SKREEN B BLOG

It is another gloomy looking day in Blighty, rain‑grey skies and the feeling that the sunrise is only a temporary window before the light fades again – and that mood makes a great backdrop to give Darkswoon a spin with their new single. 'Thread' is one of those tracks which does not try too hard, but still manages to get under your skin, its evocative weight carried with a guided, refined confidence. The track ambles along with an understated force, lovely distorted guitars providing a back-wash of spidery atmospherics that perfectly frame Jana Cushman’s ethereal, aching vocal. As the first taste of their forthcoming album, Antivenom, it shows a band fully settled into their darkwave–post‑punk–shoegaze hybrid, but sharpening it into something more intimate and exposed. Cushman’s lyrics cut with poetic honesty ( 'I miss who we were together, A million years ago, A shelter from bad weather, Of our stormy home' ), tracing trauma bonds, silence, and the fragile threads that...

Japanese–Canadian dance‑punk trio, Gaijin Smash, have just released a stonking new track called 'Mountain', and it’s a vibrant vista of noise. The song works on several levels: slightly craggy guitars carve out the edges while the vocal refrains bring an unexpected warmth. It all coheres into a soaring, dual‑language onslaught, the vocals switching between Japanese and English to give the structure a interesting tilt as the band explore “the fight through inner turmoil and external pressures — ultimately emerging with renewed strength and resilience.” Heady and entertaining, 'Mountain' is a high‑altitude post‑punk tune with ragged sonics at its core and a welcome dusting of charisma across the top. It arrives as the first single from the band’s upcoming EP Humans, set for release on July 2. LINK:  gaijinsmash

Second Idol are a four-piece collective of second-generation Australians with a wide-scope of cultural origins. The band's diversity across gender identities, sexualities and cultural backgrounds provides the substance to fuel and propel their recordings. Listening to their new track 'Third Culture Kids' feels a little like standing at a meeting point where their identity, ideology and sound converge. I was instantly swept up by its urgency and punctuated approach; defined, in part, by the tight staccato arrangement. Following on, the guitars slice through the percussion with rawness, while Kate’s fiery vocal pulls everything together with confidence; embodying the tension of belonging in a fragmented world. This one tasty morsel of their work packs a similar punch to the innovators that have influenced them, but Second Idol prove they’re walking their own path. 'Third Culture Kids' is bold, uncompromising and highly listenable. The band's debut album is availab...

Flying in like a glam-rock act on rocket-propelled roller-skates, come Portland’s combobox with their latest track 'The Sermon'. In this "eggpunk Southern Gothic tale very loosely based on a real historical figure", the obvious driving force is the percussion, the drums really thump along with great vitality. However, it has to be said that the chugging bass, flashing guitars and frantic vocals are pretty hot on the heels. The resulting pleasure is a dynamic and unstoppable recording which delights and entertains. Originally formed in 2022, the current line-up of the band includes Zach Kay (vocals/guitar) and Ty Schreiber (guitar/vocals), Amy Katrina Bryan (drums) and Kaleb Lee (bass). The band term their sound as "spankwave"; a type of alt-punk loaded with frenetic energy and tongue-in-cheek absurdity, but retaining a tight control on musicianship. I suppose you could call their approach as discipline with a whip and a crack? 'The Sermon' certainly ...

Gothic trip hop is a new one on me (I think?), but with 'BRIDGE' those two cousins and Queens, NY natives, THROES NYC, have spanned two quite polar genres with great style and depth.  THROES NYC, aka Michael Bozzo and Courtney Leo, seem to have built a winning combination with an expansive sound pulling in influences from the early 90s and 00s. Always evolving, they strive to construct anything "that radiates vibes vibes vibes" and in doing so incorporate everything from experimental and new wave to pop, indie and trip hop. Taken from their latest EP, 'BRIDGE' is one of those tracks which oozes longevity. Courtney's sonorous vocals provide the keystone to the recording, but the instrumentation is equally impressive, playing more than just a supporting role. In fact, it was the quality of the backing that really caught my attention - having a bass with such fluidity that it almost resonates like the honeyed ejaculate of Pino Palladino floating through zero-...

