Further Listening: Simen Mitlid, View Finder, Milan To Minsk, Wesley Gonzalez, Dama Scout, White Wine, The fin., Twain, Joshua Burnside, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Prom Queen, Out Lines, The Coathangers, SEAZOO, Sc Mira, Superorganism, Aaron Roche, Alvvays, Suno Deko, Partner, Catholic Action, Talk Less Say More, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Porch Lights, Strawberry Runners, Candice Gordon, El Goodo, SPORTS, Farm Hand, Lila Blue, Shannon Lay, Mt. Doubt, Tough Age, Wand, Swimming Tapes and the brilliant new video from Poppies.

5. Jacob’s Livin In A Devil Town

Prolific Danish songwriter Jacob Faurholt is set to release his sixth solo album, A Lake Of Distortion, next month. Jacob has suggested the album is inspired by the likes of Guided By Voices, Sparklehorse and Daniel Johnston, and it’s the latter who inspires his new single, Listening To Devil Town.

Discussing the single released this week, Jacob has suggested it is about, “listening to Daniel Johnston’s song “Devil Town” while struggling with anxiety and being in a fragile state of mind”. The fragility is evident in the music, as Jacob’s gently picked guitar and eerily echoing vocal is joined by stabs of post-rock inspired electric-guitars, courtesy of Soren Brothers from Man Meets Bear. What’s evident listening to this song, is that for all the doubt and anxiety, the key element here is hope, the feeling that however dark it gets there’s something worth getting home for. Listening To Devil Town serves as a hugely impressive introduction to what is shaping up to be the most intriguing release of Jacob’s career to date.

A Lake Of Distortion is out October 20th via Raw Onion Records. Click HERE for more information on Jacob Faurholt.

4. Cheap Perfume Pull No Punches

Hailing from Colorado, Cheap Perfume are a fun, foul-mouthed and unapologetic feminist punk band. Following up their excellently titled 2016 debut album, Nailed It, the band have returned this week with their alt-right trashing, anti-bigotry anthem, It’s Okay (To Punch Nazis).

Cheap Perfume’s sound is built around a wall of powerfully fuzzy bass, pounding drum beats and yelpy vocals pitched somewhere between Kathleen Hanna and Kimya Dawson. With racism, sexism and xenophobia polluting the mainstream media and the corridors of power, Cheap Perfume are a reminder to hit back, the bigots hate is only going to fuel our fire.

It’s Okay To Punch Nazis is out now. Click HERE for more information on Cheap Perfume.

3. Get Lost With Lina Tullgren 

Won, the debut album from Southern Maine songwriter Lina Tullgren, is quietly one of the year’s most anticipated debut albums. The album is built around Lina’s stunning vocal and unique electric guitar playing, a technique built around years of training in classical fiddle. Ahead of the album’s release later this month, Lina has shared the latest single from it, Get Lost.

Lina’s splendid guitar playing is to the fore here, as choppy chords cut through a fog of warm synths and reverberating vocals. Lyrically, Get Lost seems to hint at a voyage of self-discovery, of shedding the fears that stop the real you from escaping and embracing who you are. As Lina sings, “in my arms my heroes are slowly dying, hold on tight to yourself”, it’s a quiet reminder to be your own hero. Get Lost is a track of contrasts, the hazy wistfulness of the music juxtaposed with the empowering lyrical message. Lina Tullgren has already won us over, with the release of Won, expect many to follow suit.

Won is out September 22nd via Captured Tracks. Click HERE for more information on Lina Tullgren.

2. Hi Ho Sophie Away

Hailing from Montana, but now based out of Portland, Strange Ranger are a duo, you may well know by their old name Sioux Falls. Following the release of their acclaimed debut album, Rot Forever, the band went through both a name and a stylistic change and emerged with the 2016 EP, Sunbeams Through Your Head.The band will return next month with their second album Daymoon and this week premiered a new single, Sophie.

Sophie posseses a delightfully lo-fi sound, but none the less manages to create a wonderfully dense atmosphere. The tick of a simplistic drum-machine and fuzzy, bassy synths create an aural fog, as singer Issac Eiger’s resigned, downbeat vocal bring to mind Trust Fund or Elvis Depressedly. At times the words seem to get lost in the music, as if Issac isn’t entirely sure he wants his message to be heard, “I never wanted you to miss me”, he sings with what sounds like the weight of the world pressing down upon him. Brooding, atmospheric and utterly beautiful, Daymoon could be very special indeed.

Daymoon is out October 6th via Tiny Engines. Click HERE for more information on Strange Ranger.

1. Get Pale Honey Out Of Your Head

Pale Honey are the Gothenburg-based duo of Tuva Lodmark and Nelly Daltrey. Two years have passed since the band released their self-titled debut album and next month will see the much-anticipated release of their follow-up album, the aptly titled, Devotion. A more mature and focused record than it’s predecessor, Devotion none the less retains some of the experimental and wide-eyed youthfulness of their debut.

This week ahead of the album release, the band have shared a new single, Get These Things Out Of My Head. Their sound may be bound to draw a thousand Warpaint comparisons, but beneath the vocals this an all together more energetic beast. The driving drums and twinkling synths nod to The Twilight Sad, while the vocals have a touch of the perfect howl of early PJ Havery. Thematically, the track is a hugely honest account of Tuva’s struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Tuva admits she debated making the song about someone else but in the end opted for honesty, “we make music because it’s true. We write to deal with ourselves and things that happen around us. This condition I’ve been in is a big part of me and I want to be true to myself and shed some light on the disease”. Honest, uncensored and sounding better than ever, with Devotion the sky is the limit for Pale Honey.

Devotion out October 13th via Bolero Recordings. Click HERE for more information on Pale Honey.