POSEYDON – Time Is A River And The Waters Are Red

Formed in 1992 at the tail end of the first great thrash metal boom, it would take Belgium’s Poseydon another six years to release an EP before splitting up rather prematurely. After reforming in 2007 – by which time, the landscape of metal had shifted considerably – the band began to rebuild a following, and eventually released a debut full length album in 2011. That recording, ‘Cold World’ shared more of a death metal infused thrash, but showcased a band who were clearly capable of delivering the goods when it came to a genuine heaviness.

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SHAPES LIKE PEOPLE – Under The Rainbow

A Wiltshire based dream pop duo featuring husband and wife team Carl and Kat Mann, Shapes Like People were formed as a side project to Carl’s indie band The Shop Window. Kat had already provided backing vocals on their ‘Daydream’ LP, but, if stories are to be believed, Carl hadn’t actually considered Kat for his then new project. It’s been jokingly claimed that Shapes Like People came together by accident, but like many happy accidents, the results were impressive. Their debut album ‘Ticking Haze’ played like the ultimate love letter to the 4AD label circa 1991, and although the whole record was enjoyable, between the waltzing time signatures of ‘A New Crown’, the harmony driven ‘Fireworks’ and the Johnny Marr tinged ‘Head Spun’, it offered a trilogy of tracks strong enough to place Shapes Like People among the frontrunners of retro sounding dream pop bands.

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DEWEY – Summer On A Curb

Dewey’s debut single ‘Jinx’ signified the arrival of a band with a potential greatness. On that track, the young Parisians served up a sound wholly indebted to the 90s with a massive shoegaze tone that really pushed some interesting guitar work to the fore. Right from the opening notes, though, it was clear that each of the band members had something important to offer when a solid drum part powered a fine groove, and the wall of guitars was joined by an equally solid bass.

Above all, ‘Jinx’ sounded far more melodic than a lot of the genre’s pioneers – a slither of indie melody contrasting the semi-woozy feel that the likes of My Bloody Valentine wouldn’t deem necessary made the single so much more accessible, and the way a busy and almost otherworldly keyboard line layered the main melody with something a little busier definitely gave the performance far more of an uplifting quality. Taking pride of place on Dewey’s ‘Summer On A Curb’ LP – issued almost three months later – ‘Jinx’ sounds better than ever.

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TEN EAST / SOFTSUN – Turned To Stone: Chapter 10 (Split Release)

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.

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DAS KAPITANS – Elvytys EP

Das Kapitans kick off their 2026 EP ‘Elvytys’ with one of their sharpest tracks to date. Allowing no time for the listener to become acclimatised, ‘This T-Shirt Fights Sweatshops’ hits with a performance that couples a fast tempo with a hard edged lead guitar, sharing something that sounds a little like a DIY version of an old Bloc Party track. For the fan, it creates immediate thrill; for anyone previously unfamiliar with this UK indie-punk act, it offers something that should more than pique interest. The verse’s angular approach shows off a very tight quartet, with Ollie Prescott’s mechanical drumming pushing forward with an effectively mechanical edge, while Stephen Potter’s guitar adds a really busy post punk tone. The main hook offers a superb contrast, tapping into Das Kap’s shoutier aesthetic, allowing a booming voice to attack with the same huge presence felt on the chorus of the previous EP’s highlight ‘Just A Dream’. In short, this is peak Das Kapitans: a song that deserves pride of place at the lead track on a release, but also the kind of number that runs the risk of making everything else come up short.

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