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London Psychedelic Space Rock Duo Nook & Cranny Release Improvised Debut Album ‘Karma Waters’

Eric Alper
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London Psychedelic Space Rock Duo Nook & Cranny Release Improvised Debut Album ‘Karma Waters’

Nook & Cranny’s debut album ‘Karma Waters’ is out now, and the story of how it came together is as interesting as the music itself. London-based psychedelic space rock duo Dean Cass and Matt Sullivan recorded all guitars and drums across four improvised jam sessions over a couple of weekends at Bally Studios in London in early 2024, with no prior writing or rehearsing. Some of those jams ran over 30 minutes. The best parts were kept, trimmed, and shaped into something cohesive, with bass, synth, and samples added later at Matt’s home studio Flighthouse.

The two first met in Fremantle, Australia in 2009 and have been making music together ever since, through Silent Republic, Moon, and Astral Lynx before landing here. Nook & Cranny started as a low-pressure side project, just two musicians going into a rehearsal room to jam for the fun of it. That loose, instinctive foundation is audible throughout ‘Karma Waters,’ a record that breathes and moves like something discovered rather than constructed.

The album name came from a boat moored on the canal next to the studio. The polaroid cover artwork was shot around the studio and in Soho, the lo-fi immediacy of the images mirroring the improvised sessions that built the record. Mixed and mastered by the band themselves, ‘Karma Waters’ is entirely their own from start to finish.

Réunion Island Thrash Force Lomor Confront the Legacy of Slavery on Ferocious New Album ‘Sabouk Rouge’

Eric Alper
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Réunion Island Thrash Force Lomor Confront the Legacy of Slavery on Ferocious New Album ‘Sabouk Rouge’

Lomor are back with ‘Sabouk Rouge,’ their second album and most narratively ambitious statement yet. Four years after their debut ‘Perseverance of Sickness,’ the Réunion Island thrash trio have returned with a record that confronts the brutal history of slavery on their island with old-school thrash intensity, punk urgency, and a fierce Creole identity that makes this record unlike anything else in the genre right now.

The album’s title is drawn from the “sabouk,” the name given to the whip used against enslaved people, a symbol of the violence and dehumanization that marked Réunion’s history. The cover reinforces that with blood-red imagery against a cold white background, a visual statement as uncompromising as the music itself. The themes range wide, from religious critique on “La Haine” to human cruelty on “Panzram,” with Creole-language track “Tantine Lo Clou” bringing a darkly humorous contrast that shows Lomor’s range.

Drawing from Slayer, Testament, and Kreator, the band delivers percussive riffs, relentless tempos, and raw vocal aggression across the full record. Their live reputation is equally formidable, built through opening slots for Pamplemousse and Mass Hysteria and a Kanyar Tour across France, with shared stages alongside Akiavel further cementing their standing in the European thrash scene.

‘Sabouk Rouge’ is out now.

Ghanaian Star Lamisi and Wanlov the Kubolor Celebrate the Power of Music on Joyful New Single “Painkiller”

Eric Alper
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Ghanaian Star Lamisi and Wanlov the Kubolor Celebrate the Power of Music on Joyful New Single “Painkiller”

Lamisi has shared “Painkiller,” the second single from her forthcoming album ‘Let Us Clap,’ out now via Real World Records, and it arrives as a full-throated celebration of what music can do. The track grew organically in the studio when collaborator Sowah began playing xylophone and Lamisi started chanting “Music is a painkiller.” From that spontaneous moment, the song built itself. “Then Lamisi joined right in and started clapping along,” says producer and musical director Wanlov the Kubolor. That clapping became the album’s foundation.

‘Let Us Clap’ is a collaboration between Lamisi, one of Ghana’s most beloved artists and a fierce advocate for the rights of women and girls, and Wanlov the Kubolor, the Ghanaian-Romanian artist, activist, and filmmaker whose presence in Accra is so well known he stops traffic. Together they’ve built something that bridges the clapping patterns of northern Ghana with the digital textures of contemporary African music, treating Lamisi’s vocals electronically while keeping the acoustic instruments at the core.

The album carries real social purpose. Lamisi’s advocacy is rooted in lived experience. “I was raised with girls from northern Ghana who would drop out of school to get married and have children,” she shares. “I want to champion their unheard voices.” Wanlov brings his own fearless activism to the project, having consistently pushed back against homophobia in Ghana alongside his sibling Sister Deborah and Angel Maxine, the first openly transgender Ghanaian musician.

