How we’re already halfway through August is pretty ridiculous. But now that “summer” is in full swing – albeit minus the sun –our calendars are jam-packed with post-lockdown gigs and events.
So, we’re continuing to soundtrack your week again wherever you might be headed, with a little bit of everything on our New Manchester Music playlist.
We have our list of highlights from the playlist right here and it’s another great selection of new releases – even if we do say so ourselves.
On the list this week is another summery number, a band tipped for big things and a thought-provoking look into men’s mental health.
To listen to them all plus loads more new stuff, head to our Spotify playlist here.
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Macious – Jazz
We’re loving Macious’s latest disco-infused house drop ‘Jazz’ – and we can confirm we’ve had it on repeat.
Not only does it feature catchy old school piano keys and a melodious trumpet sample that wouldn’t be out of place at the poolside in Ibiza, but the uplifting basslines are bound to put you in a good mood.
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Macious produced this track at a house party some years ago now. But sadly it’s been sitting on a hard drive all this time. We’re glad it’s finally getting its debut this week.
The song is actually named after a taxi driver called Jazz who Macious met at the party. Apparently, Jazz’s energy matched that of the track’s and was vibing with it on the night. So, of course Macious had to name it after him.
And if that’s not another reason to give it a listen, I don’t know what is.
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Idle Hours – Made Flesh
A new discovery for us just this week was Manchester band Idle Hours – and they happened to drop a new track on Wednesday which was perfect timing.
The band emerged from the ashes of 2020 with an established and confident sound, taking influences from garage-rock.
Their new one, ‘Made Flesh’, has some really cool guitar melodies. It’s been stuck in our heads since we first listened to it.
Also, they’ve got a headline gig at Manchester’s legendary Castle Hotel this weekend as well, so head down if you’re about and show them some support.
Yawn – Simple Sensations
‘Simple Sensations’ is the debut single from synth-pop trio Yawn.
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Supposedly inspired by BBC’s Normal People, the track navigates the tricky journey from teens to adulthood. Its slow pace and smooth vocals resemble the long old slog of growing up.
Emerging in the height of lockdown in April 2020, the lads are still very much living the ‘new normal’. They’re recording everything at home in front of their laptops, amidst Zoom meetings.
Perhaps even the band name is reference to these boring and tiresome times we’re living in? Either way, there’s nothing boring about Yawn’s debut. It’s soft and easy-listening with twinkly keys that are pretty dreamy.
Superlative – Can I Be Excused?
Rapper and producer, Superlative, has dropped a new track from his forthcoming EP ‘Can I Be Excused’ this week.
The seven-track collection which is out next Friday taps into the vulnerabilities of a man that appears to have it together. It touches on mental health and personality traits, too, and highlights some common misconceptions about what it means to be ‘a man’.
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The bottom-line being that Superlative wants to challenge the association between rappers and the streets.
Its title track, ‘Can I Be Excused’ is a sort of audio diary. It’s emotive and tense in places. The instrumental is based on a half-time walking bass that changes every eight bars to create a notion of going round in circles. We imagine this is designed to emphasise the EP’s key themes.
This one’s only out on YouTube on Friday 13 August, but is on streaming services from next Friday. So, you’ll have to listen to this one here for now.
StreamGM and The Manc have teamed up to show some some serious love and support to the region’s renowned theatres, nightclubs, and live-music venues with the launch of SeeGM – a digital campaign to shine a bright spotlight on many of the amazing events, club nights, gigs and shows in our region.
Fast-rising alt-rock cult favourites Keo announce Manchester gig on new UK tour
Danny Jones
Up-and-coming alternative rock band Keo have just announced a new UK tour and “most ambitious chapter yet” in terms of live performances, including a Manchester gig that we CANNOT wait for.
Combining the likes of post-grunge, garage rock and more, Keo are one of the most exciting and fast-emerging new acts in the space right now, having seen their recent run of half a dozen domestic shows sell out completely.
Pulling influences from artists of The Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden, as well as most notably fellow contemporaries and former tour partner, Wunderhorse, they’re well-positioned at the front of the guitar-driven revival and are bound for big things. We’re by no means the only ones banking on it either…
Having been described as “already that band” by Dork and delivering “a sound that has given UK guitar its biggest kick up the fretboard in years” by Rolling Stone, you can bet tickets for these shows will be snapped up in seconds, too.
