Hull, U.K.-based quartet bdrmm was originally a solo project by lead vocalist Ryan Smith, who decided to expand it into a band with his brother, Jordan Smith, on bass, Joe Vickers (guitar), Danny Hull (synth, backing vocals), and Luke Irvin (drums). Their first single, C:U, was noticed by Sonic Cathedral, which signed the band in 2019 and released their debut EP, If Not, When?, later the same year. Their first full-length release, Bedroom was out in in 2020. After a three years hiatus (interrupted only by the singles Port in 2021, and Three in 2022), the band -now consisting in Ryan and Jordan Smith, Joe Vickers, and new drummer Conor Murray- signed with Mogwai‘s Rock Action Records, and their second album, I Don’t Know, was out on June 30th.

Special Friend is a Paris-based American/French indie-noise-pop duo formed by Erica Ashleson (drums, vocals) and Guillaume Siracusa (guitar, vocals). Formed in Paris in 2018 when Erica was just starting to learn drums while Guillaume accompanied her on the guitar, the two friends have been composing & playing non-stop ever since, citing influences such as Yo La Tengo, Duster, Galaxie 500 & Elliott Smith. After releasing a self-titled EP in 2019 and a first album Ennemi Commun in 2021, the duo spent most of 2022 composing and recording their next album. An honest, rhythmic and mesmerising brand of modern pop, still in line with their unique, spontaneous, minimalistic sound, the band has stretched further allowing more arrangements including keyboards and violin, marked by their signature: harmonising, unobtrusive vocals that blend with the rest of the instruments in a restlessly inventive, exquisitely melodic sound. Ten tracks sung both in French (Bête, Inertie, Ami spécial) and English. Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In comes out June 30th on UK label Skep Wax and French labels Howlin’ Banana and Hidden Bay Records.

The Rishis duo of Ranjan Avasthi and Sofie Lute hail from Athens/Atlanta, and Tacoma. Their new album is August Moon, out on April 20th via Cloud Recordings. Though the duo has been together for nearly a decade, August Moon is their long-awaited debut.
The rishis are also the newest band to proudly bear the Elephant 6 logo, with many active members of the E6 collective rotating through the band’s roster. Musically speaking, August Moon is an album of gentle, lush, psychedelic songs with a hint of hazy, folk-rock. It isn’t hard to imagine the rishis wandering around the subcontinent playing their songs with their friends, and everyone having a grand old time high on some lovely tea. But August Moon is also an album of collaboration, as their pals also helped out with painting this sound collage. E6 alumni friends helping in it’s creation include Scott Spillane (Neutral Milk Hotel), John Kiran Fernades (Olivia Tremor Control), Andrew Rieger (Elf Power), James Huggins III (Of Montreal), Andy Gonzalez (Marshmallow Coast), Peter Alvanos (Sunshine Fix and also Elf Power), Lucy Calhoun (Black Swan Network), Todd Kelly (Phosphorescent and also Great Lakes), Wild Rumpus founder Timi Conley, and co-producer Chris Byron.

Ginny is a young Italian multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ginevra Fenoglio, who sings and plays keyboards and guitars on her debut EP If I’m Not Loving You, out now on Swiss label EEEE Records. Backed by a band including the EP’s producer Paolo Spaccamonti on electric guitars, Federico Marchesano on double bass and Dario Bruna on Marimba, Ginevra Fenoglio pens six alt-folk, indie folk songs with gentle acoustic textures, between guitars, string inserts and subtle synth lines. The mood on all the tracks is one of great simplicity and candour and Ginny’s vocals are lovely.