SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

The first SONGS WE LOVED! edition of 2025 brings you an eclectic mix of standout song releases, setting the tone for an exciting year ahead!

Featuring Blue Foundation, The Seldom Scene, Mags McCarthy, Without Willow, Diane Coll, María Mazote, Tuesday Night Whites, West Coast Music Club, Kentucky, Spark of Life, and Movieland.

By Chris RoditisMusicngear Lead Editor

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025


Follow the SONGS WE LOVED! playlist on Spotify


Blue Foundation - Close to the Knife

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Blue Foundation’s latest single, Close to the Knife, blends dream pop and shoegaze elements to create a sonic reflection of unfulfilled longing.

Helena Gao and Tobias Wilner share vocal duties, weaving a story of love and connection that remains just out of reach. The song’s layered production highlights reverb-laden guitars, smooth vocals, and eerie atmospherics, creating a compelling backdrop that allows the emotive vocal delivery to shine through.

Connect with Blue Foundation
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The Seldom Scene - Last of the Steam-Powered Trains 

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

With their take on Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, The Seldom Scene deliver an exhilarating nod to tradition while keeping their progressive edge intact.

Originally penned by The Kinks, the track gets a bluegrass makeover that’s every bit as raucous and electrifying as its roots. Lou Reid’s commanding lead vocals ride atop a powerhouse ensemble of dobro, banjo, mandolin, and acoustic guitar, all coming together in a relentless, high-octane performance. 

From their earliest days in Bethesda’s basements to the hallowed halls of bluegrass history, The Seldom Scene prove, yet again, why they remain one of the genre’s most enduring forces.

Last of the Steam-Powered Trains is a vibrant addition to their legacy - a perfect blend of reverence and reinvention.

If it doesn’t leave you stomping your feet and yearning for more, check your pulse. 

Connect with The Seldom Scene
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Mags McCarthy - Our Song

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Mags McCarthy delivers pure magic with her latest single, Our Song. A heartfelt celebration of love and soul connections, the song radiates warmth and hope, with Mags’ vocals glowing with an undeniable feel-good charm.

Blending the soulful storytelling of Nashville with the rich traditions of her Irish roots, Mags creates something truly special. Recorded in Dublin’s Windmill Lane Studios and Nashville, Our Song is a harmonious fusion of two worlds, brought together with grace and passion.

Connect with Mags McCarthy
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Without Willow - Sink My Teeth

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Without Willow's Sink My Teeth is a heartfelt anthem of quiet resilience, carried by Karen Kelly’s crystal-clear vocals and Simon McCafferty’s masterful guitar work.

Stripped back yet deeply evocative, the track invites you to stand tall and reclaim your voice in challenging moments.

This is music that feels like home: simple, and profoundly human. As Karen’s voice washes over you, each note unlocks memories you didn’t realize you’d tucked away.

With their Donegal roots grounding their artistry and a stunning April 12th headline show at Lifford Old Courthouse on the horizon, Without Willow continue to prove that less is often more.

Watch Without Willow perform 'Sink My Teeth' unplugged

Connect with Without Willow
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Diane Coll - Night Sky Speaks

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 With Night Sky Speaks, Diane Coll, delivers a heartfelt guitar-driven ballad that feels like a quiet conversation with the universe.

Her vocals, radiant yet tender, guide the listener through an intimate reflection on finding solace in the vast unknown. The arrangement balances delicate melodies with a steady emotional pull, offering a moment of calm that’s both grounding and uplifting.

The song is taken from her evocative fourth album, Up From the Mud - an album that captures Coll’s magic in connecting deeply with her listeners.

Connect with Diane Coll
Facebook / Spotify


María Mazote - Una cosa rara

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 María Mazote’s Una Cosa Rara is a sonic punch to the chaos of human connection. With biting guitars and a rhythm section that refuses to relent, the Santiago quartet uncovers the beauty of vulnerability in a world often ruled by pretense.

Crafted with heart and intensity in their own production, this track doesn’t just ask for honesty; it demands it, all while solidifying María Mazote as a rebellious cornerstone of modern rock.

Connect with María Mazote
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Tuesday Night Whites - 23

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Tuesday Night Whites crank the volume and light up the night with 23, an indie rock banger that feels like a snapshot of youthful rebellion and unfiltered joy.

From the opening riff to the anthemic chorus, the Lancashire-based five-piece crafts a euphoric ode to late-night escapades, where blue lights flash, but freedom never fades.

With lyrics that paint evocative scenes of fleeting moments and dreamlike connections, 23 is the kind of track that demands to be shouted at the top of your lungs while the world blurs around you.

So, hit play, crank up the volume, and enjoy the ride!

Connect with Tuesday Night Whites
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West Coast Music Club - 1989

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 1989 is a time machine to sunlit summers, where the guitars jangle like waves hitting the shore and the vocals shimmer with heartfelt longing.

Packed with the joy of first love and the bittersweet ache of nostalgia, 1989 bottles the fleeting magic of youth into three perfect minutes.

Think golden days, wide-open skies, and the soundtrack to a life well-lived - it’s a musical postcard you’ll want to revisit again and again.

Connect with West Coast Music Club
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Kentucky - Runway

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Kentucky’s Runway melts simplicity and depth into a soul-stirring narrative.

With gentle vocals flowing over a backdrop of acoustic strings, Jordan Holman delivers an emotionally charged anthem for those standing on the edge of transformation.

The song’s minimalist instrumentation, paired with lyrics that grapple with love, departure, and self-reinvention, feels like a late-night confession and serves as proof that, sometimes, the simplest melodies carry the heaviest truths.

Connect with Kentucky 
Facebook / Instagram / Spotify


Spark of Life - In Pursuit Of

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025
Photo Credit: Kody Piscitello

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Southern California post-hardcore powerhouse Spark of Life deliver a powerful punch with In Pursuit Of, a thunderous banger from their forthcoming album, Plagued By The Human Condition.

The song brims with unbridled energy, featuring a killer blend of heartland rock riffs, sharp lyricism, and Steve Jennings’ passionate vocal performance. Described by Jennings as a dive into the high stakes of love and heartbreak, In Pursuit Of is a headfirst charge into emotional vulnerability and explosive soundscapes. 

This is your morning anthem - play it loud, and let the adrenaline take over.

Connect with Spark of Life
Instagram / Spotify / Website


Movieland - (A Sort Of) Icarus

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025

Article photo - SONGS WE LOVED! 13-19 January 2025 Movieland's Then & Now, part of 604 Records’ 604 Decades series, resurrects the Vancouver shoegaze scene from the '90s. This reissue features a collection of rarities and demos, showcasing the band’s blend of psych-tinged melodicism and noisy experimentalism.

Taken from the album, (A Sort Of) Icarus will carry you through a vibrant soundscape, that channels the warm, atmospheric tones of shoegaze with a hypnotic blend of guitar swells and subtle drumming.

The layered sound invites you to drift deeper into their world while maintaining a sense of personal distance. It’s a track that feels just as much about what’s unsaid as it is about what’s expressed, resonating with anyone who’s ever been caught in the stillness of uncertainty.

Ready for a nostalgic ride back to the hazy ‘90s?

Connect with Movieland
FacebookInstagram / Spotify


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About Chris Roditis

Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.

Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@kinkl.com