Author: Danielle Holian

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Australian alternative funk-rock and psychedelic outfit Scizzorman resurface with a seven-track trip through funk, glam, psychedelia, stoner rock and beyond.

After a post-pandemic hiatus and a lingering case of writer’s block, Australia’s Scizzorman are back with their bold new concept album, HOW TO GET YOUR LIFE RIGHT WITH WHAT’S LEFT.

Forming in late 2024, the songs emerged as a strange and colourful collection of observations, anecdotes and existential detours, all striving to find meaning in an increasingly dystopian world. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, the seven-track album wastes little time taking the listener somewhere unexpected.

At the centre of Scizzorman’s melting pot is drummer and vocalist Terry J Vinci, whose outrageous lyrics collide with the slick, smooth bass of Cody Robson and the vibrant guitar and synthesizer work of Stewart Herbertson. Their distinct vocal parts add another layer to a sound that refuses to sit comfortably inside any single genre.

Heavy psychedelia meets glam pop, stoner rock, swamp blues, trip ambience and retro funk, with the band’s musical trajectory constantly shifting before somehow bringing everything together in half an hour. The album’s astonishing mix was shaped by seasoned sound engineer Adrian Vinci.

With influences spanning Red Hot Chili Peppers, Frank Zappa, Arctic Monkeys, Talking Heads, David Bowie, The Beatles, The Dandy Warhols and Jimi Hendrix, Scizzorman have created something distinctly their own. HOW TO GET YOUR LIFE RIGHT WITH WHAT’S LEFT is short, very sweet, and designed to dislodge the present tense.

From one track to the next, Scizzorman invite listeners to embrace the unpredictable, question the obvious and perhaps discover a few new values along the way.

TRACKLIST

1. The Lesser-known (Pts 1-3)
2. The Next Gen Is Broken
3. Narcissistic Nymphs Of The New Age
4. Cavalcades
5. The Great Unknown
6. Mystical Yeast
7. Get With The Program

Find Scizzorman: Instagram, Facebook, X, Spotify

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

Previous Press Support via Decent Music PR: The Other Side Reviews, Rolling Hype, Music Crowns, Urbansita Magazine, The Alternative Gig Guide, Music Times, Spinex, WeSpeakMedia2, melodrift music blog, iHOUSEu, FLEX Music Blog, Curious For Music, IGNITE Music Magazine

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UK duo Max Macready return with their new single ‘The Hunt’, arriving August 13, followed by an ambitious, cinematic music video on August 27. Blending darkwave, synthwave, electronic and post-punk influences with the atmosphere of a lost science fiction future, ‘The Hunt’ explores pursuit, mixed signals and the uneasy space between connection and fantasy.

Max Macready describe their sound as a musical transmission from a lost future, where analogue technology, neon-lit spaceports and pulsing synthesizers converge. Their music draws on the progressive ambition of Yes and Rush, the rhythmic energy of The Police and the cinematic textures of John Carpenter, alongside influences including Gary Numan, Nine Inch Nails, Jean-Michel Jarre and Vangelis.

At the heart of ‘The Hunt’ is the pursuit of something that may ultimately be unattainable. The track examines the thrill of the chase from both sides, reflecting on time invested, crossing worlds, starting over and the familiar patterns of knowing better, yet doing it anyway.

The song also looks towards the increasingly complicated nature of modern communication. Is a perceived connection really there, or is it simply an idea, an invitation imagined into existence? ‘The Hunt’ sits within that uncertainty, becoming a song about defiance and awareness in the face of mixed signals that may or may not be real. Beneath its sci-fi surface is a reflection on contemporary communication and the increasingly manipulative race for technological dominance and influence.

Musically, the track came together quickly. The composition and arrangement remained largely unchanged throughout the recording of the guitars and vocals, while the lyrics were written afterwards. Despite this, the track had carried the working title ‘The Hunt’ from the beginning. The vocals were recorded at approximately 3am one morning in London, before the noise of traffic and delivery mopeds outside became too loud.

The accompanying video expands the world introduced by Max Macready’s debut visual, ‘Holding Pattern’, which was conceived as a fuzzy holographic transmission or test signal sent across the void.

For ‘The Hunt’, the duo wanted to move beyond the idea of receiving a transmission and instead establish a tangible world in which their characters are physically present. The video follows them across distances and unfamiliar environments, travelling between locations that could belong to science fiction cinema or an alternate future built from obsolete analogue technology.

