SKREEN B BLOG

Charm School are releasing a flurry of great tracks and hot on the heels of a couple of stand-out mixes of 'Simulacra', comes an absolute electronic thumper called 'Desolation'. Appearing as part of the same EP, the track was recorded as a one-off in collaboration with EBM super-producer Matia Simovich (of InHalt fame). For lovers of darkwave and old school electro, the song strikes home from the very start - the opening line "I know just what you want" could not be more correct. This is exactly what we want, just like that classic Depeche Mode knack of engineering bright pop hooks within a tormented context - 'Desolation' is a fantastic tune. Desolation by Charm School

Now this is a fun track, possibly my first from Chile?  Zumba La Calavera have just released 'Canis Mortem' which they say is a "protest song" about "about white-collar thieves". However, the track isn't your usual sort of protest song, they usually come all angsty and shouty - or folky and preachy - Zumba La Calavera offer up their protest in the form of a jolly pop song. Distorted guitars, electronics and amusing lyrics, translated roughly as: "he steals the salt shaker, and the sachets too, the sachets" seemingly about the phenomenon of dine and dash. 'Canis Mortem' is a highly enjoyable slice of dark humour with a message and a good tune.

The amusing artwork gives a visual indication that there's fun to be had here. Open the lid on the music and the signs are correct -  there’s a gloriously wonky charm to Oski XD Doski ’s 'we only do harm'.  Upbeat yet edgy, where indie geek rock collides with post-punk, and a dash of anything else they can find, it’s a suitably eccentric showcase for the quartet. Originally formed by four high-school friends in the ’90s, they have now been reunited across different states via modern technology. Oski, X, Danny and Doski (hence the band name) bring guitars, bass, synths and vocals together in a wonderfully genre-mashing concoction that refuses to sit still. The title track of their new six-song EP, it’s proof that distance clearly hasn’t dulled their creative chemistry - and they still have the natural biology to perform. Wonky but class! We Only Do Harm by Oski XD Doski

Second tip from the Cherub Dream Records double-header is Blous3 with 'fernet's cigarette'. Blous3 have been making their noisy mark on California’s DIY scene since 2021, blending punk energy with abrasive textures, wonky rhythms and gloriously unpredictable songwriting. Their latest album, The Turn, The Pledge, pushes that restless sound further, with a near-conceptual collection of songs inspired in part by cinema. Vocalist and bass-player, Riley Waite says “Some of these songs are about wishing I spoke my full mind instead of lightly self-censoring and reserving my full, authentic thoughts”. 'fernet's cigarette' is the closing track on the album and is another masterstroke of putting so much sonic vibrancy and abrasion into a song with a length of exactly 3 minutes. Another winner from Blous3 and another point for Cherub Dream Records. the pledge, the turn by BLOUS3

Here's the first of a double heads-up from the excellent, Cherub Dream Records . San Francisco’s Hana Freed, aka Tricky FM , creates an intriguing amalgam of sound on her latest release, 'Apartment', where glossy electronica gets a decidedly raw edge. Soft vocals and warmer tones are surrounded by a wonderfully abstract fringe of noise and dis-harmony, giving the track an unsettled quality beneath its sheen.  The lyrics are a hazy cocktail of attraction, memory and desire: wet hair, dry lips, smoke in the hair, perfume and the repeated realisation that, yes, “no wonder your boyfriend was jealous”. It’s intimate without becoming overly precious, and intriguingly abstract in its construction - providing a hint rather than an explanation.  Freed self-produces everything, and her background playing clubs, venues and punk bars across the Bay Area seems to have left its mark: this may be electronica, but there’s plenty of grit lurking under the glitter. 'Apartment' opens ...

First thing to mention, the cover photo is gorgeous - all that lovely blood red tint. But hold up, there might be a reason...  BRENNA ’s ‘Way It Goes’ arrives with all the subtlety of a brick through the french-windows, combining angry, shouty vocals with detuned, hard-hitting guitars and electronic textures. The track shifts gears impressively, moving from intimate singing and rhythmic rap into full-blown screaming, while a brief quieter passage provides just enough breathing space before the final ear-shattering screamo climax. Lyrically, it’s an unapologetic account of emotional burnout and cutting ties, with the wonderfully put “I don’t get violent, I get radio silent” summing up the cold-turkey approach to toxic relationships rather nicely. There’s a satisfying sense of controlled chaos here, as BRENNA bridges nu-metal crunch with alt-pop intimacy, creating something that can whisper in your ear one minute and roar directly into your face the next. Slightly scary - but allurin...

