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THIS WEEK’S ALT POP BOPS

Easter is a time for a pinch of emotional clarity and bold songwriting, from probably my favourite genre; alt-pop. Today’s collection has vulnerability, a sense of scale, cinematic ballads and rhythm-led statements. Get the Easter eggs out and enjoy these stunners ❤️‍🔥

Lilia Asha – Gaslighted

Lilia Asha delivers a striking, emotionally mature pop ballad with the best kind of cinematic storytelling

Gaslighted unfolds carefully with a slow-burning intensity, built around delicate piano lines and sweeping cello that give the track a cinematic weight. The vocal is the standout here, and it’s front and centre, carrying a raw, immediate sense of emotional conflict. It’s genuinely beautiful

Lilia Asha is a UK and Shanghai-based songwriter whose work draws on a global upbringing, and this release marks a confident step forward in both scope and maturity. Her writing leans into themes of betrayal and self-reflection, delivered with clarity and control beyond her years. Very, very excited to hear more from this artist.

Lena & van Dorst – Astray

Lena & van Dorst carefully craft an ambitiously layered pop banger with organic tension

Astray moves in a cinematic world, moving between restrained verses and fuller, textured arrangements, with percussion, bass and strings creating a detailed sonic landscape. Rhythmic breathing, and other production flourishes, lead the track to a unique, compelling and unexpected place that I love.

Lena & van Dorst, based in Rotterdam, present a collaboration shaped by diverse musical backgrounds, merging classical influence with contemporary pop and rock elements. This release highlights their ability to balance technical precision with personal storytelling. It’s brilliant.

Alana Balagot (feat. Trans Chorus of Los Angeles) – You Can’t Erase Us

Alana Balagot serves up a powerful, choir-led pop statement with the power of collective equality at its heart

You Can’t Erase Us is powerfully driven by layered choral arrangements and a progression that gives the track a genuine sense of unity and resolve. The production serves the song brilliantly, allowing the voices to carry its important message, that everyone should hear.

Alana Balagot is a Los Angeles-based composer and producer whose work spans music and multimedia, and this release stands as both a protest and a celebration of community. Written in response to real-world events, it foregrounds visibility, history and resilience. We love it.

Onisco – Stupid Song

Onisco shapes a stunning minimal electro-pop track that reflects on time, love and memory

Stupid Song blends airy synth lines with a steady electronic pulse. And when combined with a wonderfully intimate vocal, it adds up to a clean, spacious sound that supports its introspective tone. I love the synth work in this, and the minimal arrangement is great.

Onisco is an independent electro-pop project focused on creative freedom and artistic openness, and this release captures that ethos through its unfiltered approach. Themes of fleeting connection and emotional change run through the writing, giving the track a quiet sense of depth. Alt-pop doesn’t get much better than this.

50mething – Back where we began.

50mething delivers a raw, home-crafted pop statement with a wonderful genre-spanning palette

Back where we began. brings together a kind of alt-indie patchwork of sounds, genuinely keeping you guessing as to what direction the song will take. I love the honesty in the vocal, and it’s unpolished in a really nice deliberate way. It’s a quirky sound world, and I’m all for it.

50mething is an independent artist building a catalogue outside traditional pathways, and this release reflects that freedom in both structure and tone. Drawing on lived experience and a wide range of influences, the track leans into themes of reflection and forward motion, marking another step in a steadily unfolding body of work. I’d love to hear a whole album of this, it’s fantastic.

THIS WEEK’S ROCK BOPS

This week’s Easter selection is all about weight and atmosphere, with artists exploring intensity through both stripped-back grit and full-bodied arrangements. Bops, the lot of them, so let’s dive in.

Accuse The Villain – Hatred Paradise

Accuse The Villain deliver a standout rock moment – wonderfully heavy, emotionally charged with the best kind of cathartic songwriting

Hatred Paradise hits with force from the outset, driven by crushing guitar riffs and relentless rhythms that anchor its intensity. The track balances heaviness with atmosphere and it’s produced like a dream, building a genuinely incredible sound world, and allowing its huge emotional chorus to land like a 747.

