A Song That Changed My Life: Cardinals on Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14thThe Band Members: Euan Manning; lead vocals, guitar, Finn Manning; accordion, vocals, Oskar Gudinovic; guitar, Aaron Hurley; bass, Darragh Manning; drums.

The Storyteller: Finn Manning

The Song: Delicate and unnerving, Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14th” hesitantly registers in the mind, allowing its beautiful four-chord piano arpeggiation to take hold. Its muted, ever-so-slightly held notes linger just long enough, signaling a melancholic and unsettling, as well as a sad and stunning sensation all at once.

The mesmerizing two-minute composition highlights how Aphex Twin (Richard D. James), one of the forefathers of drill ‘n’ bass and Intelligent Dance Music (IDM), operates —brilliantly balancing creepy, borderline disturbing sonic aesthetics with moments of minimalist beauty. Because of this subconscious duality, it inadvertently slid into the mainstream, from cinematic soundtracks to iconic hip-hop samples. Today, it pops up as a shortcut in classical crossover and ambient playlists, instantly cutting through digital clutter.

The Background: Hailing from the charming harbor town of Kinsale — the official starting point of the Wild Atlantic Way, a breathtaking 1,600-mile highway winding along Ireland’s rugged Western coastline filled with dramatic sea cliffs and lonely lighthouses — Cardinals eventually followed a beacon of light calling them to settle in the historic, St. Finbarr-guarded city of Cork. Answering to their internal fate, they let the weathered, siren songs of the winding city streets guide them toward crafting music that subtly leans into an abrasive, yet melancholic, alt-folk-rock landscape; a style that fully channels the poetic realism baked into the backbones of the classical Irish musicians and authors.

In due time, the Leeside five-piece garnered the attention of Fontaines DC Frontman Grian Chatten. After releasing their self-titled EP filled with post punk energy and a strange, somber vitality, they entered the studio for a second time — a session which culminated in the creation of Masquerade — a strikingly stark, structural dyad of songs bleeding out equal measures of “alcohol and ecstasy.”  This visceral duality found its physical home in the vinyl itself: a brighter, more romantic everyday clarity spun into Side A, balanced against the moody, dark-art styled descent of Side B.

The release is a modern sonic manifestation of the Claddagh ring. The left hand gripping the sharp, angular post-punk sounds, the right cradling the fraught poetic fragility; at the center lies the heart, absorbing it all, creatively balancing the contradiction into a distinct unified sound. It is an artistic tightrope that Finn Manning subtly credits to “Avril 14th” and the ghost in the machine guiding his creative process with the band.

The Story: Like so many listeners navigating the modern musical landscape, Finn Manning’s introduction to Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14th ” arose through rosy childhood retrospection.  Specifically, he was captivated by the parallel musical narratives in Kanye West’s “Blame Game” from 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy — a striking intersection where a contemporary classical piano instrumental was sampled as an anchor for a maximalist rap production. Even at a young age, this phantom melody seemed to possess a melancholic, poignant air that felt entirely detached from the rest of the song.

Driven early on by an exceptionally acute ear for musical nuances, Manning became obsessed with the beautiful piano arpeggiation beneath the bravado, prompting him to dig through the digital and physical crates. What he uncovered beneath the rap framework was the source material: the delicate, unadorned skeleton keys of Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14th” and its subdued essence.

This realization served as the creative genesis for Manning’s approach to songwriting within Cardinals. His finely tuned mind recognized that a lyricless composition could tell an entire story on its own, leaving listeners to fill it with any mood desired. It is precisely this emotional shapeshifting that drew Manning in. He recalls being struck by the tactile physicality of the sound, the tangible human element felt within the recording itself.

“The chord progression on 'Avril 14th ' really interested me in how music was able to tell a story by itself,” Manning notes. “The production of the recording is so intriguing in its base. The clicking of the keys has this typewriter effect that almost reminds me of a noir detective film.”

Through that same physicality, the different melodies in the song seemed to evoke different feelings. “I was particularly struck by the textures I was hearing.” Manning continues, “There’s a click and crackle where you can hear the physical keyboard itself working. I was mesmerized by how the left hand bass notes flowed and complemented the right hand at all points.”

Beyond the structural cleverness and unassuming delivery of the song, the track became a lifelong musical gateway. Manning leaned into classical piano, which eventually guided him toward artists who use atmosphere as the foundation of songwriting. “I went on to listen to a lot of classical music…and it led me to Brian Eno, and his album Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks.”

Today, that old, fuzzy feeling when hearing “Avril 14th acts as a time capsule. Played on a modified Disklavier, the track’s mechanical imperfections heighten its beauty.  When Manning listens to it now, the music effortlessly flattens time and space together, transporting him back to how he heard it for the very first time — “lonely, optimistic, affecting.”

