Latest Posts

Dream Prescription – “Status Quo”

November 20, 2022

Dream Prescription are a NYC-based duo that craft a unique blend of synth-pop and post-punk; we think you should start with their latest song, “Status Quo.” Between the laser precision of their icy synth stabs and and obvious ear for melody, “Status Quo” sounds like an amalgamation of the 80s and early 2000s with a spicy, contemporary mix. Be sure to stick around for the chorus for a bit of an Interpolesque vocal hook. About the song, the band states: “In ‘Status Quo’, we’re exploring the tension between a deep desire for change and the security of having things stay the way they are. The vignettes in the song’s verse lyrics evoke disconnection and distance within a relationship, while the chorus looks for way out of this stuck place by asking questions that are not easily answered.” You can find “Status Quo” on both Spotify and Apple Music.

GRLwood – “Keep It Average”

November 20, 2022

Louisville, KY-based act GRLwood get anxious and raucous on their latest offering, “Keep It Average.” With a gut-wrenching howl, singer Rej Forester teams up with the thundering drums from drummer Mia Morris for this soul-searching indie rocker. The duo uses their screaming guitars and big percussion vibes to ponder the meaning of life – it’s a song about wanting to pursue things that might make your life better, but being held back by a potential risk. Rej more eloquently explains below: “To be able to love fully, you have to risk being hurt fully. To be able to take hold of success completely, you have to take the risk to fail fully. The world is a beautiful and bright place for those looking for that, as it is dismal and sad for those looking for that. Reflect back to the world what you want, no matter what it’s given you[...]

Seven Layer Piano Cakes – “Holy Water”

November 20, 2022

Seven Layer Piano Cakes is the alter ego of Justin Hoyt, a musician and college professor (!) whose latest offering, “Holy Water,” caught our ears. In line with his gothy-meets-pop-punk disposition, “Holy Water” is a song about the apocalypse. When you’re discussing the end of the world, tight industrial drums and heavily autotuned vocals seem appropriate… But SLPC is more of a musical amalgamation, aiming for broad strokes across genres rather than one pigeonhole. Sure, society may be crumbling, but at least we have songs like “Holy Water” to help us cope. You can also find “Holy Water” on Spotify. Seven Layer Piano Cakes · Holy Water

Altalune – “October”

November 19, 2022

Altalune gets introspective on their latest offering, “October.” Pairing gentle vocals with twinkling guitar and a heartfelt lyrical subject is never a bad formula, and Altalune executes it to perfection here. It’s a warm, but somber affair – the whole song goes down very smooth, but never pulls back when it comes to meaningful revelations about the importance of loved ones. About the song, Altalune says: “I lost my grandfather back in October of 2021 and after a year of not having him around, family gatherings don’t feel quite the same. This song is about missing someone special in your life that you cherish and admire.” You can also listen to Altalune on Spotify and Apple Music.

Dead Patrons – “Lover”

November 19, 2022

Are South East London act Dead Patrons heavy, pretty, or pretty heavy? It’s probably some combination of the three, but we digress – their latest offering, “Lover,” is our latest recommendation. Built around a roiling tom beat; noisy, wall-of-sound guitar theatrics, and singer Paul Killengray’s eclectic vocal presence, “Lover” twists and turns with searing indie rock energy that brings to mind Sonic Youth, IDLES, and a hint of post-punkiness a la Joy Division. As they put it, “‘Lover’ is a song about being dominated,” and you can certainly hear that struggle weaved throughout the dark vibes here. You can also find “Lover” on Spotify.

Kevin Dorff – “Family Friend”

November 16, 2022

Iowan musician Kevin Dorff knows how to tell a story – he sucked us deep into the narrative of his latest offering, “Family Friend.” Bringing to mind the endearing indie/emo of Front Bottoms; Modern Baseball; and Slaughter Beach, Dog with a hint of folksy Americana twang, “Friend” is about a friend of Kevin’s who passed away. The song is upbeat as a whole, but that somber subject matter creeps in and sticks, especially with Kevin’s thesaurus-level rhymes… This one is as sincere as they come and we can’t help but love that. Check out “Family Friend” on Spotify too. kevindorff · Family Friend

Kai Bosch – “Title”

November 16, 2022

London’s Kai Bosch knows a thing or two about heartbreak and he evokes that brutal feeling in the alt-pop of his latest offering, “Title.” Channeling his love for Lorde, Kai pairs a dark, dancy beat with his devastating lyrics for truly poignant results. Kai has a pretty eloquent explanation of where “Title” came from – check it out below: “’Title’ represents a month of blurring nights, tears, and intoxication all culminating into an explosive breakup. Coming out the other side when the dust had settled, I saw our time together for what it was: one-sided. Title explores the feeling that there is a “winner” in a relationship. I’m a very emotional person and in the past this has left me feeling like the “loser” in a lot of situations, but as I grow in myself and continue to experience love in its many forms I’ve come to find that there[...]