John Carpenter’s visual language remains a key influence, particularly his exploratory travelling camera movements. Shot using a Lumix S1RII with anamorphic lenses, a Steadicam and drone camera, the video was filmed on location across Cornwall and at RAE Bedford, including ‘Cornish Mars’, Gwithian Beach, Goonhilly Earthstation and the now-derelict air tunnel control room at RAE Bedford.

The control room became a particularly important setting. Its abandoned, otherworldly architecture provided the perfect environment for the video’s central computer interface and mainframe, which carries echoes of the antagonistic machines found in early 1980s science fiction cinema. Small LED lights and carefully chosen props were used to bring additional texture to the location.

The visual effects were deliberately restrained. No AI was used in the production of the video. Instead, Max Macready focused on capturing distinctive moments in camera and finding real-world locations that could convincingly evoke the imagined landscapes of their universe. Some 3D visual effects were subsequently used for elements including a twin-moon sky, parked rocket craft and the removal of unwanted signage.

The result is a video rooted in the tactile, cinematic qualities of analogue science fiction, created for anyone who has ever romanticised obsolete media formats, imagined dystopian futures through 1980s cinema, or wondered what might be waiting on the other side of a signal sent into the void.

Max Macready is a musical transmission from somewhere that perhaps never existed.

The duo consists of Max Macready, who handles bass, synthesisers and composition, and Kurt Precinct, who drives guitars and textures into orbit, while also contributing vocals and co-authoring the narrative. Together, they inhabit a retro-future universe where their songs exist as cassette-tape broadcasts echoing through deep space, beamed outward from forgotten consoles and travelling as radio waves in search of a listener.

With ‘The Hunt’, that transmission becomes something more physical. The signal has crossed the void. The question is whether anyone, or anything, is listening.

Artist Bio:

Max Macready is a musical transmission from a lost future – where analogue tech, neon-lit spaceports, and pulsing synths converge. Hailing from the UK, the duo crafts a sound rooted in synthwave/darkwave, electronic, and post-punk, pulling deep influence from the progressive ambition of Yes and Rush, the rhythmic energy of The Police, and the cinematic textures of John Carpenter. Max Macready handles bass, synthesisers, and composition — building sonic landscapes that feel both vintage and otherworldly. ​Kurt Precinct drives guitars and textures into orbit, sometimes stepping to the mic or co-authoring the narrative. Together, they form a band that exists both in our world and in another: a retro-future universe where their songs exist as cassette-tape broadcasts echoing through deep space. Their music is meant to feel like something your character in a sci-fi film would find – beamed outward into the void, spinning in a forgotten console, or drifting through space as radio waves seeking a listener, waiting for someone – or something – to listen.

Instagram, Spotify, YouTube

PR: Danielle Holian, danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com

A Nine-Song tarot reading from Uncertainty and Collapse to Renewal, Healing and Chosen Human Connection

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Fate Envoy announces the release of The Tower, the Hudson Valley alternative/indie-rock band’s nine-song debut album. Released independently through CD Baby, The Tower is a guitar-driven concept record built around the Major Arcana of the Tarot, tracing a descent through uncertainty, upheaval, isolation, and transformation before arriving at healing and chosen human connection.

Across 35 minutes and 49 seconds, The Tower moves like a Tarot reading. Urgent guitars and cathartic vocals pull from the nervy drive of The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys, the atmospheric depth of Radiohead, and the heaviness of System of a Down, while the songs move between pop-punk immediacy, indie-rock momentum, atmospheric alternative rock, and brooding, mystical hard rock.

What makes the album’s concept distinctive is that the Tarot was not imposed on the songs from the beginning. Much of the material had already been written when band members Eric Anderson and Ari Bayvertyan began laying out the Major Arcana and discovered that nine particular archetypes corresponded remarkably closely with the emotional meaning and sequence of the existing songs. Rather than writing songs to fit predetermined cards, Fate Envoy found a Tarot reading hidden inside the music.

“The Tower became an esoteric unveiling,” the band explains. “The structure was discovered within the material rather than imposed upon it.”

The album opens with “Unforeseen Circumstances,” corresponding to The Moon, and its atmosphere of uncertainty and disorientation. From there, “Lightning” takes on The Hanged Man, exploring suspension and altered perspective, while “Sonny’s Party” embodies The Fool’s reckless leap into experience.

“Grandfather” confronts ancestry, memory, and reckoning through Judgement. The title track, “The Tower,” marks the record’s central rupture, where established structures collapse and hidden truths are exposed. “War Is Hell” takes the role of Death, not as literal annihilation but as the necessary ending of what can no longer continue.

