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.

Artists featured this week:

SARIFE
DAVE SHURR
SKINNY BOY TUNES X KIEFER WILTON
KUZBEATS
TOM HOUSTON
STILL TRAFFICO
LUNA ROSE
PAUL MOSLEY
RIDDLESKINS
VERSE METRICS
ALISON WHEELER
ALEXANDER JOSEPH
AMATEUR ORNITHOLOGIST
OMJINE

ALAN DREEZER:

SARIFE – SPACE

SARIFE’s expressive vocals float over a lush, atmospheric production, creating a sense of both distance and closeness. It’s a song that rewards repeated listens, revealing new subtle nuances each time. A gorgeous piece of contemporary pop.

DAVE SHURR – LEAVE YOU

Leave You is a poignant song that proves you don’t need overstated production to convey heartbreak. Dave Shurr combines thoughtful lyrics with a warm, understated performance that feels completely authentic. A beautifully crafted track that rewards your full attention.

DEL OSEI-OWUSU/PLATINUMMIND:

SKINNY BOY TUNES X KIEFER WILTON

I love the Latin-Jazz feel of this track, it’s perfect for our sunny days right now, the drums are great to groove to and the chilled out piano chords make a great contrast overall.

KUZBEATS – EGRET & RAINBOW

Electric piano over a breakbeat! Solid instrumental, great groove, finding the downbeat isn’t easy and that’s the fun part.

NEIL MARCH:

TOM HOUSTON – Strange Birds

Tom Houston, the Bard of Central Scotland, is in darker mode here. Built around a four chord pattern with a high drone effect on the lead guitar, Tom stays mainly in his lower register in this tale of little people fighting for survival and validation.

STILL TRAFFICO – Ford Cortina Girl

From the excellent 122 Music Management camp, Still Traffico once again deliver a unique hybrid of energetic Alt Rock and dreamy psychedelia, helped by echo vocals, long-tone BVs, tuneful guitar figure and sixties-style drumming including the on-beat snare.

SHARON PEARCE:

LUNA ROSE – Lift Me Up

An alternative indie track full of infectious energy. Strong expressive vocals deliver an uplifting melody that complements their vibrant indie sound. A track that oozes confidence, balancing catchy hooks with genuine emotion.

PAUL MOSLEY – Lucky Dog (I’ll remember you)

A country-acoustic song with an easy-going feel that perfectly suits the reflective lyrics, and it captures the mix of gratitude and nostalgia that comes with looking back on life. To me, the title “Lucky Dog” is about realising you’re luckier than you sometimes remember, despite the ups and downs. My favourite line, “If I had three wishes, blah, blah, blah”- is honest, witty and unexpected.

SHEENA CAMERON:

RIDDLESKINS – Carry Fire

Gentle synth-pop with vocoder-treated vocals that create a childlike, ethereal quality and add a touch of mystery to moving lyrics expressing sadness and strength. Lovely synth textures ranging from the warm, thick bass to the uplifting strings.

VERSE METRICS – Evil Only Travels In Straight Lines

The title alone signals that this band is offering something cerebral and experimental. A mellow, engaging vocal floats over fuzzy synths and dreamy atmospherics that expand into a wide and spacious soundscape. A really accomplished, well-produced track.

SHERRY SAHAYARAJ:

ALISON WHEELER – If Life Could Always Be Summer

A beautifully soothing track that instantly creates a sense of calm with its subtle and uniquely crafted instrumentation. It’s a captivating listen that lingers long after the song ends.

ALEXANDER JOSEPH – A Racket In Hand (Acoustic Version)

I love how the track is Disney-coded with an uplifting melody and lyrics. The production is simple yet powerful with lyrics, and the duet vocals are amazing. Feels like listening to a musical.

TONY HARDY:

AMATEUR ORNITHOLOGIST – I See Faces

I always love a quirky band name and when it’s accompanied by a song that starts with the line “A floral carpet is making eyes at me”, I’m completely sold. Pareidolia, I’m told. You know, that sensation when you see a face in the clouds or car headlights become eyes. Musically this is beautifully expansive; a lovely collage of jangle pop, harmony and interwoven textures.

OMJINE – Precious One

This is a very atmospheric track, set to a pulsing electronic soundscape decorated with delicate electric guitar flourishes and humanised by Omjine’s descending vocal melody lines. Quietly unassuming, bringing a simple charm with it, you’ll find it hard to get it out of your head after a couple of listens.