New Music

$lugs – “vince staples but he’s rapping over a beat i made after doing shrooms i think i did too much lol”

December 17, 2025

Transport yourself back to the prime days of Soundcloud with San Jose beatmaker $lugs. What a thrill this era was — hopping on your homepage, clicking a few times and all the sudden you’re in a world of mystical cloud beats, sample-standalones, and songs like this one. I long for the days of a rap I’ve heard before over brand new, distinct, and perhaps maybe better than the original production.Thankfully we have $lugs and $lugs has shrooms. &lugs’ reimagining of this Vince Staples track factors in a wave of sounds, synths and samples, providing for a schizo sonic experience, probably influenced by the shrooms. See if it matches your vibe – at the very least it’ll take you back to 2am on an old laptop. If you’re into the persona that is $lugs, might I suggest a deeper dive into their Soundcloud profile. You’re gonna get more of that on[...]

Ayka – “Let Go”

December 16, 2025

Ayka is colloquially known as the moniker of the Norwegian-Turkish musician Ayça Lingaas – her latest, “Let Go,” bridges the gap between Wet Leg’s effervescence and In-Rainbows-era Radiohead’s organic indie drive. Powered by squiggly guitars, bells, super tight drums, and Ayka’s glassy-eyed delivery, there’s something here for all the various indie-heads out there. Here’s a little bit more about the song from Ayka herself:   “The song is about being on the brink of letting something go and imagining the aftermath – but still staying for a little while – just to see how things unfold and maybe a reason to stay arises? ‘It’s not me, it’s you!'”   “Let Go” is available via YouTube (below), or Spotify.    

Fires of Cheektowaga – “Slowburn”

December 16, 2025

We sincerely hope Cheektowaga, NY isn’t on fire – the Walden Galleria Mall is struggling enough already. But we are sincerely captivated with the psyched-out shoegaze coming from Toronto-based act Fires of Cheektowaga. Expect plenty of MBV energy with a hint of The Dandy Warhols – tasty guitar work, wild rhythmic smashes, and enough swirling textures to forego your next acid trip. Simultaneously grungy and beautiful, FoC sure know how to manhandle a guitar.   “Slowburn” is available on Bandcamp (below) or Spotify.   Slowburn – Single Version by Fires of Cheektowaga

West Ferry – Watching the World Run By

December 15, 2025

West Ferry have been not-so-quietly building an oeuvre of passionate, emo-tinged indie punk for 15 years. They’re back with another three-song EP, Watching the World Run By, which finds the band pushing their sound even further, playing around with Midwest emo riffing, folk-tinged punk, and raw emotive passion.   Opening track “Ralph” is as Midwest as it comes – a twinkling guitar riff is the star of the show here, setting the scene for hard-hitting lyrics. Lines like “I’m gonna break every rule so you react / gonna count down every minute till you get back / gonna act like I don’t hear you call my name / gonna clean your plate, gonna keep you SAFE!” are spit out with defiance and a voice-breaking intensity – reminiscent of Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes, but a bit more aligned with the high-intensity punk of Desaparecidos. Keep your ears peeled around the 2:10[...]

Known Moons – “TIME”

December 13, 2025

Nothing like a build up with drums and guitar that bursts into immediate vocals, which “TIME” delivers in spades – courtesy of Milwaukee-based Known Moons. The guitar transcendence continues with upbeat tones and poppy vocals that would appeal to anyone who has listened to emo in the past 20 years. There’s also a trumpet too, performed by none other than the legendary Steve Lamos of American Football fame, so expect a bit of “Never Meant” flavor too.   You can hear it below via YouTube, as well as Spotify and Apple Music. Known Moons is releasing a split EP with Barely Civil 2/2/26, Barely Known so if you’re diggin’ “TIME” be sure to check that out when it drops. I always find it easiest to keep abreast of bands by following ’em, so I found the band’s linktree so you don’t have to! IG can be found here.      

Trip Tease – “Milano 2098 Ft. Lubo”

December 13, 2025

EDM tracks are sometimes tough to describe, because how do you describe a feeling that is sounds? I like association, so we’ll try this: What’s something you like doing for like, ten minutes (or more) that makes you look cool? Think about it, turn on “Milano 2098 (Ft. Lubo),” and get ready to… do whatever it is you do that makes you look cool. This is the latest from Mexico based Trip Tease off of of the Sex Having Disco, PT. 2 single – which features a couple other artists, but notably Lubo on this track. I’ll level with you, the cool thing I was thinking of was dancing (okay, it was sex, which is sort of a sort of dancing).   You can hear the track below on YouTube or add it to your “dancing” playlist on Spotify. If you need more dancing time, there’s a second track to[...]

j<3 – "hard 2 love / i’ll make it easy"

December 13, 2025

j<3 is the brainchild of Jeffy Yu and “hard 2 love / i’ll make it easy” is their latest single off of the f33l album. The track is divided in two, and while this confused me at first (“why not just call it one song?” I said aloud) but it makes a lot more sense after listening. There’s a line of delineation that occurs, but I’ll let you be the judge. While I couldn’t find much about Jeffy Yu, I can say already they are clearly talented with the unbelievable mix of sounds that are thrown together in this pulsing, hyperpop-tinged EDM track… Especially the breathy, innocent-sounding vocal treatment found here.   You can hear the track embedded below from YouTube. Spotify and Apple Music are the other places I found the track for easy listening and playlist adding. Check out the rest of the album, f33l, available now (I[...]

Christian Alexander – “You”

December 13, 2025

London based Christian Alexander brings us his latest single, “You,” and it’s the perfect bedroom-pop track for to take you through into the new year. Acoustic guitar and light drums are the meat and potatoes, with Alexander’s vocals being the succulent gravy that really ties everything together. It was honestly more calming and peaceful than a Christmas dinner and wouldn’t go amiss on your centering indie pop playlist. There’s cranberry sauce in there too, somewhere… Perhaps the rhythmic plunk of electric piano.   You can hear the track below embedded from Bandcamp or on Spotify and Apple Music. Be sure to check it out or the equally excellent album 11 from earlier this year. More to come in 2026 too, so stay tuned!   You by Christian Alexander

Vic Da Baron – “Standing Ovation”

December 10, 2025

Bay Area rapper Vic Da Baron has had a busy close to 2025. We recently covered his DC-inspired “Gotham City,” a gritty piece of East Coast-flavored boom bap, and he’s back to close out the year with a celebratory banger. “Standing Ovation’s” tone is much warmer, built on a rising chorus sample to couple with Vic’s bars, capping off years of hard work with the success and gratification he’s seen this year. My favorite aspect of the production is the fuzzy drum fills — expertly sampled to give a very human feel alongside Vic’s handwritten lines. First, he gave us some grit, now he’s giving us some glean and sheen. Check out Vic on our Spotify playlist, where you’ll hear more hot new tracks from rising rappers.

Teaboi – “nostalgiaquest”

December 7, 2025

Teaboi aims to create music for “all the people in the early 2000s who grew up on typing in address bars on their laptop as their primary form of entertainment…” And honestly, we’re the exact target demographic.   “nostalgiaquest” sounds like the loop behind your favorite, long-lost Newgrounds.com Flash game, or maybe the soundtrack to some long-lost AMV featuring Goku or Vegeta or something… These are all assuredly compliments, as the squiggly, 8-bit inspired tones and earworm melodies that would feel fresh and fun in the latest Sonic the Hedgehog offering certainly bring back those early-internet memories.   “nostalgiaquest” is available now via bandcamp (below), or on Spotify.   4081 players adventuring right now by Teaboi

Jacob the Horse – “666 Chicks”

December 7, 2025

Jacob the Horse throws up the proverbial (or literal, we guess) devil horns on latest single, “666 Chicks.” Imagining a world where women attack men to subjugate and eat them is a wild concept… But “666 Chicks” is a wild song, and this one certainly has the energy to embody that kind of ideology. Expect face-mashing drums, face melting guitars, and a speak/scream vocal that’s witty like The Hold Steady and vitriolic like Viagra Boys. Our favorite line, which we think encapsulates the whole shebang, is the following:   “My grandmother Hannah used to throw Molotov cocktails at Nazis / and I’m paying $10 for coffee / and writing bad poetry / there’s no hope for me”   “666 Chicks” is available on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.    

Alec Craig – “less”

December 7, 2025

Alec Craig is from Grand Rapids, MI. Is that considered Midwest? If the flavors on his latest offering, “less,” are any indication… Then yes, Michigan is considered the Midwest. Expect twinkly, start/stop guitars with jaunty rhythms, harmonics, and lots of widdly-widdly riffs. It’s set off by Alec’s raw and emotive vocals, which, in true Midwest fashion, were all home-recorded. It sounds exactly what you’d be hoping for, and exactly how we explained it… Because we’re professional bloggers, after all. Buffalo is an honorary Midwest town anyway.   “less” can be found on Spotify – embedded below.  

Vic Da Baron – “Gotham City”

December 5, 2025

Rising rapper Vic Da Baron may proudly rep the Bay Area, but his latest track, “Gotham City” feels like a quintessential East Coast track that just happens to be set in a comic book. Built off of a cold boom bap backbone, Vic Da Baron steps up to the microphone with appropriately icy bars. He trades lines with dark piano keys as he speaks the song’s title to his lyrics. Gotham City comes to life, with Vic finessing some expert wordplay to bring characters from the pages of comics into his word, using double entendres with names like Two-Face, Batman and Catwoman. If you’re a DC fan, you’re gonna want to listen to this one. If you’re interested in hearing more from Vic Da Baron, check him out on Spotify. While you’re there, give this track a listen on our Underground Rappers playlist, updated every week.

Giffy Pluggo – “Mortgage”

December 4, 2025

Chicago rapper Giffy Pluggo finds his rhythm and inspiration right in his hometown. In his latest track, “Mortgage,” the Gifted Plug reflects where success has taken him, and though his mindset has evolved, Chicago offers him the fulfillment to match his aspirations. His grounding thoughts demonstrate the authentic connection that he still has to his city with lines like “I’m a busy man on streets that I really ran,” and “never tucking my chain in, I’m too important.” Work’s changed for him over the years, but his love for his city isn’t going anywhere. “Mortgage” is a great addition to the long history of artists showing love to Chicago – give it a spin as you settle in for a cold winter. Listen to more from Giffy on Spotify and Apple Music — while you’re on Spotify, give our recently-updated Rising Rappers playlist a listen. You’ll find Giffy and more[...]

Very Nice Person – “Underwater”

December 3, 2025

The world needs more very nice people, and if Very Nice Person are anything like their namesake, then we’re happy to shine a light their way. Beyond being incredible human beings (we hope), they also happen to write excellent music, which (finally) brings us to the topic of this blog, their new single “Underwater.” Starting out as blips and bloops, the song eventually blooms into a blown-out indietronica earworm that Portugal. The Man probably wishes they wrote first. The Malibu-based duo count Aphex Twin, Phoenix, and Bjork in their list of influences too, which we find apropos.   “Underwater” is also available on Spotify.