DRAGGED UP Blake's Tape cassette/CD/download (Rare Vitamin)
New single from Glasgow noisemakers Dragged Up. Blake's Tape, which appears here as a radio edit, travels across squalling noise chaos (albeit a shorter section of this than in the full length version released previously as a download by the band), rattly 80s indie pop, and a driving, dark-edged sound that straddles the boundaries between post-punk and 90s alt-rock. Clachan Dubh explores some uncanny happenings in this aptly named Dark Village, amid a riotous backdrop that comes across like a mix of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Pavement, and any number of 1970s punk bands. Dragged Up's style is eclectic and intense, distilling much of the history of alternative music into a single band, and doing so in a highly inventive manner. Available at rarevitaminrecords.bandcamp.com/album/blakes-tape

THE CHEMISTRY SET The Tragic Fridge Magnet 7" (Fruits de Mer)
THE OWL SERVICE A Tribute to Sandy Denny 7" (Fruits de Mer)
BEHIND THE SUN COLLECTIVE Children of the Revolution 7" (Fruits de Mer)
Three recent singles on Fruits de Mer Records, each one limited to 300 copies and pressed on coloured vinyl. The Chemistry Set's The Tragic Fridge Magnet brings together bouncy noisepop with crunchy fuzz guitars, intense rock psych-outs and a certain quirk-factor, while their STP - that is, Space Time Perception - is indie-psych enveloped in an atmospheric, overdriven wall of noise that gives it an almost shoegaze characteristic. Good stuff as usual from this band, modern psychedelia with a sense of adventure.
The Owl Service, one of the premier bands of the electric folk revival that began in the mid 2000s, make their first appearance on Fruits de Mer with this two-song set of Sandy Denny covers. Here the band consist of multi-instrumentalist founder Steven Collins, and singers Dorothy Chappell and Alison O'Donnell, the latter of whom was of course a part of the original 1970s electric folk scene with Mellow Candle and Flibbertigibbet. The music here continues in the vein of classic late 60s and 70s folk while adding some more modern touches such as the synthesised strings on the Fotheringay cover The Sea. Genesis Hall is my favourite song from Fairport Convention's Unhalfbricking album, and The Owl Service's version of this is frankly phenomenal, augmenting the classic electric folk sound with powerful noise guitar, military drum rolls, and some delightfully psychedelic hints coming in near the end. The vocals rival those of Sandy herself, the musicianship equally top-notch. A truly special release for sure.
Behind the Sun Collective, a new name to me, also make their debut appearance on Fruits de Mer. Here they offer up a glam/punk/spacerock combo in their version of T. Rex's Children of the Revolution, pairing heavy fuzz guitars with swooping sci-fi analogue synths, closing with maniacal laughter and forceful punky ranting. Instrumental B-side Maggot Brain, originally by Funkadelic, is more laid-back but still with an edge, in which a guitar sound bridging the gap between prog and grunge is combined with something more ambient and spacey.
The Owl Service 7" sold out instantly at the label but may still be available from third-party stockists. The other two singles can still be bought from www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

