These Fresh Faves were picked by our readers over the weekend – and reviewed by Fresh On The Net’s John Michie this week. You can hear all these tracks in a single Soundcloud playlist here.

A WORD FROM DEL: Hey everyone, thanks to all our readers for voting this weekend, and of course to the artists who submitted tracks. I would like to ask a huge favour to those who made the faves this week – now that you have made the faves you cannot submit another track for 90 days.

Can we also ask that you can support the independent artists who will be on the listening post next week and vote for your favourite fave tracks? The listening post opens on Friday morning and stays open until Sunday evening 6pm UK time.all we ask is that you spare half an hour and vote for your favourite five tracks.

Also if you share this, please make sure to tag the correct instagram accounts in this case @fotnblog is our official account, and @johnmichiemusic is the author.

Thankyou.

Over to you John!

CITY LIMITS – Hanging By A Thread

City Limits, a.k.a. Alex Hall from Southwest London, is an artist whose accolades include performances at Glastonbury Festival and TEDx. With this song, you can certainly hear why. Hanging By A Thread is full of surprises, and it’s executed with remarkable finesse. It carries a special kind of melancholic introspection that is utterly captivating.

The track ebbs and flows from the shimmering, interwoven tones of acoustic guitar to vivid waves of synth pads that swell before bursting into a propulsive EDM groove. There are moments of lo-fi intimacy, and not forgetting the rich, velvety trumpet solo that closes the song with heartfelt expression.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

CORDELIA GARTSIDE – X Ray

Cordelia Gartside, from somewhere on planet Earth, delivers something truly otherworldly with X Ray. The song brings to mind the vivid, sensual experimentation of Björk, the layered unease of Radiohead and, particularly in the vocal, the brooding, seductive atmosphere of Warpaint.

Perhaps the connection I’m making stems from Nigel Godrich having worked with two of those three acts. Whatever the case, this is jazzy, inventive and emotionally compelling.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

HALLWORTH – Brush My Teeth

London’s Hallworth has created a wonderfully infectious indie pop-rock earworm with Brush My Teeth. The track is full of surprises, and it’s a joy hearing the attention to detail throughout the mix, from the blending of organic and synthetic textures to the clever use of glitches and distortion.

The song unfolds with confidence, and you can’t help but nod along in approval. There’s even a touch of funk, which is always welcome in songs like this. The vocal is breathy and light, instantly drawing you in. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Hallworth’s catalogue after hearing this.

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

HANNAH SCOTT – Days To Come

London-based artist Hannah Scott, who has featured in a live session on BBC Radio 2 with Dermot O’Leary and, as The Guardian put it, “She reduces women and children to tears – in a good way…”, enchants with the refined indie folk song Days To Come. This track is built around atmosphere, founded on a meditative fingerpicked motif shared between acoustic and electric guitars.

Surrounding this foundation is a spacious, reverberant ambience that gently draws you deeper into the composition. The music is utterly absorbing, while Scott’s bright vocal carries the melody effortlessly, lifting the song skywards. This is a truly beautiful piece of music.

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KHALID AL KHAJAH – After The Rain

Khalid Al Khajah’s After The Rain is simply sublime. The music isn’t the star of the show, but it’s beautifully crafted. Gentle, nimble electric guitar lines create a warm and comforting foundation, while a lo-fi-tinged beat and the crackle of an old record complete the backdrop.

The real centrepiece is the vocal, delivered in a conversational, unaffected style. It’s deeply emotional without ever becoming overblown, soulful without excess, and possesses a wonderfully pure, youthful quality. After The Rain takes the timeless qualities of classic records and gives them a subtle modern twist. This one’s simply lush.

Instagram | TikTok

MERRU – Somar

Merru from Margate deliver something incredibly atmospheric with Somar. The track begins as a traditional piano ballad, but we’re gradually immersed in an intimate world of texture as layers of instrumentation unfold around it, transforming the song into something that could sit alongside the more introspective moments of The Chemical Brothers.

Understated guitar, pulsing electronic textures, hazy synth pads and a breathy, delicate vocal all come together to create something deeply reflective, meditative and quietly uplifting.

Instagram | Bandcamp

SUSY WALL – Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow (The Sky Becomes The Stars)

Welsh singer-songwriter Susy Wall, now based in the Black Country near Birmingham, has received airplay on the Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2, the Welsh A List on BBC Radio Wales, Iain Anderson’s show on BBC Radio Scotland, and performed on the second day of our own Fresh on the Net Live in Leicester in December 2024. She now captivates with the pastoral folk song Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow (The Sky Becomes The Stars).

Built around the glittering, resonant, woody tones of fingerpicked acoustic guitar, the composition gradually unfolds into something quietly majestic and deeply reflective. Wall’s vocal is delivered with care and intelligence, guiding the listener as the arrangement gently blossoms with piano, ambient textures and breezy harmonies. Soothing, emotionally sensitive and full of grace, this song can only be described as beautiful.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp

THE VALLA – Middle Finger

The Valla, from somewhere on planet Earth, delight with the indie pop-rock track Middle Finger. The song embraces everything that has made the genre so enduring over the years.

It opens with a confident 70s-inspired staccato piano groove before moving into swaying verses and rising into irresistibly strutting choruses, all wrapped in a polished production.

The vocal delivers the tongue-in-cheek lyrics brilliantly, crooning in places with shades of Arctic Monkeys. Add in powerful choruses and tight harmonies, and you’ve got a radio-friendly banger without question.

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TRES KINGS – ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES

Featured on BBC Introducing and Radio X, Tres Kings have delivered something that’s simply enormous fun. The closest comparison I can make is The Black Keys crossed with Paul Weller, with something else I can’t quite put my finger on. The music is gnarly in places, yet punchy and sun-soaked throughout.

You feel swept into an infectious groove of joyful swagger, rocking out to a warm, seductive anthem. And when that chorus of “Roll Up Your Sleeves” arrives, you’ll want to raise your cigarette lighter high above your head. It’s refreshing to hear bands still making songs like this… songs that embrace the purity and simplicity of doing only what’s needed to get people moving and lift the spirit.

Official | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

US3 – Cool Cat Feat. MC Akil Dasan

Us3 are the British group led by Geoff Wilkinson, and on Cool Cat they team up with MC Akil Dasan for a funky fusion of hip-hop and vintage jazz cool. Driven by punchy beats that swagger with confidence, the song exudes sophistication, with vibrant bursts of big-band brass and a wonderfully reedy organ weaving sweet melodic phrases throughout.

Akil’s vocal becomes another instrument in the arrangement, flowing with effortless swagger, impeccable timing and natural feel. This is simply a fantastic tune that already feels like a classic.

Official | Instagram | YouTube

PS from Del: If you’ve submitted a track that hasn’t been picked for the Listening Post, our team has definitely listened to it and there’s no need to send it again: feel free to send us an even stronger track another week. The same goes if you were picked for the Listening Post but didn’t feature in our Fresh Faves.

But if we’ve recently featured you in our Fresh Faves – please wait three months before sending us another track, so we have space to help other deserving artists… For more info see Robinson Has A Good Old Moan.