In the magazine February 2025

With Self Esteem, Manic Street Preachers, Antony Szmierek, Nao, Black Country, New Road and more!

It’s officially 2025, and we are back with a bang! This month, we’re buzzing to welcome back musical force Self Esteem to the cover of our first issue of the new year, as she preps the release of her powerful third album ‘A Complicated Woman’. Arriving three-and-a-half years after her Mercury Prize-shortlisted phenomenon ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ – and a stint in London’s West End with Cabaret, for good measure – Rebecca is about to usher in another candid and complex chapter with what’s arguably her most startling record yet.

“It was this weird exchange of longing being replaced with it happening, but I was more unhappy than ever,” she shares in our cover feature, discussing the experience of receiving such dream-realising recognition. “I just couldn’t think. I hated doing it. A big opportunity would come in and I’d be like, ‘NO!’ I just didn’t want to be perceived anymore, it was so weird. So in my untangling of all that – it’s fucking basic but I was like, well why do I do all of this in the first place?”

And that’s just one of the treats we have in store for you this month! Elsewhere in our February 2025 issue, we go intergalactic for the release of Antony Szmierek’s brilliant debut; delve into the dark memories that helped inform Heartworms’ first full-length; and join Nao as she embraces joy on her gorgeous fourth record ‘Jupiter’. We also talk toxic positivity and contemporary politics with Manic Street Preachers for our latest In Deep feature; dive into the devilish delights of Squid’s new LP; and catch up with Irish noiseniks The Murder Capital about their insightful third album, ‘Blindness’. 

Over in our new music-centric Neu section, breakout sensation and Saddest Factory signee jasmine.4.t discusses the power of community and chosen family, and we meet “lightly seasoned” supergroup The NONE to get the lowdown on their new creative avenue. Plus, we also get to grips with the much-anticipated third offering from Black Country, New Road, and celebrate this year’s Welsh Language Music Day with some of the Cymru’s finest folk. 

And in terms of new releases, it certainly hasn’t been a slow start to the year; our reviews pages are packed with the DIY lowdown on the latest records from Sam Fender, FKA twigs, Biig Piig and many more, while our live section revisits highlights from beloved Dutch festival, Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS). 

To get stuck into all of that and more, click the button below to grab a print copy of our February 2025 issue, order via our online shop, or check out the digital edition above. Here we go…