Bubble Tea and Cigarettes Share New Single

Apparently my brain needs some space, as this mornings tunes are definitely all in a more pensive space, open and drifting, like this new tune from Bubble Tea and Cigarettes. While I’m not sure about the band name (I’m very anti-cigarettes in 2023!), I totally love the vibe they’ve created with “Emi.” On my end, it sounds like a less electronically crafted version of Radio Dept; the song’s filled with these huge swelling harmonies, with vocals that feel like a fog rolling in from the sea. You could certainly hear influences like early Beach House in here, but that voice just grabbed me, like some whispering voice from my past that I couldn’t escape. Soak up the warmth below.

Coucou Babe Share High Again

As the year draws to a close, we get to spend our year jamming out to some of the stuff we maybe missed, or perhaps something slid into our listening rotation out of nowhere, so here we are with Coucou Babe. The project is a dreamy pop act out of Austria, though with roots tied to Nashville. When I listened, I recall the earlier days of Beach House, taking these clever little keyboard driven soundscapes and building them with a wash of atmosphere and foggy vocals carrying a bit of wonder. Just a fun way to start off the week, as we know you’ll all be clamoring for year end lists; try something new instead!

Sundozer Shares Debut Single

We’ve always gotta keep our ears to the speakers in terms of Austin acts, as it seems there’s constantly something we can dive into, like Sundozer. Honestly, I don’t know a bunch about the project, other than its relatively knew, considering this is their debut single. This track has a bit of that late night chill to it, albeit washed over with hints of dream pop and jangling notes; you can hear the guitars dancing all around as the wash of synths coats the song’s core. Whispering vocals crest and fall into the track, sinking into the mix while the rhythm hits giving off just a bit of a kick to the tune. It’s a bit of everything, be it bedroom pop or indie pop, perfect for late night chills or daydreaming at your window.

Soft Science Share Single, Announce New LP

What a great day to return from a minor surgery to find fresh Soft Science music to spin for you. Personally, the band brandish my favorite style of the indiepop realm; it’s equal parts dreamy/gazey and jangly, giving the song this sort of mellow drift that’s pushed forward by the punching rhythm. You can feel the guitars grab you by the neck and swirl you about in the air, only to get caught in some magical gust that carries you to find what dreams may come. You’ll either get caught up daydreaming, or put this on a playlist for a drive under the night sky, but either way you’ll be a winner if you grab this from Shelflife Records; Lines is officially out on September 8th.

Norway’s Yndling Share Fresh Single

Wanted to slide us into our Friday coverage with this really dense bit of pop magic from Norway’s Yndling. After about 15 seconds of ambient noise, the track creeps right into these darkened pop moments, with cascading guitar lines raining from your speakers while the bass bubbles buoyantly beneath. Vocals from songwriter Silje add this ethereal quality to the track, carrying your mind into freeing spaces, letting you just drift. What I loved about this tune was the way the rhythm section kept pushing the pace; it keeps the energy pulsing where other like-minded acts might let the dreaminess cover your ears. Hopefully we’ll get to hear more soon!

Airhockey Drop Always Late Single

Felt like I wanted to kickstart this week with a bit of energy, so it’s perfect that there’s an excellent new track from Florida’s Airhockey. The band employ those swirling jangle notes, almost dancing through the mix in unison with the snappy drum beat that serves as the cores of the track. When you hit the vocals, it feels like you’ve just been coated in the warmest, fuzziest down, balancing out the song’s energy by keeping this dynamism in the song’s presentation. The group have been dropping singles pretty consistently this year, so perhaps there’s a longer effort hanging just on the horizon…but if not, let’s just keep rocking these bouncing singles!

Letting Up Despite Great Faults Release Crumble EP

This can be filed under the pile of stuff I should have posted days ago, as I’m always going to be a huge supporter of local faves Letting Up Despite Great Faults, who just dropped their Crumble EP on Tuesday. After returning last year with IV, the band are really on a roll, almost feeling like they’re hitting their peak, so to speak. They open with this dreamed-out stomp on “The Do-Over,” with Annah on lead vocals providing that sort of ethereal mentality to the sound. Personally, I love the record’s “Richochet” tune, as it started off with this heavy groove that reminded me of the early days when I fell in love with that post-punk sound…like late 80s New Order and Cure record. It’s a little treat for fans, but let’s hope they can continue this rad songwriting push!

The Mary Onettes Return with Easy Hands

The Mary Onettes have been part of this site for the better part of a decade; I even spent a good deal of this year hunting down a reasonably priced copy of their self-titled LP, so I’m happy they’re back with a fresh set of tunes. They open things up here with an infectious bounce immediately, letting the guitars drift distantly before the vocals decide they’d like to join up. Honestly, Philip’s lyrical writing isn’t too far off from Glenn Donaldson’s RPP track from last week, calling on artists to take care of themselves while being drawn to create…sadly a sentiment folks like me need to remember. Oh man, this melodic chorus too, is just something special. Stoked to have the Swedish outfit back in any form.

Waves Crashing Drop The Viewing EP

Already hung out in Olympia earlier this week, so why not set ourselves up with another great Olympian band, Waves Crashing. Today, the band drop their fresh The Viewing EP, which is an essential collection for those into the modern shoegaze sounds. They play with dissonant noise swirling in the background, then tie it to the melody that runs through each track’s central; it reminds me a lot of Austin’s Blushing, albeit with a male vocal. Standout tune “Life on Display” has this thumping rhythm, almost bouncing through your speakers. I love how the group also seem tied to the Pacific Northwest sounds of the late 90s, particularly when you hear a song like “Voices” that carry a bit of charming softness. Give it a listen, and if you buy it through bandcamp, you get gifted a bonus track!

Das Kope Shares Pacific Coast Highway

You’re stuck in your room and dreaming of a long drive down the ocean front, so why not write a track about that stretch of road. In the case of Das Kope, that’s just what was done in regards to new single Pacific Coast Highway. The single continues with the mixture of deep electronica and sunny beach vibes, both likely influencing Das Kope from either his home in Brazil or Los Angeles; the song even takes on a little bit of a catchy tropicalia groove in its latter half before sliding back into the oozy dream state. Oh, and the accompanying video is a chilled out visual experience all to itself, continuing the artistry of the project.

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