Latest Posts

Steve Stout – “waitin on mine”

July 3, 2026

Well, here’s a blast from the past (or present, depending). Steve Stout is someone a lot of you may know as the guitarist of Lifehouse… But here he is rockin’ out solo-style with “waitin on mine.” This is certainly a lot folkier than adherents of Lifehouse may be used to, but the passion is most assuredly there. Being the guitarist of Lifehouse certainly lead to a guitar-forward track in this case, but it’s a fuckin’ vibe and you need to check it out.   You can hear “waitin’ on mine” below from YouTube as well as Spotify. I’m honestly shooketh and had no idea this was something I was looking for, but here it is. He released a couple albums between 2021 and 2023, which means we’re probably due for another soon!      

Ricochet The Kid – “Nelson Cruz”

July 3, 2026

The latest single from Richochet The Kid is their rollercoaster of a track. “Nelson Cruz” specifically using retired MLB player Victor Cruz as a storytelling mechanic – it’s as fun build up (and is an apt album opener) with catchy, DIY-flavored instrumentals that lead to an explosion. I won’t tell you when (that ruins the fun), but it’s a fun direction that feels like the perfect moment… Or the perfect opener.   You can hear “Nelson Cruz” below from YouTube, as well as Apple Music and Spotify. Their latest album is forthcoming and their first full length since 2019. I’m not a gambling man but they have a show on August 1st. If you’re in Ferndale, Michigan around then I’d definitely drop in and say hi!  

Cole Hemstreet – “LAN Party”

July 3, 2026

Synth filled and meandering, Cole Hemstreet‘s “LAN Party” is just pure pop fun. Hemstreet and his band (presumably?) that he plays with (off_block) receive high marks for a straightforward guitar accompaniment with tight drums to boot. The vocals give off indie Randy Neuman vibes and I mean that sincerely and with reverence.   I felt like this was a sort of “looking back fondly” track (who does LAN parties anymore?) that feels, for as lowkey as it is, one of the feistier tracks on the album. “Nebulous” (their most recent) goes in a totally different direction that’s equally pleasing.   You can hear it below from YouTube as well as Spotify. The rest of the album, No Worries If Not, is an equally fun romp and recommended to anyone with a pulse and a sense of self.  

Amari Bandz – “Currency”

July 3, 2026

Rising hip hop artist Amari Bandz is doing cloud witchcraft with his autotune use. His latest track, “Currency,” turns the humanizer way down and leans into the extravagance that is an autotuned banger. Boasting a Zaytoven-style piano intro, the beat transitions into a spacier soundscape that allows Amari to really turn it to 11 with his performance. Ripping up and down the scale with perfect computer pitch, Amari talks of excess, whether it’s the luxury Balenciaga or same-day trips to Japan. Few contemporary rap artists can find the right intersection of autotune, creative lyricism, and pop accessibilty and fortunately for us Amari is one. Give him some shine on Spotify and Apple Music if you dig this track.

Antietam – “Way Too Well”

June 28, 2026

Gotta love a band that’s been kicking around since the 80s and is still putting out bangers. Antietam is a NYC-based act whose been around for 40 years and are still pumping out that warm and fuzzy brand of ’90s influenced indie rock. On “Way Too Well,” the band pairs understated guitars that ring out overtop sparse tambourine shimmers. The lyrics are heartfelt on-point – and on that note, sometimes a band sums up their music better than we ever could. Here’s a snippet from Tara Key:   “While making this record under the geopolitical equivalent of a tornado warning, I questioned if I even had the right, the privilege, to be creative… But progress is not a straight line – it’s gain loss gain. I have lived through cycles of events that were shocking and catastrophic, and ones that were insidious and stealth in their invasion. It always comes[...]

Lord Jane – “Think of Something Nice”

June 28, 2026

The last time we checked in with Irish act Lord Jane, we were jamming on their incredible single “These Last Few Weeks.” They’re back with another beautiful shoegaze-laced offering called “Think of Something Nice.” Lilting but powerful vocals are in the limelight here, but there’s lots more to enjoy. Spindly guitar work and a 6:4 time signature help to give this one a choppy and angular feel. This is one of those songs that rewards multiple listens – it’s hard not to appreciate the real beauty this quintet is crafting. Put it on your playlist next to The Cranberries, Field Mouse, and Palehound.   Peep “Think of Something Nice” via the Bandcamp link below, or, on Spotify.   Think of Something Nice by Lord Jane

Steve Nguyen – “oyakake bukaeru”

June 28, 2026

Maybe the most important, genre-defining characteristic of lo-fi, study beats is that they take you elsewhere. It could be through hypnotic rhythms, lush layers and loops, a sample that entrances your mind, or any number of reasons. But it needs to take you somewhere that you currently aren’t. Steve Nguyen has this figured out. His latest effort, “oyakake bukaeru” is just another entrant in a long line of ambient, lo-fi, study beat tracks by him that accompany his contemporary visual animation. Fluttering flutes, heavenly harps and train track rhythms draw you into the journey – give it a listen and see where this one takes you. Check out Steve’s Instagram account to get a full taste of his multimedia artistry – rife with animation, music and more. You can check out “oyakake bukaeru” on our new Jammy Study Beats instrumental, too.

