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CAROLA x 7KY – “ABC”

November 14, 2024

A is for Afterparty. B is for Bougie. C if for Champagne Crazy. Keep this in mind for all the new parents that are sick of the antiquated apple, bird, cat lesson plans. “ABC” is the new collab between Brazilian up-and-coming producer Carola and 7ky. Already a familiar face in the nu-disco / EDM scene, Carola has received praise from many of the big players such as Sofi Tukker and David Guetta.  This track is simply infectious and quite dangerous to write about on a Thursday afternoon. Plan on calling out sick tomorrow and start your weekend early, or be honest and tell your boss you stayed up teaching the ABC’s.

Sugar Soap – “Talk”

November 14, 2024

East Coast Australia’s Sugar Soap dropped a new single last week that’s been pumping out of our office speakers all afternoon. The single” Talk” is an upbeat indie pop number that touches on being true to oneself in a hectic world. It’s a bit more of a reminder to take a step back and live in the moment. Remember the appreciate the simpler things in life, which seems fitting to many during these unknown times in across the globe. If you are a fan of The Drums, Surf Curse, or Dayglow, this single is up your alley.    

3am – “Have You Tried Turning it Off and Back On?”

November 14, 2024

Jangly midwest emo act 3am have released the anger-triggering single “Have You Tried Turning It Off and Back On?” If you’ve ever had to call a help line for customer service, then you are well-aware of this rage-inducing question. 3am is based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan and have been writing anxiety influenced tracks since 2020. Their latest single (I won’t say it) is super mathy and reminiscent of California Cousins, Del Paxton,  or Taking Meds.  Check it out.

Phantom Sugar – “Punch Drunk”

November 14, 2024

Bounce-y Canadian fuzz pop act Phantom Sugar dropped the first single off their new EP Habitual. Released on Rockasaurus Records, the single “PUNCH DRUNK” is a driving Strokes-esque diddy with a tad of an earnest home producer appeal. The video below begins with some prime summertime goofin’ which hits different on this chilly fall day. Fans of San Cisco or Middle Kids would like this upbeat track. Check it out below and check out the full EP over on Spotify.

Stripes – “So Fucked”

November 10, 2024

Featuring a truly apropos song for the times, “So Fucked” is the latest track and undiluted experience from Brooklyn four piece Stripes. We covered them characteristically fun track “Operation: No Hell” back in October.  And, well, kinda like then, we like we hear (seems so long ago)!   The entire track is a masterclass in pop punk tinged indie rock. Izzy MK rants, raves, and really showcases her impressive vocals throughout. The underpinnings of “So Fucked” are a sublime blend of guitar, drums, and a massively underappreciated bass line throughout with their characteristic raw, indie-rocking sound.   Pretty sure because the F word is so bad, my usual embed didn’t work for “So Fucked” below from YouTube (so just click on the link, sorry). You can also hear it over on Spotify, along with the rest of the previously mentioned “Operation: No Hell.”            

J.S. Mahlon – “Wasteland”

November 9, 2024

Synth intros always give me a good vibe and J.S. Mahlon‘s “Wasteland” brings it in spades and keeps the synth vibe alive throughout. No nonsense guitar plays really well together with the synth, for whatever reason (must be the contrast). This must be the season for indie folk because this is one of several iterations on the genre I’ve heard over the past couple weeks (none two the same and all embracing what makes them special; i.e. Mahlon’s synth in this track). This actually reminded me a lot of a band we’ve covered previously: Dragon Inn 3 (who also makes great use of their synthesizer). Mac DeMarco or MJ Lenderman fans would find a lot to enjoy here, as well as Adrianne Lenker (who apparently taught Mahlon some songwriting tips at a workshop she runs?). You can hear “Wasteland” below on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Music; whatever floats your boat.

Bennett Heidelberger – “100usd”

November 9, 2024

Nashville based Bennett Heidelberger has a new track out called “100usd” which, at least to me, brings to mind a lot of different thoughts behind the meaning. In this case it’s a very mellow, guitar-forward folk track about being owed $100 (presumably US denomination). The longer I listened, it really seems to go deeper than that (possibly an emotional equivalent to $100). Heidelberger’s vocals are imbued with a lovely warmth that’s difficult to quantify but you can feel it. He ebbs and flows with the crescendo and decrescendo and each word feels soulful and heartfelt. Fans of Alex G, Elliot Smith, or Connor Oberst and his folksier ambitions would find a lot to enjoy, as well as anyone wanting a relaxing yet poignant track to chill out to. You can hear “100usd” below on YouTube or add it to your steady flow of indie folk from us on Spotify or[...]

onlydigitally – “dumb dog”

November 9, 2024

“dumb dog” is the latest from Houston based onlydigitally and the second time in two months that we’ve heard from the band (“old dog” being the first… do you think it’s about the same dog?) As per the band, the track itself “expands on the inner dialogue of a chronic overthinker.” I’m very jealous of this inner monologue, at least the instrumentals – fans of Slow Pulp or Phoebe Bridgers will find lots to dig into here… Expect gentle acoustic and pedal steel geetar aka that sighing, “country sound” you hear a lot but always forget what the name is. Everything else is pretty spot on with how an overthinker might sound in their head (ask me how I know).   You can hear “dumb dog” below from YouTube or you can add it to your folk tinged playlist on Spotify, or Apple Music. The rest of their Trackstar EP[...]

