The Debut Spotlight is back for 2026! I am reviewing debuts separately from my monthly recaps, so you’ll be getting these in volumes throughout the year.

There’s a ton of debuts that I love that don’t always make the written list, but don’t worry! You can find all in the playlist at the end of the post (available on Spotify, Apple).

And if you are a paid subscriber, you can see all my recommendations inside the shared Spotlight Spreadsheet!

Welcome back to the Debut Spotlight for Volume 2!

Today, I bring you 7 LPs and 2 EPs from around the world that stood out to me across indie, pop, alternative, and punk genres.

Grand Eugène - Deux places au cimetière

Genre(s): lo-fi pop, French indie, bedroom pop

For fans of: Miel de Montagne, Bibi Club, Bleu Toucan

[Montreal, Canada] - I really love French indie, so it’s great find a new group to drool over. This Quebec-based duo delivers a blissful and sometimes electronic indie rock/dream pop album, and brings in similar artists like Miel de Montagne and Freak Heat Waves to collaborate on tracks. If you need a steady and chill album to soundtrack your productivity, this is a great one to check out.

Twisted N’ Luv - TNL EP

Genre(s): R&B | hip-hop | indie pop

For fans of: Thundercat, Anderson .Paak, Childish Gambino

[Los Angeles, California] - These kids are so fun!!! In January, I wrote about finding this duo via their viral TikToks and there is just a joyful infectiousness to their raw and highly energetic street performances in L.A. For that reason, the group generated some buzz about being this generation’s MGMT, though they differ by blending their 2000s indie pop influences with smooth R&B and hip-hop. The single below is the big hit, but definitely check out some of the slower jams.

EARTH TO EMILY - E2E

Genre(s): pop | queer pop | indietronica

For fans of: Charlie XCX, pinkpantheress, Chappell Roan

[Toronto→Los Angeles, California] - This recommendation came to me from (thank u mellll). This queer pop debut was an immediate bop (are we still using that term??) and evokes a familiarity to its modern pop influences. I love its celebratory queer nature, and I’m excited to see how this artist grows. Preview the entire album here.

Girl Scout - Brink

Genre(s): indie rock | bubblegrunge | indie pop

For fans of: Kississippi, Alvvays, Beach Bunny

[Stockholm, Sweden] - The long awaited debut LP is here! After a series of great EPs, this Swedish outfit has finally put out their full length, which induces nostalgia with its 90s/00s indie rock x girl punk vibe. This album definitely leans more bubbly than their earlier releases, but I think that shift really develops their sound in a positive way. This shines brightest in their singles, which are infectiously catchy.

Cardinals - Masquerade

Genre(s): indie rock | folk punk | garage rock

For fans of: The Murder Capital, Bright Eyes, Fontaines DC

[Cork, Ireland] - I saw these guys open for Wunderhorse in Dublin this summer, and since them I’ve seen them all over festival lineups, including the US. Cardinals bring a sort of gothic chamber vibe to indie rock, notably featuring accordion amongst its post-punk guitars. There’s a link to Irish traditional music as well, showcasing a blend of decades that is quite refreshing to see from a young rock group.

MX LONELY - ALL MONSTERS

Genre(s): shoegaze | grunge | heavy alternative

For fans of: Pixies, Deftones, Sonic Youth

[Brooklyn, New York] - I had originally dropped this as a soft mention in my Monthly Recap but quickly became more enthralled with it upon further listening. And through subsequent digging, I found out that it was considered their debut LP. It seemed like there was a surplus of shoegaze releases in 2025, and while that was getting a little tiring, I would say that this album rises above other contenders with its heavy alternative lean and emotive tracks that carry you along the journey.

los frankies - D.E.D City

Genre(s): garage rock | indie rock | punk

For fans of: The White Stripes, The Hives, The New York Dolls

[Los Angeles, California] - And now for a punch of adrenaline! This album hit hard from start to finish, delivering gritty and unembellished rock songs. Pulling on 70s punk and a bit of 00s garage rock influences, los frankies deliver defiant and explosive tracks that will definitely motivate you to get on the dancefloor (or pit floor(?)). If you need a bit of drive to your day, throw this one on.

Bedelia - Never change, love you always (EP)

Genre(s): indie | dream pop | 90s alt

For fans of: Mazzy Star, Slowdive, Beach House

[San Fernando Valley, California] - This EP comes to you from a trio made up of members of Bad Suns, Fleshwater, and Ethel Cain. While Marisa Shirar typically delivers hardcore vocals in Fleshwater, this project showcases her softer side, evoking 90s nostalgia with shimmery and dreamy tracks. This collection of songs fuses dream-pop and indie pop, and is a great sampler for more to come.

snake eyes - cash rich

Genre(s): fuzz rock | garage rock | grit pop

For fans of: Dinosaur Pile-up, Wavves, Cleopatrick

[Brighton, UK] - This was a long awaited debut for me, having followed their EPs and singles since 2023. This self produced album is full of fuzzy and boisterous jams, but takes some breaks for some more softer flows. It’s great to see the tenacity of a long-running DIY group result in a debut LP of this strength!

Apple version.

Which debut was your favorite? Were there any that I missed? Chime off below!

Until next time,

x Erin

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I’m adjusting my process to review debuts separately from my monthly recaps, so you’ll be getting these in volumes throughout the year.

It feels like a ton of debuts came out in January and early February, and I won’t have time to discuss them all, so you might catch some bonus recommendations based on artists in similar genres. As always, you can find all debuts I enjoy in the playlist at the end of the post.

Katie Tupper - Greyhound

Genre(s): r&b | soul | indie rock

For fans of: SAULT, Erika de Casier, Billie Marten

[Saskatoon, CA] - This debut comes from an artist who was born in Saskatchewan, mixing r&b/soul influences with folk-inspired indie rock elements like steel pedal. The vocals are the star here, showcasing her deep alto voice. Normally I try to avoid artists with a high listener count in these wrap-ups, but this album was way too good to not include in this spotlight.

Seibiant - Hypnotizer

Genre(s): post-punk | indie rock | shoegaze

For fans of: DIIV, Protomartyr, Echo and The Bunnymen

[Barcelona, ES] - Seibiant is a Barcelona-based band who blends indie rock, post-punk, and shoegaze to produce some dreamy rock tunes. According to Seibiant, “Hypnotizer is the sound of a band finding its feet, pushing ourselves to explore different directions, all while trying to make sense of the dissolution of an old band and the creation of a new family of four friends.” This new project finds them producing some melodic guitar-forward tunes with an 80s edge.

Waiting Room - hello.

Genre(s): alternative rock | indie rock

For fans of: The Mysterines, SPRINTS, Wolf Alice

[Budapest, HU] - The opening title track of this album reminded me so much of Oasis’
”Fuckin’ In The Bushes” and I was immediately hooked. The remainder of the album hits you with some fantastic alternative rock tracks, drawing inspiration from the 70s and 90s. The tracks range from hard hitting and energetic to emotional and melodic, with a mix of Hungarian and English lyrics. One of my favorite new finds of the month.

Shaking Hand - Shaking Hand

Genre(s): alternative | post-rock | northwest emo

For fans of: Slint, Sonic Youth, Pavement

[Manchester, UK] - Midwest emo always feels like such an American-centric term, and often feels odd to use when discussing music globally - Shaking Hand comes through with their version of Northwest-emo, mixing influences from early post-rock and 90s alternative. This selection of tracks holds the melodic intimacy of emo while pulling in some more experimental and layered aspects in the vocals and guitars.

Home Star - A Binding Life

Genre(s): power pop | alt rock | 90s emo

For fans of: Tigers Jaw, Liquid Mike, Buddie

[Philadelphia, PA] - This debut project comes from the songwriter and founding member of Marietta, a 2010s emo band out of Philly. Evan Lescallette marries the midwest emo sensibilities of his past project with power pop and 90s alternative influences in Home Star, with splashes in a bit of indie and surf rock along the way. Another great album out of Born Losers Records!

Bonus: If you’re looking for something similar on the indie rock/power pop side, check out the EP Clever Girl from Vera Daisies (France).

Only The Poets - And I’d Do It Again

Genre(s): indie pop | indie rock

For fans of: The 1975, lovelytheband, Adult Leisure

[Reading, UK] - I’ve been tracking the singles from OTP and got to witness them open for The Wombats last fall, so I was eager to check out the new album. Their music consists of pop-forward rock songs, leaning toward a more 80s synth style than their earlier indie tracks. Lyrically, they approach their music with raw emotion and a reflective nature, resulting in a tender selection of songs on their debut. If you enjoy the British pop scene, this is a great one to check out.

Bonus: If you’re looking for more indie pop rock, check out SAMSARA. - whatever helps you sleep at night (NYC).

red sun - At Their Very Best

Genre(s): midwest emo | alternative | pop punk

For fans of: Kerosene Heights, saturdays at your place, Macseal

[Oklahoma City, OK] - red sun’s debut was released on Wax Bodega, cementing their first full length album since their debut EP in 2024. From their DIY experiences in OKC, the band has evolved their sound, combining fifth-wave emo, alt-rock, and pop punk on their LP, with some classic emotive vocals to encompass their raw and dynamic tracks. I particularly like the addition of horns on the track below.

Bonus: If you’re looking for more emo and pop punk debuts, check out Puriden - Public Aging (Philly) and Royals - High Stakes and Heartaches (UK).

Which debut was your favorite? Were there any that I missed? Chime off below!

Until next time,

x Erin

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What I hate, however, is having to narrow down a list. It’s hard.

I started this Substack in 2024 with one main topic of discussion: Debuts. Since then, it’s expanded to recommendations and reflections on all things music, but I still try to keep up with my debut recommendations as much as I can. There’s something really invigorating about discovering an artist during their debut cycle, and watching how they grow from there.

This year, I listened to over 150 debut albums and EPs, and saved a good chunk of them for review. I narrowed down that list to the 20 releases that really resonated with me. I initially tried to organize by genre, but so many of the artists crossover, so you’ll get them alphabetically instead.

And because I cannot be boxed in, I’ve added a bonus suggestion that is along the vibes of each debut I selected; I just want to see my babies thrive!

The Backfires - This Is Not An Exit

Genre(s): indie pop | indie rock

For fans of: Catfish and The Bottlemen, The Vaccines, Inhaler, Circa Waves

[New York, NY] - This debut comes from a British/American indie rock band based in New York City. Their tracks have an indie pop infectiousness that reminds me of modern groups like Inhaler and Wallows. They’ve also recently done a cover of Oasis’ “She’s Electric”, so of course I’m obsessed.

