Latest Posts

Helenor – “Suck”

March 18, 2024

Released March 13, “Suck” is the newest track from Brooklyn’s Helenor – the project of Brooklyn native David DiAngelis. We’ve covered Helenor previously here, and, like then, we love what he’s putting out. “Suck” continues with his obvious mastery of crafting the perfect bedroom pop track; gentle tones from the vocals and a great duo of piano and guitar push the song forward but in the chillest way possible. Here’s a bit more about the track from DiAngelis: “The suck in “Suck” is about sucking it up but…. like…not like that. More so the “hey life is kinda shitty, but you gotta suck it up sometimes” type of suck. The lyric that stood out to me was this: Sick of paying attention on the things that don’t explode this heart/ My bed is slept in still I am not rested/” I honestly feel all of that, especially lately, seemingly (and[...]

KSHMR – “Happy (feat. Tiina)”

March 18, 2024

Niles Hollowell-Dhar, formerly part of the hip-hop duo the Cataracts, has been making electro house music as KSHMR (pronounced “Kashmir,” taken from the area in northwest India). Having plenty of festival appearance (Coachella, Tomorrowland, etc.) and several Top 100 DJ accolades from DJ Mag (23rd, 12th, 11th) his credentials are certainly nothing to sneeze at. His latest is “Happy,” an ebullient and gut-shaking slice of dancefloor-ready EDM. Providing the vocals and the other main credited artist on the track is Finnish musician Tiina Vainkikainen, a chart topper with several hits in the UK. She also has snagged Songwriter of the Year four years in a row from The Finnish Music Publishers Association. “Happy” intros with Tiina’s defiant, soul-stirring vocals: You take my heart for weakness/ You cut me up and bleed me dry/ I won’t be defeated The track then comes alive with KSHMR’s beats pushing the song along with[...]

Baby Combat – “Blackout Drunk Comedy”

March 16, 2024

Portland, Oregon based Noel Yeo of Baby Combat brings us their latest with “Blackout Drunk Comedy” off of the A is for Average EP (with the first being the equally catchy tune “Myself Nobody Else”). Sober just shy of a year, this is a triumphant track looking back at past mistakes but barreling forward. The driven tempo led by reverbing guitar (along with tasteful cleaner tones) combines well with the song’s tight drums. Yeo’s unique voice, along with the instrumentals, brings to mind acts such as Fontaine’s DC, as well as Parquet Courts. Speaking to this Yeo had this to say: “I gave up alcohol last year April. It was becoming undeniable that I have a problem with it. This song is about that. I’m on day 323 today, so this is a happy story.” You can hear “Blackout Drunk Comedy” on Spotify, Apple Music, or the embedded track below from YouTube.[...]

matt haze! – “dejandote. (faded away)”

March 16, 2024

matt haze!, the artist formerly known as Kid Phang, is a California based musician and “dejandote. (faded away)” is his latest. Much like Bow Wow dropping the “Lil,” Matt Haze! felt he had outgrown his former moniker: “the main reason r the change in name: i coined “kp” since 16, im abt 2 b 20 next month. + i feel as if “kid phang” restricted my sound. i want 2 make anything i feel & releasing songs like “fade away” & “dejandote” w that name jus didn’t make sense 2 me. necessary evolution.” “Dejandote” (according to my awful Spanish translation, roughly translates to “leaving you;” ostensibly making this track a breakup song. The intro gives off a vintage Pink Floyd vibe with a cacophonous crescendo that simmers into a lyrical interlude before crashing into a heavy drum and bass lead assault. With a sort of indie punk Alex G vibe,[...]

The Coordinators – “Enough About Me”

March 12, 2024

When one of the notes I received with this track was that one of the similar artists was one of my personal favorites (The Strokes) I was pretty floored, yet hesitant. A Strokes clone? C’mon, what is this, 2005? Well, The Coordinators are certainly not a Strokes clone but I can hear the inspiration and “Enough About Me” is a certified buffaBLOG banger. A duo based out of Philly, The Coordinators (Robert Pino and Tim W. Smith), had this track mastered at some place called Abbey Road Studios and the extra polish shows. The guitars are layered *just so* but that isn’t to take away from the hard work the band obviously put in; as a buddy in the business so aptly put: “You can’t make crap sound good.” Funky bass and synth… riffs? parts? (not sure what to call it) fill out the rest quite nicely. Fans of the[...]

