OCTA New Music Weekly – Episode #355

Another week, another new music weekly. Still in a bit of a slump when it comes to this new music curation, so probably missed a ton of new stuff.

Dana Sipos made the album of the week. Also love that Lucinda Williams made a protest album and it also makes a lot sense that it’s not on Spotify. If more of these bigger artists keep their new stuff away from there it might make a difference. T. Gold album is another one that is both wonderful and not on Spotify. Other album releases this week came from Greg Weeks, The Glass Hours, Natalie Prauser, The Lowest Pair, Nicholas Campbell, Della Mae, Sophie Gault, Fazed on a Pony, Mink’s Miracle Medicine, The Bedbugs (EP) and European Sun.

The big ones on the Finnish side of this are great new albums from Ylva Haru and Rami Helin Presents. Also very fond of the new Anis Kiitu single. Other Finnish releases this week are EP from Litku Klemetti and singles from Self Rising Flour, Pambikallio, Saimaa and Vellamo. There’s also a gorgeous new Salaliitto single Asteriski, but so far only Bandcamp. It will be streaming (won’t be on Spotify) starting Tuesday, so you’ll find it from the next episode.

New John Andrews & The Yawns song is the international single of the week. Other early faves came from Jackie West, Jobi Riccio, Luka Kuplowsky, Spencer Cullum, Bella White, Bill Callahan… again just to name a few.

That’s all for now. Like, share, follow and all the usual promotional nonsense. It all matters. Back next week with another of these. Love.

1. Lucinda Williams – Freedom Speaks (World’s Gone Wrong, Highway 20 Records / Thirty Tigers)
2. T. Gold – Getting to Know the End (Life is Wonder and It’s Cruel, Sleepy Cat Recirds)
3. Dana Sipos – Gemstones (Golden Molten)
4. Greg Weeks – A Narrow Star (If the Sun Dies, Language of Stone)
5. The Glass Hours – North (Chapel Glass, Cornelius Chapel Records)
6. Nicholas Campbell – He Said She Said (People Like to Talk)
7. Natalie Prauser – Dice (Everything is Fine)
8. The Lowest Pair – Diamonds (Always as Young As We’ll Ever Be, Delicata Records)
9. Della Mae – Out Run’Em (Magic Accident, Compass Records)
10. Kashus Culpepper – Alabama Beauty Queen (Act I, Big Loud Records, Mercury Records)
11. Sophie Gault – Loves Gonna Live Here (Unhinged, Torrez Music Group)
12. Mink’s Miracle Medicine – Patty (Freedom Queen, Big Universe)
13. Fazed on a Pony – Flashes (swan, Meritorio Records)
14. European Sun – The Angels in the Clouds (When Britain Was Great, Skep Wax Records)
15. The Bedbugs – I Met My Baby on a Tightrope (6-Pack Series Vol, 11 EP, Bed Go Boom Records)
16. joel cherry tree feat Mae Powell – Favorite Version of Me (single)
17. John Andrews & The Yawns – Something To Be Said (single, Woodsist)
18. Asher Kartman – Nothing at All (single, UTC Records)
19. Luka Kuplowsky – The Grass Grows, Luka Grows (single, Next Door Records)
20. Spencer Cullum – Rowan Tree (single, Full Time Hobby)
21. Jackie West – Course of Action (single, Ruination Record Co)
22. Jobi Riccio – Buzzkill (single, Yep Roc)
23. Bella White – Dream Song (single, Rounder Records)
24. Bill Callahan – Stepping Out For Air (single, Drag City)
25. Resavoir – Far Cry (single, L’Univers)
26. Anis Kiitu – Lammenlaulu (single, Humu Records)
27. Ylva Haru – Kuiskaa mulle (Kuiskaa mulle, Lotta Roots)
28. Vellamo – Wild and Free (single)
29. Self Rising Flour – Hold On (single, Valimo Studio & Records)
30. Rami Helin Presents – City of Seven Hills (The Joyful Acopalypse, Xonoring Records)
31. Saimaa – Hipit rautaa (single, Lördag)
32. Pambikallio – Excel (single, Helmi Levyt)
33. Litku Klemetti – Aivomätä (Ankeuttaja EP, Lördag)
34. Fightmilk – Sounds Like a You Problem (single)
35. Sugar – Long Live Love (single, Granary Music)
36. The New Pornographers – Votive (single, Merge Records)
37. Old 97’s – Off My Mind (single, ATO Records)
38. Nick Flessa – Medicine Hat City Slogan (single, Anxiety Blanket Records)
39. Danny George Wilson – Distant Seasons (single, Loose Music)
40. Tim Easton – Don’t Let Your Mind Grow Dark (single)
41. The Satchel Kid – Energizer Honey (single, Ella Ruth Institutet)
42. Hannah Juanita – Do I Ever Cross Your Mind (single, Songbird Records)
43. Wil Cope – Billy the Kid Blues (single, Spooky Poncho)
44. Benjamin Tod – Vengeance and Grace (Alone) (single, Benjamin Tod / Thirty Tigers)
45. Jake Rozier – Bones (single)
46. Dylan LeBlanc & The Family – Pick Your Poison (single, Starless Dark Records)
47. Durand Jones & The Indications – Let’s Take Our Time (single, Colemine Records)
48. Garrett T. Capps – S.O.S. H.E.B. (single)
49. Pokey LaFarge – Pickup Truck (single, Pokey LaFarge / ONErpm)
50. John Craigie – Edna Strange (single, Zabriskie Point Records)
51. The Montvales – World of Trouble (single, Free Dirt Records)
52. Tiffany Williams – Things a Man Oughta Know (single, Blue Redbird)
53. Cat Clyde – Another Time (single, Concord Records)
54. Leah Blevins – Diggin’ in the Coal (single, Easy Eye Sound)
55. Jake Sheppard – ‘Til it Does (single, Desserted City Records)
56. Common Holly – Dyson (single, Keeled Scales)
57. Courtney Barnett feat Waxahatchee – Site Unseen (single, Mom + Pop / Fiction)
58. Teini-Pää feat Antti Autio – Menneen talven lumet (Uusi vuosi, Soit Se Silti)
59. Courtney Marie Andrews – Outsider (Valentine, Loose Future / Thirty Tigers)
60. Logan Farmer – Jetplane (Nightmare World I See The Horizon, Western Vinyl)