More like this? Check out the debut from The Jump Cuts.

Black Lounge - Black Tapes

Genre(s): indie rock | garage rock | Britpop

For fans of: Arctic Monkeys | The Kairos | The Reytons | The Thing

[Essex, UK] - It’s no secret that if you release something that sounds like it’s from 2006-2008, I’m going to love it. When I first heard “Loudmouth”, it brought me back to that time. But beyond that, I do hear some influences from the 60s/70s guitar rock eras, which seems to be catching onto it’s own revival wave. Sometimes music can be comfort food.

More like this? Check out the debut from slumclub.

chest. - All Good Things End

Genre(s): post-punk | noise rock

For fans of: IDLES, DITZ, Enola Gay, The Murder Capital

[Paris, FR] - I got really excited about this band when I learned that they all met while working at Supersonic, one of my favorite venues in the world. This EP appends to their existing discography of fantastic post-punk tracks, delivering high octane noise and hard-hitting punk hits.

More like this? Check out the debuts from Makeshift Art Bar.

chokecherry - Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls

Genre(s): grunge | alternative | indie rock

For fans of: julie, Momma, Girl Tones, Rocket

[San Francisco, CA] - One of the final debuts that I reviewed for this year, but it’s really been sticking with me. This is a great mix of melodic and fuzzy tracks with pop, punk, and shoegaze influences. Really fantastic production on the album while still harnessing their raw and emotive nature.

More like this? Check out the debut from Ribbon Skirt.

Consumables - Infinite Games

Genre(s): progressive post-punk | indie rock | art-rock

For fans of: Pavement, Parquet Courts, Squid, Gang Of Four

[New York, NY] - These NYC progressive post-punkers have released a great debut, incorporating elements of art punk and new-wave. There’s a lot of bounce to this record, with saxophone, fuzzy guitars, and synth to round out the tracks. The layering of vocals and instrumentals is just incredibly satisfying to my ears.

More like this? Check out the debut from Fit.

The Criticals - The Criticals

Genre(s): indie rock | garage rock | indie pop

For fans of: The Virgins, The Strokes, The Vaccines, Franz Ferdinand

[Nashville, TN] - Though this group is American, they recorded their debut album in the UK, and I think that influence shows on how infectiously catchy their indie rock tracks are. It feels very nostalgic to the 00’s revival that is happening, and I’ll never complain about receiving more feel-good, serotonin-bumping tunes.

More like this? Check out the debuts from Modern Alibi.

Flycatcher - Wrench

Genre(s): midwest emo | 90s alternative | indie twang

For fans of: Hotline TNT, Manchester Orchestra, Microwave, wakelee

[NJ] - I think this was a highly anticipated debut for the East Coast alternative x emo scene, and it didn’t disappoint. As someone who feels constantly split between indie and emo kid identities, it’s a nice present for me when I get to experience multi-genre releases that blend all my favorite vibes - in this case, 90s rock meets midwest emo with an emphasis on the twangy folk influences.

More like this? Check out the debut from Kissing On Camera.

Low Girl - Is It Too Late To Freak Out?

Genre(s): indie | indietronica

For fans of: Lunar Vacation, Metronomy, Foals, Suzanne Vega

[Hertfordshire, UK] - A beautiful indie rock debut driven by moving lyrics, incorporating small amounts of synthetic, electronic, or brass elements to round out its impactful sound. It just tickled my brain in a really good way!

More like this? Check out the debut from VOV VOV!.

Lunch - Open Wide

Genre(s): dance punk | indie rock | post-punk

For fans of: The Hives, Gurriers, Bloc Party, PROJECTOR

[London, UK] - I love the high energy of this indie punk EP - the five tracks are a great outlet for pent-up energy, and I could easily find myself dancing in the pit to this band at a summer festival (*manifesting*).

More like this? Check out the debut from Hungry.

My Son The Doctor - Glamours

Genre(s): indie rock | art punk | garage rock

For fans of: CAKE, Weezer, Front Bottoms, Pavement

[Brooklyn, NY] - 90’s slacker rock meets 00’s indie folk punk in this highly energetic and charismatic debut from NY. If you’ve missed having an absolute earworm of a song stuck in your head, My Son The Doctor has you sorted with their indie dancefloor tracks.

More like this? Check out the debut from Skinner.

Niis - NIIS WORLD

Genre(s): punk | hardcore | alternative rock

For fans of: Scowl, Gel, Mannequin Pussy, Babe Haven

[Los Angeles, CA] - Thank you to my platonic wife Andrea for telling me about this artist! This album is objectively a banger, encompassing punk, hardcore, lo-fi garage, and grunge aspects. I missed them earlier this year at (now defunct) Foto Club so I’m hoping they get added to a stacked tour ticket in 2026.

More like this? Check out the debut from Die Spitz.

Operelly - Handwriting Practice No. 1

Genre(s): bedroom pop | twee | indie folk

For fans of: Clairo, Sufjan Stevens, Regina Spektor, Zero 7

[CA] - This was a beautiful discovery for me earlier this year. It made me feel really nostalgic for the fantastic indie artists that I loved in my teens, and showcased some amazing songwriting. A very soothing EP to relax with.

More like this? Check out the debut from Huarinami.

Panic Shack - Panic Shack

Genre(s): indie punk | indie rock | feminist punk

For fans of: Lambrini Girls, Runaways, Amyl & The Sniffers, SPRINTS

[Cardiff, UK] - This album has a really fun collection of guitar pop bangers with punchy lyrics. I love the punk energy of this album, and it feels like pure energy wrapped in a 34 min package. Eagerly awaiting a US tour announcement.

More like this? Check out the debut from Gully Boys.

Sandhouse - Circus

Genre(s): indie rock | dreamgaze | alternative rock

For fans of: Sorry, Friedberg, CIEL, Freak Slug

[London, UK] - I found this artist via the title track to this EP and I was mesmerized. There’s a haunting nature to this dreamgaze/indie rock album that reminds me of Wolf Alice’s Blue Weekend, and I truly think it’s a perfect selection of five tracks. Since this EP, they’ve also released a fantastic single, “Make Me Small”, so definitely stay tuned for more releases.

More like this? Check out the debut from Paper Lady.

Seaside - Desiderata

Genre(s): dream pop | alternative | indie | power pop

For fans of: Metric, Wolf Alice, Queens of the Stone Age, Silversun Pickups

[Byron Bay, AUS] - This debut features a raw and dreamy soundscape, blending elements of dream pop and alternative rock to create a beautiful collection of songs. I really love the harmonies on this album, and am excited to see where this group progresses.

More like this? Check out the debut from Trinkets.

Sleeper’s Bell - Clover

Genre(s): folk | indie | singer-songwriter

For fans of: Julien Baker, Wednesday, Dead Gowns, Big Thief

[Chicago, IL] - The debut from this folk-duo features elements of indie twang, showcased by acoustic guitar, fiddle, and saxophone. A perfect album for the cold winter season.

More like this? Check out the debut from Folk Bitch Trio.

sorry face - XD

Genre(s): punk | garage rock | psych | dance punk

For fans of: Klaxons, The Rapture, The Subways, Friend

[Pittsburgh, PA] - I really think this album is a sleeper hit and needs more recognition outside the PA music scene. It’s punky, noisy, and full of late 00’s dance punk charm. I just know one of these live shows would have insane energy.

More like this? Check out the debut from Knives.

Sunday Morning - Eternal Grief

Genre(s): pop-punk | alternative | post-hardcore

For fans of: The Story So Far, Anxious, Movements, Arm’s Length

[New Haven, CT] - Pop-punk and emo music is at its best when its pulling on the heartstrings - this debut perfectly blends heavy instrumentation and vocals with melodic storytelling in its powerful reflection on grief. A homerun of a debut, and a great introduction to the band for me.

More like this? Check out the debut from Bukowski.

Tough Cookie - The Countryside Is Good For You

Genre(s): indie rock | alternative

For fans of: Declan McKenna, Bean Magazine, Inhaler

[London, UK] - A great mixtape of tracks from the rising London alternative rock group, delivering powerful vocals backed by rock instrumentals with a festival set energy.

More like this? Check out the debut from Balancing Act.

Wax Jaw - It Takes Guts!

Genre(s): post-punk | surf punk | indie rock | egg punk

For fans of: Bad Nerves, Mannequin Pussy, Le Securite, L.A. Witch

[Philadelphia, PA] - The long-awaited debut from Philly’s hottest band, Wax Jaw. In case you missed it, I interviewed the band about this release earlier this fall. I love to see how their songwriting has progressed over the past few years, and this album features some more new wave and indie rock influences, while still retaining their punk sound.

More like this? Check out the debut from SHAGGO.

If you enjoyed these recommendations, please share this post so that others can discover these great artists! And if it’s your first time stopping by, feel free to subscribe to keep up with debuts in 2026.

Coming soon: My Spotlight Albums of 2025, showcasing releases from smaller artists.

Which debut was your favorite? Was there one that I missed? Chime off below!

Until next time,

x Erin

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This is the final debut spotlight of 2025. I’ve been doing my best to try to listen to as many debuts as I can before making my end of year lists. I’m sure something will pop up in December where I go, “Oh, rats!”, but that’s the name of the game.

Here are 10 debut albums and extended plays that stood out to me during this listening period:

Debuts

alright (okay) - Decent (Fine) (EP)

[Merseyside, UK] - FFO: Black Country, New Road, Slothrust, Arctic Monkeys

This energetic band has been making waves across Liverpool with their guitar-forward slacker rock/post-punk debut.

chokecherry - Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls

[San Francisco, CA] - FFO: julie, Momma, Girl Tones

The California indie rock/grunge group debuts with their great mix of melodic and fuzzy tracks, featuring beautiful vocals and pop/punk/shoegaze influences.

Hana Eid - Trains Running Backwards

[Nashville, TN] - FFO: Laura Elliott, Blondshell, Big Thief

A young singer-songwriter from Nashville who incorporates Southern influences into her indie pop tracks.

Seaside - Desiderata

[Byron Bay, Australia] - FFO: Metric, Wolf Alice, Queens of the Stone Age

This is a raw and dreamy alternative/indie rock debut from Seaside, featuring elements of power pop and guitar rock.

SNOWMEN - A Kick To The Face

[New York, New York] - FFO:

I’ve been really looking forward to this debut from NYC’s post-punk/indie rock group, who have showcased a diversity of sound on their debut LP.

A note from the band:

Listen to this album at max volume on your shittiest speakers.

