SAD CYPRESS – Sirens / It Means A Lot To Me

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Real Gone

When it comes to setting an atmosphere, ‘Siren’ by Sad Cypress manages to be very effective in record time. The track’s opening bars suggest a mix of dreampop and sadcore influences, creating a pleasing mix of indie and folk. The bright accompanying vocal also puts in some hard yards, with the performer’s crying tones mixing broad indie pop strokes with the pure tones of Sally Oldfield. Allowing the melody to grow, a steady rhythm and warm bass build up a tune that has occasional echoes of something delivered by Kate Bush circa ‘Never For Ever’, while retaining enough of its own character to be a hugely effective vehicle for Sad’s own talents. …And then, having reeled in the listener with something very interesting, the everything stops dead. This isn’t done in a way that seeks to wrong-foot or frustrate the audience, but it still has the effect of leaving everyone wondering where such a broad, sweeping melody might have gone, if only it had been allowed to grow further.

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JAH WOBBLE & TIAN QIYI – Mystic Liverpool: The Beatles’ Psychedelic Psongbook

Posted on July 25, 2026 by Real Gone

For those old enough to have been keen record buyers and gig goers in the late 70s, Jah Wobble will need no introduction. His fat, dub-centric basslines were an integral part of the early Public Image sound and, as such, he was one of the most important and influential figures in the post-punk scene. His often tough, sometimes dark bass tones mightn’t seem a natural fit with the recordings of a little-known Liverpudlian quartet, but that makes this album an interesting proposition even before a note is heard.

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Listen: Garrow Hill share bold new track ‘IX’

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Real Gone

The opening riffs of Garrow Hill’s current single share more than a “standard” metal based sound. Yes, the chugging guitars have the heaviness and tone of a great metal performance, but they also have the abrasive edge of something industrial based, while the gruff vocal suggests more of a love of hardcore.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #166

Posted on July 23, 2026 by Real Gone

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. This time out, we’ve got the return of an up and coming singer songwriter, a quirky piece of alt-pop, a retro sounding synth banger, a solid offering from a still-new Irish vocalist, and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!

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JOSALEIGH POLLETT – If I Let It Quiet

Posted on July 21, 2026 by Real Gone

Josaleigh Pollett’s ‘Radio Player’ is a rather special recording. Its opening sounds throw the listener into a world of dark synthwave, suggesting something rich in atmosphere. It then takes a somewhat dramatic twist when Josaleigh adds a vocal that, at first, suggests they have a love of classic dream pop, before an increase in volume allows their voice to reach for something much bigger. Hitting a couple of soaring notes, this presents a talent with a huge, natural tone, drawing the listener further into a world where Pollett’s love of almost cinematic sounds comes into its own. It’s then all change again, when a selection of programmed beats add a hard rhythm, calling back to the late 80s and a time of sharp sounding analogue synths. This contrasts brilliantly with a very human tone, but also adds a feeling of directness beneath a lyric exploring a world where the protagonist falls asleep in the glow of a TV signal, almost as if placing themselves the world of the classic ‘Poltergeist’.

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