The intro to Wuzy Bambussy's latest single, Little Lion, is a right royal wrong-footer. An unexpected trumpet announces the track after a brief, but cute, throat-clearing miaow of a light funk rhythm. But then, the big beast of a synth line arrives for the song proper and a sensational pop tune is born. The whole sound roars into life, much helped by Kat Harrison's splendid vocal - she crystalises the hooks and splashes colour across the precise beats and rhythm. Little Lion is the first single from the forthcoming debut album 'The Ghost & The Rhythm', which is due out in April 2026. The English West Country duo say that the song takes influence from 1980s synth classics and is about "reaching out to a fallen love in troubled times". From experience, I know that it is not an easy task to create a really good three minute pop tune, but Wuzy Bambussy have cracked it. This Little Lion - she's got claws. Be sure to check out the cool video, too. LINK:  wuz...

Catch the video for 'Cuerdes y cordeles', one of the latest tracks from Spanish electronic artist, Bardial. Musically, the piece is very much in a Richard D. James / Polygon Window style of delicate techno, the instrumental plays out charmingly with a light palette of electro sounds alongside a lush, expansive cinematic backwash. Not too fussy, the recording is well-constructed and extremely pleasing on the ear. Started in 2023, Bardial is billed as "an experimental electronic project blending ambient textures, atmospheric guitars, and a minimal, poetic visual identity". The video taps into that same feeling, combining beautiful scenery with layers of tones and abstractions. 'Cuerdes y cordeles' can be found on the four track EP, SigNu, which is available on Bandcamp. LINK:  Bardial

Rough as a piece of plywood and with a definite diy production feel, 'Generator' is lifted from the recent five track EP released by Wooden Crates, an Alaskan punk band. The song is an all out attack on the use of AI in art, more directly, the people who claim the creative credit for that "art".  Wooden Crates is "technically a one man band" with an anti-fascist viewpoint and is "armed with just enough musical ability to get by (barely)". That's not my opinion, those are his own words. An honest admission, which does play out with the demo-y quality of the recording - not in a negative way, beneath all the fluff and hiss, there's obviously real passion and the song does have a pretty good tune. I just enjoyed the straightforward vocal/guitar /drums approach and the concise nature of the piece (three little ducks.....2 minutes 22 seconds) - honouring the true spirit of punk. It made me feel like an A&R man from the late 1970s, listening ...

Again we head back into those relentless gothic mists, this time to discover Zero Micro Heaven with her latest single 'Dark'. For those who don't know, Zero Micro Heaven is Kate Glock, an Electronic / Industrial Rock artist, who creates music "For anyone who feels too much but can’t quite put it into words". 'Dark' is a distinctly personal song, with a theme of finding peace through acceptance, as conveyed with the lyrical refrain "some are more comfortable in the dark". The recording is influenced, in part, by Gary Numan; which is a fairly formidable benchmark to aspire to. However, Zero Micro Heaven manages a pretty fine effort, with the mid-tempo pulse and atmospheric textures providing a flawless sound when melded with the booming synths and expansive chords.  The arrangement balances mystery and intensity so beautifully, with melody and tension coexisting in a way that feels both ethereal and grounded. At the centre, Kate Glock’s vocals are ...

Sometimes I am a bit wishy-washy regarding roots music, not all of it really gels with me, but I clicked play on 'Higha' and BOOM! I was entertained by a kaleidoscopic cyclone of bass, dub and pure joy. Sonic wizard of the Bay Area underground, Janaka Selekta, teams up once again with the genre-hopping vocal dynamo Jahdan Blakkamoore, and the result is a high-voltage blast of Reggae-Dancehall-Jungle fusion that had me bouncing in my chair. Jahdan’s vocals drop effortlessly over Janaka’s twisting Drum & Bass architecture, then, just when you think the pattern has settled - the track morphs into a dubby halftime oasis. It’s like sipping coconut water mid-rave. Then the beats return, and the energy is pulsing again. Janaka’s global roots and rhythmic alchemy shine through, his pioneering experience, all encoded in this track’s DNA. Jahdan, meanwhile, brings Brooklyn fire and Guyanese soul, his voice a beacon of uplift. 'Higha' isn’t just a tune - it’s a sonic trampolin...

