In May, The Amazons announced that long-time collaborators vocalist Ella McRobb and drummer George Le Page had officially joined the line-up. As the band prepare for their upcoming tour with the release of ‘21st Century Fiction (Epilogue)’, TOPNOTE spoke about their new chapter.

Happy Neighbours are a bit like a British Laundry Day, though much, much more sarcastic. With only a string of singles and one EP to boast of, The Britpop band are growing their fanbase primarily through sketches and skits on social media. We met them ahead of their headline show at The 100 Club last Friday.

Born from a desire to centralise the record’s key themes, Role Model’s third studio album and alter ego is a fantastic case study in world-building… but how does all the fanfare live up to the music itself? Releasing tomorrow via Interscope, read TOPNOTE’s review of ‘Chuck Timely & The Hourglass’.

The previous record for a non-consecutive stay at the top of the charts belonged to Frankie Laine back in 1953. But on Friday 31st July, the two Brits toppled him off the podium. Just what is it that makes ‘Rein Me In’ by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean so popular?

‘Heatwave in full effect’. And as Yazmin Lacey says, ‘...the whole of London’s rolled outside’. We’re bringing you an energised list of singles and albums ready to whack straight onto your summer playlists, with feelgood vibes seeming to be the order of the month. Check out our July Monthly Picks here.

As a new generation of neo-soul stars climbs the ranks — many of them her former classmates — Izzy Withers rises among them. After leaving school at 16 to purse a career in music, Izzy Withers has her sights firmly set on wide horizons. We got to know her (and her lofty ambitions) over a mug of tea.

Fuelled by repetitions of isolation, alienation, and performative happiness, ‘Daughter From Hell’ is not Gracie Abrams at her best, but a record demonstrating her evolving catalogue holds promise stretching undoubtedly beyond privilege. Read TOPNOTE’s review of the American’s third studio album.

Producing an organic sound that mixes jazz foundations with ‘fall to the floor’ beats, GOMME’s ethos is a cocktail of fluid, euphoric and shapeshifting music. Formed of three individually established musicians, TOPNOTE spoke to the emerging trio on the release of their debut EP, ‘Evenings & Weekends’.

Whether you’re looking for a song to soundtrack your heatwave hysteria, or a body of work to immerse yourself in at the same time as the nearest body of water, TOPNOTE’s got you covered. Be it Olivia Rodrigo’s beautifully bleak ballads or Big Special’s post-punk poetry, much of our Monthly Picks for June sounds like it’s poured straight out the heart.

The Ghanian-Australian rapper and singer, who featured on TOPNOTE’s emerging artist list for 2026, has flown over from Aus for two small-scale shows in London and Paris to celebrate new album ‘Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge’. Read our review of Genesis Owusu live at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Lola Young ended her comeback tour at the second of two sold out shows at O2 Academy Brixton on Friday night with poignant speeches and emotional performances. Read TOPNOTE’s review of the small-scale tour finale here.

For the most part lacking in emotional conviction, it’s difficult to render Myles Smith’s debut as more than a solid first attempt; rather than meeting the admittedly insurmountably high expectations he’s being held to. Read TOPNOTE’s review of ‘My Mess, My Heart, My Life’.

Spanning pop, indie, reggae, dub, jazz and funk to name a few, one thing Bare Jams have always been is independent . Just over a month out from their next album release, ‘Full Circle’, the six-piece collective have revisited some of their roots, and TOPNOTE spoke to them about it before their London gig with The Nest Sessions.

Since Olivia Rodrigo went off to live some life and returned with it condensed into a 13-track album, TOPNOTE are making our way through it in order. Read our song-by-song analysis of ‘You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love’ here.

As lead curator of the V&A East’s inaugural exhibition, Jacqueline Springer has been instrumental in shaping the vision and visitor experience for ‘The Music Is Black: A British Story’. TOPNOTE spoke to her on the undertaking and execution of such a project, the complexity of what music is and means, and her hopes for it.