Musically, ‘Scam Manifesto’ finds M(h)aol firmly in their wonderfully abrasive post-punk element. Scratchy guitars, restless bass and drums lock into a nervy, jittering rhythm beneath Keane’s characteristically deadpan spoken delivery, while occasional industrial clangs make the whole thing feel even more unsettled. There’s no obvious conventional hook; instead, its strange details and tightly wound momentum make it difficult to shake.

The accompanying video takes an equally off-kilter approach, dropping Keane into a karaoke party before a figure wearing a gloriously grotesque handmade costume gatecrashes proceedings. It’s funny, uncomfortable and deliberately strange – a fitting visual companion for a song picking apart the contradictions lurking beneath the surface.

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Born from a twenty-minute jam session, ‘Irene’ retains that instinctive quality throughout. A dark, repetitive riff creeps beneath the track, establishing a murky, doomy psych-rock atmosphere as Kerry’s hushed vocals add to its hypnotic pull. The drums remain restrained for much of the song, allowing repetition and space to do the heavy lifting rather than sheer volume. As ‘Irene’ progresses, cymbal crashes and increasingly ritualistic layers of vocals begin to gather around the central riff, gradually ramping up the tension without breaking its strange spell. As Kerry explains of the band’s increasingly intuitive chemistry, “We’re at a really fun place where we’ve played enough together now to lock in, so we can jam stuff out and it mostly (!) doesn’t sound too shit.”

The homemade video draws that mystical connection to nature even further into focus. Footage of trees, deer and landscapes at dusk is layered with red-lit images of the band swaying and wandering through the woods, giving the whole thing the air of some mysterious woodland ritual. Unnerving, mesmerising and wonderfully unexpected, ‘Irene’ shows just how compelling The Baby Seals can be when they allow themselves to wander off the beaten path.

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An ethereal wash of piano and synths opens the track before Quill’s voice suddenly cuts through and the full weight of the instrumentation crashes in. That contrast becomes central to ‘Black and Grey’, with quieter verses allowing her delicate vocal to hover over shadowy electronic textures before distorted guitars and explosive live drums transform the choruses into something considerably heavier. There are shades of Evanescence in that collision of gothic atmosphere, vulnerability and metal-edged alt-rock, but Quill keeps the focus firmly on mood rather than chasing a huge hook.

With no accompanying video, the song creates plenty of imagery of its own: darkened corridors, grand empty rooms, chandeliers and flickering candlelight all feel at home within its slightly haunted atmosphere. ‘Black and Grey’ never completely explodes nor retreats fully into softness, instead repeatedly moving between the two. For a song about refusing easy emotional extremes, living somewhere in the middle feels exactly right.

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Twinkling, intricate guitar lines nod towards Midwest emo, but ‘gutspill’ has its feet much more firmly planted in crunchy, power-chord-heavy pop-punk. Dreamy electronics still shimmer underneath, while Luna’s airy vocal gains just enough bite to meet the guitars head-on. Layered vocals become increasingly important as the song progresses, eventually joined by playful oo-wee-oos and shouty gang vocals as the initially contained arrangement gathers momentum. By the final crescendo, everything finally bursts open – the musical equivalent of those feelings falling out “like confetti.”

‘gutspill’s self-directed video throws itself equally enthusiastically into early-2000s nostalgia, cutting between a traditional band performance, night-time scenes on a football pitch and Luna framed inside a giant star-shaped spotlight. Bright, bouncy and knowingly nostalgic, ‘gutspill’ proves that sometimes wearing your heart on your sleeve is considerably more fun than keeping your guts in.

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Sometimes, when life brings you to a crossroads, the only option is to trust your gut. For Chrissi, that instinct has shaped the making of I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! The album traces the messy territory between love and loss, self-doubt and self-discovery, finding humour, tenderness and clarity in the experiences that have shaped her.

At the centre of the album is its title track, a song about the contradiction of knowing something is hurting you while still desperately wanting it to stay. ‘I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !’ moves through codependency, self-destruction and the difficulty of letting go, finding Chrissi caught between wanting to sever the tie and the part of herself that still cannot bear to.

“‘I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !’ is about codependency and my personal inability to let go of anything without leaving claw marks, but trying to let go and do better,”  explains Chrissi.

The song arrived during Chrissi’s first studio session after six months away from music. Following the discovery that her ex-boyfriend had been lying to her throughout their relationship, she had convinced herself that he was the only person who would ever love her. Returning to the studio, ‘I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !’ offered a different perspective. What began as heartbreak became a way of understanding herself, and eventually, a way forward.

The album takes that story and opens it out. I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! is a record about falling in love, struggling to leave, and learning what it means to grow from girlhood into womanhood while navigating the experiences that shape you along the way.

“I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME ! is the full story of the song on a larger scale, going into my moments of feeling in love and why it was hard to sever the tie. It also covers my experience as a girl growing into womanhood and still trying to navigate all the negative experiences that come with it.” comments Chrissi.

