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Stray Planets dive into the algorithmic unreality

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John Butler, the Dublin-based songwriter behind Stray Planets, has never been afraid to blur the lines between the real and the unreal. His new EP Are You Real, Cristobal Leedy? – out on November 7th – is a kaleidoscopic trip through modern identity, digital obsession, and the strange poetry of the algorithmic age.

It feels a bit like music that wrestles with meaning while keeping its heart wide open. And while it’s witty, philosophical, and emotional, it also just slaps. So it’s especially great to hear a little more about it’s upcoming release, which will be available to stream and on Bandcamp.

What is it about your 19-year-old self that feels like the barometer of quality for you? I really love the idea, but I can’t quite explain why.

My 19-year old self was an extremely enthusiastic consumer of music – scouring the plains of allmusic.com in search of great lost-ish pop – The Left Banke, Eternity’s Children, The Sandpipers and so on. I loved to raid the nuggets section of Tower Records, buying albums (unwittingly) on the strength of the cover art. I remember buying the soundtrack to the Pufnstuf movie there and listening in a nearby park and thinking it was the greatest thing ever (“If I Could” is genuinely moving though).

I have mostly lost that passion now, the mystery is gone, I am too aware of how narrative and image affects your perception of music (luckily I still love making music – if I lose that I’m screwed). My 19-year old self would dig my stuff, I feel.  

The production on this EP is incredible, particularly on Salvia. I love the drum sound. You’ve worked again with Rían Trench, and I’d love to hear a little bit about how you two built that world together.

Thank you! That’s Rian – a master producer and multi-instrumentalist (also a great filmmaker and singer, the bastard). I worked briefly with him before Stray Planets on another project (the yet to be unveiled 1% Visible). It’s beautifully symbiotic, like my relationship with Liam Mulvaney (with whom I’ve recorded a ton of unreleased concept albums), I am a supplier of raw materials (i.e. songs) and they shape them into something great.

I only play keys – I’m big into chord progressions – I can produce and arrange when I want to, but I am not an expert builder of soundscapes and my own productions tend to sound two-dimensional (ok if the song is light and comedic but not if the subject matter is weightier). My job is songwriter.

The EP wrestles with themes of artifice and authenticity in the digital age. What first sparked your fascination with the “algorithmic unreality” behind Are You Real, Cristobal Leedy?

I often tend to just write about stuff happening immediately around me (psychedelic version of Randy Newman in Family guy maybe) so given I increasingly find myself lying in bed staring at my phone in a state of blank, helpless confusion, I’m likely to write about that. 

Like I have a demo called “My Red Dot” which is based on the feeling of gratification I get when logging into Instagram and finding someone has liked my post and then the subsequent disappointment… (“But my red dot is only a porn bot”).

Obviously that last example is a throwaway. If I am recording “serious” music (like with Stray Planets) I’d try make the song a bit vaguer and open to interpretation. I’d try, for instance, to not use words like “algorithm” because if the internet suddenly disappeared and subsequent generations didn’t know what the fuck an algorithm was, then these songs might still be interpretable in a completely different way (that is if they haven’t been wiped off the face of the planet). Actually maybe “algorithm” is a cool word to use, it’s been around long before the internet, hasn’t it? I wouldn’t use a word like “email” or… ermmm…. “BCC”. 

Also, my knowledge of AI (and most things) is pretty shallow. That helps as a songwriter – makes you less weighed down. Means I’m pretty bad at real life conversations with educated people though. 

You’ve described Your Revolution as a song about AI’s inability to suffer. How do you think suffering can channel into creativity? Sometimes it’s just suffering.

I wrote that song at 5am when I woke to discover I had spilled a two litre bottle of water across my bed – perhaps it was inspired by the notion that even if AI has absorbed and can convincingly mimic all works of art, it could never truly know just how pathetic I feel right now. 

The song isn’t my opinion either, it’s just a perspective – namely how AI will never know what it’s like to feel trapped in your own thoughts, too aware of your breathing, your body, your fragility. It’s a spiritual idea I suppose, wishful thinking maybe, that you can’t reduce the complexity of the human mind to ones and zeros. 

Having said that, I did ask Chat GPT to describe what it’s like being inside the head of someone with Aphasia and its extremely vivid answer immediately reduced me to tears (someone in my life has that condition). 

How do you think about psychedelia in terms of looking back but also looking forward?

Psychedelia is quite a broad term and means different things to different people. I used to think of ‘psychedelic pop’ as pop that isn’t shit/unimaginative. I am not so keen on labels but I guess they’re a necessary evil when wishing to find an audience already negotiating a vast musical landfill.

