Words by Angelika May Photography by Anya Rose You may remember the hazy days of your youth consisted of scrolling through Tumblr, soundtracked by a certain woozy indie band — the kings of Indie Sleaze, Swim Deep. Lucky enough for you, Swim Deep are releasing their 5th studio album, Hum, on the 19th of June via Submarine Cat. The album is an introspective kaleidoscope of contrasting emotions regarding family ties, new life, and the loss of life. In the same month that Austin

Words by Ewan Bourne At this point, Big Thief require little introduction. Since forming in Brooklyn in 2015, they’ve become one of the most celebrated bands in contemporary indie music, with five acclaimed albums and a catalogue that has quietly embedded itself into modern music culture. Much of the band’s appeal lies in their ability to resonate across such a broad spectrum of listeners. Through increasingly heartfelt musicianship, Adrianne Lenker’s deeply human songwriting

Edinburgh’s eight-piece band Oedipus & The Mama’s Boys have shared their new single ‘A Daisy For You, John’. It's encouraging to see emerging bands still willing to be ambitious, pushing beyond the industry's increasingly rigid expectations around song length. Some of the most exciting debut releases in recent years have arrived in sprawling, unconventional forms, from Fat Dog's seven-minute debut single King of the Slugs to Black Country, New Road's eight-minute breakthrough

Words by Angelika May Photo by Jasmine Waldorf A departure from The Shades’ first EP Grin & Bare It, Shifting Sands marks a noticeable shift in tone and texture. Where the earlier record leaned into a certain jauntiness and outward energy, this release brings a gentler, more restrained tenderness. Now operating as a quartet, the South London-based band; Sasha Adamczewski (vocals, guitar), Eli Rose J. Sanford (vocals), Johnny Payne (fiddle), and Jimmy Dawkins (double bass), th

Words by Josh Hart Folk music is in an interesting place. From the folk clubs sprouting across London, to the acts that are taking the genre forward, there is a palpable craving for folk culture – whether it is songs, spells, or traditions that carve a path to our collective past. The Late Spring Folk Festival, which was started in 2022 by members of the Wiltshire folk band Dead Pages, captures this reverence. Beginning as a free event at a pub, it has since blossomed to a ne

Words by Miles Milton Jeffries It becomes immediately clear when you get to The Great Escape that plans don’t survive contact with the sprawling multi-venue industry festival that makes use of pretty much everywhere big enough to fit at least two people and a guitar; there are hot-ticket acts and they will go fast. Gurriers photo by Foxtrotter Due to their nature of being early in the day and on the way to the beach where the buzziest of buzzy acts; Angine de Poitrine are pl

Words by Chiara Strazulla Photo by Celia Croft Over two records which have received a well-deserved number of accolades, it has become apparent that one of Walt Disco’s greatest strengths is their ability to truck with the unexpected. The Glaswegian outfit has played around with the trappings of a number of different genres, and they have often delivered their most successful punches when coming out of left field: the completely earnest, soul-shattering in its simplicity, bal

Words by Angelika May Photo by Bertrand N Augustine Scantily clad, and idiosyncratically layered, multi-hyphenate creatives spill into the belly of lost — the experimental clubnight that’s been steadily gaining traction since launching last year. Tonight’s bill: Fast Money Music. Amid the labyrinthine layout, smoky dance floors, hidden bars, and cinema rooms looping films of French women with perky breasts, a certain Nick Hinman, aka Fast Money Music, lurks in the shadows, pa

Words by August Janklow Ninety years ago the Savoy Cinema opened on Kingsland Road. Four years after that bombs fell over London. Fifty-Three years after that a handful of filmmakers founded a charity. A few Saturdays ago I was lucky enough to spend five hours listening to five acts, for a worthwhile cause, in a beautiful room built for a very slightly different purpose. Unrelated of course. Bathtime Sounds helmed this halfday fundraiser for Warchild with a lineup of London’s

Words by Angelika May Image by Eddie Lawrence Is it really grim up North? Do you feel a sense of elation or despondency as you trudge further up the M1? Is the sky truly that grey? And as the number of Greggs steadily increases, does life get better or somehow worse, regardless of the abundance of sausage rolls? Somewhere between affection and animosity sits BORSCHT’s new single, “UP NORTH”, a quirky track about what they describe as one of life's elusive mysteries...marriage

