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Rishi Ulaganathan Turns a Painful Family Experience Into His Single “Family” At just 18 years old, Rishi Ulaganathan is building his musical identity with an approach that brings together different traditions, styles, and personal experiences. The singer and artist from Tenkasi, India, has been studying Carnatic music since 2018, while developing a versatile sound that can move from Tamil classical music to English melody and pop. With his single “Family,” Rishi brings that musical journey into deeply personal territory. “Family” was created during an extremely difficult moment in Rishi Ulaganathan’s life. He composed the song on the day of his aunt’s funeral, while thinking about the 10-year-old son she had left behind. Seeing the child facing such a painful loss also brought back memories of Rishi’s own mother and her miraculous survival from a brain tumour. These experiences became the emotional foundation of “Family.” Rather than separating the song from what was happening around him, Rishi used music as a way to process the sadness of the day and reflect on the importance of the people who remain closest to us. At the heart of the song is a simple but powerful realization: “Friends May come and go but Family stays Forever.” It is a message shaped by grief, gratitude, and the awareness that family connections can become especially meaningful during the hardest moments of life. The story behind “Family” also introduces another side of an emerging young artist with ambitious goals. Rishi Ulaganathan aims to establish a global identity in music, using the versatility developed through his Carnatic background alongside his interest in English melody and pop. With “Family,” Rishi turns an intensely personal experience into a song built around a feeling that listeners from many different backgrounds can understand: the lasting value of family.

Rishi Ulaganathan Turns a Painful Family Experience Into His Single “Family” At just 18 years old, Rishi Ulaganathan is building his musical identity with an approach that brings together different traditions, styles, and personal experiences. The singer and artist from Tenkasi, India, has been studying Carnatic music since 2018, while developing a versatile sound that can move from Tamil classical music to English melody and pop. With his single “Family,” Rishi brings that musical journey into deeply personal territory. “Family” was created during an extremely difficult moment in Rishi Ulaganathan’s life. He composed the song on the day of his aunt’s funeral, while thinking about the 10-year-old son she had left behind. Seeing the child facing such a painful loss also brought back memories of Rishi’s own mother and her miraculous survival from a brain tumour. These experiences became the emotional foundation of “Family.” Rather than separating the song from what was happening around him, Rishi used music as a way to process the sadness of the day and reflect on the importance of the people who remain closest to us. At the heart of the song is a simple but powerful realization: “Friends May come and go but Family stays Forever.” It is a message shaped by grief, gratitude, and the awareness that family connections can become especially meaningful during the hardest moments of life. The story behind “Family” also introduces another side of an emerging young artist with ambitious goals. Rishi Ulaganathan aims to establish a global identity in music, using the versatility developed through his Carnatic background alongside his interest in English melody and pop. With “Family,” Rishi turns an intensely personal experience into a song built around a feeling that listeners from many different backgrounds can understand: the lasting value of family.

MASHA. AND THE FAM Turn Nine Years of Evolution Into “No Smoke No Mirrors” Los Angeles collective MASHA. and the Fam have released “No Smoke No Mirrors,” a powerful alt-rock statement that introduces the world of their upcoming EP, FRIC/TION, arriving in January 2027. As the project’s lead single, the track carries a long history with it, having spent nine years changing, growing, and finding its final identity. “No Smoke No Mirrors” originally appeared as a demo nine years ago and quickly connected with listeners. Instead of remaining frozen in its original form, the song continued to develop through the band’s live performances. Audiences became part of that journey, embracing the track long before MASHA. and the Fam had settled on a definitive studio version. When the time finally came to properly record it, the collective did not simply polish the old demo. They started again from scratch, not once, but three times. Each recording revealed something different and opened new creative possibilities. Eventually, that process became bigger than the song itself, inspiring MASHA. and the Fam to completely reimagine FRIC/TION. At its heart, “No Smoke No Mirrors” is about refusing to make yourself smaller for the comfort of others. Frontwoman Masha Alexis describes it as what happens when someone stops shrinking themselves to satisfy other people. Importantly, its sense of defiance does not come from anger. Instead, the song is built around the confidence and quiet certainty that can appear when a person understands and accepts exactly who they are. That message arrives through soaring vocals, driving guitars and an anthemic chorus, fitting naturally into the collective’s cinematic approach to alternative rock. MASHA. and the Fam have developed their identity from unusual beginnings, first rehearsing inside a huge old refrigerator located in the basement of a door factory. From that underground setting came a project focused on building worlds as much as writing songs. Their live performances extend that vision further, bringing together raw emotion, theatrical energy and an invitation for audiences to embrace the unexpected. Record World International has previously described the collective as a “cinematic opus,” an appropriate description for a group determined to make its music feel larger than the recording itself. With “No Smoke No Mirrors,” MASHA. and the Fam are not simply introducing FRIC/TION. They are finally giving a nine-year-old fan favorite the form it has been searching for, while opening the first chapter of what comes next.

