Latest Posts

Great Klons – “Twilight Gardener”

June 11, 2024

The newest from Great Klons is “Twilight Gardener.” The project is band helmed by Scott Klon as a solo effort, but certainly doesn’t sacrifice any sound. Klon is almost certainly a child of the 90’s and he’s got the chops to show it; the guitar feedback and straightforward hooks would have been at home in any liberal arts college that I’m familiar with. That isn’t to say Great Klons are copy cats or just rehashing old ideas, nay! Building on and growing what has come around before is how we get great new music. The low-fi aesthetic employed here, along with the chill abandon, is most welcome in a time where music can often sound overproduced. Obviously a guitar guy by trade, listen to the layers and the simple brilliance of the bass and drums keeping beat – a novice effort this is not. Fans of Parquet courts, Guided by[...]

Maria Køhnke – “State of Confusion”

June 5, 2024

Maria Køhnke is a Danish based musician is back with her latest track “State of Confusion;” her first since 2023’s “Sportscar.” At it’s core, “State of Confusion” delves into the pitfalls and meaninglessness of dating these days (for those of you who DON’T know it’s a lot of ghosting and gaslighting). Musically, the production value is quite strong with Køhnke’s vocals melding together with the synth and guitar; wispy and ethereal yet still managing to catch you with impressive hooks. The measure and control shown are equally impressive, as the track simmers but never boils over and makes you wonder what the rest of the EP will look like (kinda like a good single should). You can hear state of confusion on Spotify, Apple Music, or down below from YouTube. Can confirm that this is a great track to listen to both while sitting pensively or driving on the expressway[...]

Snoozer – “Love’s Permission”

June 5, 2024

Based out of Pennsylvania, Snoozer (aka SNZR) is brother/brother duo Mike and Tom Kelly, and “Love’s Permission” is their latest. Chock full of that excellent guitar “phuzz,” you’re treated to a solid three-plus minutes of delightfully rambling shoegaze. Understated and chill for the first third of the track, things start to open up and get loud and weird in the middle and end. Fans of bands like Slowdive, Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, or anything in that fine line between shoegaze and slacker rock will find a lot to enjoy with the brothers Kelly. You can watch the music video (yes, an actual music vid!) for “Love’s Permission” down below, or listen to the track on Spotify. If you like what you hear, their full album Mid-Earth is out on Friday the 13th in September. With the band forging forward in earnest with a second major release in as many years,[...]

The Gold Watch – “What Do I Do”

June 5, 2024

The Gold Watch is a project by Spencer Pope and “What Do I Do” is their latest single released from their album Missing. Right off the bat, I’m hooked by the heavy synth presence that sticks with you throughout the track. The rest of the 3:43 is chill vibes all the way with some light background drums and Pope’s dulcet tones dancing harmoniously with the synth. As per the artist, the track is: “…about feeling powerless to help someone in a relationship…” Certainly something many of us can find relatable on some level. You can hear “What Do I Do” on Spotify or down below from YouTube. If you enjoy this, the rest of the album is well worth a listen (Look Out Mars was another favorite of mine). Fans of Arcade Fire would find a lot to enjoy here, with the rest of tracks being varied so you won’t[...]

Lean Tee – “bad dream/lethargy”

June 4, 2024

Baltimore based Lean Tee‘s new single, “bad dream/lethargy,” is not only spot on with describing my morning, but also managed to help freshen my day with their unique brand of “emo-eclectic.” The intro guitar riff is simple yet perfect and could easily find work with a supporting role on the next Wes Anderson film. The shoegaziness of the track slides over a bit for a fun drum beat that sounds lifted from a 90’s hip hop track, which was what really sealed the deal for me. You’ll find yourself boppin’ along in no time and, like many morose sounding songs, find yourself a bit better off after a listen. Fans of Alex G or Pinegrove would find a lot to enjoy here, with a new layer unlocked on each listen. You can hear “bad dream/lethargy” down below from YouTube or over on Apple Music and Spotify. If you enjoyed it[...]

