New Music

Rain Gregorio – “Foggy Stepper”

April 1, 2024

Los Angeles based Rain Gregorio brings us his latest single with “Foggy Stepper,” off of the pleasantly-named Anxiety Blanket Records. An indie rocker’s indie rocker, RG brings an intriguing deeply layered track with a healthy dose of bass and colorful synth shining through. It almost veers into a gothy post-punk feel with the downbeats and somber refrain “You’re better off” (plus the aforementioned layering). This sort of discordant sound is a progression from his last big release, the “Myrtle on Holiday” single, which gave similar vibes. Oddly enough (and this is not a plug, but sort of is) this kind of reminded me of one of my favorite local bands, Hundred Plus Club, and the sound they’ve been embracing as of late (check them out too!) Be sure to check out “Foggy Stepper” on Spotify, Apple Music, or the video down below pulled from YouTube. tl;dr = Indie rock with a[...]

Heddy Edwards – “black tunnel”

March 30, 2024

Singer/songwriter Heddy Edwards is here with her latest single, “black tunnel.” Recalling ’90s luminaries like The Cranberries and Garbage while channeling modern-day juggernauts like Alvvays and Hazel English, “black tunnel” feels timeless and fresh all at once. Gauzy synths, effected vocals, and a very palatable indie-rock sound are some of the features you can expect here. Fun fact – Heddy worked with Alan Day (of Four Year Strong fame) on “black tunnel,” and while you won’t hear any chugging pop-punk breakdowns here, his experienced touch surely helped to bring this one to the next level. You can find “black tunnel” on Spotify and Soundcloud (below). heddyedwards · black tunnel

Glom – “Below”

March 30, 2024

Glom and buffaBLOG go way back (see here, and here, and here, and here). We’re adding to our Glom collection with their latest single, “Below.” While Glom surely knows how to get upbeat and ebullient, “Below” takes a more mid-tempo route made popular by contemporaries like Slow Pulp or Goon. Deep, plucky guitars and charming synth tones pair perfectly with Glom’s simple-but-effective lyrical style. We’ll let Glom take it away with a perfect explanation of how “Below” came to fruition: “To me, ‘Below’ almost materialized out of thin air. I picked up my guitar and tuned it down— lower than I’ve ever tuned it before with this project… Something about the low pluck of the strings brought out the melody and lyrics about me coming to terms with what I thought was expected of me as I grew up. I was 29 and creeping up on the next decade of[...]

Little Oil – “I Wanna Know”

March 30, 2024

California’s Little Oil is fresh off the release of their latest single, “I Wanna Know.” Driven by a dirge-like tempo and twinkling acoustic guitars, “Know” brings to mind acts like Elliot Smith and Duster with its lo-fi ethos and chill-out vibe. Of particular note here is the chorus of cacophonous guitar bending – it feels like a much-needed explosion of energy after the otherwise reserved verses. Here’s a bit more about “Know” from Little Oil himself: “[“I Wanna Know” is inspired by the] type of person we all know and marvel at who just goes with the flow, never worries about anything and everything just works out for them. The kind of person who makes you wonder ‘what do they know that I don’t know?’ I wanna know…” You can find “I Wanna Know” via Bandcamp (below) or on Spotify. Check out their Linktree for even more listening options. Twelve[...]

Russian Baths – “Split”

March 28, 2024

Indiana-based Russian Baths have mastered the quiet/loud song structure on latest single, “Split.” Quirky, pitch-shifted guitars and haunting vocals power the verses before plunging into a doom-drenched chorus, lush with fuzz tones and angular drum patterns. While lightly abrasive at times (in a good way), “Split” never loses the backbone of pop songwriting, with plenty of interesting melodies and sounds to dive into. You may be expecting an absolute maelstrom of noise to erupt at some point, but Russian Baths keep the song spring-loaded without ever exploding, adding to the tasty feelings of urgency and unrest. Like The Cure meets DIIV at their gothiest (their words, not ours), we think “Split’s” noisy simmer is going to be one of your newest favorites. Preview “Split” via the YouTube embed below, or, find it on Spotify or Apple Music.

