Showcasing their prowess for fretwork as it expands to include bass guitar, Kempner co-produced You Sing Like You’re Joking with Julian Fader (Ava Luna) and Katie Von Schleicher (Frankie Cosmos) which also features contributions from Nick Hakim. This new body of work finds Kempner surveying the tectonic shifts and successes in their life and career. And yet these achievements have been punctured by loss; much of the album grapples with fluctuating relationships. The highly relatable lead single ‘Natural Disasters’ is a stripped-down meditation on a grown-apart friendship amid climate catastrophes. “My basement is flooding, and your house is burning, and we’re not talking,” Kempner sings. They further explain, “I was like, ‘Damn, the future is pretty doomy right now. Why can’t we just get over it and get through this together?’”

The new song arrives alongside an official video directed by Rachel Brown (Water From Your Eyes) who shares, “I’ve been a huge fan of Palehound since the first record, so when El asked me to collaborate on a video, I was so honored. My main focus was to capture the idea of friendship and love as a memory. I think it’s necessary to hold onto the joy you felt with someone, even if they are no longer in your present life, which I think the song paints so beautifully. I also wanted to present the concept of impending societal doom as something subtle and lonely. The gas mask was a direct reference to the nuclear war imagery of the 1960s. We planned the shoot before the forecast started talking about the nor’easter, but I figured that the weather was on theme, so we continued to shoot even with governmental warnings. Strangely enough, the weather was perfectly fine pretty much all day.”

You Sing Like You’re Joking:

1. Incisions
2. Hourglass
3. The Midwest
4. Patio
5. Natural Disasters
6. Target
7. Color
8. Sum Of Our Days
9. Sleep Through Anything

The post Palehound announces new album You Sing Like You’re Joking & unleashes single & video ‘Natural Disasters’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

‘Somebody Else’ was written during the same breakthrough week as recent single ‘My Collection.’ After months of struggling to find a way forward, Brimheim began crate-digging for 1970s singer-songwriters and flirting with elements of cabaret-style jazz. One day, after bringing these references to the studio, long time collaborator Søren Buhl Lassen played a classic 2-5-1 jazz progression on the piano and Brimheim began singing along. This gave access to a playfulness that had eluded them for months.

However, beneath that playfulness, the song turns on a darker fantasy. ‘Somebody Else’ begins with a broken mirror and an imagined reconstruction: its narrator pieces the shards together into a new, perfect face, then making the reflection large enough to climb inside. The desire to become someone else becomes increasingly surreal – part transformation, part disappearance.

But the significance of ‘Somebody Else’ extends beyond the song itself. Together with ‘My Collection,’ it broke a creative dam, allowing the world of Fables to come into focus.

“My previous record was deliberately eclectic, drawing from many contrasting references. This time, I wanted cohesion. I’ve tried to accomplish that through working with a loose set of dogmas: Everything played by hand, no pitch correction on vocals, and lyrics needed to have an element of the extraordinary. The result is an organic record that, to me, feels out of time.

“Fables is a search for what is human and for what still holds meaning — within myself and in our dystopian times. I make art and music to make sense of a foundational feeling of alienation. With this record I was especially interested in recapturing the lost magic and imagination I had access to as a child.”

That search for meaning eventually gave the album its name. Brimheim takes the familiar machinery of the fable – strange encounters, transformations, choices and consequences, but scraps their promise of a tidy moral. Her characters hover at thresholds, caught somewhere between who they are and who they might become. Mirrors, doorways, bells, darkness and discarded things take on lives of their own. Again and again, resolution slips out of reach. Where the fables of childhood tell us what the story means, Fables is more interested in what happens when no answer arrives.

‘Somebody Else’ is accompanied by a music video directed by Stine Emil, completing the two-part visual story that began with ‘My Collection.’