“The song has no lyrics, but the piece itself is incredibly emotive,” Manning reflects. “Still, today I can listen to it, and it can have a different feeling every time. I get different shades of melancholy, pride, hope, and nostalgia depending on what I am feeling.”

Photo Credit: Steve Gullick

The post A Song That Changed My Life: Cardinals on Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14th first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Sir Lucian Grainge highlights global opportunity for Japanese artists ahead of Music Awards in Tokyo, where UMG artists Fujii Kaze and Mrs. GREEN APPLE win top prizesGrainge delivered remarks at an official gala for Music Awards Japan, according to UMG.
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Why Led Zeppelin IV Has No Title — And Still Sold 24 Million CopiesLed Zeppelin's fourth album had no title, no band name, and no logo — just four symbols. It became their biggest seller, with 24 million copies sold in the US alone.

FILM - TV - THEATER - GAMES: DROPS FOR JUNE '26The Alarm recently released "Live Today," the final music video featuring the late Mike Peters, who passed away in April 2025 following a 31-year battle with cancer. Filmed on a beach in northern England just days before Peters underwent CAR-T therapy in a last effort to fight an aggressive form of lymphoma, the video captures him performing with energy and optimism. The single was taken from the band's new album Transformation, which dropped May 29 via Twenty First Century Recordings/Virgin Music Group. The record was completed the night before Peters began his final treatment. For more information, contact Nikki Esposito at nikki@reybee.com. Photo by Andrew Labrow.

WaterTower Music has released the Mortal Kombat II Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on all major digital streaming platforms. The album features an original score by Benjamin Wallfisch, including a reimagined version of the franchise's "Techno Syndrome" with vocals from Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, and it’s accompanied by a music video. Deluxe, double LP releases are also out for both Mortal Kombat (2021) and Mortal Kombat II soundtracks on themed colored vinyl. Additional releases included "Mortal Kumbia," a cumbia-inspired take on "Techno Syndrome" by Amantes del Futuro, and an interactive playlist generator that lets fans select a fighter and compete in a "Test Your Might" mini game. For more information, contact Christian Endicio at christian@whitebearpr.com.

Widow's Bay (Apple Original Series Soundtrack) by composer David Fleming is available now via Milan Records. The album showcases Fleming's original orchestral score for the Apple TV+ horror comedy series starring Matthew Rhys, blending atmospheric tension with the show's mixture of scares and dark humor. Created by Katie Dippold and directed by Hiro Murai, Widow's Bay follows a small New England island mayor navigating superstitious locals, a possible ancient curse and his reputation as the town's unpopular leader. The series made its global debut this spring with new episodes releasing weekly on Apple TV+. Contact Sarah Roche at sarah@whitebearpr.com for more information.

Saxophonist, activist, singer/songwriter, and poet-philosopher Alabaster DePlume’s track “Honeycomb” was recently featured in Portraits of Palestine, a 16mm film by director Skyler Carrico. The film drew on footage Carrico shot in the occupied West Bank in spring 2024, during the same period DePlume was completing an artist residency there that inspired the track. Though the two never crossed paths in Palestine, their work converged in the film, which Carrico described as a project that found its musical direction organically through DePlume's recordings made nearby at the time. DePlume also recently released Dear Children of Our Children, I Knew: Epilogue, the final installment in a four-part series rooted in the artist’s experiences in Palestine. For further details, contact Sam Ford at sam@twntythree.com.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Original Score Soundtrack, featuring music by two-time Emmy-winning composer Theodore Shapiro, is out now alongside the highly anticipated film’s release. Returning nearly two decades after scoring the beloved 2006 original, Shapiro offers up a score that updates the film's original electronic-tinged sound. The sequel reunited Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci alongside director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna, and added to the all-star cast Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, Pauline Chalamet, B.J. Novak, and more. Contact Sarah Roche at sarah@whitebearpr.com for more information.The post FILM - TV - THEATER - GAMES: DROPS FOR JUNE '26 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

"Middle of Nowhere" by Kacey MusgravesLost Highway RecordsProducers: Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk

Kacey Musgraves pays homage to her Texan roots with her seventh studio album Middle of Nowhere. The album does a good job at showcasing ​​Musgraves’ magnetic personality through her witty humor and tongue-in-cheek songwriting, especially on tracks like “Dry Spell” and “Mexico Honey.” The album also has its somber moments as it follows Musgraves’ experiences of solitude and the complexities of maturing as seen in “Loneliest Girl.” The album features Texan artists like Willie Nelson and Miranda Lambert with references to western swing, bluegrass, and traditional Mexican influences. Who knew country could be so fun!The post "Middle of Nowhere" by Kacey Musgraves first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From UMG’s €1B bond sale to Warner Music’s Sureel AI acquisition… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
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Olivia Rodrigo's Deep Love Affair With 90s Alternative Rock and the Album She Calls Her "Perfect 10"From Hole and The Breeders to The Cure, Olivia Rodrigo's musical roots run deep into '90s alternative rock — including one 1995 album she calls "the most human record" ever made.

