#MusicMonday Review - May 2026

[osornios]

#MusicMonday is the hashtag I've been using for quite a while to share music recommendations from up-and-coming artists. Always fresh, and always different, trying to look for trends before they become one. You can check April's review for more music.

It doesn't matter if you want to raise attention to government, environmental, or personal issues, music is the perfect way to express yourself, whatever genre you may prefer. Give them a listen, with a word from the artists themselves. 🎧

June Holland – Mouldy Orange

I spent so much time just
Sat on my own
They said I disrupted the rest of the kids
So they left me alone

But I was a fire until you put out my flames
Labelled me naughty and stupid
When deep down I knew I had brains

Can't help but be mad that school
Could've been easier
If only I'd have had an educated teacher

We begin our trip in South Manchester, England for a soulful Indie Folk track about a girl who has being punished for being herself, but with time understood she's perfect just as she is:

"It’s a personal experience, I was always labelled the naughty kid in primary school I got in trouble a lot but no one ever suggested it could be ADHD, I’m not sure it was really explored in my school especially in girls…

When I reached my twenties I finally got diagnosed with ADHD and although it didn’t come as a surprise it did bring up a lot of emotions including anger and grief for the young misunderstood girl I was growing up.

So this song was kind of like therapy for me. Getting out all the emotions I felt and reflecting on my life. But I also wanted to create this song and share my experience because I know there will be many others like me out there and I want to make them feel seen and know that they aren’t alone.

The response has been amazing so far it’s been wonderful to see people connecting with the track. 🥹🧡😉"

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Shines – Late for Days

Since you went away
it's hard to fall asleep
your t-shirt smells the same
you left it here with me

Let's travel east to Grimsby, England, for an Indie Rock track about those really long conversations that seem to go on for hours in the middle of the night:

"I think it's one of them open ended songs that sort of content different meanings. Whether it be sort of the breakup of a relationship, or a friendship or just sort of whatever's left after that's happened.

But also it came together really quick for us. Just got sort of jamming over a little riff and we're sort of working like that for all our stuff this year. It's not overthinking stuff, not polishing stuff, and just keeping it nice and fresh, and just getting it out there.

I'd say the style of this song is more shoegaze than what we've done prior, but there's a lot of elements in our first album that's shoegaze. It's probably inspired by great bands like Beach Fossils, Wild Nothing, you know, The Drums. I like all them type of bands. They've all got a good groove."

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Fine Night Elements – All We Know

Valleys low to mountains high

Rivers running from the beginning of time

Sun shines through to the forest floor

Last flower raises its head

But only once more

Leave us alone I hear them cry

Don't speak your language but why should we die?

Do you ever think that this world does not revolve around you?

Up north in Gateshead, England, we get an Alt Rock track blended with some Indie vibes about human's inherent appetite to destroy what's in our path, and take everything we can. It's all we know:

"Initially the music was laid down just through jamming, but the experience that inspired the lyrics are just the constant information about global warming that we’re consistently ignoring. The track discusses the path we’re on as a species and how we need to change."

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Draken – It Serves You Right

You screwed up, you crossed the line
So don’t act so surprised, my friend

We always knew it was a matter of time
Before you’d be knee deep in sh*t again

Slowly dying
Thought you were death defying
They got you dead to rights
And truth be told… it serves you right

We fly now to Oslo, Norway for a Metal track that tells what happens when arrogance makes you blind, while leaving your decency behind. Bassist Hallward explains:

"It's about power hungry politicians, and corruption. I wrote the lyrics when there was a series of political scandals in Norway; politicians taking advantage of the system, misuse of public funds, etc."

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dimblue – One Hundred Thoughts

I'm not defined by my sense of revenge
I drop my innocence and I don't want it back
Thoughts travel so fast that I cannot bend
My heart is broken
Some things you cannot mend

Compelling answers don't always let you rest
Satisfaction isn't always the best
Some say that truth lies in the middle ground
But our subconscious wish is still to be found

We now travel to Bari, Italy for an Indie Folk track with some Lo-Fi details about taking time to reflect on something you have experienced, and trying to come up with an adequate response:

"Overthinking is exactly what gave life to this track. All those thoughts that flow incessantly, often leaving us exhausted.

I believe the song was born from the desire to bring some order, while at the same time immersing myself in the creative flow. I think the filter was the instrument itself—the acoustic guitar—which somehow created the sense of order I was searching for in that creative moment.

The electric guitar lines, on the other hand, allowed me to push into the background all those thoughts that tend to overlap."

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Ismena – How Are You?

You came into my life and you said you were mine
And started a fire in my mind
I thought I knew who you were but you're a liar
And now I don't trust a single word

Maybe one day it will turn out right
Who do you think you're standing beside?
Finally I am enlightened
I see you for who you are

We end out travels in Utrecht, NL. for a dreamy, melancholic Indie Folk track about being hurt to the point of making sure you won't cross paths with that person ever again:

"This was a very personal experience that affected me deeply. It's about trusting someone and gradually finding out that this person is not who they say they are.

It can be hard to grasp when someone turns out to be completely different than what you always thought they were. It's also about finally accepting their true nature and not letting them affect you anymore."

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Listen to them and much more on the complete playlist

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See you next time!