Railcard – Two Steps At A Time (Skep Wax / Slumberland)

Railcard – Two Steps At A Time (Skep Wax / Slumberland)

Indiepop supergroup Railcard – featuring members of Dolly Mixture, Heavenly and Trash Can Sinatras – share sweet and jangling single Two Steps At A Time ahead of a debut album of the same name due out in September

Artist: Railcard
Track: Two Steps At A Time
Label: Skep Wax / Slumberland
Release date: 9 July 2026
Find it: Bandcamp

Railcard by John Jervis

Following on from the warm reception to their first 3 EPs new-band-of-long-time scensters Railcard has shared a new single Two Steps At A Time, and announced their debut album (sharing a name with this single) will be out in September. Before we get into the jangling, upbeat, feel-good pop of the single let’s recap the pedigree of this indiepop supergroup.

Railcard formed just last year when Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture), Ian Button (Heavenly, Papernut CambridgeThe Penrose Web) and Peter Momtchiloff (HeavenlyWould-be-goods, Talulah Gosh) discovered they were all born within weeks of each other back in 1962. They relaxed the age limit to bring in trumpeter Allison Thompson (The Trash Can Sinatras, The Love Band) and together they are making modern gentle dreampop meets Motown dancefloor indiepop classics.

It’s not so much each member’s musical past which makes this an exciting project, but what they have collectively come up with in such a short space of time. Since meeting in 2025 they’ve already released those 3 EPs we mentioned (collected, self-titled and released last year), and now we’re heading toward the debut album this September, out on iconic indie labels Skep Wax and Slumberland.

‘Got to skip the unnecessary / Cutting corners where I think I can see / A better way to be the real me’

They lead into the LP with single Two Steps At A Time, the title reflecting the band’s creative pace somewhat while the sound does evoke the indiepop heritage.

With softly interlaced vocals from Love and Button, jaunty whistling, and jangling melodies it’s a sweet song reflecting the joyful rush to becoming who you really are. With a repeating refrain melodically and lyrically there is just enough of a hypnotic psych tinge to it all but it remains playful and light throughout. No real surprise but it wouldn’t sound out of place in the Sarah Records catalogue.

Jump into the single, explore the EPs if they passed you by last year, and get ready for this album – we expect it to be an instant favourite in the indiepop canon.

Two Steps At A Time by Railcard is out digitally now. The album of the same name is due for release 18 September 2026 via Skep Wax and Slumberland.

Live dates:

  • 9 August – Betsey Trotwood, London (matinee)
  • 15 August – Glas Goes Pop, Glasgow
  • 27 August – Words and Music Festival, Rolvenden Layne
  • 10 September – The Sound Lounge, Sutton
  • 12 September – The Oast, Rainham
  • 13 September – Railway Club, Brighton (matinee)
  • 19 September – Queen Charlotte, Ramsgate
  • 20 September – Lexington, London (matinee)
  • 25 September – The Thunderbolt, Bristol
  • 26 September – Just Dropped In, Coventry
  • 10 October: Sidney + Matilda, Sheffield (matinee)
  • 6 November: Leith Depot, Edinburgh
  • 7 November: Klondyke Club, Manchester
  • 14 November: Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate

Image: John Jervis

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Sarah Lay

Sarah Lay is editor of Popoptica.
A long-standing music journalist she's also co-founder of independent record label Reckless Yes, an author of novels, and when not messing around with words and music, a digital strategist.
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