Words by Miles Milton Jeffries Photo by Hayley Thompson Our headliner Déyyess, once Arsenal ladies’ youth prospect, now turned indie pop megastar in the making, is sold out for the night at Camden Assembly; and her young, passionate fandom is there long before doors open; leaving support Bekah Bossard in awe. It’s an emotional indie gig that dips into the intimacy of queerness; capturing the vibe of something akin to an end-of-term afterparty, with the artist building that su

Words by Miles Milton Jeffries Photo by Foxtrotter This fantastic combination of bands set us up for a very lively Thursday evening. Starting with The Scuttlers, who managed to draw a full crowd despite the delays on the Victoria line. Myer Clark’s folk-blended vocals are effortless, and adds more of an improvised touch that is aided by his semi-awkward, but still retaining crowed confident interactions. Performing a playful twist on "Annie’s Song" by John Denver called "Madd

Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies The Great Escape festival has always been a way to discover the best new talent in the music scene. Featuring Sam Fender, Lorde and Wolf Alice playing in small pub bars before they got big, its reputation as the king of tastemaker festivals is well-earned. A multi-venue spectacle will see some of the best acts of tomorrow descend on Brighton – and you’d be wrong to be anywhere else in the scene. Here our Hideous Magazines top 15 picks for this

Words by Beth Jones In celebration of Nowruz, the holiday of renewal, marking the first day of spring and new beginnings. We bring forward a review of Woman Life Freedom - Music for Iran - Volume 4 to bring a little bit of prosperity into your new year. "An artist, if he's unselfish and passionate, is always a living protest…opening his mouth is always scandalous."- Pier Paolo Pasolini It is so tiring to say it that I almost don’t want to, but I know for the sake of structur

Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies You like your music loud and angry? You’ve come to the right place – Pussyliquor and Bruise Control playing at the same time gives you a terrific, rip-roaring energy from two of the best bands on the punk scene. (Credit: Gisela Szlatoszlavek) Pussyliquor are up first and the Brighton five-piece bring plenty of fun to the table, the riotgirrl group get the noise going and the mosh is chaos from the off – circle pits, dancing, good energy. It’s

Words by Anna Ticehurst Photo by Phil Sharp Joining Chaney is folk singer songwriter Jon Wilks , Alan Power & The Take Twos . From Appalachian folk reclaimers The Pegwells , to Denver-based orchestral indie-folk project Morning Bear , Scottish clàrsach player Anna McLuckie , folk soul singer Ella Clayton, the line up showcases the eclecticism of the folk genre, blending the best of traditional and contemporary music from established and emerging artists alike. The Late Sprin

Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies Photography by Isaac Watson If everyone’s a big band to someone; to Big Special, it’s no longer just the cunts that are in them. Their rapid rise as four years as a band has seen them go from playing in small tents at End of the Road Festival ’24 (another win for the tastemaker festival) to packing out the Roundhouse on a Friday night, which is no small achievement. It’s a terrific night: if you’re getting the feeling of going nowhere in just a

Words by Ewan Bourne In 1995, War Child brought together one of the most remarkable collaborations British music had seen. The original ‘HELP’ album united artists such as Oasis , Blur, Radiohead , and Massive Attack , with Brian Eno helping guide the projects creative purpose. The album was conceived quickly and recorded with urgency, yet its impact was lasting. Rather than explicitly showing itself as a charity compilation, it stood as a defining cultural moment in its

Words by Chiara Strazulla Photo by Ryo Joyau Blurring the lines between musical genres and cultural influences alike, ZONBI are one of the most intriguing new things to have emerged on the grassroots scene in recent years, refusing to let themselves be pinpointed to any one definition or, indeed, any one place. Built around a backbone drawn from Haitian racine musique, their music incorporates jazz, punk, and post-punk elements, ripples of saxophone weaving a spell that brin

Words by Miles Milton Jeffries Signature Brew Haggerston’s Duck and Dive Festival returns with the future of the punk scene across a three-weekend smash hit, featuring breakout performances from the likes of Cowboy Hunters and Bureau du Change, acting as a warm-up for a weekend full of the likes of Opus Kink and Joe and the Shitboys. Whether you’re here to dance or mosh you’ll come to have a good time – a more intimate indoors Wide Awake festival is exactly what we need right