Neu Bulletin The Neu Bulletin (Drug Store Romeos, POZI, Nijuu and more!)

If a series of early London shows hinted that Fleet trio Drug Store Romeos would be the latest in a long line of buzzy-for-a-hot-minute young shoegazers, then the decision to take their time and pull back before releasing many recorded wares seems to have paid off. ‘Quotations for Locations’ is the polar opposite of a dense sonic fug, instead pairing vocalist Sarah Downie’s light, airy vocal over nimble, plinking synth rhythms. It sounds like it should have a colourful bouncing ball dancing across its lyric video, which is to say it’s a bright, airy thing with one foot in the sounds of the ’80s but enough idiosyncratic charm to make it a minimal, lovable thing all of its own. (Lisa Wright)

With their new EP ‘176’ set to land at the beginning of next month, London trio Pozi have shared their latest teaser, unveiling new song ‘The Nightmare’, a disorientating and goosebump-inducing post-punk-infused track. Hoping to evoke the same feeling its title might suggest, the group employ a call and response delivery to convey the “way anxiety can warp reality”, creating the perfect, slightly chaotic, ode to the daily stresses many face during these “weird and unprecedented” lockdown times. Another example of the three-piece’s weirdo-pop stylings, it’s the latest example of why you should be keeping an eye on ‘em. (Elly Watson)

Korean-born, East London-based Nijuu makes the kind of music that’s best described as a feeling more than a sound (although, if you’re going to be pedantic, then you could file largely under bedroom dream-pop). Taken from an EP largely based on themes of the sea, ‘Blue’ conjures up that particular calm that only comes from a true moment of tranquility - floating on a lilo in the sun; lying with your eyes shut on warm sand; rare non-hungover Sunday mornings in bed. It’s a track that swaddles you in gauzy vocals and ripples of piano, and instantly lowers your blood pressure by a few notches. Basically, don’t spend a million pounds on that restorative Diptyque candle – just whack this on a couple of times instead. (Lisa Wright)

You sense that Isle of Wight newcomers Coach Party will probably receive more than their fair share of Wolf Alice comparisons over the coming months; with debut track ‘Oh Lola’ darting out the traps in a tumble of hyperactive punk, and ‘Breakdown’ upping the antsy moody vibes, now ‘Bleach’ arrives in an introspective summer haze to flesh out the canon. It’s undoubtedly a compliment, but one that points more to the quartet’s already-broad output than the fact that they’ve been schooling up on Ellie Rowsell crib notes. ‘Bleach’ nods to the sweet sadness of ’90s types like The Cardigans as much as it does any of our more modern indie faves, providing a sun-soaked ode to escape that we can all relate to right about now. (Lisa Wright)

The Bristol-based duo are already gaining a fast reputation for a pleasingly intense live show - and don’t let the title fool you, this first release from Fräulein might be incomplete nominally, but the rough-around-the-edges nature of the recording - uploaded on Juneteenth to help raise funds for The Black Curriculum - only adds to its brooding, slow-building atmosphere. Excellent stuff. (Emma Swann)

About to become your summer soundtrack, Suffolk-based Oscar Welsh makes sun-bleached pop bops, reminiscent of the likes of Tom Misch, Yellow Days or Alfie Templeman. Latest track ‘Sixteen’ is an effortlessly chill, groove-filled slice of bedroom-pop, blending elements of soul and soaring synths. Evidently just on the cusp of blowing up big time, get into it now so you can show off to all your pals how ahead of the curve your were when he hits the big time. (Elly Watson)

Sprints may be the latest to emerge from Dublin’s fertile stable of guitar-wielding new heroes, but their two-fingers-up, no-nonsense rattle’n’roll arrives as the natural heir to Amyl and the Sniffers’ grot punk rather than Fontaines mk II. A wry, unimpressed eyeball-roll at the prowlers and predators that roam any given All Bar One on a Wednesday night, ‘The Cheek’ takes four minutes of big, scuzzy riffs, pummelling basslines and singer Karla Chubb’s throaty, sarcastic vocal and turns it into a mic-drop anthem to paying the bad guys no mind and carrying on your own sweet way. (Lisa Wright)

With a lil’ 80s-infused pop bop to get you through the rest of the week, Katie Wood has shared new track ‘Uh Huh Yeah’. All about dealing with agoraphobia, the self-produced track juxtaposes its lyrical content with an upbeat synthy-backing, with Katie’s Haim-esque delicate vocal delivery driving the track. An uplifting track about ultimately facing your fears, are we going to be playing as loud as possible during the sunshine this week? Uh huh, yeah. (Elly Watson)

If calling your band NewDad brings to mind some combination of tentative, nervous first fumblings into fatherhood or that bloke your mum met the other month that’s started telling you off in the kitchen and you’re not too into it, then rest assured these Galway newbies are a far smoother, more pleasant listen than either of those options. A hazy, lazy track that pulls from the sweeter end of shoegaze, ‘Cry’ suggests that NewDad have probably listened to a fair amount of Cocteau Twins and The Cure in their time. But there’s also a lightness among the fog, a ’90s alt-pop touch, that means they’re perhaps aiming higher than mere naval-gazers. (Lisa Wright)

Tags: Coach Party, Drug Store Romeos, Fräulein, Katie Wood, NewDad, Nijuu, Oscar Welsh, Pozi, Sprints, Listen, Features, Neu, Neu Bulletin