Latest Posts

Dress Kit – “Front Lawn”

October 8, 2024

Dress Kit is a three piece based out of Los Angeles and “Front Lawn” is their latest (and first) single available for streaming. The brainchild of Gabriel Krischer, “Front Lawn” is a melodious shoegaze tinged indie track that evokes DIIV vibes as well as The Dandy Warhols (if you’re bohemian like me). The beginning riff made me think that I was getting into a Stone Temple Pilots type track (“Dancing Days,” for the uninitiated) but it quickly switched gears (and clowned me in the process – well done). It’s three minutes of blissfully whining guitars combatting the chill, clean guitars and Krischer’s down to earth vocals and well worth the listen. Definitely a more contemplative piece but maybe that’s what we need today, hmm? You can hear “Front Lawn” below from YouTube, as well as Bandcamp and Spotify. This is the first of many to come, so be sure to[...]

whaticantforget – “the most lesbionic scene you’ve heard”

October 5, 2024

I had no idea what to expect with a title like “the most lesbionic scene you’ve heard,” but I’ll level with you and say that I had zero money on wonderfully put together emo track (I had it all on punk rock angry track). whatcaniforget is based out of South Bend, and while I couldn’t find much on them, the song credits for both song on Spotify are by Hill Famillion – an objectively awesome name. The track itself is largely atmospheric with drums and subtle acoustic guitar that combine with Famillion’s vocals to create an almost… dreamlike emo track? You’ll see, we’ve linked below where you can find it. You can watch the music video for “the most lesbionic scene you’ve heard” on YouTube below and decide once and for if it truly is. It’s also available on Spotify and Apple Music to add to your emotastic playlist (you[...]

Marvelle Oaks – “Photo Real”

October 5, 2024

Marvelle Oaks. Holy fuck, wow. Husband and wife duo Alex and Tess combined (in their words): “A glorious stew made from the holy ingredients of the Velvet Underground, Pavement, and the B-52s.” That’s it, that’s all I have. Now go listen to their track “Photo Real.” … apparently I can’t just tell you to go listen to a track based on me saying to, even though I’m right more often than I’m wrong. Okay, so picture if Sonic Youth had a younger cousin who you didn’t see a lot at family get togethers because they’re away at school and all of a sudden they graduate and start showing up more and you’re like “wow, you’re fuckin’ cool!” The janky, random guitar that comes in fits until matching up with the bass for some longer notes and general vibe just struck me in the right way and it will for you to[...]

Xay Cole – “Downer”

October 5, 2024

San Jose based Xay Cole brings us their latest single “Downer” off of their new album 21st Century Wrist. The synth is impossibly catchy and you’ll find yourself tapping along to the beat within 30 seconds or your money back. Cole embraces the controlled chaos with a synth-forward track and while this is a ostensibly a song about being down… You can’t help at least keep your head up while the rest of you is down. You can hear “Downer” below from YouTube as well as Apple Music, Bandcamp, or Spotify. Be sure to add it to your synthed up playlists, or anywhere you want something infinitely danceable. 21 Century Wrist, a record about having ancient problems in the modern world, is available on the above platforms as of September 27 from Cherub Dream Records. Be sure to give the rest a listen if you’ve enjoyed this!  

Holding Hour – Can I Leave Me Too?

October 2, 2024

“Can I Leave Me Too?” is the latest from Iowa based indie duo Holding Hour; made up of Marissa Kephart and Scott Yoshimura. ICYMI, the last time we covered HH was for another song off of this single, “Parallel Lines” (which we also thoroughly enjoyed, found here). Keeping up with their flare for all things shoegaze, the track is an amalgamation of the warm and fuzzies along with a noodling guitar that climbs around… Yet everything remains a simmer and never EXPLODES (but it really is the perfect temp, you can’t boil everything). Speaking to the track, the band had this to say: “[Can I Leave Me Too?]… explores the struggle of recognizing that you haven’t been a great partner without fully owning up to it. Set against the backdrop of what should be a warm, celebratory occasion—a birthday—the song highlights feelings of isolation and shame.” You can hear “Can[...]

