Category Archives: TVD UK

Blending dreamy R&B, soulful melodies, and hazy electronic textures, Cologne-based singer-songwriter and producer Ray Lozano creates music that feels as intimate as it is immersive. Her latest EP “moment” is out now via Melting Pot Music.

The German-Filipino musician has carved out a distinctive sound that sits somewhere between alternative R&B, lo-fi pop, and future soul, pairing airy vocals with intricate production and a thoughtful, emotionally honest approach to songwriting. Her new EP “moment” captures this sound across four tracks.

Drawing listeners into a warm, dreamlike soundscape, the release combines lush guitar lines, glossy synths, and understated grooves with Lozano’s effortlessly expressive vocals. It’s a collection that invites you to slow down and get lost in the details, showcasing her ability to balance laid-back production with genuine emotional depth.

Following her debut album, Pairing Mode, released in 2023, and the 2025 release SILK&SORROW, Lozano continues to evolve her sound, bringing together soulful storytelling and a playful, experimental approach to music-making.

Ray Lozano’s EP “moment” is in stores now via Melting Pot Music.

Okay, so I’m very late to the party. I discovered Don Broco after stumbling across a live performance of “Pretty” at the Royal Albert Hall. It was the most insane thing I’d seen in a while. A fucking pit at the Royal Albert Hall, yeah, that’s something you don’t see, ever.

These guys blend genres like nothing I’ve heard before; the closest thing I can think of is maybe Faith No More, that’s kinda it. I absolutely love the mix of synth-pop, metal, and everything in between. Rob Damiani really does smash the scream core and the more melodic stuff; the dude can sing, and the drummer’s harmonies give them a lot to experiment with. But the hooks, oh man, the hooks are huge.

I bought the latest album, Nightmare Tripping, on vinyl, as you do; this is a pretty badass record. The kind that if this came out in the ’80s or ’90s we’d be celebrating it as an album, on repeat everywhere we go. The title track features Chad from Nickelback. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. This one goes from hardcore metal to dance-pop to a massive arena chorus and keeps going. I’m always amazed by bands that can mash up genres like this. The creativity is off the charts, the hooks are massive, and you can’t put these guys neatly in a genre bucket. How can you hate on that?

The only time I’d been to Outernet in Soho before was for a LinkedIn event a year or two ago. What a cool venue. It reminds me of a House of Blues, like the ones they have in the States. Brilliant sound, and the design and layout keep everyone up front and close to the action. The place was packed, sold out, and rightfully so. The entire room was bouncing, hands in the air for every fucking song. Add a steady stream of crowd surfers and a pit that would make Slayer proud, and you’ve got a very happy Don Broco. I’ve never met these guys, but they seem like pretty cool dudes: down-to-earth and grateful for their fans.

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Brighton-based singer-songwriter AMANZI is bringing soul, gospel, and raw, honest storytelling to the forefront, with her latest single “I Gave You Grace,” out now.

Drawing on her South African roots and influences spanning soul, jazz, blues, and gospel, AMANZI creates music that is as emotionally powerful as it is deeply personal. Her journey has been one of resilience, reinvention, and finding the confidence to tell her own story. Having spent years lending her distinctive vocals to other artists’ productions, AMANZI is now building a body of work that puts her songwriting, experiences, and unmistakable voice center stage.

Her latest single “I Gave You Grace” continues that journey, adding to a growing catalogue that explores the complexities of love, loss, self-discovery, and personal growth. It follows a string of releases that showcase her ability to combine soulful expression with contemporary pop sensibilities, including her debut self-titled EP and debut album “The Village.”

With her powerful vocals, genre-blending sound and a refreshing willingness to embrace life’s messier moments, AMANZI is an artist carving out a space entirely her own.

“I Gave You Grace” is in stores now.

Welsh singer-songwriter CATTY is bringing a bold, theatrical edge to modern pop. Blending soaring vocals, infectious hooks, and emotionally charged songwriting, she creates music that is equal parts dramatic, playful, and deeply personal.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks, and Lady Gaga, CATTY explores themes of love, heartbreak, queer relationships, and the chaos of modern romance, always with her own distinctive sense of humor and theatrical flair. Her latest single, “Pavlov’s Dog,” sees CATTY at her most dramatic yet.

