With two singles that practically scream “IT’S SUMMER!”, a weird hybrid track that pushes a psychedelic angle into new territory, a slice of atmospheric Scandinavian melody, and something with a dance core, this selection of singles is certainly varied. Regular visitors to the Singles Bar will, of course, find something of interest as they uncover tunes that highlight some of the musical underground’s more vivid talents, and in the case of one of the singles, possibly even discover an instant hit! Sit back with a cuppa – it’s quite a ride…

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From the moment its intro hits with a round of wordless vocals, Rags And Riches’ ‘Devil In Disguise’ makes a strong play for being one of the greatest radio-friendly workouts at the time of release. Adding those vocals to a bassline that sounds like a distant relation of Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’, its a number that instinctively aims for that “feel good” factor, and from somewhere around the middle of the first verse, it’s clear that those who like it will absolutely love it. Even once the main vocal hits, delivered in a busy pop-rap crossover, the sunny feel of the track holds firm, and its melodic charm continues to shine. Bringing back the wordless vocal for the main hook, the band clearly know they’re onto a good thing. As singles go, this is a hit; three or four listens will confirm its brilliance, and when heard as part of a contemporary playlist, it definitely holds its own. A superb track.

Wonderfully atmospheric, ‘Signs’ by Ólafur Arnalds and Talos works various layers of synth to create an inviting ambient backdrop. Adding a high toned vocal, the track soon takes on the air of an old Anhoni & The Johnsons track, but eventually blossoms into something more interesting. As the melody grows, so too do the light beats, and although nothing ever rests on an obvious hook, the melodies continue to be shared in a way that subtly draws the ear, right until the wavering sounds and otherworldly tones sound like the most natural thing in the world. Very Scandinavian in its approach, this track manages to feel cold yet inviting, and the marriage between the soaring vocal and light electronica gradually weaves something that’s great for late night listening.

Hinting at something huge over the horizon, Robert Ratcliff’s ‘Escape From Port Fallen’ drops the listener into a world where a strong narrative meets hefty beats, as a taster for his sci-fi epic ‘Chronicles of the Residuum: The Age of Destruction’. By opening with a spoken word passage, Ratcliff immediately invites the audience to make comparisons with Jeff Wayne’s cast iron classic ‘The War of The Worlds’, but musically, things couldn’t be more different. The track is filled with deep bass drones, which are joined by frenetic beats and programmed rhythms which more than occasionally appear reminiscent of early Prodigy fare like ‘Everybody In The Place’. The rhythms are certainly danceable, but by having them intercut with pieces of narrative and quieter interludes, the audience has little alternative but to actually listen. In a world where this kind of concept piece would normally be the remit of a bloated prog rock band, or left in Arjen Lucassen’s hugely derivative hands, it’s great to hear someone approaching concept material in a different way.

The opening chug of ‘420’ by Wax Mechanix suggests listeners are about to be hit with an explosion of hard rock, but those who are already familiar with Wax’s work will know things are never quite that simple. Pretty quickly, the rocky tone gives way to allow for a broader sounding, power pop vocal that shares an infectious melody, lifting this beyond a run of the mill rocker. Wax hits the audience with a huge chorus, pretty much out of the gate, which will be enough for fans to love this almost immediately. As the melody builds, there’s also a little more of an edge; a meaty sounding rhythm guitar provides a great sense of drive, and the presence of an old school lead guitar break calls back to the big haired 80s in the most natural way. With an equal balance of crunch and melody, this is a superbly arranged track, and a few plays will make an insanely catchy chorus stick for absolutely ages.

Here’s something that’s guaranteed to become a part of your summer soundtrack. The Far Out’s ‘Laurel’ is a four minute burst of musical sunshine. The opening rhythm sets a busy groove in place, and from there, a tight drum part continues to impress with a world of hi-hat work and percussive fills, whilst a dancing bassline injects a little funk. Over the top of that, the rest of the band – dominated by superb brass – serve up an old school soul jam that’s heavy on the 70s vibes. With a powerhouse vocal and simple hook balancing out some of the track’s more complex moments, it’s a perfectly arranged number, and the kind of single that suggests these guys are about to become serious competition for The Inciters.

Autoheart’s albums have been rather scattershot, stylistically speaking, and their current single ‘Baby Bird’ celebrates their eclectic approach with a genuine flair. On the surface, you could label the track’s jangling guitars “indie pop”, but the track goes much deeper. Beyond the jangle, it has an even older soul, working a retro pop melody that seems to evoke a pre-Beatle age. Of course, the modern production values certainly won’t make this immediately clear, but an unexpected croon that draws a little more from a world of easy listening certainly will. Despite its buoyancy, it wouldn’t be a great leap to imagine someone like Johnny Leyton or Roy Orbison working with this vocal melody. It’s certainly this track’s most enduring feature. However, the way Autoheart contrast the old school vocal with a contemporary back drop leads to a listen that’s more alluring than most indie-ish sounds and, as such, ‘Baby Bird’ is the kind of track that deserves a longer shelf life than the digital age all too often allows.

This second single from Messiness is an impressive crossover tune where elements of hard rock are present via a thumping drum part, psychedelic elements creep in with the help of filtered vocals, and a strong indie rock vibe cuts through with a hazy tone to the guitars – when they’re not working huge lead breaks where multi-layered sounds demonstrate some impressive studio trickery. There’s even a pinch of jazz, courtesy of some really busy sax. It should be a mess, but the band’s confidence and talents allow this melting pot of sound to grow into something rather impressive, and even with occasional scattergun vocals, it manages to be melodic enough to be of a reasonably wide appeal. A massive leap from the Charlatans-esque sounds of their debut, this suggests the Italian band are en route to great things.

On their previous single ‘Analogue Again’, The Rockerati applied the twangy edges of The Flamin’ Groovies and Dave Edmunds to a good, honest rock number. On this follow up, they’ve unleashed their much chunkier side. ‘Big Dog’ still flaunts a vocal that sounds like a relation to peak Edmunds and works a great pub rock melody, but riff-wise, the band have opted to go full on rawk. Cranking their amps, the band add elements of the Quo classic ‘Caroline’ to the mix, along with a couple of other nods to the mid 70s Rossi/Parfitt powerhouse, and behind the overdriven guitars, a busy bassline helps to give this British act a serious amount of muscle. With a world of distortion and a hook that demands a good, old shout-along, this is a seriously old school workout that’s all about giving the listener a great time. Is it cool? Hell, no. Does that matter? Absolutely not. Just crank the volume and go with it!

May/June 2025