Julia Rapp – “Conditions of Living”

October 1, 2024

Julia Rapp. Mysterious. Scorpio. Anxious avoidant attachment style. Lists indie rock as a love language. If that doesn’t tell you what you already need to know, then I guess it doesn’t matter what you think. For everyone else, hello, we meet on Thursdays at Mike’s house, except for next week. More importantly, she has a new track, “Conditions of Living” and like her last single we covered “What He’s Been Missing,” we’re all about it. Started as a poem written during her master’s program, it’s a “reflection on the conditions of living: ADHD, capitalism, and the devil.” Sung morosely yet with a matter of fact tone, the guitar and background instrumentals enhance the vocals and you can feel it becoming your mantra, regardless if your struggles are the same or not. Fans of JW Francis, Courtney Barnett, or Clairo anyone who knows the day to day struggle of living would[...]

Say Hello To Heaven – “Straight No Chaser”

October 1, 2024

Self-described “synth-grunge” band Say Hello To Heaven brings us their second single and first original track “Straight No Chaser.” Made up of Alessandro Ayer ad Miguel Romero, their first single was a cover of “Say Hello To Heaven” made famous by Temple of the Dog… “Straight No Chaser,” features a strong synth throughout that, although tastefully cedes some time to the guitar, otherwise rocks the fuck out. While synth-grunge as a concept could just be a one-off novelty, we’re all about it, and hope that the band is as earnest as they sound, because how can you go wrong here? Synth-meets-grunge? Sign us up. You can hear “Straight No Chaser” below from Soundcloud or add to your soon-to-be-stuffed synth-grunge playlist on Spotify.  

Sophia Warren – “Stand By”

October 1, 2024

Sophia Warren brings us her latest with “Stand By,” a masterclass in dream pop backed by a wispy yet very substantial vocal showing. Drums and bass take center stage with driving the track forward with a simple yet catchy synth track that, combined with the vocals, gives an ethereal feel to “Stand By.” With production coming from the same guy (Chris Coad) who has worked with Beach House (a personal favorite of mine) and TV on the Radio,  it’s easy to recommend Sophia Warren to fans of them. Speaking to the track, Warren had this to say: “Stand By’ is about being in a dead, lifeless relationship. Being with someone for many years and realizing neither of you is putting effort into it anymore. You begin to feel on standby, waiting for something to jolt you out of your lifeless relationship. However, the waiting continues and reveals itself to be[...]

onlydigitally – old dog

October 1, 2024

i know that you’re sick of it you’re full of resentment so why try and lie and say you’re fine just like this? Thien An Nguyen and Alejandro Melero, a Houston-based two piece, are onlydigitally, who ask us this and more on their latest single, “old dog.” The lyrics above are not exactly the most uplifting sentiment, but music talks about the human condition and sometimes that’s how it goes. Banjo and firm, yet gentle guitar tickle your ears in this slice-of-small-town track, lamenting while also accepting the truth (turns out you can’t teach an old dog new tricks). This an unabashedly folk-tinged indie track (even delving into country a bit) and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Fans of Band of Horses or Big Thief would find a lot to enjoy here. You can heard “old dog”  below from the band’s Soundcloud as well as Apple Music or[...]

KOBAIEN – “Nightmare”

October 1, 2024

Paris-based KOBAIEN and Ohm Vision bring us their latest track, the EDM soirée, “Nightmare.” The track is heavy with hypnotic beats and effects that ebb and flow flawlessly, with vocals from fellow French singer Brume integrated perfectly. While this is all sung English (in case you’re not fluent in French), you don’t need to know any language other than that spoken by the soul when it creates something truly beautiful. Fans of EDM will definitely appreciate this unless, like the weird indie gatekeepers, it’s too something, or not enough something, or you heard it before it was cool and it’s not cool anymore. To them, we say, “Nightmare” has just the right amount of something. Fans of bands like Hot Chip or LCD Soundsystem will find a lot to enjoy here, as well as anyone who enjoys a dank beat. You can hear “Nightmare” below from YouTube or add it[...]

