LA BÊTE BLOOMS sent us over their VHS-esque video for “Low Hummer” and we want to share it with y’all. This quartet from the UK fuzzes everything out in this shoegaze-tinged slacker rock jam. In essence, if you combined Slowdive and Pixies, you’d get these dudes. They basically drowned themselves to get the footage for this video, so be sure to give it a whirl. Snag “Low Hummer” on Bandcamp while you’re at it.
Upbeat, catchy, and optimistic – a combination of adjectives that don’t typically apply to indie rockers these days. Catholic Action, however, have written something happy here, so we’re happy to toss “Doing Well” your way. This guitar-driven tune from this Glasgow quartet is sure to perk up your day. Take a peek at Catholic Action’s Bandcamp while you’re at it. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/306570632″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
We’ve all been through a destructive breakup… Well, most of us at least. If so, you can surely relate with Donnie Castle‘s new jam “Oooh.” Donnie combines muted guitar, pulsating synths, and a deep grooving drum beat with altered vocals – the result is something mysterious and vibey for fans of house and synth pop alike. “Oooh” is available on a variety of formats. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309154065″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Horseflies are a rowdy group of dudes… This quartet from the UK hooked us in with their latest offering, the bendy, guitar-driven goodness of “Cake Delivery.” Falling somewhere on the spectrum between Hot Snakes, Bloc Party, and good-old-fashioned punk rock, this one is sure to get your adrenaline pumping. Be sure to visit Horseflies’ Bandcamp page.
If you’re in the mood for some passionate West Coast House, we think you should give “Minute” a shot. LA producer No Way Back teamed up with vocalist Sophia Black for this four-minute slice of upbeat, hip-hop inspired house. Great weekend vibes (even for a Tuesday). “Minute” is available via a variety of platforms. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/308165792″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Vancouver quintet Illacuda hit us up with the brand new music video for “Stop Calling” and we dig it. Beyond the abstract visuals and haunting imagery of the video, we’re loving Illacuda’s use of swirly guitars, washy drums, and the Morrissey-esque vocals. You can tell Illacuda takes influence from both the 1950s and 1980s. Snag “Stop Calling” from Bandcamp if you dig it.
Brandon Schlia just may be one of the hardest working people in the Buffalo music scene right now. It seems every few weeks he is releasing new music from a new project on his imprint Steak & Cake Records and this month is no different. Schlia with his cohorts Derick Evans and Nick Randall released Dress Rehearsal under the name of Rat v Cat v Bat. Dress Rehearsal is an all instrumental improvisational record that mixes elements of jazz and funk as well as rock. According to Schlia, Rat v Cat v Bat “came out of watching Donny McCaslin’s band and wanting to tap that musical space.” Schlia also sees the project as being “a personal challenge for him.” Listeners shouldn’t get too attached to the songs on Dress Rehearsal however, because Schlia is serious when he means Rat v Cat v Bat is completely improvisational, meaning that the songs on the four song release will never be replayed or recreated. “They won’t[...]
O+S, the latest musical venture for Orenda Fink and Scalpelist (aka Cedric LeMoyne) nestles itself on the dreamier side of alt-rock with their single “Hold You Down.” Heralding from the duo’s long awaited sophomore album, “Hold You Down” spans a sweet array of emotional scrutiny and soul-searching. Fink reveals “’Hold You Down’ is about the impossible task of accepting you are going to lose someone before you actually do. It wonders if love is the thread that weaves our collective fabric- and supposes that once you love someone they are a part of you forever, regardless of if they still inhabit their physical body or not.” The song’s relatively sparse and exposing instrumentation and gentle vocals lend even more to this idea of soothing rumination. For more of O+S keep an eye out for their upcoming album You Were Once the Sun, Now You’re the Moon, out later this Spring[...]
19 year-old French producer Tancrede dives into the electronic scene with his remix of Bonobo’s “Break Apart.” Molding a genre-bending amalgamation of funk, dance, and chillwave, Tancrede brings something new to the table, and makes sure everyone knows it. It’s dreamy and indulgent, as it continues to introduce new elements that slip in and out of the texture while the seconds tick by. This is only the start of Tancrede’s production ventures, so be sure to stay tuned for many more remixes and originals where that came from. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309368045″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
For those of us that have seen the highly decorated La La Land, I think we can agree that the ending was nothing if not a little heartbreaking. Indie-pop outfit Lo-fi Indie Crush seem to share the sentiment, as clearly laid out in their track “La La Land (Made Me Sad.)” As the band eloquently put it, “When half the films you see leave you feeling like you’ve been dumped and Netflix just digs a deeper hole, sometimes there’s only one thing to do to cheer yourself up… write a song about it.” In a little under 2 minutes, Lo-fi Indie Crush lays out all of our romantic qualms with the film, with bright guitar lines and picturesque vocal harmonies churning on all the while. For more of Lo-fi Indie Crush, catch the B side to this track, called “Make You Happy,” out on Grandpa Stan. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/308979546″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%”[...]
Alt-rock trio Can I Say brings us a piece of ponderous rock and roll all the way from Austria. Their single “Worlds in Transit” is moody and brooding, but manages to keep it light with buoyant chord progressions and a cheering chorus. The band’s favored arrangement for catchy verses and heavy-hitting choruses leaves this track as no exception, as the instrumentation reflects a complex thought process that spans every emotion under the sun. If “Worlds in Transit” has sparked you interest, be sure to check out the band’s debut album In Your Arms, out on Pure Sound Recordings. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/308981369″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
The alt dance-pop stylings of Glassio are the latest breath of fresh electro-pop air to hit your speakers, in the form of their new single “Morning House.” With dismissal of negative energy as the main driving force behind the track, “Morning House” essentially emanates positivity. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Odesza and Flume, this song is vividly synth driven, with smooth-as-butter vocals and a rousing chorus, all tied together with the production stylings of Charles Fauna. Dip into some of Glassio and Charles Fauna’s sweet melody combo below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/308681536″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Norwegian indie-acoustic artist Simen Mitlid is stealing hearts all over the world with his latest single, “I Don’t Care.” With vocals like honey, ethereal harmonies, and endearing piano-guitar interplay, what’s not to love? The track grasps onto hints of folk, conjuring a sound comparable to The Head and The Heart and City and Colour. Although lyrically the song is about letting go and leaving the past behind, it holds an unmistakable note of optimism. Settle in and allow Mitlid’s voice to sweep your worries away below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/305228106″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
“If We’re Telling Secrets (Reprise)” off of Pierce Engineer’s recent album release is a taste of smooth indie-pop with an electrified edge. There’s some subtle R&B influences there, with a crass, energized core. Its foundation is built on slinky guitar motifs, brassy synths, and dynamic vocals. Nothing in this song is the same twice, and that’s what makes it so enticing. And best of all, there’s more where that came from on Pierce Engineer’s brand new and aptly named debut album Violently Stimulated, released via PATCHES. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/308852092″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Budding Brooklyn record label YouTooCanWoo is hitting the ground running with its first single release from electro-pop trio Violet Sands. The track “Hello, I’m Free” is a spunky fusion of glitch-pop and a 90’s power-pop ballad. The latest house party soundtrack, laced with nostalgia and introspection. As a conglomerate of seasoned musicians from Savoir Adore and French Horn Rebellion, this certainly isn’t their first rodeo, and it shows. Try it on for size, and if you’re feeling “Hello, I’m Free,” we highly recommend you check out the band’s EP Strange Attractor. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309259719″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]