Latest Posts

The Mystery Divide – “Wars”

April 6, 2026

Have you ever taken a hot minute to finish something? Joseph Mendola of The Mystery Divide started his journey making music way back in 2003 (then, with the project entitled The Blue Romantics). His latest single is “Wars” and it’s jangly dream pop sonovagun. If you’re like me and have the album pulled up, don’t mistake it for another track called “Mars” in your dyslexic haze.   Mendoza’s lyrics sometimes seem hover above the synth and guitar while other times they mesh together as one. The level of polish is absolutely pristine and you’re in for a treat, especially if you’re into Siamese Dream era Corgan et al.   You can hear it below on YouTube as well as Spotify. The rest of the album, Questions I, is well worth the listen, especially if you’re into that dream pop vibe like I am.  

Thought Provokah – “The Inferno of Antifermo”

April 3, 2026

The latest single from Hudson Valley veteran Thought Provokah combines two of my all time favorites — a vintage ESPN Classic-style sports story and quintessential hip hop sounds. Provokah channels the hurdles of boxer Marvin Hagler – whose controversial 1979 draw to champion Vito Antuofermo introduced the boxer to a new level of resolve required to reach it to the top. Hagler bounced back from adversity to become a middleweight champion for over 7 years. For Thought Provokah, this type of story resonates. In his rise to prominence, he’s “used the flames to make a name,” finding motivation not only in the challenge of what’s across from you, but also in the forces outside of that ring. Fairness is storybook. Find a way to become your own judge to have your accomplishments indisputable. Hip hop heads will find this a good fit for their motivational, gym-oriented playlists. Give Provokah a[...]

MAKEITSTOP – “Whatever You Do, Don’t Count To Five”

April 3, 2026

MAKEITSTOP is a progressive rock act from Rochester whose latest single, “Whatever You Do, Don’t Count To Five,” tickled our latent Rush sensibilities. Their music is borderline indescribable, reminiscent of the sheer fervor of RX Bandits, the musical intensity of Coheed and Cambria, and a bit of jazz flair mixed in a la The Reign of Kindo. Expect passionate sing/scream vocals overtop nimble guitar and bass riffs, with plenty of jaunty start/stop rhythmic play to engage your inner musician’s musician. There are melodies aplenty in “Whatever,” but be sure to stick around for the mid-song bass/drum interlude… The throaty bass tone paired with the snare-less snare is a real treat.   There are lots of ways to support MAKEITSTOP – check them all out here.   Whatever You Do, Don’t Count To Five by MAKEITSTOP

Nixon Boyd – “Trouble of Your Own”

March 28, 2026

Nixon Boyd‘s journey to “Trouble of Your Own” has been a story in and of itself. After a laptop theft (which held all of his musical ideas), he put his nose to the ground and re-recorded everything. We’re lucky – it resulted in the touching indie pop jam “Trouble of Your Own,” a tribute to a friend’s suicide attempt. With carefully crafted lyrics; a longing chord progression; and clappy percussive elements that are reminiscent of The Shins, “Trouble” feels like it perfectly accomplished what it set out to do.   “Trouble of Your Own” can be found on YouTube (below), or, on Spotify.    

boredslide – “ibelieveu”

March 28, 2026

Australian duo boredslide found their way into our inbox with the fleeting “ibelieveu.” Falling somewhere on the spectrum between bedroom-pop, jangly indie, and post-punk, “ibelieveu” is a slinky, shimmery lesson in succinct songwriting. A pleasant panflute accompanies the chiming guitars here, reflecting band member Carlos’ Peruvian heritage while never feeling out of place. This one will make you want to dust off your chorus pedals and get back to DIY songwriting… Isn’t that what it’s all about, anyway?   All the different ways to support boredslide can be found here.    

GREG 99 – “Get Stupid”

March 28, 2026

You ever hear a bassline so THICC (with two c’s) it makes you feel dumber? Like your IQ has dropped 20 points? GREG 99 knows a little about that, clearly evidenced in his new jam, “Get Stupid.” Full disclosure, we don’t know anything about GREG other than the fact that this big, indie dance anthem is released under his name… But sometimes a big, anthemic dancefloor anthem like this just speaks for itself.   Peep “Get Stupid” on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.    

Childlike – “Promise or Die”

March 28, 2026

Childlike is a 22-year-old wunderkind making the kind of EDM/hyperpop that reminds you to feel euphoric. “Promise or Die” is a fun combination of genres that features everything from piano to an accordion (seriously), recorded by a mic hanging in someone’s living room. Being surrounded by unique instruments must have been a boon when it came to crafting this one – it’s got the highs that tickle your eardrums and the lows that you feel in your gut.   “Promise or Die” can be found on YouTube (below), or Spotify, or Amazon Music.    

Green Enkd Society – “F THEM IF THEY DON’T F WITH US”

March 25, 2026

The dark wizards of up and coming rap group Green Enkd Society find a home between the mystic and the grounded, and it’s on prime display in their latest single, “F THEM IF THEY DON’T F WITH US.” The track’s witchy tone is set immediately upon the beat drop, with midnight howls and a piano scale that goes on just a bit too long to itch your ear. Grand Wizzard MC and Jay Will snap the track to something a little bit more of this world, He speak to his bewitching of life’s big bootied temptresses, coalescing ideas in a really creative way. Get a flavor for the world of Green Enkd Society on the Infinite Wizzardy 2 album that “F THEM” appears on. You’ll find “F THEM IF THEY DON’T F WITH US” on our Best of 2026 playlist. While you’re there, check out more from the duo on[...]

