Latest Posts

Kevin Dorff – “Family Friend”

November 16, 2022

Iowan musician Kevin Dorff knows how to tell a story – he sucked us deep into the narrative of his latest offering, “Family Friend.” Bringing to mind the endearing indie/emo of Front Bottoms; Modern Baseball; and Slaughter Beach, Dog with a hint of folksy Americana twang, “Friend” is about a friend of Kevin’s who passed away. The song is upbeat as a whole, but that somber subject matter creeps in and sticks, especially with Kevin’s thesaurus-level rhymes… This one is as sincere as they come and we can’t help but love that. Check out “Family Friend” on Spotify too. kevindorff · Family Friend

Kai Bosch – “Title”

November 16, 2022

London’s Kai Bosch knows a thing or two about heartbreak and he evokes that brutal feeling in the alt-pop of his latest offering, “Title.” Channeling his love for Lorde, Kai pairs a dark, dancy beat with his devastating lyrics for truly poignant results. Kai has a pretty eloquent explanation of where “Title” came from – check it out below: “’Title’ represents a month of blurring nights, tears, and intoxication all culminating into an explosive breakup. Coming out the other side when the dust had settled, I saw our time together for what it was: one-sided. Title explores the feeling that there is a “winner” in a relationship. I’m a very emotional person and in the past this has left me feeling like the “loser” in a lot of situations, but as I grow in myself and continue to experience love in its many forms I’ve come to find that there[...]

Merchant – “Feel Nice”

November 16, 2022

If you’re in a bit of a rut and you need a tune to pull you out of your blues, you can always count on Merchant to lift your spirits. “Feel Nice” is the archetypal feel-good song – it’s full of chirping birds, squiggly synths, and enough la-la-las to feel like you know the song upon first listen. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the song explains “I just wanna feel nice” over and over, which is something pretty much anyone can relate to. We’re more of a doom-and-gloom blog over here at buffaBLOG, but every now and then one of these chipper songs sneaks its way onto our playlists. ICYMI – you can also find our writeup on Merchant’s previous single, “Staying in California.” You can also find “Feel Nice” on Spotify. MERCHANT · Feel Nice

Brother Swan – “Spill”

November 14, 2022

LA-based crew Brother Swan hit us with the dizzying indie rock of “Spill” and we haven’t been the same since. Spiraling guitars are the name of the game here, setting the groundwork for acrobatic basslines; passionate vocals; and a blistering tempo. Brother Swan fall somewhere on the spectrum between the early aughts era of garage rock and modern day emo luminaries – think Alex G ghostwriting a Bloc Party song. Be sure to check out their recently-released LP, Loom, upon which “Spill” resides. You can also find “Spill” on Apple Music and Spotify. Brother Swan · Spill

Sweet Tempest – “Over Them Hills”

November 14, 2022

Every now and then a synth-based ballad comes and sweeps us off our feat – such is the case with Sweet Tempest and their latest single, “Over Them Hills.” The Copenhagen-based duo harmonize over a crunchy synth backbone, singing about (what else) love and how profound it is as a concept. The duo achieves a shiny pop production without ever stepping into cheese territory – oftentimes the cold and calculated nature of synths can overpower the warmth one feels when they’re truly in love. Either way, it’s a true accomplishment when it comes to balladry. About “Over Them Hills,” the duo explains: “It is a song about aching feelings and the overall absurdity of love and relationship between two human beings.” You can find “Over Them Hills” on Spotify and Apple Music, too. Sweet Tempest · Over Them Hills (I Find You)

mon cher – “What A Shame”

November 13, 2022

Denver’s mon cher keeps it deceptively simple on her latest indie rocker, “What A Shame.” Dark, rhythmic, and almost creepy, “Shame” channels the sassy energy of Yeah Yeah Yeahs with the added bonus of the I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude of Wet Leg. Chiming guitars, moody vocals, and gothy drums are almost always a winning combination, something mon cher seems to know a little something about. About the song, mon cher’s Meghan Holton keeps it short and sweet: “This song is about being in love with someone who is denying their love for you.” You can find “What A Shame” on Spotify too.

Leanna Firestone – “You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much”

November 13, 2022

Leanna Firestone is suspiciously logical on her latest offering, the effervescent “You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much.” In a cadence reminiscent of acts like Modern Baseball or The Front Bottoms, Leanna calmly lists all the different reasons (or rather, just one) that her relationship ended. Yep, you guessed it… They just didn’t like Leanna that much. It’s all packaged up with a fun and quirky indie-pop package that perfectly compliments Leanna’s stream-of-consciousness vocal approach. If only all relationships could end this way… With a shiny indie-pop song and a smile, preferably. “You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much” is on Soundcloud (below), Apple Music, and Spotify. Leanna Firestone · You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much

Blue Lupin – “Surface of the Sun”

November 13, 2022

Here’s a nice, grungy one from UK-based act Blue Lupin. Chock full of perfectly washy guitar energy, “Surface of the Sun” brings to mind shoegaze-y acts like Pity Sex and Smashing Pumpkins while also channeling more dreamy acts like Japanese Breakfast or The Japanese House. With it’s open-book catharsis and forlorn vocal energy, “Sun” is equal parts dream-pop, shoegaze, and grunge – it’s sure to scratch all of your alt-rock itches, no matter which era you’re currently craving. About the song, singer Joanna Wolfe says: “‘Surface of the Sun’ is a song about a toxic relationship and really testing the limits of what you can handle. Although it captures a painful period in my life, I find it really energizing and cathartic the way it came out.” “Surface of the Sun” is also on Spotify.

