Scottish New Music Round-up: February 2025

We dive into new albums from Constant Follower, Maud the Moth and F.O. Machete as well as EPs from Marcus Engwall, Isabella Strange and more

Feature by Tallah Brash | 04 Feb 2025
  • Constant Follower

January was a busy month. On day one, P3, the collaborative record from producer Supermann on da beat and rapper xidontile arrived, with debut albums later in the month from Lost Map signee Curtis Miles (What Could've Become Of) and husband-wife duo Beautiful Cosmos (Dance of the Atoms). There were loads of new singles too from the likes of waverley. (Nettle), Rianne Downey (The Song of Old Glencoe), Pleasure Trail (I Think I’m Just Exhausted), Rebecca Vasmant (Rooted), MALKA (Baby I Need This) and Jacob Alon (Liquid Gold 25).

When it comes to February, Glasgow-based Natasha Noramly and Paul Mellon, aka F.O. Machete, are back together after over a decade apart, and Mother of a Thousand arrives on the 14th via Last Night From Glasgow. Opener Confetti Crown lands somewhere in the cracks between Pom Poko, Deerhoof and MGMT; Noramly’s razor blade-studded candyfloss vocal floats over tricky time signatures, and a chorus that calls to mind Time To Pretend, although dripping in guitars rather than synths. Recorded at Chem19 with Paul Savage, pummeling drums, jagged guitars and Noramly’s unique vocals are all given space to shine, coalescing into a beautiful post-rock, post-punk, alt-pop, shoegaze cocktail, Noramly’s poetic lyricism and vocal delivery the sharp, sweet and tart flaming twist of citrus on top.

On 21 February, Edinburgh-based, Madrid-born mezzo-soprano and pianist Amaya Lopez-Carromero releases The Distaff as Maud the Moth. Despite being originally conceived in a singer-songwriter fashion, the end product is an expert convergence of impressive noise, every found sound, every cymbal crash, every metallic screech, every cello bow, every static squall and every vocal run meticulously placed. Exploring 'generational trauma and catharsis' across nine tracks, The Distaff unfolds like a modern-day, avant-garde opera filled with incomprehensible levels of drama, beauty and pain.


Maud the Moth. Image: Scott McLean.

On 28 February, more beauty arrives with The Smile You Send Out Returns to You from Constant Follower, the follow-up to Stephen McAll's SAY Award-shortlisted album Neither Is, Nor Ever Was. At the end of last year, McAll told us that the album’s title was borrowed from a phrase his dad used to say to him, which he sees, “Not as a 'give and ye shall get', but more like the kindnesses you give to the world, enriches us all.” And you can feel that across the record, despite the occasional ominous undertone as McAll addresses past traumas head-on. All Is Well, a song about resilience and overcoming adversity, is the album in microcosm as McAll sings ‘And then the codeine takes effect / another Sisyphus is born’ over a muffled pulsing bass wub, the song punctuated with surpising electronic flourishes. Ultimately, The Smile You Send Out Returns to You offers the kindness akin to being wrapped in a warm blanket after a blustery walk along the beach, the elements stinging your face. “I have hope for the future," McAll told us last year. "And I think that the record reflects that hopefulness.”

On 5 February, Edinburgh rapper and producer Tzusan releases his latest album Ponzu, while a couple of days later, led by Glasgow saxophonist Brian Molley, the Brian Molley Quartet release Journeys (7 Feb), a collaborative album with the Asin Langa Ensemble of Northern India, fusing together jazz and traditional Indian folk for something altogether unique. The following week, The View frontman Kyle Falconer releases his latest solo record, The One I Love the Most (14 Feb), while a few days later Gates of Light release Gates of Light II (London Edition) (17 Jan). At the end of the month, The Glasgow Barons release Lab Raps (28 Feb), an experimental collaborative record that fuses together artists across classical, jazz, folk and hip-hop disciplines, with some standout vocal turns from rapper SVG and Gaelic Scots singer Evie Waddell.

There are some impressive EPs out this month too. On 1 February, alt-punk outfit Isabella Strange release their punchy EP, Slick Git, all 'raw jams and feminist undertones.' An exciting debut from the Edinburgh four-piece, check out our recent chat with them. Later in the month, Glasgow-based, Swedish-Indonesian Marcus Engwall releases his debut EP, Glacial Pace (21 Feb). Inspired by artists like The Beach Boys, Todd Rundgren and Mac DeMarco, everything about Glacial Pace feels beautifully considered, with a lightness of touch both instrumentally and vocally that’s hard to teach, one of those you either got it or you don’t situations.

On the same day, Glasgow singer-songwriter Niamh Morris explores love and heartbreak on Strawberries & Honey, and BBC Radio 1 Future Artist, Edinburgh electronic producer Fourth Daughter releases Full Bloom. At the end of the month, seek out City Girl, the latest EP from jazz sensation Georgia Cécile. You’ll find loads of new singles peppering the month too from The Micro Band (Lamb’s Tongue Tango, 1 Feb), Nikhita (Late Karachay, 6 Feb), Lugas Europ (Horse Manure, 7 Feb), Disco Mary (Small Quakes, 13 Feb), Grayling (Always, 14 Feb), Lacuna (Shelley, 14 Feb), Bottle Rockets (Video Call, 20 Feb), Jeshua (Happiness Is Calling Me, 20 Feb) and more.