Every Friday, Atwood Magazine’s staff share what they’ve been listening to that week – a song, an album, an artist – whatever’s been having an impact on them, in the moment.
This week’s weekly roundup features music by Not for Radio, Quiet Houses, bloodsports, Mary Hatley, Khamari, Mindchatter, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Rett Smith, Low Girl, ANASTÁZIE, Jordana Bryant, ALIE, Craig Finn, sleepazoid, Samuel Taylor, Molly Stone, Coline Creuzot, Alma Muñeca, Fairhazel, Aliza Li, Bettina, & Sophia Stel!
•• •• •• ••
follow WEEKLY ROUNDUP on Spotify
•• ••
:: “Vueltas” – Not For Radio ::
Julia Dzurillay, New Jersey
For years she’s worked alongside The Marías, an indie alternative band that earned Bad Bunny’s stamp of approval, known for songs like “No One Noticed” and “Cariño.” Now, Maria Zardoya is branching out with her own solo project called Not for Radio. Is this new venture very The Marías-sounding? Undeniably so.
However, there’s a certain demo-adjacent, almost unfinished quality about Melt that’s missing from Maria Zardoya’s namesake project. The desired effect is making a deeply personal album even more heartbreaking and raw. I hear inspiration from Radiohead and Cigarettes After Sex, though others have compared it to Portishead. “Vueltas” in particular, feels like a cross between bossa nova and bolero. It’s wistful in all the ways you want Zardoya to be.
:: “mark/james” – Quiet Houses ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
There’s a kind of fever you can only catch on a London night out – the mix of heat, heartbreak, and half-spilled pints that turns everything into motion. Quiet Houses bottle that exact energy in “mark/james,” a fun, feverish indie pop daydream that pulses with vitality. One bright, buoyant guitar line runs through the song like a lifeline, grounding the rush of drums and Hannah Elliott’s magnetic vocals as she pours herself out hot on the mic – her voice all cheek and charge, daring and delight in equal measure.
This track feels like sprinting through the city at midnight: Flirty, messy, alive. “mark/james” is the perfect pump-up song – one for the gym, the pregame, or those wild, liminal hours where everything and antyhing feels possible.
“‘mark/james’ is a song for all our brave sisters and brothers out on the front lines of dating in London,” Quiet Houses – comprised of lifelong friends Jamie Stewart and Hannah Elliot – tell Atwood Magazine. “It’s about navigating casual relationships in a world of £7 pints and flat shares with 8 people. It was written in our first London flat in Walthamstow; it was summer, and we were both working full-time hospitality jobs, squeezing in music-making whenever we could in random pockets of time.”
They continue, “The guitar loop and drum machine were the first elements to come into being and got us so excited, it felt playful, flirty, and unserious, and the lyrics came pretty quickly after. When the pace of the melody is so fast, you can fit in a lot of story. The drums were played by Meg Learmonth, we recorded them with the track slowed down 40% before speeding it back up to get those snappy transients. Chris Rabbits re-recorded the original bass line with the fun fills.”
A song for the bold and the blissfully reckless, “mark/james” turns the chaos of modern love into pure, radiant motion – vivacious, lively, and alive in every sense. It’s a rush of color and electricity, a breathless blur that leaves us grinning, gasping, and ready to run it back again.
:: Anything Can Be A Hammer – bloodsports ::
Will Yarbrough, Philadelphia, PA
No matter where you start, the lineage of indie rock never falls far from the Big Apple. Despite losing its edge to rent hikes over the past decade, there’s new blood putting the big city back on every blogger’s map.
While fresh on Brooklyn’s DIY scene, bloodsports don’t break too far from tradition. They’re a guitar band, first and foremost, whose weapon of choice is a white-hot tone that could peel whatever paint Sonic Youth spared on Murray Street. Other greats from indie’s past come to bear on their Good English debut, but crucially, those ghosts never linger. Anything Can Be A Hammer only glances at the blueprint in order to establish a new precedent. “Trio” bends Albert Hammond Jr.’s fretwork until the scales are shed of rock ‘n’ roll’s leathery foreskin.
Perhaps I’m the one stretching here, but Anything Can Be A Hammer refers more to the guiding philosophy of Australian comedy troupe Aunty Donna. With smashing results, the title track tests bloodsports’ hypothesis with the same caution afforded to a crash test dummy. Recording with the pros at Studio G freed the band’s ringleaders Sam Murphy and Jeremy Mock to properly jam with their newly infused rhythm section. Even “Calvin” — the album’s most straightforward offering — can’t deny its lust for the slanted and enchanted.
If one is inclined to box bloodsports into a corner, you could do a lot worse than shoegaze. Like their next-door neighbors shower curtain or cross-state surveyors They Are Gutting a Body of Water, this band aren’t fixated so much on their pedalboards. Anything Can Be A Hammer is more preoccupied with how our hopes and dreams blur together. “Rosary” grieves a relationship that has since come back to life. Murphy’s bleary recollections rub against a riff that scratches as if just outside the door. “I can’t sleep with your dog dying next to me.” His last words hang in the air, still heavy with regret, while the reverb throbs and swells like a re-opened wound.
:: The Poison I Choose – Mary Hatley ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
Mary Hatley’s debut album The Poison I Choose is a fearless introduction to a songwriter who writes with the honesty of someone who has lived every note she sings. Drawing from the deep well of Memphis’ musical legacy, Hatley fuses blues, country, rock, and pop into a sound that is both intimate and expansive. Each of the twelve tracks feels like a confession set to melody, whether she’s whispering vulnerability on “As Long As You’re Mine,” reclaiming agency on “Not The Only One,” or channeling fiery defiance in Ricochet. It’s a record brimming with contradictions, raw yet polished, tender yet unflinching, that leaves the listener feeling like they’ve been let into Hatley’s private world.
What makes The Poison I Choose so compelling is its balance of heartbreak and resilience. Tracks like “Dog Days” and “Miss You Dear” are steeped in grief, but they carry a quiet strength, transforming pain into connection. Meanwhile, songs like “What Are You Gonna Do” ground the album in Hatley’s Memphis roots, celebrating place and community. The title track is the record’s emotional core, a haunting reckoning with toxic love and the choices that define us. With her husky, evocative vocals and storytelling that blends the personal with the universal, Mary Hatley has crafted a debut that feels less like an introduction and more like a statement: she’s here, she has something to say, and she won’t be ignored.
:: “Lonely in the Jungle” – Khamari ::
Miranda Urbanczyk, Michigan
In a state of doubt and desperation, singer-songwriter Khamari wrote “Lonely in the Jungle.” Khamari’s sophomore album, To Dry a Tear is packed with emotions. His song, “Lonely in the Jungle” is no exception. It’s a vulnerable anthem that seeks for answers in the midst of silence and hopelessness. Khamari cries out to God, as he asks the question. “If there’s a God in this lonely jungle / Why haven’t my prayers been answered?”
:: Inner Democracy EP – Mindchatter ::
Ashley Littlefield, California
Appropriately releasing his latest work on World Mental Health Day, October 10th, Inner Democracy EP continues the creative work known as Mindchatter. The New York artist, singer/songwriter, and producer Bryce Connolly has shown his artistry to tastemakers with rooted electronic sounds, blending an empathic spectrum of eclectic tones that calm the mind. This project features themes and conversations to soothe the mind since his journey began in 2019. He has caught attention in the national festival sphere, appearing on lineups from California festival-goers’ favorites like Outside Lands, CRSSD in San Diego, Lightning in A Bottle, and Coachella’s DoLab stage, as he continues to imprint his signature style on a growing discography for his audience.
Inner Democracy EP describes a challenge of carrying internalized thoughts that people often hold alone through their mental health journey. The title track, “Inner Democracy,” guides listeners toward an “inner peace,” offering comfort as they are welcomed into the Mindchatter’s inner world. Building the narrative, “Every Single Sound” uplifts with a calming melody, grand piano, and an easy drum pattern. This song helps ground the listener in the present moment. Next, “Such A Shame” bursts onto the scene with energy, heating up any dancefloor space with hi-hats and synths that carry a positive message. Continuing the energy, “Don’t Trust A Thought” adds a satirical and creative dialogue for listeners to evaluate. The EP’s closing track, “Laundry,” allows listeners to wash away yesterday’s fears and claim their happiness as time moves forward.
Inner Democracy EP serves as an emotional bridge, weaving a fabric of his discography sounds with his past 2020 debut release, Imaginary Audience, and sophomore 2022 release, Dream Soup, connecting a wavelength of peace into a synoptic rhythm that evokes healing. While accompanied by a riveting dance rhythm that echoes electric energy, he expresses emotions freely, bringing comfort through his perspective. Now Connolly shares the anticipation that his third LP edition of Mindchatter, Giving Up On Words, is out on November 7th via Maison Arts. As he explains in his own words about the album, “This album is the closest I’ve come to defining Mindchatter. Giving Up On Words is about the quiet battle between the thoughts and their observer. It intentionally drifts between genres but stays consistent – whether it’s a dance track or a ballad, the feeling is familiar.”
:: “Manny’s Ready to Roll” – Psychedelic Porn Crumpets ::
Danny Vagnoni, Philadelphia
The Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are one of a string of maximalist psychedelic rock bands out of Australia whose prolificacy is matched only by their aptitude for ripping guitar work. “Manny’s Ready to Roll” is the first single off of their second album project this year following May’s romp, Carpe Diem, Moonman.
While they aren’t quite as, let’s say, relentless as their cousins King Gizz, the Crumpets have been an incredibly exciting act to follow since their two-part fuzz opus High Visceral in 2018. They’re the kind of band that can unabashedly cut a sprawling vamp of a track called “Cubensis Lenses” (iylyk, and iydk then Cubensis is the species name of psilocybin) and then turn around and write something earnest and beautiful like “November.” I have always loved this duality in art – it’s the same reason I love LCD Soundsystem’s penchant for ridiculous lyrical meandering and sentimental poetry and why Kurt Vonnegut’s black humor somehow feels so compassionate.
“Manny’s Ready to Roll” sees the Porn Crumpets exploring the contours of their sounds from Carpe Diem, Moonman – metal tinged twangy rock with a heavy inclination towards live-friendly instrumental vamping. What really fills out “Manny,” though, is the vibrating resonance throughout the song that I can only identify as a sitar. This small nuance creates a wonderful new flavor of the rollicking Porn Crumpets sound. The verses in “Manny” feel like frenzied metal ferments that melt into the weird psychedelic calm of the chorus, the eye of the storm. “Manny’s Ready to Roll” rocks, and is a great addition to the PPC’s catalogue.
:: A Physical Persistence – Rett Smith ::
Rachel Leong, France
Rett Smith dropped his fifth studio album, A Physical Persistence, this past week – an unabashed exploration of vulnerability, emotion, and musical precision. The album is rock to its core, with sparser tracks like “November ‘63” peeling back the layers of Smith’s influences in post-punk and Southern guitars.
A Physical Persistence is Smith at his rawest and most unapologetic. Most interestingly, the record was created entirely through analog gear – taking a step back from modern technology. Smith himself oversaw every aspect of production and mixing, most notably heard through tracks like “Tell Me There’s a God,” and “Seaside Regrets” – adding an extra layer of vulnerability to the album’s storytelling.
With all guitars and unapologetic emotion – Rett Smith’s latest surely solidifies him as one of the most impressive contemporary rockers out there right now.
:: “Handbrake” – Low Girl ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
A quiet ache pulses at the heart of Low Girl’s “Handbrake.” Dreamy, wondrous, and achingly emotive, the English band’s latest single glows with percussive warmth and raw vulnerability, its atmosphere lush and unguarded from the first beat. “I don’t have a handbrake but do I have what it takes?” Sarah Cosgrove asks, her voice soft yet striking – a poetic and poignant line that captures the track’s restless push between guilt, desperation, and the need to keep moving forward even when the world feels heavy.
“This track came about on a gloomy November evening through Bradley, myself, and a Mac,” Cosgrove shares. “We had just finished touring with October Drift, and I had a case of the post-tour blues. Some of that angst evidently bled into the track, but lyrically ‘Handbrake’ deals with themes of guilt and desperation. I think, like many of the album tracks, I’m expressing things I was too passive to articulate in the moment.”
Comprised of Sarah Cosgrove (lead vocals/guitar/bass), Bradley Taylor (guitar/bass/backing vocals), Toby Morgan (keys), and Tom Cosgrove (drums), the indie quartet finds balance between introspection and intensity on this stunning first look at their forthcoming debut album Is It Too Late To Freak Out? (out October 24 via AWAL). “Writing our debut album has allowed us to explore and develop the musical ideas we’ve been restlessly playing around with for the last few years,” the band says. “A bulk of the songs were recorded in live takes, which is a recording strategy we’ve always wanted to utilise and we felt a freedom to do this throughout the process.”
“The album campaign is kicking off with something a bit more sombre and contemplative, as our previous singles have been focused on the upbeat and boppy side of Low Girl. We’re really excited for people to hear the variety of songs and instrumentation we’ve put together on the album. With ‘Handbrake,’ we have chosen to go for something unlike anything we’ve ever released for the first single.”
What begins as a somber, late-night reflection soon blooms into a cathartic, quietly ecstatic release – vivid proof of Low Girl’s emotional dexterity. “Handbrake” is lush and alive, a sonic confession that surges and swells until it feels like motion itself – glistening, weightless, and full of life. Beneath its dreamy veneer lies something raw and searching: an intimate portrait of self-doubt, inertia, and the fragile hope of breaking free.
“Running from the things that I am running from, I know it’s wrong… yeah I think that this is the beginning of the end,” Cosgrove sings, her words hovering somewhere between resignation and release. The tension of that refrain – of knowing you’re stuck and still pushing forward anyway – becomes the heartbeat of the song. Every shimmering synth, every pulse of percussion, feels like it’s propelling her toward the edge of something bigger, something brave.
Low Girl capture that moment of surrender with breathtaking grace: the space between holding on and letting go, where motion becomes meaning, and music becomes a kind of salvation.
:: “Kiss & Let Go” – ANASTÁZIE ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
With “Kiss & Let Go,” Czech-Armenian singer/songwriter and co-producer ANASTÁZIE delivers a radiant fusion of R&B sensuality, Afrobeats rhythm, and jazz-inflected elegance. The track shimmers with effortless sophistication, balancing vibrant energy with soulful intimacy. Her vocals, smooth, assured, and intoxicating, glide over the beat with ease, while the polished yet playful production reflects both her multicultural heritage and her refined artistic vision. It’s a song that feels as expansive as it is personal, designed to move both the body and the spirit.
Beyond its sonic allure, the single thrives on its message: liberation, youth, and the bold joy of self-expression. “Kiss & Let Go” celebrates the art of release, choosing independence and embracing freedom with grace and confidence. By pairing a universally uplifting theme with a globally resonant sound, ANASTÁZIE has crafted an anthem for living fully and unapologetically. It’s the kind of music that doesn’t just soundtrack the moment, it expands it.
:: “Weekend” – Jordana Bryant ::
Bárbara Martínez Campuzano, Mexico
Jordana Bryant makes her passion for music and songwriting evident in her single “Weekend,” worthy of listeners who want to experience romance and fun through a sound almost cinematic. The two-minute song makes it easy to understand what it is about (someone being joyful and feeling safe while in love) with instrumentals that combine country and pop. A happy beat with guitars and Jordana’s authentic, charming vocals, “Weekend” is the metaphor of having someone feel like the part of the week that resembles peace, glee, and relief.
With lyrics like “Baby, you feel like a weekend / Arms I can sleep in” has the end of summer energy that pleads for the moment to remain forever, especially with a person that is close and that radiates affection and safety. Jordana, a native of a small town in Pennsylvania, has plenty of other songs and some EPs that fit in the country genre, and that share her true feelings with the purpose of connecting with others.
:: “Closer to Losing” – ALIE ::
Rachel Leong, France
Hailing from Lille, France, ALIE is a poet at heart. “Closer To Losing” is a gorgeous indie-pop track with folk-leaning sensibilities, leading with ALIE’s distinct vocals and poignant storytelling.
Combining the sonic worlds invoked by that of the banjo, harmonica, and acoustic guitars, ALIE croons atop these layers: “I can’t help but think about what conversation will be the last, am I gonna say the words?” The single is a testament to the fear of losing loved ones, and the grief that comes along in the anticipation and in the aftermath.
A truly special drop in the ocean of modern music, ALIE’s music feels like a gift in the current storm of modern music.
:: Always Been – Craig Finn ::
Will Yarbrough, Philadelphia, PA
Craig Finn has always been a storyteller. Since the dawn of Y2K, rock critics have rightfully championed The Hold Steady’s bespectacled, ball-capped and beer-toting bard as Jack Kerouac for my fellow boys and girls of the Myspace generation. His latest solo album centers on the same small-town kooks that he’s always written about with such loving detail. But a slight change in scenery has led him to spin off one of the most rewarding tales of his storied career.
Compared to the camps down by the Mississippi River, Bethany Beach sure sounds like heaven. But for Finn, Always Been is far from a departure. Anyone who’s heard the one about Charlemagne in sweatpants will recognize his latest all-American anti-hero: a soldier-turned-priest who’s in need of another, higher calling after washing up at his parents’ summer house. To bring his semi-charmed story to life, Finn recruited the only dudes who can challenge The Hold Steady for the title of World’s Greatest Bar Band. With a stash of mellow keys, stiff backbeats and guitar solos that sail like kites in a breeze, Adam Granduciel and his co-conspirators in The War on Drugs help a lifetime worth of regrets go down smooth as the first round at No Shower Happy Hour.
This particular thirst — for that magical time when the night and all its endless possibilities are still in front of you — has always been Finn’s drug du jour. But rarely has he surveyed the morning after’s wreckage with such stark clarity. “The Man I’ve Always Been” is the sound of the offseason, when snowbirds fly south for the winter, leaving only those who can never truly get out. Accompanied by an acoustic guitar that pops and creaks like a frosty boardwalk, Finn’s narrator takes a hard look at the bottom of his bottle and finds little of substance. “Disguises, masks and uniforms / None of them felt fully formed,” he admits amidst an organ that glows like a check engine light.
For our hero, perhaps it’s a sign that he’s one step further on the road to acceptance. But for us, it’s just more proof that Finn is still one of the best around.
:: “3AM” – sleepazoid ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
It’s the middle of the night, and sleepazoid have perfectly captured that blurry, buzzing hour between longing and release. Brooding, downtempo, and dreamily hypnotic, “3AM” feels like The xx colliding with Wolf Alice in a haze of reverb, heartache, and hope. The song balances two worlds – soft, tender confessions whispered through dim verses and fiery, overdriven choruses that hit with pulse-raising intensity. It’s dynamic and deeply emotive all at once: a late-night anthem drenched in feeling, flickering like the last light left on at a party you don’t want to leave.
“I liked the idea of painting a scene that would bring the listener right into the room,” says vocalist Nette France. “That familiar late-night party when you’re not really sure where the night will go – but you have hopes! Sonically, we’ve gotten much more comfortable writing together and I think you can hear that cohesion. George’s synthy harmonics on this track are a good example of how we’re embracing more interesting textures across the new EP – still embracing the three guitars but also allowing for space and dynamics.”
That vivid cinematic pull runs through every line of “3AM.” France’s words feel lived-in and immediate – “you’re sat over on the couch telling a story to a gathering crowd / and I can’t take my eyes off your mouth” – evoking the dizzy sweetness of connection amid chaos. As the song builds, the guitars grow bolder, the drums more urgent, and the night itself seems to swell around her until everything breaks open in a cathartic rush of sound and emotion.
“3AM” is the moment before everything changes – the thrill, the tenderness, the uncertainty, all suspended in amber. It’s brooding, beautiful, and alive with that heady mix of vulnerability and verve that sleepazoid do so well.
:: “Little World” – Samuel Taylor ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
There’s a quiet magic to “Little World,” the debut single from indie folk newcomer Samuel Taylor, who has just signed to No Roads Records. Emerging, as if from the woodland mist of his rural upbringing, Taylor arrives with a sound that feels both ancient and startlingly fresh, a kind of emotional archaeology that uncovers something deeply human beneath the surface of melody. At only 23, he demonstrates the poise of a seasoned songwriter, weaving cinematic textures and pastoral storytelling into something transportive. You can almost hear the rivers and forests of his childhood in the space between the notes, that rare ability to turn solitude into song, and song into solace.
Produced by Jesse Quin and mastered by Kevin Tuffy, “Little World” unfolds like a film score for a memory you didn’t know you had. The opening’s fragile acoustic picking and hushed vocals bloom into an exquisite layering of strings, keys, banjo and percussion, an arrangement that feels both intimate and expansive. Taylor’s voice, equal parts ache and assurance, evokes the gentle honesty of early Ben Howard and the ethereal tenderness of Sufjan Stevens, yet it is unmistakably his own. What lingers after the final note is a sense of quiet resilience, the feeling that, even when the world shrinks to its smallest, there is still beauty to be found within it.
:: “Just a Girl” – Molly Stone ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
“Just a Girl,” is a radiant declaration of confidence and craft by Molly Stone. The song shimmers with pop polish while biting back with lyrical wit. Written in Los Angeles with Leve and produced by REYA, the track turns everyday underestimation into art. Stone’s voice dances over sharp hooks and sleek production, balancing charm and defiance in equal measure. Every line feels both playful and deliberate, a testament to her ability to turn vulnerability into empowerment without ever losing her sense of humor.
