Latest Posts

SAVAK- Child’s Pose

May 13, 2025

Brooklyn based SAVAK are at it again, squawkin’ away on their latest single “Child’s Pose.” I say “squawkin'” only because their upcoming album is called SQUAWK! and how often is one presented with the opportunity to say squawkin’? We’ve covered the band before here and here, and while it has been awhile since they came through our turnstile, we’re always happy to hear them pop up again.   Starting off with frenetic guitars and drums, the bass and vocals pop in 20 seconds in and… the band never really takes their feet off the gas. The bridge still comes on pretty strong and doesn’t let up until the end. In comparing their last two singles “Tomorrow And The Day After” and  “No Man’s Island,” this falls in between the two as far as intensity goes (which is a weird thing to say, but really, please go compare and you’ll see[...]

Me Nd Adam – “Waco, TX”

May 13, 2025

Best bros Vince and Adam (no relation) are the core members of Me Nd Adam. Live members Ian Green, Marcell Coleman, and Sam Shahin began joining them in-studio for their upcoming full length, A Chain Reaction of Pointless Disasters, of which “Waco, TX” is apart of.   I’m terrible at understanding lyrics unless I’m reading along, but I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of Waco before – specifically in reference to the birthplace of Dr. Pepper (and government raids on religious cults). The track itself packs the punch of a full band (plus synth!) and follows the en vogue theme of “uplifting sounding music but the subject matter is not necessarily uplifting.” It feels like if Sting (and the Police) were to have been transported to current era from wherever they began in the 80’s and the bass gain was turned down 20%. Honest to goodness pop gold that will get stuck[...]

Made of Shape – “Lost”

May 13, 2025

Jona Mor, the brains behind Made of Shape, brings us his latest track “Lost.” Having the unfortunate distinction of being among the earlier Covid cases stateside (and later long Covid), he still had the silver lining of being able to *only* write music. Fast forward to 2025 and Mor’s low-key pop gem has had time to spread its wings. Acoustic guitar and synth join forces to keep a morose subject, the moment you realize the conversation has moved on without you, semi-upbeat and not as heavy (and by golly, it works!)   You can hear “Lost” below from Soundcloud or over on Spotify. You’ll also find “Call it (night)” and “Flashlight” (noticing a theme here) on the same single, so be sure to give those a listen too.   Made of Shape · LOST      

Pavy – “Another Chicago Girl”

May 10, 2025

Chicago hip hop artist Pavy is in a familiar spot on his latest track “Another Chicago Girl.” Pavy’s a natural storyteller – he first takes us to his youth when his maturity and relationship skills were still developing. It didn’t work for him and his interest then. The second half of the track brings us to current day. Now that he’s older – maybe it’s time to revisit this? Pavy’s certainly game to try. “Another Chicago Girl” explores rekindling that flame and does so with a killer hook that Pavy delivers immediately to start the song. Get a taste of his songwriting flair with this one. Check out more from Pavy on Spotify, and check him out among other exciting artists on our New and Emerging Hip Hop playlist. 

Kiwiliwi – “Rich Like Hallelujah”

May 10, 2025

Swedish rapper/producer Kiwiliwi unlocks a Chief Keef sample for his latest track “Rich Like Hallelujah.” A Gothic production atmosphere backdrops the single before Chiraq’s number one export steps to the plate – at least a sample of him does. An aggressive, irreverent verse from Finally Rich standout “Hallelujah” provides a carefree menace on verse 1.  Kiwiliwi plays his counterpart on the back half this track, coming in with a distinctly different energy for the track. On vocals he’s soft and careful, fluttering between autotuned singing and rapping as he feels out his position against Chief’s verse and the choir within the beat. Yung Lean fans will dig, Chief Keef fans get a nice memory – everyone wins. Check out the track on Spotify at Kiwiliwi’s profile or on our New and Emerging Hip Hop playlist. 

Slung – “Nothing Left”

May 9, 2025

Slung brings us their latest track “Nothing Left” off of their album In Ways (released May 2nd). The UK-based four piece has prepared a contemplative slow burn of an alt rock track with, frankly, a ballad level vocal performance from Katie Oldham.   The buildup from the seemingly humble first few notes really takes this track to the next level and gave me the chills. If you’ve ever fancied yourself a music aficionado, this hits all of the right spots and you’ll be better off having listened. Fans of Manchester Orchestra, Silversun Pickups, or Wolf Alice are going to like this one.   You can hear “Nothing Left” below from Bandcamp or over on Spotify. The rest of the album is worth a gander too, be sure to check ’em out live if you find yourself on the other side of the pond (or listen and follow and maybe they’ll[...]

The Spins – “Rain or Shine”

May 9, 2025

Right around a month ago (almost to the day), we gave The Spins…… A spin. Nick covered their B-Side “It’s Me,” and I’m gonna be real, not much has changed in a month. Our love hasn’t diminished and has only grown with their latest, “Rain or Shine.” The guitar hook is undeniably catchy, pairing nicely with the polished, pop hooks. You’ll be feeling all of the feels through the journey of the music video embedded below. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to love and hate how unfair everything is sometimes and you’ll feel it all throughout.   “Rain or Shine” is available pretty much wherever you stream your music but I’ll be nice and link the YouTube music vid and Spotify. This is all in anticipation of their forthcoming album, which will be out sometime soon (their linktree is a good source to keep abreast of their comings and[...]

