Colin Magalong might be onto something… “Blossom” is the perfect mix of funk, r&b, and pop – it’s a super upbeat number that was literally crafted to get you moving (and it works!). There are definitely hints of Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson, and even Daft Punk here. Magalong’s undying energy and sultry-rasp vocals are a perfect combo for this kind of jam… Peep it below. While you’re at it, drop Colin a follow on IG.
Vacation Forever is a brand new project from Swedish songwriter Zacharias Zachrison. After a very rough 2017, Zachrison started from scratch, resulting in the genre-blurring appoach of Vacay Forev… Combining the aesthetic of early/mid 90s effected drums with vaporwave vocals and a pinch of emotion, we think “Blank Ocean” is a pretty good place to start. Zachrison himself calls it “tropical emo” but there’s definitely some electronica and vapor in there somewhere… Check it out below and decide for yourself. Dig it? Smash that “add this song to your Spotify Playlist” button.
“What could have been?” We’ve all been there before, and Coach Phillips has embodied that feeling in their latest single, “W.C.H.B.?” Beyond the simple, catchy indie rock body, the song features a unique saxophone accompaniment from drummer Chet Baughman… The Seattle quartet also pepper the track with delightful male/female vocals that duel pleasantly throughout the entirety of the song. Definitely worth a listen, check it out below. “W.C.H.B?,” along with the rest of Coach Phillips’ stuff, is available via Bandcamp.
Belgian space-pop act PIANO CLUB sent us over a new music video for “Think For Yourself.” It sounds a little like Daft Punk featuring a sick verse from Missy Elliott (we mean this in an entirely complimentary way), and is infectious enough on its own to get stuck in your brain… Check out the video below and live vicariously through the club-goers featured within. If you like what you hear, PIANO CLUB has a merch store – check it out here.
Birthday Boy is a Philly act who recently caught our attention with the massive guitar-driven sound of their latest single, “Future Me.” Fans of Basement, Citizen, or Title Fight will find lots to like here – emotional lyrics and gigantic, heavy guitar work form the backbone of this track. Their sound is clearly influenced by the grandeur of 90s grunge, but also has a smart, 2010s indie/emo vibe. Have a listen below and judge for yourself. The entire Mercy Rule EP is available via Bandcamp now – check it out. Mercy Rule by Birthday Boy
“Phoenix,” the latest single from Seattle synthpop outfit Northern Nomads is neon drenched, epic, and it needs to get beamed into your ears right away. For his latest jam Northern Nomads mastermind Mario Sibaja trades the Nile Rodgers guitar work that made last year’s revelatory Love Is All We Have EP obscenely irresistible for a pulsating riff that exudes sexy, apocalyptic power… with yet another exquisitely crafted and delivered chorus that makes you want to dance with your shoulders like you were in an 80’s music video. Check it out.
Sexier than a whisper in your ear, Tickle Torture gets all up in your business with this delightfully debaucherous single off his new sex-pop EP, Lovequake. A provocative dance track that’s as eccentric as it is sleazy; it features a seductive electro-funk beat coupled with promiscuous vocals caught in the throes of passion. Let your freak flag fly and give it a listen below. Check out more titillating Tickle Torture tracks on his SoundCloud here.
“Facade,” the new track from Brooklyn power pop quartet UV Rays, is an indie treasure, plain and simple. With contribution from richly melodic guitar capable of acerbity just as well, the tune is an emotionally charged ball of fire about reconsidered thoughts and crumbling feelings in a relationship. Its fast pace and fervent, layered blow makes the sub-3 minute listen a demanding but beyond-rewarding one. Check out the track below:
“Legacy,” a new track from post-punk band Spirits of Leo, is rife with nostalgia, a byproduct of early Cure-esque guitar work mixed flawlessly with an atmospheric, shoegazing undercurrent. It’s slick, dark and as warm and inviting as it is elusive. Like the best of My Bloody Valentine, to name a forerunner to stylistic aspects running through Spirits of Leo, the lyrics here are difficult to discern, but the track is almost better from that perspective–the voice is reverted simply to an instrument of pure lush feeling in this case. Founded in Santa Rosa, California, but now grounded in Brooklyn, Spirits of Leo recorded and self-produced their upcoming album Equinox on both the east and west coast over the past four years. The LP is set for release on March 23.
Indie rock band didi spearheaded the release of their debut album with a breezy single, “Stampede.” Drawing in influences that span the spectrum from math rock to bombastic pop, the Ohio four-piece bring a vitalizing energy that can only come from doing what you love with some of your closest friends. Having 3 songwriters in the mix only adds to Didi’s conglomerate of sound, patching together unique instrumentation, voices, and song structure. There’s no telling what they’ll come up with next, but it’s sure to end up praiseworthy and unabashedly didi. Since their 2015 outset, the band has shared stages with a whole cast of indie rock sweethearts like Diet Cig, Speedy Ortiz, and Jay Som, with the promise of more touring in 2018. Get yourself acquainted with “Stampede,” and hit up the rest of the album for the full picture.
In a whirl of anger, fear and stress, Berkeley synthpop duo vverevvolf creates an emotionally liberating anthem in “Lemonade,” inspired by singer and writer Dylan Gallagher’s often frustrating experience as a homosexual and the societal pressure that comes with it. “Lemonade” tackles the dismay of life, which pulls this narrator “under like a tidal wave,” by answering it with icy beauty and an unsparing attitude. The track is the introductory song on vverevvolf’s five-song EP Electric Blue, released on Feb. 23.
Capitol Records’ latest rising star Emilia Ali heightens the senses in her track “Thick Thighs.” This steamy cut of light electro-pop is all waves of synth, hi-hat intricacies, and vaporous vocal lines. Emilia sets the mood as downright sultry and is running with it via her lyricism and instrumentation. This track comes off her recently released EP Dreamland. Slip into the vibey goodness that is “Thick Thighs” below and catch the extended version of the EP here.
With a lyrical message underlining the subject of empty promises, “Saying Things” by Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter-producer Para Doc finds solace in an upbeat, pulsating rhythm with an ‘80s flair. The track’s catchiness falls on almost every aspect of its 2 and a half minutes. Hooky lines like the repeated “that’s not fair,” trounces of lively keyboard and handclaps sprinkled throughout all coalesce to make a zestful alternative pop gem. The 23-year-old, whose real name is Wesley Luttrell, originally hails from Indiana and took his personalized brand of cadenced magic to Miami for a year of slowly but noticeably swelling success before his transition to the West Coast.
For a first stab at the LA indie rock scene, Launder knows how to make waves with his debut single “Fade.” John Cudlip’s musical handiwork is fully at play here, with the help of some notable names like DIIV’s Zachary Cole Smith on guitar and Soko’s supplemental vocals, with Day Wave’s Jackson Phillips producing the track. The resulting cream of the crop lo-fi is just murky enough to sink into, while maintaining a well-defined, shimmery finish. No sign of new project growing pains here. If this single is just the tip of the iceberg, we can only imagine the impression the full EP will leave. Keep an eye out for Launder’s upcoming release Pink Cloud, due out in early March.
Brooklyn indie pop act Tallbird toes the line between saccharine and crass in “Scary Stories.” The track highlights producer Danny Sullivan’s affinity for bombastic electronics, while still structuring dynamic peaks and valleys around the candied vocal stylings of Rhee. There’s a bit of a rugged, DIY feel to the sound that plays up the song’s complexity and down-to-earth vibe. “Scary Stories” centers on the idea of growth, and learning to open up as a form of letting go. Altogether, a cleansing experience both lyrically and sonically. Find more of Tallbird’s soundsettings on his recently released self titled EP.