‘Let Us Clap’ is out now via Real World Records, available on CD and LP.

‘Let Us Clap’ Tracklist:

  1. Agol
  2. Zane Ya Kinkin
  3. No Orgasm In Heaven
  4. Tumsum
  5. Come
  6. Salma Daka
  7. Nisaal
  8. Unity
  9. Painkiller

Cambridgeshire Folk Artist Luke James Williams Announces Album ‘Limes Hotel’ and Releases Moving New Single “Hollows and Branches”

Eric Alper
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Cambridgeshire Folk Artist Luke James Williams Announces Album ‘Limes Hotel’ and Releases Moving New Single “Hollows and Branches”

Luke James Williams has announced his second album ‘Limes Hotel,’ due this April, alongside the release of new single “Hollows and Branches,” and both arrive carrying real emotional weight. The Cambridgeshire folk artist wrote the single in memory of a close friend, a tribute to someone who shaped his relationship with the natural world in ways that clearly never left him. Listen here.

“I wrote this song remembering an old friend who is sadly no longer with us,” Williams shares. “She instilled in me a profound love of nature and the idea that we are all one with the natural world around us.” The track reflects that deeply, built on spare, atmospheric instrumentation and Williams’ unmistakably English vocal, rising slowly and letting its emotional core find the surface on its own terms. It’s quietly arresting in the best possible way.

‘Limes Hotel’ was shaped by an intense period of grief following the loss of two close friends. Across eleven tracks, Williams moves through mortality, belief, and connection, but the record ultimately reaches toward renewal. “New shoots reaching up towards the sun,” as he puts it. “The hope and promise of new life rising from the darkness.” For an album born in darkness, that instinct toward light is what makes it worth leaning into.

“Hollows and Branches” is the third single from the album, following “Seeds” and “Ends,” and has already earned airplay from BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Introducing, and Amazing Radio. Williams’ debut album ‘Our Blood Is Red’ earned Bandcamp’s New & Notable recognition and support from Tom Robinson, Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq, and Tom Ravenscroft. ‘Limes Hotel’ builds on that foundation with something deeper and more fully realized.

A UK tour follows the album’s release, with dates running through July.

Luke James Williams 2026 Tour Dates:

May 6 — London @ The Harrison

May 8 — Sheffield @ Mary Street Live

May 14 — Coventry @ LTB Showrooms

May 15 — Bury @ Wax and Beans

June 12 — Cambridge @ Junction J3

July 23 — Bishops Stortford @ South Mill Arts

Manchester Post-Rock Trio Shaking Hand Are Touring the UK Behind Their Critically Acclaimed Debut Album

Eric Alper
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Manchester Post-Rock Trio Shaking Hand Are Touring the UK Behind Their Critically Acclaimed Debut Album

Shaking Hand have arrived. The Manchester three-piece released their self-titled debut album on Melodic to immediate critical acclaim, with NPR naming it Album of the Week, Stereogum praising its “spindly riffs and rugged post-hardcore rhythms,” MOJO awarding four stars, and Hard of Hearing calling it “the first great album of 2026.” That kind of consensus doesn’t happen by accident. Listen here.

The record was produced by David Pye (Wild Beasts, Teenage Fanclub) at Nave Studios in Leeds, a converted church with a live room big enough to capture the band’s full sonic weight. Tracked largely live, with Soviet-era microphones, unconventional placements, and phone-recorded demos woven into the mix, the album sounds like a band committed to capturing something real rather than something polished. It pulls from Slint, Sonic Youth, Pavement, and Women while carrying the melodic warmth of Big Thief and Yo La Tengo into its own Northwest-emo territory.

“The best ideas are when it feels like it’s just about to fall apart and we’re only just holding on,” says Freddie. That tension is the record’s engine, quiets that stretch, louds that overwhelm, rhythms that destabilize and hypnotize in equal measure. Shaking Hand’s debut is out now on Melodic, and with two UK dates still ahead, there’s still time to catch this live.

Shaking Hand UK Tour Dates:

April 25 — Nottingham @ The Carousel

September 6 — Manchester @ Manchester Psych Fest

Leicester-Nottingham Indie Rockers BilloBuckers Tackle Male Depression Head-On With “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay”

Eric Alper
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Leicester-Nottingham Indie Rockers BilloBuckers Tackle Male Depression Head-On With “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay”

BilloBuckers have released “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay,” a poignant new single on Deadly Records that takes on male depression with empathy, directness, and a real understanding of how men mask what they’re carrying. It’s the kind of track that has a message and the musical weight to carry it, which is precisely what this five-piece does best.

