LAMBRINI GIRLS, WHO LET THE DOGS OUT

29 minutes and 27 seconds was all it took for Lambrini Girls to win me over with their debut album, Who Let The Dogs Out. That’s also about the max I could handle before its unrelenting energy laid me out. With distorted basslines, blistering guitar riffs, and hammering drums, Phoebe Lunny and Lilly Macieira don’t just play punk—they pummel you with it. But beneath the mayhem, Lunny’s sharp, biting lyricism keeps everything focused, fusing humor and fury to take on toxic masculinity, police brutality, gentrification, and homophobia. The result is an album that’s unapologetically loud, unyielding, darkly funny, and impossible to ignore. 

LOW ROAR, HOUSE IN THE WOODS

In 2010, Ryan Karazija relocated from California to Reykjavík, Iceland. The quiet, stark landscapes of the country mirrored his introspective nature and became central to his identity as an artist, as he embraced solitude and personal discovery through his work. In 2011, he released his first new music under the name Low Roar. In time, he was joined by musicians Leifur Björnsson and Logi Guðmundsson. Over the next ten years, Low Roar released five albums. Then in 2022, Karazija passed away at age 40 from complications of pneumonia. Soon after, Björnsson and Guðmundsson made known that a sixth album had been completed before Karazija’s passing. Now, three years later, that album, House in the Woods, has been released.

It has been said that Karazija poured his soul into this album, combining minimalist indie, ambient sounds, and deeply personal lyrics. With themes of isolation, nature, and reflection, his songs offer a glimpse into Karazija’s inner world—one that I found to be poignant and moving. On the closing, title track, he sings, “And I'm beginning to drown. I'm staring death in the eyes. You were the rock that I needed. You were the tree I would climb. Now I'm a passing thought. And I'll try to survive. And I will write what I've seen. Will you read what I write? My endless love.” There’s a heavy sense of longing in Karanzija's words, echoing through the subdued, melancholic tones of the album. Released posthumously, it all feels hauntingly bittersweet—a powerful and fitting farewell.

SQUID, COWARDS

Ollie Judge (vocals, drums), Louis Borlase (guitar, vocals), Anton Pearson (guitar, vocals), Laurie Nankivell (bass), and Arthur Leadbetter (keyboards) were drawn together while studying in Brighton, England, united by a shared love for experimental music—its unpredictability, freedom, and ability to push beyond conventional song structures. In 2016, they formed Squid, quickly developing a distinctive sound that blended post-punk, jazz, and electronic influences. Since then, they have embraced the challenge of crafting music that feels spontaneous and immersive, incorporating unusual rhythms, shifting time signatures, and layered textures.

Their first two albums pushed sonic boundaries in ways which I have to admit was a bit much for me at times. But with their third release, Cowards, Squid introduces a new sense of restraint, which is welcomed. While still adventurous, its nine songs are more approachable, balancing complexity with clarity. Exploring themes of evil and moral ambiguity, Cowards is an evolution for Squid, refining their experimental tendencies without losing their edge. It’s singular in its creativity and one of the more fascinating albums that I’ve heard in some time. 

FRECKLE, FRECKLE

What do you get when you bring together two great guitarists and musicians with leanings toward '60s and '70s psychedelic rock and shared California roots? In the case of Ty Segall and Color Green's Corey Madden, you get their new collaborative project, Freckle. Their self-titled debut blends fuzzed-out guitars, sunlit harmonies, and freewheeling jams into a sound that’s both nostalgic and fresh. Tracks like Paranoid and For the Last Time balance heavy, riff-driven grooves with reverb-soaked melodies. Segall’s raw energy and Madden’s fluid guitar work complement each other effortlessly, making Freckle a cool trip through modern psychedelia.

 

CYMANDE, RENASCENCE

Cymande, the legendary British funk band, has returned with their latest album, Renascence. Formed in 1971 by a group of Afro-Caribbean musicians in London, the band developed a distinctive fusion of funk, reggae, jazz, and soul, which they called "nyah-rock." Though they gained international recognition, touring with artists like Al Green and performing at the Apollo Theater, they remained largely underappreciated in the UK. After releasing three albums, they disbanded in 1974, but their music lived on, finding new audiences when hip-hop artists began sampling their tracks in the 1980s and 1990s.

This revival of interest led to their reunion in the 2010s, culminating in A Simple Act of Faith (2015), their first album in over 40 years. As their influence continued to grow, they were inspired to return to the studio once again, resulting in Renascence. 

Listening to it, I was blown away by just how good the band sounds after fifty years. Their sound is vintage Cymande with some new, fresh influences sprinkled in. Driven by both nostalgia and a desire to continue their musical journey, Cymande are proving their timeless relevance in the world of funk and beyond. Honestly, it just doesn't get much better than this.

THE GENTLE SPRING, LOOKING BACK AT THE WORLD

The Gentle Spring’s debut album, Looking Back at the World, marks the return of Michael Hiscock, co-founder of The Field Mice, alongside Emilie Guillaumot and Jérémie Orsel. Known for helping define the emotional honesty and pop melodies of 90s Brit indiepop, Hiscock and his new bandmates have crafted a collection of songs that maintain the light, sensitive qualities of The Field Mice but with a more mature, introspective lens which can only happen with the passage of time. 

Blending strummy acoustic guitars, sparsely placed keyboards, cellos, sophisticated guitar textures, and hushed vocals, the group has created a sound that is both gentle and richly layered. With its understated melodies and delicate lyrics exploring love, loss, and reflection, Looking Back at the World is a beautifully crafted and heartfelt album.