New Music

Anya Baghina – “It’s Clear To Me”

June 14, 2023

Anya Baghina (whom you may recognize as a member of Soviet Girls) is here with an alt-folk-dream-pop song she’s calling “It’s Clear to Me.” In the best way, “Clear” is straightforward and sentimental – lightly chorus-laden guitars and gentle fuzz elements power this jangly gem forward while Baghina’s ultra-sincere delivery adds a healthy midwestern emo flavor. This one has appeal across multiple genres – if you’re a fan of Beach Bunny, Alvvays, or Petal, Anya’s work is definitely up your alley. Anya’s album is due out June 23rd – until then, make sure you check out “Clear” on Spotify and Apple Music, too.

Off Contact – “Dressed to Kill”

June 9, 2023

Four piece post-punk outfit Off Contact are an eclectic group of local scene stalwarts from Sioux Falls, SD. Following their killer second full length, they’ve just released their third single, the inventive, evocative, and hawkish “Dressed to Kill.” Each member has their roots deep in the same local scene, some even owning the venues that are its life blood. This passionate fandom and deep-rooted love culminates, creating striking music that reflects four individuals and a scene that has a string pulling at each of their hearts. Buzz saw lead guitar wails while a fat, melodic bass line leads it forward with unending momentum. Singer Lindy Wise lays into the track with earnest and endlessly cool howls finding his space on the track and clearing the way for stark and delicious unified gut punches from the instrumentals. Fans of Interpol, Joy Division, Jesus and Mary Chain, Ought, and Ty Seagull will[...]

Graham Grease – “On Replay”

June 5, 2023

Washington, DC based band Graham Grease brings us a post-punk tinged single with “On Replay.” This is a bit of a change-up from when we last covered them back in ’21, but still in fine form (as Nick aptly pointed out: “…the ear-catching discordance of Pile, the eternal-slacker vibes of Pavement, and grittiness of early Nirvana…”). Whereas 2021’s “Teething” was more of a nod to the 90’s grunge bands of yesteryear, “On Replay” goes with crooning vocals a la Talking Heads and the layered guitars more in line with “Machina” era Smashing Pumpkins with a bit of the freak-out vibes of Q and not U. Bonus clout: studio drums were laid down by Spike Smith who has previously played with Morrissey and the mixing was done Jonathan Schenke who has worked with Parquet Courts, Liars, and Snail Mail. You’ll be more than impressed with the depth of sound throughout this track.[...]

Mirrorball – “Red Hot Dust”

June 4, 2023

LA-based duo Mirrorball are here to lull you into a haze with their latest single, “Red Hot Dust.” Singer/songwriter Alexandra Johnstone and multi-instrumentalist and composer Scott Watson have crafted something stunning here, driven by somber piano plunking and Johnstone’s ghostly vocal presence. Big hooks and morose moodiness will remind you of Lana Del Rey or Beach House with a hint of the rawness of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (indie rock producer Chris Coady, who has also worked with the YYYs and Beach House also produced this track). The hard hitting melodies of lines like “red wine it’s a thriller/ it’s a god damn killer” cut right through you – as they explain it: “[‘Red Hot Dust’ is] a dreamy drive up the foggy, west tree-covered coast before the sun comes up arriving to the pink open desert.” Be sure to add “Red Hot Dust” to your favorite Spotify playlist.

Marni – “Manny’s Song”

June 3, 2023

Skin-prickling electricity pours from “Manny’s Song,” the latest single from Marni – each section is steeped in irresistible shoegaze influences. Melodies from delicate guitar lines fracture into fat washes of noise that hold their shape, creating a duality of mood that aligns with the theme of the song – the good and bad voices inside a person’s head. Marni wields texture and progression masterfully in the song structure. The five sections call back to previous verses while folding in new elements which brings an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience. Short, gorgeous, gut punching, cathartic, expressive, and joyously creative… Give this one some spins for sure.  Fans of My Bloody Valentine, Deftones, and Brand New will find lots to love in this. Listen to the new song “Manny’s Song” by Marni on Spotify and YouTube. Find more from Marni on their Linktree.

Smokey Brights – “Long Goodbye”

June 3, 2023

Seattle natives Smokey Brights have released a slew of singles leading up to their exciting new full length, Levitator. Their latest single, “Long Goodbye,” features bombastic guitar and vocal harmonies belted out to hit the back of house. Fronted by the married duo of Kim West, on keys and vocals, and Ryan Devlin, on guitar and vocals, the band is at their most anthemic on this track. With Devlin taking the lead and then being joined by West and bass player Luke Rägnar for a three part harmony, they absolutely blow the roof off the chorus. The new track focuses in on deteriorating relationships and how all the animosity, aversion, and languish felt up to that defining final schism is all part of that “Long Goodbye” Listen to the new track on Spotify and Apple Music and catch their new full length there as well, you can also find the[...]

Sea Lemon – “Cellar”

June 3, 2023

Seattle musician Natalie Lew, known as Sea Lemon, has just released the introspective, lush, shoegaze single “Cellar.” Lew lays ethereal vocals over each other that sound like howling winds pushing through caverns of your psyche. The rhythm section brings it with tumbling drums and bass, creating a pulse that balances the ghostly singing while pushing you into a perpetual free fall feeling. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Natalie’s sonics evoke her home’s palette with a feeling of blue-green pine forests outside of rain streaked windows while you stare out, unfurling the tapestry of your inner mental machinations. Here is Natalie talking about that and how the song came into being: “‘Cellar’ was inspired by my love of really classic horror and thriller films, like Blow Out and Misery, and how loving scary movies can sometimes feel like something is wrong with you. That idea of the ‘cellar’ in the song[...]

mid – “Dirty Blonde”