Using Pavlovian conditioning as a metaphor for the lasting effects of heartbreak, the track combines huge pop production with a darker, emotionally charged edge.

With her distinctive sound, charismatic live presence and fearless approach to pop, CATTY is quickly establishing herself as one of Wales’ most exciting emerging artists.

“Pavlov’s Dog” is in stores now.

Irish indie-folk trio Kingfishr have quickly become one of the most exciting names in contemporary folk music, winning over audiences with their soaring melodies, heartfelt songwriting, and electrifying live performances.

Hailing from Limerick, Edmond Keogh, Eoghan McGrath, and Eoin Fitzgibbon have built a devoted following with their distinctive blend of traditional Irish folk, indie, and rock. Their debut album Halcyon marked a major breakthrough, reaching Number One in Ireland and the UK Top 10.

Now, the trio return with their latest single “How Lonely,” a stirring exploration of unrequited love. Combining rhythmic acoustic instrumentation with the band’s signature anthemic sound, the track captures the frustration and vulnerability of wanting someone who doesn’t feel the same way. Edmond explains, “‘How Lonely’ is about unrequited love. Funny how being in a band doesn’t seem to make much difference in the pursuit to requite your love but in any case, we move…”

With new music on the horizon and a packed touring schedule, Kingfishr continue to cement their reputation as one of Ireland’s most exciting musical exports.

“How Lonely” is in stores now.

There’s nobody quite doing it like Joshua Idehen. Blending razor-sharp spoken word with euphoric electronic production, the London-born, Berlin-based artist has carved out a space entirely his own; one where grief, joy, politics, and everyday absurdity can all exist side-by-side.

His latest single “Everything Everywhere All At Once” is a particularly striking example of what makes Idehen so compelling. Taken from his acclaimed 2026 album I Know You’re Hurting, Everyone Is Hurting, Everyone Is Trying, You Have Got To Try, the track is a deeply personal meditation on the sliding-door moments of life, imagining the countless possible universes contained within his daughter.

Set against Parment’s atmospheric production, Idehen’s words feel both intimate and expansive, melancholic, hopeful, and ultimately life-affirming. The track has now taken on a new life with a Cosmodelica remix, released this summer. Where the original carries a more introspective, almost paranoid atmosphere, the remix opens things up into something warmer and more euphoric, with a bouncing bassline, irresistible percussion, and Idehen’s vocals floating effortlessly above the production.

A prolific collaborator as well as a solo artist, Idehen’s work has seen him collaborate with the likes of The Comet Is Coming, Sons of Kemet, and Metronomy, establishing him as one of the most distinctive voices at the intersection of poetry, jazz, and electronic music.

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With a voice that can move effortlessly between intimate vulnerability and full-bodied soul, London-based Hope Winter is an artist who has spent the last few years quietly carving out her own space in the UK’s singer-songwriter scene.

Her latest single, “If You Ever Loved Me,” further showcases her as an artist increasingly comfortable in her own sound. There’s an unmistakable sense of soul running through Winter’s music, with influences ranging from Aretha Franklin and Amy Winehouse to Joni Mitchell, D’Angelo, and Joy Crookes. But rather than simply recreating those influences, she’s developed a sound that sits somewhere between classic soul, contemporary R&B, pop, and jazz, led throughout by a remarkably assured vocal.

Winter has previously spoken about songwriting as a form of therapy, transforming difficult personal experiences into songs that feel deeply personal without ever becoming overly sentimental. That emotional honesty remains one of her biggest strengths; even at her most polished, there’s a human quality at the heart of her music.

With a growing catalogue, a voice that demands attention, and an increasingly assured sense of artistic identity, Hope Winter feels like an artist entering an exciting new chapter. If her latest releases are anything to go by, there’s plenty more to come.

“If You Ever Loved Me” is in stores now.

Middlesbrough six-piece Provenance are quickly making their mark on the North East England indie scene with infectious hooks, soaring melodies, and high-energy live shows. The rising six-piece are bringing indie-pop and plenty of Northern energy to the UK’s emerging guitar scene.

Drawing influence from Catfish and The Bottlemen, Inhaler, and Circa Waves, their sound blends driving indie-rock with new wave-inspired synths. Their latest single, “Save It For The Weekend,” produced by Jamie McIntyre of The Covasettes and Sugar House, delivers an irresistibly catchy take on the realities of an immature relationship, pairing anthemic synths with candid lyricism.

