Pinegrove – ‘Endless’ 

New Jersey four-piece Pinegrove has so far put out three albums, and all three have that timeless quality which typifies a great record, one which could just as easily have come out 20 years ago, or 20 years in the future. Their most recent album, ‘Marigold’, was the latest to explore the human interaction and community which goes beyond music, and was described by Pitchfork as, “an intense work about one of the most important things imaginable: how to make friendships really matter.” Pinegrove are all about community, they actively encourage their fans to re-imagine their songs, and also provide guitar tabs to facilitate the musical experimentations of their supporters.

Sonarpilot – ‘Fossil’ And ‘City In The Sky’

Michael Moppert performs as Sonarpilot, and takes his inspiration from the sonic risk takers who pushed back the boundaries of music from the 1970s onwards. Rock legends such as David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and Roxy Music, and pioneers of electronic music, such as Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, all provide plenty of fodder for thought for Moppert, who sees them as astronauts disguised as artists, who explored the very reaches of musical space.

Pennan Brae – ‘Pay Dirt’ (Lyric Video)

Pennan Brae’s sound is steeped in the sound of classic American rock and blues, storytellers such as Muddy Waters, BB King, and Elmore James. He’s also influenced by the likes of Elton John, and the sounds of the 80s: in fact he describes himself as the kind of rocker who “travels back in time yet remains unmistakably contemporary”. He builds huge rock songs, based on three or four chords, and gives them a timeless classic quality, turning humour, nostalgia, pleasure and pain into intense pop-rock and piano-driven ballads.

Psycho Village – ‘Unstoppable’

Austrian post-grunge rock band Psycho Village have been around for more than a decade, having been started in 2009 by lead singer Dani Wagner. They released their first ever single in 2013, which reached the top 10 on iTunes, and the top 40 in their homeland. By the time 2019 hit they’d played more than 15o shows all around the world, and signed with Pavement Entertainment in the US, Seven Us Media Group in Europe, and partnered with Sony for distribution.

Wai Lana – ‘Lay Me Down’

Yoga, wellness, meditation, and all round healthy lifestyle aficionado Wai Lana has provided inspiration for millions of people around the world, primarily through public tv’s longest running fitness series, which she created, directs, and hosts. As part of her lifestyle promotion, Wai Lana has released a new single and video, every year since 2015, to coincide with International Yoga Day. This year, while the world is in Covid-19 lockdown, she’s released perhaps the most inspirational and hopeful single of them all, ‘Lay Me Down’.