SCHIZO FUN ADDICT Pasteline Dream lathe cut 7" (Fruits de Mer)
The story goes that Schizo Fun Addict's co-founder Jet Wintzer found a 1980s camcorder in a charity shop, which contained a tape cartridge that chronicled some New York punks' trip to Glasgow, their enthusing about bands like The Pastels and The Jesus and Mary Chain, and their formation of a band called Desolate Ecstasy. Their first song, Pasteline Dream, was written on the plane back to New York. "It wasn't very good," SFA tell us. "Nobody could carry a tune. But the enthusiasm was addictive and inspirational".
There is said to be a tragic ending to Desolate Ecstasy's story, which will no doubt be revealed later when Schizo Fun Addict release their next album, inspired by Desolate Ecstasy and taking their name in tribute. Whether Desolate Ecstasy really existed or if this is just an entertaining backstory invented by SFA remains to be seen; it seems a little too astoundingly serendipitous to be true, though I may just be too sceptical for my own good! True or not, it's provided the catalyst for an exciting new direction for this band, with music that undoubtedly takes its cues from C86-era Glasgow bands.
The album is due out in May 2026, but in the meantime, SFA are releasing this highly limited (41 copies) turquoise lathe cut 7" in March, which isn't actually available for sale but Fruits de Mer Records will soon be announcing how to get a copy. Keep an eye on their website (linked below) for further details.
Pasteline Dream channels punk spirit into sparkling pop, with squalling guitar noise giving way to pure chiming jangle, the riff sounding straight out of a bona fide 80s indiepop classic, the music overlaid with girl-group harmonies on a shoestring. A superb tribute to the 80s indiepop sound, though not a straight copy; this is Schizo Fun Addict after all, so you hear them putting their own spin on this style with their spacey analogue synth whooshes.
Instrumental B-side Fate Reprise mirrors how the 80s indie kids would rifle through their parents' record collections and charity shop finds for inspiration, combining these retro influences with the punk and noisepop of their own generation. The piece draws from 60s girl-groups' backing music, the chiming guitar sound of The Byrds, and the '1950s via the 1960s' side of The Velvet Underground, while also bringing in elements of punchy 1980s powerpop.
An absolute rush of pop joy that's got me keenly awaiting the full album. Find out more at www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

TADPOLES Make Believe - Smoky Remix 12" (Tadpoles Music)
Tadpoles released a string of excellent albums throughout the 1990s on their own Bakery label, the last of which was jointly released by Australian psych label Camera Obscura. They went on hiatus in 2000, the core members going on to other projects including Hit, Todd Parker and the Witches, and Sons of the Void, as well as collaborations with the likes of Psychic TV, Dean & Britta, and Anton Barbeau. Now based in three different locations across two continents, Todd Parker, David Max and Nick Kramer reformed Tadpoles as a studio project in 2021, the music taking shape through digital file sharing. This new phase of the band released the Make Believe EP, mixed by Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3, in 2025 on The Sound of Sinners, NYC-based label run by Josephine Wiggs of The Breeders and The Perfect Disaster. They now follow that EP with a reenvisioning of the same tracks on their new own label Tadpoles Music Records, remixed by Todd Parker and Cameron Karren at Pus Cavern Studios, along with a new track featuring violinist Gillian Rivers who has previously worked with such artists as Kim Gordon, Angel Olsen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
The new EP is impressively presented, on heavyweight vinyl with glossy outer sleeve, full colour lyric insert, download code, and repro poster for the 1997 Terrastock festival where Tadpoles played alongside Silver Apples, Flying Saucer Attack, The Bevis Frond and many more. Something Sparkly is sprawling, atmospheric neo-psych with guitar melodies that sometimes meander, sometimes leap about with intense energy, accompanied by ethereal electronics and underlaid with a hypnotic rhythm. There are parallels with shoegaze, though the genre is taken into new and considerably more psychedelic territories. Vinous is an immersive, cinematic piece that combines strong melody with artistically crafted filmic soundscaping incorporating inventive use of percussion, topped off with David Max's rich vocal tones. When Fire Was New combines a bleak gothic atmosphere with sci-fi electronics to maximum effect. Bronze Silver Iron's combination of wistful jangle, pensive piano, hushed vocals and atmospheric effects is as if an indiepop song got rearranged for a hazy dream sequence in a darkly arty movie soundtrack. Brights and Shades is a beautiful cinematic instrumental pairing heady psychedelia with a sumptious string arrangement.
This is a truly excellent EP from a band who it's great to see the return of. There are plans for forthcoming releases too, including the double LP Timeseeker and the EP On a Silver Sun featuring Anton Barbeau, both of which I eagerly await! For more info visit www.tadpolesmusic.com

BACK TO AQUAMARINE