After that collapse, “I Can Barely Talk” retreats into the solitude of The Hermit. “A Moment In Eternity” turns toward The Star, drawing on the restorative power of nature and the cosmos. Finally, “This Dance” closes the album with The Lovers, presented not as idealized romance but as a conscious decision to remain vulnerable, human, and connected after everything else has been stripped away.

The album’s central movement is therefore not simply destruction. It is what comes after.

“The Tower is about what earns survival when familiar but unsustainable structures collapse,” says the band. “It is rock as descent and return, made for anyone who has broken down and come back changed.”

The album’s concept extends beyond the music through The Reading, a 42-page companion document released alongside The Tower. The Reading contains an essay dedicated to each Tarot card, close analysis of the lyrics, and a closing rite for every song. Each track also receives its own unique Tarot card, conceptualised and art-directed by Anderson with original symbolism designed to deepen the listener’s engagement with the album’s progression.

The visual world of The Tower carries the same philosophy. The album cover, created by Anderson’s sister-in-law Ali Selinger, an elementary education art teacher in New York City, depicts characters from all nine Tarot cards interacting with one another in a style inspired by the original Rider-Waite Tarot decks.

Behind the album is a distinctly Hudson Valley story. Fate Envoy is composed of Eric Anderson (vocals, guitar), Ari Bayvertyan (vocals, guitar), Andres Ellis (drums), and Ian Ogana (bass, audio engineering). Anderson, Bayvertyan, and Ellis have played together since early 2021, with most of the material for The Tower written by 2023. Anderson and Bayvertyan wrote the songs and lyrics, while Ellis developed the drum parts and Ogana contributed bass, mixing, and mastering.

The band’s development is also closely connected to Anderson’s work as a high school history teacher and guitar instructor. Anderson runs a school Guitar Club that has played a major role in the band’s growth, with Ogana having originally been one of his students and a member of the club. Fate Envoy opened for Guitar Club concerts four times between 2022 and 2024.

In Spring 2025, Anderson and Bayvertyan built The Forge, the band’s own recording studio, by hand. As the final takes were completed, Ogana mixed and mastered The Tower throughout early 2026.

The result is a debut album that treats alternative rock as both music and inquiry. The Tarot is not decoration or aesthetic costume. It provides a framework for examining crisis, inherited patterns, destruction, solitude, renewal, and the difficult choice to reconnect with other people.

Even the band’s name reflects that purpose. “Fate” suggests the hidden pattern that becomes visible through experience, while an “envoy” is someone who carries a message forward.

With The Tower, Fate Envoy carries that message through nine songs: break down, look deeper, and choose what comes next.

The Tower Tracklist

1. Unforeseen Circumstances
2. Lightning
3. Sonny’s Party
4. Grandfather
5. The Tower
6. War Is Hell
7. I Can Barely Talk
8. A Moment In Eternity
9. This Dance

About Fate Envoy

Fate Envoy is an alternative/indie-rock band from Highland, New York, in the Hudson Valley. Comprised of Eric Anderson, Ari Bayvertyan, Andres Ellis, and Ian Ogana, the band combines urgent guitars and cathartic vocals with influences ranging from The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, System of a Down, and Interpol. Their debut album, The Tower, uses the Major Arcana of the Tarot as a discovered narrative structure for a story of crisis, transformation, and chosen human connection.

Fate Envoy members:
Eric Anderson, vocals/guitar
Ari Bayvertyan, vocals/guitar
Andres Ellis, drums
Ian Ogana, bass/audio engineer

Release credits belong solely to the four members above.

Find Fate Envoy: Instagram, Facebook, Spotify

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

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New Jersey alternative rock band delivers an unapologetic soundtrack for surviving the apocalypse with riffs, rebellion, and dark humour.

New Jersey alternative rock band Red Head Redemption returns with their explosive new EP, Sunny With A Chance Of Fallout, arriving on August 7, 2026. Following the release of their latest single, “Armageddon Beach Party,” the four-track project captures the surreal experience of trying to build a meaningful life while the world feels like it’s falling apart.

Blending crunchy guitar riffs, driving drums, sharp songwriting, and fearless vocals, Red Head Redemption has carved out a sound they call “End of the World Rock.” Drawing inspiration from artists like The Pretty Reckless, Joan Jett, Avril Lavigne, and Veruca Salt, the band channels decades of rock attitude into something fresh, loud, and undeniably current.

Sunny With A Chance Of Fallout was born from the contradictions of modern life. Wake up, go to work, scroll through headlines about political instability, environmental decline, and corporate overreach, then somehow keep chasing your dreams anyway. The EP speaks to anyone caught between existential dread and the determination to live life on their own terms.

