Selects is our brand new monthly spotlight on ten emerging artists making serious noise under the surface.
Five are sent to our inbox—direct from the artists or their team. The other five? We’ve dug for them ourselves. Because great music deserves to be found, not just fed to us.
This isn’t a shout into the void—it’s a carefully curated signal boost. A way of saying: “We see you. Others should too.”
At Bonnie Scotland Presents, we believe music has the power to inspire and unite us all. And, that belief is the heartbeat behind everything we do. Radar isn’t just about plays or stats. It’s about giving space to voices that deserve to be heard and helping listeners fall in love with something new, real, and full of possibility.
I know not everyone uses spotify so beside each track you will find a link that will take you to the song and every platform it is available on. Don’t miss out, get adding these tracks to your playlists!
PS… Click the track artwork to visit the bands socials!
From the inbox...
Tooth Gore – The Lighthouse
Vibe: Indie-pop-Rock
From the band: The Lighthouse is one of my all-time favourites. Marevo Collective’s video game No-one Lives Under The Lighthouse from the same year is another huge inspiration for me as a person, so writing a song about lighthouses was just a no brainer.”
Emma Says: This track is a nice wee nod back to the late 00s. Think The Editors, Vampire Weekend and the Wombats. It’s indie club night vibes with a nice bright guitar sound and chantable chorus.
Midland Railway – Unwavering Optimism
Vibe: Dancable Indie-pop
From the band: “Unwavering Optimism is a song about somehow trying to maintain some amount of hope, however disastrously things may have gone in the past. Without it, there is nothing to motivate us to try to make our lives and those of others better.
Rhuari says: I’m feeling a real nostalgia from his song, looking back to The The, Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura. Another for the indie club night, dancing with your cool friends in their super cool clothes.
Stephen McCarfferty – I am The Buffalo
Vibe: Anthemic Indie Sing-a-long
From the band: I wrote ‘I Am The Buffalo’ on a night shift, half asleep, bashing away on an old guitar that wouldn’t stay in tune. It pretty much wrote itself. I’ve always loved those big 90s anthems like Sit Down by James, and this one feels like it lives in that space, weary but defiant, a bit of a mantra to keep going.
Rhuari says: This indie banger really grabbed me this year particularly watching it liv e at Clarks Dundee when Stephen separated the crowd and had us sing in harmony with each other. I love the build ups and pauses and the refrain, “I am the Buffalo” is probably the most catchy thing I’ve heard this year.
Cloud House – Truth
Vibe: Driven Pop
From the band: Sometimes in life all you need to know is where you stand with someone. ‘Truth’ is about trying to find that.
Rhuari says: Anthemic but somehow melancholic. This song fits nicely on a playlist with other Scottish Indie heroes like Xcerts, Copper Lungs, and We Were Promised Jetpacks. It’s a wall of sound with sax creating a really interesting texture.
David WILTs – Velvet Rose
Vibe: Dreamy, lovesick Indie
From the artist: “Velvet Rose is a raw and poetic exploration of love, fragility, and resilience. Written with confessional honesty, the song lingers on contrasts – beauty and thorns, affection and struggle, intimacy and distance.
Rhuari says: This is a great find. If you’re into The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit, David WILTs will quench your thirst. Sweet, crisp indie music with great Scottish song writing and a nice strong Scottish accent.
Fresh finds…
The Tempilstiks – Over and Over
Vibe: Grungey basement rock
Rhuari says: Here’s something different from the other tracks I’ve selected for the month. Is it metal? I’m not totally sure, but it’s certainly metal adjacent. It’s unique in the same way that Modest Mouse are. Like, I can’t really place it, but I’m intrigued and drawn to it.
The Xcerts – Kick It
Vibe: 00s Scottish skate-punk
Rhuari says: I realised that most of the tracks I selected were Scottish Indie Club bangers so I had to put this on. The Xcerts are Aberdeen’s finest Xports and if you haven’t seen or heard them yet, this is your sign.
Escape Goats – Rompecabezas
Vibe: Glaswegian syncopated rock
Rhuari says: This track wasn’t in the list of tracks for me to pick for the October Playlist but I found it in the Bonnie Scotland Presents pile of tracks to listen to and fell in love. These guys are really cool and again giving me a sense of nostalgia for the golden age of Scottish Indie. I’ll have a full review of this song coming very soon.
Dananananaykroyd – Infinity Milk
Vibe: Chaotic Melodic Indie
Rhuari says: When I heard this song for the first time I was absolutely blown away. It’s like nothing I had ever heard before and honestly, I haven’t heard anything like it since. They have 2 drums, and sometimes one of the drummers runs over and grabs a mic for a second vocal and the 2 singers bounce off each other in a really special way. They also have one of the coolest guitarist I’ve ever heard creating out of this world riffs.
Idlewild – I’m a Message
Vibe: 90s Teeage, Indie-Punk
Rhuari says: I saw Idlewild the other night at the Barras and it was absolutely incredible. I’m afraid I’m one of those guys who prefer the older stuff, so here’s something from the 90s. I’ve no idea what he means by the lyrics, but I love it, and I think it ties the playlist up nicely.