Montreal's  Chicago Boys  (brush that over!) return to unleash another classic understatement with their latest recording '(No) Hooks' - which they say is "an ode to the scene". Once again it is a no-nonsense production, just a basic drum computer rhythm, some synth augmentation and a passive/aggressive sort of sweary vocal. Somehow that all combines into making something rather fun to listen to - a case of minimal music making maximum impact. Play it once and it will stick. (No) Hooks by Chicago Boys

Dallas-based trio,  The Capsules ' new release 'Full Moon Factory' comes with a rather entertaining animated music video, which was apparently all hand-drawn by Miranda Parkin. The visuals are engaging in their own right, but they really work to enhance the music, which in turn makes the animation more striking.   The song itself is a lovely indie rock recording with the vocals of Julie Shields adding the layer of beauty to the muscular guitars and drums. The concept behind the piece explores electricity as something rather more human, that mysterious current that can pass between people as night closes in. There's a hint of Cranes in the sound that The Capsules create, but 'Full Moon Factory' has a fully polished and contemporary feel.  Arriving neatly alongside the full harvest moon on 25th September, the track is available on a limited-edition etched 12” via Graveface Records. Swanky!

I have to admit that AquariO tests my "always judge a record by its cover" theory by throwing a spanner in the works. The cover artwork and track title seems to indicate that this electro tune would involve a lot of shouting and harsh beats. However, quite to the contrary, 'Get Some FCKN Therapy' is quite a soft and delicate affair - one might say that it is even rather sentimental and sad. Not what I was expecting at all - and really rather touching.   AquariO, formerly COATS, creates futuristic electronic music blending electronica, alternative dance and Future Garage with atmospheric vocals, fractured beats and an otherworldly edge. 'Get Some FCKN Therapy' offers an intriguing insight and should be judged sorely on the music.

Modern times call for modern songs and Miss Bootleg ’s 'Ellipsis (Lose Your Words)' is a sweet and mild slice of indie electropop, tackling the surprisingly profound grief of losing an online friend. The lyrics cleverly capture the peculiarities of digital mourning, from discovering the news via a Facebook post and frantically saving “every gif and joke”, to the rather lovely image of “three dots upon my heart” representing everything left unsaid. The softly phrased vocals suit the subject beautifully, while the simple, smooth production gradually gathers momentum towards a more robust ending. It’s an understated but thoughtful reflection on how social media can fuel nostalgia, preserve friendships - and make their loss feel remarkably real.

NESS NÖST ’s ‘caffeinenicotinenosleepdopamine’ is one of those tracks that seems to operate somewhere between a trance-like mantra and a particularly strange night out. The repeated title phrase becomes hypnotic, while the production veers from experimental electronics into surprisingly commercial trip-hop territory. At times, there’s an odd but rather appealing collision here between the cool, early-doors synth-pop of The Human League and the sophisticated electronic melancholy of Everything But The Girl. Nöst’s grittier, more experimental direction suits the late-night subject matter perfectly, and I particularly enjoyed the way the track eventually drifts into a pleasingly abstract ending.  Her forthcoming EP CONTROL YOURSELF explores body, sexuality and power through fragmented, dream-like late-night reflections. 'caffeinenicotinenosleepdopamine' works because it has all the colour of experimentation, but with the sharp focus of pop sensibilities.

Some spirited noise comes your way from Finland's  Giglinger with their latest release, 'M.I.A (Edit)'. The submission came through without much information, but the recording is a feisty onslaught of guitars, percussion and post-punk style vocals - just the sort of thing you would expect to hear booming out of some sweaty underground den of arty deviants. As such, it is just my type of thing! Based in Helsinki, Giglinger have been tearing up the rulebook since the ’90s, blending new wave, punk and alternative rock with a nod to folk like Killing Joke and the Dead Kennedys. Their debut album Kasåkern landed in March 2026, and they’re now delivering fresh material on the 13th of every month. M.I.A (Edit) by giglinger

I don't often feature a lot of Americana on this blog, so it is good to mention 'Of The Essence' by the excellently named,  Virtual Nobodies . The coastal desert-rock outfit, led by Jeremiah Gray and Xavier Valdez, blend cinematic Americana with a gritty Mojave-road sensibility. That really comes through with 'Of The Essence', the recording is a real slow-burner which meanders and builds within a sort of relaxed intensity (if that makes sense?). The accompanying video is also a great representation of the song - perfectly suiting the human tale set in a dusty outback.   The bands' debut album arrives in October 2026, produced by Niko Bolas (Neil Young/Prince) and featuring an impressive supporting cast including Perla Batalla (Leonard Cohen), Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks) and Jesse Siebenberg (Sturgill Simpson). Virtual Nobodies also recently supported the once-floppy-haired favourites A Flock of Seagulls during their Southern California tour. Having already pick...

