EPISODE 77 of Z-GR! Radio
March 20, 2026
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Monotronic – Looking Away
Monotronic is an indie rock/electronic music collective originally formed in New York City around 2016 by guitarist, producer, and anthropologist Ramsey Elkholy. Elkholy’s background in anthropology and his travels in India and Southeast Asia influenced the band’s global and rhythmic musical style. Their first album was released in 2019, and our opener this week, ‘Looking Away’, is off of 2024’s EP release of the same name.
VVerevvolf – Sugar & Spice
Z-GR! Radio favorite Vverevvolf is an indie/electropop duo from the East San Francisco Bay Area known for mixing dark aesthetics with catchy pop melodies. It looked like they had closed shop for a long minute, but they popped up with a single in 2025, so let’s hope they’ve got some new material on the way.
Icarus – Galaxies Away
Icarus is an an independent electronic synth-pop artist from Stockholm, Sweden, who began releasing music in the early 2020s and debuted on the show way back on Episode 7 – Galaxies Away is a melodic electro-pop single that uses cosmic imagery to explore emotional distance and connection, featuring lush synth textures and a driving dance groove.
Zero-G Racetrack – Hard to Believe
Zero-G Racetrack is an electronic rock project based in Silicon Valley, California that blends driving guitars with synth-flavored production. The band formed in 2021, Hard to Believe, released in 2023, is a straightforward love-affirming track about the special feeling you get when someone you really like reciprocates that feeling — no uncertainty, just a celebration of connection.
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Emma Dilemma – Reach Out
Emma Dilemma is an independent alternative/pop/rock artist from Christchurch, New Zealand who began releasing music in 2021 with her debut album Spit – Reach Out was released in 2022 as the opening track on the album – Emma’s style blends classic alternative rock influences with modern indie-pop sensibilities, and she’s built a strong following in New Zealand’s indie music scene.
Helgar – Absurd
Gold Needles – Eleven Eleven
New to the show is British indie rock/pop‑rock band Gold Needles, who formed back in 2015 and has built a reputation for catchy guitar hooks, tight vocal harmonies and melody‑driven songs influenced by classic rock and power‑pop traditions. Eleven Eleven, released in 2025 on their album Mood Elevator.
Nordir – Whistleblower (2013)
Also new to Z-GR! Radio is Nordir an independent synth‑rock/electronic band from Germany whose sound blends atmospheric synth textures with a rock and sci‑fi‑inspired vibe – I really like the band- Whistleblower (2013), released as a single in December 2023 (despite the title reference to 2013), is a synth‑rock‑leaning track built around themes of truth, personal integrity, and societal observation.
Song #9
Peter Gabriel’s Digging in the Dirt is a song from his 1992 album Us, released as a single in 1992. It remains one of Gabriel’s most memorable tracks for its combination of introspective lyrics, innovative production, and visually striking video work. The song reached #52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has become an enduring hit on alternative and rock charts.
Covering the track is Tufts Beelzebubs a long‑running collegiate a cappella group from Medford, Massachusetts (Tufts University) that formed in 1962, known for performing and recording vocal arrangements of pop, rock, and R&B songs with tight harmonies and energetic arrangements. Very, very cool take on a great track.
Bec Sandridge – Red Jumper
Bec Sandridge is an independent indie‑pop/rock singer‑songwriter from Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, and has been featured several times on Z-GR! Radio – she’s been blowing things up over the last few years and justifiably so – I reached way back to her 2013 debut EP Wild Heart for ‘Red Jumper’.
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Aura Davis – What You Love
Aura Davis is an independent indie/pop‑rock singer‑songwriter from Zurich, Switzerland, who began releasing music around 2020 and has built a reputation for emotionally raw, guitar‑driven songs with powerful vocals and honest lyrical themes. She received a guitar endorsement from Blade Guitars in 2025, playing a limited-edition Blade model. What You Love, released in 2021, is a bold and expressive track written from the perspective of a fierce, unapologetic character, showcasing her mix of pop‑rock energy and storytelling.
Labrys – Back of My Mind
Labrys is an independent alternative/psychedelic rock band from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, led by singer‑songwriter Penny Pitchlynn. They started releasing music in the early 2020s and are known for combining vocals with indie rock and psychedelic instrumentation. Back of My Mind, released on March 13, 2026, is a straightforward track about lingering thoughts and emotions.
Jetglows – Here Come the Fireflies
Jetglows is an independent indie/alternative rock band from Charleston, South Carolina, made up of Gina Partin (vocals, guitar), Timothy Ferguson (bass, vocals), Travis McNabb (drums), and Todd Underwood (guitar). They began releasing music in the early 2020s, blending melodic guitar lines, vocal harmonies, and catchy indie rock songwriting. Here Come the Fireflies, released in 2025, is an upbeat song with jangly guitars that celebrates the small, magical moments in everyday life.
JJ Lovegrove – Celandine
JJ Lovegrove is an independent folk/pop singer‑songwriter from Brighton, England who began releasing music in the mid‑2010s. She blends melodic acoustic instrumentation with thoughtful lyrics and expressive vocals, and is also an advocate for musicians through her work with the Ivors Academy Songwriter Council and her writing supporting independent artists. Celandine, set to be released tomorrow (March 20, 2026), is inspired by the DH Lawrence poem of the same name and showcases her reflective songwriting and warm vocal style.
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