Our favourite singles this week, also including The Cindys, Lowly, Gnod and Beans.

Westside Cowboy – ‘Dobro’

Expertly balancing a highly endearing indie-rock emotional sensitivity with an arena sized songwriting prowess that is literally impossible to hate, Westside Cowboy aren’t just taking the band world by storm, they are – at a time when mainstream music can feel increasingly disconnected from its audience – enlightening many that this ‘band world’ was even there in the first place. Serving as the final preview from the Manchester quartet’s highly anticipated debut album ‘It Goes On’, due on the 21st August via Island Records, their latest single ‘Dobro’ is a warm hug of gentle slacker-rock comforts, anthemic choruses melting into gliding instrumentals with the ease and maturity of a rock’n’roll sage. Westside Cowboy explain: “This is our strut song, over 2 minutes in length but just under 3. A song for perhaps a younger self? For that moment of waiting and isolation in the hopes of a return. Or it could just be a song about a weird guitar. Who knows!” (Hazel Blacher)

Hana Stretton – ‘From’

Hana Stretton returns with her newest single ‘From’, capturing her signature sound, bathed in tranquillity and pastoral imagery. The track opens with a heavenly chorus of vocals that flows into the harmonious melody of the surrounding storm. ‘From’ conjures an atmospheric haze that drifts in and out of focus, enhanced by the combination of the piano’s soft action noise and plucked strings. Inspired by watching a rainstorm from her open window, this track captures both a childlike sense of wonder and deep meditative reconciliation as her voice blends with the wind. ‘From’ is the fifth release from Hana Stretton’s upcoming album ‘tiarn’, set for release on 7^th August. (Grace Palmer)

The Cindys – ‘Glass Shattered’

Irresistibly restless and radiating with their signature indie-pop sensibility, Bristol-based outfit The Cindys return with their new single, ‘Glass Shattered’. Featuring chiming, staccato guitar riffs and dynamic drum fills, the track is lively, propulsive and undeniably catchy. Revolving around the call-and-response vocals of Naima Bock and Jack Ogbourne, the verses conjure warm harmonies that unfurl as the track drives towards a chorus full of expansive, energetic instrumentation. Caught in the windswept life on tour, ‘Glass Shattered’ is imbued with the unbridled joy of performing and the disquiet that lingers with time on the road. Ogbourne’s lyricism embraces this high-octane haziness, with phrases like “it burns my face when you turn the light on” and “played until the heat cools off”. Despite the fleeting memories that the track recounts, ‘Glass Shattered’ leaves a lasting impression. The Cindys are set to showcase their infectious melodies at Green Man and End of the Road Festival in the coming month. (Grace Palmer)

Lowly – ‘Softy’

Through an intoxicating, redolent mist, Lowly plunge themselves into the lushest melodic reaches on stunning new single ‘Softly’. Revelling in the kind of indie dream-pop musings that dance across your skin like the gentle, invigorating brush of the wind, the Danish quintet continue to expand and mature their sound, and this track marks yet another exciting evolution almost 10 years following their gorgeous debut offering ‘Heba’. ‘Softy’ teases the release of their dually named fourth record, due on 30th October via Bella Union. Commenting on the new single, the band explain: “Softy is an ode to our emotional core; how we build and train our emotions like any other muscle in our body; that our emotional muscles easily weaken and strengthen with our outward actions.” (Hazel Blacher)

Gnod – ‘The Witness’

Rocket Recordings’ maniacal Mancunian racket Gnod are back with ‘The Witness’, taken from their forthcoming album ‘Chronicles Of Gnowt (Vol 2)’, due for release on 9th October. ‘The Witness’ is a near-9 minute titan that begins with a motorik groove, enveloped in a serrated chainsaw of a riff, pummelling the listener into a pulpy fleshy blend whilst seesawing between sludgy industrial and disheveled art-rock. The song’s second act builds into a cacophonic assault, a rocket launching deep into the stratosphere that morphs into a Les Rallizes Dénudés-meets-Bo Ningen type psychedelic bedlam, hurling one back into a freefall and searing through the Earth’s crust like a fire-filled meteor. (Brad Sked)

Beans – ‘Remember’

Beans (the band, that is, not the incredibly versatile and nutritious food that is best enjoyed own brand and on toast) have shared their latest mellowed-out offering ‘Remember’. Here the Geelong and Melbourne based outfit, fronted by Matt Blach (who also carries out vital drumming duties for The Murlocs), carve out some balmy, breezy sonic bliss perfect for summery beach days. Coalescing jangley psychy-pop and surf licks, ‘Remember’ is a sun-drenched splendour, tied together by Blach’s honeyed croon that evokes the likes of Mac DeMarco or Cut Worms. With fourth studio album ‘Less Louder’ set for release September 11th via Fuzz Club, it’s looking like we’ll be feasting on lots of Beans goodness this autumn. (Brad Sked)