Mandrake Handshake’s full live session for KEXP at ESMA in Rennes, France during Trans Musicales, is out now and it’s an absolute statement. The 8-piece collective tears through 4 tracks, “King Cnut,” “Lorenzo’s Desk,” “The Change And The Changing,” and “Hypersonic Super-Asterid,” with the kind of sprawling, hypnotic energy that only a band this locked-in can generate. Multiple vocalists, layered guitars, live percussion, KORG, synth, and a rhythm section that holds the whole swirling mass together.
Post-Hardcore Favourites Marmozets Return After 7 Years With New Album ‘CO.WAR.DICE.’ Out May 22nd
Marmozets are back, and they’ve brought everything that made them essential in the first place. ‘CO.WAR.DICE.,’ their first album in 7 years, arrives May 22nd via Nettwerk, and new single “New York” is the most immediate proof yet that the wait has been worth every second. Becca Bottomley’s vocals remain as ferocious and blood-letting as ever, now channelled into songs with a melodic weight and directness that hit harder for the restraint behind them.
The album’s origin story is genuinely warm. Becca and her husband, guitarist Jack Bottomley, had become parents and settled into a new chapter of life together when an impromptu Friday night jam produced “New York,” their first new song in years. “We reminisced of our first trip over a bottle of red as we recorded ideas,” Becca explains. “We met a police officer smoking a cigar outside JFK airport, got in a cab while ‘Africa’ by Toto blasted out of the radio as we approached Manhattan. We wanted to write something that encapsulated that ’70s punk energy while painting a picture of this wild experience we had playing a show downtown to secure our first record deal.”
The lineup has shifted slightly but powerfully. Drummer brother Josh Macintyre helped shape the demos, while sibling Sam Macintyre moved from guitar to bass following the amicable departure of original member Will Bottomley. The adapted lineup opened up new sonic space, with influences like The Cramps and Devo feeding into sessions primarily produced by Johnathan Gilmore, whose credits include Biffy Clyro and Nothing But Thieves. “CO.WAR.DICE. is an album reflecting on the state of our world and a vow to ourselves to leave this world in a better place,” Becca says. “Like any story, there’s a beginning, middle and end, and we’ve chosen for a happy ending.”
This summer, Marmozets return to major stages, opening for Biffy Clyro at their 45,000-capacity Finsbury Park show on July 3rd. ‘CO.WAR.DICE.’ drops May 22nd, and it sounds like a band who needed every one of those 7 years to arrive at something this assured.
Alt-R&B Artist Michelle Forziati Finds Her Footing Again With Empowering New Single “Once More”
Michelle Forziati has a ritual. When the creative urge hits, she lies down on the floor and writes. It’s humble, physical, and entirely her own, and it’s exactly where “Once More” was born. The new single from the Massachusetts singer, actor, and dancer is out now, a hazy, warm blend of alt-R&B and atmospheric pop that wraps its emotional honesty in a production that feels like exhaling after holding your breath too long.
“‘Once More’ is about falling into failure or hard times, and finding the courage to always stand up just once more,” Forziati says. “Life is a dance, and in dance we take steps forward and steps back. As long as we’re moving, that’s the most important thing.” That philosophy runs through every bar of the track, and the delivery backs it up with real vulnerability and warmth. Dylan Gagnon’s guitar work acts as the connective tissue throughout, fluid and soulful, while Monty Dale’s mix and master at Graybeard Recording Studio in Framingham gives the whole thing a magnetic, slow-burn quality.
Forziati is most widely known for portraying Jill Hurley alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2017 Boston Marathon bombing biographical drama ‘Stronger,’ but her music has been building its own quiet momentum since 2023. “Once More” follows 2024 singles “Stranger” and “Strings,” both of which earned strong notices from Stereogum and others, and continues her evolution as a songwriter with a deeply personal and distinctly Boston-rooted point of view.
Acting, dance, and music feed each other in Forziati’s creative world in ways that make her output genuinely unlike anything else in her scene. “Acting helps me find the truth in what is,” she explains. “Dance helps me feel and become one with the music.” “Once More” is the sound of all 3 disciplines working in perfect alignment.
The Game Drops ‘The Credits,’ the Deluxe Edition of His Gangsta Grillz Mixtape
The Game has been one of hip-hop’s most consistent heavyweights for over 2 decades, and ‘The Credits’ keeps that momentum firmly in place. The 12-track deluxe edition of his DJ Drama Gangsta Grillz mixtape ‘Every Movie Needs A Trailer’ is out now, packed with production from Grammy-nominated Mike and Keys, JasonMartin, Swizz Beatz, and Jake One, alongside guest appearances from 21 Savage, Ty Dolla Sign, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, Dom Kennedy, and Boosie Badazz.
The Game is direct about the timing: “I’m in the studio putting the finishing touches on The Documentary 3. The response to the Gangsta Grillz tape was so incredible that we wanted to give the fans some more heat to ride to while they wait.” That’s a promise backed by a catalog that includes 8 albums debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Rap Albums chart, 3 of which topped the Billboard 200, and iconic releases like ‘The Documentary,’ ‘Doctor’s Advocate,’ and ‘Drillmatic.’
