Ambein Sloth’s driving new single “So Long Ago” is about losing someone but not even knowing if you care. The project is a concept whirled up by Chicago-based musician and a cartoonist with an affinity for making sloth-based comics. The single seems to be the first for the partnership, but being able to pack this hard of a punch on their first release, I’m sure we will be hearing more from the young project.
Sheffield shoegazers Purest released the title track of their new EP Waste My Days in the end of 2018, but that’s not stopping us from looping it on repeat. The band’s 2018 was quite the whirlwind, performing a slew of dates all summer which included opening slots for Echo and the Bunnymen and The Libertines. “Waste My Days” is the culmination of the band’s efforts for the past year. The track is all about making your way and finding your own in the world. Check it out below.
Southern California’s Pure Mids are a band we always come back to. They make it awfully hard to quit with their accessible indie pop bangers that seem to land every quarter. Combine a driving beat, 80s synths, with a pleasant bounce and you have their newest single “Don’t Quit.” Pure Mids have the ability to land an earworm almost effortlessly (although I’m sure there is a LOT of effort behind this). Check out “Don’t Quit” below and be on the lookout for more material from the trio, as I’m sure that we will be covering them again.
Brooklyn-based indie rock act Noble Kids released their new single “Jaws” last month and it might be our first 2019 obsession. “Jaws” is all about staying in a relationship for way too long in order suck that tiny bit of good feelings even though its surrounded by toxicity. The single is off their forthcoming album Messy Pretty, out February 22, via Rain Hat Records. Have a taste below.
Aussie one-man band Therapy Dog released a jangly single in early December called “Spilled Milk.” The song has biting self-reflective lyrics where project head honcho Joshua Hicks channels his inner Robert Smith. “Spilled Milk” is the lead single off Spilling Milk and Getting Ants, which was self-released last month on bandcamp. Stream the single below and be on the lookout for future material heading into 2019. Spilling Milk and Getting Ants by Therapy Dog
Formed as the reincarcate of UK indie pop act, Marines, Raining Again released their new single “Oh, Bother!” at the tail end of 2018. The single starts with an accessible sing along melody, leading into a growly verse about growing up. “I’m going to break my friends proud, and I’ll run this town, and I will be someone that you talk about,” growls the lead singer in an early 2000s emo styling a la Hey Mercedes or Brand New. It’s a keeper for your January 2019 playlists. Check it out below.
ERINA hit another one out of the park with their penchant for soulful indie rock in “Nastiness Of The Wait.” The Olympia, Washington natives combine jazz-inspired croons with animated guitar pairings, making for an uplifting sound that’s hard to get enough of. The track’s message doesn’t stray far from this theme, speaking on self-actualization and fulfillment. This is the concluding track off the band’s latest album Birdie, featuring 10 other tracks of buoyant rock goodness. Catch up with the remainder of ERINA’s sophomore album here.
Citing influence from across the post-rock, punk, and math rock spectrum, Minneappolis’ Self-Evident evade the ordinary with their track “The Cutter.” The shifting time signatures and weaving guitars lines give the track a disjointed, yet calculated feel, trading off between clarity and distortion both instrumentally and vocally. This track comes in hot off the band’s upcoming album Lost Inside the Machinery. As their sixth full length release, the band has amply honed in on their sound, which shines through with stark clarity in the song’s contrast in dynamics and seamless style changes. Get a taste for Self-Evident below, and keep an eye out for the full album, set for release January 18.
L.A. electropop duo Joy Downer get wrapped up in the throes of materialism in their track “Plastic Wrap.” Blossoming synth lines and steadfast vocals bind the track together, while the lyrics mull over the artificial, money-driven motives of high society. It’s playfully tongue and cheek with a glimmer of cynicism that we can all get behind. This is the duo’s latest single, with a follow up to their 2017 EP Radio Dreamer in the works. Until then, tune into “Plastic Wrap” below.
Joplin, Missouri-based indie rock quartet Me Like Bees have a new single titled “Run” which is playing on repeat throughout the buffaBLOG office in the beginning of 2019. The track is about two people butting heads, heading their separate ways, then coming back and realizing it was dumb. We hear a bit of an anthemic Les Savy Fav pop feel or the gritty sing along stylings of Static Jacks on this one. Overall, Me Like Bees have a genuine ear worm that you should check out yourself.
Budding Colorado hip-hop act A-Skinny plays with pitch and repetition in his track, “Limousines and Weed.” His laid back approach and infectious synth loops give the track a lackadaisical vibe, playing up clear-cut lyricism and sharp percussion. It’s a commentary on self-actualization and following your own path regardless of what other people think. This song comes off his recent 12 track album entitled “WHATEVER YOU WANT.” Find this release and much more from A-Skinny here.
Enticing synthpop act Oberhofer harness the best of pop through the decades with their latest release, “Dreamt I Was Gonna Be Your Man.” The L.A. troupe channels 80s pop domination in the video for the track, playing with hyperbolic storytelling and analog-style video recording. Frontman Brad Oberhofer’s sound hints towards his Brooklyn-DIY beginnings while testing the limits of timeless pop domination and lasting melodic hooks. This track signals a new beginning for the band, with promise of new releases following their current stint in the studio. Test the waters with “Dreamt I Was Gonna Be Your Man” below.
Nashville’s Soy Milk Boy drum up a bit of grungy indie rock in their track “Where’s the Leak, Ma’am?” For fans of Speedy Ortiz, Lady Lamb, or Hop Along, this punk driven four-piece play with a cocktail of distortion and clarity that makes for a heady mix. This track mulls over classic themes of fleeting youth and feeling lost in a way that’s both engaging and universally relatable. Alongside the band’s other recent single, we can expect a full length album from Soy Milk Boy in the not-so distant future. Until then, brood along to “Where’s the Leak, Ma’am?” below.
Deemed Wales’ most promising band, Silent Forum provide a cinematic take on broody indie rock with their latest track, “Robot.” Produced by R.E.M’s Charlie Francis, the band melds thrumming guitar lines and emphatic vocals with an unwavering beat. The video for the track takes on playfully psychedelic imagery, with the dauntingness of normalcy personified in an ever-present paper mache head. With the glimmer of classic Brit-pop intricacies and their tenacious energy, this band is likely to find a bright future ahead of them. Experience it in full with “Robot” below.
Luboku puts his own dreamy electropop spin on a Ne-Yo classic in his new single, “Closer.” The Melbourne native has racked up numerous producer credits and touring bills since his 2014 outset, with nods from notable media outlets across Europe and North America. Luboku’s momentum has seemingly peaked this past year, with a slew of singles making waves. This track itself is a drowsy electro-dance number that brings a new flavor to the original 2008 hit. Give the tune a spin below, and find more from the budding producer here.