North Shields’ Richie Harrison plays indie-rock that is melodic and given extra heft by the subject matter he tackles.

Of his new single ‘Oh No!’ Richie Harrison says: “I suffer more with my anxiety at night when I’m lying in bed and my mind starts racing … ‘Oh No!’ is about those exact feelings and how thoughts can creep into your mind and take over.” It’s a comment that may make you think that ‘Oh No!’ is a rather doom-laden affair, but it has a real noughties indie-vibe, built around a lovely little guitar riff, and it builds and swells in all the right places, providing listeners with a shared sense of cathartic release. I imagine it’s a deceptively difficult song to sing, too, but he hits all those notes with ease. His previous release ‘Best You’ve Had’ showed that he’s no one-trick pony either, with its indie-pop leanings that come replete with fresh and infectious beats and a radio-friendly melody (and, indeed, it was picked up by several radio stations). When he’s not got his solo hat on, Harrison also finds time to get gnarly with punk outfit TNCS, which suggests to me that he’s a fellow who refuses to be pigeonholed. DP

You can find Richie’s stuff on Spotify etc.