Heavy indie-pop act CREO appeared mysteriously in our inbox with their thunderous and noisy new single, “In The Red.” CREO is a Sydney-based quartet that create bombastic guitar-based anthems, bolstered by a gigantic rhythm section and hard-pop sensibilities. “In the Red” would be right at home on your local alt station. Fans of Young The Giant, Mute Math, or Manchester Orchestra will dig this. Be sure to give CREO some love on Spotify.
Zamaera hit us up with an incredibly vulnerable song, the introspective “Z vs Z.” Acting as a letter penned to her younger self, “Z vs Z” finds the Malaysian rapper warming up to a beautiful orchestra before snapping into something a little more badass. After securing over a million views for her appearance on MTV Asia’s Yo! MTV Raps Cypher, we think Zamaera is worth keeping an eye on – check out the classy black and white music vid below. “Z vs Z” is on Spotify. Get on it.
Bay Area quartet Same Girls likes to keep things fresh, especially evident on their latest single, “Young Minded.” Pairing a talk-speak vocal approach (think Tokyo Police Club, Bombay Bicycle Club, etc.) with discordant indie-pop guitar lines, “Young Minded” is an eccentric ditty that brings a new approach to a well-established genre. There are some lovely harmonies and lyrics here – be sure to check it out below. Be sure to visit the Same Girls Spotify page to add some new jams to your playlist.
Norwegian singer Tuvaband (aka Tuva Hellum Marschhäuser) surprised us with the thoughtful metaphor in her video for “Wolfpack.” Pairing nicely with her introspective and existential approach to pop music, Tuvaband finds herself wandering around wearing a large papier-mâché mask. She sheds it at the end of the video in an act of joyous rebellion. Check this out if you’re into The Antlers, Bon Iver, or Lana Del Rey.
Experimental-pop solo-act Airhead DC teamed up with members from Cherry Glazerr for his latest offering, the interestingly-named “Honey-Colored Flame Blown Off My Candle.” The song explores the manic infatuation he (aka Vishal Narang) felt during the first year of a romantic relationship. We dig the overall ethereal vibes and smart pop melodies on this one. His latest release, Crush Hi, is set for an October 26th release date – till then, get your fill with “Honey” below. Airhead DC is also on Bandcamp if you’d like to pick up any of their discography.
Curtsy is a lovely indie rock quintet from California. We loved the lush aesthetic of their latest single, “A Better Pet,” which has also just recently received the music video treatment. In the video, two fun-loving ladies hitch a ride on a stranger’s truck in a night of unbridled debauchery. Curtsy’s wistful indie pop is the perfect accompaniment to their mirth. Be sure to watch the video below to see for yourself. “A Better Pet” is live on Bandcamp. Be sure to check it out.
The multi-talented San Holo (not to be confused with Star Wars alum Han Solo) teamed up with fellow producer Bipolar Sunshine to release the infectious “Brighter Days.” It has the sunny message that despite the trials and hardships that comes along with being alive, better days are always on the horizon. Fun fact: Holo and Sunshine met up in an airbnb and tracked most of the song in one session. Check out their shared virtuosity below. San Holo has lots of different listening options – check them out here.
Toronto duo Teen Ravine have a hot new single on their hands with their latest jam, “Friend of a Friend.” Inspired by a soul-crushing break up and a debilitating concussion respectively, Teen Ravine pooled their collective misery to create their debut LP, released this past August. We were drawn to “Friend of a Friend” by its ethereal pop vibes – pairing electric piano with tight 80’s drum and synth tones. Their entire debut is currently on Spotify – check it out.
California Cousins have been kicking around their native Rochester (and far beyond) for a while now… If you’re not familiar, they wield the most noodly riffs known to man stuffed into time signatures that will make your head spin. Distant Relatives (out now on Chatterbot Records and Deep Sea Records) is their debut LP, a ten-song lesson in emo and skramz virtuosity. There are elements here of heartfelt-emo (The Hotelier) and heavier, vocal-cord-shredding hardcore (Touché Amoré), all wrapped up in a nearly impossible math rock (Tera Melos) package. “Aspirin” is an apt opener; the Cousins opt for a quick-tempo screamer to start things off with a bang. The real treat here (and throughout the rest of the LP) is the attention paid to sheer guitar acrobatics. In general, their songs are packed full of ingenious guitar tricks – squealing harmonics, swelling feedback, nimble bends, and quick licks that will make any musician nod with approval. Lead single “Extendo Weekend”[...]
Beloved Melbourne quintet DIET. sent over the effervescent “Game Plan” and we’ve been hooked ever since. Finding a nice balance between the fervent punk of Cloud Nothings and a vague 80s Smiths vibe, “Game Plan” pairs frantic drums with equally peppy guitar riffs and airy synth flourishes. Have a listen for yourself via the Bandcamp widget below. “Game Plan” is on Spotify – add it to the playlist of your choice. Sundown EP by DIET
The 1984 Draft tugged on our heartstrings with the frank, figurative thank you note of “Honest.” Driven by good-old-fashioned guitars and heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics, “Honest” finds singer/songwriter Joe Anderl thanking his audience for giving him a reason to go on. It’s a touching tribute to the reason musicians exist in the first place… Fans of Beach Slang, The Appleseed Cast, or The Gaslight Anthem will find common ground here. Makes Good Choices is available now via Poptek Records. Check it out here.
Catnip Cloud is a Norwegian artist whose “Buried in the Snow” caught our ears in just the right way. Anyone from Buffalo knows how brutal our winters can be, so this one will surely strike a nerve with some of our locals. About the song, Catnip says, “I made it in my bedroom in Norway on a dark winter night, something that was a crucial factor for the song’s emotion and atmosphere.” We can’t help but agree – dig into the delicious arpeggios and open-throated guitar and bass tones via the widget below. Catnip Cloud is on Spotify. Add it to your playlist here.
Emily Afton mysteriously reached out to us with her latest single, “Back In San Francisco.” We think it speaks for itself, so now we’re sharing it with all of you. Its sparse guitar arrangement, fuzzy bass contributions, and tight drum sound are reminiscent of “Young Folks” by Peter, Bjorn, & John while still being very much its own song. This one is a lovely, simple indie rock ditty powered by Afton’s dusky vocals, check it out below. Emily’s stuff is on Spotify – add her to your library if you know what’s good for you.
Bearhunter is celebrating the release of their new album, Nothing Further Beyond, tonight at Mohawk Place. The trio has been writing tasteful and nuanced indie rock for over a decade, and their newest release promises to be just as excellent as what we’ve come to expect. Local support tonight is also very strong, and comes from local mainstays dreambeaches, The Tins, and Coral Collapse. Tonight’s show is at Mohawk Place. Doors are at 8pm and admission is $10. A copy of Bearhunter’s new release, Nothing Further Beyond, is included with the door.
Iconic Buffalo synth-pop quartet Humble Braggers is releasing their latest batch of songs tonight with the six-song Cycle EP, out now on Admirable Traits Records. Over the last 5+ years, the Braggers have released some of the most consistently excellent music Buffalo has to offer, and Cycle certainly continues that trend. Local support for this evening comes from jangle-pop act Little Summer and experimental synth act Space Cubs. Stick around to end your night out with a very dance-able DJ set from Buffalo mainstay collective, Dance Yrslf Clean. Tonight’s show is $10 – a copy of Cycle will be included with the price of admission. Doors are at 9pm. Remember kids, Nietzsche’s is a 21+ venue. Cycle by Humble Braggers