Fables:

1. Deep Sea Creature
2. Somebody Else
3. Girl at the Door
4. Sweet, Sweet Dark
5. Arsenic
6. Ringing Bell
7. Broken Door
8. My Collection
9. iPad Glare
10. Cradle
11. Niagara Falls (Old Gods)
12. Sainte-Chapelle (Paris, Baby)

The post Brimheim announces Fables LP; shares cinematic-pop single & video ‘Somebody Else’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

On ‘French Manicure’ the band dives into the playful mystery of an unexpected encounter. Built around the intrigue of an anonymous phone conversation, the song captures the excitement of connecting with someone you know absolutely nothing about. Identities remain hidden, intentions are unclear, and the pleasure lies precisely in that uncertainty. Flirting with anonymity, curiosity and the thrill of the unknown, Baby Berserk turn an ordinary exchange into a game of seduction where imagination takes over and anything seems possible.

Psycho Dance Sleaze:

1. Stuck in Here
2. Psycho Boogie
3. No Fun
4. French Manicure
5. Painted Lines
6. Got to Enjoy
7. Whatcha Sipping On?
8. I Hate You
9. Mona
10. Smart Girls
11. Painted Lines (Cassette Version)

The post Baby Berserk announce new album Psycho Dance Sleaze alongside single & video ‘French Manicure’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

Atmospheric indie-rock guitars establish an underlying sense of unease, complemented by a strong, driving rhythm section. The restrained verses carry an anxious tension, with Liam Houston’s drums helping propel the song towards its big, cathartic choruses. Anna-Sophia Henry delivers an impressive vocal performance, balancing emotional vulnerability with an uplifting, anthemic quality as the instrumentation opens up around her. A brief, quieter instrumental passage provides another moment of reflection before the tension begins building once again, making the eventual release all the more satisfying.

With its memorable chorus, dynamic arrangement and emotionally direct songwriting, ‘Fear of the Known’ demonstrates IONA SKY’s ability to craft accessible indie rock without sacrificing atmosphere. Already gathering considerable momentum, the band certainly sound capable of reaching an even wider audience.

The post IONA SKY confront anxiety on cathartic indie-rock single ‘Fear of the Known’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

Traditional country instrumentation gives ‘Northern Star’ its wonderfully nostalgic character, with Meels’ acoustic guitar joined by mandolin, gentle shuffling percussion and subtle bass. Hammond organ and celesta add further texture, creating an almost whimsical atmosphere that feels like a woodland full of happy little creatures. Meels’ sweet, traditional country vocals bring warmth to the wistful melody, while a lovely electric guitar solo provides a particularly satisfying flourish towards the end. Blending folk, country and Americana, the arrangement feels timeless without losing its individuality.

The accompanying visualiser reinforces that vintage charm, presenting Meels performing onstage through the warm, grainy aesthetic of a 1970s television broadcast. Combined with the retro-inspired artwork, it’s a beautifully cohesive artistic vision. ‘Northern Star’ is an enchanting little journey through homesickness, hope and heartfelt nostalgia.

The post Meels blends wistful Americana and whimsy on ‘Northern Star’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

A beautifully warm arrangement blends acoustic and electric guitars, gentle percussion, piano and a rolling bass groove, creating an effortlessly inviting slice of contemporary soul. Flourishes of trumpet and saxophone add further richness, lending the track that distinctive London soul feel. At its heart is Nectar’s gorgeous vocal performance, her delivery floating effortlessly over the instrumentation with a timeless warmth and tenderness. There’s a wonderfully organic quality to the production, allowing the musicianship and emotion to shine without becoming overly sentimental.

While its inspiration is seasonal, ‘Only Want You’ avoids the obvious festive trappings. Equally suited to a cosy winter evening or a warm summer sunset, it’s a beautifully understated, year-round soul ballad that finds comfort and beauty in longing.

The post Nectar Woode captures bittersweet longing on soulful ‘Only Want You’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

A distinctive, abrasive electronic riff immediately grabs attention, setting the tone for a dark and confrontational slice of industrial dance. Harsh, gritty synth textures collide with atmospheric flourishes, while a relentless mechanical beat gives the track a compelling dancefloor pulse. There’s a definite Nine Inch Nails-esque edge to the instrumentation, but Kattman’s commanding vocals provide their own personality, shifting between sultry restraint and outright aggression. The production is sleek without sanding away the industrial roughness, allowing that central riff to remain the driving force.

