Latest Posts

Devereux Scales – “I Will Promise You”

July 10, 2026

The nice thing about naming music genres things like “post punk” is that there will always be time after punk (I understand it’s not a 100% literal label, shush). Devereux Scales flex their synth and shimmery as fuck guitars and build a monument of velvety goodness with their latest, “I Will Promise You.”   Bay Area music scene vets Matt Lavin and Jeremy Nunes have crafted a tightly wound gem that feels like a beautiful downward spiral but like… Everyone is enjoying it. Lines like the following feel heavy but flow like an airy kiss at the same time:   I feel the spirit around us I fear the killer among us The gate is closed, don’t make a sound   You can hear “I Will Promise You” below from Bandcamp and Spotify. Their March 2026 album “Drain to Live” is worth a listen if you enjoyed this; we covered[...]

Meathead – “Yeah, No, For Sure”

July 10, 2026

“Yeah, No, For Sure” is the latest from Ontario emo(ish) band Meathead. You can’t be hating on a well put-together-guilt-laden breakup track, unless you’ve never experienced one (in which case, gotta say they nail the vibes). Earnest, heart on your sleeve vocals along with wa-wa guitars (with a dash of angst), keep the song pushing through well past the final stanza.   It reminded me of yesteryears Saves The Day and their modern-day ilk (a la The Story So Far or Knuckle Puck), but brings enough freshness so as not to feel like a “copy my homework, but change enough so they don’t know” type deal.   You can for sure hear “Yeah, No, For Sure” below from the band’s Soundcloud and on Spotify. Check out their equally catchy first single, “Shut Up, Brian” and use it as ammo against your friend (or not friend) Brian. Their EP Is This Becoming is[...]

Combo Move – “Sell Out”

July 10, 2026

Portland based Combo Move brings us their latest single, “Sell Out.” The duo of Jeddy James and Colin Ringkamp slay the fuck out of this track with an onslaught of drums and guitar, and feel very punk rock in the process. It’s just over two minutes and it comes hard, so ready your eardrums!   My favorite bit was the sound at the ~1:25 mark. I assumed it was synth but no synthesizer is listed in the credits… Leading me to believe it was the result of damn fine guitar licks through an effects pedal.   You can watch the music video below from YouTube and listen to the audio only on Spotify (or just close your eyes and listen to the music video). Their album, Transparent/Mysterious is due out in fall of this year (2026, in case you forgot). You can find all of the bands socials on their Linktree here.[...]

Tough Old Bird – “Wednesday’s Child”

July 8, 2026

Brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan, perhaps known best around Buffalo as Tough Old Bird, are back, this time with a few extra musicians in tow. They’re joined by Ricky Bechard on drums and Brendan O’Shea on bass for a refreshing new take on their already storied catalog. “Wednesday’s Child” is a full-bodied jam making use of twangy guitars, soulful vocals, and a distinctly Americiana-based sound. It’s the first in a string of singles-to-come that were captured at Sunwood Studios in Trumansburg, NY, mostly live-in-studio, which encapsulates the band’s live sound perfectly.   You can listen to “Wednesday’s Child” via the bandcamp embed (below) or via Spotify.   Wednesday’s Child by Tough Old Bird

Vinnie Hoover & Hommy DeVito – “Missed Call”

July 7, 2026

Take a little bit of New York gritty hip hop and mix in brash Australian lines and you’ll land on Aus rhymesayer/beatmaker combo Vinnie Hoover and Hommy DeVito, Record fuzz and increasingly menacing piano set a particularly ominously scene in the opening seconds of “Missed Call.” Once Vinnie steps to the mic though, his dialect, phrasing and vocab make this a distinctly Aussie, distinctly distinct cut that’s gonna have you googling the hip hop scene down under. He’s hustling, trying to find his way to more fistfuls of cash through high-stakes journeys that come with the reward. Vinnie’s bold and striking, Hommy is cold and looming. Together they’ve got a track woeth your ears. The rapper, producer and schemer duo are just a couple days out from another of their monthly drops – stay up to speed on their website SCHEMINGGOODS.COM. If you’re digging “Missed Call,” check these artists out[...]

Mugensoul and Modal – “Sandy”

July 5, 2026

You know the feelings are heavy when you name a song after her. Lo-fi jazzy hip hop beatmaker Mugensoul is paired up with UK emcee Modal and a conversation with Sandy is on the to-do list. Muted, forlorn trumpets eventually introduce us to a sampled track crying out “whispering your name” — and Modal begins to expel. “Sandy” explores the weeks and months after the breakup with the song’s namesake. Conversations that should have happened, conversations that need to happen, explorations within oneself before those conversations. Mugensoul’s trumpets continue to eavesdrop, and the sample haunts the subtext. Check out more from this jazzy hip hop duo on their latest collaborative project, A Dog with a Crown is Hard to Control available where you stream. You’ll also find “Sandy” on our Best Hip Hop of 2026 playlist that we update every week.  

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.