Do you remember, The Perfect Woman, that British comedy film from the 1940s? No?! That's just me and my odd viewing habits, then! OK, well, Elise Trouw has a new single out with a similar theme, only maybe more of a Frankenstein approach, in which she's talking about taking the best body parts from several female sources to make the ultimate girl. Naturally, the single is called 'The Perfect Girl'. In truth, the song is a satirical take on how people are judged, more specifically how women are judged by men. The idea for the track was drawn from Elise's schooldays memory of when a group of boys made a “hot or not” list ranking all the girls in class. Elise explains "It was one of the first moments I realized how girls were being seen," she says. "It wasn’t much about who we were. It was about how we looked. That never really left me." The piece is presented in a highly upbeat and jovial manner with a casual pop feel, but behind that make-up lurks...

Walk with me into the shadows, it is goth time again and I was completely entranced by 'La douleur (des mortels)', the latest single from Montreal’s The City Gates. From the first thunderous bassline, I felt like I was transported into a cathedral of gloom - where post-punk, shoegaze, and darkwave converge in a glorious, melancholic tapestry.  The decision to deliver the lyrics in French adds a layer of mystique that’s both intimate and epic. The baritone vocals resonate like a sermon from the abyss, especially when intoning lines like "On the paths of darkness, a fiery cross in the sky, eclipses the light of Eden, and exalts the sorrow of mortals". It’s poetry wrapped with drama and when accompanied by the spidery instrumentation, it rolls out splendidly. The production is robust and immersive - shimmering guitars swirl around pulsating drums, while the bass anchors everything with a brooding elegance. It’s a sound that recalls the grandeur of vintage goth, yet remai...

I just received 'The Letter' from Golden Hours and let me tell you, it’s not junk, it is a first class recording. It’s a sonic parcel packed with fuzz-drenched guitars, deadpan vocals, and lyrical weight that feels robust and compelling. 'The Letter' is the first dispatch from the band's upcoming sophomore album, 'Beyond Wires', and it’s addressed straight to the heart of anyone who’s faced life’s return-to-sender moments. The song’s themes: refusals, unwanted bills and obituaries, pile up like brain-blocking communiqués on a kitchen counter of despair. But instead of wallowing, Golden Hours sort, shred, and riff their way through the mess with the strength of desperation. Bassist/vocalist Wim Janssens describes the song as “a punch feeling so good that some would say it was most welcome” and I couldn’t agree more. This track doesn’t just deliver - it stamps its authority with every beat. Golden Hours, the Berlin-Brussels collective of seasoned post-punk cou...

Not to be confused with those Manc dullards, this is Osis with a track called 'Flies'. Taken from the recent self-titled 8-song EP, Osis, the Boston four-piece present themselves as a formidable and explosive punk rock outfit. The song, which is about mental illness, is pretty good on several counts. Firstly, Osis seem to take their influences from genuine old school, European punk sources, rather than the sanitized, latter-day commercial (spit), American pop-punk - and secondly, that in a fairly male-dominated genre, they are fronted with a female-lead on vocals (Katie Ghoulish). The result is a pleasingly chaotic sub-ninety-second blast of snarling guitars and narky vocals. A cool debut - great for newbie punk fans, but equally should find appreciation from the die-hard purists. LINK:  osis1.bandcamp.com Osis (8 song EP) by Osis

