Spotlight On... New Scottish Music in 2025

As is becoming tradition in the music section for the January issue, we take a look at the musicians we’re excited about for the year ahead. In alphabetical order, this year includes a mix of relatively new talent, alongside grassroots artists who have been at it for a while but have new music on the horizon that we can’t wait to hear. 

Dancer

Glasgow post-punk outfit Dancer released their excellent debut album, 10 Songs I Hate About You, early last year, attracting favourable end of year attention from bigwigs like Pitchfork who dubbed it their sixth favourite rock album of the year. In their Instagram post sharing the news, Dancer announced that they're due to start recording LP2 this month, which we’re very excited for. Oh ya dancer! @dancerareaband on Instagram; photo by Anthony Gerace

Elisabeth Elektra

At the end of last September, Glasgow singer, songwriter and producer Elisabeth Elektra returned with queer anthem and pop banger Desire. Co-produced alongside Jonny Scott (CHVRCHES, The Kills), it’s the first single to be taken from Elektra’s forthcoming new album, Hypersigil, due early this year. A celebration of sexuality, we can’t wait to hear the rest of the record. @elisabethelektramusic on Instagram; photo by Greta Kalva

EYVE

Last March, Glasgow-based Zimbabwean singer, songwriter and rapper EYVE released the powerful and captivating EP Sista! Beyond the Sky Isn’t the Limit. Also one hell of a live performer, this year, she hopes to further her craft, collaborating with artists from across different disciplines. She also plans to incorporate visuals into her live performances, aims to explore Afro techno in her music, and is set to perform at showcase festival Focus Wales in May. @nameseyve on Instagram; photo by Najma Abukar

Former Champ

Featuring members of Martha Ffion, Savage Mansion, Catholic Action and Secret Motorbikes, Glasgow’s Former Champ released their first music in 2022. Last year came two excellent EPs with the five-piece back in the studio this month to track their debut album, due later in the year. They play The Hug & Pint this month (11 Jan), and have more live shows and festival slots planned, alongside more releases and shows with Hand of God, the small label they run. @former.champ on Instagram; photo by Rosie Sco

Fourth Daughter

Edinburgh electronic artist and producer Emily Atkinson, aka Fourth Daughter, had a bit of a wild ride in the second half of last year when her dancefloor-bothering single Higher (Just a Feeling) was dubbed Track of the Week on Radio 1. With her follow-up single Hybrid also receiving airplay on the station, her new EP Full Bloom is due in February, alongside a headline show at Cabaret Voltaire, and she’s set to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas, as an official artist. @iamfourthdaughter on Instagram; photo by Laura Prieto

Goodnight Louisa

As Goodnight Louisa, Louise McCraw released one of our favourite Scottish albums – Human Danger – in 2022. With her first new music since then arriving last October in the form of the woozy and atmospheric synth-pop number Grace Jones, McCraw has plans for a follow-up to Human Danger this year, so expect plenty more expert storytelling over bright synths and alt-pop as the year rolls on. @goodnightlouisa on Instagram; photo by Laura Meek

Gout

After having played only two shows, Glasgow doom-metal outfit Gout found themselves nominated in the Best Metal category at last year’s Scottish Live Music Awards, much to their amusement. Featuring members of The Ninth Wave and Lucia & The Best Boys, the sound these four are making couldn't be further away from either of those bands. The first in a series of “loud, angry, nihilistic” releases due in 2025, their Born Rotting EP is out this month. @__gout on Instagram; photo by Lucia Fairfull

Indoor Foxes

Last May, singer-songwriter Martha Barr played Wide Days as Indoor Foxes, immediately piquing our interest with her energy alone. Later in the year she released her excellent debut EP, Sadolescence, co-written with Fatherson’s Ross Leighton and self-described as being like Barr’s own personal mood ring. Around the same time she signed to Primary Talent, and is set to play King Tut’s, Dot to Dot, The Great Escape and Teddy Rocks festivals, with more new music on the way. @indoorfoxes on Instagram; photo by Nathan Dunphy