For me, psychedelic music is music that takes you to another place, evokes something beyond the image of the musicians/singers performing it. 

It can be anything – “Greensleeves”; “Sweet Leilani”; all of “Remain in Light”. Or take even say a song like “Always Something There to Remind Me” (Sandie Shaw version) by Bacharach. I classify that as psychedelic because it just creates this really odd feeling in me and takes me somewhere else.

When I used to get high, one of my go-to songs was “Are you there with Another Boy” by the Buckinghams, another Bacharach tune that many would dismiss as easy listening mush but for whatever reason I found oddly powerful/evocative. Sorry I probably haven’t answered your question. 

Thank you to John, very excited to have been able to chat.

If you’d like to check out the lovely alternate reality in ‘Are You Real, Cristobal Leedy? – which almost feels like a mirror held up to our fractured times – you can check it out below.

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TODAY’S INDIE ROCK BOP // HEAVYSKINT

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This edition of Indie Rock BOPS heads to Glasgow, where heavyskint crash through the noise with Vice – a blistering debut that captures the chaos, charm, and conviction of a band built for big stages.

heavyskint – Vice

heavyskint channel pure intent into every note – moody, melodic, and gloriously unrestrained

Glasgow’s heavyskint erupt with Vice, a debut single that’s as cathartic as it is commanding. Recorded with acclaimed producer Chris McCrory (Catholic Action, Walt Disco, Conscious Pilot), the track bridges melody and menace – a collision of soaring choruses, jagged guitars, and vocal grit that hits like a late-night confession.

Born from bedroom beginnings in 2024, heavyskint’s rise has been nothing short of feral. By early 2025, they’d become a must-see on the Glasgow circuit, packing out venues like King Tut’s and QMU with performances that swing between explosive chaos and hypnotic control. Frontman Jacob Hunter leads with raw urgency, his voice scraping at the edges of emotion while the band moves as one unstoppable pulse.

Drawing on the atmospheric bite of Fontaines D.C. and the cinematic gloom of Pink Floyd’s darker moments, Vice lives in the tension between control and collapse. It’s a song that breathes ambition – heavy, haunted, and hungry for more.

With a clear sense of purpose and a live energy already spilling past local borders, heavyskint feel like a band standing at the edge of something larger. Vice is their opening statement, and it lands like a warning shot.

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TODAY’S ALT POP BOPS // DJ STARSCREAM & TRUECLAW

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This edition of Alt Pop BOPS explores the tension between future and feeling. From emotional storytelling to dystopian club rebellion, these artists push pop into new, uncharted territory where heart and hardware collide.

DJ Starscream – Always Failing

DJ Starscream turns defeat into defiance, proving that even in collapse, rhythm survives

In Always Failing, DJ Starscream delivers a blistering, futuristic soundscape that blurs the boundaries between memory, machine, and emotion. The time-traveling producer from the year 2177 crafts beats that feel both cinematic and cataclysmic, fusing glitchwave textures with haunting cyber-soul vocals from Nova Reign.

Engineered alongside ZeroSync and mixed by Drifttine, the track embodies chaos and persistence, pulsing with the energy of a world refusing to die. DJ Starscream’s music has always carried the spirit of rebellion, and Always Failing feels like his manifesto – a raw, adrenalised reminder that even when the system crashes, the bassline never stops.

Trueclaw – The Ones Remembered

Trueclaw blends heart and hardware to create electronic pop with emotional gravity

Uppsala-based artist Trueclaw channels sincerity through circuitry on The Ones Remembered, a lush, atmospheric exploration of memory, humanity, and technology. Built entirely within his one-person creative ecosystem, Trueclaw weaves together AI-assisted textures and deeply human storytelling to produce something both intimate and otherworldly.

Collaborating with cutting-edge tools, he transforms data and emotion into melody, creating a unique space where vulnerability meets innovation. The Ones Remembered isn’t just electronic music – it’s a reflection on what it means to feel in an age where machines can listen back.

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TODAY’S INDIE ROCK BOPS // GRACE DE GIER & DOWNTOWN MYSTIC

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This edition of Indie Rock BOPS dives into the spirit of liberation and legacy. From cinematic, guitar-driven power to timeless rock storytelling, these two artists showcase how emotional truth and craftsmanship can coexist beautifully within modern rock.

Grace de Gier – Done

Grace de Gier turns pain into power with soaring vocals and cinematic intensity

Colombian-born and Netherlands-based, Grace de Gier returns with Done, a raw and defiant anthem about reclaiming freedom from toxic relationships. The track fuses sleek pop-rock production with a dramatic, emotional core, pairing her stirring vocals with a cinematic arrangement that feels both triumphant and cathartic.

