Latest Posts

Hate Mail – “when i’m home”

February 27, 2025

Describing themselves as “slutty music for sad girls” (move over Taylor Swift), Hate Mail brings us their latest track “when i’m home.” With such an introduction, whether or not you are a sad girl is irrelevant because when the music is this good – we’re all sad girls. Well-put-together guitar pairs nicely with lyricist Whitney War’s endearing vox. Nothing feels too out of place and the drums do a decent amount of heavy lifting as well. Speaking to the track, the band had this to say:   “when i’m home” is a representation of us; straightforward, honest, fucked up and relatable. it’s about escapism and relying on outside sources of dopamine/serotonin to feed our delusion rather than facing our issues head on.”   You can hear “when i’m home” below from YouTube. I heard what I thought was a little nod to Matchbox Twenty at the end of the track.[...]

Hidden Youth – “Vignette”

February 27, 2025

Leeds (that’s in England) based emo punk rock band Hidden Youth comes outta NOWHERE with this picture perfect track, “Vignette.” Vocals vacillate from in-your-face to reserved at the drop of a hat. Not necessarily in the mean way, but you can tell the vocalist means business. I got echoes of simpler times – think Taking Back Sunday (what with the responsorial vox) – filled with pop punk power chords that they refine in their own way to help create a fresh sound rooted in the early 2000’s.   The track clocks in at a healthy 3:49 and the entire thing is a journey that’s at times nostalgic, but quite obviously looking forward to what’s next.   You can hear “Vignette” below from Soundcloud as well as over on Spotify. Follow Be sure to pop a follow on your preferred music streaming as well as their (as of 2/26) recently minted[...]

Cerdarious – “Flooded”

February 24, 2025

Compton’s Cerdarious is a gifted rapper with a knack for storytelling. His latest effort, “Flooded” juxtaposes delicate acoustic guitars with the magnetic, pronounced vocal deliveries of the rapper. The track is a pledge of support to his loved ones, wishing them riches and success in every facet of their life – flooding them with it. Calling upon memories of his grandmother’s cooking, early days of writing raps, and returning home after success, Cerdarious breathes authenticity into each of his lines. Fans of Phonte and Blu will find comfort in Cerdarious’ penmanship – as will anyone who prioritizes old school lyricism. Listen to more from the SoCal emcee on Spotify, and check him and others out on our Underground Hip Hop playlist.

gas station. – “More, or Less”

February 24, 2025

In a triumphant few weeks for Triple Hammer Records, gas station. is the latest of their crew to drop a new song. “More, or Less” isn’t quite the pop punk banger you might be expecting if you’re familiar with their canon – instead, the scrappy three piece put down the electric instruments (and their drums, for that matter) in exchange for a tender, acoustic offering. Heavy lyrics about falling down with a fork in your mouth and penning your will at 29 are powerful and are performed with a fittingly somber emotion, set off by the lone acoustic guitar accompaniment plucking its cyclical patterns. The band explains “More, or Less” simply:   “A song about age, meaning, and what have you.”   You can find “More, or Less” on bandcamp (below), or on Spotify or Apple Music. Also, keep up with all of gas station.’s goings-on with this helpful little[...]

HuntersCrxssing – “Arrival”

February 23, 2025

Emerging cloud rap artist HuntersCrxssing has to have dabbled in some dark arts to be able to conjure up a single like “Arrival.” The latest effort from the rapper, and his first on Spotify, features otherworldy glitches, disembodies voices and Transylvanian organs. In spite of its creepier elements, “Arrival” also boasts an instantly repeatable hook (“Money all day, money money all day”), approachable lyrics, and an accessible bounce to it that allows you to headbob while imagining you’re slinking into a secret dungeon. Fans of Lil Ugly Mane,  Antwon and $uicideboy$ will find comfort in HunterCrxssing’s gothic vibe. Follow HuntersCrxssing on Spotify to get updates on his subsequent releases, and check out him and other rising artists on our underground hip hop playlist. 

Kalan – “Vibe with Me”

February 22, 2025

Up and coming Toronto rapper KALAN’s got an ear for Tyler, the Creator-style production and an eye for vaporwave. Originally a touring hip hop dancer, Kalan transitioned into the rap game and the 19-year-old is crushing it through accessible tracks with big instrumentals and vocals that can fit any beat or energy. “Vibe with Me” has the fuzziness of a Tyler or Pharrell beat, and Kalan rides with bouncy, sing-song delivery that creates a playful energy to match the song’s title. Throw it on your high energy playlists alongside guys like Tyler, Pharrell, Logic and more versatile artists. KALAN’S got a popping YouTube channel – check it out and get a flavor for his aesthetics. You can catch “Vibe with Me” and more releases from the Canadian artist on Spotify. Check out Kalan and more up and coming artists on our Underground Hip Hop playlist. 

Herbiarz – “Witam”

February 22, 2025

Get your pussy willows out and feel like a Polish gangster with the help latest effort from Poland’s Herbiarz.  A battle rap champion who transitioned into the recording game, Herbiarz creates cold, powerful hip hop tracks that fit in perfectly on your hype up playlists. “Witam” is a Polish-language banger that doesn’t need to be translated to get your blood pumping up. It’s a local hit on Polish radio stations and the hype’s getting over to the states. We’re only a few months out from Dyngus Day – Daj mi piwo and familiarize yourself with one of the homeland’s rising rappers. Check out more from the rising international artist ahead of his upcoming EP on Spotify. 

Love Spells – “Lovers Only”

February 20, 2025

In what is probably a blow to all haters, “Lovers Only” is the newest single from Love Spells and we’re happy to tell you all about it on the Blog. A few of their tracks (Come Over and Love Me, Love Costs, Love Lies Bleeding) follow a common theme and I’ll let you mull over what that is. Meanwhile, “Lovers Only” is a morose lo-fi guitar-forward track with singer Sir Taegen C’aion Harris getting down low and whispery. Speaking to the track, the band had this to say:   “‘Lovers Only’ is about the pain of a faltering love. Love is not meant to break us, but its struggles can pierce deeply, leaving wounds on the soul that never fully heal.”   You can hear the track below from the band’s Soundcloud, as well as Apple Music and Spotify. You’ll be able to hear “Lovers Only” on the band’s forthcoming[...]

Consumables – “Infinite Games”

February 20, 2025

“Infinite Games” is the newest (and first track) track from NYC punk act Consumables (no “the” which I respect and find very ballsy). Their album, also named Infinite Games, is coming March 7.   The track is heady and heavy – I got a lot of 90s vibes from my initial listens and it sounds like Weezer took a punk pill and turned down their pop aesthetic by like 34%. It has a sort of dazed feel that I associate with early (for me) MTV and I think you’ll enjoy it too; the smart stoner-pop genre is apparently alive and well.   You can hear “Infinite Games” below from Soundcloud, as well as over on Spotify. If you’ve enjoyed what you heard, keep your ears peeled for the debut album on 3/7/25. Keep us apprised of your musical needs and let us know if you’re looking for more like “the” Consumables.[...]

Slow Coast – “Perfect Lie”

February 20, 2025

“Perfect Lie” is Bay Area indie rock band Slow Coast’s new single. It is the *perfect* track to bring you out of the winter doldrums and, for that reason, we were super stoked to give it a listen. We previously covered a prior track from Slow Coast with their “Double Vision” single and feel the same as we do now a back in October of 2024.   While the guitar hooks are impossible to ignore, the bass provides some stellar licks that will assuredly be fighting for your attention. In all honesty, this track felt like if Coldplay or Jack Johnson was bitten by a radioactive indie rock spider, which is both an interesting proposition and a fun thought experiment… While still being a good encapsulation of Slow Coast (though, this is a broad overgeneralization).   You can hear “Perfect Lie” below via Soundcloud and over on Spotify.   Slow[...]

