Though Blizzard contains only ten songs, each feels dense with metaphor and self-contained storytelling. There is no obvious throughline between them, even as themes of love and pain surface more often than not. Yet, despite the thick, introspective poetry, Ellis reveals remarkably little about his personal life. Of the four singles released ahead of the album – To the Sandals, Pale Song, Love Is, and Heaven Has No Wings – each offers only fragments rather than blatant retellings of his life.

To the Sandals, Ellis’s debut single appears later in the album and frames him as a self-described sadist wrestling with guilt, striving to transform his hurt into something meaningful. In contrast, Heaven Has No Wings, the last single released but positioned mid-album, explores the aftermath of trauma and compares it to transcendence, suggesting that it requires more than passive surrender to the heavens. Both songs are deeply intimate, yet they only provide hints of the darker moments of his life, and this makes for a refreshing approach to vulnerable songwriting that resists oversharing.

While Blizzard immerses itself in metaphor, Ellis never drowns in it. He refuses to caricature himself, a choice that strengthens the storytelling across the record. When You Tie Your Hair Up, for instance, places him in a moment of desperation. Slow and steady, the song has him calling upon “Annie” for comfort. He is never melodramatic, but rather simply honest. Jaundice follows and, in a move that becomes expected by the record’s midpoint, pivots sharply both thematically and sonically. Upbeat and carried by an accordion, it grapples with self-perception. As with much of Blizzard, Ellis inserts himself into the narrative but ultimately expands the message beyond his own experience, making his words all the more compelling.

Although comparisons can be made to Jeff Buckley or Thom Yorke of Radiohead regarding vocal performance or Bright Eyes in the sonic sense, Dove Ellis is a force of his own. Each song on Blizzard demands complete attention, and instead of sending listeners toward familiar reference points, the record encourages listeners to discover who Dove Ellis is and what he stands for. This confident debut deepens the sense of mystery around him, and while it is tempting to speculate about what the future may hold for Ellis, it is just as satisfying to remain absorbed in the ten stories he tells on Blizzard.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Xander Lewis

Blizzard is released on 5^th December 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Dove Ellis’s website here.

Watch the video for Pale Song here:

Masquerade opens with Getcha!, an explosive track blending late-90s grunge-adjacent grit with the gloss of 80s glam. Beck’s writing influence is unmistakable, especially in the vocal phrasing. Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) delivers thunderous drums, The Wrights’ Nic Cester adds guitar and vocals, and Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) joins with his own iconic guitar. With such a lineup, Getcha! makes it clear that Raggi is putting his best foot forward with this rock celebration.

The star-studded contributions continue across the album. Keep the Pack, and For Nothing feature percussive work from Guns N’ Roses’ Matt Sorum, Cat Got Your Tongue brings a guitar duet with Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzorno, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos appears on Raggi’s cover of You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), and The Struts’ Luke Spiller offers charismatic vocal support on The Ritz. Måneskin have long been critiqued for leaning too heavily into their influences, but here Raggi holds a candle among legends who could easily overshadow him. The Ritz exemplifies this as Raggi’s stylistic signatures rise to the surface while Spiller’s powerful vocals meet him halfway. Despite these brilliant heavyweight credits, Masquerade remains unmistakably a Thomas Raggi project.

Lucy further proves that Raggi thrives as a crucial piece of a larger music puzzle. As in The Ritz, his guitar is the song’s first defining feature before rising star Upsahl, bassist Hama Okamoto, and drums by Chad Smith step in. Raggi never attempts to outshine his collaborators and refuses to hide behind them. Instead, he shapes the production in a way that lets the collective speak louder than any single contributor.

The album closes with Fallaway, featuring vocalist Maxim. While listeners may not walk away believing Raggi is rock’s next Shakespeare, or its resurrector, it is clear that was never his intention. The joy of Masquerade lies precisely in its lack of pretension. The artist is not trying to reinvent rock, but is rather honouring the genre’s past and present without the pressure of predicting its future. Overall, Raggi delivers a solid, heartfelt collaboration that reaffirms his dedication to this art form.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Francis Delacroix

Masquerade is released on 5^th December 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Thomas Raggi’s website here.

Nothing On Me opens the record with brisk pacing and electronic polish, setting an energetic tone far removed from the post-punk and indie-rock stylings of their past. All the Best follows seamlessly, slowing the tempo for a dramatic, classic-rock atmosphere. It stands out as one of the album’s highlights: McVeigh’s vocals evoke the psychedelic edge of the 1970s, the post-chorus guitar grooves shimmer, and the lyrics remain clear and resonant amid the lush production. Together, these tracks establish the album’s balance between familiarity and reinvention.

