Category Archives: TVD UK

There are some artists who don’t just write songs; they invite listeners into their inner world. British singer-songwriter Mathilda Homer has built a reputation for doing exactly that, combining soulful vocals, sharp lyricism, and emotional honesty to create music that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Her latest single, “Doctor,” is out now.

“Doctor” continues her tradition of turning difficult emotions into beautifully crafted songwriting, delivered through the distinctive raspy vocal style that has become her trademark. Fans of artists such as Jorja Smith and Joy Crookes will feel at home here. Her ability to blend soulful influences with contemporary songwriting has earned her a loyal following and established her as one of the UK’s most promising independent voices.

Homer has carved out a sound that sits somewhere between soul, folk, jazz, and contemporary pop. Critics have frequently highlighted her ability to pair candid storytelling with powerful vocal performances, while her songwriting explores themes of love, heartbreak, self-reflection, and personal growth.

With “Doctor” marking a bold and vulnerable new chapter, now is the perfect time to discover the music of Mathilda Homer. If this latest release is any indication, she’s continuing to grow as both a songwriter and storyteller, creating songs that don’t just sound good, but stay with you long after they’ve ended.

“Doctor” is in stores now.

Sometimes the best concert experiences happen when travel, timing, and music all align perfectly. My wife and I were in Glasgow celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, and, as I always do when I travel, I checked to see if there were any reggae shows while we were in town.

When I saw that Hollie Cook was playing the legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut on June 5, I knew immediately this was a show I could not miss. Even better, I was fortunate enough to photograph the concert, making the evening even more memorable. And what a venue to experience it in.

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is one of the most iconic small venues in the UK. Since opening in 1990, the intimate Glasgow club has hosted early performances from artists who would later become global stars, including Radiohead, The Verve, Travis, Skunk Anansie, Muse, No Doubt, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, and Blur. The room itself is compact, sweaty, loud, and alive—the kind of place where audiences feel completely connected to the performers on stage. For reggae music, with its warmth and heavy bass vibrations, it was the perfect setting.

Cook herself has one of the more fascinating musical backgrounds in modern reggae. She was part of the final lineup of pioneering all-female punk/reggae band The Slits before launching her solo career in 2010, working closely with producer Prince Fatty. Since releasing her self-titled debut album in 2011, she has carved out a unique sound she describes as “tropical pop,” blending reggae, lovers rock, rocksteady, and the influence of classic female reggae singers like Janet Kay and Phyllis Dillon with the sweetness of 1960s girl groups.

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PHOTO: JACK FENBY | There’s something special happening in Adelaide right now, and The Tullamarines are right at the heart of it. Blending indie-rock energy with heartfelt storytelling, the four-piece has built a reputation for crafting songs that feel both deeply personal and highly relatable.

Their latest single, “Running On Empty,” is perhaps their strongest release yet. The track transforms a deeply personal experience into a soaring indie anthem. Beneath the song’s upbeat rhythms, bright guitars, and singalong chorus lies a vulnerable reflection on burnout and self-doubt. Written following a period of anxiety and emotional exhaustion experienced by frontman Ben Waltho while touring, the song explores the feeling of pushing forward when your mental and emotional reserves have been depleted.

The band have steadily emerged as one of Australia’s most exciting independent acts, creating music that captures life’s highs, lows and everything in between. Their signature blend of infectious hooks, emotional honesty and shimmering indie-pop production has earned them a growing national audience.

Their expanding catalogue, combined with a reputation for energetic live performances and appearances alongside some of Australia’s most exciting artists, suggests that The Tullamarines are only just getting started.

“Running On Empty” is in stores now.

On “Before It Snows,” the first chapter of her two-part debut EP collection, Rosina Buck transforms deeply personal experiences into a strikingly intimate body of work. Rooted in folk and singer-songwriter traditions but coloured with theatrical flourishes and imaginative arrangements, the six-track release explores love, loss, addiction, co-dependency, and self-discovery with remarkable emotional candor.

Musically, “Before It Snows” balances delicate folk foundations with a playful sense of experimentation. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Mike Trim, the EP embraces texture and instinct over polish, allowing each track to inhabit its own distinct world. There is a refreshing looseness to the arrangements, with unexpected sonic details and theatrical touches lending color to even the most emotionally weighty moments.

