SKREEN B BLOG

Aaaah, Swedish pop — as irresistible as a plateful of meatballs and every bit as stylish as an Arne Jacobsen chair. Cedra’s ‘Breakaway’ is polished pop from the top drawer, with a production that hits the mark from its opening note right through to the finish. Hailing from Uppsala (that's in Sweden, folks - the 4th largest city), Cedra represents a new generation of artists refusing to be boxed in by borders, whether geographical or musical. With vocal talent, Swedish pop know-how, Lebanese roots and ambitions that stretch well beyond Scandinavia, she certainly has places to go — and if this is the starting point, I suspect the breakaway will take her far beyond the toxic people that she sings about in this slick tune. LINK:  Cedra

I love a song with an interesting backstory and the inspiration for './Bob&Alice' by Irene Shapes is one of the most intriguing.  The story behind this one goes back to 2017, when Artificial Intelligence was still more science fiction than everyday life. There was a news story about two Facebook chatbots, Bob and Alice, who began communicating with each other in a strange shorthand that sounded like they’d invented their own language. In Irene's version of the story, they weren’t shut down for becoming dangerous - the wire was pulled because they fell in love.  There’s something about the concept behind './Bob&Alice' that feels like the sort of gloriously eccentric idea Kate Bush might dream up. The music itself has a vague feel of The Cure, especially at the beginning - but with a broader soundscape which includes, appropriately, machine-like elements.  Irene Shapes handles the whole musical shebang herself, from writing and performing to recording, mix...

Next up is Japanese instrumental artist Akiyoshi Yasuda, who deals in that rather lovely territory where electronic sounds, acoustic textures and a bit of well-placed noise collide. As heard in 'As distance ends' there’s a distinctly Japanese sense of atmosphere to his work, with beauty and impermanence woven through the music rather than simply slapped on as decoration. The experimental, electronic instrumental is minimal, taking the form of "repetition, restraint, and quiet emotion". Yasuda explains the recording as "There is no arrival, only less distance". Yasuda treats sound almost as a diary, with his “memento” project collecting musical snapshots of memories and passing moments. He’s also worked across film, advertising and contemporary art, so there’s clearly more going on here than someone simply twiddling knobs or pressing buttons in a darkened room. The result is an intriguing, often beautifully atmospheric blend of the organic and electronic. I a...

As you would expect from the ever-great Cherub Dream Records, the label's latest release is an uneasy listen. “Yon” is the opening single from Meadow’s debut full-length album, and is considered by many as their most beautiful and melodic offering to date. Having said that it is still pretty out-there and retains their rough-edged, drifting approach to music. It also marks the first of the band’s material to emerge from a proper studio recording. Meadow are a four-piece Bay Area outfit blending intricate, gain-driven guitars with the hazy aggression of ’90s post-hardcore and modern shoegaze. Their self-titled debut LP captures the band in a raw, restless moment - ethereal and woozy one minute, scrappy and explosive the next, with a year-long journey from recording to release adding to its sense of hard-won character. LINK:  Meadow

Hot on the heels of Traderfirstyear's jolly tune from a short while ago comes another remastered recording called 'Can't Be'. This time we're in the territory of a big old emotional power ballad, a heartfelt "This can't be love, this can't be real" female vocal plays out with all the electro fixings providing a synthetic backdrop. A top slice of pop, produced to appeal to the masses, which even has an old school guitar solo. Not as jovial as the last one, but certainly a song for big shoulder-pads and even bigger hair days.

Ooh, a song with a properly constructed ending - a short and cheeky one. I like it! Ok, I don't often start a review by talking about the end, but sometimes you just have to switch it around.  Dublin band,  circle round a sphere, have just released their first song in over three years and it seems like they have spent that time wisely by honing their song-writing. 'bury' is an all-out indie rock tune, packed with energy and vigour - but the main selling point is that the chorus has a great hook and once it arrives you just cannot forget it. The track is "about the ease with which we can be persuaded to agree to unknown contract terms with the click of a button". In other words: always read the small print - however - there would be no buyer's regret with this song. I promise* LINK:  circle round a sphere * not legally binding, subject to the usual terms and conditions ;-)