“We wanted to capture that feeling of looking around at everything happening in the world and thinking, ‘Well… I still have one life to live,'” says the band. “The songs embrace the chaos without giving up on having fun, making art, and finding connection.”

The EP opens with a message from “Nile Tech Industries,” a satirical advertisement set in the band’s fictional universe, where a corporation with the slogan “We Own Everything” promotes gas mask coupon codes during an active fallout warning. The concept introduces a recurring storyline that will continue through upcoming music videos.

Lead single “Armageddon Beach Party” blends biting social commentary with infectious hooks, imagining a generation accepting the rise of technofascism while watching the world burn from the shoreline. “Race Against Time” explores the anxiety of wondering whether you’re truly living authentically before time runs out. “Jolene” delivers a surf rock twist that proves love, rebellion, and romance still matter, even when everything else feels like it’s collapsing.

Produced by Doug Hallo, the EP showcases the band’s dynamic chemistry and uncompromising vision.

Sunny With A Chance Of Fallout Credits

Producer: Doug Hallo

Songwriters:

• Kim Modica (vocals, lyrics)
• Chris Reith (lead guitar)
• Bryan Carroll (drums)
• Ken Rapsas (bass, harmony vocals)
• Phil Curtis (rhythm guitar)

With three releases now available across streaming platforms and a growing reputation for energetic performances, Red Head Redemption continues to establish themselves as one of New Jersey’s most exciting alternative rock acts. Sunny With A Chance Of Fallout is both a cathartic release and a rallying cry for anyone trying to find joy, purpose, and community in uncertain times.

About Red Head Redemption

Red Head Redemption is an unapologetic alternative rock band from New Jersey. Loud, bold, and built to keep crowds moving, the band combines hard-hitting riffs, punchy rhythms, and charismatic vocals to create their signature “End of the World Rock.” Their music balances razor-sharp social commentary with unforgettable hooks, proving that even in the darkest moments, rock and roll remains a reason to keep going.

Find Red Head Redemption: Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Website

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

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With the release of her evocative new single “The Intangible Man,” songwriter and artist Melody Briar deepens the emotional narrative of her forthcoming debut album, Green Aventurine, offering listeners a poignant meditation on grief, remembrance, and the fragile nature of human legacy.

Blending sweeping string arrangements, textured acoustic guitar, and atmospheric production, “The Intangible Man” expands Briar’s sonic palette while remaining rooted in the intimate songwriting and emotional honesty that define her work. The result is a cinematic and dreamlike composition that captures the complex transformation that occurs after loss; when a loved one gradually shifts from a living presence into memory, story, and myth.

At its core, “The Intangible Man” explores the unsettling experience of preserving someone whose existence once felt tangible and immeasurably alive. Through vivid personal imagery and broader reflections on time, identity, and remembrance, Briar examines how grief reshapes our relationship with the people we have lost. The song moves between moments of quiet intimacy and emotional expansiveness, creating a soundscape that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.

“The Intangible Man” serves as another revealing chapter in Green Aventurine, a full-length project that navigates themes of grief, love, memory, vulnerability, and impermanence. Throughout the album, Briar confronts difficult emotional terrain with remarkable sincerity, transforming personal experiences into songs that invite listeners into their own processes of reflection and healing.

Musically, the single draws from the atmospheric sensibilities of contemporary alternative and indie-pop artists while maintaining a distinct voice of its own. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, Caroline Polachek, and The Cranberries will find familiar emotional depth and cinematic scope, yet Briar’s songwriting remains singular in its ability to merge classical influences with modern alternative production.

A classically trained musician whose foundation was built through years of studying piano, voice, and classical repertoire, Melody Briar approaches songwriting with a deep sensitivity to composition, storytelling, and emotional expression. Following a period of profound personal loss, she began writing original music as a means of processing grief and transformation. What emerged was a body of work characterized by lyrical vulnerability, nuanced emotional landscapes, and a commitment to exploring experiences that are often difficult to articulate.

At the center of Briar’s creative process is the piano; the instrument through which each song begins and the foundation upon which her artistic voice continues to evolve. Her music creates space for conversations surrounding death, guilt, love, memory, and healing, offering listeners a sense of connection through shared human experience.

With “The Intangible Man,” Melody Briar delivers one of her most emotionally layered and sonically immersive works to date, providing a powerful glimpse into the world of Green Aventurine and further establishing herself as an emerging voice in contemporary alternative songwriting.

