The best new music of the week

In the world of up-and-comers, plenty of new(ish) artists put out great new tracks that demand attention. Annie-Dog continues to be tireless as they seem to release more and more good new stuff week after week. Grace Gardener is ready to make you cry, while Chloe Quisha plots indie-pop domination.

If it’s a new favourite album you’re after, head to our Alternative Album Chart, where all of this week’s LPs are gathered. Right here, listen to the best new singles of the week, all put in one place where you only have to hit play.

The best new music of the week:

Track of the week:

Matt Maltese – ‘Anytime, Anyplace, Anyhow’: Opening up a brand new chapter, Matt Maltese returned with perhaps his most gorgeously cinematic track to date. Backed up by Sophie May’s angelic harmonies, ‘Anytime, Anyplace, Anyhow’ builds and builds to a thing of sheer beauty – but who would expect anything less from Maltese?

But like all of his songs, it comes with just the right amount of lyrical edge and a good dose of humour. At its core, ‘Anytime, Anyplace, Anyhow’ is a love song, through and through. But as he croons, “Anytime, anyplace, anyhow / You’re allowed to treat me like a piece of meat,” he turns it into a consideration of outright, desperate, perpetual devotion. [4.5/5]

Instant Classics – The biggest new releases of the week

Sam Fender – ‘Arm’s Length’: Ahead of his upcoming third album, Sam Fender is offering up new greatness bit by bit. On ‘Arm’s Length’, he pulls back the rock a moment for something softer and more reserved as he muses on avoidance, being guarded, and not wanting to open up. “Do you have to know me, know me inside out, to have a good time?” he sings in what is a subtly devastating central lyric. [4.5/5]

FKA Twigs – ‘Drums of Death’: “Feel hot/ Feel hard/ Feel heavy/ Fuck who you want,” Twigs says, delivering a modern manifesto. Layered with masterfully crafted glitches, it’s a true highlight of her new record. [4.5/5]

Self Esteem – ‘Focus Is Power’: To announce her upcoming new album, Self Esteem returned with the affirmation ladened ‘Focus Is Power’ as she defies self-doubt and sexism to declare “I deserve to be here.” [4/5]

Tamino and Mitski – ‘Sanctuary’: It’s now been a while since Mitski’s last album, but she’s keeping her fans fed with some gorgeous feature slots like this one alongside Belgian-Egyptian singer Tamino. With their voices together, this track is something special. [4/5]

Lord Huron and Kristen Stewart – ‘Who Laughs Last’: Yes, you read that right. This new track from indie-rock outfit Lord Huron features actor Kristen Stewart, delivering a moody spoken-word monologue over the instrumental track that makes it so incredibly cinematic that it’s captivating. [4/5]

On The Rise – new releases to note this week

Annie-Dog – ‘Please Forgive Me, David Gray’: Does Annie-Dog ever sleep? In the last year, she has been churning out tracks and EPs tirelessly with no dip in quality at all. Continuing the hectic but golden run, ‘Please Forgive Me, David Gray’ is full of interesting production details. [3.5/5]

Grace Gardner – ‘Something You’re Proud Of (Crime Television)’: Looking for a song to put your right in your feelings? Look no further. Gardener has one of those voices that could make you cry and the songwriting skills to match. With both on beautiful display here, this new track is a tear-jerking. [3.5/5]

Greer – ‘Had Enough’: Taking the trophy for this week’s best all-out indie track, Greer delivers a great one with ‘Had Enough’, which is simply a foolproof, high-energy banger. [3.5/5]

Djo – ‘Basic Being Basic’: The musical project of actor Joe Keary saw major success last year as ‘End of Beginning’ blew up, earning him a Brit Award nomination. This song isn’t as good as that one, but it’s still a joyful little indie-pop number to get the toes tapping. [3/5]

Chloe Quisha – ‘21st Century Cool Girl’: When Quisha emerged last year, she positioned herself amongst the new indie-pop leaders. In 2025, she’s clearly primed to race ahead of them as ‘21st Century Cool Girl’ is as hooky as it needs to be, with a more cinematic edge. [3/5]

Viagra Boys – ‘Man Made of Meat’: Each week, the Big Indie Playlist likes to deliver one track to blow the cobwebs of the week away. Viagra Boys more than provide that with their gobby punk that’s always so overdone and somewhat silly that it somehow really, really works. [3.5/5]

Shura – ‘Recognise’: Shura returns! Coming back to claim their crown as a leader in that specific lane of stunningly produced alt-indie, ‘Recognise’ is a perfect refresher on their talent and vocal beauty. [4/5]

Antony Szmierek – ‘Marry Me Angie’: Manchester’s Antony Szmierek has been quietly climbing to the top as a key one to watch, gathering up a cult of fans. ‘Marry Me Angie’ provides a perfect entry to get involved as his poetic storytelling lyrics float over a busy, Madchester-inspired instrumental. [4/5]

The Murder Capital – ‘The Fall’: If Fontaines D.C’s new album wasn’t quite heavy enough, tune into The Murder Capital, Dublin’s finest post-punks. This new track, released ahead of their third album, Blindness, next month, is one of their best yet. [4/5]

Martin Luke Brown – ‘To Be A Man’: It feels like Martin Luke Brown has been building up to this song for a while. His debut album touched on the topic of masculinity and male friendships, but ‘To Be A Man’ goes all in as Brown deals with the male loneliness epidemic and men’s mental health with such poetic ease. [4.5/5]

Ideal Living – ‘Come To Me’: With eight members at play, Brighton’s Ideal Living have a lot of hands there to create an impressive sound. But all eight play with such consideration that the result is an expertly textures and tense track in which Billy Marsh’s spoken word voice leads the way through the musical opus like a gothic Baxter Dury. [4/5]

Independent Spirit – The best unsigned release of the week

Courtney Askey – ‘Ghost Writer’: Leicester’s Courtney Askey has a lot of plates spinning. As well as being a multi-media artist, a curator and a writer, she’s a musician too, pouring the best of all those various feats into her lyrics. ‘Ghost Writer’ especially leans into the latter as it feels exactly like a sung poem dealing with the topic of being a writer, being a muse and being a person in love and heartache amidst both. [4/5]

Off The Beaten Track – Left-field sounds

Bronze, Silver & Brass – ‘Renard’s Groove’: A fantastically smooth and soulful offering from the Helsinki brass ensemble, evoking a 1970s funk b-movie soundtrack in all the best ways. Released via Timmion Records, the track pushes the limits of what can be achieved with a brass band and, with only two releases under their belt thus far, ‘Renard’s Groove’ marks Bronze, Silver, and Brass as ones to watch for the coming year. [4.5/5]

Rosa Brunello – ‘Uno Punto Uno’: Released in collaboration with London’s Women In Jazz project, the Italian bassist and composer invited listeners onto a journey through the unknown. This suspenseful, enchanting track occasionally lures the listener in with a sense of familiarity before diverting into something entirely new and always compelling. [4/5]

La Boa – ‘Ale’: The first song to be released from an upcoming record honouring the life and work of the late Afrobeat icon Tony Allen, ‘Ale’ sets a high standard for the full release. La Boa use the basis of Allen’s drum tracks to explore their own vision and interpretation of the Afrobeat traditions influenced by their homeland of Colombia. [4/5]

Clothing – ‘La Muerte En Realidad No Existe’: Clothing unleash a darkly brooding odyssey which lands somewhere between goth-jazz and late period Scott Walker. Fostering an intriguing, if often uneasy atmosphere, the Mexico City outfit immediately set the tone for their upcoming debut of the same name. [3.5/5]

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