Neu The Neu Bulletin (Luvcat, Flat Party, piglet and more!)

Since the release of her debut single ​‘Matador’ back in May, Luvcat (aka Sophie Morgan) has grown astronomically, leaving fans gasping for another taste of her wine-stained theatricality. Another darkly romantic tale, new release ​‘He’s My Man’ nods to The Last Dinner Party and Nick Cave with its extravagant, macabre storytelling. Self-described as a ​‘murder ballad’, the track consists of crooning guitars, sultry vocals, and fanciful lyrics that will stick to you like smoke, placing you in a state of elevated catharsis. (Neve Dawson)

There’s something about London’s Flat Party that feels like a throwback to the days of ​’90s/​’00s indie, be it Jack Lawther’s vocals — which recall Supergrass’ Gaz Coombes or Suede’s Brett Anderson — or simply the band’s charming swagger. For a relatively new outfit, their sound has a mature world-weariness that makes for an immediately arresting listen; on latest cut ​‘It’s All Been Done Before’, they marry Britpop with alternative but add their own stomp too. It may not be reinventing the wheel, but there’s character and ambition in spades. (Christopher Connor)

On new single ​‘white knuckles’, piglet offers another compelling preview of his upcoming EP, ​‘for frank forever’ — a project dedicated to his late friend. Here, the Irish-born, South London-based artist (aka Charlie Loane) delves deeply into the raw emotional terrain of breaking free from a toxic relationship, with poignant lyrics that encapsulate both the heartache and liberation that come with finally seeing through a manipulative partner and choosing self-care over continued suffering. The track serves as an evocative reflection on the clarity that can emerge from painful realisations, and, following his 2022 EP ​‘seven songs’ (which was praised for its insightful exploration of the trans experience), piglet’s return signals a continued commitment to deeply personal and thought-provoking music. (Gemma Cockrell)

As the historical pioneers of shoegaze continue to captivate newer and younger audiences amid the genre’s thriving revival, so too is a burgeoning musical offspring emerging from its vitalised new undergrowth. London’s deary — whose delicate sonic offerings marry shoegaze’s dazy, jangly ruminations with a crisp and lunar dreampop sweetness — have returned with latest single ​‘The Drift’, announcing sophomore EP ​‘Aurelia’ alongside it (both via cult label Sonic Cathedral). Here, the duo further explore themes of regeneration and metamorphosis, bathing a headrush of guitars and glassy-eyed vocals in icy pools of reverb, inciting a slow yet bracing endorphin rush of celestial proportions. (Hazel Blacher)

If The Last Dinner Party upped sticks and became an avant-garde two-tone revivalist band, you’d only be just about halfway to approximating the off-kilter magic cast by Memory of Speke. With visuals that spare no expense on candles, wigs, beauty spots and Elizabethan period dress, ​‘Wife Once’ presents a world of fantastical escape and askew pop bliss waiting for you to get lost in. With a debut single as complete and satisfying as this, Memory of Speke may very well be earmarked as London buzz-band to-be before long. (Elvis Thirlwell)

Welsh indie quartet Half Happy have unveiled their latest single, ​‘Bloom’ — a mesmerising glimpse into their forthcoming debut EP, ​‘Conversation Killer’. Emerging from Cardiff’s burgeoning music scene, the band’s blend of dream-pop, indie-rock, and post-punk continues to captivate. The track is a striking exploration of observing a friend’s tumultuous relationship, beginning with a dense, immersive mix of vocals and synths that reflect a feeling of being stuck and unsure how to assist. But with the arrival of the chorus, ​‘Bloom’ transforms into an expansive, liberating experience, with swelling guitars and synths that offer a buoyant release from any initial discomfort — a shift which smartly mirrors its lyrical preoccupation with relationships’ emotional complexity. (Gemma Cockrell)

Tags: Neu, Neu Bulletin, Deary, Flat Party, Half Happy, Listen, Luvcat, Memory Of Speke, Piglet, Watch