Howdy, Cherry – “Georgia (again)”

March 28, 2024

Howdy, Cherry channeled true heartache into the longing, low-key indie rock of latest single, “Georgia (again).” Pairing vintage organ sounds, gentle guitar twang, and lightly distorted strums with her sugar-sweet delivery, “Georgia’s” slow-but-sure tempo brings to mind luminaries like Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, and Plains. While the song overall is quite endearing, scathing lyrics like “Why am I hoping that you might be fucking someone else – need a better reason to replace your picture on my shelf” highlight the deep pain Cherry must be hiding within. Here’s a bit about the song’s origins from Cherry herself: “I wrote the lyrics to ‘Georgia’ in the midst of an emotional breakdown seeing my ex walk into a bar with a potential new lover. It’s meant to be nostalgic, a little sad, a little hopeful – and truly means whatever it means to you ♥” You can find “Georgia (again)” via Soundcloud (below)[...]

HEAR ME OUT – “Borderlands”

March 28, 2024

Embracing a tight post-punk sound, Germany’s HEAR ME OUT are here with the icy-cold “Borderlands.” Pairing thick bass chords, spindly guitars, and calculated synth work, “Borderlands” has a gothy undertone with nods to classics like Joy Division and Depeche Mode. Skittering drum beats keep the vibe neurotic, while the instrumentals twist and turn around it, giving off an aching feel while still embodying that glassy-eyed feel that makes post-punk so endearing. Here’s a bit about the song’s origin from the band themselves: “[‘Borderlands’ is] a product of our singer’s thoughts drifting away during a university class about migration, taking a critical point of view on nations as constructs and showing sympathy with those who have to abandon their homes.” You can find “Borderlands” below via YouTube, or, here via Spotify.

Mia Day – “Severed”

March 26, 2024

Mia Day is due for a little redemption. After a string of stinging losses, she’s risen like a phoenix with latest single, “Severed.” After a year of hell (a “hell year,” if you will), Mia channeled her pain and angst into a new album, Hellier, Forever, upon which “Severed” resides. Taking cues from the grunge greats of the ’90s with plenty of fresh, 2024 energy, “Severed” is an amalgamation of crunchy guitars, raw emotion, and her heart-on-sleeve vocal prowess. Here’s a powerful quote from Day herself explaining where she’s coming from: “For months I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I would just write songs every day… It’s me saying, ‘I will not disappear and I will not let a single person destroy me.’” You can find “Severed” via the YouTube embed below, or, stream it on Spotify.

Fresh – “Merch Girl”

March 26, 2024

London pop-punkers Fresh are here with the ebullient pop-punk of “Merch Girl.” The title-track of their upcoming EP due out April 19th, 2024, “Merch Girl” pairs fun, punky vocals with buzzsaw guitars and an overall upbeat vibe, drawing comparisons to Tigers Jaw, Candy Hearts, and Lemuria. The song is meant to be a beacon of empowerment for female artists – here’s a little more about that from Fresh themselves: “Merch girl is about living in that space between wanting something and achieving something. It’s kind of a character song, about somebody that is involved in music – but not in the way that they want to be, and they’re frustrated by that. At the beginning of the song, they’re watching from the sidelines, but as the song progresses they make the decision to create their own art. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, drawing from clichés of the wallflower, the sidekick, but[...]

Eva Brooks – “DONE”

March 19, 2024

EVA BROOKS aims to dominate dark-pop (and succeeds!) on latest single, “DONE.” A groovy, dancy song with plenty of sassy, menacing energy, “DONE” has a sophisticated energy with none of the typical pretentiousness associated – intriguing, as Eva herself is a classically-trained musician. Pulsing synth bass and stabs of disco guitar help to flavor this track, but the ultimate appeal here comes from Eva’s vocals and kiss-off lyrics. Here’s a bit about the song from Eva herself. “‘DONE’ is a fun and dancy song about a woman who could finally say ‘goodbye’ to a narcissist idiot who dominated her life for too long. If you listen closely, you can hear his dreadful motorcycle and her praying for him to leave. But there is also the powerful groove that lets her get up and send him on his way. ‘Goodbye, I’m done with you!'” Check out “DONE” below via YouTube or[...]

