The underground’s doing just fine — to prove it, here’s the new music actually worth your time this week.
We get sent a lot of tracks every week, but every now and then there’s a batch that cuts through for the right reasons.
Here are seven artists worth throwing into your rotation right now.
The Halves
The Halves are tapping directly into Australia’s current post-punk wave, with a fresh new release on the way. Drawing influence from Joy Division and Wet Leg, the Brisbane-turned-Melbourne band balance frantic guitars with surprisingly heartfelt songwriting.
Their self-titled 2025 debut EP introduced a sound that feels sweaty, anxious and emotionally wired in all the right ways – worth throwing on before the new material lands. Definitely one to watch if loud indie chaos is your thing.
Luna Motif – ‘Shapeless Pursuits’
Irish newcomers Luna Motif are blending punk, ska, funk and emotional indie rock into something genuinely exciting. New single ‘Shapeless Pursuits’ feels chaotic in the best way, swinging between sharp riffs and huge emotional release.
After lineup changes nearly derailed the project, the band have returned sounding tighter, louder and far more confident than before.
ANTOINE AUDONNET – ‘Living the Dream’
French-born, New Zealand-based artist ANTOINE AUDONNET is making the kind of moody alt-pop built for late-night spirals and overthinking sessions. Still only 17, his music leans fully into heartbreak, loneliness and emotional burnout without sounding overly polished or manufactured.
Latest single ‘Living the Dream’ captures that perfectly – cinematic production, heavy atmosphere and brutally honest songwriting that feels more like a private thought than a pop song.
Blake Appelqvist – ‘IKYLT’
Naarm artist Blake Appelqvist is making atmospheric alt-pop designed for blurry house parties and emotionally dangerous late-night conversations. New single ‘IKYLT’ mixes pulsing electronic production with intimate vocals, landing somewhere between club music and introspective bedroom pop.
It’s cinematic, vulnerable and perfectly suited to those strange moments when nights stop feeling real.
Oleksa – ‘I Am Not Yours’
Ukrainian artist Oleksa brings dramatic late-night energy to ‘I Am Not Yours’, a track that feels cinematic from start to finish. There’s a slick, neon-lit atmosphere running through visually and sonically that almost recalls a GTA soundtrack – or maybe she has just managed to capture Miami in a bottle.
Combined with international radio attention already building, Oleksa feels very much like an artist creating her own lane.
Tender Claws
Tender Claws, the project of Belfast-born artist Tess Corr, sits somewhere between gothic alt-rock and grunge-fuelled emotional release. New track ‘Spring Time Cull’ expands her sound into darker electronic territory, layering distorted guitars and synth textures reminiscent of Chelsea Wolfe.
It’s eerie, heavy and emotionally loaded without ever feeling overdramatic.
Biba گ ЖФ – Meh
Experimental newcomer Biba گ ЖФ is clearly uninterested in making music that fits neatly into one category. Debut project Meh reportedly stretches across 205 tracks of avant-garde electronica, lo-fi soundscapes and folk-inspired experimentation.
His latest track ‘Billabong (Ode To Steve Irwin) is equal parts chaos and ambitious almost to the point of absurdity, but there’s something fascinating about an artist creating at this scale completely outside conventional expectations.
