New Music

Tōth – “Thoughts Are Like Clouds”

February 20, 2026

Tōth is the brainchild of Alex Toth and holy fuck is “Thoughts Are Like Clouds” the weirdest/funniest trip I’ve had in a minute! It meanders with a sense of whimsy with smooth as fuck bass and guitar, with some surprise trumpet thrown in for good measure. Gave me some Andrew Bird vibes but only slightly; Tōth is on a whole ‘nother plain of existence. Speaking to the track, Toth said:   “I’m pretty sure I was in a recovery meeting and a friend of mine shared with the group in a thick New York accent ‘thoughts are like clouds in the sky of your brain or whatever’ and it tickled me deeply.”   You can see the music video below from YouTube as well as the usual suspects of Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp (but definitely check out the video). It cleverly turns into a sort of lyric video with[...]

Shirehead – “Zero degrees”

February 20, 2026

The name may sound like my buddy who embraces the Hobbitcore lifestyle, but Shirehead is a Montreal based-band and not affiliated with him. “Zero degrees” is their latest release, based on the lead singer’s time living in a van in Spain during the winter. It sounds appropriately stressful and… lonely? Difficult to capture that but Shirehead delivers in spades with the mood. The synth tone they use gives a goth post-punk feel and if you pay any sort of attention, we love that shit and are here for it.   You can hear “Zero degrees” below from Bandcamp or on Spotify. The band’s first album is due out soon, so follow on the band’s IG if you haven’t already!   Zero degrees by shirehead

Lesser Birds – “Buffalo”

February 20, 2026

“Buffalo” is an oddly specific name for a song, is someone trying to curry favor with us?! Evidently not, but Lesser Birds has roots here as two members are University at Buffalo alums. You can argue for or against Boston being an upgrade, but I won’t wade into that; ask me about my khakis or my car keys but not both.   Aficionados of post-punk will appreciate the various smatterings of sounds that pop up (including some brassy sounding instruments). The track warps and shifts around and adopts a prog-ish experimental vibe – although, where post-punk ends and prog rock begins, who can say? Speaking to the track the band had this to say:   “Buffalo is a meditation on change, loss, and the quiet pull of home. The song captures the tension between nostalgia and escape, the reluctance of chasing a new life while still haunted by where you[...]

Caleb L’Etoile – “Gun”

February 20, 2026

Caleb L’Etoile brings us his latest with the incredibly relevant “Gun.” I won’t get super political, but I’m sure you’ll be able to guess which way Caleb leans within five seconds of watching his music video below. It starts off feeling like a folksy/sea shanty track but shifts the vibe and turns things up to 11. Caleb suggests that the performance below is critical to the overall reception of the track – luckily, we’re fans of the whole package, and have embedded for your convenience.   “Gun” is available streaming via Spotify or below with his Tiny Desk Performance submission. If you want to know more, he did also throw up his musings on Substack. I’m sure my editor takes this out (editor’s note – he didn’t), but the shit happening in Minnesota and around the country isn’t normal and you should vote and support local artists. Release the *redacted*[...]

Feedback Freud – “Hypnosis”

February 20, 2026

Self-described Swedish psycho-pop-rockers Feedback Freud have dropped their latest with “Hypnosis.” It was honestly a treat to listen to and we’ve added it to my big ole mix of songs. It’s truly a raucous affair, with both drums and bass really pulling their weight. Equal parts funk, pop, punk, and psyched-out-whatever really combine into a truly fun track that rewards you for a close listen or ten. You wouldn’t think a band named after guy who thought his mom was hot would write something this catchy… Or maybe they’re the best examples? We’re here for it.   You can hear “Hypnosis” embedded below or on Spotify. No true music video I could find, but that’s level of awesome that we just aren’t ready for as human race because it would probably melt our collective faces.          

Bobby JaGGerJacK – “I Regret It”

February 16, 2026

Cleveland hip hop artist Bobby JaGGerJacK deals with loss through reflection on his latest track, “I Regret It.” Break-ups and personal tragedy inspired JaGGerJacK to get it all out through his pen. Sometimes there are regrets, but sometimes there aren’t. Either way, it’s important to take a step back and look at the rewind. A delicate guitar crawls its way underneath Bobby’s raps on this track, serving as an emotional anchor for Bobby’s lyrics. Add this one to your conscious hip hop tracks – Bobby’s delivery sounds like it’d pair well with some of the best emcees of the alternative 90s hip hop scene. If you’re feeling “I Regret It,” check out our Hip Hop 2026 playlist on Spotify, featuring JaGGerJacK and other exciting rising artists.

Sweets- “WEIRD MONEY”

February 16, 2026

Manchester-based alternative pop artist Sweets gets his ASHTRAY COWBOY project rollout kicked off with an off-the-wall cut appropriately named “WEIRD MONEY.” Blending pop and electronic elements with a punky bravado and rapping delivery, “Weird Money” shows off a wide range of taste for Sweets, and sets up excitement for the album’s release. Lyrically, Sweets breaks down the weird guy/good girl relationship dynamic. “Weird boys get weird money, weird boys get good girls, good girls try to turn into your whole world.” What wins out? Option A: the desire to live life as you please, push your boundaries as an artist and be able to live out of your pocket? Or Options B: the comfort that comes with the gravitational pull of a relationship – where your actions naturally find their way back to how they’d impact your partner? Sweets digs into this and more while being a tastemaker with production choices.[...]

Misty Coast – “Hallucinating”

February 13, 2026

Misty Coast is Linn Frøkedal and Richard Myklebust and their latest is “Hallucinating.” Just based on the album art, I knew I was gonna be a fan, and now, so will you! They shoved quite a bit of sound into this track; it’s chockfull of drums, Synth with a capital S, and possibly a ghost (seriously, right around the 2:20 mark, what is that?!). The psychedelic and dream pop portions of the track cohabitate very well together with Linn Frøkedal’s vocals driving things forward, without feeling rushed.   You can hear “Hallucinating” below, as well as their other single “Always Sun.” I’m not quite sure what the sun is but it sounds nice… New album is out soon, be sure to keep your eyes peeled (but for the album, not the sun!) You can find both (and more) via that Soundcloud embed below or on Spotify.   Misty Coast ·[...]

Shaky – “In a Heartbeat”

February 13, 2026

“In a Heartbeat” is the first single of the year for Shaky and it wastes no time establishing itself with a very un-shaky guitar intro (actually, two seconds and then guitar, but I digress). I felt some fun vibes between the notes – somehow being simultaneously reminded of the Strokes and Bruce Springsteen (check the 1:10 mark and tell me you disagree). Speaking to the track, Jake Hammill had this to say:   “‘In a Heartbeat’ is the feeling of nostalgia. For me, it’s a look back at my life in my early 20s, living in Philly… As I get older and the world gets stranger, I find comfort in my memories of the past – when times were simpler.”   As I was listening before writing I was thinking to myself, “Dang this feels like it would make for a cool music video.” Well fam, not only is there[...]

Pat Faking – “You’ll Find It”

February 12, 2026

I have no idea what Pat Faking alleges to be faking, but it sure as shit ain’t music. Their latest single “You’ll Find It” is a fantastic build up of sounds from the garage rock family of indie rock, with hints of shoegaze haze poking through. The brainchild of Patrick Fagan (I see where the name comes from now), you can tell he either plays bass or really knows how to make killer bass lines with some of the little licks that pop up in the middle and ending stanzas. Combo that with some rawkin’ guitar and his at times ethereal vocals, and you’re in for a (not) faking and very legitimate good time.   You’ll find “You’ll Find It” below from Soundcloud or on Spotify with their other two singles “Easy” and “Have You Had Enough.”   Pat Faking · You’ll Find It

Mount Mural – “Out and Down”

February 12, 2026

I usually like doing really silly preambles about “such and such artist” and they’re “yadda yadda yadda.” Really though? Just have to say that “Out and Down” fucks hard and I’m friggin’ here for it.   This was billed as showing off Mount Mural‘s “unpredictability” which can be good for music, but not so great for relationships (ask me how I know). As it compares to the random smattering of songs I listened to including “Sickboy” and “Froze,” this was definitely more in your face with lots of reverb and spitty distortion tones. Think “SHOEGAZE DAWG” and less “gentle dreampop tune;” both quite good in their own right, but this one falls into the former camp.   You can hear it below from Bandcamp as well as on Spotify. I know time is fleeting and you gotta seize the day, but taking two minutes for some mindfulness and MUSIC… This one’s[...]

Godface – “Ms. Lady”

February 11, 2026

“The Bay Area’s favorite emcee” Godface taps into his Tupac influences for his latest single, “Ms. Lady.” Godface leans into vocal refrain and boombap beats, but his appreciation and ardor for the women in his life ties him directly back to his West Coast lineage. “Ms. Lady” gets into the finer details of a female faced with the options of settling down with someone serious about the streets or serious about sensuality. The veteran rapper hopes that a festilent lifestyle turns her towards him, but the story’s longer than a song. “Ms. Lady’s” a great addition to the lineage of the “will she be mine” trope in hip hop, and we recommend adding it to your lyrics-focused playlists. If you’re feeling Godface, give him a listen on Spotify. While you’re there, take a look at our Best of 2026 playlist – just know we’re updating this jawn every single mother[...]

Cruise DJ & JabberTox – “Midnight, Pt. 2”

February 7, 2026

A warm nostalgia radiates from the instrumental from Cruise DJ and JabberTox’s latest single, “Midnight. Pt. 2.” “And it’s deep.” My guess is it’s the upright bass line that raises your hairs, but whatever it is, it’ll have you slotting this track in next to People Under the Stairs, the Pharcyde, Nujabes, and all the other seminal voices in the chill, jazzy hip hop scene. Each emcee weaves into the fabric of the production with the “deep” motif. Whether it’s their experiences as rappers or their time on this earth, Cruise DJ and HabberFox express an openness to the unknown future and past. “Midnight, Pt. 2” appears on The Hard Way,  a fresh new collaborative EP for 2026 from Cruise, JabberTox and other contributors. Give it a listen on Spotify and while you’re there, check out our 2026 Hip Hop playlist.

Belle Blue – “Jack”

February 7, 2026

Belle Blue‘s latest song would have been a huge hit in the ’90s… Ironic, since she herself wasn’t even around then. “Jack” is built around sparse guitars and Belle’s world-weathered vocals – culminating in a swelling emotional crescendo that takes us to the end of the song. Belle seems to know the science behind creating “space” in a song – what starts as stabs of fuzzed-out guitar turns into a maelstrom of emotional noise. This one’s a keeper.   Check out the official music video for “Jack” below. It’s also available on Spotify.    

Bleary – “sugar splint”

February 5, 2026

Based on name alone, Bleary sounds like it could be something cutesy or hazy (like that feel when you wake up bleary-eyed) but they are and they aren’t. Shoegaze is funny like that because it’s a little bit of everything! Their latest is “sugar splint” and I gotta say, it sounds pretty sweet (sorry not sorry).   Written partially during the lockdown and over the past four years, the tracks have had time to germinate and (as evidenced here) really grow into something spectacular. “sugar splint” is filled to the brim with sound and lots of geetar layers and is one of those tracks that rewards subsequent listens.   You can hear “sugar splint” below from Soundcloud or over on Spotify. A new album, Little Brain will be out in May of this year. yk records · sugar splint