Single Information

Title: The Intangible Man
Artist: Melody Briar
Release Date: August 7
Genres: Alternative, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Singer/Songwriter

Credits

Written by: Melody Briar
Vocals: Melody Briar
Piano: Melody Briar
Cello: Aaron Stokes
Violin: Jimmy Drancsak
Acoustic Guitar: Kirk Schoenherr
Producer: Michael Banks
Recording Engineer: Michael Banks
Mixing Engineer: Michael Banks
Assistant Mixing Engineer: Nuno Roque
Mastering Engineer: Patricia Sullivan

About Melody Briar

Melody Briar is a songwriter whose musical roots stem from a lifelong study of piano, voice, and classical music. Her work is distinguished by emotionally nuanced songwriting, lyrical storytelling, and an enduring commitment to authentic expression. Inspired by personal experiences of grief, love, and transformation, Briar creates music that bridges intimate reflection and universal emotion. Through atmospheric production and deeply personal narratives, she explores themes of memory, vulnerability, mortality, and healing, inviting listeners into spaces of empathy, contemplation, and connection.

Find Melody Briar: Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, YouTube

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

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Independent artist Neona Ray returns with “Those Two Blue Eyes,” a powerful new single that marks the beginning of a defining new chapter in her musical journey. Produced by George Harris, the release introduces a more focused alternative pop sound built around rhythmic guitars, hip hop inspired drums, and subtle nods to 1980s influences, while retaining the emotional honesty that has become Neona’s trademark.

Known for pairing infectious production with deeply personal storytelling, Neona writes songs that explore identity, self-worth, healing, and personal growth. Rather than dwelling in darkness, her music transforms vulnerability into something uplifting, relatable, and empowering. Fans of Halsey, K.Flay, CHVRCHES, MARINA, and Rina Sawayama will recognise the blend of introspective lyricism and bold pop production, while listeners have also compared her vocal style to Lana Del Rey.

“Those Two Blue Eyes” tells the story of recognising unhealthy relationship patterns after a lifetime of people pleasing. Instead of focusing on one individual, the song reflects the experience of constantly giving more than you receive and learning that kindness does not require self-sacrifice.

“It is the moment a people pleaser discovers that sensitivity deserves protection,” says Neona. “Sweetness and strength can exist behind the same eyes.”

One of the song’s defining lyrics, “dark voodoo magic is what you will find,” captures the feeling of discovering healthy boundaries for the first time. For someone who has spent years believing they always had to accommodate others, learning to stand up for themselves can feel almost supernatural.

Like many of Neona’s songs, most of the lyrics arrived while driving. Once the music established the emotional atmosphere, the words followed naturally, creating one of her most personal releases to date.

Neona’s path into music has been anything but conventional.

Born in Germany and now based in Houston, she spent her teenage years attending international boarding schools before studying Mathematics at Royal Holloway, University of London, followed by a master’s degree in Applied and Computational Mathematics at Rice University. Music was never part of the original plan.

Everything changed after Hurricane Harvey devastated her Houston home in 2017. Displaced from her home and navigating the emotional aftermath of the disaster, Neona began writing poetry as a way of processing trauma. That creative outlet soon evolved into songwriting after she connected online with British musician Mick Matthews, who introduced her to recording, production, and the songwriting process.

What began as personal healing gradually became a full-time independent music career.

Today, Neona records vocals from her own home studio, creates vocal arrangements, manages distribution and royalty registrations, oversees artwork and marketing, and directs every aspect of her independent releases. Following years of vocal coaching and recovery from a vocal nodule that temporarily left her permanently hoarse, she has developed a strong technical foundation that continues to shape her performances.

Her artistic philosophy, “tiny person, huge emotions,” runs throughout both her music and visual identity. Bright colours, oversized earrings, symbolic wristbands inspired by Wonder Woman’s cuffs, and emotionally honest songwriting reflect her belief that sensitivity is a strength rather than a weakness.

That authenticity has helped Neona build a growing international audience. She now reaches more than 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, while her collaboration “Umbaway” has surpassed 143,000 streams. Listeners from around the world, including Brazil where “How Are You” gained unexpected traction on Deezer, have embraced music that encourages resilience without losing hope.

With “Those Two Blue Eyes,” Neona believes she has found the clearest expression yet of the direction she wants to pursue.

“This song feels like the beginning of something much bigger,” she says. “I hope it reaches anyone who has ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or taken for granted. There is strength inside you, even if you haven’t discovered it yet.”

The single will be supported by Meta conversion advertising, playlist campaigns, social media promotion, and Neona’s first formal press campaign. A music video is also planned.

Currently completing the Juilliard Extension Songwriting Certificate, Neona continues refining both her songwriting and artistic identity while preparing future releases. Her long-term vision includes intimate live performances in Houston and beyond, connecting with growing audiences in Brazil and Tokyo, expanding into artist merchandise, and one day performing with a full orchestra.

