This week’s picks of the week feature a whole host of fresh faces. I’ve actually been proactively searching to bring you the best music from a whole host of new bands this week, ones that I haven’t covered before. So here are this week’s picks!

1. Mudhole – Kagoule

Genre: Grunge; Shoegaze; Indie

Fans of The Joy Formidable and Deftones will definitely be pleased with this one. Kagoule are a great three-piece band hailing from Nottingham that are definitely set for big things. With a great sound that seems set for big venues and strong use of melody, the band are definitely one of the more exciting new acts I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing.

You can listen to the track here.

2. Toothache – Moats

Genre: Indie

Moats are a band with a very interesting sound. Combining the chilled yet strangely haunting vocal delivery of early 1990s shoegaze, the shimmering sounds of 1980s indie and the angst-filled energy of 1970s punk, ‘Toothache’ displays this sound perfectly. Available as part of their free to download mini-album ‘Singapore‘, this track is definitely one to listen to in order to introduce yourself to this great indie band.

You can listen to the track here.

3. Peg Roper – Skull TV

Genre: Art Rock; Instrumental

Skull TV are a midlands band that excel at making gripping pieces of instrumental art rock. Each track by this band is unique and takes you on a special journey. With ‘Peg Roper’ the journey is one that is made all the more interesting and compelling by the contrast between the shimmering guitar parts and the harder-hitting, raw guitar sound which occasionally scorches across the musical landscape. It’s a very interesting piece and definitely one to listen to. Personally, I recommend listening to it late at night: something about the track makes it the perfect thing to listen to in the dead of night.

You can listen to the track here.

4. Egomania – MoCara

Genre: Ska; Punk; Rock ‘N’ Roll

Combining ska and punk always make for an interesting sound, but when you also throw a bit of classic rock sounding soaring guitars into the mix you’re surely onto a winner. With ‘Egomania’, MoCara show their unique sound and what they are capable of. A catchy song that combines all the angst and energy of punk with the jauntiness of Ska and the power of classic rock, the band are on top form with this track. I recommend listening to this track.

You can listen to the track here.

5. Balanced By No Means – Clockwork Owls

Genre: Indie; Alternative

Passionate, energetic and skillful. Those are three qualities which I personally look for in any band, let alone any band trying to break into a genre as competitive as indie rock. Luckily for Clockwork Owls, they definitely have these qualities. With crystal-clear guitars, steady bass, rough-yet-powerful vocals and muscular drums, the band have everything they need to make an impact in the indie rock world. And as ‘Balanced By No Means’ demonstrates, the band have the ability to demonstrate their best qualities very well in recordings.

You can listen to the track here.