The accompanying music video amplifies the song’s message with cinematic flair, stylish, tongue-in-cheek, and unapologetically bold. Blending the glossy allure of modern pop with the storytelling spirit of a true singer-songwriter, Stone channels influences, from Taylor Swift to Lily Allen while carving out a sound entirely her own. “Just a Girl” isn’t just catchy; it’s clever, self-aware, and culturally sharp, a sparkling reminder that pop music can be as intelligent as it is infectious. Molly Stone is not merely just a girl, she’s a rising force redefining what it means to be one.
:: “Walk Away” – Coline Creuzot ::
Grace Holtzclaw, Los Angeles, CA
Coline Creuzot is a 3X Billboard-charting artist who continues to push the envelope on all things R&B. Her roots as a born and raised Houston artist empower her brazen attitude and depth of confidence that comes through in her music. Creuzot’s new single “Walk Away” is about choosing herself in the face of chaos. It captures the intense fallout of an all-encompassing relationship. Creuzot reminds us that there’s always a path forward, even when we have to walk that path alone.
“Walk Away” captivates with pulsating beats, pristine harmonies, and unapologetic vocals that rise like a phoenix. Creuzot recounts the obstacles of her relationship and finds irony through the rose-tinted lens of retrospection. She sings, “You want me to stay / But, you won’t change / Don’t act surprised when I walk away.” “Walk Away” is a cathartic release for Creuzot as she forges ahead into a new era and encourages others to take that step forward with her.
Momentum is rising for Creuzot as an artist. Her recent single “I LOVE YOU” is currently in the mix on Sirius XM’s Heart & Soul. “Walk Away” carries forward Creuzot’s legacy as a voice for female empowerment and the future looks bright.
:: “Anhelo” – Alma Muñeca ::
Rachel Leong, France
“Anhelo” is explosive, self-assured and just the right amount of experimental. Texas-based art-pop band Alma Muñeca just released their latest single, leading up to a wider EP project set to release next week.
The single follows the wider theme of heartbreak and desire that the EP will explore. The wide synths, understated driving bass and stacked vocals came to life after performing the song live. It’s just one piece of the wider puzzle of confusion, excitement and sadness that arrive in love.
The four-piece consists of Cocó Allegra (lead singer), Ernesto Grey (who produced the project), as well as Matt Russell and Wade Stephens. The mix of identities present in the group provides a rich lens through which Alma Muñeca’s music will resonate with listeners – rife with a candid honesty in love and life, the songwriting also holds the lens of Latin and queer communities through lead singer Allegra. With experimental soundscapes and upbeat live performances, the band creates a safe space for feeling, expressing, and mark their terrain in experimental art pop.
:: “The Seagull” – Fairhazel ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
There’s a tenderness in Fairhazel’s music that feels almost sacred – an openness that invites you to lean in and listen closer. “The Seagull” is one of those rare songs that finds beauty in stillness. Heartwarming and achingly emotive, it floats like a gentle breeze over the sea – delicate, yet full of depth, warmth, and raw humanity. Told from the perspective of a seagull visiting his late grandmother each morning, Fairhazel transforms grief into grace, crafting something fragile and everlasting from life’s quietest moments.
“My grandmother passed away at age 100,” Fairhazel tells Atwood Magazine. “She lived alone in a small town in northern England and due to the pandemic, she couldn’t be visited often in her last few years of life. When I would call her, she would tell me that a seagull would come to visit her every morning, the same seagull, the same time, like clockwork. The two would spend time together, she would feed him and he would give her company. ‘The Seagull’ is a song from the perspective of the seagull visiting my grandma in her last months, and returning after she was gone to find her not there anymore.”
There’s a quiet intimacy that runs through the song’s verses – “Well I guess I’ll see you / round this time tomorrow / fly up to your window / wait for you to notice” – that feels almost like prayer. Each image lands with a soft ache, tracing the rhythm of daily rituals and the slow fade of time: “Each day is a lifetime / each day’s getting shorter.” As the song unfolds, its perspective shifts from companionship to absence, from the warmth of connection to the cold stillness that follows – “Empty for a while now / no one here to meet me / no one to share a moment / I’ll try again tomorrow.”
