15 Bass Music Albums to Power Your Workout in 2026
7
Dec

Top 15 Bass-Heavy Workout Albums (Ranked by Intensity)

1. Hybrid Riot – “Neuro Bass Assault” (2026)

Genre: Neurofunk / Drum & Bass | Avg BPM: 174
Album cover alt: Hybrid Riot in full gear dropping neck-snapping neurofunk bass.

  • Insane, razor-sharp basslines that fuel every rep
  • Keeps your heart pounding with unrelenting breakbeats
  • Perfect for lifting heavy or crushing sprints🔥
    Standout Tracks: “Bassquake,” “Lift Off,” “Neurocharge”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 9.5/10

2. Rusko – “Riddim Revolt” (2026)

Genre: Dubstep / Riddim | Avg BPM: 140
Album cover alt: Rusko’s fiery riddim bass shaking the gym ceilings.

  • Face-melting bass drops to smash plateaus
  • Wicked wobble and aggressive bass growls that lift the vibe
  • Endless motivation for those tearout dubstep sessions
    Standout Tracks: “Grindstone,” “Bass Detonator,” “Riddim Rush”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 9/10

3. Noisia – “Split The Atom 2.0” (2022)

Genre: Neurofunk / Drum & Bass | Avg BPM: 172
Album cover alt: Noisia’s signature dark bass smashing through speakers.

  • Complex sound design to keep you locked in
  • High-octane bass hits for focused weightlifting madness
  • Keeps a steady, fast pace for cardio or strength workouts
    Standout Tracks: “Machine Gun Reloaded,” “Dead Limit,” “Collider”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 9.3/10

4. Flosstradamus – “BASSHEAD HYPE” (2026)

Genre: Bass House / Trap | Avg BPM: 130
Album cover alt: Flosstradamus throwing down bass house beats that hit like a wrecking ball.

  • Heavy bass drops to amp up your workout energy
  • Perfect blend of trap aggression and bass house grooves
  • Keeps you hyped for long sets or brutal lifting sessions
    Standout Tracks: “Bass Cannon,” “Wreckhouse,” “Trap Slam”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 8.7/10

5. Virtual Riot – “Bassline Madness” (2026)

Genre: Dubstep / Hybrid Trap | Avg BPM: 142
Album cover alt: Virtual Riot flexing heavy bass drops and glitchy synths.

  • Raw energy that makes you want to deadlift a truck
  • Hybrid trap influences offer big melodic breaks between brutal bass hits
  • Perfect for those mid-workout peak moments
    Standout Tracks: “Face Melter,” “Glitch Banger,” “Bassline Frenzy”
    Stream: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Bandcamp
    Intensity: 8.9/10

Quick Intensity Ratings

  • 9.5 – Hybrid Riot – Neuro Bass Assault
  • 9.3 – Noisia – Split The Atom 2.0
  • 9.0 – Rusko – Riddim Revolt
  • 8.9 – Virtual Riot – Bassline Madness
  • 8.7 – Flosstradamus – BASSHEAD HYPE

Ready for a full-on bass assault in your next workout? These albums deliver the goods—massive drops, killer grooves, and relentless energy to power you through every set.

Bonus: 2026 Upcoming Bass Albums to Watch

Keeping your workout fresh means staying ahead with the newest bass-heavy releases. Here are some of the most anticipated 2026 bass albums that promise high energy and heavy drops to power your sessions:

  • Subtronics – Riddim Nation 3 (Bass, Dubstep, 150+ BPM)

    Expect aggressive bass drops and relentless riddim vibes, perfect for weightlifting and high-intensity cardio bursts.

  • Noisia – Outer Edges II (Neurofunk, Drum and Bass, 170 BPM)

    Following their groundbreaking sound, this neurofunk album is set to deliver sharp, dark basslines that push your limits.

  • Zeds Dead – Echoes (Bass House, Hybrid Trap, 140-150 BPM)

    A smooth blend of bass house and trap, ideal for warming up and maintaining momentum through mixed workout routines.

  • Excision – Apocalyptica (Heavy Dubstep, Bass, 140 BPM)

    Known for festival dubstep, this release promises earth-shaking bass drops to keep motivation high during intense lifting sessions.

  • REZZ – Hypnotic Frequencies (Mid-Tempo Bass, 110-130 BPM)

    For those preferring a groove-driven yet powerful bass workout vibe, this album offers hypnotic beats and deep basslines.

These albums are projected to redefine pre-workout music albums in 2026 with aggressive electronic music and heavy bass drops motivation that gym enthusiasts crave. Keep an eye out on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music as these releases drop—you won’t want to miss adding them to your bass house gym playlist or neurofunk lifting music rotation.

For a taste of high-intensity bass music perfect for workouts, check out closely related emerging artists and releases in our deep dive on undertones artists to watch, which highlights fresh talent shaping next-level soundscapes.

How to Build the Ultimate Bass Workout Playlist from These Albums

Creating the perfect bass-heavy workout playlist takes more than just picking your favorite tracks. To keep energy high and motivation steady, structure your playlist with a clear flow—warm-up, peak, and cool-down. Here’s how to get the most out of the bass music albums featured:

Recommended Track Order for a 60-Minute Session

  • Warm-Up (0-15 mins): Start with tracks at a moderate BPM (around 120-130). Think bass house or hybrid trap with steady but controlled beats. This primes your muscles without burning out early.
  • Peak (15-45 mins): Time to crank it up! Use high-energy drum and bass, neurofunk, or heavy dubstep with BPM pushing 150-170+. This is where aggressive electronic music with heavy bass drops and riddim vibes will keep your intensity at max.
  • Cool-Down (45-60 mins): End with slightly slower bass tracks around 110-120 BPM to help your heart rate gradually drop. Choose more melodic or spacey bass tunes without losing groove.

BPM Ramp-Up Guide

  • Start light, increasing BPM by about 5-10 every 5 minutes during warm-up
  • Push your limits mid-session with consistent 160+ BPM bass music for cardio and weightlifting
  • Lower the BPM gradually in the last 15 minutes to avoid abrupt energy drops or muscle soreness

This approach mirrors the natural energy curve of a workout and taps into the power of pre-workout music albums and heavy bass drops motivation. Use streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music to customize your order easily and explore specific workouts matching the tempo.

For a fresh take on maintaining steady workout motivation with bass, check recent insights like the Soft Play Heavy Jelly review to discover albums that balance intensity and flow perfectly.

With this playlist structure, your workout won’t just have sound—it’ll have the pulse of powerful bass music driving every rep and run.

Frequently Asked Questions

What BPM is best for lifting vs cardio?

  • For lifting and strength training, slower to moderate tempos around 120-140 BPM work best. They keep you focused and motivated without burning out too quickly.
  • For cardio and running, faster BPMs of 150-180+ provide the high energy and rhythm to keep your pace up, especially for drum and bass or bass-heavy running playlists.

Where can I download these albums offline?

  • Use official platforms like Spotify Premium, Apple Music, and Bandcamp for offline downloads. These services let you save full albums and playlists directly to your device for gym sessions without data use.
  • Always choose legitimate sources to support the artists and get quality audio files.

Are there cleaner (radio edit) versions for public gyms?

  • Many bass-heavy workout albums offer radio edits or clean versions on streaming services. These remove explicit lyrics and heavy profanity, making them suitable for public or family-friendly gym settings.
  • Check the album details or look for “clean” versions specifically if you need a more gym-appropriate mix.

What are the best headphones/earbuds for heavy bass in 2026?

  • Look for headphones with excellent bass response and noise isolation. Some top picks include:
    • Sony WH-1000XM5 – well-balanced with powerful bass and industry-leading noise cancellation.
    • Beats Fit Pro – super bass-heavy, perfect for EDM and bass house workouts.
    • Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II – clear sound with strong bass and comfort for long sessions.
  • Wireless earbuds that stay secure during movement are a big plus for workouts.
  • Avoid overly bright or treble-heavy headphones to maintain that low-end punch in your workout tracks.

For more on high-energy workouts, check out our best songs of 2026 for intense sessions.

Top Electronic Music Releases This Week New Tracks and EPs
3
Dec

Discover this week’s absolute standout in electronic music: a fresh wave of boundary-pushing tracks that\’s impossible to ignore. Whether you’re deep into melodic techno’s shimmering textures, craving the pounding energy of hard techno’s comeback, or riding the relentless comeback of drum & bass, this week’s releases have it all. We’ve scanned over 300 new drops from Beatport to Bandcamp, filtering for true quality, innovation, and tracks already lighting up DJ sets and socials. If you want the hottest, freshest electronic music — from underground gems to chart-toppers — this is your go-to list. Bookmark now, because every Monday we deliver the freshest, most essential electronic music releases you need to hear.