Rupe – “My Friends”

June 4, 2024

LA based (that is, Louisiana) Rupert Lange, better known under his stage name of Rupe brings us his newest track “My Friends,” a lovingly crafted bedroom pop song. Rupe brings the Day Wave vibe with his DIY work ethic – having written, recorded, AND engineered all of his music. While the full accompaniment of bass and drums adds plenty, make no mistake: this is a guitar track through and through (and we’re not mad about that). You’ll find a lot to enjoy with Rupe, especially for fans of Real Estate or the aforementioned Day Wave. At only 25 and still making music, there’s hopefully a lot more to come from Lange as he continues to share his craft with the world. You can hear “My Friends” below from SoundCloud, as well as Spotify and Apple Music. Be sure to check out his slew of other singles as well; including “goodbye,[...]

otsyuda – “drift”

May 28, 2024

otsyuda, a five piece hailing from somewhere, North America (TM), brings us their latest and seemingly first track “drift.” Clocking in just shy of four minutes, “drift” has plenty of time to percolate and build up lyrically and instrumentally. Ebbing and flowing along with singer Annie Mo’s vocals, you get an explosive crescendo every thirty to sixty seconds – keeping things dynamic and interesting. Mo’s voice dances with the wailing guitars during these explosions and is a perfect example of how the shoegazy sound pioneered by My Bloody Valentine has grown and continues to dominate today. I hope we can hear more from this band soon! If you’re in otsyuda and wanna drop us a line we’d love to know more about you (and when to expect more music). In the meantime, you can hear “drift” over on Apple Music, Spotify, or embedded below from the band’s YouTube channel.

Bleary Eyed – “Shimmer Away”

May 28, 2024

Bleary Eyed, a band based out of the fine city of Philadelphia, brings us their latest with “Shimmer Away.” Hitting us with a nifty, bitcrushed synth intro right off the bat AND sustaining glitchy energies throughout the track is a difficult feat, but it’s a challenge Bleary Eyed rises to. Between the synth, crunchy 8-bit tones, and duetting vocals of Nate Salfi and an unknown female singer (we think?), you’ll easily find yourself loss in the ins and outs of the track. Releasing in anticipation of a self titled EP, lead singer Nate Salfi says that he wanted to “…create a poppy, sample heavy EP that takes people out of their regular headspace they find themselves in.” If “Shimmer Away” is any indication for the rest of the EP, I think I can say mission accomplished. Fans of the “loud” indie sound from bands like feeble little horse or Full[...]

papa mybe – “CPU”

May 28, 2024

“CPU” is the latest from rapper papa mybe, shortened from Papaneneh Mybe and a transplant from the African country of The Gambia. “CPU” has a solid, glitched-out beat throughout that mostly stays toward the background to give Mybe’s voice to breathe, though it punches through at appropriate moments with some cool effects and organic flavors thrown in that give the track an impressive depth. The song itself reflects on the importance of disconnecting from our devices so that we can appreciate the world around us and reconnect with our true selves. Citing influences like drum and bass, 80’s alt rock, 2000’s pop, and underground rap, you can hear all of these seemingly disparate genres mesh together in his music. For someone who is looking to get their feet wet with rap from a crossover artist or who already enjoy the genre, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. You can[...]

Holding Hour – “Come Undone”

May 28, 2024

“Come Undone” is the newest track from Iowa-based duo Holding Hour – made up of Marissa Kephart and Scott Yoshimura. We previously covered the other side of this single, “Parallel Lines” back in April here, and liked what we heard then (just as we do now). Kephart’s vocals really shine through in this guitar-heavy track, doubling down on the guitar and drums while leaving the synth in the backseat. It’s complete with a set of yearning lyrics that set off the dreamy flavors here perfectly – see below: “Say something sweet to me, I wanna hear my name inside your mouth, before you chew and spit it out” I really enjoyed how this track managed to feel straightforward yet intricate, with the guitars building over each stanza in a steady simmer but never boiling over. Fans of Slowdive or Snail Mail would find a lot to enjoy here, with the[...]

