New Music

Mali Velasquez – “Tore”

July 30, 2023

“Tore” is lead single off of Mali Velasquez‘s forthcoming debut album Green, which drops October 13. Introspective but not to the point of excess, “Tore” is Velasquez’s ode to her own self-sabotage and, as she put it: “… I have no idea how to combat being embarrassed all the time still, but explaining it some has helped…I put a lot of my ideas of not knowing how to feel or what to do or eat or wear into this song.” The understated instrumentals enhance Valasquez’s strong vocals throughout the track and invite comparisons to sad-girl indie darlings Phoebe Bridgers or Lomelda without being a carbon copy. We’ll hopefully see another single before October 13, but for now feel free to check out “Tore” over on Spotify or the 90’s vibe music video available on Youtube.

Rilo Wye – “Cold Front”

July 30, 2023

“Cold Front” is the latest single from LA artist Riley Sieverts and his newest project, Rilo Wye, and it is anything but cold. A diddly of a guitar intro gives way to a tight bass line and Sieverts’ relaxed vocals; the latter certainly informed growing up around Rastafarian and surf culture in Honolulu. As he put it, “Surfing was my first passion. As a kid I spent hours watching old surf videos, and that vibe hovers in the background of every track I make.” His straightforward yet relaxed style is reminiscent of Rex Orange County, Crumb, or a slightly less whispery/depressing Sufjan Stevens. Fans of all three and everything in between would certainly find something to enjoy with “Cold Front,” which you can find on Spotify along with his 2022 EP Better for Whatever Reason. Be sure to let us know your thoughts on “Cold Front” and if you’d like more[...]

Motiks – “House Of Mirrors”

July 26, 2023

Somewhere in the up & coming hip/hop scene in Buffalo, a voice can be heard with sounds of clarity – it comes from Motiks on his latest single, “House Of Mirrors.” The track starts out with Motiks speaking to his fans in the form of placing yourself in a haunted house and hearing somebody talk to you through the speakers but you don’t actually know where they are. The voice effect that resembles this sound is a very good technique for Motiks to grab his fans’ attention right away when they first listen to the track as he says, “I would like to welcome you to the house of mirrors, what you see might not be what you were expecting, we worked hard to get you here…” Telling his fans that he’s grown within his music capabilities and they’re not ready for what’s next to come from the young talented[...]

Far Caspian – “Pool”

July 25, 2023

Irish singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Joel Johnston, aka Far Caspian, has evolved into an musical auteur, rising in popularity on the back of a pair of EPs and debut album Ways to Get Out, the artist has become fully self-contained. He directs his own videos, shoots his press shots, creates his own artwork, and started a record label (Check our previous features on Far Caspian Here, Here, and Here). His debut album has garnered over 30 million streams since its release late in 2021, which is all the more impressive as the project started in 2020; the impetus of Far Caspian being as a Soundcloud feature to garner interest in Johnston’s production talents. He continues the momentum with sophomore album, The Last Remaining Light and with the ineffable and captivating single, “Pool.” The single pulls on your heart and entrances like an Elliot Smith cut, dazzles you with production and[...]

Les Gold – “All My Good Friends”

July 24, 2023

Les Gold continue their dominance as the progenitors of the “gloom disco/bummer fun” genre with their latest cut “All My Good Friends” (check our previous feature on them here). The new song has a revelatory progression as the warm tones and harmonies grow and layer on top of one another, each phrase describing the behavior of the people you are closest to. These friends sound worse and worse as the lyrics progress – like most things you hold close, problems only reveal themselves with a little distance and examination. Here are Les Gold talking about it and the track: “At the end of the day, one can’t exist without the other – we are our good friends, and they are us. With a poppy, summery, sing-along vibe to accompany the whole track, we wanted to create something that everyone will shout along to in celebration of the dumb decisions we[...]