Menacing yet empowering, ‘It’s In The Losing You’ captures the complicated emotions of walking away and reclaiming control. Kattman makes self-liberation sound suitably fierce, proving that sometimes the most important approval is your own.

The post Mari Kattman unleashes industrial dance fury on ‘It’s In The Losing You’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

A regimental drum intro kicks things off alongside Jay Eliver’s unmistakably pop-punk vocals, before a melodic guitar line gives way to crunchy, nostalgia-soaked power chords. The pace is frantic but wonderfully bouncy, with punchy drums keeping everything moving and Jay’s angsty, melodic delivery perfectly conveying the song’s lovesick fixation. There’s no attempt to disguise its classic pop-punk influences, and frankly, why should there be? The whole thing builds around an infectious singalong chorus, with the hook “Can’t stop my knees from shaking / I want you that’s all I’m saying” practically begging to be shouted back.

Unashamedly upbeat and packed with youthful romantic energy, ‘That’s All I’m Saying’ doesn’t reinvent pop-punk, but its sheer catchiness makes it a thoroughly enjoyable EP closer.

The post UNINVITED deliver nostalgic pop-punk rush on ‘That’s All I’m Saying’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

splitxlip

Bristol-based splitxlip is the brainchild of singer-songwriter and producer Bailey Blair, who describes her sound as ‘Grit Pop’, combining crunchy, guitar-driven rock with infectious pop melodies. Having previously written songs for other artists, Bailey grew frustrated with handing over her ideas and taught herself to produce, allowing her to take complete creative control. Joined on stage by guitarist Mikey Lloyd and drummer Joe Clements, she transforms those recordings into energetic live performances.

‘What You Waiting For?’ tackles procrastination, overthinking and the habit of waiting for the perfect moment to start living. Beneath its distorted guitars and hook-heavy production is a message about getting out of your own head and doing the things you’ve been putting off. Bailey also directed, filmed and edited the accompanying video herself, using a phone and a Snorricam to capture herself running as though desperately trying to catch up with her own life.

merphi

Danish artist merphi creates emotionally intimate alternative music that moves between soft, organic instrumentation and abrasive electronic textures. Drawing on the guitar-driven sounds she grew up with, her songwriting explores the complexities of relationships, identity and the sometimes uncomfortable ways we adapt ourselves to the people around us.

The title track from her debut EP morphing into you introduces a project centred on codependency and the gradual loss of identity within relationships. Through glitchy distortion, melancholic guitars and vulnerable songwriting, merphi examines the tendency to change parts of yourself in order to feel loved, accepted or easier to hold onto. Creating the EP also became an opportunity for her to recognise patterns she hadn’t previously understood, using music to make sense of experiences that had long been difficult to articulate.

Mini Disc

Leeds indie newcomers Mini Disc formed in early 2026 when four friends decided to channel their shared frustrations with corporate life into music. Drawing on nostalgic indie influences, the band combine retro-inspired vocals, cavernous guitars, grooving basslines and unpredictable drums to create atmospheric songs rooted in personal experiences.

Debut single ‘Whale Song’ explores the experience of finding somebody you want to spend your life with, alongside the vulnerability that comes with recognising how much they mean to you. Beginning with small gestures of affection and gradually building towards an almost desperate desire for permanence, the track captures both the comfort of being loved and the fear of losing it. Its cinematic arrangement mirrors that emotional progression, moving from quiet yearning towards something considerably more intense.

Hayley Lloyd

Leeds singer-songwriter Hayley Lloyd draws inspiration from jazz, soul and artists including Angie Stone, Lalah Hathaway and Anita Baker. After taking a ten-year break from singing, she has returned to music through gospel choirs, jam sessions and live performances, gradually rediscovering her creative identity and reconnecting with the joy of performing.

Her debut solo single, ‘When You Play’, was created alongside northern producer YELAH, combining Hayley’s rich, soulful vocals with a hypnotic, piano-led groove. The track celebrates the powerful connection between musicians and listeners, particularly those moments during a live performance when the music seems to reach somewhere beyond words. Inspired by the feeling of being completely carried away by a song, ‘When You Play’ reflects Hayley’s renewed relationship with music and the emotional connection that drew her back to it.