Accuse The Villain are an Ohio-based metalcore band whose sound blends modern heaviness with narrative focus, and this release channels themes of betrayal and resilience. It stands as a defining statement of both their sonic weight and emotional clarity. Essential stuff.

Voice Of Glass – The Phoenix

Voice Of Glass craft a powerful, melodic rock stunner that soars out of the speakers

The Phoenix builds around heavy guitar grooves and soaring melodic passages, creating a dynamic push between weight and lift. The arrangement is detailed and expansive. Best of all it’s got that great, slow rock groove thing going on, that the cinematic vocal really makes this a standout moment this week.

Voice Of Glass are a Nevada-based duo whose music fuses gothic, progressive and hard rock elements, and this release highlights their ability to merge technical precision with expressive depth. Their work continues to evolve while staying rooted in emotional resonance. A real banger, check it out below.

Fanny Alexandra – Ride the Storm

Fanny Alexandra serves up a brilliantly gritty blues rock track with the best kind of atmospheric edge

Ride the Storm unfolds with a slow-building tension, shaped by raw guitar tones and minimal, deliberate production. The track keeps its focus tight, allowing the vocal performance to carry its emotional weight. There’s a real craft to how this song unfolds, and it ends up somewhere very special, what an undeniable stunner of a chorus.

Fanny Alexandra moves between alternative rock, indie and modern blues influences, and this release captures that blend with a strong sense of identity. It leans into mood and restraint rather than polish, giving the track a lived-in intensity. Brilliant, brilliant stuff.

Blade of Thorns – It’s not my world

Blade of Thorns cut through the noise with their brilliantly emotional, unfiltered rock banger

It’s not my world is built on dark, industrial-leaning instrumentation, with heavy tones and stark dynamics shaping its atmosphere. The track feels brilliantly confrontational and direct, reflecting its deeply personal subject matter, but it also ends up with a melody that’s genuinely memorable.

Blade of Thorns operate with a raw, uncompromising approach, and this release centres on themes of loss, identity and emotional disconnection. It stands as a candid expression of inner struggle, carried through a dense and compelling sound world. Love to see where these guys go next.

Mick J Clark – I Want It More Than You

Mick J Clark build a new classic rock favourite, filled with expressive songwriting and a clear sense of purpose and resilience

I Want It More Than You is rooted in traditional rock instrumentation, with compelling guitar work and a direct to the heart melodic structure. The arrangement keeps things grounded, allowing the message to come through clearly. And come through it does, in spades.

Mick J Clark is a Croydon-based artist whose work reflects a long-standing commitment to songwriting and performance, and this release highlights his collaborative approach in the studio. It captures a sense of determination and creative drive shaped by experience. A genuinely brilliant track.

THIS WEEK’S HYPERPOP BOP

A bright, high-energy cut this week that has all the right textures, movement and pop abstraction. Let’s jump in.

Lana Crow – In Spirit

Lana Crow serves up a vivid, high-energy hyperpop track shaped by shimmering textures and a sense of euphoric release

In Spirit bursts into life with a rainbow of glowing synth layers and a fluid, dance-driven rhythm that feels genuinely expansive. The production blends retro textures with modern polish, building towards a chorus that is a real moment of release. There’s compelling vocal cadences offset by sheeny, metallic synths and overall it’s really, really fun.

Lana Crow, a British singer-songwriter with classical roots, continues to evolve her sound into more electronic and atmospheric territory. This release reflects a shift towards bolder, more kinetic production while maintaining a strong emotional core centred on freedom and self-discovery. Essential stuff.

THIS WEEK’S POP BOPS

It’s April Fools Day, but there are precisely zero fools here. Only pop bops. All polished and ready for the week, bringing thebest kind of emotional clarity and bright, radio-ready production.

