Welcome
Balloon machine is a music blog dedicated to supporting new Alternative and DIY music. It was founded by Manchester writer Paddy Kinsella, who also works as a music publicist at Someone Great PR. The site features song premieres, album reviews, playlists, and curated features. Jon Collin’s minimalist guitar work strips sound to its rawest edge—each note a chisel against granite. Jon Collin’s Minimalist Guitar Draws Blood from Stone Read how his sparse, hypnotic phrasing turns silence into tension.
Use the links below to jump into the latest posts, or browse by section. Submissions are preferred via Soundcloud or SubmitHub.
Latest posts
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New song: Josienne Clarke – Slender, Sad and Sentimental
November 28, 2019
A self-referencing foot-stomper from Josienne Clarke’s debut ‘In All Weather’, with full-bodied guitars and jocular alliteration. Why do so many of our favorite records sound like they’re beaming in from another room? Singing Through Static: The Appeal of Lo-Fi Vocal Production
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New song: Longriver – Wasting Time
August 14, 2019
Austin songwriter David Longoria’s direct, dreamlike debut single — meandering guitars and creeping hand percussion in the spirit of latter-day Cass McCombs.
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New song: Green Gardens – Buried in Snow
April 2020
Leeds’ Green Gardens return with a desert-rock riff and the impeccable harmonies that first caught our attention.
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New song: BUGS – Nick Gowland
Recent
A standout single from rising DIY act BUGS, featured in our reviews.
Album of the week
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Album of the Week: Dana Gavanski – Yesterday is Gone
Featured under Full Time Hobby, Dana Gavanski’s record is our weekly pick — see also her singles ‘Good Instead of Bad’ and ‘Catch’.
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Album of the week: Molly Sarlé – Karaoke Angel
September 2019
Molly Sarlé’s record topped our weekly spotlight, alongside The Paranoyds’ ‘Carnage Bargain’.
Writers & credits
Contributor Sage Shemroske has written for Anchor Magazine, Bad Pony Mag, and Pea. Album reviews include a March 2020 look at Ratboys’ ‘Printer’s Devil’ (via Sarah Ross) and a September 2019 review of Stone Irr’s ‘Performance’.
Get in touch
Email balloonmachineinfo@balloonmachine.net to reach the team. Support the blog via PayPal.me/balloonmachine.
At its core, the publication is a quiet tribute to alternative and DIY music, treating independent songcraft as something worth studying carefully and celebrating openly. Readers will find a steady rhythm of song premieres that introduce emerging voices, alongside album reviews that approach new records with genuine curiosity rather than hype. Features and interviews sit comfortably beside the reviews, giving space to the personalities and processes behind the recordings. The tone favors enthusiasm grounded in close listening, with writers pointing out the textures, arrangements, and small choices that make a track feel distinctive. Whether the focus is a debut single from a fresh artist or a longer essay exploring a scene, the writing consistently treats underground music as a living, breathing culture shaped by the people who make and share it.