Emerging from the industrial fringes of North East England, Hartlepool trio Machiner deliver a stunning debut with ‘Motion Waves’. Released via Butterfly Effect Records, the album perfectly captures t…
Album Reviews
Review: Jacob Egglestone ‘Tree and Estuary’ Single
Best known as the guitarist in Newcastle jazz collective SwanNek, Jacob Egglestone has recently turned his attention towards a solo project exploring the relationship between music and place. Raised i…
Review: Rosie Larada ‘Better Off’ Single
Opening with a choral, harmonising soundscape reminiscent of Fleet Foxes, the debut single from local artist (and former The Redroom frontwoman) Rosie Larada begins with the kind of majesty that local…
Review: Matt Fairley ‘Strangers’ Single
North East singer-songwriter Matt Fairley returns with ‘Strangers’, a melodic, acoustic-driven track reflecting on the quiet fallout of lost friendships. As the title track from his forthc…
Review: Glad Town Ghost ‘Exam Papers’ Single
Teessider Glad Town Ghost’s most recent release, ‘Exam Papers’, is a hauntingly beautiful exercise in contrast, skilfully balancing the weight of trauma with moments of gentle sonic warmth…
Review: Fletcher Band ‘Leave a Scar’ Single
Creative young Teessider Jacob Fletcher began as a solo artist in late 2025 with the percussive support of session drummer David Miller. Eventually, bassist Jake Sibley and lead guitarist Ollie Coulte…
Review: Smith & Liddle – ‘You’re Mine Tonight’ Single
Sometimes the universe simply delivers. A song finds its place at exactly the right moment and in exactly the right setting. For North East country-rock duo Smith & Liddle, that moment arrived whi…
Review: MARQelectronica: ‘Ether’ Single
MARQelectronica (aka Mark Dickinson) is a one-man electronic music artist based in the North East. He previously performed as lead vocalist for synth-rock band Sapien Trace. MARQelectronica’s emotive,…
Review: Friction Tape ‘Forwards’ EP
In an era dominated by slick, algorithmic playlist bait, Leeds-based project Friction Tape arrives like a sharp shock to the nervous system. The EP ‘Forwards’ uses the minimalist, jagged a…
Review: Cane Rouge ‘Live At Little Buildings’ EP
I’m poised and ready to scrutinise the latest offering from alt-rock trio Cane Rouge: a seven-track EP titled ‘Live At Little Buildings’, recorded at a music venue in their hometown of New…