New Music

The Moving Stills – “Best Friend”

October 16, 2023

We love ourselves the jubilant and radiant indie rock that The Moving Stills have put out over the last few years (check our previous features on them Here, Here, and Here) and their latest release, the indie pop blast “Best Friend,” is no different. It is the fourth single off their forthcoming album Wabi Sabi, due out November 24th. “Friend” captures the group’s whimsical creative spirit while beaming with the energy of their soul-warming smiles. “Best Friend” takes you to that cherished place in life where a friendship unburdens you just by being near and your adventures are effortlessly euphoric. Breezy vocals bring the cool, as shimmering synths warm you and guitar hooks dazzle and make you dance. Fans of Vampire Weekend, Phoenix, and MGMT will find lots on this track to love. Here is Tommy from The Moving Stills talking about their new track: “’Best Friend’ is about feeling[...]

Kitchenette – “If I Can Dance”

October 15, 2023

Kitchenette is a Netherlands-based five piece led by frontman Chris O. Kikic, who originally hails from Bosnia. Released October 6, “If I Can Dance” is a super chill guitar-forward track that makes way for Kikic’s haunting/wailing vocals. Their subtle yet danceable style brings in comparisons from The War on Drugs, to Kurt Vile, or Real Estate; enjoyers of these artists will certainly find a lot to enjoy from Kikic et al. We were particularly drawn to the bouncing bass line and swimmy, spiraly guitar leads that weave in and out of the song’s skeletal structure. Certainly leaning into the dreamier vibes in all of the best ways, “If I Can Dance” is about getting yourself back out there – here’s more from Kikic: “It’s about jumping into the waters again, dancing even if you can’t dance, trying out new stuff and going for it. Being in the world and with[...]

Daisy The Great x illuminati hotties – “Time Machine 2”

October 13, 2023

A collaboration between Daisy the Great and illuminati hotties, “Time Machine 2” is the latest track off of DtG’s EP Tough Kid. A sequel of sorts to their 2022 song “Time Machine,” Daisy the great had this to say: “Time Machine 2 is the evil twin sequel to our song Time Machine from our 2022 record ‘All You Need Is Time’. We’ve always had a dream to make a grittier, faster version of the song, so when we got the opportunity to collaborate with indie punk legend Sarah Tudzin of illuminati hotties, we knew it would be the perfect moment to realize that vision.” Comparing the two songs was fun, as I feel like doing an “evil twin sequel” can oftentimes feel like you’re just recycling old ideas without moving forward musically. “Time Machine 2” avoids these pratfalls and hits the mark on being a fresh re-imagining of the original (also good)[...]

llawgne – “Crysanthemum Rock”

October 13, 2023

“Chrysanthemum Rock” is the newest track from Swedish artist Mathias Engwall, better know by his stage name llawgne (pronounced love-gney, also Mathias’ last name reversed). We’ve covered him previously over here on the BLOG, and haven’t changed our minds in the ensuing three years. llawgne’s style is best enjoyed with a good set of headphones – all music, but particularly shoegazier tracks like this all but call for it. The swimmy guitar (with some backbone of jangle and wail) brings to mind Slowdive, Joy Division, and My Bloody Valentine – complete with a rhythmic chant-like vocal style that urges you to, quite literally, stop and smell the roses – er, crysanthemums. Described as a “… powerful celebration of personal decline and lowered ambition as a recipe for success” you’ll find yourself drawn into Engwall’s (self-produced) effort here and is a great jumping off point for his other tracks. Be sure[...]

Kandle – “Live A Lie”

October 13, 2023

Released October 12, “Live a Lie” is the newest single from Canadian singer and songwriter Kandle. The song comes in anticipation of her newest album due out in 2024; she brings haunting vocals with sweeping guitars and buzzy synths backing her up. You feel immediately drawn in as her voice swirls around your ears and gives a Radiohead or Smashing Pumpkins vibe with the amount of swirling sound drawn out of a relatively simple arrangement. Her lyrical composition also reminds me a bit of a more focused Björk; the chanting and the ways she uses her voice more like an instrument are quite remarkable. It’s easy to see the attraction as Kandle has collaborated musical goliaths such as Jack White and fellow Canadian Sam Roberts (a personal favorite of mine). It’s melancholy (Mellon Collie?) for sure, but “Live a Lie” is absolutely gripping and totally worth the listen. You can[...]

