Featured release day single
Going Nowhere – Berry Hagman
‘Are you happy to keep playing while the ship is slowly sinking?’
Folk musician Berry Hagman is back with his brand new single Going Nowhere, a self-effacing kazoo driven track about trying to ‘make it’ but being more satisfied by the journey than the destination. This is Berry’s fifth release of this year, following on from his single Sink This Ship, a five-song live EP, the Hibernation Tapes EP, and his first single of the year Be Yourself, which is quite a repertoire to build in only six months.
Going Nowhere is Berry all over, with his unique blend of folk instruments such as acoustic guitar and kazoo, upbeat tempo, and relatable lyrics with his love of punk music sprinkled in throughout. This particular track lends itself to ska influences such as Reel Big Fish, and Less Than Jake, and is described by Berry as a ‘fun summer song’ which it definitely lives up to.
When asked to describe the track, Berry stated, ‘it’s a fun song you can blast on full volume while driving round the coast with the windows down on a hot day.’
The song is two and a half minutes of music that you can’t help but dance to, and takes you right back to the height of the ska movement.
If the first half of 2025 is anything to go by, we will no doubt be hearing from Berry Hagman even more throughout the rest of the year.
Going Nowhere is out today (4/6) on all streaming platforms.
Grim Reaper – Patrick Gosling
My my oh mama – South Shields lad Patrick Gosling is back with his latest single Grim Reaper. Staying true to his Americana influences, the track delivers a bluesy-rock feel, with just the right amount of distortion present in the guitar. With an upbeat rhythm, Patrick reminds us just how much he loves being in love.
Cosmic Immigrants – Swindled
If the title wasn’t enough of a clue, Cosmic Immigrants takes it’s inspiration from another galaxy. With a simple beat made distinct by a key change in the chorus, Swindled takes us on a journey to Mars A stark departure from the style of their last single Dear Past Life, it will be interesting to see where Swindled goes next.
In May – Jamie Beth
With beautifully emotional vocals, Newcastle indie pop artist Jamie Beth charms us as she reminisces about ‘how it was that summer… 5 years ago in May’. With a style not too dissimilar to Lizzie McAlpine and Joan & The Giants, Jamie continues to impress after her previous single Don’t Change My Mind. She is definitely one to watch.
Sun’s Out – Leazes
The highly anticipated single Sun’s Out delivers the North-East pride promised by Newcastle based band Leazes. Having gone semi-viral on TikTok, amassing nearly half a million views combined on their promotional videos before the single was released, Leazes had audiences with high expectations. With commeters likening the 5-piece to the likes of Maximo Park and Sam Fender, they managed to win over a sizeable fanbase from the tune, and for good reason. Sun’s Out is a feel-good summer anthem, capturing a love for their hometown of Tynemouth, and the praise they have received from it may just win them a spot on the main stage at Hardwick Festival this summer, having successfully made it through the heats of the Road to Hardwick competition at The Newgate Social in Newcastle. Leazes has built quite the hype around themselves, now it’s time to see if they can keep it up and continue to impress their new found audience with whatever they have coming next.
Inside – Black Rain
Black Rain might just be the most hotly anticipated band emerging out of Sunderland right now, having already amassed a loyal local fanbase before even releasing a single just goes to show that they’ve managed to impress audiences right out the gate. Their debut single Inside is a perfect snapshot of what the band has to offer. Self described as ‘too goth to be punk, too punk to be goth’, they manage to perfectly blend the two genres into their own unique style. With a jam packed gig schedule, Black Rain are on the ball when it comes to getting their name out there, and now audiences who leave their shows wanting more can have something tangible to listen to after the gig. Inside is just the start though, their debut 9-track EP, recorded at The Bunker by producer Phil Jackson, will be coming out soon and it can only get better and better for this up and coming 3-piece who are proud to be from Sunderland.