Family Stereo Signs With Bella UnionDate signed: April 2026Label: Bella UnionType of Music: Singer-songwriterManagement: Northern Lights ManagementBooking: Free Trade AgencyPublicity: Charm School MediaA&R: Simon RaymondeWeb: familystereo.net

The end of July will see Family Stereo, AKA singer-songwriter Blake Watt, release his debut album The Thread, a fact that was announced recently by the label which is his new home, Bella Union. “An album of folk-tinged and brush-stroked reflections on distance and connection, The Thread is both dynamic and subtly cinematic, its artfully crafted precision the work of a fast-maturing talent,” a statement by the label reads.

There is, therefore, a lot to celebrate for Family Stereo in 2026. But this is no overnight success story. Watt has worked hard to get to this point."

“I’ve been writing and releasing music as Family Stereo since I was about 17 years old,” he says. “I went off to university and studied drama, and then when I got back decided that I wanted to pursue music properly. I wouldn’t say it got ‘serious’ until we signed with Bella and started working on the first LP.”

The Family Stereo sound was initially centered around fast-paced indie pop. “I grew up listening to Joy Division and The Smiths, so I was just trying to replicate the energy of Joy Division, and the poetic writing and singing style of Morrissey,” Watt says. “I basically learnt to sing by listening to him. But then I got much more into American indie-folk singer-songwriters at university, people like Elliott Smith and Adrianne Lenker, and they turned my head completely, and I haven’t really looked back since.”

Watt’s deal with Bella Union came when Simon Raymonde (label founder and member of the Cocteau Twins) heard the Family Stereo song “Matter” from the first EP.

“We started emailing back and forth,” he says. “He liked the track but was a bit tied up at the time with other stuff. I kept pestering him though, and after about a year we met up and he offered me a deal for the first LP.”

According to a statement, “The Thread arrives in the aftermath of a string of singles from the 25-year-old Blake, son of Everything But The Girl’s Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt.” 

“I recorded it with my bandmate and producer Sam Hodder-Williams at his studio in North London,” Watt adds. “We started recording in September 2024 and finished in July 2025.”

As Family Stereo gets prepared for the release of The Thread, Watt is also steadying himself for a busy 2026. 

“We’re working on the follow up currently, and I’m just trying to keep writing as much as I can,” he says. “I’ve written about five songs I really like. I’m also going off on tour with someone for a few dates next week, so it’ll be nice to play some of the songs off the upcoming record. We’re going back into the studio over summer so that’ll be a good incentive to write some more stuff.”The post Family Stereo Signs With Bella Union first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

REPUBLIC Collective strikes joint venture with ZIZA Inc. focused on breaking South Asian artists globallyThe joint venture will prioritize signing and developing artists from the South Asian diaspora
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The Rush Albums Every New Fan Should Hear FirstFor newcomers, few rock catalogs are as rewarding – or admittedly, as intimidating – as Rush's. Across five decades, the Canadian trio evolved from a hard-rock band influenced by Led Zeppelin into progressive-rock pioneers, synth-era innovators, and one of the most respected acts in rock history. With 19 studio albums spanning multiple musical eras, deciding where to begin can be a challenge.

Jai’Len Josey Signs With Def Jam RecordingsDate Signed: March 2026 Label: Def Jam RecordingsType of Music: R&B, Soul-PopManagement: Taryn Anchrum - Top Ten Management; Al Branch - The Blueprint Group; Anastasia Wright - Imperial Marketing GroupBooking: Michelle Martinez, Josh Sanchez - WMELegal: Dorna TaylorPublicity: Bryan Pierce, Humbert Luna, Becky McElrath - 1964 AgencyA&R: Drew Corria - Def Jam; Laurne Munroe - Sony Music Publishing; Taryn Anchrum - Top Ten Management LLCWeb: jailenjosey.com

Jai’Len Josey is a force to be reckoned with. Being a triple threat —songwriter, singer, and actress—made her a desirable asset. Cynthia Erivo became aware of the Broadway star while producing a stage show in which Josey was performing. Erivo subsequently became a mentor. Josey knew about Erivo getting into music, so she voiced her desire to make similar waves. 