B. Miles – “Emergency Contact”

May 22, 2024

New York based Brenna Miles, better known as B. Miles, brings us her latest pop gem with “Emergency Contact,” and even after being done listening it’s still stuck in my head. You’ll hear a lot of drum machine and whispers of bass guitar but the focus is undoubtedly on Miles’ vocals; her range isn’t tested too much but every note is flawless. We’ve written about B. Miles before here, and love what she’s doing now just as much as a year ago! Fans of St. Vincent or Sharon Von Etten would find a lot to enjoy here, as well as someone looking to expand their horizons from the usual male lead act. Speaking to the track, Miles had this to say: “I moved across the country from my family many years ago and depended on my significant other during my 20s to be my emergency contact. When we split up[...]

Elson – “Moments”

May 22, 2024

Elson is a three piece from England with their first proper release, “Moments,” and it’s a catchy track alt-indie track in the vein of Ride or Blur. The guitar will most certainly hook you right from the get go and keep that hook in throughout. Elson could have done very well for themselves in the 90’s – I also got some early Smashing Pumpkins vibes toward the end of the track. Their layering and composition is polished, but not to the point where they couldn’t translate to a great live band and it all just comes together incredibly well. You can hear the studio version of “Moments” over on Spotify or a neat acoustic session down below from YouTube. Be sure to give the band a follow on their socials and Spotify to keep up to date on what’s next -with this much talent it’s impossible that they stop with[...]

Swiss Portrait – “Worries”

May 22, 2024

From the Lowlands of Scotland, Swiss Portrait brings us their latest with “Worries.” Songwriting, recording, and producing is all done by Michael – the brains behind the operation and, obviously, indie as fuck. The track itself is a subdued, guitar-forward song that has that delectable warm tone/vibe (you’ll know it when you hear it) that you can’t help but like. The composition is impeccable, as you can tell every single bit of the sound has been painstakingly laid down to near perfection – but the musical kind (not robotic). Fans of Real Estate or Alvvays’ sound would find a lot to enjoy here; similar vibes but 100% more Scottish than either band. You can hear “Worries” over on Spotify or down below from YouTube. If you like what you’ve heard you can check out the album when it releases later this year. I give artists a follow on their socials[...]

Parallel – “Blister”

May 22, 2024

“Blister” is the latest from California based band Parallel, and it’s a moody post punk jam (which we particularly enjoy here at the BLOG). Released in anticipation of a six track EP due out this July 4, “Blister” employs a guitar-forward approach that somehow sounds warm and downtrodden at the same time. The veil occasionally lifts and goes in a dream pop direction before diving back to the dirge-y downbeat – providing an interesting juxtaposition while showing the line that separates the two genres isn’t that wide. If you’re into current acts like Beach House and also own a Joy Division t-shirt, this is the band for you. You can hear “Blister” below from YouTube (accompanied with a creepy stop motion music video) or you can hear it on the various streamers Apple Music or Spotify. Flooded is out in July and you can hear this plus five more tracks[...]

SZEGO MUSIC – “More Lst Thn This”

May 18, 2024

Swedish multimedia guru Andreas Szego is the brains behind SZEGO MUSIC and their latest single is “More Lst Thn This.” It’s an astoundingly bold production that has a lot of threads going on. I couldn’t find out much about the lyrics; seemingly Swedish chanting. It does have a nice vibe and I felt like it could either be in a video game (like the lead up to a final zone) or a tourism commercial for Mars. This is an incredibly synth forward track in that it’s….almost entirely synth. Is it even “synth forward” or is it just *synth*? Either way you slice it, it’s a fun vibey track that you’ll find enjoyment in if you like electronica/synth music. You can hear “More Lst Thn This” over on Spotify.