Essential new singles also featuring Why Horses? collaborating with Spirited Followers, Baby Cool, Brown Horse and paper hats.

Truthpaste – ‘Bus Song’

Truthpaste fans received an early easter gift this week with the release of live favourite ‘Bus Song’, a track that marries the delicate indie folk sentimentality of their first two singles with the bright, colourful idiosyncrasies of their live show. A collaborative release between label day-ones Memorials of Distinction and Dirty Hit – aka The Big Leagues (home to The Japanese House, beabadoobee and Rina Sawayama to name a few) – ‘Bus Song’ is a plaintive, heartfelt duet lightened with drum machine frills and maximalist folk textures. Deemed the band’s “emo rock song” by lead vocalist Esmé Lark, the new single is further proof that Truthpaste are riding that figurative bus in a lane completely of their own, with the sun beating down on a wide-open road ahead. (Hazel Blacher)

Natalie Wildgoose – ‘River Days’

As spring blossoms and winter fades, the tranquil melodies of lo-fi folk singer Natalie Wildgoose reflect on the seasonal transitions around us on new single ‘River Days’, which centres on a pensive and bittersweet summer’s day. The soft and tender guitar notes, which slightly recall Labi Siffre, are blissfully accompanied by Wildgoose’s raw vocals, recalling memories of sun-soaked days that never seem to end. Forming part of her upcoming EP ‘Rural Hours’, set to arrive in April via state51, ‘River Days’ abounds with the earthy richness and velvety vocals that have become integral to Wildgoose’s music. As spring takes shape and winter disperses, ‘River Days’ reminds listeners that summer is on the horizon, and though new memories will slowly erode the old, their soft traces never truly fade. (Mew Meejul)

Why Horses? and Spirited Followers – ‘Ground / Jain Song’

This week, two of Cardiff’s most exciting new bands, Why Horses? and Spirited Followers, shared a collaborative double-single which brilliantly synthesises their different strengths. ‘Ground’ stretches languidly with long tones drawing out each chord shift as gentle vocals arc over the top. Of the two, this feels more representative of Spirited Followers’ folk leanings, but the hard edges and post-rock conclusion speaks of what Why Horses? add to this approach. Beyond their specific band identities, the hum of ten musicians is what really enlivens this song, particularly potent as the mandolin riff on which the song’s middle section pivots is slowly joined by more and more elements, building towards an epic conclusion. ‘Jain Song’ then picks up the theme in a manner more typical of dry candour of Why Horses? as lyrics ambiguously explore a relationship between Christian worship of ‘the father’ and Jain worship of ‘the ground’. As a tropical bass riff courses its way beneath a more angular arrangement, this combination of groove and pagan ceremony feels reminiscent of the heady days of Fake Turins and early Opus Kink, or perhaps the more recent incantations of The New Eves. Then, as the music reaches a simmering lull, overlapping vocals unpick the stridence of the lyrics before dissolving into a forceful conclusion. Recorded in a continuous sitting, this exciting collaboration speaks of two acts confident in their artistic identity and capable of synthesising that ability with mutual inspiration. As such, this release seamlessly pools the best of both groups’ talents into two original and exciting tracks. (Lloyd Bolton)

Baby Cool – ‘Everything’

Brisbane-based cosmonaut Baby Cool – the moniker of Grace Cuel, also of Nice Biscuit – has returned with another slice of cosmic bliss ‘Everything’, serving as the perfect soundtrack for these languid, sun-soaked spring days. Recalling the jangled, psychedelic hippy freakout of San Francisco legends Jefferson Airplane or modern day contemporaries Babe Rainbow, Cuel’s honeyed vocals croon over this vitamin-D loaded, nostalgic delight. Lulling the listener into a state of resplendent reverie, ‘Everything’ unfolds as if traversing through a fantastical enchanted garden, replete with peculiar flora and mystical creatures. Alongside the much-welcomed new single, Baby Cool have announced the follow up record to 2023 debut ‘Earthling On The Road To Self Love’ – ‘Infinity Baby’ is set for release on the 5th June via London legends Bad Vibrations. (Brad Sked)

Brown Horse – ‘Wreck’

Rife with anguish and heartfelt revelations, country-rock outfit Brown Horse return with their new single, ‘Wreck’, via Loose Music. Delving into a relationship on the verge of disintegration, the Norwich-based 5-piece deliver a track suffused with heartache, desperation and strife. The song opens with Nyle Hoihan’s distorted guitar and crisp, grungy riff, building toward Patrick Turner’s anguished admission: “you’re not asking how I feel.” Channelling the country attitude of artists like Uncle Tupelo, Brown Horse injects a grittier alt-rock edge with sustained electric string bends and sharp high-hats, crafting an expansive yet intimate atmosphere. Lyrics such as “I know you never like leaving, but it sure beats falling apart,” coupled with Turner’s pain-inflicted vocals, capture the indelible desolation of letting go. As the instrumentation unfurls towards the track’s conclusion, the band lays bare its torment, inviting listeners to share in their mourning. ‘Wreck’ offers a poignant glimpse of what’s to come ahead of their upcoming album ‘Total Dive’, set for release on 10^th April. (Grace Palmer)

paper hats – ‘Tether’

With an unsteady 5/4 rhythm, paper hats’ ‘Tether’ drifts in with the menace of the alarm ringing in your dream: ‘don’t wake up too late!’ The London-based post-hardcore devotees are back and this single is taken from their upcoming debut EP, which is out this May. The song opens on a languid expanse which captures the band’s penchant for jackknife arpeggios and unconventional time signatures, before a sharp rhythmic break sears through the tension. These moments flash the teeth of the song, but still it oozes along. Then, slowly, the whole thing coalesces into a looming mass of pounding chords for an indelible finale, out of which lyrical snatches and overdriven guitar make their shrieking escape. Ahead of their debut EP, paper hats show off their knack for tension, tonal clash and rhythmic unpredictability. (Lloyd Bolton)