Miles Temp is definitely your new favourite artist. Straight from Liverpool, the project turns quiet feelings into indie-lofi tracks built with intention and subtlety. The songs blend soft guitars, light beats and vocals that land like someone finally saying what you haven’t managed to put into words.
Despite being early in the journey, Miles has already played the BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend and is moving through Liverpool’s scene with a quiet confidence; no hype, just solid songs that stay with you.
To get into this universe, start with Heartbeat, Try Again and Pretty Eyes.
This week, reggae loses Jimmy Cliff, one of the most important voices in the history of the genre. At 81, he leaves behind a legacy that shaped cultures, borders, and generations. The music goes on.
According to data from Help Musicians UK, based on the largest census ever conducted with professional musicians in the UK, 30% reported low mental wellbeing.
Among music students, the ones just entering the industry, that number rises to 41%, showing the pressure starts long before the first stage.
The report also shows that nearly half of respondents earn under £14,000 a year from music alone, combining low pay, instability and multiple side jobs, all directly linked to declining mental health. (Help Musicians UK / The Strad)
If we love music, we can’t ignore that the people creating it often pay a high price. And that cost never shows up in the credits; it shows up in their mental health. 🖤
Monks are an alternative band from Liverpool that combine indie rock structures with electronic production and a clean, contemporary sound. Their music often blends straightforward guitars with programmed beats and subtle layers of synthesizers, creating energetic tracks without slipping into excess.
Their latest release, “Life Moves Fast”, highlights this hybrid approach: clear guitars, electronic percussion, and production that aligns with the current UK alternative scene. Before that, the band had already been shaping their identity through singles like “third location”, “Worldview”, and “Aquarius”, which reinforce the balance between indie aesthetics and electronic textures.
Monks operate mainly through streaming platforms and social media, building their presence within the new generation of independent artists in the UK. For listeners who enjoy bands that blend guitars with electronic elements, such as early Foals, Working Men’s Club, or Nation of Language, they’re a solid find.
Tracks to start with: “Life Moves Fast,” “third location,” “Worldview,” “Aquarius.”
Today we lost Gary "Muni" Mounfield, a mythical bassist of British Rock, a central figure in The Stone Roses and Primal Scream. At 63, Mani leaves behind a powerful legacy in the Madchester scene and in the spirit of our underground playlists.
English singer, songwriter, and producer James Mathé, better known as Barbarossa, built his musical identity by blending minimalist synth-pop, electronic textures, and soft vocals. He usually works with keyboards, drum machines, and synthesizers, always leaning on stripped-down arrangements and melodies that feel intimate without being dramatic.
His first official release came out in 2006 with the mini-album “Sea of Blood”, which already hinted at the direction he would take in the following years. Since then, Barbarossa has worked with labels like Memphis Industries and collaborated with artists such as José González and the band Junip, where he played keyboards.
His discography evolved into an increasingly refined sound, balancing electronic elements with a more organic feel. If you’re into artists like Rhye, Nick Murphy, or S. Carey, Barbarossa is a solid find.
Tracks to start with: “The Load”, “Home”, “Turbine”, and “Dark Hopes.”
A synth-pop duo formed in Rio de Janeiro by two brothers, Brothers of Shadows crafts melancholic electronic music influenced by darkwave and 80s pop. The project has been gaining attention on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp, where they release independent productions focused on atmosphere and minimalism. Their latest album, 1943: Time Is a Spiral (2025), deepens the duo’s dark and emotional aesthetic that defines their sound.
Start with: No Name, Glass and Dance, My Reflections Dies
We dug up some flyers from the 90s and 2000s from around the world. Designers who built entire worlds with very little, just drive and imagination. A reminder of how things once were and how communities formed around the night. And you? Do you recognize any, or miss that old flyer era.
Neosupervital is the project of Dublin artist Tim O’Donovan, a one-man band making synth-pop with a clear sense of identity. He writes, produces and plays multiple instruments, which gives the sound a clean, direct feel and that electronic energy you still find floating around the Irish scene.
He’s opened for The Human League, played local festivals and keeps releasing tracks that prove synth-pop doesn’t need a revival to stay relevant. To get into his world, hit play on I.S.T.H.I.S.L.O.V.E, Nothing and Behind the Couch.
I know we’ve talked about him here before. But now he’s revamped. So: who is Frank Sidebottom 2.0?
Frank Sidebottom was much more than a character. Chris Sievey turned music, humor, and surrealism into entire worlds. At home, he created his own sounds, voices, and effects, invented bizarre gadgets, and improvised in a way that made every performance completely unpredictable and unforgettable.