UK and Europe spring 2026. Pre-sale: 03 Nov 2025 10AM GMT On Sale: 05 Nov 2025 10AM GMT pic.twitter.com/Xz1km0Z93O
Set to play their biggest Manchester venue to date, Keo will be playing the O2 Ritz on Whitworth Street next spring, and let us tell you, that sprung floor is not ready…
Co-fronted by two brothers, Finn and Conor Keogh (originally from Devon before ultimately getting their music careers underway in the capital), the now London-based group make quite a racket for just the four of them.
That being said, they also do quiet moments well, too, as seen in several of the ‘calm before the storm’ breakouts in songs like ‘Thorn’, ‘Fly’, ‘Crow’ and many more.
If you like anything close to grunge or even just shoegazey riffs, trust us, they’ll be right up your street.
One of the most exciting parts about this lot is how feverishly their fans have packed out their audiences all over the country, somehow learning every single word to every song before most of the material had even been released on any kind of platform. They’ve led with their live reputation – and it shows.
Case and point – the crowd at The Key Club in Leeds, where our mates over at The Hoot got to witness them up close and personal as the entire room erupted in a chorus of screams about a girl called Amber:
“To be playing venues like these with only five songs out still feels surreal”, says lead singer Finn Keogh. “We always imagined we’d reach this level after years of supporting other bands, but somehow we’ve skipped that step.
“It’s mad, come March, our biggest indoor shows will have been our own. Electric Ballroom [in London] is a special one for me personally; I’ve seen some life-changing gigs there. To be on that stage this time around is going to feel unreal.”
Listing a total of 16 live show dates up and down the country throughout March and April of 2026, it’s fair to say we Mancs are excited to see them playing their biggest room in our city to date, having absolutely smashed Gorilla this past October.
Tickets for Keo at the O2 Ritz in Manchester go on sale next Wednesday, 5 November at 10am; you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
The debut release from Keo has delighted fans and critics alike, and their Manchester gig is sure to be a stormer.
IDLES frontman Joe Talbot set for ’10 Songs That Made Me’ interview at AO Arena
Danny Jones
Cult favourite frontman Joe Talbot of IDLES fame is set to for an eye-opening sit-down interview as part of AO Arena’s ’10 Songs That Made Me’ series.
The lead singer of the politically-charged post-punk band will be joining the in-conversation event opposite BBC 6 Music host and popular radio host, full stop, Chris Hawkins.
Having often drifted into hardcore, art rock and even spoken word at times, Joe Talbot and co. have become known for the cutting lyricism and insightful songwriting in general, so we can only assume that diving into his own musical influences will be just as riveting.
Joining his fellow audophile on stage at the city’s legendary live music and entertainment venue this November, Talbot and Hawkins will be running through the tracks that quite literally helped create the musician we know today.
According to the AO, the arena will host an in-depth chat with the provocative 41-year-old artist as he walks Chris Hawkins through “the most important musical chapters of his life, his stunning musical journey from resident DJ at one of Bristol’s hottest clubs, through to headlining Glastonbury festival.”
It is quite the career he’s had when you break it down.
They go on to promise “raw honesty and trademark wit” as Joe reflects on the record, acts and cultural moments that shaped him as a young performer before breaking onto the scene with IDLES.
As for the ’10 Songs That Made Me’ series itself, it may be what it says on the tin, but most interestingly, being in the crowd and hearing it from each different group/individual changes the experience entirely.
“More than a story of success—it’s a journey of resilience, passion, and community”, they go on to add. “Expect an evening of candid conversation, unexpected anecdotes, and deep dives into the music that has not only defined Joe’s career but also resonated with millions around the world.
If you’re fans of the band or Talbot, in particular, you’ll already know they’re great orators; plus, if you caught even a small clip from his own fledgling Oh Gatekeeper podcast, you’ll know he loves nothing more than diving deep into tunes that shape not just the audio landscape but people at their core.
Just casually getting the lead singer of The Strokes on for in the first season, as you do…
On a personal note, we’ve watched the IDLES x Grammy Museum interview on multiple ocassions at this point, and know how much artistry there is behind everything they do.
The same goes for Talbot, specifically – there’s no doubt about that.
If you’re interested in being part of the audience for Joe Talbot’s in conversation event with Chris Hawkins as part of ’10 Songs That Made Me’, tickets for the date at AO Arena on Tuesday, 25 November are live now, and you can grab yours via Skiddle right HERE.
Last but not least, special mention goes to the interviewing expert himself, whose recent chat with Tim Burgess about The Charlatans getting back into the studio is also well worth a listen.
Tune in to 6 Music from 1pm today, @Tim_Burgess is my very special guest and rumour has it that we might get to hear a brand new Charlatans track… pic.twitter.com/vzoGDnvS7G
Hannah Starkie -
13th August 2021 
