Thanks for joining us for Beat The Delete #0193, the very first one of the year, so let me take this opportunity to wish you a Very Happy New Year…let’s hope that you continue to find many new favourites via this weekly article throughout 2023.

Kevin Robertson

Track: Autumn Brings From: Autumn Brings (single) Label: Self Released Out:

This is the first single from the new, as yet unnamed album that our Aberdeen-based psyche-pop jangle-meister is working on. The album should be out somewhere in the early British spring on the Futureman Records and Subjangle labels.

Side Hug

Track: Level-Headed From: Level-Headed (single) Label: Self Released Out: Now

With Phil Sutton or Lloyd Cole’s rich vocal croons married to the dynamic, melodic jangled riffs of The Buttertones‘ vibe, this Chicago-based foursome are all jangle-pop sophistication.

The Crushed

Track: Dream From: Experience (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

The Crushed is the recording project of Los Angeles-based Steven A. McCall Jr., and hopefully this track is indicative of the sort of subdued, jangly college rock that will adorn an ambitious project of releasing nine singles this year.

The Hepburns

Track: Who Cares From: Who Cares (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

With this manna from pop heaven, the Welsh sophisti-poppers The Hepburns gently raise one finger to the futility of the music business while simultaneously providing a dose of glorious winter sunshine. 

Appleseeds!

Track: Hungry Mouth From: æblefrø (album) Label: Too Good To Be True Out: Now

Taken directly from their Bandcamp page “hungry mouth is the 2nd single from our forthcoming album æblefrø. We are very excited to announce that the album will be released by the French label Too Good To Be True, in the beginning of 2023″

Probably the most eagerly anticipated album on my ‘eagerly awaited albums list” at present

Secret Postcards

Track: Never Dreaming From: Never Dreaming / Sweet Melody (single) Label: Make Me Happy Records Out: Now

There are two wonderful tracks on this single by Greece’s finest indie-pop act. Dripping in C86 and the jangly fragility of so many Sarah Records acts, this will appeal to all those who feel that the jangly indie-pop of the late 80s and early 90s can never be surpassed.

Linebeck

Track: karoshi (Over a Dream) From: karoshi (Over a Dream) (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

This Hamilton, Ontario,-based quartet belts out the best track that Alvvays never scribed and adds the slightest of gaze inflections to steer it in an altogether more beautiful direction.

Darksoft

Track: Only Time Will Tell From: Beigeification (Album) Label: Self released Out: Album out 13.01.23

After well over 2 years since the brilliance of his Meltdown album of Oct 2020, this dreamy pop rock inspired act is back with another album that hints at all manner of quality if this lead single is indicative.

Ham By The Pound

Track: Moonshower From: Moonshower (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

Resting somewhere between Jesse D’Kora style jangly commerciality, the dreamy lusciousness of Community Swimming Pool and the darkness of post-punk intensity, this foursome sound like DIIV or RGV failing to oppress their pretty side.

Lemon Pitch

Track: California Commando From: Threat of Weather (album) Label: Repeating Cloud Out: Album out 24 February 2022

Once described in the superb Spectral Nights zine as “coming across like The Beatles with a grungey makeover,”  we are perhaps just a glorious fuzz-pop / Guided By Voices reference away from the perfect definition for this Portland based act.

Tucker Bingo

Track: Dirty Money From: Bingo Bango Boingo (album) Label: Self released Out: Now

Farfisa organ meets jangly guitars and a fuzz-pop persuasion, reminiscent of the Parker Longbough/Mo Troper sound. an album in which you can fully immerse yourself.

The Lost Tapes

Track: Beth Comes Around From: Roominating (album) Label: Self released Out: EP out 27.01.22

Lifted directly from his Spotify artist bio “The Lost Tapes is the brainchild of former Apache Sun songwriter Kris Mitchell. Creating murky soundscapes for you all to explore it is a glimpse into the fuzz infused loner grooves of his imagination”…add to this a propensity to drift the most beautiful of languid, jangled riffs through his sound and the wait for his latest album cannot come soon enough!

Paradise Blossom

Track: Wherever You Are From: Wherever You Are (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

Taking their rightful place at the table of dreamy jangle-gaze greats such as The BV’s and Atmos Bloom, this Fresno, California based duo shows that the brilliance of their debut, Sunset Getaway, was not a “fluke” with the absolute quality of this, their first single since that release.

Tropica

Track: Deva From: Deva (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

This dense and dank motorik indie act from Wuppertal, Germany, should tick every box for fans of the Lurve/Aluminum post-punk meets jangle-pop crossover sound. 

 

Plastic Zebra

Track: Lilac Kisses From: Lilac Kisses (single) Label: Self released Out: Now

Dense guitar-pop indie rock with unexpected synth-wave passages that cut through the slightly gaze-laden ethereal. This Kiel, Germany-based act are masters at layering aural textures.

Kane & James

Track: Forever From: Kane & James (album) Label: Good Eye Records Out: Now

Picked, jangly guitars offering every last drop of autumn sunshine for the most slacker of moments, this track could accompany every moment of relaxation.