Canadian trio Close Talker will wash your woes away with their reverb-soaked brand of indie rock. We recommend their latest song “Pace,” which comes complete with a steamy music video full of car crashes and interpretive dance. Fans of Coldplay, Interpol, or Tokyo Police Club might find common ground in this one – give it a listen/view below.
DJ Pharris, Young Dolph, and G Herbo blew our minds with their Worldstar Exclusive, “Boss.” Pharris’ claim to fame is a co-production credit on Kanye West’s “Fade.” This one is packed full of character like Dolph’s one-of-a-kind voice and Herbo’s distinct delivery. Put this one on your Spotify playlist and feel like a “Boss” yourself.
If you’ve got your ear to the ground for lighthearted indie jams, let us recommend “Unholy” by Hollie Col. Fleshed out with Hollie’s lilting voice, a bouncy bassline, jangly guitars, and a pad of synths, “Unholy” is a burst of sprightly indie energy with an ever-so-slight tinge of alt folk. Check it out below!
Mating Ritual caught our attention with the raucous electronica of “Future Now.” Featuring a hazy music video full of synths, cowboy hats, and shell pink basses – “Future Now” is full of sing/scream hooks and upbeat energy. This is a good one to crank if you want to get your blood pumping. Check it out via the YouTube widget below.
Dutch act Eckhardt and the House caught our ears with the upbeat indie-pop of “Lonely.” Fans of Metronomy, Two Door Cinema Club, and MGMT will enjoy this song – it’s full of funky wah-bass and airy, yet catchy vocal melodies. This one in particular is set off by some lovely female harmonies from Bella Hay, check it out below.
The City of Good Neighbors is full of creatives, from artists, to poets, photographers and musicians. We clearly have a expansive and diverse group of people making contributions to the community to make it a better place. One of Buffalo’s newest band, Canetis (pronounced ca-nay-tis) is a recently minted quintet with who have released an equally shiny and polished single, “Warning Call’ to match. Their sound combines the angled jabs and cut of old-school alternative rock with the shimmer and sleekness of The Smiths or Gleemer. The group, consisting of Brendan Hoare, Mike Butler, Matt Sacha, Matt Broconier, and John Grennan, will make their live debut July 19th over at Nietzsche’s with SMUG and Hundred Plus Club. Written by Mike Rakiecki
Indie-rockers Halo Nellie have just released their new single “Sick on the Floor,” following up last month’s release of “Cold Room.” With a driving beat, the band creates an energetic texture that does an excellent job of showcasing the vocals. With the perfect amount of jangle and fuzz, it’s a very fun listen and a worthy addition to your Summer playlist. Hopefully this is leading up to the release of a full length, and that will definitely be worth checking out. Catch them at their next show on July 18th at Mohawk Place alongside The Vaughns, Clever Girls, and Velvet Bethany. Sick on the Floor by Halo NellieWritten by John Smigielski
Icelandic pop songstress Hildur caught us off guard with her poppy ode to relationship salvaging, “Work.” This song is a lovely pop ditty and Hildur’s effervescent delivery is particularly strong in the staccato chorus – “I just want to make us work, work, work; ain’t no logic to us taking a vacation.” It’s an ear wormy shout-out to all the good couples out there putting in time to lift each other up. Check it out via the widget below.
Move over Chevy – this ain’t no car commercial jingle. “Like a Rock” by Dave Lepage is a peppy indie pop number that brings to mind summery afro-poppers Vampire Weekend. Pairing a blistering tempo with a sunny disposition and riffs for days, we think Lepage is up to something good. “Like a Rock” is the lead single from Lepage’s latest release, Wave Deux – check it out here.
This latest banger from Swedish act Niva has us bobbing our heads. “Sudden Changes” is a hush-hush take on electronica chillwave – pairing ethereal synth work with mysterious vocals and plenty of bleeps and bloops to keep your ears entertained. Put this one on a long evening drive and bliss out to these fine Swedish soundscapes.
Aussie-born, LA-based duo, Death Bells, flex their post-punk muscles in the video for their new single, “Around the Bend.” The song reflects on feelings of stagnation founding band members William Canning and Remy Veselis had when they decided to pack it up and move to Los Angeles for new opportunities. The track is packed with a driving drumbeat, thoughtful chords and a chorus that will echo in your ears for days. If you need a change in your life, watch the visuals below and let “Around the Bend” be your sonic catalyst.
Electro-pop trio, Cannons, release the iridescent new video for their single, “Talk Talk.” This sultry number is lead by dreamy vocalist, Michelle Joy, over a catchy and fizzy beat courtesy of guitarist, Ryan Clapman, and drummer-keyboardist-bassist, Paul Davis, that will tickle your ears. It’s a fantastic mix of 70’s grooves and 80’s electro-funk unique to this LA-based act. Check it out and boogie down below. For more Cannons, check out their SoundCloud here and be on the lookout for their new LP, Shadows, out July 12th.
Get ready for some melodic alt-rock goodness with “I Belong Beside You,” the new single from Columbus, Ohio singer-songwriter, Rees Finley. This track will hold you from start to finish with a sunny melody intertwined with killer riffs, dancy drums and Finley’s electric vocals. It’s the first single off the promising crooner’s new album, A Tale Told by an Idiot, and boy is it a good one. Hear it for yourself below. For more Rees Finley and to stream A Tale Told by an Idiot, visit his official site and Spotify here.
Swedish indie-pop duo, They Owe Us, schools us in the visuals for their hypnotic new dance single, “Don’t Think About Me.” Off their debut album, Broken English & Sad Serenades, duel singers, Rane and Kris, borrow from their own experiences as grade school outcasts to set the visual backdrop. They surround their scintillating vocals with bassy percussions and featherweight flutes for a track you’ve got to hear. Watch the video below. Broken English & Sad Serenades is out now. Check it out on the group’s official site here or Spotify here.
“Earth weighing you down? Take an intergalactic trip with the latest effort from Rochester’s very own Maybird. Things I Remember From Earth, the band’s first release since 2017’s ‘Unraveling’, which had The Black Keys’ drummer, Patrick Carney, at the producing helm, sends the listener on an upward trajectory that happens to be highly infused with technicolor, rock n roll riffs, and dance grooves. The second track, “To You,” and the first dosage of pop melodies on the album, displays a pleasant view of hedonism. Or better, what to do to reach a person who has become wrapped up in the world of pleasures. The vocal’s plead in a soft voice to “Stick around a little bit longer/Mix it up a little bit stronger/ This is the best I ca do to get through to you.” The sentiment becomes reinforced with high end back up vocals reminiscent of Motown, and then[...]