MASHA. AND THE FAM Turn Nine Years of Evolution Into “No Smoke No Mirrors” Los Angeles collective MASHA. and the Fam have released “No Smoke No Mirrors,” a powerful alt-rock statement that introduces the world of their upcoming EP, FRIC/TION, arriving in January 2027. As the project’s lead single, the track carries a long history with it, having spent nine years changing, growing, and finding its final identity. “No Smoke No Mirrors” originally appeared as a demo nine years ago and quickly connected with listeners. Instead of remaining frozen in its original form, the song continued to develop through the band’s live performances. Audiences became part of that journey, embracing the track long before MASHA. and the Fam had settled on a definitive studio version. When the time finally came to properly record it, the collective did not simply polish the old demo. They started again from scratch, not once, but three times. Each recording revealed something different and opened new creative possibilities. Eventually, that process became bigger than the song itself, inspiring MASHA. and the Fam to completely reimagine FRIC/TION. At its heart, “No Smoke No Mirrors” is about refusing to make yourself smaller for the comfort of others. Frontwoman Masha Alexis describes it as what happens when someone stops shrinking themselves to satisfy other people. Importantly, its sense of defiance does not come from anger. Instead, the song is built around the confidence and quiet certainty that can appear when a person understands and accepts exactly who they are. That message arrives through soaring vocals, driving guitars and an anthemic chorus, fitting naturally into the collective’s cinematic approach to alternative rock. MASHA. and the Fam have developed their identity from unusual beginnings, first rehearsing inside a huge old refrigerator located in the basement of a door factory. From that underground setting came a project focused on building worlds as much as writing songs. Their live performances extend that vision further, bringing together raw emotion, theatrical energy and an invitation for audiences to embrace the unexpected. Record World International has previously described the collective as a “cinematic opus,” an appropriate description for a group determined to make its music feel larger than the recording itself. With “No Smoke No Mirrors,” MASHA. and the Fam are not simply introducing FRIC/TION. They are finally giving a nine-year-old fan favorite the form it has been searching for, while opening the first chapter of what comes next.

Dust Choir Explore Memory, Distance and Time on Debut Album Dust and Sand Dust Choir have introduced listeners to their first full-length album, Dust and Sand, a ten-song collection released in June 2026 that brings together classic rock, Americana and folk with touches of Celtic melody and storytelling. Dust Choir is the songwriting partnership of Ed Reilly and Lee Thompson. Reilly is responsible for the songwriting, while Thompson handles the music, vocals, instruments, arrangements and production. Their different roles come together around a shared focus on craftsmanship, with melody, atmosphere and storytelling placed at the centre of the project. Dust and Sand follows the earlier EP Tide and Time and explores themes including memory, distance, redemption, love, loss and the passing of time. Roads, changing weather and landscapes appear as recurring images throughout the record, helping connect its ten individual songs into a wider journey. The people moving through these settings are equally important, giving the album both a physical and emotional sense of movement. The tracklist moves from "Liar" and "In the Shadow of the Misty Morning" through songs such as "A Highway Song," "Children of Dust," "City of Sorrow" and "A Sinner’s Heart," before concluding with "7 Days of the Maelstrom." Rather than following current trends, Dust Choir have built Dust and Sand around thoughtful songwriting and memorable melodies designed to reward repeated listening. That approach continues a path that has already brought their previous releases radio airplay across the UK, Europe, Australia and North America. With Dust and Sand, Dust Choir present a carefully connected debut album shaped by honest songwriting, strong imagery and a clear respect for enduring musical storytelling.

