Those paying attention to the UK’s indie, shoegaze and dream pop scenes early in 2026 might have already discovered ‘Find Me There’, a fantastic track from Wiltshire based Shapes Like People. A fantastic single that sounded like the perfect dream pop throwback to 1993/1994 with its Cocteau Twins inspired shimmering guitar lines and clean vocals, it suggested that the upcoming Shapes Like People album would potentially be great.
Watch: Tooth Gore shares new video for ‘Song Of The Birdman’
Tooth Gore’s ‘For Losers, By Losers’ was one of the best albums of 2025. The artist’s mix of melodic indie, surf rock, pop punk and 90s inspired alt rock created a varied but coherent listen, and at the material’s strongest, Kobi Joe’s command of a chorus was more than clear.
Watch: Night Thieves share new video for ‘Home’
The previous two singles from UK metal band Night Thieves managed to convey very different aspects to their huge sound. ‘Obsidian’ shared a love for early Linkin Park and Paramore, but added a heavier edge that worked brilliantly against a great vocal, blending retro alternative and slight goth influences with ease, while ‘Mycelia’ unleashed a heavier sound, driven by pneumatic drums bringing more of a metalcore edge. By retaining a clean vocal, this still managed to be very accessible.
THE FALL – Fall Sound Archive Vol. 12: Fall Heads Roll
On 2003’s ‘The Real New Fall LP’, Mark E. Smith and his band sounded somewhere near the top of their game. Some of their more critical fans might claim the record didn’t quite capture the fire of their early work, but the record boasted more than its fair share of memorable performances. It showed the now veteran act in a position of strength and would be a hard act to follow, if not impossible, especially considering Smith had a habit of shaking things up whenever he felt things might be going too well.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #147
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This selection takes in a genuine curveball from a cult musician, shares a perfect slice of soul, a great single from an up and coming singer songwriter, a brilliant melodic rock banger, and more… As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy!
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