Mr. Beale

Experimental artist Mr. Beale creates unusual musical collages from field recordings, intricate rhythms, jazz-influenced vocals and unexpected instrumentation, often incorporating clarinet performances by herself or her mother. With a background in classical and choral music, her distinctive approach developed during a solo residency in Lapland, where the isolation and Arctic landscapes influenced her exploration of sound.

‘Skin’, the closing track from her forthcoming EP, moves between the intensity of a muscular ballad and the fragility of an atmospheric soundscape. Beginning with the sound of footsteps recorded on gritty sand, the piece gradually develops into an immersive arrangement of submerged, almost submarine-like textures. Its shifting musical landscape reflects Mr. Beale’s interest in transforming everyday sounds into something unfamiliar, blurring the boundaries between experimental composition and emotionally expressive songwriting.

Bad Amygdala

Italian alternative metal artist Bad Amygdala is the project of singer-songwriter Milena Caforio, whose music explores depression, identity, anger and the difficult process of reclaiming yourself. Combining aggressive guitars, dark atmospheres and emotionally charged vocals, her releases form an interconnected narrative about moving from self-doubt towards acceptance and personal freedom.

‘I Don’t Give a Damn’ marks a turning point in that story, confronting the pressure to appear normal and live according to other people’s expectations. Inspired by Milena’s own decision to pursue music despite the possibility of judgement or ridicule, the track challenges the idea of wasting a finite life trying to please everybody else. Driven by a forceful guitar riff, shifting vocal styles and an increasingly intense arrangement, it transforms years of frustration into a declaration of independence and the freedom to exist unapologetically.

MEGZ

Sydney independent artist MEGZ creates upbeat dance-pop built around catchy melodies, energetic production and a confident, club-ready sound. Her music embraces the escapism of the dancefloor, focusing on those moments when everything else fades into the background and the only thing that matters is enjoying yourself.

‘On My Body’ captures the excitement of being completely present with somebody, combining an infectious vocal hook with an energetic, dance-driven groove. Before its official release, MEGZ introduced the track to live audiences at events and boat parties around Sydney Harbour, giving listeners the chance to experience it on the dancefloor first. With its feel-good atmosphere and summery production, the single celebrates spontaneity, connection and the simple pleasure of losing yourself in the moment.

Edurne Galarza

Madrid indie-folk artist Edurne Galarza places female empowerment at the centre of her musical project, working with a female producer on her studio recordings and performing alongside an entirely female live band. Her songwriting combines intimate storytelling with an interest in exploring different musical structures and arrangements.

‘Crashing’ is her most experimental release to date, incorporating alternative guitar tunings and irregular time signatures to explore the intensity of desire. Through imagery of devouring, marking and colliding, the song captures an overwhelming longing for emotional and physical intimacy. Rather than presenting connection as something gentle or straightforward, Edurne embraces its more urgent and consuming qualities, using unconventional musical choices to reflect the strength of those feelings.

Milkie

Bristol songwriter and producer Hannah Millie Phipps creates music under the name Milkie, blending indie pop with influences ranging from French chanson and dance music to industrial rock. A self-taught guitarist with a love of unconventional songwriting, she develops much of her music at home before collaborating with other musicians to bring the arrangements to life.

‘Crystal’ explores the contradictions of wanting everything at once while avoiding the answers you already know. Sung in English and French, the track combines synths, samples and a string quartet, retaining elements of Milkie’s original home-recorded demo. Its release also comes with a particularly personal collection of handmade matchboxes, each containing a crystal pendulum, fabric pouch and lyric zine that unfolds into a divination mat. Inspired by her teenage fascination with music, witchcraft and DIY creativity, the unusual packaging extends the song’s themes into something listeners can physically explore.

Aschari

Persian-German alternative pop artist Aschari, the project of Nadia Affolter, creates cinematic, emotionally detailed music exploring identity, relationships and self-destructive patterns. Based between Ireland and the UK, she combines atmospheric production, layered guitars and intimate songwriting, bringing her recordings to the stage through an expanded live band.

