. She’s not just making music. She’s building a body of work with real cultural weight.

The headline dates put Crookes in rooms where her voice and songwriting can do exactly what they do best. Sets will draw from ‘Juniper’ alongside beloved tracks from ‘Skin,’ delivering a full picture of an artist in full creative command. The Capaldi arena dates extend that reach considerably, with stops at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and the Hollywood Bowl among the highlights.

2026 North American Tour Dates:

April 21 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre*

April 23 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena*

April 24 – Chicago, IL – Park West

April 25 – Chicago, IL – United Center*

April 28 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre*

May 2 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl*

May 3 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre*

May 5 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom

May 6 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena*

May 7 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile

*Direct support for Lewis Capaldi

Metal and Hip-Hop Fusion Act UnityTX Drop Club-Ready Single “Body Roc” From Sophomore Album

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UnityTX are making their move. The metal and hip-hop fusion outfit have released “Body Roc,” a club-ready single from their sophomore album ‘Somewhere, In Between…,’ out now via Pure Noise Records. Frontman Jay Webster, known as SHAOLIN G, keeps the mission simple and direct: “Catch the rhythm and get lost in the ROC.” On the evidence of this track, that’s not a hard sell.

UnityTX have built their reputation on colliding worlds that aren’t supposed to fit together, and ‘Somewhere, In Between…’ leans into that tension fully. “Body Roc” sits at the danceable end of that spectrum, a track that brings the rhythmic energy of hip-hop into a harder-edged sonic landscape without losing either quality in the process. It’s the kind of single that opens a door into a wider record worth exploring.

The band completed a full month-long US tour supporting Varials earlier this spring, hitting major markets including Chicago, Denver, Anaheim, Dallas, Atlanta, Baltimore, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia among many others. That kind of road time sharpens a band, and UnityTX went into it with an album worth championing every night.

Electronic Powerhouse Alesso and Pendulum Unite on Euphoric New Single “FADE”

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Alesso has opened 2026 with a statement, and “FADE” is exactly that. The collaboration with Australian electronic rock band Pendulum is out now, a hauntingly euphoric electro-ballad that brings together Alesso’s colossal drops and Rob Swire’s unmistakable vocals into something that feels genuinely timeless. This is the kind of track that reminds you why both artists have the fanbases they do.

The chemistry between Alesso and Pendulum is immediate and earned. “I’ve known Rob and Pendulum for many years, and they’ve held such a special sound,” Alesso says. “Rob’s voice is so unique that it can really bring a track to life. Working on FADE with them was amazing.” That enthusiasm translates directly into the music, a track that entwines rock and electronic without compromising either, letting both artists’ individuality shine while building something larger than either could have made alone.

“FADE” arrives on the heels of an already busy year for Alesso, who made appearances at Milan Fashion Week and headlined X Games Aspen earlier in 2026. The single now sets the tone for his biggest move yet, a first-ever US headline tour kicking off this April at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, with stops in San Francisco and Los Angeles before a closing night in New York City. For an artist cementing his place as a genuine household name in electronic music, a Red Rocks headline is exactly the right stage.

“FADE” is out now, and Alesso’s first-ever US headline tour is on sale now.

Newcastle Alt-Rock Brothers The Pale White Deliver Their Sharpest Record Yet With ‘Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century’

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The Pale White are back, and ‘Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century’ is the record they’ve been building toward. Newcastle brothers Adam and Jack Hope return with their third studio album, a full-length that blends the anthemic punch of classic rock with the urgency and edge of modern alternative. Louder, sharper, and more defiant than anything they’ve done before, this is a band fully in command of their own sound and fully aware of what they want to say with it. Listen here.

Lead single “Absolute Cinema” arrives as a love letter to cinema culture and everything the big screen used to mean. “When we were kids in the mid-2000s, ‘going to the pictures’ with a tenner would get you your film ticket, fast food, and the bus fare home,” frontman Adam Hope explains. The song pays homage to filmmakers including Martin Scorsese, and to the communal experience of watching a film in a packed theatre, something that now feels increasingly rare. It’s a track with genuine warmth and a sharp cultural point, and it lands both.