Vella – Dance Without You

Vella delivers a bold, emotionally charged pop anthem driven by groove-led production and a commanding, expressive vocal

Dance Without You is built on a tight, Billie-Jean-esque groove with some brilliant instrumentation and the best kind of rhythmic pulse to keep things moving. The track balances polished production with a sense of release, and when the chorus lands, we’re definitely in anthem territory.

Vella, a Florida-born artist now working internationally, continues her upward momentum with a track centred on self-worth and emotional clarity. Drawing from soul and pop influences, this release marks another step in establishing her as a confident, globally-minded pop voice. This is a banger.

Jordan Johnson ft. Bree – Complicated Tune

Jordan Johnson crafts a sleek, emotionally direct duet with Bree, balancing late night tension and an infectious melody

Complicated Tune moves with a smooth, contemporary flow, pairing polished synth textures with tightly woven vocal interplay. The track has a great vibe, unfolding gently with lovely melodic immediacy and a strong, memorable chorus.

Jordan Johnson, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, leans into modern pop sensibilities here, creating a duet that feels both accessible and distinct. The collaboration with Bree adds contrast and depth, reinforcing the track’s emotional push and pull. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what these guys do next.

Penny Rebels – Dance

Penny Rebels serve up an absolute groove-pop banger that delivers all the moves

Dance is driven by a bouncing groove and and playful vocal cadences that give the track a infectious feel. The production leans into funk-pop textures, but never strays too far a far rawer world. The breakdown somehow manages to mix the best bits of P-Funk AND Arctic Monkeys. It’s a real highlight.

Penny Rebels, a UK-based band are definitely carving out their own lane with this, present a shift towards a more upbeat and expressive sound. And I for one can’t wait for more. Essential stuff.

CARAVAN – Lavender Eyes

US-band CARAVAN deliver a youthful, melodic rock pop banger that you’ll be humming all month

Lavender Eyes wastes no time in getting stuck into a groovy, loose, full band arrangement that really rocks along. It’s got a great vocal that leads things along well, and the band are locked in. There’s a craft behind the song, particularly in the middle eight which is lovely.

CARAVAN, a young band from Woodstock, Georgia, mark an early step with this debut release. Drawing from classic influences, they present a sound rooted in collaboration and live feel, signalling clear potential in their first outing. It’s great to see young bands putting music out into the world, and this is definitely a highlight. Keep an eye on these guys this year.

THIS WEEK’S WORKOUT BOP

This week we’ve got all the high-intensity energy that you need for your next workout. Pop this banger on when you’re trying to beat your next 5k time, and you’re gonna smash your PB ❤️‍🔥

m0n0 jay – L.L.L. (Lift, Lift, Lick It)

m0n0 jay serve up high-impact club-ready track with one of my favourite hooks this year

L.L.L. (Lift, Lift, Lick It) hits with a punchy, driven rhythm, combining heavy bass with sharp, playful melodic elements. The production is genuinely great, and has a kind of fun indie feel, but is also definitely gonna work in the club. It’s got that tight, propulsive groove designed for movement.

m0n0 jay, a Stockholm-based artist, brings a distinct concept-driven approach rooted in physicality and empowerment. This release positions their sound at the intersection of pop and performance, reframing gym culture through a vivid, high-camp lens that prioritises strength and presence. Essential stuff.

THIS WEEK’S DARK POP BOPS

Dark pop is just the best isn’t it. All the hooks, and all the moods. This week we’ve got shadowy textures, emotional weight and cinematic production. Let’s get stuck in 🖤

Lera Shemi – call you by your namE

Lera Shemi delivers an ambitiously dark, emotionally charged pop banger that we can’t get enough of

call you by your namE leans all the way into distorted drums and heavy bass, creating a brilliantly raw, electronic backdrop that feels all kinds of broken. It’s a compelling sound world, unfolding in a wonderfully disturbing way in it’s short run time

Lera Shemi, a Los Angeles-based artist originally from Ukraine, continues to build a distinct alt-pop identity rooted in emotional extremes. This release forms part of a wider conceptual project, reinforcing her commitment to storytelling that feels both personal and confrontational. It’s stunning.

