This visit to the Singles Bar shares several interesting tracks, showcasing the variety of sounds that, arguably, are really helping the music scene to feel particularly interesting, at the mid point of 2026, amid a UK heatwave. We’ve got LGBTQ+ themed pop-rock, some great synth pop, an inspired metal cover, some absolutely superb country pop/roots rock…and more besides. As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
*
We’ve reached the middle of 2026 already, and for the first half of the year, submissions to our Singles Bar have been coming in fast. Naturally, there hasn’t been the time to highlight everything we’ve enjoyed from week to week, and a lot of great tracks have not made the cut. Passing these by would be an absolute tragedy, so, as is traditional at the end of June, we’ve pulled some of the “best of the rest” together for our SB Summer Special! These were picked from a staggering 230 track selection, but we feel they best capture the Singles Bar spirit. We hope you can spare the time to explore this selection of tunes, and as always, hope you find something new to enjoy. Remember: good music does not have a sell-by date!
*
Combining a stoner rock swagger and a post hardcore crunch, ‘Glass House’ by Abrams isn’t particularly shy when it comes to sharing a huge riff. Throughout the track, the band attack with a real intent, and although there are moments where a superb drum sound feels like the dominant force, a really crunchy Helmet influenced guitar sound brings a huge amount of weight to an impressive, heavy melody. The bulk of this performance delights in sharing a great groove, but even when Abrams slow things enough to drop into a classic hardcore breakdown, or unexpectedly break into a thrashy riff to finish, the tones and attitude shared are absolutely first rate.
Within the first two years of their existence, SoftSun – a project featuring Yawning Man’s Gary Arce and Superlynx’s Pia Isaksen – released two absolutely top notch albums. Both ‘Daylight In The Dark’ (2024) and ‘Eternal Sunrise’ (2025) shared a near perfect blend of deep psych and desert rock, with Arce’s atmospheric riffs proving a perfect match for Pia’s ethereal vocal style. No doubt about it: these records showcased one of the greatest bands to emerge on the desert rock/stoner scene for quite some time.
A rather spooky offering from veterans of the UK alternative scene, an epic but self-effacing narrative set against great orchestration, and an almost uncategorisable number splicing synths with a world music flair are just three things you can expect to find at the Singles Bar this time around. As we head further into 2026, the sheer variety of “single” recordings remains impressive, and perhaps ever more so now that we live in a world where underground artists are more likely to present digital singles and EP releases over an old school album format. To call this selection a mixed bag would certainly be an understatement but, as always, we hope you find something new to enjoy…
*