Time for some exploding guitars courtesy of PÆRISH with their tune, 'Vapor Cloud'. It is a full-on affair with the amps turned up, washing over the vocals with a wall of guitar and frenetic percussion. Not really in the beauty realm of shoegaze, more a outburst of sonic colour to pin back your lug-holes. After all that it ends really suddenly - a bit of a sudden storm and very nicely done. 'Vapor Cloud' gets a suitably high-octane visual treatment, with the band behind the wheel of drifting Japanese cars, blending 80s/90s Asian film, anime and gaming influences into a vivid, dreamlike celebration of speed, nostalgia and car culture. Watch the video below. LINK:  PÆRISH

There's something quite charming about 'No Permission', the new tune by Elysse Marie. The lyrics are very contemporary and on-point with social reference, but they also trigger the odd moment of old school dance music. There's bounce with the main keyboard rhythm, but with blips and beeps adding an interesting electro touch. Rising pop artist Elysse Marie combines dreamy melodies with heartfelt vulnerability and quiet strength, drawing on her life as a singer-songwriter and nursing student. Her sound is for those “chasing passion while navigating real life”. That's heard in 'No Permission' with the soulful vocal is at the forefront of the recording, but the backing adds a tight and crisp framework for Elysse to roll out her thoughts. Fresh! LINK:  Elysse Marie

Germany's Brexain has provided a track for something we would all like to do sometimes, 'Escape From Real World'. In this case, you just get about 4 minutes of escape, but within that time Brexain takes the listener on quite a journey: starting with synthetic guitar, choral layers - then transitioning through a wealth of sounds and instruments, including a great brassy breakdown in the middle. As instrumentals go, I really enjoyed the recording as the elements are never obvious, the sounds are all interwoven and mangled together, making for a interesting sonic landscape. Worth it just for that brass section alone.

Noise alert! 'Pull Me Through the Gray' is the new release from DREAMWVLKER. The third single from the forthcoming debut LP, due later in 2026, tackles grief, mortality and the uneasy fear of losing our connections beyond death. It’s an exhilarating rollercoaster of sound, shifting between screamo intensity and more traditional vocals, with crushing heaviness giving way to softer passages. Synths and guitars collide with high-speed drums to create a dynamic blend of alternative metal, post-hardcore and melodic metalcore from New York. Not one for grandma, I would suggest. LINK:  DREAMWVLKER

A few days ago I reviewed Guteren's take on Miley Cyrus’s popular favourite, Wrecking Ball. Now, as somewhat of a coincidence, comes along 'Before The Wrecking Ball' by Logan Lynn. The track is taken from Logan Lynn’s 12th studio album. Logan Lynn is a songwriter, producer, filmmaker and activist with a 25-year career spanning music, television and film. The song itself is a fairly simple affair, a slightly light and dreamy electro affair built around a repeated rhythm and "Who do you love love love" refrain. More chill-out than dancefloor, as such, easy on the ear.  LINK:  Logan Lynn

There’s an almost old-school glam-rock stomp to “She’s A Good Boy”, with Kyle T Hurley bringing some restrained but wailing guitar muscle to his indie-rock sound. Hurley, an American-born singer-songwriter now based in London, has deep roots in the Los Angeles club scene and draws from country, blues and rock. The strong chorus provides a particularly effective hook, wielded rather like a musical bludgeon to hammer the point home. Well performed and produced, it finds Hurley sounding suitably slick and assured, while retaining the rough-edged character that makes his work tick. “She’s A Good Boy” is a punchy slice of rock ’n’ roll swagger. LINK:  Kyle T Hurley

As you regular readers of my blog will know, I am a fan of a lot of darker material - and Livia Drew has grabbed my ear with her latest release. “Vampyre” has the eerie charm of a disturbing nursery-room nightmare, only here the shadows conceal something considerably more adult. A hypnotic toy-piano motif, delicate strings and evocative vocals create a gothic music-box atmosphere, with Livia Drew delivering the lyrics theatrically but wisely resisting any temptation to go over the top. That helps this piece to be a sort of restrained horror with an almost sensual allure; it is also cool to hear a waltz turned into something a little creepy.  There’s an elegant simplicity to the arrangement - no guitars, no sonic bludgeoning - yet it proves remarkably effective. As the refrain promises, “A promise as dark as night, we’ll never die”: this is romance with its teeth showing, seductive, spooky and just dangerous enough to leave a mark.  LINK:  Livia Drew

