Wholes – Berlin
Wholes' 'Berlin' is a searing noise-rock collision from Ghent, fusing 80s new wave tension with thrilling post-hardcore ferocity
Wholes open 'Berlin' at collapse's edge. The track drops you straight into nervous, serrated guitars and a frantic drum pulse that refuses to let up. Wolf's vocals sit low in the mix, almost whispery, carrying lines about Swiss banks selling lives and cities on the brink. There's Josh Homme in that delivery, but darker, and maybe a wee bit more cornered. Let it be clear; I love this song. It's kinda noisy as fuck, but has a TV on the Radio-esque groove at it's heart that really works. There's a pinch of the 90s in there too, to my ears. Superb noise rock, raw and utterly magnetic.
Wholes are a Ghent outfit formed from the ashes of Elefant, Pink Room, Sophia, Hypochristmutreefuzz, and kolektiv. Their 2025 debut A Mass In The Water earned serious notice, with HUMO calling them 'our country's best kept noise secret' and Turn Up The Volume praising their 'raging ripper' energy. 'Berlin' arrives as part of WHOLES/NOT WHOLES, a project where five bands reinterpret Wholes' tracks. Sounds like fun, right? In short, if you like your rock noisy, this is the band for you.
Sean MacLeod – That's When the Earth Become a Star
Sean MacLeod's 'That's When the Earth Become a Star' is philosophical indie rock at its finest, a record that rewards patience with genuine depth
The title track arrives with a question folded inside its melody. MacLeod builds from shimmering synth textures into something warmer and more grounded, guitars layering over a rhythm section that knows when to push and when to hold back. Lyrically, he is working through big ideas: alienation, transformation, the way technology reshapes identity without asking permission. But none of it feels like a lecture. It continues in his very fine run this year; but this one's got a chorus and a half. And the 'hologram of love' refrain is possibly the high point in his catalogue so far. It's brilliant melodic indie rock, expansive and so, so catchy.
MacLeod is based in Scarriff, Ireland, and has been writing and recording for more than three decades now, first as a founding member of the Dublin band Cisco and later as a solo artist with a wide-ranging appetite for influence: Beatles, Bowie, Beach Boys, Stone Roses, Blur. His interest in alternative tuning systems gives his arrangements an unconventional edge, though the song always comes first. Back with us again after 'Inside Out' a few weeks ago, this is his fifth solo album, and it sits comfortably alongside his best work. Wherever MacLeod goes next, we'll be sure to follow.
Milkie – Crystal
Milkie's 'Crystal' is a gorgeous bilingual indie pop gem, blending French chanson elegance with art-rock ambition into something captivating
'Crystal' opens with footsteps. The Madison dance from Godard's Bande à part, sampled and looped into something hypnotic before synths and a live string quartet sweep in. Milkie sings half in English, half in French, and the shift between languages feels less like a stylistic choice than a natural consequence of wanting everything at once. That's the song's heart, really: 'a ring, a fling, a crystal on a string.' There's a touch of Micachu and the Shapes to this, which of course is a compliment. And that synth and string arrangement? It's lush. Stunning indie pop, tender and kaleidoscopic.
Hannah Millie Phipps writes and records at home in Bristol, building out full arrangements in Ableton before taking them to producer Benjamin Satherley-Johnson or a live band. She grew up the eldest of eight in what she calls more Von Crapp than Von Trapp. Before Milkie she fronted Jemima Surrender, and she's been releasing under this name since 2022. 'Crystal' is entirely self-released, with a limited run of hand-decorated matchboxes holding a crystal pendulum and lyric zine. We love the whole thing, and we want more.
David Howls – Hooked
David Howls' 'Hooked' is a brooding alternative rock triumph from Dallas, building from shadowy tension into anthemic catharsis with real force
There's something magnetic about the way 'Hooked' pulls you under. The track opens in moody half-light, all atmospheric textures and restless energy, before the drums lock in and the whole thing starts to build. The sounds world is very, very cool and David Howls knows how to balance tension and release, letting the verses simmer with layered production while the choruses push toward something heavier. And that shift into the bigger, soaring chorus? It really hits. Fans of Nothing But Thieves, Muse, and Royal Blood will find plenty to love here. Excellent alternative rock, atmospheric and anthemic in equal measure.
David Howls is an independent artist based in Dallas, Texas, writing, recording, and releasing everything himself. His debut full-length dropped in 2024, and 'Hooked' continues to carve out a sound that moves between introspective moodiness and larger, more expansive arrangements. There's a real confidence in how he blends melodic songwriting with heavier rock influences, and it's clear he's building something with staying power. One to watch, this. We're very excited to see where he takes it next.
Defined By – Monopoly
Defined By's 'Monopoly' is a beauty of a driving indie rock anthem from Preston, sharp and immediate with real northern heart.
Defined By know exactly what they're doing here. 'Monopoly' locks into a guitar-driven groove from the first bar and shuffles along in style, growing into a proper sweaty-room anthem built for shouted-back choruses. The lyrics dig into real-life frustration, the rigged game everyone's playing whether they signed up or not. Egerton's vocal delivers this in a way that makes you make you believe every word. And that hook? It lands hard. Brilliant melodic indie rock, immediate and completely earned.
Defined By started as a solo project from Lee Egerton but has since grown into a proper four-piece outfit out of Preston, England. They're calling themselves the new sound of the northern working classes, and on the evidence here that's not just talk. Previous singles 'God's No Help' and 'Monopoly' have already found ears across the UK and Europe, and there's a stack of releases lined up through 2025 and into 2026. Definitely one to watch from the north.