Last month, Dream Talk delivered a funk-y single called “Get Out” that has become quite the earworm. Fans of Joywave, Penguin Prison, or MGMT would be a fan of this nu-pop anthem. It’s super accessible with the driving rhythm section and dancing synths, check it out below.
Ian McCuen is a self-proclaimed “purveyor of sorrow,” and now may be a better time than ever to introduce his latest offering. For the depressed and the downtrodden, his somber, three-song EP, Seasons Fleeting, is here to queue in the bleak January blues. What better accompaniment to the false optimism of new year resolutions and the passing of the insincere holiday cheer than McCuen’s acoustic-guitar driven laments about the recently passed “most wonderful time of the year.” Title-track “Seasons Fleeting” is a sleigh-bell tinged ditty about the paradoxical nature of the holidays. Opening line “the tree is covered in twinkling lights” is imagery that directly opposes McCuen’s choice of album cover – a garbage can in a dingy kitchen, wrapped in cheap Christmas lights. Through vibes reminiscent of Bon Iver and Elliot Smith, McCuen gently strums his acoustic guitar and delicately shakes his sleigh bells to describe his hatred of the fleeting seasons. Christmas time[...]
in December, French producer Møme dropped his latest single “Sunday,” and it iss ideal for a smokey dance floor at about two in the morning. Featuring LA’s Goldwash, it’s easy to get lost in this hazy nu-disco track. Fans of Hot Chip or Royksopp would be keen on this track. The single is from the musician’s new album Møment II, out now via Casablanca Records. Check out the single below, it’s a good one.
Ambein Sloth’s driving new single “So Long Ago” is about losing someone but not even knowing if you care. The project is a concept whirled up by Chicago-based musician and a cartoonist with an affinity for making sloth-based comics. The single seems to be the first for the partnership, but being able to pack this hard of a punch on their first release, I’m sure we will be hearing more from the young project.
Sheffield shoegazers Purest released the title track of their new EP Waste My Days in the end of 2018, but that’s not stopping us from looping it on repeat. The band’s 2018 was quite the whirlwind, performing a slew of dates all summer which included opening slots for Echo and the Bunnymen and The Libertines. “Waste My Days” is the culmination of the band’s efforts for the past year. The track is all about making your way and finding your own in the world. Check it out below.
Southern California’s Pure Mids are a band we always come back to. They make it awfully hard to quit with their accessible indie pop bangers that seem to land every quarter. Combine a driving beat, 80s synths, with a pleasant bounce and you have their newest single “Don’t Quit.” Pure Mids have the ability to land an earworm almost effortlessly (although I’m sure there is a LOT of effort behind this). Check out “Don’t Quit” below and be on the lookout for more material from the trio, as I’m sure that we will be covering them again.
Brooklyn-based indie rock act Noble Kids released their new single “Jaws” last month and it might be our first 2019 obsession. “Jaws” is all about staying in a relationship for way too long in order suck that tiny bit of good feelings even though its surrounded by toxicity. The single is off their forthcoming album Messy Pretty, out February 22, via Rain Hat Records. Have a taste below.
Aussie one-man band Therapy Dog released a jangly single in early December called “Spilled Milk.” The song has biting self-reflective lyrics where project head honcho Joshua Hicks channels his inner Robert Smith. “Spilled Milk” is the lead single off Spilling Milk and Getting Ants, which was self-released last month on bandcamp. Stream the single below and be on the lookout for future material heading into 2019. Spilling Milk and Getting Ants by Therapy Dog
Formed as the reincarcate of UK indie pop act, Marines, Raining Again released their new single “Oh, Bother!” at the tail end of 2018. The single starts with an accessible sing along melody, leading into a growly verse about growing up. “I’m going to break my friends proud, and I’ll run this town, and I will be someone that you talk about,” growls the lead singer in an early 2000s emo styling a la Hey Mercedes or Brand New. It’s a keeper for your January 2019 playlists. Check it out below.
ERINA hit another one out of the park with their penchant for soulful indie rock in “Nastiness Of The Wait.” The Olympia, Washington natives combine jazz-inspired croons with animated guitar pairings, making for an uplifting sound that’s hard to get enough of. The track’s message doesn’t stray far from this theme, speaking on self-actualization and fulfillment. This is the concluding track off the band’s latest album Birdie, featuring 10 other tracks of buoyant rock goodness. Catch up with the remainder of ERINA’s sophomore album here.
The Faded North take on the next leg of their sonic journey with their single “Security.” The band’s mix of Brit rock, post-punk, and alternative align similarly with the likes of Interpol, The Vaccines, and Foals. The video for this track pictures vintage film compilations in what appears to be a raw commentary on today’s political climate, masked as a tourism ad. The three-piece has since traded in their UK residency for their current home base in Vienna, and this theme of relocation deeply wound into the video’s essence. Take in the full experience below, and find the band’s recent EP What Did I Miss? here.
Citing influence from across the post-rock, punk, and math rock spectrum, Minneappolis’ Self-Evident evade the ordinary with their track “The Cutter.” The shifting time signatures and weaving guitars lines give the track a disjointed, yet calculated feel, trading off between clarity and distortion both instrumentally and vocally. This track comes in hot off the band’s upcoming album Lost Inside the Machinery. As their sixth full length release, the band has amply honed in on their sound, which shines through with stark clarity in the song’s contrast in dynamics and seamless style changes. Get a taste for Self-Evident below, and keep an eye out for the full album, set for release January 18.
L.A. electropop duo Joy Downer get wrapped up in the throes of materialism in their track “Plastic Wrap.” Blossoming synth lines and steadfast vocals bind the track together, while the lyrics mull over the artificial, money-driven motives of high society. It’s playfully tongue and cheek with a glimmer of cynicism that we can all get behind. This is the duo’s latest single, with a follow up to their 2017 EP Radio Dreamer in the works. Until then, tune into “Plastic Wrap” below.
Joplin, Missouri-based indie rock quartet Me Like Bees have a new single titled “Run” which is playing on repeat throughout the buffaBLOG office in the beginning of 2019. The track is about two people butting heads, heading their separate ways, then coming back and realizing it was dumb. We hear a bit of an anthemic Les Savy Fav pop feel or the gritty sing along stylings of Static Jacks on this one. Overall, Me Like Bees have a genuine ear worm that you should check out yourself.
Budding Colorado hip-hop act A-Skinny plays with pitch and repetition in his track, “Limousines and Weed.” His laid back approach and infectious synth loops give the track a lackadaisical vibe, playing up clear-cut lyricism and sharp percussion. It’s a commentary on self-actualization and following your own path regardless of what other people think. This song comes off his recent 12 track album entitled “WHATEVER YOU WANT.” Find this release and much more from A-Skinny here.