‘Eclectic’ is the word that springs to mind when describing this month’s batch of single releases, which span an auditory smorgasbord of industrial synth, jank rock, pastoral folk, lounge jazz, dub-rap, psych-fridge rave, calypso snot-punk, prezygotic piranha wave and more (yes, we made up quite a few of those). If you were to listen to these songs one after another on Spotify, the algorithm would be so confused that it may actually explode (fingers crossed). Let’s dive in.  

Elisabeth Elektra 
‘Yearning’

There aren’t many songwriters holding a candle for industrial synth pop nowadays, so what a treat when a song with this kind of chunky electro-stomp barges into your eardrums. There’s an unabashed, let-your-hair-down confidence to ‘Yearning’ that we can’t get enough of, and we’re hoping that there’s plenty more where that came from in Elektra’s forthcoming album Hypersigil, out Friday 6 June. Glasgow folks (or any interested parties): hop along to her album launch gig at the Rum Shack on the same night. 

Water Machine 
‘River’

Ramshackle charm abounds from this Glasgow four-piece’s lo-fi art-punk that revels in eccentric percussion and an earworm chorus. ‘It’s a song we wrote about a hostile relationship between you and your neighbour who you're convinced is trying to steal your boat,’ claims vocalist Hando Morice. ‘While none of the band have ever owned a boat, we can only imagine the stress this would cause. The song is an exploration of how seemingly futile disagreement with a neighbour can take over your life, becoming the only thing you can think about.’ Fair enough. 

Sorren Maclean 
‘In Your Own Mind’

The gentle lilt of guitars slowly builds in this cut from Maclean’s A Journey Looking Backwards, which was released earlier this month and ‘came to being in an old stone house on the edge of the Atlantic’, according to Maclean himself. It’s a sample of an LP that revels in the type of beauty that's typical of this folk master. 

M John Henry 
‘Heart Of Coal’

The onetime De Rosa frontman is back with his wounded falsetto and a folk-rock tribute to Scotland’s industrial past. This is the first teaser from his album Strange Is The Way, set for release on Friday 20 June on Gargleblast. A wee insider’s tip: we’ve heard it already and think it’s lovely from start to finish. A release to mark on your calendar. 

Rebecca Vasmant 
‘Sun Song’ 

Taken from her new album Who We Are, Becoming, Vasmant’s interpretation of jazz remains irresistible. Smooth and sinewy with effortless vocals from Emillie Boyd, it’s lounge jazz that won’t wilt when the dancefloor gets chaotic. 

Stina Marie Claire 
‘The Human Condition (Memento version)’

Here's a reworked version of a fan favourite from Stina Tweeddale’s lockdown project, replete with gorgeous strings and the Honeyblood songwriter’s usual knack for instantly hummable melodies. ‘It’s a song about the vulnerability of being human,’ she told us. ‘Recognising the flaws in our nature and the futility of expecting others to be anything more than that. It’s about realising that it’s not about who made the mistakes, but that making them is inherently part of life and in the end, inevitable.’ 

The Mary Column 
‘Worlds Apart’

The sunnier side of jangle rock is in full supply in this second single from debut album Very Sparrow, out now on Errol’s Hot Wax. If you’re a fan of Teenage Fanclub or Orange Juice, ‘Worlds Apart’ is breathing the same summer-scented air. 

Valtos & Elephant Sessions 
‘Bloom’

Highland-folk fusion hits the dancefloor in this collaboration between two Scottish favourites that has festival banger written all over it. ‘Our previous collaboration, “1990”, is one of the biggest tracks in both Valtos' & Elephant Sessions' live sets. With the summer fast approaching, the boys decided that maybe it was time to release another huge tune, perfect for the sunshine,’ says Valtos’ Martyn MacDonald. 

Garbage 
‘Get Out My Face AKA Bad Kitty’

Shirley Manson’s enduring rock outfit has been enjoying a bit of a renaissance lately. Perhaps that’s why this new single (the second from new album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light) emanates a revitalised energy, with guitars that recall late-era Cure and a rousingly defiant lyricism.  

Thoughtfox
‘The Lighthouse In The Sound’ 

The solo project of Constant Follower’s guitarist Andrew Pankhurst, soulful vocals merge with lush guitar work in this lead single for Thoughtfox’s debut album, The Tides. Said Pankhurst: ‘This has been a very long-gestating project, but the success of the last few Contant Follower albums gave me the confidence boost I needed to let go of these tunes and let them live in the wild. I think anyone that enjoyed the stuff we’ve put out as a group will find something to enjoy in this.’ 

Conscious Route & Supermann on da beat ft Jabbathakut 
‘Shadows’

Old-school rap, dub and scratches propel this a discussion of positivity through troubled times. You’ll be able to hear the full-length album from this collaboration (also called Shadows) on Friday 27 June on True Hold Records. 

No Windows 
‘Tricky’

Winning a Sound Of Young Scotland award at The SAY Awards in 2023 has put this duo on the right track. They’ve added a country tinge to their bedroom pop repertoire, giving Verity Slangen’s delicate voice the chance to shine. 

Ross Whyte 
‘The Maiden Stone’ 

Who’d have thought electronica and renaissance fayre Scottish folk would make for a match in heaven? Haunting pianos complement a melody steered by Terra Spencer. The album this is trailing, Provenance, is equally evocative, and you can hear it on Friday 30 May via The Bothy Society. 

Maneula 
‘Coniine’

Here’s a hotly anticipated return from an artist we haven’t heard from since 2017. Featuring contributions from Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadler and Franz Ferdinand’s Nick McArthy, Manuela’s Nico-esque voice remains the big sell, as alien and unadorned as ever. ‘I wrote this song for a friend of ours who very sadly passed away a few years ago,’ says Manuela. ‘His struggle is described via a chase and scramble through a desolate plain. However, the overall tone of the song is distinctly sweet and rich to celebrate the beauty and innocence of the person and his life.’ 

Want your new release featured in Singles In Your Area? Then send us your tunes to [email protected]; main picture: Greta Kalva.