Further Listening: We Were Strangers, Pill, Winter, Lisa Prank, Scarlett Saunders, Squirrelflower, Basia Bulat, Gallery 47, Aaron Lee Tasjan, I Have A Tribe, Ed Dowie, Weaves, Forth Wanderers, Flasher, James Cogon ft. Frankie Cosmos, Oh 800, Pale Honey, Woodpigeon, Living, Josin, Sorcha Richardson, Hooton Tennis Club and Monomyth.

5. The Estrons Aren’t Your Girls

Riotous Welsh-wonder Estrons have been making a few waves of late, garnering the attention of numerous radio types and touring the with the likes of Slaves and Dilly Dally. Thankfully if new single, I’m Not Your Girl, is anything to go by the hype was more than justified.

I’m Not Your Girl is a thrilling blast of razor-sharp, rock riffing and primal rhythms, recalling the likes of Weaves or Be Your Own Pet. The star of the show though is frontwoman, Tali Källström; a blur of yelping energy and observant lyricism, the track see’s her cutting down braggadocious boys and the, “cesspool of crap surrounding teenage emotions.” People have been quick to call Estrons, “socio-political” or “fearlessly outspoken”, but we’ll just call them entirely spot-on, more of this kind of thing please world!

She’s Here Now is out November 4th. Estrons have a handful of upcoming dates, click HERE for more details.

4. Hey Kids – Shana Falana Has a Cool New Single

Today see’s the release of San Franciscan songwriter Shana Falana’s second album, Here Comes The Wave. The album is a series of dark pop anthems, many of which were written during a burst of productivity the best part of a decade ago that accompanied her recovery from what Shana describes as, “drug-related financial ruin.”

Ahead of the release this week, Shana has shared the album’s sublime highlight, Cool Kids. A burst of daylight in an album of gritty darkness, Cool Kids is a message to her younger self, and young people everywhere, to embrace who they are and be themselves in the face of peer pressure and self-doubt. Musically it’s huge, a wall of pounding drums, multi-layered vocals and driving, bassy rumble. A euphoric reminder that being anyone else’s idea of cool isn’t being yourself, as Shana puts it, “the cool kids are the ones you forgot.”

Here Comes The Wave is out today via Team Love Records. Click HERE for all upcoming Shana Falana tour dates.

3. Lindsey’s On The Cusp Of Going Astrological

While currently best known as the bass played in Florida indie-rock types, Surfer Blood, the fledgling solo career of Lindsey Mills already looks like it might quickly become more than a side project. Today see’s Lindsey put out her debut release, a two track cassette titled Cusp, and this week Lindsey has shared one track from it, Saggy Capricorn.

Saggy Capricorn builds around a jumpy electric guitar and Lindsey’s classically alt-country vocal, equal parts Zooey Deschanel and Caitlin Rose. It’s the vocal melody that really impresses, Lindsey’s voice dancing, swooping and soaring, as she spins a tale of escaping a toxic environment for pastures new, even if you don’t know quite where that decision will take you, “let your heart break open, it’s going to hurt like hell, but it must be done.” Concluding an exciting week Lindsey also shared Cusp’s other track, Sesame Sesame, which you can check out here.

Cusp is out October 21st via Broken Circles/Decades Records. If you live in Miami you can see Lindsey live tonight – click HERE for details.

2. We Quite Like Andy Shauf

Canadian songwriting sensation Andy Shauf has had quite the year, his second album The Party was released to massed critical acclaim, and a Polaris Prize nomination, and he’s spent most of the rest of it touring the world with a series of packed solo shows, and prestigious support slots. This week Andy has shared the video to The Party’s stand out moment, the lyrically sublime, Quite Like You.

Like much of The Party, Quite Like You is an acutely observed tale of the mundane dramas of suburban living. Andy narrates a tale of failed, drunken flirtation with his best friends oft-mistreated girlfriend. Musically it’s something of a departure for Andy, building around an almost bossa-nova beat, and a prominent pulsing bass-line. A timely reminder of one of the year’s most intriguing albums, and the animated video is fantastic too.

The Party is out now via Anti-. Andy Shauf tours the UK in February, click HERE for details.

1. TBH You Should Listen To Lilah Larson

Without realising it you might already have heard the music of Lilah Larson; as a member of the band Sons of an Illustrious Father, Lilah has been touring the world since the age of seventeen. The start of next year will see Lilah’s profile rise as she step out of the shadows, with the release of her debut album Pentimento, an album on which she’s played every instrument and every note.

Ahead of the release, this week has seen Lilah share the first taste of the album in the shape of stunning single, tbh. Sounding like Patti Smith fronting a Bonnie “Prince” Billy penned country sway; tbh is a raw lyrical tale of the joys of not caring and loveless relationships, it cuts like an uncaring knife, particularly the repeated closing gambit, “I know you could never leave me, because I’m always already leaving you”. Lilah has described the importance of making music, “I was able to create my own context on my own grounds for my own gender performance. I think it’s very important to be visible as different and socially conscious.” One’s thing for sure, now making a name as a solo artist, Lilah is only going to get more visible.

Pentimento is set for a self-release in early 2017.