As luck would have it, Erivo was friends with screenwriter Lena Waithe. The creator of Showtime’s The Chi had a label with Def Jam, Hillman Grad Records, a perfect fit for the diva in the making. Josey signed with them in June 2021.

Two years later, the label dissolved. “Long story short, they took me straight under Def Jam,” says the R&B powerhouse hailing from Atlanta. While signed to Hillman Grad, she went on tour with recent MC cover artist Ari Lennox. That stint allowed Josey to prove her mettle, thus instilling faith in Def Jam that she has what it takes. “I was proving myself,” Josey proclaims, “to where they had no other choice but to believe what others were saying.” A songwriting deal with Sony Music Publishing, plus a management deal with WME, also came to fruition.

Before all this, a producer she felt close to did her dirty. Josey was therefore cautious when it came to signing anything. Fortunately, her mother has a music industry background, so she always had someone with insider experience to help guide her through the process. 

Josey remains content that things took longer than expected to fall into place. She’d rather shine bright for years than merely come and go like a shooting star. “I don’t want to be microwavable,” she cheekily suggests. “I want to be a pot roast. And I want to be a pot roast that tastes really good.”

Serial Romantic, Josey’s major label debut executive produced by Tricky Stewart, made its initial splash in April. The post Jai’Len Josey Signs With Def Jam Recordings first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

It’s time independent music retail found its VOICEThe following MBW op/ed comes from Stephen Godfroy, Co-Owner of independent music retailer Rough Trade
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Cole Berliner Signs With Drag CityDate Signed: October 2025Label: Drag CityType of Music: Folk, Jazz, ClassicalManagement: Self-managedBooking: Black Rice Booking (Europe)Publicity: Drag CityWeb: coleberliner.com

After making his name as a member of the bands Kamikaze Palm Tree and Sharpie Smile, Cole Berliner has gone solo and The Black Door is his debut solo full-lengther. It also marks his debut for the Drag City Label, though it’s been a long time coming.

“I have been performing since I was a kid, through after school music programs and also through school,” Berliner says. “My first ever band performance that I can remember was in 2nd grade at my school talent show. We were called The Out of Control Fireball Psychics. Fast-forward, I began writing and playing in bands with friends as a high school teenager, and it was around this time that I started experimenting and recording songs and guitar pieces of my own. Around this time/post high school I actually had self-released a couple albums on Bandcamp under the moniker Tongue Splitter.”

The artist says that his sound is based on taking lots of different things and bringing them together. “My sound is kind of a result of this, an amalgamation of everything I’ve been a part of musically or listened to over the course of my life, trying to give each one it’s place in the music while still following the inner light of self-identity,” Berliner says.

“I think it’s also safe to say that I have always liked things with a bit of edge,” he continues. “Even if it’s meant to be soft and beautiful, there has to be some sort of hardness, imperfectness, or sadness.”

While The Black Door is Berliner’s solo debut for Drag City, he’s been working with the label since his band Sharpie Smile signed with them back in 2020.

“My bandmate Dylan and I had met Dan Koretzky in L.A. because we happened to be playing some west coast shows when he was in town,” he says. “Dylan and I both played in White Fence for a while, and I think Tim Presley was the one who connected the dots with us and Dan—Dan ended up coming to a pretty random but awesome show at a strip mall in Santa Ana, and we started talking after that.”

Berliner has had the songs from The Black Door kicking around for a while, but they came to life when he re-started playing them acoustically.

“Somehow, the steel string guitar shifted my perspective back to its original feeling from when I first started writing,” he says. “It was ‘winter’ in L.A., it was foggy and mysterious, lush-green and beautiful.”The post Cole Berliner Signs With Drag City first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Pedro Winter appointed Global Head of Creation and Co-Managing Director of Because Music FranceThe founder of Ed Banger Records, launched in 2003, and former manager of Daft Punk is joining Because Music in Paris.
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In the Studio with Charles FaunaArtist: Charles FaunaProducer and Arranger: Charles FaunaCo-Production and Additional Instrumentation: Jaguar SunAdditional Bass Production:  Ronnie LanzilottaMixing Engineer: Andy D. ParkMastering Engineer: Ariel Loh