Landon Conrath – “Overrated”

March 12, 2024

Minneapolis based Landon Conrath is an indie-pop-punk MACHINE and “Overrated” is his latest. A drummer turned solo act (like Father John Misty), some friendly encouragement from a peer gave the necessary hutzpah to take the leap. Frenetic energy, the call and response (Taking Back Sunday energy <3), and a fantastic hook really starts to push this track into “pop punk genius” territory. Power chords galore lead the way with a sick bass riff following close behind; the bridges between chorus and verse do a fantastic job of building back up almost flawlessly. If you think you’re unsure about “Overrated” be sure to give the B-Side, “Replay” a listen as well. Showing off more of an EDM pop vibe with equally catchy tunes, it’s certainly more than just overrated filler. You can hear both track over on Spotify or Apple Music, with an album forthcoming. The music video for “Overrated” can[...]

Rat Palace – “Triple Tarp”

March 12, 2024

Best described (per their website) as “post-punk for people that have an average screen time of 7 hours or more a day,”  Rat Palace, a Brooklyn based three or four piece, brings us their newest with “Triple Tarp.” The chord progression from the guitars and bass gives a simmering, foreboding vibe; matching up with the lyrics that the band comments is about “pride and looking for a fight.” The lyrics have that lovely underwater sound that is synonymous with the post-punk aesthetic, though this track leans more heavily into the instrumentals (which isn’t a bad thing, it all comes together nicely AND friggin’ slaps). You can hear “Triple Tarp” on Spotify or embedded below for your listening pleasure. There is supposedly a music video floating around out there but it’s either not released yet or I’m not looking hard enough. If you like what you hear, be sure to check[...]

Juno Roome – “Think You’re Falling”

March 6, 2024

Juno Roome is a Brooklyn-based act and their latest is “Think You’re Falling,” a dreamy trip of a track that exudes a sexiness that we’re all about here at the blog. Seemingly one person, I couldn’t find out a lot about Juno Roome other than the fact that they really glam it up on their tracks (like, whoa). “Think You’re Falling” is driven by a smooth AF bass line and dreamy, effects laden guitars throughout with ethereal vocals to match. I suppose you could file this under “indie electronica” or “bedroom-pop” and you wouldn’t be too far off. Fans of the type of sound that Tycho, Tame Impala or FKA Twigs peddle would find a lot to enjoy here – the production value is quite high and you’ll find yourself boppin’ along in short order. You can hear “Think You’re Falling” over on Spotify or embedded down below from Juno[...]

Pamphlets – “Games”

March 6, 2024

Brooklyn three piece Pamphlets brings us their latest single “Games,” filled to he brim with post-punk hooks and swagger. Founding members Jeremy Marquez and Ben Griffin (and a mysterious but excellent drummer) came together with a shared appreciation of post-punk acts such as Joy Division and The Fall. You can hear the tip of the cap in particular to Joy Division and Ian Curtis (and a splash of modern day indie rock neuroses) with the frenetic bass riffs of Griffin and wailing lyrics from Marquez. Speaking to the track, the band said that it started as love/breakup song but that it: “…evolved into a take on rising to the occasion. The protagonist battles with themselves throughout- knowing they will have to “clean their hands” to move on but would rather stick to games and laugh it off.” “Games” is well worth checking out if you’re a fan of the aforementioned[...]

Vibropath – “Snare”

March 6, 2024

“Snare” is the latest from Rochester native Frank Marino-Moore, an artist and producer making music under the name Vibropath (good band name, honestly). Being that he’s so close to us geographically and puts out some catchy tunes, you can see our previous coverage here. The opening bass line is laid on delightfully thick and given time to shine for the first 45 seconds, eventually giving way to vocals, drums, and guitar – the latter of which has the fuzzy lo-fi effect turned to 11. I’m simultaneously given My Bloody Valentine and Gish era Smashing Pumpkins vibes with the whole track and I frankly couldn’t get enough. The rawness and the myriad layers of this track really resonated with me, and if you enjoy this you’ll certainly want to check out his other work. You can find “Snare” and more over on Spotify, or check it out below from his Sound[...]

