Neu The Neu Bulletin (bed, Die Twice, Alewya and more!)

Combining the thud and crackle of techno drums with the howl of overdriven guitars, artists in recent years have begun to meld noise-rock and dance music to create something thundering and ecstatic in equal measure. While groups like Gilla Band and Model/​Actriz paved the way, Tokyo’s bed are undoubtedly one of the best new artists to embark on this sonic amalgamation. With their latest single ​‘Detoroito’, the quartet pair early noughties, Matrix-style basslines with banshee guitars atop minimal techno drums to concoct a voguing, pogoing cocktail of heft and swagger. (A. L. Noonan) 

Leaping out of Brighton are Die Twice, a four-piece who have just unleashed their new EP ​‘Accept Me Like A Lie’. Latest single ​‘Jalapeño’ showcases Die Twice’s knack for atmospherics: they subtly rearrange the scenes behind lead singer Olly Bayton’s chilling vocal, as gentle, tumbling guitar splits the track open before icy synths give way to a full-throttle, full band affair. The spectre of Jeff Buckley and Radiohead is knotted in the group’s DNA, blending a thrilling instrumental palate to splash on the canvas. (Sean Kerwick)

Deep roots of Ethiopian and Egyptian culture are entwined with Alewya​’s work, adding a meditative touch to her latest single as she gives listeners a taste of her sonic experimentation. Rhythmic drums back an enticing guitar dancing with Arabic scales, while the London-based artist’s vocals push the track through a story of cultural history; its title, ​‘Maktoub’, translates to ​‘it is written’ or ​‘destined’ in English, and it also features a haunting sample from Ethiopian singer-songwriter Teddy Afro. Providing an introspective narrative that can only be tied to her personal experiences, here Alewya balances a steady flow with funk instrumental drops to amp up anticipation for her debut album ​‘Zero’. (Esther Akinborewa)

On ​‘Shallow Hits’, London trio Ebbb hit a euphoric high. A single that leans heavily into ​’80s-style synth sounds, its bright, sunny energy brings the listener a sense of elation that contrasts with the content of the song; according to the band, the track is about ​“chasing quick dopamine highs to escape emotional emptiness, and how that can lead to destructive patterns of self-sabotage.” Synth-laden without being overly dancey, and catchy without being explicitly pop, Ebbb skirt deliberately around any sense of established genres to produce a contemplative, finely crafted work of art. (Kai Marshall)

Opening with a growing sea of chiming, reverberating guitars, this track doesn’t so much build as morph through a continuous, seamless progression of shape-shifting sound. The feeling communicated in ​‘close your eyes’ is of a band who have uncovered the pinnacle of shoegaze. Without sounding clichéd, she’s green apply swathes of lush reverb and delay to carefully introspective vocals – and then just keep going. As the song continues (for an ambitious seven minutes), we’re brought into a higher domain of rushing sound which overwhelms with its all-consuming embrace. It’s as if this group are playing with the very elements of light and sound. (Phil Taylor)

Built around a clean, melodic guitar riff, ​‘Strangers’ delivers a crisp and engaging sound from the outset. Compared to the more abrasive vocal delivery of their previous single ​‘Kind Regards’, here Berlin-based outfit Agatha Is Dead! showcase a certain lightness, weaving together dual vocals from Lilly Bartholomew-Günther and Noah O’Donoghue to create a dynamic sense of push and pull throughout the track. Underpinned by a steady, driving drumbeat and relatively stripped-back instrumentation, the song finds strength in simplicity, foregrounding anthemic vocal hooks to deliver an infectious quality that lingers long after it ends. (Amelia Jones)

A time capsule of a moment dearly missed, the strums of ​‘Wings Of A Butterfly’ place listeners directly into the memory of Sesame Girl. This Wollongong-based indie-pop group entice the ears with rich instrumentals, conjuring warm imagery of woozy days gone past (“Love can fade away / On the seeds of a dandelion”; ​“Your touch is soft as a moth’s wing”). As vocalist Heather Duncan yearns for proof of reciprocation from a lover, the track’s wishful chord progression leaves her heart loosely on her sleeve, and summer nears its end. (Esther Akinborewa)

On ​‘Eyes Off You’, Tokyo Tea Room deliver their quintessential blend of glassy pop melodies and disco-infused basslines. Often compared to Men I Trust due to their self-acknowledged flirtation with dream-pop, here the Margate band take a slightly different path. Where MIT lean into hazy atmospherics, ​‘Eyes Off You’ is driven by clean, shimmering guitar tones that feel less like a dream and more like a sun-drenched afternoon. The result is a track that feels bright and uplifting, without sacrificing the quartet’s signature sense of atmosphere. (Kai Marshall)

Cutscene​’s ​‘Shrine (Give Me a Chance)’ mixes punchy riffs, distorted bends and explosive drums that pull you into an atmosphere of openly displayed volatility and unstable assertion. The Mancunian quartet blend vocals and lyricism into a culmination that teeters between emotive dissonance and longing idealism. Playing out across three minutes that blast by in a flash, the single proves a band can hit the ground running at full pelt; perfectly encapsulating the beating heart of Manchester’s post-punk/alternative indie up-and-comers. Expect a meteoric rise. (Cal Chapman)

Tags: Neu, Neu Bulletin, Agatha Is Dead!, Alewya, bed, Cutscene, Die Twice, Ebbb, Listen, Sesame Girl, she’s green, Tokyo Tea Room, Watch