Spotify Playlist

Tidal Playlist

YouTube Playlist

A few Bandcamp cuts for the lovely non-streamers:





Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for these introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the music that matter the most to you

I’ll make the playlist on Spotify and then transfer it to other platforms. This means a few tracks might be missing from the from the other platforms, if they are not available there. Oh and there’s a bunch of older episodes on my Spotify profile, if you miss an episode or want to revisit.

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OCTA New Music Weekly – Episode #354

Still sort of searching for the energy for another year of music curation and I haven’t paid enough attention to new music. So I’m sure there’s stuff missing, but here’s what I managed to put together.

Courtney Marie Andrews made the album of the week. One of my long time favorites and maybe you could already say all-time favorites with another wonderful album. Another big one for me is the Logan Farmer album and then there’s also new ones from Jana Horn, Sunday Mourners, Sam Blasucci (EP/Movement), James Hunter Six, The Sha La Das and Rubber Band Gun.

The Finnish music year is also off to a strong start. Absolutely love the new Teini-Pää album. It sets the bar really high for 2026. That one is not on Spotify, so check it out on other streamers or better yet, buy a physical copy. I did just that yesterday at 8raita. We also have other great Finnish albums from Luhtaniitty, Matti Johannes Koivu and Raivo Jackson. Some singles gold too from Anna Inginmaa, Michael Bleu, Jere Ijäs and Vellamo.

New Natalie Jane Hill can be the international single of the week. Other early faves came from Charlotte Cornfield, Julianna Riolino, Cut Worms.. again just to name a few.

That’s all for now. Like, share, follow and all the usual promotional nonsense. It all matters. Hopefully I snap out of his hibernation next week and start to listen more. Until then.

