REVIEWS | New Music Discoveries: Indie-Pop, Alt-Pop & Alt-Rock Tracks with The Assist, Justin Hawkins & More
- SHOWGRAPHERS
- Dec 9, 2025
- 3 min read
In this edition of indie and alt-pop music reviews, we highlight the most compelling new music discoveries of the season. The Assist bring chaotic festive cheer on indie-pop anthem “Divorced For Christmas”, while Justin Hawkins delivers a tender, intimate alt-pop slow-burn on “Views”. WOOF immerses listeners in raw, brooding post-punk on “Bedtime Story”. and Ula charts a bold, atmospheric alt-pop universe on her EP "Boysulk". SIRENS offer a cinematic, hushed debut with “Envy”. These tracks showcase the freshest voices in new music discoveries, offering emotion, energy, and unforgettable melodies.
THE ASSIST – “Divorced For Christmas”
The Assist twist festive cheer into something brilliantly chaotic on “Divorced For Christmas”, a buoyant indie-pop whirlwind built on retro-warm piano, handclap rhythms, and those lush harmonies. It’s glossy on the surface, but delightfully messy underneath—arguments, disasters, and relationship meltdowns wrapped in tinsel. What makes the track so lovable is its self-awareness: it celebrates the kind of Christmas where everything goes wrong and you cope by laughing (and maybe pouring another drink). Equal parts charming and unhinged, it’s a seasonal anthem for anyone who loves the holidays but doesn’t pretend they’re perfect.
“A brilliantly chaotic Christmas anthem for people who love the season just as much as they love complaining about it.”
JUSTIN HAWKINS – “Views”
Justin Hawkins leans into a softer, more romantic register on “Views”, an alt-pop slow-burn built for late-night drives and moments when your guard finally slips. The track floats on smooth production, a warm rhythmic sway, and Hawkins’ disarmingly open vocal delivery. What sets it apart is its sense of ease—there’s no overcomplication here, just those quiet, tender seconds when you stop doubting and let yourself fall. It’s understated, dreamy, and deceptively addictive, revealing a more intimate dimension to Hawkins’ artistic world.
“A mellow, addictive slow-burn that captures the moment you stop overthinking and simply let someone in.”
WOOF – “Bedtime Story”
WOOF returns with “Bedtime Story”, a brooding post-punk confessional that feels both literary and uncomfortably raw. The track coils around gritty guitars and shadowed production, but it’s the lyrics—sharp, unguarded, and almost too honest—that make it impossible to shake off. WOOF has a gift for turning emotional bruises into something cathartic, and here he digs into the stories we cling to long after they’ve hurt us. It’s moody, immersive, and one of his most affecting releases yet.
“A dark, poetic gut-punch of a track—unflinching, cinematic, and impossible to forget.”
ULA – Boysulk
Ula’s "Boysulk" is a striking alt-pop statement—dark, atmospheric, and brimming with the confidence of an artist fully steering her own vision. Across five tracks, she blends shadowy electronics with lyrical vulnerability, letting her voice glide from icy delicacy to cinematic boldness. What makes the EP stand out is its cohesion: every song feels like a doorway into her inner world, yet the project never repeats itself. It’s bold, immersive, and a decisive declaration of Ula’s evolution as a solo creator.
“A bold, atmospheric alt-pop universe that marks Ula’s clearest creative identity yet.”
SIRENS – “Envy”
SIRENS introduce themselves with “Envy”, a breathtakingly gentle debut that feels like stepping into a forest at dusk—soft vocals, drifting ambience, and emotions that echo long after they’re sung. The Scottish duo channel the introspective pull of Daughter and Aurora, but carve out their own space with a sound that’s cinematic without losing its intimacy. What truly shines is the songwriting’s emotional restraint; everything is delivered in whispers, yet the feeling hits deep. It’s a debut that stops time.
“A beautifully hushed, cinematic debut that turns inner chaos into something tender and deeply human.”
Check out our official SHOWGRAPHERS playlists with even more songs: