Latest Posts

Howdy, Cherry – “Georgia (again)”

March 28, 2024

Howdy, Cherry channeled true heartache into the longing, low-key indie rock of latest single, “Georgia (again).” Pairing vintage organ sounds, gentle guitar twang, and lightly distorted strums with her sugar-sweet delivery, “Georgia’s” slow-but-sure tempo brings to mind luminaries like Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, and Plains. While the song overall is quite endearing, scathing lyrics like “Why am I hoping that you might be fucking someone else – need a better reason to replace your picture on my shelf” highlight the deep pain Cherry must be hiding within. Here’s a bit about the song’s origins from Cherry herself: “I wrote the lyrics to ‘Georgia’ in the midst of an emotional breakdown seeing my ex walk into a bar with a potential new lover. It’s meant to be nostalgic, a little sad, a little hopeful – and truly means whatever it means to you ♥” You can find “Georgia (again)” via Soundcloud (below)[...]

HEAR ME OUT – “Borderlands”

March 28, 2024

Embracing a tight post-punk sound, Germany’s HEAR ME OUT are here with the icy-cold “Borderlands.” Pairing thick bass chords, spindly guitars, and calculated synth work, “Borderlands” has a gothy undertone with nods to classics like Joy Division and Depeche Mode. Skittering drum beats keep the vibe neurotic, while the instrumentals twist and turn around it, giving off an aching feel while still embodying that glassy-eyed feel that makes post-punk so endearing. Here’s a bit about the song’s origin from the band themselves: “[‘Borderlands’ is] a product of our singer’s thoughts drifting away during a university class about migration, taking a critical point of view on nations as constructs and showing sympathy with those who have to abandon their homes.” You can find “Borderlands” below via YouTube, or, here via Spotify.

Mia Day – “Severed”

March 26, 2024

Mia Day is due for a little redemption. After a string of stinging losses, she’s risen like a phoenix with latest single, “Severed.” After a year of hell (a “hell year,” if you will), Mia channeled her pain and angst into a new album, Hellier, Forever, upon which “Severed” resides. Taking cues from the grunge greats of the ’90s with plenty of fresh, 2024 energy, “Severed” is an amalgamation of crunchy guitars, raw emotion, and her heart-on-sleeve vocal prowess. Here’s a powerful quote from Day herself explaining where she’s coming from: “For months I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I would just write songs every day… It’s me saying, ‘I will not disappear and I will not let a single person destroy me.’” You can find “Severed” via the YouTube embed below, or, stream it on Spotify.

Fresh – “Merch Girl”

March 26, 2024

London pop-punkers Fresh are here with the ebullient pop-punk of “Merch Girl.” The title-track of their upcoming EP due out April 19th, 2024, “Merch Girl” pairs fun, punky vocals with buzzsaw guitars and an overall upbeat vibe, drawing comparisons to Tigers Jaw, Candy Hearts, and Lemuria. The song is meant to be a beacon of empowerment for female artists – here’s a little more about that from Fresh themselves: “Merch girl is about living in that space between wanting something and achieving something. It’s kind of a character song, about somebody that is involved in music – but not in the way that they want to be, and they’re frustrated by that. At the beginning of the song, they’re watching from the sidelines, but as the song progresses they make the decision to create their own art. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, drawing from clichés of the wallflower, the sidekick, but[...]

Eva Brooks – “DONE”

March 19, 2024

EVA BROOKS aims to dominate dark-pop (and succeeds!) on latest single, “DONE.” A groovy, dancy song with plenty of sassy, menacing energy, “DONE” has a sophisticated energy with none of the typical pretentiousness associated – intriguing, as Eva herself is a classically-trained musician. Pulsing synth bass and stabs of disco guitar help to flavor this track, but the ultimate appeal here comes from Eva’s vocals and kiss-off lyrics. Here’s a bit about the song from Eva herself. “‘DONE’ is a fun and dancy song about a woman who could finally say ‘goodbye’ to a narcissist idiot who dominated her life for too long. If you listen closely, you can hear his dreadful motorcycle and her praying for him to leave. But there is also the powerful groove that lets her get up and send him on his way. ‘Goodbye, I’m done with you!'” Check out “DONE” below via YouTube or[...]

St. Kio – “Falling”

March 19, 2024

LA-based St. Kio (aka Filipino self-taught multi-instrumentalist, artist, and producer Nicole Bandoquillo), blew us away with “Falling,” a whirling dervish of a song. An onslaught of guitar energies and swirling drums pummel you throughout “Falling,” a maelstrom of reverb and chorus tones amalgamating together to form something exciting and fun. “Falling” is a testament to St. Kio as an entity, an exercise in pushing musical boundaries as far as they can be pushed… One listen to “Falling” and we think you’ll agree that St. Kio has succeeded in that journey. Fans of Slowdive, Japanese Breakfast, and Slow Pulp will enjoy the hazy shoegazy goodness found here. You can find “Falling” on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music. Falling by St. Kio

Club 8 – “Daylight”

March 19, 2024

Swedish duo Club 8 are unstoppable lately, crushing single after single of beautifully simple dream-pop. If “Sunny” and “Just Like Heaven” weren’t enough for you, it’s time to peep their latest offering, the uplifting and airy “Daylight.” At just over two minutes, “Daylight” comes and goes before you know it (like many of our weeknights, amirite?). A constant fuzzed-out bass keeps the song moving while icy-cold guitars pluck softly in the background. Fans of Alvvays, No Vacation, and Mazzy Star will find lots of similarities in Club 8’s lovely sounds. Check out “Daylight” via YouTube below, or, on Spotify.

Helenor – “Suck”

March 18, 2024

Released March 13, “Suck” is the newest track from Brooklyn’s Helenor – the project of Brooklyn native David DiAngelis. We’ve covered Helenor previously here, and, like then, we love what he’s putting out. “Suck” continues with his obvious mastery of crafting the perfect bedroom pop track; gentle tones from the vocals and a great duo of piano and guitar push the song forward but in the chillest way possible. Here’s a bit more about the track from DiAngelis: “The suck in “Suck” is about sucking it up but…. like…not like that. More so the “hey life is kinda shitty, but you gotta suck it up sometimes” type of suck. The lyric that stood out to me was this: Sick of paying attention on the things that don’t explode this heart/ My bed is slept in still I am not rested/” I honestly feel all of that, especially lately, seemingly (and[...]

KSHMR – “Happy (feat. Tiina)”

March 18, 2024

Niles Hollowell-Dhar, formerly part of the hip-hop duo the Cataracts, has been making electro house music as KSHMR (pronounced “Kashmir,” taken from the area in northwest India). Having plenty of festival appearance (Coachella, Tomorrowland, etc.) and several Top 100 DJ accolades from DJ Mag (23rd, 12th, 11th) his credentials are certainly nothing to sneeze at. His latest is “Happy,” an ebullient and gut-shaking slice of dancefloor-ready EDM. Providing the vocals and the other main credited artist on the track is Finnish musician Tiina Vainkikainen, a chart topper with several hits in the UK. She also has snagged Songwriter of the Year four years in a row from The Finnish Music Publishers Association. “Happy” intros with Tiina’s defiant, soul-stirring vocals: You take my heart for weakness/ You cut me up and bleed me dry/ I won’t be defeated The track then comes alive with KSHMR’s beats pushing the song along with[...]

Baby Combat – “Blackout Drunk Comedy”

March 16, 2024

Portland, Oregon based Noel Yeo of Baby Combat brings us their latest with “Blackout Drunk Comedy” off of the A is for Average EP (with the first being the equally catchy tune “Myself Nobody Else”). Sober just shy of a year, this is a triumphant track looking back at past mistakes but barreling forward. The driven tempo led by reverbing guitar (along with tasteful cleaner tones) combines well with the song’s tight drums. Yeo’s unique voice, along with the instrumentals, brings to mind acts such as Fontaine’s DC, as well as Parquet Courts. Speaking to this Yeo had this to say: “I gave up alcohol last year April. It was becoming undeniable that I have a problem with it. This song is about that. I’m on day 323 today, so this is a happy story.” You can hear “Blackout Drunk Comedy” on Spotify, Apple Music, or the embedded track below from YouTube.[...]

