Since the release of their ‘Aloha Moon’ album back in 2012, Magic Wands have been a consistantly reliable source for enjoyable music. Their blend of light electronica and dream pop, at its best, sometimes shares some DNA with the short lived Transister; it sometimes plays like a mix of Garbage, Metric and Elastic Sleep, but wherever the melodies go, they’re always strong – and usually very accessible.
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PALE HORSE RITUAL – Diabolical Formation
In October 2024, Pale Horse Ritual released the ‘Enchantress’ EP, a brilliant four song slab of metal that blended doom, stoner and deep psych to create something that sounded like the missing link between ‘Volume 4’ era Sabbath, the heavier moments of Monster Magnet’s best jams and Goat Ritual. It may have only been short, but for lovers of a fuzzy stoner riff, it proved to be an essential listen, and one that stoked up excitement for a follow up.
MINOT – Walls / People Pleaser
Montana’s Minot shared new tracks on Bandcamp at regular intervals throughout 2025. Eventually compiled as the ‘And You’re Not’ album, the self proclaimed “lo-fi garage punk muffins” served up something that often sounded like buried treasure from the US garage rock scene thirty five years previously. This, of course, was a good thing.
CLONE – Care To Try? EP
The name Clone might not seem instantly familiar, but this Brooklyn-based post punk act comes with an interesting DNA. Frontman LG Galleon has previously released works with Dead Leaf Echo, Gregg Giufree (not to be confused with Angel legend Gregg Giuffria!) has links with Pilot To Gunner, and the Clone live act includes some extra power courtesy of Namesake’s Paul Liziragga and Alex Cox of The Veldt (the shoegaze legends who finally saw their shelved 1989 debut recording receive enthusiastic press upon its official release in 2024). This musical gathering also attracted the attention of producer Martin Bisi, whose CV includes albums by Sonic Youth, John Zorn, Swans, and…Herbie Hancock.
YAWNING MAN – Pavement Ends
In the year leading up to this album’s release, guitarist Gary Arce kept himself more than busy. With the other members of Yawning Man, he released a third album of improvised material with Yawning Balch, two albums of fantastic material under the name SoftSun with Superlynx’s Pia Isaaksen, and also worked with Big Scenic Nowhere, a doomy stoner band which also featured Yawning Man’s Bill Stinson and Fu Manchu/Yawning Balch guitarist Bob Balch.
Regardless of his many activities, for most, it’ll be his associations with desert rock band Yawning Man that spring to mind first, despite their output being rather sporadic. The band’s eighth studio record ‘Pavement Ends’ finds Arce in great musical form, and following 2023’s ‘Long Walk of The Navajo’ takes a welcome step back towards shorter and more accessible arrangements.