I always enjoy some well placed voice samples within a recording, I suppose I have built a career using the same approach. Commonly voice samples tend to be found within electronic music, so it was interesting to hear The Galley Project's 'The Cautionary Power'; as the technique is applied throughout a rock track. Actually, it is super-charged rock, with the instrumentation built around frenetic drums and heavy guitars, occasionally even feeling a touch bluesy. Like a sub-three minute burn-out, the tune rips along with great energy; the vintage voice drops providing substance in an attempt to remind us that "the struggles we face today (militarism, division, and short-sighted thinking) were already being called out generations ago. The song connects past warnings to our present reality". The Galley Project is a one-man band from Canada making "instrumental music you can groove to in the background of whatever life has to offer". 'The Cautionary Power...

'Wisdom Spit', the latest offering from Lana Del Rabies, is one of my more abstract picks - and proudly so. It’s a jagged, disorienting collage of noise, anchored by a rambling spoken-word monologue that veers between sermon and tortured recollection. The surrounding soundscape is a barbed-wire shroud: industrial hammers clatter, strangled angelic wails rise and fall, and festering swathes of electric static drone relentlessly. At times, the mangled layers are pierced by pleading voices from the abyss. In totality, it’s a brutal, hell-hole of undulating sonic shards. This track is not an easy listen; it is challenging. Its sheer intensity will alienate many - but that’s part of the thrill with experimental music: it polarizes. And for a few of us, that extremity is precisely what makes it exhilarating. That's why I love it. 'Wisdom Spit' is taken from Lana Del Rabies’ new release 'Omnipotent Fuck', a joint venture between Phage Tapes and her new label, Feral...

Singer-songwriter, Belle Blue, slaps your face and tugs at your ears with her new single 'Needed You More'. The Brooklyn-raised teenager, shows her fiery side whilst extending two welcoming arms to her contemporary take on alt-rock. With the song, produced and co-written by Nate Campany and Tommy English, she brings a spirited snapshot of life; combining pin-point vocals with snarling guitar licks, in a manner which reminded me of ground-breaking acts like The Breeders. There are also shades of the angry tenderness of Alanis Morrissette, both in words and delivery - not bad footsteps to follow, in my view. Belle herself cites Blondie and David Bowie as influences and that certainly shines through in her approach to the craft of song-writing - the drive is there, the intensity is there - and most importantly, the necessary pop sensibility is there. 'Needed You More' brings some much required energy to the commercial table, providing a green-shoots glimmer of hope that th...

Slinking in like a gang of street cats with baseball bats come Trendsetter, Magnus Deus & Katty G with 'Cyberstep', a track from the recent album 'Vanguard'. Presented as an experimental hybrid of dark synth, dubstep and cyberpunk, the recording is a feisty mash-up of sounds with a bright, but menacing vibe. Deftly punctuated with taught beats and some glitchy spikes of electro, the creators have also positioned a combination of spoken word commentary within the mix to bring characterization to the whole scene. Making this much more interesting and listenable than instrumentals with a similar approach. Away from music, Trendsetter, also known as "DJ Trendsetter" and "Mark Holiday", is known for his mission to help stray animals and no-kill animal shelters. He donates a percentage of his royalties to fund his "ARTCATS" project, which aims to feed and provide medical care for stray cats.  Why not get your paws into a copy and support thos...

Grace Turner pushes her way to the front of the queue and crashes the party with 'No Sleep', the latest release from her solo alt-pop project, City Builders. It’s a shamelessly hedonistic anthem, driven by her provocative vocals, super-sized synths and clattering beats that don’t so much walk in as kick the door down. Speaking about the inspiration behind the track, Turner explains, “My best friend and I turn into absolute demons on a night out… There’s nothing like giving into your intrusive ideas with a best friend, and I needed to write something that sounded as chaotic as our nights out.” Co-written with Maia Davies and soon instinctively developed with producers Zach Zanardo and Al P, 'No Sleep' is a chant-heavy, floor-filling with a distinct late-night pop vibe at its heart. It straddles deliciously between danger and frivolity, all packed with more sweet-spots and hooks than a candy-shop abattoir. An all-killer thriller. Dial 666 and see if you can handle it. LIN...