matt haze! – “dejandote. (faded away)”

March 16, 2024

matt haze!, the artist formerly known as Kid Phang, is a California based musician and “dejandote. (faded away)” is his latest. Much like Bow Wow dropping the “Lil,” Matt Haze! felt he had outgrown his former moniker: “the main reason r the change in name: i coined “kp” since 16, im abt 2 b 20 next month. + i feel as if “kid phang” restricted my sound. i want 2 make anything i feel & releasing songs like “fade away” & “dejandote” w that name jus didn’t make sense 2 me. necessary evolution.” “Dejandote” (according to my awful Spanish translation, roughly translates to “leaving you;” ostensibly making this track a breakup song. The intro gives off a vintage Pink Floyd vibe with a cacophonous crescendo that simmers into a lyrical interlude before crashing into a heavy drum and bass lead assault. With a sort of indie punk Alex G vibe,[...]

Secrecies – “Cathedrals”

March 14, 2024

Dallas-based band Secrecies bring their gauzy, shoegazy goodness to latest single, “Cathedrals.” Pairing ethereal synth work with far-off vocals and a gothy, ’80s-inspired undertone, “Cathedrals” is a perfect icy song to get you through these last few remaining months of winter. With a simple-but-eerily-effective chorus of: “Taste it, touch it, feel it, love it, waste it, rush it, need it, prove it tonight,” Secrecies drills home the importance of living life in the moment and making the most of the present, briefly changing their tone to something uplifting. Fans of Beach House, The xx, and Sylvan Esso will find lots to love about Cathedral’s beautiful approach. Check out the video for “Cathedrals” via YouTube below.

The Coordinators – “Enough About Me”

March 12, 2024

When one of the notes I received with this track was that one of the similar artists was one of my personal favorites (The Strokes) I was pretty floored, yet hesitant. A Strokes clone? C’mon, what is this, 2005? Well, The Coordinators are certainly not a Strokes clone but I can hear the inspiration and “Enough About Me” is a certified buffaBLOG banger. A duo based out of Philly, The Coordinators (Robert Pino and Tim W. Smith), had this track mastered at some place called Abbey Road Studios and the extra polish shows. The guitars are layered *just so* but that isn’t to take away from the hard work the band obviously put in; as a buddy in the business so aptly put: “You can’t make crap sound good.” Funky bass and synth… riffs? parts? (not sure what to call it) fill out the rest quite nicely. Fans of the[...]

Landon Conrath – “Overrated”

March 12, 2024

Minneapolis based Landon Conrath is an indie-pop-punk MACHINE and “Overrated” is his latest. A drummer turned solo act (like Father John Misty), some friendly encouragement from a peer gave the necessary hutzpah to take the leap. Frenetic energy, the call and response (Taking Back Sunday energy <3), and a fantastic hook really starts to push this track into “pop punk genius” territory. Power chords galore lead the way with a sick bass riff following close behind; the bridges between chorus and verse do a fantastic job of building back up almost flawlessly. If you think you’re unsure about “Overrated” be sure to give the B-Side, “Replay” a listen as well. Showing off more of an EDM pop vibe with equally catchy tunes, it’s certainly more than just overrated filler. You can hear both track over on Spotify or Apple Music, with an album forthcoming. The music video for “Overrated” can[...]

Rat Palace – “Triple Tarp”

March 12, 2024

Best described (per their website) as “post-punk for people that have an average screen time of 7 hours or more a day,”  Rat Palace, a Brooklyn based three or four piece, brings us their newest with “Triple Tarp.” The chord progression from the guitars and bass gives a simmering, foreboding vibe; matching up with the lyrics that the band comments is about “pride and looking for a fight.” The lyrics have that lovely underwater sound that is synonymous with the post-punk aesthetic, though this track leans more heavily into the instrumentals (which isn’t a bad thing, it all comes together nicely AND friggin’ slaps). You can hear “Triple Tarp” on Spotify or embedded below for your listening pleasure. There is supposedly a music video floating around out there but it’s either not released yet or I’m not looking hard enough. If you like what you hear, be sure to check[...]