Bestfriend – “HEADSTART”

February 20, 2025

Holy shit, that synth! I seriously listened to the intro of “HEADSTART” like eight times – this is a new Miller record for willingly listening to the first 28 seconds of a track, so hats off to Stacy and Kaelan of Bestfriend, and their newest track.   We’ve covered the duo before here (thanks Nick!), and funnily enough, we both used the word “shit” in our first sentence. Shit in the traditional sense, this is not though! I’m one of those lucky people who experience frisson with music and it was honestly pretty much nonstop. This felt like my actual best friend decided to start a band but obsessed over a Postal Service record before doing so. You can feel the influence, but it’s not a knock off. Definitely my type of people though. Come play a show in Buffalo, we’d love to have you.   You can hear “HEADSTART”[...]

Tristan Armstrong – “Queen of Diamonds”

February 20, 2025

Tristan Armstrong, pulling triple duty as composer, main artist, and producer, shows off his latest single “Queen of Diamonds” to us, the great unwashed masses. Much like a playing card, the track has two sides to it – literally playing cards in someone’s apartment and the more abstract; specifically, committing to someone romantically. This is unabashedly a rock ‘n roll track with more guitar than you can shake a stick at (including a brief solo, something that gets forgotten about a lot in modern music imo).   You can hear “Queen of Diamonds” below from YouTube as well as over on Spotify. If you’re a fan of 60’s and 70’s music with a dash of pop, or acts like Father John Misty who venture into a similar feel, you’ll find a lot to enjoy with this track and the rest of Armstrong’s catalogue.  

Frog – “WHERE DO I SIGN VAR. III”

February 20, 2025

Following up from the beginning of the month (here), we have a new track from indie duo Frog. “WHERE DO I SIGN VAR. III” is the latest single off their album 1000 Variations on the Same Song. I favorably compared their prior single, “JUST USE YR HIPS VAR. VI” to your (my) friend Ron’s bachelor apartment of yesteryear: “complete with incense from his roommate and some obtuse dinnerware; never rising to ostentatious… but you’re still kinda jealous of that dinnerware.”   If “HIPS” was the tasteful dinnerware, this is assuredly the reliably delicious water that comes from their ancient Brita. Sliding into a Midwest emo vibe, the brothers Bateman mix tight (and light) drums with acoustic guitar and a tiny smattering of keys sprinkled throughout. Somewhere between American Football and Bon Iver, fans of both will find this track a great starting point before diving into the album (though you[...]

Terry Blade – Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues

February 17, 2025

Chicago’s Terry Blade is a singer/songwriter whose passion for everything-blues comes through perfectly on his latest output, Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues. An ethnographic account of both blues pioneers and an honest representation of Blade’s blues-based songwriting, Blade combines excerpts of interviews with innovators of the genre (think Theresa Needham; Jimmy Walker; Muddy Waters Jr., Willie Monroe; and Lefty Dizz), procured via public domain by Blade himself, with the soulful blues meanderings that fans of the genre have come to know and expect. These interviews from 1977 offer the listener a unique juxtaposition – a reverence for the trailblazers of the past mixed with Blade’s passion to keep the genre alive today.   There are two types of songs on Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues – song one (and every other song thereafter) features an excerpt from the aforementioned interviews, starting with the godmother of Chicago Blues herself, Theresa Needham.[...]

Jack Xander – “Listen 2 My Heart”

February 17, 2025

Los Angeles self-producer Jack Xander has a fun pop song that should nestle nicely on your next Friday night “going out” playlist. The new single “Listen 2 My Heart” features the punchy delivery from Xander over electro-pop beats with lyrics about being vulnerable and listening to his heart couple accented with a falsetto Metronomy-esque delivery on the hook. The song builds into a crescendo where Xander sings about wishing he had listened to himself and trusted his intuition. Fans of LANY or Cherub would be into Xander’s accessible sound complete with tinkering keys and have bass synths. Check it out.