Dust Choir Explore Memory, Distance and Time on Debut Album Dust and Sand Dust Choir have introduced listeners to their first full-length album, Dust and Sand, a ten-song collection released in June 2026 that brings together classic rock, Americana and folk with touches of Celtic melody and storytelling. Dust Choir is the songwriting partnership of Ed Reilly and Lee Thompson. Reilly is responsible for the songwriting, while Thompson handles the music, vocals, instruments, arrangements and production. Their different roles come together around a shared focus on craftsmanship, with melody, atmosphere and storytelling placed at the centre of the project. Dust and Sand follows the earlier EP Tide and Time and explores themes including memory, distance, redemption, love, loss and the passing of time. Roads, changing weather and landscapes appear as recurring images throughout the record, helping connect its ten individual songs into a wider journey. The people moving through these settings are equally important, giving the album both a physical and emotional sense of movement. The tracklist moves from "Liar" and "In the Shadow of the Misty Morning" through songs such as "A Highway Song," "Children of Dust," "City of Sorrow" and "A Sinner’s Heart," before concluding with "7 Days of the Maelstrom." Rather than following current trends, Dust Choir have built Dust and Sand around thoughtful songwriting and memorable melodies designed to reward repeated listening. That approach continues a path that has already brought their previous releases radio airplay across the UK, Europe, Australia and North America. With Dust and Sand, Dust Choir present a carefully connected debut album shaped by honest songwriting, strong imagery and a clear respect for enduring musical storytelling.

One Empty Toybox Turns a Digital Threat Into Something Meaningful With “Cyberstalking” One Empty Toybox takes on one of the darker realities of modern online life with “Cyberstalking,” approaching a serious subject with an unexpected sense of levity and creative freedom. Behind its playful edges is a clear purpose, with 100% of the profits from the song being donated to Stop Stalking Us. The project is primarily driven by longtime collaborators Rob Dreyer and Nicholas “Nick” Viltrakis, who have been playing and recording music together since 1995. Their history stretches across solo work and collaborations including 600 Rubies, while One Empty Toybox has become another home for their shared creativity. Friendship and welcoming creative spaces remain central to the band’s identity, alongside an improvisational approach that allows ideas to develop naturally. “Cyberstalking” began with Nick creating its basic instrumental framework of drums, bass, synth and rhythm guitars. Interestingly, there was no detailed concept attached to the music beyond its title. While Nick was away in Chicago on a business trip, Rob wrote the lyrics during a two-hour writing session. Vocals and lead guitars were then added to the instrumental foundation, pushing the track toward its completed form. That spontaneous character continued during recording in Nick’s basement in Cincinnati, Ohio. A second lead guitar and solos were added on the spot with minimal practice, capturing the instinctive energy that One Empty Toybox values. “I love how the vocals dance around the instrumentation,” Rob says. “The vocals were extremely fun to record, and my guitar work was on fire during the recording session.” Underneath that energetic creative process sits a subject with very real consequences. “Cyberstalking” looks toward technology-assisted stalking and technology-facilitated abuse at a time when the internet has become deeply connected to everyday life. One Empty Toybox also points toward the growth of AI and the increasing difficulty of knowing what can be trusted online. Rather than treating the topic in a purely dark way, the band uses a lighthearted approach to open the door to a much more serious conversation. The cause also has a personal connection, as the issue has affected someone known to Rob. All Bandcamp sales from “Cyberstalking” are being donated, while Rob has additionally committed to matching up to $1,000 USD from Bandcamp sales during 2026. With “Cyberstalking,” One Empty Toybox turns spontaneous creativity into something with a wider purpose. It is a release built from decades of friendship, improvisation and the simple need to keep making music, while using that music to encourage awareness and positive action around an important modern issue.