Time to hit the dancefloor, albeit the alternative one, with this banger from GRIMBO. The track, 'I Am Person', was recorded in a couple of days using tools such as Maschine and Ableton - and that quick turnaround has created a relentless electro stomp which does the job well. The only real shift is an occasional inclusion of a text-to-speech type voice sample, otherwise it is all beats and hedonistic synth sounds. I would suggest that it is not the type of tune which will change your life, but more of a sweaty five minute work-out. All nicely done, though. Good, clean fun with a drop or two of perspiration.

Oh yes, Digital Ghost, the act with the cool name, has just released a new recording called 'Safe Room'. Inspired by the the Resident Evil series, the piece is a sonic delight; combining elements of jungle, breakbeat and other electronic genres into a fully formed tune. I say "tune" with a look of happiness on my face, as the main melodic motif sits above all the contemporary styling, like a mothership casting treats to the universe. The melody is terrific, it incorporates the type of hook that could easily be the theme to some classic tv sci-fi series. Style and substance - a super track to fill your ears with. Released by Lost Tapes, 'Safe Room' is a place where I am more than happy to reside. LINK:  Digital Ghost

It can be quite hard to make an impact with an instrumental, but Astro Brat have managed to do that with their latest release 'White Lies'. The track is a right, royal foot-tapper and the mix of rocking guitar with cosmic augmentations reminded me a little of the wonderful, Man Or Astro-man? The solid percussive engine keeps everything bright, in reality, the whole thing is simply done, but there's enough going on to make it great fun and the arrangement has plenty of variation to maintain your attention. The less is more approach works splendidly and that's not something very easy to accomplish without vocals. I have no information about the act to impart, I suppose they just like to let the music do all the talking. An unexpected joy and a good tune to add to your mixtape for a road trip. LINK:  astrobratband

As a casual lover of anything remotely sci-fi, my imagination was instantly hooked by the title of Mi6’s latest offering, 'The Mind Machine', and its wicked artwork—which reminded me of the odd brain/eyes sculpture perched above my desk. From the very first beat, my appreciation sparked to life like a neuron fired from the depths of the band’s motherboard. I was pulled into their hypnotic circuitry - a dark, mesmerizing blend of post-punk grimace and electronic precision, delivered with a mature, brooding lilt. Vocally, it’s more Leonard Cohen than the shouty industrial fare we’ve all endured. Honestly, it’s like hearing Cohen front Kraftwerk—imagine that! The subtle female backing vocals add a layer of elegance that softens the machine’s edge, making it feel even more sassy.  The rhythm pulses like the inner workings of a sentient robot, while icy synths shimmer and slice through the mix with calculated intensity. It’s unsettling in the best way - like stepping into a cybern...

Looking for some relaxing music to help you through another week? Well, if that's the case, give Jellyfish by Metropolitan Project a go. Taken from Late Night Demos II , the track is a beautifully crafted recording, based around a simple, repeated guitar motif and interplay - it is gentle as being softly fanned by a butterfly in flight. Minimal, with not a harsh sound or beat to be heard, this piece is s really pleasurable listen. So, put aside all those tasks and troubles for a few minutes - and let this ambient wonder soothe you. LINK:  MetropolitanProject Late Night Demos II by Metropolitan Project

Breezing in again with some more of their laidback Americana are masked-duo Bad Flamingo and their latest recording 'The Fruit'. This time around they have picked a song which is succulent and delicious, and they somehow continue to impress, making the song-writing process seem almost effortless.     'The Fruit' is softly sung, sweet but not sickly - the production is smooth as silk, smoky as camp-fire; their stripped-back approach working wonders as they gently pluck, twang and charm. Once again, Bad Flamingo have released a track which sounds perfectly ripe and fully-rounded. Hats off to them! LINK:  Bad Flamingo