REVIEWS | New Music Discoveries: Alt-Rock, Indie-Pop & Psych-Pop Highlights with Chaidura, Kristina Wilson & More
- SHOWGRAPHERS
- Dec 2
- 3 min read
In this edition of indie and alt-pop music reviews, we highlight the most compelling new music discoveries of the season. Chaidura opens a darker, more vulnerable chapter with explosive alt-rock on “Heaven”, while Kristina Wilson blends indie-pop shimmer with alt-folk intimacy on her debut album "Dating Broken Boys". Wotts explore dreamy psych-pop textures on “he spoke with conviction”, Stomp Box Choir deliver cinematic electronic soul on “Magnifier”, and Last Relapse return with guitar-driven alt-rock on their new EP. These tracks showcase the freshest voices in new music discoveries, offering emotion, energy, and unforgettable melodies.
"Heaven" by Chaidura
Chaidura opens a darker, more vulnerable chapter with “Heaven”, a cathartic alt-rock release that turns frustration, self-doubt, and surrender into pure, explosive energy. The track hits hard — heavy guitars, dramatic atmosphere, and raw emotional urgency make it feel like a leap back to his emo-visual roots. What makes it stand out is the clarity of intention: Chaidura isn’t posturing, he’s confronting himself in real time. With more singles on the way and the LIMINAL EP arriving next year alongside his first UK tour, “Heaven” signals a chapter that’s both heavier and more human than anything he’s done before.
“A storm breaking from the inside out.”
"Dating Broken Boys" by Kristina Wilson
Kristina Wilson’s debut album "Dating Broken Boys" dives headfirst into the chaos of modern love — part confessional diary, part late-night chat with a friend who tells it exactly as it is. Blending indie-pop shimmer with tender alt-folk edges, Wilson transforms heartbreak, self-reckoning, and messy decisions into something wry, warm, and deeply relatable. With tracks like “Dumbitchitis” setting a clever, vulnerable tone, the album’s storytelling feels luminous throughout, marking Wilson as one of Australia’s most promising new voices.
“A debut that turns heartbreak into something bright and beautifully self-aware.”
"he spoke with conviction" by Wotts
Wotts lean fully into their psych-pop instincts on “he spoke with conviction”, layering soft-focus guitars and analog synth haze into a track that feels warm at first but carries quiet weight underneath. It’s a dreamy drift through the little lies we tell ourselves, delivered with the duo’s signature ear for melody and mood. As a preview of their upcoming EP COPE, the song captures that uneasy space between coping and escaping, closing out their year with one of their most immersive releases yet.
“Dreamy on the surface, devastating just beneath it.”
"Magnifier" by Stomp Box Choir
Stomp Box Choir introduce themselves with “Magnifier”, a beautifully crafted, cinematic blend of soulful songwriting and modern electronic production. Deep bass lines, glowing synth textures, and melodic guitar work create a rich, immersive atmosphere, while Burcu Bahar Aydin’s expressive vocals give the track its emotional centre. Intimate yet widescreen, this debut sets the tone for a project built on freedom, texture, and quiet melancholy, marking Stomp Box Choir as a collective worth watching.
“A debut that glows from the inside out.”
"Last Relapse - EP" by Last Relapse
After 13 years, Last Relapse return with an EP that feels like unfinished business finally finding its shape. Guitar-forward, widescreen, and immediate, the songs carry the emotional grit that defined the band’s early days. Lead single “Everyone Dances Outside of Their Bodies” set the tone, but “Rats in a Cage” proves they aren’t easing back in — they’re swinging hard. What makes this EP stand out is the way closure becomes momentum, showing a band reconnecting with their past just enough to build something new. It’s built for late nights, long drives, and repeat listens.
“A return that feels like rediscovery rather than nostalgia.”
Check out our official SHOWGRAPHERS playlists with even more songs: