Latest Posts

Altai – “Brawl”

September 13, 2025

Altai aims for hard-hitting (and succeeds) on latest indie-pop track, “Brawl.” Beneath the Alvvays-esque gauzy synths and swimmy guitars, Altai takes aim at the destructive patterns of what it means to be “macho” in today’s society. Driven by a constant drumbeat and Altai mastermind Tessa Collins’ dreamy vocals, this paints an interesting juxtaposition. Here’s a little more from her:   “I wanted to explore the complexities of masculinity and how society’s expectations of men can lead them down destructive paths… This is to illustrate the patriarchal pressures to suppress vulnerability leading to a vicious cycle of bad behaviour and poor life choices.”   “Brawl” is on Soundcloud (below) and Spotify.   Broken Palace · Altai – Brawl

Dalmatic – “Empty Lights”

September 12, 2025

“Empty Lights” is the latest single from Glasgow based Dalmatic. Toeing the line somewhere between punk and indie with shoegaze sensibilities, there is a lot to unpack from this track. This is through and through a guitarist’s guitar track with several layers of that delightful phuzz that would pique the interest in anyone who enjoys non-stop sound. Don’t take that to mean you can’t hear anything through all of that though; not a single note or strum is wasted and I’m willing to bet bottom dollar at least one of them is classically trained.   You can hear “Empty Lights” on Deezer, as well as Spotify and Apple Music. The rest of the single is worth a listen to, with “Coming Down (Demo)” and “Not All The Time” rounding things out.  

Animal, Surrender! – “Misswanderer”

September 10, 2025

Truly embracing the mystique of the season, duo Animal, Surrender! shares their latest single “Misswanderer.” Discordant chords clash beautifully on a (real) organ along with bassist Peter Kerlin’s 8-string (electric) bass (I didn’t even know they came with 8 strings). The lyrics are those that you feel in your soul as you listen (or not, if you have no internal monologue), and, frankly I think a testament to the band. Here’s an even more cryptic snippet from Kerlin:   “This song is an ode to folks who against their better judgment follow an idea, impulse, obsession, or compulsion off the trail and deep into the bush, finding themselves lost, in a state they were their whole life warned against; a personal hell or a place of wonder and openness.”   A refutation on “waaaahhhh you need lyrics in a song;” you’ll be drawn in deep to Animal, Surrender! and I’m[...]

Django Duyns – “TBV”

September 10, 2025

We haven’t checked in with Amsterdam’s Django Duyns since “Leather Skin” from mid March, but his latest, “TBV,” seems like the perfect time to do so. He manages to bring the darker feels with the deep bass tones and almost mockingly-tuned guitars, but brings a bit of light with some vibraphone… vibes (I’m pretty sure that’s what you call notes from a vibraphone)? The track itself is a masterclass in the buildup to a nice payoff musically, while grappling with the oh-so-fun subject of imposter syndrome and overcoming self doubt. See? Post punk isn’t all gloom and doom!   You can hear “TBV” below on YouTube and add to your autumnal post punk playlist on Spotify. You can also find it over on Deezer, a French streaming service that offers FLAC (still waiting on that lossless audio OTHER STREAMING SERVICE).  

King Royal ft. AZ Chike- “How Deep”

September 8, 2025

Inland Empire native King Royal has a bit of a menace in the delivery of his introduction to his latest single, “How Deep.” There’s no doubt that Royal is the adult in the room when he snarls “This a grown man game” to kick off the winding single, but I’m not sure if he’s got his audience’s best intentions. Warped piano keys meet Royal’s barks, and a booming bass grounds you in the streets he’s reporting from. “It’s a 19 like Raja Bell.” AZ chimes in for the second verse, comfortable conducting business in the chaos of the beat. “How Deep’s” also got a highly memorable call and response beat that take this track over the top. Add this to your driving playlists while the weather permits. If you’re into Royal and AZ Chike’s collaboration, head over to Spotify and give them a follow. While you’re there, check out our[...]

Kibby – “on my self”

September 6, 2025

Columbus up-and-comer Kibby only needs 1:25 to make an impressive first impression with his newest single, “on my self.” Bass knocks right away while Kibby drops venom-laced lyrics, sounding like a Midwest Denzel Curry. The title of the track comes from his self-confidence in acquiring all these damn riches. Big bank take lil bank, better rich than sorry, shit like that. Kibby’s crafted a swagger-filled single that’ll fit in right alongside your other hype rap tracks. The production pairs a booming bottom half with some delightful sprinkles of soulful vocals. Check out more from Kibby on Spotify, and while you’re there give our Emerging Hip Hop playlist a spin.

Stevie Bellard – “motion”

September 6, 2025

Repping his Yeniche roots, independent hip hop artist Stevie Bellard flexes his ear for melodies and knack for sharp lyrics on his latest track, “motion.” “The Gypsy Prince” picks up influences from all over the road, citing acts like Tupac, Chris Stapleton, and Stevie Wonder in the same breath. At the same time, he stays true to his heritage on “motion,” kicking off the track with the line “I’m a traveler.” This line and many others throughout the track have weight, double entendres, and more as Stevie pours heart into his pen. This track has a motivational, radio-ready sound to it and a low melodic hook that comes from the clouds to get caught in your ear. You can listen to more from Stevie Bellard on Spotify and can hear “motion” on our Underground Hip Hop playlist.

american storyteller music

American Storyteller Music – “Livin’ it up in Chi Town”

September 6, 2025

Close your eyes and get transported to the windy shores of Chicago with the latest track from American Storyteller Music, “Livin’ it up in Chi Town.” The ambient study beats track pulls in the sights and sounds of Chicago. The Storyteller pairs fuzzy piano and saxophone with area references, taking us on a tour through neighborhoods and down streets. Lake Michigan looms line by line, and the soulful hook ensures your feet feel grounded in the shoes of a Chicagonite. The artist is heading an ambitious web project, Songs Across America, that identifies songs tied to regions and cities throughout the U.S. You can find “Livin’ it up in Chi Town” on here, and explore other parts of the country and the art that reflects them. You can also find it on our Underground and Emerging Hip Hop playlist on Spotify – updated every single week.