For Neona Ray, music began as survival. Today, it has become a mission to help others feel seen, understood, and stronger than they realised.

Instagram, Facebook, Generic, Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Amazon Music, YouTube, YouTube Music

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

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For years, Chris Arthur stood just outside the spotlight, behind the curtains while quietly wondering if he was ever going to build up the nerve to feel like he was meant to step through them.  It took the collapse of a relationship to put him in survival mode where he realized his instinct for processing heartbreak and searching for meaning had always been songwriting.  The songs were coming rapidly, but without any thought to do anything with them, he began sending voice memo recordings to a couple of his closest friends. One of those friends became very interested in what Arthur was up to.  

Arthur’s debut album, Underneath The Scar, arrives August 6, 2026.  Produced, mixed and recorded by Eric Sanderson, co-founder and multi-instrumentalist of acclaimed New York band Augustines. The album is a deeply personal journey through heartbreak, healing, and rediscovering the confidence to create.

For Arthur, Sanderson’s involvement was far more than a production credit and a studio to record at. Their friendship stretches back more than 25 years and grew when Arthur was brought in as Tour Manager for Sanderson’s former band Pela before continuing alongside Augustines in various capacities throughout much of the band’s rise between 2011 and 2016. Arthur also appeared in the award-winning documentary Rise: The Story of Augustines, directed by Todd Howe, chronicling the band’s remarkable journey.

That friendship ultimately became the catalyst for Underneath The Scar.

“Eric believed in what I was doing before I fully believed in myself,” says Arthur. “I was broken, dealing with lots of self-doubt and now was adding imposter syndrome into the mix and questioning whether I was wasting everyone’s time.  His encouragement and my comfort level with him really provided me the space to be in such a raw and vulnerable state.  This album probably doesn’t get made without him.”

Born from a life-changing heartbreak, the songs arrived unexpectedly.

“The songs started pouring out like I was bailing water out of me so I wouldn’t drown,” Arthur recalls. Rather than rearrange the material, Arthur chose to preserve the order in which the songs were written, allowing the album to unfold as an emotional timeline. Beginning with the first single, “All That Glitters Isn’t Gold,” the record follows the collapse of a relationship through grief, reflection, resilience, and ultimately hope. As each song unfolds, the line between Arthur’s story and the listener’s own begins to disappear.

Built around acoustic-driven songwriting and organic performances, Underneath The Scar values emotional honesty over perfection. It stands as a reminder that in an era dominated by playlists and short-form content, albums can still tell complete stories.  This story features ten songs that chart the difficult but ultimately hopeful path toward healing.

Originally from Buffalo, New York and now based in Southern California, Chris Arthur believes music has the power to help people make sense of the experiences that leave lasting marks. With Underneath The Scar, he offers listeners not just his own story, but the possibility of recognising pieces of their own.

Find Chris Arthur: Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, X, YouTube, Spotify, Website

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

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Alt Rock / Indie Soul project Sakai announces their debut EP Do You Like Me Now?, alongside a release show in San Francisco. The EP arrives following a year of growing live performances across both coasts, and the release of debut single “Out” earlier this year.

Formed in 2025, Sakai features Japan-born songwriter and vocalist Marié Sakai alongside Audie Bethea (guitar), Brendon Daugherty (bass), Caroline Carter (drums), and Ryan DiCenzo (keys). Across four tracks, the EP traces themes of loss, longing, self-perception, and emotional contradiction—balancing raw indie rock textures with soulful vocal delivery and structurally intricate arrangements influenced by jazz, funk, blues, and Japanese musical traditions.

Recorded at Tiny Telephone Recording in Oakland, CA with additional overdubs at Women’s Audio Mission in San Francisco, the EP was engineered and mixed by Danielle Goldsmith and mastered by Amar Lal of Macro Sound. Album artwork photography is by Colleen Phan-Eversman.

Do You Like Me Now? explores the tension between vulnerability and performance, what it means to want connection while fearing exposure, and how identity shifts under the weight of perception.

Marié Sakai speaks on the release, “It feels so good to release the DYLMN EP. It’s a vulnerable thing, sharing something you’ve poured yourself into with the world… It’s a delicate dance.”

Track-by-Track Overview

“Orange Tree” was written after encountering an 8th-century Japanese poem and attending a shamisen and koto recital in San Francisco. The song merges literary influence with contemporary composition. The song is built using the Hirajoshi scale, a traditional Japanese pentatonic tuning system, and features flute, an instrument Marié revisited specifically for this recording. The track explores relational impermanence, framing love as something both cherished and regretted, yet ultimately meaningful in its existence. A music video for “Orange Tree,” directed as a contemporary dance-based one-shot featuring Marié Sakai and Charlie Aufroy, is currently in production and scheduled for filming on June 28, 2026.