I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME !:

1. PUCKER UP!
2. ⁠HEARTLESS DARLIN’!
3. ⁠HARD LAUNCH
4. ⁠JOSEPHINE!
5. ⁠I HATE YOU DON’T LEAVE ME!
6. ⁠PAPER MAN!
7. ⁠THE SCARIEST PART!
8. ⁠ONE IN FIVE!
9. ⁠APOLOGY JEWELLERY!
10. ⁠SEVEN MONTHS CLEAN!
11. ⁠WISHING YOU WELL!

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Maisie Jean

Self-produced experimental pop artist Maisie Jean pairs scathing lyricism and raw emotional delivery with ambient electronic soundscapes. Her second album, No Gear, All Idea, explores identity, independence and navigating the creative process as a young woman, mixing melodrama and female rage with a sharp sense of wit.

Focus track ‘Cowboy’ puts Maisie’s own spin on country music within her signature electronic world. Inspired by an ex who considered himself a free-spirited rebel but treated her badly, the song found its final spark when he unexpectedly appeared at one of her shows after their breakup – wearing a cowboy hat. The absurd encounter gave Maisie both a good laugh and inspiration for some of her favourite lyrics.

Ryn-Ro

London singer-songwriter and guitarist Ryn-Ro has been playing guitar since the age of seven, alongside a lifelong love of singing, writing and performing. Now beginning to establish her own musical identity, she combines guitar-led songwriting with the sounds and emotions that excite her as a young artist.

‘Wipe Your Tears’ explores what happens when distance suddenly separates you from somebody close to you. Reflecting on missing someone, adapting to change and trying to preserve a connection when circumstances have shifted, the track balances its emotional subject with an underlying sense of energy.

Emily Coupe

Australian-born, Los Angeles-based pop artist Emily Coupe has been immersed in music since childhood, beginning with violin at the age of five before developing her own path as a singer-songwriter.

Latest single ‘Firefly’ finds Emily embracing a sultry, Latin-tinged strand of pop, creating a track made for warm evenings and summer drives. Sitting within a contemporary pop world while introducing rhythmic Latin influences, the song offers a vibrant introduction to Emily’s current sound.

.ivy

Electronic artist .ivy brings her classical vocal training into the art-pop world, creating ethereal compositions built around atmospheric electronic production and introspective lyricism. Her music is designed as a dreamlike escape, blurring the boundaries between the everyday world and something altogether more otherworldly.

Upbeat alternative pop track ‘be my angel’ turns its attention towards the digital world and the increasingly uncertain relationship between online spaces and reality. Exploring how technology can blur and distort our perceptions, the track places a distinctly modern concern within .ivy’s immersive electronic soundscape.

Flame

Edinburgh-based band Flame weave grunge, shoegaze, folk and funk through heartfelt songwriting and textured melodies. Since forming in 2024, the band have developed their sound through the Scottish live scene, transforming individual musical ideas into something shaped by their collective chemistry.

Latest single ‘Heat’ is a remastered and reimagined track that originally began as part of a solo project. Recorded live in an Edinburgh rehearsal studio, its new incarnation reflects the transition from solo creation to full-band collaboration, expanding its alternative folk and rock foundations into something musically and emotionally bigger. Vibrant guitars and powerful vocals accompany a song centred on passion, yearning and transformation.

Amelie Davie

Melbourne singer-songwriter Amelie Davie draws inspiration from the changing experiences of everyday life, transforming personal moments into songs she hopes listeners can recognise within their own stories.

‘wishbone’ was inspired by a long-distance relationship and written after Amelie learned that her then-partner would be moving away. Her uncertainty over whether she was worth the effort required to maintain the relationship becomes symbolised by a nine-hour drive, while the central wishbone motif carries a more poignant meaning: something has to break before a wish can be made. Featuring spoken audio from the former partner who inspired the song, ‘wishbone’ captures both a relationship and a version of herself beginning to fall apart.

Josie Oliver

Singer-songwriter Josie Oliver enters a new musical chapter with ‘killing flies’, a track created between her bedroom and Hook Studios in the Oxfordshire countryside. Drawing together organic instrumentation and textured electronic elements, the single explores the uncomfortable space where heartbreak has not quite happened yet, but already feels inevitable.

The song began at the end of a summer as Josie noticed the small, quiet signs that her relationship wasn’t going to survive – much like the flies disappearing from the kitchen around her. Beginning as an intimate guitar-led confession before expanding into percussion, swelling guitars and fractured synthetic textures, ‘killing flies’ mirrors the constant movement between comfort and pain that accompanies a relationship beginning to collapse.

April Day

Bay Area indie-rock artist April Day began exploring her own songwriting after previously performing in a cover band in Arizona. Having spent years immersed in different genres and live music, debut single ‘Floater’ marks the beginning of a more personal creative chapter.

Written while April was overwhelmed by decisions and the unavoidable changes that come with growing older, ‘Floater’ explores avoidance, vulnerability and resistance to change. Inspired by her own experience of moving to the Bay Area and struggling to confront a new reality, the song recognises that escaping difficult circumstances can only work for so long. Eventually, as its central metaphor suggests, the waves will catch up with you.

