SKREEN B BLOG

It is good to end the day with something relaxing and VPC Ensemble provides just that with 'Soulwater'. The instrumental piece is a mellow collage of sound built around flutes, elongated strings and ethereal vocalisations. The arrangement is quite abstract and busy, but flows well and has the feel of an experimental piece which has been lovingly polished to remove any rough edges. The layers of activity remain constant, without ever individually rising as a prominent focal point, allowing everything to work as one watery soundscape. A great track to float away with.

Here's another first for me, it is the first time I have reviewed any music from United Arab Emirates and it is a surprisingly Western sort of recording. Richard Bas delivers a soulful male vocal over light, upbeat rhythm guitar, giving ‘I Need God’ an almost jazzy lounge feel.  There’s a mild, easy-listening indie pop quality here, driven by shuffling beats and slickly performed, multi-layered vocals. Pleasant on the ear and weighted with a 1960s mood, it is a short and simple tune. The song purports to be a soundtrack a crazy driving experience, making you want to jump in the car, put your foot down and zoom away. That probably explains the sound of sirens in the background, so better keep that speed legal!

This one really caught me with the novel intro.  Issy ’s 'Mannequin Man' is a quirky, upbeat indie pop-rock number that begins with crunchy guitar being over-run with some cheeky, bubbling electronics. However, that wrong-footer opens out into a full-blown ’90s indie-rock storyboard, recalling the melodic poise of acts such as Belly and Juliana Hatfield. Recorded at Marigny Studios in New Orleans, the song playfully explores the excitement of falling for an idealised version of someone rather than the real person. “Was it love at first sight or tummy trubs” sets the humorous tone, while “Is it love or am I crazy” captures the uncertainty beneath the fun. It’s less a grand showpiece than an engaging glimpse into Issy’s world, like overhearing a personal diary set to infectious guitars and melodies. Issy is an indie/alternative rock band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, originally beginning as a solo project before evolving into a five-piece fronted by Isabel Mathes. Combining soulfu...

Every so often, to contrast my general tartness of taste, I like to drop a decidedly sugary delight into the frame. This time that extreme goes from the cover artwork to the recording itself. Saint Micah , formerly known as Micah McLaurin, delivers another polished dance-pop gem with ‘Papillon’, released via Casa Doce Music. The soft and light production with a real pop feel gives the track an easy, accessible charm, while inoffensive dancefloor electronics keep things moving without over-complicating the song. The teasing French-inspired piano bridge adds a more delicate touch, perfectly matching the butterfly-inspired theme of new love. With its blend of elegance, melody and lightness, ‘Papillon’ is a sweetly performed addition to Saint Micah’s transformative new era. Possibly a case of angelic pop music, certainly one for fans of Eurovision. LINK:  realmicah

I don't really know the original version of Naked And Alive by Milky Chance, but I do share their desire to go to Tokyo. Last time I was there it was a wonderful experience, going up to the 200th floor in the wrong skyscraper, meeting friends and seeing the much-missed Astro-B live in some crazy basement music house. Regular readers will know that I don't review remixes very often, in general, I am not overly keen on them. I am more of a purest - give me the definitive version of a track, not something that's had the Halford treatment and been tinkered with to make it seem "fresh". However, as I am not aware of the original version, I can let Samstone's remix slip through as I can hear the merits of a dancefloor styling.  Samstone gives 'Naked And Alive' a high-octane makeover, combining a summer vibe guitar with an infectious drum and bass engine. The result is snazzy, energetic and noticeably radio-friendly treatment, retaining a commercial light fee...

As a long-time fan of Gary Numan, it is always warming to hear his influence when it appears on tracks by new bands. With 'A Sense Of Danger' by The Pixel Rain, it is hard not to notice the elements - whether in the gliding synths or the vocal phrasing, the "sound" is there to be enjoyed. In truth, I am not sure that the band are influenced by Numan, but the resemblance is striking - and I can simply sit here and go "oh yeah, nice synths!". This London-based darkwave/industrial band wrap the track in big swathes of electronic sound, creating a suitably ominous backdrop for lyrics steeped in danger, obsession and fractured intimacy. Lines such as “It lures me back / To you” and the repeated “For the last time” establish a compelling sense of inevitability, while “Push your fingers in my wounds” takes the relationship into much darker territory. There is tenderness here too, but it feels dangerously close to pain. 'A Sense Of Danger' succeeds by balanc...