Sunday Morning - Eternal Grief

[New Haven, Connecticut] - FFO: The Story So Far, Anxious, Movements

A front-runner in the pop-punk and alternative scene, perfectly blending heavy and melodic for a very personal and powerful reflection on grief.

swim school - Swim School

[Edinburgh, Scotland] - FFO: Pale Waves, softcult, NewDad

I first fell for this group with their debut EP from 2023; now, their long-awaited debut LP is out, perfectly blending indie rock and shoegaze influences and showcasing dreamy vocals.

Venus & The Flytraps - Demonette

[Nashville, Tennessee] - FFO: Gully Boys, Pacifica, WAAX

A highly anticipated debut from the Nashville indie pop duo that blends in some alternative rock to its energetic singles.

voyeur - The Burden Of Desire

[New York, New York] - FFO: Sonic Youth, bar italia, The Murder Capital

Indie rock, alternative, and post-punk come together in this long-awaited debut from the New Yorkers. A great follow-up to their previous EPs.

Yada Yada - All Of These Evils (EP)

[Chicago, Illinois] - FFO: Hole, Mannequin Pussy, Bloc Party

A stellar EP from the Chicago-based indie dance punkers. Drawing in from garage rock, this release features noisy and fuzzy guitar riffs and great songwriting.

A note from the band:

This new project sees the 5-piece embracing their dance-punk and garage-rock roots with more raw and energetic songwriting. Noisy guitars, enormous drums, and Meagan Hoch’s shouty vocals, this record’s sound is dramatically evolved from their 2023 debut EP “Hot Head.” As their live shows around Chicago have made them local favorites, “All of These Evils” seeks to capture this sound and invite the listener into sweaty, crowded rooms to chant the words along with them.

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

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I usually try to wrap my favorite debuts into my monthly recaps, but there were so many good releases this month it warranted a separate article. Plus, it allows me to throw in some September picks that missed my deadline.

Debuts

In case you missed it, I completed my first debut interview with Philadelphia’s Wax Jaw! They produced a fantastic post-punk album, sprinkled with some surf and garage rock, that you should definitely check out when you have the chance!

Adult Leisure - The Things You Don’t Know Yet

[Bristol, England] - FFO: Sam Fender, Suede, Peter Gabriel

A warm and synthy indie album, full of emotionally-charged lyrics that are carried by a dancefloor energy from the band.

A note from the band:

“The Things You Don’t Know Yet is our way of saying ‘this is who we are’. We’ve lived through different moments, felt the same weight. We each have our own voice, but this album speaks as one. It’s not just a collection of ideas; It’s a reflection of where we’ve been as friends, as musicians, and as people trying to make sense of things. It’s about the stuff we carry, the things we hide, and the moments we hold onto. Writing these songs helped us feel more connected to each other. Now we hope they do the same for you, we hope you find something here that feels like it was meant just for you. “

Balancing Act - Who’ve You Come As (Part 1)

[Manchester, England] - FFO: Young The Giant, Sir Sly, Arctic Monkeys

Indie rock and pop that reminded me of the experimentation that Alex Turner started to make post-AM, with haunting vocals that are reminiscent of late 00s-early 10s bands like Young The Giant. Excited to see what the second half will look like.

A note from the band:

“Ey up! We’re Balancing Act, a four piece beautiful headache from Manchester. We’ve just released the first part our debut album, “Who’ve You Come As?”. I won’t begin to describe the genre, but it kinda feels like Britney listened to Queens Of The Stone Age with a hangover. We’re so proud of what we made, and we can’t wait for you to feel just a confused as we are.”

Flycatcher - Wrench

[New Jersey] - FFO: Hotline TNT, Microwave, Sunny Day Real Estate

This was a highly anticipated debut for me based on the singles - twangy midwest emo meets 90s alternative rock/shoegaze, fitting in with a lot of the modern artists like MJ Lenderman and Hotline TNT.

A note from the band:

Flycatcher have found their stride. Their blend of twangy indie rock, worn-in emo revival, and road ready anthems built for driving with the windows down hit in a way that feels both surprising and inevitable. On their new album out today, Wrench, the NJ-based band expands on the foundation of their previous releases with a newfound Americana-inspired warmth, leaning into Gregory Pease’s raspy, lived-in vocals to bring it home.

Gully Boys - Gully Boys

[Minneapolis, MN] - FFO: Nova Twins, Destroy Boys, Pinkshift

A long-awaited debut from the popular alternative/nu-metal punk group, full of raw and energetic tracks.

Low Girl - Is It Too Late To Freak Out?

[Hertfordshire, England] - FFO: Lunar Vacation, Metronomy, Foals

A beautiful indie rock debut driven by moving lyrics, incorporating small amounts of synthetic, electronic, or brass elements to round out its impactful sound.

A note from the artist:

“As the title suggests, Is It Too Late To Freak Out? is the feeling of panic upon realizing you are in too deep. I couldn’t put off the feelings I needed to confront any longer, and this album is a space for me to process every painful thing I had been pushing against. It was a magical moment in time where the four of us seemed to really understand what was needed from each of us to turn meandering emotions into a statement.” - Sarah

Talon - Codes

[Brooklyn, NY] - FFO: Momma, The Breeders, Beach Bunny

This debut album celebrates the joys, pain, and chaos of queer life through their 90s alternative x indie rock x pop sound.

Texoprint - Modern Living

[Rotterdam, Netherlands] - FFO: PROJECTOR, dust., Militarie Gun

Alternative x kraut rock x post-punk x noise rock intertwine to produce an energetic and restless debut album.

A note from the band:

Texoprint isn’t the kind of band you casually throw on in the background. Their music demands your attention—hell, it might even demand your surrender. It’s raw, loud, emotional, and layered. They don’t write songs to make you feel better. They write them to make you feel, period. And they do it together. Always together. Their new album, Modern Living, is a milestone. It’s the sound of years of growth, noise, and sharpening their shared voice. Compared to earlier work, it’s more refined, more intentional—without losing its edge. The title nods to a 1970s interior design book on Redwin’s coffee table and slyly riffs on the wave of abstract post-punk band names. It’s ironic, it’s aesthetic—and it sticks.

Tough Cookie - The Countryside Is Good For You (EP)

[London, England] - FFO: Declan McKenna, Bean Magazine, Inhaler

A great mixtape of tracks from the rising London alternative rock group, delivering powerful vocals along instrumentals with festival set energy.

Wilby - Center of Affection

[Nashville, TN] - FFO: Ratboys, Searows, Matilda Mann

A beautiful album from the Nashville singer-songwriter, with elements from americana, folk, indie rock, and pop.

A note from the artist:

“My debut album, Center of Affection, is a kind of coming of age story. These songs are a timestamp of my healing and exploration of connecting to my kid self and reconnecting to my present one. Writing this record made me so empowered to share my own story and brave utter vulnerability, and I encourage any listeners to share their own.”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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Wax Jaw is a band from Philadelphia who are known for their dynamic live shows. They’re a five-piece band fronted by Shane Morgan, who’s lyrics frequently provide reflection on his experiences as a transmasculine person. Raw and packed full of emotion, their songs are made to make you move and pull in a variety of punk, new-wave, surf, and other rock influences.

I caught my first Wax Jaw show in April 2023, and it was one of those lovely moments where I went into an opener completely blind to their sound and immediately fell in love with their energy. After their set, Sean spilled a beer on my friend Eric, and well, the rest is history. Two years and many friendship hangs later, I can’t tell you how excited I am for them to release their first album. It’s always an incredible experience to watch a band grow from their early stages, and that feeling is exponentially compounded when they’re your buds.

Their new album is an absolute banger - I love the moments of introspection blended with guitar riffs, bass lines, and drum fills that make you want to groove and/or rage. There’s lots of genres coupled into this punk album, and I appreciate its diversity of sound as a result.

I’ll be sure to list all ways you can listen and buy the album at the end of this article, but for now, let’s jump into the interview!

How did you guys come together as Wax Jaw?

Sean: I moved to Philly in 2022 right as everyone was starting to leave their house from COVID and shows started happening again. I really wanted to start playing music more, and the first week I moved here I went to a show and met Greg. We both wanted to make music that would induce movement of some kind, whether that be dancing or moshing. Greg knew George and brought him in, and then he put out a Facebook post to find Shane. The first time we jammed with Shane he wrote the opening melody of “The Mirror” and we were like “Yeah, you’re in.” Then we found Ian on Plaze, a music networking app which Ian co-founded. When Ian eventually moved to California, he introduced us to our current drummer Ben.

George: I actually met Greg at a party probably around the same time. I was no longer playing with my old band, which was an emotional separation, and was looking to play music that was simply fun and lighthearted to really reconnect with the reasons why I love playing music with other people. Greg was looking for the same thing and we exchanged information; a little while later he hit me up and let me know that he and Sean were jamming on songs together, with the goal to create music that would make people dance, mosh or move in whatever way they wanted to. There was a short lived moment where I was playing drums (definitely not my forte as they both kindly let me know haha), but eventually our previous drummer Ian joined and then Shane and we entered the world officially at PhilaMOCA on Feb 17th, 2023.

You guys released a great debut EP, Between The Teeth, in 2023. How does this new album compare to that sound?

Greg: It Takes Guts! is a lot more polished than our debut EP in several ways:

Sonically, the new album embraces our punk side a bit more. The debut EP had a more distinctive surf punk sound - which hasn’t completely disappeared - but it leans into a more raw punk energy as well as new wave and indie rock soundscapes. Secondly, our songwriting has improved a ton since the debut EP, so there’s more nuanced instrumentation on It Takes Guts! and it’s a more cohesive album in terms of lyrical themes.

Finally, the quality of the recordings has significantly improved thanks to having a larger budget at this point in our journey, which has enabled us to work with the good folks at Headroom Studios - namely our head audio engineer/producer Mark Watter and assistant audio engineer Richie DeVon. Finishing touches for the LP were taken care of by our mastering engineer Ryan Schwabe. All of these folks were just as important as the band for making It Takes Guts! rip.

Were there any artists (Philadelphian or globally) or musical trends that were inspirations when writing this new album?

Greg: I think everyone in the band is a fan of Amyl and the Sniffers and I personally see Amy Taylor as one of the best punk icons of this day - she clearly has a big heart and uses her platform to speak truth to power with powerful speeches in between songs at their live shows. Another influence for me would be Surfbort - they have such a rad discography. They’re really great at writing catchy hooks and their frontperson Dani Miller has such a unique punk look, attitude, and humor. Finally, there’s a band from Germany called SUCK that I haven’t been able to stop listening to lately. Their self-titled album is killer and has some really wicked production.

