Jon Bap- “Gooder Than Before/Forced”
It's impossible to categorize Jon Bap. While certainly a soul crooner, he's clearly not just "a soul crooner," as his sweet croonings are backed with sounds that are in from way out. Without question however is the fact that Jon Bap is one of the most forward thinking...
Shapes on Tape – “Fountain of Youth”
Brooklyn-act Shapes and Tape have our song in the office today with their new track "Fountain of Youth" The upbeat electro-pop song is actually all about searching for the fountain of youth. Partying, living your life to the max, being young and dumb, a theme that...
roco – “Bloody Hands”
roco is a Nashville trio who gathered together from opposite musical spectrums to create something great. Their new album, Pidgin Tongue, is inspired by the "simplistic language" the band developed to communicate with each other musically. The result is something...
Wingman – “In Comes Rushing In”
Wingman is an alt-rock act that falls somewhere between melancholy and pop sensibility. We recently stumbled upon "In Comes Rushing In," a moody jam that swells in intensity while never losing the sweetness of its pop tinge. Themes of their upcoming album include...
Joyriot – “Zen Jam”
We're pleased to introduce you to Joyriot from Tuscon, AZ. These guys may seem like newcomers, but their debut album is full of fuzzy and understated indie rock that sounds like it was composed by true scene veterans. In fact, despite officially forming last summer,...
Julian Azar – “Another Love”
Julian Azar is a musician from Stockholm who specializes in disco-indie goodness. "Another Love" is his latest release, taking influence from the pop Gods of the 1980s (Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Michael Jackson) while still retaining a contemporary sound. "Another...
Trails and Ways – “My Things”
After touring Brazil last year, half of the members of Trails and Ways left the band. This put the remaining members in an interesting position - put up or shut up. The remaining members quit their day jobs and subsequently, most definitely put up. "My Things" is...
Molly Moore – “Easy”
Molly Moore is a LA-based pop artist hailing originally from New York. Her track "Easy" has been ebbing and flowing through our speakers lately, in part due to the swelling synths that back up Molly's breathy delivery. Molly claims that this track is about not letting...
GOOD KID – “Atlas”
GOOD KID is a Toronto quintet made up of four programmers and a film student. This pedigree might have something to do with their peppy, almost neurotic brand of indie pop (and probably has even more to do with the 8-bit-esque album art for their latest single,...
Henri Bardot – “Patients”
Henri Bardot is a dreamy folk artist from Portland. "Patients" is the fourth song off of his most recent release, the beautiful seven-song Blue Night. Bardot's voice sits gentle atop plucked acoustic guitars, mournful slide guitar fourishes, and other haunting...
Foresteater – “Very Friendly People”
Foresteater is the moniker for Phoenix, AZ musician Mikey Pro. His new single, "Very Friendly People" caught our ears earlier this week for sounding like the dude from Placebo started singing for Death Cab for Cutie. What we're actually trying to say is - Foresteater...
ANiMALSOUL – “Color”
"Color" is the title-track from ANiMALSOUL's latest four-song EP. This particular quartet from El Paso combines hip hop beats with a straightforward rock sentimentality. The result is an R&B-flavored, genre-blending whirlwind rooted in strong pop hooks. Fans of...
VANGUARD ONE – “Parabola”
Ben Bartlett is probably in a basement somewhere creating otherworldly synth patches. This dedication to madness has spawned VANGUARD ONE, Bartlett's outlet for creating electronic emotional catharsis, or as he so eloquently puts it, "f***ed up dance music." VANGUARD...
ROBB – “Down With It”
ROBB is a progressive soul group who are really nailing the nu-soul vibes. The members of ROBB all call Vienna their adopted hometown, which gives their music a distinct European flavor. "Down With It" is a synthy jam but never disappoints on its strong electro-funk...
VVOES – “Days Are Numbered”
You might be surprised to hear that VVOES are a Texan quartet who eschew their country-loving peers for something a bit more sophisticated. In fact, VVOES is more of a reverb-laden punk act that could be contemporaries with the likes of Ariel Pink, GIRLS, or DIIV....
Night Palms – “Clinch Mountain Part II”
Night Palms is a Lancaster trio whose music sounds like a new age take on 1970s rock n roll. Despite their UK roots, "Clinch Mountain Part II" sounds dusky and mysterious, like something you'd hear in a saloon or driving down a dusty old highway in the middle of the...
Cold Blue Kid – “Way Out”
Cold Blue Kid is a Chicago quartet specializing in experimental indie rock tunes. Their latest offering, "Way Out," starts out like a peppy surf-punk number but quickly turns into something understated and warm. Eventually the song turns crunchy in a muddled,...