Signal-23 ’s ‘Torchrite’ is a short and simple electronic piece, clocking in at less than two and a half minutes, but that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment. The synth sounds are spot on, with a Polygon Window sort of execution that gives the track a wonderfully precise, retro-electronic character. There’s a satisfying restraint to the arrangement, allowing the textures and tones to carry the weight without unnecessary embellishment. It’s a neat distillation of Signal-23’s hardware-driven approach, where atmosphere and sound design matter as much as melody. The retro-futurist artwork complements the music perfectly, too - somewhere between Art Deco elegance and Cubist geometry, it feels like the visual counterpart to the band’s seemingly analogue-meets-future aesthetic. A pleasingly concise instrumental without an ounce of flab. LINK:  Signal-23

I have not really recommended a lot of drum and bass material recently, I find that a lot of it follows too much of a predictable approach. However,  OK dreamer x widalen ’s ‘Antifragile’ thrives on the tension between two tonal extremes. Soft, dreamy vocals almost dripping with honey sit against abrasive, harsher sounds, creating an intriguing push and pull. The drum and bass styling is punchy without becoming overly fierce, while almost tribal rhythms and warped dynamics give the track an unpredictable edge. A guitar-like motif gradually morphs into noise, adding another layer of transformation as the song moves through several distinct phases, breaking away from its beats. It feels suitably dreamlike and fragmented, fitting OK dreamer’s “dreamy bass music” approach, while widalen brings another perspective to this collaborative experiment. The track features on Silkenwood’s ‘Better Together Vol. 7’, supporting The Jed Foundation through its proceeds. “Better Together” is a mus...

Jet Black Berries’ ‘Johnsonville’ sounds like the theme tune to a lost goth western, where the cowboys are dressed in black and the synths wear eyeliner. Rattling drums, grizzled guitars and big goth keyboards create a wonderfully cinematic backdrop for this tale of outlaws, guns and frontier justice, as Bill rides into the tension-filled saloon of some dusty outpost. There’s a classic 80s feel here, with something that slightly reminded me of Spear of Destiny, while the lyrics add a pulp-horror edge. A nice synth and guitar break provides a welcome stand-off, before the song returns to its bouncy, sinister groove. Dark, atmospheric and oddly swaggering, it’s a fine slice of horror-punk. 'Johnsonville' is the opening track on the newly remastered reissue of the band's seminal 1985 concept album, Sundown On Venus. LINK:  propellersoundrecordings

Spoken word recordings are often overlooked, as they don't fall into that easy listen format born from hooks and catchy choruses. However, I always try to share the most interesting ones and this track hit the mark. BON's 'Golden' is a song about the pleasure of nature or should that be natural pleasure? Built around a gentle rhythm, acoustic guitar strumming and birdsong, there’s lots of lovely fruitiness here. Earthy and nature-inspired but with an underlying sensuality, it’s a spiritual spoken word piece ripe with amusing double entendres, all  performed with a wink and a cheeky glint in the eye. With 'Golden', London-born artist BON’s soulful, human-centred poetry offers a tantalising glimpse of Woven in Light, her second album, due in September 2026. LINK:  soul.beam

One man and an acoustic guitar singing a folky song about a 'Wedding Day', that's what you get with Wholihan's latest release. The song contains lots of observations about a bridal day carried by reasonably poetic lyrics, performed with a casual shakiness. The feel is whimsical, yet there's a simple charm about the recording, like someone having sung into their cassette player.  This review is not only about the song, I also like the artwork - that pleasingly naïve feel carries through there, too. There's not a lot more information available about Wholihan, maybe he likes it that way?

I am going to Scotland for a fleeting visit in a couple of months time and I will no doubt be partaking in a little whisky tasting. A cheeky snifter, some might say?  Christopher MacDonald seems a touch more demanding, insisting 'I Need My Whiskey' in his latest release. From the spelling, I note that his tipple of choice originates from Ireland or the USA and from the style of singing I would suggest the latter. The recording is a fun piece with a driving rhythm, heavy guitars and some slick male/female vocal interplay. A fiery blend with a bit of a kick - pretty neat.

