We’re thinking Canadian act Port Juvee will melt your faces with the frantic, swimmy punk of “Hope to Lose.” Reminiscent of Diiv, Nothing, or Beach Fossils, “Hope to Lose” exudes sounds of desperation, delivered with frantic drums, spaced-out vocals, and the perfect amount of lo-fi energy. Fans of cold NYC post-punk and California surfy vibes will dig this one. Check them out on Bandcamp if you’re feelin’ it.
“Come Back to Me” is palpably emotional. Little Trauma is self-described as melodramatic goth pop… And to be honest, we couldn’t describe it better ourselves. Full of unabashed yearning and an incredibly endearing vocal delivery, this one combines the best elements of The Cure into modern indie pop. It’s something unique and sincere – check it out below or add it to your Spotify playlist. Come Back to Me by Little Trauma
London punk act Fresh are a… *ahem,* fresh, burst of bright, sunny energy. “Cinema Woes” is a minute and a half of jangly punk with an urgent, emo feel… Think Japandroids in spirit with some Hold Steady sentiment for good measure. Fans of the aforementioned acts, An Horse, or Hop Along are gonna dig this one. “Woes” is over before you know it and it leaves us wishing for more. Check it out below and be sure to add it to your Spotify playlist. Cinema Woes by Fresh
Get weird with LA-based art punks, The Manx, as they debut the visuals for their spastic new single, “Weird Girl Stuff.” Off their latest LP, Malibu Slime, this unique quintet shows off their sweet side with a romping beat that twists, turns and shivers with electro blasts and jolly vocals. Taking it to another level are director, Jennifer Ruiz, and animator, Amy Q. Huang, who punctuate the track with vibrant visuals and awesome animations that will charm your socks clean off. Do yourself a favor and give this wonderfully oddball video a watch below. For more of The Manx, check out their Spotify here and Facebook here.
Lake Jons is a Helsinki-based duo who walk a fine, fine line between producers extraordinaire and full-on band. “I Don’t Care” is a perfect example – gauzy synth flourishes and jittery percussion tracks lay underneath their tasteful vocal lines. They’ve found a way to inject an organic feel into the otherwise mechanical nature of electronic music. Let their airy brand of synth-driven indie pop envelop you. Check it out below and add it to your Spotify playlist.
Last time we checked in with French indie poppers Arche, we were waxing poetic about their debut video “My Only.” This time around, they’ve replicated their impeccable aesthetics in their newest offering, “Back to the Sun.” Swimmy guitars and ethereal vocals are omnipresent here, accompanying the often kitschiness of the music video flawlessly. Check it out below or add them to your Spotify playlist.
Feeling the funky nu-disco groove of “Pretenders” by mysterious Canadian artist Joseph of Mercury. Pairing a funky bass line with guitar ambiance and a Morrissey-tinged croon, “Pretenders” is the kind of song that has classic appeal with 2019-flavored contemporary energy. Fans of Daft Punk or the Smiths will def dig this one – check it out below and add it to your Spotify playlist.
Mmmm, a tasty one from Szymon – “Blue Colored Mountain” is an eclectic shuffle, matching falsetto mastery and humble synth twinkling with a perfect drumbeat tempo. This one, sadly, is released posthumously – Szymon tragically took his own life after years of battling depression and mental illness… But for that reason, it’s all the more reason to dig into his incredible discography. Help celebrate an incredible musician and life – add it to your Spotify and check it out below.
German psych poppers ACUA scratched just the right itch with their latest offering, “Keep Spinning.” Full of twinkling guitars, dreamy vocal longing, and bassy splashes of keyboard, “Keep Spinning” would fit comfortably on a shelf next to Turnover or Radiohead. These talented musicians did a lot of running around to make this stunning music video, so make sure you give it a thorough watch. Like what you hear? Add them to your Spotify playlist.
This one is sure to get you into a mood – Diamond Thug goes right for the heartstrings with the industrial and synthy slog of “The Woods.” The South African crew explores themes of isolation and disconnection through their use of dark and dreary synths and singer Chantel Van T’s ethereal vocals. All the while, imagery of dark forests, moons, and the night sets the scene. Check it out below – here’s where you can learn more if you dig it.
Falling somewhere on the spectrum between The 1975 and Cloud Nothings, we dig the latest banger from Fever Days. Their jangly art pop is layered thick with synth flourishes and heady bass tones, not to mention a raucous vocal approach. This one has a jittery feel, perhaps even a little reminiscent of how you’d feel while abusing the subject matter. Check it out below and give them a follow on Instagram.
If you’re looking for a heady dose of 80s inspired synthpop, we think you should check out Parallel‘s newest jam, “The Magic Hour.” Full of feathery synths and enough sass to make Madonna or Cyndi Lauper jealous, this Toronto trio is riding high on the release of a new LP, Metropolis… Not to mention their stint at #1 on Canada’s Electronic Charts. Either way, whether you’re a retro 80s enthusiast or a modern electronica-head, “The Magic Hour” is sure to find its way into your Spotify playlist – check it out below.
Natalie Walker‘s new self-released EP Evenfall has us feeling some-type-of-way – “Last Day” is yet another gauzy indie-pop song with its head in the clouds. Walker’s voice is soothing and sits atop the airy music perfectly. Flush with nu-disco tinged guitar, bumping keyboard vibes, and a warm percussion track, we think “Last Day” will wind up on your playlist in one way or another – time to add her to your Spotify.
We’re over the moon for the latest song from Colorado native Natalie Walker. “Starry Eyed Kids” pairs a healthy heap of nostalgia with a driven fuzzed-out and spacy woo-oohs for a lovely and gauzy indie pop number. Lyrics like “I wanna go back” and “1992” will conjure up your own fond, albeit hazy memories. Check it out below and give her a follow on the ‘Gram.
This one is really pulling at our heartstrings – singer/songwriter Darryl Rahn is Utica-born and Brooklyn-based, and his latest offering, “Old Flame” is a lovely acoustic ballad about long lost love. Fans of Kevin Devine, Dashboard Confessional, or Guster would enjoy his emotional lyrics and full-bodied guitar strumming – he’s already independently released three full-length records, so swing by his Bandcamp page and check the rest of his stuff out. Old Flame by Darryl Rahn