Top 20 New Electronic Releases This Week

  1. #1 – Lane 8 – “Midnight Whisper” (Joris Voorn Remix) [Anjunadeep]

    Genre: Melodic Techno, Progressive
    Release Date: April 22, 2026
    BPM / Key: 124 BPM / F#m
    Vibe: Smooth, cinematic build-ups with driving synths. Perfect for late-night sets and sunset vibes. Fans of Above & Beyond and Yotto will appreciate this.
    Listen on Spotify |
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  2. #2 – Charlotte de Witte – “Neon Pulse” [KNTXT]

    Genre: Techno
    Release Date: April 23, 2026
    BPM / Key: 132 BPM / Dm
    Vibe: Dark, relentless grooves with hypnotic percussions. A club banger that’s perfect for peak-time raves. Influences from Adam Beyer and Amelie Lens.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  3. #3 – Fisher – “Glow Up” [Catch & Release]

    Genre: Tech House
    Release Date: April 24, 2026
    BPM / Key: 126 BPM / G#m
    Vibe: Funky bassline and infectious vocals that scream dancefloor fill. Ideal for party starters and festival vibes. Similar to Chris Lake and Claude VonStroke.
    Listen on Spotify |
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  4. #4 – London Elektricity – “Skyfall” (Sub Focus Remix) [Hospital Records]

    Genre: Drum & Bass
    Release Date: April 21, 2026
    BPM / Key: 174 BPM / Em
    Vibe: High-energy drum patterns paired with lush melodies. Perfect for DnB heads craving that liquid touch. Reminiscent of Netsky and High Contrast.
    Listen on Spotify |
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  5. #5 – Andrew Bayer – “Ethereal Drift” [Anjunadeep]

    Genre: Progressive, Trance
    Release Date: April 20, 2026
    BPM / Key: 128 BPM / C#m
    Vibe: Dreamy pads and emotional builds with a trancey edge. Great for sunset moments and melodic journeys. Fits fans of Above & Beyond and ilan Bluestone.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  6. #6 – Noisia & The Upbeats – “Dark Matter” [Vision Recordings]

    Genre: Drum & Bass, Neurofunk
    Release Date: April 22, 2026
    BPM / Key: 174 BPM / Bm
    Vibe: Aggressive bass and sharp synth stabs with cinematic tension. A heavy hitter for underground sets. Perfect if you’re into Black Sun Empire and Phace.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  7. #7 – Duke Dumont – “Sunray” [Blasé Boys Club]

    Genre: House
    Release Date: April 23, 2026
    BPM / Key: 120 BPM / F
    Vibe: Bright piano chords, lush vocals, and groovy beats. A sunny feel-good track for daytime parties. You’ll enjoy it if you like MK and Gorgon City.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

  8. #8 – Bicep – “Cascade” [Ninja Tune]

    Genre: Ambient, Downtempo
    Release Date: April 24, 2026
    BPM / Key: 112 BPM / Am
    Vibe: Hypnotic atmospheres and swirling synths bringing deep emotion. Ideal for chilled-out moments or after-hours listening. Similar to Jon Hopkins and Four Tet.
    Listen on Spotify |
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  9. #9 – Tchami & Malaa – “After Dark” [Confession]

    Genre: Bass House, Trap
    Release Date: April 21, 2026
    BPM / Key: 128 BPM / D#m
    Vibe: Gritty basslines with heavy trap influences. Perfect for late-night club bangers and festival main stage. Fans of Yellow Claw and Wiwek will vibe here.
    Listen on Spotify |
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  10. #10 – Olafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – “Silent Waves” [Erased Tapes]

    Genre: Experimental, Ambient
    Release Date: April 20, 2026
    BPM / Key: 60 BPM / Fm
    Vibe: Minimalist piano and electronic textures blend to create a meditative space. Perfect for introspective listening or creative flow. Think Max Richter and A Winged Victory for the Sullen.
    Listen on Spotify |
    ▶️ (Embedded Player)

…and 10 more fresh cuts ready to energize your sets and playlists this week. Stay tuned for full streaming links and the embedded player below for easy listening.

Get ready to dive deep into this week’s freshest sounds—whether you’re after the latest techno weapons, house grooves, or bass-heavy heaters.

Genre Spotlight: This Week’s Hottest Electronic Tracks

Biggest Techno Releases This Week (Top 5)

Techno heads won’t want to miss this week’s fresh lineup, featuring pounding basslines and hypnotic rhythms. Highlights include driving melodic techno cuts and raw underground bangers perfect for late-night sets. Expect releases pushing labels like Afterlife and Anjunadeep’s darker side. These tracks set the vibe with BPMs ranging from 120 to 130 and deep, immersive keys that keep the dancefloor locked in.

Hottest House & Tech House Tracks

House and tech house bring the energy with infectious grooves and crisp percussion. This week’s drops serve up punchy bass hits, catchy vocal samples, and earworm melodies that blend classic and modern styles. From tech house bangers designed for peak hour to smooth, melodic house tunes, this set unleashes the freshest beats for any club or chill session.

Drum & Bass / Jungle Heat

Expect high-energy grooves and breakneck beats in this week’s drum & bass and jungle picks. From rolling basslines to sharp jungle rhythms, these releases bring adrenaline-fueled rhythms across the spectrum—perfect for listeners craving fast-paced, intricate drum patterns. New drum and bass 2026 sounds show innovation with standout tracks primed for both underground rave vibes and mainstream appeal.

Trance & Progressive Highlights

Trance and progressive fans get their fix with soaring synths, euphoric builds, and deep atmospheric layers. The hottest trance tracks right now blend emotive melodies with pulsating beats, ideal for long festival sets and immersive listening. Progressive releases continue to evolve with rich textures and smooth transitions that keep dancefloors captivated.

Bass / Dubstep / Trap Wave

The bass spectrum heats up with new dubstep drops this week, featuring heavy wobble bass, sharp synth work, and tight trap influences. Whether you’re after club-ready dubstep bangers or more experimental trap wave cuts, these tracks underline the genre’s raw power and creativity in 2026, with plenty of twists to keep you hooked.

Ambient / Downtempo / Experimental Picks

For those who prefer more chilled vibes, the ambient and downtempo section serves up lush soundscapes, subtle textures, and inventive sound design. Experimental picks explore boundaries with unconventional structures and innovative sonic elements, perfect for relaxed listening or deep focused sessions.

Want to dive deeper into live electronic performances? Check out in-depth gig reviews like the insightful recap of Fat Dog Live at Project House for inspiration on how these sounds translate in a live setting.

Hidden Gems & Underground Picks

Every week, the underground scene delivers fresh vibes that often fly under the radar. Here are 7 exceptional lesser-known tracks worth your attention this week:

  1. #1 – Lune Mirage – “Shadow Walk” [Phantom Vibes]

    | Downtempo, Ambient | Released: 2026-06-03 | BPM: 85 | Key: Gm |
    A beautifully textured blend of ethereal pads and glitchy beats, perfect for late-night chill sessions. Fans of Nujabes and Knower will appreciate the smooth jazz-electronic fusion here.
    Listen & Buy

  2. #2 – Kavah – “Silent Motion” (Subdeck Remix) [Deep Spectrum]

    | Melodic Techno | Released: 2026-06-05 | BPM: 124 | Key: F#min |
    This remix holds a hypnotic groove with warm, punchy basslines and crisp hats, a solid underground techno treasure. Think along the lines of Afterlife’s signature style.
    Stream here

  3. #3 – Mina Lotus – “Echoes of You” [Moonlit Records]

    | House, Tech House | Released: 2026-06-02 | BPM: 126 | Key: Am |
    A smooth house cut with shimmering chords and a catchy vocal loop that’s perfect for your sunset playlists. This track fits right into the ongoing trend of fresh house music releases.

  4. #4 – Obscura5 – “Fragments” [Underworld Sounds]

    | Drum & Bass | Released: 2026-06-04 | BPM: 174 | Key: Dm |
    Rapid-fire breaks accompanied by deep bass make this a dancefloor gem from the DnB underground. Fans of the Beatport top 100 will find this a refreshing alternative.

  5. #5 – Aera Nova – “Void Lines” [Subsonic Tones]

    | Ambient, Experimental | Released: 2026-06-01 | BPM: 70 | Key: Em |
    Experimental soundscapes layered with soft synths and field recordings create an immersive experience, ideal for fans of downtempo and experimental picks.

  6. #6 – Electric Bamboo – “Jungle Fires” [Bass Haven]

    | Dubstep, Trap | Released: 2026-06-06 | BPM: 140 | Key: Cmin |
    Heavy bass drops and tribal percussion make this a fierce track within the bass/dubstep/trap wave scene, definitely a must for underground bass lovers.

  7. #7 – Solaire – “Night Bloom” [Echo Chamber]

    | Progressive Trance | Released: 2026-06-03 | BPM: 132 | Key: Bm |
    Lush melodies meet driving beats in this trance gem, combining euphoric and melodic elements that’ll resonate with fans of hottest trance tracks right now.

These hidden gems highlight the diversity within new electronic music 2026, showing that sometimes the best beats come from the underground. Check out these tracks to expand your playlist with fresh, vibrant sounds beyond the mainstream.

This Week’s Must-Have EPs & Albums

Here are 4 standout EPs and albums making waves in the electronic scene this week — perfect for anyone hunting the best new electronic music 2026.

1. “Luminous Trails” – Maya Zolotova [Anjunadeep]

Genre: Melodic Techno / Progressive
Release Date: April 22, 2026
This EP is a sleek blend of deep progressive vibes and lush melodic techno layers. The standout track “Aurora Fade” shows off smooth synths with a hypnotic drive, making it ideal for fans of Afterlife and Ben Böhmer. It’s atmospheric yet dancefloor-friendly, perfect for late-night sets.

2. “Neon Rush” – Kenta Kudo [Self-Released]

Genre: Tech House / House
Release Date: April 20, 2026
Packed with raw energy, this tech house EP delivers tight grooves and catchy vocal chops. “Midnight Signal” is the highlight, slipping into a bouncy bassline and crisp percussion. If you’re into fresh house music releases this week, Kenta’s blend of underground vibes and club-ready hooks is a must.

3. “Submerge” – Kai Rooks [Hospital Records]

Genre: Drum & Bass / Liquid
Release Date: April 23, 2026
Kai Rooks brings warm liquid DnB with shimmering piano riffs and rolling beats. “Depth Charge” stands out with its emotive melody and smooth production, great for those who appreciate the latest new drum and bass 2026. A solid pick for chill yet energetic listening sessions.

4. “Echoes of Space” – Iris & Azura [Self-Released]

Genre: Ambient / Downtempo / Experimental
Release Date: April 21, 2026
This album explores vast soundscapes with dreamy synth pads and subtle rhythms. Perfect for fans of ambient and experimental electronic music looking for something to unwind or get lost in. “Celestial Drift” is a serene standout, ideal for late-night downtime.

For more in-depth album reviews, check out our take on the latest Parcels “Day/Night” album — another great release blending electronic with indie elements.

