Neu The Neu Bulletin (Tia Gordon, Ain’t, samxemma and more!)

Don’t be fooled by the title of Tia Gordon​’s new single. Dropped on the first day of spring, it feels tailor-made to welcome the warmer season. Sure, winter’s cold nights and lingering doubts may not be entirely gone, but the track’s uplifting beats and brassy synths, all woven around the Kent artist’s intimate lyrics, spark the desire to let go and celebrate. The answer to the question that’s repeatedly asked throughout the short and sweet hook? No, don’t — sometimes, all it takes is a joyful R&B groove to feel better. (Gabriele Naddeo)

Having spent the past two years or so drip-feeding singles to their growing fanbase and building a formidable reputation on the live circuit — including shows with The Belair Lip Bombs, Sunflower Bean and more — South London outfit Ain’t are doubling down on their early intrigue with ​‘Grazer’, a sub-three minute scorcher coloured by wailing feedback, scuzzy guitars, and beguiling vocal hooks in the vein of ​‘90s alt-rock giants The Breeders or Pavement. The final addition to their forthcoming ​‘How They Faked The Moon Landing’ Dinked vinyl EP (which also features the rest of their singles to date), it’s their most immediate outing to date. (Daisy Carter)

Manchester duo samxemma sharpen their emotionally charged, club-ready sound on ​‘Simple Solution’, a new cut lifted from their recent EP ​‘Us Forever’. Positioned as the track that ultimately completed the project, it captures the pair at their most direct, pairing restless electronic production with lyrics that cut through with blunt, diaristic honesty. Built around Emma’s self-addressed reflections, ​‘Simple Solution’ thrives on contrast; its glossy, high-energy surface masks something more vulnerable underneath, as frustration and self-doubt are channelled into something urgent and cathartic. That tension sits at the heart of the wider EP, which moves fluidly between euphoric pop moments and more stripped-back introspection. (Gemma Cockrell)

Blood Wizard have never sounded so nostalgic. The London four-piece, known for their gentle and sombre folk orchestrations, return with ​‘I Know You Well’, a track that wraps its introspection in a hazy wall of sound, enriched by subtle shoegaze influences. Frontman Cai Burns revisits the alternative guitar textures he grew up with, crafting a self-described ​“thicker and fuller” tone. This shift stems from a new dynamic within the band, who have begun experimenting more in each other’s homes; if ​‘I Know You Well’ is anything to go by, it’s a process that suits them well. (Lorène Bienvenu) 

The newest drop from Glasgow newcomers Tanzana is the very definition of genre-defying; from dark, sultry beginnings, melody and rhythm emerge along with thin, mysterious vocals. A second, deeper vocal then joins, bringing more depth but also pushing the sense of tension further. Moving through art-rock patterns, operatic flourishes and tinges of folk heritage in the lush cadences chosen, there’s an anxious fervency infusing ​‘Pulse, Pose, Position’. It’s a song which is both unsettling and triumphant, melding contrasting textures and colours with rarely encountered confidence. (Phil Taylor)

Nottingham trio Bloodworm continue to build momentum with ​‘Alone In Your Garden’, a brooding, gothic-leaning single that deepens the promise of their earlier release ​‘Bloodlust’. Where that track shimmered with classic post-punk textures, this latest offering leans further into atmosphere, pairing icy guitar lines with a sense of damp, distinctly English melancholy. There are clear echoes of The Cure and Echo and The Bunnymen in the band’s palette, but Bloodworm avoid pastiche by grounding their sound in something more intimate and folkloric. The result feels both nostalgic and fresh, with frontman George Curtis channelling seasonal imagery into something quietly haunting. (Gemma Cockrell)

Tags: Neu, Neu Bulletin, Ain’t, Blood Wizard, Bloodworm, Listen, samxemma, Tanzana, Tia Gordon, Watch