Fairhazel – the moniker of British-born singer-songwriter Hugh Macdonald – has long blurred the lines between fiction and truth, crafting deeply human folk stories that shimmer with sincerity. Raised between the UK, South Africa, and France, he brings a global tenderness to his sound, recalling the intimacy of Ben Howard and the poetic grace of Sufjan Stevens.
“The Seagull” dwells in that liminal space between tension and release, where fragility becomes its own kind of strength. It’s a song of companionship and enduring love – a meditation on loss, memory, and the beauty of returning, even when no one’s left to answer.
:: TRU – Aliza Li ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
Aliza Li’s latest EP, TRU, is a succinct yet powerful statement that cements her place in Atlanta’s burgeoning R&B and neo-soul scene. Across three tracks, she blends introspective lyricism with lush, contemporary production, crafting a sound that feels both intimate and expansive. From the decisive opener, “Call Tru,” to the radiant “Glow,” Li navigates themes of self-alignment, growth, and emotional liberation with a confidence that makes her storytelling impossible to ignore. Her vocals, warm and expressive, carry a depth that elevates each track beyond mere melody, turning every song into a personal invitation for listeners to reflect and resonate.
The EP closes with “Occasionally Telepathic,” a hauntingly honest meditation on the nonlinear journey of healing. In just a few minutes, TRU manages to feel both cohesive and dynamic, striking a balance between vulnerability and empowerment. Aliza Li demonstrates a rare ability to blend soulful textures with contemporary sensibilities, creating music that lingers long after the final note. Concise, heartfelt, and masterfully executed, TRU is a glimpse into an artist on the rise, and a reminder of the transformative power of music rooted in truth.
:: “Messy Girl” – Bettina BCB ::
Chloe Robinson, California
Ever get so used to hearing rumors about yourself, that you just play into the picture others have painted of you? That’s What Bettina BCB’s sassy single “Messy Girl” is about. With R&B, pop, and hip-hop vibes, the sonics channel the energy of early 2000s Timbaland pop with a sleek, fresh update. The bold track is the ideal retort for baseless chatter. The lyrics, ‘she is a demon, modern-day Regina,’ immediately conjure the image of that ruthless, vindictive character that no one wants to be associated with. That couldn’t be further from who she is, yet she figures she might as well act the part. If the gossip train is reeking havoc then so should she.
Bettina BCB is an emerging artist who fuses her British roots with R&B, pop, and hip-hop influences. Her expert craft is evident in everything she does. So much so she was even mentored by the iconic Stargate in Los Angeles. Her song lines are cheeky and clever and her hooks are infectious and memorable. All that can be heard in the intoxicating madness of “Messy Girl.”
:: “All My Friends Are Models” – Sophia Stel ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
There’s something quietly devastating about “All My Friends Are Models.” Dreamy and dramatic in equal measure, Sophia Stel’s latest electropop offering shimmers with soft confession and heavy release – a slow, cinematic burn that hits hard and lingers long after the last note fades. Built on propulsive drums, glittering synths, and that signature Stel ache, it’s a song that glows from the inside out: intimate, charged, and beautifully self-aware.
“Cold sweat, I was so ashamed to be alone…” she sings at the start, her voice breathy and close – a whisper that feels like a secret. The verses ache with small, human admissions, while the chorus lifts into something anthemic and bittersweet: “All my friends are models, I’m not complaining now / I’m making something up to get another bottle.” It’s that mix of humor and heartache, self-deprecation and sincerity, that makes Stel’s writing so magnetic.
Sophia Stel has always been hard to pin down – a Vancouver-born artist and producer who forgoes the polish of the algorithm for something raw and real. Her music, rooted in confessional storytelling and post-digital cool, channels the moodiness of 070 Shake and the emotional altitude of Ethel Cain, yet remains wholly her own. “All My Friends Are Models” sits at the center of her recently released EP How To Win At Solitaire (out September 5 via Pack Records), expanding her sonic world with lush production and razor-sharp vulnerability.
A heavy-hitting, heart-melting dreamscape, “All My Friends Are Models” feels like late-night honesty wrapped in neon light – the kind of song you play when the party’s over and you’re not quite ready to face the quiet. It’s tender, restless, and alive with feeling – proof that no matter how luminous the surface, Stel’s glow comes from the heart.
— — — —
Connect to us on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Discover new music on Atwood Magazine
:: Weekly Roundup ::
follow WEEKLY ROUNDUP on Spotify
:: This Week’s Features ::