Lois Powell + Night Wolf – The Laws Of Life

Lois Powell and Night Wolf craft a dreamlike dark pop beauty somewhere between Enya, Bush and DJ Shadow

The Laws Of Life unfolds as a slow-building string and ambient-ish soundscape, combining compelling vocals with plucked strings and a deep, brooding synth undercurrent. The track shifts in a compelling way, and i really like how I’ve little idea which direction it will take. It ends up somewhere between Enya, Kate Bush and DJ Shadow, a heady mix.

Lois Powell, now based in Norfolk, brings a soft yet expressive vocal style, while Night Wolf, a UK producer, shapes the track’s atmospheric depth. Together, they continue a collaborative run that leans into reflective themes and immersive sonic detail. A brilliant track, check it out here.

Mortez – Purgatory

Mortez serve up a dramatic, emotionally intense track blending dark pop and symphonic elements with a sense of scale and urgency

Purgatory builds around sweeping instrumentation, a pretty sample, and a honest, direct vocal. It unfolds wonderfully and has a genuine sense of narrative that gives me all the feels. The track balances raw vocal moments with a more cinematic arrangement.

Mortez, the collaboration between Brett Daniels and Rachele Royale, channel themes of struggle and resilience into a release that feels both personal and theatrical. Their combined backgrounds help this to land somewhere brilliant, and I’m excited to hear more.

Valkyrie’s Bard – Movement

Valkyrie’s Bard presents a brooding dark pop anthem driven by minimalist structure and a powerful, emotionally direct vocal

Movement starts off dramatic and gets more wonderfully tense as it unfolds. It’s sparse, powerful and incredibly hooky, managing to deliver the vibe throughout. There’s a genuine craft here, using space and dynamics to shape its impact, and I’m hitting repeat right away.

Valkyrie’s Bard, the project of Sarah Miller, draws from classical roots while exploring darker, contemporary themes. This release reflects a shift towards more expansive storytelling, centred on collective emotion and personal reflection. A fantastic piece.

THIS WEEK’S INDIE ROCK BOPS

And we’re kicking off the week with everyone’s favourite genre; indie rock. This week’s bops stretch from intimate reflection to full-bodied urgency. Bops, the lot of them.

DIN NYC – PRESS

DIN NYC delivers a charged, politically urgent track that brings classic rock intensity through a sharp contemporary lens

PRESS wastes literally zero time in establishing its force, driven by gritty guitars and a livewire rhythm section that pushes everything forward. It’s produced like a dream, the vocals are great, and it brings to mind The Lemonheads, The Clash and a bunch of other fucking great bands. It’s definitely in it’s own lane though.

DIN NYC, the solo project of Mubashir Mohi-ud-Din, draws from a wide transatlantic background, landing in New York with a sound rooted in classic rock lineage. This release marks a pivotal moment, turning lived experience and political awareness into something direct and unflinching. Essential stuff.

Arctic Wave – Salt in the Wound

Arctic Wave crafts the best kind of fuzzy, emotive indie rock track with a melodic heart

Salt in the Wound drives along with a striking guitar hook, some wonderfully wiry guitar work, before opening into a layered, harmony-rich chorus that carries real emotional lift. It’s a huge, emotional release when this kicks in, and very, very infectious.

Arctic Wave, an Austin-based project led by C.L. Turner, leans into storytelling shaped by personal upheaval and reflection. This single continues that arc, exploring heartbreak with clarity and resisting easy resolution in favour of something more honest. Honestly, it’s a bop.