Having earned support from BBC Introducing, Radio X’s John Kennedy and Hunger magazine, as well as slots supporting Corella and appearances at Twisterella and Redcar Beach Live, Provenance are firmly ones to watch. With more new music and live dates to come, 2026 looks set to be a big year for the rising six-piece.

“Save It For The Weekend” is in stores now.

This week’s Artist of the Week is corto.alto, the Glasgow-based project of multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer Liam Shortall.

Blending jazz, hip-hop, broken beat, dub, R&B, and electronic production, corto.alto has developed a distinctive sound that pushes beyond traditional genre boundaries. Shortall’s music combines live instrumentation and improvisation with intricate rhythms, bass-heavy grooves, and experimental production.

Following his debut album Bad With Names, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Mercury Prize, corto.alto has continued to build a reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting contemporary jazz artists, collaborating with artists including Mick Jenkins, Vector, and anaiis. His highly anticipated new album SOME SMALL FORTUNE is due for release on 4th September via Ninja Tune, featuring recent singles including “GO,” “IJUSTIDONTKNOW,” and “NOBLEHILL,” featuring Bristol artist Jacob Alon.

With his genre-blurring approach and growing international profile, corto.alto is definitely an artist to have on your radar.

corto alto’s album SOME SMALL FORTUNE is due for release on 4th September via Ninja Tune.

Somehow, I never got to see Northern California alt-rock icons AFI in the States. So when they finally came back to the UK, playing the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on their way to All Points East in Victoria Park with the Deftones, I wasn’t going to let it slide again. A band this big in a theatre this small barely happens anymore. Three days later, they’d have tens of thousands of people in Victoria Park. I’ll take this room every time.

Same four members since 1998, but frontman Davey looks like a different man. Gone is the gothic, slick-black vampire mid-cut. Now it’s full biker leather, a pompadour out of 1974, and a handlebar mustache that would make the Village People jealous. The whole look says I don’t give a fuck about anything but rock ‘n’ roll, and it was awesome. From emo to Rocky Horror.

I keep hearing people ask why AFI never got as big as My Chemical Romance. They did, though. Decemberunderground went to number one in 2006, the same year as The Black Parade. AFI got big and then refused to stay there, which is exactly why a band with a number-one record is standing in a 2,000-capacity theatre in 2026, looking thrilled about it. And they put out five studio albums before Sing the Sorrow broke them. Most labels would’ve given up after two in those days. Most bands might get to four. Five is a proving ground in my book.

Four dudes making this much noise is insane to me. No frills, no gimmicks, a back line of Marshall stacks and a statement. Marshalls stacked like that scream metal show, but this was more punk, and then it went goth for a stretch, and then somewhere else again. All over the place, and I could not look away. Seriously.

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From a standout John Lewis Christmas campaign to emerging as an artist in her own right, Mel Raeburn is quickly making her mark with her soulful vocals and warm, contemporary sound.

Raeburn first caught the public’s attention in 2024 when she won John Lewis’ nationwide TikTok competition to perform a new version of The Verve’s “Sonnet.” Her rendition became part of the retailer’s Christmas campaign, introducing her distinctive voice to a huge new audience.

Since then, Raeburn has been focused on developing her own music, stepping out from behind the cover that first brought her recognition and establishing herself as a singer-songwriter. Her debut original single, “Table For Two,” arrived earlier this year, followed by her latest release “Serendipity.”

“Serendipity” sees her continuing to showcase her soulful, expressive vocal style across a contemporary pop sound. Written by Raeburn alongside Rosie Shaw and produced by Bailey Hopton, the track offers a more personal introduction to the artist behind the viral cover.

With “Serendipity” marking another step in her journey from viral cover artist to fully-fledged singer-songwriter, Mel Raeburn is an exciting new voice to keep firmly on your radar.

“Serendipity” is in stores now.

PHOTO: JAXON WHITTINGTON | Minneapolis five-piece she’s green describe their sound as “moss music,” aka music for wandering into the forest, getting lost, and discovering magic hidden deep in nature. Inspired by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien as much as Cocteau Twins, the band has created a dreamy, immersive world of shoegaze-infused dream-pop.