First Umpire – “Windows”

September 6, 2025

It doesn’t get much darker than this – First Umpire is ready to ruin your day (in a good way) with the angry post-punk of “Windows.” Built around the genre centerpiece of a driven bass line, “Windows” eventually bursts into a display of warped, dive-bombing guitars that any shoegazer will love immediately. Keep your eyes peeled for FU’s upcoming album, Crave, and until then, let the swirling torment on “Windows” wet your whistles.   “Windows” is available on Spotify (below) or Apple Music.  

Stinkus – “Holy Virgin”

September 6, 2025

Stinkus is a buffaBLOG hall-of-famer (featured here and here), and we’re happy to be on the Stinkus train again. Latest single, “Holy Virgin,” picks up with Stinkus left off, finding him crafting more of the melody-minded, stream-of-consciousness indie/emo that might appeal to fans of Slaughter Beach, Dog or those whose favorite album was Home, Like No Place is There 10 years ago (and probably still is). Stinkus wrote this song about walking his dog around his neighborhood and seeing all his neighbors – just as effervescent as always. Lock in for the bouncing bass rhythm, but stick around for Stinkus’ uncanny hook-crafting skills set to off-beat lyrics.   “Holy Virgin” is available on YouTube (below) and Spotify.  

Slark Moan – “Emphatic Love”

September 6, 2025

Slark Moan knows a thing or two about appealing to the buffaBLOGGER in us. Their new single, “Emphatic Love,” rips. Straddling lines between psych rock and indie pop, “Emphatic” lures you in with bell-tone guitars and hazy vocals and absolutely finishes you off with a heady bass line. Beyond the dope instrumentation, “Emphatic Love” has a great backstory too – more below:   “I wrote ‘Emphatic Love’ about a year or so before I made the decision to transition. I was experiencing uncertainty with how my evolving gender presentation might affect my relationship. During this time, my partner showed me the most enthusiastic acceptance, and I think this song came out of feeling seen and celebrated. It’s the sort of love song that comes from truly knowing someone and being inspired to be creative collaborators.”   You can find “Emphatic Love” on YouTube (below), or on Spotify/Apple Music.  

Moon Panda – “Superstore”

September 4, 2025

“Superstore” is the latest from duo Moon Panda, and if you’re having a *day* it’ll definitely help bring you down. Somewhere between dreampop and chillwave (they refer to themselves as ‘cosmic sway’), it’s just a sublimely layered track full of fuzzy lo-fi goodness. My friend likened it to “lil high + walking home at 1am.” Speaking to the track, the band had this to say:   “‘Superstore’ is about the micro moments of wanting to convince your partner of what you can be for them. I told our producer I wanted the chorus to feel like that scene in the movie ‘Challengers’ where they are outside and the trash is blowing everywhere. Total chaos and longing.”   I have literally never seen Challengers so I’ll just have to take their word for it.   You can catch the music video (with lyrics) below from YouTube. The track is also available[...]

Beast Beast – “Glue & Glitter”

September 4, 2025

“Glue & Glitter” is the latest track from duo Beast Beast – consisting of Gustav Cederberg and Mikael Landén. This is a fabulous mix of groovy guitars and even groovier bass…. grooves. The bass reverberated through my soul and felt, cleansing? I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s a nice amalgamation of jazz and low key rock, with the band charting their own course around pigeonholing to make something truly unique and good. Their attention to detail, specifically going with an analogue approach to recording, (which makes things even more difficult vs. the digital approach) certainly helped in this endeavor.   You can hear “Glue & Glitter” below on YouTube or add it to your playlist on Spotify. Keep your eyes peeled for the band’s upcoming album, B&B, due out sometime in the future.    

Repiet – “On and On”

September 4, 2025

If you’re like me and a novice when it comes to the different subgenres of EDM (sorry Chucks), you are probably at the very least cognizant that some songs sound different. Repiet’s “On and On” falls into the house flavor of EDM, and it’s catchy as fuck. Sometimes I find it hard to get into instrumental only music, which this is not as he collabs with Julia Kleijn on vocals. I could go on about how smoothly Repiet does his transitions or how he takes the less is more approach that leads to a gnarly crescendo… But you just gotta hear it to appreciate it. If you like house, you’ll definitely enjoy and if you’re not an EDM person you can admire the artistry.   You can watch the visualizer music vid below on YouTube or throw it on your house mix via Spotify.   Be sure to check out[...]

Manwolves + CRASHprez – “keep your focus!”

August 31, 2025

Two risers in the Chicago music scene combine forces for a cheery lil’ banger in the form of this new track “keep your focus!” Together, the “five regular dudes” of contemporary indie rock band Madwolves and effervescent windy city rapper CRASHprez are “CRASHwolves.” Their joint effort, “keep your focus!” takes the best of both sides – Manwolves expertly-crafted groovy guitar strums are the bubbly underbelly for CRASHprez’s town holler pronouncements. The wolves handle some hook work after Presidente’s catchy verses on this track that takes us back to the blog rap era. An indie rock hook with sharp underground rap on the verses fueled mine and many others’ souls for like 3 years in the early 2010s. And on this track, we get a verse from Manwolves too to really take it over the top. Give this a listen and check it out on our underground hip hop playlist, updated[...]