The Best Releases of February 2026
The year is only just beginning — here’s our picks.
In true February style, I caught a chest infection and was given antibiotics that did nish so, as I’m writing this in March, I am still under the weather. Classic England.
It could be worse, I could be living in the capital, where they’re diagnosing people with a simple case of “London”. People who have moved there have been ill for months, and their GP has simply said it’s because they’ve moved to London. Basically, only move to London if your immune system is made of steel.
Last month, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights took the world by storm and divided opinion, with Charli xcx’s soundtrack seemingly being received better than the film itself. I still haven’t seen it, but I’m not sure I want to witness Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie’s attempts at a British accent. I’ve heard good and bad things, let’s just put it that way.
RAYE finally started getting her deserved flowers with a two-night residency at The O2, where her sisters ABSOLUTELY and AMMA opened for her, and also joined her on stage.
Singles:
1. Sophia Yau-Weeks — Nobody’s Laughing
Pulled from her upcoming debut album, Misty Mountain, Sophie’s reflective coming-of-age track details turning 26 and only her mother calling to wish her ‘happy birthday’, with the gut-wrenching line “I thought more friends came with age” following the confession, expressing how she feels she’s missing out. The first single from her debut album and her first in three years, Nobody’s Laughing opens the doors for the singer, whose intricate songwriting puts the spotlight on her. Alike her songwriting peers, Sophie joins Leith Ross, Liang Lawrence and Sophie May in making writing gorgeous, earnest songs look incredibly effortless.
Misty Mountain is out April 3rd via Lavasocks Records.
2. Swapmeet — I Know!
The Australian quartet announced their signing to Winspear with the addictive I Know!, which, for people who aren’t familiar with the band, is the perfect starting point to get to know them. It’s the first release since their 2024 debut EP, Oxalis, and leaves us eagerly anticipating their next move.
3. Leroy Clampitt — I’m Going To Die
As far as debut singles go, this one is up there. Understandably so, however, as Leroy is no stranger when it comes to making incredible music, or at least having a part to play in it. The singer, producer and songwriter has lent his name to several projects, namely Madison Beer’s Make You Mine, Justin Bieber’s Purpose, Sabrina Carpenter’s emails i can’t send and, most recently, he produced and co-wrote six of the tracks from Lily Allen’s West End Girl and Madison Beer’s Locket.
His debut release comes on his own brand new label, Sorry Susan Records, which Leroy himself said, “The plan for the Sorry Susan label is to leave a sonic trail of music I love and music I have loved making. Bits and pieces that in 10, 20, 30 years a listener can stumble upon and trace mine and the artist’s steps through the landscapes of the Sorry Susan catalogue”.
4. The Stingrays — Summer of You
Sometimes you think a song is one thing, then it hurls itself into a guitar solo, and you have no choice but to hit the repeat button. That’s exactly what this beauty is and, as if Yellow Days wasn’t busy enough, his side project have signed to Nice Swan Records, so watch this space.
5. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever — Sunburned in London
When I dusted off my record collection the other day, I’d completely forgotten I’d bought Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s In The Capital on 7-inch back in 2019 — mainly because I love the song Read My Mind, and it still remains my favourite song of theirs to this day. Their first new music since 2022’s Endless Rooms, they have well and truly announced their return with this track that comes under seven minutes long.
EPs:
1. Power Snatch — EP1
Paramore’s Hayley Williams always seems to be doing something, whether its dropping solo music randomly online, flogging hair dye, jumping on stage with your favourite band or, now, collaborating with Australian record producer and writer Daniel James on new band Power Snatch, and dropping a debut EP on Bandcamp.
Rating: ★★★★★
Standout track: DMs
2. Dori Valentine — Songs for Penguin Vol. I
The Texan has been releasing music since 2018, and her first EP, Songs for Penguin Vol. I is a welcome first full release.
Rating: ★★★½☆
Standout track: NNN1
3. Chest — never really here
Despite releasing music since 2023, our first introduction to the band was through second EP single, MACHINE, and the following EP has firmly put the Londoners on our ones to watch.
Rating: ★★★½☆
Standout track: MACHINE
4. AmiiFy — Suddenly Everything’s Changing
Originally born in Nigeria, in 2021 AmiiFy’s mother and father moved his family to the UK, where he embraced his passion, downloaded BandLab and thus started his foray into music, dropping independent singles memories, fallin in luv and Ways.
Rating: ★★★½☆
Standout track: Skin
5. Ken Park — Ken Park
New York’s Ken Park shared his debut EP as TODO’s new signing; a haunting first offering from a promising artist, with Sleep Paralysis emanating whiffs of Elliot Smith.
Rating: ★★★½☆
Standout track: Sleep Paralysis
Albums:
1. Alice Costelloe — Move On With The Year
The singer-songwriter has been biding her time, from fronting indie rock duo Big Deal to playing in Superfood, Alice has fully bloomed on her debut album, Move On With The Year, a mature, reparative full-length offering touching on her estranged father’s addiction, grief and heartbreak. If there’s one album you listen to this month, then look no further.
Read our review of Alice’s London show here.
Rating: ★★★★★
Standout track: Damned If You Do
2. Yellow Days — Rock In A Hard Place
Carving out a name for himself early doors, Yellow Days, real name George van den Broek, turns it up a notch with this sun-soaked, soul-laced album, which pays homage to past greats like Otis Redding and James Brown.
Read the full review here.
Rating: ★★★★★
Standout track: Baby, I’m For Real
3. Mumford & Sons — Prizefighter
If you know me, you might know it’s a bit of a shock for me to be placing Mumford & Sons on any ‘best of’ list. I’ve never been a fan, despite our deputy editor, Chloe, listening to them for almost the entire duration of our friendship, which is a very long time. In the spirit of fairness, I’ve listened to as many albums this month as I possibly could (I don’t even want to think about how many albums I’ve gotten through), and I rate them all as non-biased as possible. It wouldn’t be fair for me to dismiss the band, even if Chloe herself wasn’t the biggest fan of the album. I don’t know what’s happened, but maybe I ought to go back and start from their debut album, Babel.
A lot of the collaborations really shine here, and I’m a fan of anything Chris Stapleton lends his country twang to. The album also features Hozier, Gigi Perez and Gracie Abrams.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Standout track: Here (ft. Chris Stapleton)
4. Mitski — Nothing’s About to Happen to Me
Mitski has this special way of singing and writing about relationships like she can read minds, when, in reality, she’s just going through the same shit we all go through. Like Florence & The Machine (people were shocked to hear her sing “A crowd of thousands came to see me / And you couldn’t reply for three days”, me included), Mitski makes incredibly relatable music for the sad ones who, deep down, just wish to be loved.
Read the full review here.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Standout track: Rules
5. cootie catcher — Something We All Got
It’s really hard to recommend the Toronto-based band without laughing, and that’s thanks to their name — which I love, by the way. I knew this album would be a no-skip situation when all four of their singles were incredible and picked to perfection. The band have got something that works so undoubtedly well here, and I’m always partial to split vocals. I love hearing different people lead the next song; it adds something fun and leaves me wanting to recommend this album to anyone who will listen.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Standout track: Going Places