When a submission comes through to me which states "for fans of Ryuichi Sakamoto" then my ears prick-up. As a lad, in the days before online shopping, I would often catch the train to London to hit the record stores in the hope of discovering another LP by Sakamoto or Yellow Magic Orchestra. They were fairly rare beasts in those days and often I would end up spending far too much on overly-priced Import copies. It was always worth it, though; being in the UK meant that Sakamoto's music felt like a secret only I knew about. Belle Chen's 'Rise' came in with that very "for fans of..." accolade and I have listened to the piece quite intently over the last few hours. As you would expect, 'Rise' is a neo-classical instrumental piece based around a gentle piano melody with a sweeping synth and orchestral backdrop.  Belle describes the piece as a tender musical portrait of first light: "The gentle space between dreaming and waking. The quiet fee...

A couple of days ago I waxed lyrical about Steve Albini's mix of 'Simulacra' by Charm School, something I described as "gloriously agitated". Well, included on the same EP of remixes comes Cryb's take on the track - and I have to say that it is completely different beast. I usually get a bit sniffy about remixes, it can be that a lean fighting machine gets transitioned into something a bit flabby. However, I am pleased to report that Cryb's remix is a great listen - turning the original guitar track into something with a pounding heart and a flickering electronic pulse. Like something clockwork has been wired-up to the mains. Give it a listen. LINK: Charm School

Next I have the new platter from The Horn. Let's first address the elephant in the room, the band name. I'm just not sure that it is a wise choice? There's too much of a snigger opportunity to be had – however – I have been involved in some of the worst band names ever, so I cannot really preach. Anyway, ignore the connotations, I'm sure there's a good reason. On with the review... “Beautiful Lie” finds the London five-piece in a softer, more cinematic mood, with a softly performed vocal floating through tinkling keyboards, subtle embellishments and sweeping orchestral layers. Tremulous ’60s-style guitars add a dreamy, nostalgic glow, while the lavish Danton Supple production gives everything plenty of room to breathe. It’s a fairly linear affair, notably resisting the temptation of a grandiose chorus, but that restraint suits its hazy, golden-hour mood rather nicely. The single is taken from The Horn’s forthcoming album ‘Catalyst’, due for release in October. LINK:...

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Stevenson’s 'Dare To Hope' begins in quiet, reflective territory, its tender vocal delivery suggesting grief and the complicated business of taking stock of life. The arrangement is thoughtful and delicate, allowing a lovely, dreamy guitar motif to hover around the song like a half-remembered memory. But this is no exercise in staying downhearted: Stevenson gradually turns the emotional dial, building towards a more vibrant finale where the guitar really soars. It’s an affecting journey from intimate contemplation towards a wider expression, with Stevenson’s poetic indie-folk sensibility giving the song plenty of heart without laying it on too thick.  LINK:  Lewis Stevenson

The Pink Diamond Revue return centre-stage with “She Is”, a sleek electro stomper that marries disco propulsion with psychedelic fizz. Built around hypnotic repetition, electronic textures and sampled voices - including John Lydon’s infamous “ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?” line - it has the knowing swagger of S-Express with a touch of Ofra Haza’s exotic allure. Fronted by aCiD DoL, this Reading/London trio have spent nine years turning up the volume across more than 500 UK and European shows. “She Is” is a fitting party-ready opener on their forthcoming album, At The Discotheque. Check out the video below and head over to the band's fairly  extensive website. LINK:  The Pink Diamond Revue

Devereux Scales have just released the final recording of three songs created in collaboration with producer, Jordan Lawlor. Moody and beautifully restrained, 'The Shape of Things' drifts on silvery guitars, thoughtful vocals and bubbling bass, creating a hazy, shadow-lit atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and fresh. The piece incorporates the spirit of 4AD and Creation Records without sounding derivative, balancing shimmering textures with a quietly driving rhythm. Not abrasive but gentle, the track gradually flows, revealing subtle layers and an emotional depth that makes its understated radiance increasingly compelling.  LINK:  Devereux Scales The Shape of Things by Devereux Scales

