Welcome back to the Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox. This time out, we’ve got a familiar name taking a new musical twist, a couple of genuinely great pop tunes, a complex metal-centric banger from an up and coming act, and even a bit more jazz. Celebrating a variety of new sounds, we hope you find something to enjoy!
*
Eva St. Maria’s debut single ‘Naïve’ has an instantly classic feel. The opening bars set up a very 90s jangle, over which the performer’s vocal hits with a mature cry that immediately makes the retro sounding pop rock feel so much richer. The confessional lyric regarding a relationship imbalance also harks back to the 90s Lilith Fair scene, but everything about the track has a sparkle that keeps it sounding really fresh. The contrast between upbeat music and thoughtful narrative is very smart, but for those not really into lyrics, the buoyant arrangement is catchy enough to sell the track alone. In and out in under three minutes, there’s no musical bloat here: even the middle eight, where the guitars fall away to allow for a bigger focus on a perfect vocal and solid drums, feels like it’s been meticulously worked out for the greatest impact. When pitching a new talent, you can either come in with all guns blazing and share one of your best tracks, or hold back and build your audience slowly. Eva has clearly chosen the former, and this really deserves to be a hit.
Beautifully subtle, The Butterfly Graveyard’s current single ‘Steal Every Drop From The Day’ isn’t big on immediacy, but it’s certainly big on ethereal melodies. Opening with a slow drone that evokes strings, an atmosphere is set in place, but it’s the arrival of a very Thomas Newman-esque piano melody that makes the track. Against the bright but sparsely arranged chords, an aching vocal swoops in, imploring the listener to “measure a life in heartbeats, one at a time”, before taking time out to “smell the flowers, seek the pleasure”. It takes Warren Zevon’s advice that we should “enjoy every sandwich” to an almost spiritual level. The arrival of a few deeper chords and orchestrated sounds lends a faint echo of the more bombastic elements of U2’s ‘All I Want Is You’, but this never detracts from an aching vocal that sounds like it might crack at any moment. A call to seize the day has rarely sounded more heartfelt. One listen to ‘Steal Every Drop…’ is to fall in love – this track is rather special.
With an array of punchy basslines set atop a huge, jangling guitar, Clone take their audience back to a pre-grunge 1991 on the superb ‘Galvanized’. The massive debt owed to classic shoegaze sounds cannot be ignored here, yet at the same time, this Brooklyn based act approach the style with so much vigour, it still sounds vital in 2025. The way an echoing vocal darts between busy guitar lines gives the core of the number an almost restless feel, but there’s also a great sense of melody thanks to an array of strong backing vocals filling out a complex musical canvas, and a few goth-tinged lead guitars bringing in a slightly more commercial sound towards the number’s end. In terms of homage to a cult musical past, Clone couldn’t have served up anything better.
2025 has already delivered a couple of very enjoyable singles from Matti Klein and his Soul Trio, and here’s another. Opting for more of an easy listening sound, ‘End of Sight’ doesn’t really care for immediacy, but its gently brushed drums, waltzing time signature and wheezing sax set up a great, late night listen. The sax is very much at the forefront here and, in terms of easy jazz, listeners might hear echoes of old Ike Quebec recordings, or even Joe Henderson in an incredibly laid back mood. Offering a superb accompaniment throughout, Klein’s electric piano glides across the track, falling somewhere between a world of fusion and the 70s sounds from the British royalty free archive, KPM. Regardless of influences, it’s another number that suggests Klein and his band are a wonderful (and accessible) presence on the European jazz scene.
A year on from their first appearance on the metal scene, “teenage sensations” Within Reach return with one of their most confident tracks to date. ‘Drip Fed’ opens quietly, though not at all casually, with a world of drum loops, setting a dancey rhythm in place. Then, with a deep, grinding tone, the bass, guitars and live drums kick in with a real intent, taking the industrial heaviness of classic Fear Factory and melding it to more of a metalcore sound. Moving into the verse, there’s plenty of room for melody, with an emo-tinged vocal meeting a heavy rhythm, before the pre-chorus delivers a classic metalcore growl, and the main hook shifts to a harmony filled vocal. The second half of the track shares another classic metalcore breakdown coupled with Lamb of God-esque vocals, before the return of the chorus reinforces a great hook. Introducing an even heavier breakdown, some classic hardcore vocals and forceful drum triggers power a truly aggressive middle eight. In less talented hands, this might’ve felt like one twist too many but wherever these still young musicians decide to take their heavy sound, the results are fantastic.
From the moment the track hits with an incessant rhythm, ‘Do u relate?’ by Natalie Shay grabs the listener with a pure energy that’s hard to resist. Unlike a lot of synth and drum machine infused pop, though, this is also a recording that has a huge heart, thanks to a really great vocal. Shay’s voice approaches a confessional lyric with a tone that’s irresistible, and the contrast of styles allows the performance to reach out to the listener with a quality that feels unavoidably human, despite working against a heavily mechanised backdrop. Armed with an expletive peppered lyric that never holds back, this creates a three minute blast of pop cool that starts brilliantly, but really starts to hit its stride once huge harmonies are brought into play. The arrival of an unexpected sax adds a retro element during the number’s climax, but in the main, this aims squarely for the heart of the contemporary pop fan with a confidence that won’t miss.
Back in 2023, Scottish rock band Desert Kites released the ‘All You Want Is More’ EP, a very 90s inspired collection that showed off their gift for a hook admirably. Their current single ‘Ostrich (Sleep Until I’m Dead)’ once again flaunts the band’s love for a 90s sound, but offers something much catchier. A crunchy riff delivered at a mid tempo never hides an influence from ‘Blue Album’ era Weezer, and well placed harmonies also share more than a vague connection with peak Rivers Cuomo. For some listeners, that will be enough to make this a favourite – especially since this does a better job of being Weezer-esque than Weezer have managed in a long time – but the presence of a slacker baiting lyric seals the deal with a pleasingly frank approach. Despite being new for ’25, this feels nostalgic, almost to the point of ridiculous, but the obvious influences are used very effectively. Hands down, this is Desert Kites’ catchiest track to date.
On their current single ‘Stick Figure’, Still Traffico trade in some of their sophisticated indie rock sounds for something a little slicker. The track’s bright guitar sound presents more of a summery pop feel throughout a great number, and set against a funk infused bass, it shows off one of the band’s best arrangements to date. The arrival of a slightly echoing guitar adds a retro flair without taking too much away from the core melody, and although a slightly fey vocal doesn’t bring the expected grandness, it still works as part of a bigger picture. This is one of those numbers you can sense grew from a vety natural jam, and despite being a little different from the band’s prior works, it has enough of a charm to attract new fans.
September 2025