Recorded in Paris alongside multi-instrumentalist Edgar Grimaldos and mastered by seven-time Grammy-winning engineer Adam Ayan, Done radiates precision and passion. Its message of liberation and self-reclamation hits deep, offering listeners a reminder that letting go can be the most powerful act of all. With a growing international following and recognition from outlets like Rolling Stone and MTV Rock Edition, Grace’s voice continues to bridge continents and hearts through honesty and sound.

DownTown Mystic – Somebody’s Always Doin’ Something 2 Somebody

DownTown Mystic keeps the golden flame of American rock burning bright

New Jersey artist DownTown Mystic, the alter ego of Robert Allen, channels vintage spirit with modern energy on his latest release, Somebody’s Always Doin’ Something 2 Somebody. With its jangling guitars, soulful swagger, and road-worn storytelling, the track evokes the lineage of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen while carving out a sound that feels unmistakably his own.

Having licensed his music in over 250 TV shows and films around the world, DownTown Mystic brings both experience and authenticity to every note. His commitment to “old school” rock songwriting shines through his collaborations with legendary players including Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent of the E Street Band. Rock’n’Roll Spoken Here isn’t nostalgia – it’s proof that true rock’n’roll remains alive, kicking, and full of heart.

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TODAY’S POP BOPS // CAMILLE K & ALEXANDER PODKHALUIZIN

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This edition of Pop BOPS celebrates passion, precision, and the art of transformation. From Philadelphia’s heartfelt pop storytelling to Shanghai’s boundary-blurring creativity, both artists bring a refreshing honesty and sophistication to modern pop.

Camille K – Let’s Face It

Camille K delivers pop with a cinematic heart and a voice that shines with fearless emotion

At its core, Let’s Face It is a confession and a leap. Camille K lays everything bare as she dives into the chaos of love, friendship, and personal reinvention. Her blend of soulful warmth and classic pop shimmer recalls timeless icons while still feeling deeply modern.

A Philadelphia-based artist who began performing professionally at just 11 years old, Camille has shared stages with members of The Go-Go’s, Steely Dan, and *NSYNC, while earning national attention on America’s Got Talent for her original song “Still in Love.” With Let’s Face It, she channels that same authenticity into a sound both intimate and electrifying. It’s a song about surrendering to emotion and finding strength in vulnerability.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3nYJyWJCjpzvzf22OUmGBO?si=700f2e660a56413f

Alexander Podkhaluizin – Crack

Alexander Podkhaluizin fuses intellect, emotion, and cultural exchange into something beautifully original

On Crack, Shanghai-based composer Alexander Podkhaluizin (晓给 AI 的思考) explores belonging, isolation, and self-discovery through the lens of cross-cultural experience. The result is an elegant, piano-led work that bridges C-pop sensibilities with cinematic depth.

Drawing on his background in classical music, physics, and software engineering, Alexander builds sound worlds that feel both technical and tender. The single forms the centerpiece of his upcoming album, a project that captures the tension between movement and stillness, intellect and feeling. With Crack, he invites listeners to pause and reflect – to find clarity in complexity, and emotion in precision.

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TODAY’S INDIE FOLK BOPS // SEAN MACLEOD & DRYADIC

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This edition of Indie Folk BOPS is all about depth and renewal. From piano-led introspection to cinematic alt-folk, these two artists remind us how emotional honesty and melodic craft can still feel utterly timeless.

Sean MacLeod – Beautiful Star

Sean MacLeod crafts timeless melodies with a philosophical heart and an unmistakable Irish soul

Irish songwriter Sean MacLeod returns with Beautiful Star, a piano-led reflection that glows with warmth and quiet wisdom. Drawing on the spirit of 70s prog and classic pop, the song layers intricate harmonies over a perfectly balanced melodic structure. It’s music that feels both grounded and transcendent, capturing the kind of sincerity that only experience can shape.

A founding member of Dublin band Cisco, MacLeod has built a remarkable career defined by curiosity and craft. On Beautiful Star, he leans into the introspective side of his writing, exploring themes of faith, connection, and artistic endurance. The result is a track that resonates far beyond its simple structure, a gentle reminder that beauty and truth often share the same quiet space.

Dryadic – Ghosts

Raw, poetic, and fiercely hopeful, Dryadic transform pain into power with cinematic grace

UK alt-folk ensemble Dryadic unveil Ghosts, a haunting, piano-driven track about facing shame and reclaiming self-worth. Frontwoman Zora McDonald calls it “naming the pain but refusing to be held hostage by it,” and that honesty radiates through every verse.

