Nicole Alexis
Mirrors & Smoke
Independent (2026)
There’s a fine line between stripped down music and so stripped back that is sounds empty. On Mirrors and Smoke, Nicole Alexis lands comfortably on the right side of that line, delivering a debut EP that leans into simplicity without losing its emotional weight. Built around acoustic arrangements and minimal production, the EP feels intentionally close. It feels like these songs written for a room rather than a stage. That intimacy works in Nicole Alexis’ favor, especially given her background in performing looped, stripped-down covers. Here, that same approach is turned inward, focusing on her own experiences and voice. Tracks like “Don’t Tell Me To Breathe” and “Just A Friend” highlight her strength as a songwriter. The melodies are clean and immediate, drawing from the same lineage as Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eat World, while maintaining a modern, more self produced edge. There’s a clarity to the songwriting that’s emotionally direct, but not overly polished. This makes the material feel grounded and real rather than overly dramatic. “Runner,” particularly in its acoustic form, captures the EP’s core identity. It’s restrained but not passive, allowing space for the vocal performance to carry the weight. Nicole Alexis doesn’t overreach vocally, but keeps … Read more
The Remote Controls
Too Tough
Fail Harmonic Records, Mom’s Basement Records (2025)
There’s a certain kind of punk band that doesn’t overthink things. No reinvention, no genre-bending manifesto, just fast songs, big … Read more
Sahan Jayasuriya
Don’t Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen
Feral House (2026)
For those of us who spent the mid-to-late 1980s navigating basement community halls, churches, and loveable, armpit-smelling dive bars, the … Read more
Sewer Urchin
Global Urination
Independent (2025)
There’s a fine line between crossover thrash that feels dangerous and crossover thrash that just feels like a party. Global … Read more