“Out,” the EP’s lead single, confronts existential anxiety and avoidance behaviour. The song examines the paradox of desiring deep engagement with life while simultaneously retreating into distraction. Marié describes the emotional core of the track as a loop of self-questioning: “What if I’m sorely disappointed? Or what if it’s me who’s the disappointment?” The accompanying music video was filmed on June 9, 2026 and may be released alongside the EP.

“Wanted” was written in a single sitting following an emotionally charged interpersonal moment. “Wanted” captures the physicality of emotional stress and longing. Its lyrical ambiguity, avoiding clear definitions of relationship type, invites listeners to project their own experiences into the song. Marié Sakai reflects on the track’s sonic development: “Conner Currie, lead guitarist on this EP, really made ‘Wanted’ what it is with his beautiful harmonics. They’re a combination of fragile and resonant.”

The title track ‘Do You Like Me Now?’ centers on people-pleasing and identity fragmentation.

The track builds toward a dynamic shift that reflects both the exhaustion and intensity of seeking approval. Marié Sakai recalls a spontaneous studio moment: “We had no plans of having a grand piano… but once we had finished our takes… Ryan cooked.”

Across the project, Sakai emphasizes collective expression and collaboration:

Guitarist Audie Bethea reflects: “Mar brought beautiful songs to the table, and the band really took it so far… I really feel the expression of each of us radiates from these songs.”

Bassist Brendon Daugherty adds: “There’s so much bundled in here I’m proud of… it’s so rad to see how these songs have grown to represent us all.”

Drummer Caroline Carter notes: “It was cool seeing the result of all the work we put into building the songs pay off.”

Keyboardist Ryan DiCenzo shared: “It’s so special… to have experienced the growth and transformation of these songs… each person [left] their own mark.”

Over the past year, Sakai has performed bicoastal, building a growing audience ahead of their debut EP. The band will celebrate the release of Do You Like Me Now? with a live show in San Francisco on July 31, 2026.

About Sakai

Sakai is an Alt Rock / Indie Soul project formed in San Francisco in 2025. The band blends emotionally direct songwriting with genre-spanning arrangements, drawing from indie rock, soul, jazz, funk, blues, and traditional Japanese music. At the core of Sakai’s work is songwriting as catharsis; music shaped by emotional truth, exploring themes of loss, yearning, identity, and self-perception. For fans of Florence + The Machine, Amy Winehouse, Hozier, and Radiohead, Sakai’s debut EP marks the emergence of a band equally grounded in vulnerability and sonic ambition.

Find Sakai: Instagram, TikTok, Website, Spotify 

NOTES TO EDITORS

EP Title: Do You Like Me Now?
Artist: Sakai
Release Date: July 31, 2026
Recording: Tiny Telephone Recording (Oakland, CA) + Women’s Audio Mission (San Francisco, CA)
Engineer/Mix: Danielle Goldsmith
Mastering: Amar Lal (Macro Sound)
Artwork: Colleen Phan-Eversman

A Gritty Indie Rock Journey Through Isolation, Redemption and Restless Nights

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Fringe Frontier return with Criminal Hour, an eight-track collection that blends driving rhythms, punchy guitar hooks and vivid Americana storytelling into a compelling indie rock statement. The duo of John Lloyd and Jerry Thomas draw from garage rock, shoegaze, punk and classic rock ‘n’ roll, creating songs that are both emotionally raw and irresistibly melodic.

Mixed by two-time Grammy-winning Midlake drummer McKenzie Smith and mastered by Grammy nominee Kim Rosen, Criminal Hour captures Fringe Frontier at their most confident and expansive. Across eight sharply crafted songs, the album explores loneliness, addiction, memory, hope and the search for connection, balancing cinematic atmosphere with anthemic energy.

Fringe Frontier have already built momentum with more than 40,000 Spotify streams and widespread critical acclaim. Previous releases have been praised as “a future classic” by The Big Takeover, described as “flawless” by York Calling, and celebrated as “rock’s best kept secret” by Savoy Truffle Tunes.

Often compared to artists ranging from Springsteen and The Strokes to The Smiths and Wilco, Fringe Frontier continue to carve out a sound that feels both timeless and refreshingly modern.