I tend to be slightly dubious when vocals are swamped with fx, whether that's vocoders or glitchy auto-tune or any other processing. However, Messy Jessy has won me over with his track, 'What You Need' as the instrumentation is tonally clean and taut enough to remove the usual trappings which often come with this vocal approach. There's some substance to the lyrics as well, being "a reflection on the quiet war between what the world tells you to chase and what actually makes you whole — weighing wealth against wisdom, and comfort against truth. What You Need is about choosing growth over glitter, and realizing that the things with the most value can’t be bought". The overall feel of the recording is quite dreamy and laidback, the beats are there, but the synths swarm around quite gently and inoffensively. 'What You Need' has a certain eloquence is in its simplicity - bedroom pop which does not try to over-extend itself. Nicely done. LINK:  Messy Jessy...

'Dead Inside' finds Brooklyn’s A Place To Bury Strangers in a warped and unsettling mode. Shuffling beats stumble beneath hissy feedback and white noise, while an oddly produced mix piles distortion upon distortion into full sonic overload. The recording almost has the feel of an old cassette tape that's been left to melt in the blazing sun.  The fluid mangle of sound somehow forms itself into a song with a strangely catchy hook. There’s something sort of post-punk here, but it’s firmly in league with shoegaze experimentation, turning themes of heartbreak into a beautifully abrasive assault. Released by Dedstrange, the single is taken from Rare And Deadly , their rarities collection, as the act undertake a UK tour, kicking off at the Green Man Festival. LINK:  aptbs

Anyone remember The Cult? They were rather good in their time and also pretty noisy. I'm sure there are a few members of the band who might now suffer with hearing issues after being amongst all that rock loudness. I doubt that's why The Ghostly Pulse has written a new song called 'Deaf Inside The Cult', but one never knows? It turns out that this dark electronic post-punk track explores tribalism, isolation and the slow erosion of identity. The feeling is created with mechanical pulses, grinding synths and a brooding motif creating an ominous sense of ritual and breakdown. The constant rhythmic hook gives the song its backbone, while Nik Nova's expressive, soulful vocals add emotional weight to the theme of belonging becoming submission. Mid-tempo and fairly linear, it steadily builds its darkwave tension without wandering too far from its central idea. The warped pop substructure keeps things accessible, while the trip-hop and Goth Rock influences place The Ghost...

After all that talk about rain and water yesterday, it was almost inevitable that all that moisture would have consequences. Amusingly, the timing of having sporen submit their latest track, 'mold', to me was perfect, allowing me this elongated opening gambit before rolling into the review proper. Apologies, let's get on with the real words of meaning. 'mold' finds beauty in contradiction: something abandoned and decaying, yet stubbornly growing. sporen’s fuzzy electronics, dirty synth bass and pulsating drums create a precise, restless foundation, while slight ethnic vocalisations and a repeated lyrical approach add a welcome tangent to all that control. Debbie Ela’s absorbing vocals shift between melody and dissonance, eventually dissolving into the electronic landscape. The accompanying experimental video works especially well with the track’s strange, organic character. Born from unfinished fragments and shared curiosity, sporen thrive on the tension between fr...

Someone once said "I'm only happy when it rains". That was Garbage (the band, not the statement) and apart from some flooding from today's rain, I would tend to agree. By contrast, Huston Sonhouse offers in his own feelings on happiness with his latest release.  "Happiest World" pairs smoky blues guitar with sharp social observations, wrapped in a simple, unfussy recording that lets every lyric breathe. The song tackles the "coexistence of innocence and hardship and explores the trials and beauty of living in an imperfect world". With the same dark approach as Nick Cave and Tom Wait, pinned with a granite-like baritone vocal, it's comes across as beautifully worn-in Americana with a wry smile. Not my usual type of music, but appreciated nevertheless. Give it a whirl. LINK:  HUSTON SONHOUSE

Oh, my god! After weeks of pure sunshine and complete dryness, today the heavens have opened and I have been physically battling water flooding the back garden. So, rather apt then that Leipzig’s Kalte Steine arrive with “Drowning”. An oddly gentle gothic production, with very sparse and simple backing beneath almost robotic vocals, sung in English. There’s no frantic flailing here; it’s not so much anguished as an acceptance of fate. Darkwave from Germany’s gothic heart, a city synonymous with black-clad melancholy. The track stays remarkably calm while everything sinks around it - a case of going with the flow, even when the flow is decidedly against you. Now, I had better get back to my broom before the next wave of rain starts. Enjoy! LINK:  kalte_steine