Sean: Absolutely. We all really loved Mannequin Pussy’s I Got Heaven - the record has such diversity in its music and lyrical themes, and it inspired us to try to capture something similar on our record. I’ve also personally been really influenced by Grace Vonderkuhn’s guitar playing and tone; their album Pleasure Pain has so many riffs that made me want to try to write something just as catchy and mean.

Where did you record the album, and how did you choose that space?

Sean: We recorded it at Headroom Studios in Philadelphia with Mark Watter (producer, audio engineer, and mixer for the record). Last year, we recorded the single “Boy’s Life” there and loved the space; it just has an energy that is conducive to creativity and having fun. But the main reason to go back in my opinion was to work with Mark again. His knowledge is so deep and he’s a delight to work with - when you’re recording with him, you don’t feel as much pressure to perform a “perfect take”; he just kind of knows how to get a take out of you that you will love and be proud of and fits the song. I just think he’s an amazing producer and artist. And the French Press at Headroom is elite - you can see why so many great records have been recorded there.

George: Second this. Everyone at Headroom is the nicest person I’ve ever met. The space itself is also immaculate. I typically hate studios because they’re often in a cave-like setting with no windows or sense of time, but the lounge at Headroom is beautiful. There’s huge factory windows and it’s in a very bucolic setting and decorated in the way I imagined a studio would be designed when I was a kid. Just an easy space to spend 12 hours straight making music day after day.

What’s something you now know about making an album that you wish you’d known when you started, and what advice would you give to other artists?

George: I’ve previously been in a band that put out a few records, but I’ve never been a part of an album writing/recording/release that went down like this. We set a high bar for ourselves and knew we wanted this record to come out in 2025, which probably took a year of planning ahead of actually stepping into the studio to record. Wax Jaw has always felt like we’re building the plane as it takes off, and working at that pace can be very intense and really wear down everyone emotionally. I think we all knew that would be the case going into the actual sessions for this record, and it was the source of a lot of stress leading up to recording. We knew we had a hard deadline to finish recording, go through the mixing and master process, make the art, prepare the PR, and book a tour, all between May 10th and July 3rd, which felt insurmountable. This is all to say: I wish I knew going into this that we had the strength to do it, and that our incredible support network (especially our producer Mark Watter) would not only make sure we’d get it done, but also make the process fun, exciting and fulfilling.

Greg: [My advice is] write more songs than you actually want to have on the album and try to record decent demos of them. It will give you a chance to discern which songs are your best, which ones will work well together sonically, and how you might imagine linking them on an album. You might also realize your band mates are playing slightly different rhythms or notes than you since it’s not always possible to track what everyone is doing in a practice space. You’ll be able to get on the same page before you go into the studio, which will save you time and money.

Don’t be afraid to stick to your guns and creative vision, but you should be open to exploring new ideas offered by an audio engineer / producer, if they think it could help and if you have time to try something out in the studio.

What was your most memorable moment from recording this debut album?

George: Like many bands we had a huge whiteboard that listed everything that needed to be tracked, and every time we got to cross something off that list, we blasted the song “Exs & Oh’s” by Elle King and truly I was red in the face laughing every time we got to do that.

Is there a central theme or motif for this album?

What unreleased track are you most excited about on the new album?

Sean: “Spicy Little Fruits”. Shane’s lyrics are so relatable but also funny, he killed it on that one vocally as well.

Shane: I’m really excited for “Quickdrawing My Demons”, our most goth/new wave track on the album. I think it really showcases range while also being complimentary stylistically to other tracks on the record.

George: By far my favorite track on the record is “Secret of the Night.” It was the last song written for the record and just captured everything I love about our band: psychedelia, post-punk riffs, killer verses from Shane. The whole thing just builds to a really powerful climax and hypes me up every time I listen to it.

Greg: “Secret of the Night” because it has a really long and tense psychedelic build, which is something we’ve never done before. However, the ending stays true to our roots with a really kick ass, in-your-face punk outro. It was the only song on the record that wasn’t fully written when we entered the studio, so we really created something magical in real time and I can’t imagine the album without it now.

That’s a sick album cover! Who did the album artwork, and how did you land on the visual style?

Greg: The album artwork was a collaborative vision of the band. Everyone had cool ideas and the concept shifted a couple times before we ultimately landed on an amalgamation of our various interests. The backdrop is a small segment of the infamous and abandoned George Wharton Pepper Middle School - a brutalist style building that we drove past every day on our way to the recording studio. On the cover, you can see wild, green overgrowth taking over this brutalist structure. We felt this captured the juxtaposition of toughness and tenderness that comes across in the lyrical themes and sound of the album. It also represents the determination to grow or even thrive through difficult circumstances.

The models are queer icons Pash and Sara Mae Henke (@veryverynoisey). The photography was done by the spectacular Ryder Griffith (@aesthetic_griff).

If people only take one thing away from this album, what do you hope it is?

Do you have an album release show lined up? Where can people see you on tour?

Our big hometown record release show for It Takes Guts! will be at Ukie Club on Saturday, November 8th. It’s a stacked lineup with Friend, Slomo Sapiens, and Kelsey Cork and the Swigs opening. Buy tickets here!

Otherwise, we will be celebrating the album release on the road in the following cities:

Oct 16 | Washington, D.C. @ DC 9

Oct 17 | Richmond, VA @ Banditos

Oct 18 | Asheville, NC @ Static Age Records

Oct 19 | Nashville, TN @ The Cobra

Oct 23 | Chicago, IL @ Cole’s Bar

Oct 24 | Cleveland, OH @ Brother’s Lounge

Oct 25 | Pittsburgh, PA @ Funhouse at Mr. Smalls

Oct 26 | Baltimore, MD @ Holy Frijoles

You can visit Wax Jaw HQ to find links to all streaming and social media platforms.

You can purchase It Takes Guts! from Born Losers Records, Bandcamp, or in person at one of their shows.

And don’t miss out out their sick ass merch! Let Wax Jaw world domination continue.

If you enjoyed this debut interview and would like me to do more, let me know in the comments below, and be sure to share this post so many can discover this awesome album.

Until next time,

x Erin

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Penny & the Pits - Liquid Compactor

Saint John, New Brunswick

For Fans Of: feminist punk | alt rock | THICK | Bikini Kill | Softcult

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Spotlight Track: “Thick Black Gloves”

A feminist punk album that incorporates elements of surf-rock, garage rock, grunge, psych, and shoegaze.

A note from the band:

Liquid Compactor is a concept album about a hot and exclusive girl gang that discover a sentient underwater machine and harness its power to do their vengeful bidding. Read more on Sherwood Magazine.

Velvetine - wisteria (EP)

London, England

For Fans Of: alternative rock | gothic rock | TRAAMS | The Jesus & Mary Chain | Blushing

Release Date: July 10, 2025

Spotlight Track: “Underneath”

A haunting and dynamic debut EP featuring guitar-forward alternative tracks and gothic influences.

A note from the band:

Velvetine are an alternative rock band. Through shifting around of rooms and short sublets in London, the band formed towards the end of the pandemic through their shared interest in poetry, film, visual art and bonded over artists such as Nick Cave, Slowdive, and David Lynch.

Slyrydes - What Happens If You Get Happy

Galway, Ireland

For Fans Of: post-punk | punk | PROJECTOR | IDLES | Squid

Release Date: July 25, 2025

Spotlight Track: “Dangerous Animals”

This debut has a great selection of songs featuring thrashing guitar, discordant notes, and punchy punk vocals.

Ultra Lights - Ultra Lights (EP)

Atlanta, Georgia

For Fans Of: indie rock | garage rock | Bass Drum of Death | Pavement | Frankie and the Witch Fingers

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Spotlight Track: “It’s Your Funeral”

Lots of 70’s influences on this indie rock EP that combines elements of garage, surf, and proto-punk.

A note from the band:

Our debut EP is a collection of 7 inches that represent the first year of our band. We released the singles and EP through Chunklet Industries. Ultra Lights are currently in the process of recording our debut full length in Atlanta, GA at Sampson Sound Studios.

Panic Shack - Panic Shack

Cardiff, UK

For Fans Of: indie punk | indie rock | Lambrini Girlz | Runaways | Amyl & The Sniffers

Release Date: July 18, 2025

Spotlight Track: “Lazy”

A really fun indie and punk debut album full of guitar pop bangers - if you loved the Lambrini Girls debut from earlier this year but want a more indie rock lean, you should check this one out.

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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Here’s some great debut albums and EPs to check out, released this April and May:

Operelly - Handwriting Practice No. 1 (EP)

California

For Fans Of: bedroom pop | twee folk | Clairo | Sufjan Stevens | Regina Spektor

Release Date: May 15, 2025

Fantastic songwriting on this indie EP from California - super relaxing, nostalgic sounding tracks, and more twee-revival coming to you in 2025.

Spotlight Track: “You don’t have one hope” | Bandcamp

The Pill - THE EP (EP)

Isle of Wight, England

For Fans Of: punk | indie rock | Gen & The Degenerates | Lambrini Girls | Coach Party | Wet Leg

Release Date: May 22, 2025

A really fun grrl-punk EP from the Isle of Wight duo - they’ve been putting out awesome punk-driven indie rock singles over the past year, and their debut EP cushions those releases with some additional tongue-in-cheek bangers.

Spotlight Track: “POSH” | Website

Le Pain - Dirge Technique

Los Angeles, California

For Fans Of: vintage pop | French indie | Tennis | Stereolab | Japanese Breakfast

Release Date: May 3, 2025

A nice indie album from Los Angeles that blends French and English lyricism in dreamy vintage pop.

Spotlight Track: “Is That How You Want Me To Feel?” | Bandcamp

Melinda - Melinda (EP)

Memphis, Tennessee

For Fans Of: hazy indie | soft shoegaze | Chanel Beads | Spirit of the Beehive | Hotline TNT

Release Date: April 18, 2025

This EP is produced by Calvin Lauber (Julien Baker, boygenius) and comes as the first, “official” release from the lo-fi, hazy indie artist after years of Bandcamp singles and collaborations.

Spotlight Track: “In Plain Sight” | Bandcamp

Kissing On Camera - Baby Names (EP)

London, England (by way of Dublin)

For Fans Of: alternative rock | midwest emo | Title Fight | Charmer | Saturdays At Your Place

Release Date: May 27, 2025

An alternative rock EP that blends aspects of midwestern emo into its catchy, sing-along tunes.

Spotlight Track: “Voice Actor” | Bandcamp

Soot Sprite - Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon

Exeter, UK

For Fans Of: bedroom pop | indie | Wednesday | Soccer Mommy | Ratboys

Release Date: May 16, 2025

A full-length album that discusses themes of hope, despair, and loss via tunes that combine aspects of bedroom pop, shoegaze, and emo.