The album title itself is a statement. As Adam puts it, technology is accelerating while human connection quietly atrophies. “We humans have now in fact become the inanimate objects, mannequins.” Written and recorded back home in the northeast, the Hope brothers embraced complete creative control after learning on their sophomore LP ‘The Big Sad’ that going home and being themselves produced their best work. That instinct has paid off again, dramatically.

‘Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century’ positions itself as the evil twin of ‘The Big Sad,’ its louder, faster, more confrontational counterpart. Where the second album turned inward and melancholic, this one faces outward and accelerates. Across eleven tracks the band moves through anthemic rock, urgent alternative energy, and moments of genuine melodic weight, a record that earns every second of its runtime.

The Pale White have been one of the northeast’s most compelling acts since their self-titled debut, and this third album raises the stakes considerably. ‘Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century’ is out now, with a Bearded Theory Festival appearance still to come this spring.

‘Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century’ Tracklist:

Moth in the Headlights

Float Away

Göbekli Tepe

Absolute Cinema

Oh Brother

Medusa

Carpe Diem

Mannequin

This Fascination

Disappoint Me

All I Have To Do Is Dream

2026 Live Dates:

May 23 – Bearded Theory Festival

Angine de Poitrine Bring “Sarniezz” to Life in a Stunning Télé-Québec Performance

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Angine de Poitrine have delivered something genuinely extraordinary with their performance of “Sarniezz” in Saguenay, captured for Télé-Québec’s FAB series and directed by Jean-Marc E. Roy. The Quebec duo performed the track in the landscapes of their home region, and the result is exactly what their growing global fanbase has come to expect: a baroque sonic carnival, part trance, part storm, part something that has no name yet. The KEXP full performance video has already racked up 11 million views, Scott’s Bass Lessons and Jazz Musician React channels are losing their minds over the band’s musicality, and commenters from Indonesia to Eastern Europe are reporting full-blown obsession. Angine de Poitrine aren’t just a band worth watching. They’re becoming a phenomenon.






Irish Nu-Metalcore Force Following The Signs Deliver a Rallying Cry on EP ‘Evolve’

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Following The Signs have been building toward this moment since forming in Cork in 2018, and ‘Evolve’ delivers on every promise they’ve made along the way. The Irish nu-metalcore outfit’s new EP is out now, five tracks of crushing metalcore, nu-metal groove, and progressive muscle that position the band as one of modern heavy music’s most purposeful rising forces. This isn’t aggression for its own sake. There’s a message running through every breakdown.

Lead single “Call To Rise” sets the tone immediately. Written as a rallying cry for those living under oppression, whether imposed by individuals, systems, or governments, the track operates on two complementary levels simultaneously. One frames humanity’s struggle to survive in a hostile world. The other reflects the growing unrest of modern society, where corruption and the erosion of freedom point toward inevitable confrontation. Punishing riffs, towering breakdowns, and searing vocals are balanced by atmospheric passages that mirror both the fury and the determination at the song’s core.

‘Evolve’ builds on the foundation laid by debut album ‘Conflictions’ and singles including “Birthright” and “Stand Tall,” pushing into sharper and more ambitious territory. The EP expands on themes of societal pressure, survival, and rebellion with a focus and urgency that feels earned rather than performed. Following The Signs aren’t reaching for relevance. They’re writing from the middle of the realities they’re describing.

Their growing international footprint backs up the momentum. Recent shows in Warsaw and Kraków, Poland, saw the band perform to their largest audiences yet, a clear signal that their reach is extending well beyond the Irish scene. Five members, one direction, and a sound that resonates across borders. ‘Evolve’ is out now.

‘Evolve’ Tracklist:

Stuck In Place

Call To Rise

Break The Frame

Evolve

Infectious

Theatrical Rock Duo HeyBobby! Build a Complete Cinematic Universe With Debut Album ‘The Unclouding of Otilla Vanilla’

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HeyBobby! have arrived with something genuinely ambitious. ‘The Unclouding of Otilla Vanilla’ is out now, a 12-track rock opera from the duo of Gina Del Vecchio and Bobby Peek that introduces a bold new voice in rock storytelling. This isn’t an album that sits quietly in a playlist. It builds a world, populates it with fully realised characters, and invites listeners to step inside completely. Listen here.