1. Courtney Marie Andrews – Pendulum Swing (Valentine, Loose Future / Thirty Tigers)
2. Logan Farmer – String of Pearls (Nightmare World I See The Horizon, Western Vinyl)
3. Jana Horn – Come on (Jana Horn, No Quarter Records)
4. Sunday Mourners – Biograph (A-Rhythm Absolute, Quarter Records)
5. Sam Blasucci – OPAL (Start of Beauty EP/Movement, Calico Discos / Doubleplay Records)
6. The James Hunter Six – Here and Now (Off The Fence, Easy Eye Sound)
7. The Sha La Das – Catch You on the Rebound (Your Picture, Diamond West Records)
8. Rubber Band Gun – King an I (En Passant, Historic New Jersey Records)
9. Natalie Jane Hill – I Thought Love Meant (single, Dear Life Records)
10. Julianna Riolino – Don’t Put Me in the Middle (single, MoonWhistle Records)
11. Cut Worms – Windows on the World (single, Jagjaguwar)
12. Charlotte Cornfield – Hurts Like Hell (single, Merge Records)
13. Spencer Thomas – The World is Fucked and I Love You (single, Strolling Bones Records)
14. Les Imprimes – You & I (single, Big Crown Records)
15. Flora Hibberd – Sometimes I Miss You -live (single, 22TWENTY)
16. Teini-Pää – Aaveet (Uusi Vuosi, Soit Se Silti)
17. Luhtaniitty – Laukan riemusta (Päiväkuu)
18. Matti Johannes Koivu – Kyyhkyt (Pojanpoika, Texicalli)
19. Anna Inginmaa – Kuolleen naisen kengät (single, Stupido Records)
20. Michael Bleu – Vaihdan maisemaa (single, Lördag)
21. Jere Ijäs – Valaita (single, Texicalli Records)
22. Raivo Jackson – Searching for the Real Thing (Tangled Up In Roots)
23. Vellamo – Soon it Will Be Summer (single)
24. Shlomo Franklin – Won’t Leave You Behind (single)
25. William Alexander – All I Stand to Lose (single, Cheatin’ Hearts Records / ADA)
26. India Ramey – Welcome to My Villain Era (single, Copaco Records / Blue Elan Records)
27. Drayton Farley – I’ll Hold You (single, Hargrove Records / One Riot Records)
28. This Lonesome Paradise – Changelings (single, Bad Vibes Good Friends)
29. Jeremy Ivey – Don’t Sleep On Your Dreams (single, Soggy Anvil Records)
30. Ora Cogan – Honey (single, Sacred Bones Records)
31. Nat Vazer – Teardrop (single, Nat Vazer / Community Music)
32. Mitski – Where’s My Phone? (single, Dead Oceans)
33. The Corner Laughers – Rainbow Cardigan (single, Big Stir Records)
34. Special Friend – Breakfast (single, Howlin’ Banana)
35. Benji Knight – Sea Legs (single, Curation Records)
36. The Maureens – Doing Fine (single, Meritorio Records)
37. Brandon Pfaff – Nothing But Time (single, Weekends Only)
38. The Nude Party – Walk That Walk (single)
39. Spencer Hoffman – Cherry Picker (single, Anxiety Blanket Records)
40. Son Little – Be Better (single, Anti)
41. Gabi Hartmann – feat Erik Truffaz (single, Fall Down Records)
42. Beaucoup Dolores – Just Like it Always Was (I Don’t Want Any More Friends)

Spotify Playlist

Tidal Playlist

YouTube Playlist

A few Bandcamp cuts for the lovely non-streamers:





Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for these introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the music that matter the most to you

I’ll make the playlist on Spotify and then transfer it to other platforms. This means a few tracks might be missing from the from the other platforms, if they are not available there. Oh and there’s a bunch of older episodes on my Spotify profile, if you miss an episode or want to revisit.

Continue Reading

OCTA New Music Weekly – Episode #353

Another year, another year new music weekly. I almost expanded the hiatus with another week, because the day job has been so hard that I haven’t really gotten any rest. Mostly just been trying to survive. But I think the release schedule will get heavier starting next week, so good to get this round-up out of the way. This was pretty quickly done. I haven’t paid much attention to new releases or really gone through any submissions. So I’m sure there’s stuff missing, but this tries to gather together at least some of the good music of the last month or so. There’s stuff from early December to brand new music from this Friday. Starting next episode I’ll get back to the weekly rhythm and try to read the submissions too. Platforms are still the same. I didn’t even have the time to think about what I’m going to do with that side of things, so Spotify still there as well. Some songs are not, because some artists haven taken their music off from Spotify. And rightfully so. We’ll see how it goes. It would nice to add Qobuz, but I don’t have the money to pick another subscription. Tidal / Qobuz combo might even make the most sense going forward and maybe could cover enough ground to make compiling this worth it.

