Those paying attention to the UK’s indie, shoegaze and dream pop scenes early in 2026 might have already discovered ‘Find Me There’, a fantastic track from Wiltshire based Shapes Like People. A fantastic single that sounded like the perfect dream pop throwback to 1993/1994 with its Cocteau Twins inspired shimmering guitar lines and clean vocals, it suggested that the upcoming Shapes Like People album would potentially be great.
Tag Archives: retro
Watch: Modesty Blaise share video for ‘Coral Mountain’ ahead of deluxe reissue
A quarter of a century ago, Modesty Blaise released a self titled album full of retro pop gems that took cues from various touchstones from the past, including The Beach Boys and The Zombies, and recycled them with love. A second record, ‘Melancholia’ improved on the formula, and at its best, the record flaunted a huge budget and equally big hooks. In terms of that kind of musical pilfering, Jellyfish became absolutely worshipped in the power pop community, and by comparison, Modesty Blaise have sort of become also-rans. That deserves to change.
LOWSUNDAY – Ghost Machine White EP
In terms of taking a break, twenty six years is a long holiday by any band’s standards, but that’s exactly how long Lowsunday were AWOL between their second and third releases. The musical landscape may have changed a great deal since the death of the 90s, but the first sounds shared by this Pittsburgh based alternative/shoegaze/goth band at the end of 2025 found the musicians sticking rigidly to what they do best. In many ways, the resulting ‘White EP’ is all the better for that. Yes, the five tracks sound very retro, but in fairness, the strong gothy element in their sound was already retro by 1999. What the five tracks on this EP achieve – whether deliberately or otherwise – is to bring a massive pang of nostalgia which, coming at a time when the world feels as if it’s heading into even darker places, is certainly most welcome.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #143
This week’s visit to the Singles Bar is big on variety. We’ve got retro rock, some very 90s inspired dream pop gold, a great track from an up and coming Irish singer songwriter, a superb acoustic track and more besides. With very little fitting a “household name” at the time of release, this is testament to how much great new music there is being released at the beginning of 2026. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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MICHAEL DES BARRES – Kiss Or Kill Me / I Was Saved In ’64
In 2023, just at the point where the world was getting back on its feet having spent a few years knocked out by a global pandemic, the legendary Michael des Barres teamed up with pop/rock pianist Kris “Fingers” Rodgers and recorded a couple of excellent singles. Although, on paper, a union between the relatively young, relatively unknown musician and the veteran vocalist seemed like a slightly odd one, the contrast of styles and coming together of two generations actually worked. Both ‘Bounce Back Baby’ and ‘Soul Shake’ were brilliantly upbeat affairs that genuinely brought out the very best in both musical parties.