The narrative at the centre of the album is compelling and uncomfortably familiar. Otilla Vanilla is a young singer searching for meaning and identity within an industry built on dreams. When she attracts the attention of the powerful Vivienne St. Clair, known as “Big Shooter,” the line between empowerment and exploitation begins to blur fast. What will she sacrifice to be seen? It’s a question the album keeps asking, and never answers too easily.

Each of the twelve tracks pairs with a corresponding visual episode, combining AI-driven imagery with traditional artistic design to extend the narrative beyond sound. HeyBobby! are upfront about their use of artistic artificial intelligence in the visuals, framing it not as a shortcut but as a genuine creative tool, one that expands what rock narrative can be in a modern multimedia landscape. Broken 8 called it “a seamless collision of traditional rock craftsmanship and cutting-edge visual storytelling.” The Further described it as “a complete multimedia universe where rock and theater converge.” Both descriptions land accurately.

At its core, ‘The Unclouding of Otilla Vanilla’ is built on real instruments, real voices, and real emotion. The cinematic arrangements and richly layered songwriting give the album its weight, while the episodic visual component gives it its reach. Together they form something that operates well beyond the boundaries of a standard rock debut.

HeyBobby! have positioned themselves at the intersection of rock, theatre, and cinematic storytelling with total commitment. ‘The Unclouding of Otilla Vanilla’ is out now, and the universe it creates is worth exploring in full.

Isle of Wight Indie Trio Ugly Ozo Confront Burnout and Depression Head-On With New Single “hi, how are you?”

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Ugly Ozo don’t make comfortable music, and “hi, how are you?” isn’t a comfortable single. Out now via REX RECS, the new track from Jessica Baker and her Isle of Wight trio confronts depression and emotional exhaustion with the kind of directness that only comes from writing through genuine pain. Formed just a year ago, ugly ozo are already operating at a level that most emerging acts take years to reach. Listen here.

Baker wrote the single during a period of burnout, when daily life had flattened into something hollow and grey. “This track is kind of like a conversation between myself and my inner rival,” she explains, “like I’m playing tug of war between self-doubt and determination.” That internal tension is exactly what makes the song work. It doesn’t resolve neatly, and it doesn’t try to. Jessica is joined by her sister Boo Baker on bass and Tristan Northard on drums, a trio with chemistry that punches well above their short timeline together.

The band’s debut EP ‘stargirl’ in 2025 earned them acclaim from DIY, Dork, The Line of Best Fit, CLASH, Rough Trade, Notion, and Under The Radar. Radio support came from BBC 6 Music’s Iggy Pop, Chris Hawkins, Nathan Shepherd, and Amy Lamé, alongside Radio X’s John Kennedy and KEXP’s Cheryl Waters. A sold-out Shacklewell Arms headline slot followed. The momentum behind ugly ozo has been building fast, and “hi, how are you?” keeps it moving.

REX RECS, the independent label founded by producer Macks Faulkron of North London’s REX Studio, is home to Caroline Polachek, Confidence Man, Daniel Avery, and Picture Parlour among others. Ugly ozo sit comfortably in that company, pushing the boundaries of what indie can hold with electrifying live energy and songwriting that refuses to look away from the difficult stuff.

A second EP arrives this spring, and festival appearances are stacking up. “hi, how are you?” is out now, and ugly ozo are just getting started.

2026 Tour Dates:

May 3 – Leeds – Gold Sounds Festival

May 23 – Nottingham – Dot to Dot Festival

May 24 – Bristol – Dot to Dot Festival

Norfolk Singer-Songwriter Harry Jordan Steps Out Solo With Debut EP ‘This Beautiful Life’

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Harry Jordan has spent years helping other artists find their sound. Now, with debut solo EP ‘This Beautiful Life’ out now, he’s stepping fully into his own. The Norfolk-based singer-songwriter, producer, and engineer has built something deeply personal here, six songs reflecting on his years living in Leeds, recorded DIY in his old basement and finalised at his own Bam Bam Studios. It’s raw, restrained, and quietly powerful.

The title track carries significant emotional weight. Jordan wrote it in response to losing a close friend to suicide, and has since lost two more friends the same way, including someone he describes as an older brother figure. “I often wish he could have seen the world and everything he had to live for differently,” he shares. In tribute to his friend’s love of music in its rawest form, Jordan recorded almost every part in a single take, capturing the innocence of playing something for the first time. It’s a deeply moving artistic choice, and it shows.