‘The Credits’ delivers exactly what the title suggests, a final reel of collaborations and production choices that fill out the mixtape’s cinematic framework with real substance. Highlights include “Brick By Brick” featuring Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher, “Art Basel” with Swizz Beatz, and “Feel Like Heaven” featuring Dom Kennedy, produced by Jake One. Mike and Keys anchor the majority of the project with the kind of production that suits The Game’s storytelling instincts perfectly.
With ‘The Documentary 3’ on the horizon, ‘The Credits’ is the bridge between what’s already been delivered and what’s coming next. It’s a strong one.
‘The Credits’ Tracklisting:
- Whatever
- Real N****s ft. 21 Savage
- Second Hand Smoke
- Art Basel ft. Swizz Beatz
- Stefon Digg Her Out
- Favorites ft. Ty Dolla Sign
- Tricks
- Brick By Brick ft. Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher
- You A Virgin ft. Boosie Badazz
- Something In The Water
- Dead Hermes
- Feel Like Heaven ft. Dom Kennedy
Dublin Indie Legends Sack Bring ‘Adventura Majestica’ to Vinyl for the First Time on Its 25th Anniversary
Sack have one of the great underappreciated stories in Irish indie rock, and the 25th Anniversary reissue of ‘Adventura Majestica’ is the perfect moment to remind everyone of exactly that. Out April 10th, the band’s 3rd album arrives on vinyl for the very first time in a special edition transparent orange pressing, newly remastered and loaded with extras, including a never-released studio outtake, “Spaghettification,” while the CD edition adds 8 bonus tracks of demos, outtakes, and rare B-sides from the period.
Liner notes come from RTE 2FM’s Dan Hegarty, a lifelong Sack champion who has backed the band at every opportunity throughout his broadcasting career. The album was produced by Sack and Joe Chester, and features “Tag,” the band’s current set closer and one of singer Martin McCann’s most powerful performances on record. It’s the kind of track that reminds you why this band built such a devoted following in the first place.
The backstory is worth knowing. Morrissey once said their track “Laughter Lines” should be “Number One forever,” then invited them to open his 1999 Oye Esteban World Tour across Europe, the UK, Ireland, and the USA, before bringing them back for a European tour in 2002. Their first single was single of the week in both NME and Melody Maker. The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess hosted one of his hugely popular Twitter Listening Parties for the 25th Anniversary reissue of their album ‘Butterfly Effect.’ These are not small moments.
Sack celebrate the release with a show at Dublin’s Button Factory on April 10th, in collaboration with Singular Artists. ‘Adventura Majestica’ will also see a foreign release later in the year through Germany’s GMO-The Label, distributed across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Japan on coloured vinyl, CD, and digital download. Adventura Majestica will be available to stream and download from Friday, April 10th, Pre-order the Vinyl and CD from Bandcamp Here.
Sack Live Dates:
Apr 10 – Dublin @ The Button Factory
Ireland’s Riptide Movement Mark 20 Years Together With Anthemic New Single “Owe You A Lot”
20 years in, The Riptide Movement are still finding new ground. “Owe You A Lot,” out now, is the first taste of the Irish band’s 6th studio album, due later this year, and it arrives with a genuine sense of occasion. Recorded at Orphan Recording Studios in Curracloe, Co. Wexford and co-produced with Gavin Glass, the track has everything the band are known for, big guitars, surging drums, anthemic intensity, and a melodic instinct that’s carried them through 2 decades of serious work.
The most notable shift is a first. Lead guitarist JPR Dalton steps up to lead vocals, marking a real evolution in the band’s creative dynamic. It works. Built on driving rhythms and soaring melodies, the track builds toward a euphoric crescendo that earns every second of its emotional payoff. “Reaching 20 years as a band makes you reflect on everything you’ve shared,” the band says. “It feels familiar but also completely new for us, especially with JPR taking on vocals for the first time. It’s about honouring where we’ve been while still feeling excited about where we’re going.”
Gold-certified and Choice Music Prize-nominated, The Riptide Movement have spent 2 decades building one of Ireland’s most durable rock catalogs, blending indie, folk, blues, and classic rock into something entirely their own. Chart-topping album ‘Getting Through’ and fan favourites like “All Works Out” and “Elephant in the Room” cemented their reputation long before they shared stages with The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, and Neil Young, or collaborated with both the BBC Orchestra and RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
“Owe You A Lot” is the sound of a band that’s earned their 20th anniversary and isn’t remotely done yet.
Multi-Instrumentalist Willie Dowling Closes Out ‘The Simpleton’ Album Cycle With Timely New Video “Under The Gaslight”
Willie Dowling wrote and recorded “Under The Gaslight” in a single day, start to finish at the piano, no studio prep, no safety net. The result is the final single and video from his critically acclaimed album ‘The Simpleton,’ and it arrives with a lyrical directness that feels entirely suited to the moment it was made in.