The band’s trademark cinematic textures – bowed double bass, rolling percussion, and haunting violin – wrap around Zora’s intimate vocals, creating something both fragile and defiant. Influences like AURORA, Daughter, and Florence + The Machine echo softly at the edges, but Dryadic’s storytelling and emotional rawness make Ghosts entirely their own. It’s a song about release, survival, and the healing that comes when we finally let light back in.

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TODAY’S SYNTH POP BOPS // JEEZJESUS, PETER HAEDER, AND MI6

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This edition of Synth Pop BOPS is all about soundscapes that shimmer and shadows that move. From darkwave intensity to driven pop and cinematic electronica, these three artists explore the emotional depth hidden inside synthetic sound, proving that the future of pop still hums with heart.

JeezJesus – I See You

Unflinching, atmospheric, and deeply human, JeezJesus turns protest into pulse

London’s JeezJesus (the alter ego of multimedia artist Joe McIntosh) returns with I See You, a politically charged synth-pop statement that confronts social injustice with cinematic poise. Built on hypnotic percussion and icy analog tones, the track captures the tension between frustration and hope. It’s equal parts art installation and anthem, balancing message and motion with effortless confidence.

JeezJesus has long been a restless experimenter, crossing from post-punk and darkwave into more stylised synth production across albums like Super Creeps & Spooky Beats and Sound Art: Vol. 1. With I See You, he finds a sharper emotional core. The production is clean yet heavy, evoking the industrial heart of early 80s icons while staying firmly contemporary. It’s protest music for the streaming age, intellectual, physical, and impossible to ignore.

Peter Haeder – Between Euphoria And Ecstasy

Peter Haeder fuses human emotion with futuristic vision to create something uniquely alive

Auckland producer Peter Haeder blends pop, EDM, and cinematic synth textures on his upcoming album Between Euphoria And Ecstasy. Mixing classic songwriting with AI-assisted production, Haeder builds a sound that’s intricate yet immediate, the collision of man and machine rendered in melody.

The album’s lyrical core is heartbreak refracted through technology: connection and distance, longing and control. Standout tracks include ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Warrior Pledge’, incorporating lush synth swells, standout percussion while Haeder’s vocal performance brings warmth to the algorithmic edge. It’s a bold experiment in blending emotion with innovation, drawing comparisons to pioneers like Imogen Heap or Jean-Michel Jarre. Haeder’s music is not just futuristic, it’s deeply human, reminding us that even in a digital landscape, feeling is still the strongest frequency.

MI6 – The Mind Machine

A haunting collision of human pulse and mechanical precision

Belgium’s MI6 craft a dark, magnetic atmosphere with The Mind Machine, a track that blurs the line between coldwave nostalgia and industrial futurism. From the opening moments, mechanical rhythms and layered synths pull you into a world that feels both retro and post-human. It’s an unsettling yet addictive descent into sound.

Built from intricate textures and pulsing low-end frequencies, the song captures the tension of control and release, of human emotion caught inside circuitry. The production gleams with surgical clarity, while the band’s decades of experience in post-punk and darkwave lend a raw edge to the precision. The Mind Machine isn’t just a song; it’s an environment. MI6 reassert the emotional weight behind electronic music, turning cold steel into something strangely alive.

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https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4n82A0G9w8GwGnub1lSDTW?si=7676f0fca74a4444
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TODAY’S POP ROCK BOPS // SHWETA HARVE, GIG, ANTHONY CASUCCIO & JESSI ROBERTSON

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This edition of Pop Rock BOPS explores reflection and reinvention through melody. From spiritual introspection to seasoned reinvention and fearless vulnerability, these four artists transform emotion into motion – proving that pop rock’s heart still beats strongest when it’s human.

Shweta Harve – Which One is Real?

A luminous pop journey that turns self-inquiry into sound

Texas-based artist Shweta Harve delivers her most thought-provoking work yet with Which One is Real?, featuring Dario Cei. The Billboard-charting songwriter pairs shimmering production with introspective storytelling, creating a space where melody meets meaning. It’s a spiritual pop piece that feels both grounded and transcendent, inviting listeners to reflect on identity, ego, and awareness.

Harve’s voice moves with quiet confidence, her lyrics asking, who is the true self? The track balances light and shadow beautifully, with Dario Cei’s instrumentation adding depth to her ethereal presence. Beneath its reflective surface lies an empowering sense of truth – that we are not the masks we wear, but the awareness behind them. Which One is Real? is as meditative as it is melodic, proving that great pop can stir both the heart and the soul.