King Nun – “OCD”

October 13, 2023

King Nun, a five piece out of London, brings us a fresh slice with “OCD” off of their new album LAMB released a couple weeks ago through Marshall Records. Influenced by grunge darlings Sonic Youth and Pixies, I’m immediately drawn to the downbeat and discordant sounds from the bass and guitar in the gratuitous (but not overwrought) intro. Tackling a subject that’s near and dear to me, front man Theo had this to say on the track: “I think there was a good two years where I had an incredible bout of health anxiety that at every turn nearly put a stop to my life…I was really struggling with everything you could imagine and the simplest thing became massive and complicated.” You can feel the struggle and angst all throughout and it reminded of a darker take of “The Bitch of Living” from the Spring Awakening Musical Soundtrack (I know, weird deep cut but[...]

Lila Dupont – “Dance and Smoke and Sing”

October 12, 2023

Once upon a time, NYC-based singer/songwriter Lila Dupont had a cold. Instead of laying in bed and being a loaf, she put pen to paper and wrote “Dance and Smoke and Sing,” her latest single. With it’s upbeat guitar-based backbone and overall breezy vibes, you might be surprised to learn that “Dance” is actually about trying to breakup with a significant other… But the song’s perceived happiness is actually the embodiment of how free Dupont imagined she’d feel after breaking those proverbial chains. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Maggie Rogers, or the almighty Clairo are going to find lots to love here. Check out the YouTube vid from Lila below, or, add it to your favorite Spotify playlist.

General Crush – “King Of The Road”

October 12, 2023

“King of the Road” is the newest single from Boston artist Ray Ward, better known by his stage name of General Crush (honestly, great name and kind of angry I didn’t think of it first). He brings a lot to the table, with this little number being a very fun pop-forward road trip sounding track. He switches up a bit between tracks and keeps his sound fresh and shifting, but really gave me a similar feel to some of Mt. Joy or Sufjan Stevens’ more upbeat songs, and even a little bit of that Neil Young swagger from the days of yore (ask your parents). With lots of light guitar and some horns and piano thrown in for good measure, you’ll find yourself bopping along to the beat within the first 30 seconds. This is definitely going on my on my leaf peeping list for the fall and if you[...]

Tired Cossack – “Tin”

October 12, 2023

While the Cossacks (as per Wikipedia from Turkic kazak, “adventurer” or “free man”) of old may have been known for their horsemanship and fierce independence, Tired Cossack, is a solo act based out of good ole Winnipeg, Canada. He brings us a cut off his newest album I Know, I Guess., “Tin,” and it’s a solid 3:30 of rhythmic post-punk with Cure/The Fall-esque vibes. It’s somehow so wonderfully noisy yet refined just before the point of excess to keep the song moving – not bogging down at any point. Call it good mixing, but as a famous sound guy once said (probably), “you can’t polish a turd.” This one is indeed a diamond. Is he tired? Maybe, I don’t know the guy. If his music is any indication of his well-being I think there’s a lot to listen to here and I hope he’s okay and keeps rocking out between naps.[...]

Izzy Savides – “Prison in the Suburbs”

October 10, 2023

Detroit based Izzy Savides is just 18 but has already achieved the rare reputation of being a musical alchemist who blends their singing, production wizardry, and multi-instrumental mastery to transmute musical elements into gold. Her boundless creativity, versatile talents for instruments, and soul-baring songwriting is on display on the newly released single, “Prison in the Suburbs.” Izzy opens with a melody that stems from Bossa Nova hit “Girl from Ipanema,” a cultural touchstone that comes from the nightlife of 50’s Rio De Janeiro, but utterly transforms the ubiquitous piece into a sonic tour de force that bends, layers, and cracks open with cathartic wonder. Izzy’s elastic bass grooves with a stilted samba rhythm as her shape-shifting fretwork dazzles, culminating in a incendiary guitar solo that leads into a stunning climatic refrain. Fans of Deefhoof, At the Drive-In, and Billie Eilish could find Savides’ music to be a new obsession. Here[...]

