The Vicar bring a laid back groove and casual crunchiness to their new single ‘Poor Tools,’ out now. I dig the drumming and drum tone on this one, it really drives the whole thing.
Mixed by Ezekiel Padmanabham
Mastered by Dan at ENCODER Sound.
Gentle Duel — Wrong Turn Town
Gentle Duel release their debut record Wrong Turn Town. It’s so good to hear this band stretch-out for an entire album, producing a really consistent and compelling work. The through line of the record really feels like strong musicianship and a deep connection between the players and their creative project.
Artwork by David Fooks
Recorded and mixed by Jethro Pickett and Tim Broxton
Mastered by Dan @ENCODERSound
The Sink (ft. Racoo) — Mainstay
The Sink release their Mainstay EP. I love the crunchiness of this record. When listening I get the sense I’m unearthing an archival recording of some band I’ve never heard, later to discover they’ve had a cult following all along. The dual vocals is a feature.
Recorded by The Sink
Mixed by Rhien Tan
Mastered by Dan at ENCODER Sound.
Oakabella Mae — Ataraxy (But Actually Calm)
Oakabella Mae’s ‘Ataraxy (But Actually Calm)’ is out now. Swirling guitars and cello surround a dry, very real vocal performance. This alternate to ‘Ataraxy’ (originally on Complimentary Ghost (2025) is more stripped back and intimate, the two versions sitting nicely in timbral opposition.
Recorded and mixed by Arran O’Mara
Mastered by Dan @ENCODERSound
Lyndon Blue with Flora Carbo — Winding
Lyndon Blue’s field recording travels and studio practice take the form of Winding this time around. In Lyndon’s words: “these are tunes created ad hoc and on the move in Mexico using an old ipad and a broken tape dictaphone.”
The grooves are nicely off kilter and the shell sonically tingling. Additions from Flora Carbo on saxophone pull on existent threads, winding a path through the album and ultimately binding it together. Revel in the grit, listen through the noise, and try it in one sitting for maximum effect.
Winding is the RTRFM Local Feature Release for the week of May 18th, 2026.
Saxophone Flora Carbo
Recorded and mixed Lyndon Blue
Mastered Dan at ENCODER Sound.