Whitney have always had a gift for turning the everyday into something luminous, but Small Talk feels like the album where they’ve distilled everything they’ve been chasing since their debut into one cohesive statement. Set for release November 7th on AWAL, the Chicago band’s fourth record is not just their most affecting to date, it’s arguably their best, full stop. If their past albums flirted with brilliance, this one weds it, an effortless blend of their signature soft-focus soul, shimmering folk-rock warmth, and tenderly crafted pop that glows from the first note to the last.

Gogol Bordello has never been a band content with just raising the roof—they raise the entire damn village. This summer, frontman Eugene Hütz is leading the gypsy-punk collective into a blazing season of chaos, community, and continuity. Touring with a crew of handpicked artists from his label Casa Gogol Records, Hütz is not only reasserting the band’s legacy as live legends, but also highlighting the next wave of genre-busting artists redefining what New York sounds like in 2025.

Before their performance at Shabang Festival, I sat down and talked with the members of Almost Monday, an indie pop band from San Diego, CA. The three members, Dawson Daugherty (vocals), Cole Clisby (guitar), and Luke Fabry (bass), recently finished their first full international headline tour this past March. At the beginning of the year, they released the deluxe version of their debut album, DIVE, with their hit “can’t slow down” hitting #1 on Alternative Radio.

With the resurgence marked by last year's "Childhood Eyes" EP and a massive U.S. tour, Yellowcard has proven they are far from fading into the annals of pop-punk history. Their latest collaboration, "A Hopeful Sign," with neoclassical/post-rock ambient artist Hammock, further cements their innovative spirit. As they prepare for an even bigger tour this summer with Third Eye Blind, Yellowcard's momentum is undeniable. We had the chance to sit down with frontman Ryan Key to discuss their latest projects and the band's enduring legacy.

Finally, Green Day took the stage at 8:05 to close the festival with a triumphant, career-spanning set. Billie Joe Armstrong’s absolutely relentless sincerity and call and responses were exactly what you would want and expect from a Green Day performance. The band tore through decades of hits: “Basket Case”, “American Idiot”, “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, “When I Come Around”, “Welcome to Paradise”, “21 Guns”… the list goes on and on.

Royel Otis brought jangly indie-pop energy to the Tiki Stage in the late afternoon, their shimmering guitars and earnest vocals making their set a breezy highlight. They played the two covers that have aided in their rise in fame (“Linger” and “Murder on the Dancefloor”) and their biggest track, “Oysters in My Pocket”,  felt a lot bigger live than on record. 

Ohana Fest returned for its ninth year at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California with a lineup of rock legends, modern pop/soul, and punk upstarts. Each day had its own distinct flavor, with the one constant being the idyllic backdrop of palm trees, sand, the pacific ocean, and, of course, Eddie Vedder.

September 26th at Italia Square in Tirana marked the explosive launch of this year’s Check In Festival, and one of the undisputed highlights of Electronic Night was a masterful DJ set from none other than Trentemøller. A legend in the electronic music scene, his presence alone electrified the crowd, but it was the way he curated the night that turned his set into a defining moment of the festival.