RADHIKA - Cine-Pop

There's a perfect correspondence, both aesthetic and thematic, in the cover art of young Radhika Meera Dade's debut. "Cine-Pop" isn't just a title, but a genuine statement of intent signing off on the Scottish singer-songwriter's first album.
Released in May 2026 by the London label Glass Modern, the album is a little gem clocking in at 33 minutes and 20 seconds: a runtime that symbolically pays homage to the speed of traditional 33rpm vinyl records. The record sublimely blends the dream-pop of the Glasgow tradition with the warm sounds and vintage textures of the artist's Indian heritage.

The backbone of the project sees Radhika (vocals and guitar) joined by keyboardist Eric MacDonald and her father, multi-instrumentalist Sushil K. Dade. The latter, a historic figure of the Scottish indie scene (ex-Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits, and renowned for his solo project Future Pilot AKA), enriches the tracks with synths, electronics and the traditional sound of the tanpura. Radhika has managed to gather around her some of the most beloved figures of Glasgow's independent pop scene: the album's credits notably include collaborations with Gerard Love (formerly of Teenage Fanclub), Mitch Mitchell (The Pastels) and Tracyanne Campbell (Camera Obscura).
A mosaic of influences that goes hand in hand with the many cinematic and musical references declared right from the song titles. The two versions of the instrumental "Theme From R.A.D.H.I.K.A." pay tribute to David Lynch, Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab and Lalo Schifrin, and the album includes not one but two cover versions: "Nowhere Near" by Yo La Tengo and "Since Yesterday", the synth-pop classic by Strawberry Switchblade.

Radhika turns out to be an atypical "artist's daughter". Having grown up curiously listening to her father's vinyl collection, she only discovered his past in Soup Dragons later on. Today she presents herself as a complete artist, gifted not only with a crystalline voice but also with solid, mature songwriting. Her track "Feline Bandits", inspired by Vivienne Westwood, is a velvety, bittersweet slice of dream-pop that best showcases her vocal talents. Similar nuances can also be found in the melancholic "Starry Eyes", where dreamy atmospheres meet the hypnotic sound of the tanpura in a strikingly evocative instrumental break.
With the album "Cine-Pop", Radhika manages to bring dream-pop into dialogue with Indian music, creating a fascinating hybrid of Bollywood, yé-yé style and indie pop (as in the track "Sleep"). If at times the album gives in to the allure of more distant tradition (the version of the classic Indian song "Tum Hi Ho"), elsewhere it hits its ultimate target: delivering, with "Future Me", that perfect pop song every musician would want in their repertoire.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

02/07/2026