Is The Festive 15 A Perpetual Loop? (The Sunday Read)

10/19/2025

Is The Festive 15 A Perpetual Loop? (The Sunday Read)

Talk about timing. Several of my Festive 15 artists have been releasing new music at what seems a perpetual loop this year.

I will explain.

SQUID 🇬🇧 released the LP “Cowards” in early February.

bdrmm 🇬🇧 followed with “Microtonic” at the end of February.

Just one week later the 3rd LP from PALE BLUE EYES 🇬🇧 was here!

Before I could fully absorb that wonderful LP, BLACK COUNTRY NEW ROAD 🇬🇧 dropped this gem entitled “Forever Howlong” on April 4.

On June 11- BLOM! PIP BLOM, 🇳🇱 that is, left a 5 track ep for us to digest!

While waiting at Toronto Airport for my flight to England on July 9, I discovered that BIG SPECIAL 🇬🇧 had returned like a jumbo a stealth bomber and released their second LP “National Average” out of nowhere! This allowed me to acquire the Dinked Edition two days later in Manchester!!!

In August, Irish gems JUST MUSTARD 🇮🇪 started releasing singles off their sophomore LP which arrives in just 5 days on October 24. It is titled “We Were Just Here.”

WHITE FLOWERS 🇬🇧 had had me anxious as they had been quiet for a while, but just released a new single. Could an LP be far behind?

Then we had NIGHTBUS 🇬🇧 debut last week which I featured yesterday!

As if this wasn’t enough excitement for any senior post-punker, the prolific bar italia 🇬🇧 released yet another new LP Friday! [Ed. Note- This is their 5th LP since 2020!] This one is titled “Some Like It Hot.”

Big thanks to Group Member LIAM at DR. DISC for securing this record for me!

But that’s not all. No. No. No. Nothing is ever that tidy here at gerexu/g365.

BIG SPECIAL have another new song out in preparation for their first trip to North America in November/ December! I am going to see them open for Public Service Broadcasting and am over the moon in anticipation.

And finally, IST IST have sent us the first single from their upcoming LP “Dagger” being released in January as you can see!

What to do? A Sunday FESTIVE 15 playlist, that’s what.

I have plucked a song from each of these artists plus the latest from the other 3 bands on the list who also released since 2024 for a playlist here on a rainy Sunday. 14 tracks in all since YARD ACT have been silent for over 18 months.

Here you go! Enjoy.

https://spotify.link/QiAhiqSRAXb

For those of you not on Spotify, I have picked 3 songs. First is a song from the bar italia LP entitled “rooster” which has captured my early attention.