Spotlight Track: “All My Friends Are Depressed” | Bandcamp

Fit - Miracles Might Happen (EP)

Utrecht, Netherlands

For Fans Of: post-punk | alternative | Sports Team | Parquet Courts | Gang of Four

Release Date: May 16, 2025

A funky post-punk EP from the Netherlands, mixing shoegaze, hip-hop, and alternative influences into a danceable set of tracks.

Spotlight Track: “Cash” | Bandcamp

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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Sandhouse - Circus (EP)

London, England

For Fans Of: alternative | dreamgaze | Wolf Alice | Sorry | Friedberg | Softcult

Bandcamp

Release Date: May 9, 2025

Definitely a standout debut for me. I immediately fell in love with the haunting title track “Circus” when I first heard it a few weeks ago. The EP is a collection of dreamy alternative tracks with 90s influences, championed by Anna’s breathy vocals. There’s something pretty cinematic about the whole set of songs, and that kept me coming back for more this month.

Spotlight Track: “Circus”

green star - bleeding swirls (EP)

London, England

For Fans Of: shoegaze | noise pop | my bloody valentine | Been Stellar | Sonic Youth

Bandcamp

Release Date: May 2, 2025

Another dreamy EP from London, though this one leans a little darker. It has elements of shoegaze and noise pop, and is complimented by its dual vocalists and fuzzed-out guitars. There are also a few more melancholic tracks, where the vocals take a more spoken-word approach.

Spotlight Track: “blades of steel”

Bleed - Bleed

Dallas, Texas

For Fans Of: alternative metal | shoegaze | Deftones | Helmet | Superheaven | Leaving Time

Bandcamp

Release Date: May 2, 2025

I hope my platonic life partner Andrea is proud of me for dipping into music from heavier artists. This was an anticipated debut from Texas’ heavy shoegaze and alternative metal group Bleed, and their full length release follows through with tracks that have a sort of gravitational pull to them. It pulls in elements from adjacent genres, like grunge, hardcore and nu-metal, and I think this wide net makes it really approachable for people like me who aren’t usually diving head first into this genre.

Spotlight Track: “Marathon”

Paper Lady - Idle Fate

Boston, Massachusetts

For Fans Of: indie | dream rock | Mazzy Star | Trophy Wife | Chelsea Wolfe | Sunday (1994)

Bandcamp

Release Date: May 9, 2025

An ethereal full-length album from New England’s Paper Lady. They mix elements of alternative and folk in this dreamy rock album, layering diverse sounds between soft, somber tracks and distorted, guitar-driven anthems. And if you’re looking for a track that packs a punch, check out the punky “Joe Modern.”

A message from the band:

It feels so special to finally share this first full length release with everyone. We mostly wrote this in the woods of upstate New York, in a very introspective setting, so it feels very surreal to have people resonating with it so publicly now. We are so glad everyone’s enjoying it, and can’t wait to share more music soon.

Spotlight Track: “Silt”

Shale - Shale (EP)

Cardiff, Wales

For Fans Of: indie pop | indie rock | Courting | The Kooks | Blossoms | Declan McKenna

Instagram

Release Date: April 4, 2025

A really fun, light-hearted EP from the young band from South Wales. “Green Light, Red Light” is easily a summer festival tune, while “Fuzzy Identities” and “It’s Not Right” remind me of mid-00s pop hits from bands like The Kooks and Keane. The newest track, “Work Dog”, packs a little more indie rock punch, so I’m curious to see how their music will further evolve.

Spotlight Track: “Fuzzy Identities”

spill tab - ANGIE

Los Angeles, California

For Fans Of: alt-pop | indie | Remi Wolf | Freak Slug | Billie Eilish | Wallice

Bandcamp

Release Date: May 16, 2025

Lastly, the long anticipated debut full-length album from French-American spill tab. She’s been releasing fantastic singles and EPs since 2019, and while it’s hard to call someone with over half a million monthly Spotify listeners “underrated”, I’ve wondered why more people haven’t known her name. This album combines the genres low-fi, indie, synth pop, and alternative pop, with a few French tracks sprinkled in.

Spotlight Track: “Angie”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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What’s this? A formerly common but now rare second debut review of the month?

I am doing my best to catch up and keep up, and there’s just too many great debuts out there! Here’s a few more for you to check out.

Niis - NIIS WORLD

Los Angeles, California

For Fans Of: punk | hardcore | Scowl | Gel | Mannequin Pussy

Bandcamp

Release Date: March 28, 2025

Usually I’m the one shouting new music recommendations into the void of my friend Andrea’s unread text messages, but this time, she told me about a band! A pleasant discovery to find their banger full-length debut that encompasses punk, hardcore, lo-fi garage, and grunge aspects.

Spotlight Track: “The Bow”

Arcy Drive - The Pit

New York, New York

For Fans Of: indie rock | jangle pop | Flipturn | Beach Fossils | The Backseat Lovers

Website

Release Date: April 18, 2025

I’ve been following the single train for this band, and could tell that they were already emerging fast and strong. Their full debut release exemplifies their catchy indie rock prowess, with tons of energy and striking lyrics. I particularly like the jangle pop and blues rock influences on the album, following the trend of more country, folk, and Americana influences being looped into pop and rock releases.

Spotlight Track: “Under The Rug”

Clutter - Loves You (EP)

Stockholm, Sweden

For Fans Of: indie | grunge | The Breeders | Hinds | Black Honey

Bandcamp

Release Date: April 11, 2025

This is a great EP of 90s-influenced fuzzy indie tunes, incorporating elements of grunge and post-hardcore. The guitar is deliciously drenched, and it’s a great debut into contemporary punk.

A message from the band:

Loves You is a vulnerable introduction to the world of Clutter. It’s ruff, it’s honest and it’s fun. It’s an ode to teenagers everywhere, and it’s everything we’ve ever loved. Loves You is cluttered and all over the place, a collection of our first songs.

Spotlight Track: “Jesus”

Alisa Xayalith - Slow Crush

Los Angeles, California

For Fans Of: indie | indie pop | Clairo | Housewife | Caroline Polachek

Bandcamp

Release Date: April 4, 2025

You may know Alisa from being one half of the notable 2000’s indie bands, The Naked and The Famous. This pop release turns away from the synth and toward the bedroom, showcasing songwriting talent and lovely melodies.

Spotlight Track: “Roses”

Witch Post - Beast (EP)

UK by way of Los Angeles and Scotland

For Fans Of: alternative rock | 90s fuzz | bar italia | Momma | New Radicals

Instagram

Release Date: April 18, 2025

What a great debut project from the Californian and Scottish duo. I discovered this band through their track “Chill Out”, which is a great alternative rock track showcasing their complimenting vocals. The whole EP is a fantastic compilation of bedroom pop vs fuzzy rock tracks, and I can’t wait to hear more from this pair.

Spotlight Track: “The Wolf”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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I’ve got a big dump of debuts for you this time, since I’m still catching up on telling you about some of my favorites last month, and there’s plenty more releases hitting my speakers as the weeks go on.

We’ll start off with some that I mentioned in last month’s Best of March post, and follow up with some new finds.

Das Beat - Frau Fatal

Berlin, Germany

For Fans Of: new-wave | indie disco | punk | Cannons | Boy Harsher | She Wants Revenge

Bandcamp

Release Date: March 14, 2025

Step into the Berlin club scene with this mix of pop, bass, new wave, indie rock, and Italo disco.

Spotlight Track: “Partner im Verbrechen”

The 113 - To Combat Regret (EP)

Leeds, England

For Fans Of: post-punk | noise rock | Chalk | DEADLETTER | Fontaines DC

Bandcamp

Release Date: March 14, 2025

A fantastic debut EP from this English group, and truly a driving force for their continued rise in the post-punk scene.

Spotlight Track: “Nothing”

Buddy Wynkoop - Better Than Botox

Portland, Oregon, United States

For Fans Of: upbeat post-punk | garage rock | Spiritual Cramp | Parquet Courts | IDLES

Bandcamp

Release Date: March 26, 2025

I figured these guys would be ones to watch with the release of their pre-debut singles, and this full album does not disappoint - it’s chock full of garage rock anthems and energetic post-punk tunes.

Spotlight Track: “The Certain Is Unfuture”

My Son The Doctor - Glamours

Brooklyn, New York, United States

For Fans Of: indie rock | art punk | CAKE | Weezer | Front Bottoms

Bandcamp

Release Date: April 4, 2025

This album exists somewhere on the plane of late 90’s slacker rock with the energy and charisma of 00's folk/indie punk - they’re the ultimate sing-along tracks, and a great pick-me-up soundtrack for the emerging summer days.

A note from the band:

“This album is the culmination of 2 years of writing and maybe 50+ live shows. We recorded it at Mitch Easter’s studio in North Carolina with engineer Jeremy Snyder in 2 manic, energy drink fueled days. We’re proud of it.”

Spotlight Track: “Drunk Kids”

Modern Alibi - American Radio

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

For Fans Of: indie rock | pop rock | Nothing But Thieves | The Blue Stones | Catfish and The Bottlemen

Instagram

Release Date: April 4, 2025

I was a big fan of the debut EP that came out from this NC band last year; this full-length album builds upon those fantastic tracks and somehow packs in more indie rock bangers with catchy lyrics and addictive melodies.

Spotlight Track: “Somewhere Far Away”

Trinkets - I am, you are (EP)

Dublin, Ireland

For Fans Of: melodic indie | noise pop | The Cranberries | Slowdive | The Last Dinner Party

Instagram

Release Date: March 28, 2025

This is a great debut from the Irish alternative rock group, traversing through post-punk, shoegaze, indie, and noise pop genres. I really appreciate the diversity in each of the tracks, and look forward to more from this group.

A note from the band:

“The soundtrack to your quarter life crisis. Trinkets are a 5 piece Dublin band who are gathering some well deserved plaudits for their early releases. Their sound draws inspiration from bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Daughter, and The Cure and blends delicately crafted lyrics and dynamic instrumentation that creates space for both strength and introspection.”

Spotlight Track: “Weatherman”

Ronia - Starflower (EP)

Västerås, Sweden

For Fans Of: bedroom pop | indie | beabadoobee | Clairo | Matilda Mann

Instagram

Release Date: April 4, 2025

Great songwriting and emotional material on this debut EP from the Swedish songwriter, delivering a well produced selection of indie and bedroom pop tracks.

