“Come Back to Me” is palpably emotional. Little Trauma is self-described as melodramatic goth pop… And to be honest, we couldn’t describe it better ourselves. Full of unabashed yearning and an incredibly endearing vocal delivery, this one combines the best elements of The Cure into modern indie pop. It’s something unique and sincere – check it out below or add it to your Spotify playlist. Come Back to Me by Little Trauma
London punk act Fresh are a… *ahem,* fresh, burst of bright, sunny energy. “Cinema Woes” is a minute and a half of jangly punk with an urgent, emo feel… Think Japandroids in spirit with some Hold Steady sentiment for good measure. Fans of the aforementioned acts, An Horse, or Hop Along are gonna dig this one. “Woes” is over before you know it and it leaves us wishing for more. Check it out below and be sure to add it to your Spotify playlist. Cinema Woes by Fresh
Into the Weeping Sea sounds like an epiphany. Enter Kevin Scoma, prolific Buffalo-based songwriter who has carved out a new niche for himself after over a decade of dedication to the craft. This fresh batch of songs comes along with a self-proclaimed spiritual awakening; whatever that enlightenment means to Scoma is clearly reflected in this beautiful and shimmering EP reminiscent of Elliot Smith, Bon Iver, and Radical Face. Throughout his career, Scoma has truly cut his teeth across multiple genres – this time around, he seems to have finally found his true voice. Sea is full of haunting, acoustic-driven folk with subtle flourishes of electronics and left-field instrumentation, all of which suits his unique tenor. Opening track “I Was Never Afraid to Die” evolves from a simply strummed acoustic guitar into a surprisingly fuzzed-out guitar solo – a tactic he repeats on the equally stunning, banjo-tinged “Close to the Truth.” Other songs like “I’ll Be[...]
The Molice are a funky, post-punky trio from Tokyo, Japan who have been resident Buffalonians for quite some time now. Their new music video for “Moving” is a montage of their time here thus far, culminating in a big performance for the Music is Art Festival. You might also recognize footage from Mohawk Place, Nietzsche’s, and a bunch of other cool Buffalo locations, all tied together with beautiful Buffalo-based cinematography captured by Lance Claypool (Pentimento). Beyond the video – “Moving” is a jittery and angular blend of funky indie-rock energy with a sugary chorus sure to get stuck in your head. If you dig The Molice, add them to your Spotify playlist or consider donating to their GoFundMe.
Lake Jons is a Helsinki-based duo who walk a fine, fine line between producers extraordinaire and full-on band. “I Don’t Care” is a perfect example – gauzy synth flourishes and jittery percussion tracks lay underneath their tasteful vocal lines. They’ve found a way to inject an organic feel into the otherwise mechanical nature of electronic music. Let their airy brand of synth-driven indie pop envelop you. Check it out below and add it to your Spotify playlist.
Last time we checked in with French indie poppers Arche, we were waxing poetic about their debut video “My Only.” This time around, they’ve replicated their impeccable aesthetics in their newest offering, “Back to the Sun.” Swimmy guitars and ethereal vocals are omnipresent here, accompanying the often kitschiness of the music video flawlessly. Check it out below or add them to your Spotify playlist.
Feeling the funky nu-disco groove of “Pretenders” by mysterious Canadian artist Joseph of Mercury. Pairing a funky bass line with guitar ambiance and a Morrissey-tinged croon, “Pretenders” is the kind of song that has classic appeal with 2019-flavored contemporary energy. Fans of Daft Punk or the Smiths will def dig this one – check it out below and add it to your Spotify playlist.
Mmmm, a tasty one from Szymon – “Blue Colored Mountain” is an eclectic shuffle, matching falsetto mastery and humble synth twinkling with a perfect drumbeat tempo. This one, sadly, is released posthumously – Szymon tragically took his own life after years of battling depression and mental illness… But for that reason, it’s all the more reason to dig into his incredible discography. Help celebrate an incredible musician and life – add it to your Spotify and check it out below.
German psych poppers ACUA scratched just the right itch with their latest offering, “Keep Spinning.” Full of twinkling guitars, dreamy vocal longing, and bassy splashes of keyboard, “Keep Spinning” would fit comfortably on a shelf next to Turnover or Radiohead. These talented musicians did a lot of running around to make this stunning music video, so make sure you give it a thorough watch. Like what you hear? Add them to your Spotify playlist.
This one is sure to get you into a mood – Diamond Thug goes right for the heartstrings with the industrial and synthy slog of “The Woods.” The South African crew explores themes of isolation and disconnection through their use of dark and dreary synths and singer Chantel Van T’s ethereal vocals. All the while, imagery of dark forests, moons, and the night sets the scene. Check it out below – here’s where you can learn more if you dig it.
Maybird is a prolific psychedelic band from Rochester who have been long time buffaBLOG staples… This time around they’ve released a brand new music video for their song, “Montreal.” Any fan of their A+ psych-pop catalog or guitarist “Overhand Sam’s” unique guitar technique will surely be pleased – this one is packed full of tight drumming, ghostly synth howls, and phat guitar chunk. Check it out below.
Falling somewhere on the spectrum between The 1975 and Cloud Nothings, we dig the latest banger from Fever Days. Their jangly art pop is layered thick with synth flourishes and heady bass tones, not to mention a raucous vocal approach. This one has a jittery feel, perhaps even a little reminiscent of how you’d feel while abusing the subject matter. Check it out below and give them a follow on Instagram.
Being in a band is hard. Into the Wake (ITTW) knows. First thing’s first, this band knows how to grind – they’ve been doing so almost non-stop since they debuted in 2017… But sometimes your practice space starts to crumble (literally), then life’s regular grind starts to slip into the cracks. It starts to feel impossible to get back up on your feet. For that reason, these guys should consider their new EP, Behind the Shadows, an absolutely triumphant step forward. They’ve crafted a super-tight blend of post-hardcore, hard rock, and heavy-emo, full of hooks and enough tasty guitar sounds to satisfy any tone snob. BTS is easily their best work yet, a batch of songs that would sit comfortably on a shelf next to genre heavyweights like Citizen, Superheaven, or Balance and Composure. Album opener “Prey” is an immediate standout – ITTW has never been afraid to experiment with sounds, but don’t let the electronic drum intro[...]
If you’re looking for a heady dose of 80s inspired synthpop, we think you should check out Parallel‘s newest jam, “The Magic Hour.” Full of feathery synths and enough sass to make Madonna or Cyndi Lauper jealous, this Toronto trio is riding high on the release of a new LP, Metropolis… Not to mention their stint at #1 on Canada’s Electronic Charts. Either way, whether you’re a retro 80s enthusiast or a modern electronica-head, “The Magic Hour” is sure to find its way into your Spotify playlist – check it out below.
Natalie Walker‘s new self-released EP Evenfall has us feeling some-type-of-way – “Last Day” is yet another gauzy indie-pop song with its head in the clouds. Walker’s voice is soothing and sits atop the airy music perfectly. Flush with nu-disco tinged guitar, bumping keyboard vibes, and a warm percussion track, we think “Last Day” will wind up on your playlist in one way or another – time to add her to your Spotify.