Sound Check

The evolution of rock, the countless shades of contemporary pop, the latest electronic trajectories and the seasoned voices of singer-songwriters: these are just some of the areas explored in our monthly selections. Add to this the most eclectic experimentation, the shifting nature of border-crossing jazz, the vitality of the Italian scene, and the darker tones echoing through the underground.

This wealth of material, drawn from the vast catalogue of monthly new releases, finds a home in OndaRock's Spotify playlists. Our editors have curated each selection to offer a brisk, engaging overview.

A starting point for anyone wanting to explore the music of the moment. Enjoy the listen.

We've got a new album from Bush, a brand-new single from Deftones, the second record from Wet Leg, packed with plenty of decidedly electric tracks, and a host of very recent offerings from Been Stellar, Wednesday, Hotline TNT, King Gizzard and Shame. Some of the most interesting new arrivals of the past few weeks from the world of rock and beyond…  (Claudio Lancia)

Pop Muzik

Brat Summer is over. Now let the Virgin Summer begin! (Daniel Moor)

Dark Corner

Mechanical, murky atmospheres to bring the temperature down. Doing the honors are a few new entries in the lineup, like Die Tödin, Sad Madona and the synth-pop of the Italo-Polish project Olgha. There's also room for the melancholy of Closed Mouth and for the June peak that rewarded the return of Swans. Rounding things off, in burst Këkht Aräkh (with a rather depressive single) and finally Draugveil, the black metal artist everyone's talking about right now thanks to one seriously memorable cover. (Paolo Chemnitz)

Electronic

Finally, the announcement of a new album from Soulwax, and we can now hear the first single, followed by a box set celebrating 25 years of London's Fabric, packed with the carefully curated selections of Laurent Garnier (plus four unreleased tracks), new albums from Two Shell, Rival Consoles, Nick León and Facta, a track by Four Tet, the intriguing collaboration between Cure and Trentemoller, a remix for Sandwell District (OndaRock's Album of the Month for April), the return of Arca, followed by a rich run of excellent female-led productions from 2025: Erika De Casier, Avalon Emerson, Bambii, Marie Davidson, Yaeji, Amelie Lens, Charlotte De Witte, Aya, FKA Twigs, Ela Minus, Rose Gray and Oklou. Made for dancing, but not only that…(Claudio Lancia)

Songwriter

Alex G and Kae Tempest are the hot names in this month's songwriter section, but as usual, between hidden gems and new announcements, we're also keeping an eye on the near future. (Daniel Moor)

A month without any particular standouts, with the album from Abul Mogard still leading our section. Biosphere once again proves its skill, though without any real surprises, and the new Shelter Press release from Judith Hamann doesn't quite fully convince either. We note the dual, twin-track release from the duo Brian Eno/Beatie Wolfe and the return to experimental sound from the talented and multifaceted Ellen Akbro.  Worth mentioning too are the solid showings from Purelink and Hara Alonso. (Peppe Trotta)

Italy

The new singles from Zen Circus, Il Mago del Gelato, Ministri, Fast Animals And Slow Kids and Andrea Laszlo De Simone open this selection dedicated to the latest Italian releases of recent weeks. Enjoy the listen… (Claudio Lancia)

Jazz

GoGo Penguin have released their best album in quite some time, Belgium's Glass Museum announce a new LP for September, and our own Calibro 35 indulge in some televised amarcord. Meanwhile, Little Simz goes hard on jazz-rap, and interesting things are happening in Scandinavia. Confined to its most orthodox corners, today's jazz scene might seem rather dull and elitist to the uninitiated. But taking a broader view reveals it to be one of the most active spaces for exchange on the global stage. As always, this monthly playlist is here to help you find your way through the countless directions worth exploring. Hybridization takes center stage, but there's also room for more classic approaches. (Marco Sgrignoli)