Nadia Faye – “Swallowing Spit”

May 9, 2025

“Swallowing Spit” sounds gross and it really is. In both the literal and figurative sense, who the heck likes doing that? If you’re not familiar with latter meaning of the term, YOU AREN’T ALONE! It refers to holding back thoughts/emotions/words whether you don’t want to or are unable to. Nadia Faye obviously knows, and damn it if she doesn’t lay out her thoughts on the matter, and how empowering it can be to finally stop swallowing, beautifully.   Her dulcet tones fit nicely with the mix of guitar/bass/drums that give a great alt pop feel (see if you can count the geetar layers). We’re definitely looking forward to hearing more and you’ll certainly be among the first to know.   You can hear “Swallowing Spit” below from YouTube or over on Spotify. Her other release, “Gardening” is a little less gross sounding but just as rockin’ and well worth the[...]

PANIK FLOWER – “symptom of paradox”

May 8, 2025

Finally, someone who gets it. PANIK FLOWER spells the “panik” in their name the way the word should be spelled. It definitely takes on the right vibe when spelt like that.   *crikets*   Okay…just me and PANIK FLOWER – it’s fine I get it. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, their latest track “symptom of paradox” off of their rearview EP should sway you in the right direction. They do a lot in just under three minutes with at least the first 20 seconds being a shoegaze-y ear delight of wailing guitars. You’ll get teased with a crescendo and some sprechgesang-type vocals a few times until you get the release, but let me assure you, it’s well worth the buildup.   You can hear the track below from Bandcamp, as well as over on Spotify. Check out the rest of the EP and let us (and the band,[...]

Michael Sanders – “blue”

May 8, 2025

Michael Sanders is the myth and the legend behind… Michael Sanders and “blue” is the latest single from his blue EP. Sanders croons and whispers sweet nothings to us (the listener, not the Blog specifically) behind some solid guitar work that gives a country-adjacent vibe at times; vintage Beach Boys brand pop; and some blistering shoegaze-y solos that might remind you of another blue something (no, not that, whatever you may be thinking).   blue blue blue blue blue blue blue – that’s the exact number of times Michael uses the word blue in “blue…” or is it? There is only one way to find out.   You can hear “blue” below, courtesy of YouTube, or over on Spotify. There’s an album coming sometime this year titled “fuzzer,” so keep your ears peeled for that and, in the meantime, the rest of the four track EP.  

Red Velvet Papi, M3rce, & Junogloc – “Double Play”

May 6, 2025

Three emcees with NYC roots join forces to drop a tasty modern boom bap lick with this new track “Double Play.” New York’s Red Velvet Papi and M3rce, and Atlanta’s Junogloc are the minds behind the single – which elevates a chill beat into a full vibe with subdued deliveries and nonchalant flexes. I’ve never heard a less bothered rapper hit a line like “No matter how much you try, you can’t even front.” Each rapper brings a slightly different flavor to the mix, and the end result is a track that blends perfectly into your boom bap, smoking, and chill hip hop playlists. Check out more from Papi, M3rce, and Junogloc on Spotify. You’ll find them and more exciting new hip hop artists on our New and Emerging Hip Hop playlist. 

Tevin Williams – “PWFIRE”

May 6, 2025

Queens rapper Tevin Williams brings gets deep with the references on his Neptunes-flavored single “PWFIRE.” Shakers, shiny keyboards and a big hook anchor “PWFIRE,” where Tevin shows off his distinct rapping style and slick delivery. Tevin’s in his bag when the wordplay’s at its nichiest niche. “Shit that I reference got the nerd’s eyes wise” he raps after he drops an insane Sharon Enos reference. Googleable lines counter that early 2000s radio-friendly production style – it feels sweet on the ears. Thought maybe a Mystikal feature was coming around the corner. Check out more from Tevin on Spotify, where you’ll see him features on our Emerging Hip Hop playlist.

Laila Smith – “Diorama”

May 4, 2025

There are plenty of things that will break your heart in this world, so let the latest single from Laila Smith be solace that you’re not going through it alone. “Diorama” is a beautiful indie rock song that showcases Smith’s true pain – softly plucked acoustic guitars layered with spikes of electric guitar bring this one to life, of course, set off by Laila’s lilting vocal presence. She’s really putting herself out there with this one – here’s a snippet about the song:   “Diorama was born out of a very confusing time in my life, a period of deep denial about the quiet collapse of my marriage… We position ourselves as essential in someone’s landscape while knowing any fixed arrangement is a kind of death… The truth of intimate attachment is that all we desire is desire itself—not the messy reality of human connection.”   Check out “Diorama” via[...]

Liminal Shade – “Disorder (Joy Division Cover)”

May 4, 2025

As made popular by Joy Division on their seminal 1979 album Unknown Pleasures, Liminal Shade puts their own spin on the joyous themes of alienation and feeling lost. Born from hearing its resurgence on social media, the band wanted to tap into the same themes present now that Ian Curtis et al. dredged up oh so many years ago:   “The themes of ‘Disorder’ resonate profoundly with the current moment… The sense of instability and disquiet that Joy Division captured decades ago resonates with the collective uncertainty many are experiencing these days.”   I will say, the band definitely understood the assignment and took a song older than most of us and not only made it feel fresh but also paid respect to its storied origins.   If you’ve somehow missed out on Joy Divison, you can find the original on Spotify. It’s certainly not required listening before you hear the[...]

Anthony OKS – “Warning Signs”

May 4, 2025

Winnipeg’s Anthony OKS channels both Mos Def and Saukrates on his newest effort “Warning Signs.” Growth has been top of mind in Anthony’s latest works, and on “Warning Signs,” it’s omnipresent. On the track’s hook, he calls out “I just want to make me proud, my goal is to be better.” When the verses strike, Anthony trades off between being clearheaded and skeptical, mentioning “I hate rhetorical questions” as he ponders his personal and interpersonal relationships. The track also features heavenly harmonies from Anthony and featured artist Marisolle Negash.  Add it alongside your more thoughtful  R+B and hip hop playlists. If you’re digging Anthony OKS, check him out on Spotify alongside more great artists on our Emerging Hip Hop playlist.