Gilded Creatures – “Delusions”

July 24, 2023

Gilded Creatures are the worst country band to have ever existed… Their words, not ours! Growing out of a failed genetic experiment by Johnson and Johnson to create the perfect country band, these misfit mutants withstood being a country music catastrophe, having persevered their dereliction while holding onto the birth boons of electric guitar, electric bass guitar, electric key board, and an acoustic drum set that J&J gave them in the winter of 2013. Yet, this pharma-failure is a triumph for rock as the latest single from Gilded Creatures, “Delusions,” encapsulates inner strife and the varied ways one wants to drown out the answerable “dark waves” of the mind, “the undertow that never lets go.” Slick rock rhythms that slink and sway, reminiscent of Radiohead, impact your chest as the lyrics belted out evoke discord, using metaphors of androids and how their existence of being is facsimile to human in[...]

B. Miles – “Different Pages”

July 24, 2023

B. Miles has her sophomore album coming out on September 30th and leading the way is the title track, “Different Pages.” An alt pop hit dripping with allure, “Pages” channels 90’s alternative pop masterpieces from Miles’ past that helped her grapple with her current life-changing events (check our previous feature on B. Miles here). Miles found inspiration in her favorite playlist stored on her first iPod, the bygone cultural touchstone that so many readers can close their eyes and wistfully reminiscence how formative it was to them. Miles finds herself at the end of a relationship and worldview that she carried through the entirety of her 20s – the break up anthems of the 90’s hibernating on her iPod manifest in a lingering pang and cathartic release like no other. Miles taps into the powerful, emotionally intelligent 90’s stars like Natalie Imbruglia, Dolores O’Riordan, and Hope Sandoval using them as[...]

RHNO – “Debutante”

July 21, 2023

It’s tough to believe that RHNO crafted the Tame Impala-esque “Debutante” from the comfort of his bedroom, but here we are! With heady bass licks; airy vocals; and a danceable beat, “Debutante” struts and thrives with plenty of vintage tape flavors. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between lo-fi and a masterfully mixed pop nugget, “Debutante” captures a subtle vintage vibe without ever sounding dated or contrived… Even the album art matches their old-school aesthetic. Check out “Debutante” via the YouTube embed below.

Coyle Girelli – “Museum Day”

July 21, 2023

I’m not quite sure how karaoke, museums, and surfing have any semblance of a cohesive date night, but Coyle Girelli finds the links (and the hooks) in his newest single “Museum Day.” “I want to go out/ anywhere with you,” he croons in this post-punk infused banger; ostensibly describing the perfect partner and how it doesn’t matter what they’re doing, as long as it’s together. The subtle bass riffs help carry the guitar licks throughout, occasionally giving way to understated drum beats that allow Girelli’s crooning voice to shine frame by frame. If you told Interpol that they were allowed to be happy sometimes and gave Paul Banks a puppy and sent him to the beach, you’d come close to the vibe of “Museum Day.” Be sure to give that and Coyle Girelli’s other tracks a listen over on Spotify, and let us know what you think over on our[...]

Ava Earl – “Jealous of Her”

July 20, 2023

Alaskan-based songstress Ava Earl brings us a folk-tinged, twee sounding melody in “Jealous of Her” off of her forthcoming album Too Much. Speaking to the track, Earl had this to say: “‘Jealous of Her’ is about coping with unrequited feelings. In many of my songs, I like to take real life inspiration, and elevate it to a place somewhat outside of reality, and that’s what I did with this song.” Impeccably produced tracks combining Earl’s incredible voice with guitar and background effects that resonate throughout make “Jealous” stand out through a sea of indie-country adjacent crossovers. Listeners looking for (or listening for) something less mainstream than the almighty Taylor Swift yet still palatable to your indie sensibilities (a la Phoebe Bridgers) would find a lot to enjoy with Ava Earl. You can find “Jealous of Her” over on Spotify, along with a strong backlog of well crafted songs and albums.