Nicki Knightz – “Step With Me” ft. JoeJas

November 9, 2024

East London’s Nicki Knightz is in the crib with your lady on her effortlessly cool single, “Step With Me.” Shedding the pink balaclava, but flexing her signature husky delivery, Knightz kicks off this track with a swagger-filled opening verse that reiterates how well taken care of your girl is when she’s in the care of Knightz. Nicki rides a retro boom bap beat that perfectly accompanies the 90s alternative rap vibes given off with her style and aethsestic. The track features an assist from fellow Londoner JoeJas, who takes adds a bit of a sing-a-long element to the song’s hook. The Knighthood Society rapper has plenty more visuals and tracks in her back catalogue – take a deeper look on Spotify. 

Negative Shawdy – “Is It Me?”

November 8, 2024

Negative Shawdy‘s newest track “Is It Me?” is a mix of breakbeat, hyperpop, hip-hop and R&B crafting an intricate recipe to create quite the earworm.  This track is the latest single of of Shawdy’s debut album Dancing with the Lights Out, which was released this morning at 12:01am. “Is It Me?” touches on hitting all time lows, with self reflection and self realization being a real turning point. Shawdy turns this downpoint into a positive, turning the pain into healing and learning. With support already from big radio stations like KEXP and KCRW, this most likely won’t be the last time you hear this one. Check it out. Future Gods · Negative Shawdy – Is It Me?

22° Halo – “Cobwebs”

November 8, 2024

It’s not the first time and will likely not be the last time we pick up one of 22° Halo‘s singles. Will Kennedy, the mastermind behind the project, released a new single today titled “Cobwebs” and it’s already promising for a weekend domination on our playlist. Released via Tiny Library Record, “Cobwebs” is lead single off the new album Lily of the Valley, a very somber and serious piece journaling Kennedy’s wife’s battle with brain cancer. “Cobwebs” is about the early days of the cancer diagnosis and trying to build a positive outlook when things might not seem so. Fans of Grandaddy, Magnetic Fields, or Pinback would be into this one. Check it out.

Spill, Dance, Refine x SKATERAT – “The Trend”

November 8, 2024

Nashville producer Spill, Dance, Refine has teamed up with SKATERAT on their latest single “The Trend.” This synthpop track is all about when everything goes wrong in your life. Losing your job, losing your save game, and infidelity. Ultimately, when one thing goes wrong, it’s more of a trend rather than an outlier. The lyrics touch on losing your social network and having nostalgia for when things were going better. Everything has changed, for the worse. For such a depressing song concept, the track is pretty catchy. Check it out.    

Kbean + Dyedhairsuicide – “Sarah”

November 6, 2024

Enjoy a mash of genres and sounds on Kbean and Dyedhairsuicide’s cloud rap banger “Sarah.” This track subverts expectations – taking a post-punk, new wave Cure-style guitar jangle, adding in some Trapaholics-style DJ shoutouts, and turning it into an emo rap track that perfectly encapsulates the DIY recording sensibilities of the genre. Both New York City artists max out the autotune to discuss their relationship issues, drug use and more interpersonal trauma. But don’t get too caught up in the emotions – there’s a “Dyedhairsuicide just fucked my girl raw” mixtape call just around the corner to make you spit out your drink. Kbean and Dyedhairsuicide have the zeitgeist cloud/emo rap sound down on their Spotify pages. Take a look and discover more.

blondfire – “A Million Miles”

November 5, 2024

You know the feeling when you start dating someone new and every moment with that person is incredible and magical and lovely and there could never be anything negative ever happening to you two? That’s the inspiration for Michigan indie pop songstress Blondfire with their new track “A Million Miles.” Originally composed of sibling songwriting duo, Erica and Bruce Driscoll, the project evolved into the solo project of Erica. Since 2006, Blondfire (and their previous iterations) have been hitting the scene and gaining new audiences across the United States, sharing the stage on tour with acts like Foals and Surfer Blood,  as well as slots on Lollapalooza and Firefly Fest. Blondire’s sound is easily digestible with upbeat electro-pop tracks that could easily be on the next Metric album. Check out “A Million Miles” below. Blondfire · Blondfire – A Million Miles

En-Vitro – “Bury Me”

November 5, 2024

Los Angeles based En-Vitro brings us their latest single “Bury Me” off of their self titled album. You get about four seconds of calm before En-Vitro launches into their frenetic, guitar-heavy track and they don’t really ever let up on the gas. The bass and drums barely have any time to breathe as they are absolutely ratioed by the guitar (is it two guitars, forty guitars? Yes). Interestingly, I felt there were some similarities with son of deni; one of the other bands we covered recently (like, also today).   You can hear “Bury Me” over on YouTube below or add it to your prog tinged post punk playlist on Spotify. The rest of their album is out now and well worth the listen if “Bury Me” scratches your musical itch. Be sure to check out the band’s linktree and give them a follow to stay up to date.