The EP’s title track serves as its emotional centrepiece. Here, Buck’s songwriting reaches its most affecting, capturing the painful tension between holding on and letting go. The song’s raw honesty is emblematic of the collection as a whole, which repeatedly confronts cycles of longing and unhealthy attachment while steadily moving towards a place of acceptance and self-reliance.

Elsewhere, tracks such as “Telescope Love” and “Vampire” showcase Buck’s gift for vivid imagery and character-driven narratives, while “Pumpkin Pie,” “Fireworks,” and “Tropical Thunder” help broaden the emotional and sonic palette.

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If you’re searching for an artist who effortlessly blurs the lines between indie-pop, jazz, and bossa nova, look no further than Mei Semones. The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and guitarist has been quietly building a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in independent music, crafting songs that feel both technically impressive and deeply personal.

What makes Semones stand out is her ability to weave together influences that, on paper, shouldn’t fit so seamlessly. Singing in both English and Japanese, her music combines intricate guitar work, jazz-inspired chord progressions, gentle bossa nova rhythms, and indie-pop melodies into a sound that is entirely her own.

The result is music that feels intimate, sophisticated, and refreshingly original. Whether she’s exploring themes of self-discovery, relationships, family, or belonging, Semones delivers her songs with a warmth and sincerity that feels genuinely authentic.

For listeners who appreciate artists such as Laufey, Japanese Breakfast, or Beabadoobee, Mei Semones offers something equally captivating but entirely distinctive. Her music invites listeners into a world where genres dissolve, languages intertwine, and every song feels like a carefully crafted conversation.

Mei Semones’ latest release “Macramé”—alongside Indi-pop artist aron!—is in stores now.

There’s something electrifying happening around Esmeralda Road right now. Emerging from Belfast’s thriving independent scene, the seven-piece outfit is quickly building a reputation as one of the most exciting live bands on the UK and Irish circuit.

What makes Esmeralda Road stand out is their ability to balance raw indie energy with intricate musicianship. Their tracks move effortlessly between punchy guitar lines, soulful vocals, brass flourishes, and groove-heavy rhythms. Influences ranging from King Krule and Fontaines D.C. to jazz and funk can be heard throughout their music, but the band never sounds derivative; they’ve carved out a style that is entirely their own.

Away from streaming platforms, their live reputation is becoming impossible to ignore. The band have supported major names including Liam Gallagher and continue to sell out venues across Belfast, London, and beyond with performances that feel more like communal celebrations than standard gigs.

For fans of genre-blurring indie music with genuine personality, Esmeralda Road are a band worth discovering now… before everyone else catches up!

Esmerelda Road’s latest single, “Park It” is in stores now.

Meet ALVA, the stunning solo project of Irish songwriter and musician Ailbhe Caprani. Her latest single, “For Emma,” is out now and is definitely worth a listen.

Blending dreamy, ethereal vocals with textured indie rock instrumentation, ALVA creates music that feels both intimate and expansive. Drawing inspiration from artists like Wolf Alice, Slow Pulp, and Snail Mail, her sound balances vulnerability with intensity, capturing the emotional complexity of identity, heartbreak, and growing up.

After making waves with the release of “Obsolete” in 2023, ALVA returns with a bold new chapter. Her latest single “For Emma” marks a shift toward a more defined indie rock sound while still holding onto the dreamlike atmosphere that first shaped the project. Somewhere between a crowded room and a solitary moment, the track moves fluidly between introspection and intensity, layering soft vocals against heavier, immersive instrumentation.

At its core, “For Emma” is about enduring connection, the kind that survives distance, time and change. Inspired by a close friendship shaped by circumstance, the song captures the quiet understanding that some relationships remain untouched at their foundation, no matter how far life pulls people apart.

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With the arrival of their explosive debut single “Toyota Hellfire,” Birmingham quartet fistpump! have delivered a statement of intent that’s as visceral as it is unpredictable.

Blending the intricate, twinkling guitar work of Midwest-emo with the weight and urgency of post-hardcore, “Toyota Hellfire” wastes no time in establishing the band’s identity. The track swings between tightly wound verses and driving, anthemic choruses, hinting at a group already confident in pushing its dynamics to the limit.