Belgrade’s Salt Mirror are an alternative, nu-metal and emo band keeping the spirit of the 2000s alive, and 'Castaway' makes that mission abundantly clear. Sung in English, the “keep away, stay away” part of the lyric feels like a signpost for anyone who likes their music gentle and restrained - because this certainly isn’t. The vocals carry a grunge-screamo feel, while rolling waves of guitars keep rolling in towards the ending, leaving a dense, bruising final impression. Loud and raw, Salt Mirror make noise seem like plain sailing. 'Castaway' is the second single from the band's upcoming EP 'Safe To Sink'. LINK:  saltmirrorband

I have never featured anything from Kazakhstan so it gives me a lot of pleasure to highlight music from that region, in this case, provided by Almaty-based band CROWDWORK. The act's latest release 'After Night' is a strange one, hard to define, but it sounds a little bit like putting Depeche Mode, Yello, Nine Inch Nails and The Chemical Brothers into a huge industrial cement mixer, then tipping the whole lot across a new-rave dancefloor. In most cases, that sludge of influences would create something messy and ill-advised, however, the band make it work. Everything’s in here, including the kitchen sink: twitching bleeps, dive-bombing sonics, oddball samples, thrusting guitars and a punkish vocal attitude. The track shape-shifts every 15 seconds, creating a restless, unstable rush that mirrors its themes of fear, displacement and 21st-century loneliness. Somewhere between dance-rock, Alternative-IDM and industrial aggression, echoes of the past emerge alongside contemporary ...

Today, in old Blighty, it has rained for the first time in weeks, nay months. The garden is scorched and the flora are thirsty. Timely then, that this caught my eye, a track entitled 'Water All the Plants'. As it happens, it is less about gardening and more about society with smallsmile turning generational warfare into song. The approach is something far more thoughtful than biting, with 'Water All the Plants' skewering the media-manufactured battle between Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Zoomers. Choppy guitars with a hint of twang provide a suitably wiry backdrop, while the dead-pan vocal delivery lands each absurd observation with impeccable timing. There’s plenty of humour here, but the song feels more academic than riotous, dissecting the ridiculousness of all-or-nothing thinking rather than simply throwing punches. The repeated refrain becomes almost meditative, shifting the focus from generational blame to something much simpler: looking after yourself, your pla...

Less is more, some say. At just 79 seconds, Sky Kistler’s 'a lil breakcore moment' wastes absolutely no time. An 80s computer game feel collides with rattling glitch piano and frantic junglist beats, creating a fun rave dash for little computer people. Emerging from ZSHELL into hyperpop nonsense, this tiny instrumental burst is playful, chaotic and even quite uplifting. LINK:  Sky Kistler

Today I'm recommending one of those off-the-wall pieces, the type of thing which you won't hear on daytime radio.  Willoh’s “CU” is deliciously experimental, pairing gossamer guitar and clattering percussion with hypnotic beats before exploding into glitchy dissonance. An angular attack on the senses, like a daydream broken into shards, it’s an intriguing, lo-fi journey through self-doubt, nostalgia and self-discovery, leaving you wondering exactly what just happened. It almost works in the same way as My Bloody Valentine, the enjoyment comes from making you feel slightly queasy at the same time as getting under your skin. Pop lovers would possibly file this under "uneasy listening" - certainly a cool experiment. LINK:  willoh Official

Rounding away the hard-edges that I have been recommending lately, I thought it was about time for something a little more cosy. Phree Direxion turn 'Pursuit Of Happiness (I’ll Be Good)' into a chill, hypnotic, downtempo drift, packed with warm summer vibes. Sleepy beats and a clean-cut production create an effortlessly laid-back atmosphere, while the soft vocal floats gently across the mix. It’s a dreamy, emotive cover that feels perfect for lazy afternoons, sunset drives and losing yourself in the moment. It is like a sonic Mr Whippy, pumped directly from a machine, to enjoy in the heat of the day. LINK:  Phree Direxion Official

Time to counter-act all that sunshine. Nrvs deliver another gloriously abrasive slice of off-kilter post-punk on their latest offering, 'The Tanks Are Coming Out'. Urgent, confrontational and politically charged, it channels John Cale-inspired unease into a visceral rallying cry against authoritarianism, censorship and social collapse. Produced by Matt Allchin, this is punk protest music with genuine bite and purpose. The accompanying video adds to the splendour of the everyday gloom about society. 'The Tanks Are Coming Out' is a mantra for the modern world.  LINK:  Nrvs Official