Richie Quake – “Clarice”
I first discovered Brooklyn crooner Richie Quake via Syracuse-based live-sessions series, VHS Sessions. I regularly keep up with the series as they feature some of the very best up-and-coming acts traveling through central NY. In the video, Richie Quake was the last...
Idle Pilot – “Questionable Status”
Idle Pilot (formerly Currents) had a name-change debacle last year which has luckily since been resolved. The name change didn't stop them at all; they've kept their heads held high and got right back in the studio to record their second LP, You Are Presently Looking...
Cool Sounds – “Shake”
Jazz-gaze act Cool Sounds creates smooth, strangely nostalgic music. Hailing for Melbourne, the quartet's new single, "Shake," has us yearning for more. Cool Sounds switches seamlessly from breezy guitar-pop to somber, jazz-infused indie rock, driven by the band's use...
Stranded Mermaid – “Lynx”
Stranded Mermaid are a Swedish band inspired by odd instruments, dreamy soundscapes, and percussive beats. "Lynx" immediately caught our ears for sounding primal, almost like a tribal chant. That shouldn't be surprising, as SM's latest release is titled Pagan Rituals...
HALA – “Club Soda”
HALA's slacker rock game is strong. Incredibly strong. "Club Soda" is the first single from HALA's upcoming release, written while isolated inside during a brutal Detroit winter. "Club Soda" is a love song, with lyrics such as, "You're not my club soda, you're my...
Gold Spectacles – “Even”
Once the weather is nice all I want to do is listen to is pop, and London-based producers Gold Spectacles have just what I need. The duo's latest single "Even" is a slice of dream-pop heaven, with gentle funk-y bass, heavy sample work, and baroque undertones. Don't...
THØSS – “The Meter”
UK's THØSS just released "The Meter," a bouncy explosion of soaring harmonies and sunny guitars. THØSS is just coming down from the high achieved with of his initial hit, "IWITW," which amassed over 350,000 total plays. We think "The Meter" is destined for similar...
Graveyard Club – “Nightcrawler”
Graveyard Club is a Minneapolis quartet who seem to be taken by all things occult. Beyond the haunting keyboards layered throughout their dark brand of synthpop lies an interest in sci-fi, 50s crooners, and 80s-style pop. "Nightcrawler" is the perfect amalgamation of...
Ohms – “Changed My Face”
Blending together fast tempos, gritty feminist punk, and a tinge of sparkly glam, Melbourne's Ohms are a visceral female-fronted punk experience. The quartet's "Changed My Face" caught our attention earlier this week, taking note from other bands with fellow...
Leitbur – “I Need You”
LA's Leitbur (pronounced light-brrr) is on a roll, producing perfect nu-80s synthpop. They recently released a stellar LP, Antique Travelers. Track three, "I Need You," is a feel-good summer jam if there ever was one, combining retro beats, catchy synth lines, and a...
Fellow Creatures – “Wouldn’t You Like To Know”
Somehow, the circuit-bending weirdos in Fellow Creatures have found a way to turn odd, lurching synths and pulsing guitars into something quite palatable and enjoyable. The Washington, DC quartet is adept at genre-blurring, focusing heavily on writing memorable...
TORCHES – “Future”
TORCHES are a duo from LA that makes danceable indie pop tunes. They are inspired by a sentimental attachment to music in their past but driven by their dreams of the future. Not convinced? A listen to their most recent offering, "Future," might change your mind....
LISHI – “Monster Kids”
In terms of haunting and mysterious noir-pop, LISHI is at the top of her game. LISHI is an anonymous project, combining both musical and visual experiences into something ethereal and beautiful. "Monster Kids" is her first effort, and finds the character accepting her...
Capyac – “Speedracer”
Capyac creates funky, nu-disco tunes that are near impossible to resist. "Speedracer" is their infectious new single, a smooth jam that finds Capyac grooving on par with fellow electro-funkers Daft Punk. The duo more than accurately self-identifies as "balloonwave,"...
MLE – “Moonlight Desires (ft. Walsh)”
It's a slow morning over at blog HQ, but that's not stopping us from pumping mood music. This morning's mood is inspired by 80's electro-pop cover jam, "Moonlight Desires," originally by Canadian singer, Gowan. The cover is a collaboration between MLE (aka singer...
Julian Lamadrid – “Krule Love”
Naw this isn't a King Krule premiere, but Krule definitely inspired this new track from whiz kid Julian Lamadrid. Born in Mexico, raised in UAE, and currently stationed in Dubai, JL blends smooth R&B and ambient synthpop on his tongue and cheek tracks. Lamadrid...
Database – “Nights Off ft. Tidal Caves”
Database's latest collaboration with Tidal Caves is the sound of 11:34pm on a Saturday night. The track, "Nights Off" is an electro-pop gem, heavy with swaggerin' psuedo-obnoxious talk-rap a la UFFY or a good Millionaires, with Kesha's "whatever mentality" and 90's...