Tedsson – “The Double Text”

June 25, 2026

Does it get more helpless than the moments before sending that second text? Pathetic maybe, irrational probably, desperate certainly. Rising hip hop artist Tedsson explores the signs of “long paragraphs honed and rewritten,” and “seeing you post every minute,” before you end up stacking blue bubbles on his latest track “The Double Text.” Tedsson’s matter of fact delivery appropriately masks the fool-hearted emotions that come with the situation at hand, and he speaks to it in a breakup setting. “The Double Text” boasts a truly beautiful, longing soul sample to anchor its beat. Its music video is fitting as well, and I’d recommend pressing play on that below. I’m gonna steal an observation from a perceptive YouTube commenter (oxymoron) and say that Tedsson is cut from a similar cloth as NYC alternative hip hop mainstay Homeboy Sandman. If you’re digging “The Double Text,” then give is a listen on Spotify[...]

Heykryp – “Pregame/Function”

June 24, 2026

Pittsburgh PA’s Heykryp is a rising rapper who combines the experimental nature of cloud rap with more traditional trap sounds. His latest track, “Pregame/Function” smashes together murky and glitchy production that can only be held together by the honey smooth vocals of ‘kryp. It’s a fusion of sound that further bends your listening experience by introducing a hyperpoppy percussion section and counter melody. Heykryp’s backing vocals are often folded into the lead mix, simulating your swirling brain after too many substances. All in all the track rounds out to sound like you’re trapped in a Gameboy Color loading screen for a game about getting too turnt for your own good. If you’re feeling “Pregame/Function,” check out Heykryp on Spotify, and while you’re there give our Best Underground Hip Hop of 2026 playlist a listen. We’re adding rising, undercovered, and undiscovered artists to it every week.

Our Violet Room – “Run”

June 22, 2026

Our Violet Room goes for the heart on latest single, “Run.” Evoking early Death Cab For Cutie, Mansions, and even The Cure, “Run” feels organic and cathartic – a must-have in our current era of AI slop. Nimble bass and neurotic drums add to an overall sense of urgency – the clangorous guitars in the background are the coup-de-grace, ringing out like discordant sirens among this otherwise tightly-wound offering.   You can find “Run” via Soundcloud (below), or, on Spotify.   Our Violet Room · Run

Cafe – “Radio Head”

June 22, 2026

Cafe just put out a chill house track called “Radio Head,” and while we’re pretty sure it’s not about coffee or the esteemed ’90s and ’00s band, it’s still worth your time. Bleeting and bleeping synths work together with a gently driven beat to give this a groovy, but understated feel. Passionate and heartfelt vocals sing vaguely nostalgic songs about flip cup and hanging out in the woods with your friends. It’s a uniquely heartwarming experience – give it a listen and experience for yourself.   You can find “Radio Head” on Spotify (embedded below).  

SAOL – “Lines”

June 19, 2026

SAOL, aka Zoë Gough, brings her flavor of the Irish 90’s grunge aesthetic with her latest single, “Lines.” Do you like guitars? Good. Because there’s at least three or four layered up and fuzzed out throughout. The gradual buildup pays off so well lyrically and musically, with Gough escalating things to breakdown and absolutely slaying on geetar. Speaking to the track, Gough had this to say:   “…I realized I was subconsciously exploring feelings of pain and grief that I hadn’t fully realized were there. The throbbing kick drum at the end, representing a heartbeat, is intended to tap into the universality of what Lines is exploring- the pain of being alive and not being alive…”   “Lines” is listenable below from YouTube below, as well as Spotify. With this being her first single of the year with three released last year, here’s hoping for more before 2026 is done![...]

TÁVOL – “MÁV M41”

June 18, 2026

Bence Nebehaj is the brains behind TÁVOL and “MÁV M41” is their latest single off of the Metanoia EP. Interestingly, TÁVOL translates to far/away or absent while MÁV M41 is a type of Hungarian diesel locomotive. The intro borrows heavily from trains/train tracks (could be feedback, could be actual train, maybe a bit of both).   Other than being named Bence and being from Hungary, I couldn’t find much else out though – which I respect because an air of mystery is almost always chic. You won’t find any lyrics here, only vibes (which I’m also a huge fan of).   You can hear “MÁV M41” below from Bandcamp below, as well as Spotify. The rest of the EP, Metanoia, delivers on the dark atmospheric vibes with some spots of sunshine -particularly with the second track, “Citra.”     Metanoia by TÁVOL

nazire – “leech”

June 18, 2026

Istanbul-based nazire brings us her latest with “leech;” a fun gem of indie ingenuity that does some interetings things with layering and playing back pieces of guitar recordings. We last covered nazire and her prior single, “junebug,” here. Both tracks clearly are stamped her MO, with “leech” leaning into her electronica roots a bit more. Speaking to the lyrics of the track, nazire had this to say about it:   “‘leech’ is about the slow realization that someone pretending to be a close friend has actually been draining and mistreating you for years…”   You can hear (and watch) “leech” below from YouTube and Spotify. Much like a long engagement, nazire’s album glitchfolk is due to come out soon. How soon? Only the record label knows!          

Canalss – “Shave The World”

June 18, 2026

“Shave the World” is the latest from Canalss (the extra “s” is not a typo and a great way to separate yourself from “canals” or “canal”). As per Canalss (I think Spotify said his name was Jeremy), this track was written with the current US political climate in mind. It has a nice hopeful tone but lines like the following show you where the song’s voice is:   I smell just like sepsis and I’ll never get old Though this shining cross necklace burned a hole in my chest Evangelical Christians still think I am the best   You can hear the track below from Soundcloud as well as over on Spotify. It’s the first single off of the upcoming full length, “What Every Girl Should Know” (Zerowell Records). If the witticisms and voice are any indication of the rest of the record, we’re in for some more good music[...]