The Origin: Absorbing a world where sound, vision, and feeling overlap, Charles Fauna — the moniker of the LA/NY-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Mischer—has developed a synesthetic field where emotion, atmosphere, and imagery continuously feed into one another, crystallizing into song. Within this cross-wired framework, auditory signals, visual cues, and sonic impressions lie buried deep in the subconscious. Fauna likens his creative process to excavation: a patient unearthing of these hidden melodies.Through this sensory lens, his musical evolution unfolded in clear phases — bridging early bedroom production with the exploratory work of his first musical project, Paideia, before arriving at the fully realized identity of Charles Fauna.As Fauna, that multi-sensory perception became his compositional spine. He approached each release as a series of self-contained sonic and thematic worlds. From the grief-torn symbolism of Eulogy and the isolated sci-fi transcendence of Yonder, to the rebuilding impulse of Renewal and the synth-soaked neo-purgatory of L I M B O, Fauna’s catalog evolved into distinct themes.Yet even the most expansive musical lifecycles eventually reach a tipping point. For Fauna, “Moon Dog,” the first single from his forthcoming full-length album, signals that inflection point. Driven most notably by profound personal experiences, the track reflects a subtle shift in the way he composes music.

The Production: “Moon Dog” entered his mind in the way Fauna says much of his strongest work does — as if it had already been forming just out of reach, arriving fully intact when it was ready to be heard. Sitting in a Nashville airport terminal, a sudden creative spark emerged from the surrounding ambient noise.“The ‘ooo’ melody for the chorus was the first thing I wrote,” Fauna recalls. To the listener, it plays like a vocalized ache, echoing forever. In hindsight, he connects that moment to the broader gravity surrounding the song: his father’s declining health and later loss. “That image of yearning, howling, desperately reaching out into the universe only to be met with silence, felt so devastating and powerful. It felt true.”That fragmented scribble in the airport foreshadowed a distinct heaviness. As his father’s health later declined, the idea Fauna had already drawn from his subconscious became the outlet. This spurred a creative push, fusing that  melancholic feeling with a specific key and color profile.“I always think in visual terms when I’m writing,” he explains. “I have synesthesia, so different musical keys have very strong color associations for me.” For Fauna, B minor is a key associated with a deep, nocturnal blue. Guided by this vivid sensory palette, the track settled into a vision of wide-open fields bathed in the stillness of the night. This imagery aligned with broader themes of expansiveness and freedom across the forthcoming album— a feeling he describes as “running without resistance.” 

Beyond the visual mechanics of his synesthesia, this concept of boundlessness translates directly into tangible production choices. Upending his usual digital routine, Fauna swapped programmed electronic patterns for live drums to give the rhythmic foundation a more physical, human feel. Leaning into this live instrumentation was a deliberate return to his musical background.“The drums are actually my first instrument, and the only one for which I received any kind of formal training,” he notes. That foundational background shaped how he balanced the rhythm section for “Moon Dog,” ensuring the low-end retained a deep, driving beat while maintaining high-end clarity. Ultimately, Fauna engineered this balance to evoke a specific physical environment: “a song meant for the car, for long meditative drives…”Texturally, this live rhythmic spirit allowed Fauna to layer contrasting musical elements and build a vivid, sensory ecosystem. He explicitly wanted the track to feel kaleidoscopic, juxtaposing a prickly acoustic guitar — which he notes “felt like rain drops down your neck” — against vast, open space.To achieve this fluid spaciousness without relying on electronic patches, Fauna studied intricate fingerpicking styles. “I was really inspired by classical guitar playing — how notes create these cascading waterfalls that seem to bounce downward — like a marble falling down a staircase," he explains. "Gravity dictates a unique rhythm. In this case, I wanted to fill this song with [similar] acoustic guitar textures. That ended up being a sonic throughline for the entire album.”

Translating that physical performance, however, presented a challenge. “It is a dance between creating that lush, transportive ambience while resisting the impulse to fill every empty moment with a sound,” Fauna says. “It’s very easy to start filling up the negative space in a track to the point where it becomes overwhelming to listen to.” Ultimately, the track rejects rigid, pre-constructed digital environments in favor of something more lived-in. This transition toward more tactile textures mirrors a personal evolution. “I wanted the production to reflect a version of me that was a little more mature, more assured, and more relaxed. Where before I might have produced an EDM drum beat and used synth bass, this time I knew it had to all be live. I wanted more of a band feeling with this album.”As one of the first songs to fully realize this new approach, “Moon Dog” signals a broader recalibration in his creative process.  Whether it marks the closing of a chapter or the beginning of something new remains unresolved, but whatever is on the horizon, Fauna is listening through his familiar synesthetic language while remaining open to how it might evolve.“It’s a perfect snapshot of me in my 30s,” Fauna reflects on the song. “Still doing this whole artist thing solely out of passion and personal fulfillment rather than some need to be seen. I’ll always love it for that reason.”

Photo Courtesy of Big Picture MediaThe post In the Studio with Charles Fauna first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.