Liv Margaret

Nashville independent pop-rock artist Liv Margaret uses bold songwriting and powerhouse vocals to question the unspoken rules of modern culture. Across her music, she examines internet fame, algorithms, perfection and the pressure to perform a particular version of yourself for the outside world.

‘Fake It’ tackles the expectation to project a flawless life, inspired by Liv’s frustration at watching people exaggerate their success – and recognising the temptation to do exactly the same. Pairing driving guitars and modern pop production with a classic rock attitude, the track pushes back against performance culture and makes the case for choosing authenticity over appearances.

Stormy-Lou

Kaurna/Adelaide pop-punk outfit Stormy-Lou revisit their own past on ‘OLDER’, breathing new life into a song that first appeared in their live sets back in 2021. Now a five-piece, the dual-fronted band combine Alex Taylor’s post-punk vocals with Mik Stoker’s dynamic harmonies as they return to their playful pop-punk roots.

Originally written at the apparently “ancient” age of 19, ‘OLDER’ looks back at teenage life while considering how our priorities and understanding of ourselves shift as we grow. Reworked five years later with more energy and a distinctly mid-twenties perspective, the track balances nostalgia with the recognition that growing up doesn’t mean abandoning the joy of who you used to be. Think bikes, sleepovers, back aches and coming-of-age movie energy.

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

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Guitar-led indie pop forms the heart of ‘Mini Moon’, coloured by retro-pop touches, occasional handclaps and candy-sweet backing harmonies. Mårtensson’s Swedish-accented deadpan gives it an endearingly left-field character, tossing out its sharpest lines with barely a raised eyebrow. As the track progresses, the arrangement becomes increasingly playful, with sweeter harmonies and handclaps joined by a welcome burst of saxophone. B-side ‘Leave It’ takes a stranger route, pairing prominent, charmingly wonky piano with scattered chaotic percussion and abrupt tempo changes. Mårtensson retains her deadpan delivery but allows more emotion to creep through, while the track’s art-pop and post-punk edges bring to mind the playful experimentation of Kleenex/Liliput.

‘Mini Moon’ also comes accompanied by a suitably whimsical DIY video, following Mårtensson through Berlin’s Rehberge park armed with sunflowers and a gloriously homemade papier-mâché moon. Different enough to show two sides of Matching Outfits but oddball enough to unmistakably belong together, both tracks find plenty of charm in things being just a little bit wonky.

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Musically, ‘Ants’ reconnects with the rawer edges of classic K.Flay. Dirty, distorted guitars carry a hint of nu-metal weight while hard-hitting drums, a sharp metallic snare and flashes of industrial noise bring shades of Nine Inch Nails without overwhelming the track’s own identity. K.Flay initially sounds controlled but purposeful, disgust simmering beneath her delivery before the chorus turns shoutier and the whole thing grows progressively nastier. By the breathless second verse, words about fake news, brainrot, gun violence and catastrophe tumble over one another as though the world itself has become too grotesque to process neatly.

The accompanying video channels that agitation into chaos, following K.Flay from a cluttered bedroom and desk to a mysterious meeting that descends into a physical fight, intercut with her dancing wildly outside and through an abandoned warehouse. Messy, abrasive and increasingly unhinged, ‘Ants’ finds K.Flay doing what she does best: looking at an ugly world without pretending she’s standing somewhere outside of it.

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Built around a disjointed, hypnotic rhythm, ‘Calm Down’ turns information overload into something almost physical. Clattering, clicking and tapping percussion collides with synth sounds and a persistent motorik pulse, creating a sparse yet strangely crowded arrangement that feels distinctly post-punk and carries the experimental character of Frawley’s Berlin surroundings. It’s messy in a way that feels entirely deliberate, becoming increasingly dizzying and uneasy as the track pulls at the listener’s attention from different directions.

Over it all, Frawley remains comparatively detached, her direct spoken-word delivery and distinctive Australian accent cutting cleanly through the surrounding noise. The accompanying lyric video pushes the sensory overload further, placing her words against shifting, hypnotic black-and-white patterns. For a song called ‘Calm Down’, there’s very little about it that actually feels calm — and that’s precisely why its eventual call for stillness makes so much sense.

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Enormous fuzzy power chords immediately give ‘Bottle Rocket’ its weight, moving at a slow, plodding pace with a slight shoegaze haze before quieter verses make space for Kalia Storer’s beautifully dreamlike vocal. Wistful and nostalgic, her relative calm provides a striking contrast to the crash-heavy drums and distorted guitars that repeatedly surge back into view. Rather than steadily building towards a climax, the song moves between these softer and heavier states, with lovely melodic guitar work and subtle chord changes adding to its sense of something half-remembered.

That feeling carries into a visualiser filled with fireworks, funfair snapshots and people partying, evoking fragments of a hazy Fourth of July summer without constructing a fixed narrative around them. As the closing track on Daniel Loves Mandy Forever, ‘Bottle Rocket’ already carries an unmistakable sense of finality — a memory launched into the distance, still visible even as its exact shape becomes harder to make out.

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