White Lies have long been known for elevating their songs through dynamic live performances, and Night Light is built with that energy in mind. Songs like Keep Up, Juice, and I Just Wanna Win One Time pulse with crowd-ready choruses, bold basslines and powerful guitar riffs. White Lies show their versatility, however, with the bright, 80s-inspired pop-rock tune Everything Is OK and the sustained retro charm of Going Nowhere. McVeigh’s experimental intonation recalls icons like David Bowie and Talking Heads’ David Byrne, adding a touch of classic-rock nostalgia that suits him well. The title track ties these influences together, confirming the trio’s continued curiosity and command of genre-blending.

In the Middle closes the album with an expansive six-minute finale that threads together everything Night Light explores. The electronic vitality of Nothing On Me and All the Best resurfaces, the conversational delivery of Going Nowhere returns, the airy, ballad-like chorus of Everything Is OK blooms once more, and the record culminates in exhilarating instrumental solos, creating an ending destined to captivate live audiences.

Ultimately, with the help of producer Riley McIntyre, White Lies have translated the raw intimacy of their creative process into a record that celebrates music’s limitless possibilities. Through nostalgic references and playful experimentation, McVeigh, Cave, and Lawrence-Brown deliver a striking, confident addition to their discography.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Jono White

Night Light is released on 7^th November 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit White Lies’s website here.

Watch the video for In the Middle here:

Working with the National’s Aaron Dessner (known for producing Taylor Swift’s Folklore), Mark Bowen of IDLES, and Mitski, Welch lets her best instrument, her voice, shine in this record. Two choirs add dimension, weaving a dark tapestry that makes the perfect backdrop for a poignant tale of death, resurrection and healing that might be her most personal record yet.

The title track captures the ritualistic, almost cult-like energy of Welch’s live shows, where she becomes a woman possessed, commanding audiences to “Dance!”, “Move!”, “Shake!” and “Scream!”. Her onstage persona wrestles with her everyday self, even if she gets hurt in the process, leaving “blood on the stage”.

Welch has described the creative process as “death and resurrection over and over”, and throughout the record, she speaks of the sacrifices of ambition and the experience of navigating a male-dominated music industry as a woman. One of the Greats, sung with righteous anger, questions the standards forming the pantheon of music gods, in a rigged game where a woman has “to profit from her madness” – but a man can “make boring music just because [he] can”.

Consumed by an overwhelming desire to create, in Music by Men, she admits she finds it hard to do “real life”, because “there isn’t much applause”, only compromise. And even so, her attempt to create life was what led to her brush with death; in Witch Dance, she likens it to a tryst that leads to her joining the ranks of grieving women, contending in You Can Have It All, that the price of womanhood is suffering as she mourns her lost baby: “A piece of flesh, a million pounds / Am I a woman now?” she asks.

Magic, in its most arcane form, has been a medium for healing, and Welch fills the album with hopeful affirmations. Perfume and Milk borrows “all shall be well” from 14^th-century mystic Julian of Norwich, drawing comparisons between her healing and nature. Gentle album closer And Love ends with a phrase line repeated over and over, like a spell: “Peace is coming”.

Antigoni Pitta
Image: Courtesy of Florence and the Machine

Everybody Scream is released on 31^st October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Florence and the Machine’s website here.

Watch the video for Everybody Scream here:

Lipstick opens the record with a bang, or more accurately, a shimmer of eerie piano and sultry horns. It is an arresting departure from Morgan’s acoustic roots as it’s dark, seductive and cinematic. The intricate piano work that defined her earlier career now adds to the song’s phantasmal glamour, signalling that Luvcat is unafraid to be messy, moody or bold. Alien follows suit. Despite the layered production and supernatural characterisation, there is a pleading humanity in her vocals that grounds the song in emotional vulnerability. Thematically, Vicious Delicious begins to explore intimacy and identity. Luvcat is both repelled by and addicted to closeness, carving her own path toward self-discovery. With Alien, Luvcat takes pride in her difference, crafting an otherworldly persona that thrives in her own strangeness.