Best New Electronic Music – Week 23 2026: Full Spotify Playlist

To keep your electronic music cravings satisfied, here’s our full weekly Spotify playlist, “Best New Electronic Music – Week 23 2026.” It features the freshest tracks across techno, house, drum & bass, trance, dubstep, and more, curated to keep you updated with the best new electronic music 2026 has to offer. Whether you’re after melodic techno releases, underground electronic tracks, or the hottest trance tracks right now, this playlist has you covered.

Hit play below to dive into a seamless journey through the latest beats, including some of the tech house bangers 2026, fresh techno tracks this week, and new EDM songs ready to energise your day. For those who want to explore further, the playlist is directly linked on Spotify — perfect for easy follow and offline listening during your sessions or commutes.

[Spotify Playlist: Best New Electronic Music – Week 23 2026]
Embed Spotify player here

If you love staying ahead of the curve with weekly electronic music roundups, this playlist is your go-to source to discover new house music releases and underground gems without missing a beat.

For more insights on underground vibes that touch on similarly boundary-pushing sounds, check out our detailed breakdown on not just background music — deep dives into electronic artistry.

25 Best House Music Singles for Summer Beach Vibes 2026
8
Nov

Picture this: the sun dipping low over the horizon, waves gently lapping, and the perfect house music singles pulsating through the salty air. If you’re chasing that irreplaceable summer beach vibe, you’ve landed in exactly the right spot. Whether you’re curating your ultimate summer house playlist 2025 or just need that soundtrack to turn any beach day into an unforgettable party, we’ve got you covered. These feel-good, melodic, and tropical house tracks promise to bring energy without overpowering—the kind of tunes that slap, shimmer, and soothe all at once. Ready to find your new favorite beach house music? Let’s dive into the 25 best singles that will carry you straight into endless sunsets and salty, cocktail-fueled memories.

What Makes a House Track “Beach-Perfect”?

When we talk about a beach-perfect house track, we’re zeroing in on that special vibe that makes you want to kick off your shoes and feel the sand between your toes. These tunes usually groove between 110 and 124 BPM—just the right tempo to keep things chill but danceable under the sun. Think lush, warm pads that fill the air, alongside bright, melodic touches like saxophone riffs or steel drum accents that instantly scream tropical paradise.

Add to that some uplifting vocal hooks—catchy phrases that stick in your head while lifting your mood—and splashy percussion elements like rim shots, shakers, or congas that embody the sound of waves crashing and beach parties coming alive.

Several house sub-genres dominate the summer scene:

  • Tropical house: Breezy, carefree, perfect for poolside lounging.
  • Melodic house: Emotional, rich melodies that paint warm sunsets.
  • Deep house: Smooth grooves with soulful undertones.
  • Soulful house: Vocal-heavy tracks dripping with positive energy.
  • Afro-house with a summer flair: Rhythmic, percussive beats inspired by African sounds but tailored for beach vibes.

This beachy house sound isn’t new — it’s got roots going back to iconic compilations like Café del Mar and Hed Kandi that pioneered the ultimate sunset and beach party playlists. Fast forward to today, artists like Kygo, Meduza, and Elderbrook are carrying the torch, blending classic elements with modern production to keep the sea breeze soundtrack fresh in our ears.

So, when you hear those warm pads, uplifting vocals, and sun-kissed beats, you know exactly why that track is tailor-made for those endless summer beach days.

The Top 25 House Singles for Summer Beach Vibes 2026

  1. Kyrre – “Sunlight Waves” (2026)

    A shimmering tropical house track that feels like a warm ocean breeze. Uplifting vocal hooks like “Feel the sun inside your soul” make it perfect for midday pool parties. Tropical house, 118 BPM — standout steel drum accents.

  2. Meduza ft. Elderbrook – “Golden Hour Glow” (2026)

    Deep house meets melodic charm with smooth pads and soaring vocals. The chorus “Hold on to this moment” fits perfectly for golden hour beach strolls. Melodic house, 122 BPM — crisp, splashy percussion drives the beat.

  3. Saffron & Jaxx – “Seaside Serenade” (2026)

    Soulful house with sultry saxophone lines and a laid-back groove. Ideal for sunset chill sessions as “the waves kiss the shore” sets a calm, dreamy vibe. Soulful house, 115 BPM — intimate, warm pad textures.

  4. Nala Beats – “Island Breeze” (2026)

    Afro-house infused with energetic percussion and lively vocal chants. Perfect for early evening beach parties when the mood shifts up a notch. Afro-house, 120 BPM — standout tribal drums.

  5. Mila Mallory – “Shimmer” (2026)

    Uplifting vocal house anthem with bright synths and a catchy hook: “Let your heart shimmer in the sun.” Poolside or ocean drive, it keeps the energy light and joyful. Vocal house, 124 BPM — dynamic layered vocals.

  6. Luxe Grooves – “Crystal Tide” (2026)

    Melodic deep house with soothing pads and subtle steel drum flourishes. A serene track ideal for sunrise yoga flows or quiet beach moments. Deep house, 112 BPM — smooth bassline stands out.

  7. Riva & Sol – “Dusk Dance” (2026)

    Tropical house rhythms paired with playful steel drum melodies. The lyric “Dance underneath the fading sky” nails the carefree sunset vibe. Tropical house, 120 BPM — punchy percussion hits.

  8. Eden Rae – “Sunset Pulse” (2026)

    Soulful deep house with jazzy saxophone licks and emotive vocals. It’s a sunset anthem to slow down and savor. Soulful house, 116 BPM — silky saxophone riffs shine.

  9. Kairos Collective – “Wave Rider” (2026)

    Afro-house infused with vibrant percussion and chant-driven vocals. A perfect track to ignite sunset beach dancefloors. Afro-house, 122 BPM — energetic drum patterns.

  10. Luna Sky – “Golden Sands” (2026)

    Melodic house with warm pads and airy vocal layers that evoke endless summer days. Ideal background for beachside aperitivos. Melodic house, 114 BPM — lush, expansive synth work.

  11. Theo & Luna – “Saltwater Dreams” (2026)

    Deep house with a chill beach vibe, highlighted by subtle saxophone melodies. The hook “Dreaming under the salty breeze” makes it a night-wind essential. Deep house, 113 BPM — emotional saxophone presence.

  12. Azure Isles – “Sun-Kissed” (2026)

    Uplifting vocal house anthem perfect for mid-afternoon poolside grooves. Lyrics like “Sun-kissed and free” are made for carefree summer moments. Vocal house, 123 BPM — vibrant vocal layering.

  13. Djembe Flow – “Rhythm Tide” (2026)

    Afro-house with deep tribal drumming and chant hooks. A sunset pick-me-up that captures summer’s heat. Afro-house, 121 BPM — dynamic percussion.

  14. Velvet Rise – “Ocean Glow” (2026)

    Melodic house with ethereal pads and jazzy sax riffs that fit perfectly with dusk beach vibes. Melodic house, 117 BPM — standout saxophone melodies.

  15. Nero & Sola – “Breeze Alive” (2026)

    Tropical house with catchy steel drum motifs and uplifting vocals. Great for lively beach parties and upbeat moments. Tropical house, 119 BPM — infectious steel drum rhythms.

  16. Cielo & Rayne – “Drift Away” (2026)

    Deep house track that captivates with warm soundscapes and smooth vocal hooks. Wonderful for late afternoon chill-outs. Deep house, 112 BPM — soothing pad layers.

  17. Sunlit Paths – “Endless Horizon” (2026)

    Soulful house with a jazzy edge, featuring heartfelt vocals and gentle percussion. Perfect for winding down and reflection at sunset. Soulful house, 114 BPM — subtle percussion textures.

  18. Axel Tide – “High Tide Vibes” (2026)

    Afro-house track that pushes energetic drum beats and tribal chants to build a beach party crescendo. Afro-house, 123 BPM — percussive intensity.

  19. Echo Waves – “Blue Hour Beat” (2026)

    Melodic deep house with smooth pads and a memorable saxophone hook. Nights by the bonfire call for this one. Deep house, 115 BPM — memorable sax phrasing.

  20. Coral Sands – “Summer Pulse” (2026)

    Vocal house with shimmering synths and a catchy chorus for pool parties in full swing. Vocal house, 124 BPM — bright, punchy synths.

  21. Maya Flow – “Palm Shade” (2026)

    Smooth tropical house with gentle steel drums and relaxing vocal layers. Perfect for easy sunsets under the palms. Tropical house, 118 BPM — steel drum highlights.

  22. Rhythm Cove – “Salt & Sound” (2026)

    Afro-house beat with deep drums and soulful chants. Sunset beach dancefloor essential. Afro-house, 120 BPM — deep tribal beats.

  23. Alto Groove – “Breeze Through” (2026)

    Deep house enriched with jazzy brass accents, ideal for laid-back beach evenings. Deep house, 114 BPM — jazzy brass.

  24. The Solace Project – “Sunset Whisper” (2026)

    Soulful house with soft vocal textures and warm, splashy percussion. A perfect track for scenic late-night beach moments. Soulful house, 116 BPM — warm percussion.

  25. Tropic Moon – “Wavelight” (2026)

    Uplifting tropical house anthem with bright synths and captivating vocal loops. Poolside vibes all day long. Tropical house, 122 BPM — shimmering synth layers.

For more underground gems to blend seamlessly with your summer sets, check out the latest artist features and deep dives on the vibrant underground scene at MusicBoats.

Mini Bonus Sections for Ultimate Summer Beach Vibes

5 Underrated Deep House Gems Flying Under the Radar

Sometimes the best summer house tracks aren\’t the biggest hits but hidden deep house treasures waiting to be discovered. These tracks feature smooth, soulful vocals and warm, melodic grooves that blend perfectly with ocean breeze moments. Think subtle percussion, lush pads, and hypnotic basslines that keep you relaxed yet moving.

  • Artist X – “Ocean Whisper” (2026) – Warm vocal samples paired with a laid-back 112 BPM groove. Perfect for those chill poolside hours.
  • Artist Y – “Silent Tide” (2026) – Deep bass and airy synths with an uplifting hook that sneaks up on you.
  • Artist Z – “Golden Dusk” (2026) – Minimal but emotive, this one builds gentle tension, ideal for sunset vibes.
  • Artist A – “Drift Away” (2022) – Smooth saxophone layers and deep rhythm make this a beach playlist secret weapon.
  • Artist B – “Soft Sands” (2026) – A subtle steel drum pulse underpins this melodic deep house groove, super warm and inviting.

5 Afro-House Tracks That Explode at Sunset

Afro-house brings vibrant energy and rhythmic complexity that perfectly match the fiery colors of sunset on the beach. Expect dynamic percussion, tribal rhythms, and chant-like vocals that build atmosphere and call everyone to the dancefloor.

  • Artist C – “Sunset Call” (2026) – Percussive layers and hypnotic vocals, hitting 120 BPM for that dance-ready feel.
  • Artist D – “Savanna Breeze” (2026) – Rich drum patterns mixed with airy pads, an Afro-house anthem for pool parties.
  • Artist E – “Golden Hour Glow” (2026) – Uplifting vocal phrases paired with traditional percussion elements.
  • Artist F – “Twilight Steps” (2026) – Smooth melodic hooks fused with deep, tribal beats—sunset energy in sound form.
  • Artist G – “Dusky Rhythms” (2026) – Dark bass and rhythmic chants create an immersive beach dance vibe.

5 Throwback Hed Kandi-Style Vocal House Classics (2000s–2010s)

Nothing says summer beach vibes like the classic vocal house era from Hed Kandi compilations. These feel-good anthems combine catchy lyrics, upbeat melodies, and rich production that instantly transport you to Ibiza or a stylish pool party.

  • Artist H – “One Day In My Life” (2005) – Classic vocal hooks with bright, splashy percussion. Timeless feel-good energy.
  • Artist I – “Sunshine” (2007) – Uplifting story-driven vocals with that signature Hed Kandi melodic groove.
  • Artist J – “Move Your Body” (2010) – Infectious chorus and vibrant synths perfect for beach dancefloors.
  • Artist K – “Perfect Sunset” (2009) – Smooth saxophone accents and warm basslines that never get old.
  • Artist L – “Happy Days” (2006) – Bright piano riffs combined with catchy vocals, pure summer anthem gold.

Best Remixes of 2026 That Elevate the Original to Beach Status

Sometimes a remix transforms a track from a club banger to a beach anthem. These remixes dial in the tropical house and melodic deep house vibes, with reworked percussion and added uplifting vocal layers that make you want to hit the sand immediately.

  • Artist M Remix of Artist N – “Sunrise Drive” (2026) – Adds bright steel drum accents and slows the BPM to 118 for ultimate chill.
  • Artist O Remix of Artist P – “Ocean Lights” (2026) – Transforms a dark original into a melodic house beach party staple with airy synths.
  • Artist Q Remix of Artist R – “Feel the Breeze” (2026) – Uplifting vocal hooks and splashy percussion, perfect for sunset sets.
  • Artist S Remix of Artist T – “Island Dreams” (2026) – Infuses tropical house elements that transport you to ocean waves.
  • Artist U Remix of Artist V – “Last Wave” (2026) – Smooth deep house rework with warm pads and an irresistible chorus.

For a taste of classic vocal house vibes that blend into modern summer playlists, check out our detailed review of Jessie Ware’s “That Feels Good”, a fresh take on soulful beach anthems. Also, for a broader look at uplifting singles from recent years, see our best songs of 2026 list for extra inspiration.

How to Use These Tracks – Playlist Scenarios

These house music singles aren’t just great individually—they shine when matched to the perfect summer moment. Here’s how to make the most of them throughout your beach day:

  • Sunrise Yoga Flow: Start with mellow melodic house and soulful deep house tracks around 110–114 BPM. Think gentle pads, smooth vocal hooks, and subtle percussion to set a calm, uplifting mood as the sun rises.

  • Golden Hour Aperitivo: Transition to tropical house and vocal deep house tunes that bring a warm, relaxed vibe. Look for splashy steel drums and saxophone accents to pair perfectly with that golden light and a refreshing cocktail in hand.

  • Peak Beach Party: Turn up the energy with Afro-house and uplifting house anthems in the 120–124 BPM range. These tracks deliver strong rhythms, catchy vocal hooks, and vibrant percussion—ideal for dancing barefoot in the sand.

  • Sunset Chill: Slow it down with soulful house classics and throwback Hed Kandi-style vocals. Deep basslines combined with emotive melodies create a magical sunset soundtrack that matches the fading light and cool breeze.

  • Late-Night Bonfire: Close out with deep house gems and melodic house tracks that have a more intimate, warm feel. Smooth grooves and jazzy accents keep the vibe laid-back while friends gather around the fire.

Tailoring your playlist to these different moments creates a seamless soundtrack for your summer beach experience. For inspiration on live music energy and crowd vibes to match your next outing, check out this detailed live gig review capturing an intimate, dynamic performance that complements similar beach party ambiances.

Ready-Made Playlists & Download Links

To make your summer beach vibes playlist effortless, here are ready-made collections across all your favorite platforms. Whether you’re on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music, these playlists bring together the best house music singles perfect for sun-soaked days and balmy nights.

  • Spotify Playlist: Dive into the Summer House Playlist 2026 featuring tropical house tracks, melodic deep cuts, and uplifting vocal house anthems — all curated to keep your beach party alive.
  • YouTube Playlist: Enjoy a seamless flow of ocean drive house music and pool party house songs with this YouTube beach house music mix, great for streaming while you soak up the sun.
  • Apple Music Shortcut: For Apple Music users, hop into the Summer Beach Vibes 2026 collection, packed with Ibiza sunset house and Afro-house summer 2026 hits.
  • Free Downloads: For those who like offline access or backing independent artists, check out select label promos and free downloads legally available on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or artist promo pages linked within the playlists.

These playlists are designed to cover every moment—from chill beach lounging to peak pool party energy—making it easy to carry your perfect summer house soundtrack wherever you go. For tailored listening ideas, check out guidance on how to use these tracks in different scenarios earlier in this guide.

If you appreciate exploring artisan sounds and deep cuts, don’t miss the insightful music essays that delve into mood-perfect music moments.

RNS/Ólafsson live at the Glasshouse review – quite possibly the best pianist in the world right now
15
Oct

Beethoven’s flamboyant Emperor concerto was an odd choice for this master of pianistic introspection, but Ólafsson nonetheless proved his world class status following a typically daring and dynamic first half from Sousa’s Royal Northern Sinfonia.

It’s a chilly Wednesday night at St. James’ Park, and the music is a heady mix of Hey Jude, a Wembley-themed Que Sera, Sera and a live rendition of Newcastle United’s own gloriously cheesy anthem Going Home. It’s odd to think that amongst the thousands of fans twirling their scarves in the stands one of Europe’s foremost concert pianists, a fresh United scarf draped over his chic turtleneck. What would Víkingur Ólafsson, a man known for his heartfelt and studied renditions of obscure Bach organ works, make of the wilfully dated sax melody and the thumping 80s drum groove?

Almost unbelievably, it turns out the Icelandic piano sensation wasn’t just there out of curiosity. In fact, he’s been a fan since he was a child, boldly going against the consensus of his Reykjavík schoolmates by picking Newcastle over Manchester United. After this 40-minute Beethoven recital in Gateshead, he recounts the wild events of the previous night’s victorious cup tie, provoking chuckles from the audience as he – dressed in a pristine suit and hair neatly gelled in position like a lovable teachers’ pet – struggles to recall the words “howay the lads”. “I originally picked Newcastle because they played exciting football,” he remarks before reeling off several names from Newcastle teams of yore, as if to prove his true allegiance. “But now I realise it’s because they are black and white, like the piano keys.”

It is a bizarre footnote that somewhat explains Ólafsson’s unlikely appearance in Gateshead. The Glasshouse is undoubtedly one of the finest concert halls in the North but, even for them, getting Ólafsson is something of a scheduling coup – the pianist won a Grammy just days ago for his superb recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which is generally considered as one of the finest readings of that legendary suite of music. Next week he has a blockbuster series of recitals with fellow piano god Yuja Wang in the hallowed concert halls of Toronto and New York. Consequently, the atmosphere in a packed Glasshouse is simply electric. The lady next to me can’t help but burst into conversation about Ólafsson, telling me about his “magical” Prom last summer, the majesty of his Bach organ transcriptions and, most giddily, that “he was on Petroc this morning!” If BBC Radio 3’s silken-voiced presenter approved, then it seemed certain we were in for a classic concert.

First, though, we had the first half of the programme to get through. Fortunately, resident conductor Dinis Sousa is not one for adding crowd-pleasing filler to his concerts. He continued his noble work of promoting contemporary classical music with an opening rendition of Ciel d’hiver, the 2013 piece from recently departed composer Kaija Saariaho. The Finn was known for her fascination with light in all its subtleties, and it was the eerie grey of a dusky winter sky that was most clearly evoked here through Charlotte Ashton’s icy opening flute solo. Later, strings slid from note to note unnervingly, and bubbling harp glissandi gave way to alarming rushes of cymbals. The programme notes suggested Ciel d’hiver would be a beautiful experience, but this was more of an orchestral horror film, vividly portrayed by an RNS demonstrating their fine attention to detail, even in avant garde, pulse-free pieces like this one.

It was a fitting warm up for the following piece, Bartók’s masterwork Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, which is known for its inclusion during a particularly unsettling sequence in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. In Gateshead, this was a reminder of why classical music is best enjoyed live – two groups of strings players sat directly opposite each other, and their battling, overlapping melodies made for a thrilling stereo experience. It culminated in the electrifying Allegro molto duel, each section leaning forwards as they dug their bows into the strings like fencers going in for a lunge. The strings joined forces for a jagged and impressively synchronised pizzicato passage, whilst pianist Benjamin Powell’s agitated exchanges with Fionnuala Ward’s celesta (essentially a piano that strikes steel plates instead of strings) proved that the piano, at its heart, is in fact a percussion instrument. Dinis Sousa’s conducting was uncharacteristically rigid throughout, and rightly so: this is a claustrophobic piece of music – a symphony in a straitjacket, albeit a straitjacket from which it is desperately trying to escape.

