Every week the team individually pick tracks that make up the listening post but there are always “ones that got away”.

These are the alternative picks and some words by our moderators on each one. You can find the tracks in one playlist here.

Featured this week:

MOTEL SUNDOWN
MELI FOSTER-TURNER
MACK MARWOOD
AMONGST THE PIGEONS
CIVIL PARTNERSHIP
SUCCULENTS
STELIOS KYRIAKIDIS
RAIZA
MOTHER SAID
BOXING CLUB
LIA VEYN
PAUL LAPPIN
NEW TOWN LIGHTS
BENKIO
POLO LOUNGE
PØRTERS
ROSWELL ROAD
CEYLON SAILOR

ALAN DREEZER

MOTEL SUNDOWN – WHY

This has Fleetwood Mac,The Corrs & Summer running through it and I’m longing for them all.

MELI FOSTER-TURNER – HABIT

A ton of talent from someone so young! Certainly one to watch.

DEL OSEI-OWUSU/PLATINUMMIND:

MACK MARWOOD – Men Of The World

What I like about this track is the fact it threw me off guard with the speed in tempo halfway through the song, it felt like it was glitching something up with the matrix. Genius.

AMONGST THE PIGEONS – Reach The Summit

This is a solid breakbeat around synths, it’s all drum led, and I like that, it made me get my air drum kit out.

JOHN MICHIE:

CIVIL PARTNERSHIP – Arnold

Shimmering, moody textural guitars, melodic bass and expressive syncopated drums collide to create a dark, heavy and brooding track that is well worth your attention.

SUCCULENTS – Underdog

Classic melodic radio friendly British indie pop driven by hooks rather than attitude. Driving guitars, warm vocals and a great nostalgic feel.

NEIL MARCH:

Stelios Kyriakidis – Stars Shine Brightest At Night

London-based Greek guitarist and composer brings us expertly composed and performed solo classical virtuosity with an air of traditional Mediterranean influence too.

Raiza – Wide Awake

Ever-reliable South East London Hip Hop artist Raiza with characteristically dark, reflective sound and thoughtful lyrics.

PAUL KERR

MOTHER SAID – Sympathetic Scarecrow

Sympathetic Scarecrow from Leeds five-piece Mother Said is a scratchy post‑punk jolt. It sounds like riot grrrl rebuilt by geometry‑obsessed punks with broken protractors and razor-edged scalpels. Every chord arrives at a right angle, every rhythm feels itchy, and the whole thing rattles forward like a shopping trolley possessed by the ghost of Poly Styrene. There’s a glorious tension running through the track: the emotional urgency of riot grrrl welded to the clipped, architectural discipline of early post‑punk. It’s catchy in the way a loose wire is catchy, you’re not sure if you should touch it, but you can’t resist.

BOXING CLUB – Father And State

If a truculent gang of over-caffeinated social workers snapped and formed a post‑punk band, they’d sound exactly like Glasgow‑spawned Boxing Club. The Scottish quartet barge in like a bailiff with a grudge and a handful of unofficial Fontaines DC demos. They prowl menacingly, their pulse rattling like Idles on fast‑forward wearing Morrissey’s old Smiths raincoat. Father and State hits like an incident report written in permanent marker, urgent, clipped, and impossible to ignore.

SHARON PEARCE:

LIA VEYN – A Dream Within A Dream

The combination of rhythmic and acoustic sounds creates an ethereal and enchanting vibe that I found captivating. The soothing yet haunting vocals perfectly complement the backdrop, elevating the emotional impact of the track.

PAUL LAPPIN – Village Bells

With heartfelt melodies and warm vocals, this song beautifully captures nostalgia. What I really like about this song is Lappin’s ability to mix together great imagery and real emotion in his lyrics.

Sheena Cameron

NEW TOWN LIGHTS – Define Me

This may seem light and a bit quirky but I like the hidden depth to this clever, self-referential song about image and identity. A song that could be the soundtrack but acts like a film. A narrator tone at beginning and end frames the central softly-sung reflections. Subtle instrumentation and backing vocals help to gently build up to a clearly stated moral. The sincere vocal perfectly suits this poetic folk-pop style, a genre that sits well with many Scottish songwriters (not to define it too much).

BENKIO – Rabbit Hole

A thoughtful and intimate acoustic track from Benkio’s album ‘This Is The Year’. I was immediately drawn into this by that lovely melodic intro. It’s an engaging song and Benkio’s easy vocal strikes the right balance to convey the emotional lyrics.

SHERRY SAHAYARAJ:

POLO LOUNGE – L.A.F.S

L.A.F.S is a feel-good indie song with a clean sound. Polo Lounge keeps it simple but memorable. It’s raw, catchy and atmospheric.

PØRTERS – The Devil I Know

The Devil I Know grabs you with its raw energy and layered guitars, pulling you into a tense atmosphere.The passionate vocals cut through perfectly, carrying the emotion of the song. The mix of dark melodies and driving rhythms makes it unforgettable and intense.

TONY HARDY:

ROSWELL ROAD – Weirdo At The Party

London-based duo Roswell Road bring its agreeable close harmonies and natural chemistry to bear on a tale of feeling socially sidelined at a work do. Not quite Colin from the Fast Show but certainly a call to shun the uber cool and stop worrying about being yourself.

CEYLON SAILOR – The Tiny Wave

Brooklyn’s Ceylon Sailor blends overdriven guitars, keys, horns, pummelling drums and what sounds like a banjo into something of a 90s inspired slacker rock anthem. The titular wave may be tiny but it comes on like a tsunami in the harmony-rich choruses as a relationship that was never going to work is unpicked.