Jacob Alon

Fife-born, Edinburgh-based Jacob Alon sparked excitement in September upon releasing their debut single Fairy In a Bottle. Going on to perform the single on Later… With Jools Holland a couple of months later, follow-up single Confession arrived and blew us away all over again. With loads more new music on the way, and a packed January schedule, they’ve also just been announced as an official artist for SXSW. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store for Alon. @jacobal0n on Instagram; photo by Jules Moskovtchenko

Katherine Aly

Two years after the release of Shadows Are Made of Light Too, Katherine Aly premiered her new sound, look and live show at the St James Centre last August. Now joined onstage by dancers rather than a backing band, her alt-pop EP 222 arrived in November, melding together electronica, R’n’B, dance, pop, funk and soul. Rebirthed and rejuvenated, Aly draws inspiration from artists like Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx and Self Esteem, and we're excited for what she has in store this year. @itskatherinealy on Instagram; photo by Charli Morachnick

KuleeAngee

Towards the end of last year, Glasgow’s Keshav Kanabar and Edinburgh’s Duncan Grant released Animated Love, their debut single as KuleeAngee. It's a groove-laden, dancefloor ready number that got us immediately excited for more from the pair. Ending the year with a pair of headline shows in the central belt, more live shows will follow this year, as well as their debut EP, due in the spring. @kuleeangee on Instagram; photo by Jamie Lee

Maranta

At the end of last year, dreamy synth-pop masters Maranta released their first new music since 2022, the epic six-minute bop Into the Evening. A sign of things to come this year, it’s the lead single for their debut album Day Long Dream, due in April on Paradise Palms Records. Expect more singles ahead of the full release, and probably a big party to celebrate the release. Watch this space. @maranta.band on Instagram; photo by Laura Meek

PAQUE

Congolese-born, Glasgow-based rapper PAQUE has got flow for days, with a deep timbre in his voice that makes him stand out from the crowd. Last year he released two EPs, with the second – Truth Be Told – helping raise funds for Palestinian and Congolese charities. This year he’s excited to be releasing new music with Scottish producer Asendo and Glasgow electronic duo Roller Disco Death Party, with plenty of live shows in the pipeline, as well as, we’re told, an exciting label collaboration on the horizon. @paqueofficial on Instagram; photo by @youzzzuf

Possibly Jamie

Self-professed as ‘Glasgow’s premier pop provocateur’, Jamie Rees makes music under the Björk-inspired moniker Possibly Jamie. Leaning more into a sound akin to Carly Rae Jepsen than Björk, Rees’s brand of pop music is bold, sassy and loads of fun. With a couple of EPs and a clutch of singles already in his arsenal, a new EP is due this year, featuring a couple of last year’s singles, with a slew of live shows sure to be announced at some point. @possiblypossiblyjamie on Instagram; photo by Josh McNaughton

Russell Stewart

We fell in love with Glasgow neo-soul artist Russell Stewart during the pandemic when he released the sublime single Citrus. His excellent Into View EP followed in 2022, and we’re delighted to report that 2025 will see Stewart returning with yet more new music – his hypnotic new single, pink and grey, arrives this month with, we’re told, a bigger project due later in the year. @itsthisrussell on Instagram; photo by Kieran Howe

Tina Sandwich

Glasgow-based musician Tilly O’Connor released one of our favourite EPs last year – For the World – a gorgeous swirl of music circling the drain of alt-pop indie that could easily soundtrack a coming-of-age movie. Following a European tour at the end of last year, O’Connor and her band of best mates ended the year with a blowout in Dundee supporting Parliamo. With plans to release more music and tour more in Europe this year, we can’t wait to hear what Tina Sandwich serves up. @tina__sandwich on Instagram; photo by Hope Simmers

Zoe Graham

Channeling artists like St. Vincent with some of the new music she released in 2024, last year was a busy one for Zoe Graham and her band, with festival dates galore, in towns and cities near and far. This year is likely to be even busier for Graham, with a new album in the works and a supremely catchy new single landing in January. We’re sure there’ll be plenty more live shows to come as the year unfolds. @iamzoegraham on Instagram; photo by Cameron Brisbane