Spotlight Track: “Silver Heart”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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Honorable mentions:

• JENNIE’s (of Blackpink) Ruby is a great solo debut, full of fun pop, hip-hop, and R&B tracks.

Cure For Youth - Stolen Time (EP)

Los Angeles, California, United States

For Fans Of: post-punk | new-wave | New Order | Murder Capital | Metric | Preoccupations

Bandcamp

Release Date: January 23, 2025

A late discovery for me, but I really enjoyed this fun and upbeat post-punk/new-wave debut from the LA duo. I particularly like the strong drums on this EP, and the dynamics of the two vocalists on each track.

Spotlight Track: “The Trap”

chest. - All Good Things End (EP)

Paris, France

For Fans Of: post-punk | IDLES | DITZ | Enola Gay | The Murder Capital

Bandcamp

Release Date: February 28, 2025

A highly anticipated debut for me, given I’ve been tracking the singles from this Parisian band for a while. It doesn’t hurt that they all met while working at Supersonic, one of my favorite venues in the world. This EP appends to their existing discography of fantastic post-punk tracks, delivering high octane noise and hard-hitting punk hits.

A note from the band:

“We’re a band of 5 friends doing our own interpretation of the music genre we love the most. It’s a mix between noisy textures and catchy top lines. Our privileged themes deal with our observation of our inner world as long as all the problems we can face nowadays in our society.”

Spotlight Track: “All Good Things End”

Annie DiRusso - Super Pedestrian

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

For Fans Of: singer-songwriter | indie rock | Beach Bunny | Kississippi | Remi Wolf

Website

Release Date: March 7, 2025

An incredibly catchy debut from Annie DiRusso, a Nashville singer-songwriter who has gathered a lot of traction with her previous releases. She’s transitioned a bit away from her bedroom pop sound, delivering strong indie rock and pop hits on this full album release.

Spotlight Track: “Good Ass Movie”

Consumables - Infinite Games

Brooklyn, New York, United States

For Fans Of: progressive post-punk | indie bounce | Pavement | Parquet Courts | Squid

Bandcamp

Release Date: March 7, 2025

The NYC progressive post-punkers have released a great rock debut, incorporating elements of art punk and new-wave. There’s a lot of bounce to this record, with saxophone, fuzzy guitars, and synth to round out the tracks. They were a really fun band to watch at New Colossus as well, and I look forward to catching them again in the future.

A note from the band:

“ [Our] debut album…cuts to the heart of contemporary alienation by grappling with the desperate quest for control in a world drowning in chaos and unpredictability…[and] conceptually inspired by the book Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse, which explores the difference between the two concepts. Finite games have boundaries, rules, and clear winners and losers. Infinite games have no winner; the only goal is to continue the play. “So much unnecessary suffering happens when a person plays a finite game in an infinite game scenario,” explains Crew. This theme surfaces often throughout the album’s twelve tracks, from exploring tensions between technology, selfhood, and authenticity on the post-punk standout “Great Design” and the drama of keeping a romantic relationship alive on slacker-tinged “Ten Toes Down”.”

Spotlight Track: “Emotional Speedball”

The Jump Cuts - What A Fun Way To Kill Some Time

West Palm Beach, Florida, United States

For Fans Of: indie rock | garage rock | Wolf Parade | The Strokes | Surf Curse

Instagram

Release Date: March 1, 2025

This debut album from Florida’s The Jump Cuts is a friendly reminder that indie rock is not dead. It perfectly blends the modern culture with nostalgic 00s sounds, and in return we receive a spirited and infectious debut of punchy indie and garage rock tunes.

A note from the band:

“ I wrote this album in the aftermath of a long relationship. I was doing a lot of traveling, trying to rediscover who I was before it all or something like that. Going through heartbreak brought on a wild relationship with alcohol and anxiety but on the other side brought a sense of mindfulness and happiness to be here for it all. Roller coasters are only fun because they take a dive.” - Max

Spotlight Track: “Split”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist. You can find all of my Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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Isabella Strange - Slick Git (EP)

Glasgow/Edinburgh, Scotland

For Fans Of: indie rock | post-punk | Wet Leg | Pip Blom | Le Tigre

Bandcamp

Release Date: February 1, 2025

A great indie rock debut EP that has influences from riot grrrl, no-wave and post-punk scenes.

A note from the band:

“Isabella Strange has embarked on their first EP, Slick Git, a tight and punchy mix of songs developed over the four-year lifespan of the group. The title references the band’s habit of exploring cartoonish male egotists. Deeper themes from singer Kira Wolfe Murray’s lyrics portray the struggle of anxious inner monologue and paranoia that can be found in relationship to these characters. The tracklist ranges from visceral punk rock numbers such as ‘Sally’s Day’, to more considered progressive indie rock-inspired tunes such as ‘Karma’.”

Spotlight Track: “Karma 5”

Charlie Houston - Big After I Die

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

For Fans Of: bedroom pop | singer-songwriter | Remi Wolf | Freak Slug | girlinred

Bandcamp

Release Date: January 31, 2025

A great compilation of indie pop hits, surrounded by some softer singer-songwriter tracks.

Spotlight Track: “Lighter”

Sleeper’s Bell - Clover

Chicago, Illinois, United States

For Fans Of: indie folk | Rosie Tucker | Julien Baker | Wednesday

Bandcamp

Release Date: February 7, 2025

A very beautiful debut album from this folk-duo that features elements of indie twang and acoustic guitar work.

A note from the band:

“Clover is the debut album from Sleeper’s Bell (the Chicago folk duo of Blaine Teppema and Evan Green). Clover presents Teppema’s long-standing full-band vision for Sleeper’s Bell, and assembles Chicago’s finest as her backing band to present the songs she has cultivated for a decade. The resulting debut spit-shines dive bar wisdom into polished folk-rock.”

Spotlight Track: “Bored”

Bukowski - I Don’t Wanna Live, I Don’t Wanna Die.

Melbourne, Australia

For Fans Of: pop-punk | noise rock | Knuckle Puck | Movements | The Story So Far

Release Date: February 14, 2025

Self-describing as “complaint-rock”, Bukowski puts out a heavy hitting punk/emo/nu-metal debut.

A note from the band:

“This is one for the quiet little whispers of desperation. The tiny fractures in the quiet that only you can feel. A deep perilous gasp caught, as it tries to implore for the sweet relief of life’s unrelenting cycle. The whispered pleas falling on deaf ears. The battle between holding on or letting go. We stand at the crossroads; I don’t wanna live, I don’t wanna die.”

Spotlight Track: “I Don’t Wanna Live”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist on Spotify.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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But without further adieu, here’s five more great debuts that were released last month.

The Backfires - This Is Not An Exit

New York, New York, United States

For Fans Of: indie rock | indie pop | Catfish and The Bottlemen | The Vaccines | Inhaler | Circa Waves

Website | Instagram

Release Date: January 24th, 2025

A high-octane indie rock debut from the British/American rock band based in New York City, delivering infectious tunes that would be perfectly situated in a festival context.

Spotlight Track: “Turn Off The Lights”

A note from the band:

“This Is Not An Exit” was written, recorded, and produced in New York City. The title and cover art reference a sign backstage at Mercury Lounge in New York where we played our first show together in NYC.

Pebbledash - Four Portraits Of The Same Ugly House (EP)

Cork, Ireland

For Fans Of: shoegaze | alternative | mary in the junkyard | Sonic Youth | Slowdive

Bandcamp | Instagram

Release Date: January 31st, 2025

The Cork sextet released a melancholic debut EP full of climbing noise rock and shoegaze elements, delivering a haunting and captivating mood.

Spotlight Track: “Tell Me”

A note from the band:

The EP is an insight into our lives in Cork city and the people and places that informed our development as a band in our first year. We wanted to experiment with our sound and try different things lyrically and musically, blending our tastes and influences into something that was a beginning statement of what we are and a stepping stone towards where we want to be.

Speed Riders - Super Cheers

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

For Fans Of: grunge-wave | alternative | Wine Lips | Pile | Flatwaves | Hockey Dad

Bandcamp | Instagram

Release Date: January 10th, 2025

A high energy, dance-able grunge-wave release from Minneapolis with elements of psych rock, perfect for a little motivational kick to continue through the day.

Spotlight Track: “Heavy Dreamer”

A note from the band:

Crossing musical lanes such as power pop, no wave, and grunge, Minneapolis’ newest punk ‘n’ roll outfit, Speed Riders, cover subjects ranging from death, love, and motorcycles (of course). Their debut album, Super Cheers, features ten psych-soaked tracks filled with catchy songwriting sensibilities that will have listeners racing to a thrift shop to purchase a black leather jacket.

Afternoon In The Park - On/Off (EP)

Paris, France

For Fans Of: indie rock | indie pop | The Kooks | The Virgins | The Hives | Kasabian |

Instagram

Release Date: January 17th, 2025

A great selection of radio-friendly indie rock hits from France, falling in line with some of my favorite bands from the 00s.

Spotlight Track: “I Only Wanna Be With You”

Skinner - New Wave Vaudeville

Dublin, Ireland

For Fans Of: indie sleaze | dance punk | Squid | Gustaf | Sugar Pit | Viagra Boys

Bandcamp | Instagram

Release Date: January 10th, 2025

This debut from Ireland combines no wave and post-punk elements with indie rock and dance punk in an endearingly eccentric debut.

Spotlight Track: “Calling In Sick”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist on Spotify.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

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2025 is already starting off strong with some great debuts, and I’ve highlighted five of my favorites so far below.

New for this year! My goal is to reach out to bands to 1) overcome my anxiety of talking to bands and 2) give them a chance to share their thoughts/comments/press releases about their debuts - straight from the horse’s mouth!

Krystian Quint & The Quitters - Something Like That

Detroit, Michigan, United States

For Fans Of: alternative | indie rock | punk | Cloud Nothings | Surf Curse | Sex Mex | Wavves

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Release Date: January 3rd, 2025

Krystian Quint (from Detroit blues-punk group The Stools) incorporates elements of punk, garage rock, and indie in this surf-y debut.

Spotlight Track: “Water”

A note from the band:

Detroit’s Krystian Quint (The Stools, Expest, etc) goes straight for your heartstrings with this 9 song debut. This tour de force harkens to c86, twee, major label indie like Velvet Crush, Blake Babies, or Pavement but with unmistakable motor city grit and effortless cool. If you like your hooks nostalgia soaked and production quality like a mix CD given to you by your ex girlfriend in 1998 that you just wish you had back even though you are totally over her, you will love this record.

