Been Stellar Share Sweet Video

I’m diving into two straight days of administering standardized state tests, so I need a bit of balance in my life, which is why I was drawn towards this fresh Been Stellar track. Musically, it has this abrasiveness that faintly hints at the melodic core the band will bring into the folk, sort of like running your hand across a well-worn sheet of sandpaper. When those vocals enter, they tiptoe into the frame, careful not to disrupt the discordant chaos, and that’s where I fell for it, as they tightrope between angst and comfort…allowing the listener to embrace both sides as you sink into the jangling riffs in the distance. This tune appears on Scream from New York, NY, out on June 14th via Dirty Hit.

Club Pop from Cat Princess

I’m a sucker for a catchy number, particularly if I can imagine myself dancing about amidst a group of friends in some dingy club. Sweden’s Cat Princess are giving me that vibe this morning, throwing slight jangles with just a hint of warmth beneath them; combine that with the percussive element and you have that natural need for a nice dance floor stomp. In the vocals there’s this sense of cool indifference, just sort of bouncing atop the mix to be sure you have something to lock onto when the song ends. The band will be releasing Forbidden Items in May via Rama Lama Records.