Luvcat often contradicts herself, and that is where much of the album’s charm lies. The first glimpse of this tension appears in Matador, the debut single released under the Luvcat name. The track slinks with creeping instrumental as she likens herself to a reckless bull charging towards her love’s red cape. The bridge in particular shows Morgan’s sharp storytelling instincts, balancing danger with elegance. Dinner @ Brasserie Zedel, another beloved single, sees Luvcat demanding reciprocity in love, her emotions swinging wildly from devotion to fury. While Matador captures the sweetness of newfound compatibility, Dinner @ Brasserie Zedel depicts Luvcat staking her unrelenting and unapologetically possessive claim on the subject.

Another instance exists with He’s My Man and the title track. With He’s My Man, Luvcat returns to delusion. Over swelling production and theatrical belts, Luvcat plays the role of the doting housewife as she pictures herself cooking, cleaning and waiting by the door, all while her lover unravels. The song’s brilliance lies in its irony as both a satire and a sincere portrayal of romantic denial. Then, in Vicious Delicious, she flips the narrative, sneering, “I don’t want to be your baby / Wouldn’t even if you paid me.” The swing between dependence and rejection turns Luvcat into a caricature of the “crazy ex-girlfriend” archetype, and she seems to revel in it.

Later highlights include Spider, a chilling Halloween-ready track where strings and plucked guitar weave a sinister web. The spider becomes a metaphor for something wicked growing with her as love curdles into paranoia. Emma Dilemma continues the descent into madness, introducing a possibly imaginary foil as Luvcat seems to debate whether to save or destroy the mysterious “Emma”. 

By Laurie, the theatrical mask slips. The production strips back, echoing Morgan’s early career. It is sombre and almost tender, revealing a weary honesty beneath the gothic dramatics. Finally, Bad Books closes the record in darkness, with Luvcat fully embracing her twisted self-image as the antithesis of normality and safety. 

With Vicious Delicious, Morgan not only reinvents herself with the Luvcat alter-ego, but she also delivers a project unlike any other. The album is a fever dream of obsession, power and identity, wrapped in lush, haunted baroque-pop production. Although paired excellently with the spookiness of the season, it’s a record that proves Luvcat is a character to remember.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Barnaby Fairley

Vicious Delicious is released on 31^st October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Luvcat’s website here.

Watch the video for He’s My Man here:

Shudall has expressed that if Death & Love were to be his final album, he wanted it to be filled with music that embodies what joy means to him. As part two begins with Sam Rourke’s eclectic bassline and deep riffs between Joe Falconer and Shudall in Lost in the Fire, the theme of confronting mortality is reintroduced. However, love takes centre stage with Stick Around, where Shudall reflects on how having someone to lean on during difficult moments has taught him that love extends beyond romance and intimacy. The lively instrumentals evoke a sense of lightheartedness, especially with the infectious energy of the lead single Cherry Bomb, which follows. Yet, beneath the upbeat exterior, Shudall’s contemplative thoughts and underlying anxiety remain present as he emphasises appreciating life’s smaller moments.

While part two still features the same catchy and nostalgic sound as before, Shudall’s introspections never waver and only seem more telling as each tune passes. Tracks like Ten Outta Ten and Love Me for the Weekend exemplify this balance, blending electronic-tinged production and punchy guitar riffs with lyrics that delve into mental struggles. The high-energy performances from the band seem to serve as a lifeline, keeping Shudall afloat amidst the emotional depth.

Old Balloons stands out both thematically and sonically, representing the heart of this album segment. With rapid guitars in the verses contrasted by its slower chorus and bridge sections, Shudall tells a comprehensive story of Death & Love. He begins with an optimistic tone, expressing a desire to live life to the fullest. As the chorus unfolds, it feels as if he faces death head-on, clutching onto love as if it could be lost at any second. The bridge paints vivid imagery of contentment, with his partner providing stability and hope. Overall, Old Balloons is a beautiful, yet danceable ode and truly brings the meaning of this record to life.

As Wave Goodbye concludes Death & Love, it feels as though Shudall uses this track to confront his fears of mortality without dwelling on them. Its delicate arrangement and straightforward lyrics suggest a sense of cathartic calm, as if his anxieties have been eased through this honest writing process.

Overall, Death & Love is a powerful reflection of life’s fragility and the enduring importance of love. Circa Waves masterfully balances their introspection with energetic melodies, creating a double album that is both emotionally raw and exciting. Although Shudall’s creative journey was formed out of a tragic event, he, as well as the rest of Circa Waves, have turned it into a record to be proud of. 

Taryn Crowley
Image: Paul Polocho

Death & Love Pt 2 is released on 24^th October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Circa Waves’s website here.