June 1, 2023

Is it surfy? Is it shoegazy? We’re not sure, but we’re loving the energy coming from mid. The trio, based in Alexandra, VA is high school aged(!) (with one outsider named Throb), and they are making an incredible amount of washy noise with latest single “Dirty Blonde.” Big, bombastic, fuzzed-out choruses are sandwiched by wailing guitar noise and reverbed-out vocals. It’s youthful, it’s loud, and its fun… And it’s also something best experienced for yourself – make sure you check it out below. Mysterious. Check it out on Spotify and/or Apple Music if you’re as intrigued as we are. mid · Dirty Blonde

Madge – “notss”

June 1, 2023

Every now and then we need our hyperpop fix, and non-binary artist Madge is the artist to do it for us most recently. Having written for/collaborated with artists as varied as Pussy Riot and Portugal. The Man, it’s no surprise that “notss” is a hyped-up banger that sounds like a waterfall of candy probably tastes… Probably. Helium vocals and pulsating bass electronics will keep your body moving and grooving at speeds previously unknown to mankind. Madge wears many hats (literally), as they are also a fashion darling (aka model) – even their description of “notss” is artistic af: “The soft torture of mixed signals and the excitement of captivity. I can’t help but think that getting strung along like this is just keeping me strung out on something I like.” Check out “notss” on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.

Ali Dellas – “Chasing You”

June 1, 2023

Rising Aussie singer/songwriter Ali Dellas is back with another sugary-sweet indie-pop track called “Chasing You.” In case you’ missed it, Ali’s been on our radar for a while – here’s her previous love song, “Heart Eyes.” She continues her trend of perfectly upbeat songs that somehow never stray into that oh-so-familiar lovey-dovey cheese. With a punchy drumbeat and jangly acoustic guitar strumming, Ali zeroes in on a unique aspect of being in love – here’s what she says about “Chasing You” below: “Chasing You is about having a surprising sense of peace about being in love with someone else because you’re confident that you’ll still end up together.” You can find “Chasing You” on Spotify.

Jason Nolan – “Cantonese Dream”

May 30, 2023

“Cantonese Dream” is the lead single off of Jason Nolan‘s upcoming LP, Pink Sky in the Real World. His unique blend of bedroom-pop compositions bring a dulcet, incredibly calming voice with a healthy dose of chill wave thrown in. The bass track throughout really unites “Cantonese Dream” and keeps it pulsating with a shimmering energy that never bogs down into mood-setting ambiance. The album itself was written over a four year period of time around the various locales of New Zealand, including a small suburb of Wellington. The ethereal nature of the track is very much on purpose, as Nolan says regarding the song: “Cantonese Dream is about being the wrong side of the mirror and feeling like a passenger in your own dream. Depending on the day, it’s about being weak to a lot of the easy temptations and distractions or being open and curious about the peculiarities…the name comes[...]

Mise en Scene – “Burn Out”

May 27, 2023

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Winnipeg-based act Mise en Scene (ICYMI, we covered them all the way back in 2017). Don’t be fooled by their Canadian roots – this duo pumps out sugary surf-pop that blends vintage Beach Boys roots with a modern day sassiness a la Best Coast or Beach Bunny. “Burn Out” is their latest offering – a perfect encapsulation of what surf-inspired indie rock is meant to be. An upbeat and boppy good time, layered heavy with reverb and borderline doo-wop lyrics with simple rhyme schemes that anyone can relate to. You can find “Burn Out” below via YouTube or on Spotify.

The Rocket Summer – “M4U”

May 27, 2023

If you’re a millennial of a certain age like me, you might remember the mid-00s… More specifically, the sun-soaked emo-pop coming from Bryce Avery, aka The Rocket Summer. Those were good times, but like any good artist, Avery refuses to sit still, and that’s evident in his latest offering, the genre-bending “M4U” (which, I have gleaned, is short for “made for you”). The cornerstone of his 8th(!) full-length album, SHADOWKASTERS, “M4U” is built around a dizzy acoustic guitar, a blippy drum machine, and Avery’s unmistakable voice. It’s gritty, it’s catchy, and its unmistakably Avery, and we can’t help but love to see/hear that he’s still making great music 15+ years later. You can find “M4U” on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.

Jake Minch – “Handgun”

May 26, 2023

20-year-old Connecticut native Jake Minch embodies our misspent youth here on latest single, “handgun.” With nothing more than a voice, an acoustic guitar, and some atmospherics, Jake brings us back to our college days (not that we’re too OLD to relate… or something) – drunk and hungover and coming into our own as adults. Striking imagery and charming lyrics reminiscent of The Front Bottoms or Modern Baseball really help to paint us a picture of Jake’s wonderfully youthful world view. With deeply narrative songs like this one, sometimes it’s best just to hear from the artist themselves – here’s what Jake had to say: “The song takes place right before ‘doing music’ was on my mind. It lives in the morning, waking up after my first big party-weekend at a new school. My head hurt too much to move, so I skipped my Econ class to lay with my thoughts[...]

Thavoron – “Why”

May 26, 2023

Get ready to be inexplicably crushed by Seattle-based artist Thavoron – the 22-year-old has crafted a slice of indie/folk/emo called “Why” that is goosebump-inducing. Reminiscent of emo acts like The Hotelier or indie-folksters like Alex G, “Why” pairs a spiraling guitar twinkle with strikingly gentle falsetto to create an odd amount of beautiful tension. Just when you think you can cut through the mood with a knife, Thavoron adds a booming drum sample or a smattering of woodwind energy to root you back to earth. It’s a song you need to truly experience for yourself… But only if you’re ready to feel heartbroken (and not be 100% sure why). Check out “Why” on Spotify Thavoron · Why