CURIOUS
FOR MUSIC.

The Great Escape’s reputation as a proving ground for the next wave of underground talent feels especially alive at the Secret Comedy Club this year, where Planetary Group and Impressive PR return for a third consecutive takeover that’s quietly become one of Brighton’s most essential Alternative Escape destinations. Far from a throwaway fringe event, the all-day showcase has built cult status through carefully curated lineups, sweatbox intimacy and the kind of industry buzz t

Avant-electro’s most uncompromising outfit is stepping into uncharted territory. Energy Whores are back, but the political fire and dancefloor tension they are known for have taken a deliberate, inward turn. Their latest single, ‘Fade to Gray’, doesn’t so much announce itself as materialise, emerging from a haze of pulsing electronic rhythms and layered synths. The release marks a major milestone for the New York project: the official transition from duo to trio. Grant NYC ha

Rising singer-songwriter Clarity Liao is back with her third solo single, “Love You More,” a tender and emotionally rich release that marks a sophisticated new chapter in her artistry. Blending polished pop with subtle R&B textures, the track captures the quiet intensity of unrequited love and the weight of words left unsaid. Having written songs since the age of seven, Liao is no stranger to the spotlight. Before her solo emergence, she served as the principal songwriter f

Indie electronic/post-punk duo, Vague Notion, hailing from British Columbia, Canada return with their new six-track EP Glow. Known for their signature cinematic sound, blending electronic production with guitar-driven arrangements, the duo have built a reputation for creating immersive listening experiences. On Glow, they continue that approach, delivering a project that feels both seamless and wide-ranging. From the opening track, ‘Visceral Reaction’, the EP immediately esta

For an artist whose career has been defined by reinvention, Peter Manning Robinson’s latest single feels strikingly intimate. “Bent Out of Shape,” the second release from his forthcoming neo-classical album Excursions, trades grandiosity for emotional immediacy, unfolding as a buoyant yet quietly complicated piano composition born from personal struggle and collective exhaustion. Robinson has described the piece as a response to difficult months in both his personal life and

For emerging and mid-career artists alike, The Great Escape remains one of the most strategically important festivals on the global circuit—and New Zealand’s 2026 Focus Country status amplifies that significance dramatically. Artists such as Jude Kelly and Muroki exemplify the dual nature of modern Kiwi artistry: deeply local in inspiration yet structurally built for international audiences. Whether through folk-tinged storytelling or sun-soaked groove-driven pop, both artist

The Songs of Butler & Cupples are quickly establishing themselves as one of the most intriguing songwriting-driven projects emerging right now, and their new single ‘What Use Is Peace Without Freedom’ only strengthens that reputation. Following the impact of ‘Bad Habits’, the duo return with a sound that is more refined, more intentional, and arguably more powerful. The track leans into an infectious electronic-pop style, combining shimmering synths with a rhythmic bounce tha

Katie Dauson’s “Go Go Go” arrives with a clear aesthetic intent: to reconstruct 1960s garage rock through a contemporary indie lens. The result is a track that is cohesive in vision, if occasionally uneven in execution, particularly in its balancing of rawness and structure. The production leans heavily into texture — gritty guitar tones, slightly recessed vocals, and a rhythm section that prioritises feel over precision. At its best, this creates a compelling sense of immedi

Alex Kilroy’s “Break My Chains” arrives with the kind of conviction that can’t be manufactured. Rooted in blues-rock tradition but shaped by a deeply personal journey, the track feels like both an introduction and a declaration, one that positions Kilroy as a compelling new voice carrying the genre forward without losing sight of its roots. Drawing clear inspiration from Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Doors, Kilroy blends smoky blues guitar lines with psychedelic flourishes and d

jqime’s “talk to me” doesn’t aim for resolution so much as reflection. Filtering a familiar adolescent narrative through three distinct viewpoints, the band lean into dissonance and ambiguity, allowing contradiction to sit at the centre of the track. It’s a song defined as much by its silences and gaps as its hooks — bright synth lines and restless guitar work that never quite settle. Ahead of the release, we caught up with jqime to talk about perspective, restraint, and why

There’s something undeniably compelling about an artist who wears their heart on their sleeve, and with Let’s Try Again, Will Foulke delivers a collection that does exactly that. The album is a deeply personal exploration of love, loss, and the courage it takes to begin again. From the very first track, listeners are drawn into Foulke’s world, a space defined by honest lyricism and rich musical textures. His ability to translate complex emotions into relatable narratives is o

We speak with A Is For Atom whose latest record was shaped as much by life’s biggest beginnings as its quiet reckonings. Written during a period marked by profound personal change, the album moves between light and shadow, holding hope, uncertainty, and reflection in the same breath. Across walking-driven writing sessions in Brooklyn and Milan, and a collaborative recording process spanning cities and musicians, the project emerges as something both grounded and searching. We