Track Listing

1. Heading For
2. Think Back
3. Little Five Points
4. The Lights of Edisto
5. Personal Ad
6. Follow Me
7. City of Dreams
8. Criminal Hour

Behind the Songs

Heading For opens the album with an energetic snapshot of loneliness. Driven by a garage rock spirit and raw emotional intensity, it becomes an anthem for anyone navigating isolation.

Think Back channels driving rhythms, punchy guitars and memorable melodies into a powerful reminder that no one has to face life’s struggles alone. It charts a journey from isolation to community.

Little Five Points whirls through memories of dive bars, vintage stores and missed opportunities. Its sharp melodies and restless energy tell the story of a heart still haunted by the past.

The Lights of Edisto is a cinematic meditation on addiction and recovery. Moving between darkness and hope, it follows a soul searching for a new beginning while wrestling with old ghosts.

Personal Ad pairs jangly guitars and crisp rhythms with a dose of sardonic wit, offering an incisive look at love, attraction and modern relationships.

Follow Me is a pop-punk rush through the realities of music, promotion and the constant desire for recognition. It explores the tension between ambition, validation and authenticity.

City of Dreams is both fragile and rugged, drifting through the streets of New York, from Central Park to the East Village. It reflects on ambition, memory and the echoes of dreams that never quite disappeared.

Criminal Hour, the album’s title track, closes the record with equal parts menace and exhilaration. Haunting yet playful, it captures the pulse of empty streets, shuttered bars and a restless mind that refuses to sleep.

Album Credits

Genre: Indie Rock

For fans of: Bruce Springsteen, The Strokes, The Smiths, Wilco

John Lloyd: Lyrics, songwriting, guitar, bass, vocals

Jerry Thomas: Drums

Produced by: Fringe Frontier

Mixed by: McKenzie Smith, two-time Grammy-winning drummer of Midlake

Mastered by: Kim Rosen, Grammy nominee

About Fringe Frontier

Fringe Frontier is the songwriting partnership of John Lloyd and Jerry Thomas. Their music is powered by driving rhythms, hook-filled guitars and evocative Americana storytelling, blending elements of garage rock, shoegaze, punk and rock ‘n’ roll into a distinctive sound. With more than 40,000 Spotify streams and praise from respected music publications including The Big Takeover, York Calling and Savoy Truffle Tunes, Fringe Frontier continue to establish themselves as one of independent rock’s most compelling emerging acts.

Find Fringe Frontier: Instagram, Spotify

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com 

A Bold, Emotional Pop Statement From One of Ireland’s Most Exciting Emerging Artists

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Irish singer-songwriter Gerron is set to make her strongest statement yet with the release of her eagerly anticipated debut EP, CHOKE!. Across five emotionally charged tracks, Gerron delivers a fearless exploration of heartbreak, identity, growth, and resilience, cementing her place as one of Ireland’s most compelling new voices in pop music.

Since emerging on the Irish music scene, Gerron has captivated audiences with her soulful, velvety vocals, emotionally honest songwriting, and infectious pop sensibilities. With CHOKE!, she steps confidently into a new era, combining vulnerable storytelling with soaring harmonies, shimmering synth textures, and undeniable pop hooks.

The EP’s lead single, “Messy,” introduced listeners to this new chapter. An energetic, anger-fuelled anthem about betrayal and the chaos of a painful breakup, the track balances cathartic lyrics with dancefloor-ready production. Its relatable themes of heartbreak, frustration, and moving forward offered a glimpse into the emotional depth and sonic ambition that define CHOKE!.

At its core, CHOKE! is a project about confronting difficult emotions rather than hiding from them. Each song captures a different stage of personal growth, from heartbreak and self-doubt to empowerment and self-discovery. The result is a collection that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Working closely with songwriter and producer Daniel Brazil, Gerron has refined her sound into its most authentic and confident form to date. The EP showcases her distinctive vocal style through rich layers of harmonies, atmospheric production, and bold pop arrangements that highlight her evolution as both a songwriter and performer.

Speaking about the project, Gerron says, “I love all the songs I’ve released before, but I’ve grown and changed a lot since then. This EP feels like the most honest version of me. Every song represents something I’ve experienced, and I feel like this music finally captures who I am as an artist and as a person.”

To celebrate the release of CHOKE!, Gerron will perform her first headline show at Cork’s renowned Kino venue, where fans will get the chance to experience tracks from the EP live. The special release show promises an evening of high-energy pop, emotional storytelling, and unforgettable performances.

With its blend of raw emotion, polished production, and memorable songwriting, CHOKE! marks a major milestone for Gerron and positions her as an artist to watch in 2026.

TRACKLIST

CHOKE!

Messy

Grapefruit

To Change a Man

Anymore 

Find Gerron: Instagram, Spotify

For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com