néomí – “your girl”

October 9, 2023

Neomi Speelman is the Surinamese/Dutch singer-songwriter otherwise known as néomí, and they are following the momentum of two stunning EP’s with the new single “your girl.” “your girl” finds the folk-pop artist exploring dream-pop soundscapes by adding ethereal layered vocals and reverbed synths that burst and fade into a hazy lavender wash of sound. néomí’s sings with honeyed tones with serpentine melodies that weave between your ears as the driving backbeat drum rhythm thrusts the tracks energy ever forward. Here is néomí talking about the new single: “‘your girl’ has more meaning than just a simple ‘this is what the song is about’. For the first time I’ve started to write music not from a place of sadness, but a place of anger. It has a lot to do with my personal growth as a human being and therefore as an artist. ‘your girl’ is about people (whether known personally[...]

Pink Fruit – “The Party”

October 8, 2023

LA based artist Ash Kristabelle paired with producer/multi-instrumentalist Dane Rivera to form Pink Fruit and they’ve just dropped their new synth pop track, “The Party.” This syrupy track is candied melancholy, full of the throbbing romance of the city’s neons, all head buzz and nocturnal euphoria while inhabiting an intimate space brought on by Ash’s bedroom pop songwriting. Kristabelle’s entrancing vocals ensnare you and have the pop hooks wrapping around your psyche. The hypnotic hushed dance track brings to life your inner “bad girl at the party” as Ash describes the song in her own words. Fans of Madonna, Grimes, and Clairo will find lots to love on this track. Listen to Pink Fruit’s new single “The Party” now on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud. Find more from Pink Fruit on their Twitter, TikTok and Linktree. Pink Fruit · The Party

DINNERSWORTH – “Kill Me”

October 8, 2023

DINNERSWORTH, the project of Blake from Minneapolis, Minnesota recently released his EP Kill Me (October 1) and the lead track “Kill Me” is the newest single. Taking some nods from indie and pop greats such as Blink-182 and Taking Back Sunday, he flushes out his voice with great power chords and a non-stop explosion of three piece sound. Not merely a rehash of old ideas but a fresh look at what makes pop punk pop punk, “Kill Me” is a much needed update with a lot of smooth producing and a pleasant homebrew feel (he proudly works on his songs in his basement). DINNERSWORTH primarily exists on Spotify and Instagram so we’re not able to embed for you this time – but be sure to give “Kill Me” a listen over on Spotify and be sure to check out the rest of the EP if you enjoy what you hear.

Jupiter Flynn – “Monsters and Men”

October 6, 2023

Berlin-based artist Jupiter Flynn brings us her newest single “Monsters and Men,” and it’s quite the banger. The narrative of the track is a reflection of women the world over – the very real and present fear of men in all walks of life (from relationships to walking alone at night). With an impressive accompaniment of guitar and piano, her voice manages to shine through whilst simultaneously carrying the appropriate amount of foreboding for the subject material; “I’m not scared of the dark/I’m scared of monsters and men.” Fans of Mitski, Olivia Rodrigo, or Girl in Red would find a lot to enjoy here. Not merely a grouping of female artists, but the fabric and feel of their songs shares a lot of common ground. You can hear, quite frankly, that Jupiter has been through some shit and she’s here to share her experiences in her wonderfully dark yet hopeful[...]

B. Miles – “Backseat Lover”

October 5, 2023

B. Miles is thrilled to bring you her new full-length release backed with a full band. Titled Different Pages, it marks a watershed moment for the singer/songwriter, with songs filled with self-revelations and piercing perceptions (find our previous features on B.Miles’ release Here and Here). To celebrate the LP’s release, Miles bring us her second single from the album, the vulnerable and delicate indie-pop cut “Backseat Lover.” The new song puts Miles’ deeply emotional experiences on display with intimate lyrics that evoke a romance facing a unspoken schism, ever widening, while simultaneously being incomparably close to that person as they slowly fade into shadow. Miles’ vocals are hypnotizing as they rise and fall creating the same spiraling effect that her thoughts do while she lies awake next to her love. She spills out the lyrics with breathy intimacy, “That these pillow thoughts keep turning in my mind” even imagining the[...]