THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR SUMMER SPECIAL 2025

During the first half of 2025, our weekly Singles Bar feature went from strength to strength. The daily submissions piled up, and in keeping with the second half of ’24, no matter how many great tracks we highlighted, there always seemed to be a few that slipped through the cracks. This Summer Special shines a light on some of the greatest tunes and more interesting bands that didn’t make the cut. These shouldn’t be considered leftovers, though – everything here is of a hugely high standard. We’ve got blues, country, metal, a couple of interesting twists on a pop sound, a couple of off kilter indie bands…and far more besides. Grab yourselves a cuppa and turn up the volume: these twenty selections are all worth hearing in their own right, and when experienced together, act as a reminder of why our Singles Bar has become one of Real Gone’s most popular features.

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DEVOLTED – Broken Kings EP

devolted epHailing from Dublin, metal four-piece Devolted originally came together due to a love of old-school heavy metal. A few line-up changes led to a shift in their sound and their 2016 EP ‘Broken Kings’ isn’t so much leather jackets, twin leads and dubious mullets as a really thoughtful blend that takes in bits of classic metal and a huge slab of groove as well as touches of thrash and hardcore. It’s four songs, while not too far removed from lots of stuff you’ll have heard before, shows the work of a band that’s keen to mix up their influences and come up with something that is – at least musically – both entertaining and powerful.

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HILARY WOODS – Heartbox EP

hilary woods epPreviously the bassist with Irish indie rock million sellers JJ72, Hilary Woods embarked upon a solo career following the band’s demise. Her debut EP ‘Night’ – released in 2014 – took a step away from the jangling sounds of her former band and instead took a fascination with dream pop drones and acoustic guitar, creating a kind of dark folk vibe. Two years on, ‘Heartbox’ continues her musical journey, but takes it down a deeper and more foreboding route, often dispensing with the folkier elements, leaving just moody dream pop and electronica for the basis of three surprisingly minimalist soundscapes.

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