Latest Posts

Chrome Waves, Nowaah the Flood, and A.F.R.O. – “Life is Hell”

May 17, 2026

Boom bap heads need to keep an ear out for every release from UK producer Chrome Waves. His latest track, “Life is Hell,” taps an Inspectah Deck line from C.R.E.A.M., for its primary sample and namesake. Chrome chops and scratches the line into the track’s hook as Nowaah and A.F.R.O., dice up the cold piano scales of the instrumental. Their bars are equally icey as they explore hustling in devious ways. Taking hostages, robbing graves, things of that nature. Chrome’s production style matches the cartoonishly dark storytelling, as he interplays with the rappers through a series of animated vocal samples. It hits all its marks and makes for a great addition to your boom bap playlist. If you’re digging the track “Life is Hell,” or even just feel connected to its title, give this one a save on Spotify. While you’re there, check out our Best of Underground Rap 2026[...]

YEAROFJORDN ft. Brother Tom Sos- “Red Wing Bison”

May 17, 2026

Need some fresh tracks for your next commute to Rochester? 585 rapper YEAROFJORDN makes it known early in his new single “Red Wing Bison” that this one’s built for the WNY section of the I90 corridor. JORDN kicks off the track shining a light on edges of Rochester. An eastside veteran, JORDN’s seen his fair share of violence, but he’s risen from a slum village to become an unstoppable force in his city. Griselda affiliate Brother Tom Sos brings 716 into the fold on the back half of the track as he reminisces on his grind from nothing to a worldwide tour with Westside Gunn, and all without a debut album. This track features a nice understated soul sample as its backbone. I’d recommend tossing it on right after the Batavia exit. If you’re digging Red Wing Bison, check the track out on Spotify. While you’re there, peep our Best[...]

YG Kayboe – “By The Way”

May 15, 2026

YG Kayboe‘s Memphis snarl cuts through his latest track, “By The Way,” proving himself to be anything but passive on his run of successful singles. “By the Way” has the hallmarks of a modern southern hit, much like the heat that bigxthaplug is putting out right now. YG’s relentless, baritone flow is as tight as the bass that punctuates the track.  Production is built around a twangy guitar groove, banging drums, and sprinkled vocal samples, and the beat is dragged underwater throughout the track, gaining and losing texture during different sections. And YG’s “By The Way” hook gives a theme to the entire track that makes the lyrics  memorable out the gate. Roll down the windows and turn the bass up and rap along. If you wanna see YG in action, give him a look on YouTube. You can find “By the Way” and more on our “Best of 2026[...]

ALÍSI – “END CREDITS”

May 14, 2026

London-born Brazilian-Portuguese musician ALÍSI built a slow-burning (but intense) offering with latest single, “END CREDITS.” Her latest is a blown-out alt-pop song that feels hazy on the ears but spikes your attention with bursts of overwrought sound. A sly guitar riff drones on omnipotently, while punchy drums and washy atmospherics keep your head spinning relentlessly. The coup-de-grace is ALÍSI’s vocal delivery – hushed, but filled with attitude, in that glassy-eyed way that keeps a listener feeling detached but intrigued.   “END CREDITS” can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube (below).    

Kicking – “Mourning After”

May 14, 2026

Kicking and buffaBLOG go way back, not only because of bassist Lacy Ellinwood’s former Buffalonian status, but also because they rip. “Mourning After” is just the latest in a trend of fantastic releases from this doom pop act – expect another round of huge guitars, impassioned vocals, and an overall dark vibe. Straddling the lines between post-punk, shoegaze, and alternative music, “Mourning After” sounds timeless and retro all at once. Stick this on your playlist next to The Cure and Slowdive for an injection of much-needed snarling energy while maintaining that doom-and-gloom ethos.   You can find “Mourning After” on Spotify – part of the Nothing Personal EP.  

Scott C Park – “Marlene”

May 14, 2026

Scott C Park gets a little irreverent on the off-kilter new single, “Marlene.” Straddling the often-fuzzy line between dissonance and harmony, “Marlene” examines the equally fuzzy lines between self-deprecation, naivety, and frustration. Delightfully wonky guitar energy powers this one forward with chromatic steps that pull delightfully on the ear. Scott leans into the humanity in the music, offering a refreshing “realness” in our often AI-drenched landscape… It’s a fantastic listen that we’re obsessed with, perfect for fans of JW Francis, Pavement, and Wilco.   Check out “Marlene” via the YouTube embed below, or, via Spotify.    

Quality Living – “Moon Is Out”

May 14, 2026

Quality Living describe “Moon is Out” as a terror… I mean, sure, that’s one way to look at it, but we’d happily fall asleep to this hazy indie pop dreamscape. Warbling guitars flutter in your ears while warm and washy vocals swirl around in your head like a nighttime fog. The band is riding high having recently completed their latest EP, Glacier, due out soon. If “Moon Is Out” is any indication of the band’s overall appeal, we’re about ready to get really icy. We are HQ’d in Buffalo, after all.   Check out “Moon is Out” via the conveniently-embedded Spotify widget below.  

Drew Rath – “in pursuit”

May 10, 2026

Drew Rath is a Cambodian-born, Cambridge-raised rapper with an ear for unconventional beats and a delivery that can match any of them. His latest single, “in pursuit” boasts production that is in a constant state of evolution. You want to settle into the brain scratching choral sample that kick off the track, but then it starts to bend and breakdown. Eventually the voices drop and are replaced with a spacey funk as Drew’s flow transitions from line-by-line into something more free-flowing to match. The entire track, he’s packing internal rhymes and double entendres into his verses, finding comfort in the uncertainty of it all. If you’re feeling “in pursuit,” check out more from Drew on Spotify. You’ll also catch this track on our Best Hip Hop of 2026 playlist, updated almost every single day.

