Spike - "Dying on the Vine"

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Photo by Lan McArdle

Spike is the synth-pop project of London's Hannah McLoughlin. The project's new single, "Dying on the Vine," is a dreamy and pop focused track leaning slightly into darkwave territory. It certainly doesn't sound like it was recorded in 2026, or even this century. This one throws back to the 1980's, and has that perfect tempo for lightly dancing or just swaying a bit. I'm not quite ready to call "Dying on the Vine" goth, but it's at least goth adjacent. It's a little too bit upbeat to truly be goth (although I personally find most music considered goth to be cheery). This is our first time covering Spike here at If It's Too Loud..., and we're already looking forward to hearing more.

Hannah McLoughlin says of her latest single:

"Dying On The Vine started with two samples, the drums and a melodica line, both looped throughout the song. I had the chorus melody for Dying on The Vine and decided to use those words in a similar way to sampling, as a repurposed lyrical motif from my favourite John Cale song. I love this phrase which, for me, captures the frustration of trying in vein to hold on as things fall apart."

You can watch the video for "Dying on the Vine" below. Hannah McLoughlin's self-titled album is due out July 31 on Gob Nation Records, and is available to pre-order on Bandcamp. For more on the artist, check her out on Instagram.

On Repeat...

Glixen - "all tied up"

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Photo by Jocelyn Pacheco Phoenix's Glixen have quickly become our favorite heavy shoegaze band, and songs like "all tied up" will show you exactly why. This new single might be the most classically shoegaze song they've released to date. It sounds like it could be a lost song from the Loveless sessions. It's filled with a heavy wall of fuzz and lumbers along at a midtempo pace. As always, Aislinn Ritchie's vocals have a slight pop sheen to them, even if they tend to take a backseat to the music surrounding her. This mixed with the absolutely punishing drums throughout "all tied up" make it a heavy shoegaze instant masterpiece. Aislinn Ritchie says of her band's latest single: “‘all tied up’ is about feeling completely consumed by someone.  We definitely wanted the song to feel enveloping. There’s a subtle tension that builds throughout with a push and pull between the guitars and vocals. The song hits hard with its emotional depth, yet breathes w...
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Lydia Loveless - "Sex and Money"

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Photo by Jillian Clark There's a ton of buzz about the upcoming album from Lydia Loveless, and I may be a gushing fanboy at times, but her latest single may be her best in her career. "Sex and Money" is this perfect mix of all the phases of Loveless' career. It has the twang of her earlier alt-country classics, the noise and punk that has always been front and center during live shows, and the more pop side that has been on more recent albums. "Sex and Money" could be a trainwreck of a song, but Loveless has melded these genres into this perfectly structured song. Sometimes you just hear a song and know it's something truly special, and that's what this one is. It's the kind of song that you instantly fall in love with and want to share with as many people as possible. Lydia Loveless says of their new single: "This one was written at an Airbnb in Austin on some late tour night where there’s a bottle and a guitar and everyone’s giggly. I’ve t...
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Julien Baker & TORRES - "Tuesday"

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Photo by Ebru Yildiz Julien Baker and TORRES teaming up for a country album is one of the true joys of 2025. The pair's latest single, "Tuesday," is fronted by TORRES, and according to the press release is about "... trying to overcome and heal from the guilt, shame and religious abuse that so many people experience discovering their identity and growing up Queer." The song is a twangy, laid back country track that lands somewhere between classic country and modern pop music (but nowhere near the current country pop sound). I'm not typically a lyrics guy and don't normally pay attention to the lyrics of a song until after multiple listens, but the lyrics of "Tuesday" grabbed me immediately upon the first listen. This is the type of song that is going to demand your focus and attention.  You can watch the visualizer for "Tuesday" below. Send a Prayer My Way is due out April 18 on Matador Records, and is available for pre-order here . F...
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