Watch the video for Stick Around here:

Olympic ‘89 sets the tone of the record, immediately signalling that this is not just another pop-rock tune. The production blends eclectic drums, layered bass and shimmering electronic elements, transporting the listener into Ryder’s mind. The Feeling Never Went Away follows, and the album’s theme is set into stone as Ryder expands on a toxic past relationship that still plagues his mind, complete with a sticky pre-chorus that builds into a full-blown earworm. Its climb mimics the emotional spirals of a love that is hard to let go, which is a musical motif that never wavers throughout the project.

Ryder continues to discuss these themes and how he is attempting to cope confidently. When Armour plays out, however, there is a grand shift in perspective when the artist trades maximalist production for acoustics. A steel guitar and steady reverb outline the song and allow for the singer’s famed vocals to take control, as if Ryder’s main goal is to ensure listeners are dialled in to each word he says. With this, Armour and its piano-based successor, Burn It Down, show more vulnerability, especially considering how the singer highlights how he is stuck in the twisted headspace of this jarring relationship. Armour is Ryder advising listeners not to let past troubles stop them from experiencing life to its fullest, whereas Burn It Down displays the dichotomy between Ryder’s self-realisation and his actions. The transition becomes undeniable, however, with Better Man.

Better Man may return to heavier sounds with its bluesy inspiration, but the message is more optimistic as the singer reflects on his personal growth through a healthier relationship. The post-chorus and bridge enforce the vintage atmosphere and allow Ryder’s new outlook on love to shine. 

Eyes on You is the clear climax despite its calm state, and it pulls from every corner of Heartland with an excellent blend of acoustic guitars, steel strings, groovy drums and echoing vocals that tie the entire narrative together. Ryder takes time to reflect on each story within the record, and there is a sense of closure as he sings it with strength. Eyes on You is a perfect example of just how much Ryder has grown as an artist, both with his lyricism and musicality.

Overall, Sam Ryder leans into imperfection on Heartland: his intentionally strained vocals, raw lyrics and drastic style changes allow him to tell a fully human story. The sonic variety never feels forced as it mirrors his emotional journey, from chaos to calm and from heartbreak to healing. Heartland is a project that does not just tell a story of personal growth, but it also showcases how Ryder is finding himself as an artist. Eyes on You may not provide a full resolution, but it surely will have listeners excited to see what the singer does next.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Jack Robinson

Heartland is released on 17^th October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Sam Ryder’s website here.

Watch the video for Better Man here:

Bar one, every track on the album is a co-write between Kane and The Black Keys’s Dan Auerbach, with their initial songwriting session a lightning-in-a-bottle moment. In the studio, both lead the record’s “guitar army”, consisting of Barrie Cadogan, Cage the Elephant’s Nick Bockrath and session musician Tom Bukovac – “Never enough guitars,” quotes Auerbach. “I wanted to give Miles his Scott Walker moment.” The dramatic lead single and opening number Love Is Cruel reflects this, its booming intro with Kane’s unmistakable whammy bar work echoing his Puppets-era flare; there’s more of that 60s-tinged mystery in the slinky title track and the understated swell of Walk on the Ocean.

Over the years, Kane has stayed true to his mod roots; Without You is a lively British-beat bop, while both I Pray and Coming Down the Road feel like unearthed tracks from his early 2010s output. Although, the latter might have one of the most ridiculous openings to a song ever: “I can’t tell if I’m eggs or bacon / I’m all greased up and my legs are shaking.” There is a slightly dull misfire in My Love, but it’s pleasant enough. However, Always in Over My Head is a delightful surprise – it’s delicate and gorgeously layered with beautiful strings to create something akin to a lullaby.

Other tracks are worth staying for the groove over the lyrics – see the T Rex-esque Electric Flower, the scuzzy stomp of Blue Skies and Sing a Song to Love’s wall of guitars. Throw in the frenetically-paced cover of the Flamin’ Groovies’s Slow Deaths and voilà: a fun, well-written album, which is sure to translate to Kane’s live shows with ease.

This groove he’s found is very good, it suits him. Turns out collaborating with Auerbach might have been one of the best decisions he’s ever made, as Sunlight in the Shadows is Miles Kane’s strongest album since 2016.

Gem Hurley
Image: Larry Niehues

Sunlight in the Shadows is released on 17^th October 2025. For further information or to order the album visit Miles Kane’s website here.

