Author: acute.pop

[song] Crippling Alcoholism – bedrot

acute.pop

A month from now, Camgirl, the new album by Crippling Alcoholism, will be released on Portrayal of Guilt. We’ve already heard two brilliant tracks from it, and now the band continues their hot streak of singles with the latest, “bedrot”.

In this frantic yet mesmerising piece, jagged noise rock guitars and murky, gothic post-punk basslines intertwine like shadow and substance. At the same time, atmospheric synths drift through the chaos, offering moments of fragile beauty amid the grim. And when the chorus hits, by far the biggest and punchiest of their career, it lands like a tidal wave, surging with brute, cathartic force.

Check it out below and pre-order the record on Bandcamp.

[song] Nerves – Don’t Let Go

acute.pop
Photo by Erin Plaice

With their new EP Iarmhaireacht arriving August 15, West Irish noise rock quartet Nerves release the final single from it, titled “Don’t Let Go”.

A six-minute descent into the band’s industrialised, emotionally charged soundscape, the track, shaped by the meticulous hand of producer Daniel Fox (Gilla Band), is a jagged jewel of cascading noise and shadow. It drags you into its dystopian orbit and doesn’t let go, leaving you breathless, suspended in its abrasive, haunting beauty.

Speaking about it, frontman Kyle Thornton says: “The lyrics live in a place of total loss, but there’s something in the music that suggests hope, that maybe things can only get better from here. It’s that final act of denial you make before accepting that something is really over. Or maybe a final act of defiance. It depends how you hear it”.

Listen below.

[live] The Horrors announce EU tour dates for 2025/2026

acute.pop

Following the band’s official announcements and latest Instagram update, The Horrors have confirmed full five-piece live shows across Europe in September 2025 and February 2026. All previously purchased tickets remain valid for the rescheduled dates.

September 2025

(unchanged and going ahead as planned)

  • Sep 4 — Berlin, Germany — Gretchen
  • Sep 5 — Cologne, Germany — Gebäude 9
  • Sep 6 — Heusden, Netherlands — Misty Fields Festival
  • Sep 8 — Brussels, Belgium — Le Botanique
  • Sep 9 — Paris, France — Le Trabendo

February 2026 – Rescheduled European Shows

(originally planned for September 2025 — now moved to early 2026)

  • Feb 16 — Milan, Italy — Magazzini Generali
  • Feb 19 — Aarau, Switzerland — KIFF
  • Feb 20 — Vienna, Austria — Flex
  • Feb 22 — Prague, Czech Republic — fuchs2
  • Feb 23 — Warsaw, Poland — NIEBO
  • Feb 24 — Budapest, Hungary — A38 Ship

The September dates will see the band return to mainland Europe for the first time in years, performing with their full five-piece line-up (instead of trio, as announced earlier). The rescheduled shows also promise a “full band live attack”.

Find all ticket information here and listen to the group’s latest LP Night Life below.

[video] John Maus – I Hate Antichrist

acute.pop

It’s been a while since we’ve heard new music from John Maus, and “I Hate Antichrist” marks a truly satisfying and bold return from the American musician. The track successfully mixes his signature anthemic lo-fi synth-pop with experimental elements, and its infectious energy gives it the feel of an instant earworm.

Maus live in Turin’24

It seems he’s also gearing up to release a new record this year, although no official announcement has been made yet. Speaking about the song, Maus states: “The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time a claim is made to realise, within history, that messianic hope which can only be fulfilled beyond history through the eschatological judgment”.

Be sure to catch John Maus live in Italy this year, as he is set to perform at the XXIII edition of the Club to Club Festival in Turin (find more details here). The single is accompanied by an unsettling, surreal animated visual directed by Andrew Norman Wilson.

Watch below.

[live] These New Puritans announce EU / UK tour dates

acute.pop

In October and November, These New Puritans will return to Europe/UK for the big tour, on which they will premiere their recently announced upcoming LP Crooked Wing (set for release on May 23 via Domino, pre-order is available here). It will start in Riga on October 4 and finish in Berlin on November 20.

There will be three dates in Italy (via DNA Concerti), as per below:

October 21 – Santeria Toscana 31, Milan
October 22 – Monk, Rome
October 23 – Locomotiv, Bologna

Watch the video for the latest single “Industrial Love Song” below and find more tour information here.