Does anyone else miss the summer yet? Scared of Girls are here to remedy your seasonal affective disorder woes with their summery new single “Waihi Beach.” According to the New Zealand based quartet, they are here for a good time, not a long time… and that sentiment is echoed pretty well through “Waihi Beach’s” peppy vibes. Lots of reverb-soaked guitar and bass shreds within. You can visit “Waihi Beach” too… Via Bandcamp that is.
The last time we checked in with lilting songstress JNNA, we were gushing over the left-field instrumentation of her last single, “Waking Up With You.” Her latest offering is the equally-gushable “Feel So Alone;” again produced by electronica mastermind Tyzo Bloom (who we’ve also blogged about in the past), “Feel So Alone” explores the profoundness of being with someone and still feeling alone. Learn more about JNNA from her website.
Long-serving Buffalo musician Sonny Baker’s solo single “Reluctant Thief” is a 5-minute meditation on withering relationships perfectly suited for play at maximum volume. Sparse rhythm and slackened guitar accompany soothing, softly sung verses, while bursts of raucous guitar join in on the song’s tortured, soul-bearing choruses. With a command of both raw and reserved stylings vocally and instrumentally, Sonny Baker’s newest offering harkens back to the heyday of Dinosaur Jr. as well as bands who hit the music scene in the 21st century, like My Morning Jacket and Broken Social Scene. Check out Baker’s newest single, due out December 15th via Admirable Traits Records.
The byline for Jacob Peter’s debut EP simple states the definition of the phenomena for which this release is named; Echolalia [ek-oh-ley-lee-uh]: the uncontrollable and immediate repetition of words spoken by another person. Throughout the EP, the Buffalo-based multi-instrumentalist and composer implements this theme both lyrically and musically. He explores, reflects upon, and calls to question the vast repetitions we experience in life, both harmful and beneficial, unwanted and intentional. The arrangements and production match the subject matter, taking the listener on an eclectic journey of recollection and repetition, mining a deep well of musical influences, ranging from The Beatles to Joanna Newsom to Debussy to Grizzly Bear. Echolalia starts off with the instrumental track “Pattern,” a piano progression that lilts forward before the bursting open with twinkling ambience across the speakers. From there, Peter takes us on a tour of sonic textures, never letting each song (nor the EP[...]
Satin Jackets’ new track “Mirage” encompasses a feeling that evokes the sound of perhaps a more pop-oriented version of Lorde. With danceable keyboard jabs and impassioned singing, it’s a tune tailored for a freewheeling atmosphere, such as a discotheque. The song is the follow-up to the group’s successful summertime collaboration with David Harks, which amassed a million-plus Spotify plays. “Mirage” is to be released on Friday through Eskimo Recordings but is now streamable on Soundcloud.
South African musician Gil Hockman’s newest tune, which is either legitimately untitled or titled as such, is a relaxing ditty riddled with loose advice about letting things be and letting things go. Hockman lyrically and voice-wise can be compared a bit to how Damon Albarn would sound if he were maybe more into meditation. The song builds to a slightly more momentous conclusion as it approaches its last 30 or so seconds. Gil Hockman’s latest album, Becoming, on which “Untitled” was the second track, saw release on November 10.
The new song, entitled “Bonnie,” from British pop group Anteros, bounces on a sleek beat, adding up to a boisterous, fun and ridiculously catchy tune stressing the idea of “dancing in the meadow.” The track is accompanied by a music video showing the band performing in a boxing ring while two women attack punching bags. The video, however, contains quite the twist ending.
San Francisco Bay Area rapper Chow Mane contemplates his obstacle-addled adolescence and heritage on new song “Mooncakes,” the title track from his six-song EP released in October. He spent this time in the care of his family, which consisted of Asian immigrants and Vietnam War refugees. He talks of sleeping on the floor, sharing space with eight in a house later seized by the government and his father leaving his mother. Nonetheless, Chow and his family managed to maintain a sense of hope in the face of adversity. The music video released for “Mooncakes” depicts Chow rapping beside his grandparents in between clips of old home video footage.