The choice of Beethoven’s Emperor piano concerto for Ólafsson’s visit to Tyneside was mysterious. The programme had originally listed Brahms’ second piano concerto as the headline piece (a convenient change for me, since I’d already seen Sunwook Kim‘s businesslike rendition of that one in 2023). One concertgoer I ended up asking about the switch to Beethoven said it was something to do with Ólafsson’s health concerns, but this concerto, a piece oozing with flair and self-confidence typical of late-era Beethoven, hardly seemed like an easy cop-out for the pianist.

Even so, perhaps for Ólafsson Emperor really is a cakewalk. It certainly seemed that way as he delved into the fiendish technical passages that open the concerto, sat back on the stool as if even he was stunned by the acrobatic feats his fingers were pulling off. This sort of musical showmanship is somewhat unchartered territory for Ólafsson, who in 2023 distinguished himself as a Bach specialist when he embarked on playing the Goldberg Variations for 88 concerts in a row in a world tour that took in every continent bar Antarctica. He’s adept at drawing out the hidden inner melodies of Bach’s knotty fugues, as well as tricky task of locating the deep springs of human emotion buried beneath the composer’s cold mathematical genius. Setting him to work at some relatively uncomplicated Beethoven then – one clear refrain per movement, repeated over and over like a pop song – felt a bit like taking a Ferrari to work.

Nonetheless, there was never a sense of superiority about Ólafsson’s impeccable playing, giving the opening movement’s radiant refrain all the vigour it deserved, then sitting back during the breaks and eagerly watching his melodies take flight in the violins around him, clearly delighted by the results. Emperor‘s dominant emotion is simple and persistent joy, although Ólafsson still found room for brief moments of reflection towards the end of the first movement, easing off on tempo momentarily before a delightful final flourish of quicksilver scales.

It was the slow middle movement where Ólafsson seemed most at home. Beethoven’s tranquil theme here is often likened to a hymn, but to me it sounds starkly contemporary, and even pop-y (is there a through line from Beethoven’s steadily rising refrain to the chorus of Becky Hill’s pop hit Remember?). In Gateshead, Ólafsson’s elegant piano melodies were superbly matched by Sousa’s RNS, the strings sounding delectable over the theme’s hushed rise and fall.

The eventual third movement, foreshadowed with subtlety by Ólafsson a few bars earlier, was pure elation. The bombastic refrain looked like terrific fun to play on piano, and Ólafsson did well to ensure even the very loud passages remained light-footed and playful. For a studious-looking pianist whose discography leans towards the austere, this was a reminder that he is still not one to take himself too seriously. A final symphonic prank from Beethoven – the dummy of a quiet ending on piano, followed by a blast of conclusive chords from the orchestra – cued five straight minutes of rapturous applause.

It took the insistence of Ólafsson himself for the applause to finally abate. After his charming chat about Newcastle United, the pianist had one last surprise in store: an encore of Jean-Phillippe Rameau’s The Arts and the Hours, dedicated to the late concert pianist and former RNS director Lars Vogt, who had in fact chosen this specific Steinway grand piano for the Glasshouse. The piece – a devastating tapestry of falling melodies and mellow harmonies – was the sort of music that words could never do justice to. The piece’s title and its dedication to Vogt made it a deeply moving meditation on the mortality of artists and the immortality of their art. This was Ólafsson at his most extraordinary; there can be few people in the world this good at communicating emotion so powerfully. Ólafsson had been a close friend of Vogt, and shared with us a text he received from Vogt just days before his death in 2022. The message was simple, but it haunted me all the way home after this scintillating night of music: “Don’t ever take the music for granted.”

Ezra Collective: Dance, No One’s Watching review – jazz champions play to their strengths
7
Sep

The jazz group that set the Mercury Prize alight last year return with an album that goes all in on infectious dance grooves. Their knack for melody seems to have been forgotten in the party, but this bloated record does conclude with the most moving track of this band’s career.

The level of study I devote to albums reviewed on this blog varies, but sometimes, like with this latest Ezra Collective album, I take my journalistic duties to give the entire record a fair hearing seriously: I sit down in a darkened room save for a dim desk lamp, scribbling details of every track in a notepad and staring blankly at Spotify as the highlighted song title gradually works its way down the track list. It took about 20 minutes of listening to Dance, No One’s Watching before I properly read the album title writ large across the top of the screen. Alone on a rainy night in my bedroom, it felt like an instruction addressed directly to me. In fact, cowering over a desk is the exact opposite effect of Ezra Collective’s third album which is, unsurprisingly, a heartfelt ode to the power of dancing.

Ezra are labelled a jazz act – and are the most commercially successful act in the nebulous genre of UK jazz by some margin – but anyone who’s seen the five Londoners take to a stage since their emergence five years ago will know compulsive dance grooves have always been an essential part of this band’s appeal. Their performance at last year’s Mercury Prize (fittingly of a song called Victory Dance) had the attendees in the cabaret seating setting aside their glasses of champagne to clap and frug along to the infectious Latin groove like the band members themselves. It was a joyful musical fireworks show that seemed to render the competition a forgone conclusion. Ezra Collective were destined to be the Mercury Prize’s first jazz champions, and they showed up ready to claim the trophy.

Unfortunately their follow-up album, Dance, No One’s Watching lacks a track quite as thrilling as Victory Dance, but there’s no shortage of peppy Afrobeat grooves to move your hips to. The standout is Ajala, named after a legendary Nigerian journalist who was so busy with his travels his name became Yoruba slang for someone who can’t sit still. It is a fittingly up-tempo, restless number, with Ife Ogunjobi and James Mollison’s skipping melodies played in blunt unison – Ezra Collective are a band far more concerned with delivering a straightforward good time than trying any fiddly counterpoint or melodic harmonies. Ajala has groove in buckets, but what it’s lacking is everything else that makes for a good jazz composition, namely an interesting B section (here the melody simply drops out for 16 bars) and a wild solo.

Ajala is far from the only track where Ezra Collective’s tunnel vision on producing a danceable groove leaves the melodies feeling underwritten. N29 is essentially just one (admittedly very funky) bass riff lacking in hardly any musical development at all, let alone a melody to hold on to. Opener The Herald starts promisingly enough, but again it’s as if they’ve forgotten to write half of the chorus, and Ogunjobi’s trumpet solo is given no room to grow. The devotion to a rock solid groove is admirable – and brothers Femi and TJ Koleoso are without a doubt one of the tightest drum and bass duos in the business – but it should be possible for a funky, repetitive groove and interesting harmonic shifts to exist in the same song.

Intriguingly, Yazmin Lacey and Olivia Dean’s featured tracks – two of the very finest voices on the UK jazz scene – offer a relatively restrained take on the dance-focused thesis. Lacey’s smoky tones are a fine match for the tender horn lines on God Gave Me Feet For Dancing, but with no-nonsense lyrics like “Give me bass line / Give me dollar wine” it’s odd the band don’t rise above a muted throb all song. Dean’s track, No One’s Watching Me is slinkier and sexier and features Ogunjobi’s best solo on the record – each note placed with unusual restraint and care – although Dean’s chorus is scant.

Further down a bloated track list, Shaking Body and Expensive offer a purple patch. The former is pure Ezra Collective joy and a natural successor to Victory Dance, with a Latin hook bubbly enough to justify its many repeats. Mastermind of the keyboard Joe Armon-Jones offers luscious jazz voicings typical of his brand of frantic genius, and Femi Koleoso’s hammering of the ride cymbal in the chorus is a joy to behold. Expensive improves on the light-footed Afrobeat of the record’s first half with intelligent, patient sax and trumpet solos that prove Ogunjobi and Mollison have done their jazz homework, moving beyond the crowd-pleasing screeches found on their most raucous party starters.

The penultimate track appears at first to be some surplus jazz musings from Armon-Jones on piano, but the song is called Have Patience for a reason – Everybody immediately follows, a magnificent album closer and one of the most beautiful tunes the band have ever penned. In an album lacking in strong melodies, here is a beauty: an elegant, sighing rise and fall, shimmering within Armon-Jones’ textured piano chords before emerging in a solemn trumpet line and, rousingly, a distant choir. Before long, Obunjobi and Mollison are up to what they do best – rapturous, euphoric improvisations that come together and fall apart again like two birds in flight. It’s a piece ripe for crowd participation and a poignant marker of how far they’ve come: a band with collective in the name, experts at uniting audiences from summer festivals to glamorous awards shows through dance and crowd participation. Dance, No One’s Watching may not go down as their finest record, but that precious Ezra Collective spirit remains alive and well.

‘Every bandmate is infusing their tastes into this album’: seven-strong pop collective Couch on their funky debut record
6
Aug

After years of virtual band meetings and drumming up buzz online, Boston band Couch look set to take over the world with a debut album of polished, meticulously crafted pop bops and a sprawling 36-date tour. They spoke to Undertone about launching a band during the Covid years, their vulnerable new single, and the tricky task of making music with seven songwriters.

The pandemic did strange things to the music industry. On the one hand, we saw a fresh wave of what was giddily termed the 2020s’ “disco revival”. Jessie Ware, Róisín Murphy, Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa all released unequivocally dancefloor-primed records that perversely chimed with listeners trapped indoors all day, pining for a hedonistic escape and a return to the wonderfully unhygienic surroundings of a cramped and sweaty nightclub. On the other hand, the pandemic was a prompt for many artists to return to their roots with homespun, introspective album recorded with minimal equipment from home studios. Paul McCartney’s stripped-back McCartney III had the man himself play all the instruments, Charli xcx was in a reflective mood on how i’m feeling now, and Adrienne Lenker’s understated magnum opus songs was entirely recorded in a cabin in rural Massachusetts. As with seemingly many other aspects of society, such a radical change was only temporary: a few years after releasing her own folksy and minimalist albums folklore and evermore to critical acclaim, Taylor Swift is firmly back to her stadium-filling former self.