Rather than assembling ideas in isolation, “Toyota Hellfire” came together in a shared moment of spontaneity, written collectively in a room, feeding off a single creative wavelength. That organic process is palpable in the final track, which feels less constructed and more unleashed.

Beyond the studio, fistpump! have already been building momentum on the live circuit, sharing stages with emerging names and carving out a reputation for anthemic performances. With a run of UK dates and support slots continuing through the year, they’re clearly intent on translating that raw recorded intensity into something even more immediate on stage.

For a debut, “Toyota Hellfire” doesn’t just introduce fistpump!, it throws them headfirst into the conversation. If this is the starting point, the ceiling looks wide open.

“Toyota Hellfire” is in stores now.

There’s something quietly magnetic about Opal Mag. She’s the kind of artist who doesn’t demand attention, but instead pulls you in slowly. With her new single “Kiss Me,” the London-born musician continues to carve out a space that feels both nostalgic and strikingly personal.

Opal Mag’s latest single, “Kiss Me,” marks a significant step forward. Following on from “Wasting,” the lead track from her November EP, this new release sharpens her lyrical focus while maintaining the immersive, blurred-edge production that defines her style. There’s a sense of emotional clarity cutting through the haze this time, a recognition of stagnation in a relationship, and the quiet heartbreak that comes with it.

As Opal herself explains, “‘Kiss Me’ displays the realisation that a partner doesn’t want to grow or change with you. Instead they sabotage what had huge potential, to stay comfortable and set in their ways.” It’s a theme many will recognise, but few articulate with such understated precision.

With a busy summer of festivals on the horizon, Opal Mag feels poised for a breakout moment, not through reinvention, but through refinement. She knows exactly who she is as an artist, and more importantly, who her music is for.

“Kiss Me” is in stores now.

This week, we’re spotlighting a rising voice you need on your radar; Kayla Kross. Her stunning debut album Touch of You is out now.

Blending emotive storytelling with a modern pop sensibility, Kayla Kross is carving out a space that feels both intimate and expansive. Her music captures those in-between moments, vulnerability, self-reflection, and quiet strength, wrapped in polished production and memorable melodies.

There’s a sincerity at the core of her sound that resonates instantly. Whether she’s delivering stripped-back emotion or building into something more anthemic, Kayla brings a clarity of voice and perspective that feels authentic and refreshingly grounded.

If you’re into artists who balance lyrical depth with accessible pop appeal, she’s definitely one to watch.

Kayla’s debut album Touch of You is in stores now.

Brighton’s Slag (yes, that’s their name) is the kind of band that feels inseparable from the scene that shaped them. They are scrappy, instinctive, and thriving on momentum. Their debut EP “Losing” marks a defining step, and it’s out now via Big Scary Monsters.

Formed on the south coast and quickly embedded in its DIY circuit, the five-piece has built a reputation on energy first, polish second. Their sound sits somewhere between art-punk, indie, and something more restless; angular guitars, rhythmic left-turns, and vocals that swing between melody and half-shouted release. Their EP “Losing” captures a band figuring things out in real time, and making that uncertainty part of the appeal. Rather than smoothing out their edges, Slag lean into contrast: chaos and control, humour and vulnerability, noise and melody, all coexisting in the same space.

There’s also a sense of narrative running through the EP. Even in its most chaotic moments, “Losing” carries emotional weight, songs that tap into disorientation, release, and fleeting clarity without ever becoming overly introspective. It’s that balance that gives the project its edge. It feels immediate, but not shallow, instinctive, but not careless.

Still early in their trajectory, Slag sit in that exciting space where everything feels open-ended. “Losing” doesn’t present a finished identity, it documents a band in motion, testing ideas, pushing dynamics, and inviting listeners into the process. If this EP is anything to go by, they’re not interested in standing still.

“Losing” is in stores now via Big Scary Monsters.

Celestial newcomer Tenderness provides a quiet kind of magic in music that doesn’t demand your attention, but instead gently holds it. The solo project of London-based songwriter Katy Beth Young, Tenderness is less about spectacle and more about feeling soft, intricate, and deeply human.

Emerging from a period marked by loss, isolation, and change, the project carries a sense of intimacy that feels almost whispered rather than sung. It’s music that sits with you. Her recently released debut album, True, is a striking introduction; ten tracks that drift between indie folk, country textures, and ambient electronics. Built initially from demos recorded in a brief, almost spontaneous session, the album slowly evolved into something richer and more collaborative, featuring contributions from longtime musical peers.