One Empty Toybox Turns a Digital Threat Into Something Meaningful With “Cyberstalking” One Empty Toybox takes on one of the darker realities of modern online life with “Cyberstalking,” approaching a serious subject with an unexpected sense of levity and creative freedom. Behind its playful edges is a clear purpose, with 100% of the profits from the song being donated to Stop Stalking Us. The project is primarily driven by longtime collaborators Rob Dreyer and Nicholas “Nick” Viltrakis, who have been playing and recording music together since 1995. Their history stretches across solo work and collaborations including 600 Rubies, while One Empty Toybox has become another home for their shared creativity. Friendship and welcoming creative spaces remain central to the band’s identity, alongside an improvisational approach that allows ideas to develop naturally. “Cyberstalking” began with Nick creating its basic instrumental framework of drums, bass, synth and rhythm guitars. Interestingly, there was no detailed concept attached to the music beyond its title. While Nick was away in Chicago on a business trip, Rob wrote the lyrics during a two-hour writing session. Vocals and lead guitars were then added to the instrumental foundation, pushing the track toward its completed form. That spontaneous character continued during recording in Nick’s basement in Cincinnati, Ohio. A second lead guitar and solos were added on the spot with minimal practice, capturing the instinctive energy that One Empty Toybox values. “I love how the vocals dance around the instrumentation,” Rob says. “The vocals were extremely fun to record, and my guitar work was on fire during the recording session.” Underneath that energetic creative process sits a subject with very real consequences. “Cyberstalking” looks toward technology-assisted stalking and technology-facilitated abuse at a time when the internet has become deeply connected to everyday life. One Empty Toybox also points toward the growth of AI and the increasing difficulty of knowing what can be trusted online. Rather than treating the topic in a purely dark way, the band uses a lighthearted approach to open the door to a much more serious conversation. The cause also has a personal connection, as the issue has affected someone known to Rob. All Bandcamp sales from “Cyberstalking” are being donated, while Rob has additionally committed to matching up to $1,000 USD from Bandcamp sales during 2026. With “Cyberstalking,” One Empty Toybox turns spontaneous creativity into something with a wider purpose. It is a release built from decades of friendship, improvisation and the simple need to keep making music, while using that music to encourage awareness and positive action around an important modern issue.

TELAPORT Captures the Rush of Life and Time on ‘Hope your listening’ Dallas-based creative duo TELAPORT explores the speed of life, changing emotions, and the search for hope on their EP "Hope your listening." Released on August 26, 2025, the project brings together personal storytelling and pop influences while reflecting the duo's desire to understand the different stages and feelings that shape our lives. TELAPORT is the creative partnership of artists, producers, and songwriters Stevie and D'Lannie. The two met at a show before joining forces and creating a project where they could express ideas freely through storytelling and strong themes. That creative freedom is especially important to "Hope your listening," an EP built around the realization of just how quickly time can move and circumstances can change. Across the record, TELAPORT approaches different emotional states rather than remaining in one place. "Tell Me" and "Finish Line" explore sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety, while "Keep Going" and "Hold Your Breath" move toward perseverance, hope, and wisdom. Together, the songs form what the duo describes as a kind of cliff note on life, particularly during periods when everything seems to move too quickly to properly process what we are feeling. "Tell Me" focuses on the hopelessness that can emerge from routine, alongside feelings of isolation and the fear that nobody is truly listening. "Keep Going" provides an important contrast, becoming the EP's anthem for finding hope when circumstances feel dark. "Hold Your Breath," meanwhile, takes the form of a message to younger generations, adding another perspective to the wider story TELAPORT is telling. The result is a project that aims to remain grounded in reality while carrying a dreamy and nostalgic quality. Lauv was a significant influence on the release, particularly his combination of emotionally grounded writing and pop-focused production. TELAPORT brings that inspiration into their own world through vulnerable themes and memorable hooks. "Hope your listening" also represents an important achievement behind the scenes. TELAPORT wrote, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the entire EP in their home studio, fulfilling a goal they had worked toward for a long time. Their recording process included using clipping during gain staging to create additional headroom, helping them achieve full, loud mixes while giving them greater flexibility during mastering. For Stevie and D'Lannie, exploring the "how" and "why" behind music remains central to TELAPORT. Their belief that music can heal both the people creating it and those listening gives "Hope your listening" a fitting purpose: turning the complicated emotions of a fast-moving life into something that can be shared, understood, and heard.