moshimoshi – “Soon”

November 13, 2022

Here’s a barnburner all the way from Finland – moshimoshi reached out to us with the unbridled energy of “Soon” and we were immediately melted by it’s overwhelming urgency. Pair the throat-shredding screams of a band like Refused with your favorite math rock band (think Into It. Over It., toe, or Tiny Moving Parts) and you’ll start to have a semblance of what to expect. Guitar nerds are going to love the riffs; emo fans are going to love the heart-on-your-sleeve vibes; and fans of hardcore are going to love the underlying aggression here… Win. Win. Win. You can find “Soon” on Bandcamp (below), Spotify, and Apple Music. Soon by moshimoshi

elison – “Fruit Flies”

November 13, 2022

You don’t always expect intimate indietronica to come out of Iowa, but elison are here to show you a thing or two about assuming. “Fruit Flies” feels like a warm hug – a buzzy, understated single that brings to mind 90s slowcore acts like Mazzy Star while simultaneously evoking 2022-era indie rockers like Jay Som and Alvvays. Part synth and part plucky guitar, the instrumentals on the song are somehow just as heartfelt as the hush-hush vocal delivery. This is what they have to say about the song: “When I started playing music during the pandemic, after decades of wishing I was brave enough to try, I found myself revisiting the girl that ignited the dream in the first place, my sixteen-year-old self… Through that process I started questioning the actual growth I previously thought I had achieved.” Check out “Fruit Flies” on both Bandcamp (below) and Spotify. Fruit Flies[...]

LAPÊCHE – “Slight”

November 13, 2022

Here’s a fun indie rocker from Brooklyn-based act LAPÊCHE – “Slight” is a guitar-driven song flush with a shuffling drumbeat and lilting vocals from singer and guitarist Krista Diem. The band clearly has a gift for melody, packing every inch of “Slight” with melodies that were crafted to stick around in your head for days. About the song, the band says: “‘Slight’ is about the experience of living life in a constant state of bracing for impact; imposing will and control as a response to fear, and excusing actions based on circumstance. “Slight” explores waking from this trance to begin acting from a place of presence rather than reactivity.” You can also find “Slight” on Spotify and Apple Music. LAPêCHE · Slight

dani mack – “Light on the Corner”

November 3, 2022

Dani Mack unexpectedly calms it down on this gently-strummed, folksy tune she’s calling “Light On The Corner.” Converse to the crunchy guitars found on her previous single, “Fleabag,” “Corner” is a heartfelt and intimate approach that shows off Dani’s more sentimental side. Dani uses this skeletal opportunity to explore the things we do to explore loneliness – she further explains below: “‘When I hear the chord progression I’m instantly transported back to that insane time. I say insane because it was lonely but also because there was a sort of romance I felt during all of it. The lack of time, awareness, and need to be anywhere had a sort of freedom to it. It was dark and beautiful which is what I feel the song is. the song came about as I was going through an inner war with myself while also trying to carry on a casual relationship.[...]

Joe McGuire – “Build A House”

November 2, 2022

There’s something down-home and familiar about the newest single from Joe McGuire… Now that we think of it, “Build A House” is surprisingly twangy considering the musician proudly calls Chicago his home. You can expect a chiming acoustic guitar; a deliciously warbly guitar lead; and Joe’s endearing and heartwarming vocals upon your first listen, but as you listen more and more, you’ll start to envision the simplicities of small-town life. You can also find “Build A House” on Spotify. How Do You Want to Be Held? (Mono + Stereo Versions) by Joe McGuire

Sea Glass x Benét – “(I have jokes) If You Wanna Hear One”

November 2, 2022

Sea Glass and Benét teamed up for this plucky and dreamy offering they’re calling “(I Have Jokes) If You Wanna Hear One.” Built around a delay-driven guitar, “Wanna” sounds like a daydream haze, full of airy melodies and lackadaisical lyrics that make you feel like you’re frolicking carefree under the sun. Sea Glass backs this whimsical feeling up with an apt quote about where his head was at when he penned this song – read it below: “My son was just born and I was both thrilled to have this new love in our family but also overwhelmed with the added pressure that the responsibility brought. The music was a sort of escape from the moment, an idealized version of how I hoped things would go. It was written in the summer and there are definitely summer vibes to the sounds, but the escapism I’m exploring in the music also[...]

Eye Tiger – “Touchdown”

November 1, 2022

Chicago-based act Eye Tiger specializes in synth-driven, lo-fi indie rock and they caught our ears with their latest track, “Touchdown.” Upon first listen, you’ll be drawn to the gothy, 80s-post-punk-influenced vocal delivery, but upon further listening, you’ll start to appreciate all the flourishes hidden throughout the track. There are lots of layers of chorus-laden guitar and sparkly synth textures to peel back, so grab a pair of your favorite headphones, sit back, and pretend you’re watching the Bills pull off a pick six on the Chiefs (that’s a touchdown joke, ICYMI). You can find “Touchdown” on Bandcamp (below) and Spotify. Autumn Tropical by Eye Tiger