Dowling doesn’t soften the message: “In a post truth world where social media delivers the headlines and AI manipulates our emotions, none of us can be truly certain if information is 100% reliable, deliberate disinformation, or just plain lies.” The song takes that lived-in frustration and channels it into one of the sharpest pieces on an already strong album. Piano-driven, pointed, and built in a day with the kind of instinct that only comes from decades of serious craft.
The animated video was created by film director Sam Riddlestone, who first brought an animated Dowling to life for ‘The Simpleton’ track “Sadie Goldman.” It’s a fitting visual companion for a song this stripped back and direct. ‘The Simpleton’ was released in November 2024 to widespread critical acclaim, and Dowling has spent the time since touring extensively across the UK, including support slots with The Quireboys, Cats In Space, Luke Morley, and Hillbilly Vegas.
A multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and frontman of Honeycrack, The Grip, Jackdaw4, and The Dowling Poole, Dowling has also recorded and toured with Dr Hook, Midge Ure, Hot Chocolate, The Wildhearts, and Shane McGowan among many others. “Under The Gaslight” is a strong final statement from an album that deserved every bit of praise it received.
UK Hard Rockers Molly Karloff Drop Groove-Heavy New Single “Faceless”
Molly Karloff aren’t interested in excess. “Faceless,” their new single out now, makes that clear from the first riff. Built around thick, hypnotic guitars and a relentless vocal hook, the track sits squarely in the space between modern grunge and desert rock, muscular and focused, letting groove and atmosphere carry the weight rather than reaching for polish or production gloss. It sounds like Queens of the Stone Age and Royal Blood left in a room together with something to prove.
Vocalist Simon Gee is direct about where the song comes from: “The song is about that feeling of being used, dismissed or talked over, when people try to put you down and keep you small. ‘Faceless’ is the moment you decide you’re done being pushed around and written off.” That defiance runs through every bar of the track, and the delivery backs it up with real conviction.
The single arrives with a stark, film-noir style monochrome performance video that mirrors the track’s tension and stripped-back aesthetic perfectly. No distractions. Just the song and the attitude it carries.
For a band operating in one of rock’s most competitive spaces, “Faceless” is a confident, well-aimed statement. Heavy without excess, grooved without losing its edge, and built to move in a live room.
Melbourne-Based Indie Folk Artist MUKI Makes a Quietly Stunning Debut With “Gasoline”
Mukul Jiwnani has been building toward this moment for years, and “Gasoline,” his debut single under the MUKI moniker, arrives with the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from an artist who knows exactly what he’s doing. Born in Dubai with Indian roots and now based in Melbourne, MUKI has spent his career as a full-time performer, writing, refining, and waiting for the right moment. “Gasoline” makes clear the wait was worth it. Listen here.
The track unfolds with deliberate restraint, finger-picked electric guitar sitting against a spacious kick drum and hypnotic echoed snare, with piano drifting through the arrangement and warm bass lines adding colour without crowding the song. MUKI’s vocals do something genuinely impressive, moving from wispy intimacy through impassioned cries and airy falsetto before opening into a chorus lifted by layered, choir-like harmonies that wrap the whole thing in warmth. It’s emotionally immersive in a way that draws you in and holds you there.
Lyrically, “Gasoline” sits in the tender, complicated space between acceptance and lingering feeling. “I wanted to capture the tension of a relationship that wouldn’t survive despite every effort,” MUKI says. “It’s a breakup song, but one about acceptance and moving on.” That emotional precision runs through every production choice on the track, nothing is there by accident.
As debuts go, “Gasoline” sets a high bar. It’s the work of an artist with a fully formed point of view stepping out for the first time, and it signals plenty more to come.
Essex-Suffolk Indie Pop Singer-Songwriter Grace Calver Shares Witty New Single “twenty-six days”
Grace Calver has a gift for turning personal chaos into sharply observed indie pop, and “twenty-six days” is the clearest demonstration yet of exactly what makes her tick. Out now on all streaming platforms, the single tells the story of 26 days of nonstop texting and FaceTime with someone who turned out to be considerably less single than advertised. The red flags were there. The lyrics make sure you know she saw them. She just chose to ignore them anyway.
The track is loaded with specific, lived-in detail, including a reference to Catfish and the Bottlemen’s “Soundcheck,” which the person in question actually sent to Calver. “Something positive came from the experience after all,” she’s noted, which is exactly the kind of wry self-awareness that makes her songwriting land. The guitar solo is the work of producer Jos Shepherd, Alfie Templeman’s guitarist, who recorded, mixed, and mastered the whole track. Calver is happy to credit him as the far superior guitarist.
Influences like Lily Allen, Kate Nash, Beabadoobee, and Britpop staples Sleeper, Pulp, and Suede give you a clear sense of the sonic world Calver operates in, tongue-in-cheek indie pop with a rock edge and lyrics that reward close listening. BBC Introducing’s Jess Iszatt played her previous single “Milk” on Radio 1 as part of a For Fans Of Lily Allen feature, her first-ever Radio 1 play, and the comparison is one Calver has earned.
“twenty-six days” was originally released on a limited run of 200 CDs in November 2025, available exclusively in physical form. Around half of those have already found homes. Now the rest of the world gets to hear it.