TELAPORT Captures the Rush of Life and Time on ‘Hope your listening’ Dallas-based creative duo TELAPORT explores the speed of life, changing emotions, and the search for hope on their EP "Hope your listening." Released on August 26, 2025, the project brings together personal storytelling and pop influences while reflecting the duo's desire to understand the different stages and feelings that shape our lives. TELAPORT is the creative partnership of artists, producers, and songwriters Stevie and D'Lannie. The two met at a show before joining forces and creating a project where they could express ideas freely through storytelling and strong themes. That creative freedom is especially important to "Hope your listening," an EP built around the realization of just how quickly time can move and circumstances can change. Across the record, TELAPORT approaches different emotional states rather than remaining in one place. "Tell Me" and "Finish Line" explore sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety, while "Keep Going" and "Hold Your Breath" move toward perseverance, hope, and wisdom. Together, the songs form what the duo describes as a kind of cliff note on life, particularly during periods when everything seems to move too quickly to properly process what we are feeling. "Tell Me" focuses on the hopelessness that can emerge from routine, alongside feelings of isolation and the fear that nobody is truly listening. "Keep Going" provides an important contrast, becoming the EP's anthem for finding hope when circumstances feel dark. "Hold Your Breath," meanwhile, takes the form of a message to younger generations, adding another perspective to the wider story TELAPORT is telling. The result is a project that aims to remain grounded in reality while carrying a dreamy and nostalgic quality. Lauv was a significant influence on the release, particularly his combination of emotionally grounded writing and pop-focused production. TELAPORT brings that inspiration into their own world through vulnerable themes and memorable hooks. "Hope your listening" also represents an important achievement behind the scenes. TELAPORT wrote, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the entire EP in their home studio, fulfilling a goal they had worked toward for a long time. Their recording process included using clipping during gain staging to create additional headroom, helping them achieve full, loud mixes while giving them greater flexibility during mastering. For Stevie and D'Lannie, exploring the "how" and "why" behind music remains central to TELAPORT. Their belief that music can heal both the people creating it and those listening gives "Hope your listening" a fitting purpose: turning the complicated emotions of a fast-moving life into something that can be shared, understood, and heard.

DIE DIE BE Confront Identity and Erasure on “Erased Faces” Swiss experimental art-rock project DIE DIE BE explores the unstable boundary between identity, conformity and liberation on “Erased Faces,” a collaboration featuring Dimitri Barbati. Moving through experimental electronic music, industrial tension, art rock and post-punk, the track turns the idea of losing one’s face into a challenging question about what it means to remain an individual. “Erased Faces” begins from a cold, bureaucratic concept. Faces are removed from papers, reducing human beings to figures and stripping away the qualities that make them recognizable as individuals. From this starting point, DIE DIE BE develops a much wider reflection on identity, power and the forces that shape how people understand themselves. The song deliberately avoids presenting facelessness as something purely negative. Erasure can represent control, with institutions, ideology, faith or collective pressure taking away personal history, difference and agency. At the same time, losing a fixed identity could offer another possibility. It might allow someone to move beyond ego, race and externally imposed roles. That contradiction gives “Erased Faces” much of its depth. Submission and liberation are allowed to exist beside each other, without the song telling the listener which interpretation is correct. Instead, DIE DIE BE asks who controls the image through which people understand themselves, and whether escaping that image would mean becoming free or simply disappearing. The ideas are carried by a measured pulse, industrial electronic weight and a strong sense of art-rock tension. Voices are layered into the track as an active part of its concept, questioning and repeating ideas before gradually dissolving into the structure around them. The collaboration with Dimitri Barbati adds to a piece built around confrontation rather than easy resolution. Its official music video expands the same central conflict into a visual form, asking what remains when the face itself disappears. DIE DIE BE was founded by Liliane Bürli and Bujar Berisha. Working with drums, synthesizers, voices and theatrical performance, the Swiss project creates physical and confrontational music where electronic experimentation meets art rock. Their wider work examines materiality and spirituality, body and mind, adaptation and resistance, while addressing subjects including migration, labour, intimacy, identity and self-exploitation. With “Erased Faces,” DIE DIE BE turns identity into an open question rather than a comfortable answer. It is a thoughtful and deliberately unresolved work that invites listeners to consider how much of the self is truly personal, and how much is created, controlled or imposed from outside.

DIE DIE BE Confront Identity and Erasure on “Erased Faces” Swiss experimental art-rock project DIE DIE BE explores the unstable boundary between identity, conformity and liberation on “Erased Faces,” a collaboration featuring Dimitri Barbati. Moving through experimental electronic music, industrial tension, art rock and post-punk, the track turns the idea of losing one’s face into a challenging question about what it means to remain an individual. “Erased Faces” begins from a cold, bureaucratic concept. Faces are removed from papers, reducing human beings to figures and stripping away the qualities that make them recognizable as individuals. From this starting point, DIE DIE BE develops a much wider reflection on identity, power and the forces that shape how people understand themselves. The song deliberately avoids presenting facelessness as something purely negative. Erasure can represent control, with institutions, ideology, faith or collective pressure taking away personal history, difference and agency. At the same time, losing a fixed identity could offer another possibility. It might allow someone to move beyond ego, race and externally imposed roles. That contradiction gives “Erased Faces” much of its depth. Submission and liberation are allowed to exist beside each other, without the song telling the listener which interpretation is correct. Instead, DIE DIE BE asks who controls the image through which people understand themselves, and whether escaping that image would mean becoming free or simply disappearing. The ideas are carried by a measured pulse, industrial electronic weight and a strong sense of art-rock tension. Voices are layered into the track as an active part of its concept, questioning and repeating ideas before gradually dissolving into the structure around them. The collaboration with Dimitri Barbati adds to a piece built around confrontation rather than easy resolution. Its official music video expands the same central conflict into a visual form, asking what remains when the face itself disappears. DIE DIE BE was founded by Liliane Bürli and Bujar Berisha. Working with drums, synthesizers, voices and theatrical performance, the Swiss project creates physical and confrontational music where electronic experimentation meets art rock. Their wider work examines materiality and spirituality, body and mind, adaptation and resistance, while addressing subjects including migration, labour, intimacy, identity and self-exploitation. With “Erased Faces,” DIE DIE BE turns identity into an open question rather than a comfortable answer. It is a thoughtful and deliberately unresolved work that invites listeners to consider how much of the self is truly personal, and how much is created, controlled or imposed from outside.