Ten Hail Marys - Faults I May Have (EP)

Dublin, Ireland

For Fans Of: indie rock | alternative rock | HIMALAYAS | Gurriers | Catfish and The Bottlemen | Wunderhorse

Instagram

Release Date: January 3rd, 2025

This Dublin-quartet released a catchy EP full of guitar-driven indie rock tunes, with elements of indie pop, grunge, garage, and fuzz.

Spotlight Track: “America”

A note from the band:

‘Faults I May Have’ discusses the common denominators of youth, love and identity crisis amongst other weird and wonderful features of the modern day, and issues within the world that may seem so unsolvable they must be made light of in order for on lookers to digest. This EP is the culmination of years of writing and gigging, though this band have written many more tracks since the completion of this collection of songs.

Townhouses - New Year, New Me (EP)

Bristol, England

For Fans Of: indie rock | post-punk | The Dandy Warhols | Been Stellar | The Brian Jonestown Massacre | Squid

Instagram | Soundcloud

Release Date: January 3rd, 2025

This 4-track indie rock EP combines elements of post-punk, shoegaze, and psych rock elements to produce a noisy and eclectic debut.

Spotlight Track: “There She Goes”

A note from the band:

Having earned the first ever noise complaint ever at Bink Bonk Studios where both IDLES and Kaiser Chiefs have previously recorded, New Year, New Me makes a statement in true Townhouses style…Where motoric beats meet dark, melodic guitars and powerful vocals to form a flurry of sonic pleasures…sometimes lullingly slow and other times ear-achingly fast - New Year, New Me quickly develops into a story; facing topics of love, delusion…masculinity…grief, addiction, heartbreak…depression, [and] the silver lining and beauty in it all.

Makeshift Art Bar - Lackluster Writing Makes Fundamental Reading (EP)

Belfast, Northern Ireland

For Fans Of: post-punk | garage punk | Gilla Band | Shame | The Murder Capital | Preoccupations

Instagram | Bandcamp

Release Date: January 3rd, 2025

A loud and high energy post-punk release that encompasses garage, fuzz, noise, and grunge sounds.

Spotlight Track: “Birthday Party”

A note from the band:

This EP solidifies their place as one of the most innovative voices in the underground music scene. The four-track record captures the raw intensity and unapologetic experimentalism that have made Makeshift Art Bar a must-see act on stages across Europe... Each track on Lackluster Writing Makes Fundamental Reading takes listeners on a journey through jagged guitar riffs, pulsating rhythms, and lyrics that oscillate between the poetic and the provocative. The EP speaks to the disenchanted, the dreamers, and anyone searching for meaning in the chaos.

And finally, the highly anticipated debut from:

Lambrini Girls - Who Let The Dogs Out

Brighton, England

For Fans Of: punk | noise rock | IDLES | Mannequin Pussy | Amyl & The Sniffers | SPRINTS

Instagram | Bandcamp

Release Date: January 10th, 2025

A full-throttle debut from the Brighton noise-punk duo, delivering chaotic riot grrl energy, thrashing guitar and bass lines, and punky vocals. This album is packed full of anger and raw energy, and it might just be the outlet that a lot of us need in the world right now (*cries in American*). This band has received great praise from legends like Iggy Pop and Sleater Kinney, and I’m excited for them to make their full debut via this album. They’re touring the U.S. in the spring, and I highly recommend catching their live shows.

Spotlight Track: All of them. But today, “You’re Not From Around Here.”

As always, you can follow along with this year’s debuts in my Debuts of 2025 playlist on Spotify.

Are you an artist, or have a debut album to recommend? Submit your recommendation here!

Enjoyed these recommendations? Here’s some Spotify playlists you may like:

• FF New Music Friday - follow for weekly releases curated by a team of friends

• Ready To Mingle - singles from pre-debut artists across rock & indie genres

• Monthly Highlights - my favorite releases from this month

You can find all of my Spotify and Youtube playlists in the corresponding links.

Thanks for reading, and happy new music discovery!

x Erin

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

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Buy me a coffee!

I listened to a lot of new releases this year, and my Spotify playlists are obnoxiously large with my favorites from 2024. But I am going to do my best to pick some standouts, and deliver them to you by genre/vibe.

We’ve finally reached the LAST debut spotlight of the year. If you’ve been following along for all of these, thanks for sticking through. And if you joined along the way, welcome!

Today’s list will be the longest for my favorite indie debuts. I figured I’d lean into my name Indie Scientist and spend time on a bigger feature for this expansive genre. Even so, whittling these down into a final ten was tough for me; there’s just so many great releases this year!

10. Sub*T - Spring Skin (EP)

For Fans Of: indie | fuzz rock | The Breeders | THICK | Veruca Salt | Ratboys

Release Date: June 2024

This NYC band delivers a fantastic homage to 90s driven female rock, releasing an EP that incorporates fuzzy, noise, and pop elements.

9. GARDENS - Flaws

For Fans Of: indie folk | dream pop | Chastity Belt | PACKS | Slow Pulp | Faye Webster

Release Date: November 2024

This Austrian debut encompasses dream pop, folk, and psychedelic rock elements to deliver a great new entry into the indie folk arena.

8. Ok Cowgirl - Couldn’t Save Us From My Gut

For Fans Of: indie | indie folk | Wednesday | The Cranberries | Sharon Van Etten | Liz Lawrence

Release Date: August 2024

This debut album from Brooklyn combines alternative country and indie pop influences, culminating in some amazing tracks fronted by the lead singer’s twangy vocals.

7. Half Happy - Conversation Killer (EP)

For Fans Of: dream pop | indie rock | Pip Blom | Wolf Alice | Egyptian Blue | Softcult

Release Date: September 20, 2024

The tracks are a blend of dream-pop, indie-rock and post punk, and I think each song represents a different sonical snippet of those genres. In that way, I think this release has a great story-telling nature, and I look forward to what this Cardiff band continues to offer in the future.

6. Lime Garden - One More Thing

For Fans Of: indie | indie rock | Sorry | Bloc Party | Hayley Williams | TV On The Radio

Release Date: February 2024

Brighton’s Lime Garden is a band that has hit a lot of “Bands To Watch” lists, so they don’t necessarily need my help getting the recognition they deserve; regardless, I loved this album and played it to bits when it came out. The influences on this album span from modern day pop artists to mid-00s indie rock legends to nostalgic alternative from the 90s.

5. Phoebe Rings - Phoebe Rings (EP)

For Fans Of: dream pop | bedroom indie | Stereolab | Starcleaner Reunion | Peel Dream Magazine

Release Date: October 2024

This New Zealand band describes this collection of songs as a “love-letter to Studio Ghibli films, Zelda and Stardew Valley soundtracks, Bossa Nova, Stereolab, and 90’s Korean ballads,” and I think that description hits the nail on the head describing the ethereal and up-in-the-clouds vibes that are delivered on this EP.

4. Cloud Cafe - Gift Horse

For Fans Of: indie | fuzz pop | Big Thief | Slow Pulp | Wednesday | MJ Lenderman

Release Date: September 2024

Fuzzy indie folk pop isn’t a genre I usually associate with the Netherlands, but I’m so happy for Cloud Cafe to prove me wrong. Highly recommend this release to be your new laid-back, comfort album to sink into.

3. yungatita - Shoelace & A Knot

For Fans Of: indie rock | slacker pop | Beach Bunny | Rosie Tucker | Waxahatchee | Cafuné

Release Date: January 2024

This was one of the first albums I listened to in 2024, and I was eager to check out the artist right away. I think this release perfectly encapsulates the success of their previous singles and delivers a comprehensive album that combines that Californian sunbaked sound with a little bit of punk and distortion.

2. wonderbug - scrap (EP)

For Fans Of: indie | grungegaze | Wednesday | Porridge Radio | Ovlov

Release Date: November 2024

Ever since I listened to this EP last month, I haven’t strayed too far from it. This EP from London combines multiple vocalists and incredible harmonies to create a hauntingly beautiful and passionate collection of tracks.

1. Blood - Loving You Backwards

For Fans Of: post-rock | indie pop | Keane | Radiohead | Mannequin Pussy | Font

Release Date: August 2024

Front to back, this album is full of longing and reflection, and I love how it blends in post-punk and discordant instrumentals to build crescendos throughout its storytelling. An incredible release from the Philadelphian band, and I look forward to seeing these tracks live in the future.

We’ve finally reached the end! You can find all 50 debut albums and EPs in this Spotify playlist.

For those not on Spotify, I’ve also created this lovely Youtube playlist for your pleasure.

Were there any debuts that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!

x Erin

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Your support is always appreciated, and every follower, save or like counts! Thank you!

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I listened to a lot of new releases this year, and my Spotify playlists are obnoxiously large with my favorites from 2024. But I am going to do my best to pick some standouts, and deliver them to you by genre/vibe.

Today, we’re gonna discuss come great debuts in the alternative arena, leaning toward grunge, punk, garage, and blues rock.

6. Sailor Honeymoon - Sailor Honeymoon (EP)

For Fans Of: alternative | punk | Bikini Kill | The Linda Lindas | The Mysterines

Release Date: April 2024

This is a great EP from South Korean group Sailor Honeymoon, showcasing elements from different eras of punk.

5. PROJECTOR - Now When We Talk It’s Violence

For Fans Of: post-punk | indie rock | Squid | Deeper | Interpol

Release Date: February 2024

A self-produced debut from Brighton that showcases two vocalists and traverses through multiple genres, including indie rock, post-punk, and art-punk.

4. Been Stellar - Scream From New York, NY

For Fans Of: alternative | shoegaze | Radiohead | The Strokes | Interpol

Release Date: June 2024

This band has already received a lot of acclaim for their revival of the mid-00s NYC sound, and has already toured with bands like The 1975, Fontaines DC, Shame, and Beabadoobee.

3. Stimpies - Spent The Night With A Spirit

For Fans Of: surf punk | psych rock | The Thing | The Growlers | Surf Curse

Release Date: March 2024

A 16-track release is a big swing for a debut album, but the Australian band nails it with their surf/psych/blues rock blended wall of sound.

2. Gooseberry - All My Friends Are Cattle

For Fans Of: alternative rock | blues rock | The Thing | Cage The Elephant | The Walkmen | The Blue Stones

Release Date: September 2024

NYC is producing a lot of great rock music at the moment, and I think Gooseberry is a name that I don’t hear on enough lips for their contribution. The track above is an infectious indie rock banger, while the rest of the album leans toward more blues and jangle rock, layered with some 90s nostalgic sound. Looking forward to this band’s growth and hopefully a live show in the near future.