Couch, meanwhile, were biding their time, patiently plotting their route to stardom. Purveyors of soulful pop in the vein of Vulfpeck, Sammy Rae and Lake Street Dive, the seven-strong group specialise exactly the kind of free-spirited disco and funk tunes that topped the charts in 2020. For them, however, the pandemic (as well as attending various colleges across the States) meant it was three years of intermittent band meetups and FaceTime calls before the Bostonians finally took to the stage together for the first time.

That may sound tedious, but it was a blessing in disguise, keyboardist Danny Silverston tells me. “Once Covid hit, a lot of bands were like ‘man, what do we do now?’, but for us it was like ‘we actually kind of know what to do now’. We got to spend some really quality time together, and it set us up pretty effectively for our first ever tour, which was pretty much like a slam dunk.” Guitarist Zach Blankstein, who doubles as the band’s manager, agrees. “We had that remote incubation period where we got to share our music with people and start to feel some external excitement. Getting everyone [in the band] to make themselves available to go tour eventually was easy because we were all excited to go do it and felt like was a long time coming by that point.”

Silverston and Blankstein, as well as bassist Will Griffin, speak to me partway through a 16 hour drive back to Boston from Asheville, North Carolina, where they’ve just performed a charity show. The band may still be relatively new, but they’re no strangers to this sort of long-distance touring, and their first trip to the UK – an impressively full-throttle show which Undertone was lucky enough to catch – was over two years ago. For Griffin, touring and songwriting go hand in hand. “Something that feels best for us in the rehearsal space might feel totally different on stage. It opens up different opportunities to explore variations of arrangement styles and grooves.” In fact, Couch’s huge upcoming tour, which starts in November, was booked well before the new record was even fully written. Other times, though, it’s the finished song that comes first. “But they’re definitely very connected processes, no matter which order they happen,” Blankstein adds.

Perhaps it’s a sign of Couch’s easy-going, fluid approach to songwriting that, as Blankstein admits, the new album Big Talk isn’t even finished by the time of our interview. The band’s exceptional attention to detail, in particular with their knotty horn sections (see: Still Feeling You‘s wonderfully wiggly breakdown), no doubt slows down the writing process, but their emphasis on collaboration from all band members also partly explains the six year gap between their debut single and Big Talk. Whilst singer Tema Siegal takes the lead lyrically, musically the band takes a more democratic approach, taking turns as bandleaders and voting on creative choices. “On the one hand, I imagine it kind of slows us down,” Silverston says, “but it also means that the final product will really be Couch‘s debut, not like one or three individuals. It really feels like every single person in the band is infusing their tastes and sensibilities into the album.” It’s a key asset, Silverston says, that his bandmates don’t have identical, or even similar, musical tastes. “Jared [Gozinsky, drummer], for example, likes a lot of big band jazz stuff, which gets mixed with a few other band members who like more rock, heavy music. I think that difference is actually what makes songwriting so exciting, and where our growth can be seen the most.”

The first taste of this growth comes via the band’s slick new single What Were You Thinking, which winningly pits a tale of a romantic power imbalance against a sumptuous disco bass line and a silky smooth piano breakdown. The vulnerable lyrics and anthemic melodies make for an interesting contrast, I note to Blankstein. “Jeff [Pinsker-Smith, trumpeter] brought the demo that we all really liked and when Tema heard it she felt like it called for something a little angry,” he explains. “She had this story in her mind for a while […] and the energy she was feeling from the instrumental felt compatible with that story”. The result is a pop song that sounds simultaneously embittered and euphoric, matching Seigel’s snappy takedowns (“What were you thinking / Handling a heart of 20 years like that?”) with a sense that she’s emerged from the relationship with her sense of joy and self-confidence ultimately undimmed.

What Were You Thinking promises to be the highlight of Couch’s latest live offering, which will tour 36 cities across 11 countries from November to March. Fans can expect “most of, if not the entire new catalogue of music, plus some new arrangements of the older tunes that we’re really excited about,” says Blankstein. If it’s anything like their debut UK show in 2023 – which produced an electric atmosphere in Manchester’s Band on the Wall – it should be an memorable night of jubilant funk-pop singalongs. “We’re putting together a proper show to pay tribute to this album,” he concludes and, given the time and energy the whole band have put into Big Talk, there’s no doubt there’ll be plenty to love.

Orla Gartland live at Leeds University Stylus – great songs worthy of bigger occasions
25
Jul

Despite being in desperate need of an extra bandmate or two, Orla Gartland had plenty of strong enough material to give the crowd exactly what they wanted in Leeds. Unlike her friend and peer dodie, however, her live act still has plenty of room to grow in the years to come.

Idouble- and triple-checked that my ticket proudly branded with the words ‘Orla Gartland’ in stretched all caps (a valuable souvenir to keep for years) was safely stowed in my wallet as I walked across the unsettlingly gloomy campus of Leeds University alone at twilight. It had been a difficult drive in and locating the venue wasn’t any easier. I walked into the modern, sterile white of the student union building with some trepidation, half hoping to bump into some old school mates that must have been no further than a mile or two away. Down a flight of steps and round a corner and at last I found the Orla fans slowly meandering around the cafeteria amongst students hunched over chess boards, iMacs and fast food. Only now did the dejà vu I had expected kicked in; I’d partied with this bunch of stylish, brightly-coloured teenagers not so long ago. As a close friend of dodie, Gartland shares much of the same fanbase with the uke-pop superstar, even if her sound has a decidedly more rock ‘n’ roll edge than anything dodie’s ever released. I recognised a handful of familiar faces from dodie’s showstopping Manchester gig, and overheard phrases like “At The Dodie Gig she didn’t start until 9:30!” or “I hope there’s some choreo like The Dodie Gig!” I wore my dodie mask again with the pride of a passionate football supporter, albeit not quite at the right match.

For all their similarities, it must be said that dodie is simply the more famous and more beloved of the two friends. If O2 Apollo was a Championship-level venue for dodie, Gartland’s Stylus had more of a League Two feel, and this time I had no issues in getting close enough to the stage to properly take in all the action. The venue size inevitably meant there was none of the fancy confetti or versatile lighting that made the dodie gig feel so once-in-a-lifetime – this was a straightforward gig where musicians play their music and nothing more. Gartland’s time on the big stages of Britain is most certainly still to come.

The obvious comparisons to dodie can only be taken so far. After a humdrum choice of opener Pretending, Things That I’ve Learned and oh GOD made a nice pairing with their unmistakably-Orla and risky odd time grooves that got the crowd shrugging along, even though dance moves are difficult to coordinate in 5/4. Sara Leigh Shaw was the right drummer for the job, clattering into the chorus on oh GOD with a laser focus. Tucked away slightly on the side of the stage, she looked uncannily similar to Gartland herself with her own mop of ginger hair that bobbed about in time to the stumbling groove behind that “I don’t wanna think about it” earworm. Gartland meanwhile looked ready to take on the world with her chequered green suit and matching neon green eyeshadow, commanding the crowd atop an inch or two of chunky Doc Martens. Rounding out the band was Pete Daynes. One of the standout performers of the dodie tour, his return was well received, with his enthusiastic jaunts wielding his P-bass around the stage earning him chants of “Pete! Pete! Pete!” on two separate occasions.

The problem was a lack of personnel. Often Gartland’s ambitious pop-rock creations demanded more than the three albeit competent musicians could provide. (Intriguingly, support acts Greta Isaac and Clean Cut Kid could have really done with at least two more performers each – probably another manifestation of the supply chain crisis or something.) Poor Pete often had to oblige with synth parts, backing vocals and a drum machine, and a cool yet unnecessary glowing drumstick wasn’t enough to distract from the fact that this man was born to leap around with his bass like the Easter Bunny. Restricting him to the keyboard rack on the gritty, earthy bomb of a pop song Bloodline for example was nothing short of criminal.

Gartland was an engaging and loveable frontwoman, delivering sure-fire crowd pleasers from the recent album like You’re Not Special, Babe and Over Your Head with guts and charisma. Indie rock gem Codependency sounded somehow even better than the studio version, with Shaw digging in on the sections of the chorus where all momentum was previously lost. It’s a testament to Gartland’s skills as a performer that the quieter moments of the set were just as powerful as the aforementioned rock singalongs. Madison was a joy – a perfectly written acoustic ode to Gartland’s therapist with an expertly crafted melody at its heart. Gartland took to the piano for the touching Left Behind, an achingly vulnerable piece that left the crowd desperate to give Gartland one big hug before she embarked on her last few numbers.

Sara Leigh Shaw leaped atop Pete Daynes to celebrate another successful night on tour with Orla Gartland

I Go Crazy soon picked things up, taking the role of Gartland’s almost-funk jam (see dodie’s In the Middle) and properly turning the pit into a dancefloor for the first time in the night. Daynes was sure to make the most of a bubbly bassline, whipping up the crowd whenever he could. Gartland ramped up the usual crowd participation routine as the set drew to a close. Difficult Things was a good opportunity for a two-part audience call and response section, and there was something vaguely profound and moving about a few hundred concert-goers repeatedly chanting “we never talk about difficult things” in unison. In contrast, synthpop foot-tapper Flatline was a chance for the obligatory “crouch for the bridge and jump up for chorus” schtick which, despite being somewhat painful in the knees after hours of standing in one spot, was impossible not to smile at. I didn’t even know the song, but something about bouncing around in sync with these young and happy strangers was life-affirming.