Citizen Smith – Summer Magazine

Citizen Smith deliver a bright, hook-led indie rock anthem shaped by classic influences and sharp melodic instincts

Summer Magazine lands as an immediate, feel-good track built around jangling guitars and a clean, driving rhythm. There is a lovely sense of timeless REM-flavoured pop rock sensibility at play, with melodies that have stuck with me on this lovely Monday.

Citizen Smith, a four-piece from Norwich, position this release as a strong introduction ahead of a larger body of work. Drawing from established British and American influences, they channel nostalgia into something confident and accessible. It’s brilliant, and immediate Spotify follow for me.

Blocks of Life – Whisper In the Dark

Blocks of Life serve up a wonderfully textured, introspective indie rock bop which gives you all the feels

Whisper In the Dark has a kind of acoustic rock core, with a slow-building atmosphere that lets the vocal sit front and centre. It’s a compelling production, and the verse is genuinely great.

Blocks of Life, the project of US-based Pete Wiley, operates as a collaborative, fluid setup that brings different musicians into each release. This track reflects that ethos, focusing on introspection and careful composition over immediate impact. I’ll be keeping an eye on these guys!

THIS WEEK’S INDIE FOLK BOPS

What better than some wonderful indie folk this Sunday. There’s the odd intimate acoustic moment, to more expansive live arrangements. Every single one’s a bop, so let’s get stuck in 🕺

Tony Arthur – Shoebox

Tony Arthur delivers a direct, honest and reflective indie folk moment built on deeply rooted songwriting traditions

Shoebox has all the warm acoustic tones, direct and honest songwriting that you need this Sunday. It’s steady, unhurried and really brings alive that the forgotten memories of that old shoebox that we’ve all got in a cupboard somewhere. It’s produced beautifully, reminiscent of Knopfler at times, and the light percussion, piano and tasteful backing vocals lead us to a really immersive place.

Tony Arthur, now based in Berlin, draws on decades of musical exploration across genres and continents. This release marks a continued focus on introspective songwriting, rooted in folk tradition while shaped by a wide-ranging personal history. It’s really working, and this was an instant Spotify follow for me. More please, Tony!

Arliston – The Older I Get (Live at 123 Studios)

Arliston capture a beautifully fragile and emotionally direct performance that genuinely stuns

The Older I Get strips things back to its emotional core, with sparse arrangement, beautiful strings and delicate instrumentation that guide the track to a really special place. It’s such an incredible performance, and there’s a glimmer of raw immediacy to this that adds to it’s vibe. I would absolutely have loved to have been in the room when this was made.

Arliston, a London-based duo, use this release to revisit and reshape earlier material through a more intimate lens. It signals a step forward, balancing their cinematic tendencies with a more human, unguarded approach. A stunning indie-folk moment.

The Parachute Testers – Better Be Home Soon

The Parachute Testers reimagine a classic with a wonderfully warm indie folk approach that honours its emotional core

Better Be Home Soon leans into gentle guitar work and expansive vocal harmonies, building a soft, enveloping atmosphere. I’ve been listening to a lot of Mazzy Star recently, and the vocals here feel in similar world. They’re honestly really fantastic and benefit from a patient arrangement, and the tasteful production.

The Parachute Testers, a collective spanning South East Ireland and beyond, bring their collaborative sensibility to the Crowded House classic. The track reflects their blend of folk and atmospheric influences, offering a fresh perspective while staying true to the song’s heart. Incredible stuff.

Conor Maradona – Snowball

Conor Maradona brings sharp lyrical personality to this stripped-back indie folk pop banger

Snowball has a fun, knowing vibe, built on clean acoustic lines and a vocal that carries both humour and sincerity. The studio chat in the intro is reminiscent of Oasis B-sides during the golden years, and the melody isn’t too far off. Curiously, the I Am The Walrus-esque outro hints at a sense of ambition in production that hints at something that I would love to hear more of. Anyway, it’s a bag of fun, and another immediate Spotify follow for me.

