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Stereosity – “Manny, Manny!”

June 14, 2023

Stereosity is a four piece from Orange County, California consisting of four friends (two of which are brothers) who love “warm tones and silly words.” Self-described as “calculus rock” (surely a play on words of the popular math rock genre), Stereosity memorializes a beloved (and weird) family dog in “Manny, Manny!” You’ll hear lots of genre hallmarks here – wailing and passionate vocals; start-stop guitar work; and more emotion than you could shake a stick at (there’s a pun on playing fetch here somewhere, but we’ll just leave it at that for now). Fans of Tiny Moving Parts, Macseal, and Delta Sleep will love this one. You can find “Manny, Manny!” on Spotify and Soundcloud or via their Linktree. Stereosity · Manny, Manny!

Anya Baghina – “It’s Clear To Me”

June 14, 2023

Anya Baghina (whom you may recognize as a member of Soviet Girls) is here with an alt-folk-dream-pop song she’s calling “It’s Clear to Me.” In the best way, “Clear” is straightforward and sentimental – lightly chorus-laden guitars and gentle fuzz elements power this jangly gem forward while Baghina’s ultra-sincere delivery adds a healthy midwestern emo flavor. This one has appeal across multiple genres – if you’re a fan of Beach Bunny, Alvvays, or Petal, Anya’s work is definitely up your alley. Anya’s album is due out June 23rd – until then, make sure you check out “Clear” on Spotify and Apple Music, too.

Mirrorball – “Red Hot Dust”

June 4, 2023

LA-based duo Mirrorball are here to lull you into a haze with their latest single, “Red Hot Dust.” Singer/songwriter Alexandra Johnstone and multi-instrumentalist and composer Scott Watson have crafted something stunning here, driven by somber piano plunking and Johnstone’s ghostly vocal presence. Big hooks and morose moodiness will remind you of Lana Del Rey or Beach House with a hint of the rawness of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (indie rock producer Chris Coady, who has also worked with the YYYs and Beach House also produced this track). The hard hitting melodies of lines like “red wine it’s a thriller/ it’s a god damn killer” cut right through you – as they explain it: “[‘Red Hot Dust’ is] a dreamy drive up the foggy, west tree-covered coast before the sun comes up arriving to the pink open desert.” Be sure to add “Red Hot Dust” to your favorite Spotify playlist.

mid – “Dirty Blonde”

June 1, 2023

Is it surfy? Is it shoegazy? We’re not sure, but we’re loving the energy coming from mid. The trio, based in Alexandra, VA is high school aged(!) (with one outsider named Throb), and they are making an incredible amount of washy noise with latest single “Dirty Blonde.” Big, bombastic, fuzzed-out choruses are sandwiched by wailing guitar noise and reverbed-out vocals. It’s youthful, it’s loud, and its fun… And it’s also something best experienced for yourself – make sure you check it out below. Mysterious. Check it out on Spotify and/or Apple Music if you’re as intrigued as we are. mid · Dirty Blonde

Madge – “notss”

June 1, 2023

Every now and then we need our hyperpop fix, and non-binary artist Madge is the artist to do it for us most recently. Having written for/collaborated with artists as varied as Pussy Riot and Portugal. The Man, it’s no surprise that “notss” is a hyped-up banger that sounds like a waterfall of candy probably tastes… Probably. Helium vocals and pulsating bass electronics will keep your body moving and grooving at speeds previously unknown to mankind. Madge wears many hats (literally), as they are also a fashion darling (aka model) – even their description of “notss” is artistic af: “The soft torture of mixed signals and the excitement of captivity. I can’t help but think that getting strung along like this is just keeping me strung out on something I like.” Check out “notss” on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.

Ali Dellas – “Chasing You”

June 1, 2023

Rising Aussie singer/songwriter Ali Dellas is back with another sugary-sweet indie-pop track called “Chasing You.” In case you’ missed it, Ali’s been on our radar for a while – here’s her previous love song, “Heart Eyes.” She continues her trend of perfectly upbeat songs that somehow never stray into that oh-so-familiar lovey-dovey cheese. With a punchy drumbeat and jangly acoustic guitar strumming, Ali zeroes in on a unique aspect of being in love – here’s what she says about “Chasing You” below: “Chasing You is about having a surprising sense of peace about being in love with someone else because you’re confident that you’ll still end up together.” You can find “Chasing You” on Spotify.

Mise en Scene – “Burn Out”

May 27, 2023

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Winnipeg-based act Mise en Scene (ICYMI, we covered them all the way back in 2017). Don’t be fooled by their Canadian roots – this duo pumps out sugary surf-pop that blends vintage Beach Boys roots with a modern day sassiness a la Best Coast or Beach Bunny. “Burn Out” is their latest offering – a perfect encapsulation of what surf-inspired indie rock is meant to be. An upbeat and boppy good time, layered heavy with reverb and borderline doo-wop lyrics with simple rhyme schemes that anyone can relate to. You can find “Burn Out” below via YouTube or on Spotify.

The Rocket Summer – “M4U”

May 27, 2023

If you’re a millennial of a certain age like me, you might remember the mid-00s… More specifically, the sun-soaked emo-pop coming from Bryce Avery, aka The Rocket Summer. Those were good times, but like any good artist, Avery refuses to sit still, and that’s evident in his latest offering, the genre-bending “M4U” (which, I have gleaned, is short for “made for you”). The cornerstone of his 8th(!) full-length album, SHADOWKASTERS, “M4U” is built around a dizzy acoustic guitar, a blippy drum machine, and Avery’s unmistakable voice. It’s gritty, it’s catchy, and its unmistakably Avery, and we can’t help but love to see/hear that he’s still making great music 15+ years later. You can find “M4U” on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.

