New Music

Bliss Abyss – “Bill & Holly”

February 21, 2023

There is a couple named William and Holly somewhere who are presumably happy with having a song named after them. For the rest of us, Oakland California based Bliss Abyss put forth a subdued, albeit catchy, dream pop earworm. The song details the love story of two punks who ruled the street of Santa Cruz back in the day – it’s set off by gauzy synths and blippy drum elements that give it a romantic, bedroom-pop twist, even if the song is about two grimy punk kids. Give it a listen and check them out at their Spotify (or if you’re ever out on the west coast).

Seriously – “With Delight”

February 21, 2023

Surely this can’t be Seriously? Yes, it is (and don’t call me Shirley). “With Delight” is the first single off their upcoming album Built Environment on the label Earth Libraries out of Birmingham, AL. Crooning Morrissey-esque vocals combined with Proper Synth Usage (TM) give a nice callback to the 80’s in a similar vein of MGMT’s Little Dark Age LP. If the rest of their album (out June 16th) follows suit, this should be a solid listen for anyone who enjoys a tip of the cap to The Smiths with a nice contemporary spin.

freddyboy – “This Time”

February 19, 2023

freddyboy’s new single, “This Time,” off his latest EP, Hobby showcases a captivating blend of soft acoustic sounds and electric tones on this tight indie-pop cut. The hazy rhythm of the acoustic guitar is inviting and discreet, wrapping you in warmth, as the relaxed vocals bring in deeper into the song’s charm. The dreamy vocals draws the listeners in with a breathy delivery that seems to have each lyric evaporate away as it leaves the singers lips. A swirling and hypnotic guitar lead soaked in chorus-tones drives the whole composition home. Fans of Mac DeMarco, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Chromatics will appreciate the unique sound and style of “This Time”. Listen to “This Time” by freddyboy on Spotify and YouTube now. Find more from freddyboy on their linktree.

Kimball Frank – “Don’t Call Me”

February 19, 2023

Kimball Frank is here with the first single from his first album, the mesmerizing and ethereal “Don’t Call Me.” The indie rock jam has a fuzzy, earnest energy that is created with raw but harmonious textures and a driving rhythm. The texture of the melody is made with layered, reedy vocals that sound like they are pouring out from the bottom of a chasm, blending with lush guitar lines whose notes are left open bleeding into the sonic wash, both of which are reminiscent of John Frusciante’s solo work. Kimball pushes his song beyond that by combining psychedelic pop textures and quirky songwriting that are evocative of the The Elephant 6 Collective with rhythm driven pop genius of Phil Collins’ ilk and the chest-filling power of Band of Horses. Overall, “Don’t Call Me” is a captivating and complex piece of music that showcases Kimball Frank’s skill as a songwriter and[...]

Fritz Hager – “Caroline”

February 13, 2023

Fritz Hager is here with a brand new single and the first since an impressive top 5 finish at American Idol. “Caroline” is an energetic and catchy pop jam that pushes into new bold sounds for the singer songwriter. “Caroline” brings the vibrant energy of pop punk and irresistible anthemic hooks of alt rock into Hager’s sound, which the song wields masterfully, propelling you with pop exuberance into a chorus that you’ll feel compelled to sing along with. The song seamlessly weaves together these diverse range of sounds with slick transitions that use irresistible drop in rhythms from Francisco Martin on drums (who also co-wrote the track with Drew Pearson). Fans of The Killers, Motion City Soundtrack, and Ed Sheeran will find lots to love about this new single. Listen to the new song “Caroline” from on Spotify. Find more from Fritz Hager at their Instagram.

Shuko x Chuck Inglish x KESMAR – “Overload”

February 10, 2023

Shuko, Chuck Inglish & KESMAR have come together to create the groovin new song “Overload,” the seventh single from Shuko’s newly released album Dreaming HIlls. The smooth bassline and hushed rhythms of the bongos creates a effortlessly danceable environment for the lush pop groove to unfold. “Overload’s” warm synths and pop production glitz are paired with interjecting funk guitar licks that will dazzle as the sweet melodic vocals lead you bouncing to ear worm of a hook. Fans of Toro y Moi, Blood Orange, and Tame Impala will definitely love this one. Listen to the new song “Overload” on Spotify. Find more from Shuko on their Instagram here, and find more from KESMAR on their Instagram here.

HIDDEN STATES – “fix to fix”

February 10, 2023

Brighton-based artist Adam Day has re-emerged with a new name, Hidden States, and some fresh new music. Day’s first big break came in 2019 when his music, released as County Line Runner, garnered attention from Stephen Street and Alex da Kid, who signed him to his label, KIDinaKORNER. However, the deal’s short nature and the now familiar destruction of the pandemic made Adam change it up and he is now signed with Berlin’s Humming Records where he feels more at home. His new EP, RECONCILE, features the same intimate and affecting songwriting that Day is known for, with assistance from Sam Doyle, Phil Murphy, and Bill Ryder-Jones. “Fix To Fix” is a haunting ballad with a slow, brooding beat. The song starts with a catchy guitar riff and builds up with a steady drum beat before launching into an upbeat verse that showcases the singer’s powerful and soulful vocals. The[...]

Kalulu – “When Everything Falls”

February 8, 2023

Kalulu, the moniker for artist Marinka Stam, is here with the new release of single “When Everything Falls” from their newly released EP titled featuring. “When Everything Falls” is a lush and unendingly interesting electro indie pop track that excels at bringing the sound of the track alive and treating the listener with unique and addictive tones that seem to have a mind of their own. The use of chopped up and edited pop vocals to create the melodic notes is pure pop deliciousness while it also creates an air of intimacy that enwraps the listener. The muted break beat of the drums adds a current of movement to the song that will sweep you up, while the pliable warping synths shoot up your brain stem as they bounce by. The song also features a bridge of washed out cavernous textures that cleanses the mental palette, creating a effecting contrast,[...]

MARTIN LUKE BROWN – “elsie”

February 8, 2023

We’re excited to bring you the news that Martin Luke Brown has announced their debut album damn, look at the view!, and kicking off the project is the lead single, “elsie,” a nostalgic and bittersweet love song that’ll enchant you. Martin’s harmonized vocals, reminiscent of Elliot Smith or Bon Iver, are such a treat for the ears. Soft guitar lines, kick drums, and synths join the singer to make a warm sound that feels like a cool summer day, sun washed and filled with hazy smiles. Martin captures the melody the heart and the mind play together when a person has involuntarily become an intrinsic part of both, as he sings about his childhood home of Leicester. Martins plays in the fragile pop sounds like Postal Service but adds such warmth and fun that will evoke wry smiles in his listeners as the track plays. Here is Martin talking about[...]

Bestfriend – “Anxious People”

February 8, 2023

Canadian Alt-Pop duo Bestfriend released their first single, “LEMON LIME,” (see our feature on it here) this past December, from their upcoming EP places I’ve left. We now get another taste of the upcoming release with “Anxious People,” a dreamy pop song that feels like a contemporary representation of our collective strained psyches. Danceable and distraught is the potent combination forming from poppy guitar strums mixing with swirling synths and fun drum machines while Stacy Kim’s vocals softly pour over the top of the softly constructed dream pop world. The fuzzy pop sounds will lift you up while lyrics that highlight the solitary and repetitive natures of modern life and the unease it creates in all of us will give the listener a cathartic release as you bob your head and sway your hips calling out “It all feels the same.” Here is Bestfriend talking about their new track: ‘Anxious[...]

Beware Wolves – “Anna”

February 7, 2023

Singer-songwriter Beware Wolves is here with their gorgeously rich single, “Anna.” The song begins patient and quiet, but builds behind our singers lethargic crooning reminiscent of Lambchop. The song gradually crescendos, adding succulent layers of clean instrumentals with each musical phrase. Stoic strums later bloom into incendiary guitar licks that both burn and extinguish as joyous ragtime piano lines join in the chorus which will sweep you off your feet with a luxurious, big, and beautiful sound. Listen to Beware Wolves new single “Anna” on Spotify and Bandcamp. Find more from Beware Wolves on their website here. Beware Wolves, Vol. 1 by Beware Wolves

Bodywash – “Massif Central”

February 7, 2023

Montreal’s Bodywash is here with their first single since the pandemic cut their last tour short, which centered around debut full length Comforter (see our feature on single “Reverie” here). The dreamy rock single “Massif Central” shows off Chris Steward and Rosie Long Decter’s new sound that is both more heavyhearted and invigorating. Washes of shoegaze guitar set the listener in the uneasy storm of emotions that Bodywash want their listeners to consider, playing with moments that simultaneously evoke despair and the warmth of acceptance that can come once the cold shock of the initial despair wears away. Chris’s breathy vocals blend in the haze of guitar while driving kick drums propel the track with a vaulting energy that erupts into a break beat as the track reaches its climax. Fans of Broken Social Scene, My Bloody Valentine, and Elliot Smith will find lots to love on this new song.[...]

Apollo Ghosts – “Gave Up The Dream”

February 6, 2023

Hailing from Vancouver, Apollo Ghosts are excited to bring you their latest, bittersweet indie pop single, “Gave Up The Dream.” The dreamy track will transport you back one step at a time with every poppy tambourine and brushed snare hit as Adrian Teacher sings with melancholic melody about the way a relationship used to be “long ago.” Let the shining, jangly guitar’s reverb wash over you with dreamy textures that feel like the amorphous shape of shaggy memories filled with love. The new song finds that sweet pang of a bygone era you had with someone and illustrates it to a tee. Listen to the new song via their Bandcamp.

Bo Milli – “Good Kid”

February 1, 2023

After a couple of exceptional singles in 2022 (see our features on them here and here), Bo Milli, the 22 year old musician from Bergen, Norway, brings us her latest with “Good Kid,” a cathartic indie rock jam with a crushing chorus. Bo Milli puts an earnest voice to collective dread and paralysis of a generation staring at the void of anxiety and doom that is the oncoming climate catastrophe. Bo opens the song by singing curiously, “I turn on the TV / I see people doing pretty much the same as me,” lyrics that brings the apathy of a generation towards the environmental crisis into the long view. Soon that melancholic reflection turns self critical with the titular chorus bursting forth in a cathartic and crushing “I’m a good kid / I’m not meant to change the world / I’m sorry I’m already such a disappointment.” Bo Milli continues[...]

Watching Tides – “Have You Seen”

February 1, 2023

Berlin based emo rockers Watching Tides have released their latest single “Have you seen” for the world to hear. The song’s big sound centers around fat guitar chords filling the room while the lead vocals are restrained and melodic yet earnestly passionate in perfect emo fashion.  The rest of the song is filled out with chest thumping drums that echo in your chest while simultaneously being tightly structured which gives  each room filling guitar chord a clear rock shape that is so tasty.  Here is the band talking about writing their new track, “Have You Seen” is a song about the impact of the pandemic. Sometimes, after a nightmare, even though it’s hard to remember what you dreamed, you’re left with this uneasy feeling in your gut. A feeling of shame, guilt and unease that can’t be defined exactly. This is the feeling that the pandemic triggered in me. An[...]