Conor Maradona is a Welsh singer songwriter who as well as looking like a right laugh, makes some decent music blending wit with accessible songwriting. This release continues to build towards a debut project, framing his style as both personal and unfiltered. More of this please, Conor.

Lee Switzer-Woolf – I Might Be An Alien

Lee Switzer-Woolf cooks up a stunner of a glitchy, atmospheric folk-tronica banger

I Might Be An Alien arrives with some sparse guitars, ambient textures, and a sort of off-centre, immersive mood. The arrangement stays minimal, a glitchy beat here and there, with space and tone shaping the track’s emotional weight. But unlike some stuff like this, it’s not just all lovely production and sound world, it’s got a genuine zinger of a hook which definitely pulls this into banger territory.

Lee Switzer-Woolf, a Reading-based artist, leans into a folktronica approach that balances acoustic roots with experimental edges. This release signals a continued evolution, exploring themes of disconnection and identity with a restrained, thoughtful touch. Honestly, this is fucking great.

THIS WEEK’S POP BOPS

It’s the weekend and we’ve got a few pop bangers here; moving between alt-pop, pure pop and a bit of brooding synth pop. All stunners too. So here’s the pop bops we’re shouting out today ✨

Chroma Noir – Burned Into My Mind

Chroma Noir follow up their last banger with a brooding synth-pop cut shaped by cinematic textures and emotionally charged, gothic-leaning atmosphere

Burned Into My Mind drifts in with those trademark moody synth layers, rich vocals, and pulsing electronic rhythms. It builds into a brilliantly dark, melodic chorus that’s genuinely memorable. I love the boy girl vocals in this too, it’s really cool.

Chroma Noir, formed in Santiago, Chile, lean into a blend of synth-pop and post-punk textures, pairing evocative vocals with cinematic production. This debut positions them within a lineage of darker electronic pop while pushing towards something more contemporary and expansive. Like your synth pop dark and 80s-flavoured? Check it out, it’s essential.

Joshua Pearlstein – Wanna Dance

Joshua Pearlstein channels bright pop textures into a brilliantly bold pop banger

Wanna Dance first hits with the crispest pop production you’ve heard this year, and a lovely, polished pop sheen. It’s got some great space, some gritty electronic elements, and some incredible synth work. But most of all, its a pure pop bop.

Joshua Pearlstein, a young artist moving between Boston and Los Angeles, is building a sound that merges precision with emotional directness. With a growing audience and a clear sense of identity, this release marks another step towards a more defined and ambitious pop vision. A real banger.

Nory J – Weekend With Benny

Nory J crafts an alt-pop anthem with a genuine craft and vibrant, hook-led songwriting

Weekend With Benny rides on upbeat production, clean pop structures and the tiniest hint of Prefab Sprout. Which of course I absolutely love. But it’s definitely in it’s own lane, with a sense of release carried through its bright melodies and rhythmic drive.

Nory J, the project of British musician Jack Spooner, sits pretty squarely in the alt-pop space with a strong independent streak. With consistent touring and growing recognition across UK platforms, this track reinforces his knack for writing accessible, personality-led pop. It’s one of my fave alt-pop moments this year.

ALT POP BOP OF THE WEEK

There’s one alt-pop BOP that’s stood out this week, so let’s get stuck in. You’re in for a treat ❤️‍🔥

Deptford Sound Collective – We All Need a Cat

Deptford Sound Collective deliver a sharp, synth-driven alt-pop track with buoyant energy and a direct, characterful vocal presence

We All Need To Get A Cat, is driven by crisp, bouncy synths and tight rhythmic detail, locking into a bright, propulsive groove. The production feels clean and immediate, with its playful feline theme cutting through and giving the track a really fun, distinctive, character-led edge.

Deptford Sound Collective, based in South East London, channel a real-life story into a release that blends humour with emotional clarity. This single marks a more direct, pop-facing moment for the collective, using its vibrant sound to explore themes of loss, recovery, and the unexpected comfort of companionship. It’s a real bop, check it out below.