St. Kio – “Falling”

March 19, 2024

LA-based St. Kio (aka Filipino self-taught multi-instrumentalist, artist, and producer Nicole Bandoquillo), blew us away with “Falling,” a whirling dervish of a song. An onslaught of guitar energies and swirling drums pummel you throughout “Falling,” a maelstrom of reverb and chorus tones amalgamating together to form something exciting and fun. “Falling” is a testament to St. Kio as an entity, an exercise in pushing musical boundaries as far as they can be pushed… One listen to “Falling” and we think you’ll agree that St. Kio has succeeded in that journey. Fans of Slowdive, Japanese Breakfast, and Slow Pulp will enjoy the hazy shoegazy goodness found here. You can find “Falling” on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music. Falling by St. Kio

Club 8 – “Daylight”

March 19, 2024

Swedish duo Club 8 are unstoppable lately, crushing single after single of beautifully simple dream-pop. If “Sunny” and “Just Like Heaven” weren’t enough for you, it’s time to peep their latest offering, the uplifting and airy “Daylight.” At just over two minutes, “Daylight” comes and goes before you know it (like many of our weeknights, amirite?). A constant fuzzed-out bass keeps the song moving while icy-cold guitars pluck softly in the background. Fans of Alvvays, No Vacation, and Mazzy Star will find lots of similarities in Club 8’s lovely sounds. Check out “Daylight” via YouTube below, or, on Spotify.

Helenor – “Suck”

March 18, 2024

Released March 13, “Suck” is the newest track from Brooklyn’s Helenor – the project of Brooklyn native David DiAngelis. We’ve covered Helenor previously here, and, like then, we love what he’s putting out. “Suck” continues with his obvious mastery of crafting the perfect bedroom pop track; gentle tones from the vocals and a great duo of piano and guitar push the song forward but in the chillest way possible. Here’s a bit more about the track from DiAngelis: “The suck in “Suck” is about sucking it up but…. like…not like that. More so the “hey life is kinda shitty, but you gotta suck it up sometimes” type of suck. The lyric that stood out to me was this: Sick of paying attention on the things that don’t explode this heart/ My bed is slept in still I am not rested/” I honestly feel all of that, especially lately, seemingly (and[...]

KSHMR – “Happy (feat. Tiina)”

March 18, 2024

Niles Hollowell-Dhar, formerly part of the hip-hop duo the Cataracts, has been making electro house music as KSHMR (pronounced “Kashmir,” taken from the area in northwest India). Having plenty of festival appearance (Coachella, Tomorrowland, etc.) and several Top 100 DJ accolades from DJ Mag (23rd, 12th, 11th) his credentials are certainly nothing to sneeze at. His latest is “Happy,” an ebullient and gut-shaking slice of dancefloor-ready EDM. Providing the vocals and the other main credited artist on the track is Finnish musician Tiina Vainkikainen, a chart topper with several hits in the UK. She also has snagged Songwriter of the Year four years in a row from The Finnish Music Publishers Association. “Happy” intros with Tiina’s defiant, soul-stirring vocals: You take my heart for weakness/ You cut me up and bleed me dry/ I won’t be defeated The track then comes alive with KSHMR’s beats pushing the song along with[...]

Baby Combat – “Blackout Drunk Comedy”

March 16, 2024

Portland, Oregon based Noel Yeo of Baby Combat brings us their latest with “Blackout Drunk Comedy” off of the A is for Average EP (with the first being the equally catchy tune “Myself Nobody Else”). Sober just shy of a year, this is a triumphant track looking back at past mistakes but barreling forward. The driven tempo led by reverbing guitar (along with tasteful cleaner tones) combines well with the song’s tight drums. Yeo’s unique voice, along with the instrumentals, brings to mind acts such as Fontaine’s DC, as well as Parquet Courts. Speaking to this Yeo had this to say: “I gave up alcohol last year April. It was becoming undeniable that I have a problem with it. This song is about that. I’m on day 323 today, so this is a happy story.” You can hear “Blackout Drunk Comedy” on Spotify, Apple Music, or the embedded track below from YouTube.[...]