The Lead Sheet ~ 1/6/2026

The Lead Sheet is your guide to this week’s new music - taking a look at newly released albums, who made them, and how listeners are responding.

January is typically a slow time for new music releases as consumers recover from holiday spending, and artists avoid the low-engagement period by delaying larger releases to have more of an impact. However, the new-year slump provides a great opportunity for independent artists and up-and-comers to drop new projects without having to compete for a spotlight with top musicians, and this week’s Lead Sheet will explore some new gems, EPs and albums from names you may not have heard of, but are worth adding to your new music playlists. 

Shea is the collaborative project from songwriters Mattie Hawkins and Trey Cardi, and the duo’s debut EP Eskipade released this week to immediately positive reviews. Eskipade is a quick listen, at a runtime of about fifteen minutes over four unique tracks. The project is a blend of shoe-gaze, dream-pop and indie-rock, with a distinct wintery, despondent throughline. The first track, “Plethora”, establishes Eskipade’s mood, transitioning from pensive rock into a less melodic wall-of-sound. “Pangea” and “Eskipade” are the EP’s bread and butter, featuring more complexity in its selection of synths, acoustic guitars, and Cardi’s gorgeous work on the tenor saxophone, while the final track “City North” showcases the duo’s strength as a songwriting unit, and is highlighted by fans as some of their best lyrical work, described as “euphoric” and “melancholy”. 

Australian singer-songwriter Richard Sallis released his new album Casino to great enthusiasm from listeners. Sallis had previously been the frontman for alt-rock band Stock Exchange, as well as pop group The Cameramen, both of which have disbanded. Casino is Sallis’ second solo project, following the successful release of 2025’s Felix, which received critical acclaim for its emotional depth. Casino is a fully produced redux of music that Sallis wrote at the age of eighteen, during a period of homelessness and personal strife. Sallis recorded many of the tracks in churches and cathedrals to capture the environmental reverb and acoustics. Casino’s genre is mainly indie-rock, and uses strings, piano, saxophone and synth to create a gritty atmosphere that beautifully captures the intentions of Sallis’ younger self. 

Stygian Hollow, the contemporary folk solo project from Scotland, is one to watch. The artist remains in anonymity, sometimes just going by Stygian, and has demonstrated massive talent at a young age. Their debut 2023 album Chanonry Point was recorded at the age of fifteen, only using a guitar, melodica, and the free music recording software Audacity (not a professional’s top choice as a digital audio workspace). Despite the technical and budgetary limitations, listeners were blown away by the quality of the project. Their new album, Self-Titled released this week, showcasing notable growth for the artist, now with the label Starrcade. Self-Titled is still minimalist, but refined, with fans praising the work’s mature folk sound, comparing Stygian to acts like Elliot Smith and Car Seat Headrest. The LP’s standout track, “Between the Lines” features Luca Calmera, who provides several instruments, including violin, flute, and harmonica, as well as vocals. 

Amar33 is a new artist in hip-hop and electronic music, previously releasing a few EPs and singles to mixed-to-positive reception. His debut LP The Next Bus Stop however is getting high praise from listeners. His new album lives in ambient pop, with some chillhop influence. The album’s eight tracks tell a cohesive story from departure to arrival, and incorporate field-recorded sounds of transit to create a living, sensory soundscape. Fans appreciate Amar33’s creativity and flow, and point out that while the album is self-produced, it feels like a high-budget, label-backed project, with intelligent jazzy motifs and catchy hooks. Amar33’s voice, backed with layers of reverb, delivers each verse with a laid back, almost whispery flavor, and many feel the new artist has a promising career if he can continue to produce at this level. 

Tyler Gray, known by the moniker Manderley, released the lengthily-titled You Come In Seasons and Depart Through Windy Gusts and Blowing Leaves, his fourth studio album to date. Manderley is another young talent at just nineteen years old, and his music is known for being intentionally raw and unpolished. You Come In Seasons follows suit; influenced heavily by the midwest-emo sound, this new work features overdriven guitars, noisy melodies and deeply personal, journal-entry-like lyrics. Listeners are surprised to see Manderley’s relatively small following, but expect the artist to continue to gain traction with such a solid release. While some find the album a little bloated with a runtime over forty-five minutes, the general consensus is that most tracks are memorable, unique, and authentically angsty.

Shea - Eskipade

Jan 1 2026

No Label

Richard Sallis - Casino

Jan 2, 2026

No Label

Stygian Hollow - Self-Titled

Jan 1, 2026

Starrcade

Amar33 - The Next Bus Stop

Jan 2, 2026

No Label

Manderly - You Come In Seasons and Depart in Through Windy Gusts and Blowing Leaves

Jan 2, 2026

Visual Nuance