The Leicester-Nottingham outfit have been building steadily, with their debut EP ‘Eloquently Common’ and three subsequent singles clocking over 60,000 streams combined. “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay” is already drawing attention from BBC Introducing, adding to a momentum that feels genuine and earned.

Their sound sits at the intersection of indie rock introspection and straight-up rock grit, drawing from Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, The Stone Roses, The Libertines, and The Jam while developing something that reads as distinctly their own. Rich guitar riffs, dynamic rhythms, and soul-driven vocals from Billy Buckler anchor every track in something real.

“It’s Okay Not To Be Okay” is out now on Deadly Records.

Liverpool Metal Force Cut Short Confront the Modern World on Unflinching New Single “Modern Affliction”

Eric Alper
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Liverpool Metal Force Cut Short Confront the Modern World on Unflinching New Single “Modern Affliction”

Cut Short are not interested in looking away. The Liverpool metal outfit have released “Modern Affliction,” a track that digs into the relationship between individual decision-making and the world that shapes those decisions in the first place. It’s bleak, precise, and exactly the kind of music this band was built to make.

Vocalist Matthew Kean frames the track plainly: “The decisions we make shape the world around us, but how much does the world we are in shape us? Modern Affliction delves into how the decisions we make influence our day to day lives, as well as how the modern world can cause us to make decisions that separate us from who we really are and want to be.”

Cut Short draw from hardcore, metalcore, and progressive metal, threading those influences together into something that reflects the chaos and weight of urban reality. Their visual aesthetic mirrors that approach, juxtaposing Liverpool’s historical grandeur against homelessness, addiction, and urban decay. It’s confrontational by design, and it works. The band have already shared stages with Wargasm UK, Dream State, and Heart Of A Coward, and have earned support from BBC Radio 1, Metal Hammer, Kerrang, and Rock Sound.

“Modern Affliction” is out now.

How to Get More Shazams: What Every Artist Needs to Know

Eric Alper
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0
How to Get More Shazams: What Every Artist Needs to Know

In the music industry, there are metrics that matter and metrics that really matter. Shazam numbers fall into the second category. When someone holds up their phone to identify a song, that’s a moment of genuine discovery. That’s a person hearing something for the first time, wanting to know more, and taking a step toward becoming a fan. Every Shazam represents real interest from a real person, and for artists who understand that, the platform becomes one of the most valuable tools in their promotional arsenal.

The single most important driver of Shazam activity is placement. When a song appears in a film, a television show, a commercial, or a video game, listeners who connect with it will reach for their phones instinctively. Sync licensing is both a revenue stream and one of the most powerful discovery engines in the business. The same applies to radio. A strong radio campaign, particularly on stations that reach fresh audiences, generates consistent Shazam activity over time. The goal is to put the music in front of people who are ready to be surprised by it.

Live performance remains one of the most reliable drivers of Shazam numbers. When an artist plays an unfamiliar song to a room full of people and those people connect with it, a percentage of them will Shazam it on the spot. Support slots and festival sets are particularly valuable here, where the majority of the audience encounters the artist fresh. Playing to new crowds, consistently and across as many markets as possible, builds Shazam momentum in the most organic way available.

Social media plays a significant role as well. Short video content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts that leads with a song’s most immediately striking moment, whether a hook, a lyric, or an unexpected musical turn, triggers the same instinct that sync placement does. People hear something they want to identify, and they go looking. Leading with the most arresting part of the song gives that moment the best possible chance of landing. Algorithms reward content that holds attention, and songs that earn Shazams tend to do exactly that.

Consistency across all of these areas is what separates artists who accumulate Shazams steadily from those who see occasional spikes. Sync deals, radio campaigns, live shows, and social content all feed each other when they run together. A song that appears in a TV show, gets added to radio, and circulates through short-form video in the same month creates multiple discovery points simultaneously. The more places a song lives, the more chances someone has to reach for their phone. That moment of recognition is the whole game, and every strategic decision an artist makes is worth measuring against it.