Ricky Lake and Tommy with the Tool – “Trigenco – (Outro)”

May 10, 2026

Paradoxes fascinate Bay Area-s based artist Ricky Lake. The experimental rapper’s found inspiration in duality; the mixture of oil and water. His latest track, “Trigenco,”  fuses alty bedroom pop production with freestyle rap delivery. The dreamy, jaunty, molasses guitar loops meet a clever contrast in Ricky and Tommy’s conversational delivery. “Trigenco” explores the sensation of loving something that’s left you. “Do you even need me? … Feel like I fell in love with a ghost town.” The back half of the track really explores the swirling layers production, as the lines get more repetitive and the sentiment settles in. Check out more Ricky Lake and Tommy on Spotify, where you’ll find the Homme EP once it drops. You’ll also see this track on our Best of 2026 playlist. And be sure to dig the visuals for “TRIGENCO” down here to capture the energy of this duo.

Odile Ohms – “Don’t Give It Wings”

May 8, 2026

Odile Ohms knows a thing or too about nipping things in the bud… Even a cursory listen to new single “Don’t Give It Wings” makes that pretty evident. Through boxy drums, a digestible four-chord progression, and Odile’s haunting-but-enticing vocal presence, “Don’t Give It Wings” feels soothing, even in it’s powerful message. You know we like to hear from the artist themselves in scenarios like this – here’s what Odile has to say about the lore of “Don’t Give It Wings:”   “I think stability is most important during your teenage years, and for me, that was when everything was uprooted. It created a dissonance between who I thought I was and who I was becoming. When your world catches fire and you can’t stop it, you start to believe that’s your life, and that you’re no better. ‘Don’t Give It Wings’ is about catching that lie before it learns how[...]

Overnight Parking – “Mercy Might Martyr Me”

May 8, 2026

They just don’t make ’em like this anymore, folks. Gone are the ’90s and early ’00s where bands got in a room and made some quiet/loud Midwest emo, but Overnight Parking is here to remedy that. Elements of Braid, Unwound, and American Football radiate out from this jangly jam, which artfully combines twangy, Telecaster (TM) tone with fuzz-laden walls of sound. It’s noisy, it’s heartfelt, and it was recorded on a Tascam 388… So if you’re a fan of Deep Elm Records, Jade Tree, or Polyvinyl Records’ output, you’ll have no qualms adding this one into your rotation.   Check out “Mercy Might Martyr Me” via the bandcamp embed below, or, on Spotify. Mercy Might Martyr Me by Overnight Parking

Barz Banga – “Crack Era”

May 4, 2026

You can almost hear the latest single from Buffalo rapper Barz Banga the moment you get eyes on the cover art. Bills-era Marshawn Lynch, branded with “Beast Mode” text down by his galloping cleats greets you as the most powerful horns you’ve ever heard trot out to kick off the beat. “Crack Era,” the new single from the Brooklyn-born, Buffalo-bred artist is appropriately declarative, boldly announcing a fearlessness that stems from when and where Barz grew up. Perfectly timed for windows-down weather, “Crack Era” is punctuated with booming bass – your neighbors might get transported to 2009 when they hear you coming. If you’re looking for more of this throwback hip hop style, make sure to check out Barz on Spotify, and while you’re there, give our Best Hip Hop 2026 playlist a spin.

Rashad + Confidence – “Non Stop”

May 3, 2026

You gotta hear the timeless instrumental longtime beatmaker Confidence has cooked up for his collab with Rashad. “Non Stop” sounds like it came straight off a Gang Starr record. Confidence is in his bag, chopping up delicious piano lines, rearranging them into a head-knocking production prime for a veteran emcee like Rashad to find inspiration within. It even includes some scratching to add texture to an extra smooth selection of instruments. If there was any doubt about the quality of the artists involved, Rashad takes care of that with his lyricism. “Non Stop” is a braggadocious reminder of what traditional hip hop is supposed to sound like. This track appears on The Element of Surprise, a collaborative EP between the artists from 2011 that they’ve remastered for 2026. It’s just in time to add to your cruising playlist so you can play it with the windows down while you lock eyes[...]

Phenomeinal – Growth

May 1, 2026

Rochester rapper Phenomeinal channels his spirituality and desire for greater self into his tracks. Phenomeinal’s relationship with Jesus stands as a driving force, and he makes that clear in the opening lines of “Growth,” where scripture brings him solitude. His latest release explores how faith, ambition, and resolve coalesce into the drive that’s carried him to success despite the challenges that lurk around every corner. While it’s faith-forward, “Growth” isn’t lacking for bars. Phenomeinal effortless shifts into new lines, carrying over rhyme schemes and assonance line-to-line with clever phrasing and sounds. The track’s lofty subject matter is matched by fluttering flute and a grounding bottom half. Its percussion shouldn’t be discounted too. Give this a listen and add it to your rotation. Check this track out on Spotify – you’ll also find it on our Best of 2026 playlist. Give the visuals a peep below if you wanna get a[...]

Jack Landess – “Everytime”

May 1, 2026

Nashville-based solo act Jack Landess hit our inboxes with the surfy bedroom-pop of latest single, “Everytime.” Jack’s music is ultra-soothing – almost aquatic, and reminiscent of the oceanic scene that he used as his album cover. Plush guitars twinkle underneath Jack’s hushed vocal delivery – catchy and calming all the same. Through and through, “Everytime” is a love song – here’s a little bit more about the song’s inspiration from Jack himself:   “This song is about just wanting the love of my life, Jane, to be with me just as she is. Bringing forth both the hard times and the great times, I just need her at her core.”   You can find “Everytime” via the YouTube embed below and also on Spotify.