‘The Way Things Are’ was written during a relationship that almost everyone in Nadia’s life disapproved of. Caught between the people she loved and the relationship she was determined to maintain, she gradually became disconnected from herself, feeling trapped within a repetitive emotional cycle. The track captures that sense of detachment and resignation, reflecting the difficulty of recognising unhealthy patterns while still being caught inside them. It also introduces the themes of her forthcoming EP A Familiar Hell, which explores the emotional wounds and coping mechanisms that shape our behaviour.

Check out more of our recent submissions via the playlist below!

The post Submission Spotlight appeared first on She Makes Music.

Her new album, Good Girl, sees her returning to guitar-driven sounds while reflecting on girlhood, growing older and the expectations women are taught to carry. Looking back on her twenties with a little more perspective, Loveland explores what it means to stop seeking approval, unlearn the pressure to accommodate everyone else and build a life that doesn’t necessarily follow society’s prescribed milestones. It’s a record about reclaiming your own voice, with plenty of biting humour along the way.

We caught up with Mariel to talk about growing alongside her music, challenging the idea of the ‘good girl’, finding freedom in ageing loudly, rediscovering her love of guitars and why making people feel seen and understood has become more important than ever. Read the Q&A below.

For anyone discovering Best Ex for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist and what keeps you coming back to making music?

“At my core, I am a storyteller. My purpose is to give voice to the feelings and moments in life that we may have trouble articulating—so that someone, somewhere, can listen and think, that’s exactly how I feel. I’m not alone.

“What keeps me coming back, again and again, is having something I think is worth saying. That doesn’t mean it’s always a deep or important message, but I like to think my songs serve a purpose. Maybe I’ll run out of words one day, but as long as I have a perspective I haven’t yet heard spoken in quite the same way, I’ll keep singing.”

You’ve been writing and performing since your Candy Hearts days, and Good Girl finds you looking back on girlhood and your twenties with the perspective you have now. How has what you need from songwriting changed as you’ve grown alongside your music?

“When you’re a young songwriter, I think it’s easy to get swept up writing about heartbreak. Relationships are chaotic in your 20s and at the same time, you’re discovering who you are.  Writing songs felt a lot more urgent. I had to explain my feelings, even if it was just to my bedroom wall, because I felt so misunderstood and so alone. I wasn’t intentional about it at all. I just wrote constantly, and followed every single idea until the end.

“Now, I find myself looking back on that wild, uncertain time (which, honestly, most people go through) with a calmer, more grounded perspective. We’re also living in a different moment, where the internet is completely oversaturated with content. I don’t want to add to the noise. I want to make something because it actually serves a purpose, so I’ve gotten a lot more intentional with my writing. I ask myself: does this need to be said? Has someone already said this, in this same way? And because of that, I find myself writing more about the world, my community, and how my life fits into it all—rather than just writing about some guy who didn’t like me that much. There’s still some of that too, though. I throw out way more ideas than I finish!”

Good Girl picks apart the idea of the “good girl” – someone who smiles, doesn’t ask for too much and fits herself into the expectations placed upon her. What have you personally had to unlearn about being a “good girl”, both as a woman and as an artist?

“I think the hardest thing for me to unlearn was that I’m not responsible for how other people handle themselves. The patriarchy teaches women to shrink themselves, to manage everyone else’s emotions at the expense of their own wants and needs. It teaches us we are responsible for the way men behave, but the men can’t help it because boys will be boys. Really, how people behave is their issue — and letting go of that responsibility has allowed me to make space for myself and build a career on my terms.

“As an artist in a male-dominated industry, I used to spend a lot of energy managing or excusing bad behavior from men. I’m not talking about the normal friction of touring—everyone gets cranky, everyone has an off day, myself included. That’s just being human. I’m talking about the bigger stuff: excusing harassment, laughing along at jokes that made women the punchline, having to reframe my own ideas as theirs just to get taken seriously, being extra accommodating so I wouldn’t get labeled difficult, even if they were allowed to scream at me and never got called the same thing.