10 Songs That Help You Dream Bigger

Eric Alper
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10 Songs That Help You Dream Bigger

short. Whether someone is facing a difficult decision, pushing through a tough stretch, or simply needs a reminder that better days are ahead, the right song at the right moment can change everything. This list isn’t about the biggest hits or the most acclaimed artists. It’s about the songs that have quietly become soundtracks to ambition, resilience, and possibility.

“Don’t Stop Believin'” – Journey

This classic anthem has been opening doors for decades, and it still works. There’s a reason it shows up at sporting events, graduations, and late-night drives home. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt like they were still waiting for their moment.

“A Million Dreams” – The Greatest Showman Soundtrack

Few songs capture the pure electricity of imagination quite like this one. It’s about visualizing a life that doesn’t exist yet and believing in it anyway, which is harder than it sounds and more important than most people admit.

“Dream On” – Aerosmith

A reminder that dreaming isn’t passive. It takes courage to hold onto a vision of something bigger, especially when life pushes back. This song has been doing that job since 1973 and hasn’t lost a step.

“The Climb” – Miley Cyrus

What makes this song endure is its honesty. The destination matters, but so does everything that happens on the way there. Personal growth, setbacks, and persistence are the real story, and this song knows it.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

Pure, joyful determination. The message is simple and the delivery is irresistible. No obstacle is too large, no distance too far. It’s impossible to feel defeated while this song is playing.

“Firework” – Katy Perry

An anthem built specifically for the moments when self-doubt gets loudest. It doesn’t offer easy answers, but it offers something more useful: a genuine reminder that the light is already there, waiting to come out.

“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield

The opening line alone has motivated more people than most motivational speakers ever will. The idea that your story isn’t finished, that the best chapters are still ahead, is a powerful thing to hear on a difficult day.

“Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor

Few songs build focus and drive quite as effectively as this one. It’s about discipline, about showing up every day with the mindset of someone who refuses to quit. It has earned its place on every workout playlist ever made.

“Rise Up” – Andra Day

Where many inspirational songs come in loud and fast, this one earns its power slowly. By the time the song reaches its peak, it feels genuinely hard-won. That’s what makes it hit differently than most.

“Roar” – Katy Perry

A song about finding your voice after losing it for a while. It resonates because the feeling it describes is universal. Everyone has been there. Not everyone finds their way back. This song helps.

Kacey Musgraves Covers SZA’s “Kill Bill” — And It Works Perfectly

Eric Alper
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Kacey Musgraves Covers SZA’s “Kill Bill” — And It Works Perfectly

There are cover songs that feel like exercises, and there are cover songs that feel like discoveries. Kacey Musgraves’ take on SZA’s “Kill Bill,” performed this week on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge, falls firmly into the second category. Stripping the track back with an acoustic guitar, pedal steel, and piano in place of the original’s eerie flute, Musgraves found something in the song that was already there. The heartbreak at the centre of it landed even harder.

The timing couldn’t be better calibrated. Musgraves is in full promotional mode ahead of the May 1 release of ‘Middle of Nowhere’, her seventh studio album, and the Live Lounge appearance was part of a whirlwind London run that included two shows at the intimate Circuit venue. She also performed “Dry Spell,” the album’s lead single, which she had just debuted live at a surprise Coachella set on April 18, her first appearance at the festival in seven years. By all accounts, that Coachella moment was something special, with Musgraves arriving on horseback and debuting several new tracks including “Uncertain, TX,” “Back on the Wagon,” and the album’s title track.

What makes the “Kill Bill” cover particularly interesting is its history. Musgraves first performed it alongside Nickel Creek at Boston’s TD Garden back in September 2024, and it became a fixture of her live sets throughout the rest of that year and into 2025. This wasn’t a one-off experiment. It was a song she clearly connected with and took the time to make her own. The Live Lounge version is the fullest realization of that yet.

‘Middle of Nowhere’ arrives with serious company. The album features contributions from Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, Billy Strings, and Gregory Alan Isakov, a lineup that signals Musgraves is planting her flag firmly in the roots world while keeping the door wide open, as she always has. This follows ‘Deeper Well’, which earned her a Grammy for Best Country Song at the 2025 awards. The bar is set high, and everything about this promotional run suggests she knows exactly what she’s doing.

The Live Lounge has a way of revealing where an artist really lives musically, and Musgraves’ performance this week confirmed what her best work has always suggested. She’s one of the most instinctive interpreters in the business, whether the song is hers or someone else’s. May 1 can’t come soon enough.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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