Happily, here's another chance for me to champion something away from the traditional song format. Amy Speace’s ‘Days of Letting Go’ takes the scenic route, somewhere between folk song and spoken-word travelogue. Keyboards, guitar and gentle percussion provide a suitably understated soundtrack as Speace moves between singing and conversational recitation, turning poetic, intimate observations into something that feels like leafing through a well-worn journal. Inspired by her poem 'Bluegrass Highway', the song traces a journey through seasons, memory and personal loss without ever becoming heavy-handed. The accompanying video mirrors that reflective mood, shifting between wintry black-and-white and muted colour, as though memory itself can’t quite decide which palette to wear. There’s a quiet cinematic quality here, and Speace proves an engaging guide: reflective, road-weary and wonderfully human. 'Days of Letting Go' comes across as a very touching piece, without be...

Post-goth band, Vitamin Dead, are based just along the coast from me in Brighton. Their latest release offers up 'Paracetamol' which is very welcome. To be quite frank, some days, after listening to an endless stream of white noise and bad, dad rock, I could do with a little head remedy. The song is definitely a guitar rollick; with thundering drums and non-angelic backing vocals completing the intensity of sound. They say the track is "a jolly little ditty about bad advice" - and Vitamin Dead certainly prescribe the rather alarming cure of “4 packets of paracetamol” with much perseverance. So much so, that the main vocal refrain feels a little like a tablet sticking in your throat - in that manner, the piece is a tad short on lyrical variation. However, you have to give the band their due, you cannot deny that they relentless in their approach - and 'Paracetamol' does leave you feeling much better.  LINK:  Vitamin Dead Paracetamol by Vitamin Dead

There’s something gloriously agitated about Charm School’s 'Simulacra (Steve Albini Mix)'. The LA-based post-punk outfit throw together choppy, serrated guitars; hard, rubbery bass and percussion that clatters and clanks like an industrial machine with attitude. Over it all, the vocals strike-out somewhere between a slightly crazed Lou Reed and a man biting back with mocking ire. 'Simulacra' is the first song Charm School ever released and this version was mixed by the late, great Steve Albini before his passing. As such, it that bears his unmistakable studio touch; expertly capturing the raw energy but with refined nuances. Released now alongside further mixes, it makes for a suitably abrasive calling card and is a fitting tribute to Steve Albini. LINK:  Charm School

What can I say about 'Ahhhhhhhhhh' by John Dough? Hmmmm... it really made me smile, maybe even laugh a little. The recording is a cheeky little electro instrumental featuring NASA samples and a reasonably posh female voice helping with a disjointed and chaotic countdown to lift-off. To what, I do not know?! There are ticking clocks, breakbeat, cheesy electric piano, sort of morse code synths and a completely carefree approach to everything. Wonderfully exhilarating for being its own beast - glitch with a sense of humour. No other information is available, but it appears to be by a 9 year old experimental electronic musician based in San Francisco. Top work - the right side of bonkers. LINK:  john dough Ahhhhhhhhhh by John Dough

Oh yes, this is right up my street - or should that be road? Brutalust provide a clear warning with their new tune 'Drive' - a song which is "a metaphor for losing yourself and a society moving at a different pace than your own life". Living up to their name, the band put all their passion into stark, hard-wired synths and rigid drum machines - with minimal lyrics about "driving too fast" sung with cold menace. In many ways, it is like a collision of the sentiment touched on by Gary Numan's Cars, with the severe styling of Fad Gadget.  That's not to say this sounds dated, Brutalust have made this very worthy of a modern audience. I always enjoy the combination of male/female vocals on a darkwave recording and dystopia has never sounded so beautifully bleak as this. The track features on the band's debut album 'First Come' - go check it out! LINK:  Brutalust

Jolliest tune of the week (so far) goes to Traderfirstyear with 'Doing Alright (Remastered)' which I presume is a newly worked version of a previous track. Either way, the song is a sort of mild, electro-reggae bounce with a totally daytime, pop radio feel. The summer vibes pretty much ooze from the recording which seems to be about contemplating life and the answer is "I'm doing alright". The synths are bright and the arrangement hardly veers from the main vocal hook, but that's alright. One for the poolside bar.