The EP draws from a rich pool of influences including Wilco, Big Thief, Neil Young, Alex G, Justin Vernon, and Sparklehorse, resulting in an open-hearted homage to the classic indie songbook. Jordan handles everything here, writing, producing, engineering, mixing, and performing, with drummer Josh Ketch, a longtime collaborator, the sole exception. The lean, thoughtful approach to composition mirrors the emotional honesty running through every lyric.

Jordan first came to attention as co-frontman of cult indie band Eades, earning acclaim from The Guardian, NME, FADER, and BBC 6 Music. He’s since built Bam Bam Studios into a respected residential recording space, with The Big Moon, Sam Tompkins, Brown Horse, Our Girl, and Far Caspian among those passing through. He’s shared stages with Wolf Alice, Wunderhorse, Ride, Black Country New Road, and Amyl And The Sniffers. The critical infrastructure around Harry Jordan is substantial, and ‘This Beautiful Life’ gives it something genuinely worthy to champion.

Writing became catharsis. “It opened up a door of creativity for me using writing as a form of catharsis and healing,” Jordan explains. That process is audible across the EP, music that doesn’t flinch from grief but finds light inside it. ‘This Beautiful Life’ is out now, and Jordan celebrates its release tonight at Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich.

Live Dates:

April 18 – Norwich – Voodoo Daddy’s (EP Launch Show)

Demob Happy Deliver Their Most Fearless Record Yet With Fourth LP ‘The Grown-Ups Are Talking’

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Demob Happy have made their boldest record yet, and ‘The Grown-Ups Are Talking’ is out now via their own Milk Parlour Records. Recorded at the legendary Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree with Dave Catching (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal), the fourth LP from Matthew Marcantonio, Adam Godfrey, and Thomas Armstrong is an album forged in personal loss, radical independence, and the strange creative clarity that follows both. Fifteen songs recorded in nine days. Every second of it counts. Listen here.

The Guardian reached for the Beatles and described the result as “seedy and funky and excellent.” The Line of Best Fit called it “a rousing swirl of riffs, a rhythm backbone built to make the earth shake.” Classic Rock heard “funky Beatles-y atmosphere with stabbing sides of garage-sizzled riffing.” Kerrang flagged “rock swagger.” The consensus is clear, and it’s well earned. Lead singles “Who Should I Say Is Calling?,” “No Man Left Behind,” and “Power Games” laid the groundwork, and the full album delivers on every promise they made.

Frontman Marcantonio is direct about what the record cost and what it gave back. “From recording at Rancho (15 songs in 9 days), which was a dream, to starting our own label and going independent, to writing through a lot of personal change, it’s very gratifying to reach the other side in one piece and get it out there.” Going independent mid-career takes nerve. ‘The Grown-Ups Are Talking’ sounds like a band that made that leap and landed running.

Demob Happy have been building toward this moment for years. Tour supports alongside Jack White, Royal Blood, and Death From Above 1979 have sharpened them into a live act of genuine force. BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, and Radio X have all come on board. NME, DIY, DORK, The Independent, CLASH, and Kerrang have all lined up behind them. The infrastructure around this band is as solid as the music, and the music right now is exceptional.

‘The Grown-Ups Are Talking’ is out now physically and digitally via Milk Parlour Records. The band hits the UK hard this spring with a run of dates through May.

‘The Grown-Ups Are Talking’ Tracklist:

Power Games

No Man Left Behind

Judas Beast

Miracle Worker Pt. 1

Miracle Worker Pt. 2

Don’t Hang Up

Who Should I Say Is Calling?

Something’s Gotta Give

Little Bird

Give It All To Me

2026 Tour Dates:

April 22 – Norwich, UK – Arts Centre

April 23 – Brighton, UK – Concorde 2

April 24 – London, UK – The Garage

April 29 – Bristol, UK – Thekla

April 30 – Manchester, UK – Night & Day Cafe

May 1 – Sheffield, UK – Hallamshire Hotel

May 2 – Glasgow, UK – Audio

May 9 – Newcastle, UK – The Grove