Extra Space – “Cig”

March 6, 2024

“Cig” is the newest from Extra Space, a band we’ve covered previously here, and we’re pretty happy with it at the blog. Can’t say I agree with the order – releasing “Cig” after “Toothpaste” (one would think you’d want toothpaste after a cigarette, but that’s just me). but “Cig” sees Joey Puleio and Chris Kyle keeping it mellow and measured with a little less of the folksy twang heard on “Toothpaste.” The drums and guitar are tightly wound but stay at a simmer with some funky time signatures to give the vocals room to breathe. Color me impressed with the perfect balance between simplicity and technical skill; the layering and mastering is impeccably done and after a few listens I’ve heard a new sound each time. Fans of Big Thief, Kurt Vile, or Real Estate would find a lot to enjoy here. You can hear “Cig” over on Spotify or[...]

M’Grasker – “Spectrephilia”

March 3, 2024

M’Grasker is… an experience. From what I can determine, they’re a Canadian four piece and their newest single is “Spectrephilia.” I literally had no idea what I was getting into (but happy that I did). Just to give you an idea (keep in mind, this is from the band): “Human terminology might define M’Grasker as a ‘band,’ however they would be more accurately described as Biological Property of M’Graskorp Unlimited Enterprises and Subsidiaries of the GlanGlan Group.” I love the vibe, as it definitely translates to the music as well – “Spectrephilia” goes alllll over the place and it’s glorious. The lowkey guitar (sounds like a Rickenbacker) intro builds up and then it gets zany with a couple tempo changes. As far as a sound the best I could do is say that it’s high brow pop, in line with bands like The Mountain Goats or Ludo, with a tinge of[...]

Kai Bosch – “Funny”

March 3, 2024

“Funny” is the newest off of the single of the same name from Kai Bosch, an artist we’ve covered previously on the Blog. Funny enough, it was “Tulips,” another track off of the same single (link here). A clever and smooth “f**k you” breakup anthem, Bosch pours on the charm: “I just think it’s funny that you think that I’m the problem That you tell your therapist I’ve starved you of oxygen but you mention that you went and fucked your best friend.” Leading with an insanely catchy beat, “Funny” gave me some Billie Eilish-meets-LCD Soundsystem vibes – what with the bumping and whispery/sultry/talk sing voice. Synth and effects laden, you’d be hard pressed to find a catchier track released this year – you can really feel this with a set of headphones reverberating through your skull. Be sure to check out “Funny” on Spotify or the clever music vid down below.

The Slashes – “Limo Tint”

March 2, 2024

“Limo Tint” is the newest from San Diego group The Slashes, and it’s the moody post-punk jam you’ve been holding out for. We last covered them mid-2023 with their track “Dead Majesty” (here) and a lot of what we loved then holds true. That is, a fantastic post-punk group that embraces the darker side of things with a huge sound that tips a cap to acts like Interpol or Joy Division but stands quite strongly on their own. Written in the perspective of saying goodbye to a friend who passed away, singer Esteban Rene’s vocals (wails?) resonate dirge-like in between the guitar and bass lines. The guitar in particular, feels like a mimicking echo after each verse and brings a lonely, haunting feel with it. The bass also does a lot of heavy lifting and is given time to shine, particularly toward the end as it attempts to overtake the[...]

Razor Braids – “It Goes Quiet”

March 2, 2024

Brooklyn based Razor Braids brings us their latest single, “It Goes Quiet,” released in anticipation of their June 7 album Big Wave. Though still in the indie rock vein, this is a tad mellower of a jam from the last track of theirs we covered (here), “She.” Singer Hollye Bynum brings some Courtney Barnett vibes to this introspective love song, jumping around in a jumble of different thoughts: “What did you dream about last night? Will our moms get along? When will I apologize one too many times?” The instrumentals come with an extra level of polish and sheen while still hanging onto that grungy lo-fi feel that Razor Braids has established for themselves. The guitars mostly keep to themselves but crescendo into some fun wahwah effects with a steady bass riff underneath everything else (seriously, listen – it slaps). You can hear “It Goes Quiet” on Spotify or watch the[...]