Corey Morris Returns to His Creative Roots With Before The Shine Houston artist Corey Morris is reconnecting with the purest side of his creativity on Before The Shine, an EP released on July 30, 2026. Personal, reflective and deliberately stripped back in its approach, the project captures Morris at a point where looking back has become an important part of moving forward. The meaning behind Before The Shine is closely tied to Morris' beginnings. The EP takes him back to a period when making music was simply about creating, without the pressures and distractions that can appear as a career develops. Morris handled the project independently, returning to the feeling of working alone and allowing passion rather than outside expectations to guide him. That personal approach also shapes the subjects explored throughout the EP. Instead of looking toward other musicians for inspiration, Morris draws from his own experiences and the lives of people around him. His problems, successes, difficult moments and positive experiences all become part of the bigger picture, giving Before The Shine a strong connection to his current reality. Opening track "Star Talks II" plays an important role in establishing that direction. Morris describes the song as an introduction to what has been happening in his life recently, openly addressing challenges while accepting both the good and bad parts of his journey. The balance between his career and his responsibilities as a father is also part of this story, adding another deeply personal dimension to the project. The creation of Before The Shine was equally organic. Every song was written and recorded in a different location around Houston. Rather than forcing himself to complete everything during a single studio period, Morris worked patiently, waiting until he felt comfortable and open enough to express exactly what he wanted to say. That process allowed the material to emerge naturally and reflects the EP's wider commitment to honesty. Before The Shine is also the beginning of something considerably bigger. Morris plans to release more EPs throughout 2026, with each project contributing to the journey toward Free Shine II, the double album he is currently developing as his next LP. With Before The Shine, Corey Morris offers a clear reminder of what first pushed him to create. By returning to a time when music came before everything surrounding it, he has created a personal starting point for an ambitious new chapter, with plenty more music already on the horizon.

Corey Morris Returns to His Creative Roots With Before The Shine Houston artist Corey Morris is reconnecting with the purest side of his creativity on Before The Shine, an EP released on July 30, 2026. Personal, reflective and deliberately stripped back in its approach, the project captures Morris at a point where looking back has become an important part of moving forward. The meaning behind Before The Shine is closely tied to Morris' beginnings. The EP takes him back to a period when making music was simply about creating, without the pressures and distractions that can appear as a career develops. Morris handled the project independently, returning to the feeling of working alone and allowing passion rather than outside expectations to guide him. That personal approach also shapes the subjects explored throughout the EP. Instead of looking toward other musicians for inspiration, Morris draws from his own experiences and the lives of people around him. His problems, successes, difficult moments and positive experiences all become part of the bigger picture, giving Before The Shine a strong connection to his current reality. Opening track "Star Talks II" plays an important role in establishing that direction. Morris describes the song as an introduction to what has been happening in his life recently, openly addressing challenges while accepting both the good and bad parts of his journey. The balance between his career and his responsibilities as a father is also part of this story, adding another deeply personal dimension to the project. The creation of Before The Shine was equally organic. Every song was written and recorded in a different location around Houston. Rather than forcing himself to complete everything during a single studio period, Morris worked patiently, waiting until he felt comfortable and open enough to express exactly what he wanted to say. That process allowed the material to emerge naturally and reflects the EP's wider commitment to honesty. Before The Shine is also the beginning of something considerably bigger. Morris plans to release more EPs throughout 2026, with each project contributing to the journey toward Free Shine II, the double album he is currently developing as his next LP. With Before The Shine, Corey Morris offers a clear reminder of what first pushed him to create. By returning to a time when music came before everything surrounding it, he has created a personal starting point for an ambitious new chapter, with plenty more music already on the horizon.

