Neu The Neu Bulletin (Cardinals, Mei Semones, Chloe Qisha and more!) 

Grinding, angular guitars drive this track from the start, chugging darkly with approaching menace and steaming inexorably onwards for two solid minutes. Even without knowing the story behind this song, there’s a palpable feel of unjust power expressed through those wailing chords and ringing drums. With ​‘The Burning Of Cork’, Cardinals present us with a dark story from their hometown, proving that music can and should have a place in political discourse. Noise rock has never sounded so heartfelt. (Phil Taylor)

Mei Semones’ latest single ​‘Kurayami’ is a tender, nostalgic reflection on the fading glow of childhood. Translating to ​“darkness” in Japanese, the track reminisces on her childhood growing up in Michigan, acting as a luminous meditation on memory and change. As is her now-signature, it’s also characterised by intricate guitar work — full of shifting tempos, odd meters and delicate arpeggios — that results in one of her most technically difficult songs to date. (Gemma Cockrell)

“Irresistible”: the very first word sung by Chloe Qisha on her latest, ​‘So Sad So Hot’, and a perfect description of this superbly balanced slice of alt-pop. It’s buzzy and bouncing with retro-modern cool, and undercut with all-knowing, irrefutable, Gen‑Z stare vocals. The track starts like something emerging from the 1980s underground and develops into a zippy, biting number; but, paradoxically, the whole thing is also infused with an indefinable languid energy. Here, over-analysis meets a ​‘couldn’t care less’ attitude in a song so well-rounded, it’s in a league of its own. (Phil Taylor)

Blurring the line between reality and reverie, the mesmerising title track from She’s In Parties’ upcoming EP ​‘Are You Dreaming?’ captures the disorienting beauty of vivid dreams and sleepless nights. Katie Dillon’s ethereal vocals drift through hazy synths and reverb-drenched guitars, creating a world that feels both haunting and hypnotic. Paired with a gothic, Lynchian video, ​‘Are You Dreaming?’ deepens the band’s cinematic sound and emotional pull, acting as an evocative preview of a gear-shifting release. (Gemma Cockrell) 

Written about the anxieties experienced while being under the influence, ​‘Crashing Down’ finds teenage South London quartet Red Ivory experimenting with dynamics while keeping the rawness that characterised their previous releases. A masterclass in how to go from little more than a whisper to frenetic collapse (all without becoming predictable), this single — lifted from their forthcoming EP ​‘Please Leave, I Need To Wake Up Now’ — wouldn’t sound out of place on a ​‘90s Sonic Youth record. Kim Gordon may well be a fan. (Attila Peter)

Tags: Neu, Neu Bulletin, Cardinals, Chloe Qisha, Listen, Mei Semones, Red Ivory, She’s In Parties, Watch