Watch the video for Love Is Cruel here:

Sonically, the opening track Agnus Dei picks up right where their debut left off, with masterful instrumentation and intricate arrangements. Since perfecting their sound, they have shown that they are dedicated to developing their storytelling. The album’s title alone evokes powerful imagery – “pyre” conjures thoughts of ritualistic cremation, a symbol of death, finality and spiritual release in many religious traditions. This motif runs through the record, grounding its themes in a haunting exploration of devotion and devastation.

Agnus Dei, Latin for “Lamb of God”, is a direct reference to Christian liturgy, where it is often a plea for mercy and redemption. True to form, The Last Dinner Party uses this religious symbolism as an extended metaphor, possibly for unrequited devoutness or emotional turmoil.

Count the Ways expands upon this foundation. The song opens with imagery of a snake, likely alluding to the biblical tale of Adam and Eve, as it slithers into the singer’s psyche. Mayland and Roberts’s guitar work weaves around Morris’s piercing vocals, creating a tension that lifts into a more ethereal chorus. The band’s existential, obsessive tone persists as they navigate the pain of a treacherous romantic entanglement. Second Best follows suit with choral elements and a continued focus on the torment of unhealthy loyalty.

The most calamitous moments on the record lie with This is the Killer Speaking and The Scythe. Here, the speaker confronts their own psychological battle, teetering between violence and resignation. The former track channels aggression and obsession, while the latter portrays a graceful, if gruesome, acceptance. Together, they showcase the band’s ability to balance chaos with control.

The Last Dinner Party does not exclusively focus on toxic romance, however. Woman is a Tree turns its attention toward the feminine experience, drawing unique metaphorical connections between womanhood and nature. I Hold Your Anger builds on this idea, examining the emotional labour often expected of women. Roberts’s fiddle dances around the percussion, setting a relentless march as if the protagonist must keep moving, regardless of exhaustion or resistance.

The album closes with Inferno, a final reckoning that references both historical and religious iconography while revisiting thematic points from earlier songs. The narrator describes themselves as a hollow shell of a human, directionless and unredeemed. In contrast to the spiritual release suggested by the album’s title, Inferno offers no peace and only ongoing despair.

While many contemporary artists embrace reinvention to maintain momentum, The Last Dinner Party instead leans into perfecting what is uniquely theirs. They continue to expand on their sonic identity, but choose to pay close attention to their poetic storytelling. From the Pyre is a tragedy in every sense: a tale of insecurity, obsessive love and existential defeat. Despite its emotional weight, the band’s lyrical precision and theatrical flair demand admiration. Ultimately, this project proves that The Last Dinner Party has a poet’s touch. The more they delve into narrative and symbolism, the more powerful their music becomes.

Taryn Crowley
Image: Laura Marie Cieplik

From the Pyre is released on 17^th October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit The Last Dinner Party’s website here.

Watch the video for This Is the Killer Speaking here:

First up, Oh Yeah, is a powerful song reminiscent of teenage love – “It’s like I’m walking down your street again at 17” – produced by Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds, known for his melodic pop sound and inventive production.

Black Wax, an ode to their love of music, full of fire, pays homage to artists who have influenced their style, including Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin and Kurt Cobain. It also highlights the power of music to uplift you when you’re feeling lonely: “When I’m lonely, always lonely, it’s everything.” It’s punky and fierce, with hard-hitting drumming adding to its intensity.

That same essence runs through Uncertain Joys. Arguably coming from one of their more experimental albums, it blends pop and rock while exploring the pain of losing someone you love. Vivid imagery of being haunted by a taunting ghost and getting high on the “uncertain joys” captures the struggle of escaping heartbreak. Every track carries the band’s contagious energy, and even as a retrospective, it sounds as fresh and vital as ever.

In a time when things feel uncertain around the world, Good Times is a timely reminder to never give up the fight and to live life to the fullest, as the group reminds us that better days are coming. The electric guitar carries the song from start to finish, leaving you with the feeling that good days are truly calling – a great choice to celebrate their anniversary.

While many artists adapt to the changing music scene, The Subways have stayed true to their artistry for over 20 years. Rock & Roll Queen closes the record, serving as the perfect rock and roll love song. The guitar tones are raw and come alive, met by driving basslines and sharp, vibrant drumming that fuel the track’s intensity. It would have been nice to hear more songs from their earlier albums, like understated treasures Strawberry Blonde, I Am Young and Girls & Boys, but this selection still beautifully showcases their true talent.

Kanika Phillip
Image: Laura Lewis

When I’m With You is released on 17^th October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit The Subways’s website here.

Watch the video for Rock & Roll Queen here: