With a number that blends a grungy heart with a more contemporary melodic hook, a throwback to post-grunge fused with Euro melodic metal, and a perfect slice of post punk, this visit to the Singles Bar is rather guitar based. That said, with a French singer songwriter applying a light touch, an absolutely fierce alt-pop number and a danceable piece of deep psych, it isn’t without variety. Then, in terms of massive curveballs, there’s even a well played salsa jam… As we wave goodbye to the first quarter of 2026, the singles keep coming…and as always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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The pumping basslines and dark-hewn vocals that power the current single from Cassius Wolf & Das Abs serve up a hugely familiar post punk sound. In terms of a tribute to the past, however, it’s perfectly pitched, taking the muscle of Joy Division and the melodic heart of peak Echo & The Bunnymen, gluing them together and creating something that sounds like Editors meeting with moody Bloc Party…only more exciting. It takes less then four bars for the bass to make a positive impression, and as such, it becomes the heart of this performance, but an occasional presence from ringing lead guitar and a really solid drum sound also play vital roles in making this retro workout genuinely thrilling – particularly in the way the drums really come into their own during a crashy coda. In barely two minutes, this track arrives, smashes the hell out of a great post-punk rhythm. It ends somewhat abruptly, but still appears to understand that such a direct approach has resulted in something almost perfect for the style. An absolute banger.
It’s been approximately two decades since a new album from Offend Your Friends – a band who were “never hardcore enough for the punk scene, too destructive for the ska scene” – appeared in the world. That’s a long time by anyone’s standards, but their current single ‘Fake Work Fridays’ presents them sounding really enthused and still relevant. The core of the track works a world of melodic skate punk riffs – drawing from classic No Use For A Name – and a slightly gruff vocal is a perfect fit. It’s the chorus where everything hits home with the greatest effect, though, when the band apply some rather rowdy gang vocals and a wheezing sax to a shout-along hook that sounds as if it were designed with live shows in mind. Originality isn’t especially key here, but in terms of presenting a real energy and suggesting a natural ability to rouse an audience, this track pushes all of the right buttons.
Aure’s ‘La Nuit’ shared a very mellow piano arrangement that allowed the listener to focus on the performer’s understated vocal. ‘The Beginning’ follows suit, blending classic folk influences with a mournful voice that suits an acoustic guitar just as naturally. The sparse music occasionally has a hint of Nick Drake and Nic Jones, and the way that lightly applied strings are used to weave in and out of a descending melody genuinely reinforces a sense of sadness. The main melody is one that feels intrinsically familiar within seconds, since it sounds like a stripped down folandky reworking of Carly Simon’s ‘Coming Around Again’ (likely not deliberately), but a strong French accent, as before, makes Aure’s work feel a little more bohemian, creating a track that is a great evening listen.
Anthony Almonte will be familiar to some people through his work with “Little” Steven Van Zandt. This solo single takes a rather different turn, however, with Antony using his percussion skills to drive a summery number that takes a salsa influence and injects a little pop to create a sun-filled workout that’s busy, yet still very user friendly. The sound of congas beaver away throughout, making any salsa elements impossible to ignore, but by working such a busy rhythm in tandem with a confident vocal, this adopts a slightly more jazzy feel that really works. It really comes into its own with the perfect use of a brass section, though, using some rather huge notes to punctuate a rising and falling melody, and calling upon muted sounds to bridge between the vocals in a very natural way. A choir of backing vocals are also on hand to flesh out the second half of the number capitalising on some great melodic hooks, and by the time everything draws to a close, fans of the style should be more than sold on the track. Those not into Latin and salsa based tunes will likely find nothing of real interest here, but there’s no question that ‘Imaginate Commigo’ is perfectly formed.
When it comes to alt-pop, you’d struggle to find anything much stronger – or more direct – than Chloe Star’s ‘Emergency Contact’. Muted chords, mechanical rhythms and multi-layered vocals hit the audience with immediate effect, ensuring that a hook-driven, sugar coated arrangement is utterly infectious. Wasting no time getting under the skin, this combination of sharp edged power pop riffs and expletive driven lyrics falls somewhere between Metric and Lola Young, applying a contemporary pop sensibility to a classic style. With Chloe already pitched as being “a bold new voice for the next generation of rock-pop outsiders and visionaries” and being a “fierce advocate for marginalized voices and queer visibility”, she’s definitely a talent to watch out for in 2026, and this single is an absolutely perfect snapshot of the artist’s hugely confident style.
As if their chosen name didn’t give it away, the wave of weird electronica sounds that draw the listener into ‘Stronger’ by The Cosmic Dead owes a huge debt to the worlds of deep psych and space rock. This band aren’t merely Hawkwind or Ozric Tentacles copyists, however. Granted, you’ll hear elements of the later works of both, but an almost danceable rhythm set by a rather dominant drum sound and a pulsing bass offers just as much to the 90s festival crowd, and the number’s almost hypnotic approach even hints at the heavy psych shared by this band’s German label-mates Traum. Even without a vocal, or much to cling onto beyond its immediate groove, this really works. Also, at just a little under four minutes, this single has a direct quality that helps it feel like a welcome jolt to the senses that’ll make you want to hear so much more…
‘Chaos Within’, the current single from Euro rock band Next Deed, isn’t shy of sharing its old school intents. The intro couples a fairly busy lead guitar with a melodic metal riff which sounds like something from the late 80s, replayed with the post grunge tones of a decade later – at the time of this release, both very much feeling like influences from a bygone era. On a musical level, though, this is great. The sharp edges combined with chugging guitar lines and thundering rhythms gives the sense of a rock band with a fair amount of gusto. Vocally, things aren’t quite as smart: a previously recorded vocal from Alain Hertges has a fair amount of enthusiasm applied, but tonally, it comes across as a little flat. This is given a lift by a guesting Cindy Gomes who uses lighter tones to apply a far more melodic aspect, and the dual vocal gives a decent riff an okay send off. Yes, this is flawed; it’s even decidedly second division in terms of European melodic metal, but it has something… The melodic aspects are strong enough to stick even when the budgetary constraints are obvious, and Cindy’s enthusiasm shines through just enough to make a slightly rough and ready recording work on its own terms. It’s also important in that it acts as a tribute to Alain, sharing one of the last vocals he committed to tape before his untimely passing in 2025. It’s not by any means a classic, but ‘Chaos Within’ has a big heart.
Last up, rising star Hannah Robinson means business on ‘Ruining The Moment’. Taking a world of fuzzy indie/shoegaze influenced guitar lines and applying them to a mid tempo arrangement that feels more attuned with a grunge style, the track serves up a crossover style that feels both retro and contemporary. Pretty quickly, a busy drum groove catches the ear, but it isn’t long before the contrast between Hannah’s clean vocals and a genuinely grubby sound proves to be this track’s saviour, and when those elements are used to power a hugely melodic chorus, this single shifts from good to great. Robinson’s melodic ear really helps a sometimes rather dense sound to shine, and after a couple of plays, this starts to feel like the crossover between late period Hole, early Lush and Curve you didn’t know you needed.
March 2026