A Sunlit Walk in The Underground Forest - November 2025
Things are getting colder, so we are here with a roundup of some of the warmest, most magical underground music releases to keep your spirit intact as we head towards winter.
Featuring The Wood, Jessie Kilguss, AudioGust, Mélanie Pain, Ava Franks, Odd Blossom, Gina Zo, Tiberius & Rina Rain.
A Sunlit Walk In The Underground Forest ☀️ Light Pop • Folk • Electronica • RnB
Featuring: a shimmering, tinsel covered Christmas pop song; a song that sounds like the sun rising over the snow-capped mountain town; a song that has some early 00s Avril Lavigne vibes; a song that sounds like an undiscovered gem from the 1990s underground music scene; a song that feels like a walk through a dense forest; a meditation that will help you feel more whole; and more!
Painting of a Tree - Tiberius
Taken from the group's new album, Troubadour, released via record label Audio Antihero. Audio Antihero is home to some of the most interesting and unique artists operating today (alongside 100% Electronica, another favourite of mine); in that you can feel how rich and alive both the soundscapes and lyrics are, in every release from every artist. This a refreshing contrast to the rampant digital homogenization that has been happening (e.g music that appears to be solely focused Pleasing The Algorithm).
‘Painting of a Tree’ feels like a walk in the woods that results in some euphoric realizations. It opens with organic textures swirling around the gentle percussion, building slowly, allowing space for you to take the song in, to immerse yourself in the quiet, contemplative world it has carved out. This ascends into an achingly beautiful, all consuming wall of sound with the lyrics “Take the time to notice/The tree line you’re painting”.
Connect with Tiberius
Bandcamp / Spotify / Instagram / Facebook / Threads
Cold Fire - The Wood, Brooke Combe
Like the sun rising over a snow-capped mountain town, the opening electronic piano chords break through the winter air, bathing you in a warm, orange glow, as you drive through the deserted, snowy roads.
This features an utterly sublime vocal performance from Brooke Combe; this will bring you peace and serenity in these cold months. Taken from the EP of the same name, which you can purchase here.
Connect with The Wood
Facebook / Bandcamp / Instagram / X
Connect with Brooke Combe
Instagram
Lost Causes - Jessie Kilguss
Taken from the NYC singer-songwriter’s sixth album ‘They Have A Howard Johnson's There’ (I am from Ireland, I had no idea what a Howard Johnson’s was, it appears to be a hotel chain and one of the first large restaurant chains, it was also a staple of the 1950/1960s American landscape).
‘Lost Cause’ has a nostalgic folk Americana quality to it; it also feels cinematic, like it plays through the air of a sleepy desert town from the aforementioned Howard Johnson’s hotel.
On the album, the artist says, "I’ve been working on this album for the past year with producer Charlie Nieland, with whom I have been collaborating since 2007. We started every track with just voice and guitar and built them out from there. Previously, I’ve always gone into the studio with my band to record. This was an interesting way to work as we deconstructed each song and then put them back together."
Connect with Jessie Kilguss
Website / Facebook / Instagram
Down By The River - AudioGust
Taken from Seattle-based artist AudioGust’s new album Falling From Down. This is actually the closing song of the album; the song opens with gentle shimmering guitars, with a subtle, icy sound shimmering at the periphery of your ears, hinting at what is to come. The chorus is an epic wall of sound that will sweep you into the sky and away from everything.
Connect with AudioGust
Facebook / Bandcamp / Instagram / X
Mélanie Pain - Dreamloop
Taken from the artist’s new album ‘How and Why’, the music video for Dreamloop feels like it is from a surreal, 1970s art-house movie. The song itself is gentle, featuring divine vocals combined with twinkling textures, resulting in an entrancing, yet slightly melancholic listening experience.
Connect with Mélanie Pain
Bandcamp / Instagram
Blondies - Odd Blossom
Taken from the Portland-based band’s wonderful new album ‘I Made You a Shrine’. ‘Blondies’ is a warm and wonderful blend of dream pop, with some fuzzy DIY textures. It kind of feels like you came upon it via YouTube, as an undiscovered gem from the 1990s underground music scene (e.g the band Curve, with their song Horror Head is what comes to mind here).
Connect with Odd Blossom
Instagram / Spotify
Every Day - Ava Franks
This new release from NYC artist Ava Franks has an early 00s pop-rock quality to it, à la Avril Lavigne. The vocal melody is addictive, the music deliciously dark - this would have made a serious splash on the music channels of the late 90s, early 00s.
On the song, the artist says, "It explores the beginning stages of a relationship when you’re feeling all of the uncertainty, hope and mystery that goes along with falling in love. It’s about wanting to see that person all the time and hoping they can read your mind."
Connect with Ava Franks
Instagram
Gina Zo - Santa, Do You Know?
I think that Gina Zo is one of the best pop songwriters operating in the music industry today (think 2010s unreleased Lana del Ray/Taylor Swift demos levels of addictiveness). She has returned to save us, just in time for Christmas, with this tinsel-coated, shimmering Christmas song, with a bit of a tongue-in-cheek vibe to it. As always is the case with Gina Zo’s music, this is a fantastic time.
Connect with Gina Zo
Website / Instagram / X
Rina Rain - Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
If you feel fried, on edge, this will bring you back to feeling connected with yourself and to the earth. The mantra Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu is sung by the artist, it is deeply soothing, bordering on hypnotic, allowing you to relax, let go and breathe.
On the song, the artist says, “‘Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu’ was the mantra that opened my voice and my heart. This track is my prayer to help ease suffering in our minds, in our hearts, and for all beings everywhere, at all times. My wish is for this mantra to soften what feels heavy and awaken a deeper sense of belonging in everyone who listens. May we remember that we are all connected, and none of us are walking this journey alone.”
Connect with Rina Rain
Website / Instagram
About Eimear O Sullivan
Eimear Ann O Sullivan is a multi-genre music producer, audio engineer and vocalist. After receiving a Masters in Music Technology from the CIT Cork School of Music, she went on to operate as a producer under the name Blakkheart. Her releases have received critical acclaim from Ireland's biggest music publications, such as District Magazine and Nialler9, alongside receiving heavy commercial radio airplay. She currently works in Cork recording studio Flashpoint CC. Previous clients of hers include the likes of Comedy Central’s Dragony Aunt star Candy Warhol, rapper Darce and Outsider YP. (Photo credit @Fabian Boros)
Contact Eimear O Sullivan at eimear.o.sullivan@musicngear.com
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