Dead Pony ‘Everything Burns’
A few months removed from the release of their SAY shortlisted debut album ‘IGNORE THIS’, Dead Pony are back with ‘Everything Burns’. It’s fair to say that the band have found their lane and are absolutely flourishing in it – recently announcing their debut appearance at Download Festival next year, marking yet another milestone for the fast-rising outfit. Suitably, the new single arrives with their heaviest guitar work to date, a thrilling hero/villain narrative and plenty of nods to its cinematic inspiration ‘The Dark Knight’ – including some uncanny Batman/Joker lines from guitarist/producer Blair Crichton.
Washington ‘Xtc’
An artist who has long been on our radar, Paisley-based rapper Washington has dropped a new EP ‘Xtc’. The maker of a hypnotic and immersive sound, the six-track EP is directly inspired by his own personal experiences – exploring themes of resilience and determination against an alluring blend of hip hop, trap and experimental electronic beats. Dripping in atmosphere, it’s an impressive collection that sees the rapper mix singing with incisive wordplay.
Zoe Graham ‘When Leaving Came Easy’
Following a sold-out hometown show at Glasgow’s Poetry Club, Zoe Graham has shared her next single, ‘When Living Came Easy’.
In the middle of what can only be described as a creative purple patch, ‘‘When Living Came Easy’ is another striking addition to her increasingly impressive catalogue. And it’s her most personal song yet—reflecting on her journey of self-discovery. Describing it as “the closest thing to a love song” she’s ever written, Zoe explores the ways her partner has helped her grow, while also embracing the ups and downs that come with learning to express herself openly. The lyrics reflect the healthy side of disagreements, showing how moments of friction can foster growth and deepen trust in a relationship. It’s all delivered against a gripping instrumental that’s reminiscent of In Rainbows-era Radiohead – elevated by skitterish beats, a dynamic bass line and ethereal vocal harmonies.
“When Living Came Easy is about finally finding a bit of ease in day to day existence and about how sometimes the influence of another can encourage you to find it. Life is definitely still very challenging at times, this ease I talk about is a more of a temporary feeling that floats in and out. But that feeling is much more frequent these days, when once it was almost non-existent. Ultimately, this ease comes from giving yourself and others a bit more forgiveness. Realising that it’s ok to make mistakes, to argue or to bicker. Being able to express your emotions with less internal judgement is a positive symptom of both growth and being around the right people” says Zoe.
AMUNDA, Nightwave ‘Pressure’
Female and non-binary-led collective Hen Hoose have announced the release of their third EP of this year ‘EP 3’. Featuring more eye-catching collaborations from the likes of K4cie and XZO, Elisabeth Elektra and Carla J Easton, Kiana and Tanya Mellote, Sarah Hayes and Ray Aggs, they’ve shared their first single from AMUNDA and Nightwave. Titled ‘Pressure’, it’s grooving track that pairs throbbing, intricately layered electronics from Nightwave with AMUNDA’s instantly recognisable vibrant vocals. The result is an uplifting, high-energy track that makes you want to hit the dancefloor.
“I had known Maya and been a fan for years before we finally got to work together on a track,” explained AMUNDA, who is an RIA Award-winning and SAY award-nominated artist. “She’s someone I’ve always wanted to collaborate with, so when we were paired together for the second round of Hen Hoose, I was really excited.
“When Maya sent me the track it felt like it built and built and built, until we finally got the release at the ending, so the theme of ‘pressure’ came up – it was what I could feel when listening. The track came about quite quickly from that point on, and the music gave so much space for me to experiment with my toplining. I can only hope for more future collaborations.”
Nightwave, who has previously lent her unique sound to Franz Ferdinand, Django Django, Wayward, D Double E and many more, said: “I’ve been a big fan of Amandah’s for years – she’s an excellent vocalist and seems to have a magic wand for writing the perfect R&B tracks. It was really exciting to finally collaborate and a real pleasure to see her writing process and vocal skills with lyrics, harmonies, toplines. She’s a real pro and really brought the production to life. We will no doubt work together again.”
Gout ‘Bed Sores’
Gout is another band to emerge from Glasgow’s collaborative music scene – bringing together members of Lucia & The Best Boys, The Ninth Wave and Health & Beauty as an outlet for their darker, heavier songwriting. It’s a doom-laden track that’s entrenched in darkness – full of gloomy guitars, guttural vocals and black metal influences. Tune in below.
Disgusting Sisters ‘Killing It’
Meet Disgusting Sisters – an Anglo-French duo who have this week shared their debut single ‘Killing It’ on Speedy Wunderground as part of the Speedy Singles series. It’s a striking introduction – a big middle finger to unsolicited advice and judgement, delivered with wicked, witty lines against a minimalist instrumental. They say: “Killing It is a song about owning your own life so completely that even if you chose to wreck it, you’re still in control – because in the end, the personal freedom to live on your own terms is what really matters.”
Sacred Paws ‘Another Day’
Sacred Paws have returned for the first time in five years with new single ‘Another Day’. It’s the kind of energising, colourful track we’ve come to know and love from the duo, while bringing some country influences into the fold – lifted by a banjo and fiddle.
The band said: “We loved how this song instantly sounded kind of country to us. The harmonies have a really satisfying longing that sums up the emotional drive of a song about not really knowing where a new relationship is going but anticipating heartbreak. Ray added fiddle in the demo, but it wasn’t until the mixing stage that we had the idea to put banjo on it. Ray has been playing music with their dad since forever, but this is the first time they have been on a record together.”