New Beaucoup Dolores (aka Erin Chapin from Rainbow Girls) album can be the album of the week(s), because it just came out today and I’m enjoying it a lot. Other album releases from the past month came from Noble Hobo, Jeremy James Meyer, Nikki & The Phantom Callers (EP), Matt Kivel, Bill Janovitz (EP), Dan Darrah, Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet, The Deslondes (well a reissue with a bonus track), Caleb Stine and Cole Kidwell. Some are from December and some from January.

Finnish part has a December 2025 album from Torrances and a whole lot of singles from both late 2025 and early 2026. There’s new singles gold from Teini-Pää, Musta Valo, Sisar, Krypta, Mummypowder, Felix Alexander Lybeck, Ylva Haru, Susanna Leppänen, Kurja Valentin, Mikko Juvosen Kanuuna, myrtsi, Tuomas Räisänen, Raivo Jackson, Icons of Elegance, Kissa and Litku Klemetti. Teini-Pää and Musta Valo are not on Spotify.

Finally some favorites from the international single category. Anna Tivel’s Animal Poem was my album of the year and there’s a b-sides EP coming up soon from the leftover material. These are equally wonderful and there’s two of those songs here now. Full EP coming later. Some other ones I’ve loved came from Turner Cody, Stripmall Ballads, Jackie West, The Reds, Pinks and Purples, Uni Boys, Bonnie Prince Billy, Charlie Whitten, Talise.. again just to name a few. I’ve listened far less than during ordinary weeks.

That’s all for now. Like, share, follow and all the usual promotional nonsese. It all matters. Starting next week back to ordinary weekly rhythm. Love.

