social media feeling truly dead these days, but a call out to the void: we want to play fests in 2026, message us if you can help ! (anticipating no response/no likes lol)

I’m pretty much done with new radio shows for the year (December will be a best of and a 🎄Christmas show🎄) so I’ve updated the playlists of everything I’ve played this year. Spotify and Tidal links in here: linktr.ee/majorlabelde... If you want something else shout and I’ll see what I can do.

I never saw @rilokileyofficial.bsky.social back in the day so I am absolutely delighted about this 🥹

Here‘s my latest radio show, with: @perennialtheband.bsky.social @teenagetompetties.bsky.social @glenndonaldson.bsky.social @hihatchie.bsky.social @dancerband.bsky.social @fortitudevalley.bsky.social @nojoy.bsky.social @kathrynjoseph11.bsky.social +loads more! www.mixcloud.com/urbanismradi...

people who miss the days when I was releasing a ton of stuff and going kinda wild are gonna enjoy the next few years

I can

I did a new radio show last week, the first one in 3 months! As always there’s an hour of new & recent jangle pop, garage rock, shoegaze and more. Follow the labels putting out this stuff: @skepwax.bsky.social @safesuburban.bsky.social @soniccathedral.bsky.social www.mixcloud.com/urbanismradi...

Thank you to Facebook for reminding me that it is also almost 17 years since I put on a music festival.

Lotta good stuff in this 👇

August 2nd. Pigeon in flight.

That’s how you do a tasteful shop-to-residential conversion 🫡

2000 years ago: the Romans would let an aqueduct destroy the Gardon Valley. We need clean water, but at what cost?

Watching Glastonbury in the office. If Cmat’s entire tour isn’t sold out by about half five there’s something (another thing?) extremely wrong with the world.

“A fresh take on urban living”, is it 🤪

As always, I can only encourage you to listen to @cheekface.bsky.social 🫡

I bought the cat this cooling pad about four heatwaves back. While I’ve never actually seen her use it, I have seen her sitting next to it many times. And today, of course, will be no different.

Friends ❤️ Take that portable speaker out into the garden and strip down to your smalls for I am back tonight at 8pm with two hours of delicious indie pop for @shipfullofbombs.bsky.social. Join me live at www.shipfullofbombs.co.uk

Five years today, the statue of Edward Colston was pulled down in Bristol. Boris Johnson accused protestors of trying to "photoshop" the past and "lie about our history". I'm reposting below a thread I wrote at the time: on history, memory, and how we decide who to celebrate in our public spaces.🧵

It’s the happiest day of Elon Musk’s life because he finally posted something people actually want to read

Finally, a pope who probably knows who the Smashing Pumpkins are

Shout out to Dizzy for taking charge of her life

I went to a 6am lamb feeding down at @ouseburnfarm.bsky.social and I’m honestly not sure I could recommend a better way to start a day.

A record always worth half an hour of your time 👇

Azealia Banks’ reaction to the Glastonbury lineup (err, a week after it came out) is very good stuff and her best trolling in literal years. Hard to say if my favourite line is “why would they book the Kaiser Chiefs but not Keane?” or “what have you lot done with Jamie Cullum?”

I wish I could sleep like this. It just looks so cosy.

Today was just a gorgeous day for a walk in Leazes Park. Spring, sprung, et cetera.

One of the best ways to spend 22 minutes imo

I am in Spain for some beautiful weather and to catch @thepainsofbeing.bsky.social on their lil reunion jaunt. Here are some fine new records that have been keeping me company so far.

I am so in love with this vintage store painting I have since dubbed Edward Flopper. If I owned a restaurant or bar, this would be at the center of my snack alter.

Here’s my first radio show of 2025, with a load of fab music, and special guest Lou Terry talking about his new album on @divineschism.bsky.social Follow: @meritoriorec.bsky.social @safesuburban.bsky.social @califone-timrutili.bsky.social @totalpunk.bsky.social www.mixcloud.com/urbanismradi...

I kinda love a cheeky steal or reference in a song. They’re tough to pull off, but if done well, it can absolutely lift yr song right up. I’ve not heard a better one recently than the totally bold Bush Tetras lift in this track from Skinner - absolutely marvellous imo youtu.be/36FcngHrrNw?...

Still fairly new to the Bluesky game but I think I’ve pulled together a little collection of some of the UK indie underground acts/labels that have stolen my heart in recent times. Maybe give them a follow?

I am back on the radio for the first time this year tonight. A whole hour of new music and a special guest spot from Lou Terry. Check out his fav new record on @divineschism.bsky.social ! 6-7pm via slacks.world 🫡

Tonight! I have somehow only ever seen this once, about 15 years ago. On my laptop. As the director intended.

I walked through Leather Lane market earlier and this cat was just there, mooching around getting pets, eating scraps, and stalking pigeons. Absolutely chill and completely not bothered by the lunchtime rush going on around him.

I had a couple of days in Darlington this week. I’ve never really spent any time there, so it was a delight to find it has a town centre full of charming alleyways and pedestrian spaces. Like most places it needs a little more love, but the bones are incredibly solid.

I’m not saying we all have low expectations for January, but the Apple fitness app gave me a badge for doing something three times.

Made a new friend at the cat cafe this morning

Here’s the🎄Urbanism Christmas special🎄, with music from Swansea Sound @skepwax.bsky.social, The Cords @slumberlandrecords.bsky.social, Woods @woodsist.bsky.social, The Reds Pinks & Purples @glenndonaldson.bsky.social, Crawl Town @safesuburban.bsky.social & more! www.mixcloud.com/urbanismradi...

This paragraph from the Matt Goss interview in the Guardian today is absolutely wonderful, one of the best things I’ve ever read. Godspeed my friend 🫡

I am being very tardy with putting shows online, but here’s a new one from early November, with a tonne of great new music and special guests Sassyhiya. Helen&Kathy were a delight to chat to and their debut album (out now on @skepwax.bsky.social) is fab. www.mixcloud.com/urbanismradi...

Here are my radio plans for the remainder of the year. Tonight at 6pm is my sort of best of the year but not exactly, just a lot of stuff I’ve enjoyed this year. And then December 20th is the Christmas special, which is always a real treat to put together. As always live via slacks.world ✌️🫡

In fairness, I do imagine being stuck in traffic whilst wired on gear would be a frustrating experience

I was in the cinema last week and there was a group who talked all the way through the film, and then took a load of group selfies at the end. Audience behaviour has been on the downward for ages, since Covid really, but that was a new one.

If your Saturday night needs some tunes, I am going live in a few minutes 📻 slacks.world

The Tubs in lots of places but most importantly Newcastle 🫡🫡🫡

Public and active travel bops: a new thread Naked Roomate - Bus (Pass the Loofah, 2024) @troubleinmind.bsky.social youtu.be/3VTQrGO9a2M?...

So much great DIY music being played on these independent radio shows. Stuff 6 Music has zero interest in .

Passing absolutely no comment on the rest of this story, but Moray Place is a city centre location, most people don’t actually need to own a car to live there, but there are ALWAYS reasons for doing so. No matter how spurious or ridiculous sounding. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...