On Hannah Ashcroft’s Instagram account, the Manchester-based musician describes her style as “socially awkward songwriting”, and with that we’re already on board. Her new single is called ‘Under The Static’, a guitar-driven alt rock song with flourishes of americana. We especially love the vibrancy of Ashcroft’s vocal, reflecting the songwriter’s impassioned battle with social anxiety. As she candidly shares: “The track relates to social anxiety, when everyday situations render you so speechless that your presence simply goes unnoticed or is misconstrued as aloof.” Yet, through her music, Ashcroft is able to give a voice this experience, to stand up and be noticed in a sphere where she feels more comfortable, as she continues, “I wanted to create tension within the instrumentation while the lyrics reflect a kind of internal dialogue, a sense of helplessness and a struggle to be heard above the noise”. Well, we’re certainly listening and we hope you are too, because ‘Under The Static’ is too good to be missed. - Hannah Thacker