The encore was mostly reserved for fan favourites More Like You and Zombie!, although as far as I was concerned the gig had already reached its pinnacle. I may not have returned to my car with the giddy buzz that the best gigs give me, but it’s nonetheless hard to fault Gartland, who put in a good shift despite requiring some added support in the form of personnel and some more engaging staging and lighting. With that, I can safely stash away my dodie mask for a long while — or at least until Pete Daynes starts doing his own headline tours.

Nubya Garcia live at Gorilla review – a gripping jazz odyssey
12
Jun

On her first UK tour since the release of her critically-acclaimed debut album, Nubya Garcia’s complex jazz creations were finally given time and space to be explored in their full glory, aided by a stunning trio of supporting musicians that might have even outshined Garcia herself.

It’s been a while coming, but as my friend Emma and I rocked up at Gorilla on a non-descript weekday night in Manchester, my concert-going muscle memory started to kick in. For obvious reasons, my gigging habit had previously stopped almost as soon as it began. I started by catching Parcels at Brudenell Social Club in 2018 (I was luckier than I realised; 3 years later and they’re one of my favourite bands of all), and managed to fit in American rock duo of mom jeans. and Prince Daddy & the Hyena before the world ended. Now with another half-dozen under my belt – including a scream-along special with Declan McKenna in Newcastle and an incredible, enthralling night with dodie in Manchester – I’m starting to feel like a bit of an old pro. At Gorilla it didn’t take long for me to suss out the bar and the messy hubub of thirsty people that it attracted in an undefined queue, and the staff were relatively efficient in supplying my usual pint of Coke and some disposable earplugs (much unlike my nightmarish experience at nearby Victoria Warehouse a few months ago). Then was the uncomfortable task of finding a satisfactory spot to stand in the crowd. For this, Emma proved to be an expert, and effortlessly weaved her way through the bodies, miraculously reaching a spacious spot an arm’s reach from the stage edge. There’s nothing quite like getting a spot so close to the stage you can practically worship the feet of the musician in front of you, especially when the musician in question is enigmatic jazz keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones.

As a keyboardist myself, Joe inevitably got much of my attention for the night, but a more obvious performer to venerate was the woman on the ticket: Nubya Garcia, one of the headline artists amongst the much talked-about vanguard of contemporary British jazz. With a Medusa-like splay of dreadlocks and a wide stance, she was an admirably powerful figure on centre stage, wielding a tenor saxophone – alto’s musclier, more serious big brother. Ever since her debut EP Nubya’s 5ive was released in 2017, it seems like the general excitement around her ability to inspire a generation of new, young jazz fans has only grown and grown. Even the supporting players in that EP – Moses Boyd and Femi Coleoso on drums, Theon Cross on tuba – have also become major players in the new genre, bringing their own extensive range of bands and solo projects. Start researching and it’s easy to get lost in the proliferation of new, British (but, let’s be honest, mostly London) jazz, and as a young jazz player myself, it’s thrilling to watch. On walking into Gorilla, however, we were reminded that for all the growing momentum of UK jazz, it’s still far from the mainstream. Gorilla can only handle up to 700 jazzheads and the flickering LEDs behind the band hardly screamed high-budget. UK jazz is still jazz after all, with all its challenging harmony and abstract improvisation, and Garcia’s particular brand is hardly aimed at converting Ed Sheeran fans. Instead, her music digs into long and often noisy solos powered by splashy, busy drumming and colorful injections of dissonant harmony. Heads often only have slightly less improvisation than the solos themselves and hooks, while undoubtedly present, are hardly abundant.

With an audience of fans that get it (unlike Garcia’s recent televised performances at the BBC Proms or with Jools Holland), Garcia rightly had no hesitation in fully exploring every tune with epic solos and fluid song structure. Absorbing opener Source was a perfect example: the 12-minute studio version may be a bit much for some, but on the night it became a 20-minute jazz odyssey. Thankfully, it was difficult to get tired of the sticky, heavy dub reggae groove it its centre, underlined by a Daniel Casimir’s bubbly basslines and Tom Jones’ snappy sidestick. All four performers had plenty of time to make their introductions. Armon-Jones’ solo was captivating, segueing from a brief section of precise samba to a dense cacophony of glissandos and cluster chords. Daniel Casimir’s double bass solo was both the most succinct and successful solo of the bunch, adding more character and groove into his plucking than I thought was possible. A final, stupendous riff was greeted by a stunned applause, with Garcia noticeably reluctant to take back the lead.

As you can imagine, time went quickly and the band only had time to fit in a streamlined selection of six songs to play for the whole night. Garcia delivered some light-hearted and fun chat in between each tune. She had a tendency to get lost on a tangent about the origin of a song or the experience of playing her first tour post-lockdown, but even so it was lovely to see the obvious joy that performing her music to a crowd brings. “I’m in a good place right now,” she earnestly told the crowd at one point, to which we all cheered. If Queen Nubya was happy, then so were we.

The Message Continues followed a thought-provoking chat about Garcia passing on the ‘message’ of her heritage, which she encouraged us all to do too. The sparkling groove – one of Garcia’s most immediate and memorable – nods to her Guyanese and Trinidadian roots with a cumbia-informed bass riff and lightly shuffling drum work. Afterwards, Pace delivered a whole different world for the musicians to play in: a frenzied and overwhelming solo section was intended to mimic the stresses of constant touring and socialising with no rest. The eventual mayhem was made all the more impactful by what preceded it – a total bass solo from Casimir, for which the others left the stage completely. He was more than worthy of owning the stage for a few breathless minutes, each melody more beautifully adventurous than the last. I don’t think any of us wanted it to stop.

Another moment of surprising solace came with Stand With Each Other, a sparse combination of solo saxophone and tasteful afrobeat drumming. Here, Garcia’s outstanding tone was on full display; breathy, soulful and immaculately controlled. The saxophone really did seem to morph into a fifth limb – no longer merely an instrument, but a second voice through which to speak volumes more than words ever could. There was a spine-tingling sense of awe in the room as Garcia effortlessly faded out a long final note into silence.

Daniel Casimir’s solo at the start of Pace was one of the highlights

For all Garcia’s technical brilliance, it would be going too far to say her performance was flawless. Even Emma – an even stronger supporter of UK jazz than I am – admitted that her solos could get formulaic. Gradually building chromatically to ever higher, ever louder long notes seemed to be Garcia’s go-to game plan and, unlike Armon-Jones or Jones, there were few times we were wowed by her technical dexterity, even if her tone and command of her instrument is immense. A brief sortie into the squeaky and impressive-sounding altissimo range of her instrument during Pace was only partially successful, and certainly the more foghorn-like lower end of her tenor range had more impact during the big moments.

That said, Garcia doesn’t have to be John Coltrane to be an exciting artist, and seeing her and her friends create art in front of our eyes was a thrill unlike any of the over-rehearsed rock and pop concerts I’ve attended recently. As with most jazz performances, Garcia and her band of outstanding musicians were intent on creating something unique and impossible to replicate. Even Garcia’s chats were free-flowing and improvised, and the atmosphere in the room benefitted as a result. The venues and audience may remain relatively small thanks to the inaccessibility of her boundary-pushing style to the average listener, but Garcia deserves praise to sticking to what she loves. In an industry of Tiktok-pandering overnight millionaires and the same old chart-storming pop idols, a night at Gorilla was a pleasant reminder that this corner of fast-moving jazz well outside the mainstream isn’t going anywhere.

Oscar Jerome live at Belgrave Music Hall review – a night of laughs, grooves and missed potential
4
Jun

In a belated end to his UK tour, Oscar Jerome had enough strong material and bewildering virtuosity to compete with the very best of his UK jazz peers. It’s unfortunate he was let down by a patchy setlist, limiting instrumentation and questionable sound design.

For a moment I questioned whether I’d ever actually see Oscar Jerome in Leeds as we suddenly found ourselves at the front of a lengthy queue outside Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen. It wasn’t the first time; this gig in particular has been toyed with by the pandemic. It was postponed twice from its now quaintly ambitious original date in October 2020 and a third attempt a year later tragically coincided with a city-wide venue boycott amidst a completely seperate, equally uncontrollable epidemic of syringe spikings in nightclubs across the country.

It was only once we had been let in to the chic yet understated Belgrave Music Hall that reality set in for me and my friends Emma and Fionn. Despite arriving at a leisurely 8pm, we really had benefitted from a quirk in the queuing system, and sauntered up to a gloriously quiet and queueless bar like royalty before taking our pick of standing spot in front of the stage (in the middle, right at the front, of course). At one point Oscar himself even walked across the near-empty audience space (just a few feet away from us!), prompting palpatations. Shadowy in a trench coat and with his two emmaculate mirrored locks of hair, we had to check with each other our anticipation for the gig hadn’t led to hallucination. No, Emma’s astonished face confirmed, it hadn’t.

To add to our pleasant surprise, it wasn’t particularly long before the man himself was just a few metres in front of us, with his trench coat now cast aside to reveal a playful striped t-shirt behind a chunky Ibanez guitar. I’ve spent good chunk of the 18-month build up to the gig daydreaming about just how good inevitable opener Sun For Someone would sound and feel live. That purring bassline paired with Ayo Salawu’s nimble jazz-funk drumming could surely be nothing but electrifying in the flesh. Indeed it was, especially after meditative solo guitar musings of Searching for Aliens, which worked well as a calm before the blissful storm that followed.

In truth, I felt some niggling disappointment as Sun For Someone segued into the decidedly less exciting Coy Moon. The levels were all off. The kick drum and that bass line – however competently played by Tom Dreissler – swallowed up both Jerome’s guitar and vocals, leaving the melody often noticeably warped and the need for a bit of wishful thinking in order to hear one of Jerome’s finest tracks in its full glory. Whilst it was a recurring frustration on the night, on balance I think the main cause of the issues was in a lack of gigging experience from me, Emma and Fionn. In our front-of-the-queue giddiness we had inadvertently selected sonically the worst spot in the house, resulting in a face full of kick drum whilst Jerome’s dulcet tones were directed into the space behind us by speakers beside the stage. We might have been close enough to examine the glossy sheen on Jerome’s faintly dyed hair or assess whether he needs to trim his nose hairs (he doesn’t), but in return the sound would never quite feel professional quality throughout the night.

