This visit to the Singles Bar comes absolutely loaded with treats. Among the eight picks you’ll discover a great reggae number, a cameo from a bona fide legend of Britpop, some goth oriented sounds, a riot grrrl inspired banger…and more besides. With a great variety, this represents everything we love about the SB, and hope you’ll find something to love too.

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By hitting his audience with a brilliantly grubby bass groove, singer songwriter Danny Dunnery makes an immediate impact on ‘Leather Jacket and A Green Dress’. The influence from middle period Arctic Monkeys cannot be overlooked, especially with the arrival of a very natural vocal, but Dunnery makes a great sounding dirty indie/garage rock sound more of his own by introducing a broader sense of melody and some strong harmonies on a punchy chorus. From there, the track grows into something bigger; something that allows more of the songwriter’s own talent to shine. The music never lets go of its dirtier edge, of course, and the push and pull between a rough riff and a sing-along hook keeps this feeling naturally buoyant. This is the kind of single that will make potential fans want to hear more.

Here’s a fantastic entry in Bring Your Own Hammer’s ongoing series where musicians rework 19th Century writings in a contemporary form. Previous recordings have seen poetry dressed as folk songs, but ‘From The Tombs’ thinks a little bigger. The music takes on a brilliant retro indie/janglepop form, driven by hard strummed guitar chords and fey vocals, sharing something that sounds like a relation of Belle & Sebastian. This provides a perfect backdrop for a dual vocal where Mike Smalle and Communards collaborator June Miles-Kingston share some wonderful harmonies, eventually reaching a hook that’s crafted from finely tuned adult pop. A light use of brass brings a hint of The Delines and a little extra sophistication, and the presence of ex-Suede legend Bernard Butler gives the track some very welcome kudos. This is unmissable.

Following an excellent cover of ‘Bumblebee’ (released in early 2026), Rosie James has returned with the equally cool and equally retro ‘Honeydripper’. It’s a track that sets up a great atmosphere with immediate effect when sparse bass notes call back to 50s sounds, but once things branch out to include hard edged electric guitar fills, this number really springs to life. The guitar work compliments the laid back groove brilliantly, and a rather wordy lyric brings out the very best in Rosie’s smoky vocal tones. In some ways, the spacious verse and bridge section are stronger than the chorus, but time spent with this number’s rather direct hook will lead to a welcome earworm, which will ultimately lead to the listener wanting to dig a little more deeply into this performer’s catalogue.

The new single from Sour Tongue proves that 90s influences are still very much alive and well in 2026. The track’s opening riffs immediately hit upon a fuzzy tone that recalls the grunge era, and as the performance gradually unfolds, the emotive force of old riot grrrl recordings provides a lot of muscle. Throughout the number, vocalist Satori Marill attacks their chosen lyric with either an understated mumble – giving everything a slightly threatening tone – or at full roar, creating a forceful sound that really comes into its own on a wordless hook. Hole, Hammerbox and even Daisy Chainsaw are obvious touchstones here, and, granted, ‘Me Mania’ isn’t especially original, but in terms of style, it’s absolutely superb. Sour Tongue play with enough vigour to make these recycled sounds feel exciting again.

When it comes to reviving old goth tones, Love Assembly hit the gold standard. Their recent single ‘You’re Pulling At The Same Strings’ could even pass for a 1987 vintage with its blankets of synth on loan from The Cure’s ‘Disintigration’ and pulsing basslines inspired by old Bauhaus cuts. Despite a vintage sound, the track still conveys a contemporary energy through a really punchy production job – a little closer to Editors with a bigger drum sound – and an absolutely huge vocal. …And despite everything, and taking on board a really dense sounding instrumental break, it’s that vocal that steals the show here. Raphaël Bressler approaches this piece at full volume throughout, presenting a huge sound without force, often sounding like Nick Cave, crossed with Tindersticks and Editors’ Tom Smith, with a slight warble to bring extra character. It’s one of those singles where, despite everything seemingly being on loan from classic sources, Love Assembly sound enthused. If dark indie and goth sounds are your thing, you’ll absolutely love this.

Hot on the heels of the enjoyable ‘Bending Roads’, The Pretty Graves are back with ‘Do It Again’. This more melodic offering calls back to the janglier elements of 90s college rock, driven by a prominent rhythm guitar, sharing echoes of Sebadoh alongside a more atmospheric edge which fills the track’s quieter moments with more of a 60s edge. It’s one of those numbers that clings onto a fairly simple riff throughout, but with the help of some smooth harmony vocals and a great production job, this unfussy number serves up something that feels brilliantly nostalgic, more than holding its own after repeated listens. For lovers of retro indie sounds, these guys could be the find of 2026.

Hooking up with Good Stock Records, Helsinki’s Headphone Jacks are re-promoting their 2025 album ‘Discipline’. With that, comes extra promotion for the single ‘Them Zombies’, a number which captures the band in a pleasingly stroppy mood. Grabbing onto a stomping rhythm and chugging guitar riff, the number takes a repetitive stance at first, but the riff heavy arrangement proves perfect for a gruff vocal, spitting lyrics in a manner that feels almost slogan-like against the tough sound. That’s enough to win the hearts of some garage rock fans, but it’s when branching out that this single becomes more interesting. The instrumental breaks bring more of a flow, taking the core of the garage sound and melding it with more of a classic rock tone, allowing soaring lead guitars to fill a lot of space in a pleasingly retro way. Overall, you’re more likely to come away having enjoyed the music as opposed to remembering any particular lyrical hooks, but if this encourages further listening to the album itself, ‘Them Zombies’ should definitely be considered a success.

Last up, here’s something else receiving a welcome re-promotion. Taken from The Slackers’ 2025 LP, ‘The Whole World Was In On It’ is poised to soundtrack part of your summer for 2026. Adopting a classic reggae groove from the outset, the track takes on an immediately recognisable sound, and the slightly flat horn sound chosen to punctuate the rhythm reinforces a pleasingly old fashioned sound. With the help of reverbed guitar lines bringing a very 60s flavour to an old Blue Beat homage, the band sound more than assured. It’s only really the vocal that gives away the track’s more modern origins, but even that fits comfortably in a way that acts as an easy reminder of how easily this band are able to rock their revivalist sound. An absolutely wonderful track.

May 2026