“I’m lucky I didn’t have to do any of that with the people in my band, who are like my family and see me as myself. But outside of it? It’s exhausting. Now, I just let other people think whatever they want about me — their opinion isn’t my responsibility to manage. And I’m allowed to take up space, ask for what I want, and say no to the things I don’t want.” 

You’ve spoken about hearing strong women on ’90s rock radio as a child and only fully understanding what they were singing about years later. Is there something particularly special about realising that you can now make the kind of record that might become that same companion for another girl growing up? 

“I think in our society, that puts this intense value on feminine youth, it feels very freeing and sort of punk rock to be a woman aging publicly and loudly. If I didn’t hear those women on the radio growing up and watch them as they navigate their careers today, I think I’d feel absolutely expired. The truth is that as you age, you only get better at understanding yourself. If life doesn’t stop at 30, why should songs? People need songs about their life at any stage. 

“There’s something really special in knowing I might get to be that for someone else now — that a girl out there might hear this record the way I heard those women, and not fully understand it yet, but hold onto it anyway, until one day it clicks. I want my art to be something people can find different meanings in throughout their lives. My favorite songwriters nail that.”

This album marks a return to guitars after exploring more synth-driven sounds with Best Ex. Did returning to that side of yourself feel nostalgic, or did you find you approached guitar music completely differently this time around?

“It really just felt nostalgic to me. I write all of my songs on guitar, regardless of how they sound in the recording. It was really fun for me to go back to basics, though. It’s like getting back on a bike. You don’t forget!”

Your songwriting is known for pairing really personal, diary-like introspection with biting humour and sarcasm. Does humour give you a way into writing about things that might otherwise feel too vulnerable to put into a song?

“I think I’m just someone who doesn’t take stuff too seriously. So many moments are like, of course that would happen to me. Life is long, and if you can’t laugh, it’s going to feel even longer. I think humor makes things more relatable — even in dark moments, there’s usually irony you can find. Obviously, if something’s genuinely serious, I’m not going to joke about it. But most of what I write about isn’t that. It’s more about the everyday chaos of being a person.

‘”Sick of Myself,’ for example, is one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve written. But it is kind of comical, especially with, “I will list the reasons you’re acting insane, but I reserve the right to do exactly the same.” Sometimes we all deserve to be called out. It’s easy to see it in someone else, and it’s easy to write a song about someone else’s bad behavior. It’s harder to admit those things about yourself.” 

You’ve spent a huge part of your life playing live, from the Warped Tour era onwards. After evolving so much as both a person and an artist, what does performing give you now – and what do you hope people feel when they’re in the room with Best Ex?

“I think performing used to be about, look at me, here are my songs, please like my songs, please like my band. It was about putting on this persona of a rock star. There was a lot of pressure when something scales to the size of Warped Tour or some of the rooms I used to play with Candy Hearts. In the back of my mind was just constantly, “please do a good job, please don’t mess this up. Please don’t let anyone find out I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Now, my primary focus is connection. I always have this desire to feel heard and understood, but I want to write songs and play them in a way that makes the audience feel that way too. I’ve been doing a lot of rawer performances, which are more vulnerable than a big rehearsed show. Big shows are still super fun and I love them, but there’s also something so special about coming out from behind the wall of guitars and backing tracks and just being me with my stories.”

Finally, you’ve said you want Good Girl to remind people that they can build a beautiful life on their own terms. What does building a life on your own terms mean to you now?

“Honestly, I think we get a lot of messages about what adulthood should look like—the safe and steady job, the house, the husband, the kids. And women, in particular, are in a race against the clock. The music industry acts like you age in dog years, and you’ve expired before you even really understand who you are as a person. 

“Building a life on your own terms means forgetting about the milestones. It’s about asking yourself what you actually want, instead of what you’re supposed to want. So what if you don’t want the stable job? I envy people who feel fulfilled waking up to go into an office every day — it would be a lot easier. But you’re allowed to take the harder road. The one that isn’t the safe bet.”

The post Getting To Know… Best Ex appeared first on She Makes Music.