I love a bit of breakbeat, there's just something instantly appealing about the snappy percussive style. Interestingly, the breakbeat in  The Peter Debik Movie Orchestra 's new tune 'Last Alibi' finds itself combined with orchestral stabs and a much darker production than you would usually encounter - and if that wasn't enough; it is all topped off with a full-blown vocal. Sounding very much like the theme from some high-intensity Hollywood blockbuster, the song twists and surges with a dynamic energy. The cinematic feel and melding of elements can be explained by Debik's history and his attitude to music creation. Rejecting conventional musical education for its narrow thinking, he has forged his own free-spirited path, using synaesthesia and instinct rather than musical rules to shape his songs, instrumentals and film/TV cues. If you've never heard anything by The Peter Debik Movie Orchestra, then 'Last Alibi' is a terrific curtain-raiser.

Strange cover artwork for this one, but it fits the release; the track is called 'cute on the internet' by  xo_chips_xo . There's not a lot of information supplied about the act, but they appear to be from Petaluma, California and they say it is all about "being cute online, but on you own terms". The song itself is a really fun, up-tempo synthpop track - a sort of grinding electro work-out with saucy vocals. Apart from the high-energy, no-fuss approach, I liked the inclusion of old school internet dial-up sounds and the rather abrupt 'Goodbye!' ending, which was a bit like the line dropping out unexpectedly. For me, 'cute on the internet' is simply a vibrant pop tune with a touch of attitude and a nifty groove. cute on the internet by xo_chips_xo

Here comes another remix which has really impressed me, this time courtesy of Danish's Glitch Garden taking on 'Let It All Go' by  The Sei . I am not aware of the original track, but here the remix arrives as wonderfully atmospheric piece, seemingly built around the original vocals. The recording was partly inspired by Massive Attack - showing a similar attention to detail with that glacial eloquence and rich tonal quality. The Sei are an electronica project formed by Stace Gill and Maria Nilsson Waller. The Irish / Swedish duo tackle love, loss, life, death, natural intelligence and AI, turning these universal themes into songs of reflection and questioning. If you fancy something a little chilled, please do give this a go. Garden Leave by Glitch Garden

There's a lot of debate going on at the moment about AI and its threat to humanity. Inevitably, much like the songs being written during the covid era, what's topical starts to filter down within new recordings - that's the case with  DemoDiva 's new release 'Monster'. Based in the US, independent songwriter, producer and publisher DemoDiva brings an old-school electro-pop feel to the subject matter, wrapping a serious warning in surprisingly soft and calm female vocals. The lyrics paint AI as both servant and master, with lines about feeding the “Monster” our thoughts before admitting, “I can’t control Monster / And what I’ve made of him.” There’s a nicely understated menace beneath the catchy synth-driven surface, making the dystopian message all the more effective. Thought-provoking without sacrificing its pop appeal, this is a warning which does not resort to scaremongering. 

Chapel Hill's Why The Hell Knot have just released a new ditty 'Book of Love' and this is more like it; some good, old punk from America which sounds like good, old punk - not some of that generic pop-punk that has been rotting away the airwaves since the 90s. ‘Book of Love’ is a brisk, high-energy blast that takes a witty swipe at the confusing rules of modern romance. With rampant guitars and plenty of sarcastic lyrical bite, it pokes fun at the typo-riddled, badly punctuated instruction manual we apparently rely on for matters of the heart. The song is a catchy, cathartic singalong for anyone whose love life has ever been derailed by dubious advice, mixed signals or one badly placed full stop - a jolly good track to make you want to jump around. 

Clocking in at just 92 seconds, Nice Boat ’s new tune may be called ‘Everybody’s Bored’, but that is certainly no reflection on the song itself. How could it be? The recording simply doesn’t allow enough time to get bored! Thankfully, the track is never dull, delivering instead a sprightly blast of fuzzy fun. Built around live beats, bass and fractious vocals, Nice Boat keep things lean and gritty, with sparse handclaps and talk-singing adding to the wonderfully scruffy feel of ‘Everybody’s Bored’. The band say "the song speaks to the moments on the receiving end of boredom in someone else’s eyes and a general frustration with the concept of 'boredom' in itself." The accompanying video perfectly captures the spirit of the song too, with bright colours and quirky characters somehow weighed down by life’s despondent inevitability. So, if you find yourself surrounded by grey skies, ‘Everybody’s Bored’ might just provide some brief respite from the boredom of being bored....