1. Beaucoup Dolores – Don’t You Try to Tell Me It’s Raining (I Don’t Want Any More Friends)
2. Noble Hobo – Washington (Sorry for the Mess)
3. Jeremy James Meyer – Funeral (Astoria, Pt.2, Oh Ship! Records)
4. Nikki & The Phantom Callers – Hardline (When I Die (You Better Say Nice Things About Me EP)
5. Matt Kivel – Robert Bedford (Escape from L.A, Scissor Tail Records)
6. Bill Janovitz – Way Back to the Dawn (Way Back to the Dawn EP, Janovitz Records)
7. Dan Darrah – Brendan’s Pretending (Vacationland, Sunday Drive Records)
8. Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet – Milk and Honey (Shadows, We Jazz)
9. Anna Tivel – Swan Song (single, Fluff & Gravy Records)
10. The Deslondes – Old Cold Tater (Holy Cross Blues -reissue)
11. Cole Kidwell – Ballad of Esther May (This House Aint’ For Sale (World of Stone, Three Springs)
12. Caleb Stine – William Butler Baker (Nickel and Dimes)
13. Talise – Dog Haired Love (single, Run On Records)
14. Stripmall Ballads – Rabbits (single)
15. Leo Craft – Wading Through the Water (single, Pines & Mountains)
16. Turner Cody – Cigarettes Inside (single, Capitane Records / Modulor)
17. Bonnie Prince Billy – They Keep Trying to Find You (single, Domino Recording Co)
18. Charlie Whitten – Statement (single, Airloom)
19. Anna Tivel – Memphis (single, Fluff & Gravy Records)
20. Jackie West – Silent Century (single, Ruination Record Co)
21. Buck Meek – Gasoline (single, 4AD)
22. The Reds, Pinks and Purples – New Leaf (single, Fire Records)
23. Uni Boys – I Don’t Wanna Dream Anymore (single, Curation Records)
24. Daniel Romano’s Outfit – Autopoiet (single, You’ve Changed Records)
25. Gladie – Future Spring (single, Get Better Records)
26. Teini-Pää – Valssi #1 (single, Soit Se Silti)
27. Musta Valo – Jotain kaunista tapahtuu (single, Kaakao Records)
28. Sisar – Lohtu (single)
29. Kissa – Yö laskeutuu (single, Svart Records)
30. Krypta – Muuttuva labyrintti (single, Svart Records)
31. Torrances – Second Chance (Arachnophobic Spider)
32. Mummypowder – Stars in the Snow (single, All That Plazz)
33. Icons of Elegance – Silence (single, Dinner with Daisy Records)
34. Tuomas Räisänen – The Endless Ride (single, Punaiset levyt)
35. Raivo Jackson – Swimming Under Ice (single)
36. Kurja Valentin – Punaiset varjot (single)
37. myrtsi – Ajatuksen tasolla (single, Lördag)
38. Susanna Leppänen – Odotuksen aika (single, Humu Records)
39. Mikko Juvosen Kanuuna – Vegaanit pääsevät taivaaseen (single, Humu Records)
40. Felix Alexander Lybeck – tar vi aldrig slut (single, All That Plazz)
41. Litku Klemetti – Asperger (single, Lördag)
42. Ylva Haru – Onnenmaisemaan (single, Lotta Roots)
43. Kyle Cox – No One Seems to Care (single)
44. Hank Bee – 10:23 (single, Memorial Distincion)
45. Zachary Lucky – Everywhere a Man Can Be (single, Wroxton Recordings)
46. Avry Truex – Oh Codeine (single)
47. Vincent Neil Emerson – The Great Highway (single, La Honda Records)
48. Jeremy Ivey – Edge of Darkness (single, Soggy Anvil Records)
49. Caleb Caudle – I’ve Endured (single)
50. Emily Scott Robinson – Hymn for the Unholy (single, Oh Boy Records)
51. Tiffany Williams – Blue Kentucky Girl (single)
52. Melissa Carper & Theo Lawrence – Good Luck to Ya (single, Bee & El / Warner Records)
53. Ole Kirkeng – Roadside Flowers (single, Die With Your Boots On Records)
54. Juni Habel – Evergreen in Your Mind (single, Basin Rock)
55. Sam Blasucci – Who lives on these lands (single, Calico Discos / Doubleplay Records)
56. The Mellows – Waiting on the Rain (single)
57. Bory – By the Lake (single, Bleak Enterprise)
58. Guv – Chasin’ Luv (single, Run for Cover Records)
59. Heavenly – Excuse Me (single, Skep Wax Records)
60. The Young Fresh Fellows feat Neko Case – Destination (single, Yep Roc)
61. Butler, Blake & Grant – Lonely Night (single, 355 Recordings)
62. Joe Pernice – The Black and the Blue (single, New West Records)
63. Fazed on a Pony – The Perfect Swan (single, Meritorio Records)
64. Trevor Beld Jimenez – Riverside (single, Gertrude Street Records)
65. Fables – Enough (single, Home Alone)
66. Rachel Swain – Stay With Me (single, Magic City Recordings)
67. Jesper Lindell feat Phil Campbell – Drift Away (single, Brunsvik Sounds)
68. James McCann – Time Can Be Spent (single, Cloverdale Records)
69. John Craigie – Dry Land (single, Zabriskie Point Records)
70. Twilark – Foxheart (single)
71. Rod Smoth – Adding (single, Simp Records)
72. Logan Farmer – The Hunt (single, Western Vinyl)
73. Spencer Kilpatrick & The Sand Gators – West Virginia (single)
74. Tyler Austin Baker – The Year That Clayton Delaney Died (single)
75. Katie Mae & The Lubrication – Oval Room (single, Soggy Anvil Records

Spotify Playlist

Tidal Playlist

YouTube Playlist

A few Bandcamp cuts for the lovely non-streamers:





Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for these introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the music that matter the most to you

I’ll make the playlist on Spotify and then transfer it to other platforms. This means a few tracks might be missing from the from the other platforms, if they are not available there. Oh and there’s a bunch of older episodes on my Spotify profile, if you miss an episode or want to revisit.

Continue Reading

Favorite Finnish EPs of 2025

A quick rundown of my favorite Finnish EPs of 2025. Again subjective and order is not important. Probably also forgot something. I’ll add a song from these to the end of the Finnish albums playlist, because it probably does not make sense to make separate playlist of half a dozen songs. Especially the top 2 were among my favorite Finnish releases this year and basicly could have shared the top spot. They are very different too and show the two sides of this blog. Una Harnett is beautiful and haunting folk music and Kismet is fast and sweet punk rock power pop blast. Love them both, but went with Una Harnett this time around.

Tidal playlist
Spotify playlist
YouTube playlist

6.Takay-Sin - Silmänkorkeudelta
(Minna Records)
5.Jere Ijäs - Jeremias 1 EP
(Texicalli Records)
4.Krypta - Lasipalatsi
(Svart Records)
3.Hamina - Laula huolet pois
(Luova Records)
2.Kismet - fast and sweet
(Kammio Records / Tobold Piipari Records)
1.Una Harnett - The Keeper
(Panama-levyt)
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