Merchant – “Feel Nice”

November 16, 2022

If you’re in a bit of a rut and you need a tune to pull you out of your blues, you can always count on Merchant to lift your spirits. “Feel Nice” is the archetypal feel-good song – it’s full of chirping birds, squiggly synths, and enough la-la-las to feel like you know the song upon first listen. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the song explains “I just wanna feel nice” over and over, which is something pretty much anyone can relate to. We’re more of a doom-and-gloom blog over here at buffaBLOG, but every now and then one of these chipper songs sneaks its way onto our playlists. ICYMI – you can also find our writeup on Merchant’s previous single, “Staying in California.” You can also find “Feel Nice” on Spotify. MERCHANT · Feel Nice

Brother Swan – “Spill”

November 14, 2022

LA-based crew Brother Swan hit us with the dizzying indie rock of “Spill” and we haven’t been the same since. Spiraling guitars are the name of the game here, setting the groundwork for acrobatic basslines; passionate vocals; and a blistering tempo. Brother Swan fall somewhere on the spectrum between the early aughts era of garage rock and modern day emo luminaries – think Alex G ghostwriting a Bloc Party song. Be sure to check out their recently-released LP, Loom, upon which “Spill” resides. You can also find “Spill” on Apple Music and Spotify. Brother Swan · Spill

Sweet Tempest – “Over Them Hills”

November 14, 2022

Every now and then a synth-based ballad comes and sweeps us off our feat – such is the case with Sweet Tempest and their latest single, “Over Them Hills.” The Copenhagen-based duo harmonize over a crunchy synth backbone, singing about (what else) love and how profound it is as a concept. The duo achieves a shiny pop production without ever stepping into cheese territory – oftentimes the cold and calculated nature of synths can overpower the warmth one feels when they’re truly in love. Either way, it’s a true accomplishment when it comes to balladry. About “Over Them Hills,” the duo explains: “It is a song about aching feelings and the overall absurdity of love and relationship between two human beings.” You can find “Over Them Hills” on Spotify and Apple Music, too. Sweet Tempest · Over Them Hills (I Find You)

mon cher – “What A Shame”

November 13, 2022

Denver’s mon cher keeps it deceptively simple on her latest indie rocker, “What A Shame.” Dark, rhythmic, and almost creepy, “Shame” channels the sassy energy of Yeah Yeah Yeahs with the added bonus of the I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude of Wet Leg. Chiming guitars, moody vocals, and gothy drums are almost always a winning combination, something mon cher seems to know a little something about. About the song, mon cher’s Meghan Holton keeps it short and sweet: “This song is about being in love with someone who is denying their love for you.” You can find “What A Shame” on Spotify too.

Leanna Firestone – “You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much”

November 13, 2022

Leanna Firestone is suspiciously logical on her latest offering, the effervescent “You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much.” In a cadence reminiscent of acts like Modern Baseball or The Front Bottoms, Leanna calmly lists all the different reasons (or rather, just one) that her relationship ended. Yep, you guessed it… They just didn’t like Leanna that much. It’s all packaged up with a fun and quirky indie-pop package that perfectly compliments Leanna’s stream-of-consciousness vocal approach. If only all relationships could end this way… With a shiny indie-pop song and a smile, preferably. “You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much” is on Soundcloud (below), Apple Music, and Spotify. Leanna Firestone · You Just Didn’t Like Me That Much

Blue Lupin – “Surface of the Sun”

November 13, 2022

Here’s a nice, grungy one from UK-based act Blue Lupin. Chock full of perfectly washy guitar energy, “Surface of the Sun” brings to mind shoegaze-y acts like Pity Sex and Smashing Pumpkins while also channeling more dreamy acts like Japanese Breakfast or The Japanese House. With it’s open-book catharsis and forlorn vocal energy, “Sun” is equal parts dream-pop, shoegaze, and grunge – it’s sure to scratch all of your alt-rock itches, no matter which era you’re currently craving. About the song, singer Joanna Wolfe says: “‘Surface of the Sun’ is a song about a toxic relationship and really testing the limits of what you can handle. Although it captures a painful period in my life, I find it really energizing and cathartic the way it came out.” “Surface of the Sun” is also on Spotify.

moshimoshi – “Soon”

November 13, 2022

Here’s a barnburner all the way from Finland – moshimoshi reached out to us with the unbridled energy of “Soon” and we were immediately melted by it’s overwhelming urgency. Pair the throat-shredding screams of a band like Refused with your favorite math rock band (think Into It. Over It., toe, or Tiny Moving Parts) and you’ll start to have a semblance of what to expect. Guitar nerds are going to love the riffs; emo fans are going to love the heart-on-your-sleeve vibes; and fans of hardcore are going to love the underlying aggression here… Win. Win. Win. You can find “Soon” on Bandcamp (below), Spotify, and Apple Music. Soon by moshimoshi

elison – “Fruit Flies”

November 13, 2022

You don’t always expect intimate indietronica to come out of Iowa, but elison are here to show you a thing or two about assuming. “Fruit Flies” feels like a warm hug – a buzzy, understated single that brings to mind 90s slowcore acts like Mazzy Star while simultaneously evoking 2022-era indie rockers like Jay Som and Alvvays. Part synth and part plucky guitar, the instrumentals on the song are somehow just as heartfelt as the hush-hush vocal delivery. This is what they have to say about the song: “When I started playing music during the pandemic, after decades of wishing I was brave enough to try, I found myself revisiting the girl that ignited the dream in the first place, my sixteen-year-old self… Through that process I started questioning the actual growth I previously thought I had achieved.” Check out “Fruit Flies” on both Bandcamp (below) and Spotify. Fruit Flies[...]