We Speak Music
Vague Notion Reveal Debut EP ‘GLOW’
Vague Notion – the joint project of vocalist Cheryl Janzen and multi-instrumentalist Bevan Early – are an indie electronic/post punk band who bring you their debut EP GLOW. It is an EP that reaches across genres into a cohesive sonic world that feels less like a collection of tracks and more like a continuous immersive and tactile environment. They guide the listener through the EP’s shifting emotional and sonic landscape.
It opens with ‘Visceral Reaction’ which introduces the sci-fi beats that permeate throughout the album, establishing the EP’s atmospheric landscape it will continue to build upon. Janzen’s voice reverberates throughout the song in ethereal echoes, carrying repetitive lyrics ‘A visceral reaction’ and ‘A glow all around’, rebounding instinctually like these reactions do, anchoring in the gut, as if echoing through the space the EP constructs. ‘We Made It So’ leans into crunchy, wailing guitar leads and heavier drum beats which anchor the song amidst stacked, reverb vocals, grounding the EP’s more abstract textures in something more physical and immediate.
‘Peace Dub’ is anchored by snare drums, cymbals and rhythmic snaps against a recurring bass loop. It experiments with cricket sounds weaving through the backing, offering an unexpected take on electronic lofi, introducing organic textures that expand the EP’s sonic environment outward. Moments of respite allow the lyrics to stand for themselves – ‘There it is, right in front of me’ – creating pockets of space within the EP’s otherwise dense, immersive world. ‘Blue Skinned Dog’ opens with futuristic beats and high tonal frequencies that zip and scale across a steady drum beat. Alongside soaring, layered vocals, the intensity of the textured instrumental becomes immersive, pulling the listener into its disorienting rhythm expanding the EP’s world.
The EP closes with ‘Book of Time’ and ‘A Little Distraction’. ‘Book of Time’ leads with a controlled chaos with layers of cinematic chords, electric tonalities and otherworldly synths. The vocals lead with a rasping quality, building in a way that reflects the meditation on time and loss within the lyrics, as the world it has constructed begins to feel more unstable. ‘A Little Distraction’ takes a softer, dreamier approach to the album’s sound. It pairs wailing guitars with choral vocal runs and strong anchoring synth beats. The lyrics move in cycles, circling back on events and phrases to highlight an internal tension that builds toward an abrupt sonic end, bringing the EP to a close that feels less like resolution and more like a sudden exit from its immersive space.
GLOW is an EP that flirts with sci-fi textures to create a sonically unique experience, one that could comfortably sit within the Blade Runner soundtrack and not feel out of place, with its futuristic, cinematic textures aligning with that same dystopian atmosphere. Cheryl Janzen’s vocals sit at an intersection between Chrissie Hynde’s smoky delivery and Björk’s eccentricities. Bevan Early’s intricately layered instrumentation pushes the EP further into new, disorienting territory. Rather than simply blending genres, GLOW constructs a distinct sonic environment that the listener moves through, positioning Vague Notion within a space where atmosphere, texture, andkaz world-building became as central as song structure itself.
“GLOW, is Vague Notion at their most expansive and emotionally luminous, an EP that moves like shifting light through mountain air. It captures their signature blend of cinematic electronics and raw human expression, while pushing into a brighter, more forward-facing energy that feels both fearless and deeply alive,” shares music publicist Danielle Holian, Decent Music PR.
Connect with Vague Notion: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Spotify
We Speak Music
The Songs of Butler & Cupples Prioritise Craft on Intimate New Single ‘Better off Lost’
Following the momentum of their first three breakout releases earlier this year, genre-fluid project The Songs of Butler & Cupples have returned with ‘Better off Lost’. A stripped-back, intimate offering that further sharpens their songcraft-first ethos, the release reinforces the duo’s position as one of the most forward-thinking, emerging songwriting projects operating outside the traditional band framework.
Conceived entirely as a vehicle where pure songcraft remains the central focus, The Songs of Butler & Cupples was formed in direct response to a contemporary music landscape increasingly shaped by image, algorithms, and visual perception rather than musical composition.
Led by two highly experienced industry songwriters, the project is intentionally fluid. It allows musical ideas to dictate their own final form without being restricted by rigid genre conventions or commercial chart expectations. With ‘Better off Lost’, the pair turn inward, embracing an acoustic-led direction underpinned by Americana-leaning textures and delicate, emotive vocal arrangements.
Sonically, the track marks a further evolution in their rapidly expanding creative palette. Built around a gentle acoustic guitar foundation, ‘Better off Lost’ foregrounds vulnerability and vocal performance above all else. The raw emotional delivery is elevated by subtle, layered harmonies and understated pop sensibilities that give the track its modern, polished edge.
The duo’s stylistic range has already drawn comparisons to boundary-pushing artists such as Miley Cyrus and Kacey Musgraves, whose recent celebrated works have helped reframe contemporary Americana within the broader pop landscape. Like those icons, Butler & Cupples demonstrate a versatile range that fiercely resists easy categorization.
Across their 2026 discography, they have proven comfortable shifting between entirely different sonic worlds, including: Electronic-Leaning Production: Utilising sleek, modern digital textures. Experimental & Rock Influence: Embracing grittier, guitar-driven edge and unpredictable structures. Acoustic Minimalism: As heard on the new single, proving that a strong emotional through-line remains intact regardless of the instrumentation.
Rather than chasing viral TikTok trends or tailoring their masters for playlist algorithms, the project remains deeply rooted in strong structural songwriting, genuine emotional resonance, and absolute creative freedom.
At its core, The Songs of Butler & Cupples functions as an open creative framework without built-in limitations or outside expectations. ‘Better off Lost’ stands as another clear statement of intent from the duo: that well-crafted songs, when given proper breathing room and unfiltered honesty, still possess the power to cut through the modern noise.
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