Many years ago Bad Manners did a song called 'Night Bus To Dalston', it was the b-side to their hit single 'Lip Up Fatty' - I still have the 7" vinyl. The 'Night Bus To Dalston' title always amused me, it was just so British and devoid of romance. Zoom forward 46 years (gulp!) and the perfect segue arrives from E.M. Kane with her new single 'One Night In Dalston'.  Glaswegian E.M. Kane spent ten years in London before returning home, and ‘One Night In Dalston’ turns that experience of big-city loneliness into something wonderfully raw and relatable. Built around a guitar-and-vocal core, the track has a satisfyingly rhythmic pulse, while Kane’s expressive delivery shifts from intimate confession to full-blooded release. She really sings her heart out here, with some wonderfully brave vocalisations that match – and at times seem almost to compete with – the grinding guitar solo. Inspired by a tear-filled night in an East London club, the lyrics captu...

I like it when musical genres go slightly rogue. From their base in the alternative internet culture of the US, experimental audiovisual artist personalheartbreaker serves up a suitably intriguing slice of cyber-gothic weirdness with 'Sorry Eyed'. Ethereal vocals float through heavy, reverb-soaked guitars, while electro bleeps and beats provide a distinctly retro-futuristic pulse. Inspired by the nu-gaze revival but considerably colder and more otherworldly, the track shifts between dreamlike intimacy and sonic heaviness.  The highly stylised presentation is very much part of the package, creating an unsettling visual world to match the song’s tale of desire, dependence and self-destruction. 'Sorry Eyed' is an interesting insight into the strange realm of personalheartbreaker.

There’s something rather compelling about a band who can make a song sound like it’s been beamed in from a particularly gloomy corner of Eastern Europe.  Dlina Volny ’s latest single 'Vochy' certainly manages that mood, wrapping a haunting combination of male and female vocals, brooding synths and a driving post-punk rhythm in a suitably shadowy darkwave atmosphere. It’s the sort of track that seems to lower the lighting in the room all by itself. What particularly grabbed me is the tension running through the whole thing. While the music remains controlled and beautifully composed, there’s a simmering frustration underneath, reflecting the song’s themes of lies, abuse of power and information overload. The fact that this is Dlina Volny’s first release in Belarusian adds another interesting dimension, too. There’s plenty of dark-pop polish here, but 'Vochy' never feels overly glossy. Instead, it manages that rather nice trick of sounding both intimate and imposing – moo...

Red tape put to tape, sums up this track. There’s something deliciously cruel about an insurance form becoming an interrogation, and Utrecht’s Empty Habits make the most of it on 'Life Insurance'. Restless guitars and post-hardcore tension propel a song about the pains of navigating officialdom and being forced to recall a messy adolescence for the sake of a tick box exercise. “Dropdowns hiding dropdowns” neatly captures the bureaucratic nightmare, while the lyrics’ cheery assurances about privacy make the whole affair wonderfully familiar. Recorded largely live, it retains a raw, impatient energy and finds the band on good form (see what I did there?). 'Life Insurance' is taken from Empty Habits' new EP, Self-Sabotage Life Insurance by Empty Habits

Sometimes the best songs come from carefully considered songwriting sessions; other times, apparently, you just need to pick up the phone and call Turkey - the country, not the things that go 'gobble, gobble'. Kathleen Blackwell ’s 'Hello Turkey?' is a gloriously daft one-minute masterpiece (that might be stretching it a bit?), born from a studio conversation about whether Turkey actually has any mountains – and, if so, what on earth they’re called. What started as a delirious joke was captured on mic and eventually turned into this wonderfully comical electro track, assembled simply to make Kathleen laugh. Thankfully, it worked – and now we get to share in the joke. A brief, bonkers detour from an artist who refuses to be confined by genre, proving that sometimes music doesn’t need to be profound; it just needs to make you smile. By accident, I found that 'Hello Turkey?' works best if you leave it on repeat - try it!

Now, this is my type of music, just the name of the band,  eggs and tiaras , gives you an indication that the audio is not going to be the usual run of the mill affair. Gladly, that's just the case as upon playing their latest track 'De mon Toi' (From my self) the dysfunctional creativity just flows.  The band say "As usual, Eggs and Tiaras invite you both to dance and to see things differently" which sums them up beautifully, there's oddness in their words and style, but that's all backed with tight, crisp beats and expressive electronics. Roughly translated, they say the song is about "the first cry, born inside us; the fed-up feeling. The one that shows how we feel about current politics. It's the morning cry, the one we want to let out while watching the news go by".  The Swiss act deliver their vocals in French, English and German with songs that tackle the darker side of everyday life with a mischievous mix of irony, provocation and irr...