NEDA

British-Iranian artist NEDA only made her debut toward the tail-end of 2025, but she has already started to make waves in the alt-country scene. The twenty-five-year-old from Lewisham crafts music built around a very specific, unique trinity of influences. Country sits at the core of her sound, but flecks of Iranian influence find themselves working their way into her sonic palette. Both worlds are brought together by a futuristic production style that nods toward electronic producers such as Flava D and Yaeji. Her debut single, ‘Leave’, is the perfect encapsulation of her sound. Through her music, she is able to pay tribute to the cultural heritage she holds so dear, while being given the freedom to look at topics that wouldn’t be possible to discuss back home. NEDA’s music is freeing and innovative, and 2026 is going to be a big year for her.

they are gutting a body of water

Philadelphia-based shoegaze revivalists, they are gutting a body of water, have gone from strength to strength in 2025. Earlier in the year, they announced their signing to ATO Records through the release of ‘American Food’, and just a few months later, revealed their new album, LOTTO. Their sound is centred in reality, aiming to fight back against a world defined by automation and AI by keeping musicians in a room together, recording live onto tape. They perform their experimental, electronic-tinted shoegaze sat on the floor, facing each other and ignoring the chaos of the room as they create together. A combination of this endearing stagecraft and the uniqueness of their sound has quickly earned the band a committed cult following. they are gutting a body of water are gearing up to spend the first few months of 2026 on tour around the UK and Europe, with a stop in London on February 13th.

Bleech 9:3

Irish four-piece Bleech 9:3 are a raucous alt-grunge band defined by their heavy, 90s-inspired sound. Tracks like ‘Ceiling’ and ‘Jacky’ are simultaneously bleak and cathartic, but Bleech 9:3 are more than just their music. Their story started when frontmen Baz Quinlan and Sam Duffy met at AA, where Baz became Sam’s sponsor. Their commitment to the band saw them move to London in 2024, quickly offering their bandmates an ultimatum - come to London, or be replaced. On the final day possible, the stars aligned and the band were able to move forward, tighter than ever. In 2025, they toured with both Keo and Shame, before selling out a triple-header of London headline dates in just eighteen minutes. It’s pretty obvious that 2026 is going to be huge for Bleech 9:3.

Knats

Newcastle Upon Tyne-based modern jazz titans Knats have had a huge year. Beyond playing the BBC Proms, Jazz Refreshed and the Jazz Cafe, they’ve acted as R&B legend Eddie Chacon’s backing band on a UK tour, and supported Black Midi frontman Geordie Greeep on a solo tour. Their live energy is infectious and unpredictable, finding a middle ground between sophistication, chaos, complexity and danceability. They may be active in London, but this isn’t London jazz - there are notes of funk, Latin, drum & bass and classical music woven into their sound. Their studio endeavours have been equally fruitful, as the band released their debut self-titled debut album back in March. It’s filled with tributes to their loved ones, with the darkness of ‘Se7en’ dedicated to Stan Woodward’s dad, and the West African percussion breaks of ‘Adaeze’ paying tribute to King David-Ike Elechi’s late sister. They’re a trailblazing band with a lot more to prove in 2026.

Moss Side Sauna Club

Moss Side Sauna Club are one of Manchester’s most hyped newcomers. The trio, formed of Will Brooks, Maddy Storm and Sam Craighan, sound like few others. They bring together a warped, distorted electro-clash production style and a hazy approach to the guitar, as well as a clear gift for a topline - memorable, beautifully harmonised hooks always find their way to the surface, no matter how unsettling the accompaniment beneath becomes. Their lyrics are laced with morbidity, and their off-kilter, tongue-in-cheek vocal delivery always perfectly matches their instrumentals. Keep an eye out as the trio continues to explore the boundaries of genre-defying pop music in 2026.