United Fruit – “Where The Sun Beats Down”
Glasgow quartet United Fruit are a tangible burst of energy. Their music is a wall of cacophonous and melodic guitar noise with propulsive rhythms. "Where The Sun Beats Down" is a constant flow with no ebbs. The track is layered thick with guitar noise that never...
Flora Cash – “And Ever”
Flora Cash is a Swedish/American duo from Stockholm/Minneapolis respectively. Electronic songstress Shpresa Lleshaj was so impressed with songwriter Cole Randall's songwriting talents that she reached out via Soundcloud. One little comment led to a penpal relationship...
Brooke Bentham – “Oliver”
Brooke Bentham is a 19-year-old songstress with a big voice. We've been jamming "Oliver," a track Bentham penned when she was merely sixteen, a time when naïvety and love are almost synonymous. Most importantly, "Oliver" features Bentham's breathtaking vocals (falling...
She Makes War – “Cold Shoulder”
She Makes War specializes in no holds barred, female-fronted alt rock. "Cold Shoulder" is a one-two punch to the face, peppered with a squirmy synth line, background ooohs, and of course singer Laura Kidd's Londonesque delivery. She Makes War is gloom pop at its best...
Grace Joyner – “Real”
Grace Joyner spent several years as a harmony singer for several prominent Nashville-area bands before writing her own material. This turned out to be a good decision. Joyner, like many of us, channeled her hurt into a positive outlet - her music. After finding her...
Maison Hall – “College Sports”
Have you ever had a weird relationship? One that wasn't necessarily permanent but you made the effort to enjoy where you were at regardless? "College Sports" by Brisbane (yes, Australia!) collective Maison Hall tries its very best to encapsulate that fleeting feeling....
No Why – “Disconnect. Decode.”
Cleveland-based indie rockers No Why quietly released duel singles last month and it has come to be the repeat album of the morning at our office. The second song on the mini-ep, "Disconnect. Decode" is for definitely the late 90's emo fan, combining intricate-growing...
NGHTMRE – “Holdin’ On to You (Wet Paint and Wildfire Remix)”
Halifax-based future-bass producers Wet Paint and Wild Fire made a mean remix of NGHTMRE's "Holdin' On to You." The song starts out as an atmospheric crawl, with whispy female vocals, and drops about 37 seconds in with expecting instrumentals. Eventually the remix...
C.L. Smooth (feat. Skyzoo & DJ Devastate) – “Perfect Timing (Max I Million Remix)”
Sweden's Max I Million has cooked up a re-imagination of the Coalmine Records' classic cut, "Perfect Timing," featuring both C.L. Smooth and Skyzoo. DJ Devastate adds to the remix by scratching up the original chorus, in an ode to the craft. The beat is a good fusion...
Black Honey – “All My Pride”
Black Honey's "All My Pride" has been the flavor of the day over at buffaBLOG HQ. The band's latest single, off of their forthcoming The Headspin EP. Think the gritty garage-rock stylings of The Strokes if it were fronted by Gwen Stefani with Muse's bravado and you'll...
Sam Padrul – “Dirty Work (ft. Patrick Baker)”
Now that the sun has finally come out, my music taste sheds it's shoegazey skin and it's all pop and electro. Sam Padrul and Patrick Baker's collaboration "Dirty Work" is one of those songs that just oozes REPEAT button. "Dirty Work" is for fans Robbie Williams,...
Sea Span – “Diane”
Philadelphia based indie-gaze act, Sea Span, have a new song that has been the soundtrack of our weekend. The song "Diane" is a mellow song of regret about trying to rewind and make things right in a relationship. Could you win them back? Would it all be the same?...
Queue – “Falling Into Skies”
Philadelphia / DC based indie act Queue have a new song that is right up our alley. Queue's song "Falling Into Skies" is emotional, with breath-y, sweet vocals over delicate guitars. Beneath the surface, "Falling Into Skies" is about falling for someone that is...
Our Mother – “Age of Empirez”
London-based baroque indie rock quartet released their latest track from the up their upcoming debut EP titled A.O.B. this week and it's a burner. "Age Of Empirez" is falsetto waltz, a slow and a delicate dance. Fans of Dresden Dolls, minimalist Bon Iver, or a...
Islands – “Christmas Tree”
Islands are back again proving that undoubtedly Islands are forever. The project, fronted by Nick Thorburn, formerly of The Unicorns and current Serial theme song composer, released their new single "Christmas Tree," off of the band's forthcoming album Should I Remain...
Sleep Science – “Tears For The Money”
Being a non-established grinding indie rock act is hard in itself, with booking paid gigs, gaining fans, balancing work schedules, and overall managing a functioning band. Canadian bands deal with this with and then some based on their basic isolation in between...