1. SPRINTS - Letter To Self

For Fans Of: alternative rock | garage noise | Pixies | Siouxsie and the Banshees | The Mysterines | The Strokes

Release Date: January 2024

This album was released 5 days into 2024 and it’s still one that I play 11 months later, and that’s what lands it at number one on this list today. This debut album from Dublin comes on the tails of two other great EPs I’ve enjoyed over the past few years, and harnesses a strong garage/noise punk sound. In many ways, this album feels like a protest anthem to the inequities in the world, as well as a platform for declaring your independence and autonomy. I was able to catch this band in Philly this fall, and can also confirm that they absolutely annihilate live. If you need a little bit extra after listening to this album, their new single is a banger and a beacon of light for more greatness to come.

If you want to check out my full, running list of the Best of 2024 debuts, you can find that playlist here. If you check out any of these artists or have suggestions for me, I’ll meet you in the comment section below.

x Erin

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Your support is always appreciated, and every follower, save or like counts! Thank you!

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I listened to a lot of new releases this year, and my Spotify playlists are obnoxiously large with my favorites from 2024. But I am going to do my best to pick some standouts, and deliver them to you by genre/vibe.

Today, we’re gonna discuss come great debuts in the indie pop and indie rock genres, focusing on upbeat energy, beats, and my favorite flavor, indie sleaze.

7. Adult Play - Deep Recess Dial Up Despair (EP)

For Fans Of: art punk | indie pop | Yard Act | The Vaccines | Parquet Courts

Release Date: March 2024

This English band from Shrewsbury released this EP, self-defining as post-pfunk, and I think it definitely brings a lot of that dance floor fun back into the scene, blending some indie pop with more experimental post-punk sounds.

6. Modern Alibi - M/A Extended Play (EP)

For Fans Of: indie rock | indie pop | IDK How | Dead Poet Society | Cold War Kids

Release Date: March 2024

A really fun debut album from North Carolina’s Modern Alibi, complete with an upbeat indie rock selection of tracks, with some seductive and yearning vocals from the lead singer, a la bands like Royal Blood and Dead Poet Society.

5. Dogpark - Breaking In Brooklyn (EP)

For Fans Of: indie pop | indie rock | COIN | Sun Room | Jet

Release Date: January 2024

This EP from New York blends catchy indie rock with early 00s pop/blues rock rhythms, akin to old radio hits we used to see from Jet, Train or Matchbox 20. There seems to a bit of star quality and charisma behind this band, and I can’t wait to see how their work continues to develop.

4. Home Counties - Exactly As It Seems

For Fans Of: dance punk | indie sleaze | LCD Soundsystem | Yard Act | Hot Chip

Release Date: May 2024

In this album, the English band deliver a great lineup of dance-pop and art-rock tracks, echoing that synth-rock sound that dominated indie rock in the mid 00s. All in all, there’s a lot of electro-rock/post-punk leaning sound in here that’s a joy to the ears.

3. bby - 1

For Fans Of: indie rock | indie pop | Royel Otis | COIN | The Vaccines

Release Date: July 2024

An emerging yet popular band from East London, bby managed to release a debut that mixes all of the great aspects of indie pop rock. A 16-track debut is an incredible feat, and I hear elements of bands like Phoenix, Royel Otis, COIN, The Vaccines, the Naked & Famous, and Tame Impala in this lineup. Overall, I think there’s a lot to look forward to from this band.

2. almost monday - DIVE

For Fans Of: indie pop | indie rock | COIN | Royel Otis | Circa Waves

Release Date: September 2024

With tracks that remind me of a summer time beach-hang and high energy anthems from bands similar bands such as The Wrecks and The Vaccines, this band delivers some of that needed Vitamin D from their Californian roots. I think this is an explosive debut album, and am eager to see their rise.

1. vincent’s last summer - GET RICH QUICK! (EP)

For Fans Of: indie sleaze | glitch rock | Master Peace | Parquet Courts | Bloc Party

Release Date: June 2024

These Mancunian guys have been putting out great indie sleaze/post-punky singles over the last couple of years, and from the first one, I was hooked. Since then, I’ve eagerly followed along, and I was very excited to get a compilation delivered in this official debut EP. It has everything I loved about the mid-00s, back when I was too young to dance to music like this in concert or in the club. If indie sleaze revival has no fans, that means I’m dead.

If you want to check out my full, running list of the Best of 2024 debuts, you can find that playlist here. If you check out any of these artists or have suggestions for me, I’ll meet you in the comment section below.

x Erin

Leave a comment

Your support is always appreciated, and every follower, save or like counts! Thank you!

Follow on Spotify

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I listened to a lot of new releases this year, and my Spotify playlists are obnoxiously large with my favorites from 2024. But I am going to do my best to pick some standouts, and deliver them to you by genre/vibe.

Today, we’re gonna discuss come great debuts that have post-punk, art-punk, and experimental elements to their sound. I’ll have to admit, sometimes choosing a singular genre to assign to a band is difficult, and I often fall to the very wide umbrella of “post-punk” to categorize bands that use irregular or discordant noise and experimentation in their work. So many of these albums could’ve ended up on “Best Of” alternative or shoegaze or indie lists; but today, they’re ending up on my post-punk debuts.

8. DITTER - Me, Money & Politics (EP)

For Fans Of: alternative rock | post punk | Pip Blom | Wet Leg | CIEL

Release Date: February 2024

This EP from the French band traverses through indie pop, rock, and punk landscapes. The release is predominately comprised of English songs, but you do get to catch a bit of their native flair on “Cherche pas,” which roughly translates to “Don’t Bother.”

7. Robber Robber - Wild Guess

For Fans Of: indie | post-punk | Snõõper | Drahla | Tomato Flower

Release Date: July 2024

The tracks on this Vermont-formed album are a really nice blend of indie and post-punk, with lots of dueling guitars, shuffling drumwork, and poetic vocals.

6. Alien Chicks - Indulging The Mobs (EP)

For Fans Of: noise rock | post-punk | tricot | DITZ | Fat Dog

Release Date: July 2024

This EP from the Brixton trio has a bit of everything, citing punk, jazz, rap, latin, and math rock influences.

5. Yuvees - DEAD KEYS

For Fans Of: noise rock | indie rock | Interpol | Foals | Wolf Parade

Release Date: September 2024

A debut from our neighbors over in Brooklyn, this album offers a lot of diversity with its rotation between noise, indie rock, and art punk influences, and I always appreciate when bands switch off vocalists.

4. DEADLETTER - Hysterical Strength

For Fans Of: post-punk | Squid | Viagra Boys | Black Midi | Gang of Four

Release Date: September 2024

To me, this London debut is sort of a mix of bands like Shame, Wunderhorse, and Protomartyr, while the use of woodwinds makes me think of Viagra Boys or even Modest Mouse’s Good News For People Who Love Bad News-era.

3. Neighbours Burning Neighbours - Burning Neighbours

For Fans Of: post-punk | noise pop | Water From Your Eyes | Snooper | Drahla

Release Date: September 2024

This noise-pop/post-punk release from the Netherlands was a great find and was an album I listened to on repeat this fall.

2. Grazia - In Poor Taste (EP)

For Fans Of: post-punk | indie rock | Parquet Courts | Snõõper | The Coathangers

Release Date: February 2024

A very catchy EP from London, full of post-punk and new wave goodness.

1. Font - Strange Burden

For Fans Of: post-punk | experimental indie | Ought | Geese | Radiohead

Release Date: July 2024

This was a highly anticipated debut album from this Austin experimental indie/post-punk band, whose singles received a lot of traction and praise. They’re very successful at bridging multiple genres, with fun, LCD Soundsystem beats on some tracks while others hold a bit more ethereal, Radiohead-like vocals and breakdowns. I appreciate that this debut showcases a lot of diversity, and it keeps me intrigued about what their next release will look like.

If you want to check out my full, running list of the Best of 2024 debuts, you can find that playlist here. If you check out any of these artists or have suggestions for me, I’ll meet you in the comment section below.

x Erin

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Buy me a coffee!

I listened to a lot of new releases this year, and my Spotify playlists are obnoxiously large with my favorites from 2024. But I am going to do my best to pick some standouts, and deliver them to you by genre/vibe.

Today, we’re gonna discuss come great debuts that have elements of shoegaze, nu-gaze, and dream pop.

6. Night Swimming - No Place To Land (EP)

For Fans Of: dream pop | indie | Softcult | Warpaint | Slowdive

Release Date: September 2024

From Bath/Bristol, a great dream-pop extended play to check out for the darker months, for people who like bands like Cocteau Twins and Wolf Alice.

5. Wishy - Triple Seven

For Fans Of: shoegaze | midwest emo | Hotline TNT | Tigers Jaw | Ovlov | Drop Nineteens

Release Date: August 2024

Blending indie rock, emo, dream pop, and shoegaze, the debut album from this mid-western band includes a great mix of guitar-heavy (ex: “Sick Sweet”) and dreamily-melodic (ex: “Triple Seven”) tracks.

4. Wolfschmidt - Cosmic Joke (EP)

For Fans Of: alternative rock | shoegaze | The Mysterines | Fleshwater | Wolf Alice

Release Date: September 2024

The Swedish band delivered an EP that is a good mix of guitar-forward and dreamier, shoegaze tracks. Be sure to check out their epic 8-minute finale.

3. MOP - Secrets

For Fans Of: indie rock | shoegaze | swim school | Laveda | omat

Release Date: January 2024

This a really powerful album from Oakland’s MOP. I stumbled across them organically through the track “Poison”, but I automatically fell in love with the strong female vocals and distorted shoegaze guitars.

2. Shower Curtain - words from a wishing well

For Fans Of: fuzzy rock | shoegaze | Sorry | julie | DIIV

Release Date: October 2024

This Brooklyn group delivers a highly impressive (and self-produced!) debut with a blend of fuzzy guitars and pop vocals, and tracks centered on themes of anxiety, existentialism, and self-reflection.

1. julie - my anti-aircraft friend

For Fans Of: shoegaze | alternative rock | Sonic Youth | bar italia | DIIV

Release Date: September 2024

If you’re a shoegaze fan, you probably have already encountered this album if you’ve been keeping up with this year’s releases, but I was hard-pressed not to put it in the number 1 spot. It’s popular for a reason. This young group from L.A. has mastered the sound, mixing grunge and shoegaze influences to produce a standout debut album.

If you want to check out my full, running list of the Best of 2024 debuts, you can find that playlist here. If you check out any of these artists or have suggestions for me, I’ll meet you in the comment section below.

x Erin

Leave a comment

Your support is always appreciated, and every follower, save or like counts! Thank you!

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Buy me a coffee!