For anyone that's seen the Santa Cruz hardcore frebrands live, there's no mistaking that fact. DRAIN isn't just a good time as Sammy presides over the chaos of stage diving bodies and mic-grabbing frontline; it's a party--and everyone is invited. (Dolphin shorts and boogie boards are optional but encouraged.) "The vibe of it is, enthusiastic, hectic," says the vocalist. "Five people deep singing and stagediving, then kids going berserk behind that. It's a great vibe and I think people pick up on that."

That, in a nutshell is DRAIN. The trio inject a serious dose of relatability-- not to mention catchiness--into hardcore's penchant for toughness and brutality on their new Epitaph album, '...IS YOUR FRIEND'. Ciaramitaro's desperate, snotty howl rides roughshod over thrash- leaning riffage as rhythms bounce in a big way. If you're picturing the Pacifc Ocean waves that rise and fall along the coastal town, occasionally violently so, you're not far off.

TRACK LISTING

1. Stealing Happiness From Tomorrow
2. Living In A Memory
3. Scared Of Everything And Nothing
4. Nothing But Love
5. Can't Be Bothered
6. Loudest In The Room
7. Nights Like These
8. Who's Having Fun?
9. Darkest Days
10. Until Next Time...

Speedy Wunderground, the revered London-based indie label headed up by producer Dan Carey alongside Alexis Smith and Pierre Hall, reaches 10 years old in 2023. The fast-moving, ever-evolving creative force that is Speedy has seen numerous professional accolades and personal triumphs over that time, always acting on intuition and their own terms.

Fresh from announcing a series of events and releases in celebration of their anniversary year (including a 10-disc ‘dubs’ box set, huge Village Underground party in September), the release of the critically acclaimed debut-EP from South-London auteur Heartworms and a triumphant first trip to SXSW – the label now pulls focus back to what it originally became famous for – it’s iconic single series.

Next in line to join the prestigious SW alumni are DIY stalwarts Tummyache, the brainchild of prolific producer / singer songwriter Soren Bryce. The project started in 2018 after Bryce decided to switch gears from a solo career to a more band focused project. Their first EP "Humpday" which was released in 2019 was recorded in between Nashville and New York in a DIY fashion, and "SOAK" the debut album that came out in 2022 was produced and engineered by Bryce in her parent's backyard shed with some remote help from friends on bass and drums.

‘We’ve been fans for a while’ says Speedy co-runner Pierre Hall – after being introduced to their music via fellow Speedy signings Honeyglaze. ‘We loved it immediately and aside from her obvious talent Soren’s whole ethos really seemed to fit in with ours.’

The resulting track ‘Circling the Drain’ is a melodic, assured statement of real beauty – channelling early PJ Harvey, The Bends-era Radiohead as well as Kristen Hersh and Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker. ‘It definitely feels different to anything we’ve put out on the single series previously’ continues Hall, ‘but in a good way – I feel like it occupies the same space of bits we’ve done outside of it – like Honeyglaze – or something from the Tiña album. It’s refreshing.’

As for the song / recording process itself Bryce says – ‘I wrote Circling the Drain as a very tongue-in-cheek response to male music critics reviews of my album and shows, however the end is a more inward reflection on how to accept critique and fight negativity with acceptance and love, and more self-assuredness. I'm incredibly grateful for the chance to have worked with Speedy and help bring this tune to life, which we tracked live and got in the second take. I think what's special about the way Dan works is he doesn't hyper-fixate, and you as a player start to let go of the little details and just put your energy into it. I find it difficult to be on the other side of the mixing desk, but I trust Dan wholeheartedly after this experience, for sure.’

On the 10th anniversary of their first ever single (The Last of the Melting Snow), The Leisure Society release a new single entitled God Has Taken a Vacation, along with news of their fifth album, Arrivals & Departures. Speaking of the release of the new single, their highly-lauded songwriter Nick Hemming said: "I started writing the song about my break up, but world events started finding their way in too. Division, borders, a loss of hope. There were a lot of shared themes!” During the promotion of the band’s previous LP, The Fine Art of Hanging On, Nick and their flautist Helen Whitaker went through a long process of separation, ultimately resulting in Nick moving out of their Brighton home. This displacement set the tone for the next 18 months, as Nick moved from one temporary accommodation to the next, writing and recording demos constantly as he came to terms with the break up - which would eventually become the foundation of their upcoming fifth full length album, Arrivals & Departures.

TRACK LISTING

Disc 1
Arrivals & Departures
A Bird A Bee Humanity
God Has Taken A Vacation
I’ll Pay For It Now
Overheard
Let Me Bring You Down
Be You Wherever
Arundel Tomb

Disc 2
Don’t Want To Do It Again
Mistakes On The Field (Part I)
Mistakes On The Field (Part II)
Leave Me To Sleep
Beat Of A Drum
There Are No Rules Around Here
You’ve Got The Universe
Ways To Be Saved

A totally aggressive blast that hits you like a coiled spring as Karl, Erick and Bulldog, formerly of Earth Crisis bring you "As The Last Light Drains" in their new incarnation as Freya. This is pulverizing heavy hardcore that mixes brutal guitar lines with vicious but accessible vocals.