UKNY for August 21

It has always been expensive for British bands to come to the States to tour, but since Brexit, even Europe, once within reach of even the most nascent groups, has become an unforgiving maze of visas, restrictions, and prohibitive costs. The financial constraint of touring, especially at 2022's astronomic level of worldwide inflation, is hitting emerging bands very hard, and making it even more imperitive that these musicians get radio support.

One such emerging band is the Exeter trio Soot Sprite. They cheekily describe their music as "sad gaze" rather than shoegaze, but their most recent EP, 2021's charming Poltergeists, was a dreamy delight. They would love to tour North America  — and hopefully they can one day. On "UKNY" at 11 p.m., a brand new single from the wonderful Soot Sprite; a song that sardonically counters criticisms about their generation, faced with living in what singer and songwriter Elise Cook calls "an endless apocalyptic drama."

That pandemic-era anxiety spiral is also on the mind of Manchester's Antony Szmierek, whose "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Fallacy" parses our jittery, attention-deprived lives. Londoner Poppy Ajudja has a similar angle in her new release with co-producers Jungle.

Also, Amsterdam septet Personal Trainer are on the brink of releasing a fantastic debut album, Big Love Blanket, this November, and New York's LAPÊCHE have a perfect late-summer single. Melbourne's Husky Gawenda has a new solo album in his sights and Lady Blackbird joins DJ Parrot (aka Crooked Man) for an intriguing, mesmerizing cover as Athletes of God.

British and international releases on "UKNY," 11 p.m.-midnight Sundays, on 90.7 FM, streaming online, and available in the Weekend Archives after broadcast.

Songs played:

1. Poppy Ajudha, “No!,” single
2. (Amsterdam, NL) Personal Trainer, “The Lazer,” Big Love Blanket
3. The GN Band, “It’s Nuts,” single
4. Soot Sprite, “Lazy,” single
5. Antony Szmierek, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Fallacy,” single
6. (Cergy, FR-London, UK) Léa Sen, “Hyasynth,” You of Now Pt. 1 EP
7. (Sheffield, UK-Los Angeles, US) Athletes of God featuring Lady Blackbird, “Don’t Wanna Be Normal (Long and Crooked),” single
8. Dancing on Tables, “How Do I Get Back to Her,” Colour in the Grey
9. (New York, NY) LAPÊCHE, “Mermaid Blues,” single
10. (Berlin, DE) Liam Mour feat. Noraa, “Can’t Get U Off My Mind,” Angel High EP
11. (Alor Setar, MY) Yuna, “Risk It All,” Y3 EP
12. Jeremy Warmsley, “On Top of the World,” American Daydream
13. (Melbourne, AU) Husky Gawenda, “Going Sane,” The Rocket Ship is Haunted
14. (Los Angeles, US) Mini Trees, “Let Down (Radiohead cover),” single