Jake Minch – “Handgun”

May 26, 2023

20-year-old Connecticut native Jake Minch embodies our misspent youth here on latest single, “handgun.” With nothing more than a voice, an acoustic guitar, and some atmospherics, Jake brings us back to our college days (not that we’re too OLD to relate… or something) – drunk and hungover and coming into our own as adults. Striking imagery and charming lyrics reminiscent of The Front Bottoms or Modern Baseball really help to paint us a picture of Jake’s wonderfully youthful world view. With deeply narrative songs like this one, sometimes it’s best just to hear from the artist themselves – here’s what Jake had to say: “The song takes place right before ‘doing music’ was on my mind. It lives in the morning, waking up after my first big party-weekend at a new school. My head hurt too much to move, so I skipped my Econ class to lay with my thoughts[...]

Thavoron – “Why”

May 26, 2023

Get ready to be inexplicably crushed by Seattle-based artist Thavoron – the 22-year-old has crafted a slice of indie/folk/emo called “Why” that is goosebump-inducing. Reminiscent of emo acts like The Hotelier or indie-folksters like Alex G, “Why” pairs a spiraling guitar twinkle with strikingly gentle falsetto to create an odd amount of beautiful tension. Just when you think you can cut through the mood with a knife, Thavoron adds a booming drum sample or a smattering of woodwind energy to root you back to earth. It’s a song you need to truly experience for yourself… But only if you’re ready to feel heartbroken (and not be 100% sure why). Check out “Why” on Spotify Thavoron · Why

Salarymen – “Echoes”

May 26, 2023

Sydney’s Salarymen strike a perfect balance between retro and contemporary on their latest dream-pop track, “Echoes.” At the forefront is vocalist Renee de la Motte’s beautiful vocal delivery – it lays overtop a bed of warbly guitar energy and otherwise reverbed-out instrumentals, giving the song an expansive and atmospheric vibe. A trip past the three-minute-mark will reward you with an emotionally soaring outro that will put you into a heavenly trance. Fans of Alvvays, Beach House, or Still Corners will like what “Echoes” has to offer. Check out the YouTube video below or peep “Echoes” on Spotify.

Gold Spectacles – “Man or Machine”

May 21, 2023

buffaBLOG and Gold Spectacles have a long, storied history – in case you’ve missed all of our previous articles, you can find them here and here and here and… here. They’ve certainly caught our ears a number of times, so it’s no surprise that they’ve nailed it yet again, this time on effervescent new single, “Man or Machine.” Twinkly synth sprinkles and spaghetti-Western guitar tones give this one a lighthearted feel and the perfect backbone for soothing, cooed vocal melodies. Sure, Gold Spectacles know how to write a hook, but they also know how to inject some true meaning into their songs – here’s what they had to say about “Machine” below: “… the lyric[s] came after chatting about a person that is very close to our hearts and how gritty they are. They have this deeply caring nature and desire to make sure everyone is OK even down to[...]

Blondes – “Beautiful World”

May 20, 2023

Nottingham’s Blondes are on a bit of a hot streak lately (ICYMI, here’s our writeup of their previous single, “The Basement”). The quartet strikes again with their warm and luscious take on dream-pop, this time in a song called “Beautiful World.” A bouncing bassline provides the root for twinkling guitar leads to spiral around your ears – it’s topped off with a beautifully-delivered vocal, airy and gentle, that seems to yearn for better times. The band further explains their perspective below: “Beautiful World feels like our first proper pop song. It’s my favourite that we’ve written so far. It’s about our relationship with our environment and each other. We wrote it to speak not just for ourselves but to anyone that finds themselves looking around at our world and wondering just how we’ve become so disconnected from one another and the planet. We hope you like it.” Fans of Turnover,[...]

Ellur – “Anywhere”

May 9, 2023

Halifax’s Ellur is here with a guitar-pop jam that encapsulates an entire coming-of-age story. With soaring melodies, a driving beat, galactic synth plunks, and Ellur’s passionate vocals, “Anywhere” brings to mind indie luminaries like Angel Olsen, Lorde, and HAIM. We’ve all been enthralled with people that are no longer in our lives at one point or another and Ellur zeroes in on those feelings of regret and longing with pinpoint accuracy – further explaining the song, Ellur explains: “Anywhere is a song written for your ex (the one that you’re not over). Set on a summer night, at dusk, after a day of drinking in a park somewhere with your friends. Your skin is warm, your head is dizzy and your recent ex is walking towards you. A song about a feeling I think everybody has felt. The building tension between you both; your past relationship and all the feelings[...]

STARRY EYES – “No Show”

May 9, 2023

The emotion is tangible in the newest single from Californian duo STARRY EYES. “No Show” is a grunge-pop ode to a heroin-addicted father – with a guitar-driven backbone and somber melodies aplenty, the ennui comes pouring out over the course of this song’s 4:46 runtime. With plenty of 90s alt-rock energy (think “The Freshman” from The Verve Pipe or “Stars” by Hum) and a pinch of emo revival energy, “No Show” checks all our emotional boxes with a healthy dose of starry-eyed (pun intended) nostalgia. About the EP, singer guitarist John Shippey adds: “These songs are for people who’ve been through some shit — music is our catharsis. Many of the songs on ‘Ciao Bella’ wrestle with the issues of addiction and loss, but we always try to balance the negative with the positive and keep looking toward the future.” “No Show” is available on the band’s new EP, Ciao[...]