Late Guest At The Party – “Strapped To The Rhythm”

July 20, 2023

Brooklyn based indie electronic group Late Guest At The Party (henceforth LGATP) brings us a fun effects-laden ballad for you here in “Strapped to the Rhythm.” If you’re more of an indie person but are looking for that crossover that sways you ,look no further than “Strapped to the Rhythm;” a superbly fun beat to bop around or dance to and infinitely catchy. Taking a page from fellow NYC indie darlings LCD Soundsystem, (::cough:: James Murphy ::cough::) LGATP plays around with composition and finds fun ways to subvert the genre. Speaking to that, the band said: “Usually, we go for strong beats and dance rhythms but this time we decided to leave all that behind and write a “no-beat-ballad.” Be sure to check out “Strapped to the Rhythm” on Spotify and Bandcamp as well as the recently remixed version “Strapped To The Rhythm (Drums of Death Version).” DoDV takes the[...]

Midnight Granger – “Hey Now”

July 20, 2023

“Hey Now” is the newest single from mysterious indie artist Nicholas Levenson under the guise of Midnight Granger (can I call you Nick or do you prefer Midnight?). Looking for dulcet, folk-adjacent guitar with light drums and bass with a smattering of piano (and harmonica)? Say no more fam. Better than the sum of its parts, “Hey Now” shines brightest with Levenson’s understated lyrics that pair nicely with the aforementioned accompaniment. As a whole, this is roughly the equivalent of a stripped down Randy Newman (of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” fame), giving him a magical indie artist serum without the use of his zany arsenal of sound. You can find “Hey Now” over on Spotify, along with his previous songs. Best listened to when winding down after a long day or going for a contemplative drive before making a major life decision (or if you enjoy indie folk[...]

Family Man – “CONVICTION”

July 16, 2023

“CONVICTION” is the unapologetic, in your FACE single from alt-punk four piece Family Man off of their upcoming album Iconoclast. Bombastic bass and non-stop guitar start off right off the bat and only fade for a brief interlude, but pick up to bring home the last 1:20 of the track. Family Man has a feel somewhere between newer, angular indie rock and a touch of old school, falling somewhere between Parquet Courts, Fontaines D.C., and Black Flag. Front man Conner Root says regarding “CONVICTION:” “There have always been members of Family Man who openly identify as being LGBTQ+, but the band adopts an ‘I am who I am, and if you don’t like that, I couldn’t care less’ mentality. ‘CONVICTION’’ is the first time we touch on that publicly.” You can hear “CONVICTION” and their prior tracks over on Spotify and Apple Music. Be sure to let us know how[...]

Goodman – “Requiem For Schrödinger’s Cat”

July 16, 2023

Goodman is the project of NYC based musician Michael Goodman and “Requiem For Schrödinger’s Cat” is his latest single. Switching between mournful and contemplative, “Requiem…” is definitely a lyric-forward track with light instrumentals. This could easily turn into a milquetoast affair with other artists, but the subtleties of Goodman’s picking and warm vocals really push this song forward – definitely an understated banger. Fans of that sort of nouveaux classic rock revival vibe would find enjoyment with this track and many others Goodman has to offer. You can hear “Requiem For Schrödinger’s Cat” and the rest of his extensive catalogue (six albums and counting!) on Spotify or  Soundcloud. Goodman · Requiem For Schrödinger’s Cat

Tapeworms – “Puzzle”

July 16, 2023

Tapeworms is a three piece indie electronica act hailing from Lille, France. Synth and effects galore abound in this delightful romp that I can best describe as a tasty cloud with a 16-bit aftertaste. Fans of Purity Ring, MGMT, or lo-fi indie beats would be right at home with Tapeworms and their whimsical vibe. “Puzzle” doesn’t fall into the trap of being overproduced and is easily accessible for someone who is looking to expand their horizons beyond the usual three or five piece with guitars/bass/drums. Speaking to “Puzzles” (from the band’s Facebook) they had this to say: “This one is pretty special to us. We wrote it together, over an afternoon, during last summer and it felt truly soothing. It’s a hymn to lazy, boring days, longing for connection and personal completeness.” You can hear “Puzzles” on Spotify or the embedded Bandcamp link below. You can also catch the band[...]