Their 2023 debut EP “Wisteria” featured the viral hit “Mandy,” which has now passed three million Spotify streams. After graduating, she’s green took their music on the road, touring across North America with artists including Slow Pulp, Softcult, and Glixen, building an increasingly devoted fanbase along the way. In 2025, the band signed to Photo Finish Records and released their second EP, “Chrysalis.”

Now, she’s green are entering a new chapter with their latest EP “swallowtail,” out now. Working with producer and mixer Sonny DiPerri, known for his work with DIIV, the band have developed a more polished and confident take on their dreamy, guitar-driven sound. “swallowtail” sees she’s green exploring a more mature and emotionally expansive side of their songwriting. With its hazy guitars, tender vocals, and immersive atmosphere, “swallowtail” perfectly captures what makes she’s green so compelling: music that feels like an escape while remaining deeply rooted in real emotion.

With plans to continue developing material that will form the second half of a full-length record, she’s green are only getting started. Their hazy guitars, irresistible melodies and fantasy-inspired escapism are already winning over audiences across the world, and now they’re bringing their immersive sound to the UK.

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Florence Road are proving that the next big thing in alternative music could be coming straight out of Wicklow. This talented four-piece are firmly entering their breakout era, and we’re all invited…

Released via Warner Records, their latest single “7563” immediately grabs attention with its driving guitar line, anthemic opening, and huge vocal delivery. It’s a track that feels designed for the live environment, energetic, emotionally charged and built around the kind of chorus that demands to be shouted back from a festival crowd.

Their recent EP “Spring Forward” captures everything that makes Florence Road so exciting; huge alternative-rock hooks, emotionally charged songwriting, and an infectious sense of momentum. The four-track EP showcases a band that can move effortlessly between raw vulnerability and full-blown explosive energy.

At the centre of the EP is “Hanging Out To Dry,” a brilliantly restless track about trying to convince yourself you’re not falling for someone when, deep down, you know you already are.

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For well over a decade The Welsh John MOuse has occupied a singular corner of British independent music, where synth-pop, art rock, surreal humour, and deeply personal storytelling coexist without ever settling into convention. His latest album Ynys Parc Memorial 1854–1976 doesn’t attempt to reinvent that formula, but it does refine it into perhaps his most complete and emotionally resonant statement to date.

Produced by Sweet Baboo and featuring appearances from Gruff Rhys and Miki Berenyi, the record immediately carries a broader sonic palette than some of Mouse’s previous work. The arrangements breathe with confidence, allowing shimmering synthesizers, motorik rhythms and jangling guitars to support rather than dominate songs that have always been driven first and foremost by narrative.

Narrative has long been The Welsh John MOuse’s greatest asset. His songs rarely concern themselves with grand statements, instead finding meaning in peculiar observations and seemingly insignificant moments. Here, however, those familiar eccentricities sit alongside something more contemplative. Inspired by memory, mortality, and the communities that shaped him, Ynys Parc Memorial 1854–1976 feels like the work of an artist looking backwards without becoming trapped in nostalgia.

If there’s a centrepiece, it may well be “Welsh Words” whose premise, a dream in which Gruff Rhys appears embodied as Joan Didion to offer songwriting advice, perfectly encapsulates Mouse’s gift for collapsing the absurd into the profound.

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Blending hyperpop’s restless experimentation with sleek electronic production and an unapologetically sharp sensibility, the Dallas-born, Lebanese artist Ellisar is rapidly carving out a lane entirely her own.

What makes Ellisar compelling isn’t simply her ability to write infectious hooks; it’s the emotional tension running beneath the glossy production. Her songs capture the chaos of modern relationships, self-worth, and identity, packaging vulnerability inside adrenaline-fuelled choruses that demand repeat listens. The result is music that feels equally suited to a packed club, a late-night drive, or a bedroom overthinking session.

Her latest single “CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS” marks another confident step forward. As her newest release, it builds on the momentum generated by her previous tracks, showcasing an artist who continues to refine her signature blend of shimmering pop hooks, electronic textures, and razor-sharp attitude.

Ellisar has described her music as being “for the girls and gays,” an ethos that perfectly captures the sense of community and fearless self-expression at the heart of her work. Her music embraces individuality, celebrating confidence while leaving room for vulnerability, making her one of pop’s most relatable new voices. In an era where pop continues to blur genre boundaries, Ellisar feels perfectly positioned for what’s next.

“CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS” is in stores now.