GIG – Hinn eini sanni Guð’

GIG fuse gospel warmth with modern rock drive to reach straight for the soul

Icelandic gospel band GIG bring faith, fire, and full-bodied energy on The One True God, a moving single that reimagines worship music through a modern lens. Blending Icelandic lyrics with cinematic rock dynamics, GIG create a sound that flows between intimacy and grandeur. It’s music that’s both reverent and deeply human, built to inspire.

Formed by friends from the same church, GIG’s journey has always centered on connection – between people, belief, and sound. The One True God channels that conviction, pairing heartfelt harmonies with anthemic crescendos that feel like sunrise breaking through cloud. It’s not just gospel for the faithful, but a message of hope and healing that transcends genre. With their bold mix of purpose and power, GIG remind us that the language of devotion can be every bit as cinematic as it is spiritual.

Anthony Casuccio – Am I Wrong

Anthony Casuccio proves timeless songwriting never goes out of style

After decades behind the mixing desk, producing for legends and earning Grammy nominations, Anthony Casuccio steps into his own spotlight with Am I Wrong. This cover reimagines Love Spit Love’s mid-’90s alt-rock anthem, filtering its restless emotion through the lens of a musical craftsman. It’s the sound of experience distilled into something refreshingly pure.

Casuccio’s version trades the original’s glossy urgency for warmth and nuance, allowing the song’s reflection on self-belief and vulnerability to take centre stage. Every note feels intentional, every harmony earned. It’s the work of an artist who knows that power often lies in simplicity. Having built a career remastering icons like Johnny Cash and Tony Bennett, Casuccio approaches his solo work with the same care and polish, but also with newfound freedom. Am I Wrong is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t mean starting over – it means finally creating without compromise.

Jessi Robertson – Dark Matter

A fearless, emotional statement from an artist unafraid to be fully herself

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jessi Robertson channels vulnerability into brilliance with Dark Matter, an album born from self-discovery and renewal. Written after her diagnosis with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the record explores identity, perception, and healing through raw lyricism and expansive pop-rock soundscapes.

Each song feels like an emotional excavation, unearthing forgotten parts of the self and holding them to the light. Robertson’s voice is both confessional and commanding, shifting seamlessly from whisper to wail as she finds beauty in imperfection. The production mirrors this duality – intimate and atmospheric one moment, soaring the next. There’s catharsis in every chord, but also quiet resilience.

With Dark Matter, Robertson breaks open her creative boundaries to reveal something powerfully human. It’s bold, haunting, and deeply affecting – the sound of an artist who has stopped trying to fit in and started truly belonging to herself.

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TODAY’S INDIE POP BOP // INOCHKA

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This edition of Indie Pop BOPS drifts into atmospheric territory with Intertwined, a cinematic and deeply personal release from emerging artist Inochka.

Inochka – Intertwined

Inochka creates a world where emotion and melody meet in perfect stillness

Intertwined is a spellbinding debut that feels both intimate and expansive. Built around soft piano tones, tender vocals, and ambient textures, the track moves like a quiet wave, carrying the listener through moments of reflection and calm. There’s a sense of emotional honesty at the heart of it, rooted in Inochka’s background as a producer and multi-instrumentalist. Drawing from lo-fi, classical, and indie pop influences, she crafts a sound that feels introspective yet full of light. Intertwined isn’t just a song, it’s a moment of stillness that lingers long after it ends.

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TODAY’S POP ROCK BOP // SEAN MACLEOD

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This edition of Pop Rock BOPS takes us to Dublin, where seasoned songwriter Sean MacLeod returns with Cool Charisma, a shimmering, melodic burst of timeless pop energy.

Sean MacLeod – Cool Charisma

Sean MacLeod captures the classic spirit of 60s pop with a fresh, infectious charm that’s entirely his own

After five solo albums and a storied career as a founding member of the Dublin band Cisco, Sean MacLeod’s latest single Cool Charisma is a glistening indie pop gem. With jangling guitars, layered harmonies, and a perfectly executed call and response chorus, the track feels like a warm nod to the greats such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and the melodic craftsmanship of Motown, while still sounding effortlessly modern. There is a philosophical undercurrent beneath the sunshine, a reflection on personality, presence, and connection, delivered through melodies that linger long after the song fades. Drawing from decades of experience and a clear reverence for the art of songwriting, Sean MacLeod continues to prove that great pop rock can be both intelligent and instantly irresistible.

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