Neu The Neu Bulletin (Tapir!, Cosmorat, Sarah Meth and more!)

'My God' is a cosy, beautiful listen laden with soft nostalgia and intimate smiles - it wouldn’t feel out of place on the Juno soundtrack, with its twinkling backdrop and gently crooned, 7th-chord-laden melodies. Nestled in the dreamy sonics, though, are complex ruminations that woozily direct you towards capitalism, natural disaster, social media, modernity and all its trappings - but never directly. Rather, Tapir! use their knack for magical, timeless otherness to draw a thick veil over anything real-world that might be implicitly touched on, making for a track that’s both pointedly current and escapist. (Ims Taylor)

Introduced by possibly the most jarring sound out there – hand-clapping, chanting children – Cosmorat’s latest cut dissects the unsettling transition from childhood to adolescence, the loss of innocence, and embarrassment turned to rage. That emotional conflict is somewhat mirrored in the track’s music video - which sees a picnic take on quite cultish overtones (just girly things, etc.) - and the arrangement, kept minimalist to echo childish playfulness but so at odds with the bleaker lyrics. It’s a thought-provoking, very well-executed second single from the London four-piece, and begs the question of what’s yet to come. (Caitlin Chatterton)

A lyrically gutting look at sexual trauma, ‘Sister You Said’ wraps sucker-punch missives - “Please don’t kid yourself you miss me/ You only miss me when I’m down on my hands and knees” - in the sweetest of packages. With a honeyed vocal delivery that takes crooning centre stage amongst steadily-strummed acoustic guitar and notably warm, enveloping production, the latest from Londoner Sarah Meth is a track that lulls you into a false sense of security. Which, you sense, is likely the point. (Lisa Wright)

Building momentum for her debut EP ‘Nothing To Lose’, Nectar Woode unveils ‘God Talks Back’ - a dreamy number reminding us to follow our intuition. Much like August offering ‘Good Vibrations’, it combines the songwriter’s Ghanaian and English roots to create a multifaceted soundscape. Enveloped by floating beats and jazzy guitars, lilting vocals describe the process of trusting your inner self and stepping into the unknown. Pairing heartfelt storytelling with atmospheric production, it sets the bar for what to expect from the upcoming project due next year. (Emily Savage)

Following the release of last month’s hypnotically shadowy ‘Alligator’, Gia Ford’s latest is another rich and haunting offering. Inspired by a friend’s story about their dad’s struggle with grief after the loss of his late wife, the piano-led ‘Falling In Love Again’ offers a glimpse at the other side of love and its complicated tangle; it’s a gorgeously tender track with a classic feel. (Sarah Jamieson)

With Caroline Polachek leading the charge, 2023 has been the year that alt-pop leveled up. The latest to join the ranks is Slovakian-born DASA, whose new cut 'wife now' tackles existential anxieties around motherhood amidst a landscape of soaring synths and shifting dynamics. Full of nostalgia and yearning, but quietly confident in its conclusion, it's a gentle but pointed reminder that the oft-snubbed genre of pop can be just as poignant as its counterparts. (Daisy Carter)

Since July, we’ve slowly been introduced to the world of multi-medium artist ratbag. Latest single ‘dead end kids’ is an exuberant addition to the growing canon, driven by its infectious drum beat and earworm chorus. The lyrics are either borderline nonsensical or referencing something deeply niche (I Googled ‘does eating cheese stop a tree from growing inside you’ but couldn’t find an obvious answer). Either way, this release is a brilliant next insight into the expansive, fully-realised world that ratbag has to show us. (Caitlin Chatterton)

It’s been five months since their last single ‘Warm Plasticine’, and on 'Plod Along Phenomenon' the post-punk big-band Tenderhost evoke the onset of the bleak inner-city winter with their most intricate single yet. Lead vocalist Gabriel Levy smoothly croons his way through a late night tale of desperation and escapism in hopes of catching a break from the monotonous city offerings, while the band effortlessly create an ode to bossanova classics. As slack cowbell rhythms intertwine with the hooting cucía and tight jabs of brass, the escalating airy flutes and ghostly backing vocals add another element of curiosity and intrigue. This single will certainly scratch an itch for fans going on late night walks and George Gershwin. (Millie Tempo)

Not one to slap you full force round the face, but one which leaves an imprint nonetheless, the latest from London quartet Terra Twin employs a guerrilla earworm bassline and jangling riffs to ensure the grunge-lite of 'Hanging Around' does, well, exactly what it says on the tin. Acting as a preview of their forthcoming 'Head Leaking' EP - arriving early next year to curb those January blues - it's an enigmatic and intriguing insight into what the longer project has in store. (Daisy Carter)

A seesawing swing of metallic guitars and one note, bastardised bass that ricochets ominously before bursting into a feral shout, ‘Theodore’ stakes a solid claim for Meltheads being Belgium’s answer to early IDLES. Brutal and gnarly in the most streamlined and satisfying way, vocalist Sietse Willams’ primal rasp is an edge-of-seat vehicle for the industrial punk that careens around him; a perfect balance of catharsis and control. (Lisa Wright)

The dark, reflective tone Toni Sancho builds in the music on 'Goodbye!' is ultra-rich, painting a harsh picture of loneliness tinged with anger and sadness. But adding even more depth to the emotional core of 'Goodbye!' is Sancho’s gorgeous, heavy vocal style, somehow airy and full at the same time, conveying every drop of questioning, challenge and loss that the lyrics discuss. The opening spoken clip says “I think if you were close to me in my life, you would notice that I, for a while, kind of disappeared”, and what follows is a vignette of painful pushing-away, potential self-sabotage, and the central message: “goodbye”. It’s a poignant listen from a supremely evocative voice. (Ims Taylor)

Tags: DASA, Gia Ford, Meltheads, Nectar Woode, Sarah Meth, Tapir!, Tenderhost, Terra Twin, Toni Sancho, Listen, Neu, Neu Bulletin