“Dance” by Grandmas House

     The single from Grandmas House immediately found space on three IO playlists – “Post-Punk,” “Raspy Vocals,” and “Best Indie of 2026 (So Far).” There was even a temptation to place “Dance” on the “Saxophone” playlist. It’s a song that aggressively bears a sword, but still bares its heart.
 
     “Dance” portrays loneliness and angst, while using dance as a coping mechanism even though dancing connects to the relationship that triggered the loneliness (“You used to watch me dance”). The relationship even created mental instability (“My brain, so rotten”).
 
     The track is an invigorating single from the quartet’s debut album, “Baby You’re A Winner,” which was released under Brace Yourself Records. The band is based in Bristol, UK. The members are Yasmin Berndt (lead vocals, guitar), Poppy Dodgson (backing vocals, drums), Zoe Zinsmeister (bass, backing vocals), and Polly Jessett (guitar). While not a member of the band, Morgan Wallace contributed the saxophone in “Dance.”
 
     “Dance” by Grandmas House 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grandmashouseband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandmashouseband/
Bandcamp: https://grandmashouseband.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Dance” by Grandmas House
My bed, so cold
My brain, so rotten
In the dark, I keep on falling
Can you feel it?
 
My bed, so cold
My brain, so rotten
In the dark, I keep on falling
Can you feel it?
 
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
 
And the darkest hole is always lighter than we see
Pouring from another cup, but I heard that wasn′t me
The hundred trees that I planted in the dirt last year
Never left this place, or so I heard
 
Ever blue, I'm always blue
Heard a song reminding me of you
My head moves up and down, my eyes are glazed
My body starts to shake
 
You used to watch me dance
You used to watch me dance
You used to watch me dance
 
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
 
In the morning, you used to watch me dance
In the darkness, you used to watch me dance
You watch, I dance
You watch me dance
You watch, I dance
You watch me dance
You watch me dance
 
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
 
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
(In the darkness, you used to watch me dance)

“Us Two” by Mind Tides

 

     “Us Two” is a masterful track, with production artistry only matched by compositional sophistication. The song invites closer examination of its production techniques, particularly the prominent use of effects throughout the release from Mind Tides. Yet these effects never obscure or overwhelm the trio’s musicianship.
 
     The appealing dreamlike quality of the vocals is often reverb-magnified and wobbled at the ends of lyrical lines – a sonic tail wag. The vocal presentation itself is warmly intimate and conversational, as he reveals his feeling for a person he refers to as “Lady.” Lyrically, “Us Two” describes that mixed-emotions territory between deep connection and missed opportunity. The song doesn’t explain why the two can never become an “us two.”
 
     Just beyond the two-minute mark, the single from Mind Tides pivots to a focus on keys and intricate percussion. About 30 seconds later, engaging guitar is introduced. “Us Two” is a genre-bender. The band refers to the song as “a Funky blend of Surf Rock and Psychedelic Indie.”
 
     Mind Tides is from Oslo, Norway. The three members are vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Ali Jakupovic, Spellemann Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist Mathias Risdal, and drummer/percussionist Rashad Safin. With backgrounds from Bosnia, Norway, and Morocco, and diverse musical roots, they merge their influences into a distinct sonic identity, as is evident in “Us Two.” The song is a release from the band’s upcoming album “Inward Waves.”
 
     “Us Two” by Mind Tides  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindtidesband/
Bandcamp: https://mindtides.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Us Two” by Mind Tides
Lady
I remember you glowing
I wish, baby
That you would only know that
 
I would wanna do
Anything for you
You hypnotized me
With your eyes so blue, yeah
 
It’s true…
 
Yeah!
 
Maybe
I’m acting kind of crazy
Because lady
You truly amazed me
 
Though I wish I knew
Your inner truth
In some other life
It could be us two, yeah
 
Us two…
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

“Chalk” by lotusbliss

 

      The combination of atmospheric texturing and masterfully layered guitars begins the title track of the debut album from lotusbliss. During the intro, it’s the bass that drives “Chalk” forwardly, which continues when the vocals enter 45 seconds into the song. And the vocal prowess immediately reveals itself as they caress the messaging and questioning of the lyrics.
 
     “Chalk” is an existential exploration of relative strengths of the pull of inheritance against the pushing hand of experience; that is, the interplay of genetics and environment. Lotusbliss explains, “The song questions how physical surroundings and settings work to form the basis of who you are, exploring the collective nature of this growth.”
 
     The members of lotusbliss are brothers Seth, Josh, and Adam, who hail from Canterbury, UK. The credits for “Chalk” identify all three brothers as contributing vocals, while Seth Gauton is the drummer, Adam Gauton plays piano and synth, and Josh Gauton is bassist and guitarist. 
 
     The Spotify stream of the “Chalk” album is embedded below the lyrics of the title track. The band’s comments regarding the album show the passion and care they have for the music. Lotusbliss describes the album as “a lifetime of sibling imagination, rivalry, growth, challenge, work and musing - brought together in an album. Years of writing, digging into concepts, meticulous recording of each instrument before dreaming up visual concepts and planning how to bring the project to you have led us to this point, and we are very proud to hand over ‘Chalk’ to you.
 
     “Chalk” by lotusbliss

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lotusblissband
Website: https://www.lotusbliss.co.uk/
Bandcamp: https://lotusbliss.bandcamp.com/album/chalk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lotusblissband/

Lyrics of “Chalk” by lotusbliss
Chalk in my DNA
In the cells I’m made of
Are we more than the sum of
All of the ones before us?
 
The wrestle will
Keep me running in circles
Keep me running in circles
Keep me running in circles
Running in circles
 
Find your light
Long enough to feel it
Long enough to sound like me
Harmonize
Long enough to feel it
Long enough to sound like me
 
My heart like a lump of clay
It’s a feather pillow
Yeah, I’m less of an English Oak
Than a weeping willow
I got that set in stone
 
Find your light
Long enough to feel it
Long enough to sound like me
Harmonize
Long enough to feel it
Long enough to sound like me
 
Blood, marrow, whispering secrets
Soft silhouettes of myself
 
Find your light
Long enough to feel it
Long enough to sound like me
Harmonize
Long enough to feel it
Long enough to sound like me
[Repeat chorus]

     "Chalk" album