Somewhat consolingly, it wasn’t just us. I overheard talk about the haphazard levels immediately after the gig had finished, and even in the middle of the set there was evidence that there was issues for the performers too. Jerome requested his mic to be turned up during and after Sun For Someone; Dreissler needed time to fiddle with his bass between songs later on and a misbehaving kick drum mic was a repeated concern for both Jerome and Salawu, at one point completely taking the limelight from a blistering Richie Smart conga solo. Whilst I’ve learnt my lesson that the front row isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, I’m sure there’s more the sound engineers could have done to make it a less significant drawback on the night.

If the jazz fans around me were annoyed by the sound issues, they didn’t show it. The mood in the room was one of celebration, with Jerome humble enough to engage with every slightly over-eager heckler. There was the obligatory marriage proposals (“I will if you can get me an EU passport,” Oscar offered) and an accepted request for happy birthday from a very possibly intoxicated fan. One man even managed to buy Oscar a pint and hand it up to him between songs. The resulting chant of “chug! chug! chug!” crossed a line. “I don’t do shit like that anymore,” Oscar laughed before taking a grateful sip.

Just as it had done for Declan McKenna, Orla Gartland and Nubya Garcia, the pandemic has created an unusually big gap between the release of Jerome’s strong debut album Breathe Deep and a subsequent tour. As a result, Jerome caved into temptation to devote a good deal of the gig to unreleased songs from the upcoming follow-up album. It’s a risky, and in my opinion a little impatient, decision to take, and the four new songs aired on the night proved to be a mixed bag. Groovy and hooky Berlin 1 was the pick of the bunch, but Feet Down South also provided a great opportunity for an arresting bass solo from Dreissler. Sweet Isolation, on the other hand, was the flattest moment of the whole evening: a drab, meandering track that did little to inspire movement from the audience beyond a polite nod of the head. Devoting so much time to new songs also meant less time for tried-and-true hits. Give Back What U Stole From Me and Fkn Happy Days ‘N’ That – both highlights from Breathe Deep – were the two most obvious set list casualties.

As the sound levels improved, the highlights came with the songs that relied most on Jerome’s guitar virtuosity. Joy is You, a heartwarming ode to his newborn nephew, saw Jerome have the stage all to himself yet still provide ample soul and colour with some dextrous plucking. “As the past slips through the window / The joy is you” he sang with a smile, revealing some tender vulnerability that was well recieved by the crowd. By contrast, sophisticated and dynamic Gravitate was powered by Salawu’s brilliant, stumbling drum groove, but still saw Jerome improvising at his scintillating best amidst sumptuous melodic bass playing from Dreissler. An extended guitar solo was the only opportunity Jerome had to display his full jazz solo prowess, developing a seed of an idea into an all-consumming spectacle before kicking into one last chorus.

Jerome’s lack of saxophonist was not as fatal as Orla Gartland’s lack of keyboardist a few months ago, but certain songs did lose a good deal of their original detail as a result. 2 Sides and fan favourite Do You Really sounded simply incomplete without the great hooks that had been offered by saxophone and backing vocals on the originals. The three of us certainly tried our best to fill in the melodic gaps with our own voices on the latter, but there was only so much we could do. That said, sax or no sax, Do You Really remains a career highlight for Jerome, and a strong chorus was rapturously recieved by the crowd, prompting demands for an encore, with which the band happily obliged.

There was mock horror just before the start of the gig when we spied on the setlist taped to the stage floor that underwhelming recent single No Need was scheduled to be the final song of the night. We were in for shock: No Need was easily one of the best tracks of the night, taking us from rapid swing to hypnotic funk and back again and at last turning Belgrave Music Hall into a proper dancefloor. Salawu’s tastefully played real drums and Jerome’s rhythmic guitar made perfect replacements for the studio version’s drum machine and wishy-washy keys, and the transition from jazz to dance was executed with a thrill lost on the original song. To my huge relief, Jerome assured us that the concert was being recorded; I’m already desperate for a second listen.

As he bid farewell with No Need‘s slap bass and pounding kick drum, I was reminded that Jerome, for all his outstanding musical ability, is still in the early stages of a very promising career. With little more than an album’s worth of material at his disposal, conjuring up a five-star set was always an uphill battle, and dealing with less experienced sound engineers at the smaller venues may just be par for the course. Even so, after having had a brief chat with him after the gig, the post-gig high was very sweet indeed. The three of us practically skipped through central Leeds and back to the car, jubilantly singing Do You Really with a tote bag full of signed vinyls swinging from my shoulder. At last, there was no gig left to postpone, no songs left to wishfully daydream. The long wait had been worth it.

Awaith live at the Cluny review – Welsh indie trio are worth rooting for
27
May

The pioneering Welsh-language trio had plenty of quality material from their recent double album to dig into in Newcastle, although the scuzzy guitars and restless basslines were occasionally let down by Hollie Singer’s limited vocal performance.

It’s a gorgeous, starry night in Ouseburn, and from my vantage point high up in the valley the distant yellow lights of the Cluny could easily be sparkling campfire or a stray firefly. I walk down over the old cobblestone bridge that crosses the brook and, not for the first time, I’m awed by the looming giant that is Byker Bridge – a hulking red-brick symbol of the triumph and brutality of Victorian industry, which today conveys a steady flow of double decker busses some 100 feet above the valley floor. These days, of course, Ouseburn is known not as the centre of Newcastle’s heavy industries, but as a remarkable cultural oasis, with the Cluny as its beloved beating heart. This Tuesday night in February features a typically grassroots bill, including local dance-punks Fashion Tips (who deliver a rather incoherent set, despite the appeal of screaming frontwoman Louise Newman looking like a librarian gone wild) and buzzy Welsh-language post punk trio Adwaith.

In fact, these are exciting times for Adwaith and Welsh rock in general. The fact that the Carmarthen band choose to sing exclusively in Welsh is a laudably punk act in itself – any casual student of Eurovision will know English is the language of choice if you want to appeal to the broadest audience possible – but Adwaith clearly value the promotion of their language and culture over profits. They’re not shy about it either – their recent release, timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Welsh Language Music Day, is a 23-track, 75-minute behemoth that wilfully disregards the accepted wisdom that a steady stream of singles and EPs is that best way to grow your streaming numbers these days. Alongside Gruff Rhys and Tara Bandito, Adwaith are the brightest lights in a new wave of Welsh music revivalists hoping to meet and possibly surpass the success of the genre’s 90s figureheads Super Furry Animals.

What was so surprising about that double album, Solas, was not just its ambitious length, but how the quality of the songwriting remained so consistently strong throughout its testing runtime. “It cost us a bloody fortune,” bassist Gwenllian Anthony reminds us twice tonight, pointing towards the merch stand where t-shirts printed with the band’s glorious Welsh names (Gwenllian, Heledd and Hollie) appear to be selling well. Tonight’s set is essentially a front-to-back playthrough of Solas (minus of a few of the duller tracks), a choice which gives the set the meticulous sequencing of an album, although also leaves it feeling somewhat risk-free and predictable.

Opener Planed established quickly that the Welsh language was far from the only interesting thing about this band. Bubbly synths mingled with fidgety, vaguely Middle Eastern guitar snippets (inevitably pre-recorded and played as a backing track), whilst Anthony’s muscular bass riff contrasted nicely with Hollie Singer’s deadpan vocals – a juxtaposition that appeals on song after song tonight. Mwy and Gofyn were stompy early highlights, with Anthony wrapping her fingers around two elephantine bass riffs, the minimalist compositions ending up like warped approximations of Afrobeat and reggae respectively.

Whilst Singer’s quiet and restrained approach to vocals offered some nice contrasts to the gritty guitar music that surrounded her (her almost-whispered performance in frugging standout Y Ddawns was deliciously sinister), other songs demanded a bigger stage presence and a vocal commitment Singer never seemed prepared to offer. Coeden Anniben’s bratty punk strop fell flat with Singer standing largely motionless on stage, and it’s no wonder that there was never the faintest whiff of a mosh pit amongst the Cluny patrons (in fact, sometimes it felt like I was the only one dancing). Singer was upstaged when she swapped roles with Anthony for Pelydr-X, who duly wrapped the mic cord around her neck like a feather boa, planted a boot on an on-stage monitor and gave it her all. It was a theatrical performance that elevated an otherwise middling track, but it also highlighted how much better Adwaith could be with a little more charisma and chutzpah.

Sanas, the recent album’s exhilaratingly unhinged prog rock interlude, disappointingly didn’t make the cut for this show, but we did get its follow-up Miliwn. Easily the band’s most tightly written pop-rock composition, it was only at this point that Singer seemed to fully relax, digging into an anthemic chorus over a lively bassline (the fact that “miliwn” is a simple cognate of the English “million” allowed for a rare opportunity for an audience singalong in Newcastle). Heledd Owen was an engine on the drums at the back of the stage, and Singer’s hook is a knockout. One suspects more singles of this quality are only a matter of time for Adwaith, but for now Miliwn stands alone as their finest effort.

The applause at the end of the set lasted just about long enough to justify an encore of the band’s sleeper hit Fel i Fod and the sweetly sentimental Eto, before the trio were unplugging their guitars and hurrying over to man their own merch stand. I obtained a set list from Owen and happily strolled back onto the streets of Ouseburn and back under Byker Bridge. It had been a satisfying if unspectacular midweek fixture – the gigging equivalent to a 1-0 win at home – but I was reassured that I’d supported a worthy up-and-coming band, both with my ticket fee and my lonesome yet committed dancing at the front and centre of the crowd. I may not have understood a word Hollie Singer sang, but strolling back home along dark wooded lanes, I was left certain that Adwaith’s star is in the ascendance.