The Burkharts – “Please Don’t Wake Me Up”

March 24, 2026

The Burkharts have done it again – another retro-inspired, beach-pop jam they’re calling “Please Don’t Wake Me Up.” As always, the band’s image (and imagery) is on point – superimposing images of lighthouses and the ocean over their finely-tuned, red button down aesthetic. The band themselves appear comfy and cozy in a bedroom, adorned with wood paneling and bold colors, not unlike something you’d see in one of those legendary JC Penney photoshoots from the ’80s. Juicy harmonies, jangly guitars, and a 3:4 time signature help to give this one a slow dance vibe – Fans of The Beach Boys, Real Estate, and Best Coast’s lighter fare are in for a treat on this pretty little waltz.   Check out the video embed for “Please Don’t Wake Me Up” below, or, stream it on Spotify.    

Doubleplus Alright – “February Burn”

March 23, 2026

Oakland based Doubleplus Alright bring us their latest, “February Burn.” The track is a beautifully crafted buildup that feels like it could fill an arena and then some. Acoustic guitar and raspy vox give way to the full band and it just feels satisfying. The band accomplishes more in two minutes than many manage to on an entire album.   Written as part of bandmember Chris (no relation) ambitious “song-a-day” project, it certainly doesn’t feel like a filler day! As if to verify a thought that had swam in my head on the first listen, the next track was Nirvana. While this is not a Kurt Cobain throwback, if you listen to their drummer’s follow-up band you might pick up what I’m putting down.   You can hear the track on YouTube, as well as Bandcamp below (and Spotify). While I’m no agent or money man, I’d be willing to[...]

Unwed Sailor – “West Coast Prism”

March 20, 2026

Are you ready to catch a vibe? Unwed Sailor is ready to bring it with their latest single “West Coast Prism.” Instrumental-only tracks are funny, especially this one, because I swore that I could hear singing. Maybe my soul merged with the song and felt what words were left unsung? Or it could be the hearing loss (I would like to think it was the former).   Founding member Jonathon Ford did say this was inspired by “a deep fondness for the ocean, surfing, redwoods, and rocky coastline of Oregon” (and I felt that). I have been thinking about taking a trip out to the PNW soon, so maybe this will be part of my soundtrack (as it should also be for you).   You can hear “West Coast Prism” below from YouTube and on Spotify.  

Youth Valley – “cerberus”

March 20, 2026

Seriously, you need to check out the album art for Youth Valley‘s latest, “cerberus.” It should be in the embed at the end, but you need to really focus on it for a minute and how cute it is. If you don’t think that’s cute you can stop reading. For everyone else, if you’re feeling some post punk that knows how to do cute, you have come to the right place.   It’s all about the guitars here baby! The intro is a gentle combo of synth and guitar that slow builds to blistering guitars around the halfway point that continue until the end. You can find some synthy flavoring interspersed throughout, but this is a shoegaze track that does the “blistering guitar” exceedingly well. Speaking to the track (and the three headed dog), the band had this to say:   “This song is an honest confession of a broken[...]

MUANH – “u wanna have it”

March 20, 2026

“u wanna have it” is the latest from MUANH, the brainchild of Anna Anh Petry. It’s a dreamy slow jam and her vocals will make you feel like you’re floating on the clouds.   I got some Now, Now (one of my personal favs) vibes because, like them; her (non-live) songs sound like you’re at the most intimate concert of your life. Speaking of intimate, the lyrics paint that perfect, slow-sex-jam vibe that never cross the border into TMI. The rest is mostly drum machine and synth with a little guitar, as the focus is (surprise) Petry’s breathy vocals.   You can hear “u wanna have it” below from Bandcamp as well as Spotify.   u wanna have it by MUANH

Pale Puma – “TBV (EP version)”

March 20, 2026

So imagine you’re me and you’re maybe a little tired, listening to music and writing a few blogs. My editor usually includes a note “hey we’ve written about so-and-so before, be sure to include that.” No big deal, right? I search the internet  for “pale puma buffablog” and I found a Facebook post from Pale Puma (aka Django Duyns) praising our coverage of “TBV.” I thought I was in a time warp. Silly me, he pulled a Taylor Swift and re-recorded it under his dreampop moniker Pale Puma (we covered the original here).   It’s interesting hearing the two tracks back to back; the “EP version” leans harder into the dream pop vibe as opposed to the post-punkiness of the initial recording. There are some lyrical differences as well but the heart and soul feels the same – Duyns brings his distinctive vocals and steady as fuck guitar pushing the[...]

Yung Luscious ft. Jayaire Woods – “Caruso”

March 20, 2026

We’re headed back to 2009 with this latest track from up-and-coming rapper Yung Luscious. “Caruso,” the hustling, off-guard-inspired track features a flow that feels like it was stolen off of peak Rick Ross’s hard drive. The beat is built around a delicious little chipmunk soul sample, expertly looped for maximum head-bobbing efficiency. Luscious’s baritone delivery shouldn’t be mistaken for nonchalance. The rapper packs one-liners, references, and double entendres into each bar, just as Alex Caruso packs intangibles into his two-way game. If you’re feeling more from Luscious, give him a listen on Spotify. While you’re there, give our Spotify playlist a deep dive to hear more sultry soul beats and deep cut sports references.