What makes Tenderness stand out is the emotional balance. There’s grief here, undeniably, but also warmth, curiosity, and even moments of lightness. The songs explore love, memory, and technology in equal measure, often blurring the lines between the real and the imagined. Sonically, True is understated but expansive. Think shimmering electric guitars, pedal steel woven through minimalist arrangements, and vocals that feel both fragile and grounded. It’s music that rewards close listening, subtle details revealing themselves over time.

At its heart, Tenderness is about connection, how we hold onto people, memories, and feelings, even as they shift and fade. It’s music made in solitude, but shaped by community, and that duality gives it a rare depth. If you’re drawn to artists who sit somewhere between folk storytelling and experimental textures, Tenderness is one to keep close. This is not music that shouts, it lingers…

True is in stores now.

Emerging from the UK’s vibrant indie scene, Girl Group are quickly carving out a space that feels both urgent and unapologetically their own. With a mission rooted in challenging industry norms, the band is creating space, visibility, and community for women and underrepresented voices—hoorah!

Blending jagged indie rock energy with punchy pop sensibilities, Girl Group’s sound thrives on contrast. Sharp, hook-heavy songwriting is paired with a raw, emotionally charged delivery. Their recent EP, “Little Sticky Pictures” signals a band in motion; restless, self-aware, and unafraid to experiment. There’s a DIY spirit running through their releases, but it’s elevated by a clear, bold, feminist, and community-driven energy.

Their ethos centres on amplifying voices that are too often sidelined, turning their project into both a creative outlet and a cultural statement. It’s this combination of purpose and personality that’s helping them connect with a growing audience, now reaching tens of thousands of monthly listeners on Spotify.

With upcoming shows across the UK and Europe and a steadily expanding catalogue, Girl Group are proving that they’re more than just a name, they’re a movement in the making.

“Little Sticky Pictures” is in stores now.

Last time I saw Butcher Babies was Halloween in San Francisco, and Heidi and Carla came out with full beards, dressed as men, which pretty much set the tone for the whole night and made it ridiculously fun to shoot.

I’ve always found this band interesting because they sit right in that space between scream-heavy metal and big, almost pop-level hooks, all wrapped in slick production, and it taps into that same part of my brain that loves glam metal and a lot of the early 2000s stuff. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, but it really does.

I met Carla Harvey once at the Golden God Awards, and she was exactly what you’d want her to be. Just cool, no effort, no ego.

If you take the band at face value, it’s obviously commercial and very produced, but there’s still real bite to it, and it leans all the way into being loud, over the top, and unapologetic, which is probably why it lands.

Carla’s been busy with Lords of Acid and her own project lately, but Heidi is unreal live and has the crowd completely locked in from the start. At one point, she walked straight into the middle of a circle pit like it was nothing and just owned it, and you realize pretty quickly you’re watching someone who knows exactly what they’re doing and enjoys every second of it.

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Debut single “Criminal” is the opening release from Rakuna’s forthcoming debut album Child of the Wolves. Showcasing her sumptuously emotive vocal delivery, the song conjures memories of classic female blues singers.

Rakuna has suffered from mutism throughout her life. However, after teaching herself how to write, produce, and perform music at the age of twenty-one, the ability to communicate came naturally. The project became a vehicle for Rakuna to share her emotions through her art.

This cathartic experience is played out on bittersweet single, “Criminal.” Brooding, intense yet melodic and full of reflective lyricism, the track is an affecting debut. “Criminal” talks about moving through past traumas and embracing your true worth in life. The song is the perfect platform for Rakuna’s lush, bluesy vocal full of character and a yearning emotional delivery.

A survivor of homelessness and severe physical and sexual violence, Rakuna has used her experiences to help various communities. This resulted in spending her teenage and adult years working and volunteering for non-profit organisations and mutual aid groups supporting the likes of At-Risk Youth, Domestic Violence Survivors, LGBTQ rights, Food for Underserved Communities, and Environmental Protection and Restoration. “Criminal” is the first of a number of tracks to be released prior to the unveiling of her debut album Child Of The Wolves on 5th June 2026.

“Criminal” is in stores now.