All The Pretty Horses – “Frances”

September 25, 2024

“Frances” is the latest single from Boston based All The Pretty Horses. Not to be confused with the 90’s glam punk band four piece Venus de Mars and All the Pretty Horses or the novel from the ‘Border Trilogy’ by Cormac McCarthy. I couldn’t find much on the band themselves, but I respect the mysteriousness. The track itself is an ode to a sweet cat named, what else, “Frances” – it’s a ramblin’ lo-fi hued dandy, slowly building around a simple drum beat and crescendoing up to a synth soaked, early-Weezer-ish finale. The guitar shows up too, but very gently, and stays below the radar underneath bandmember Austin Traver’s lyrics. Fans of Elliott Smith, Grandaddy, or anything melancholic would find a lot to enjoy here. You can hear “Frances” on YouTube or head on over to Spotify for the track plus nine other from the full length (with the coolest[...]

Cigarettes for Breakfast – “Seeing Stars”

September 25, 2024

Cigarettes for Breakfast, an idea that sounds slightly less appealing than Cigarettes After Sex (but still part of a balanced breakfast), brings us their latest track “Seeing Stars.” It is a fuzz filled fracas that leans heavily shoegaze with a nice ethereal sheen of dream pop a la early era Smashing Pumpkins, Slowdive, or My Bloody Valentine. As you might expect from that description, there is a *lot* of guitar packed in, but due to the magic of shoegaze, it all blends together but incorporates like a perfect stack of flapjacks from a box (just add water [or pedals, in this case])! You can watch the music video for “Seeing Stars” below from YouTube. If you’re more in the mood for just listening it’s available on Apple Music, Spotify, and Soundcloud. The other half of the single, “Solitaire” is also well worth the listen if you enjoyed “Seeing Stars” (plus[...]

Astrud Gardener – “Wander”

September 25, 2024

From out yonder Catskills (in the village of Catskill) comes Astrud Gardener and her newest single “Wander.” This is only her second release (“Runner Of Love” being the first) but if these are any indication of future efforts, I’m all for it. Aptly described as: “This track was recorded with tape machines, computers, friends, violins and drum kits. It was made for getting up, and also for getting down.” “Wander” musically is a pleasant romp that feels part funk (dat bass line tho) but also includes the previously mentioned violin – so it’s quite the mix. The chord progression created, at least for me, a sort of weirdly haunting (but the cool kind of haunting) feel that I appreciated. Fans of the bands Steady Sun and Camp Saint Helene would find a lot to enjoy, as not only were members of both part of the recording, but bring a similar[...]

Mister Tickle Hands – “False Alarms (Feat. Brielle Von Hugel)”

September 25, 2024

With a name like Mister Tickle Hands and a single cover borrowing from the Jurassic Park emblem, I had no idea what to expect. New Jersey based Roshane Karunaratne and Andrew Robinson, along with vocals by Brielle Von Hugel, bring us a sometimes-dreamscape, quasi-disco mouthfeel… treat! Low in calories but oh so sweet, this could easily be an iPhone commercial or a David Byrne acid trip (David Byrne is the acid, in this hypothetical). Without spoiling too much (because we all need surprises sometimes), there’s a bit of everything but mostly lead forward with the drums and Von Hugel’s vocals. Don’t forget the synth, the effects, the errant brass, and everything in between. You can hear “False Alarms” down below from YouTube or add it to your wildcard playlist on Spotify. At the very least you can enjoy the clever single cover – but we’re sure you’ll enjoy both.  

GRIPPA – “Want That”

September 25, 2024

Isabella Grippa, better known as GRIPPA, brings us her latest track “Want That” – an in your face EDM-tinged pop track. Originally from Florida, GRIPPA is off to a good start with a handful of tracks EPs and singles released all before her 19th birthday (which hasn’t happened yet). The track itself is a sublime mix of drums, GRIPPA’s vocals, and effects that combine for a supremely satisfying beat. The lyrics are Zen-like and very much about being focused in the now, which is exactly what Siddhartha Gautama had in mind when he started Buddhism (though I can’t speak to the sexual undertones). Fans of EDM and pop in general would find a lot to enjoy here, as would Billie Eilish aficionados. You can hear “Want That” below from YouTube or add it to your bumpin’ playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.