Stella Five Turns Visual Art Into a Meditative Electronic Journey on Nine Lives Stella Five brings visual art, nature and electronic music together on Nine Lives, an original album released on July 10, 2026. Created entirely by the Poughkeepsie, New York artist, the record explores the idea of translating the emotions found in paintings into music, resulting in an immersive collection built for moments of reflection. The inspiration behind Nine Lives comes partly from Stella Five's admiration for painters such as Edward Hopper and Caspar David Friedrich. Rather than simply referencing their work, Stella Five attempts to capture some of the feelings created by looking at their paintings and transform them into electronic compositions. The album artwork also pays tribute to Friedrich's distinctive aesthetic, helping connect the visual concept with the music itself. Recorded using a laptop setup in Tudor City, New York, Nine Lives combines analog hardware and software synths with melodic sequences, Rhodes, piano and electric guitar. Its sound moves through chillwave, chillsynth, downtempo and ambient electronica, creating what Stella Five's wife described as "flow state music." That description fits an album designed to encourage listeners to become absorbed in its atmosphere. Stella Five cites Thomas Barrandon, Kosmischer Laufer and Lazerhawk among the influences behind the project, particularly admiring the meditative character of Kosmischer Laufer and the crisp, dreamy synth sounds associated with Lazerhawk. At the same time, the wider creative world of Stella Five draws inspiration from video games, 80s movies, running, cats and the natural world. One of the album's standout pieces is "The Wind and the Rain." Its title brings together associations with Bob Dylan, Zelda and Irish poetry, while the piece itself reflects the feeling of looking across an enormous landscape without fully understanding what lies ahead. For Stella Five, that uncertainty becomes something to accept rather than fear, finding the courage to continue moving forward despite life's unanswered questions. The independent approach extends beyond the music. Stella Five also created 14 original Spotify Canvas loops to accompany the album's songs, with much of the artwork presented in a distinctive pixel art style. With Nine Lives, Stella Five has created more than an electronic album. It is a celebration of creativity and the natural world, inviting listeners to slow down, enter its contemplative spaces and discover their own connection between music, art and nature.

Stella Five Turns Visual Art Into a Meditative Electronic Journey on Nine Lives Stella Five brings visual art, nature and electronic music together on Nine Lives, an original album released on July 10, 2026. Created entirely by the Poughkeepsie, New York artist, the record explores the idea of translating the emotions found in paintings into music, resulting in an immersive collection built for moments of reflection. The inspiration behind Nine Lives comes partly from Stella Five's admiration for painters such as Edward Hopper and Caspar David Friedrich. Rather than simply referencing their work, Stella Five attempts to capture some of the feelings created by looking at their paintings and transform them into electronic compositions. The album artwork also pays tribute to Friedrich's distinctive aesthetic, helping connect the visual concept with the music itself. Recorded using a laptop setup in Tudor City, New York, Nine Lives combines analog hardware and software synths with melodic sequences, Rhodes, piano and electric guitar. Its sound moves through chillwave, chillsynth, downtempo and ambient electronica, creating what Stella Five's wife described as "flow state music." That description fits an album designed to encourage listeners to become absorbed in its atmosphere. Stella Five cites Thomas Barrandon, Kosmischer Laufer and Lazerhawk among the influences behind the project, particularly admiring the meditative character of Kosmischer Laufer and the crisp, dreamy synth sounds associated with Lazerhawk. At the same time, the wider creative world of Stella Five draws inspiration from video games, 80s movies, running, cats and the natural world. One of the album's standout pieces is "The Wind and the Rain." Its title brings together associations with Bob Dylan, Zelda and Irish poetry, while the piece itself reflects the feeling of looking across an enormous landscape without fully understanding what lies ahead. For Stella Five, that uncertainty becomes something to accept rather than fear, finding the courage to continue moving forward despite life's unanswered questions. The independent approach extends beyond the music. Stella Five also created 14 original Spotify Canvas loops to accompany the album's songs, with much of the artwork presented in a distinctive pixel art style. With Nine Lives, Stella Five has created more than an electronic album. It is a celebration of creativity and the natural world, inviting listeners to slow down, enter its contemplative spaces and discover their own connection between music, art and nature.