Mysterious San Francisco trio Raised by Dinosaurs has us feeling existential after listening to their spacey new single, “Sleepless.” Tackling the everyman’s problem of feeling essentially irrelevant, “Sleepless” explores the concepts of coming of age and gradually growing wiser as one’s youth fades away. Beyond their lyrical ennui, RBD has composed a fantastic indietronica song here, with singer Sol Diaz’ voice fading in and out with the song’s gentle use of synths and atmosphere. Give it a listen via the widget below.
YIP YOPS are buzzing hard right now, particularly over the raw indie-pop energy of “Sugar.” Having formed within earshot of the Coachella music festival, these dudes were inspired by the best-of-the-best and have thus crafted some great indie rock music. Pairing a persistent bleep-bloop, traffic-signal background synth with a dancy drum beat and undeniable vocal hooks, “Sugar” might just be the next big thing… We think fans of The Rapture, Phoenix, or MGMT will agree. Don’t be stingy! If you dig “Sugar” (and we think you will), buy it on Bandcamp. Sugar by YIP YOPS
Anglo-French synth-pop disco-house duo Loframes are back with their first new single in over a year. Having successfully remixed songs for the likes of M83, Erasure, and many more, “Real Life” continues their trend of deeply groovy house jams that pulse ever-so-pleasantly. Fans of the aforementioned bands will find solace in this one, but be sure to give it a listen via the widget for good vibes regardless. “Real Life” is available to download for free. Check it out here.
Check out this new jam from Tempe solo act CLAWS AI (aka producer Chase Leslie, formerly known as MVEMNT). “Signs (You’ll Come Around)” is a fun electronica jam that pairs Leslie’s pleasant indie-rocker vocals with blippy electronica atmospherics. Peep CLAWS’ facebook page for some dank memes while you enjoy his lighthearted brand of electronica below. Who doesn’t love a free download?
“New Supplier” by Airplane Man has been bumping in the buffaBLOG offices lately, and it’s time that we share it with y’all. The violet-hued music video syncs up perfectly with the song’s upbeat electronica vibes, pairing retro images with neon aesthetic and modern-day synth pop. About this song, Airplane Man explains: “[it] is a story of a man who, in an attempt to remedy his heartbreak, does things outside the realm of his normal behavior; it’s the dark impulse decisions we make when overcome by emotion.” So be sure to give in to your impulses and blast this one all day. You can download “New Supplier” for free here.
Begun as a cheerful dedication to his wife, Sharks in the Deep End frontman Tucker Jameson was redirected during the writing process of “In My Bones” by a scare to his wife’s health condition, which forced him to evaluate her value in his own life as the light that feeds his soul, as the lyrics say, and cherish the things that aren’t permanent. The song chugs along with a deep-seated rhythmic groove throughout. Vocals and entrancing keyboards settle in to draw the listener close. The chorus erupts with a high-pitched, emotional howl of “I feel you in my bones” and a heartfelt guitar line before repeating this winning pattern. The track then falls into a glorious guitar solo and the wholehearted, full sound of its conclusion. The issuing of this single, submitted as “a plea to the winds of fate,” is part of the band’s one-song-a-month regimen, set to continue[...]
Guitar pop enthusiasts Naive Set have a reputation for crafting some no nonsense, feel-good jams, and their latest single “So Far So Gone” certainly lives up to the hype. Right off the bat, the band’s penchant for counter-melodic guitar lines shines through, keeping things neat and polished with clean guitar interplay, roving bass lines, and driving drum work. There’s a hint of nostalgia to Naive Set’s sound, drawing parallels to 1960’s classic pop/rock crossover, with a hint of surf rock twang. It’s both refreshing and addicting, honing in on a clear cut delivery that prioritizes nimble and raw instrumentation over flashy bells and whistles. If “So Far So Gone” has you hooked, find more wholesome goodness from the band here.