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:

OLI REES
VICE BEATS X UNITY X MOLLY UPTON
SHUYLER JANSEN
PIRI
HOMETIME
VICKRAM BHAMRA
MYSTIC TEA PARTY
VERLO
ACOUSTIC ASTRONAUT, SANTA FE NM
NIGHT HOUSE
MILO
SELVER

DEL OSEI-OWUSU/PLATINUMMIND:

OLI REES – Space

This is a lovely little ballad it’s got a folk kind of feel to it, and the thing that caught me was the pre chorus, and the underlying hammond organ underneath it. This is such an easy listen and Oli’s voice does it justice too.

VICE BEATS X UNITY X MOLLY UPTON -Breathe

I love the fusion of hip hop with jazz here, it’s chilled and the guitar part over the top really gives it a nice kind of flavour. Nice harmonies too!

JOHN MICHIE:

SHUYLER JANSEN – Old Machine

Jansen delivers a standout track with atmospheric Old Machine. A laid-back yet driving rocker powered by a stomping drum beat. The track is elevated by rich, shimmering textures and synths that give a captivating depth.

PIRI – Both Be Happier

Piri’s Both Be Happier is a sleek, bouncy UK garage/club cut that pairs crisp, syncopated rhythms with a breezy, emotive vocal delivery. Everything about this song is effortless and infectious.

NEIL MARCH:

HOMETIME – Nacebo

Davy King records as Hometime. Nocebo has a nineties Grunge undercurrent with fuzztone guitars playing a repeating riff. That and the vocals recall Smashing Pumpkins in a jam with Francis Black while Nirvana lurk in the shadows. But it has enough contemporary references to bring it firmly into 2026. Chunky, fresh and energetic with great tunes too.

VICKRAM BHAMRA – Exhale

Vickram Bhamra is an artist who pops up on my radar from time to time. Here he gives us interesting, inventive instrumental music with a crisp beat and bubbling keyboards accompanying a tune that has the feel of incidental or documentary soundtrack music. Plenty of contrasting sub-sections and nuanced changes keep events moving throughout.

SHARON PEARCE:

MYSTIC TEA PARTY – Aftertaste

A beautifully haunting blend of ethereal vocals and dark electronic rhythms. Atmospheric, slightly dark and wonderfully emotive, with a bittersweet edge.

VERLO – better than i

Verlo’s better than i has a wistful, emotive feel. The guitar adds a haunting quality to the lyrics bringing an extra layer of emotion to an already heartfelt track.

SHERRY SAHAYARAJ:

ACOUSTIC ASTRONAUT, SANTA FE NM – In Heaven Buddha Mix

This track has such a cinematic feel to it. The repetitive guitar in the background, along with the echoes, gives it a really lovely, peaceful feel. I’m guessing it’s a worship song, and it’s quite soothing and simple.

NIGHT HOUSE – Stronger Than July

This track has such an interesting arrangement with lots of little elements that keep you listening. I particularly love the strings and the harmonies that pop up here and there. There’s always something new to catch your ear, even after a few listens. A lovely one!

TONY HARDY:

MILO – Haunted House

Youthful artist Milo delivers a remarkably mature, well-constructed song built around a flowing, plaintive – I won’t say haunting – piano melody, an earnest vocal and subtle harmonies. Lyrically it’s an interesting exploration of self-doubts, change and how people see you. Imagining yourself as a ghost becomes a vehicle for questioning why people don’t see you for who you are or who you’ve become.

SELVER – Hesitation

Opening with a crystalline solo vocal over chugging guitar and steady beats before the band blazes in for the chorus, this is an absorbing song from start to finish. I love the imaginative way the song develops through dynamic instrumental passages, an inventive middle 8 and a delightfully extended coda. The lyrics are great – enigmatic and image-rich; the kind that I feel an urge to start a book club around.