Magenta Ray Captures the Electrifying Pull of True Love on “A Kiss Like This” Magenta Ray brings romance, darkness, and atmosphere together on “A Kiss Like This,” an alternative rock track shaped by driving guitars, electronic textures, and a deeply personal story. Fronted by singer-songwriter Lisa Hart alongside guitarist, composer, producer, and co-founder Mark Larson, the band turns the anticipation of a first kiss into something intense, cinematic, and almost otherworldly. At the heart of “A Kiss Like This” is the moment when attraction becomes impossible to ignore. The song explores the anticipation of a first kiss between two people whose connection feels equally physical and spiritual. For Hart and Larson, that idea comes directly from their own relationship. After ten years together as both romantic and creative partners, they describe that connection as something that remains electrifying in both love and music. The song was originally created during the COVID lockdown, a period that gave the pair an unusual amount of time together to focus on making music. Rather than drawing from the uncertainty surrounding them, Hart and Larson looked inward, using their relationship and their experience of finding true love as inspiration. The result captures vulnerability, passion, and the feeling of reaching a point where there is no turning back. Musically, “A Kiss Like This” reflects Magenta Ray’s refusal to fit neatly into one genre. The band points toward artists including Garbage, The Pretenders, Portishead, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, Poe, and PJ Harvey as useful reference points, while combining alternative rock energy with dark electronic layers. One of the track’s most distinctive details comes from Larson’s guitar technique. Fast-panning tremolo and an unconventional chord progression create a spinning, almost dizzying sensation designed to mirror the vertigo of falling head over heels for someone. Those guitar textures meet surging synth layers behind Hart’s dynamic vocals, giving the track its immersive character. “A Kiss Like This” was recorded in the pair’s private home studio in Napa Valley. The space carries its own personal history, as it is part of the home where Larson grew up, including an addition that he and his family built by hand. Having their own studio gave Magenta Ray the freedom to experiment and refine the song without outside pressure. With more music, visual material, and live performances in the works, “A Kiss Like This” introduces an exciting new chapter for Magenta Ray. It is a song born from a genuine relationship and transformed into a dark, passionate rush of alternative rock, perfectly reflecting the band’s idea of bringing darkness into the light.

Magenta Ray Captures the Electrifying Pull of True Love on “A Kiss Like This” Magenta Ray brings romance, darkness, and atmosphere together on “A Kiss Like This,” an alternative rock track shaped by driving guitars, electronic textures, and a deeply personal story. Fronted by singer-songwriter Lisa Hart alongside guitarist, composer, producer, and co-founder Mark Larson, the band turns the anticipation of a first kiss into something intense, cinematic, and almost otherworldly. At the heart of “A Kiss Like This” is the moment when attraction becomes impossible to ignore. The song explores the anticipation of a first kiss between two people whose connection feels equally physical and spiritual. For Hart and Larson, that idea comes directly from their own relationship. After ten years together as both romantic and creative partners, they describe that connection as something that remains electrifying in both love and music. The song was originally created during the COVID lockdown, a period that gave the pair an unusual amount of time together to focus on making music. Rather than drawing from the uncertainty surrounding them, Hart and Larson looked inward, using their relationship and their experience of finding true love as inspiration. The result captures vulnerability, passion, and the feeling of reaching a point where there is no turning back. Musically, “A Kiss Like This” reflects Magenta Ray’s refusal to fit neatly into one genre. The band points toward artists including Garbage, The Pretenders, Portishead, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, Poe, and PJ Harvey as useful reference points, while combining alternative rock energy with dark electronic layers. One of the track’s most distinctive details comes from Larson’s guitar technique. Fast-panning tremolo and an unconventional chord progression create a spinning, almost dizzying sensation designed to mirror the vertigo of falling head over heels for someone. Those guitar textures meet surging synth layers behind Hart’s dynamic vocals, giving the track its immersive character. “A Kiss Like This” was recorded in the pair’s private home studio in Napa Valley. The space carries its own personal history, as it is part of the home where Larson grew up, including an addition that he and his family built by hand. Having their own studio gave Magenta Ray the freedom to experiment and refine the song without outside pressure. With more music, visual material, and live performances in the works, “A Kiss Like This” introduces an exciting new chapter for Magenta Ray. It is a song born from a genuine relationship and transformed into a dark, passionate rush of alternative rock, perfectly reflecting the band’s idea of bringing darkness into the light.